Author: AndroidGuys

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission and Sense Networks, Inc. have announced the release of CabSense, an app designed to make finding and hailing taxis easier.  With this free application, users can figure out which street corners offer the most best chances of finding a cab based on the date and time.  CabSense provides the current location of the user as well as a few options.   If you find yourself in a part of the city with a relatively low number of taxis, CabSense will find and recommend nearby car services as well as provide an option to call a livery cab.

CabSense also features:

• Radar View — A color-coded tool that points users to the highest rated corner nearby
• Time Slider — Users can plan ahead and view the best corners to find an available taxi at a later time and day
• Taxi Hailer — Once users find an available taxi, they can simply shake the phone and it will whistle for them

Grab CabSense for free out of the Android Market or scan the barcode below!

Scan to download CabSense

A member of the AndroidForums named MartinSchirr has released a very early look at the forthcoming Fennec web browser for Android. Admittedly slow and buggy, it still gives users a little bit of insight as to what to expect when the full version arrives later this year. A quick browse through a few of the comments indicate that this only works for devices running Android 2.0 or later.

MartinSchirr put together a few videos of Fennec on his Milestone (Droid) to show how things are progressing.

According to Engadget, the long awaited Android 2.1 rollout has commenced for Droid owners.  Start earlier today, 1,000 started receiving the notification that an update is available for their phone.  By the time many of you head to bed, another 9,000 will see this message as well.  After skipping Wednesday, the rollout will hit full steam and find its way to 200,000 users a day until everyone is blanketed.  We just received a picture (Thanks Kellex!) of a Droid showing 2.1 which appears to be pretty legit.

Starting 03/30/2010, Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update for the DROID by Motorola. Users will be able to upgrade their software to version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P to receive new improvements and enhancements. – excerpt from email

Scan to download NARM

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) has released their first Android application today to provide constant news updates as they pertain to the entertainment industry. Launched ahead of the 2010 Convention and Music Business Crash Course, the free application lets users link to daily industry news and research on the go.

The app provides deeper access into the latest conventions with schedules, bios, photos videos, and more. Look for NARM in the Android Market effective immediately. You can also scan the barcode to the right with your Android handset!

SoftSailor is reporting that one of their most trusted tipsters claims the Nexus One will hit Verizon Wireless by the end of next week. We’ve been hearing things like “soon” and “any day now” for a while, but this is perhaps the most definitive window yet.   In a related note, jkOnTheRun is reporting that the Nexus One will arrive with something the other version(s) don’t have.  Being that we’re talking Verizon, we could guess this means Skype Mobile will preloaded.  However, there are plenty of other fun things to consider.

We’d like to hear from you – What do you think Verizon’ version of the Nexus One will have different from the T-Mobile iteration?

Lower price?  Flash? Sense UI?  Available in retail stores?  Sound off in the comments below!

AdMob released their February 2010 report last week and it confirms what we’ve been seeing and saying for the last year or more: Android is growing very quickly and it’s chopping away at the competition.  Over the span of 12 months, Android has gone from 2 percent smart phone market share worldwide to 24 percent.  Much of the growth comes at Symbian’s expense with the Nokia-flavored OS dropping from 43% to 18% share over the same period. 

Here in the United States, Android continues to gain steam as it grew from 27 percent to 42 percent share over the last four months.  The iPhone appears to be bearing the brunt of Android’s assault, dropping from 55% to 44% in the same time frame.  Another month of the current trend and Android could eclipse the Apple behemoth for us in the US.  To be fair, it’s nearly impossible for one handset to stave off an onslaught of phones that only gets bigger and better.

Of course, these numbers are not 100% accurate nor should they be considered definitive.  However, as long as the “system” stays the same, it should still provide valuable insight.  So how does AdMob compile their data and put these estimates together? They measure requests from a network of over 15,000 mobile sites and applications and calculate percentages based off of individual handsets.

The top 5 Android handsets in terms of requests on the AdMob network were the Motorola Droid, HTC Dream, HTC Hero, HTC Magic, and the Motorola CLIQ.

Tokyo-based KDDI Corp. plans to offer an Android-based handset from Sharp in June in an effort to compete with the likes of NTT DoCoMo and Softbank Corp. The smart phone will offer a 5-inch touch display, a physical QWERTY keyboard, and TV tuner. This unit marks the first Android phone by a Japanese handset maker.

As CTIA was kicking off last week, AT&T and Dell unveiled the forthcoming Aero handset. The sleek touch-only device which features a 3.5-inch screen and 5 megapixel camera may have something in common with AT&T’s other Android phone, the Motorola Backflip.  According to PhoneNews.com, the Dell Aero will not allow for installation of applications that do not come from the Android Market. 

We hope this isn’t a growing trend for the nation’s second largest provider.  Sadly, this doesn’t have the feel of “coincidence” to us.  For whatever reasons, AT&T doesn’t appear to like one of the fundamental benefits of Android – choice.  Thankfully, there’s still a Nexus One that can be had with the full Google experience.

How many of you were considering picking up an Android phone from AT&T only to rethink your decision?

Although we’re still a few months away from the actual release, Dropbox has decided to tease us with some details about their upcoming Android application.  The official Dropbox blog has posted some screen shots and a few bullet points letting the world know what they might expect.  If you’re familiar at all with what the service allows, you probably won’t be terribly surprised by the features. 

However, here’s what we’ve got in store!

• Access your Dropbox on the go – All the contents of your Dropbox are available for viewing. You can even stream music and movies in your Dropbox straight to your Android device.
• Make edits to your files and sync them back to Dropbox – Any changes you make to your files will sync back up to your Dropbox.
• Download files for offline viewing – Add files to ‘Favorites’ and they’ll be accessible at any time.
• Upload files and sync them to your Dropbox – Take a photo, shoot a video, or upload some audio from your Android phone and email its public link to a friend in less than a minute.
• Share links to files in your Dropbox – Yes! Any file in your Dropbox!

Handset maker Kyocera was in Las Vegas last week to show off their new Android-based Zio M6000.  Touted as a mass-market device for first-time smart phone buyers, it’s rumored to land on Sprint at around $99 with a contract.  This marks the first smart phone from Kyocera in over five years and comes roughly two years after merging business with Sanyo.  As many of you might already know, Sanyo handsets were a longtime staple in the Sprint lineup.

The Zio M6000 features Android 1.6, a 3.5-inch touch display, a 3.2-megapixel camera, microSD slot, WiFi, and a host of other specs increasingly common in Android phones.  Kyocera plans to have the handset on a nationwide US carrier by the 3rd quarter of 2010 and expects to have Android 2.1 as well. By that point, Android enthusiasts will likely scoff at the phone, but that’s fine with Kyocera.  They are not going after the early adopters and tech junkies.  The plan is to appeal to those who have never owned a smart phone and/or have a tight budget.

I spent some time playing with the phone at CTIA and found it to be rather unremarkable.  The ho-hum specs and form factor did little to excite me.  That’s not to say, however, that it wouldn’t have broad appeal with the right price point and rate plan.  At $99, the Zio M6000 could have a very difficult time contending with the likes of HTC, Samsung, and Motorola.  Considering the potential competition in the second half of the year, I’d like to see this in the $0-$50 price range when it arrives.

Fans of classic side-scrolling classics like Super Mario Brothers, Mega Man, and Sonic the Hedgehog should checkout a new game for Android called Replica Island.  Using everyone’s favorite green robot, players fly around and try to vanquish enemies and dodge trouble in search of the mysterious Power Source. This retro looking lets users roll, fly, jump, and stomp their way through 40 levels of game play.

Replica Island will work for any handset running Android 1.5 or later and can be found for free in the Android Market.  In fact, the developers have released the game as open source for the world to enjoy!

In a related note, check out the initial press release for the game.  It’s one of the most creative docs we’ve come across yet and makes for a great read.  Someone has a serious Steve McQueen fixation!

Scan to download Replica Island

Samsung Moment and HTC Hero owners will be excited to learn that Sprint plans to roll Android 2.1 out to their customers in the “coming weeks”.  As the carrier gears up for the Nexus One and,  presumably,  the HTC Supersonic, subscribers will soon have their pick of cutting edge phones and hardware form factors.  You can barely make it out, but the image above says that more information will be coming in April. Here’s hoping Sprint handles the 2.1 rollout better more efficiently than Motorola and Verizon have with the Droid.

Source: Android Central

At next month’s Beijing Auto Show, the world will get its first look at the Roewe 350. Dubbed the first Android equipped automobile, the car comes with Android 2.1 embedded into the GPS/DVDS unit. Apparently, the auto, which just went into production this week, will provide real-time traffic reports and allow for web access. As for the actual connection, it’s not known whether this will be via integrated 3G or third party wireless cards.

We didn’t recognize the name ‘Roewe’ so we took to Wikipedia. Apparently, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) purchased British car maker Rover MG back in 2004 and since produced cars in China using both names.

Source: The Next Web

We’re merely days away from CTIA and Sprint CEO Dan Hesse’s keynote address but we’re pretty darn sure we know what will be part of his agenda.  The HTC Supersonic is all but an official “go” as pretty much everyone expects it to be unveiled.  For those who haven’t heard of it, the Supersonic will be a 4.3-inch behemoth with Android 2.1 and WiMAX capability.

A member of Android Community’s message board who happens to work as an indirect dealer for Sprint stumbled upon something in an internal warehouse system. Labeled as the the HTC A9292, this is believed to be the Supersonic. You’ll notice it mentions the device as “WIMAX BAR PHONE”. As we’ve reported here before, this will be the first device that Sprint offers with support for their WiMAX network. Other specs rumored to be included in the Supersonic are Android 2.1 with the new Sense UI, FM Radio, a kickstand pro, and an optical joystick.

So, with the Nexus One and the Supersonic on the way to the Now Network, who’s looking to pick one of these up?

According to tech blog DailyTech, Verizon’s is ready to ratchet up their Android game with the launch HTC Incredible just days from now.  With CTIA next week, it’s being speculated that the nation’s largest carrier is poised to drop both this and the Nexus One on their customers in a virtual back-to-back release.  Speaking to a member of the DailyTech team, a member of Verizon confirmed that the provider will be offering the phone just two weeks from now.

As a quick primer, these are the specs we’ve assembled thus far:

• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• 3.7 inch AMOLED WVGA 800×480
• 512MB ROM | 1GB RAM
• 8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and autofocus
• Android 2.1 | Sense UI
• Optical track pad
• 1300 mAh battery
• 8GB MicroSDHC card
• FM Tuner
• Dimensions: 117.5 mm (L) x 58.5 mm (w) x 11.9 mm (T)

Latitude Widget

Google just keeps plugging away with updates to their Maps for Android handsets.  It has only been a few short weeks since the last version was released so we were pleasantly surprised to learn of 4.1 which hit the market last night.  Would this be a minor update with subtle, if any, noticeable differences?  Hardly!

There are 4 notable changes in Google Maps 4.1 and they are:

Updated Search Results – All the tabs are gone, giving  users all of the results on one page.  New buttons allow you to view the destination/result, get directions, call location, or view with Street View.

Swipe for More – The results page seen in the image to the left show ratings, buzz, and reviews.  Users can tap on any one of those to see more results.  Want more results?  Grab the page with your finger and swipe it away.  Going left or right will bring previous and next results.

Switching  Accounts – For those of you with multiple Google accounts, you’ll be able to toggle between your identities.    While logged in, you’ll be to access features like Google Buzz, Latitude, Starred items, My Maps, and more.

Live Wallpaper and Widget – Find your friends and family or view current traffic conditions with the Latitude widget on your home screen.  For those of you with a Nexus One or Droid with Android 2.1, you can set your location and map as a Live Wallpaper.  If your friends happen to come into range of your map, you’ll see them right on the home screen of your phone – all without the need to open an app.

Google Maps 4.1 can be found for free in the Android Market.  While it’s designed for Android 1.6 and above, remember you will need 2.1 if you want to take advantage of the Live Wallpaper feature.

It’s springtime which means the home buying season is starting to kick off.  Coincidentally or not, Zillow.com has just released their Android application into the market.  If you’re not familiar with them, Zillow is an online source for homeowners, buyers, sellers, and everyone else to find and share relevant information as it pertains to real estate. As of right now, they have information on over 90 million homes across the US.

Their new Android application gives users all of the great features they’ve come to expect, but with some great mobile additions.  For instance, GPS can pinpoint a user’s location and dynamically provide updates to the handset as they walk or drive through a neighborhood.

See Zillow in Action

Specific features to the Zillow Android App include:

• Zestimate home values, home details and historical data on 95 million U.S. homes – nearly all homes in the country.
• Dynamic curbside images of homes using Google Street View.
• Multiple photos, home details, and contact information on homes for sale, for rent or listed as Make Me Move, allowing home shoppers to peek inside home listings and call or email agents, owners and landlords right from the app.
• Shoppers can filter their home searches by sale price, rental price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and listing type (for sale, for rent, Make Me Move, and recently sold).
• Users can search for homes and neighborhoods utilizing voice search – just say an address, neighborhood or city and the Zillow Android App will take you there.

Scan to download Zillow

You can find the Zillow app for free in the Android Market immediately.  They are listed under the Lifestyle category.  Of course, if you have Barcode Scanner on your phone, you can grab it by scanning the image to the right!  Read more about the application by heading to www.zillow.com/android. 

Starting tomorrow, the Droid is poised to join the Nexus One as the only other Android 2.1 handset on the market.  Verizon has already updated their support page with a change log of sorts (PDF) as well as instructions for updating your Droid.  Look for the rollout to start tomorrow,  March 18th at 12:00PM EST in waves of around 250,000 each.  If you don’t see it right away, just sit tight for a bit.

Among the changes Droid owners can expect:

• Pinch-to-zoom in the browser, gallery, and Google Maps.
• Weather and News app/widget.
• Support for voice-to-text entry – tap the microphone icon on the virtual keyboard and speak.
• New Gallery application with 3D layout.
• Live Wallpapers

T-Mobile’s latest handset, the Motorola Cliq has officially gone on sale today for 129.99 with a 2-year agreement.  The touch-only MOTOBLUR smart phone features Flash-enabled software for web browsing, pinch and zoom multi-touch, and Swype.  Specs include a 3.1-inch screen, a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, FM radio, and a touch navigation pad.  Rounding out the phone are the standard Android fare of GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth.

You can head to your local T-Mobile store to pick up a CLIQ XT today or order yours online!

ZumoDrive has announced the release of their Android application today which allows for users to access and play music, video and photos without messing around with synchronization.  With 2 GB of free cloud storage, one has instant access to any and all documents and media stored on ZumoDrive, regardless of PC platform.

Thanks to background capability in Android, users can stream music over EDGE/3G connections while working within other applications.  Have a Word document or PDF that you want to access?  ZumoDrive lets you view those just the same as if you were pulling up a photo album.  In terms of video playback, ZumoDrive supports MP4 and H.264 formats.

Scan to download ZumoDrive

You can download ZumoDrive for free today in the Android Market.   If you have BARCODE SCANNER on your phone, you can scan the image to the right!