Android Phone Fans |
- TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards winners revealed!
- Edward Kim: Two Expected and Two Unexpected Things I’ve Learned During my Android Journey [Guest Post]
- TomTom for Android Coming This Summer
- LG Lucid receiving a maintenance upgrade
- HBO Go for Kindle Fire now available
- Rumor: HTC DROID Incredible 4G to arrive June 21st, Verizon Galaxy S3 a week later
- Google Earth to get highly-detailed 3D maps
- Edward Kim’s Smarter Alarm on sale for 50 percent off, one day only [Developer Appreciation Month]
- Google to bring offline maps out of Labs, now downloads full areas independent of route
- 10 Burning Questions with Edward Kim, developer of Smarter Alarm and Car Locator
- Apple files new complaint with ITC, seeks to ban importation and sale of HTC devices
- Is this Google’s ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet?
- Instagram update improves search, fixes camera bugs
- Google TV v 2.1.1 rolling out to Sony hardware, Logitech users should be next
- IDC: Android will peak in 2012, maintain market dominance over next five years
TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards winners revealed! Posted: 06 Jun 2012 03:28 PM PDT At the beginning of May, NVIDIA opened voting for a new round of awards that would highlight some of the best TegraZone games. The TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards were decided by you, the fans, whose votes went toward entries to win one of seven ASUS Transformer Pad prize packs. That pack includes an ASUS Transformer Pad 300, a compatible keyboard dock, a special edition NVIDIA JAMBOX, and a Logitech wireless gaming controller. Three different categories were voted on: best graphics, best gameplay, and best overall. Who came away with the wins? Read on to find out! Best Graphics
Check out Shadowgun THD in TegraZone. Best Gameplay
Check out GTA III in TegraZone. Best Overall
Check out GTA III in TegraZone Congratulations to both Madfinger Games and Rockstar, who have both pushed the bar of expectations of gaming on Android! Another big thanks to the thousands who voted for these games in their respective categories. Be sure to check out what I’m sure will be five new TegraZone hits that were announced at E3 2012 here. |
Posted: 06 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT This is a guest post by Edward Kim, an independent Android Developer best known for his apps Smarter Alarm — on sale now for $1.99 as part of our Developer Appreciation Month — and Car Locator — an Android Developer Challenge prize winner that recently received a major refresh. Check out our interview with Edward to learn more. My journey developing Android applications has been an exciting one. It started with an app I wrote called Car Locator in August 2009. After two months, I was excited to share as my first post on my blog that I was making enough money to pay for my lunch. Things really took off in November 2009 when I won 3rd place in the Android Developer Challenge 2. At that time, Android was still a very small but rapidly growing platform, so when I blogged in March 2010 about my success story of making $13,000/month in app sales, the news sent ripples through the tech community, and Car Locator came to be featured in magazines, radio shows, blogs, and even a couple seconds in a Verizon TV commercial. As Android continued to grow, so did I by building and releasing more apps. In January 2011, two of my apps won a combined cash prize of $75,000 from Verizons Power Your App Contest. Today, I have a total of 10 paid Android apps on the market. In addition to benefitting financially from Android, Ive more importantly learned a great deal during this time. This post is about two expected and two unexpected things Ive learned during my Android journey. Things I Expected to LearnBecoming a better developerThe most practical lesson Ive learned is how to code better. Writing an Android app is no small task. I had to think about compatibility with existing and future Android versions, be able to design layouts that work on anything from a tiny 2.8" phone to a 10" tablet to a 42" TV, and sometimes get down and dirty in writing native C code and dealing with compilers. As a result, I gained a better understanding of common software design patterns, acquired a deeper knowledge of advanced techniques like Java reflection, and learned more about how Linux works. I also became more comfortable with reading the Android source code and strongly believe it has made me a better engineer. Having spent the couple years prior in the web development world where we code using much higher level languages and frameworks, it was a refreshing change to be able to hone my skills on fundamentals. If you really want to improve your programming skills, writing Android apps is a great way to do it. A keener sense of how to run a business Developing and selling an Android app is similar to running a business or a startup company, but on a much more compressed timeline. When releasing my first few apps to the market, I learned so much about what is takes to run a business - finding a customer need, understanding the importance of a large market, developing a good product, marketing to the right users, providing great customer support. Unlike a traditional business that can take years to get up and running, I learned all these lessons within a matter of 2-3 months. And it has to be that way, because you cant take much longer to release an app. Even if an app isnt hugely successful, youll likely have gained a keener sense of how to run a business. Things I didnt Expect to LearnViews on time and moneyFreedom of time is far more important than freedom from money. Its great to be able to be able to set my own work schedule, know that I can go on vacation whenever I want, and generally spend my time on whatever I desire. Because of this, my life has changed greatly for the better. On the other hand, my life hasnt changed much as a result of the financial freedom. I discovered that, beyond basic needs and occasional luxuries, I dont need to spend a lot to be happy. The freedom to do what I want with my time is far more important than having lots of money. While I always suspected this to be true (perhaps because its an oft-stated adage), I didnt expect to confirm this for my own life as a result of my Android apps. [Side note: I actually have very little free time this year because just I co-founded a startup company. However, the decision was completely voluntary and Im having the time of my life right now working on it. If youre an awesome web developer and want to join me on this startup, please reach out to me!] How diverse people areOne very interesting thing Im often reminded of is the diversity of ways people use my apps. I get a lot of emails from customers every day, and I personally answer every one. During these interactions, Im always surprised to learn of the very diverse needs of users and the creative ways theyve used my apps to fill their needs. It has been fun for me to witness my apps being used in ways wildly different from what I ever imagined. It goes to show that there are all sorts of people in this world and how impossible it is to have people use your app in exactly the way you intend. *** Ive learned countless lessons and discovered many things in my journey as an Android developer. Some have been practical lessons that I can use to be more successful in future endeavors. Others have no practicality at all, and are merely personal things Ive discovered about myself. My hope is that anyone who embarks on Android development would do it not just for the money, but also for the things youll learn along the way. |
TomTom for Android Coming This Summer Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:51 PM PDT Before Google announced Google Nav for Android, the turn-by-turn direction world was dominated by two other giants: Garmin and TomTom. While Google may have eaten into their marketshare, both companies still have a humongous user base and rightfully so. The price point on Google Nav is perfect (it’s free) but both Garmin and TomTom traditionally offer better location pinpointing and have a different set of features and unique looks that their respectively loyal fans enjoy. Those loyal TomTom fans will be happy to learn that the launch of a TomTom Android App is imminent. Company co-founder claimed a launch would come “fairly soon” but it’s his emphasis that the “summer season is important for us,” which makes me think an appearance by the end of June is likely. TomTom already has a fairly successful iPhone app priced at $59.99, although it’s sub 4-star rating may worry some. You can expect that an Android version will have a very similar look in feel to the actual car navigation, while the on-phone navigation should (we hope) mirror Android’s style more closely. I’m a huge fan of Google Maps/Nav. In fact, it’s probably the single Android app I use most besides GMail. Comments on the iOS app indicate the same sentiments, and point out that a recent social media integration isn’t the direction they’d like to see TomTom take given the success of Google Maps. Personally, I can’t justify spending an extra $50 bucks on TomTom for Android when Google Maps/Nav come free and work pretty darn well. How about you? Take Our Poll[Via pocket-lint] |
LG Lucid receiving a maintenance upgrade Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:37 PM PDT It looks like the LG Lucid on Verizon is just about ready to pull down another OTA update. This one is another maintenance upgrade the primarily brings bug fixes. Build VS840ZV6 will fix bugs causing the weather widget to display erroneous information, improved GPS widget functionality, an improved dialer widget, and more. You can find the nitty and gritty details here if you want. [via Droid-Life] |
HBO Go for Kindle Fire now available Posted: 06 Jun 2012 01:15 PM PDT Kindle Fire owners have another great app to add to their arsenal. HBO have released HBO Go for the device, an app that’ll let you catch up on pretty much everything HBO. Whether it’s the cycle of movies that HBO is showing on television or an episode of a show that you happened to miss the previous night, you’ll be able to watch all of your content on the go. You can find it over at the Amazon Appstore, and be sure to confirm with your service provider that HBO Go is supported under your cable plan. Read on for full press details.
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Rumor: HTC DROID Incredible 4G to arrive June 21st, Verizon Galaxy S3 a week later Posted: 06 Jun 2012 12:11 PM PDT A couple of devices for Verizon on the horizon may launch closer toward the end of the month if Droid-Life is to be believed. According to them, Verizon will launch the HTC Droid Incredible 4G on June 21st. We can’t say for sure how trustworthy that is, but a more believable rumor of a June 28th Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 launch is also being spread around. Many customers have claimed to have heard word from Best Buy that their devices would be shipping that date. Verizon also started their pre-sale opportunity early this month so we reckon its official launch can’t be far behind. If true, Verizon looks to be set for a very interesting third quarter. With one of the most anticipated devices launching so close to its international counterpart and another blockbuster addition to the Incredible series, not to mention a lot of DROID X contracts expiring soon, sales should definitely be good. We’ll see if this all turns out to be true before too long. |
Google Earth to get highly-detailed 3D maps Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:16 AM PDT Google have today announced that Google Earth will be getting full-3D maps in the coming weeks. The 3D imaging process is so detailed that, in some cities (San Francisco being an example), every building will have its own 3D model, and even trees will pop out at you. We’ll hopefully see these features right alongside the newly-announced offline mode that was mentioned in the same press conference. If you’re interested in how Google will get such detailed mapping done in reasonable amounts, they’ve mentioned that they have control of their own fleet of planes. Some of those planes are Google-owned and some are contracted for Google’s exclusive use, and they’re equipped with cameras that will take photos at a 45 degree angle overhead. If the result seen above is the product of that method, I’m thoroughly impressed. It’ll be interesting to see how Apple responds in 5 days’ time. [Gizmodo, image via Engadget] |
Edward Kim’s Smarter Alarm on sale for 50 percent off, one day only [Developer Appreciation Month] Posted: 06 Jun 2012 11:00 AM PDT Today as part of Developer Appreciation Month we are spotlighting independent developer Edward Kim. Kim has some great apps available for download from Google Play and has graciously offered to drop the price of one of his more popular titles Smarter Alarm to $1.99 for one day only. Normally priced at $3.99, Smarter Alarm is a talking alarm clock that gathers information from various news feeds and social networks and gently urges you to wake up by reading back the highlights of the day. Think of it like setting your standard bedside alarm clock to wake you up by turning on a talk radio station, except the news is tailored directly to you. As the app’s description reads, “instead of hearing an annoying alarm, youll wake up to the voice of a robotic British woman who will read personalized information to you, like ‘Jarvis’ in Iron Man.” Suit up, Tony Stark. If you haven’t checked it out already, we asked Edward our “10 Burning Questions” and got some great answers. Check out the full interview and stick around. We’ll have more from Mr. Kim later in the day. For now, head on over to Google Play and take advantage of this special opportunity as Edward gives back to those that have made his apps such a success. Download Smarter Alarm at Google Play
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Google to bring offline maps out of Labs, now downloads full areas independent of route Posted: 06 Jun 2012 10:38 AM PDT Google have announced at their Maps event that offline maps will now be graduating Labs, and with the drop of its beta status, new functionality will be introduced. Whereas before you could cache data for areas depending on a route, Google Maps will now let you download an entire area to your phone for long-term use. While being able to download a full map of any given country would be more ideal, this is better than nothing and it could be a potential first step into something just like that. It was crucial for Google to introduce something as compelling as this with Apple hot on their heels with what is believed to be a maps-filled WWDC. In any case, some of Google’s cards are now on the table and Apple will need to respond with a strong hand in five days’ time. [image via Engadget] |
10 Burning Questions with Edward Kim, developer of Smarter Alarm and Car Locator Posted: 06 Jun 2012 09:28 AM PDT Edward Kim is a bit of an anomaly in the Android developer world. He has managed to maintain a selection of popular apps in the Google Play Store while admittedly only focusing on Android as a hobby. Developer of Smarter Alarm and Android Developer Challenge 2 finalist Car Locator, Kim has managed to turn his hobby into a profitable enterprise. For Kim the key to success has always been about focusing on turning quality code into a quality product. As he reveals, he has learned there is no “silver bullet” when it comes to publishing top-ranked Android applications. His story is a testament to the results of putting in the work in order to reap the benefits. We caught up with Edward as part of our Developer Appreciation Month and asked him our “10 Burning Questions.” Read on for the full transcript.
We’ll have more with Edward throughout the day, including a special opportunity grab one of his popular apps at a discounted price, all as part of our Developer Appreciation Month. Stay tuned, and if you haven’t yet, be sure to take a look at a few of Kim’s apps in the meantime, particularly Car Locator, which recently received a major refresh. Want to get involved in Developer Appreciation Month? Contact us and start your message with “Developer Appreciation Month”. Dont miss your chance to win! Sign up for our Developer Newsletter: its required to win most of our contests and itll feature some huge announcements that you wont want to miss. |
Apple files new complaint with ITC, seeks to ban importation and sale of HTC devices Posted: 06 Jun 2012 09:16 AM PDT A delay at US Customs that prevented both the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE from launching on time was only the beginning. While customs officials allowed the devices to enter the US after finding they were not in violation of a previous ruling by the International Trade Commission, Apple is seeking to ban the importation of future devices and to have current stock pulled from shelves. HTC claims it has made the necessary adjustments to avoid violating a previous ruling in relation to Apple patent #5,946,647, and the actions of customs seem to agree. But Apple obviously still believes HTC is infringing on their intellectual property. We’ll have to wait and see how this one plays out. [via The Verge] |
Is this Google’s ASUS-made Nexus 7 tablet? Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:38 AM PDT Google branded, ASUS made, quad-core Tegra 3 for under $200, and you’re looking at it — supposedly. PhoneArena received what is reportedly our first look at what could launch as the Nexus 7 tablet. From the front the slate looks like a blown-up smartphone with a speaker located in a handset’s normal earpiece location (not a typical position for a tablet) and an array of sensors with front-facing camera. The reverse shows off the two-tone stylings we have grown accustomed to from previous ASUS releases. Word from the insider leaking the images is that the tablet does indeed feature quad-core processing (this has been debated back and forth over the past few months) and is planned to launch with Android 4.1, which is believed to be the designation for the next iteration of the OS, Jelly Bean. We could be getting our first taste of both Jelly Bean and the Nexus 7 at Google I/O at the end of the month. Rumors still point to a summer release for the tablet. [via AndroidandMe] |
Instagram update improves search, fixes camera bugs Posted: 06 Jun 2012 08:22 AM PDT Instagram for Android has a new update ready in Google Play that addresses several persistant bugs and adds in some enhanced funtionality. The full changelog includes improved search capabilities, support for geotagged images taken from the phone’s gallery, and bug fixes for the Instagram advanced camera. Also addressed are app freeze issues specific to the HTC Sensation 4G and problems with using the tilt shift effect on lower resolution images. The update is available now from the Google Play Store. Head over now to grab it if you haven’t been prompted to do so on your phone yet. Google Play Link: Instagram [via DroidDog] |
Google TV v 2.1.1 rolling out to Sony hardware, Logitech users should be next Posted: 06 Jun 2012 07:39 AM PDT The Google TV update to Honeycomb was a mixed blessing. The improved interface and access to Android applications and games also came with its fair share of bugs and glitches. A new update is now pushing to Sony’s Google TV hardware that should address some of these issues while adding even more functionality, including the ability to watch Google Play movie rentals and support for viewing videos at YouTube Movies. The new software will bring Sony’s TVs and BluRay player to Google TV v2.1.1. Logitech Revue owners aren’t so lucky, but the Google TV team is promising some news on updates in the future. Whether this is a generic statement to tide over users or word that an update will actually be commencing shortly is anybody’s guess. [via AndroidCentral] |
IDC: Android will peak in 2012, maintain market dominance over next five years Posted: 06 Jun 2012 06:29 AM PDT As the old saying goes, what goes up must come down. It’s a simple concept demonstrated by the science governing our universe, and not even a skyrocketing Android platform can escape gravity’s drag. Market research firm IDC has published its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report, which further solidifies Android as the world’s top smartphone platform, but not without a bit of bubble bursting. IDC predicts that Android will reach its market peak in 2012 with a 61 percent share of global smartphone users. After this, Google’s platform will decline over the next five years as Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS climbs into the number two spot. The good news is that the predicted drop in Android share is not particularly sharp or drastic. By 2016 IDC says Android will hold 52.9 percent of the market, a number that equals a drop off of lest than 10 percent. The figure can be directly related to Windows Phone’s growth to a 19.2 percent share. Apple’s iOS will also decline from a 20.5 percent share in 2012 to a 19 percent share in 2016, making it the world’s number three smartphone platform by a slim margin. Of course, any number of unforeseeable events could occur that would dramatically change IDC’s outlook. A popular new platform could emerge, a current heavyweight could get pushed out of the ring. The numbers play out in a world where adoption rates remain fairly stable in relation to the smartphone market as it sits today. Regardless of what happens, it looks like we can count on Android dominating the market for years to come. [via BGR] |
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