Friday, March 30, 2012

Google Alert - android

News10 new results for android
 
10 Essential Android Apps For SMBs
InformationWeek
Kevin Casey 03/30/2012 No glitz, no glamour, just results: These 10 budget-friendly Android apps help SMB users simplify everyday tasks and power through to-do lists. You don't need to look much past an app market's bestseller list for a reminder that ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google Must Make Android Upgrade Worth Networks' While
InformationWeek
But even though it's over five months since Google released version 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) of Android, designed for both tablets and phones, good luck finding a phone running Ice Cream Sandwich other than Samsung Galaxy Nexus--and that was ...
See all stories on this topic »
Why Google's Tablet Store Isn't the Nexus One All Over Again
PC Magazine
By Sascha Segan The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Google is starting a store to sell Android tablets online. This is an attempt to jumpstart the sales of tablets running Google-approved versions of Android, which haven't been doing well ...
See all stories on this topic »
Will Google-Branded Tablet Crash And Burn?
InformationWeek
Google plans to sell Android-based tablets directly to consumers in a bid to increase adoption of its mobile platform. Remember the spectacular failure that was Google's Android smartphone store? Apparently Google doesn't, because it is going to ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google revisiting a once-failed strategy to boost Android tablet sales: report
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
The move is an effort to turn around sluggish sales of tablet computers powered by Google's Android software.The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, an Android-powered tablet that will go on sale later this year. Google went this route with Android-powered ...
See all stories on this topic »

Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
Can a Google tablet succeed where Nexus phones didn't?
Computerworld
By Daniel Ionescu PC World - So Google may enter the tablet fray directly by marketing its own Android challenger to the iPad while also licensing the OS to hardware partners. What makes it likely to succeed, after its Nexus phones online experiment ...
See all stories on this topic »
Does Google earn more cash from Apple iPhone than Android?
Computerworld (blog)
Well, today it's relevant to Apple [AAPL] and fresh claims Google makes four times as much money out of iOS as it does from Android devices. So who really has the power in that unequal relationship? I can't claim to be completely convinced at the ...
See all stories on this topic »
Android Tablets May be Soon Sold From Google Online Store
Tom's Guide
The move is reportedly to turn around sluggish sales of Android tablets while providing a retail hardware service rivaling Apple and Amazon. As previously reported, Google plans to sell a tablet using its Nexus branding. The store will also be stocked ...
See all stories on this topic »
Is Google planning iPad competitors?
Washington Post
The battle between Android and iOS may be getting more heated, with the rumored addition of a Google tablet store and future co-branded Google tablets. According to unidentified "people familiar with the matter" who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, ...
See all stories on this topic »
Google may sell tablet computers to boost Android use
Chicago Tribune
Google, looking to boost use of its Android operating system, plans to sell its own tablet computers later this year, a news report says. The search giant, which has normally stuck to producing software when it comes to the smartphone and tablet ...
See all stories on this topic »

Blogs5 new results for android
 
PSA: TurboTax on Android is free through Sunday if you start your ...
By Dana Wollman
If you've ever filed your taxes on an iPad, you know Intuit's TurboTax app is free to download, but that you'll have to pay up once you're ready to.
Engadget
Wall Street Journal says Google will sell its own tablets this year ...
By Michael Crider
It's been a while since we heard from the Nexus Tablet rumor mill, but it looks like its just been restarted by one of the most respected financial reporting.
Android Community
Android Overload: Flashable Stock 4.0.4 ROMS Available For ...
By Chris Chavez
It's been another successful day of bringing the best Android news from all around the planet. Congrats, on making it this far. What now? Well, for all.
Android Phone Fans
Android and iPhone Own Nearly The Entire U.S. Smartphone Market ...
By Jordan Golson
The latest data from Nielsen suggests that between the two of them, Android and Apple's iOS have relegated other smartphone operating systems to...
MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors...
Chinese Android Apps Are Bypassing Google's Play Store ...
By Steven Millward
Instead, every single one of the Chinese apps we surveyed gave the Android app '.apk' file directly to consumers, with very few app developers even linking to the Play Store from their respective homepages. Many are still using Google Play ...
paidContent

Web1 new result for android
 
Android Devices - Google Groups
Participate in Android user experience studies! Paul, 3/26/12. Nexus S ICS 4.0.3 Problems, NickWhymark, 9:55 PM. Bookmarks Bar Not Syncing Properly ...
groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.../android-devices


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Android Authority

Android Authority


$199 Tegra 3 Android tablets? It could happen this summer, says Nvidia’s CEO

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 03:30 AM PDT

One of the most important hurdles that tablet PCs have had to overcome during the past couple of years, in order to become popular, has been the extravagant pricing. In a ultra competitive technology world, where the sky is no longer the limit, everybody is looking for the best, the most powerful, but also the cheapest gadget, Android manufacturers have faced problems with pricing their devices.

While, a year back, you couldn't even hope to pay less than $400 for a decent Android-based tablet, Amazon has shocked everybody by launching the $200 Kindle Fire, changing in the process, the world’s perception on what an Android tablet should be (and cost).

Kindle Fire's success has been so great that Amazon is thinking of releasing no less than four slates during 2012. Other important manufacturers will most likely be forced to follow suite and try to come up with cheaper devices, if they want to stand a chance at maintaining or growing their market share.

According to multiple reports that popped out over the last months, Google is already prepping a 200 bucks (maybe even cheaper) Nexus tablet, which will most likely be built by Asus. However, the Nexus tablet might be an even bigger hit than the Kindle Fire, as it seems that it will be powered by Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 platform.

At the moment, there's no way to know for sure if any of the speculations are rooted in reality, but hints are piling up to indicate that we should indeed prepare for something as special as a $200 Tegra 3 tablet. The latest hint to give us hope comes from Jen-Hsun Huang, Nvidia's outspoken CEO, who was quoted in a New York Times interview as saying: “We took out $150 in build materials, things like expensive memory [...] At $199, you can just about buy a tablet at a 7-Eleven.”

Take Huang’s statement and add it to a recent Digitimes' report saying that Asus, Lenovo, and Samsung are clearly gearing towards a cut in manufacturing costs, and a very interesting picture of what's to come in the Android tab world begins to form.

On the other hand, while customers and technology enthusiasts are clearly over the moon over the prospect of buying a snappy-as-heck tablet for an unbelievably low price, another important question should arise.

If Lenovo, Samsung, and Asus will cut costs so drastically, wouldn't the effects be visible in the build quality and reliability of their products? Some might answer that the Kindle Fire didn't have any problems in these areas, so why should Samsung's or Asus' devices be any different? Well, the thing is Amazon could afford losing money on the tablet's actual price, having the Appstore (and its huge ecosystem) as an alternative way of making money.

Samsung or Lenovo don't have that luxury, so we should all ask ourselves very seriously: do we want cheaper tablets at the risk of getting them at worse quality than today's devices?

Anyway, getting back to today's story, we shouldn’t jump to so many conclusions right now, because, after all, rumors of Google's Nexus tablet are yet to be confirmed from official sources. For the time being, 7-inch Android-based slates are still pretty expensive (with Kindle Fire being the exception, of course) and there's no way to know for sure if this will change anytime soon.


This article, $199 Tegra 3 Android tablets? It could happen this summer, says Nvidia’s CEO , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


FlockThere: Organizing meetups and knowing where your friends are in real-time

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 03:29 AM PDT

Humans are naturally social animals and getting together with friends is just one of the ways of having a good time. Unfortunately, as anyone who’s associated with a large group of people can tell you, coordinating with several individuals can be stressful.

Though meetups may spell good times, it can be such a hassle when questions fly left and right, basically asking the same things people have already asked. But, thanks to FlockThere, Inc., there’s an app that will help  you eliminate meetup problems by giving you your contacts’ real-time locations, so you’ll no longer have to worry where the last member of your team is or how to get there. Meet FlockThere, an app that allows you to easily organize meetups by sending out Flock invitations to your contacts.

Once your contacts accept the invitation, you’ll be able to track their location on a live map and read their messages on the same screen. If you want to be updated on your invited contacts’ locations, simply tap Locate All and you’ll find their locations on the map. From there, FlockThere allows you to send all your contacts a message through a single touch, and if you and your contacts are wired to the Net, you can even keep in touch with your contacts through chat messaging.

FlockThere was originally released on the iTunes App Store but has now reached the Google Play Store, granting Android users the ability to easily organize their own group get-togethers.

To organize a meetup, you’ll need a FlockThere ID. You won’t have to worry about opening a separate webpage to sign up because FlockThere allows you to make an account right from within the app. The best part is that the service is free. Once you’ve got a FlockThere ID, the app will walk you through its various functions.

You can even remove and add new guests after the Flock has been created. If your contact has FlockThere on his/her Android device, they can reply directly to you from within the app.

Send a Flock invitation to your contacts by filling in all the important details such as the name of the meetup, when it’ll take place, when it’ll end, and the event’s location.

FlockThere even gives you privacy control so that the location of your meetup is only shared for the duration of the event. Though FlockThere gives you the power to track your contacts’ location, it also gives you the option to conceal your own location.

Have you forgotten to invite someone? Don’t worry, FlockThere allows you to add more people to your Flock even after the Flock’s already been created. If you’ve also made the mistake of inviting a certain someone, you can remove that invitee. FlockThere also keeps tabs on your current and upcoming Flocks, which you can find conveniently on the app’s homescreen. You’ll never forget a get-together again.

FlockThere is a must have app for those of you who’re frequently tasked with your group’s meetup details. To get started organizing your own group meet ups today, get FlockThere for free from the Google Play Store.


This article, FlockThere: Organizing meetups and knowing where your friends are in real-time , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


RIM announce their financial state, and may step back from the public market

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 06:56 PM PDT

 

 


The quarterly earning announcement from Research In Motion has certainly brought some interesting points to attention. The company’s CEO, Thorsten Heins, has told the investors of the company that RIM will no longer make efforts to be “all things to all people”. Instead, the intention is to revert to a business plan which was shelved years ago – build devices for businesses and enterprises.

This proposed and rather extreme alteration to RIM’s existing business plan and marketing angle comes only weeks ahead of BlackBerry OS 10 being released to developers. Read on for more details on RIM’s quarterly report, and what this news may mean for Android.

Financial details

In the last financial quarter (January through March), Research In Motion shipped only 500,000 of their PlayBook devices. Only 11.1 million Blackberry smartphones were sold in the same time period, which is 21% lower than the quarter sales from October-December.

Altogether, RIM’s quarterly revenue has fallen by 19% on Q4 of last year, to a small $4.2bn (£2.62bn). They have lost $25bn (£15.6bn) of revenue year on year. The Blackberry devices currently hold only 15.2% of the smartphone market and that number is falling, set to pass by Windows Phone 7 which is slowly creeping its way up.

Former co-CEO of RIM, Jim Balsillie has now resigned from the board of directors. However more importantly, the company’s chief operations officer, Jim Rowan, and Chief Technology Officer, David Yach have also announced their plans to leave the company, likely due to its current damaged state.

Overall RIM are in a very desperate and dangerous position. If they don’t release new innovative technology which will redefine their brand, they are likely to continue down a slippery slope of unpopularity, perhaps even going bust. The existing customers of RIM are leaving in droves as smartphone usage statistics show, and with critical executives and team leaders jumping ship, how will RIM come together with anything to sell to anyone?

Perhaps it is best that RIM has plans to go back to the domain where they originally found their success. I think it is pretty fair to say that aside from the initial popularity boom in the consumer market, RIM’s popularity has now dropped exponentially. I expect the CEO and investors are praying organisations will welcome their Blackberry devices back with open arms.

What does this mean for Android?

Well it certainly means less competition in the smartphone industry, that’s for sure. I also anticipate that the Blackberry devices will have their prices cut dramatically to aid the sale of remaining stock. If the prices are cut, I am sure there will be a surge in popularity and purchases, the same way things were for the HP Touchpad last year. However this news may be a disappointment to some Android developers, as RIM were working on emulation software which would allow Android applications to run on Blackberry devices, thus boosting an Android developer’s audience.

With RIM ‘surrendering’ as it were, this means that Windows Phone will soon the place of RIM and their Blackberry OS as the third most popular smartphone operating system.

Overall, I suppose I feel sorry for RIM. They have lost their dignity, brand identity, ability to impress, and to most people, status as a Smartphone giant. It would be a pity for the company to bust completely, and I hope that a company such as Microsoft or Nokia swoops in with a good offer for the companies assets if things go that way.

What are your thoughts on RIM’s financial state and announcement? Are they wise in reverting back to designing devices solely for corporate use?


This article, RIM announce their financial state, and may step back from the public market , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Sending event invitations en masse with Evite for Android

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 05:29 PM PDT

Whoever said that invitation cards were out of style? Back in the day, if you wanted to organize an event properly, you’d have to send invitations to your guests through the mail or by personally delivering invitations to their doorsteps.

Over the years, however, the rush of modern life has made it difficult for event organizers to sit down and make personalized invitations. It’s so much easier, and faster, to send an informal text or e-mail to the invite list.

But, for those of you who want a classic touch to your events without having to purchase cards from the store, there’s an app for you. Evite is an online platform for creating, managing, and sharing event-based invitations using attractive card templates. When people started becoming mobile, Evite released an app for the iOS so that event organizers could send their invitations from their iPhones and iPads. Now Evite has finally arrived on Android to make creating and sending invitations to friends easy.

The app allows you to choose from a number of card designs suitable to your event, whether it’s a birthday party, a wedding, or just a simple get together among friends. Evite for Android supports integration with your Android device’s address book so that you can easily select as many contacts as you’d like to invite. The Evites are then sent out either by e-mail or text message, depending on the contact type.

To make things even better, Evite maintains a record of all the past and upcoming events for which you’ve sent invitations. That way, you won’t forget to show up to an event you’ve been invited to, and you won’t struggle to remember what event you were at a few weeks ago.

Though you’ll need an Evite account to sign into the app, users who don’t have one yet can easily get one from within the app. Once you’ve signed in, creating an invitation is easy. Simply tap the icon in the upper right corner of the screen to get started. You’ll then be able to either pick a card design that you like or a category for your upcoming event.

There’s a score of fun designs to choose from, and you’re sure to find a design that will match your event. Fill in the necessary details, such as the title of your event, the type, when it will be. Easily add guests from your address book and hit Send to send them all your invitation.

Evite allows event organizers to give a special and paperless touch to inviting guests over for any occasion. Evite can also show you how many of your guests responded to your invitation, as well as how many adults or how many children are going.

In case there’s a guest that decided to decline your invitation or a guest someone else invited, Evite makes sure that you’re up to date on your guest list.

If you’d like to start inviting guests using Evite’s cards, Evite for Android is available for free at the Google Play Store.

Do you still send out invitations the traditional way?  Or, have you gone electronic with your invitations?  Would you use an app like Evite to invite friends and family to your own wedding?


This article, Sending event invitations en masse with Evite for Android , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


BlueStacks reaches beta release; 450,000 Android Apps now on Windows

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 12:58 PM PDT

With the availability of more and more high-end devices and blazing speed data connections, the growth of the “app culture” has been exponential. The ability to instantly download apps and have almost any information available, literally, at your fingertips is infinitely appealing.

Not to be stopped at providing fun, albeit time-wasting activities on your handset, apps have slowly begun migrating to PCs as well. We’ve already seen a few examples of this, with Angry Birds, one of the most popular app games around, already available on Chrome. Not to be outdone, Microsoft announced the availability of “Cut the Rope” on IE 9.

Although accelerating, the expansion of mobile apps to PCs is still far from catching up with the millions of apps available on our smartphones. If you can’t wait to have your favorite Android apps available on your PC, or if you would just like to test an app before committing it to your phone, now, there is a solution for you.

Introducing the BlueStacks App Player.

BlueStacks gives you access to over 450,000 Android apps on any Windows PC running Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7. Currently in its beta testing phase, BlueStacks brings a host of features including:

  • Over 450,000 apps already available, with more being added everyday
  • The ability to use Android apps with Windows utilities and drivers. For example, you will be able to use your windows printer to print documents on your Android phone.
  • Allows apps written for ARM processors to run with no problems on Windows
  • Ability to sync apps between the Android device and the App player

I downloaded the BlueStacks App Player and tested a few of the apps. Once installation is complete, which doesn’t take more than five minutes, a folder is created on the desktop with shortcuts to all installed Android apps. The UI is smooth and apps generally load quickly. Because Android apps are made for touchscreen interfaces, apps on Windows would also work ideally with a touch screen interface. This provides a great opportunity for users with Windows tablets to get access to Android applications. Playing Fruit Ninja was a little difficult with a laptop touchpad, but still just as fun as the native version.

What really stands out is the ability to use this app for messenging. I downloaded and used Whatsapp messenger, and it was a pleasure to be able to type long messages with an actual keyboard, a process which can get quite tedious on my phone.

While there is no direct support for the Google Play Store yet, alternative app sources such as the Amazon App Store  are available, which is just as good.

The BlueStacks App player is still free in its beta stage, and there is no indication yet of what the eventual pricing will be. You can download and install the BlueStacks app player from here. If you do, let us know your experience with this player.

Below is a short introduction and demo video of the BlueStacks App Player.

What are your thoughts? Is the functionality provided by BlueStacks important to you? How much would you be willing to pay for this service?


This article, BlueStacks reaches beta release; 450,000 Android Apps now on Windows , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Quick game review: Temple Run for Android!

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 12:58 PM PDT

At long last, the much anticipated Android version of Temple Run is available! It was extremely popular on the iOS platform and the developers, Imangi Studios, said they would release an Android version on the 27th of march, which they did. In the two days it’s been released, it’s risen high-high up in the Play Store – So is it as addictive and fun as the iOS version? Let’s find out…

What’s it all about?

You control a temple raider who just stole a sacred and cursed idol. As he emerges from the shrine he is chased by what look like half monkey/half dog demons. You’ve got to keep him running and out the way of danger! This isn’t very easy though, as he will increase his speed over time. This would be fine if there weren’t bends and obstacles to dodge along the way. As soon as he hits one, the monkey-dogs get you and it’s game over.

The objective of the game is to keep the raider alive for as long as possible, while simultaneously covering more and more ground.

Unlockables and power-ups

The point of collecting the coins in the game? To spend them in the store! You can spend them on new characters, utilities, and power-ups which become so useful as you run further and further. The power ups help speed you up, dodge obstacles and amass more coins as you play.

If you run out of coins you can make in-app purchases to acquire more without playing the game to earn them. This is totally optional though and nothing in the game is restricted if you don’t buy them. I like this version of in-app payment, since you get the full unrestricted game for free with the opportunity to speed things up if you wish. Unfortunately, lot’s of other games and applications with in-app purchases aren’t as kind as this one is.

A good game? You bet it is!

Temple Run has all the qualities any smartphone game needs to be fun. It’s addictive, easy-to-play, and never-ending. This makes it difficult to put down, and perfect for those moments when you wouldn’t want to put it down, such as when trying to pass the time.

Did I mention it was tablet-optimised? No? Well it is! High definition graphics on a larger device mean you can enjoy Temple Run on a high quality screen and don’t have to suffer with stretching. Everything looks crisp and runs well, so kudos to Imangi Studios for that!

Can’t find it in the Google Play Store?

Many of our readers have reported that they couldn’t find Temple Run when it first came out. Although it’s featuring as a top-downloaded game (making it easier to find) here is a direct link to help you out if it’s not turning up in searches. For some people it is just way down the list, for whatever reason.

Enjoy!

The game is free on the Play Store, so go check it out! If you install it, let us know your views on like Temple Run. What’s the furthest you’ve gotten? Let us know below!

No related posts.


This article, Quick game review: Temple Run for Android! , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


The future is now: Epson releases Moverio BT-100 the world’s first wearable Android augmented reality display

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 12:14 PM PDT

Let’s be serious – we have only recently begun considering the fact that our glasses could also be our primary communication device, ala Google Glasses. Good luck trying to explain that to someone over 65. But in all reality, augmented reality technologies are set to take off in a big way over the next 10 years. Imagine waking up, throwing on a pair of glasses, grabbing the coffee, sitting down, lighting up a smoke, and your news just starts flowing in without the need for any external, physical input. While we still have a ways to go in terms of machine learned intelligence that can respond to your every whim, and gesture technologies still need to be improved, the day draws ever nearer. We’re talking about a hands free, audio if you want, video sure type of interface. It could  feature everything you want to see – all right before your eyes, and in such a way that you could still see your immediate environment, but it would just be, well, enhanced. As such we introduce the Epson Moverio BT-100, one of the first of its kind, Android-based augmented reality multimedia headsets.

With a design that reminds me of Star Trek, (Geordi La Forge, anyone?), this device projects a 960×650 resolution display about an inch from your face, that gives you the advantage of an 80-inch perceived screen. The device also features a trackball controller which allows users to access the internet, stream, download, and view video, and enjoy other multimedia content while on the move, right on the move. Definitely be a lady killer with these bad boys on. “Do I know you? Yes, yes I do.”

The realization has suddenly hit me that I’m about to write a specification list for a pair of glasses which sounds a bit like a commercial for Bausch and Lomb. Still, with features like UV protection, photo-chromatic lenses, you get the picture. Anyway, this is what this set of sunglasses on (Android) steroids is packing:

The specs and features of the Epson Bt-100:

  • Android 2.2 OS (ICS? XDA? Good luck with that)
  • 1GB built-in storage, expandable up to 32GB with microSD support
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Adobe Flash support
  • Dolby Digital Surround Sound through detachable earphones
  • Side-by-side 3D content
  • 6 hours rechargeable battery life.
Below is a short video describing the technology behind the product, Courtesy of Dimensioo

The videos and other multimedia hover over the real world so the user can see what is going on around them, as they watch. Of course, that is entirely dependent on how engrossing that video actually is.

I still remember a not-so-distant past where I received awkward glances on the street, seemingly “talking to myself,” until and unless they noticed the tiny bluetooth headset attached to me ear. I cant wait to creep around the mall with these, imagine the odd looks. Simply hilarious. But of course, as the technology matures, they will continue to get miniaturized until they eventually look like no other glasses. The hard part will be the battery, as that technology is only improving by 4-6% each year, whereas other components are beating down Moores law up like Rocky beat up Mr. T.

Yes, you want them, and no, you don’t need real, un-enhanced friends. Or reality.

If augmented reality is the thing for you, and you believe that Google’s glasses are simply to far to wait for, you can get the Moverio BT-100 at the Epson online retail store. It is also available at select re-sellers or for pre-order on Amazon.

This will set you back a hefty $699.99  but can we really put a price tag on awesome? Kudos to Epson for being first out the gate with these. Now, Google, step it on up.  Oh and you know we’re going to track these down and do a review on them. Giveaway anyone? We will do our best.

Is this the next big thing? What else does it need to explode and turn people into computer wearing, augmented reality display packing hipster 2.0′s?


This article, The future is now: Epson releases Moverio BT-100 the world’s first wearable Android augmented reality display , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Flexible LCD’s get closer to production, TRADIM develops flexible LCD display

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 11:46 AM PDT

Flexible displays have been a kind of ''what if'' concepts for a while now and, even though companies such as Samsung have teased us with gadgets sporting such a cool feature, we haven't yet seen one in action, intended for actual hands of consumers. As a matter of fact, I’m sure that there are still a lot of you who think of flexible displays as something out of a sci-fi novel or movie, right?

And even though we are still unable to report on developments regarding actual products featuring flexible screens, we are happy today to bring to your attention a very interesting and juicy prototype.

The unnamed ''Curved LCD Display'' concept is the result of almost ten years (!) of work from TRADIM (The Technology Research Association for Advanced Display Materials), a conglomerate of chemical makers and electronic manufacturers formed with the sole purpose of creating a new panel on a film substrate.

After seven years of pointless efforts, the company proceeded in softening the entire panel and finally managed to achieve its goal by using a roll-to-roll (R2R) method. The R2R process consisted of using rolls of flexible plastic and metal foils in order to improve flexibility.

And improve it they did, as the display can now be bent to a curvature radius of about 15 cm (almost six inches) without breaking, snapping or cracking. According to tests conducted by TRADIM, the screen could even withstand a curvature radius of 30 cm at temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius or humidity rates of up to 85 percent.

The prototype developed by TRADIM measures 3.5-inches in diagonal and 0.49 mm in thickness, featuring a pixel density of 114 ppi. The new panel can be easily bent in a convex or a concave direction and it could be used for designing flexible smartphones, tablets or even HDTVs.

The group behind the concept's creation, that started with one purpose and one purpose alone, will be dissolved at the end of the month, but the future commercialization of the panel will be handled by Sharp, NEC and Hitachi, which are only three of the big electronic names involved in the TRADIM project. The video below is a from a little while ago, but serves as a good example of where this technology is headed (if they can deal with the glare).

I don't know about you, but I'm extremely excited by the idea of flexible gadgets manufactured by Sharp, NEC or whomever they license/sell it too, and I can definitely see myself buying such a gizmo when and if it hits the market. However, there's a good possibility that the companies behind the display's making will sell the rights to other well-established names in the industry or help in building similar products. That would mean that soon enough we won't see just one or two gadgets sporting flexible displays, but we could see a bunch of such devices battling it out for our pleasure.

Okay, that's enough dreaming for one article, so for the time being we should rather kick back, relax, feast our eyes with this prototype's great looks and not worry about what the future might or might not hold.

Would you buy a flexible watch? Or how about a tablet scroll idea ala the image above? It’s like a digital Moses equivalent, you know? Nice and compact though, nice and easy to throw into a bag, or to have in a breast pocket. Massive computing potential under a small footprint. Chuck a projector into one of these bad boys and i’m sold. You?


This article, Flexible LCD’s get closer to production, TRADIM develops flexible LCD display , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


HTC Vivid on AT&T takes a bite of ICS, sees 66% performance boost, better battery life

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 10:39 AM PDT

at&t htc vivid

With just about two percent of all Android devices currently running Ice Cream Sandwich, manufacturers and carriers took their sweet time pushing out the latest and greatest flavor of Android. In the US, one of the few devices to receive the ICS treatment so far is AT&T’s HTC Vivid. As it turns out, the ICS package brings more than a bunch of new features and a snazzier design. HTC Vivid owners will notice a significant performance bump when making the jump from Android 2.3 to Android 4.0, with up to 66% improved performance according to benchmarks performed by VentureBeat.

Below is a run-down of the various benchmark tests performed, and their results.

Browser Performance

Benchmark test used: BrowserMark

BrowserMark is a widely-used general browser benchmark test, which tests a device browsing  performance by measuring its JavaScript and HTML rendering performance.

As we can see from the above chart, there is a very obvious boost in browser performance from Android 2.3 to 4.0, with ICS scoring around 24% better than the previous version. HTC users, expect quicker loading pages and, overall, a  snappier browsing experience.

Software and Hardware

Benchmart test used: Sunspider 9.1 and Quadrant Standard

Sunspider is another popular benchmark that tests the core JavaScript language only. It is designed to compare different versions of the same browser and different browsers to each other. Quadrant standard is a popular benchmark for mobile devices, used to measure CPU, memory, I/O, 2D, and 3D graphics performance. It tests hardware performance only.

As you can see, the Vivid with Android 4.0 processes JS code up to 66% faster than with the older version. This is a very large improvement in speed by any standards, proving that ICS is the best available version of Android in features and performance. There is a very small increase in hardware performance, which is understandable, considering that the device hardware remained the same.

Graphics

Benchmark tests used: NenaMark 1 and NenaMark 2

NenaMark is a benchmark test used to measure hardware accelerated graphics performance for Android devices. NenaMark 2 is the successor of the base version, aimed at testing graphics performance of high-end devices.

The device running ICS saw a 20% boost with the Nenamark 1 test and a 41% performance increase with the Nenamark 2 test. The results of these tests are good news for users who are into graphic-intensive mobile gaming.

Battery

Benchmark test used: Basemark OS battery test

The Basemark OS battery test runs a slate of available trials, while simultaneously monitoring battery endurance throughout these tests. The benchmark set includes system tests, graphics tests, media decoding tests, and program startup tests. The device needs to be fully charged before running the Basemark OS battery test.

One of the biggest complaints about HTC devices the world over has been the poor battery life, with many blaming the  heavy layering of the HTC Sense 3.0 UI running on Android 2.3 phones. The HTC Vivid Android 4.0 update also brings with it Sense 3.6, which is said to bridge the gap between Sense 3.0 and the far more streamlined Sense 4.0. The boost in battery performance is immediately noticeable, with almost an extra hour of high-stress usage available, which translates to even longer lasting battery life for regular users.

Conclusion

If there were ever any doubts about Android 4.0, they can be safely dismissed now. The ICS update brings with it not only better software, but also large performance boosts in every major ”department.”

The only question remains, when do I get to take a bite out of the increasingly savory Ice Cream Sandwich?

We have answered that question for you as well. You can see a list of devices expected to receive the ICS update here. If you’re subscribed to the AT&T, you can see if your device is going to receive an official Android 4.0 update here. And if the official route does not work out for you, custom ROMs is the way to go, with CyanogenMod releasing a handy flowchart to see if you will be eligible for a CM9 update, based on Android 4.0.


This article, HTC Vivid on AT&T takes a bite of ICS, sees 66% performance boost, better battery life , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.


Android 4.0.4 OTA coming to (some) Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S models, plus the Xoom

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 06:37 AM PDT

Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, and Motorola Xoom users have all been waiting for Android 4.0.4 updates for a while, but now they can finally (prepare to) rejoice. Yes, I said prepare to rejoice, because, for the time being, only a handful of these devices have receive the update to the latest flavor of Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

The OTA (0ver-the-air) updates reportedly started yesterday, but for some reason, they have only hit select models until now, as far as we know. The UMTS/GSM Nexus S and the HSPA+ variant of the Galaxy Nexus should have been all updated by now, so if you haven't checked your handheld lately, it might have a very pleasant surprise in store for you.

If, however, the update hasn't yet graced your device, you can either wait, which is what I would recommend you to do, or try to manually prompt it, if you just can't live without Android 4.0.4 for a couple more days.

As for the Motorola Xoom tablet, its Wi-Fi version should be getting ICS 4.0.4 soon enough, according to Google’s official statements, but it's unclear what exactly “soon” means. To clarify the situation a bit, we would be very grateful if those of you who own a Wi-Fi Xoom could hit us with a comment below and tell us if there has been any software “movement” on their gadgets over the past few hours.

The Android 4.0.4 update brings a bunch of improvements and changes, including better camera performance, smoother screen rotation, and overall higher speed. On the other hand, you should be careful and report any bugs you might notice, as some Galaxy Nexus models had problems with the 4.0.3 build.

Other devices are expected to be updated to Android 4.0.4 in the coming weeks, according to an Android official announcement on Google Plus, but unfortunately we don't have a list of any sort or an updating schedule.

Hoping that you are already enjoying Android's latest Ice Cream Sandwich scoop on your gadget of choice, we would like to remind you to stay tuned on our website for all of the story's further developments, brought to you as soon as something noteworthy happens.


This article, Android 4.0.4 OTA coming to (some) Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S models, plus the Xoom , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source.