We expected Adobe would release an Android beta of Flash 10.1 at last year’s MAX conference, but it never materialized. In a recent interview with Fox Business, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said we should now see Flash 10.1 released in the second half of this year.
“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.”Shantanu NarayenAdobe CEO
Flash 10.1 will require an ARM Cortex-A8 based processor or higher, which rules out all first generation Android phones. The Motorola Droid and Nexus One are the only Andriod phones currently available in the United States that will have enough power to pump out Flash 10.1 content.
The Droid Incredible by HTC is finally official. After a steady stream of leaks over the last couple of weeks, Verizon finally announced their next Android phone. We already knew the release date (April 29th) and specs, but today we learned about the pre-order.
Starting April 19th the Droid Incredible will go on pre-order online at www.verizonwireless.com. Then on April 29th the phone will be available at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores. Pricing will be $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. The full price was not included in the press release, but it is rumored to be $599.99.
In case you have not been paying attention the key features include:
Android 2.1 with HTC Sense experience
1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ processor for maximum responsiveness
Friend Stream for unified Flickr, Facebook and Twitter updates
“Leap” view for quick access to all seven home screen panels
8 megapixel camera with dual LED flash for crisp, detailed images
Razor-sharp 3.7 inch WVGA (480×800) AMOLED capacitive touch display
Optical joystick for smooth navigation
Dedicated, touch-sensitive Home, Menu, Back and Search keys
Proximity sensor, light sensor and digital compass
We hinted last month that Twitter was working on an official Android client, but some people found the news hard to believe. Since that time Twitter launched a BlackBerry app and acquired Tweetie for its official iPhone version.
Today at Twitter’s Chirp conference, CEO Ev Williams announced an Android client was next on their list.
“We found we were under-serving users. We realized we had to have a core experience on these major platforms just like we do on the Web, otherwise we are failing users. It’s (Android client) going to be awesome.”Ev WilliamsTwitter CEO
Some sites are speculating that Twitter might acquire a current Android app to make their own, but I’ve been told that an original client is already in development and has been in testing for several months.
The real question now is, how long before Twitter releases the app and when will Google integrate it into their Android operating system?
In exchange for offering their own native apps, Twitter will offer developers limitless user streams and annotations and continue to push their @anywhere platform. Twitter is hoping that devs will use their huge pipe of data to launch killer apps that start entirely new businesses.
The Devour is Motorola’s second Android smartphone for Verizon and the carrier’s first to feature Motoblur. What improvements has Motorola made since they launched the Droid last year? The uninformed consumer might think the Devour is a better phone since it is newer, but they are in for a big surprise.
Build
Form factor: The Devour features a similar form factor to the Droid with a few minor tweaks. Weighing in at 5.89 oz, the Devour is one of the heaviest Android phones to date. It is also one of the bulkiest Android phones measuring 61.0 x 115.5 x 15.4 mm.
Texting fans will enjoy the four-row slide out QWERTY keyboard. Each key is now raised up, as opposed to the flat keyboard of the Droid. This provides more feedback when typing, but it results in smaller keys. I found the Devour keyboard too cramp for my taste and I actually prefer the Droid’s.
Located on the front of the phone are three capacitive touch buttons for Back, Home, and Menu. Mysteriously missing is a search button, which is heavily used on Android phones. The Devour also features a touch pad on the front of the phone which doubles as a clickable button. The remaining buttons on the side of the phone include volume control, camera, screen lock, and voice command.
The Devour charges via a micro USB port and includes a 3.5 mm jack for your favorite pair of headphones.
Styling: My favorite part about the Devour is its overall looks. The front of the phone is covered by an aluminum finish and it feels very nice in the hand. Bright blue accents around the speaker, camera, and battery door are nice additions to the black and silver colors used on the phone.
Hardware
Motorola claims the Devour features “one of the most enhanced processors of any smart phone”, but that is kind of misleading when you compare it with the current high-end Android phones. Powering the Devour is the 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7627 processor. This CPU is based on the ARM11 family which is the same as what was used in all first generation Android phones.
More powerful phones like the Droid or Nexus One now include ARM Cortex-A8 based processors, which are the successor to the ARM11 family. In Motorola’s own words, the Cortex-A8 processors offer twice the speed of the leading competitor (ARM11).
The main benefit of the Qualcomm MSM7627 used in the Devour is its 200 MHz dedicated graphics processor. We thought this might allow the Devour to play some of the more advanced games designed for the Droid and Nexus One, but this was not the case. I tried loading Raging Thunder 2 and the framerate was unplayable. Other games designed to run on first gen phones (like Homerun Battle 3D) performed flawlessly.
On the memory side, the Devour features a 512 MB flash ROM and 256 MB of RAM. These are the same specs as found in the Droid and other recent Motorola Android phones.
The screen used in the Devour is a 3.1 inch HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) capacitive touch display. I had a better experience with the touch screen than the Motorola CLIQ, but I still had the occasional missed touch. Motorola routinely offers software updates to improve the performance of the touch screen and I expect that will be the case with the Devour.
OS: Even though the Devour is a new Android phone, it ships with the Android 1.6 firmware that was released in the middle of last year. This is an improvement over other entry-level Motorola phones which feature Android 1.5, but we would have like to seen Android 2.1 used (like the Droid).
Motorola just released their latest timeline for Android 2.1 upgrades and the Devour is listed as “under evaluation”. This means customers could be waiting till Q3 or later before they eventually receive Android 2.1.
Bundled Apps: The Devour includes the standard Verizon apps like V-Cast Music and Videos which allow the user to download ringtones and movies for a fee. Verizon also included their VZ Navigator which we tested and found it was horrible. Thankfully users can access the built in Google Maps Navigation which provides the best GPS navigation service I have used.
The one notable bundled app is the new Motorola Phone Portal. This allows users to easily connect their phone to their PC over WiFi or USB. See the video review below for a quick overview.
As with other recent Android phones, many of the bundled apps can not be easily uninstalled. Android phones are notorious for their limited internal storage space for apps, so it is disappointing to have someone else dictate how that gets used. At least Verizon limits the number bundled apps as opposed to AT&T which includes their full suite of bloatware.
Camera
The Devour includes a 3 megapixel camera without flash or auto focus. Taking still photos with the Devour produced average results. Because the Devour has a fixed focal length lens, users may experience issues when attempting to scan barcodes.
Sample pictures:
distance
detail
close-up
Sample video:
The Devour captures video at 23 fps with 480×360 resolution.
The Devour is a nice Android phone, but I have to question the timing of its release. Verizon launched it several months after the Motorola Droid, which is a clearly superior phone. If you purchase from a Verizon Wireless store, the Devour is priced at $149 with 2 yr contract vs $199 for the Droid.
One might save a little money up front, but the vast majority of the total cost of ownership comes from the calling plan and required $29.99 data add-on. If you look around online (or visit your local Best Buy), chances are you can find the Droid at the same price or cheaper.
If you wish to purchase a Motorola Android phone on Verizon, I suggest getting the Droid.
The Droid offers the following advantages over the Devour:
Android 2.1 (vs Android 1.6)
Stock Android (vs Motoblur)
3.7 inch display (vs 3.1 inch)
Faster TI OMAP3430 processor (vs Qualcomm MSM7627)
Do you enjoy playing classic games with an emulator on your Motorola Droid? Hyrum Fairbanks has “invented” the Game Gripper to bring classic controls to the Motorola Droid. The plastic accessory snaps onto a Droid and transfers the button presses to the keyboard below.
The Game Gripper has been tested with GameBoid, Nesoid, and SNesoid but it should work with any emulator that allows you to map out the controls on your keyboard. Customers can purchase the Game Gripper for $14.99 ($5 shipping) from the official Game Gripper site.
U.S. Cellular, our nation’s sixth largest wireless carrier, could soon be launching the HTC Desire. A U.S. Cellular rebate form was leaked early that clearly displays the Desire. No launch date is available, but the rebate form says customers must purchase their phone from April 16th to July 15th.
We originally expected to see the Desire on every key carrier in every key country, but no United States carriers have officially announced the device yet.
Potential customers interested in the Droid Incredible by HTC can now sign up to receive more details about the pre-ordering on Verizon’s site. Just as we reported last week, the device will become available on April 29th. No retail price has been announced, but rumors suggest the Incredible will go for $199 with a 2yr contract.
After a three month hiatus Google has updated the platform version breakdown for their Android operating system. The latest numbers come just weeks after Verizon updated their Motorola Droid to Android 2.1. The data comes from the number of Android devices that have accessed Android Market and it was collected during the two weeks ending on 4/12/2010.
Android platform versions breakdown.
Android 1.5 now accounts for the most devices with 38%, followed by Android 1.6 at 31.6% and Android 2.1 at 30%.
Since the data came towards the end of Droid 2.1 OTA update, a small percentage of devices still reported as Android 2.0.1. We believe all those devices should now be upgraded to Android 2.1 so I’m just lumping those two versions together in my chart.
History of platform versions.
Comparing the last three sets of data from Google reveals some interesting results. Android 2.1 made the biggest gains since January largely due to the strong sales of the Droid (and the addition of the Nexus One). Android 1.5 also saw gains thanks to Motorola’s trio of the CLIQ, CLIQ XT, and Backflip. Sprint’s Hero and Moment phones are also still on Android 1.5.
The only version that continues to shrink is Android 1.6. The Verizon Devour was the only new Android 1.6 device to launch in the U.S. since the last report and it joins the HTC Dream and Magic.
We expect the majority of first gen Android phones will be upgraded to Android 2.1 this quarter so look for some major changes next time Google updates the numbers.
Motorola posted an updated schedule listing the timelines of Android 2.1 upgrades for their smartphone lineup. Several additions have been made since we last saw the list including the new Backflip, CLIQ XT, and Devour.
The CLIQ XT is essentially the same device as the original CLIQ (minus the keyboard) so it is no surprise that it will be updated in Q2 2010. AT&T’s Backflip also features the same internals of the CLIQ, but it has several customizations added by the carrier that will delay its update to Q3.
Rounding out the trio of new devices is the Verizon Devour, which has no upgrade planned at this time and is under evaluation. The Devour has a different processor than the CLIQ and Backflip so this is the likely reason why it still has no timeline for an upgrade to Android 2.1. Thankfully, the Devour at least shipped with Android 1.6 (vs 1.5 on other Moto phones) which should make the wait for 2.1 a little easier.
Archos is gearing up for their next line of Android tablets which will range from 3 to 10 inches. The devices will be powered by ARM Cortex (A8?) based processors with speeds ranging from 800 MHz to 1 GHz. Prices are expected to be from $100-350 and we could see these tablets by the end of the summer. Archos claims the devices will be ultra performing with full OpenGL support and multitouch, but these features could be limited to the high-end models.
Google is ready to get serious about bringing more games to their platforms. Industry veteran Mark DeLoura was named “Developer Advocate” for games at Google and will begin the position today. DeLoura’s previous positions included manager of developer relations at Sony Computer Entertainment America, technical director at Ubisoft, and lead engineer at Nintendo.
We have witnessed Google trying to court the gaming crowd by giving them free phones, but this is their first public hire of a position that focuses solely on game development and game developers.
“I personally feel that Google hiring someone specifically to focus on games is a signal from the company that they recognize the growing importance of games as a medium. In this time of great disruption in the game industry, there are a huge number of opportunities for developers.”Mark DeLouraGoogle Developer Advocate
Android phones like the Nexus One and Droid are capable of pumping out some impressive graphics, but many of the high-profile game studios have yet to adopt the platform. As Android continues to expand to more powerful devices, there will be massive opportunities for gaming. Hopefully this new hire will bring more attention to the Android platform and my future Google TV will replace my home console system.
Intel wants to power your next Android smartphone. The world’s largest semiconductor chip maker announced today that they had ported Google’s Android mobile operating system to smartphones based on its Atom microprocessors.
We have seen Android running on the x86 Intel Atom before in tablets and netbooks (I bought one), but this is one of the first times the company has said they plan to target Android smartphones. We expected to see Intel’s Moorestown power some Android phones later this year, but Atom might be used to fill the gap until it is ready. Moorestown is Atom’s successor and Intel says it will offer better performance than dual ARM Cortex-A9 processors.
Virtually every Android phone to date has featured an ARM based processor (Qualcomm, TI, Marvell), so it will be interesting to see something different for a change. I have yet to see any upcoming phones run the Atom processor, but Intel has already partnered with Google to use the CPUs in upcoming Android-powered set-top boxes.
Major props go to AndroidGuys for uncovering the “Genius Button” on the leaked pics of the upcoming myTouch Slide. Instead of the traditional search button on HTC Android phones, we now have a new G logo. T-Mobile has apparently registered a trademark on this G and already developed a matching Genius Button application.
Details are limited, but the Genius button is said to trigger the voice input. Google has been implementing more and more voice commands into the Android operating system (like “navigate to” or “post buzz”) and the myTouch Slide could feature new abilities. Google has previously used T-Mobile to launch new Android features, so maybe this device could coincide with the next firmware release.
Also unveiled today was the fact that the myTouch Slide will come in three colors which include black, red, and white. This is no major surprise since the original T-Mobile myTouch 3G also shipped with similar options.
The Slide is rumored for a May 17 launch, so expect more details to be revealed soon. We are hearing some interesting rumors on the CPU speed (600-750 MHz), so it will be refreshing to see exactly which processor model was used. Early speculation said the Slide would feature an ARM11 based chipset, but maybe we will see a Cortex-A8 design instead (so it can support Flash 10.1).
p.s. Speaking of button layouts, why does HTC randomly rotate the order of back, home, menu, and search with every new Android device?
Our friend John from DroidDog leaked some photos of an unknown Motorola Android phone this weekend which were quickly pulled down (hint: they are real). Not much was known about the device till Android-France spotted the specs for a Motorola prototype which matches up nicely with the leaked pics.
Codenamed the Motorola Twist, this Android phone features a 2.8 inch QVGA display, 700 MHz TI OMAP 3410 processor, and a square form factor. The leaked pics look similar to the Motorola Backflip, but in a more compact size. The device could feature the same reverse-flip keyboard design of the Backflip, but the Twist name suggest something similar to the Nokia Twist.
Even though the phone comes in compressed form (67 x 67 x 15.8 mm), it should still pack quite a punch with its Texas Instruments OMAP 3410 processor. This CPU is similar to what was used in the Droid (ARM Cortex-A8), but it lacks the dedicated PowerVR graphics processor. The Droid’s OMAP3430 was underclocked at 550 MHz (600 default) whereas the Twist’s OMAP3410 is overclocked to 700 MHz (also 600 default). The major benefit of using an ARM Cortex-A8 based processor is the ability to run Adobe’s upcoming Flash 10.1.
The Twist is slated for a June release and the leaked documents indicate it will support AT&T 3G bands. AT&T already took a chance on an odd form factor with the Backflip, so they should have no issues bringing us another unique Android phone.
We don’t know what to call it yet, but LG could finally offer an Android phone in the United States thanks to Verizon. Phone Arena has spotted a device in Verizon’s system labeled the LG VS740 and it is a Google-powered phone.
A lot of codenames and model numbers have been tossed around, but the LG VS740 could be the Snapdragon slider we saw earlier this month. Phone Arena claims the Wi-Fi certificate of the VS740 matches that of the LG Aloha (LG C710) and they believe it is also the same device as the LG Eclipse (LU2300) which is headed for Korea.
The LG VS740 has already been spied on the FCC’s site and the LG Eclipse was expected to hit Korea in May. If these devices turn out to be the same, the U.S. could finally see a 1 GHz Android phone with full QWERTY keyboard this summer.
The National Football League has joined forces with Verizon Wireless to provide the deepest NFL experience on a mobile phone. Sprint previously held the NFL contract, but Verizon managed to sign a new four-year agreement with NFL Mobile.
Starting today, any Verizon customer with an Android phone can download NFL Mobile from the Android Market. The application will allow fans to watch live games from NBC’s Sunday Night Football and NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football, watch NFL Network channel 24/7, and gain access to NFL RedZone (live look-ins of every key play and touchdown).
In addition to live games, fans will also be able to access:
Video: Game highlights and an extensive collection of on-demand video featuring analysis and inside access from NFL Network and NFL Films.
Audio: Live radio broadcasts of every regular season and playoff game from both home and away teams.
Fantasy: Access to fantasy information, news, and player and team statistics.
Customizable NFL alerts, ringtones and graphics.
The first event to covered by the NFL Mobile app will be the 2010 NFL Draft which takes place April 22-24. Fans will be able to follow every single draft pick with a real time tracker and have access to in-depth profiles for all the prospects.
Live 24/7 stream of NFL Network’s coverage of the Draft from Radio City Music Hall.
Extensive collection of on-demand video of NFL Network analysis.
Pick-by-pick Draft tracker updated in real time.
In-depth prospect profiles, blogs, news and more.
I’m a huge fan of the NFL, but I am currently not with Verizon. I’d pay good money for this app, but it looks like Verizon will have the exclusive deal for awhile (just like Skype). If you are a Verizon customer, check out the app and let us know what you think.
From Android Market: Exclusive coverage of the 75th NFL Draft including prospect profiles, mock draft and analysis. Get news, headlines and updates as well as NFL Network programming – Path To The Draft, our daily inside access news show NFL Total Access and Live NFL Network coverage that will air for the first time in prime time in April.
When Samsung announced the Galaxy S, they confirmed it was headed for the United States but chose not to announce a carrier. Recent speculation suggested the phone could land on AT&T and now the evidence is beginning to pile up.
Boy Genius Report spotted the Galaxy S (GT-I9000) on the FCC’s site sporting the AT&T 3G bands. A good number of these FCC filings never turn into actual launches, but we already know the Galaxy S is coming later this year. It is always possible for this device to launch on multiple carriers, but most Android phones have been carrier exclusives in the U.S.
Which carrier would you like to see pick up the Samsung Galaxy S?
Remember all those Nexus One leaks before the official launch? Google handed out a sizable number of units to their employees (in order to test out) and new details began to emerge day by day until it was finally announced.
T-Mobile appears to have taken a similar strategy with their new myTouch Slide. Our sources tell us a select group of employees obtained myTouch Slide demo units last week in Las Vegas and new details are beginning to pop up over the web.
TmoNews has posted several new pics that show off the Slide in black and red. The phone is running the latest Android 2.1 with HTC’s new Sense UI codename Espresso. This is the same UI we saw from the leaked Espresso ROM back in January, but it has the new Sense UI features like Leap (pinch zoom homescreen).
No official specs have been revealed, but we are hearing it will be an improvement over the original T-Mobile myTouch 3G. At first I was told the device would feature the same 600 MHz CPU as the HTC Legend (MSM7227), but new information suggest it could be clocked up to 750 MHz. That is an odd clock cycle for a processor, so I’m not sure which model Qualcomm they are using yet.
We recently learned the launch date and official specs of Verizon’s HTC Incredible, but we have yet to see some non-blurry close up photos of the phone. It might be several more weeks before the product is announced (and demo units are sent out), but someone has posted a high quality render for all to enjoy.
The phone looks a lot like the previous leaks we have seen. The red battery cover has been replaced with a black one, but all the internals of the device (battery included) are still red. There also appears to be an optical trackpad on the front of the phone, but it looks different from what we have seen on the HTC Desire and Legend. I guess we will find out shortly.
The final design could still be altered, but this is the best look at the phone I have seen.
We always enjoy a good advertisement about Android, even when they are silly and limited to YouTube. Some of these are three months old, but Motorola attempted to launch a viral video campaign in a series of YouTube clips that offer “SECRET MOTOROLA DROID UNLOCK CODES”.
Each video in the series show a secret code that can unlock hidden powers on your Motorola Droid. It looks like some of the early videos bombed, but the newer ones are picking up in views.
Hit or miss? Do you think Motorola got their money’s worth on this promotion?
To see the remaining videos, visit DROIDshortcuts on YouTube.
