Posted: 07 Feb 2012 06:54 PM PST   Microsoft is at it again — no, it’s not another new patent lawsuit — instead, they’re bringing OneNote to Android devices in their all new application launching on the Market today. Microsoft OneNote is one of many note taking apps for Android, the key benefit here is Microsoft is looking at users who are already using the desktop software, allowing them to sync and take their notes with them on-the-go using SkyDrive.   Standard note taking features can be found like typing out text, pictures, bullet points and check boxes. But there’s a catch — users are only allowed to store and edit up to 500 notes at which point you’ll have to pony up the cash in an in-app purchase for unlimited use. Seems Microsoft is banking on the fact that maybe not everyone in the world has heard of more robust and full featured note taking apps like EverNote, Springpad or Catch. Still, if you want to give it a test run, you can find the app for free right now in the Android Market. [Market Link] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 06:18 PM PST   It goes without saying that battery life is a huge concern in the Android space, where juice hungry devices gobble up mAh’s faster than data on Verizon’s LTE. Now, there have been plenty of ideas to help deal with this hard pressing issue, everything from extended batteries, solar powered devices, to the very distant future of devices that can charge themselves. But this concept design from Francois Rybarczyk deals with the hassle of carrying a charger around with you, especially when we don’t always carry around purses or “murses” (man-purses) to stash them in. It’s called the Autonome and the concept shows us an extended battery that comes with it’s own built-in fold out plug that eliminates the need to carry around the ‘ol ball and chain, otherwise known as USB charger and cable.  The module acts as a bonus battery, in addition to the standard that stays inside the device. Although the concept unrealistically hopes for a quick 30 second charge on the detachable battery module, a more realistic expectation would be somewhere in the ballpark of around 30-minutes using fast charge technology (coming soon to a Sony device near you). Need a bit more juice? Plug in the module and rely on the standard battery for a few minutes. Not using your device and want even more of a charge? Plug your phone into the wall where you can charge both the standard battery, and bonus module.  Concepts can be fun, although for the most part they leave techies like me in need a cold shower after fantasizing (too much info?). I guess for now, OEM’s should focus on making their devices thinner so that bigger, not just for looks — but so that 3,000mAh batteries could still fit into them, while leaving a relatively slim profile. Even still, concepts like the Autonome with it’s all-in-one solution could prvoe to be helpful for those days when you need to charge. What do you guys think? [Yanko Design | Via Crave] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 05:41 PM PST   Hot on the heels of yesterday’s news that Motorola would be seeking 2.25% an iPhone after a patent win against Apple in Germany, it seems the Android OEM is picking up their patents and setting their sights on a new target. According to FossPatents, it seems the German court who sided with Motorola would most likely side with them again in their patent dispute with Microsoft, possibly gaining the same 2.25% for sales of their products like Windows 7, Xbox 360, etc. The patents in question have to do with Motorola’s video compression and decompression technology, used for reducing bandwidth when streaming video online. We’ll have to wait to see how things turn out but I guess it’s only fitting after the royalties Microsoft has been receiving from Android OEM’s who caved in to their demands. [FossPatents] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 02:12 PM PST   When Google today launched Chrome for Android in beta they did so without support for Adobe Flash. For many users this seemed surprising given the strong push for Flash on Google’s mobile OS after Steve Jobs and Apple refused to allow Adobe’s platform on their iOS devices. The writing, however, was on the wall. Last November Adobe announced that they would discontinue the development of Flash for mobile — save for a few security and bug updates that have trickled out since — and today they are reiterating their stance. Plainly, there is no chance of seeing Flash support in the mobile version of Chrome. They suggest users looking for Flash content in a mobile browser crafted by Google use the stock Android browser. Adobe will continue to work on their Flash platform, but mostly as it relates to their AIR technology. For interactive and immersive web content the company is focusing their efforts on HTML5. That should make things pretty clear: there won’t be Flash in Chrome for Android. Sorry, folks. [via Adobe | Thanks to all who sent this in!] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 01:25 PM PST   Motorola is working on an update that will bring even more functionality to their MOTOACTV fitness tracker and music player. After providing a few minor software tweaks over previous months, the update planned for March will expand the MOTOACTV’s tracking abilities from biking, running, and walking to a range of other sports including yoga, dancing, Pilates, and martial arts. That’s big news for many owners of the device who have been requesting a greater range of activity support since the Android-based smart watch launched. Other enhancements will include the ability to activate the device’s display with the flick of the wrist, set WiFi networks directly from the MOTOACTV, and compete against other users through the MOTOACTV online portal. It’s great to see Motorola expand the device’s capabilities rather than let it fall into obscurity, something other smartwatch makers have been more than happy to let happen. If Moto keeps pushing quality updates to the MOTOACTV it has plenty of life left in it. [via Motorola] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 01:11 PM PST   It may be hard to imagine, but the seeds of what eventually grew to be the Sony Tablet P were planted long before the iPad made tablets cool. The initial idea for a dual-screened clamshell device actually came to fruition shortly after the PDA boom of the late 90s and was first mocked up using a $4 wallet to illustrate the folding concept. Sony’s Takeshi Goto, head of VAIO and mobile products, spoke with Engadget Chinese about the development of the Tablet P from concept to final product, revealing the many alterations made to the design over the years. Designers debated among several screen sizes from 5-inches to 7-inches and evaluated Windows as an operating system on an x86 platform before settling on a two 5.5-inch displays and Android running on an ARM CPU. At one point a prototype more closely resembled the Nintendo DS than the tablet we know today. It’s a design unique from the majority of the tablet field and speaks to Sony’s commitment to innovative design. The full (translated) story and more images can be found at the link below. [via Engadget Chinese] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 12:50 PM PST   There was a Gingerbread update available via Samsung Kies for the Infuse 4G, but it is no more after a few issues surfaced in the build of Android 2.3.6. It’s quite possible that Samsung knew the update wasn’t fully baked all along, as AT&T announced the software before the manufacturer of the Infuse 4G had time to even get the proper files on their servers. The two companies eventually got on the same page and users were able to sideload the update to their devices, but a new post at Samsung’s support forums says the OS upgrade has been put on hold. A fix is in the works as we speak and Samsung hopes to have things back on track shortly. [via AndroidCentral] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 12:38 PM PST  T-Mobile wants to help you stay connected with loved ones this Valentine’s day by offering all smartphones and select tablets free with a new two-year service plan. On February 11th, new and existing customers signing up for T-Mobile’s Classic Plan or Unlimited Value Plan will be able to take advantage of savings on devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S II and T-Mobile SpringBoard. If Cupid’s arrow has struck you and got you lusting after a new smartphone on T-Mobile’s network, you won’t want to miss out on this one-day deal. Check out the press release below. Cupid’s Arrow Hits Mark: T-Mobile Offers Free 4G Phones to Celebrate Valentine’s |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 12:05 PM PST  (tl;dr – Carrier Coverage getting root support this week) How would you characterize rooted android users? Geeky, technically savvy early adopters who enjoy tinkering, customizing and innovating? Absolutely, but after the launch of Carrier Coverage yesterday, I might bump a few other adjetives to the top of the list: vocal, influential, and demanding. And I don’t mean demanding in a bad way. I mean demanding in a “we expect a lot from you” kind of way, like parents criticizing their kid for a B+ math grade because they know their child is capable of A+ grades. The Carrier Coverage team worked LONG and HARD on producing a great version 1.0 product (Android Market Download Link), but without support for rooted users, things went haywire.  The market flooded with 1-star ratings criticizing the lack of root support. Commenters suggested we hate root users and treat them like cheaters. In reality, it’s just VERY hard to accurately identify the correct info when many ROMs awkwardly change fields such as carrier, device, brand, and build name. To insure accuracy, we thought it would be best to disclude rooted user – at least initially – in our reports. We were wrong. A couple of the adjetives I left off the list are probably the most important of all: passionate and supportive. Rooted users are the EXACT type of Android users who are MOST likely to want to help and contribute to our vision. We know this and the LAST thing we want to do is alienate this group or make them think we don’t care. That’s why, as of last night, we began working on an update to the app and website that will allow inclusion of rooted data with a yes/no toggle button. Special thanks to all the people who suggested providing this option: it neither compromises data integrity or alienates root users, and might even provide a couple interesting data mining opportunities along the way. We currently consider rooted user support to be our #1 priority and hope you appreciate that we’re listening to user feedback. We truly want to create a product and service that you love. We’re also hoping that those who left 1-star ratings and negative comments on Android Market will reconsider… we’d be heartbroken to see the long-term potential of Carrier Coverage killed because of a miscalculation in our launch strategy. That’s right… I admit that we made a mistake. Now we’re correcting it. We hope you’ll continue to leave feedback on the Carrier Coverage Forums. We will continue listening, responding, and acting on your feedback so if you’ve got something to say, please let us know in the appropriate section of the forum. We hope to see you there! Carrier Coverage Users are ADVANCED I just wanted to share these graphics which comes directly from the Android Market Developer Console.   Over 30% of Carrier Coverage users are running Android 4.X ICS while other similar apps have less than 1% of users on the most recent version of Android. Over 25% of all users are rocking the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We’ve obviously got a smart, savvy, on-the-cutting-edge user base and we’ll continue catering to you. We hope you’ll continue offering your support and feedback. We’ve also fixed a few bugs in an update now on the market as version 1.0.4:
|
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 11:55 AM PST   Huawei surprised us with their incredibly thin Ascend P1 S, which debuted at CES in early January. The phone manages to pack high-end specs including a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 8MP camera into a case that measures just 6.68mm thick. Despite a rather light 1800mAh battery, it’s the most impressive offering we have seen from the manufacturer best known for its entry-level devices for world markets. Huawei is extending their reach into new territories including the US, but their main Chinese market will still be the first to get a taste of the Ascend P1 S. The Ice Cream Sandwich handset is now said to be launching in the country in late March. A release in Europe is expected soon after and the phone may eventually come to the US as part of a carrier deal. We’re not ready to put Huawei in the same class as the HTC, Motorola, and Samsungs of the world, but if they keep pushing out hardware like this it may be time to reconsider. [via AndroidCommunity] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 11:24 AM PST  Google is ready to bring Voice into the Ice Cream Sandwich age with an update to the service’s native Android app. Immediately noticeable is a new Android 4.0 style icon, though on the surface the app doesn’t seem to change much from the previous version for smartphones. Tablet users will notice a few differences on the surface including a Click-to-Call button added to the main interface and integration into the People app (users can now initiate a Google Voice call by clicking on a contact entry).  Some users are reporting problems with updating to the latest version of Voice directly on their devices. The easiest way to get the new version is by installing from the web version of the Android Market. The link is below.  Android Market Link: Google Voice |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 10:05 AM PST  The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here. We’ve been longing for a Google Chrome browser on Android for quite some time, and while the default browser has been outstanding we are excited for all of the potential benefits of having a fully-fledged Chrome browser on our phones. Bookmark sync is back from the stock Android 4.0 browser but we’ve now got the ability to sync history, improved search suggestions and the ability to bring all of your tabs over to mobile in case you need to leave your desktop computer and take your browsing sessions with you. You can even open an unlimited amount of tabs, something that users are usually limited on. It’s based directly on the Chromium project that Chrome is built from so you’re getting the same rendering engine (always have, really) and the same base code for your phone and tablets that you have on your desktop. Unfortunately this one’s only for Android 4.0 or higher devices but if you fit the bill, check out the beta here. Remember to submit any feedback you have to make sure the public release goes as smooth as possible. Take a look at the video from Google above. |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST   Seesmic for Android has long been in the Android market and stood as one of the best Twitter/social networking applications for Android for quite some time. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t improved the app in quite a while – until today, that is. The update won’t exactly set the world on fire but we’re happy to see that they haven’t abandoned the application like we’ve seen from TweetDeck and others. The update fixes various bugs, including an issue that affected trending topics, and drops Google Buzz support. Normally we hate seeing features removed but this case was definitely just. T.co links are also supported for those wanting to shorten their links using Twitter’s official shortening domain. Find the update in the Android market here and pray that this is just the first of more to come. |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 09:28 AM PST   Yesterday, it was discovered that Samsung would be holding a mobile event in France on March 22nd. Speculation ran wild, of course, with some even suggesting that this could be the launch platform for the Samsung Galaxy S III, an unlikely but not impossible notion. Well, it looks like the “unlikely” part rings true as Samsung reportedly debunked rumors of the Galaxy S III, or any new device, being announced at this event. The french show will serve to showcase their existing device portfolio to attendees. Samsung will likely announce new devices before then and those will be in attendance, but don’t get your hopes up for the Galaxy S III. Anything could happen, of course, so we’re going to remain front-row and center for anything Samsung announces this quarter. [via TheNextWeb] |
Posted: 07 Feb 2012 09:02 AM PST   The Motorola DROID BIONIC has had an update in the works for a bit of time now and it looks like testing is all wrapped up. The changelog states that V-Cast Apps and Amazon MP3 are both preloaded. We’ve also got improvements for data connectivity and stability, WiFi mobile hotspot fixes, improvements in overall device stability and a lot more. The full changelog found in this PDF file should give you a great idea of what to expect. As always, we could be seeing this anytime between now and 2-3 weeks from now, but recent updates have come within 2-3 days after Verizon publishes the changelog. Be on the lookout for it and let us know whenever it gets sent to your handset. [via Droid-Life] |
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment