Author: David Junior

This was a short but very interesting interview with Andy Rubin, vice president for engineering at Google, shots was dished out and a few things were kind of confirmed. Android is a well known open mobile OS and the most versatile OS of any kind. This openness is the key to Androids success, many manufacturers have adopted the platform and it is really taking off.

When asked about fragmentation of the Android platform Andy Rubin said,” These systems naturally evolve, causing newer applications to not be compatible with older devices. But compatibility for us means more than it does for other people. We have to run on a screen the size of a phone and a 42-inch plasma display.” Simply put, fragmentation is a product of newer technologies. As discussed in an earlier post, Froyo will alleviate most of the fragmentation in Android and with it comes Flash integration.

Android currently runs on 9 percent of smart phones in the United States. Mr. Rubin sees the open nature of the platform the driving force behind these growing numbers. Also, he fully expects Android to one day over take Apple and Rim. Since Android is viewed as being the biggest threat to Apple, there naturally were a few questions regarding Apple. Mr. Rubin compared them to North Korea, a country that is ruled by a dictator. He also pointed out that Google uses the same SDK to produce apps as the rest of the developers in the Android community. If there is a secret API in Android, they will release it for the rest of the developers to use unlike some companies. Android and Google is all about choice and at the end of the day, choice is what will propel Android to the top spot.

[via new york times]

The LG Optimus formerly know around the web as the LG GT540, will be headed to the UK this May. LG is a late entry into the Android game but they are making a valiant effort to pump out quality Android devices. To bad there isn’t a price tag on this one but expect it to be affordable.

Specifications:

• Geo tag enabled 3-megapixel camera
• 3.5mm headset jack
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Wi-Fi, GPS
• 3-inch HVGA touchscreen
• DivX and Xvid ready

If you’re bored or just have some time on your hands the press release is at the bottom. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this device as more specs and pricing become available.

” Berkshire, 27 April, 2010 — LG Electronics, (LG), a global leader and technology innovator in mobile communications, today announced the launch of an Android-powered smartphone, LG Optimus (LG GT540), a handset offering an optimal environment for first-time smartphone users with easy and convenient mobile access.

LG Optimus allows users to enjoy diverse Android applications and automatic account synchronisation with all Google mobile services. LG Optimus also features enhanced social networking functions in a high-powered multimedia environment.

“LG Optimus is the ideal choice for early smartphone users who expect all the features of smartphones without the complexity,” said Dr. Skott Ahn, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “This is a device that was designed for regular people who want to jump into the smartphone experience but have been hesitant to do so because of the learning curve. By making LG Optimus more approachable, we hope more people will give smartphones a try.”

Optimal Convenience
LG Optimus delivers smartphone benefits in a convenient Google internet package. With an automatically synchronised Google account, users need to only log-in once to enjoy YouTube, Gmail, Gtalk, Google Maps and more. With easy access to more than 30,000 downloadable applications and games from the Android Market, users can easily customise and expand their LG Optimus experience.

The SN Manager offers integrated access to social networking sites in a convenient platform that can manage multiple accounts. LG’s dedicated Social Networking Client allows users to easily keep track of their Facebook, Twitter and Bebo accounts. Moreover, the Social Networking System (SNS) widgets provide real-time status updates directly to the home screen without having to access any other applications. The handset’s multitasking feature allows users to view updates from friends and access their social media sites while simultaneously searching the phone’s contact list.

The user interface is customisable for maximum convenience. The LG Optimus can be customised to show anywhere from three to seven home screens displaying frequently used applications, news and weather, among other information, depending on user preference. Additionally, the main menu can be personalised to include up to 10 editable categories for faster, easier navigation.

Optimal Excitement
LG Optimus includes high-powered entertainment features that make the phone extra fun to use. The advanced media player allows users to watch DivX and Xvid videos directly without separate encoding and browsing multimedia files is especially enjoyable with the 3D thumbnail gallery.

The phone’s 3MP camera supports geo-tagging, auto face-tagging and face-to-action technology to allow users to create and share multimedia content from the phone. The LG Optimus has a built-in video editor with storyboard function so that users can add music and text to videos directly on the phone.

LG Optimus boasts a distinctive design that is both sleek and soft and is available in black and silver. What’s more, the phone includes a long-lasting 1500mAh battery, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 2.1 capability, assisted GPS, 32GB of expandable microSD memory and four customisable home screen themes together with enhanced idle lock screen notifications.

The LG Optimus will be available in the UK from 1 May. For more information about the LG Optimus visit http://www.lg-optimus.com or for general LG Mobile information visit www.lg.com/uk/mobile.”

Hope you haven’t forgot about Samsung, they continue to release very good Android devices all around the world (we just hope some of them make their way here). Samsung has released the Galaxy A for South Korea. This device has similar specs to the original Galaxy but has a few new ones as well.

This handset is somewhat of a prelude to the main course, the quietly powerful Galaxy S. unlike the original Galaxy, this phone only has one hard key but it features an 800MHz CPU, 5MP camera, 8GB internal memory, video calling, T-DMB, Bluetooth 2.1, DivX support, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headphone jack and 1500mAh battery. It also has a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED PLUS screen that claims to have more touch sensitivity and clarity than any other AMOLED before it. This phone also supports SKT’s T Store, Google apps and the Android Market. And this is another Android 2.1 device.

[via samsunghub]

This would be totally cool, can you imagine playing all your games on your handset with a Bluetooth controller? Zeemote has just released an Android SDK for their JS1 controller. Most Android devices would benefit from this because it will be compatible with 1.6 and up. By the time developers integrate this remote into their games, most phones should have their update.

These controllers will help bring a console like gaming experience to Android. the fact of the matter is, even the best games on Android are hard to control with the onscreen touch buttons or even the accelerometer. Developers can register for the new SDK on the Zeemote website.

By integrating Zeemote SDKs into their existing and future applications, developers can:

• provide a superior mobile gaming experience across multiple supported platforms (while maintaining compatibility with existing distribution channels)

• deliver true analog game control ( makes games stand out)
• enable multi-player mobile gaming (two controllers to one device)
• turn a TV-out featured smart phone into a mobile game console

Jim Adams, business development at Zeemote, said, “By adding the exciting Android SDK to our stable of supported platforms, we are able to give developers an excellent way in which to make their applications really stand out from the crowd. The Android community is proving itself to be wildly creative, pushing the boundaries of convention for mobile applications. When combined with the Zeemote JS1 Controller we expect to see some radical application creativity coming out of the Android community.”

We’re all aware of the existence of the LG LU2300, aka the Aloha when it comes to the US. LG has released another Snapdragon powered Android device in Korea, the LG KU9500/SU950. These handsets have a few things in common but unlike the 2300 the 9500 is an all touch screen device.

The picture above is the LG 2300 and the one at the bottom is the LG9500. Both phones are running Android 2.1 at some point. When the LG LU2300 comes out it will have 1.6 but it will be updated shortly after its release to 2.1. they also share a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPUs, 3.5-inch AMOLED 800×480 touch screen displays, and 5-megapixel cameras.

LG announced these devices will have a new feature called “LG Air Sync”, this will allow the handsets to share contacts, calendar, mail, photos, music, and videos with a PC or web server wirelessly. Couple this with the new “Scan Search”, which is some type of augmented reality software, and LG may have some top tier devices on their hands. Pricing for these phones has not been released yet.

[via unwiredview]

For some reason most Android internet tablets doesn’t come with the ability to access the market. This factor is the reason why most people shy away from buying them. To try an offset this, the maker of the tablet usually tries to install a lot of apps that they think will be useful to the user. Now there’s a work around for this on the Archos 5, you can install a hacked version of the Market and have access to mostly ever app.

It really sucks to have to do this but at least it gets the job done for the most part. Even after performing this hack the hardware limitations of this devices doesn’t allow access to some apps. One catch is for this hack to work properly you have to be on the latest firmware for the Archos 5 which is firmware version 1.7.99. so, if you have one of these devices and would like Market access, click this link and get started.

[via liliputing]

For now this is just a rumor but it does kind of make sense. The HTC EVO 4G is rumored to be priced at $199 on contract from Sprint. This price puts the EVO on the same ground as the Incredible and other smart phones that has been recently released.

Darrin Morton from ozcarguide claims a Best Buy representative gave him this information. He apparently went to a Best Buy outlet and asked if they had information on the EVO and that is what they told him. None of this is confirmed by anyone who has real knowledge of the device nor did he get any ninja screenshots of official documents. This does seem like the perfect price point though.

Even if this is untrue, Sprint needs to stick to this price point. This phone is supposed to be the handset that keeps them afloat. Most people don’t really want to spend over that amount for any phone. Cell phones have gotten so powerful and cheap that the $199 is the sweet spot most carriers aim to hit. If this device is $299, there will be a lot of people that will pass on it even though it does have the best specs and features of any phone to date.

Motorola has just made the decision to use Skyhook instead of Google’s Navigation services. This news is relatively new and out of nowhere so there aren’t many details on how this will work just yet. Does Motorola have a problem with Google? Or, Motorola is just trying to have their devices stand out from the rest of the Android devices.

Motorola will use Skyhook’s GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular location in the “vast majority” of its phone models. So expect the next batch of Moto Androids to have more Android pieces missing then just Search. Skyhook will be coded into the OS itself, developers will have the ability to use Skyhook services in their apps. Don’t know what’s going on with Motorola but Android is open source and I like seeing it altered and utilized in different way. How about you?

[via engadget]

This news will please a few people. You will be able to purchase your apps using your PayPal account soon. PayPal has just made a deal with Google and Apple to bring their services to their respective markets.  People have been complaining about Google checkout since paid apps was released.

There are other options to pay for apps for some of use. You can add them to your bill if you are on T-Mobile or Sprint. I personally don’t mind using Google Checkout and has never had a problem with it. There has been a PayPal app available for Android for quite some time and if you would like to try it out, scan the qr code below.

[via thenextweb]

There have been a lot of Android devices leaked for Dell this past week. Most aren’t scheduled to appear until 2011. An old roadmap has recently surfaced with a few Android devices we haven’t seen until now. The Sparta, Athens and looking Glass HD (codenames for now, don’t think these names will stick).

The Sparta is an 11-inch netbook, it has a 1024 x 768 TFT display, ARM processor, and optional connectivity modules for 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It appears as though the screen swivels also. This could make for a unique user experience. Next we have the Athens, a sub-0.9kg netbook. It has the same screen size as the Sparta an ARM processor and the same optional connectivity modules. Both of these devices may be released this fall.

The Looking Glass Pro is a 7 inch Android tablet with an “HD screen” and digital TV tuner. This device is similar to the Looking Glass tablet mentioned in an earlier leak, it just has a different screen. Dell has an awesome lineup coming soon.

[via engadget]

If you’ve been waiting for the Nexus One to finally hit Verizon’s network, you can stop and take Google’s advice and get an Incredible. I don’t know if this is just a temporary setback or if they are scrapping plans altogether to bring the Nexus to VZ network but looks like it will not be available anytime soon.

Back in January when the Nexus was introduced, everyone on every network wanted to get their hands on one. The Nexus has made its way to most of the major carriers in the US except the biggest, Verizon. This is really odd because Verizon was one of the original partners at launch. Maybe VZ doesn’t want it to interfere with their in house “Droid” line of Android devices? Or, maybe the aforementioned problems some people have experienced with the Nexus scared them off? It’s possible that it may be available at a later date but nobody knows for sure. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this one plays out.

[via jkontherun]

This is without a doubt one of the coolest apps of any kind on any platform. The latest update just made it even better. There is now a picture gallery with photos taken from the Hubble Space Telescope. This app now has “Magnetic Correction” to fix the angles of the stars to more accurately depict how it would look if you were looking directly at them. I highly recommend this app for any Android user.

Market description:

Google Sky Map: A star map for Android.

Google Sky Map turns your Android-powered mobile phone into a window on the night sky.

New in 1.4: Support for Samsung Behold. Minor performance improvements.

Keywords: planetarium, astronomy, skymap

Find us on Twitter: @googleskymap
Web site: http://www.google.com/sky/skymap

This update is long overdue. Those of you that have used this app know it’s not that good, and that’s disappointing for an official app. You would think the app from the company itself would be the best but that is often not the way it is. V1.2 brings with it the ability to access your inbox and notifications. Are you excited yet? This feels like when MMS was finally made available on the iPhone. This basic feature should’ve been there from the beginning.

The announcement of this update was made on the official page for the app. There are already a lot of users posting on their page how unhappy they are with this update. It seems as though it’s still subpar for most. Personally, I don’t use it a lot. How is it working for you? What do feel is still missing? Scan the qr code and give it a whirl.

Looking for a better navigation experience on your Android device? Garmin’s entry into the Android game may the device you’ve been waiting for. this phone promises to have great navigation features that many of may feel Google Maps is lacking.

The guys over at Tmonews have gotten their hands on some pictures of the handset in the wild. I don’t know about you but no matter what the device is, I love pictures of things that haven’t hit the market yet. The device looks pretty cool and the box art is eye catching as well. head over for the full picture gallery and post your thoughts on the device here.

Rumor alert, Cisco may be entering the Android game. This rumored was pieced together during a recent CNET podcast. They received a tipped that said Cisco may be working on a 7 inch Android tablet that will be centered around audio, video and WebEx.

Along with the possible outing of the tablet, a few specs were also leaked. This device has a front-facing video camera, dual microphones with noise cancellation, and VPN support. This tablet will be marketed towards business people who want to have a secure portal to their office. It’s refreshing to see more companies adopting Android and putting their own flavor into the OS.

[via slashgear]

The versatility of the Android OS has it capabilities once again. Android has been seen on kitchen appliances and many other things. It’s only fitting that a radio is in the works.

This is a prototype called the Dreamer, it is manufactured by a company in Hong Kong company called HDigit. It features a TFT resistive touch screen, WIFI, 2W Speaker, to support DAB, DAB +, Last.fm, UPnP, Podcast and a few other unnamed surprises. This prototype is running Android 1.5 and is expected to retail for around $200 when it is released.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via engadget]

There has been a rumor around the web that Google will be adding free navigation to the iPhone. Google has denied such claims but left the door open slightly by stating that it may come to multiple mobile platforms in the near future. Also, other Maps features could make their way onto the iPhone.



Navigation was first introduced on the Droid, it was a feature of Android 2.0. After complaints from many non-2.0 users, it was made available to every device that has 1.6(maybe this was already in the works). This free navigation service gives Android a leg up on many other platforms that charge for such services, often they are not as good as Google Maps Navigation. A feature of Maps that most of us may not be aware of, routes are cached after the directions are found so even if you lose your data connection while on the go, you will still have accurate navigation information to rely on.

A Google spokesperson said:

“We did not say we would bring it to iPhone, we said to date we’ve had it on Android and that in the future it may come to other platforms but did not confirm this will be coming to iPhone at all,”

[via pcworld]

We’re a little closer to getting this beautiful tablet in our hands. Amazon is now taking pre-orders for the Archos 7 tablet. You can place your order now for a very pocket friendly $199 for this 8GB model. The 2GB model is expected to be priced at $179. Amazon may be the first of many retailers to carry this device, now shipping date has been set but it’s expected to start at the end of this month.

Product Features

* Your movies, music and photos will look great on the 7″ high-resolution touch-screen. You can even watch your favorite HD movies (720p) on the ARCHOS 7 home tablet.
* With the Android application framework you can now get your favorite Android apps on a 7″ device.
* Stay in touch with your family and your friends with the pre-installed email application. If you need to reach them right away, you can use the chat application or visit your favorite social networking sites.
* Use the USB host connection to connect a mouse, keyboard or external mass storage so you can surf the web or access your office documents easily and quickly. With the home tablet you won¿t need to start up your PC.
* With an 800 pixel wide resolution and a 7″ screen, you can comfortably surf the web in full width. No need to zoom in and out because the web pages are fully displayed on the ARCHOS screen.

As you can see from the specs above, this has a 7 inch screen, 720p playback and an ARM processor clocked at 600 MHZ. It will ship with Android 1.6.

[via liliputing]

The Android tablets are coming out of the wood work. This is another one that promises to be an affordable option for all your Android needs. It looks pretty good and if the dock comes with it, it would really be a great deal. The version of Android that is preinstalled is not known.

This tablet has a 7 inch capacitive touch screen, Flash 10.1, SD card slot (I’m assuming it’s a micro slot), Market access via the Cruz Market and some type of eReader capabilities. Are you ready to buy it yet? Looks like you’re going to have to wait a bit longer, the links on the page doesn’t work, there is no price set on the page that we can see. Maybe the page is still under construction. Most of us might be skeptical about this because the last affordable tablet turned out to be a hoax.

[via cruztablet]

Don’t break your neck heading over there just yet. We all would love to get our hands on this phone, and the price can’t be beat. It’s free and this offer comes with a few other perks.

You have to sign up as a Sprint Premier customer to win. The winners will not only get the phone for free but they will have it before it hit shelves. Sprint will also give away a job as a Sprint blogger, a “4G trip” or just cold hard cash. The winners will also receive a free year of service. To be a Sprint Premier Customer click this link, register and explain why you should be the winner in a 150 words. Good luck.