Update - 168

Google Giving Developers The Boot Unless They Use Google Wallet For In-App Purchases (Business As Usual) Posted: 08 Mar 2012 07:12 PM PST An exclusive story today from Reuters is reporting that developers on Google Play (formerly known as the Android Market) are being forced to use the Google Wallet service — which is linked to Google Checkout — for all their in-game, in-app purchases (sorry, no Paypal here). This is all done under the threat of being booted from Google Play altogether for non-compliance. Using any other payment options was quoted by developer Papaya Mobile as a violation of Google’s terms of use. This “news” was echoed across the usual blogs who were puzzled by Google’s sudden iron fisting of their Market. Google did eventually comment on the matter saying that it’s business as usual and that nothing has changed in their terms of service. Apparently, this is the way things have always been for developers who would like to use in-app purchases for their goods. Although, as Google pointed out, there are 2 exceptions to the rule: One, physical goods from retailers like Amazon or eBay and second, digital goods like books and other transferable items. I, for one, prefer to keep all of my purchases under the watchful of eye of Google and kept inside the Market where they’re treated the same as if they were purchased apps. The other day I purchased some in-game items on my Galaxy Note and it was nice having the same purchased goods unlocked and carried over to my Galaxy S II. Gotta love the Google Plarket. Market. Play. Google Play. [Reuters | TheVerge]

Slice Is A Must-Have Personal Assistant For Online Shopoholics – Now Available For Android Posted: 08 Mar 2012 05:17 PM PST Every now and again, an app comes along that makes you wonder how you ever got along without it. Slice — released today — is one of those apps. Slice automatically organizes and tracks all of your online purchases inside of its handy app. No more searching through your emails clicking links, coping tracking numbers — Slice will take all of the hassle out of online shopping, giving you the peace of mind of knowing exactly what you’ve paid for and when it’s arriving on your doorstep. For someone who does a large portion of their shopping online (I’m an online daily sale addict), this app has been a godsend. After the quick signup process, Slice will begin scanning through your email account, finding all the relevant bits of info from receipts, tracking numbers and purchase amounts and even sends push notifications to your device when a package has been sent, or delivered so you can plan accordingly. Never miss out on another package ever again. Need to remember what you ordered? We automatically track all your in-progress shipments on a single map as they make their way to your front door, with detailed information about the contents of the package, not just where it’s coming from. Want to know where your stuff is? Our push notifications let you know when a purchase has shipped and when it gets delivered, so you’re never left wondering. Want to return something? Slice keeps a copy of all your electronic receipts for easy access in case you need them. Slice also provides you with often hard to find return and customer service information. Returns made simple. Purchase info hard to find in your cluttered inbox? Slice consolidates your shopping history in one place so you don’t have to log into multiple websites, dig through receipts or manually file emails. From large retailers and daily deal sites to mom-and-pop online shops, we’ve got you covered. Where’s all your money going? We provide purchase details beyond what’s provided in your credit card statement, showing you exactly what you bought down to the individual item, not just where you bought it. Best of all? It’s completely free to signup and free to download. You can find Slice right now on Google Play. [Google Play Link]

Motorola spill-proofs the Xyboard 8.2 and 10.1 [Update: They've Always Been Spill Proof] Posted: 08 Mar 2012 04:35 PM PST You know the old saying: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. While that may be true, Motorola is taking a slightly different approach with the introduction of two new Xyboard tablet models. In this case it’s “if it ain’t broke, add a spill-proof coating so it stays that way.” Both the Xyboard 10.1 and Xyboard 8.2 are now available with an added bit of water-resistance for the same price as the original. All specs remain the same, but the new models ship with a free portfolio case and HD media dock. The Motorola Xyboard 8.2 with spill-proof coating is available now for $399. The Motorola Xyboard 10.1 is available for $499. UPDATE: As per Motorola, apparently, the Xyboards have always been spill-proof and the company was just advertising this little known fact. Who knew? For previous Xyboard owners, no need to send Motorola that angry email now. Stand down. [via DroidDog]

Samsung Galaxy S II Owners (GT-I9100) Getting Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in Two Days Posted: 08 Mar 2012 03:14 PM PST It’s tough to hear a device confirmed to be getting the latest versions of Android sometimes. While the news itself is usually great, the wait is usually unbearable. Samsung Galaxy S II users, specifically the international GT-I9100 version, will be able to tell their children and their children’s children a different tale, though. The update for you guys has not only been announced, but it will be here on March 10th – good timing for those of you who want to play around with all the new features to be had over the weekend. Unfortunately, those of you on carrier-branded and provided versions will have to wait a tad long – us USA folks know what that’s all about. But we at least know that the carriers should soon be able to provide the upgrade to their customers, testing pending. For those of you with the unlocked international version, be on the lookout for the upgrade over Kies 2.0 this Saturday. Be sure to check out Samsung’s upgrade FAQ for more details. [Samsung via Engadget]

HTC DROID Incredible 4G/HD Hits the FCC? Posted: 08 Mar 2012 02:37 PM PST Rumors are stirring about Verizon set to introduce a 4G and HD version of the HTC Droid Incredible. It’d be the third device in the series following the 3G single-core DROID Incredible 2. Originally codenamed Fireball, the DROID Incredible 4G/HD (a final name hasn’t been confirmed yet but it’s likely to be one of those two) seems to have made its way to the FCC. Well, an HTC device with Verizon’s 4G LTE radio has. This could be anything, really, but considering how much more rampant rumors about the device have been as of late we’d say there’s a strong possibility that this is it. Unfortunately, we still don’t have much to go on. We don’t have a photo, any solid specs to go on or even a rumored launch date. Just know that one of Verizon’s premier series of phones may soon get another addition. [Engadget]

Google Play Store 3.4.7 Fixes Problems on Motorola Devices Posted: 08 Mar 2012 02:20 PM PST Google’s update to the Android market – which effectively renamed it to Play Store after Google’s renaming of their apps, music, books and movies downloading service – didn’t play too nice with all of the devices out there. Motorola users in particular have had to deal with an issue causing their shortcut to break. If you thought Google would go very long without fixing it, you’re thankfully mistaken. An update has been pushed to the app – version 3.4.7 – to fix these very issues, and those who were affected are reporting success. The Play Store will update on its own, but if you haven’t pulled it down yet and don’t want to wait for Google to push it to you, a download link has been made available. Install this .APK as you would any third-party app to get started. [via XDA, thanks Rick!]

Sony Music Unlimited Update Brings Offline Playback Posted: 08 Mar 2012 12:45 PM PST Sony just issued an update to their Unlimited Music service that should please a great deal of their subscribers. You can now make songs available for playback offline. Any playlist you’ve made can be made available offline for those situations where an internet connection is either terribly slow or nonexistent. Unfortunately Galaxy Nexus users are still left out of the compatibility fold. Hopefully Sony takes care of those folks in due time. Get the 9.2MB update from the Play Store here.

DROID 2 Global Owners Seeing Update 4.5.692 Posted: 08 Mar 2012 11:54 AM PST It didn’t take too long for the DROID 2 Global OTA update discovered over a week ago to begin rolling out to users. The update version is 4.5.692 and fixes some issues, including the device’s tendency not to save camera settings after reboots, automatic power-ons, fixed out of memory issues and more. Check inside the settings menu to get your update. DROID 2 and DROID 3 members should remember that they’ll soon be getting an upgrade of their own, though it still isn’t know what will be included in those. (We think it’s safe to say that Ice Cream Sandwich certainly isn’t it.) [Thanks Han!]

Samsung and Rovio to Show Off Angry Birds Space at SXSW Tomorrow Posted: 08 Mar 2012 11:27 AM PST Samsung and Rovio will be at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas tomorrow to unveil a game that they’re drumming up a fair bit of hype for. Angry Birds Space is the game we’re talking about, of course, and it’ll be our second look at the title since Rovio announced it last month. The first look came earlier today as they took to the International Space Station to walk us through some gameplay footage. The game is shaping up to be the Angry Birds refresh that the series desperately needed. Unfortunately us common folk won’t be able to get our hands on the game until March 22nd, but if you happen to be in Austin for SXSW you’ll be able to get quite the early look at it. As for that release date, Samsung Galaxy owners can look forward to exclusive content on top of the already great-looking game. What that content will be remains to be seen but we’re excited anyway. Tomorrow afternoon Samsung and Rovio will officially unveil Angry Birds Space. Be the first to experience Angry Birds Space with hands-on demos on the Samsung Galaxy Note, with a special announcement from Samsung and Rovio. Samsung is an official launch partner for Angry Birds Space, with exclusive content for Samsung Galaxy users. We’ll be showcasing Angry Birds Space on the Samsung Galaxy Note, which provides the ultimate on-the-go gaming experience with a dual-core processor and a vivid 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display.

Sony Xperia S Receives OTW Upgrade to 6.0.A.3.67 Posted: 08 Mar 2012 11:16 AM PST eopaWhile the Sony Xperia S is currently available to a very limited amount of people (it was launched to the Barcelona public during Mobile World Congress), Sony is already at work to fix bugs and iron out kinks. They’ve issued a new software upgrade for the device, version 6.0.A.3.67. Of course, it’s not Ice Cream Sandwich (that’s said to be on its way next quarter) but you should expect things to be a bit more stable and smooth. Unfortunately it’s not yet known what exactly has changed but it couldn’t hurt to give it a whirl unless you’re worried about jeopardizing any chances of getting root. Oh, and this update is over-the-wire, meaning you’ll need to download an app and hook your phone up to your computer to apply it. It’s called “PC Companion” and can be found here. [via Android Central]

ARCHOS releases Ice Cream Sandwich for its G9 series tablets Posted: 08 Mar 2012 09:20 AM PST ARCHOS has an update ready for its G9 series tablets bringing their aging Android 3.2 builds into the modern era with a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich. The new software brings the software build of the ARCHOS 80 G9 and ARCHOS 101 G9 to Android 4.0.3. Slightly confusing is that the update is software version 4.0.4. Along with all the accoutrements of ICS, the 8-inch and 10.1-inch G9 tablets receive updates to MediaCenter and File Manager and enhanced USB file transfer. The full changelog can be found at ARCHOS site as well as the link for downloading the update. [ARCHOS via EuroDroid]

Citibank launches first banking app designed for the Kindle Fire Posted: 08 Mar 2012 08:39 AM PST Citibank is venturing into new territory with the release of the first banking app designed specifically with the Kindle Fire in mind. Users can expect the same functionality found in Citi’s other mobile offerings, including the ability to view account data, transfer money, and pay bills, in addition to interactive features for analyzing spending habits. Every aspect of the app has been tailored to the Kindle Fire, from graphics to interactions. In addition to the new Kindle Fire app, Citi is also introducing mobile check deposits and Popmoney, a service allowing users to send money from anywhere to anyone (as long as they are set up as a payee on the account holder’s web profile). [via Citibank]

Ice Cream Sandwich update live for HTC Sensation, Sensation XE in Germany Posted: 08 Mar 2012 07:59 AM PST Just a couple days after it was revealed that the HTC Sensation would receive Android 4.0 (albeit with Sense 3.6), the first reports of the update hitting handsets are coming in. German site HTCInside is reporting that the 283.27MB OS refresh hit their HTC Sensation XE earlier today. BestBoyz confirms that the update is reaching both the XE and original Sensation. The catch is that the update so far is only reaching carrier unlocked handsets. Devices tied to a network will likely be waiting for final approval from the service provider. [HTC Inside via BestBoyz]

Rovio takes us to the International Space Station to show off new physics in Angry Birds Space Posted: 08 Mar 2012 07:10 AM PST As part of the leadup to the release of Angry Birds Space on March 22nd, Rovio unveiled a special video today to show some off some of the new gameplay physics we can expect in the game. Rather than showing us a boring demo of the actual game, the Angry Birds took to the International Space Station where we are walked through the process of flinging a bird in zero gravity by an actual astronaut. The game will include “planetary bodies” that will have a gravitational effect on the trajectory of launched birds, adding a new element to take into consideration when attempting to snatch back those eggs from the evil pig army. Good to see Rovio bringing a truly fresh take on the series after countless update packs providing little more than new levels. [via Rovio | Thanks, Trev!]

HTC One X rooted ahead of launch with new Superboot tool Posted: 08 Mar 2012 06:50 AM PST The HTC One X won’t hit shelves for a few more weeks, but that hasn’t stopped MoDaCo’s Paul O’Brien. The Android developer extraordinaire has cracked the new flagship device’s software and is offering a tool that will allow others to easily do the same once they get their hands on the HTC’s latest and greatest. The method is called Superboot and writes to a user’s handset a boot image that handles all the dirty work of rooting. It’s not quite one-click, but it’s a heck of a lot easier than manually partitioning, altering ADB, and so forth. The HTC One X will reach European carriers some time in April. A US variant bound for AT&T is expected to launch over the summer. [via AndroidCommunity]