Posts tagged with android
No Acer Android Phones Until 2010
Posted on: Posted on May 8, 2009 8:31 PM
It looks like we’ll have to wait quite a bit before we’ll be able to pick up the latest Android-powered devices from Acer. While the company has been showing a lot of them at various exhibitions, it seems that the earliest release date for these devices in the US will be 2010, thus missing the crucial holiday season. The delay is most likely due to complications with US carriers.
Android 1.5 Cupcake Next Week
Posted on: Posted on May 7, 2009 2:26 PM
Can’t bear to wait for the Android 1.5 Cupcake update any longer? Well, it’s just a few more days, as the update will be hitting Android smartphones in the US next week. The software update should be sent OTA (over the air) to T-Mobile G1 users, and by the end of May, everybody in the US should have Android 1.5 running on their G1.
Android Market Gets An Update
Posted on: Posted on May 6, 2009 11:28 AM
An email from Eric Chu of the Android Market Support Team notifies developers of a few updates for the Android Market. One of the new features allows developers to target new countries for free apps, and local language support has also been added for more countries. Finally, all apps published in the market will need to indicate a minimum SDK version in the manifest file. It’s certainly good to see that Google’s Android Market is progressing nicely.
Google Sued Over Android Name
Posted on: Posted on May 4, 2009 11:58 AM
Lawsuits are never a fun thing, and Google is in the midst of another one. It seems that Erich Specht, who owns the trademark for Android Data Corporation, is suing Google (and anybody else who uses the Android name, including T-Mobile, Vodafone, Intel, Motorola and the rest) for using the name “Android”, as he had been granted the trademark for it back in October of 2002. To make matters worse, it seems that Google had filed a trademark application for Android in 2007, but the application was denied due to confusion with Mr. Specht’s. The fact that Google failed to get the trademark that it applied for and still went ahead of it certain doesn’t help Google’s cause. It certainly looks like there isn’t going to be an easy solution to this, so sit back and let’s see how things work out.
Gmail Mobile Gets Mute Feature
Posted on: Posted on April 30, 2009 10:11 AM
Gmail addicts who are using Apple’s iPhone or Google’s Android will most likely welcome the addition of the “mute” feature to Gmail mobile. The feature, which allows you to mute a conversation and keep the additional follow up emails for that conversation out of the inbox, is already available on the full (web) version of Gmail, and the addition of it in Gmail mobile is certainly a step forward in the right direction.
Tags: android, gmail, google, iphone,
Vodafone Future Android Phones
Posted on: Posted on April 29, 2009 7:54 PM
We’re all fairly used to the idea of having Android-powered devices from Vodafone, but there is a serious possibility of future Android-powered devices to have a little less Google influence on it, and more Vodafone. It seems that is what the carrier is looking to, as it is looking to ditch some of the more familiar Google services in favor of a more basic package, with Vodafone having its own client software instead.
Tags: android, google, vodafone,
Android-powered Motorola Ironman
Posted on: Posted on April 29, 2009 3:07 PM
A picture of what is supposedly an upcoming Android-powered Motorola device has surfaced, and the smartphone that is pictured here will either be officially called, or bears the codename “Ironman”. We’re actually more inclined that think that it’s a codename, as it’s rather hard to imagine Motorola marketing an Ironman, but you never know, right? The device will supposedly be released by the end of Q3 and will sport features such as Wi-Fi, 3G, high-res camera etc. Definitely something to keep an eye out for, right?
Android Cupcake Problems?
Posted on: Posted on April 29, 2009 10:33 AM
It looks like rushing to get a dose of the latest Android Cupcake update when it’s finally released might not be the smartest thing to do at the moment. According to some folks, applications running on Android might not necessarily be compatible with Cupcake 1.5, meaning that folks who rush to install the Cupcake update might just find themselves with many broken apps. To make matters worse, the Android Market doesn’t allow for more than 1 version of an app, meaning developers will need time to create new 1.5 friendly apps, which could take up to 2 or 3 weeks of developments, even though some reports indicate that Cupcake might be pushed over-the-air to Android devices. Will you be updating your device with Cupcake the moment its relased?
Verizon Motorola Calgary Sports Android
Posted on: Posted on April 29, 2009 10:06 AM
Did you ever stop to wonder which manufacturer would be the first to have an Android-powered device on Verizon Wireless? It might be a little surprising, but Motorola might just be the first, with its Android-powered Motorola Calgary phone. The device supposedly will sport a QWERTY keyboard and will have a focus on social networking. Motorola was rumored to be bringing its first Android-powered device to the market by the end of Q2 2009, but there isn’t any confirmation whether the Calgary will fall within that timescale.
Tags: android, google, motorola, motorola calgary, verizon,
Android 1.5 Cupcake SDK Available
Posted on: Posted on April 28, 2009 10:18 AM
Developers can start (virtual) queuing now, as the long-awaited Android 1.5 SDK has been officially released. You’ll be able to download it online if you’re looking to getting your software developed to support the latest version. It will certainly be interesting to see whether the Android 1.5 Cupcake update, or Apple’s iPhone 3.0 update will be more popular.
Tags: android, cupcake, google,
Android Netbook For $250
Posted on: Posted on April 27, 2009 11:01 AM
It’s still not officially confirmed yet, but more pricing speculation regarding the Android-powered Alpha 680 that was reported on earlier has surfaced. While it was previously speculated that the device might even retail for $99, now word is out that it might actually cost $250. It’s not too expensive, but still enough money to make it compete in the same price bracket as some other netbooks, and already some netizens are already drawing comparisons to other netbooks, especially those that come with full blown Windows operating systems.
Android-powered Samsung i7500
Posted on: Posted on April 27, 2009 8:36 AM
It looks like Samsung’s first entry into the world of Google’s Android will be its i7500 full touchscreen handset. The device is said to debut in Germany sometime this June, along with an exclusive agreement with O2. Considering that it’s a full-touchscreen device, it will most likely sport the Cupcake update already, so that it can offer the virtual keyboard to users. The device is rumored to be going for €300 ($393), which sounds rather fair for an advanced mobile phone. Features of the Samsung i7500 include:
- Android 1.5 operating system
- Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity
- Dual band UMTS/HSPA connectivity
- 3.2" capacitive touchscreen display with HVGA (480 x 320) resolution
- GPS navigation
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
- 5-megapixel camera with LED flash
- 3.5mm headset jack
- 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7200A processor
- 8GB internal memory
- microSD memory card slot
Tags: android, samsung i7500,
T-Mobile Germany Android Update In May
Posted on: Posted on April 24, 2009 6:00 PM
T-Mobile Germany have confirmed that the eagerly-awaited Android 1.5 Cupcake update will be offered to G1 owners in May. Some of the new features listed in the update include:
- Additional on-screen keyboard - you decide how you enter your messages
- Video recording and playback
- Pictures and video include one-click Picasa and YouTube uploads
- Automatic adjustment of the touchscreen when the G1 is held horizontal or vertical
- Support for Bluetooth stereo headsets
Tags: android, germany, tmobile,
Android Cupcake Update May Break Apps
Posted on: Posted on April 24, 2009 5:34 PM
It looks like the highly-anticipated Android 1.5 Cupcake update might cause a problem or two for certain existing Apps. Google has tested a number of popular Android apps that are available on the Android Market, and discovered that a large number of them were broken due to “bad techniques” whilst in development. Google has since created a list of 5 things to avoid when building an Android app, which are:
- Using Internal APIs
- Directly Manipulating Settings
- Going Overboard with Layouts
- Bad Hardware Assumptions
- Incautious Rotations
Tags: android, cupcake, google,
Skytone Netbooks Powered By Android
Posted on: Posted on April 21, 2009 5:08 PM
It looks like Google’s Android isn’t going to be content to be available just on mobile phones, as it’s moving to netbooks as well. A Chinese company is looking to bring technology to children in developing countries with its Skytone line of products. The rumored price for its netbooks is $99, which is certainly interesting. Windows and Linux might just have a rather strong contender muscling its way into the netbook market, which can only be good for consumers.
Tags: android, google, skytone,
Lenovo OPhone In China
Posted on: Posted on April 21, 2009 12:18 PM
Apple’s iPhone might be dominating statistics and sales worldwide, but it looks like Android is set to beat Apple’s iPhone in one market, and that’s the China market. Rumor indicates that the Android-powered Lenovo OPhone will be launching this May on China Mobile. It seems that Apple had a little trouble coming to a deal with China Mobile regarding its iPhone, especially since the carrier wanted to sell the iPhone apps on their own market, which Apple unsurprisingly refused. With the open source nature of Google’s Android, China Mobile is free to tinker with the OS as it sees fit, which should be enough to satisfy the telco giant.
Tags: android, lenovo, ophone,
Google AppWidget For Android
Posted on: Posted on April 21, 2009 10:38 AM
Google seems pretty proud of its AppWidget framework for the Android platform. Such an improvement would allow developers to come up with widgets that users can interact with via the Android mobile home screen. One of the newer features of the Android 1.5 SDK is the ability for users to use widgets to pause and switch music tracks, display live snippets of information and even link to full-featured apps directly on the home screen. It sure looks like Google is intent on giving the iPhone a run for its money.
Sony Ericsson Android Phone Takes Time
Posted on: Posted on April 17, 2009 11:32 AM
Sony Ericsson’s chief executive has said that the company will take some time to develop a phone using Google’s Android. He does accept that it will require lots of evaluation, testing and acceptance from the consumer. Will Sony Ericsson come out with a cool android phone? Or will they settle for something less flashy?
Tags: android, google, sony ericsson,
Strong Year For Android
Posted on: Posted on April 17, 2009 9:16 AM
Sure it’s the global economic crisis, and everybody’s having problems, but Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, is predicting some good times for Google’s Android platform. In the company’s first quarter investors’ conference, Schmidt said that he expects a very strong year for Android, which is certainly good news for readers and users too. It will be interesting to see the developments for Android, as the year goes along.
Tags: android, google android,
Google Android Gets Instant Voicemail
Posted on: Posted on April 16, 2009 7:56 AM
Want something a little more sophisticated than the traditional voicemail system? Well, Common Voices, a leader in IP voicemail systems has announced the immediate availability of enhanced voicemail for the Android G1 phones that are on T-Mobile’s network. The service, NowMessage.com, is free, and can help the user break free from the restrictions of a traditional network-based voicemail system. NowMessage sends your voicemail directly to the G1 handset, via your Gmail account, therefore it also saves space on your voice mailbox, and the messages are safely stored in your email. T-Mobile G1 users who are looking to try out the service can sign up via www.nowmessage.com.