LetAndroid - Android News: Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

MyTouch 3G 1.2 and Fender LE Froyo update pushing out now

T-Mobile has begun pushing Android 2.2 Froyo to users of the MyTouch 3G 1.2 Jack and the Fender LE edition. They had previously promised the update would begin on Jan. 12 but at least it is finally rolling out now. As a quick reminder, the update should be rolling out in waves, so not every user should be prompted to download it right away. Thanks to Vicken for the tip and pic!

From Androidcentral.com
By Kyle Gibb

Honeycomb, Android apps for Google TV have sessions at Google IO 2011

at 5:52 AM

Flipping through the session listings for Google IO 2011, and a couple of things stand out: First, there's building web apps and Android apps for Google TV. Google TV, as you'll recall, was announced at least year's developer's conference. It's based on Android, but third-party apps aren't yet available, though they definitely were promised. So it looks like the ball's going to get rolling there.

Also on the agenda is a "Honeycomb highlights" session. It's no great surprise that we'll see more of the Android version that is first coming to tablets, supposedly in the first quarter of the year.

There's also the usual programming and developer tools' sessions, which, frankly, we don't understand in the slightest. But you devs certainly do, and you'll definitely want to check them out.

From Androidcentral.com
By Phil Nickinson

Android sees huge gains in support from enterprise IT

at 5:50 AM

Forrester Research has published a report concerning support for various mobile operating systems in the business sector that shows strong gains for Android. Support jumped from two percent at the end of 2009 to a respectable 13 percent in 2010. Considering Android really only exploded for most people in the latter half of 2010, it is not hard to imagine that many IT departments around the world are working on getting Android integrated in the coming year.

The leaders in this space are unsurprisingly BlackBerry at 70 percent (up three percent from 2009) and Windows Mobile at a steady 41 percent. Somewhat surprisingly iOS has the support of just 29 percent of companies surveyed. Forrester also notes that companies are increasingly supporting multiple platforms with more than 50 percent supporting at least two and about 25 percent supporting at least three.

From Androidcentral.com

By Kyle Gibb

[Review] - HTC Evo 4G Case (HTC Hard Shell Case)

at 5:48 AM

The HTC Evo 4G and it's massive 4.3-inch screen make for a pretty big package, and unless you want to holster it, a thin, form fitting hard plastic case like the HTC Hard Shell Case is a great way to protect it without adding too much bulk. The case is made from a textured hard plastic, and the matte finish helps maintain your grip even when your hands aren't completely dry.

Its two-piece slide-on design is easy to put on and take off, and there are cutouts for access to all the buttons and features that come with the Evo. The cut-out on the bottom of the phone that allows access to the micro USB and HDMI ports is unique, and while the open-ended design may not be the best looking option, it allows the use of just about any USB or HDMI cable, even those with a thick jacket and wide plug. All the cutouts are raised with tapered edges so buttons aren't likely to be pushed while riding in the pocket, and the case is just thick enough to keep the camera lens off the surface if you lay your Evo down on its back. And of course there's full access to the kickstand.

Putting the case on and taking it off is easy, just place the red ( red for this one, the HTC Hard Shell Case is also available in gray and black) side on, then slide the black side over, lining up the interlocking tabs. The case isn't going to slip apart on its own, but it doesn't take much force to unlock and slide the case off. On the front, the case wraps around the sides of the phone and creates a raised lip to protect the screen when the phone is lying face down.

The HTC Hard Shell Case is a great way to protect your Evo without losing the slim profile, the cut-outs line up very well so the controls aren't awkward to use. You can get it for $8.24 in the Android Central store, and there are more pictures after the break.

UK scientists to launch Android into space

at 5:42 AM

Sure, taking a Nexus S into near-orbit is great and all, but it's not really outer space, is it? Well, some researchers from England have decided to toss an unnamed Android phone into a rocket and blast it into the final frontier later this year in the name of science. The purpose of the experiment -- other than simply being awesome -- is to test how well the phone and its internal components withstand the extreme conditions of space.

The end goal of the team is to adapt the compact and powerful design of modern smartphones to power low-cost satellites of the future as they note that the phone cost "less than £300" and that the entire satellite ran the team "less than a family car." Another benefit would be that the free and open nature of Android lends itself well to allowing developers to "feasibly develop apps for satellites."

From Androidcentral.com
By Kyle Gibb

More pics of the Samsung Vibrant 4G

at 5:40 AM

We just got slipped a slew pics of the upcoming Samsung Vibrant 4G, the follow-up to T-Mobile's Galaxy S-class Android smartphone. As in the other leaks we've seen, it looks rather (and unremarkably) unchanged from its predecessor, save for a more silvery look and a front-facing camera. We also get our first look at the side of the device and -- you guessed it -- just like the original Vibrant. We're also told it's still running Froyo, and we're really not expecting it to launch with Froyo -- which at this point is still unofficially set for Feb. 23.

Check out the other pics after the break. Thanks to you know who.

From Androidcentral.com

By Phil Nickinson

HTC Flyer spec sheet leaks with Android 2.3, stylus and 7-inch screen?

at 5:35 AM

Wondering what sort of goodies might be inside HTC's upcoming tablets? Norwegian tech site Amobil isn't -- they claim to have a pair of inside sources spoon-feeding them all the pertinent details. For the rumored HTC Flyer -- which may or may not be pictured at right -- that includes the same 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 chip you'll find in several high-end handsets, 1GB of RAM, as well as a 7-inch, 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and a rear 5 megapixel imager, and a piddling 4GB of flash storage to hold all your apps (which sounds a little fishy to us). There's also allegedly 3G for data and Skype calls, an HDMI port, DLNA support and a bonafide stylus to write with, though it's not clear whether we're rumoring a fancy N-Trig display or simply a pack-in capacitive pen.

Though Amobil's sources say the tablet will be sadly limited to Android 2.3 out of the gate, it will allegedly have a brand-new tablet version of HTC's Sense UI designed to provide a "desktop feel," which might be a nice pairing for the "HTC Sensation" trademark presently floating about the internet. If so, don't expect that UI to be limited to a single slate, though -- the last part of this oh-so-juicy rumor is that HTC's also supposedly got a 10-inch LTE tablet (perhaps the Scribe?) arriving in the second half of the year.

From Engadget.com
By Sean Hollister

Samsung Galaxy S Hoppin hops to South Korea, includes TV dock for big-screen fun

at 5:33 AM

South Korean carrier SK Telecom is billing its new Galaxy S Hoppin from Samsung as a "smartphone that can also serve as a set-top box," but in reality, it's basically an Android phone just like any other in Sammy's stable with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display -- the big difference is that it comes bundled with a dock that cables up to your home television and lets you watch streaming video off of the company's new Hoppin entertainment service either on the road or in the comfort of your La-Z-Boy. Movies will run anywhere from 1,000 to 3,500 won -- 89 cents to $3.12 -- which isn't bad, all things considered. The remainder of the phone's specs are standard fare at this point: 1GHz Hummingbird processor, Android 2.2, a 5 megapixel cam, WiFi, and Bluetooth 3.0 round out the package. Look for it to launch this week.

From Engadget.com
By Chris Ziegler

T-Mobile releases: Streak 7 and Galaxy S 4G in February, G-Slate in late March?

at 5:32 AM

Odds are you'll have your first chance at Honeycomb with Motorola's Xoom next month, but LG's G-Slate for T-Mobile -- which might very well be 3D-enabled -- shouldn't be too far behind. New intel coming out of TmoNews today pegs the G-Slate for a March 23rd launch with an unknown price tag, preceded by the Dell Streak 7 on February 2nd (which is being billed as the carrier's "first 4G tablet" thanks to its HSPA+ support) at $299.99 on contract after rebate. Turning to non-tablet news, the Galaxy S 4G -- which you might recall is basically a Vibrant remixed with HSPA+ -- looks line up for February 23rd. In other words, it's going to be a busy, wallet-emptying couple months for you T-Mobile types... so save up while you can.

From Engadget.com
By Chris Ziegler

Kongregate makes triumphant return to Android Market after a few tweaks

at 5:30 AM

After Google's uncharacteristic (and swift) action against Flash game clearinghouse Kongregate when its Android app went live a few days ago, it wasn't clear what was going to have to happen to get it back in the Market -- but they're giving it a shot today by making a few key tweaks and republishing. Most notably, version 1.1 no longer dumps Flash games that you download to SD storage; instead, the phone's browser cache is used just as for any other website you visit, which would seem to be a definitive step toward giving the app less of an "app store" feel -- precisely the thing that Google's concerned about. We'll have to wait and see whether this puppy stays deployed... but for now, you can grab it from the Market.
From Engadget.com
By Chris Ziegler

T-Mobile expected to cut Galaxy Tab pricing to $249.99 (updated)

at 5:27 AM

After initiating the first on-contract Galaxy Tab price cascade back in December that quickly led Sprint to respond, T-Mobile may chop subsidy prices again today for the 7-inch tablet to just under $250 (after a pesky $50 mail-in rebate). Together, that's only $62 more than the bargain bin CherryPad, which should infuriate early adopters who paid double that only a few months ago, not to mention sober up Samsung. However, when you consider that pseudo-4G tablets like the Dell Streak 7 and LG G-Slate will join Magenta's lineup soon, it is a viable strategy for extending the Tab's consumer appeal in this viciously competitive Android tablet world we live in. Then again, if the dual-core processors teased for the Tab's successor actually pan out, we doubt Samsung will need any assistance getting back to its smug position on top of the Android heap. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled on T-Mobile's site today and be sure to update should the price change actually materialize.

Update: While you wait on T-Mobile in the USA, Amazon and Tesco over in the UK have chopped the Tab's unsubsidized price to a palatable £341.24 ($542) and £359.20 ($571), respectively. Thanks, Raphael and Rupert!

From Engadget.com
By Ben Bowers

Samsung Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Gio and Galaxy mini fill out our Android universe

at 5:25 AM

Samsung's decided that 10 million Galaxy S devices just aren't enough for us, so it's trickling down the brand name, Android OS and TouchWiz UI into some more affordable form factors. In order from left to right, the Galaxy Ace is a 3.5-incher that most closely resembles the S patriarch, though it makes do with an 800MHz processor and HVGA screen resolution. It's said to be available immediately in Russia, to be followed by Europe, India and China soon. The Fit takes us into lower spec territory, with a 3.3-inch QVGA screen and 600MHz speed, while the Gio packs an even smaller display but raises resolution back up to HVGA. The Galaxy mini has to go down as a blatant LG Optimus T KIRF, which might be its sole notable feature, given the 3.1-inch QVGA display and 600MHz capabilities. All three are targeting the same territories as the Ace, meaning the US will likely be spared from this affordable Android whimsy.

From Engadget.com
By Vlad Savov

Google 'not happy' with Android Market purchase rates, many changes coming

at 5:23 AM

Having a Market full of apps is a very good thing for owners of Android handsets, but those owners buying few premium apps is a bad thing for developers who keep that Market full. That, of course, is also bad news for Google, which is making a variety of changes to appease devs, some of which Android Platform Manager Eric Chu outlined at the Inside Social Apps conference yesterday. After already nuking the 24 hour trial period Google is now working on an in-app payment system, which would enable the direct-selling of add-ons, costumes, and enough other bits and bobs to ensure you'll never buy a fully-featured app again.

Google is also negotiating with more carriers to allow users to have app purchases appear on their bill, rather than using a separate payment system, as is already possible on AT&T. Finally, a team of honest to gosh humans is working on helping to weed out apps that violate the company's terms of service, sifting through the Market to find bogus downloads. We wonder if they'll also be looking for free apps that quite capably provide the functionality of premium ones. Those, it seems, are the greatest threat to the paid apps -- and perhaps the greatest asset of the Market itself.

From Engadget.com
By Tim Stevens