Droid Bionic Still Coming, but Might Get Cosmetic Overhaul; Leaked Pics Show Current State

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Android Central has some pictures of the Droid Bionic that have been leaked recently, but also bring news that it’s likely to be undergoing some changes between now and release. These pictures may be the last time we see the Bionic in its current incarnation. According to a Motorola fact sheet, the Bionic will be getting some big changes before it releases, but it will indeed still see the light of day, sometime this summer. Judging from the pictures, it appears that Motorola has abandoned its Blur UI for this device, apparently being released with stock Froyo. Check More on AC
[via AC]

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Plex plays nice with your Honeycomb slate after app update

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We've praised Plex in the past for delivering us box-free XMBC and for it's prodigious media streaming proficiency. Problem is, its app wasn't optimized for the Honeycomb OS and the upsized screen real estate of Android slates -- until now. With the updated code comes tablet-friendly layouts and fast-scrolling in all grid and list views so you can zip through your large local media library. It also includes direct play and internet streaming sans-transcoding (just like the recently revised iOS app) for sating those right now vid cravings. The improvements serve smaller Android devices as well, which makes the newly egalitarian app more enticing than ever before. Best of all, it's still only five bucks. 

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Toshiba's ET100/WT100 Honeycomb tablet clears the FCC

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Toshiba's forthcoming Honeycomb tablet is already headed to Japanese stores as the Regza AT300, but it's been a bit slower in arriving stateside. Now it seems the company could be close to shipping a real, working product here in the US. The still unnamed slate -- dubbed the ET100/WT100 for now -- has won FCC approval for its 802.11n and Bluetooth radios. To recap, the slate will have a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) display, run on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform, and sport dual cameras, HDMI and USB ports, an SD card reader, and, possibly, a removable battery. We say, bring it on.

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Android Market gets “Tablet Apps” section

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Google today released a featured tablet applications section in web Android Market. I am not yet sure about its presence on Android Market version on Honeycomb tablets, but it won’t take long to have it.
It is currently showcasing 69 apps right now, which I suppose will increase in the coming days.

 

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[Instructions] How To Root The Verizon Samsung Droid Charge

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Neither z4root nor SuperOneClick is currently working on the Charge (though I’m sure someone will come up with a one-click method soon enough), but guess what – Gingerbreak sure does. Follow these instructions, and you should have root and full /system unlock on your Droid Charge in a few minutes. Credit goes to the Exploid Crew and unnamed testers.
No custom recovery, such as ClockworkMod or RA, is available yet, but it is surely going to arrive very soon.

Pros

• Permanent root
• Read/write access to /system
• The bootloader is factory unlocked, so no additional fiddling is required
• All Droid Charges survived testing
• No data wipe is needed

Cons

• Voids warranty
• Could brick your phone if you aren’t careful

Android Police and Team AndIRC disclaim all liability for any harm that may befall your device, including, but not limited to: bricked phones, voided manufacturer warranties, exploding batteries, etc. The instructions below assume you already have a strong familiarity with adb command lines.
The instructions were created using Linux, but should work the same way on Windows, Mac, etc. You may require additional USB drivers on Windows – check with Samsung and Verizon if you can’t see the phone in adb.
If you’re unfamiliar with some of the terms, hit up our primers here:

• Rooting Explained + Top 5 Benefits Of Rooting
• Top Android Apps Every Rooted User Should Know About: Part 1 (Apps 1-8), Part 2 (Apps 9-16), Part 3 (Apps 17-25)
• Custom ROMs Explained And Why You Want Them

Step 1

Download the zip archive containing the exploit and other needed files (MD5: c6f2f4119f4a640571c3ab50c3287aae).

Step 2

Unpack the downloaded zip – you should now have 3 files:

• GingerBreak
• su
• Superuser.apk

Step 3

Enable USB debugging on your phone – go to Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging and put a checkbox there.

Step 4

Push the files to the phone:
adb push GingerBreak /data/local/
adb push su /data/local/
adb push Superuser.apk /data/local/

Step 5

Gain root (this can take upwards of 10 minutes, and if it fails, reboot and try again):
adb shell
Now the shell should display "$".
Run:
/data/local/GingerBreak
At this point, the shell should display "#".

Step 6

When your prompt changes from $ to #, you have temp root. Now let’s make it a permanent root:
At this point, the shell should display "#".
Run:
mount -o remount,rw -t rfs /dev/block/stl10 /system
cat /sdcard/su /system/xbin/su
cat /sdcard/Superuser.apk /system/xbin/Superuser.apk
chown 0:0 /system/xbin/su
chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
reboot
Your Charge should now reboot. Enjoy permanent root!
If you have questions, use our webchat or go to irc.andirc.net and join #charge.
 [Source: Androidpolice]

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Create Your Own Theme Music With “My Piano” For Android

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Isn’t it obvious?  I think everyone should have a high end piano or keyboard app on their smartphone, you know, just in case that tune enters your mind and you want to get it down before it has the chance to escape?  You know what I’m talking about.  My Piano, by developer Borce Trajkovski, has quite a number of features that will come as a surprise for such a compact little app.  Tickle the ivories on command with this innovative new piano application.  Unlike most piano apps, you can even record your voice and play it back in several pitches or keys on the piano for a good laugh.  And this is sure to keep those kiddos busy for quite some time during that long commute.  Just add the app along with a pair of headphones and wallah!  At the very least, you’ll be able to create a tune in no time with an array of features added by the developer.  Head on over to our popular apps database for more info and to snag the download or hit up the QR code after the break. Also, don’t forget to check out the quick video of the app in action.
Android Market Link

From The Developer:
Features:
■ Studio quality sound
■ 10 instruments
■ multi-touch
■ sound effects
■ note velocity
■ note aftertouch
■ integrated sampler
■ sample record & save
■ sample load & import
■ integrated recorder
■ track load & save
■ MIDI over WiFi
■ MIDI note velocity
■ MIDI note aftertouch
■ MIDI volume control
■ 1.5 or 2 octaves
■ 8 notes polyphony
■ 6 skins

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Brighten Up Your Day With “Symphony of Colors” Live Wallpaper

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Looks like maxelus.net is at it again with another one of their stunning live wallpapers.  Symphony of Colors is a fantastic looking live wallpaper that is sure to make your desktop stand out, especially if you have an AMOLED, Super AMOLED or Super AMOLED Plus screen on your device.  Animations have a cool smooth rhythm to them and can even be manipulated with a simple touch or swipe either left, right, up or in the down direction of the desktop.  There are several different colors supported in the app for you to choose from, so feel free to select the color that best describes your mood, turning your device into a mood ring, if you will.  Ready to try it out?  Head on over to the Android Market for more info, a video demo of the app and to snag the download.  You can also hit up the QR code after the break.  And as always, feel free to let us know what you think of the live wallpaper in the comments below.

 

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Samsung Galaxy S II Rooted by Chainfire

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This Kernel whipped up by Chainfire gave him a load of issues for one reason or another and he explains that it’s not a traditional or “proper” CF-Root. One of the reasons Chainfire has for this is that he’s like the majority of the rest of us, and also doesn’t actually have the device in hand! What he’s made this on is more than likely the early build of the phone released before the actual hardware is ready to take off across the whole world. What this project amounts to at the moment is the XWKDD kernel in “insecure” mode, this meaning that you’re going to be using “adb root” command followed by grabbing root shell using adb shell.
With this lovely shell you’re going to be able to remount / system read/write, push su / Superuser, busybox and everything else your box’o'root tools might contain. What Chainfire’s provided for you to use to get to this point is the XWKDD kernel and the new Odin. If you have NO IDEA what that means, it’s better that you just know that we’re well on our way to a completely free and open playground in an ultimate bigtime phone that isn’t even really released yet! Hooray! Check out the full XDA thread over here for full details.
Also don’t forget to check out our good man Chris Davies’ full review of this lovely phone, complete with the cutest transparent Android companion as helper!

 
 

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Sony Ericsson to reveal Xperia X10 Mini, Mini Pro successors next week?

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It is rumored that Sony Ericsson will launch the successors to its Xperia X10 Mini and Mini Pro Android devices in May, and the launch could take place as early as next week.
Codenamed Mango and Smultron, these phones run on Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread builds and feature 1 GHz processors. Other specs are likely to include three inch displays clubbed with 5MP camera and added front cam.
This rumor is accompanied by an additional piece of information that one more Android device can be launch at the same time or will company just make W8 walkman phone official?
Via eprice
 

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