Posted: 26 Mar 2012 02:12 PM PDT  Here at Android and Me, we are no strangers to poking fun at the names behind Android devices. Some of them are absolutely ridiculous, and with a fresh batch of phones being delivered several times a year, there’s always room for them to get worse. Fortunately, several companies, like HTC for example, are trying their hardest to do away with the crazy names to simplify things. Unfortunately, much of the damage has already been done, as shown in this “Is it a condom, or is it an Android?” chart from The Intercom Blog. When I say Desire, Sensation, Touch and Cruise, do you automatically think of an Android phone or condom? How about Vitality, Wildfire, Indulge and Intensity? Either answer wouldn’t really be surprising, as both Android phones and condoms happen to share those names. Yes, really. The folks over at The Intercom Blog have put together a chart that takes 20 different product names, and shows which ones are Android phones, which ones are condoms, and which ones are both. Out of the 20, 8 names are shared by both a condom and phone. The rest of the names chosen, like Hero, Electrify and Ultra Thin could go either way. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to see them make the jump at some point in the future. Of course, there’s a ton of condom names that would never make for good Android handsets, and some Android phones would make terrible condom names (Trojan Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD?), but there’s no denying the hilarity of the products that do share names. Which is your favorite?  |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 01:32 PM PDT  Every week we cover Android gaming on Wednesday, followed by Top 10 app updates on Friday. Now every Monday we will look back and see which ones were the most crowd-pleasing among our audience. Read on for the 10 most popular Android apps from your peers. 1. Camera360 I called this app my favorite camera replacement last week, and it was the most clicked download of the week. I really enjoyed the simplicity of how it worked, but it’s still slow to start up. Camera360 has now seen their daily installs spike to a monthly high, while still averaging a review score of 4.3. 2. Another World The 20th anniversary edition of the classic platform game Another World came in a close second. Even though the game offers updated HD graphics and enhanced sound, I didn’t feel like throwing down $4.99 to replay this game I wasn’t a huge fan of. The game only sold between 1,000-5,000 copies, but it’s being well received with an average review score of 4.3. 3. Angry Birds Space Rovio hyped up Angry Birds Space the last couple of weeks and we were not surprised to read over 10 million people installed the game in three days. Most of our readers went with the free version, supported by battery-killing ads. 4. LightBoxLightBox came in 4th place when we listed it as an alternative to Instagram for Android. Over 1 million users have already joined the Lightbox community, where they can follow and interact with friends and creative people from around the world. 5. QuickPic We have mentioned QuickPic several times in the last couple weeks, and it continues to be a popular alternative to the native Gallery app. Even on new phones like the Galaxy Nexus, the default Gallery app can become slow and unresponsive. QuickPic describes their app as “more quick and clear then the lazy stock Gallery.” We agree. 6. Pixlr-o-matic I installed this app after using Camera360, and I think I enjoy Pixlr-o-matic the most. It has a more polished look than Camera360 and offers more frames and lighting effects. Both are free, so try out each one and see what you like. 7. MyTracks Google’s MyTracks has been around a long time, but it saw a spike in attention this week with a new update. The latest feature allows users to play a recorded GPS track as a tour using the Google Earth mobile client. Sounds pretty cool, but I haven’t tried it out yet. Let us know if you did. 8. MX Video Player This video player has been around awhile and already has over 10 million installs, but it’s still not very well known. MX Video Player is available for free and plays just about any video file on your Android device. Did you know it also supports multi-core decoding, which shows up to 70% performance improvement than single-core devices? 9. Beauty Camera Another camera app from our Instagram alternatives made its way into the Top 10 list. I tried out Beauty Camera to see what it was about, and was not that impressed with the editing features that it offered. Others have found it useful, since it has over 1 million installs and still maintains an average review score of 4.1. 10. Aging Booth I was kind of surprised to see that Aging Booth only had 1 million installs, because all the camera apps from PiVi & Co are awesome. This is a great app to have a laugh with your family and friends. (p.s. Where did Zombie Booth go?) |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 01:15 PM PDT  Let’s face it: the official Twitter for Android app is only decent at best. Thankfully, there’s always been alternatives. From the glory days of Twicca, to the transition of Touiteur into Plume, third-party Twitter apps have stolen the show from day one. We’re always on the lookout for new Twitter clients, but things have been quiet for quite some time now. Until today, that is, when a demo video for Carbon for Android found its way online. Carbon isn’t exactly new to the Twitter scene, but they are new to Android. Originally released as a webOS application, Carbon has made the jump to Windows Phone, and now the development team behind the app has Android in their sights. So just makes Carbon any different from the rest of the third-party Twitter client mafia? The first thing that pops out from the demo video is the smooth gesture based UI. By swiping left and right, you can navigate through different layers of Twitter, only needing a few touches here and there to completely master the app. There’s a ton of flashy animations to accompany swipes that make the app look genuinely fun to use. And there’s how Carbon for Android looks. It looks native. Like it belongs on Android. The official Twitter app for Android is made to work on multiple OSes. There’s practically nothing in the app made specifically for Android. Carbon not only features Android’s default on-screen menu button and blue highlights, it even uses the same blue circle from the notification window for a horizontal sliding info shade. It looks impressive to say the least. There’s no release date for Carbon yet (or price), but the developers promise it’s coming soon. In my case, it can’t come soon enough. I’m dying to give it a shot. |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 11:20 AM PDT  Welcome to our regular buyer's guide column where we break down each carrier to let you know about current promotions and pick the best devices. Each week we rotate between the big four US carriers, so that each buyer's guide gets refreshed every month. Read on for Sprint's best devices and deals. Current Promotions and NewsAmazon’s Spring Into Sprint: We already mentioned it earlier this month, but Amazon has all Sprint 4G phones on sale for only $0.01 as part of their Spring Into Sprint promotion.HTC EVO 3D for free: Sprint is now offering the HTC EVO 3D for free when you open a new line with Sprint or add a line to your account. Sprint Data Storm Sweepstakes: Sprint announced a new contest called the Data Storm Sweepstakes, where they are giving away 30 free Galaxy Nexus smartphones. Enter once daily through 4/5. Free Code Factory for the blind: Sprint announced the Code Factory applications will be available for free (typically costs $99 on Google Play) for postpaid Sprint customers with Android 2.1+ smartphones activated on a monthly service plan that includes data, such as the Everything Data plan starting at $79.99. Code Factory is a series of apps for people who are blind or visually impaired and for elderly individuals or those who cannot read print on smartphones because of physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive or learning disabilities. Sprint terminates Spectrum Hosting Agreement with LightSquared: Sprint had signed a deal with Lightsquared to offer LTE coverage over their 1.6 GHz spectrum, but now it’s dead. “Due to these unresolved issues, and subject to the provisions of the agreement, Sprint has elected to exercise its right to terminate the agreement announced last summer.” Sprint still plans to launch their own 4G LTE network with their own spectrum this summer. Enhanced 3G coverage: Since last month Sprint announced enhanced 3G coverage in St. Louis, Atlanta, and Michigan. More deals and offers: Sprint doesn’t have many current promotions, but follow them on Facebook and Twitter for future deals.  Samsung Epic 4G Touch Best Android Phone: Galaxy S II Epic 4G TouchNot much has changed since last time. I said it back in October when I first reviewed the phone and the same thing still holds true; The Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch is easily the best Android phone on Sprint.Sprint still sells the Epic 4G Touch for $199 with 2-year contract, but Amazon has it on sale for only $0.01. There is a reason Samsung has already sold 20 million of their Galaxy S II series. The Super AMOLED Plus display is unmatched among Android phones and the dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor is still one of the fastest around. Samsung has already said the Galaxy S II will receive Android 4.0 in the coming months, so this device will continue to improve with new software updates. I’ve already recommended this device to several close friends and they have all been very pleased with their purchase. If you want to know more about the device, just check out our full review. Best Android Phone with Keyboard: NoneSprint currently lists nine Android phones on their website with physical keyboards, but I can’t in good faith recommend any of them. Their only high-end phone with a keyboard is the Samsung Epic 4G, which came out almost two years ago. That device will not be upgraded to Android 4.0 and you want to avoid it.We only like to suggest smartphones with the latest versions of Android, or those that we believe will be updated soon. If you really want a keyboard phone, I’d just wait till Sprint announces their new spring lineup.  ZTE Optik Best Android Tablet: ZTE OptikLet me repeat what I said in our previous buyer's guide. Because of the current data plans, I'm not a huge fan of carrier branded Android tablets. However, if you need an Android tablet with wireless connectivity, then the ZTE Optik should be your pick.Sprint currently sells the Optik for $99 with 2-year agreement, so you won’t break the bank on this purchase. A monthly data plan is required, but Sprint has some affordable options. Sprint offers four plans designed specifically for tablets, starting at $19.99 for 1GB of data, $34.99 for 3GB of data, $49.99 for 6GB of data, and $79.99 for 12GB of data. Highlights of the ZTE Optik include 3G data connection, Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, 7-inch touchscreen display with WXGA 1280×800 resolution, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, dual cameras, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, expandable memory slot, and 4000 mAh Lithium-ion battery. We don’t know if this device will receive Android 4.0 yet, but it was just released in February. Hopefully Sprint supports it with at least one major software upgrade.  HTC EVO 3D Best Android Phone on a Budget: HTC EVO 3DLast month we recommended the HTC EVO Design 4G, but now that Sprint has the HTC EVO 3D for free we are switching our pick.The EVO 3D is a great Android phone that features a 4.3-inch 3D qHD touchscreen and dual 5-megapixel auto-focus cameras on the rear that can capture Full HD 1080p video in 2D as well as 3D video at HD 720p. It also includes a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB internal storage, and an 8 GB microSD card. Currently the EVO 3D still runs Android 2.3, but HTC has stated it will receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 in the future. Check out Nick’s HTC EVO 3D review for more details.  HTC One X What's Coming Next: HTC Jet (One X)If you don’t mind waiting another month, I would suggest holding out for one of Sprint’s first LTE phones.The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has already officially been announced for Sprint and a registration page is up, but we still don’t have a release date yet. Rumors suggest the Galaxy Nexus could be available around April 15th. Also coming soon is a device codenamed HTC Jet, which we believe is Sprint’s version of the HTC One X. Sprint and HTC are holding a press event on April 4th, so we should have more details in a couple weeks. The HTC One X will have a better camera and faster processor than the Galaxy Nexus, so it should eventually become our top pick. However, rumors suggest this HTC device might not be in stores until June 10th. The LG Viper 4G LTE was also announced as coming soon, but we see no special reason to suggest this device when compared to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X. Sprint will launch their LTE network in the first half of 2012, so we should get a release date for these phones in the coming months. Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to be among the first markets to benefit from Sprint’s 4G LTE and improved 3G coverage. FeedbackOur hardcore audience lives and breaths Android, so most of them already know what device they want to buy next. However, I realize that for most of the public, reading our blog is like trying to read Swahili or some other foreign language. The purpose of these guides is to try and help the average consumer.I ask for your help by sharing this guide with your friends on Sprint and leaving suggestions in the comments below. |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 09:14 AM PDT  According to an HTC executive, the HTC One X may be getting off to a great start – even before launch. During the HTC One unveiling for the Asian market, Jack Tung, President of HTC North Asia, said that strong pre-order response for the NVIDIA Tegra 3 powered HTC One X would make the phone one of HTC’s chief revenue generators. Jack Tung did not mention how many customers have pre-ordered the HTC One X, but we’re sure HTC is banking on some big numbers to help the company get back on track. The HTC One X can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Expansys, and Vodafone and is expected to be available on O2 and other European carriers when the phone launches on April 5. Have any of you pre-ordered the HTC One X yet or are you waiting for AT&T or Sprint to release the dual-core Qualcomm S4 variant with LTE for the U.S. market? |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 07:35 AM PDT  Sahas Katta, a blogger for Skatter Tech, recently took his Galaxy Nexus into a Microsoft Store to partake in the “Smoked by Windows Phone” challenge. Smoked by Windows Phone is Microsoft’s marketing campaign launched at CES that claims Windows Phone can do many basic things faster than its iOS and Android counterparts. Microsoft is so sure it’s platform can best other platforms at the tasks it (carefully) selected for the challenge, it put up a $1,000 special edition laptop as a prize. The ChallengeIn order to lay claim to the $1,000 prize, Mr. Katta and his Galaxy Nexus would need to display the weather in two cities faster than it could be done on the Windows Phone device operated by a store employee. Most of us who run Android know about widgets, and this challenge task can easily be accomplished by placing two different weather widgets on the homescreen of your device, and targeting two different cities. All that stands in your way from immediate gratification is the pesky lockscreen.But Mr. Katta was smart, and had used settings built into his Galaxy Nexus to disable the lockscreen altogether, and had completed the challenge as soon as he hit the power button on his smartphone, a few seconds faster than the Windows Phone device which had to be unlocked. The DenialMr. Katta won the challenge fair and square, though he was denied the prize by the Microsoft Store employees, who at one point claimed Windows Phone had won the challenge “just because.” I, too, have made the “just because” argument to win a fight or two, though outgrew that once I was out of diapers.After realizing he couldn’t get a favorable response by anyone in the store (including the store’s managers), Mr. Katta decided to leave, though not before the store employees had the nerve to ask him to take a picture in front of the “My Android was Smoked by Windows Phone” display. Microsoft Makes Things RightFortunately, this story has a happy ending for Mr. Katta.Ben Rudolph works for Microsoft, and initially caught wind of his platform being smoked by Android late last night. Mr. Rudolph initially tweeted to Mr. Katta that he could come back to a Windows Store anytime he wanted for a rematch on a random challenge. As you can imagine, that response only infuriated Mr. Katta and an increasingly-angry tech community. Just about 10 minutes ago, Mr. Rudolph went back to Twitter to announce that Microsoft was going to fully make things right, and are providing Mr. Katta with the special edition laptop, a Windows Phone device, and an apology. All in all, it’s a good end to a potentially lousy story, and perhaps signals the end of the Smoked by Windows Phone campaign. Any Android user can simply disable their lock screen via settings to gain the competitive advantage and show once and for all that Android is faster than Windows Phone, even at Microsoft’s carefully-selected challenges. |
Posted: 26 Mar 2012 06:41 AM PDT  Last week, the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket was prominently featured on AT&T’s Android 4.0 update list and today we’re seeing the very first leak. The Android 4.0.3 build is very similar to what European Samsung Galaxy S II customers were treated to a few weeks ago, save for AT&T’s bundled applications. While the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket Android 4.0.3 update looks nothing like Ice Cream Sandwich on the Galaxy Nexus, it does feature all of the system tweaks which make the Android 2.3 seem so dated. We don’t know when AT&T and Samsung will officially be making the Android 4.0.3 update for the Skyrocket available to the public. No major flaws have been found in the leaked build, but AT&T may still have a few rounds of testing left to finish up. It may be exciting to see Android 4.0 updates finally trickling out to consumers, but lets not forget that Google released the code over six months ago. It will probably be another 3-6 months before Samsung, Motorola and HTC deliver on all their Ice Cream Sandwich promises. Do you think AT&T will update the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket to Android 4.0 before T-Mobile rolls out the same update to the HTC Sensation 4.0 (expected before the end of March)? |
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Update - 307
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