HTC and Google comment on US Apple patent loss – Andy Rubin “optimistic” about the future

HTC’s boss Peter Chou and Android top man Andy Rubin have both gone on the record regarding the recent high-profile patent loss to Apple, which had some excitable people claiming HTC’s phones could be banned from sale in the US.
That won’t happen. Chou says the infringing feature has already been removed, while Rubin is pleased that the ruling only covers user interface touches rather than anything deep within Android itself.
Rubin said:
“The majority of these patents [in Apple's complaint against HTC] were claimed in the operating system itself, but actually in this case what was allowed… is some user interface feature of an application, not the operating system itself, so that’s why I’m very optimistic in basically my desire to achieve patent peace on the overall platform.”

He has in his hand a piece of paper…

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Intel gives us a better glimpse at its Android prototype

No, this amazingly sleek phone doesn’t exist – yet. It is a prototype that may never surface for the public’s use, but nevertheless it is sporting an Intel chip and Android OS. Finally, Intel intends to make a comeback in 2012 by incorporating their technology into both tablets and smartphones. Technology Review was able to test out both of the prototypes, and they state we should see them officially within the first half of 2012.

The chip’s are still contained within the “Atom” line but referenced as Medfield. But what does Medfield bring to the table? Apparently, they aren’t trying to beat their competitors with raw power – but with better battery life through lower power consumption. Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem to be dual-core.
From a first glance, or even a second – you would think you’re looking at an iPhone 4S. But Technology Review not only stated that it was lighter – but made of plastic and less metal or glass. I guarantee if a manufacturer released a device of those dimensions and styling, they wouldn’t make it out of the door without an Apple lawyer waiting to meet them. Of course, this design was purely made to attract manufacturers to using their SoC for their products – so they still have a chance to steer clear of a legal battle.
[via Technology Review]

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Apple Awarded Patent On In Call App Switching – Multitasking Smartphones Sound Familiar To You?

They’ve done it again. The boys at Apple must have some kind of strange patent voodoo because once again, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded them with another IP to stick inside their portfolio, this time with a patent for a “portable electronic device with graphical user interface supporting application switching.” Sound familiar to you? It should. Somehow Apple received a patent for a multitasking smartphone that allows a user to switch between calls and apps. Yup, they seem to have patented Android. You best believe that with Apple’s small victory over HTC yesterday, their lawyers are already plotting new ways to stick it to Android manufacturers everywhere. What’s next? A patent on green robot mascots? Well, played, Apple. Well played…
[USPTO via Engadget]

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Getjar Gold Apps Sale – Over 100 Paid Apps For FREE

This is the season for sales! And I’m not just talking about clothes or gadgets but those sweet little apps you have running on your phone as well. Taking a note from Google’s sale, independent app market, Getjar, has begun offering up some of the hottest paid apps in Android and all for absolutely free.
Getjar actually created a whole new site for their December Gold Apps catalog and it’s actually pretty fun. You scroll horizontally to see all the apps (horizontal is the new vertical) and can even jump to specific apps by clicking on the corresponding letters (pictured above). When you find an app that interests you, simply click on it and you’ll be taken to Getjar’s mobile site where you’ll have to download their app store to begin downloading your free app.
It’s kind of a process but if legitimately free apps are worth it to you, then hit up the the “Gold Apps Catalogue” in the source link below.
[Getjar Gold Apps Catalogue | Getjar App Store]

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Ubislate7 - Aakash's Commercial version on Sale

Aakash, the $35 Android tablet by DataWind has taken commercial shape in form of Ubislate7. Ubislate7 is priced at 2999 INR, roughly $60 and will be out by late January next year. DataWind has already started Pre-booking the tablet. Ubislate7 is touted as the next generation tablet which will be commercially available everywhere and to everyone. This next version of Aakash is loaded with better features and specifications.

Ubislate7, as per spec, is a 7" tablet like Aakash and 3x faster than the former. The tablet runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Below are the detailed spec of the tablet.

• 7" inch TFT capacitive multi-touch screen
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread
• Cortex A8 – 700 Mhz
• 3200 mAh
• Wifi & GPRS connectivity

It is interesting to note that the Aakash tablets have already been sold out and only Ubislate7 versions are on sale. 2012 is going to be year of cheap tablets. Ubislate7 is definitely right on target with the price point and features. Book your own Ubislate7 from here.

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Android activations grow to 700,000 a day

According to Andy Rubin, Android smartphones are now being activated 700,000 times in a single day. In the big scheme of things, that shows amazing growth. The OS is quite popular, but growing from 550,000 daily activations in July to 700K is incredible! It was estimated that we may be at 1 million activations a day by October 20th, but it undoubtedly digressed from the projected path.

So currently, that makes 4.9 million phones activated each week. Overall, Google states that over 200 million Android devices have been activated – so if the trend continues we could see Android surpass the 250 million iOS devices. This not only shows Android is dominating the smartphone market, but that it is continuously becoming more popular. Eventually we will see it peak out, but it’s hard to tell when.
Hopefully, Android owners are statisfied with their devices. If not, this could lead to a very adverse effect in projected market growth. It may take a while for them to bounce back – but with how fast the software is innovatively growing, the end user experience will undoubtedly lead to more repeat Android customers. But if Apple keeps jabbing patent related law suits at Android device manufacturers, we may never see Android surpass them.
[via The Verge]

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T-Mobile rolling out new 3G bands

T-Mobile will be following through with their addition of the 1900MHz frequency bands to their network. They’ll be updating their towers from here on out, and this will make many current T-Mobile customers extremely happy; the 1900MHz bands should allow unlocked and imported devices to finally reach 3G speeds.

Sure Edge speeds let you access the internet, but it’s those with an unlocked speedy smartphone on T-Mobile’s network should at least be able to access 3G signal. There’s no idea where they’ll rollout the updates to the network first, so unlocked iPhone users just keep an eye on your device to see if you finally connect to a 3G network. Maybe we can find an update pattern.
Most future devices from T-Mobile will probably come equipped with capabilities for the new bands – but until then unlocked/international devices will be the only ones compatible. Personally, I was expecting an update to 1900MHz from T-Mobile due to their suggested AT&T buyout deal. Since that has fallen through, hopefully they continue with their plans.
[via TalkAndroid]

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Root users: install Google Car Home on your Galaxy Nexus

One thing that surprised me when looking through my Galaxy Nexus apps wasn’t the presence of Verizon’s bloatware, it was thew absence of something that’s become a standard on Android phones: Google Car Home. It’s the app that launched when you slide a phone into a car dock, featuring big, easily pressed buttons to help you stay focused on the road. When I looked for it in the Android Market, there was no sign, and navigating via the web version revealed that Google Car Home isn’t yet compatible with either the Galaxy Nexus, Ice Cream Sandwich, or both.


Of course, being an obsessive Android tinkerer I couldn’t simply let things lie. So I downloaded the latest version of Google Car Home on my DROID X, then copied the APK file over to my SD card, and eventually to my computer. Then I copied the APK over to the MTP root folder of my Galaxy Nexus. You can see where this is going. When I tried to install the APK via the Root Explorer file manager, it popped out an error message. So as a last ditch attempt, I activated root permissions and copied the APK file straight into my /system/app folder. Eureka! The app showed up in my drawer immediately, and Google Car Home works just fine, as far as I can tell.

Here’s the Google Car Home APK if you want to skip the roundabout or don’t have a spare Android phone. Just copy it into your /system/app/ folder using a root file explorer. To use the easy method you need to be rooted, but those with stock Ice Cream Sandwich will have to use ADB to manually move the file from your computer into the correct folder. Here’s a guide if you’re new to ADB.

All this is a little disheartening for Verizon Galaxy Nexus users, since the official Samsung car dock for the LTE version doesn’t use the three electrical contacts to automatically enter car mode like the GSM dock does. But the Google Car Home app is still much safer and easier to operate while driving, and features quick links to hands-free voice activation and maps. If you’ve got a Bluetooth-enabled car stereo, you can set Car Home to launch as soon as it makes the Bluetooth connection. And if you’re looking for a good, cheap universal car dock, I’ve had great results with the SGP Kuel S20.
Disclaimer: this app, and the process for installing it, are offered on an as-is basis. Android Community is not responsible if you use it to play Angry Birds in the middle of the highway and end up with some angry people… or worse.

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Cee Lo hides white DROID RAZR in LA, Motorola gives away 6 more

Sprite spokesman, American Dad! guest star and occasional R&B singer Cee Lo Green has a white Motorola DROID RAZR, and he wants to give it to you. Not you, personally, but at least one of his Twitter followers, now numbered at about half a million. He’s hidden it somewhere in Los Angeles, and will be tweeting out clues to its precise location on his official account, @CeeLoGreen. You probably shouldn’t check under the big “W” in the Hollywood sign.

For those of us without the inclination to join the madding crowd or the means to go scavenger hunting in LA, Motorola will be giving out another six units via Twitter. Follow @Motorola, do some pimping with the #WhiteRazrXmas tag, cross your fingers, and the company might just pick your for a frosty new smartphone on December 27th. Since the promotion is for a Verizon-branded phone, only residents of the United States can win.

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