Author: AndroidGuys

After seeing tremendous interest in their mobile site from Android users, Progressive has released an full-on application to the market.  Aimed to simplify the online experience, the free app provides many of the same features as the their full website including getting quotes, making payments, and tracking claims.  It’s also possible to calculate and budget for monthly car loan payments, research crash test results and recall notices, and watch the latest commercials from Progressive.

T-Mobile USA, Inc has officially announced another Android handset exclusive today with the upcoming Garminfone.  Touted as the “first Android-powered smart phone fully integrated with Garmin’s premium navigation experience”, it features a 3.5-inch screen and a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus.

To differentiate the handset from other Android devices, the Garminfone offers some great personal navigation features.  For instance, users can navigate to an address just by clicking on it from within a text message , email, website, contact, or calendar appointment.  The camera automatically geotags images so you can find your way back to that new favorite spot on the beach or simply share them with friends and family.  The phone will also offer such GPS staples as real-time traffic, weather, local events, movie listings, and gas prices.

Like many Garmin devices, Garminefone provides fast and reliable directions with text-to-speech technology.  The phone’s display will  automatically switch between day and night mode for easier viewing when driving. This device marks the first to features the new Garmin Voice Studio app which allows customers to record and share their own voice directions.  Garminfone will come with a dashboard mount with a charging window allowing  customers to charge their phone while using it as a navigation device.

Look for more details on the phone as it approaches its spring release.  To learn more about Garminfone, head to the mini-site over at T-Mobile!

Automaker Ford has announced their new SYNC AppLink software to allow for hands-free voice control of a select Android (and BlackBerry) applications. Coming in the form of a downloadable updgrade, SYNC AppLink, will be released for 2011 Ford Fiesta owners with the “award-winning SYNC communications and infotainment system” later this year. Next year will see a larger rollout for most of their SYNC-equipped cars in addition to support for other mobile operating systems.

“The growth in smartphone mobile apps has been explosive, and Ford has worked hard to respond at the speed of the consumer electronics market,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization. “SYNC is the only connectivity system available that can extend that functionality into the car.

In an effort to help keep more eyes on the road, SYNC AppLink integrate with apps using the vehicle’s voice and user interface controls, including buttons on the steering wheel. Among the first SYNC-enabled apps due out later in 2010 are Pandora, Stitcher, and Orangatame’s OpenBeak app for Twitter. Keep an eye on the Android Market for updates to these applications

Some HTC Desire owners are starting to run into aggravation over the inability to download select apps from the Android Market.  Apparently, Google yet to “sign off” the new HTC Desire ROM and it’s hiding copy protected applications from users when browsing the Android Market.  Notable missing applications include Paypal, Twidroid, Skype, and the brand new Runkeeper. 

A couple of threads have started over in the official Android (UK) help forum with customers detailing their frustrations.  According to few accounts, HTC has been very quick to respond and address the situation, if not to toss a little blame at Google.

“Dear Andrew The explanation we have been given is that for all new ROMS released we have to supply Google with a “fingerprint” that identifies the ROM and this needs to be updated in their database with compatibility info and such so that the correct apps can be shown. Such as the market filtering out incompatible apps. We do supply these before relaese (sic) of all our ROM’s and devices however we have no say over how long it takes for Google to update their database. Best regards, Bjorn D HTC”

As irritating as this might be for some, we can’t imagine this situation will go on much longer.  The best advice we can offer at this point is to monitor the Android Market threads and periodically check to see if the apps show up.  We’ll be sure to pass along any news that comes our way.

We just received an email from Sprint inviting us to join the Dan Hesse (CEO) next month for a hands-on look at the upcoming HTC EVO 4G. Not only that, but we’d be treated to a special advanced viewing of this summer’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time weeks before it hits theaters.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse invites you and a guest to a May 12 event with our partner, Walt Disney Pictures, as we showcase the multimedia capabilities of HTC EVO™ 4G, the world’s first Android phone. Get a hands-on look at the device and see for yourself how HTC EVO™ 4G and Sprint’s 4G network leadership are transforming the entertainment industry.

We were at CTIA last month when Sprint unveiled the HTC EVO 4G and we have to admit this phone is everything they are claiming it is.  It’s super responsive, loaded with hardware features not found elsewhere, and really feels like a winner in your hands.  Unfortunately, there’s not even a hint as to launch dates and/or pricing.  Why bother even throwing an event around a handset if you’re not going to advance the conversation a bit?  Maybe we’ll buy Dan a large popcorn in exchange for some details.

Is Samsung planning to forgo the route of carrier exclusivity with their Galaxy S handset?  According to Broadpoint.AmTech analyst Mark McKechnie, that might very well be the case.  The world’s #2 cell phone maker expects to offer their latest super phone with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint by the end of June with Verizon slated as “sometime later this year”.

Elizabeth Woyke of Forbes has an interesting article up today which details the reasons as to how such a deal might have come about.  It comes down to two ideas; A) No one carrier was so over-the-moon about the phone to lock it up in an exclusive deal or B) The phone is compelling enough that each provider wants a piece of it.

What do you think?  Does the Galaxy S have enough WOW factor to sell on all four carriers?  Should they partner up with one provider only?  If so, who should get it?

Details surrounding T-Mobile’s next Android handset, the myTouch Slide, are starting to come together.  We know that the handset will come in black, red, and white iterations thanks to recently leaked photos.  In the last few days, we’ve also learned that the phone is to be called the myTouch 3G Slide, keeping with the naming scheme from earlier T-Mobile models.  As next month’s rumored release approaches, the hardware and software picture is becoming clearer. 

AndroidAndMe was able to get a virtual hands-on with the phone and shared their reaction.  According to them, the phone makes for a great upgrade to the G1 and fills the gap between first generation handsets and tomorrow’s super phones.

Here’s what we are tentatively expecting out of the handset:

• 600 MHz ARM11 processor
• 512 MB ROM / 512 MB RAM
• 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, autofocus
• 8GB microSD card
• Android 2.1, Sense UI
• Proximity sensor
• Light sensor
• Optical trackpad
• Multi-touch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps
• 1300 mAh battery
• Pre-loaded apps include AppPack, My Account, myTouch Music, Quick Office, and Abduction
• Swype is preset as default keyboard with options to change to HTC’s version or Dragon Dictionary.

With roughly one month to go before the phone is slated to drop, we expect to see some leaks regarding the pricing.  Anyone have a guess as to what the myTouch 3G Slide will run?

Have you ever found yourself out of town and wanting to listen to your local radio station from back home? If your favorite station is owned by ClearChannel, iheartradio does the trick.  But what about those thousand of other stations from around the country?  How does one tune into them? RadioTime, silly.

RadioTime provides access to over 30,000 AM/FM and internet-only stations.  As some of might know, many channel broadcast their station online using Windows Media streaming format.  RadioTime is the first Android application to support this format and presents these stations to users regardless of location.  Nearby stations are found by using the phone’s GPS capability but users can also search by genre, network, radio personality, or topic.  Also available are live sports, news, weather, and scanners.

RadioTime is available for $2.99 in the Android Market and runs on any handset with Android 1.5 or higher.  If you’d like to learn more, head to the RadioTime site for Android.

Android RadioTime from RadioTime on Vimeo.

As many of you are beginning to find out, there are scores of turn-by-turn driving apps for Android handsets.  Everyone has their own preferences, be it TeleNav, waze, CoPilot, or another.  But what about those of us who spend their days walking to and from our destinations? Google Maps offers pedestrian routes and there are those apps that take advantage of this.   The biggest problem with these apps designed for walking is that they pretty much require you to constantly be looking at your phone. Wouldn’t it be nice to throw your Droid into your pocket and still know which way to turn?

Researchers from the OFFIS – Institute for Information Technology have put together an Android app that uses tactile feedback to help pedestrians find their way.   Called PocketNavigator, is uses different rhythms and durations to tell users when it’s time to turn left or right.  All without the need to remove your phone from the pocket.  The premise seems simple enough: If the first pulse is longer than the second one, the user has to turn left a bit. Accordingly, if the right pulse, is longer the user has to turn right. If both pulses have the same length, keep going straight.

Scan to download PocketNavigator

Starting immediately, you can download PocketNavigator from the Android Market for free. Be advised, this only works on handsets running Android 1.6 and above.  For convenience, you can scan the barcode to the left of this paragraph.

For those of you interested in picking up the latest and greatest Android handset on Verizon’s network, the carrier’s pre-order site went live earlier today.  As promised, users can now go online and drop $199.99 on the HTC Incredible.  When it was announced last week, the phone was said to be $299.99 with a $100 mail-in rebate (debit card).  We just walked through the process of ordering one and found that Verizon takes $100 off the top.  Of course, this price still requires a 2-year service agreement.

As a refresher, the specs for the Incredible are as follows:

• Android 2.1 “Eclair” with Sense UI
• 1GHz Snapdragon QSG8650 processor
• 512MB ROM / 512MB RAM
• 3.7″ WVGA OLED capacitive display
• 8 megapixel camera with auto-focus and video capture
• 8GB internal memory
• microSD support for up to 32GB
• Dual-band EV-DO Rev. A
• 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, GPS
• HTML browser with Flash Lite 4.0
• Microsoft Exchange support
• 3.5mm headphone jack

You have to give Motorola credit for not churning out the same handset over and over.  It’s simple to take the route of either a slab phone or sliding QWERTY, yet Motorola keeps coming up with various form factors for Android.  Take a look at the pictures below and you’ll see the first images of a Motorola phone which borrows a tad from the KRAVE ZN4 design.

According to Engadget China (translated), this unknown handset is in the prototype stage. Look really closely at the notification bar and you will see two network indicators. Does this mean it’s dual-SIM or dual-3G capable phone? It’s hard to say, but we’d like to learn more about it. Rumored specs peg the phone with a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video recording. We can also see in one of the images that the phone has MOTOBLUR running under the hood. Could this be the v1.5 we saw in the recent Twist handset?

We’ll be keeping our eyes and ears open for more on this one so be sure to check back!

It was only a few days ago when we posted an article that had Adobe’s CEO talking about Android users seeing Flash later this year.  Starting immediately, users can sign up to get their hands on a beta for both Adobe’s Flash Player and AIR 2.0 for Android.  In a blog posted yesterday over on The Flash Blog, Lee Brimelow mentioned that the company has “just started the private betas and we are really looking forward to getting these technologies into your hands as soon as possible.”  As of right now there are no dates to share with anyone but we get the feeling things are starting to shift into a higher gear.  According to Android Police, we could be seeing both the beta release and the first signs of Froyo in May.  Perhaps something around Google I/O?

If you are interested, here are the links to each beta program:

Sign up page for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Beta for Android

Sign up page for Adobe AIR for Android Beta

Check out the video below which shows Flash on a variety of devices including a few Android phones (Nexus One, Droid).  There’s also a fantastic looking Dell tablet that really catches our eye.  Can we have some more details on that please!?

Don’t start holding your breath just yet but it seems like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 might get a much-needed boost later this year.  Two of the biggest gripes about the handset, Android 1.6 and lack of multi-touch, could be addressed by updates in the second half of 2010.  These two enhancements could put the phone back on a more level ground with the likes of the Nexus One.

They’ll have to act fast though; The super phone race is on with the recently announced HTC Incredible, HTC EVO 4G, and Samsung Galaxy S slated to arrive within a matter of months.  If Sony Ericsson doesn’t do something fast, they’ll be lost in the dust.

Handmark, makers of such Android apps as Tweetcaster and Astraware Sudoku, has partnered up with Goal.com, to create a new application aimed at football fans around the world. To be clear, the football we’re talking about is what us Americans call soccer. The free app includes real-times information and provides the ability to customize by favorite news feeds or team-specific info. Articles can be shared via social networking services like twitter and Facebook.

Tabs included in the app:

• Breaking News
• World Cup 2010
• Champions League
• England
• Italy
• Spain
• Transfer Zone

“Our loyal fans around the world want to have round-the-clock instant access to the latest football news and updates, especially during the World Cup season” said Joan Blaas, VP of Mobile for Goal.com. “Handmark was able to help us deliver a simple, easy to navigate, easy to read application that helps us deliver on the wants and needs of our fans by making our content available wherever, whenever.”

To download Goal.com for mobile just point your browser to http://m.goal.com/app directly from your Android handset!  Of course you can also grab it out of the Android Market.

Another Samsung handset was outed thanks to some digging around the Bluetooth SIG website.  Someone over at Unwired View happened upon a previously unmentioned T959 handset bearing some interesting specifications. As it appears, we might be looking at a Samsung Galaxy S headed for T-Mobile. The carrier has a history of using Samsung handsets with ‘T’ model numbers.

The T959 shows as being an Android phone with TouchWiz 3.0 UI, a 4-inch AMOLED touch screen, WiFi, and Bluetooth 3.0. Some of you will be quick to point out the fact that the Galaxy S has a SUPER AMOLED screen and this doesn’t match. This could be a typo as Unwired View notices the design description refers to a T-939, which is the Behold II.

This news is bound to please many of our readers who thought that the smart phone might have been AT&T-bound. Assuming this isn’t the Galaxy S, it’s still nice to see something with these specs headed to T-Mobile.

Engadget scored a couple bits of Dell-related Android news today and was only happy to share with the world.  First up, the Dell Aero handset is due out in early June.  You know the Aero, right?  It’s that other locked down AT&T handset besides the Backflip.

It appears that there are a pair of larger tablets on the horizon from the PC giant as well.  Beyond the 5-inch Dell Streak due out later this summer, we can expect a 7-inch and 10-inch version.  The 7-inch model should be here in late 2010 while the larger iteration is likely to drop in 2011.

The highly anticipated 2.1 update for the HTC Hero on Sprint’s network has been rumored with various rollout dates for months now.  We received an email today from a follower who went straight to the carrier and asked about the 2.1 he was expecting today.  According to the representative he spoke with Hero owners should expect an OTA notification starting in the first week of May.

What follows is part of the chat transcript he passed along to us:

“Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is Jolly K.”

XXXX XXXXX: “Is there an Android 2.1 upgrade today for the HTC Hero?”

Agent (Jolly K): “Hi XXXX.”

XXXX XXXXX: “is there a HTC Hero Android upgrade today?”

Agent (Jolly K): “Let me check the updates.”

Agent (Jolly K): “I have checked the updates. Wait is over now. The Android 2.1 HTC Hero is being launched in the first week ok May.”

XXXX XXXXX: “it was supposed to be today?”

Agent (Jolly K): “I am sorry for misinformation. The updates says that Android 2.1 HTC Hero is being launched in the first week ok May“

Agent (Jolly K): “Once it is launched it will be advertised OTA.”

Session Ended

Glympse is announcing new features to their location-sharing service today which now includes Facebook integration. Android users can share their location with Facebook friends and allow them to track real-time movement over a predetermined time period.  That’s right, you can now post your location on your wall for the world to see!  Previously Glympse allowed for sharing with phone contacts via text, email, and twitter in increments up to four hours.

“Location integration in Facebook has been unchartered territory, and now we’ve created a way that people can share where they are, while still maintaining control over their privacy,” said Bryan Trussel, co-founder and CEO of Glympse, Inc. “Glympse goes beyond check-ins to provide a tool that people can use in almost any location situation, whether it’s social or work related. By having real-time movement on a map, Glympse makes sharing whereabouts on Facebook and Twitter fun and interactive.”

Click/Scan to Download!

Users can determine whether they want to share their location with every friend, select friends, or a specific network. For those Facebook friends wishing to view a Glympse, simply click the News Feed thumbnail image. You’ll see that expand and turn into a dynamic map that tracks the sender’s movement in real-time, speed of travel, and any provided destination.

Other changes in the new release (v1.15) include a UI refresh and bug fixes.  Look for Glympse in the Android Market for free or scan the barcode to the right and download it immediately!

Here we go again. The on-again-off-again rumors of whether Flash is coming to Android took a turn for the good today. Adobe’s CEO Shantanu Narayen was on FOX Business speaking about Creative Suite 5 (CS5) when the subject switched to mobile.

We have a number of excited partners who are working aggressively with us to bring Flash to their devices, whether they be smartphones as well as handsets, and so companies like Google or RIM or Palm are going to be releasing versions of Flash on smartphones and tablets in the second half of the year.

This has been a long time coming for many of our readers.  Some of you have been more vocal than others in you desire to have the full Flash player on your phone.  Others don’t care so much.  Hopefully, in over the next few months you’ll all be happy with your options.

There is one thing to keep in mind for those of you with older Android phones.  Most of the handsets released so far, save for the Nexus One and Droid, don’t have the prerequisite ARM v7 (Cortex) needed for Flash 10.1.  So, depending on how bad you want Flash, you might be buying a new phone.

It seems like we were just talking about hitting 30,000 apps only a few days ago, doesn’t it?  Well, the semi-official word out of Google today is that the Android Market is over 38,000 applications strong.  We say apps, but we know with Android this figure also includes wallpapers and widgets in addition to those awesome soundboards. Speaking today during their quarterly earnings call, Google reported that the market jumped 8,000 apps in just the last month.

That’s a lot of apps.  But what about phones?  It was confirmed today that 60,000 Android handsets are being sold every day.  This matches what we’ve previously heard on the matter.  And as for that Nexus One and it’s supposed lackluster sales.  Google’s happy with it, adding, “it is a profitable business for us… we are driving the business to be a profitable business.”  Sounds like they are happy with the experiment so far!