Posted: 03 Feb 2012 01:54 PM PST  RIM wants Android apps in their BlackBerry App World market so bad, they’re practically giving away PlayBooks to developers who submit them. What’s that you say, they actually are giving away PlayBooks? Oh RIM, what’s happened to you? Instead of building quality hardware, pairing it with quality software and attracting users and app developers the old fashioned way, a clearly desperate RIM is giving away PlayBook tablets to any developer who submits their Android app to the BalckBerry App World market. You see, RIM has developed software for the OS running on the PlayBook that allows Android apps to be ported to BlackBerry with just a few simple clicks. Apparently, RIMs plans to leech from the Android Market isn’t turning out quite like they imagined. Even after drastically lowering the price on PlayBooks, RIM still can’t get rid of them. So why not give them away in exchange for apps? RIM’s future is still very uncertain at this point, but a free tablet is a free tablet. Need an ereader for your kids? A $500 coaster? A chew toy for your dog (just kidding, don’t give your dog a PlayBook to chew on)? You have until February 13th to submit your app and take advantage of this generous offer. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 01:50 PM PST  We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. The number one reason you should buy a Nexus device is because your updates come directly from Google. Meaning you have first dibs and the lastest and greatest Android has to offer. When we learned that some GSM Nexus devices were not going to be updated by Google, instead being controlled regionally by carriers and Samsung, we were a little disappointed. But at least Verizon’s CDMA/LTE Galaxy Nexus is safe. Well, it was. There’s been no official word from Google, but the Android Developers website tells it all. The CDMA Galaxy Nexus, codename “toro,” is no longer supported on the Android Developers website. Special CDMA radio installation and download instructions have been yanked, and factory images for the CDMA Nexus are listed as “archived, for reference only.” There’s no telling exactly what is going on, but it doesn’t look like a mistake. Perhaps Verizon wanted more control over the device? Maybe they needed to add more custom apps, or decided they wanted to exclusively handle the updating procedure? Whatever the case, this is a sad day for Verizon customers who thought they were buying a developer device. It’s not that this will really impact consumers for the most part, but enthusiasts will surely feel let down. We’ll let you know if the situation changes. Update: Dan Morrill has taken to the Android Contributors Google Groups page to explain the situation. For various technical reasons, recent CDMA Android devices implement core telephony functionality in .apk files provided in binary form by the carriers. To function correctly, these .apk files must be signed by the so-called 'platform' key. However, when an individual creates a custom build from the AOSP source code, they don't use the same signing key as these CDMA flies were signed with.It looks like there’s nothing really going on here. Developers compiling and using pure AOSP builds are leaving CDMA phones less than functional. Your weekend has been saved. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 12:11 PM PST  Back in mid-December, some information about what Google was working on at their top secret Google X lab made its way online that left us wanting more. According to 9to5 Google, Google has been working on some Android powered smart glasses that would feature a heads up display for relaying information from the cloud. We still don’t know if this is true, or if it is, when the smart glasses would hit retail shelves, but Google has filed a request with the FCC signaling they are ready to test an “entertainment device” that will eventually be available to the masses. In the original rumor report from 9to5 Google’s Seth Weintraub, Google’s smart glasses were detailed as looking like your average pair of eyeglasses, save for some unobtrusive buttons on the arms. The lenses would feature some sort of transparent display technology, similar to Samsung’s transparent Super AMOLED, that would show information based on several different things. If paired with an Android device, the glasses could very well let you know who is calling when your phone goes off, give a brief description of an email, or notify you of a calendar alert. But Google’s glasses might not have to be used with an Android device at all. Rumors peg the glasses as capable of running on their own. They’d have some sort of data or WiFi and GPS access for connecting with your Google account, and bringing you location aware information. For example walking into your favorite gelato shop downtown may trigger a notification letting you know Google has a coupon available for this store. We imagine Google Maps navigation is another real possibility. The reality of the situation here is that none of these rumored features could ever make it to consumers without some serious real world trials. Which is exactly what Google’s FCC request is all about. Google has sent a request to the FCC to test 252 “entertainment devices” from January 17, to July 17, on home WiFi networks and through Bluetooth. At this point, we have no solid idea on what Google could possibly be testing. But we do know that the smart glasses rumor does have some weight behind it. “Prominent wearables” PhD Richard DuVaul, whose work centered around wearable heads up displays, has been employed at Google for just over six months now, or just enough time for a prototype device to hit the real world testing phases. Then again, we could be looking at something far less revolutionary like a watch. With 252 of these new entertainment devices in the wild, someone is bound to leak something soon. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 12:06 PM PST  We have something special for your daily flurry of lawsuit news. We usually see Cupertino Giant messing with all the little boys in the playground. Today, Motorola has taken a big swing at Apple, winning a permanent injunction in Germany. This forced Apple to pull most of its devices from its online store (you could still find them at stores) for a while. Devices affected included the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and all 3G-enabled iPads. These went off the German Apple Store website for a while, until the ban was lifted again. An appeal took place after Apple complained that Motorola was not being helpful with the licensing of the patents at hand. Apple made a licencing payment offer, and its products should be back in the shelves soon. [1] Regardless, it seems like iPhone and iPad users in Germany might still be losing some iCloud functionality. Mainly, the use of push e-mail, which is a great loss, if you ask us. Being able to get your e-mail & notifications in time is crucial for many users. It seems like Google was not so wrong making the decision to acquire Motorola, in order to defend the Android operating system and manufacturers from legal battles. Motorola is on a roll with Apple, with this being the third time they won against Cupertino Giant, in Germany. We are also still waiting to see what happens in Florida, where Motorola sued Apple, as well. Odds are looking awfully great for Motorola. And with this happening in Apple’s home country, we can expect to see those tables not only turned, but flipped upside down. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 12:02 PM PST  It is no secret that the government has been looking into secure modern mobile technology. From soldiers to the president, the government needs devices that will be able to keep all of their information private. Well, it seems like Android is the chosen one, and the government will start using smartphones like yours and mine. The US government is planning to modify the Android OS (oh, the beauty of open source!) to make it secure enough for government use. The first to get dibs on said devices will be soldiers, but the plan is for all government officials to use smartphones at some point. And it is even mentioned that a similar software could be sold to private corporations who want to move out of BlackBerry. So, why Android? US Officials say that they were considering other mobile operating systems. None of them were secure enough for military and government standards, though. After reaching out to Apple, the Cupertino giant gave them a big “no no” when the government asked if they could modify iOS (as expected). Since Android is open sourced, and is by nature available for everyone to tinker with, the most viable option could not be more obvious. What is even more surprising are the statements that the sources are making public. The government is telling us that after Google releases a new version of Android, the update will be reaching these devices within 2 weeks. Now that is what we call a good update system, and we wonder if they would actually be able to pull it off. This could mean two things; either the team working on this is stunningly amazing, or they are incredibly bad and do not know what they speak of. Android manufacturers take many months to update their devices, but with the government funding and pushing this, who knows. The ultimate goal is to give war fighters, analysts and other intelligence professionals access to classified information on the go - boosting innovation in the field, efficiency and productivity.SpokeswomanNSAThis project is being funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects, and sources say that getting these smartphones in use is one of the main priorities. This will give soldiers and officials access to private documents and it will allow them to find their friendly units via GPS. These are only a couple of examples, as the government is also working on using VoIP to keep their conversations safe and private. There is also mention of SE (Security Enhanced) Android. This is a software that is much less flexible for supporting new devices and updates. It might be the most secure option, but NSA Official Stephen Malley believes it will not be deployed widely, due to its nature. So there you go, guys. Soon, our soldiers overseas will be carrying great devices, like they do at home. Not only that, but if the government is right, they will probably also have newer software than us. This project would not only be good for the military, every user that needs privacy would benefit from something like this. This should open a whole new market, helping Android spread even more. Think about it – Android could be the new BlackBerry. What do you say? Do you think the government can update devices within 2 weeks of the software release? |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 09:46 AM PST  While there is certainly no shortage of cloud-based storage options available for the Android platform, Dropbox continually comes up as a fan favorite. Dropbox provides customers a paltry 2GB of free online storage, with 50GB and 100GB plans available for $9.99 and $19.99 per month respectively. Often, Dropbox gives its users additional free storage for doing things, and today has kicked off a promotion that adds up to an additional 5GB of storage to users that are willing to beta test their latest application. For Dropbox to offer such a promotion, it would likely be due to a pretty significant change in their service, right? The latest Dropbox beta adds some pretty handy new functionality, most notably and relevant is the ability to auto-upload photos and videos. The functionality is similar to an option provided by Google+, pictures and videos can be set to automatically upload to Dropbox’s servers after you snap them for immediate storage. With this addition, Dropbox has dropped the 180MB per file size limit they’ve had in place since launch, meaning you can make those videos as long as you want, though we’d suggest a Wi-Fi connection to upload that much data. (Update: Dropbox requires a Wi-Fi connection for large files, and will hold the update until you’re connected. Thanks, dpleus!). Participating in the beta nets adds to your storage account the same amount of data you upload, up to 5GB. You’ll get 500 MB for auto-uploading your first picture. For every 500MB of photos and videos you upload to Dropbox after that, you’ll get 500MB added to your Dropbox account. Pretty sweet deal for doing next to nothing. If you’d like to participate in the beta, all you have to do is download the apk and install it on your device (make sure your phone is set to allow installation of non-market apps, which can be found in the settings). Happy uploading! Be sure to let us know how the beta goes for you by dropping a comment below. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 08:05 AM PST  Super Bowl XLVI is coming this weekend and EA Mobile has lowered the price of Madden NFL 12 to $0.99 to celebrate the big game. Most of EA’s Android games have been disappointing compared to their iOS clones, and Madden appears no different. It’s not compatible with the new phones (like the Galaxy Nexus) and many users are reporting problems downloading the game’s content after their initial purchase. However, some people seem to genuinely enjoy the game and it is $4 cheaper than the normal price, so you might want to give it a shot while the sale lasts. Just remember to visit the Android Market page and check out the user reviews filtered for your device to see what people are saying about the compatibility. And for those of you without a credit card, check out the free NFL Pro 2012 from Gameloft. Android Market also has a list of Official Super Bowl Apps that include some fun games like NFL Kicker and NFL Flick Quarterback. |
Posted: 03 Feb 2012 07:42 AM PST  The super scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass quickly became the gold standard for Android smartphones when it debuted over a year ago. Gorilla Glass made it so that it was okay if you happened to throw your phone in the same pocket as your keys, pens, or a tomahawk. Samsung and Corning have announced a new joint venture between the two companies, which will bring Corning’s Lotus Glass technology to future Galaxy smartphones. Lotus Glass promises to bring enhanced picture quality, better response times, and higher resolutions, all while conserving power to keep your phone running longer. Samsung has made a killing on selling Android devices with some of the most brilliant displays seen in a smartphone, and the combination of AMOLED and Lotus Glass will help Samsung maintain their dominance. We could see Lotus Glass come to Galaxy smartphones as early as this summer, when Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S III. To learn more about Lotus Glass, we suggest you hit up Corning’s site. For more on the joint venture between Samsung and Corning, check out the press release below. Are you excited for Lotus Glass on Samsung super-phones? Sound off in the comments. Show Press Release February 02, 2012 08:00 AM Eastern Time Corning and Samsung Mobile Display Form New OLED Glass Venture New business expands Corning’s long-standing collaboration with Samsung CORNING, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) and Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd. have signed an agreement to establish a new equity venture for the manufacture of specialty glass substrates for the rapidly expanding organic light emitting diode (OLED) device market. The new business will be located in Korea. “Samsung Mobile Display has led the global display industry by constantly seeking innovations and challenging current technologies’ limits. We are confident that combining our business powers with Corning’s technology leadership will deliver greater value to our clients” Combining Corning’s Lotus™ Glass substrate technology and Samsung Mobile Display’s OLED display expertise, this new entity will be well-positioned to provide outstanding product solutions for current and future OLED technologies, from handheld and IT devices to large TVs and beyond. The newly formed entity will supply OLED backplane glass substrates for Samsung Mobile Display, as well as for the broader Korean market. According to a recent NPD DisplaySearch report, OLED technology advanced rapidly in 2011, setting a trend that is forecasted to continue through this decade. They estimate that OLED display revenues will exceed $4 billion in 2011 (approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues), and will reach more than $20 billion (approximately 16% of the total display industry) by 2018. Samsung is playing a leading role in this emerging market through its Galaxy mobile device products and Super OLED TV technology introduced in January at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Corning’s ongoing advanced glass technology development includes a strong focus on high-performance displays. Most recently, this focus has been demonstrated through Corning’s new Lotus™ Glass substrates, which deliver the higher processing temperatures and improved dimensional stability needed to produce the new high performance displays. “Samsung Mobile Display has led the global display industry by constantly seeking innovations and challenging current technologies’ limits. We are confident that combining our business powers with Corning’s technology leadership will deliver greater value to our clients,” said Soo In Cho, Samsung Mobile Display’s president and chief executive officer. “Corning and Samsung have a long and successful partnership in the display industry, dating back nearly 40 years to the early days of television,” said Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman, chief executive officer, and president. “The strength of our business relationship is built on Corning’s ability to develop and make high-technology glass with the key attributes that enable Samsung’s next-generation displays. Together, we have led the evolution of displays – from the high-growth years of CRT, to our current successful business supplying world-leading substrates for today’s high-definition LCD TVs, and now to the launch of this important new venture to advance OLED technology,” Weeks stated. |
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment