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Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit 20 January, 2012, 3:20 pm
Face it, your Android smartphone and tablet get smudged a lot. And no matter what display technology is used nor how clean you try to keep your fingers, at some point you look down at your device and see fingerprints and smudges. What do you normally do to clean your screen? Breath hot air on it and wipe on your leg or arm? Yeah, I see you doing that. Want to know what I'm doing now? I'm using Antec's 3X Strength Cleaner Spray. Going in I was not expecting to see this miracle solution work any better than water, a microfiber cloth, or chamois. Boy was I wrong. I couldn't believe how easily I was able to remove smudges and prints on my tablet. Then it was off to try the phones. And the television. Then the PC monitor. Every single time out, it was incredible simple and effective. The kit is essentially two parts - a bottle of solution and a microfiber cloth. Speaking honestly, I was not all the impressed with the cloth upon seeing it in the packaging. It appears to be rougher than most and had the appearance of being "cheap". Well whatever the blend of fabric or materials they are using, it works. I've not tried any other cloths or wipes with the solution so I cannot say for certain that it makes the difference. The 240ml bottle of spray runs $18.99 online and seems like it will last me a long time. All it really takes is one pump for a phone and maybe two for a 10-inch tablet. Anything beyond that is wasted. For a 55-inch television, I used around 6-7 pumps and came away pleased. The alcohol & ammonia free solution has virtually no smell and could pass for water at a glance. I keep the bottle in the office next to my desk so that I can wipe my tablet down and keep my phones looking clean. Unfortunately the bottle is too big to take with me on trips as it won't pass airport security. For those cases I would recommend the travel kit which comes in a 60ml bottle and smaller cloth. At $12.99 it's a bit on the expensive side but definitely worth it if you use your devices (laptops, tablets, etc) in a setting where others are close at hand. Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you that the larger bottle actually comes with the smaller sized, travel companion! In a situation where you are demonstrating a new app or game? Wipe your device down in a flash. I'd love to hear about some of your favorite ways to clean your Android displays. Are you using a spray or particular cloth? Leave a comment below with your preferred way to stay smudge-free. In the meanwhile I will be polishing off a slab of baby back ribs and playing with my Xoom. Review: Antec Cleaning Spray Kit originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
LG X3 render leaked, Tegra 3 & 4.7-inch display shown off 20 January, 2012, 3:15 pm
We've seen quite a few quad-core Android devices so far this year, from tablets to smartphones. Among them, the HTC Edge, the rumored Meizu MX, and the Asus Transformer Prime are some of the most notable. It seems that LG, not wanting to miss out on the quad-core party, is readying the X3, a Tegra 3-powered Android smartphone. Reportedly, the device is packing a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 display, 8MP rear camera, 1.3MP front-facing shooter, a profile of less than 9mm, 16GB of internal storage, and a MicroSD card slot. ICS, NFC, and 21Mbps HSPA are also said to be on board, though an LTE version could easily pop up as well. The X3 is also rumored to be packing a 2000mAh battery, to handle the strain of a quad-core Tegra 3 chipset. As always, there's no official word from LG on such a device, but we'll let you know if something else finds its way to the internet. So is anyone excited by the prospect of a Tegra 3 LG device? Anyone think quad-core is just too much? Drop a comment below! Source PocketNow LG X3 render leaked, Tegra 3 & 4.7-inch display shown off originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
U.S. Cellular trims $100 off all smartphones 20 January, 2012, 12:38 pm
U.S. Cellular today announced that they have trimmed $100 off all their smartphones, including the Android stuff you all love. Deals include the Motorola Electrify for $149.99 as well as the Samsung Repp and Huawei Ascend II for just a penny each. And like the year-end deals that the carrier offered, consumers take advantage of double rewards points for ringtones, accessories and new handsets! If you live in one of U.S. Cellular's markets then you may want to check out your options. No word as to how long the promotional prices will run so ya better move quickly. U.S. Cellular trims $100 off all smartphones originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
Angry Birds Seasons updated for Chinese New Year 20 January, 2012, 11:38 am
Get ready for the Year of the Dragon! Rovio Mobile has updated their wildly successful Angry Birds Seasons with a whole set of new levels and fun all designed around the Chinese New Year. Arriving in the nick of time, the new features include the ability to use the Mighty Eagle (Mighty Dragon) for help clearing those hard-to-beat levels. Like all the previous ABS updates, this one offers a new set of colors, graphics, items, and more, all centered around the common theme - Chinese New Year. Fireworks popping, lanterns glowing, red envelopes bursting with money – it's Chinese New Year! This holiday is China's biggest and longest festival, a time for feasting with family and friends, setting off fireworks, and having fun. The Angry Birds are celebrating the start of the Year of the Dragon, but the piggies are trying to scare them away from their eggs! Luckily the Angry Birds have some help – the Mighty Eagle has transformed into the fearsome Mighty Dragon! Download Angry Birds Seasons conversione applicazioni iphone androidAngry Birds SeasonsRovio Mobile Ltd.FREE>250,000Link Android Market Angry Birds Seasons updated for Chinese New Year originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
New promotional bundle at T-Mobile starting January 25th 20 January, 2012, 11:31 am
T-Mobile is gearing up for a new promotion, one we think is actually worthwhile. Starting January 25th, T-Mobile is [secretively] launching two new data feature bundles. These new bundles will only be available for a limited time. According to the screenshot, the new promotion will include 5GB and 10GB plans featuring the Smartphone Mobile Hotspot and MobileLife services at no extra cost. We’re not sure why T-Mobile wishes to keep this under wraps, aside from a massive influx of “plan-switchers.” Likely to be reserved for “retention” type scenarios, I believe this type of offering should be the status quo. Its 2012, 5GB & 10GB plans on 4G LTE networks ought to be the minimum. Existing customers are eligible for the new bundle plans, regardless of contract status. For those of you on T-Mobile, does this move make sense? Are you going to call on January 25th and play their game? Let us know in the comments below. Source: TMONEWS New promotional bundle at T-Mobile starting January 25th originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
“Awww, I just got Samsunged” [VIDEO] 20 January, 2012, 10:32 am
Check out the video below to see Samsung's latest "Next Big Thing" spot that should soon be hitting a television near you. While it's not all that different from other commercials running on TV right now, it does give us a new term to use for these types of situations. The next time one of your Apple sheep friends look at your Galaxy S II with longing eyes, tell them they just got Samsunged. According to an email we received this morning, Samsung looks to be readying something else for Super Bowl Sunday. Our guess is that we might see a long-form version of these types of commercials, maybe something new. Perhaps a little Galaxy Note thrown in for fun? PS: Does anyone find it coincidence that the guy in the ad appears to be behind bars, much like a jail setting? And he's wearing the traditional black and white stripes... We certainly don't. “Awww, I just got Samsunged” [VIDEO] originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
Namco Bandai: “Freemium model does not work for high-quality games” 20 January, 2012, 10:22 am
Namco Bandai, the name behind Android games such as PAC-MAN and Flight Control, has come out in opposition of the freemium model that is becoming popular among mobile apps. More specifically, they believe that it's not possible to sustain a business model using this method so long as you are producing high-quality titles. Also know as "free to play", the tactic typically lets users get a taste for a game through a handful of levels of features. The idea is that, once hooked, players will pay to unlock additional content, remove ads, or download new levels. Speaking at Cloud Gaming Europe, Namco Bandai's senior VP for Europe, Olivier Comte, advised that while the strategy might work for smaller titles, it's too risky for bigger companies. What's more, he believes that the constant stream of low-cost or free games is going to hinder the industry in the long term. "Free-to-play games can't be high quality. The business model for smaller, easier titles, is making an expectation to consumers that is whittling away at triple-A development. We need to put certain value on certain work. When you're a big company… you can't take risks too quickly, you can't make a change just because there's a fashion for a couple of years; you want to be there in 20 or 30 years." - Comte What's your take? What do you think of all Namco Bandai's stance here? Are they right in saying that high quality games will suffer in sales or development because of the indie developer business model? More importantly, have you found a freemium game that you would consider high quality? Let us know about it in the comments! Industry Gamers Namco Bandai: “Freemium model does not work for high-quality games” originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
Verizon taps Purple Droid Razr with January 23 launch 20 January, 2012, 9:49 am
You probably heard last week that Verizon announced a purple variation of their popular Droid Razr handset during CES. What you didn't get, however, was a price point or launch date. Today sees those blanks filled in as the carrier puts the Android-powered smartphone on the calendar for January 23, just a few days from now. So, go ahead and ring in the Year of the Dragon by picking up a purple Droid Razr, why don't ya? It's only $200 and two-years of your life. Keep in mind that this is the same $200 Droid Razr that recently landed on Verizon, minus the 16GB microSD card. Should purple not be your color of choice you may also like the white edition that's also available come Monday. Verizon Verizon taps Purple Droid Razr with January 23 launch originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
Find Your New Rental with Apartments.com Android App 20 January, 2012, 9:44 am
Launched earlier this week, the latest make-your-life-easier application in the Android Market comes via Apartments.com. Easy to use and boasting a bunch of handy features, it should make your next apartment search a bit less stressful. Apartment searching Android users now have instant access to thousands of rentals including pictures, videos and floor-plans. "We want to give apartment hunters a variety of search options," said Chris Brown, VP of product management at Apartments.com. "With mobile devices predicted to overtake PCs for accessing online information in the next year or two, we added the Android app to our mobile product suite to give renters more choices to choose from when conducting their apartment search. Unlike other apartment apps on the market, we designed our app specifically for Android to ensure we deliver the best user experience." The Apartments.com Android application key features include: The most comprehensive and vivid database of apartments nationwide Search for apartments near any location, use GPS to search exact location Refine search by location, price, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, amenities and more View photos, floorplans and video walkthroughs of apartment listings Save apartment listings as favorites and access them again at anytime Saved searches allow apartment shoppers to pick up their apartment search where they left off If you plan on searching for a place to live soon, grab the Application from the link below. conversione applicazioni iphone androidApartments.com:Apartments.comFREE100-500Link Android Market Find Your New Rental with Apartments.com Android App originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners
Poll: Ever considered a “rugged” Android? 19 January, 2012, 2:41 pm
We're curious to see just how many typical Android users would consider buying a "rugged" smartphone. Hence the quickie poll below. Have you ever thought about getting an Android handset that lets you submerge it in water, kick it, throw dirt in its face, or drop it? Why or why not? Leave an answer in the poll below and then tell us a bit more about your use case in the comments! Ever consider a "rugged" Android? Poll: Ever considered a “rugged” Android? originally appeared on AndroidGuys. Follow AndroidGuys on Facebook and Twitter and download the free AndroidGuys app for your device! Check out our gift ideas for Android owners

AndroidandMe

MIT open sources App Inventor; on track for April public release 22 January, 2012, 10:28 am
Remember App Inventor? It was one of the casualties of the Google Labs kill order that came down late last year. However the WYSIWYG app building tool got a reprieve at the last minute from MIT, who in turn received a donation from Google to help establish the MIT Center for Mobile Learning. The MIT group reached one of their first goals late Friday with the initial release of the App Inventor source code. It’s freely available here to check out, and MIT will be occassionaly updating it to match what they are doing in-house. Documentation is fairly sparse at the moment; the majority of their focus is on getting their large-scale public server up and running by April. But if you want to start playing now, there’s a Google group that appears fairly active already. If you want to get into the tester group that’s working with the latest updates MIT has, you can still request access here. But don’t expect to hear anything immediately. The list is quite long, and they don’t want to overload the service. We’ll keep tabs on the service as it gets closer to the full public release this Spring.
Acer Iconia Tab A200 now available; basically an A500 with improved software 20 January, 2012, 3:59 pm
The Acer Iconia Tab A200 was announced earlier this month, and while we expected it to be released last January 15, it is just now hitting Best Buy stores. When announced, the tablet seemed like just another A500, but the difference seems to lie on its software. The specs are pretty much what we are used to from any 2011 Honeycomb tablet. It comes with a Tegra 2 dual-core processor, Honeycomb OS, 16 GB/8 GB of internal storage, a 10.1-inch (1280×800) display, 1 GB of RAM and a 2 MP front-facing camera. Not to mention the fact that this device comes with a flurry of ports, which is typical of Acer Android tablets (USB, micro USB, 3.5 mm headset jack, proprietary power port and microSD card slot). What really makes this better than the A500, though, is the customization that Acer has integrated into this bad boy. If you remember, last week during CES we covered the Acer Iconia Tab A510, which was a Tegra 3 tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich. This tablet had a UI overlay that really caught our attention. And whether you like custom manufacturer UIs or not, it actually brought some rather cool functionality. The A200 has the same features we saw with the A510, and a bit more. Aside from the virtual command center, Acer has decided to include an HTC Sense-like lock screen. It includes accessible shortcuts that one can activate by dragging the unlock “bubble” to one of the icons. To see what this is all about, check out the video that the guys from Android Central have put together. The Acer Iconia Tab A200 does not come with Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), but Acer promises that it will be getting its tasty upgrade in February. If you are interested in purchasing this bad boy, the 16 GB version is now available from Best Buy at $349.99. Check out the video and let us know what you think. Do you guys like Acer’s UI features, or would you rather stick with stock ICS? At this price, would you rather wait for Asus’ $250 Tegra 3, Android 4.0 beast?
Resident Evil 4 now available on Android, but not for everyone 20 January, 2012, 2:26 pm
The Resident Evil game saga has made a huge impact on our generation. Among other classics, these zombie-killing games have been one of the most acclaimed, and one of the most popular ones is out today for Android – Resident Evil 4. Don’t go rushing to the Android Market just yet, though. This treat is not for everyone, as LG has exclusivity for a while. The sad part is that this is not only exclusive to LG users, but there are a couple more requirements one needs to fulfill to enjoy this game. This Capcom hit will temporarily only be available for Korean users that own an LG 4G LTE U+ device. We are sure that 4G LTE is not a system requirement, though. Any device with the appropriate hardware should be able to run this game. Resident Evil 4 runs for ₩5,500 (about $5), and is available today if you happen to fulfill all the requirements. We certainly hope that this game makes it to other devices, as well as other countries, as soon as possible. But for now, let’s just be jealous for a while and stick to our current games. Will any of you be willing to spend $5 on this game? What other games are you still waiting for? I know I am still dreaming about playing Final Fantasy 7 on my Android devices.
Review: IOGear Mobile Power Station was ultimate CES life-saver 20 January, 2012, 12:44 pm
The short battery life that accompanies our Android smartphones can be one of the biggest everyday frustrations. Users have opted to use multiple and extended batteries or plug themselves to a power outlet as often as possible. Another great solution for this issue is to buy a handy portable battery charger. The IOGear GearPower High Capacity Mobile Power Station (Amazon link posted below) happens to be one of the best (and most affordable) options available. We thought the best test for any portable charger would be CES, since attendees spend most of the time outdoors. Whether it be on the showfloor or at any of the other events, those 4G LTE smartphones are bound to die off in the middle of the day. After carrying multiple portable charging devices, the IOGEAR Mobile Power Station was definitely the one that stood out from the crowd. Some of the other ones were a bit smaller, but were not even worth carrying around, as they barely tickled our devices’ batteries. Others were simply not as efficient, so I decided to carry this one as my sole alternative charging unit. Everything went great throughout CES, and I managed to never run out of battery without using a single power outlet at the convention center. This bad boy holds a 6,600 mAh battery and has two ports, which allows you to charge a couple of devices simultaneously. The charging station is also not as large and heavy as some of the competing portable chargers. It’s definitely not the smallest, but this device does have the advantage of featuring 2 USB charging ports. One of them is a 2.1 amp charging port while the other one charges at 1 amp. The 2.1 A USB port is meant for more power-hungry devices, but you can also use it for the little guys. It simply affects the speed at which the device is being charged. While its 6,600 mAh battery can charge the average smartphone 3-4 times, it does not perform as well in the real world. This would be the case if the device were turned off while charging, but you usually use a device while plugged to the external battery. I am usually able to charge my HTC Thunderbolt about twice while using it (with 4G LTE). It is important to note that this charger by no means charges your devices as fast as a power outlet would. It usually takes about 4 hours to fully charge the Thunderbolt when plugged in to the 2.1A port (while using it). I am able to completely charge an iPod Nano within half an hour, though (1A port). It all depends on your device and how much juice it eats up. This IOGear charger is very straight-forward and simple to use, as are most portable chargers. It has one button, a light indicator, a micro USB port for charging the portable battery, and two USB ports for charging your devices. That’s it. And it’s just as simple to operate. Simply press the button, and the light indicator will let you know how charged your IOGear power station’s battery is (4 blue lights for full battery and 0 for empty). To charge your devices, plug them in to either of the USB ports and press the button to begin juicing up your device(s). When the portable battery dies, plug your micro USB cable/power charger (two pieces) in to the power outlet, and the light indicator will let you know when the device is fully charged. There is downside, though. The portable charger cannot charge your devices while it is being charged itself. Adding such a feature would have been great, but this is definitely not a deal breaker. If you’re charging the battery, you’re probably near a power outlet, anyway. But let’s take a look at the good and the bad: The Good Large battery – 6,600 mAh 2 USB ports – 2.1A and 1A Easy to use Very portable, considering its functionality (3.5×4.4×0.6 inches ; 7.2 ounces) The Bad Can’t charge portable battery and devices simultaneously Charging speed is much slower than a power outlet (but not horrible, either) The pros definitely overshadow the cons with this product. It’s definitely one of the best portable chargers we’ve seen. And for its price, it’s quite a no-brainer if you’re looking to extend your battery life. This device goes for a mere $42.24 at Amazon, and it ships for free with Super Saver Shipping. It is small enough to carry around in your bag or in a larger pocket. I usually wear cargo pants/shorts, so I would just stick this charger on one of the lower pockets with a cable coming up to my regular side pocket (where my phone would be). You can easily stick both in a bag or back pack, though, if you’re not into wearing cables. We would recommend the IOGear Mobile Power Station to anyone in the market for a portable charger. Be sure to take a look at it before making your decision. There are more images, as well as a video, posted below. Go ahead and take a look at it for more details, and long live our batteries! Would you guys get one of these for a bit over $42? (Amazon link is right below if you are interested). If you currently use another of these devices, do you think it is better? Which one is it? Amazon link: IOGear GearPower High Capacity Mobile Power Station Gallery
LG X3 render emerges before MWC; Tegra 3, 4.7-inch 720p display rumored 20 January, 2012, 11:02 am
If you were at all disappointed by the handsets shown at CES earlier this month, just wait until Mobile World Congress. Flagship devices will be on display from every major player on the market. Including LG, whose crown jewel for the first half of 2012 has just been leaked and detailed by PocketNow. According to Evan Blass of PocketNow, the X3 will be LG’s next big device launch – and it certainly has the rumored specs to fit: Android 4.0 Quad-core Tegra processor 4.7-inch 1280×720 display 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera 8 megapixel rear camera 16GB of expandable storage Bluetooth 4.0 NFC 2,000mAh battery The LG X3 is slated to come with HSPA+ 21, but don’t count an LTE model out just yet. An LTE version could very well be in the works for areas that can utilize the network. While these specs blow any device currently available out of the water, they’re going to be commonplace at Mobile World Congress this year. The HTC Edge, or Supreme (or Endeavor), is also rumored to launch with a quad-core Tegra 3, and the Galaxy S III may just steal the show with whatever Samsung has in store. As for when the LG X3 will be released, look for it to hit retail sometime in late spring or early summer. This is total speculation, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this device land a “G” in its name if it comes to the US and finds its way to T-Mobile. This would be the perfect handset for T-Mobile to base a G3X after. What do you think of the rumored specs on the X3?
Software updates for HTC EVO 4G, Design 4G, Samsung Epic 4G now available 20 January, 2012, 8:44 am
Late last night, Sprint announced the release of new OTA software updates for the HTC EVO 4G, HTC EVO Design 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G. If you’re hoping for a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich, you’re in for a bit of a disappointment. The latest updates for all three phones bring minor fixes, security patches and battery life improvements. It’s nice to see Sprint, HTC and Samsung roll out new updates for these three phones, but we’re still wondering when — or even if — these handsets will be updated to Andoid 4.0. It’s probably safe to say that the EVO 4G is destined to finish out its life on Gingerbread, but there’s no reason the EVO Design 4G and Epic 4G shouldn’t see an Android 4.0 update within the next few months. HTC EVO 4G Software Update Build number: 4.67.651.3 Security Update Updated Peep client ( to align with Twitter) Battery life improvements As of January 19, customers can manually download the software update to their phones. To check for the update manually, press Menu > Settings > System updates > HTC software update. Sprint will start sending out update notifications starting January 24. HTC EVO Design 4G Software Update Build number: 2.12.651.5 Security Update Updated Peep client (to align with Twitter) Updated Sprint Zone client Battery life improvements 3LM Enterprise Tool Access (no user interface changes) Design 4G users can manually download the software update to their phones starting on January 19. To check for the update manually, press Menu > Settings > System updates > HTC software update. Sprint will start sending out update notifications starting January 24. Samsung Epic 4G Software Update Build number: S:D700.0.5S.EL30 Security update Speaker feedback fix The QIK and Asphalt 5 applications are no longer preloaded. Sprint will be rolling out the update for the Epic 4G in stages and expects all handsets to be up-to-date within ten days. Though the QIK and Asphalt 5 games are no longer loaded onto the phone, users will still see application icons for both apps in their app drawer. Clicking on the icon will launch the Android Market and prompt users to download the apps. All previous data in both applications will be lost after the update.
Google: 250 million Android devices out there, 700,000 activations per day 19 January, 2012, 3:06 pm
Google has just released their 4th Quarter 2011 earnings report, missing Wall Street targets on total net revenue. Google came in at a non-GAAP net revenue total of $8.13B, short of the $8.40B projections from Wall Street. This move sent Google’s after-trading stock price down a whopping 10%. There is some good news coming out of Google’s earnings call, however, as Google announced several new statistics that suggest improvements across it’s product lines. Google+ now has 90 million active users, with 60% of these users checking Google+ on a regular basis. On the Android front, over 250 million Android devices have now been activated, and new devices are being activated to the tune of 700,000 per day. Over 11 billion items (combination of applications, movies, music, and games) have now been downloaded from the Android Market. One thing is clear; Android continues to enjoy phenomenal growth and will continue to be a big money maker for Google for the foreseeable future. You can see Google’s full press release below. Show Press Release MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – January 19, 2012 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter and the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. “Google had a really strong quarter ending a great year. Full year revenue was up 29%, and our quarterly revenue blew past the $10 billion mark for the first time,” said Larry Page, CEO of Google. “I am super excited about the growth of Android, Gmail, and Google+, which now has 90 million users globally – well over double what I announced just three months ago. By building a meaningful relationship with our users through Google+ we will create amazing experiences across our services. I’m very excited about what we can do in 2012 – there are tremendous opportunities to help users and grow our business.” Q4 Financial Summary Google reported revenues of $10.58 billion for the quarter ended December 31, 2011, an increase of 25% compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the fourth quarter of 2011, TAC totaled $2.45 billion, or 24% of advertising revenues. Google reports operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures at the end of this release. GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $3.51 billion, or 33% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.98 billion, or 35% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Non-GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $4.04 billion, or 38% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.38 billion, or 40% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $2.71 billion, compared to $2.54 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. Non-GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $3.13 billion, compared to $2.85 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $8.22 on 329 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $7.81 in the fourth quarter of 2010 on 326 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $9.50, compared to $8.75 in the fourth quarter of 2010. Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude the expenses related to stock-based compensation (SBC). Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses related to SBC and the related tax benefits. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the charge related to SBC was $536 million, compared to $396 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The tax benefit related to SBC was $114 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 and $89 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to GAAP operating income, operating margin, net income, and EPS are included at the end of this release. Q4 Financial Highlights Revenues – Google reported revenues of $10.58 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, representing a 25% increase over fourth quarter 2010 revenues of $8.44 billion. Google reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting TAC. Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated revenues of $7.29 billion, or 69% of total revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2011. This represents a 29% increase over fourth quarter 2010 revenues of $5.67 billion. Google Network Revenues – Google’s partner sites generated revenues of $2.88 billion, or 27% of total revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2011. This represents a 15% increase from fourth quarter 2010 network revenues of $2.50 billion. International Revenues – Revenues from outside of the United States totaled $5.60 billion, representing 53% of total revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to 55% in the third quarter of 2011 and 52% in the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the third quarter of 2011 through the fourth quarter of 2011, our revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 would have been $239 million higher. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the fourth quarter of 2010 through the fourth quarter of 2011, our revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 would have been $39 million lower. Revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $1.06 billion, representing 10% of revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to 10% in the fourth quarter of 2010. In the fourth quarter of 2011, we recognized a benefit of $25 million to revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program, compared to $25 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. A reconciliation of our non-GAAP international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging to GAAP international revenues is included at the end of this release. Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, increased approximately 34% over the fourth quarter of 2010 and increased approximately 17% over the third quarter of 2011. Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, decreased approximately 8% over the fourth quarter of 2010 and decreased approximately 8% over the third quarter of 2011. TAC – Traffic acquisition costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, increased to $2.45 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to TAC of $2.07 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 24% in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to 25% in the fourth quarter of 2010. The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our Network members, which totaled $2.01 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $442 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, content acquisition costs as well as credit card processing charges, increased to $1.25 billion, or 12% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to $877 million, or 10% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $3.38 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, or 32% of revenues, compared to $2.51 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010, or 30% of revenues. Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the fourth quarter of 2011, the total charge related to SBC was $536 million, compared to $396 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to January 1, 2012 to be approximately $2.0 billion for 2012. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after December 31, 2011 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted. Operating Income – GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $3.51 billion, or 33% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $2.98 billion, or 35% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Non-GAAP operating income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $4.04 billion, or 38% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.38 billion, or 40% of revenues, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Interest and Other Income (Expense), Net – Interest and other income (expense), net was an expense of $18 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to an income of $160 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 22% for the fourth quarter of 2011. Net Income – GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $2.71 billion, compared to $2.54 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. Non-GAAP net income was $3.13 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to $2.85 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $8.22 on 329 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $7.81 in the fourth quarter of 2010 on 326 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the fourth quarter of 2011 was $9.50, compared to $8.75 in the fourth quarter of 2010. Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities in the fourth quarter of 2011 totaled $3.92 billion, compared to $3.53 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. In the fourth quarter of 2011, capital expenditures were $951 million, the majority of which was related to IT infrastructure investments, including data centers, servers, and networking equipment. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the fourth quarter of 2011, free cash flow was $2.97 billion. We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures. A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release. Cash – As of December 31, 2011, cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities were $44.6 billion. Headcount – On a worldwide basis, Google employed 32,467 full-time employees as of December 31, 2011, up from 31,353 full-time employees as of September 30, 2011. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION A live audio webcast of Google’s fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 earnings release call will be available at http://investor.google.com/webcast.html. The call begins today at 1:30 PM (PT) / 4:30 PM (ET). This press release, the financial tables, as well as other supplemental information including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, are also available on that site. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements regarding our continued investments in our core areas of strategic focus, our expected SBC charges, and our plans to make significant capital expenditures. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, unforeseen changes in our hiring patterns and our need to expend capital to accommodate the growth of the business, as well as those risks and uncertainties included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, which is on file with the SEC and is available on our investor relations website at investor.google.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of January 19, 2012, and we undertake no duty to update this information unless required by law. ABOUT NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which statements are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP EPS, free cash flow, and non-GAAP international revenues. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures,” “Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow,” and “Reconciliation from GAAP international revenues to non-GAAP international revenues” included at the end of this release. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses and expenditures that may not be indicative of our “recurring core business operating results,” meaning our operating performance excluding not only non-cash charges, such as SBC, but also discrete cash charges that are infrequent in nature. We believe that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to our historical performance and liquidity as well as comparisons to our competitors’ operating results. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors both because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and (2) they are used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze the health of our business. Non-GAAP operating income and operating margin. We define non-GAAP operating income as operating income plus expenses related to SBC, and, as applicable, one-time events. Non-GAAP operating margin is defined as non-GAAP operating income divided by revenues. Google considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors because they exclude the effect of SBC and as applicable, one-time events so that Google’s management and investors can compare Google’s recurring core business operating results over multiple periods. Because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under FASB ASC Topic 718, Google’s management believes that providing a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes SBC allows investors to make meaningful comparisons between Google’s recurring core business operating results and those of other companies, as well as providing Google’s management with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating Google’s own recurring core business operating results over different periods of time. There are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP operating income versus operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. First, non-GAAP operating income excludes some costs, namely, SBC, that are recurring. SBC has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in Google’s business. Second, SBC is an important part of our employees’ compensation and impacts their performance. Third, the components of the costs that we exclude in our calculation of non-GAAP operating income may differ from the components that our peer companies exclude when they report their results of operations. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP operating income and evaluating non-GAAP operating income together with operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP net income and EPS. We define non-GAAP net income as net income plus expenses related to SBC, and, as applicable, one-time events less the related tax effects. The tax effect of SBC is calculated using the tax-deductible portion of SBC and applying the entity-specific, U.S. federal and blended state tax rates. We define non-GAAP EPS as non-GAAP net income divided by the weighted average outstanding shares, on a fully-diluted basis. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be a useful metric for management and investors for the same reasons that Google uses non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin. However, in order to provide a complete picture of our recurring core business operating results, we exclude from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS the tax effects associated with SBC. Without excluding these tax effects, investors would only see the gross effect that excluding these expenses had on our operating results. The same limitations described above regarding Google’s use of non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin apply to our use of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS and evaluating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS together with net income and EPS calculated in accordance with GAAP. Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. We consider free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business that, after the acquisition of property and equipment, including information technology infrastructure and land and buildings, can be used for strategic opportunities, including investing in our business, making strategic acquisitions, and strengthening the balance sheet. Analysis of free cash flow also facilitates management’s comparisons of our operating results to competitors’ operating results. A limitation of using free cash flow versus the GAAP measure of net cash provided by operating activities as a means for evaluating Google is that free cash flow does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance from operations for the period because it excludes cash used for capital expenditures during the period. Our management compensates for this limitation by providing information about our capital expenditures on the face of the statement of cash flows and under the caption “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. Google has computed free cash flow using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter and year to year. Non-GAAP international revenues. We define non-GAAP international revenues as international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging. Non-GAAP international revenues are calculated by translating current quarter revenues using prior quarter and prior year exchange rates, as well as excluding any hedging gains realized in the current quarter. We consider non-GAAP international revenues as a useful metric as it facilitates management’s internal comparison to our historical performance. The accompanying tables have more details on the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.
Ten percent of all South Koreans own a Samsung Galaxy S II 19 January, 2012, 12:55 pm
Apple’s iPhone 4S may dominate sales in the US, but it looks like Samsung’s Galaxy S II has established full dominance in Samsung’s home market. Samsung has just announced that they have sold five million Galaxy S II’s in South Korea since the phone’s late April debut. To put that into perspective, more than one in ten South Koreans (current population estimates hover around 48 million) are walking around with a Galaxy S II in their hand. What’s even more impressive is that the Samsung Galaxy S II accounts for 1 in 4 of all smartphones sold in the country and has helped Samsung recure an impressive 53% market share of South Korea’s smartphone sales. The hope is that other Android manufacturers will notice the tremendous success that can be achieved with a single Android phone and replicate Samsung’s business strategy of delivering only one or two true flagship devices per year rather than flooding the market with dozens of iterative handset. There’s no doubt that consumers are loving what Samsung is doing with Android. Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress in a few short weeks. We’re not exactly sure what they have planned, but Samsung’s track record leads us to beleive that the new device will be even more successful than last year’s Galaxy S II.
HTC Edge suffering from identity crisis – gets two new names before MWC 19 January, 2012, 8:00 am
We only have a few short weeks before HTC is expected to announce its 2012 lineup at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but someone thought it would be funny to introduce a few new code names into our vocabulary just to keep up on our toes. According to PocketNow, the HTC Edge should now be referred to as the HTC Endeavor. But if you’re not too fond of that name, you could always call it the HTC Supreme which is expected to be the handset’s real name once it is unveiled and hits store shelves. Of course, don’t expect that name make it to the US market since our service providers love to muck things up by completely ditching HTC’s naming conventions. To recap, we’re expecting HTC to announce a dual-core Tegra 3 powered handset at Mobile World Congress which will probably be named the Edge, Endeavor or Supreme. Personally, I’d name the phone the HTC Edge since the Endeavor is a bit vague and Supreme would certainly leave me disappointed once HTC launches its fall lineup which would most likely include something named the Supreme XE or XL. What do you think HTC’s Tegra 3 powered phone should be named?
LG Spectrum first impressions, goes on sale today for $199 at Verizon 19 January, 2012, 7:58 am
The LG Spectrum is the latest LTE device to be released amidst a sea of LTE devices on Verizon Wireless. The Spectrum is the follow-up to last year’s LG Revolution, and is aimed at the mid-range market (that hole that exists between the Galaxy Nexus/Droid RAZR and the Pantech Breakout/Samsung Illusion). I’ve had my hands on the LG Spectrum for a little over 24 hours now, and what follows are my initial impressions of the device after a days worth of use. The Spectrum is a highly spec’d device, with a 4.5″ True HD (720p) IPS display, 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4, and an 8 megapixel HD camera capable of taking 1080p video. LG’s Spectrum runs Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread with LG’s custom UI overlay. By now, you probably know how I feel about the UI skins manufacturers and carriers are putting on devices, so I won’t bore you with another rant about why we need more stock Android devices. In my opinion, LG’s skin has taken MOTOBLUR’s spot at the bottom of my list, specifically when it comes to the app drawer. LG’s app drawer separates apps into unhelpful categories, and by default has a whopping 8 categories you’ll have to expand and shrink to get to whatever app you want to choose (though you can remove 6). I prefer the standard app drawer, and the better solution to LG’s skin is to simply install a launcher replacement application from the market (GoLauncher, ADW, and LauncherPro are my faves). When it comes to how most people use their devices, the display quality and screen resolution are key points of focus. Though the display on the LG Spectrum is certainly not bad by any stretch, the color output appears dull in comparison to the Galaxy S II (with Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus technology). Since the LG spectrum features a 720p display, it has a standard resolution of 1280 x 720 which, though awesome for displaying multimedia (videos) on the device, often has me squinting to do some of the more basic functions like reading/responding to email. The Spectrum feels incredibly solid in the hands, and though the plastic backing renders the phone a bit slippery, I’m really liking the overall form factor of the device. The black with chrome accents motif has always been a favorite of mine, and the LG Spectrum wears this finish quite well. Overall, the LG Spectrum is a good choice for those who don’t want to spend the $300 Verizon asks for its top of the line LTE devices. As with all large purchasing decisions, we highly encourage you to go to a Verizon store and check the Spectrum out for yourselves before making the purchase decision. We will have a full review in coming weeks. The LG Spectrum goes on sale today, January 19th, at Verizon Wireless stores for $199.99. Anyone out there planning on picking up the Spectrum?

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Huawei to launch two ”Diamond” smartphones, even better than the Ascend P1 S 23 January, 2012, 2:31 am
If you had asked 100 US technology enthusiasts about Huawei last year, chances were that around 90 of them had no clue about what you were talking about. The Chinese technology manufacturer kept its efforts at a national level and only released a few entry to mid-level devices in the US and Europe until… Until the 2012 CES in Las Vegas, where the Ascend P1 S came pretty much out of nowhere, with an unbelievably slim body, a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and Android 4.0 out of the box. And while we were pretty impressed by the 4.3-incher and we can’t wait for it to be released, it seems that the guys at Huawei are preparing a couple of even more powerful smartphones. According to Huawei Device chairman Richard Yu, the Diamond series will be introduced at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona between February 27 and March 1 and could be thrown into the European market as soon as the end of March. US technology enthusiasts will be able to buy the Diamond smartphones around mid-2012, according once again to official statements, but unfortunately other than that we know nothing at this point. We have no idea what these smartphones will cost and we don’t know exactly how powerful will these be, but Richard Yu stated that they will ‘’take performance a step higher’’. That can mean only one thing, if you ask me, and that is Huawei is preparing its own line of quad-core smartphones. Sure, this is just speculation, but I would personally expect nothing less than a gadget with at least 2 GB of RAM and of course Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. What do you think, would you be interested in such a smartphone, even though it would be released by Huawei, which remains an unknown company in the US? Hit us with a comment and tell us what you think! Via Twice.com CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesLenovo K800 Intel-powered Medfield smartphone revealed, coming to China in Q2 2012Huawei Ascend P1 S unveiled, advertised as the ”world’s thinnest smartphone”LG X3 render leaks, quad-core smartphone to be announced at MWC
LG X3 render leaks, quad-core smartphone to be announced at MWC 21 January, 2012, 12:16 pm
With HTC and Samsung already expected to announce their own quad-core devices at MWC 2012, LG want to be left out of the party. HTC is expected to announce the Edge, Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S III, and LG is rumored to announce the X3. According to a leaked render received by PocketNow, the LG X3 boasts a large 4.7 inch display and is fueled by NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor previously found in tablets. Other details include Android 4.0 on board, 8MP rear facing camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, three capacitive buttons found on the bottom, and NFC. In addition, it is rumored to contain a 2000 mAh battery to provide for some serious juice and likely has 1GB of RAM. Even though it will launch with 21Mbps HSPA radio, PocketNow suspects it could easily contain an LTE radio depending on the region in which it launches. Unfortunately, we have no idea at this time where the LG X3 could launch — if this rumor even pans out. At this point, an introduction at Mobile World Congress 2012 seems in order and hopefully launch and pricing details will be announced. There are several reports indicating a possible launch with T-Mobile as the successor to the G2X. Given its code name of X3, we could see it launch on T-Mobile as the G3X, but only time will tell. [PocketNow] CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesLG Spectrum from Verizon Wireless is available today for $199 on a two year contractSamsung R920 LTE smartphone leaked, coming to MetroPCS soon?LG Viper preview: 4G LTE phone coming to Sprint [VIDEO]
Look it up on Official Wikipedia for Android [App Review] 20 January, 2012, 10:14 am
As Wikipedia comes online again after their anti-SOPA blackout day this week, you can now access it directly through Wikimedia’s official new app for Android. While it was functional in the mobile-optimized site in the browser, we now have access to their entire 20 million multilingual crowd-sourced encyclopedic articles in a cleaner interface. While there had already been dozens of third-party apps that were doing it for us, its nice to see them finally bringing their app to life on Android. The home screen has the search bar at the top middle ready for your query, and the results are already lightning fast on WiFi and 3G. So for the main use of the app, they’ve done a great job. The results are laid out similarly to the mobile browser version with the intro and main subheadings listed and you click to expand the section you’re interested in. I found it scrolled a little smoother than it sometimes did in the browser, and expanded better. They also make use of the rest of the real estate to add some of the same information you’d see on the language-specific homepage in the desktop browser version. Today’s Featured Article is immediately viewable, letting you learn something new every day. Scroll down further and you see their In The News. They don’t have everything from the browser-based page, but I’d hazard a guess that 99%+ of the time users will be coming here to search, and the Featured Article is just an interesting bonus. Bring up the menu button and you have a few additional options including: Read in... to change to any of their 280 available languages Nearby to see any available Wikis on a map view of your local area, like you can on Google Maps. History to see your recent searches Save Page/Saved Pages to let you keep it local on your device Share uses standard Android sharing, but is buried in the More… menu option. There’s no reason this couldn’t be The app is small, light and free – exactly what you’re looking for in this sort of app. If they could make this the default handler for Wiki links and make sharing immediately accessible it would get the full 5 stars. Wiki contributors may also be disappointed that you can’t edit from the app, but I’m sure when enough of you start asking they’ll look into adding this functionality. For all the parents out there, now you never need to answer “I don’t know” to your kids’ questions! I had already been using Wikipedia extensively with my toddler son, but now it makes things that much faster and easier. Download it now in the Market and get the answers to all the questions in your life! CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesAirbnb finds short-term homes & room rentals – all from your Android [App Reviews]Angry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon now available for download on Android MarketNeed to Focus on Writing on Your Tablet? Try Jotterpad HD Minimalist Word Processor
Verizon offers the HTC Thunderbolt smartphone for free with 2-year contract 20 January, 2012, 7:38 am
I know, I know, the HTC Thunderbolt is not exactly on top of anyone’s shopping lists right now, as it’s pretty expensive and only runs that raggedy Android 2.2. But what would you say if you had the chance to get the 4.3-incher for free? Of course you’re interested now, even thought you probably already suspect that you’ll have to tie yourself on a two-year contract to get this gadget for free. The offer comes from Verizon Wireless and is limited, being only available until January 26. As you might or might not know, the Thunderbolt comes packing a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and features all the things you could need from a mid-range smartphone nowadays, including an 8 MPx rear-facing camera with autofocus and LED flash, a 1.3 MPx front-facing webcam, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS and Bluetooth 2.1. While the design is clearly the most important ace up the Thunderbolt’s sleeve (it is sleek, isn’t it?), we should also mention that Verizon Wireless is selling the smartphone with 4G LTE connectivity. That’s a pretty nice feature to have nowadays, especially if you can get it for free. Sure, the problem with the OS still stands, but hey, there’s still worse things than having Froyo with HTC Sense on top, aren’t there? The 4.3-inch screen sported by the Thunderbolt is decent, while not unbelievably bright or capable, and comes with a 480 x 800 pixels resolution, while the battery should itself be satisfying, but not extraordinary. All in all, there are definitely better options than the HTC Thunderbolt on today’s smartphone market, but are there any faster or stronger gadgets to be made available for free? I personally think not, so my advice is to hit the source link right now and to get in line for one of Verizon’s special discounted Thunderbolts! Verizon Wireless CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesLG Spectrum from Verizon Wireless is available today for $199 on a two year contractMotorola website says DROID MAXX will launch on January 26Verizon lowers the HTC Rezound’s price to $199 on contract
Need to Focus on Writing on Your Tablet? Try Jotterpad HD Minimalist Word Processor 20 January, 2012, 7:12 am
Do you do a lot of writing on your Android tablet? Have you been looking for the perfect app to help you focus on the most important part – the writing? Whether you’re a blogger, journalist, working on your next book, participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), or you just prefer to write a draft before sharing in social media or other web-based apps, Jotterpad HD could be the answer you’re looking for. I’ve been a fan of minimalist interfaces when I sit down to write on any device, and while there’s a number of great desktop options, I hadn’t found the right fit for Android. Most either have too many functions and create distraction, cater to developers and try to mimic a very basic text editor, or have all the design elegance of a post-it note. While I’m a big fan of apps like Evernote for short messages and storing information, and there are lots of great apps or browser-based possibilities for connecting to your writing’s social media or online destination, I often find them all a bit laggy when I’m writing something longer like a novel chapter or feature article. Well I’ve finally found my solution in Jotterpad HD from 2nd Class Citizen and I’m using it to write this post right now. Available for tablets running Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich, it also supports all types of physical or bluetooth keyboards, in English and Chinese. Open it up and you’re given a list of your past documents with icons to create a new document, edit a past one, share, or more options. If you click on a document from the list, it shows the creation date, last update date and time, number of time machine backups, and word count for the document. If you have a personal word target for your daily writing, or your editor has a requirement, you know just how important this little feature can be. Create a new document and you’re faced with a clean white screen, space for a title, an attractive font and a very simple top ribbon with icons for save and back, and the paid version adds undo/redo/day-night mode. There’s room for a title centered on the first line. Want more options? There are a few in the more options icon, allowing you to Find within the document or display/hide a bottom ribbon with icons to increase or decrease the font size, change to one of the other 3 fonts (2 classic serif fonts and one arial-esque sans serif), or change the text alignment for the page. That’s it. And really, when you sit down to write, that’s all you need. One thing that makes it so powerful is how it uses standard Android sharing, but with a twist. The title automatically becomes the title in another application (like WordPress or Evernote) , or the subject in an e-mail. That means you can use Jotterpad as your main writing pad for all sorts of writing, and with its clean interface and fast response time, you can be more efficient and focused. Since it is plain text, you don’t have to worry about correcting strange formatting when you use this as a first draft for your blog. The Time Machine is a fantastic function and very smoothly implemented. Every time you open a document and save again, it creates a new Time Machine backup. Available under More Options, if you open the Time Machine it will show you side by side your current version and the previous version for you to check for differences. You can choose an even earlier version as well. Also under More Options you can create a duplicate of a current document, export to TXT or PDF, or change the Settings. They’ve done a great job with the PDF export, where you can choose the font color and style, background color, alignment, file name (defaults to the title) and see a preview of how it looks before you complete the export. The Settings menu lets you customize your interface a bit by changing your ribbon style and day/night mode (paid version only), or you can backup your entire database. No, this is not a full-featured replacement for your desktop Word Processor, nor is it trying to be. But when you need to write, this has the killer combination of only exactly what you need, and looks great doing it. Download it now from the Market to try it out and get writing! You’ll be paying for the full version soon! CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesAngry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon now available for download on Android MarketHalf a billion low-cost smartphones to be in use by the end of the year, according to Deloitte reportAirbnb finds short-term homes & room rentals – all from your Android [App Reviews]
Angry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon now available for download on Android Market 20 January, 2012, 6:41 am
It’s not every day that we get excited about a mobile video game update, but Angry Birds is certainly not just ‘’a’’ video game. Therefore, I couldn’t help but scream with joy (oh, well, not exactly scream, but smile really wide) when I found out that the new Angry Birds installment, Angry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon, has been released and can be downloaded from Android Market starting today. As usual, the nice guys at Rovio (the developers behind Angry Birds’ huge success) have made the game available for free and they have also thrown in a special treat for all us old fans. The ‘’Mighty Eagle’’ feature can be enabled for free only in this installment of the game and turns into a ‘’Mighty Dragon’’, which can be used to finish up levels and earn special achievements. If you are wondering what’s the new game’s title about, you are most definitely not familiar with China’s customs and traditions. Far, far away, in the land of cool sneakers and even cooler gadgets, the New Year hasn’t come yet, but when it will (in three days), it won’t be just another boring year, but the exciting and mysterious Year of the Dragon. Fireworks, lanterns and dragon costumes will be just a few of the new decorative elements you’ll have to get used to in Angry Birds and, if you ask me, the game looks cooler and more original than ever. The rules and purpose of the game haven’t of course changed very much, so let the fun begin! Check the source link below to download ‘’Angry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon’’ for Android and please come back and hit us with your opinions on the game’s new design and ‘’theme’’! Android Market CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesAppZilla for Android offers 40 apps in 1 for just one buck!Half a billion low-cost smartphones to be in use by the end of the year, according to Deloitte reportAndroid Market unofficially hits 400,000 apps and closes in on 100,000 contributing developers
Acer Iconia A200 10-inch tablet finally spotted on BestBuy, goes for 350 dollars 20 January, 2012, 4:12 am
If you’ve been waiting for the Acer Iconia Tab A200 10-inch tablet to go up for sale ever since it was unveiled a couple of weeks back, we finally have some news that might interest you. Even though it was due to be released on January 15, the Tab A200 is up for sale on BestBuy starting today, January 20. The 16 GB model is the only one made available for the time being, but if you would like to wait for the 8 GB version, that should start shipping soon as well. The BestBuy’s price is the one advertised by Acer a couple of weeks back, which is nice and makes us seriously consider buying it, as the Iconia Tab A200 is currently one of the cheapest decent Android 10-inchers on the market. Following on the footsteps of last year’s Tab A500, the Iconia Tab A200 will clearly not be a serious technical challenger for the likes of the Asus Transformer Prime or other high-end tablets due to be launched this year, but it should still be an above average gadget and should interest technology enthusiasts who care about their finances. Sporting a 10.1-inch screen with 1280 x 800 pixels resolution, the A200 is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and features 1 GB of RAM, as well as Wireless and Bluetooth connectivity and a 2 MPx front-facing camera. There’s no rear-facing camera, which is a pretty big downside, but on the other hand the tablet runs Android Honeycomb 3.2 and has an Ice Cream Sandwich update coming ‘’soon’’. Also, the battery should be pretty satisfying, based on my personal experience with the Iconia Tab A500 last year, and should go for up to seven or eight hours on a single charge. All in all, the Acer Iconia Tab A200 offers a pretty good bang for the buck, which is why we here at Androinica salute its official release on the market (even though it was delayed for a few days). What about you, do you consider this as a viable option for quenching your thirst for technology or are you holding up for one of the great quad-core tablets due to hit the market in the next few months? CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesAcer unveils the Android 4.0 Iconia Tab A510 with quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3Acer Iconia Tab A200 is a 10.1-inch Android tablet for only $329, available on Jan. 15Acer Iconia Tab A200 finally gets official
LG Spectrum from Verizon Wireless is available today for $199 on a two year contract 19 January, 2012, 11:09 am
Just as expected, the high-end LG Spectrum smartphone from Verizon Wireless is officially available for purchase starting today. The Spectrum, announced during CES 2012, represents LG’s successor to the Revolution on Verizon and promises to be a powerful and sleek device on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. The Spectrum is priced at $199 on a two year contract and boasts 4G LTE connectivity, making it cheaper than other 4G LTE devices during the initial launch, but who’s complaining? Don’t let the sub-$299 price tag confuse you as the Spectrum contains high-end specs able to match up with the Motorola DROID RAZR, HTC Rezound, and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. In terms of specs, the Spectrum by LG features a 4.5 inch True HD IPS display, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, Android 2.3, 8MP rear facing camera, 1.3MP front facing camera, and Mobile Hotspot Capability up to ten devices. Even though it launched with Android 2.3 onboard, LG plans to upgrade it to Android 4.0 in the near future. Again, if you’re interested in purchasing the LG Spectrum on Verizon Wireless, then you can visit the online web store or a physical retail store location starting today. For $199 on a two year contract, the LG Spectrum features an enticing price tag and spec list. [Verizon Wireless] CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesVerizon lowers the HTC Rezound’s price to $199 on contractLG Spectrum for Verizon officially unveiled, set to hit the market on January 19 for $199Motorola website says DROID MAXX will launch on January 26
How to turn your Windows 7 desktop into an Ice Cream Sandwich treat in ten (not so) simple steps 19 January, 2012, 7:05 am
Ever since we first laid eyes on Android Ice Cream Sandwich’s look, we fell in love hopeless and completely, which is why we are craving for an Android 4.0 gadget of our own. But what if you could have that simple and elegant ICS look on your Windows 7 desktop right now, without the need to purchasing the Asus Transformer Prime or a device of its kind? I know it sounds impossible in theory, but with the help of Flickr user David Molina and the guys at Lifehacker.com, you can now do just that pretty easy. Well, it’s not exactly easy, as you will need no less than ten apps and components to get to the final cool look that you can see below, but it’s doable nevertheless. The first thing you need is an Ice Cream Sandwich wallpaper, which can be downloaded from WallBase. Secondly, you will have to tweak the taskbar with the APPOWS2010 theme for Windows 7 from DeviantArt, and then you are only eight steps away from mixing the Android 4.0 simplicity with the Win7 functionality. I’m not going to walk you through every step of this delicate operation, but if you are interested and/or intrigued by the pic below, you can hit this article’s source link and get all the instructions you need. I myself don’t think I’m going to go through with this whole process and operation, even though I am a big fan of ICS’s look, for one simple reason. I’m lazy as heck and don’t want to install and download ten different apps and components! What about you, are you tempted to go through with it (and diligent enough?) or aren’t you as impressed as I am with the desktop combining Android 4.0 and Windows 7 shown below? Via LifeHacker.com CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesVerizon may have caught on to the unlimited data trick, reportedly adjusting accountsRecording cell phone videos can get you in legal trouble, but here’s a loophole.Tip: Android Market website now sorts reviews by Date, Rating, and Helpfulness
Half a billion low-cost smartphones to be in use by the end of the year, according to Deloitte report 19 January, 2012, 6:19 am
Every December or January, we are used to all kinds of companies and firms conducting surveys or releasing studies and, while most of the time these are boring as heck, we have for you today a pretty interesting report, released by the Belgian company Deloitte. According to the Belgians, over half a billion low-cost smartphones (sold for less than 100 bucks) will be in use by the end of 2012, which is pretty intriguing, as most of us are waiting for several high-end launches during the next couple of months. The guys at Deloitte also have an explanation of this low-cost smartphone boom, which is caused, according to their official statements, by the ‘’growing desire for communication and information services’’ of people in emerging markets where internet access is low. As you could expect, a growing demand for these kinds of low-cost (and low-end) gadgets will cause the suppliers to cut the price of components. Also, more and more free apps should be developed this year, as ‘’low-cost smartphone owners are less likely to want to pay for downloads’’. On a whole different front, 2012 should be, according to predictions, a growing year for multi-tablet owners. Around five million slates are expected to be sold during the next 12 months to people that already own a similar gadget, which should generate no less than 2 billion dollars in revenue. Also, tablet choices might become more varied, with smaller gadgets (sporting 5 to 7-inch screens) to become more popular and to be seen as not exactly alternatives to 10-inch slates, but as gadgets with a different use and aim all together. Deloitte’s report, which touches a bunch of different technology aspects, provides a third conclusion which I found very interesting as an Android fanatic. According to predictions, the number of apps available for download worldwide will double from one million in December 2011 to no less than two million by the end of 2012. The proportion of free content, as I already mentioned, is set to remain high or even to grow during the next months, due to the customers’ need to pay less for having access to ‘’communication and information services’’. For the complete report, hit the source link below, where you should find a couple of other interesting conclusions and pieces of information as well. Deloitte.com CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesAppZilla for Android offers 40 apps in 1 for just one buck!Airbnb finds short-term homes & room rentals – all from your Android [App Reviews]Lenovo K800 Intel-powered Medfield smartphone revealed, coming to China in Q2 2012

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iGR Study Shows Samsung Android Devices Are Most Preferred Among Consumers 22 January, 2012, 8:36 pm
I hate to say it and sound cocky while doing so but this post will come as no surprise to the Talk Android community. A recent study put out by the folks over at iGR shows pretty compelling data indicating that among all of the smartphone OS’s available today, Android is used on almost 50 percent of the handsets. In addition, the study further showed that among those Android users, preferences sided with a Samsung device as the manufacturer of choice. As a present day Galaxy S II user on T-Mobile Im highly inclined to agree. Im guessing it has something to do with the build quality, beautiful displays and awesome screen sizes for streaming video. After Samsung, manufacturers like Motorola, HTC and LG come in at a close second. In addition, the study reveals that 45 percent of Android users actually studied up on the OS before making their decision. Glad to see many didn’t just jump on the Apple Kook-Aid. Check out the presser below for more information and don’t forget to let us know what you think of the study. Presser: AUSTIN, TX, Jan 20, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — The popularity of the Google Android smartphone operating system (OS) has increased significantly in the last few years. New iGR research shows that, at present, 47 percent of U.S. smartphone users have an Android device, followed by 24 percent who own/use an Apple iPhone. Of the major brands supporting Android, Samsung has the highest brand preference among consumers, followed by Motorola, HTC and LG. ZTE and Huawei ranked toward the bottom of the brands studied, although note that these brands currently sell comparatively lower volumes in the U.S. market. iGR’s new research also shows that 45 percent of Android users researched the OS prior to purchase and specifically selected an Android device when they bought a new smartphone. It also appears that Google’s reputation is driving Android sales — 27 percent of Android users said that they selected an Android smartphone because they believed that Google was a “reputable company” and therefore inferred that Android must also be reputable. These findings, as well as others relating to consumers’ Android brand preferences and impressions, are presented in iGR’s new market study Android Brand Preferences: U.S. Consumers, published in January 2012. “Understanding why consumers select specific brands and certain smartphones is critical to the success of OEMs in the highly competitive U.S. handset market,” says iGR Research Analyst, Sarah Thoman, who authored the study. “While a user’s current handset brand influences the selection of a new Android smartphone, many other factors also come into play. For example, handset display quality and functionality also highly influenced the smartphone purchase decision.” iGR’s new study, Android Brand Preferences: U.S. Consumers, addresses several key topics: -- The number of Android smartphones sold in the U.S. in 2011 (by quarter) -- Why consumers buy Android smartphones -- The profile of the typical Android smartphone user -- The handset features users like on Android smartphones -- How consumers rank Android OEM brands and why -- How the user's current device brand impacts that user's Android smartphone purchase -- Which Android OEM brands are associated with the major mobile operators For additional information on iGR’s Android consumer research, please contact Amanda Louie, iGR’s Director of Strategic Development, at (512) 554-1701 or amandal@iGR-inc.com. About iGR iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry’s leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now entering its twelfth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line. iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell architectures; DAS; LTE; WiMAX; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC. iGR is a member of the Rural Cellular Association. A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.iGR-inc.com . Contact iGR Amanda Louie (512) 554-1701 Email Contact Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Galaxy Nexus ROM Review: Codename Android v1.1.4 22 January, 2012, 3:38 pm
The Background When I first bought my Galaxy Nexus I was thoroughly impressed. In fact you can read both mine as well as other authors’ 24 hour and 48 hour initial thoughts on the matter. As I used the phone more and more I have found that the one aspect of the phone that really got me down was the battery life. Even with the extended battery I still had to plug the device in about half way through my day just to make it through the rest of my work day and I’m not even in a 4G area. I went through the process of rooting the device, perma-installing Clockwork and backing up my stock ROM and that was it. I still suffered through horrid battery life. While yes Samsung does pledge to bring better battery life and an extended battery helps, I was quite sad at the matter. Well it wasn’t long after the release of the Android 4.0.3 images that ROMS were popping up. While I was hesitant to flash anything to my device, not because I was scared of ROMing such a ROM friendly phone but because I love stock Ice Cream Sandwich, the battery life was a big issue. I experimented with a few ROMs, GummyNex, AXI0M 2.3 and Tranquil Ice v6 to name a few and I found that while battery life was better, it still wasn’t good enough for my liking. The ROM of Choice While searching through various kernel and ROM lists my editor stumbled upon Codename Android 1.1.1. That was the latest version at the time but as I am writing this I am on version 1.1.4. I spent some time reading the forum for various bugs and issues and I found that this one had the least amount of problems. The ROM boasts that everything you want in a ROM is in this one ROM. As the developer puts it: ”Codename Android is a fully open source rom that focuses on speed, usability, and getting every feature that we can get CRAMMED in there” After downloading the ROM, the Gapps (1.14.2012) and at the time, the Franco Kernel I was ready to flash and install. The Set-Up As usual I wiped all data and factory settings, plus the cache and Dalvik cache and flashed the ROM followed by the Gapps package, and finally the Franco Kernel. Sadly at the time I hadn’t backed up any of my apps with Titanium Backup so I had to reinstall all my apps. After that I spent some time getting all my screens back to the way I wanted. Surprisingly, even with downloading all my apps I only used about a quarter of the battery. It took some time to get all my accounts set up and what not but the ROM adds some amazing features. A while after set up, Yes it was -11 out. The Features The ROM adds some nice features to an already impressive OS. There are now new options in the settings menu that allow you to customize the lockscreen, adding more shortcuts and so on, all the way up to the addition of well, additional softkey mods (see picture below). You can turn off the persistent search bar for extra screen space; add up to 7 total home screens, and even the ability to resize widgets. Battery Bar and Custom Softkeys It also adds the ability to customize the pulse notification light without a special app like Lightflow. You can change colors duration, etc. I love the ability to add toggle switches in the notification bar, even the LTE toggle. You can customize which toggles you want too. This added with the performance and battery life of the ROM coupled with the Franco Kernel creates an over all awesome experience. Custom Options The Performance and Battery Life The amazing thing about this ROM is everything seems quicker. I don’t know if you folks noticed but there is some lag time between selecting the camera on the lock screen and it loading up. This is gone, much to everyone’s relief. Menus were snappier and navigating just seemed quicker. Transitioning from one page to the next in the app drawer was smoother as well. NFC works as well, and Google Wallet comes pre-installed with no need for fancy hacking or modding skills. Battery life on the ROM with the Franco Kernel installed was quite phenomenal. While I don’t have 4G in my area, we’ll get to the 4G later, I was able to get over 16 hours worth of battery life with heavy use on the extended battery (see below). By heavy use I mean six 20 plus minute phone calls, constant emailing, texting, and Internet browsing, plus Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies gaming. That amount of usage would have me plugged in and charging after about 6 hours on Stock ICS. The 16+ hours of battery life has become a daily occurrence and I can safely say that I can go through an entire day without worrying about bringing an extra battery or charger along with me everywhere I go. Not bad for a day’s worth, with juice to spare Now I know I am not in a 4G area and for those of you that are, this isn’t a fair representation. However my editor Stacy Bruce has the same ROM installed. He has the Faux123 Tuna Kernel installed and found that battery life with over that of the Franco kernel in a 4G area was better. In fact you can see from the image below that he was able to get over a day’s worth of use with mild use. According to him mild use includes “a bunch of emails, couple texts, 2 downloads, 8 pictures (no flash), 20 min of Shine Runner and about 20min of web browsing.” Stacy was able to suck every last bit of juice out of his battery. The Conclusion This ROM has been amazing. I installed it over a week ago and I haven’t looked back. Battery life is a huge driving force for me in choosing and keeping a ROM and part of it is thanks to the kernels flashed. Codename Android keeps the stock appeal but adds some much needed functionality and customization to the Galaxy Nexus. Coupled with battery life you have before you a super amazing ROM. For me this ROM is as close to stock as you can get but with the option to throw in as many goodies and customizations you can to your heart’s delight. If you want a ROM with really good battery life I would recommend this ROM whole-heartedly. While other ROMS with the same kernels probably have the same performance, the ability to customize this ROM without the need to flash various mods makes this ROM complete. You will find below a link to the ROM, and both kernels for your flashing pleasure and if you haven’t rooted your Galaxy Nexus you can do so by going here. Enjoy! Codename Android 1.1.4 – Download Franco Kernel v 13.1 Nightlie – Download Faux123 Tuna Kernel v10 – Download Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Galaxy Nexus ROM Review: Codename Android v1.1.4 22 January, 2012, 3:38 pm
The Background When I first bought my Galaxy Nexus I was thoroughly impressed. In fact you can read both mine as well as other authors’ 24 hour and 48 hour initial thoughts on the matter. As I used the phone more and more I have found that the one aspect of the phone that really got me down was the battery life. Even with the extended battery I still had to plug the device in about half way through my day just to make it through the rest of my work day and I’m not even in a 4G area. I went through the process of rooting the device, perma-installing Clockwork and backing up my stock ROM and that was it. I still suffered through horrid battery life. While yes Samsung does pledge to bring better battery life and an extended battery helps, I was quite sad at the matter. Well it wasn’t long after the release of the Android 4.0.3 images that ROMS were popping up. While I was hesitant to flash anything to my device, not because I was scared of ROMing such a ROM friendly phone but because I love stock Ice Cream Sandwich, the battery life was a big issue. I experimented with a few ROMs, GummyNex, AXI0M 2.3 and Tranquil Ice v6 to name a few and I found that while battery life was better, it still wasn’t good enough for my liking. The ROM of Choice While searching through various kernel and ROM lists my editor stumbled upon Codename Android 1.1.1. That was the latest version at the time but as I am writing this I am on version 1.1.4. I spent some time reading the forum for various bugs and issues and I found that this one had the least amount of problems. The ROM boasts that everything you want in a ROM is in this one ROM. As the developer puts it: ”Codename Android is a fully open source rom that focuses on speed, usability, and getting every feature that we can get CRAMMED in there” After downloading the ROM, the Gapps (1.14.2012) and at the time, the Franco Kernel I was ready to flash and install. The Set-Up As usual I wiped all data and factory settings, plus the cache and Dalvik cache and flashed the ROM followed by the Gapps package, and finally the Franco Kernel. Sadly at the time I hadn’t backed up any of my apps with Titanium Backup so I had to reinstall all my apps. After that I spent some time getting all my screens back to the way I wanted. Surprisingly, even with downloading all my apps I only used about a quarter of the battery. It took some time to get all my accounts set up and what not but the ROM adds some amazing features. A while after set up, Yes it was -11 out. The Features The ROM adds some nice features to an already impressive OS. There are now new options in the settings menu that allow you to customize the lockscreen, adding more shortcuts and so on, all the way up to the addition of well, additional softkey mods (see picture below). You can turn off the persistent search bar for extra screen space; add up to 7 total home screens, and even the ability to resize widgets. Battery Bar and Custom Softkeys It also adds the ability to customize the pulse notification light without a special app like Lightflow. You can change colors duration, etc. I love the ability to add toggle switches in the notification bar, even the LTE toggle. You can customize which toggles you want too. This added with the performance and battery life of the ROM coupled with the Franco Kernel creates an over all awesome experience. Custom Options The Performance and Battery Life The amazing thing about this ROM is everything seems quicker. I don’t know if you folks noticed but there is some lag time between selecting the camera on the lock screen and it loading up. This is gone, much to everyone’s relief. Menus were snappier and navigating just seemed quicker. Transitioning from one page to the next in the app drawer was smoother as well. NFC works as well, and Google Wallet comes pre-installed with no need for fancy hacking or modding skills. Battery life on the ROM with the Franco Kernel installed was quite phenomenal. While I don’t have 4G in my area, we’ll get to the 4G later, I was able to get over 16 hours worth of battery life with heavy use on the extended battery (see below). By heavy use I mean six 20 plus minute phone calls, constant emailing, texting, and Internet browsing, plus Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies gaming. That amount of usage would have me plugged in and charging after about 6 hours on Stock ICS. The 16+ hours of battery life has become a daily occurrence and I can safely say that I can go through an entire day without worrying about bringing an extra battery or charger along with me everywhere I go. Not bad for a day’s worth, with juice to spare Now I know I am not in a 4G area and for those of you that are, this isn’t a fair representation. However my editor Stacy Bruce has the same ROM installed. He has the Faux123 Tuna Kernel installed and found that battery life with over that of the Franco kernel in a 4G area was better. In fact you can see from the image below that he was able to get over a day’s worth of use with mild use. According to him mild use includes “a bunch of emails, couple texts, 2 downloads, 8 pictures (no flash), 20 min of Shine Runner and about 20min of web browsing.” Stacy was able to suck every last bit of juice out of his battery. The Conclusion This ROM has been amazing. I installed it over a week ago and I haven’t looked back. Battery life is a huge driving force for me in choosing and keeping a ROM and part of it is thanks to the kernels flashed. Codename Android keeps the stock appeal but adds some much needed functionality and customization to the Galaxy Nexus. Coupled with battery life you have before you a super amazing ROM. For me this ROM is as close to stock as you can get but with the option to throw in as many goodies and customizations you can to your heart’s delight. If you want a ROM with really good battery life I would recommend this ROM whole-heartedly. While other ROMS with the same kernels probably have the same performance, the ability to customize this ROM without the need to flash various mods makes this ROM complete. You will find below a link to the ROM, and both kernels for your flashing pleasure and if you haven’t rooted your Galaxy Nexus you can do so by going here. Enjoy! Codename Android 1.1.4 – Download Franco Kernel v 13.1 Nightlie – Download Faux123 Tuna Kernel v10 – Download Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Verizon Assuring Their Customers Have Plenty Of Service For The Super Bowl, Bringing In Three COWs 22 January, 2012, 2:35 pm
Verizon is going above and beyond for their customers this year when it comes to making sure that they have plenty of coverage while at the Super Bowl. Big Red has made it a priority to bring in three LTE enabled COW’s (Cell-on-wheels) for the event ensuring that you all will be able to Tweet your brains out. With an expected attendance of 85,000 visitors heading to Indianapolis for the game, this should be more than ample. In addition to the COWs, the Lucas Oil Stadium where the event will be held is now wired with over $69 million dollars in Verizon tech to meet the need of the masses. If only every carrier bent over backwards for their customers like this. I’m personally not a Big Red fan because of their pricing, however, I’m compelled to tip my hat towards the carrier as this is definitely going to get them in with the fans. To break it down, Vz is providing 400 mobile antennas within the stadium for carrying voice and data in addition to 600 different WiFi stations able to support 28,000 simultaneous connections. Damn. Check out the video below where GottaBeMobile covered the entire set up. Don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below. Are you jealous that your carrier isn’t doing this? I sure am. Click here to view the embedded video. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Snapdragon Running Sony Smartphones Get Extra Support From GLONASS GPS Systems 22 January, 2012, 10:01 am
If you are the proud owner of an Xperia phone with a Snapdragon S2 or S3 and you feel that your GPS is lacking then you are in luck. Sony announced that these phones will be able to connect to Russia’s GLONASS GPS system. Adding this support gives your Sony device a total of 55 satellites over the 31 it could connect to before. Chances are we will even see it on both the Xperia S, Xperia Ion and possibly the Sony Xperia ST25i we told you about yesterday. While other devices have support for GLONASS, like the Galaxy Note, it’s great to see support being added to older phones as well as the new ones. GLONASS assistance improved accurancy by up to 50 percent. If you’re interested in reading more hit the source links below. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Counter-Strike Esque Like Game Comes to Android Devices 21 January, 2012, 7:51 pm
If you were a huge fan of the popular FPS (First Person Shooter) hit PC game, Counter-Strike, we’ve got some good news for you. The hit game has made its way to an Android device near you and takes many of its design ques from the original game. However, this game is a more of a port as it was built from the Unity 3D tool. The game is a near exact replica as far as game play goes. You’re either a terrorist or a counter-terrorist. Plant bombs, diffuse them or just flat out kill the entire opposing team. Counter-Strike Portable, as it’s called, is a cross-platformed multi-player game also offering options to play on both Facebook and Kongregate for those looking to get their game on in their browser. The game is also available as a native app on your Android device. Devices running Android 2.0-2.2, there’s the 5-series application and for devices running Android 2.3 or higher there’s the 6-series app. Keep in mind the game is still in its early phases but is coming along rather well. If you experience any bugs feel free to pass it on to the dev so as to improve the overall game play. If you want to give it a go, simply point your browser towards the source link and have at it. Xperia Play owner? Guess what? It’s optimized for your device too. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below. Check out the screen shots below along with a quick video demo after the break. Click here to view the embedded video. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
FCC Gives Go Ahead For AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 21 January, 2012, 6:55 pm
Well, following the quick look at the AT&T branded Samsung Galaxy Note at CES 2012, it looks like the FCC is wasting no time at all in assisting to push the monster handset on to its final destination. The AT&T branded device should hit the ground running as model SGH-i717 sporting bands for UMTS & HSPA+ up to 21Mbps. In addition, there will be support for GSM/EDGE global radios as well as bands 4 and 17 on AT&T’s LTE network. Stay tuned to Talk Android as we attempt to scour the web for a release date and pricing. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Recent OTA Updates For Sprint’s EVO 4G, EVO Design 4G And Epic 4G Confirms Removal Of Carrier IQ Software 21 January, 2012, 5:27 pm
Sprint is doing whatever it takes to keep its customer’s trust and happiness. We mentioned to you a few days ago that Sprint provided some security updates to a handful of its devices, but were unsure if the updates included the removal of some dreaded spy software. We now have confirmation that the recent updates being pushed out to a HTC and Samsung devices completely removes Carrier IQ thanks to the gang at XDA. As previously highlighted, the recent updates include both the removal of Carrier IQ software and minor software enhancements. HTC devices will receive automatic notifications starting on January 24th (or you can manually check right now), while the Epic 4G’s update is being pushed out in phases until January 29th. While owners of the EVO Design 4G, EVO 4G and Epic 4G won’t have Ice Cream Sandwich, they will have a piece of mind at least knowing they won’t have tracking software of their devices anymore. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Deal: U.S. Cellular Offering $100 Off All Smartphones Now Through February 14th 21 January, 2012, 2:48 pm
Yesterday, U.S. Cellular announced that they have discounted $100 off all of their smartphones. Now would be a great time to pick up a new Android device if you are within their coverage area. You can grab good deals such as the Motorola Electrify for only $149.99, the HTC Hero S for $99.99, or the Huawei Ascend II and the Samsung Repp for a mere penny. The deal ends on Valentines day, February 14th, so you may want to act quick! This may be U.S. Cellular’s way of blowing out some 3G phones before launching their upcoming 4G LTE network in the near future. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!
Notion Ink Formally Announces Adam II Tablet, Features OMAP 4400-Series Processor 21 January, 2012, 1:33 pm
Notion Ink continues to generate some interesting buzz. We recently told you about how it teased us with a mysterious Adam Android tablet, but Notion Ink has finally let the cat of of the bag by introducing its newest tablet, the Adam II. It comes boasting impressive features too. The Adam II tablet believes there’s no better way to take advantage of Android 4.0 than to feature a TI OMAP 4400-series dual-core processor powering the device. Oh and what’s more is the tablet is featuring a PowerVR SGX500-series core. The tablet will feature an additional interesting feature. It will feature a slight variation of the Android OS. No it’s not a custom skin as most of us loathe, but rather the OS would have a new structure called the Modular Based Software Architecture, which would let users customize apps through a drag-and-drop system. Basically this allows users to access “every single hardware feature”, according to Norton Ink. No word on when we can expect the device, but we anticipate it will be here sooner than later. But Notion Ink has stressed it plans to design many more of the parts in-house rather than outsource them to prevent any type of problems caused by outsourcing. Boy this mysterious tablet can’t come soon enough. Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

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Helloandroid

Privacy Star - top of the line in phone privacy 23 January, 2012, 1:01 am
PrivacyStar, maker of the smartphone application that enables users to take control of their mobile phone, announced 2011 user trends showing significant growth in complaint filing to the Federal Trade Commission. PrivacyStar has nearly one million users who use the feature packed application to ensure privacy on their smartphones blocking over 125 million numbers and filing over 200,000 complaints to date. In 2011, users filed 137,000 complaints to the Federal Trade Commission with substantial increase in Fair Debt Collection Practices Act complaints filed. read more
[Press]Disney and Conservation International to Raise Awareness for Fresh Water Initiative 20 January, 2012, 7:44 am
‘Every Duck Counts’ Awareness Campaign launches with $50,000 donation from Disney January 19, 2012 (Arlington, VA) – Conservation International (CI) today announced the launch of a new awareness raising effort with Disney using the free versions of the popular game Where’s My Water? as a fun way to educate users about the value of fresh water. For the ‘Every Duck Counts’ campaign, Disney Friends for Change and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund will make a generous donation of $50,000. The game will educate users about the value of fresh water in a fun and unique way by encouraging players to collect as many ducks as possible within the game to raise awareness for the accessibility of clean water and its importance on a global scale. read more
Android Integration with the Ford Focus Electric 20 January, 2012, 1:06 am
One of the top in car mobile technologies available for some time now is Ford’s Sync system which we must admit is pretty impressive. Ford is however taking it a step further with the launch of their new Focus Electric allowing users to control their cars remotely. At CES 2012 in Las Vegas Ford unveiled their MyFord app that allows Ford Focus Electric owners manage when and how their cars will charge at home. This allows night time low charging for lower electricity bills or to override this and charge up quickly if you need the car for a long period of time now. read more
What is your favourite section on helloandroid.com 19 January, 2012, 6:05 am
Tutorials Stories/ News Applications Devices/ Device Catalog Forums
Solving advanced animation problems 19 January, 2012, 2:51 am
SDK Version: M3 0 As we have seen in the previous animations tutorial it is easy to create some funny animations defined by XML. Unfortunately in some cases we face troublesome limitations. Lest see them through an example: We will create a simple animation that moves a buttom from the top left corner of the screen to the center when it is clicked, then remains there, and when clicked again it moves back to its original position After you read the documentation http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/animation-resource.h... it may seem easy to solve. We can define the animation realative to the parents size in percent (50%p), and the fillAfter attribute makes the button remain there, insted of jumping back to its original position. We can even define all of this in XML. So most of the problem seems to be solved with the few line of XML below: read more
Limited Edition Motorola Defy+ JCB 19 January, 2012, 1:40 am
The new, rugged Motorola Defy+ JCB edition has just been announced, giving the accident prone and adventurous something new to stuff in their pockets. The Motorola Defy+ JCB has been built with the help of the company from which it gets a third of its name and as anyone will know the JCB brand is usually encountered on building sites and farms, not on smartphones. read more
[Rumor] Samsung Galaxy III specs. Could This be Real? 19 January, 2012, 1:31 am
The Galaxy S3 has been kept under lock and key throughout its development, although a few choice pieces of information have leaked out of the labs and various rumours have circulated around the handset. read more
Woz admits Android does things better than iPhone 18 January, 2012, 1:04 am
Although he still carries the iPhone 4S as his main handset, Steve concedes that Android is making serious headway over Apple. read more
Samsung Joins The Fight Against Short Battery Life, Promises 2012 Phone Will Be All-Day Strong For Most Users 18 January, 2012, 12:51 am
As smartphones get larger, more vibrant displays, faster CPUs, 4G LTE network connectivity, and more features, there is one area where they still always fall short: battery life. In fact, most modern smartphones lack the ability to last a full day of regular, moderate usage without requiring some additional juice. read more
HTC Adds Bootloader Unlock Support For More Devices - Desire Z, Aria, Droid Incredible, T-Mobile G2, Status, And ChaCha 17 January, 2012, 1:27 am
If you didn't know, HTC has promised to provide bootloader unlock support for all devices released after September of 2011 as well as many others released before, and they have been keeping good on that promise with added support for many devices over the last few months. They're still going strong, and added several more devices to the list earlier today. read more

Phandroid

Motorola Looking for Testers for Photon 4G Update 23 January, 2012, 6:54 am
Motorola’s issued the call to arms for those with Photon 4G units on Sprint. They are gearing up to release a new update soon and need testers to help them determine whether or not things are good to go for the vast majority of those who have the device. We’re not sure what to expect but we somehow don’t think this one is Ice Cream Sandwich. We will find out soon if everything goes well, though. If you have the device and are signed up to receive test alerts be sure to check your inbox. [Motorola via Android Central]
Apartments.com Releases Android Application 23 January, 2012, 6:35 am
Apartments.com – the premier web service for finding new apartments to stay – has released an Android application to help you take your pad search mobile. You can search for apartments in specific areas, refine using all sorts of filters, save apartments to your favorites, save searches and more. It’s all free, too, so be sure to download the application here if you’re gearing up for a move soon.
Verizon COWs Converge on Lucas Oil Stadium 23 January, 2012, 6:10 am
The two participants for Super Bowl 46 have been determined (the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, if you happened to miss the championship games last night) and Verizon felt now was the best opportunity for them to get setup at the game’s hosting site. That site is Lucas Oil Stadium, by the way, an Indianapolis shrine for Peyton Manning and his Colts. Verizon has deployed 3 COWs (Cells on Wheels), installed 400 mobile antennae to handle texts and calls and 600 WiFi stations for data. All this coupled with Verizon already-excellent coverage in the area should ensure that no mobile phone can go unused. If some of you will happen to be there for Media Week let us know how it all works out. Be sure to check out Gotta Be Mobile’s breakdown of Big Red’s setup in the video above.
Pantech Element Tablet Now Available at AT&T for $300 or $249 Bundled With Pantech Burst 23 January, 2012, 5:59 am
AT&T has bestowed unto the masses their Pantech Element Android 3.2 tablet this past Sunday for anyone to pick up for $300 on a new two-year agreement. It’s positioned to be an affordable 4G tablet for those on a budget but its specs aren’t too unsettling. You’ll be working with an 8 inch display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage with expansion options, a 5 megapixel rear camera, a 2 megapixel front camera, Bluetooth/WiFi/GPS and more. AT&T’s offering a bundle deal, though, if you happen to want a new smartphone with it. They’ll knock $50 off the price of the Element when buying the Pantech Burst smartphone alongside it. The Pantech Burst is $50 so it would be $300 altogether. Find the Burst here, the Element here and the bundle here.
BlueStacks Moves Out of Alpha – Android Apps On Your PC Move One Step Closer 21 January, 2012, 12:44 am
BlueStacks — a program for Windows that runs Android applications — has been in the works for quite awhile now. Quentyn originally reported on BlueStacks back in April and more recently, the company released a creepy infograph highlighting a typical Android user’s appearance. They even managed to secure a “Best of CES 2012″ award from Cnet. With BlueStacks buzz in full effect, I am happy to report that BlueStacks has finally moved out of the alpha stages of testing, with the beta coming just around the bend. Users who would like to sign up for the beta can do so via the company’s signup page (linked below). Any of our readers have a chance to try out the alpha? Would love to get some user feedback. [BlueStacks | Via TalkAndroid]
Counter Strike Unofficially Ported To Android Devices [Download] 20 January, 2012, 11:13 pm
What do we have here? Seems those crazy wildboys over on XDA are creating themselves an unofficial port of the first-person shooter that launched a thousand ships — Counter Strike. The game, which is apparently being built form the ground up using the Unity3D platform, will feature cross-platform multiplayer with both Kongregate and Facebook versions already released. There are 2 versions being worked on at the moment — series 5o version for those on Android 2.0+ — and series 6p version for Android 2.3+ devices. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play owners get a special treat thanks to optimized controls, giving Play owners the upper hand when going head-to-head with slate users (can’t beat those L/R buttons). The game remains faithful to the original with all the same maps and gameplay modes Counter Strike players have grown to love. Still extremely early and a bit buggy, download links have been provided below: Download version 5o Download version 6p (like cs 1.6) If you want all the deets on development, as well as to see what you can do to help out, hit up the XDA link for more info. In the meantime, check out this gameplay video (using the Matrix Mod) featuring the Acer Iconia Tab A100 that was just uploaded to YouTube. Enjoy. [XDA Developers | Facebook] Via DroidGamers
Notion Ink Adam II Officially Announced – Features TI OMAP 4400 Series Processor 20 January, 2012, 9:28 pm
Notion Ink has finally revealed a little more information regarding their upcoming Adam II Android tablet. Apparently the slate will be powered by a Texas Instruments 4400 series dual-core processor, complimented by a PowerVR SGX5xx GPU and running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. In an unexpected twist to their announcement, Notion Ink will be featuring a slightly tweaked version of the OS using a restructured Modular Based Software Architecture. These “Application Authoring Tools” will give developers and would-be programmers the ability to customize apps via a new drag-and-drop system. Notion Ink explains, “This System will help consumers, professionals and students become productive as they will be able to use the tablet as a logic analyzer, medical imaging device, signal acquisition and processing, 3D modeling and multi-media.” Still no word on when Notion Ink Adam II will be ready to ship. Notion Ink mentioned in a video earlier this week that they plan to design many of the parts in-house, after learning from the company’s previous pitfalls of outsourcing. [Notion Ink via Electronista]
Google Sky Map Is Dead – Long Live Open Sourced Google Sky Map 20 January, 2012, 7:41 pm
If there was one “must have” Android app ever since back in the G1 days, it was Google Sky Map. Used more as a way to impress friends or even that special girl as you lay on the hood of your car, Google Sky Map gave everyday Joe Shmoes access to stars and all of its wonders. With that being said — Google Sky Map is dead. Okay, I should clarify a bit. Google has officially stepped down as head of the Sky Map project instead, open sourcing the app so that other “astronomy enthusiasts” can change/contribute, however they wish. Google also said that they will be collaborating with Carnegie Mellon University, who will see all future development of the app, by way of student projects. The Google Sky Map team would like to thank all of our users who have taken the time to send us comments over the past 3 years. You tell us that Sky Map has helped you show off your phone, enabled you to see the stars when the urban light pollution or weather obscured them and even find romance! Google Sky Map has helped my coax a fair share of dates into the mountains so that we could ” better view the stars” and for that — I thank you, Google. If you’re looking to get in on the open-source code it can be found, along with the app, via the links below. Market Link | Sky Map Open Source Project [Via Google | AndroidCommunity]
Heyzap Is A Social Discovery App For Mobile Gamers – Signs 12 New Mobile Gaming Partners 20 January, 2012, 6:21 pm
Having 500,000+ applications in the Android Market sure sounds amazing but do you ever get the feeling that you’re missing out on a hidden gem? The best way to discover something new is to simply ask your friends what they’re playing but pinging them on Twitter/Facebook every day could prove bothersome. Well, Heyzap looks to make that process a little easier by introducing a mobile gaming community. While this may sound much like the many “app discovery” applications already on the market, Heyzap is different in that it allows for game-based checkins — similar to apps like Foursquare — so you always know exactly what your friends are playing. The company has recently signed with 12 new partners to integrate their service into their titles. Spacetime Studios, PocketGems and Digital Chocolate are just a few of these new developers on board, adding to Heyzap’s growing list of over 800 mobile game developers. If you want to give Heyzap a go, the application can be downloaded for free, right now, in the Android Market. If you’re a mobile games developer and want to increase your app’s awareness, you can also find the link for integrating Heyzap’s service in your own app via their SDK link below. [Market Link | Heyzap SDK]
Samsung Galaxy Note passes through FCC at AT&T 4G LTE speeds 20 January, 2012, 3:55 pm
The Samsung Galaxy Note is just over the horizon for AT&T. No official release date has been announced, but it’s safe to say the handset will be launching soon after a recent visit to the FCC. The handset gained approval for its GSM/EDGE 850/1900 support in addition to WCDMA bands II and IV. Aside from LTE connectivity, the Note is most known for its 5.3-inch 1280×800 display that blurs the line between tablet and smartphone. Inside waits a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU and 16GB of storage. The Note was one of the biggest announcements to come out of CES, but it is yet to be seen how the public will respond to a device of its size. [FCC via WirelessGoodness]

googleandblog

4 Android travel apps you should know about 4 January, 2012, 9:32 am
Anyone who travels even a couple of times a year needs a travel app on her Android smartphone. Having all of that information right in front of you, whenever you need it, is more than a convenience. At times it can save your hide. Here are a few of the best travel apps for Android. TripIt How does an app survive over 10,000 ratings in the Android Market with a 4.5-star rating? By being one of the best in its field. TripIt has the travel thing down right. It’s a simple premise, too. All you do is forward your confirmation email to a tripit email address, and it automatically populates the app with your travel information. This includes not only flights, but also hotels, restaurant reservations, cruises, and more. There’s a social element on top of this, too. You can share your travel plans with friends on Facebook. Maybe you just want to brag a bit. Maybe you’re looking for companions. Or maybe you just like to let your family and friends know what’s going on. In any case, it’s an available feature with TripIt. Best of all, TripIt is free. You can, however, add a premium service for $49 per year. TripIt calls it “your own personal travel assistant.” Basically, it monitors deals for you, so you can always get the best deal on travel amenities. It also includes alerts while you’re traveling. Get TripIt from the Android Market. WorldMate One of the more established mobile travel apps, WorldMate has made its way to Android. Not only that, but it has picked up the vaunted Editors’ Choice tag. It provides many of the same services as TripIt, but it does add some interesting effects, even on the free version. Managing your itinerary works the same. You just forward the confirmation email, and WorldMate organizes it all in the app. It’s after that, though, that WorldMate gets interesting. It pulls from Google Maps to lay out your itinerary. This can work well for driving directions, since you’ll have everything already plugged into the device. (And really, how many of us have gotten lost going from the rental car depot to our hotels?) Speaking of rental cars, you can book one right through the app, or otherwise book a car service. You can also book hotels from the app, if you haven’t done so already. This really is an all-in-one travel app. The only thing you can’t do, really, is book your flight right from it. As with TripIt, WorldMate has a premium tier as well. This includes calendar syncing, flight alerts and statuses, and the stripping of ads. But with a little elbow grease and ingenuity, you can take care of most of those features for free right from your Android smartphone. Get WorldMate from the Android Market. Orbitz While TripIt and WorldMate help you organize your travel plans, Orbitz can help you book them. That is, it lets you do most anything you can do on the Orbitz website. Find your flight, and then add a hotel and rental car to the package. Once you go through the motions and book your travel itinerary, Orbitz will store the information in offline mode, so it provides that same valuable feature that the other travel apps do. Not only does Orbitz add value in its ability to book trips right from the mobile app, but it also has mobile-only deals. You could actually save money on, say Chicago hotels, if you check the mobile app and find the right deal. There’s also the option to call an agent right from the app, just in case there’s anything you want to ask. While TripIt and WorldMate do a better job of storing and displaying you travel information, Orbtiz’s advantage is its ability to actually book those arrangements. It might not be a selling point for infrequent travelers, though the mobile-only deals do make it enticing. For the busy traveler, it could prove extremely useful. get Orbitz from the Android Market. TripAdvisor The previous apps have focused on storing travel information and, in one case, booking itinerary. Yet they leave out one stage: planning. An app such as TripAdvisor can complement any of the apps above. It helps you with research, so you know what you’re getting into when it’s time to book. Think of TripAdvisor as the Yelp of travel. It provides user reviews of hotels, restaurants, and other attractions at hundreds of destinations. You can get information on the amenities, read what other users have to say, and even call the location if a number if readily available. There are even forums, where you can get more information on your travel plans. Add in photos, and it’s a great research tool. TripAdvisor can be a companion at any juncture. Whether it’s researching a destination before booking, or it’s finding something to do while you’re on the road, this app can be your guide. Get TravelAdvisor from the Android Market This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.4 Android travel apps you should know about
Will cheap Ice Cream Sandwich tablets sell? 7 December, 2011, 5:30 am
Pictured above is the NOVO7, which is actually the world’s first Ice Cream Sandwich tablet. It’s a 7-inch device that features a 1GHz processor with 1080p HD video output — not top of the line, but certainly not assembled from the scrap heap. It’s not much with the rear camera, just 2 megapixels, and the front-facing one is just VGA. While there are some downsides, the upside is considerable. That is, the device is selling for just $100. That’s a pretty magic price point. Can it work for this device? The problem with most cheap Android tablets — the $200 ones you see in Best Buy and Walmart, and on Amazon.com — is that they run Android 2.2 or 2.3. If they ran Honeycomb it might be a different proposition. But with an older OS there’s something of an issue. Advanced users could root the device and install a custom version of Honeycomb. This device, however, comes with Ice Cream Sandwich right out of the box. The hardware might be generic, but the software will help compensate for that. The downshot is that the device only ships from China, and it costs $60 to get stateside. That is, you’re probably better off waiting on it. If they ever ship $100 units to the US, though, it might be a bargain. If not, at least you won’t have spent a lot of money finding out. Via Phandroid. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Will cheap Ice Cream Sandwich tablets sell?
Sprint admits to installing Carrier IQ on devices 2 December, 2011, 5:30 am
If you haven’t been paying attention, a service called Carrier IQ has cause a bit of a stir lately. The premise is pretty simple. Manufacturers or carriers install the software on your phone. The software then monitors pretty much everything you do, and then reports back to the installing party. Clearly this causes some issues with users; no one wants someone spying on their actions. In the past few days carriers and manufacturers have spoken up regarding their relationships with Carrier IQ. The latest is Sprint, which admitted that it uses Carrier IQ. Does this make you feel less easy about using a Sprint Android phone? Sprint claims that it uses the data collected by Carrier IQ to “analyze our network performance and identify where we should be improving service.” In that way it’s something like a SCADA, wherein the company is trying to manage its network by gathering as much data as possible. Of course, Sprint has available to it all sorts of other data via Carrier IQ, and their marketing department will likely benefit greatly from it. Will they simply not use the data that they receive — that they pay for — because there has been something of a controversy? Call me a skeptic, but I don’t think it will. Via The Verge. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Sprint admits to installing Carrier IQ on devices
Explore Your Green Thumb with Android Apps 28 November, 2011, 2:11 pm
I have been gardening since I was old enough to play in the dirt. For me, gardening is more than a hobby…it is a great stress reliever, a healthy way to break a sweat, an exercise in self-reliance, and a creative outlet. The payoff — whether it is in the sweet smelling flowers that attract foraging honey bees and an assortment of butterflies, or the abundance of fresh seasonal vegetables I can share with family and friends — is always rewarding, and it makes me feel accomplished to reap the fruits of my labor. The secret to gardening isn’t in the fertilizer, it’s in the apps. If you are looking for gardening tips and are not shy when it comes to technology, an Android phone or tablet can be an invaluable tool in planning and maintaining your green plot. Below, I have listed some apps I often defer to for garden planning and organization, plant facts, and other helpful tips. Garden Guide The Food Gardening Guide, from America’s leading magazine on organic gardening, is a comprehensive gardening app, providing an abundance of expert advice on Crops, Techniques, and Resources. This app has a balanced mix of beautiful illustrations (as seen in the Crops section), concise articles (as seen in the Techniques section), and links to additional gardening information in the Resources section . As far as free Android apps are concerned, this is a great one-stop gardening app. Gardenate Gardenate is $2.50, but worth every penny. This is a complete guide to growing popular garden vegetables (with local planting information) for the US, Australia, New Zealand, and UK. The garden calendar shows the vegetables and herbs you can plant every month. You can successfully “grow your own” vegetable and herb garden using the information from this app and the Gardenate online community. Remember to Water This app helps me remember to water my indoor plants (the ones I completely forget about until they turn brown!), both at home and at the office. It’s simple and keeps me organized by putting my plants on a watering schedule that I create. How simple is it? Take a photo of you plants, set how often you want to water each and get a reminder. You can set the time of day when you want the reminder to appear. Done! Each of these gardening apps is readily available online for download to your Android phone or tablet. Do you have a favorite gardening app? Feel free to share with us! This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Explore Your Green Thumb with Android Apps
Podcasting delight: BeyondPod $1.99 this weekend 24 November, 2011, 8:00 pm
On one of my other sites we feature a reasonably popular podcast. We offer many ways to enjoy the podcast, though because it’s hosted on iTunes we do promote it in that way. With the increasing number of Android users we’ve received a number of questions on how they can get the podcast in their favorite podcast application. That has turned us onto a number of podcasting apps, but I’ve seen none better than BeyondPod. If you’re looking for the most comprehensive Android podcast app, look no further. Best of all, it’s on sale for just $2 this weekend, down from $7 normally. Now is the time to jump aboard this train. I could sit here and enumerate all the features that BeyondPod offers, but if you can imagine it, BeyondPod likely does it. My favorite features include automatic scheduling of podcast downloads, quick fast forward (which skips you a few minutes ahead), sleep timer, and playlist generator. The home screen widget is also excellent. Best of all, BeyondPod comes in both smartphone and tablet versions, you have a fully optimized app no matter your preference. Again, at $2 I can’t find an Android podcast app that does more. Here’s the deal. First you have to go download the basic BeyondPod app. You can get it here for smartphone and here for tablets. Those are free, and they’ll provide you with a 7-day full-feature trial. But you might not want to take advantage of that in this instance. See, the unlock key is on sale only through today. It might extend further, but we have no idea. Head to the Market again and download the unlock key for $2. Now enjoy. Via Android Police. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Podcasting delight: BeyondPod $1.99 this weekend
Can you use your Android to stop smoking? 22 November, 2011, 5:30 am
Yesterday a friend sent a message that always brings joy. “I’m quitting smoking starting Friday.” The conversation then turned to different ways to prevent relapse. His idea was to get a pack of mini cigars — cigarillos. They’d be for extreme situations, since you can’t possibly smoke them often (and you don’t inhale them). They’re also universally stale, so the taste would likely drive him further away. But then he revealed one aspect of smoking that I find so many smokers share: part of the addiction is keeping the hands busy. It would make sense, then, that a touchscreen phone could help keep hands busy when cigarette cravings appear. The inspiration for this came from an app I found yesterday afternoon: Cigarette Fighter. It claims to help beat cigarette cravings by letting you “slice” a cigarette — basically tapping the touchscreen. Yet the app has a 2.2 average rating, and half of the people rated it one-star. After download the app really quick, the poor rating made sense. It’s just not that fun. Moreover, there’s not enough forced interaction with the screen. There are better games to accomplish this end. Balloon tapping games seem perfect for these purposes. They force you to tap the screen constantly, but in measured and purposeful ways. I particularly like Custom Action Tap, since it has the rage comics guy on it. There isn’t too much of a difference between it and other balloon tap apps, so you can go through the market and find any one you want. The point isn’t the specific app, but rather the action of tapping the screen frequently and purposefully. That helps keep the hands engaged. It can be a wonderful outlet whenever a cigarette craving comes on. (It won’t stop the nicotine withdrawal, unfortunately.) Want to get your mind completely off cigarettes and wean yourself off of the focus on what your hands are doing? There are other ways to accomplish that. I’ve been really digging BrainJiggle lately. It doesn’t involve the hands too much, but it takes your mind off of whatever was previously preoccupying it. I’ve never been a smoker, so I don’t know if it can take your mind of that specifically. My buddy is giving it a try, though. The general rule I found when talking to people about this is that an app focused on quitting cigarettes probably can’t help. It’s too narrow, and it likely misses much of the nuance involved in the addiction. There are apps can help, but they’re not directly related to the topic of smoking. Apps that keep the hands or the mind busy will work less, because they help fill some of the voids associated with smoking cigarettes. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Can you use your Android to stop smoking?
Controlling your TV from your Android 9 November, 2011, 9:35 am
Where is the damn clicker? It’s a line that nearly everyone has uttered multiple times. For some reason some people — perhaps most people, or at least it seems that way — are incapable of putting the remote control back in its proper place. Or, for that matter, any place in plain sight. We’ve reached a point as a society where it’s more acceptable to stare at a blank screen than it is to actually get up and change the channel. It was only a matter of time before someone developed a way for our smartphones to control our TVs. Apple actually jumped out on this one, releasing an app that lets iPhone and iPad users control Apple TV units from their smartphones or tablets. But that’s one specific device. This new development for Android lets you use your smartphone to control everything on your TV. It’s from Griffin, and it’s called the Beacon. It’s the boxing bell looking device pictured above. You hook that up to your TV, and after installing an app it lets you use your smartphone to control what you watch. It’s pretty bloody brilliant, even if it was an inevitable development. It’s even brilliant when you consider that before long we’ll be able to control our TVs from our smartphones without using special hardware. Plenty of folks will find this advantageous, because they’re far less apt to lose their smartphones than their remote controls. Also, if you do lose your smartphone, you can always give it a call to locate it. Not so much with the remote — and those remote locator systems are pretty junky. (I know from experience, because pops tried everything to prevent us from losing the damn clicker.) This might cost a bit up front, but it will save you frustration. You can get the Beacon TV unit at Best Buy for $70. The app is ,a href=”https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dijit.urc&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5kaWppdC51cmMiXQ”>free on the Market. Via Android Police. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Controlling your TV from your Android
Samsung releases the 7-inch Galaxy Tab 4 November, 2011, 2:57 pm
While there’s been plenty of hype for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, it’s not the only Android tablet Samsung plans to release this year. In fact, they’ve recently released the follow-up to their 7-inch Galaxy Tab from last year. It’s a bit early, since it was supposed to hit shelves on November 13th, but right now you can grab the new Galaxy Tab 7-inch device. As with the 10.1, the 7-inch version ranks among the best Android tablets on the market. Even better, it doesn’t suffer from the same pricing pitfalls as its larger sibling. While I absolutely love the Galaxy Tab 10.1, I do feel that the pricing is all wrong for it. The WiFi-only version is priced right in line with the iPad, while the 4G versions — available through both Verizon and T-Mobile — require two-year contracts that involve monthly payments of at least $30. Even moderately heavy tablet users will require the 5GB plan, which costs $50 per month through both Verizon and T-Mobile. Those are some heavy costs. Hardcore Android users might be pleased to pay the price. T-Mobile makes it even easier, requiring only $399 down, though the remaining $250 gets paid off in $10 monthly increments. But hardcore Android users will probably pay this price because they have no use for the iPad. Like it or not, Apple still dominates the tablet market. That makes it difficult to move a significant number of units that are similarly priced. That’s why I like the Kindle Fire’s chances. Amazon decided to compete on the one plane that Apple refuses: price. And that should win them customers. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab comes in at a more affordable $400 for the 16GB version, and $500 for the 32GB. That actually beats the BlackBerry PlayBook, even though the latter is not yet a fully functional tablet. While Samsung would probably better serve the market by pricing the 7-inch Galaxy Tab a bit lower, they’ll probably do OK with this pricing level. They’re almost certain to sell more units than the 10.1, given the iPad comparisons. Via Phandroid. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Samsung releases the 7-inch Galaxy Tab
GameStop gets into the Android tablet game 3 November, 2011, 8:20 am
It was only a matter of time before GameStop got into the tablet gaming market. They’re already taking iPad and iPod trade-ins, which signals a start to their platform expansion. There were also rumors that they’d release their own gaming-centric Android tablet. While that could still happen at some point, they’ve gotten a head start by offering a number of existing Android tablets — pre-loaded with seven games. If you check out their website you’ll see a number of tablets, and there are a few high-end ones among them. The most attractive is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Verizon and T-Mobile both offer this, but the tablet itself costs $650 and requires a two-year commitment to a costly data plan. The GameStop version, which obviously does not include cellular connection, costs just $500. They also have the Asus Eee Pad, another Android tablet that has gotten positive reviews. You can also bundle the tablets with a controller, making for an even more compelling gaming experience. Here’s what you’ll get in terms of the free games: Dead Space, Madden NFL, Monster Madness, Sonic CD, Re-Load, Riptide GP and Cordy. The tablets aren’t available at every GameStop store. From what I’m told it’s only the highest-volume stores. But if you go to that website link you can order one online, or you can find a store that carries them. Via BGR. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.GameStop gets into the Android tablet game
Google looking to take the lead with Music 27 October, 2011, 12:20 pm
How do you bury the competition? By taking one of their strongest services and improving on it. For the past year or so Google has been seeking its answer to the iTunes Store. We’ve heard various rumors, but we’ve also heard that Google has faced significant obstacles from the record companies. Frustrated that the record companies didn’t see things their way, Google went ahead and launched a comprehensive music locker service, Google Music. But now they’re back at the table with record companies, and it appears that they’re on the brink of something even bigger. The rumors have started to resurface, and now we’re starting to see evidence of their reality. Phandroid links information that contains a screenshot of the Google Music landing page. Option No. 1 comes as no surprise, since it’s the service we’ve all grown to know and love. Option No. 2 confirms at least part of the rumored addition to Google Music: a music store. We don’t yet know which labels Google has on board, so we don’t know the depth of the catalog. But chances are they wouldn’t launch one without the majors on board. And so they’ll have a music selection comparable to the iTunes Store. Only, the rumors don’t stop there. In addition to buying tracks from Google Music, rumor has it you’ll be able to share those tracks, likely through Google+. There will be an expiration date on them, so it’s not as though you can give your friends free copies of what you’ve purchased. But this still brings back a social element of music that gets lost in the restrictive digital world. Think about how you enjoyed music in the LP, cassette, and CD eras. You’d buy an album at the store, and after you listened to it a bunch you’d lend it to friends. They’d listen to it, and then maybe they’d buy their own copies. That is, the social element was good for the music industry, because it led to greater discovery. Yet with the digital age record companies have forsaken the social element due to their fear of piracy. Google Music might start bringing it back. It will be an interesting test case. Record labels love to say that sales have declined because of piracy, but there has always been a counterpoint that they have declined because of restrictiveness. Google Music proposes to take away this level of restrictiveness and restore a time-honored part of the music experience. It might sound scary for record labels now, but in the end it could benefit all parties greatly. This post originated at AndGeeks.com - home to all things Android! Also a great source of info about Android Phones.Google looking to take the lead with Music

Planetandroid

Vlingo Security Breach: Data Sent to Remote Servers Without Consent 23 January, 2012, 6:43 am
(This is a preview - click here to read the entire entry.) One of our users Admin Jörg recently discovered an entry in the logcat readout of his Samsung Galaxy Note that gave him pause. One of the running process on his Note kept bringing up the following request “I/HttpRequest-BackgroundHttpManager323(10019) …” He wasn't sure what to make of the curious request and quickly set up a filter, which organized each process by it's process ID (PID) to help him get a handle of the odd request. After several hours of work poring over his Galaxy Note he had his answer and it seems Vlingo knows more about its customers then it's letting on.
Cool Accessories for Galaxy Nexus – Cruzer Lite Androidified Case 23 January, 2012, 6:30 am
The Galaxy Nexus hasn’t really seen its fame when it comes to accessories. Yeah, there have been some cases by big name brands such as OtterBox and the new docking station, but that’s really just about it.A company by the name Cruzer Lite has introduced there new products, which are cases with an “Andy the Android” figure on the back. The case’s are very similar to the gel cases released by Verizon.However, the best part is that you will be able to pick these bad boy’s up for around $9.90 on Amazon. Not bad, huh? Now I might sound like an informercial here, but it does get even better!When you buy three of these lovely cases, you get the third one free. It is essentially a “buy two, get one free” type of deal. The coupon code is: BUY2GONE, which you will process at the checkout screen.The cases also come in a variety of colors including black, smoke, green, clear, blue, red, orange, pink, teal and my personal favorite, purple. There are also reports of the case’s having the ability to fit with the extended 2100 mAh battery.Do you think you will treat yourself and pick up one of these fun cases? Will it be birthday present? Also, if you have the case already, how does it fit?YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEGalaxy Nexus Accessories Arrive in StoresGalaxy Nexus Extended Battery DOES Fit In Otterbox Cases (Video)Official Galaxy Nexus Accessories delayed, According to UK Retailer This article, Cool Accessories for Galaxy Nexus – Cruzer Lite Androidified Case , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
Pantech Element Tablet Now Available from AT&T for $300 23 January, 2012, 6:30 am
AT&T has released the Pantech Element Tablet and is now available for $300, or $249 when you bundle it with Pantech Burst. We first brought you news about the Pantech Element and the Pantech Burst at CES a couple weeks ago.The Pantech Element is a 4G tablet running on a 1.5GHz Dual-Core processor with 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP front camera. Along with the typical Wifi, GPS and Bluetooth features we all come to expect from Android devices.AT&T is offering a bundle deal, if you happen to want a new smartphone with it, you should check it out. They will knock $50 off the price of the Element when buying the Pantech Burst smartphone alongside it. The Pantech Burst is $50 so it would be $300 altogether. Find the Burst here, the Element here and the bundle here.Anyone heading to AT&T to pick this one up? Let us know if you’re interested in it, or if you’re thinking of getting a different device from AT&T.YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEPantech Burst Will Be AT&T’s Inexpensive LTE Android Phone at Only $49Microsoft May Soon Be Collecting Royalty Fees From PantechSamsung Illusion, Pantech Breakout LTE Headed for Verizon This article, Pantech Element Tablet Now Available from AT&T for $300 , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
Voice Control And Vlingo: Security Risk In Popular Android Feature 23 January, 2012, 5:56 am
(This is a preview - click here to read the entire entry.) The Samsung Galaxy Note has been a fan hit here at AndroidPIT but one of our users Admin Jörg recently discovered an entry in the logcat readout that game him pause. One of the running process on his note kept bringing up the following request “I/HttpRequest-BackgroundHttpManager323(10019) …” He wasn't sure what to make of the curious request and quickly set up a filter, which organized each process by it's process ID (PID) to help him get a handle of the odd request. After several hours of work poring over his Galaxy Note he had his answer and it seems Vlingo knows more about its customers then it's letting on.
Are You the King of Trivia? 23 January, 2012, 5:30 am
Everybody loves a quick game of trivia. Growing up, I remember spending countless nights engrossed in my family’s tradition of watching Jeopardy on TV. While there are two official Jeopardy apps available on the Android Market, they miss one critical element—they’re not free. Luckily, there is generally always an alternative available for download on our lovely forums. Thanks to work by XDA forum member SilmarilApps, we now have King of Trivia—a well-designed and free alternative to the timeless game show classic. The game asks questions in 11 categories, ranging from Sports to Mythology. Just like in the real game, the more difficult questions yield more points. And also similarly to the original, you are given only a limited amount of time to answer the question. Looking to give the game a shot yourself? If so, head over to the application thread to get started!
Should Apple Wave The White Flag In Its Battle Against Android? 23 January, 2012, 5:30 am
(This is a preview - click here to read the entire entry.) (picture from WizIQ) It's no secret that Steve Jobs didn't approve of Android....let me rephrase that...it's no secret that Steve Jobs HATED Android, and was willing to use all of Apple's power to not only attempt to slow it down, but to destroy it all together, and man oh man has Apple tried. With lawsuits against HTC, Motorola, and Samsung, Apple has unleashed a series of attacks on Android in what seems to many like a desperate attempt to slow down Android's growth. While we've heard about a lot of these lawsuits in the news, the question remains: Is Apples strategy working, or is it time to throw in the towel?
Fujitsu Lifebook 2013 Concept Brings New Meaning to Multi-Functionality 23 January, 2012, 5:15 am
What do you get when you combine a smartphone, tablet, laptop, and a camera into one device—the Fujitsu Lifebook 2013, of course! Even though the device is still a concept, it sets itself apart from the ones that come pretty close to it—including the currently available ASUS Padfone.Compared to a typical laptop, the Lifebook 2013 does not have its own keyboard. Instead, it is accompanied by a tablet can simply be attached to a slot, where it transforms itself into a fully touch-based QWERTY keyboard. Although it sounds silly, it is actually a good idea for anyone on the go. Once this keyboard is detached, it turns into a tablet once again, perfect for game play or using as a sketchpad. Thanks to this connectivity, users can easily sync contents of their phone into their laptop without the need for any wires.This same feature was also witnessed on the KT Spider Concept, which was first spotted at IFA last year. The only difference with this tablet though is that it does not replace a keyboard. This is why the Lifebook 2013 is a unique concept of its own. Either way, we’ll have to wait for more information on this new innovation and we hope to get more information about it in the coming months!YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEFujitsu’s 7-inch Android Tablet to Come Out in 3rd Quarter 2011IDC tip Android for #2 spot in 2013Take a Look at “New Eden”, an HTC Concept Phone This article, Fujitsu Lifebook 2013 Concept Brings New Meaning to Multi-Functionality , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
Adapting My Android Dashboard UI To Tablets 23 January, 2012, 4:58 am
If you are looking for a quick way to adapt your Android mobile phone app to a tablet, this post might save you a lot of time. I was facing that challenge about a month ago as I was nearing the release of my first Android app. I came up with a solution that gets you onto tablets in a couple of hours rather than a couple of days. This post is a follow up to "How To Build An Dashboard User Interface In Android".
Android App Coming Soon for Easy Access to HQBD Information 23 January, 2012, 4:15 am
Businessmen need to stay connected wherever they are. Thankfully, the Historic Quincy Business District has put up a new app that lets them stay connected to several downtown businesses.‘Google is great if you know what you are looking for,’ said Travis Brown, the Executive Director of the HQBD. ‘This is an app that will show you what’s there and give you more information about the businesses that are there that you might not even know to search for.’When asked about what prompted HQBD to create the app, Brown said that it was pushed during the many strategic planning meetings.‘It was not just the business owners that were there, but the general public seemed to want it,’ he said. ‘So we decided to make that a primary focus coming out of that plan and moving forward.’In addition to posting information about such businesses, HQBD app will also be posting upcoming events. There will also be a virtual walking tour of the entire district. Through a video, app users get to have a walkthrough of the 30 stops located throughout the area. As of this writing, 21 of the stops have already been completed including The Dick’s Brewery, which includes information on the Dick brothers and how they started their business. It even includes 1903 pictures from infamous explosion which occurred in the brewery.Future plans of the app include incorporating the use of QR codes which will explain information on each property.‘As we get forward into spring, we’re going to be developing some QR codes that will be like window decals that will go on the buildings of the properties that we are talking about,’ said he. ‘So if they don’t have our app if they don’t have any information, they can just hit that QR code with their smartphone and it’ll start playing the (video) for that particular building,’ The HQBD app will be launched in a later part of the month for both iOS and Android smartphones. A link to the app can be found on HQBD website. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEDROID 2.1 update information appears on Verizon Wireless’ website, rollout starting 3/18Information on the HTC KnightAndroid Beam in ICS Makes Data Transfers Easy as Phone Tap This article, Android App Coming Soon for Easy Access to HQBD Information , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.
Android Jobs? Don't Bet On It 23 January, 2012, 3:50 am
(This is a preview - click here to read the entire entry.) Think about how many people work at Google. Now think about how many people work at Foxconn. The fact is, the Android operating system has created hundreds of thousands of jobs overseas while providing very few jobs in the states. And only a fraction of those at Google are seeing the massive profits generated by Android. NYTimes has a great piece up today about how the strong electronics manufacturing sector in China has led companies like Apple to increasingly rely on overseas workers to create blockbuster devices like the iPhone. You should read it; it's fascinating. Today, almost all of the 70 million iPhones, 30 million iPads and 59 million other products Apple sold last year were manufactured overseas.

AndroidCentral

Monday Brief: New RIM CEO, iPad textbooks, Iconia A200, new webOS czar, Windows Phone to overtake iPhone? 23 January, 2012, 6:31 am
Youtube video link for mobile viewing Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube ZEN and TECH 30: Forgiveness Iterate: Flyosity Hands-on with the Acer Iconia A500 Welcome to the Android Glossary -- Android A to Z, for nerds to civilians Android Central 84: CES wrap-up, in-car Android, the trouble with Lightsquared Press Release: Research In Motion Names Thorsten Heins President and CEO BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 developer beta updated to v2.0.0.7111 Top 10 Android Market apps that work on a rooted BlackBerry Playbook What Does ActiveSync Mean to Research In Motion’s Service Revenue? HP appoints Bill Veghte as new Chief Strategy Officer, to lead webOS open source initiative CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 0 brings Android 4.0 in rough form to TouchPad Where's webOS 2.2.4 for the Veer? Apple education event: Everything you need to know about iBooks 2, iBooks Author, iTunes U How to untethered jailbreak iPhone 4S & iPad 2 via Greenpois0n Absinthe Reminder: Follow iMore to win a Jawbone JAMBOX and $200 in iTunes gifts Windows Phone to overtake iOS in 2015? Dell shocks world, releases 8107 OS update for unlocked Venue Pro? Official IMDb app for Windows Phone gets update with Live Tile, bug fixes
Android developer Stephen Erickson open-sources his BusyBox installer -- we're all free to learn from it 23 January, 2012, 5:55 am
If you're an Android hacker or developer, you know about BusyBox. For the lay-people among us, it's a utility that extends the limited commands provided by the Android toolkit in the shell -- copying and renaming files, reading and writing data, that sort of thing. Here's a chance to learn a little more, as Stephen Erickson has open-sourced his BusyBox installer application. A look at the source will show you not only how to download and install BusyBox, but how to add all sorts of shell commands and assets to your custom application. You can then add these commands into custom menus in your ROM, or even write your own Android app with a little more study. It's things like that make us all love open-source software. Thanks, Stephen! Source:Google Code pages; via +Stephen Erickson
The Week in Android News 22 January, 2012, 7:39 pm
Where do the weeks go? Another week has passed us, and guess what -- that means tons more Android news has come and gone. If you missed anything this week you will certainly want to check below for some of what went on. General News Roam Mobility offers affordable roaming for Canadians while visiting the US AT&T bringing new data plans for phones and tablets on Jan 22 Hardware News Hands-on redux with the LG Viper on Sprint Samsung Galaxy S II HD spotted on retailer websites ZTE Warp Review JCB and Motorola team up for 'work-proof' DEFY+ Comparing the Sony Xperia Ion to the Sony Xperia S Motorola MOTOLUXE and DEFY Mini priced and dated Samsung Galaxy Note coming to Canada Verizon LG Spectrum available today for $199 on contract Tablet News CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 0 now available for the HP TouchPad Ice Cream Sandwich for the Motorola Xoom appears to be rolling out now to everyone LG unveils the Optimus Pad LTE ASUS: No Transformer Prime TF700 in the UK 'before June', British TF201s unaffected by Wifi glitch Motorola Xoom UK price slashed again, now £249.99 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 16GB now on sale at Futureshop for only $400 Acer Iconia A200 video hands-on
Android Central weekly photo contest winner: Sunset or sunrise 22 January, 2012, 3:26 pm
The winner of this week's Android Central photo contest is Travis Detweiler with his picture of sunrise over Tampa Bay. Taken with his HTC EVO 3D while heading out into the gulf to catch a few Amberjack and Grouper. Travis says he didn't use any particular camera app or effects, just the camera as-is on his 3VO. He captured the theme and framed the perfect shot. Congrats, Travis! We had well over a thousand entries, and while it took a while to look through them all it was quite enjoyable -- you guys and gals can take some awesome pictures. We've collected the 10 runners-up for you to enjoy as well, hit the break to see them. Don't forget, we're starting up a new round tomorrow, so keep an eye out. read more
Give your Windows 7 desktop an Ice Cream Sandwich flavored makeover 22 January, 2012, 12:42 pm
What you see here folks is a Windows 7 desktop theme developed by Flickr user David Molina. Ice Cream Sandwich is pretty darn good looking, and David wanted to bring some of that to his desktop PC. It's not the simplest implementation, and there's quite a few different components involved. The end result though is definitely worth it, and a surprisingly accurate representation of ICS on your PC. Full instructions can be found by hitting the source link below. Source: Lifehacker
Verizon Galaxy Nexus Touchstone Mod [from the forums] 22 January, 2012, 10:32 am
If you're a dyed-in-the-wool modder, here's a great weekend project -- modifying your Verizon Galaxy Nexus to work with the HP Touchstone. I'll tell you right up front -- this one isn't for the faint-hearted. It involves breaking the case open and voiding your warranty. But AC member ohiomoto has a beautiful step-by-step to guide you through, and there's no need for a soldering iron. Things are always fine if you don't have to break out the soldering iron ... Anyways, it's a cool mod that allows you to use what may be the best thing Palm ever invented. We've seen it done for some other phones, and now it's big daddy Nexus' turn. If you're a bit handy, check out the forum link and have a look. Thanks, ohiomoto! Source: Galaxy Nexus forums
Photon 4G owners wanted -- Motorola is looking for software testers 22 January, 2012, 9:02 am
Motorola has made an official request for "Pre-release software testers" of an unknown update for the Motorola Photon 4G. This is standard practice for Motorola, who likes to slowly roll out their final builds to a select few in what they call a "soak test". This gives Motorola (and the carriers) a bigger set of eyeballs looking for any potential bugs that limited internal testing just didn't find. In the past we've seen soak tests for updates both big and small, so there's no knowing exactly what this one is going to be. We can't see the future, but I don't think this one will be Ice Cream Sandwich. But any update is good news as long as it makes things better. Motorola needs a thousand testers, and I think you guys are up to the challenge -- hit the source link and sign up! Source: Motorola. Thanks, Deaofly!
Grab a 32GB Acer Iconia A500 for just $299 at Woot 22 January, 2012, 2:21 am
I'm a sucker for daily deals sites, and had to pass this one along. A 32GB Acer Iconia A500 (one of our top picks of last year) for just under $300 bucks is nothing to sneeze at. We know the next generations of tablets and quad-core is coming soon, but the A500 is still a hell of a tablet and this is a hell of a price. If you're in the market for a new tablet, or just want to window-shop, head over to Woot and have a look-see. Source: Woot!
Android Central Editors' app picks for Jan 21, 2012 21 January, 2012, 2:46 pm
Looking for some new apps for your beloved Android device, well you are in luck today. Hit the break with us and let's check out some of the teams favorite applications from this week. read more
iOS users get 'Samsunged' in new Galaxy S II TV ad 21 January, 2012, 10:13 am
Samsung loves to poke fun at Apple users, and their latest commercial does a rather good job of it, telling iOSers that "the next big thing is already here". In the commercial, Sammy pokes fun at the fact that the iPhone 4S "looks like last year's phone", while also showcasing the Android's free turn-by-turn navigation on the Galaxy S II. iOS, of course, lacks this functionality out of the box. The reaction: "aww, we just got Samsunged." Source: iMore

Droiddog

Asus Transformer Prime Review [Video] 22 January, 2012, 2:22 pm
Welcome to the Transformer Prime FT201, the first quad core mobile device and the first 10.1" tablet running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. This tablet packs a blazing fast Tegra 3 chip, 1GB of RAM, an impressive 8MP rear facing camera and a beautiful SuperLCD IPS+ display in a package just 8.3mm thin. Is it worth your money? Are issues fixed? How... Read more
LG Optimus Net Dual SIM now available in India 20 January, 2012, 7:03 pm
It isn't everyday we see dual SIM card capable phones launch, especially ones running Android. LG is changing that, as it has just launched the Optimus Net Dual SIM in India. The phones features low-end specs, which include a 3.2-inch HVGA display, 800MHz processor, 3.2MP camera, 3G, GPS and Bluetooth 3.0. The phone runs Android 2.3, while we doubt it will... Read more
Google Sky Map development ceased, going open source 20 January, 2012, 6:46 pm
Google Sky Maps have turned in to one of the most popular apps on Android, as it has always provided a certain "wow" factor to the devices. Google has decided otherwise, and has just thrown in the towel for the project. It isn't all in vain, however, as Google is open sourcing the app. It's still a sad day to see one of the first major showcase apps of... Read more
Counter-Strike ported to Android, available now 20 January, 2012, 6:14 pm
Over the past 10 years one of the most popular FPS games has no doubt been Counter-Strike. While not a direct port, a new game called Counter-Strike Portable has shown up on the XDA forums. It is based on the Unity 3D engine, and takes elements from the original and implements it in a way that Android can run. There are currently two versions, the 5-series... Read more
US Cellular having Valentine’s Day sale, all smartphones $100 off 20 January, 2012, 5:20 pm
Smaller regional carrier US Cellular is feeling the love this year, and is hosting a Valentine's Day sale on all of their smartphones. They will be taking $100 off all smartphones until February 14, also known as Valentine's Day. Phones like the HTC Merge can be had for free, the LG Genesis for $49.99, and the Motorola Electrify for $149.99. Giving the gift... Read more
Samsung Galaxy Note hits the FCC, carries AT&T LTE bands 20 January, 2012, 4:56 pm
When a phone hits the FCC, it usually means that it isn't too long before it is released. One of the most anticipated phones at CES this year was no doubt Samsung's giant phablet, the Galaxy Note. Included in the certification was GSM/EDGE 850/1900 compatibility along with WCDMA bands II and IV. This means that it is ready for AT&T's fresh LTE network, and... Read more
Sony Ericsson ST25i Kumquat caught on camera 20 January, 2012, 2:37 pm
While Sony's already showcasing their next devices coming down the pipe, that doesn't mean that Sony Ericsson still doesn't have handsets lingering around out there. We've seen as much recently, with leaks like the Pepper. And now we've got what is reported to be the Sony Ericsson ST25i, or Kumquat, posing in front of the camera. The Kumquat lines up... Read more
LG launches Resident Evil 4 in Korea 20 January, 2012, 1:57 pm
LG is certainly getting a lot of attention when it comes to mobile gaming. The manufacturer debuted Street Fighter IV for their devices not too long ago, in conjunction with Capcom and a major gaming tournament, and now it looks like they are up to their tricks again. LG officially announced earlier today that Resident Evil 4 is now available on the Android... Read more
LG Connect 4G lands in the FCC, suggests Verizon future plans 20 January, 2012, 1:49 pm
While we already know that the LG Connect 4G is making its way to metroPCS here in the near future, that doesn't mean that other carriers can't get their own hands on the device. According to a new document within the FCC, the LG Connect 4G is making its way through the regulatory gauntlet in hopes of having some major face time with the Big Red... Read more
Acer Iconia Tab A200 now available for purchase at Best Buy 20 January, 2012, 1:41 pm
The Iconia Tab A200 by Acer may not be the most high-end tablet out there, but it's certainly not the worst, either. And for a price tag listed at Best Buy of just $349, the 10.1-inch slate has the potential of popping up on anyone's tablet radar, if they happen to be in the market. The Iconia Tab A200 features a 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor under... Read more

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