Droid Life

Samsung Announcing the Nexus Two on November 8th?

Kellen — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:26:04 +0000

Update: Most people are pretty sure that it's still going to be the Continuum which we thought back when this date was announced. Oh well, was worth some good chatter. News sort of blew up last night over a couple of subjects. First was about the Droid 2 update which looks to set the device a slight step ahead of the Droid X in software versions and will include some neat little features like the ability to set a contact picture from your gallery. The second bit of news might have been even bigger and was announced on the air during Radio Android's weekly show, having to do with the Nexus Two. An anonymous tipster sent info to their hosts claiming that Samsung would be announcing the follow-up to the Nexus One in their press event which is happening on November 8th in NYC. He also managed to toss out some details which of course have yet to be confirmed:

The device will be the Nexus S

It will be branded as a Google experience device featuring Android 2.3

It will have the same 4″ SAMOLED screen seen on the Galaxy S devices

It will feature the same Hummingbird processor from the Galaxy S handsets

It will be easily rootable like the Nexus One was

It will be at least GSM, unknown about carrier or CDMA

It will have no hard buttons on the face, similar to a Vibrant

Sound good to you? Well, at almost the same time that news dropped over the air, our buddy Taylor from Android and Me posted a similar story which he uncovered from "multiple" sources. This is big, people. Now, before we get more Samsung hate like we saw on Twitter last night, understand that this will have to be a Google Experience phone just like the N1 and original Droid. If Samsung truly does announce this device, this will be the next developer phone so it won't have a custom skin on it or come preloaded with Bing. This will be the real deal and a phone that almost all of you should consider if you can't stand locked down phones with manufacturer skins. You've all seen how often the N1 receives updates right? Sick of waiting around for them on another device? Then this might be the one for you. Thoughts? Via: Radio Android, Android and Me

DROID 2 Update to Version 2.3.20 Rolling Out Soon, Possibly at Midnight

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:01:09 +0000

The Droid 2 update we talked about back on the 18th is finally ready to be downloaded to devices. Well, almost ready. As you all know by now, the new Motorola devices allow for "pulling" of updates and if you check your D2 About>System Updates page, you might not be able to grab it just yet, but wait until midnight and that might change. The update includes:

Improvements:

Improved battery life.

Heightened proximity sensor accuracy to enable faster screen response.

View the Weather widget in both landscape and portrait orientation.

Simpler setup, improved user interactions, and better notifications for Visual Voice Mail.

Background Email Sync during display inactivity for better user experience.

Support for email domain suffixes containing more than three characters.

Keep text messages organized with chronological in-box screen.

Edit text messages after you’ve inserted a video file.

Improved audio sound during recorded video playbacks.

Stream Guided Tour videos on device in Help Center application with ease.

Faster location tracking during GPS navigation.

Faster transitions between Wi-Fi and 3G in data connection.

Enhancements:

New ability to add pictures from your Gallery to a contact.

Export all your contacts to the SD card.

View details of Social Networking contacts.

VZ Navigator is now preloaded on device.

Via: Verizon

Wednesday Poll: Thoughts on Verizon's Tablet Lineup?

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:49:41 +0000

Tomorrow marks the day that the enemy invades our favorite wireless carrier and we'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Are you interested in the 10" iPad? Are you waiting for the smaller, but Android-powered 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab? Are you waiting for something else? Maybe something that will be released in 2011? And as always, feel free to express yourself in the comments. [poll id="22"]

Original DROID Makes Hip Hop Debut in Mac Miller Video

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:05:04 +0000

Droid also does hip hop. Check out this Mac Miller video called "Nikes on My Feet" that features our favorite smartphone and that damn rooster alarm which comes pre-loaded on it. The appearance is in the first 30 seconds, so if you aren't down with the smooth beat, feel free to cut it off after that. To the rest of you, enjoy the music.

Cheers Jack!

Clockr Battles Tajm for Best Minimalist Clock Widget

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:33:18 +0000

There are 2 really simple clock widgets available for the minimalist enthusiasts out there that we highly recommend. The newest is Clockr which showed up in just the last week and seems to have taken the world by storm with its super clean approach. It has one setting for now, but the developer behind it is hoping to add color options in the very near future. The other option is Tajm, which has been around for a long time, but doesn't seem to get the amount of love it deserves. It's from the same developer who created Battstatt and offers you a little be lengthier time stamp plus some color options, but is just as lovely. Which one is your favorite? And of course there is always TypoClock.

Download Clockr | Download Tajm

Via: XDA Forums

DROID X Theme: Xpired by Rola and JsinLegacy

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:36:34 +0000

Team Incognito is at it again with an another amazing Droid X theme. We'll keep featuring their work until someone else comes along with something hotter. Please say hello to Xpired by Rola and JsinLegacy which might be their finest work to date. Xpired runs on top of RubiX Focused 1.0 only, and is a Blur-less ROM that has few rivals. Just wait until you see the boot animation. Download: Xpired1.0.0.zip Other goodies: Droid Life Wallpaper | Launcher Button Instructions:

*You have to be running RubiX Focused 1.0. Find it in ROM Manager under "DRod2169".

1. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 3. You need to run Koush’s Bootstrap Recovery. 4. Your phone needs to be deodexed or running a deodexed ROM. (Instructions) 5. Open the DX Bootstrap and “boostrap” the recovery. 6. When that finishes, “reboot recovery.” 7. Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery, scroll down to “backup and restore.” 8. Choose “backup” to make a clean backup of your phone. 9. When that finishes choose “install zip from SD card.” 10. Then “choose zip from SD card” and find the Xpired.zip, select it and hit “yes.” 11. Your phone will apply the theme. When it finishes, reboot and enjoy!

Full support thread including donate links found here.

[gallery link="file" orderby="title"]

Verizon 3G Data Plan Pricing Info for Smartphones and Tablets Starting 10/28

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:58:11 +0000

If you were looking for a simple chart of the new 3G smartphone and tablet pricing plans headed to Verizon, then the one above should cover it all. You'll see the two tiers that will be available as of tomorrow (10/28) for smartphones, plus the new month-to-month tablet options. So far I'm liking the options that Verizon is providing especially when you compare them to AT&T's. (Pictured below.) For those considering the drop to the $15/150MB plan, you need to understand how overages work. If you eclipse the 150MB mark at any time during the month, you will be charged an additional $15 for an extra 150MB and will not be given the option to step into a pay-as-you-go tier. It is also my understanding that if you then eclipse your 300MB allotment, chances are that you will be charged $15 again for each 150MB after that when you could have just purchased a $29.99 unlimited plan to begin with. That all make sense? Verizon has created a data calculator to help you decide which plan to go for. Here is how they compare to AT&T:

We also heard that their will be 4G price lifts, but no specifics were given. Thoughts?

Seidio Innocase Surface Available for DROID 2

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:20:17 +0000

The Seidio Innocase Surface case for the Motorola Droid 2 is finally available. Seidio makes some of the more popular (and expensive) cases on the market, but seem to leave most customers very satisfied. The Innocase for the D2 has been delayed or stalled for a while now, so those case-crazed owners can now breathe easy. Oh it's not in our accessory store yet, but we're hoping it will be soon. Buy it here. Cheers Aon!

Swype Beta Update Coming Early November, Fixes Accuracy and Installation Problems

Tim — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:48:43 +0000

For those of you in the exclusive Swype Beta program, get ready for an update! A source at Swype Inc who has asked to remain anonymous just told Droid Life that a new version of the Swype Beta for Android is going through the last stages of internal QA testing now. If you have an account that's been accepted to the beta, expect an update to hit your email inbox sometime during the first week of November. The update should resolve the vast majority of - if not all of - the problems with installation, and fix some accuracy issues introduced in the last update. Supposedly there's more stuff than that in the update, but we couldn't get a confirmed list. Update: That is a screenshot from K's DX, there are no plans that we know of that include a microphone button in this release.

PayPal Blog Announces Android Support Prematurely, Gets Pulled Immediately

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:02:52 +0000

According to PayPal, Google has already announced support for their payment system into Android and they wanted to make sure you all knew about it through their blog. Well, for a few minutes anyway. The post which went up yesterday was pulled, but not fast enough as Google Cache continues to work wonders after all these years and still displays the little gaffe of a post. We're not surprised at the arrival nor are we at the mis-posting of another article on another tech site. And no, Google has not actually announced PayPal as a payment option yet, but we figure that it's coming any day now. Via: TechCrunch

Playstation Phone is Real, Poses for Photoshoot

Kellen — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 07:19:43 +0000

When the gallery of pictures went up on Engadget last night for the Playstation phone, our inbox blew up with excited emails! Apparently we have some gamers in the crowd that were more than excited to see this device appear to be real and headed for store shelves possibly by X-mas, but will more than likely show up a at CES in January. The phone has all of the specs to compete with the best of them and might even have its own gaming market. This PSP has the same configuration of buttons you'd see on the non-phone PSP only it'll pack some power and Android. Here are some of the rumored specs:

Runs Android 3.0
Sports a 1GHz processor
Screen size from 3.7 to 4.1 inches
512MB of RAM
1GB of ROM
microSD support
Special Sony Marketplace for games

Ready for this? Source: Engadget [gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4" orderby="title"]

QuickDesk Beta Updated, Includes Quick Panel Task Switching

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:56:42 +0000

Anyone remember the Helix Launchers? What about Faruq, the mastermind behind them? Or his QuickDesk beta which landed on the market back in June? Well Ruqqq has returned with an updated version of QuickDesk that now includes a "QuickPanel" which is sort of an on-demand task manager. No this is not one of those dirty Advanced Task Killer programs, this is simply a more convenient way for you to manage your phone from any screen. Oh, he also tossed in some nice notifications icon updates using ADW Notifier. There are so many little tweaks to this update, that it could take me 4 pages to write about them. To get the full write-up, straight from the developer's mouth, check out Faruq's blog for QuickDesk. For Droid X users, you will run into an issue with the home button double-tapping. A fix is available here.

Download Link

Google Readies Nexus One Follow-up, Launching by Christmas?

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:09:35 +0000

Has Google already created the follow-up device to its Nexus One? According to reports today from the UK, the Nexus Two (we'll call it) is built, loaded with Gingerbread, and will be sold exclusively through Carphone Warehouse by X-mas. (Who?) A company based out of the UK, meaning if this rumor is true, Google must already have some plans to hook up with a U.S. retailer to distribute this puppy stateside, right? No news on any of the specs, but if we look back at the Nexus One, you have to figure this will be the next developer phone and one that trumps almost anything else. That picture above is by no means a mock-up of the Nexus Two and should simply bring back some laughable memories to a few of you long time readers. And didn't Google also say just a few months ago that there would not be a follow-up device? Via: Eurodroid, City AM

Rumor: HTC Incredible HD Headed to Verizon on November 23rd?

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:39:53 +0000

According to reports, there is an HTC Incredible HD in the hands of certain Verizon reps and is scheduled to launch on November 23rd (Yes, next month.). You may remember this device after shots of it leaked out through BGR a couple of months back, looking like the HTC device which we wish had landed on VZW from the beginning. There were rumored specs such as a front facing camera, 4.3" screen, etc., but what we really know now is that if it comes out, it'll be the U.S. version of the Desire HD. All I can say, is that I know a mysterious HTC phone has been in the hands of a couple of testers, but have not heard one word about a possible release date. It seems unlikely that it will be released for the holidays, especially with an entire lineup of phones hitting stores on the 11th including 2 new Droids, but you never know. One thing I have been told is that the Droid Pro and Droid 2 Global were supposed to be the final "Droid" branded phones for this year, meaning if this comes out, don't be surprised if lacks our favorite tag. Oh and it's apparently not 4G LTE, so why would we consider it when we'll have a whole lineup of 4G devices in early 2011? Or is this a must-have? On the hunt for more! Via: Phandroid, Droid Forums

Samsung Galaxy Tab "Things to Know" from Verizon

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:57:25 +0000

We basically already know everything there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but a few more Verizon tidbits couldn't hurt, right? Click that image for the big boy version and read up on this interestingly priced Android tablet. Other details:

Cheers DL app tipster!

Motorola Releases Updated Media Link, Finally Sync Everything with your Android Phone

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:34:32 +0000

Motorola has released an update to its Media Link software that includes a ton of new features like syncing of iTunes and Media Player files without having to pull your teeth out. After just a quick 20 minutes of testing, this update appears to have revived the software and might even get some usage from me. I've used DoubleTwist in the past and it always stays on my computer for 5 minutes before the frustrations kick in and I have to uninstall it, but this new Media Link looks like it'll be a keeper. Oh, this might only work with Motorola devices. Download it here. Cheers Jim!

Download: Droid Life Themed LauncherPro

MrPicolas — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:48:29 +0000

Well thanks to a very nice themer (Signals23) over at XDA, we now have our very own Droid Life version of LauncherPro. We have shown his work here on DL before, but this one deserves some special recognition. Signals23 is responsible for many of the themed versions that you've seen of our favorite home replacement app and this will be a great addition to his lineup. Donate to signals23 here. Please help support him if you can. Without talented people like this, our homescreens would be well, bland. I also would like to thank ardchoille over at LauncherPro forums for the source image I used to produce this dock. Download: Droid Life LauncherPro

*You may need to uninstall your current LauncherPro first. Backup those settings though! *You will also need the Plus version in order to use the widgets.

And of course the docks to go with it:

Have fun and enjoy! -Dr. Root (MrPicolas)

Android Fans Take Down "Best Mobile OS" Poll from WSJ in Classic Rigging Fashion

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:59:54 +0000

Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal started running a poll which asked users "Who makes the best mobile operating system?" and after Apple jumped out to an early lead, the Android posse brought us back to take over the top spot. Then out of no where came Microsoft, who basically over night, managed almost 13,000 votes to take a substantial edge over everyone else. This definitely pissed off some Android faithful who have apparently rigged up a bot or some sort of hack to drop vote after Android vote on the poll. As you can see from the shot above, the Android numbers are well over 400K and if you refresh the poll page, can see that they aren't stopping now. Oh Android peeps, I love you so. Via: Phandroid

Frostwire P2P Sharing App Released for Free or $4.99

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:19:12 +0000

We've been following Frostwire since its alpha testing days back in June and are excited to see it officially launch today on the Android Market. What is Frostwire? A peer-to-peer application that allows users to share files over the internet with thousands of users or locally with just your friends on a personal network. I hate to bring up the original Napster, but this falls into that category as a file sharing service. Features:

– Search files in up to millions of devices. – Browse the files of your closest peers. – Download and offer files (your own and from others). – Publish files to your favorite Social Networks. – Public P2P Chatroom with file sharing features. – Send private messages with attached files. – Absolute control of what you share. – Browse and rename your own files. – Auto-updates.

*One recommendation* - I highly suggest that when you first load up the app, that you immediately go into Menu>Preferences and uncheck anything you do not wish to have shared. Disconnect and reconnect to make sure the settings stick or you may be broadcasting everything on your phone to the world within seconds. The team behind Frostwire has released it as a free app through their website and as a paid app for $4.99 in the market (use the QR code below). As always, we highly suggest that you at least try to donate if you don't go for the paid version. You will find a "Love Frostwire?" button in the app which will allow you to (pictured here).

For more information visit the Frostwire blog. Follow them on Twitter here.

Tip: Search for Android Apps Using Google Mobile Search

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:08:19 +0000

Not a big fan of the way the Android Market searches for apps? Then feel free to use regular old Google Search for the task. If you open up google.com from your mobile browser and hit the "more" pull down menu, you will see the option to search for "Android Apps." Once you find the app you have always dreamed of, like ours, tap on it and you will be redirected straight into the market for installation. Sweet right? And speaking of Google Search, anyone else seeing "Instant beta" yet? Still nothin' on my phones. Cheers EaglesDudeNFL!

DROID Makes Political Debut, Gets Aide Fired

Kellen — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 07:35:08 +0000

Our beloved Motorola Droid made an appearance last night during a live television political debate in Florida between Alex Sink and Rick Scott, and left quite the impression. During a break, Sink's (on the left) makeup artist delivered her a sneaky text message from a campaign aide which is a giant "no-no." Scott (on the right) sees this all go down as clear as day and outs her! Scott calls her out for using an "i*ad or i*od", but CNN was quick to correct him, calling it a "Droid smartphone." Dirty little politicians...

"First Alex, you say you always follow the rules," he said. "The rule was no one was supposed to give us messages during the break, and your campaign did with an iPad or an iPod." For the record, the device Sink read from was neither an iPad nor an iPhone but a Droid smartphone.

And here is the video: The aide who sent the text message was fired after the debate. The makeup artist, not. Via: CNN Cheers Tad and Papawiskas!

PayPal Payments on Android Confirmed through Developer Account

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:49:41 +0000

The rumors of PayPal coming to Android as a payment option started getting heavy at the beginning of the month with the most recent word suggesting that it would go live after their developer conference this week in San Francisco. How close are we to that happening? Really close if you take the screenshot above to mean what we think it means. According to the profile page for Android developers, there is now an option to add your PayPal account, so that you can easily transfer funds from it over to your Google Checkout account. And why would devs have received funds into their PayPal accounts? Because we would be buying their apps with our PayPal monies, silly people. Via: Phandroid

Android Market Officially Hits 100,000 Apps

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:29:04 +0000

Another milestone for the Android platform! In celebration, how about we all list out our favorite apps? Some of our all-time favorites:

Via: Twitter

Polarbit Pulls Reckless Racing from Android Market, Piracy Adding to Server Issues

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:45:02 +0000

One of our favorite new Android games Reckless Racing, has reportedly been pulled from the market due to in-game server overload which its creator Polarbit, is blaming partially on piracy. In a recent news post, they went into detail on some multiplayer server issues they were having, but then made sure to publicly announce their dissatisfaction with a growing number of pirated copies of their game...

In addition to the many legitimately sold copies of Reckless Racing that are accessing our data servers, there are also regrettably cracked versions of the game floating around since a day or two. These get the game data from exactly the same servers as the legitimate versions, further adding to the difficulties experienced by those of you who have paid for your copy of the game. The number of users running pirated copies will most likely continue to grow, creating an unsustainable situation and forcing us to employ additional security measures. This will regrettably delay Reckless Racings reappearance on Android Market a little further. We hope to have the new servers up and running, along with the updated build on Android Market by Tuesday afternoon, CET.

It's a pretty sad world we live in isn't it? The game costs a measly $2.99, should cost way more, and people still can't bring themselves to pay for it. Support the damn developers already, people. Update: Game back on the market. Check out our video walk-through of the game below...

Source: Polarbit Via: Droid Gamers

Samsung Announcing New Android Device on November 8th

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:12:55 +0000

The holidays are creeping up and we were starting to wonder if we would actually see any major Android devices landing on store shelves or if this year's shopping season would be uneventful, while we all look forward to CES in January. Up until now, we had only heard a few rumors, but we're thinking Samsung is prepping something major as they have just invited media members to a special event on November 8th. Update: Reader Endisky suggests it will be the Continuum and we're pretty sure he's right.

Join Samsung Mobile for the unveiling of a new Android device.

What could this be? People have suggested that this might be a "stock" Android device and that the stock market ticker is the clue, but that giant blue box up there is the TouchWiz launcher button leading us to believe it's something else. Maybe the first Gingerbread device? Afterall, Google did unveil their new statue on Friday. Ideas?

Twitter Contest: Win a Samsung Galaxy Tab from your Carrier of Choice

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:07:35 +0000

Samsung just announced a Twitter contest that will give 7 lucky Android enthusiasts the chance to win a Galaxy Tab from the carrier of their choice. The contest will run from today through November 8th and all you have to do is follow them on Twitter, tweet your response to a question they have posted (like this one), and make sure to include the hashtag #WINGALAXYTAB along with it. Simple right? A recap if that wasn't clear enough:

Follow @SamsungMobileUS.
Tweet an answer to their question of the day. (1st question)
Include #WINGALAXYTAB with your answer.
Contest ends November 8th.
7 winners can choose the Tab from their favorite carrier.

Jump on it!

Powermat Releases DROID X Receiver

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:40:48 +0000

The Powermat receiver door for the Droid X has been released for $39.99 and should ease the charging worries of thousands of battery obsessed individuals. While I personally have yet to use a Powermat, the concept is something that should be considered, especially with a variety of devices always fighting for an open USB slot on my computer. Although, I'm not sure I'm super thrilled about the squared protrusion off the side of the phone with this new back attached, I'd love to hear some readers' thoughts. Buy one here. Anyone a big Powermat-er? Via: Phandroid and Kane for the tip!

Google Instant Hits Beta for Some Android Devices

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 09:14:37 +0000

Google launched "Instant" back in September for non-mobile devices, but it looks like they've released a "beta" into the wild for Android. One of our forum members (marc11284) tipped us after noticing his Google search page had an interesting note attached to it referencing "Instant (beta)" being turned off. So far we're only hearing of it landing on the original Droid, although ours doesn't have the instant option yet. We'll be digging for answers as to when we can all expect the "Instant" feature to mysteriously show up. Check your phones now! Update: Readers are reporting it on their Droid X, Incredible and OG.

Source: Droid Life Forums

Slick UI Announced as Aesthetically Pleasing Home Replacement Option

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:59:32 +0000

It seems these days as if LauncherPro and ADW Launcher are the only two home replacements options that anyone talks about and while we're not complaining, we're just wondering when the next big thing will drop. Could it be Slick UI, a recently announced and "aesthetically" pleasing option with a "wonderwheel"? XDA member Caemgen is leading this project that we are hoping actually makes it to some sort of release stage. They are still in design mode right now, so don't expect this to hit your device within the next week or two, but we'll keep an eye on it though, as it has potential to be amazing. App drawer and video after the break.

And video...

For more information and to sign up to possibly test out alpha and beta releases of Slick UI, head over to the dedicated XDA Forums thread. Cheers Picolas!

Samsung Tab Coming to Best Buy as Wi-Fi Only and in Silver for $499

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 07:35:32 +0000

Hallelujah! Wi-fi only version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab for just under $500 bucks and not in that boring all-black that Verizon will have it in? Sold. Well, maybe sold. Since we all planned on tethering to the device anyway, is the $100 drop in price (from $599 on VZW) getting you a little more excited about the first major Android tablet? This is definitely what I've been waiting for and have to admit that the silver color option has me even more jazzed. (Yes, I said "jazzed.") Nice work Best Buy. Oh and Sprint just announced theirs for $399 on 2-year contract. Anyone want to start the rumor with me that Verizon was forced to sell the Tab off contract-only in order to get the thumbs up from Jobs to sell iPads? Via: Pocketables

LG 4G LTE Verizon Device Makes Appearance, Could be Tegra 2

Kellen — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 06:52:31 +0000

One of the first 4G LTE phones appears to have leaked out over the weekend and it's not made by Motorola or HTC. Nope, this hot little number is made by non other than LG and looks like one of the hottest phones we've seen in quite some time. Rumored to be an Android device with a Tegra 2, we can also see that it takes HD video, possibly has a front-facing camera, and has a massive screen. Sign me up. We aren't expecting it to launch before the holidays and could be another of the many devices that will debut at CES in January. Thoughts? Via: Engadget, Android and Me

DROID Pro Launching on Verizon for $299 on 2-Year Contract?

Kellen — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 11:03:49 +0000

Anyone willing to pay $299 for the Droid Pro on November 11th? A test site is now live for the next Droid family member and that's exactly the price we're seeing. Will it stick? We're hoping that it won't and is likely just a default price during an initial setup of a device's page and that a $100 instant rebate will come when it goes live. Or is this the new pricing model for the set of new global roaming Android devices from Verizon like the Droid 2 Global? Interesting stuff, that's for sure. And one more shot from my phone...

Update: An iPad test page is also live showing a $699 price which is correct. Looks like $299 might be correct after all, but they could still slap on a rebate...

Thoughts everyone? Cheers wade_county!

Video: Sony Internet Blu-Ray Player, Google TV Unboxing and Hands-on

Kellen — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 10:08:34 +0000

We've had our Sony Internet Blu-ray player for three days now and finally sat up long enough from our comfortable couch slumber to put together a walk-through of Google TV for those of you interested in this new technological sensation. Actually, we've included the few day old unboxing too, so that you can see exactly what we're working with here. First impressions? This may not change the world, but it's definitely changed most of the way I enjoy entertainment, while chillaxin' in front of the tube. Unboxing:

Full Walk-through/Hands-on:

Anyone have any questions?

Google Makes Gingerbread Official through Video Statue Unveiling

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:53:45 +0000

And Gingerbread the name is at least official. Looks nice sitting next to the Froyo statue doesn't it?

Release date now?

DROID ROM Friday: RZ Baseline By 'RZ'

Tim — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:30:03 +0000

Remember the Alien theme? Well my buddy RaidZero has gone and outdone himself yet again. Developing ROMs! Pardon my French, but may I just say, "zOMG?!?" I really enjoy the Alien theme and the colors it offered, but now he has taken FRG22D and trimmed it down into one of the speediest ROMs I've had the pleasure of testing and running. With this ROM, and during the SPRecovery (needed) flashing process you are given the chance to choose colors (9 in total), and also kernels. The RZ Kernel is stripped almost bare bone meaning no Wi-Fi, no Apps2SD, and no tethering. So for all you advanced users, I recommend choosing the Slayher kernel where all these things are still possible. The reason for the lack of features is actually a very good reason: Performance, speed, and battery life. Your phone will not be dying anytime soon running this one, that's for sure. There are a few really neat features such as the "Long press back to kill app." While in any app, you hold the "Back" button for 5 seconds and it kills the task. Also a very nifty Power Menu which he thinks we should all like. Have fun!

Instructions:

For "OG" Droid1 Only.

1. Using an SBF or ROM Manager - Flash SPRecovery "Alternative Recovery". 2. Download ROM File Here. 3. Place the .TGZ file on root of your SD Card. Do not rename or change file extension. 4. Boot into SPRecovery (Power+X) and select "Choose Zip from SD". 5. Select the RZ Baseline file and hit the Camera button. At this point it will automatically create a Nandroid Backup for you. (Neat, right?) After it completes the backup proceed to step 6. You will now be prompted to "wipe system>data>cache." For first installation you MUST do so; there is no way around it. 6. Select "Yes" to Wipe System. 7. Select "Yes" to Wipe Data. 8. Select "Yes" to Wipe Cache. 9. Select which color you would like. 10. Select which kernel. (Slayher kernel recommended) And that is it! Reboot system and you are good to go! Now I am sure there will be people who run into issues. Please visit our Live Support Channel on the Freenode network or leave comments/questions down below. You guys know the deal. Have a great weekend! -Tim-o-tato [gallery columns="4"]

TweetDeck, Foursquare, Documents to Go, Voice Search, Google Goggles All Receive Updates

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:15:42 +0000

Friday looks like app update day for some of the major players. TweetDeck, Foursquare, Documents to Go, Google Voice Search and Goggles all saw updates either yesterday or today. Some are minor tweaks while others like Docs to Go saw some pretty big changes. Go get your update on!

TweetDeck changelog here. | Voice search info here. | Documents to Go here.

Foursquare above. | Goggles above.

Cheers @asianmario!

How to: Overclock the DROID X or DROID 2

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:31:36 +0000

A lot of talk about overclocking the Droid X and 2 today, right? Confused on how to actually get the job done? What apps do you need? What settings should you use? We'll do our best in this post to get you all set up, so that you can fully enjoy your Droid.

*Warning* - Overclocking and rooting your device is incredibly risky. There is a chance that you could do permanent damage to your phone, just understand that you are doing this at your own risk. Warned ya! *DROID 2 AND DROID X ONLY

First Steps:

1. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 2. You need to have run Koush's Boostrap. (Droid X) (Droid 2) 3. Create a backup in Clockwork Recovery. (Instructions)

Overclocking:

1. Download one of the new overclock apps. (JRummy's) (Unstable Apps) 2. Open up your app of choice (we used JRummy's for this.) 3. Tap on "Set Scaling Frequencies".

*Note 1* - DO NOT choose to "Set Frequencies on Boot" yet. We have to feel out a stable frequency on our phones first before making that decision. If you choose one that is unstable and "set it on boot" your phone may never boot back up or you may have to flash a backup.

4. Choose a kernel voltage.

*Note 2* - Here is the basic idea of a kernel voltage. The lower the voltage, the cooler your system will run and you should see a longer battery life.

5. Pick a frequency.

*Note 3* - When you tap on one of the listed frequencies, it will be set to your phone. *Note 4* - Each frequency has a variety of slots which you can also set your phone at. So just because you chose a 1.4GHz frequency, doesn't mean you have to run it at that speed. You could drop it down to 1.1GHz if you want.

6. You have now set your phone for overclocking.

Using SetCPU:

1. Download and install SetCPU from the market.

*Note 5* - This tool is used to set up your overclocked phone for optimal performance.

2. Open SetCPU and choose "Auto-detect" from the first menu. 3. It should recognize your device and also show your phone clocked at the new speed you chose above.

4. From here you can set up profiles, a min and max speed and get your phone tweaked to your liking.

Benchmarks:

1. Have fun showing off your newly overclocked phone with some benchmarks. The two favorites are Quadrant and Linpack. Both are available in the market.

Last Note:

1. If you have found a stable frequency and a group of settings in SetCPU, you can think about setting these on "boot." What that means, is your phone will boot up overclocked and running however you set it up in the overclock app and SetCPU. Again, this is risky and you will need a backup before doing this. The overclocking process for the DX and D2 is still young, so be prepared for some hiccups along the way.

Drop your questions below or hit us up in IRC!

Google Demo Slam Launches, Features Android and DROID X Fun

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 11:20:33 +0000

Over the last day or so, Google launched this new site called Demo Slam which allows their users/fans to show off Google's technology and products in creative fashions through video. Each week they take "contenders" who have submitted videos and pit them against each other, allowing others to vote on a winner. I have no idea what anyone wins, but the site is super fun and for the creative type, it's something you should consider submitting to. It's Android related because they already have a couple ofvideos up featuring their Google suite of products for mobile devices, such as Voice Search. What's even better is that they all seem to be using a Droid X to show off their "slam." Google Voice Search 20 Foot KickFlip:

Chubby Bunny Marshmallow Voice Search:

Cheers Kris!

Download: TypoClock Widget by Semicuda

Tim — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:15:37 +0000

Yesterday I posted the above screenshots trying to show off the awesome WM7 theme for ADW. What I didn't realize was that I was asking for trouble in not explaining which widget I was using to display the time! Well excuse me everyone, but in all honestly should have known this would have happened. ("Clock Tease"? How rude!) So without further ado I give you TypoClock by Semicuda. I stumbled upon it through a Tweet and fell in love. There is something about clock widgets that everyone loves. Grab it - right here!

*For ALL users.

Once downloaded and installed, apply the widget as you would any other.

Long press screen, select "Widgets" and scroll down to TypoClock.

Unlike the majority of widgets that can be manipulated size wise by LauncherPro and ADW, this one can not be changed. Which I would say is its one downfall. Please check out the original post where you can donate for amazing work like this. This is what we're all about, baby! -Tim-o-tato Source: XDA Forums

Gingerbread Will Actually Be Android 2.3?

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:17:23 +0000

The snippet above was capped from Google's "Issues" database for Android and shows someone with an "@google.com" email address responding to a comment and possibly mentioning the numbering of the next version. How does Android 2.3 sound for Gingerbread? Makes sense right? We have heard months worth of speculation that the next version could be 3.0, but after leaks came out earlier in the week showing a not-incredibly-changed UI, we were really just expecting something closer to 2.5 instead. We'll take version 2.3 for now though and expect Honeycomb to maybe make the big jump to 3.0. After all, the tablet UI was supposed to be the new goodness, right? Source: Google Via: Android Central

JRummy Releases Droid X/2 Overclock App, 1.45GHz Speeds and Voltage Settings

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:30:54 +0000

JRummy, one of our favorite ROM developers of all time released his Droid X and 2 overclock app this morning and it doesn't disappoint. We told you about the Unstable Apps release earlier, but this is another option that I highly recommend. The UI is as pretty as his ROMs, you can clock your device up to 1.45GHz, change the voltage and even set them on boot. Oh, he even tossed in some goodies like an ad blocker and apps to SD support. How can you beat that? Same $.99 price as the other one.

UPDATE: OVERCLOCKING INSTRUCTIONS HERE.

Download Link

Best Buy Offers Samsung Fascinate in Free Phone Friday Promo

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:00:28 +0000

The Samsung Fascinate (our review) is featured today in Best Buy's "Free Phone Friday" promo and should tempt the heck out of you. While the phone still runs on Android 2.1, lacks a notification light, has weirdly lit soft keys and looks like an i*hone, it's still one of the better Android devices I've played with. Now would be a good time to think about buying one, my friends...

Drum roll, please….here are tomorrow's free phones:Verizon Wireless Samsung Fascinate in black sku 1200475, Sprint Sanyo Zio sku 1363136, AT&T BlackBerry Bold sku 9574221, and T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold skus white 9925757/black 9668754. ------------------------------------ This Friday, October 22nd, visit Best Buy to find out what four smart phones we offer FREE with 2-year activation. Choose from Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile. While supplies last. No rainchecks. Not valid on prior purchases. No price matches. Data plan may be required. On Thursday 1:00 p.m. CST we’ll announce which phones we offer FREE with 2-year activation. STAY TUNED…Free Phone Friday is only a few days away! See store or bestbuy.com/mobile for details. More information can be found here: http://social.bestbuy.com/oDv

Anyone running to grab one? Via: Best Buy Facebook

DROID X and 2 Clocked at 2.0GHz, Both Laugh at T-Mobile G2

Kellen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 07:00:32 +0000

Thought all that T-Mobile G2 overclocking business was neat? Well, we'll just call it cute in comparison to what our buddies Matt4542 and Joe just pulled on their Droid X and 2 devices. How does 2.0GHz sound? You impressed? Matt4542, part of Team DeFuse, is working hard at making this stable and seems to believe that it's possible. Can you imagine your Droid family member dominating at speeds like this? See it for yourself running on Fission and the D2 after the break.

UPDATE: OVERCLOCKING INSTRUCTIONS HERE.

Update: How does 2.5GHz sound on your Droid 2?

Unstable Apps Releases Simple Droid X and 2 Overclock App

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:30:48 +0000

Remember the 2 overclocking methods released this week for the Droid X and Droid 2 that had some pretty intimidating steps involved which scared most of us off? No worries people, we now have an app that does all of the work for you. From the same dev that brought you Easy Root, you can now enjoy some minor overclocking on your DX or D2 with DX/D2 Overclocker. Sets you back $.99 in the market. Rooted users only. (Instructions)

UPDATE: OVERCLOCKING INSTRUCTIONS HERE.

Download Link

Team DeFuse Joins Droid Life, Fission 1.1 FRF91 ROM Available Now

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:00:51 +0000

We wrote about the Fission FRF91 ROM last week and today are thrilled to announce that the team behind this madness has joined up with the Droid Life Forums to release all of the future versions of their amazing Blur-less work going forward. Team DeFuse (fitting right?) is currently made up of 7 devs: AngDroid, Matt4542, Drod2169, Requiem4D, Redflea, WalCS, and Darkonion, all of which you can find in IRC at #fissionrom. Ready to remove the Blur from your Droid family member? The latest build of Fission V1.1 is available in our forums now for both the Droid 2 and Droid X.

Full support thread with files and instructions found here. (Donate here.)

ADW Can Play Too - Special Guest Koveleski of DarkEdge

Tim — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:29:29 +0000

We here at Droid-Life are completely madly in love with making our phones look exactly how we want them to look. Isn't that why we love Android to begin with? Choosing which Launcher is a big part of that. There are only a few big names that everyone is familiar with, but LauncherPro, and ADW stand on top. LauncherPro features seemingly endless customization features. But there are some misconceptions about ADW's abilities as well. So I give you...WP7 for ADW Launcher and another nice surprise. Read

There's a lot of misconceptions about why ADW could not have the same look. While they do go about their docks differently, it doesn't mean that its not possible. So with a bit elbow grease, a borrowed dock image and a can of monster, I set out to bring ADW users the same kind of love that LP was shown. Of course, I couldn't just stop with the dock. I've also themed the included search widget, added a custom font in and also threw in some of the wallpapers that come with win 7 that I thought were suited for this. Enjoy the "trash can"! -Koveleski

So Koveleski has graced us with an APK that will turn your ADW launcher into a beautiful wonderland. You will just install this with ADW already preinstalled. Then open up the themes feature for ADW, select the OMGWP7ONADW and have some fun! Step 1.Download ADW Theme APK Here. Step 2. Open the ADW settings and select the "OMGWP7ONADW" theme and enjoy! In addition we have some other GREAT NEWS - Koveleski will be having a weekly segment on setting up ADB and creating your very own ADW themes! How awesome is that? So check back soon and keep your ears and eyes open. Cheers! Tim-o-tato and Koveleski [gallery columns="2"]

Verizon 4G LTE vs. WiMAX Facts and Statistics Sheet

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:00:51 +0000

Wanting to know the dirty details on Verizon's 4G LTE network which should launch in 38 cities nationwide by the end of the year? We've got you covered again with this fact sheet that compares Big Red's new supernetwork to Sprint's 4G WiMAX. As you can quickly see, the two networks aren't really all that comparable as LTE speeds should be mindbogglingly fast. 5-12MB down and 2-5MB up? Wow. Additional info after the break.

This is going to be one heck of a network once it goes live. Now if only someone would announce a few 4G LTE Android devices (like the Incredible HD), life would be complete. OK, not quite complete until we see that the Droid Tablet (Stingray) has been released as upgradeable to LTE. Cheers money!

Ask Dr. Root: How to Theme Notification Items Using MetaMorph

MrPicolas — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:00:40 +0000

Dr. Root, I love my theme but if I could change just a couple of notification items it would be perfect. Please help!

*FOR ROOTED USERS ONLY (instructions)

*Please make a backup before proceeding. (As always this comes with risk. Droid Life is not responsible for dead phones, ruined marriages, etc.)

*This should work for most rooted android devices, but be sure to read comments and warnings wherever you get your meta-morph zips from.

Today, I wanted to change a couple of notification items on my Droid X while running Bgill's Incognito, which for the most part I love. Seeing as I can't theme to save my life, I needed a quick and easy way to make changes. Yes, I know I could just flash an update.zip but the changes I wanted were one or 2 things and didnt feel like changing the whole theme just for that. I decided to dig out MetaMorph which is a program that has been around for quite some time and is probably overlooked. The picture below contains a circular battery and WiFi antenna which were themed using MetaMorph. The first picture is the before and the second picture is the after:

Hit The Links below for these files.

INTERGRATION WIFI

GEM WIFI

DROID BATTERY

TRANSSPIN BATTERY

Download: MetaMorph | BusyBox To use MetaMorph you need to install busybox as well. (Links above) Using MetaMorph is pretty straight forward, but first you'll need to find a MetaMorph zip that pertains to what you want to theme and download it to your SD card. (I found a bunch using Google search.) Once you find something to them and the file, move the zip to the AndroidThemes folder on your SD card. If you do not have a folder named "AndroidThemes" then creating one is just fine. Open up MetaMorph and it will ask to run some checks which you'll have to let finish before moving on to the "extract zip button." The next screen should contain the MetaMorph file. When you tap on the file, it will ask you if you want to proceed and warns you that the phone may reboot during the process(which it will.) When the phone reboots you should now have your newly themed notification item. Yes, there are different ways to theme, but I wanted to put this out there for those wanting to try their hand at it. I found this to be a very simple and effective way to make small theme changes. You are not limited to just notification items, There are lock screen mods and more, you are only limited by the amount of time your willing to spend with it. -MrPicolas (Dr.Root) File Source: Droid Pirate

Reckless Racing Released on Android, Top Down Redneck Carnage at its Best

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:06:59 +0000

Remember back in March when we talked about a game called Deliverace? It was a top down racing redneck extravaganza that looked too good to be true? Well guess what? It's back and available now, only they've changed the name to "Reckless Racing." This game is incredibly legit and already makes my list of top games after playing with it for a couple of hours. Reckless Racing has single player modes for time trials, full racing rallies and a "delivery" mode giving you something different to play for hours on end. There are leaderboards, unlockable goods and too much redneck fun to talk about. And for you gaming diehards, you'll love the multiplayer option which lets you host your own races for up to 4 players and battle it out over several different maps. There is a chatting feature, an amazing soundtrack and at least 6 different rednecks to choose from. Will set you back $2.99 in the market.

Download Link

Cheers Josh! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Video: Gingerbread Shows A "Screen Off" Animation

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:40:12 +0000

Check out this latest Gingerbread (Android 2.5? 3.0?) action from our buddies over at Phandroid, which features a "screen off" animation that we haven't seen before. The animation is quick, but you can tell that the goal was for it to mimic one of those old school tube TVs and it completes the task well. Will this be another customizable piece to Android? We can certainly hope that it will be.

For additional details on Gingerbread, check out this post from earlier in the week. A new Youtube app was predicted to be in the works and sure enough it came out yesterday. How close are we to Gingerbread? It's starting to feel like it is just around the corner, isn't it? Source: Phandroid

Yahoo Release Fantasy Basketball and Hockey Apps

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:00:25 +0000

I know we're just now hitting the meat of the NFL season, but for the NBA and NHL fans out there gearing up for their respective openers, Yahoo has your fantasy needs covered. Yesterday, both apps hit the Android market for free, so be sure to grab them if your league drafts are getting underway. This is my first year in almost 7 years to be skipping an NBA league, which means I haven't had a chance to test out this app yet. I'm guessing it'll be just as good as the football version though, but I'm anxious to hear what you guys think. Maybe I'll sneak into a last minute head-to-head?

Basketball | Hockey

Cheers Pete!

Winamp Beta Released on Android

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:15:08 +0000

Winamp, one of the top media players of all time was released into the Android market yesterday. While it may carry the "beta" tag, it definitely doesn't act or look like a one and actually comes pretty feature packed. Not only does the UI look prettier than most music players, Winamp also allows for wi-fi and USB streaming of you library and comes with a widget. For those of us that have been lifelong Winamp users, today is a great day. You can read the rest of the release notes at the Winamp blog. Free in the market.

Download Link

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Cheers John W!

Logitech Harmony Remote App Released to Control Your Logitech Revue

Kellen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 06:30:23 +0000

The Logitech Revue (Google TV) starting shipping to customers yesterday at the same time the Harmony remote app landed on the Android market. So if you are expecting your Google TV box from Logitech to arrive in the coming days, then you need to grab this app immediately. Who doesn't want the ability to turn their Android phone into a fully-featured remote for an HD TV? This is your ticket. Free in the market. Oh, and we'll have our Sony Internet Blu-ray review up hopefully some time next week.

Download Link

Cheers Droid Life app tipster!

Detailed Verizon 3G Tiered Data Plan Information

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:31:34 +0000

Wanting to know every single detail on the new tiered 3G data plans coming to Verizon? We've got you covered. As was rumored earlier in the week, the new $15/150MB tier is expected to go live by October 28th and while Verizon documents no longer feature dates for the most part, the 28th and 29th have been brought up more than once, so we're expecting it any day. I've always been a fan of tiered pricing because not all consumers need or want unlimited data and VZW seems to have at least taken a much smoother first step into these waters than AT&T did. While 150MB might not even be enough for the average email user, it at least gives us another option. Oh and 3G tablets are also touched on. Thoughts on the new tier?

HTC Bee and Desire Dummy Phones Arrive in Alltel Stores

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:30:39 +0000

It looks like that HTC Bee ROM that was floating around with Alltel branding on it wasn't lying. The shot above is of HTC Desire and Bee dummy phones that are beginning to arrive at Alltel Wireless stores meaning the devices will be available in the coming weeks. The HTC Desire is sort of a surprise and our sources have it actually launching as the "Spitfire" or at least something along those lines. A lot of us thought Alltel was dead, but they are starting to put together quite a nice Android lineup which already includes the Motorola Milestone. Cheers Alltel!

Youtube Hits Android Market as Stand Alone App

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:08:20 +0000

The new Youtube app is available on the Android Market and looks to have been completely redesigned in a good way. And truthfully, that's an understatement as this new version is simply amazing. You can watch videos in both portrait and landscape, view useful channel info, search easier and actually experience Youtube the way you do on a browser. Add Youtube to the list of stock apps to hit the market alongside Gmail and Google Search.

Download Link

Cheers Joseph!

Cut the Rope Headed to Android, Could be the Next Angry Birds?

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:39:15 +0000

If you are looking for the next mega-game that can compete with Angry Birds, then get ready for Cut the Rope. This game reached 1 million downloads on its launch day for iOS and has been given the Android thumbs-up by its creator Zeptolab. While they didn't specify an actual date, you may want to keep an eye on this one. And I've got to admit that I had a chance to cut some ropes yesterday on an i*od Touch and the game had me instantly hooked. Video action after the break.

Source: Android Planet Via: Phandroid

DROID X Froyo Source Code Released

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:14:38 +0000

Anyone feel like tinkering around with the Droid X Android 2.2 source code? You can grab it right now since Motorola just released it to the public. Who knows exactly what this means for our rooting/hacking crowd, but maybe it'll help in the efforts to permanently unlock this device. OK, that's probably unlikely, but feel free to poke around in the code anyway. Cheers Brian!

Dead Zebra Announces Vampire Android Collectible for Halloween

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:59:42 +0000

Dead Zebra's Android collectibles are still harder to snag than the latest superphone and today they announced a special edition version for Halloween that I'm sure will sell out in seconds as well. Say hello to the Power Vampire. This non-Twilight inspired little guy will go on sale at 2PM Eastern on Halloween (10/31) or 11AM for us west coasters. Limit of 2 per order or per credit card. Anyone willing to fight the online lines to grab one or two?

Tip: Angry Birds Hack to Unlock Any World

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:35:28 +0000

Don't have the patience it takes to beat the first world on Angry Birds in order to unlock the second? Then check out this little trick which appears to be a bug in the game that lets you into either locked world. Oh, you may want to do this sooner than later as I'm sure a fix will be out any time now. Video Instructions:

Instructions:

1. Load up Angry Birds and go to the world select screen. 2. Center a locked world on the screen. 3. Push back button on your phone all the way out of Angry Birds. 4. Load Angry Birds back up and when the "Play" button appears, hammer on it! 5. You should be inside the locked worlds stage select screen. 6. To keep it unlocked just pass the first world.

Have fun lazy ones! Via: reddit Cheers Grant!

Today Show Calls DROID X a "Buy Now", Tablets a "Buy Later"

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:30:54 +0000

The Droid X made a surprise Today Show appearance and according to their "Digital Lifestyle Expert" is a "buy now." The phone as we all know is a beast and has already been out since July, but their guru seems to believe it will last you for another 24 months. While I would categorize it as a "buy now" I'm not sure I'm willing to give it 2 years worth of life especially with 4G devices on the way. In related news, Verizon announced pricing and availability of the Samsung Galaxy Tab today which the Today Show's DLE dropped an emphatic "buy later" on. Actually, he said that about tablets in general and the i*ad was the one featured on the show. He did point out that after the holidays at CES is what consumers should be paying attention to as a ton of new tablets will be launching. Maybe he reads Droid Life?

Cheers Big Rob!

DROID 2 Overclocked Too!

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 08:44:41 +0000

And just as we got done telling you about a Droid X overclocking method yesterday, we get the same method ported over to the Droid 2 today. There really isn't much to say except, good luck! The method is for pretty advanced rooted users, but we are seeing 1.2 and 1.4GHz overclocks which is pretty significant. Anyone down to try it?

Full support thread with instructions at Android Forums.

Cheers Ben!

Wednesday Poll: Thoughts on Samsung Galaxy Tab Pricing?

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:46:46 +0000

Verizon just announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab for $599 without a contract and currently has no plans for subsidized pricing by signing up for another data contract. Pricing had been under speculation from the day this thing was announced to the world, but this model was definitely not expected. After reading through the comments on the announcement post, I quickly get the feeling that this pricetag is way too steep for most and some sites are already predicting this to be a failure. My thoughts would be that this is priced under the competition and well below prices we saw overseas. In fact, if you look at the $599 price point, that's the same price you would pay for a Droid X if you bought it at full retail, so shouldn't this be considered a deal? It also seemed that early on, everyone wanted a "wi-fi only" version because they didn't want to have to signup for another contract. Well now you get a wi-fi and 3G version plus you don't have to sign up for a contract which I thought would be huge. Update: Is the verdict in? Bad price point Big Red. Tell me your thoughts! Would $399 have sold you on this? What price? [poll id="21"]

Verizon Announces Samsung Galaxy Tab for $599 Without Contract on November 11

Kellen — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:16:42 +0000

It looks like November 11th might be even bigger than we had already imagined. Verizon announced this morning that the Samsung Galaxy Tab will hit stores for $599.99 WITHOUT any sort of contract. So what does that mean? Users can add an optional plan beginning at $20 a month for 1 GB of data, but again, this is NOT required. And yes, this is a wi-fi and 3G model. Look out i*ad? So much for pricing being an issue eh, Steve? Update: It looks like the Verizon version will not have that polished white backing and will be almost all black instead. Not sure I'm a fan of that, but you can see for yourself after the break. Update 2: While my initial thoughts weren't all that negative when seeing the price, there seems to be quite the opposite feeling coming from most readers. Poll coming!

Verizon Wireless Puts Samsung Galaxy Tab™ In Stores In November 10/20/2010 BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and DALLAS, TX — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will be available Nov. 11 for $599.99. Running on Android™ 2.2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch touch screen; robust HTML Web browsing experience with full support for Adobe® Flash® 10.1 for video and mobile gaming; and a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application processor. “This is an incredible time in mobile technology, and as a company we’re excited to add the Samsung Galaxy Tab to our portfolio,” said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab brings together the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network and the power of Android 2.2 to deliver on our promise of providing consumers and business customers with a host of options to help manage their lives.” Popular mobile applications, including V CAST Music and V CAST Song ID, VZ Navigator®, Slacker Radio, Kindle for Android, BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video, and the exclusive golf game, “Let’s Golf,” will be available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab. In addition to text, picture and video messaging, the Samsung Galaxy Tab will also feature V CAST Apps, Verizon Wireless’ mobile storefront offering hundreds of applications for businesses and consumers at launch. Verizon Wireless customers can add a monthly access plan beginning at $20 a month for 1 GB on their Samsung Galaxy Tab. For additional features and specifications on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab.

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Anyone interested now?

Video: Samsung Epic 4G Modded for Gaming Domination

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:00:15 +0000

Any of our readers so obsessed with gaming that they would shell out for a brand new cell phone and permanently remove keys from the physical keyboard in order to create the ultimate Android game pad? No? Well this dude did. The shot above is of a brand new Samsung Epic 4G that has been modded to be a gaming beast. The mad man behind this device admittedly only uses Swype for all of his typing needs and actually targeted this phone knowing it had one of the better physical keyboards on the market. Watch the video after the break and tell me if your Droid 2 will be this guy's biggest competitor.

Via: Phandroid

Radio Android is Running Two Android Shows You Should Be Listening To

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:47:51 +0000

Wanted to quickly let everyone now about a couple of Android shows run by a good buddy of mine in the industry, Scotty Brown. You may remember him from his AndroidGuys days, but the dude is on his own now doin' what he does best, making great call-in live radio shows. He's a major voice in the industry and takes more pride in Android than you'll find almost anywhere, which makes him always worth a listen. He currently hosts 2 weekly shows: "Android After Dark" and "The Android Show." Details of both after the jump. "Android After Dark" - 7-9PM (Pacific) Every Tuesday

An uncensored, open discussion format with an emphasis on community involvement during the show. We encourage open discussion (cursing) and drinking alcohol with the hosts during the show. We'll often have listeners live on the air with us during the show to participate. Hosted by Scotty Brown with cohosts Matthew Patience and Greg Carron from Mobicartel, this broadcast is both an audio and video feed.

"The Android Show" - 7-9PM (Pacific) Every Wednesday

This show features a rotating weekly cohost, corporate sponsors, give aways, on air guests from the Android community, and interviews with the industry's top companies. The Android Show is our flagship broadcast, and is done in a video format with a live video and audio feed.

If you want to listen in and enjoy the company of a group of Android enthusiasts, I'm telling you that these are two shows you might want to check out. The "After Dark" show is all about having a good time with a bunch of people who love the same stuff you do, Android. The "Android Show" on the other hand is all about business and is the place for you to hear the latest news, plus commentary from some of the industry's leading representatives. Oh and who doesn't love free stuff? Next week they plan on giving away a Samsung Fascinate. Not bad right? "Android After Dark" starts in just over an hour!

Head over to RadioAndroid.net now.

Android Eclipses iPhone in Ad Revenue for First Time

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:17:38 +0000

On the heels of Steve J*bs Android rant during yesterday's Apple earnings call, Millennial Media released their monthly Mobile Mix which reports on mobile marketing trends and has numbers that won't help his case. According to their network, Android revenue exceeded i*hone-only revenue for the first time ever, even with strong iOS impression growth. We all expected this to happen at some point, since we hear month-after-month about record activation numbers for Android, but not even Millennial Media predicted it would happen this soon. They offer a few reasons for the sudden jump...

Devices versus operating systems – We are only comparing iPhone and Android devices, not operating systems. iOS includes not only iPhone, but also iPad and iPod Touch. Currently, Android only consists of Smartphones on our network. Of course, as Android-powered tablets and other consumer electronic devices hit the marketplace in the near future, that will certainly change.

Less inventory coupled with soaring demand – We saw higher average fill rates, click-through rates and prices on Android applications and mobile web inventory than on iPhone inventory last month. Why? We believe this occurred because there are fewer applications available on Android than on iPhone (though the gap is narrowing), and the mix of applications available on Android is still different than the mix on iPhone. This means less inventory to meet current advertiser demand, resulting in higher fill rates and prices.

Reaching a diverse set of Smartphone buyers – Many Android users are often first-time Smartphone buyers. We believe some advertisers are paying a premium to reach those users early in their Smartphone experience. Our advertisers have also shared that Android allows them to reach a diverse set of consumers across all major carriers, making the platform highly desirable and increasing demand for the platform.

Download the September Mobile Mix Report here. There is no stopping the Android train at this point. And remember, we just told you about 6 new devices headed to Verizon for the holidays. How many new iOS devices will there be? None. Via: Millennial Media Blog

HootSuite Update Adds Much-needed Facebook Support

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:37:52 +0000

Hootsuite, one of our all time favorite Twitter apps recently became free, but out of no where today, they announced that Facebook accounts are now supported. It's about time, people! I know this seems like something that should have been included all along, but Owls and Robots haven't always been friends...

There once was a time before owls and robots got along, but thankfully those days are well behind us. That’s why HootSuite is so happy to release a bigger, better, Androidier version of the HootSuite Android mobile app. The most exciting addition to HootSuite Android is the integration of Facebook. Now Android users with the HootSuite app can add Facebook accounts right to their handsets, as well as import existing accounts and pages from the HootSuite web dashboard. It’s all sorts of Facebook fun — you can “like,” add comments, and schedule updates too. That’ll make you and your friends happier!

I've said this before, but for power users there really are only 2 players in the Android Twitter world and those are TweetDeck and Hootsuite. And one added bonus to Hootsuite over Tweetdeck is the seamless transitioning between the browser version on your computer and the Android app. When you login, it imports all of your accounts and settings, giving this a huge +1 in my book. Which one are you using?

Download Link

Via: Hootsuite Blog

Rumor: Android 3.0 Ready in December, Launching on Multiple Tablets at CES?

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:53:41 +0000

There have been rumors floating around for months that suggest the push back of big holiday Android tablet releases like the Motorola Stingray, was due to delays in Google's Android 3.0 tablet OS (Gingerbread? Honeycomb?). Those rumors continue to be for the most part true as the Samsung Tab (running Froyo) is currently the only one that has been announced for 2010 and unless something major pops up, will be it. Today though, a new rumor says Google is locking down December as a release period for their tablet OS and has already notified manufacturers, meaning we'll likely see an onslaught of devices at CES in January. In related news, Android 4.0 (Honeycomb? Ice Cream?) is now rumored to be ready in mid-2011, but we're not about to start speculating on what that means or what it'll run on. Since we're not seeing a ton of love for the proposed Android holiday lineup on Verizon, are we all just setting our sights on January? Via: DigiTimes

Tuesday Poll: Which New Verizon Android Device are you Most Interested in?

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:00:59 +0000

We just got done telling you about a handful of devices that are headed to Verizon over the next few weeks and we want to know what is exciting you. There was the duo on October 28th which included the Samsung Continuum followed by the big boy group on November 11th featuring the Droid Pro and Droid 2 Global. Do any of these devices interest you? Let's say you weren't locked into a contract and had the opportunity to pick one of these up, would you? [poll id="20"]

DROID X Overclocking Can't Be Done? Oh it has Been!

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:15:29 +0000

We may still have one giant locked bootloader, but that doesn't mean developers have given up (well, one did) on finding a work around for every other aspect to hacking the heck out of and ROMing our Droid X devices. The DX has already been rooted (here and here), slapped with Koush's DX Bootstrap to get us into a custom recovery, and loaded with a barrage of ROMs, but there was still one piece missing that so many of you had been looking for. Overclocking? Done. Android guru FreeWELL has taken the Milestone overclocking approach found on 2.1 and moved it over to the DX allowing rooted users to overclock up to 1.1GHz (stable) and set slots for underclocking if they choose. Impressed? You should be. Let us know if you attempt this and any tips you can provide!

Full support thread with instructions found at Android Forums.

Cheers matrix and Picolas!

Download: Yahoo IM Video Chat App, Found in New MyTouch ROM

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:12:04 +0000

We weren't really expecting Yahoo IM video chat to come out for while, but our friends over at XDA Forums managed to find it deep inside the leaked myTouch ROM that's floating around in the wild. The app apparently works well over both 3G, 4G and wi-fi as long as your phone has a front-facing camera to support video calling. Early feedback also suggests that phone-to-phone and phone-to-PC video calls are working, but not for those of you with a Mac. To get this bad boy up and working, install both application files below:

*The video add-on will NOT work with the market version of Yahoo IM. You need to use the version below.

Download: Yahoo_im.apk Download: Yahoo_ imvideo.apk Any of our EVO or Epic readers had a chance to play with this yet? Source: XDA Forums Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Steve Jobs Goes Off on Android, Andy Rubin and TweetDeck Respond

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 08:32:53 +0000

We had been waiting for this latest Steve Jobs vs. Android rant to sort of shake out before diving into it and damn are we glad we did. If you have no idea what we're talking about, here is the short run down. Jobs, during an earnings call yesterday, went off for a good 5 minutes (seriously, went OFF) on all sorts of topics, including RIM and 7-inch tablets, but as you may have guessed, Android was the main target. He mad sure to point out through his alien logic that Android isn't really open, is too fragmented, and that he can't stand the fact that manufacturers won't report how many Android devices they are shipping. You can taste the frustration in his stuttering and it's amazing. Full 5 minute rant after the jump plus a couple of responses.

Are you speechless after listening to that? Don't hold back the laughter for too long as the onslaught begins shortly after the call, lead by none other than Android master Andy Rubin, who tweeted this...

Not open eh, Steve? The idea that custom manufacturer skins and different versions of the OS make this not an open platform is a mind trick that only fools would fall for and Rubin's tweet perfectly points this out. (+1) To add to the hilarity of the speech, Jobs also managed to specifically point out TweetDeck's recent report on user statistics (1:40 mark) which mention the various versions of Android and the hundreds of devices it dealt with. Of course he attempted to turn this into a negative, which TweetDeck's CEO quickly responded to... (+2)

And to add to the awesomeness, Dodsworth went on to make it crystal clear that they only had 2 developers working on their Android product. Yep, 2 developers were able to pump out one of the most polished Twitter clients to date that works on every single Android version available. So much for fragmentation as an issue? (+3) There is so much more too this including further rants on Google telling tablet manufacturers to not use Froyo and how 7-inch devices won't make it, but the guy isn't worth that much more of our time. I'm sure this battle is far from over. Thoughts!

Samsung Continuum and LG Vortex Launching October 29th on Verizon

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:00:04 +0000

Remember the oddly shaped, dual-screened Samsung Continuum that was rumored to be heading to Verizon? Our sources have it pegged for an October 29th release along with the LG Vortex, another middle-of-the-road Android device. Talk about Android overload. With these 2 devices hitting store shelves at the end of October and the Droid Pro, D2 Global, HTC Merge, and the Motorola Citrus coming only 2 weeks later, are we starting to think there may be too many options? Just give us the Motorola Olympus already. Cheers money!

Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

DROID 2 Global, DROID Pro, Citrus and Palm Pre Plus 2 Launching November 11th

Kellen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 05:30:41 +0000

Late October-early November is shaping up to be Verizon's ultimate holiday launch party if our sources are correct (and they usually are). The latest news to hit our inbox suggests that the Droid 2 Global, Droid Pro, Motorola Citrus and Palm Pre Plus 2 will all hit VZW store shelves on November 11th. This also matches up to the HTC Merge/Lexikon release date we had a couple of weeks back, making the 11th one heck of a day to watch out for. Talk about giving Android users a handful of top notch Big Red choices, right? Cheers money!

Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

ADW Launcher Updated to V1.2.0, ADW Notifier Also Released

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:48:50 +0000

It's been a while since we've talked about ADW Launcher and I guess that's because it's been a while since this bad boy was updated. ADW, which many consider to be the only competitor to LauncherPro is now on V1.2.0 and includes some nice new features like dynamic widget resizing, custom launcher actions, and support for unlimited app catalogs. (Full change log can be found here.)

Download Link

AnderWeb has also released an app to sit alongside this new ADW called ADWNotifier which allows your device to retrieve GMAIL, SMS and Missed Calls notifications. If that isn't enough detail, check out this post.

Sony Launches Crackle, First Full Movie Service Application on Android

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:09:57 +0000

Sony announced a week ago that its movie and TV show streaming service called Crackle was ready for launch on Android, making it the first of its kind for the platform. If you are new to Crackle, just know that it's essentially like any other streaming video service, asking that you pay a premium to watch full length movies or shows, but will also allow you to check out quick snippets for free. In the market, you'll find the Crackle app plus a set of subscription apps priced for 1 month, 3 month and full year service. Obviously the longer the term you buy, the better the deal you'll get, so be sure to check out the quality of the snippets and reliability of the streams before really forking out that cash. On an awesome note, you'll be happy to hear that the Android version came out well before the enemy version. Yay to that! Anyone using the service? Thoughts on it?

Download Link

DROID 2 Global Advertised While On Hold with Verizon, Still Not Announced

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:24:49 +0000

You can hear all about the new and yet-to-be-announced Droid 2 Global from Verizon simply by calling their 1-800 number and chillin' out on hold for a while. The device which we all figure will replace the Droid 2, has an overclocked processor (1.2GHz) and global roaming capabilities which we exclusively showed you, but still won't be acknowledged by Big Red or Motorola. Our money is on the Droid Pro and D2 Global launching the same week in early November, so stay close as we'll likely have more very soon. Hold message after the jump. Via: Engadget Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

Verizon Pushing Tiered 3G Data Plans Starting October 28th?

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:13:31 +0000

Everyone ready for tiered 3G data plans on Verizon? We were told last week that this was coming when tipped about a major employee training that's happening over the next 2 weeks, but this is another confirmation. According to the latest rumor, Verizon will roll them out on October 28th (yes, 10 days from now) and will offer smartphone users 2 choices: $15 for 150MB and $29.99 for unlimited. There are also feature phone plan changes, but seriously who uses a feature phone? On that note though, the feature phone data plans will be identical to smartphone plans meaning they are on the outs and Verizon is doing their best to push everyone into a Droid or Blackberry. Anyone excited about this? Not excited? Via: Engadget Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

Google Voice Updated, Allows for Voicemail and Text Searching

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:14:44 +0000

Google Voice just received a much needed update that allows you to search through your voicemail transcripts and text messages. As you can see from the shot above, you can now easily see how many times your writers spam your inbox...err. (Hi Tato!) As you would also expect from a search giant, this new feature works very well and a button for it has now replaced the "Settings" option you once received when hitting menu. Update now for free in the market! Cheers Kendal!

Dark Edge 1.0 Released in 7 Color Options for Original DROID

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:41:02 +0000

Dark Edge V1.0 was finally released last week in an update.zip format bringing joy to thousands of people who were too intimidated by the previous installation method to give it some run. And just one week later Xeudoxus and REALigion have brought you the full rainbow of color schemes to make your life that much prettier. How does DE in green, gold, red, blue, orange, purple or pink sound? To get your color choice up and running, grab the file below and hit up our instructions at this post.

Update: The DE guys also wanted you all to be aware that they have free ADW Launcher themes available in the market.

Full support thread can be found here. Donate!

Cheers @davekover!

Gingerbread Makes First Appearance, UI Changes Embrace Android Green?

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:39:10 +0000

Our buddies over at Phandroid received what they believe to be the first shot of Gingerbread in the wild and damn is it blurry. While the photo doesn't show a lot, they've backed it up with a full write-up on what many of the new features, UI changes and app tweaks are that can be expected when it finally releases. Early rumors suggested this would launch before the end of 2010, but their tipster says to not be surprised if it actually gets pushed into early 2011. Some highlights:

Video chat similar to Gtalk's desktop version
Redesigned icons
Slate/Grey notification bar (similar to the Galaxy S lineup)
Android Green color hints everywhere
Apps to feel built in to the OS rather than just add-ons
Youtube overhaul, could feature "Lean Back" support
Google Voice calls over wi-fi and data

Read up on the rest of the details here. If only someone would just leak this now. We're ready for a new version! Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

Rumor: DROID 2 Update On the Way, Will Fix Additional Exchange Issues and Match DROID X Version

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 09:15:06 +0000

Anyone receive an update on their Droid 2, taking them to version 2.3.15 yet? According to Motorola, the update is "sending in batches" and your phone could see the update at any time. One of our readers had a chance to hit up Moto support over the weekend and they acknowledged that they expect the Droid X and D2 to be on the same software version which would be 2.3.15. We confirmed this and more this morning in a quick chat with their live support...

Kellen B: HI Romella, I've been having Exchange issues on my DROID 2. I know that the DROID X received an update to version 2.3.15 which fixed alot of these. Will I be receiving an update to this too? Romella: Yes. There are sending in in batches that is maybe why you have not received the upgrade yet. Romella: Try to go to your settings>about phone> system update. Kellen B: Checking now Romella: Thanks. Kellen B: Looks like it's not ready for me yet. But the update to 2.3.15 for the Droid 2 is definitely on the way? Romella: It has been release. Let us just wait for the notification on the phone on how to download it. Romella: We apologize for the inconvenience.

While I'm still skeptical that this update is available now, I am confident that it will be on its way soon. The Droid 2 and Droid X essentially run the same software and this move would make a lot of sense. On the other hand, we've received enough mis-information from support reps that it could be months away. Time to start checking those system update pages: Settings>About>System Updates. Cheers Ron! | Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

DROID 2 Recalled from Walmart, DROID 2 Global Expected Any Day?

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:30:32 +0000

Over the weekend, Walmart received a recall for their remaining Droid 2 devices leaving us to believe that the Droid 2 Global should be arriving any day now. As you can see from the shot above, there is a missing device now in this specific store's display which used to be occupied by the D2. We also have a picture below from one of their inventory guns which clearly shows that the D2 has been deleted from their system.

The recall was "nondescript" and provided zero details aside from the fact that Brightstar, Walmart's distributor, wants them all back by Tuesday, October 26th. Does this mean the D2 Global will drop that same week? Possibly, but we're expecting it to launch at the same time as the Droid Pro, meaning keep an eye on that front as the D2G is still un-announced. Thoughts? Cheers SE! | Have additional info or tips? Submit them to Droid Life!

Angry Birds Tops 1 Million Downloads in 1 Day (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 06:45:13 +0000

We asked everyone on Friday how many hours of Angry Birds they planned on logging over the weekend and the numbers were pretty crazy. Thousands of you planned on playing the game for more than 3 hours, with the majority looking to eclipse the 10 hour mark. (Addicts!) Well, if you thought those numbers were nuts, wait until you see a stat that Rovio (Angry Birds creator) tweeted which might be the ultimate topper. According to their numbers, over 1 million people downloaded the game in one single day and has topped the Android charts for free games. Amazing. Update: Another million down just 2 days later...

Anyone beat the game yet? Find any golden eggs? Hit that 10 hour mark?

Ice Cream Will Follow Honeycomb in Android Naming Convention?

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:55:02 +0000

We can't exactly say that we're shocked by this news, but according to ARM president Tudor Brown, the version of Android to follow Honeycomb will be called Ice Cream. While we're still waiting on Gingerbread to hit before we can really even dream of Honeycomb, this news gives you the opportunity to start obsessing over an OS that is three versions away. Excited? What we think we know about Gingerbread:

Thought to be Android 3.0
Revamped UI
Focus on Video chatting features
Could have minimum spec requirements

What we think we know about Honeycomb:

Thought to be Android 3.5
Made specifically for tablets

What we think we know about Ice Cream:

Rumored to be Android 4.0
Your guess is as good as mine

Anyone else thinking Google will go a little more creative than "Ice Cream"? Other suggestions?

Android OS Growth and World Takeover Presented as an Infographic

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:42:27 +0000

An interesting infographic has been put together showing the growth of Android over the last year and also how much of a massive global presence it has. GigaOM compiled all of the information from a variety of sources giving you a great view of this lovely Android world we live in. Full version below.

(Click for big boy version.)

Source: GigaOM Via: Phandroid

Friday Poll: How Many Hours of Angry Birds will you Log this Weekend?

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:23:55 +0000

As you are all aware, Angry Birds came out today and is flying off of Android Market shelves. If you look at the initial host for the super popular game, you can see that over 90,000 people downloaded it this morning and who knows how many more snagged it from the market. So we want to know, how much of your weekend are you dedicating to it? (Hard hitting, I know.) [poll id="19"]

DROID 2 Lock Screen Calling Issue Discovered, Also Happening to DROID X

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:57:09 +0000

Uh oh! A security issue has been discovered on the Droid 2 and Droid X that allows you to make calls to just about anyone even though your phone is supposed to be locked. That security PIN you set up doesn't actually lock anyone out completely and you can see from the video we took below, that it appears to be happening to Blur-slathered phones only. That's right, the Droid 1, Nexus One and just about any other phone you can think of appear not to be experiencing this issue. Yikes!

Can someone kill off Blur already? We'll be on the hunt for a timeline on a fix. And how about those of you running a DX or D2 with Blur removed? Able to replicate this? Via: BGR

DROID X Theme Friday: Olive Burst

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:28:11 +0000

Following up with the OG Droid theme of the week comes Olive Burst for the Droid X, brought to you by the Icognito Team of JsinLegacy and Bgill55 who we seem to be featuring almost weekly. (Time for some new themers to step their game up?) These are the guys that created Invertnito which to this day, is one of our all time favs. Olive Burst is similar in simplicity plus complexity and is pure soothing magic. We are running this on top of rubiX Blurry V0.3 which I highly recommend. Download: Olive_Burst.zip Instructions:

*DROID X only. *We ran this over top of Rubix V0.3 from ROM Manager.

1. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 3. You need to run Koush’s Bootstrap Recovery. 4. Your phone needs to be deodexed or running a deodexed ROM. (Instructions) 5. Open the DX Bootstrap and “boostrap” the recovery. 6. When that finishes, “reboot recovery.” 7. Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery, scroll down to “backup and restore.” 8. Choose “backup” to make a clean backup of your phone. 9. When that finishes choose “install zip from SD card.” 10. Then “choose zip from SD card” and find the Olive_Burst.zip file, select it and hit “yes.” 11. Your phone will apply the theme. When it finishes, reboot and enjoy! Other downloads: Olive Dock | Olive Droid Life Wallpaper

Full support thread and donate links here. Donate people!

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

DROID Theme Friday: Pink and Tang for LFY

Tim — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:00:04 +0000

Another glorious Friday has come! I'm feeling good today, so I have decided to shoot for a double Custom Theme day, plus I really enjoy this developer's work. He has a ton of themes with matching boot animations that were created by himself and his girlfriend! Here's my question though..."Why can't I have a girl like dat?" The base ROM for these themes is called LiQuId FrOzEn YoGuRt that has great overall stability and coolness, but remains classy and streamlined. Instructions:

This is for the "OG" Droid1.

1. Download the LFY 1.7 ROM HERE. 2. After installing and getting tired of the stock look, download the Pink or Tangerine themes. 3. Place Zip file on base of SD Card, pop open ROM Manager and select "Install ROM from SD Card." 4. Navigate to the Zip and hit it. 5. Please make a backup just in case! 6. This is the really important step...ENJOY! As always, please check out the comment section if you have problems or hit us up on the IRC Live Support Channel. We're, "Freaks about helping people" and proud of it! -Timotato Props to KooKadoo, Liquid, and Liquidzgirl for the Themes. | To see everything he offers head here. Previous Custom Theme Fridays. [gallery columns="4"]

DROID X Dominates Your Cold, Featured in Robitussin Commercial

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:31:06 +0000

The Droid X continues is TV appearance domination, this time with a starring role in the new Robitussin commercial. Feeling sick? Jump on your DX and head to robitussin.com to figure out what kind of medicine you need! Or you could just drink an Emergen-C, plenty of water and sleep instead of masking your cold with weird chemicals? Blurry commercial I snagged after the break.

Cheers Sam!

Angry Birds Now Live in Android Market!

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:44:48 +0000

Enough downloading from shady file hosting sites, Angry Birds is now live in the Android Market. Plus, I recommend going this way so that you can get future updates and not lose any game data. Grab it now from the link or QR code below...

Download Link

Android 2.2 Starts Rolling Out for Galaxy S Phones, No More Bing?

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:43:47 +0000

Samsung announced today that their Galaxy S lineup of phones is starting to see Android 2.2 in the "Nordic" region of the world, but should filter out to the states by the end of the year. OK, it doesn't even say "end of the year" it says "gradually." Quite the timeline right? At least it's happening! One interesting thing to note is the point made in their press release about Froyo featuring "Google Maps with Navigation." The release specifically mentions our favorite navigation app as one of the key features, but as you all know, the Fascinate (review) comes packed full of Bing. Any chance this sneaks onto the Verizon version without that other search engine suite? Unlikely.

SEOUL, Korea – October 18, 2010 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, today announced the Android™ 2.2 (Froyo) upgrade to the Samsung GALAXY S, giving users access to new features, enhanced navigation applications and improved performance. The Android 2.2 upgrade will be available via Kies, Samsung’s unique in-house software upgrade program. Kies can be downloaded at the Samsung mobile website (http://www.samsungmobile.com). The GALAXY S is Samsung’s cleverly designed smartphone with a bright 4-inch SUPER AMOLED screen and a 1 GHz application processor, giving users an intelligent, immersive and integrated mobile experience. The Android 2.2 upgrade offers voice-controlled GPS through Google MapsTM with Navigation, faster performance by JIT(Just in Time) compiler. Additionally, further functionalities including Search in-browser, Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, improved customization options will be provided with OS upgrade. - Google MapsTM with Navigation: GPS navigation system with voice guidance - Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1: Allow the web browser to make full use of the whole web - Setup Wizard: Quickly customize the GALAXY S and access networks with ease - Home Screen/Menu Preview and Edit : Preview by pinch-zoom - Search in-Browser : Google™, Translate, Wikipedia, Dictionary The Android 2.2 upgrade will be available from the mid of October 2010 in the Nordic region and gradually rolled out to other European markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, North America, Africa and rest of the world.

Source: Samsung

DROID 2 Global Training Starts for Verizon Employees

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 07:15:26 +0000

Verizon is finally gearing up to launch the Droid 2 Global by giving their employees a quick 5 minute video highlight reel to hammer through. The device, which we gave you the first pictures of, is still sort of a mystery and hasn't been officially announced, although we have a pretty good feeling it'll come out alongside the Droid Pro as sort of a dual launch. Both phones have global roaming capabilities and are positioned for the "business" crowd, so what better way to kick off the holiday shopping season than by giving new Droid adoptees a choice? Via: Engadget Cheers Nick!

Angry Birds Full Version is Ready, For Free!

Kellen — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 06:48:15 +0000

Angry Birds is available! It's not in the market yet, but it is free, has ads at this time and you can grab it from the link below. If you are nervous, feel free to watch our video walk-through again, but don't hesitate too long, this is the game you need to have.

Update: It looks like their servers weren't ready for the massive flooding. Try the link below this and if it's still down then hit up the comments for more links.

Download Link (Alt Link)

Angry Birds available for Android IT’S HERE. AND IT’S FREE. After an extended period of beta testing, Rovio is proud to present Angry Birds for the Android platform. First of all, we’d like to thank you for your patience. Why is Angry Birds free on Android? We want to make Angry Birds available for as many people as possible. Previously, many people were experiencing problems in finding Angry Birds on Android Market, but now everybody can download the game on their device. Angry Birds will run on second generation Android devices and upwards, with Android platform 1.6 or later. Your device needs to support OpenGL ES 2.0. QVGA display resolution is not supported currently, but we will add support for QVGA devices soon. Angry Birds Android features mobile advertising. A future update will include the option to purchase and opt out of advertisements. To get the game now, you can download Angry Birds on your device for free exclusively from GetJar (http://www.getjar.com/angry-birds). It will soon be available on the Android Market and Motorola SHOP4APPS, free of charge as well. We have worked long and hard to ensure that Angry Birds gives the best possible experience on Android, and we believe we have reached our goal. We welcome our fans to see for themselves and have fun playing Angry Birds! More Angry Birds goodies: -Become a facebook fan: facebook.angrybirds.com -Follow us on Twitter: twitter.angrybirds.com -Official page: www.angrybirds.com -Youtube: youtube.angrybirds.com Have fun! Best regards, The Angry Birds Team

Video: Angry Birds Full Version Walkthrough

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:00:37 +0000

Angry Birds is almost here! As we've been telling you all week, the full version should land on the market tomorrow in its 150 level glory. Yes, you read that right. The full version will have 150 levels, secret Golden Eggs, and full multi-tasking support. The kind folks at Rovio sent us over a copy to play with before it hits the market which meant we had to do a video walk-through for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Cheers Rovio!

Video: Samsung Tab Gets First Unboxing, We Start Drooling

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:08:08 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Tab just received its first unboxing and I think we are officially on board with this device. There have been hands-on videos out and about for a month now, but to see someone take this 7" beauty out of retail packaging, turn it on and start dominating the web with full Flash in under 10 minutes is pretty amazing. The build quality on this device is superior to every other tablet we've seen out and includes so many amazing features like dual cameras, AMOLED screen, 1.0GHz Hummingbird, and semi-vanilla Android 2.2 that it's hard not to start drooling immediately. Hello, early X-mas present.

Via: Phandroid

SuperOneClick Should Root Most Devices, No SDK Required?

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Say hello to SuperOneClick, the latest 1-click rooting method. I know what you're thinking, "Here we go again with the 1-click root thing," right? Before you get too down, understand that this method, while appearing to use adb commands, should work without actually having the Android SDK installed. I know from past rooting writeups, many have expressed their dislikes towards the SDK, but this should change that opinion a little. We've been following SuperOneClick all week and are under the impression that it isn't all that different from the semi-1-click method we posted a few weeks back for rooting the Droid X on official 2.2. Really the only difference from an outside non-technical perspective is that anyone on Windows can run this and root very quickly without even mentioning the words "Android SDK." (Yay! Right?) Well almost anyone. Most HTC devices including the Incredible and EVO are out of luck with this method, but don't worry, you still have unrevoked. It should work on the Droid 1, Droid 2 and Droid X. I have not tested it myself, but I've used similar methods to root all of my devices. So why post this now? Because it's been through enough testing and versions, plus our inboxes can't take anymore questions about it. (Kidding! Keep sending in your questions!)

Basic Instructions:

1. Download the latest SuperOneClick.zip file to your Windows computer. Find it here. 2. Extract the files from the .zip file into a new folder on your PC. 3. Plug your phone in to your PC and turn on USB debugging.

Settings>Applications>Development>USB Debugging

4. Open the folder with the SuperOneClick contents and double click "SuperOneClick.exe". 5. Allow the process to run and enjoy being rooted. The Unlockr also put together this nice video tutorial:

Full support thread can be found at XDA Forums.

Cheers to everyone who sent this in this week!

Flash 10.1 on Android Tops 1 Million Downloads, Everyone Enjoying it?

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:47:33 +0000

Flash 10.1 for Android recently topped 1 million downloads from the market which is quite an achievement, but the more interesting issue is whether or not 1 million users are satisfied. I know that I have had nothing but positive experiences with Flash's performance on my Incredible and Droid X, but what about the rest of the userbase? The original Droid, who's specs don't technically meet minimum requirements, has the largest hold on the Android world and early reviews aren't necessarily screaming positive pie. How is Flash working out for everyone? Loving it? Hating it? Via: ZDNet

Motorola Giving Away an R2-D2 DROID2, Still Not Sold Out?

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:45:14 +0000

Update: The contest is up! If you want to win 1 of 5 R2-D2 Droid 2's, all you have to do is retweet this @MotoMobile tweet. Winners will be announced on 10/20. Motorola's official Twitter account (@MotoMobile) is gearing up to launch a new contest which will give a lucky follower the chance to win a special edition R2-D2 Droid 2. Contest details have not been released, so you'll want to follow them if this is something that interests you. What we're wondering though, is why are there any left to give away? As you'll see at Verizon's website, the phone is still readily available...

Remember this was the phone that Motorola had only made anywhere from 50,000-80,000 of and was supposed to sell out in minutes. While we were huge fans of the device, I can at admit that our coverage of it did nothing for our site. It became evident pretty quickly there was such a small group of people interested in it, that I'm almost not surprised that you can still buy one. By the time it had been announced, everyone had already purchased a Droid X or regular Droid 2 for $50 cheaper. As far as promotion goes, before the phone launched, we had an online scavenger hunt and a press release to give it some publicity, but that was it. We also saw a tiny internet ad campaign and launch parties spread around the country, but there were no commercials and not a lot of ways for people to find about it. We had even planned on hanging out at the Portland party, but after a quick chat with the host store during our hands-on and a drive by the day of, we knew this wasn't going to be anything major. And from what I've seen of parties at much larger locations, they weren't all that much busier. Maybe it's time to put away the special edition Droid phones? Thoughts?

Arkon Mobile Mount Winners are...

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:52:17 +0000

On Tuesday we announced a simple contest to give away a bunch of Arkon Mobile Mounting products, asking that you simply tell us in a creative way why you deserve to win them. After that, we allowed readers to vote for their favorite by hitting the "like" button and you guys sure came through, commenting on the post well over 300 times and really racking in some votes for our top 3. Here we go! The winners are... 1. PezHead (184 Likes) -

"Winning one of these is probably the only chance I'll have at mounting anything this week."

2. Jamison Fitzgerald (46 Likes) -

I don't have a car but if i win ill buy one to put this on, that or ill figure out a way to put it on my handlebars of my 20 inch Huffy.

3. syntakk (26 Likes) -

Not being creative, but I'll tell you why I need to win one. I have a 6 month old child, 20k in loans from school, 5k loan car payment, $900 rent, 10k loans that my wife had from school, and I recently lost my job. I have no money to buy any extra stuff right now, lol.

Congrats you guys! So this is how we'll do this:

The prizes were: Sports Armband, Friction Dashboard Mount and Removable Air Vent Mount.
PezHead gets first pick of the litter, then Jamison and syntakk gets what is left.
All 3 of you send me a quick email. I will also do my best to contact you.

And thanks again everyone for participating. Stay tuned for our next contest!

DROID X Gift Released Last Night, Download While You Can

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:00:53 +0000

To all rooted Droid X owners, we just wanted to make you aware of a gift that was received into the community last night that should be found immediately before it disappears forever. This is a gift that can save your phone should you run into any sort of major issue while flashing a ROM, theme or any other hack. Yes, we are talking about the 2.2 SBF file. We won't be posting links to it, but trust me when I say that you shouldn't have any trouble finding it at this time. It will likely be pulled from the world very soon, so I suggest you jump on this immediately. Oh and you'll need this tool in order to use it. Please do not post links to it in the comments. Thanks everyone!

Motorola Posts DROID X Froyo Issues List, No Timetable on Fixing

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:03:07 +0000

The Motorola Forums manager has posted a list of pretty well-known issues that people are running into after they have installed Android 2.2 on their Droid X. The list isn't huge, but some of the problems have frustrated many of you since day one on Froyo. They won't release a timeframe for when these will be fixed, so try your best to be patient. Here they are...

Stuck on Moto logo after reboot – this was tough on a few owners. Very sorry about that. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release. If you are still experiencing this issue, click here. Random rebooting – while there always seem to be new conditions that can cause an electronic device to panic, we do have improvements coming that address and eliminate identified panic states. They will be distributed in a future software release. WiFi connection and stability – improvements in WiFi have been developed, to address several problem areas. They will be distributed in a future software release. Battery Manager “force close” errors – under some circumstances, pressing the battery icon under Menu > Settings > Battery Manager results in a forced close error. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release. Media won’t play – includes “sorry the player does not support this type of audio file," custom ringtone stop working, video won’t play, etc., until after a reboot. We believe we have identified the cause of these errors. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release. Music files cutting off the final four seconds or so – a solution has been developed. It will be distributed in a future software release.

Put me into the "random rebooting" category. Anyone else experiencing any of these? Via: Motorola Forums

Verizon Announces iPad, Launching with MiFi October 28th

Kellen — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 07:17:12 +0000

That's not a joke. You can see Verizon's teaser site for it right here. I guess, so much for the Galaxy Tab ever becoming a big seller? While I think anyone with any amount of brain matter can realize instantly that the Samsung Tab is by far the more superior device, it doesn't have the name or release date yet to compete with the i*ad. Not really the start we were all hoping for from the Android tablet world. Let me just remind you that this is NOT a CDMA i*ad, so don't start running around going "The i*hone is coming too!" Just wi-fi and MiFi here people. And yikes, holy pricing. Update: Now that I've actually been awake for more than 10 minutes, can I just say, "Who cares?" This really isn't any different than someone walking into an Apple store, buying an i*ad and then walking back down to Verizon to purchase a MiFi unit separately. The only thing here is that you can do both in one store. And so everyone knows, you will apparently be able to do this in AT&T stores too. While it's still annoying for the Android world that Verizon would do this 2-3 weeks before the release of the first major tablet, it really means nothing. Update 2: I understand that this means Verizon and Apple have formed a relationship and I guess I'm just not that surprised by it. The only thing that irks me about this is the timing just before the Galaxy Tab comes out. Let's just open this up for some thoughts... Cheers everyone who sent this in!

White Samsung Fascinate Headed to Best Buy on October 24th

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:00:23 +0000

Hey look, the white Samsung Fascinate is headed to Best Buy on October 24th! White phones...how are we feeling about these? The white Droid Incredible and Droid 2 Global we showed you seemed to be received fairly well. Anyone interested in grabbing one? Here is our review on the Fascinate in case the current Droid lineup isn't making you hot enough. Cheers Droid Life app tipster!

Is this the Motorola Olympus "About" Screen Showing Android 3.0?

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:45:35 +0000

Our friends at "Motorola" just sent over this interesting screenshot, which appears to be straight from the new Motorola Olympus that we've been talking non-stop about over the last few days. While we're running on this hunch that the Olympus and Everest are both tablets, our tipster left out any real specifics. And with that said, this is a shot of an "About" screen which we all know can be doctored fairly easily. You'll notice that the notification bar is missing and that the resolution on the image doesn't necessarily match any of the devices we have, but that could mean a variety of things. Oh and I blocked out the PRL version which is why you see a giant black space at the bottom. Is this a 7-inch tablet with weird resolution? Will we no longer have a notification bar in Gingerbread? Is this fake? We'll leave it up to you to decide. Update: As Fira pointed out in the comments, one of Google's Android peeps (Romain Guy) has posted this screenshot which he calls a "stock" and "unmodified" version of Android running on his device without a notification bar. Of course he doesn't mention which version that is and we're still skeptical...

Digging for more... -K and Tato

DROID 2 FRF91 AOSP ROM Released as Public Beta

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:20:57 +0000

If you are looking for the true vanilla Android experience on your Droid 2, then you need to pay attention to a new project that has been started by AngDroid and Matt4542. The ROM based off of FRF91 now in public beta is called Fission and has already been through private and public alphas this week. A ton of major bugs have been worked out and most D2 users are raving about this blur-less beast. A couple of things before you get going:

You have to be rooted. (Instructions)
You need to run Koush's Droid 2 Boostrap.
Make a damn backup.

Now get ready to experience your D2 the way you should have from day 1 and hit up the official support thread with files, instructions and more details.

LauncherPro Icons App Introduces 26 New Color Options

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:28:23 +0000

LauncherPro Icons received an update that includes 26 new icon color choiceswhich as you can see from the screenies above, leaves you with almost limitless options. Feeling green? Walnutty? Pink like Droid Life? To access these, download the app, hit Menu>Icon Color and choose your poison.

Download Link

Lookout Premium Headed to Android "Later this Year"

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 11:26:37 +0000

Famed mobile security app Lookout is announcing to its long-time userbase that there will be a premium version of their service some time before the end of the year. (In the next 2.5 months?) The important part here isn't that they'll have new features included in the premium version, but that in order to keep a free version with the full list of current benefits, you need to have it installed now or at least before the paid version launches. If that sounds confusing, just understand that you should download and install Lookout now if you want to keep all of its current features free for life. The letter below explains it much better than I can.

Hello, We're excited to let you know that we'll be releasing Lookout Mobile Security Premium for Android later this year. We will continue to offer our award-winning free Lookout product and we will be adding a premium offering for those of you who want added protection. While we can't reveal the details of the Premium version just yet, we can tell you what will happen for our existing users. For you, nothing changes-- unless you want it to! Because you are an existing Lookout user you can continue to use the same great Lookout product you know and love for as long as you want, free of charge. While we will continue to offer a free product, a few of our free features will become premium features for new users. Existing users like yourself will get to keep using those features free of charge for the life of your account. If you are interested in upgrading to the new Premium product, you'll have the option to do that. And if you change your mind, you can always go back to what you have today for free. Here's How it Will Work: - We will continue to have a great free version of Lookout - Lookout Premium will be coming out soon (more details, including price, to come) - You'll have the option to upgrade to Lookout Premium - For existing users, you get to continue using all the features in your Free product today, for the life of your account - Note: The first version of Lookout Premium will be for Android users only. Additional platforms will follow. When we release more information about Lookout Premium, you'll be first to know. Stay tuned and thank you for supporting Lookout. If you have any questions, please send us a note at support@mylookout.com. In the meantime, tell your friends to sign up for Lookout now! Best, John Hering CEO, Lookout Mobile Security

Anyone a big Lookout fanatic? Using something else like WaveSecure? Cheers Kris!

DROID X Dominates Sunday Night Football Intro

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:32:48 +0000

I'm actually pretty embarrassed to admit that we're 5 weeks into the NFL season and have not posted this yet, but the Sunday Night Football intro features a Faith Hill in dire need of some devolumizer and our big 4.3" family member, the Droid X. Verizon, as you'll see throughout this intro is a big time sponsor and we were a little slow to realize it.

And speaking of football, it looks like we've only got 13 players left in each of our Survivor Leagues. San Diego crushed some dreams last week, that's for sure. Good luck to the rest of you! Cheers Jerry!

MessagEase Keyboard Now Available, A "Disruptive" Way of Typing

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:38:13 +0000

Sick of Swype, Swiftkey or the other dozen Android keyboards available? Then check out a new player who has been ported over from the i*hone, named MessagEase. I'm going to be brutally honest with this one, I'm not getting the "ease" portion of the name or why the makers are calling it "disruptive." The idea behind this keyboard is for users with smaller screens or who love to 1-handed text to have fewer keys to worry about and bigger buttons to press. To use the keyboard, you perform a simple swiping motion from parent letters to their smaller key counterparts. For example, if you want the letter M, you would press R and swipe to the left over top of M to make it appear. Seems simple right? Not for the challenged folks here who run Droid Life! The keyboard is free in the market and I highly suggest you check it out to prove how slow I am at adopting new technologies. Let me know if you have any success with it!

Download Link

DROID 2 Only a Penny, DROID X only $99 through Amazon

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:56:08 +0000

To anyone who purchased a Droid 2 or Droid X over the last few weeks, please stop reading now or prepare to be slightly insulted. Amazon is now selling the DX for $99, but even more shocking is the price of the D2 which drops in at $.01. Yes, a single penny. Our sources have mentioned more than once that the Droid 2 Global will eventually replace the original and with this insulting price, you have to start wondering if it'll happen any day now. Thoughts D2 owners? And to those looking to snag one of these phones, head over to Amazon now to purchase them! Cheers Luda and Ryan!

Official TweetDeck Lands on Android Market!

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:16:03 +0000

TweetDeck just got through releasing some fun-filled statistics and turns right around to release the official version of their wildly popular Twitter app on the Android Market. It's free as you may have expected and can found using the link or QR code below. I do recommend that you uninstall your beta version as this market release will not overwrite it and you will have two TweetDecks.

Download Link

Angry Birds Still Scheduled for "End of Week" Release

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 07:53:48 +0000

We reached out to Angry Birds maker Rovio last night to see if the full version of their increasingly popular game would hit the market this week as their Twitter account mentioned and so far it looks like they are on schedule...

We try to have it out by the end of the week, and it’s looking good at the moment! It’s going to be attractively priced, and we try to make it available for as many devices as possible. QVGA displays aren’t supported for the first release, but we’re working to include them in a future update.

Keep an eye on the market, unless you have a QVGA device that is.

Tweetdeck Releases User Statistics, DROID 2 Global and Olympus Make Appearances

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:30:14 +0000

Tweetdeck released some pretty cool statistics last night that show which phone and what OS their 36,427 active beta testers are running. The list definitely screams "Fragmentation!" for Android, but we already know that's an issue and instead found the batch of unreleased phones that made appearances to be more interesting. After just a quick glance, we found these 3 which really stood out:

MB860 (Motorola Olympus)
Droid 2 Global
MotoA953 (Milestone 2)
HTC Glacier

I'm sure there are more, so I'll leave it up to you guys to dig through the list. You can view the OS breakdown after the break.

Yep, there was a Gingerbread mention in there. Source: Tweetdeck Blog

Motorola Olympus and Everest, are they 2 Separate Android Tablets?

Kellen — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 05:00:25 +0000

We've been talking all week about the Motorola Tegra 2 phone which we were initially thinking was called the Olympus, but now that the codename Everest has surfaced (via Android and Me), we're starting to think that there is a chance these could be a pair of Android tablets instead. What would you all think about 7-inch and 10-inch tablets launching together running Tegra 2s and Gingerbread/Honeycomb? Before you laugh at this thought, let's look back at a quote from Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha in May (via PCWorld)...

"I think that a companion 7- to 10-inch device in a home will become very important, [both] as an augmentation to your TV experience [and] also as a way of walking around the house and streaming TV to that device," Jha said. "I think we're very focused in participating in this convergence that's coming between mobility and home, and I think you will actually see some products from us in a very short period of time."

Makes sense right? And in doing this, Motorola would be covering not only the tablet crowd that wants a smaller and more pocketable device like the Galaxy Tab, but would be hitting up the 10-inch iPad audience. We also shouldn't forget that Motorola seems primed to take down RIM with the launch of the Droid Pro, but adding a 7-inch tablet to the mix would allow them to compete directly with the new Blackberry Playbook. But what about the name Stingray that we've seen a couple of times? Your guess is as good as ours, but our thought is that Motorola is changing codenames like crazy to keep these devices hidden. We can't say enough how locked up this new wave of Moto devices is. And for argument's sake, the Droid X had a model number of MB810 and the Olympus has been spotted as MB860 which looks like a natural progression for a phone. With all that said, just remember that we're simply speculating and bouncing ideas off of all of you. Until we see some shots of any of these devices, it'll all be a bunch of rumors that we thoroughly enjoy talking about. Plus, the names Olympus and Everest just roll off the tongue nicely together, don't they? Thoughts?

Motorola Olympus MB860 Headed to AT&T First?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:36:54 +0000

We've been attempting to track the mysterious Motorola Tegra 2 device over the last couple of weeks and are starting to think it could be the Motorola Olympus (MB860) which just recently received wi-fi certification. While it's still a guess that this will be the dual-core device, we are doing our best to put all of the clues available together. On that note, we seem to have missed a somewhat-major clue from that pesky @androidevicespy Twitter account. Back on August 30th, it tweeted the named "Olympus" and model number "MB860" with AT&T as a potential carrier. We had heard a rumor yesterday that this new device might not be exclusive to Verizon and I guess this would help that argument. We still aren't exactly sure where @androidevicespy pulls its info from, but from past experiences, we know that it has led us in the right direction. And the story grows... Cheers @RobNazarian!

Contest: The Great Arkon Mobile Mount Giveaway!

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:45:14 +0000

A few weeks back we ran our review of Arkon's new "Mega Grip" mobile mounting solution products and are now ready to give them away! We have 3 items to hand out to Droid Life readers and they are the Sports Armband, the Friction Dashboard Mount and the Removable Air Vent Mount. To get a better idea of what those are, hit up the gallery below. I'll also say again that this series of mobile mounting solutions is by far the best I've run across. Arkon has definitely come up with a winning line here, especially for those of us with giant 4.3" screened phones. To Enter and Win: 1. In the comments, get creative and tell us why you deserve to win one of these items. 2. Everyone else will then "like" the comment they find most creative, funny, etc. 3. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll grab the top 3 for "likes" and those will be our winners. 4. Feel free to Tweet and share this too! (Buttons are up top.) Simple enough? Let's hear those reasons! And to see Arkon's entire lineup, visit their site. [gallery link="file" orderby="title"]

Verizon Training Scheduled for Early November, Discussing 4G Pricing and Samsung Tab

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:04:43 +0000

Verizon announced their 38 4G LTE launch markets (map here) last week and have now set up a training period for their employees in preparation for go live. In between October 20th and November 10th, employees must sign up to review Q4 initiatives, 4G pricing, 4G launch details, and get their hands on the Galaxy Tab. Some of the Verizon sources we spoke with were told that tiered pricing (possibly 3G) would actually be a topic, but we're having trouble buying into that just yet since COO Lowell McAdam wasn't ready to go that far only last week. They do expect to get their hands on the Tab by November 3rd though, which could mean our November 1st date is out and a later launch date could be expected. Digging for more...

Rumor: Android Gingerbread SDK Coming Next Week?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:15:24 +0000

We've all sort of been expecting to see Gingerbread some time before the end of the year, at least on the Nexus One and the latest rumor suggests that the SDK for it might be out by next week. For those not familiar with Gingerbread, this is the version of Android that is supposed to have some major UI changes which we're hoping forces manufacturers to stop slapping their own custom skins over the top. If the SDK does indeed sneak out next week, we'll be able to see exactly what this new beauty looks like through an emulator. This is big, people and means it could be ready for device deployment in the very near future. Still no word on the version number and could be 2.5 or 3.0, but will all be cleared up with the SDK. Who's ready to bake some Gingerbread? Via: Android Police

European Milestone Froyo Update Trials Begin Next Week

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:45:01 +0000

Android 2.2 for the Motorola Milestone has been quite the hot topic over the last few months. Some countries were left out entirely when it was announced, only to be included after owner outrage, but now with the timeline semi-locked down Moto is ready to start testing. The European Milestone is up first for user trials...

Hello. From next week we start user trials of the European Milestone upgrade to Froyo. Once these are complete, we will know what further work is required to optimise, before going into final testing and approval stage. As previously we plan to start rolling the update at the end of this year, but wanted to keep you updated. Thanks

Looks like Moto is setting its sights on that Q1 2011 deadline. And how about this super early progress report? You've got to love that. Source: Motorola Europe Facebook Via: Phandroid

Google Search Updated, Fixes DROID X 2.2 Freezing Issue?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:15:24 +0000

There is a Google Search update available in the market and we're hoping it fixes the freezing issue that many have experienced with their Droid X after receiving Android 2.2. And actually, if you check out the comments for the Search app, you'll see that the freezing issue may include other devices and might be much more widespread. Apparently when using the Google Search widget, after typing the first word, users are experiencing freezing and you need to exit search and then re-open it before it will work. Frustrating for sure. I can't say that I've experienced the freezing, so I'm going to have to ask all of you if this took care of the problem. Google Search widget working properly now? Cheers DL app tipster!

Original DROID Makes Pink Appearance in New Duracell Commercial

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:30:47 +0000

Duracell has a new product on the market called the MyGrid and in their latest commercial, they feature a variety of phones charging on it, but most notably is the pink, yes pink Motorola Droid. It looks like Duracell had enough money to fork out for the Blackberry name, but not our family member's. Anyone want a pink Droid? Jump to the 15 second mark.

Cheers Joe!

Motorola MB860 Receives Wi-Fi Certification, First Tegra 2 Phone Sighting?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:49:19 +0000

The Motorola MB860 which is rumored to be the Olympus and another of Moto's tablets just received its wi-fi certification. Or better yet, is this the mysterious Tegra 2 phone? We've heard the name mentioned maybe once or twice before and basically know nothing about it, but that its model number doesn't match the Stringray MZ600 we found a few months back. The certification above lists it as a "smartphone" meaning this could be the first appearance of the game changing device we expect to be revealed at CES. How does Olympus sound as a name? And check out the must-have specs everything has put together at this post. Via: Phandroid

Tuesday Poll: What Features Must Be Included in the Motorola Tegra 2?

Kellen — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:15:34 +0000

We just can't help ourselves but continue to talk about the mysterious Motorola Tegra 2 phone, especially since it has been rumored to be the next game changer just like the original Droid was. This device is expected to push the limits of a smartphone like no one has seen before, which means specs and features that might even impress Steve J*bs a little. We asked you yesterday what you would call this device, but now we want to know what you expect from it. It will definitely have a dual core processor hence the Tegra 2 reference, but what else must it have? A large screen? Slide-out keyboard? High mega-pixel front facing camera? Some new technology that hasn't been made public yet? What? For me, I really just want a large screen that's at least 4 inches, a Motorola camera that finally takes quality shots, and 4G LTE. From there, since we're already expecting Gingebread, I want something else to sneak in that no one expected. Surprise us Moto!

App Roundup: TV Show Favs, Weather Face, Whrrl and More

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:27:43 +0000

TV Show Favs: (free) - Big TV junkie? This beta app allows you to grab all of your favorite shows and keep track of them in one convenient spot, your phone. You can even set up notifications and customize them for each show. In fact, this app is so awesome it really deserves its own post.

Weather Face: (lite and $.99) - Jealous of HTC Sense users who have live rain dropping or sun shining on their home screen? Then check out Weather Face which gives you the same feel but with a deeper integration. You can have lightning in your gallery or snow in your dialer, well as long as that's what is happening outside.

Whrrl: (free) - This just hit the market minutes ago and is a similar service to FourSquare but instead looks at your history of check-ins and then places you in "societies" that match them. It's a great app for finding things to do with like-minded people or just to stalk another group of Yoga-heads.

Kamikaze Race: (free) - Another OpenFeint game to add to the already impressive collection. This one is essentially a suicide race game, meaning you are pedal to the metal and have no brakes. The goal is to last as long as you can without crashing. Seems simple? It is, but it's also really addicting.

Record Now!: ($1.00) - This app allows you to launch your video recorder and force it to start recording instantly. No more fumbling around for the record button when you are kickin' it at the Hard Rock in Vegas and Paris Hilton just got busted for...nevermind.

iBasket: (free) - One of those i*hone ports that has already taken off. In just over a month it's up over 50K downloads and probably won't slow down anytime soon. iBasket is a simple aim and shoot basketball game that for whatever reason, is tough to put down.

To have your application featured in future Roundups, contact us here.

Motorola Tegra 2 Device Won't be a Verizon Exclusive?

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:54:46 +0000

Some interesting news just popped up about the secret Motorola Tegra 2 device that we asked you to name this morning. The latest from Android and Me suggests that the device will not be exclusive to Verizon and could actually hit all 4 major carriers, sort of like the Galaxy S lineup of phones did. They also believe (as we do) that it will be 4G and should debut at CES in January as a device most of us could only dream about. I will say that while it may not be "exclusive", Verizon will do its best to make their Droid version as exclusive as possible. Don't be surprised if the Big Red release has Droid written all over it with a return to the black metal look of the original Droid and Droid X. Seriously, can we just skip the holidays and jump right to 2011? Via: Android and Me Photo: Concept Phones

Ask Dr. Root: The Top Apps for Rooted Devices

MrPicolas — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:45:39 +0000

I was gonna dive deep into the world of modding this week, but thought with the growing population of readers rooting and wondering where to go from there I'd go back to basics. With that being said, let's cover some essential root apps that will make your life a lot easier.

ROM Manager

This is your one stop shop for the majority of your rooting needs. You can create backups, flash new ROMs and apply new themes all in one place. We highly recommend grabbing the paid version to unlock some bonus features.

ShootMe

Want to show off all those cool themes and ROMs you are using? Shootme is where it's at. Simple to use and handy to have, you'll be filling up your SD card with all sorts of pics.

DropCap2

You could say this is the sister to ShootMe and is just as easy to use. Only problem with drocap2 is the little camera icon it puts in the notification bar when snapping shots.

Either one of these should do just fine, but my personal favorite is ShootMe.

Root Explorer

The swiss army knife of file managers. This is a powerful app and gives you unfettered access to all of the files residing on your phone. A word of caution: If you delete something you shouldn't have with this it is gone for good. Please make a backup of your current ROM before messing with a program of this caliber.

SetCPU

Not for every rooted phone. That being said if you have an orignal Droid or an Android phone that allows kernel replacement, then this is a must have. Battery life and performance improvment is what this app is all about.

Terminal Emulator

A command line interface for your mobile phone or better yet, "ADB mobile." The only caveat to this is you cannot use it with system files because they are running while this app is in action. Any other files are free game though.

Wireless Tether

Last but not least this is a great utility for your mobile phone. With Wireless Tether you can have an internet connection for your laptop or other wireless device wherever you go.

Any others we missed that you would recommend? -Dr. Root aka MrPicolas.

Dark Edge V1.0 Released, Now in Update.zip Format

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:12:41 +0000

Dark Edge for the original Droid might still be the greatest theme created for any Android device and with today's V1.0 release, it looks like it might be a while before anyone dethrones it. If there was one drawback to previous versions, it would have been the incredibly intense installation process, but with this new release, Xeudoxus and REALigion have put together an update.zip which makes it as easy as any other theme you'll find. You now don't have an excuse to not be using this. Instructions (theme only):

*Note 1* - Original DROID only. *Note 2* - They recommend flashing this over stock FRG22D, but it worked flawlessly for me over Bugless Beast V0.5.

1. Download DE.FRG22D.zip to your SD card. 2. Open ROM Manager and select "Install ROM from SD card." 3. Locate DE.FRG22D.zip and tap on it. 4. Check the box to make a backup, skip "wipe data and cache." 5. Your phone will reboot and apply Dark Edge. 6. When it's finished you can enjoy the new look or move forward to app theming. Instructions (app theming): 1. Download DarkEdge-FRG22D-Apps.zip to your SD card. 2. Downlaod and install Dark Edge tools from the market. 3. Open Dark Edge tools and click "Start App Transfer." 4. When it finishes, exit out. 5. Extract all of the files from DarkEdge-FRG22D-Apps.zip to your "AndroidThemes" folder.

*Note 3*- If you don't have this folder, create it.

6. When finished, download and install Metamorph from the market. 7. Open Metamorph, "Start Checks" and select "Pick Existing Theme." 8. Open the folder which you just extracted DarkEdge-Apps.zip to. 9. Find the DarkEdge-FRG22D-Apps.xml file and tap on it. 10. Click "Apply All." 11. Metamorph will now theme all of your apps. 12. When it reboots, enjoy! Full support thread can be found here. Huge thanks to Xeudoxus and REALigion for this release! [gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Samsung Galaxy Tab User Guide on Verizon, Will Make Calls and have Google Search?

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:17:47 +0000

We had a chance to look at the "work in progress" user guide for Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Tab this morning and some interesting things really stuck out. The first thing was the multiple mentions of phone capabilities which we had all assumed were removed from the U.S. version of the device. While our sources have confirmed it indeed WON'T make calls, my hopes were high for a good 3 minutes that it would. (Tease!) The second thing to stand out was the mention of Google Search on more than one occasion. If this UG holds up at all, the Tab might actually find the ranks of the Droid franchise and not sport Bing, although the screen shot of a Bing app pre-loaded is enough to not keep us crossing our fingers. Oh and the preloaded app suite should look something like this: VZ Navigator, VCAST Music and Videos, Kindle app, ThinkFree Office Suite, NFL Mobile, and Slacker. Will this device actually see that November 1st launch date we mentioned earlier? [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Monday Poll: What Should the Motorola Tegra 2 Device be Called?

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 07:45:00 +0000

All signs are currently pointing to a super Motorola Droid Tegra 2 phone making an appearance at January's CES, but that's all we really know at this time. The device we can assume, will run on 4G LTE, have a front facing camera, a screen bigger than 3.7", no phyiscal keyboard, be running Gingerbread and basically have the specs to crush any other phone on the market. What we don't know at all is what this device will be called. Rumors suggest that it is the most locked up device on the planet and testers with it are scared to death of the NDA's, meaning there isn't a chance in hell they'll be leaking it. Well, not yet anyway. How about we toss around some names? What about "T2" or "Terminator which Android and Me has been using? We had heard "Venus" but that turned out to be the Droid Pro. Other thoughts? What would you next Droid name be?

Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Tab Headed to Verizon November 1?

Kellen — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 07:00:36 +0000

We already know that the UK version of the Galaxy Tab will be released on November 1st, but what about to the U.S. carriers? We've learned from 2 sources over the weekend that the Verizon version is also tentatively set to launch on November 1st. Maybe we'll just have one giant coordinated Tab launch throughout the world that day? Would be pretty nice, although there was another rumor out Friday suggesting the Sprint version won't land until the 14th, so our dreams may not come true. At least the VZW version will be first though right? And we're off digging for further confirmation...

AppBrain Adds Adobe AIR App Category

Kellen — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:36:32 +0000

Adobe AIR launched on Android last week, but most users were a little confused as to what apps would work with it. Well peeps, the crew at AppBrain has taken care of you once again and provided you with a category that lists out the most popular apps currently requiring AIR to run. Thank you, thank you. View the Adobe AIR apps list here. Via: AppBrain Twitter

HTCSense.com Works on Incredible with Desire HD ROM

Kellen — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:16:08 +0000

When the new HTCSense.com was announced, there wasn't a mention of the Droid Incredible ever having the ability to access it, but thanks to the ROM-ing geniuses in the Android community, you can now enjoy the HTC Hub and everything else that the Desire HD and Z had exclusivity to. All you need to do is root your phone, install the Desire HD ROM that we showed you a couple of weeks ago, and tell HTCSense.com that you have a Desire HD. Rooting the Incredible is done with unrevoked 3.21. To get the newest IncDoes Sense "Desire HD" ROM, hit up XDA Forums. Cheers Eric!

Amazon App Store Launching this Month?

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:52:41 +0000

More rumors have surfaced surrounding the Amazon Android App Store, this time suggesting it could go live by the end of October. We've already seen the distribution agreements for devs, but that's all we really know. We have no idea what it will be called, what it'll look like, or how it'll function. What we do know is that the Amazon MP3 store is already built into Android, so this should be a seamless integration if it does happen. And of course we shouldn't forget that Amazon is a beast when it comes to selling products, so you can only imagine the job they'd do with an app store. My only thought is, how many app stores do we need? Via: WSJ, All Things Digital

Found Interesting Adobe AIR Apps? Share them here!

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:17:46 +0000

With the launching of Adobe AIR late last night, most people are wondering what the heck they can do with it now and have no idea what kinds of apps are available. One of AppBrain's users has put together a nice list of AIR apps, but that's definitely not all of them. As we mentioned earlier this morning, simply do a search for "adobe air" in the Market and you'll get at least 50 apps to check out. Most of them are super new and not as polished as you'd like, but it'll at least give you a chance to mess around with what AIR has to offer. And the app above called Darcel vs. Pigeons! is pretty damn addicting. Download it here. What else have you guys found? Drop it below in the comments.

Custom "OG" Droid Friday: Sense Theme for ShadowROM

Tim — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:34:52 +0000

WooHoo Friday! And what a week it's been. I myself have been waiting for some "official ports" of DarkEdge to some ROMs, but had a few people asking if there was a good Sense™ theme available for the original Droid aka "OG". Well, they're in luck.

Astaccz has ported the lovely Sense theme to ShadowROM 0.2.1 and it's almost exactly like Sense? Who would of guessed! This really is a great ROM for two pretty major reasons: Customization and pure lack of bugs. Billygalbreath and InsaneNemesis have put their testers through the paces with this one. Add this theme with LauncherPro widgets and its ability to use custom docks and you won't even know the difference!

Instructions after the jump!

THIS IS FOR THE DROID 1 ONLY

1. Open ROM Manager and select ShadowROM 0.2.1

2. When prompted for which theme you would like...hmm...I wonder which one. Select "Sense".

3. Make a backup if you haven't already and flash that bad-boy!

You'll be rock'n ShadowROM and Sense in less than 5 minutes! (Depending on Wi-Fi or 3G connection of course.)

Also, don't forget about the HTC IME keyboard to add to the legitimacy: Download here. -Tim-o-tato [gallery] Original post on Droid Forums Here! ShadowROM Site Here! Have a great weekend!!!

Rumor: HTC Merge/Lexikon Headed to Verizon November 11th

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:13:20 +0000

We just received a little Friday tip that the HTC Lexikon/Merge will be hitting Verizon stores in about a month on November 11th. A specific name was not confirmed nor was pricing information given, but we can guess that it'll be at about the standard $199 on new 2-year contract with a mail-in-rebate of some sort. We're only considering this to be rumor until we get some really hard evidence, but Verizon definitely likes Thursday launches meaning the 11th looks mighty tasty. Stay tuned!

DROID 2 Theme Friday: Stock Original DROID

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:29:55 +0000

Recently upgraded to Droid 2 from the original and miss that old look? Then check out the stock D1 theme we have for you courtesy of XDA themer draya1986. This theme isn't incredibly intense like BigDX Serenity was this morning, but it brings you back to the old days a little. Download: d1_theme_Final.zip Instructions: 1. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 3. You need to run Koush’s Bootstrap Recovery. 4. Your phone needs to be deodexed. (Instructions) 5. Open the D2 Bootstrap and “boostrap” the recovery. 6. When that finishes, “reboot recovery.” 7. Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery, scroll down to “backup and restore.” 8. Choose “backup” to make a clean backup of your phone. 9. When that finishes choose “install zip from SD card.” 10. Then “choose zip from SD card” and find the PinkLife.zip file, select it and hit “yes.” 11. Your phone will apply the theme. When it finishes, reboot and enjoy!

Full support thread can be found at XDA Forums.

MotoPrint Maybe Headed to Android by End of Year

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:45:55 +0000

Motorola showed off one of its new apps this week at CTIA called MotoPrint, which does exactly what it sounds like it should do. It will be headed to the Android Market hopefully by the end of the year allowiong Motorola phones to print almost anything to local-area printers. The app apparently has a pretty basic UI, but gets the job done by providing you with a list of printers on your network giving users the ability to print things like Microsoft Office documents, PDFs, and graphics. It also has a cool Google maps-styled campus view of printers in your building. Nice. Via: PCMag

Yahoo Messenger Will Soon Have Video Calling

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:02:51 +0000

Who wants mobile video chatting/calling/~~stripping~~ on their Android phone from one of the big dogs in the IM world? Brace yourself as Yahoo Messenger's video feature was semi-announced and should be headed to both the good guys and the i*hone, allowing video calls to anything capable of running the IM service.

The free app, will be available for both iPhone and Android phones and will allow smartphone users to not only conduct video calls with each other, but with anyone that currently uses Yahoo Messenger for video calls on their PCs, Katz said (Messenger has 81 million users worldwide, according to Yahoo). And unlike FaceTime, Yahoo’s mobile Messenger video calling app will work not only over a WiFi connection, but over a carrier’s standard wireless network.

These are the announcements we really enjoy hearing. While we are lacking many devices with cameras that can take advantage of a service like this, you have to assume that they are coming. Anyone else excited? Source: Reuters Via: Androinica

DROID X Theme Friday: BigDX Serenity

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:40:22 +0000

We're thinking about bombarding you with custom themes for all devices today and the first one up is the Droid X. This theme has been out for a while, but it just seems to get better by the week with new colors, pieces themed, and more support. Say hello to BigDX Serenity in our favorite, pink! Serenity is one of the few DX themes you'll find that will actually take over almost every piece of your phone. Some of the themes out there are just a framework update, but this is so much more. Hate pink? Don't worry, there are 7 other colors at the support thread below. Download: BigDSerenityXPink1003.zip Instructions: 1. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 3. You need to run Koush's Bootstrap Recovery. 4. Your phone needs to be deodexed. (Instructions) 5. Open the DX Bootstrap and "boostrap" the recovery. 6. When that finishes, "reboot recovery." 7. Once your phone boots to Clockwork Recovery, scroll down to "backup and restore." 8. Choose "backup" to make a clean backup of your phone. 9. When that finishes choose "install zip from SD card." 10. Then "choose zip from SD card" and find the BigD.zip file, select it and hit "yes." 11. Your phone will apply the theme. When it finishes, reboot and enjoy! If you want the Droid Life wallpaper, download it here. Full support thread and additional colors at BigD's XDA thread. Donate too! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

T-Mobile Responds to G2 Controversy, Calls Rooting Crowd "Small Subset" of Users

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 08:27:08 +0000

By now many of you are aware of the rumor floating around suggesting that the T-Mobile G2 has a security measure built in that will unroot the device and restore it to its original code upon rebooting. Well it's no longer a rumor and has been confirmed by T-Mobile to our friends over at Androinica...

As pioneers in Android-powered mobile devices, T-Mobile and HTC strive to support innovation. The T-Mobile G2 is a powerful and highly customizable Android-powered smartphone, which customers can personalize and make their own, from the look of their home screen to adding their favorite applications and more. The HTC software implementation on the G2 stores some components in read-only memory as a security measure to prevent key operating system software from becoming corrupted and rendering the device inoperable. There is a small subset of highly technical users who may want to modify and re-engineer their devices at the code level, known as “rooting,” but a side effect of HTC’s security measure is that these modifications are temporary and cannot be saved to permanent memory. As a result the original code is restored.

The openness that we all love about Android seems to be slowly fading away because of phone manufacturers and carriers. First Motorola and their locked bootloaders and now HTC and this. Very disappointing news on a Friday morning. Via: Androinica

Adobe AIR Lands on Android Market

Kellen — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 07:18:32 +0000

Adobe AIR is now available on the Android Market and I highly suggest that you go download and install it immediately. Why? Because in order to run any AIR apps that come out in the near future, you will need to have it installed on your phone. AIR was created as a tool to allow developers to make apps that would be easily transferable to other platforms, but the AIR app itself is also needed in order for you to run those same apps. (Read more on AIR here.) In the description from the market, Adobe is directing you to http://get.adobe.com/air which doesn't get you much at this time. If you want some AIR apps right now, then after you do a search for "Adobe AIR" in the market, check out all of the apps that show up below it. And if you were wondering, AIR apps in general will be available in the market and install just like any other app would.

Download Link

Cheers Shane!

DROID 2 Global Outted on Motorola Website, 1.2GHz Confirmed

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:59:33 +0000

The Droid 2 Global which we leaked the first pictures of just popped up onto Motorola's website. Two of our readers caught it and sent over the link plus some pictures before Moto pulled it. As we confirmed to you with our exclusive shots, this bad boy runs at 1.2Ghz and should take over for the Droid 2 once it launches. Can I say again, we told you it would be the Droid 2 Global and not the "world edition" or the Droid Pro? Ignore the fact that the screen size on this spec sheet says 3.1". Motorola is obviously just fine-tuning the page before it gets released. All of the other specs match up to what we have like the slider keyboard and 1.2GHz processor. Oh, and the picture down below we grabbed also shows it.

And an actual shot of it...

Cheers Tra and Cesar!

New Paid App Market Countries Will Need an Updated Android Market

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:59:36 +0000

We broke the news on this a couple of hours ago, but the Android team has now made it official. To all new countries that have been granted paid app support, users will need to have the latest version of the market which as the shot above shows, allows for auto-updating. The update will be a silent install and users won't be prompted...

For users to make a purchase of paid apps in these countries, they must have the latest Android Market client, which we have started to make available as a self-update and should reach all users within the next few days. This is a silent update; users will not see a notification and will not be prompted to do anything. If you want to accelerate the self-update process, launch Android Market, navigate back to the Home screen, and after 5-10 minutes, relaunch it. For more details, please refer to the Help Center.

So there you have it, Android 2.1 can run the new Market. Via: Android Developers

Video: HTC Lexikon/Merge Boot Animation, No DROID Eye

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:44:19 +0000

We just posted up some new pictures of the HTC Lexikon/Merge that's headed to Verizon and now have video of the boot animation which as you may have guessed, does not feature a Droid red eye. Obviously one can be added at any time, but with this Verizon logo boot anim and Bing locked and loaded, doesn't that pretty much seal the deal that this won't be a Droid? Anyone wish this was the next Droid and not the Droid Pro? (My hand might be up right now.)

Watch the MLB Playoffs Live on Your EVO, Epic or Incredible with MLB at Bat

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:15:06 +0000

Big baseball fan? Then you are probably all over the playoffs which started yesterday and are officially in full swing today when my Braves stomp all over the Giants on the road. And if you can't get to your TV to watch the action, but own an EVO, Epic or Droid Incredible, then you can pay a reduced price of $4.99 for the MLB at Bat app and watch it on the go! Nice to see an app maker reduce a price while adding a live TV feature. Mark that one on your calendar. Cheers Zach and Matthew!

Fennec Leaves Alpha, Trims Down as Firefox Beta

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:38:02 +0000

It looks like Mozilla is ready to ditch this odd Fennec name and start to align everything with the release of Firefox beta for mobile. If you've been using the Fennec alpha that keeps auto-updating itself, you've actually been on "beta" for a couple of days now. In fact, if you keep your current Fennec and allow it to update, you'll be on version 4.0b2pre which appears to be newer than this official Firefox beta. If you want the sweet Firefox logo though, you will need to uninstall Fennec and then go with this official version. Visit the link below to download the first version of Firefox beta (4.0b1): http://firefox.com/m/beta No word yet if this version will prompt you for updates as Fennec did, but we'll assume that it will. Release notes here. List of supported devices here.

Want More HTC Merge/Lexikon Pictures? OK, Here You Go

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:55:13 +0000

The HTC Merge/Lexikon keeps making appearances, but for the most part, is still somewhat of a giant question mark. We gave you the user guide for the device which lacked an official name, had heard that it was initially going to be a part of the Droid franchise until it appeared full of Bing, and know that it won't be a 4G device. We do know it'll be a global device that runs at 800MHz, but we still have zero idea as to when this bad boy might launch. Questions, questions. It sure looks pretty though doesn't it? [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Motorola Milestone on 2.1 Now Allows Market App Auto-Updates?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:00:08 +0000

One of our readers from Israel just sent in the screenshots above which show his Motorola Milestone running Android 2.1, but with a market that allows apps to be auto-updated just like 2.2. He received some sort of an update to his market within the last couple of days which happened essentially at the same time that the Android team announced support of paid apps to a new batch of countries (including Israel of course). Does this mean that all Milestones in new paid app countries will have this wonderful Froyo option? Let's hope so. I can't even imagine life without it.

Which New OpenFeint Game Should we be Playing?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:17:17 +0000

Over the last couple of days OpenFeint has been unleashing a second wave of games onto Android, but I've got to admit that I have no clue which ones are awesome or not. With most of them paid apps, asking readers seemed like a better idea than forking out cash and refunding as we all know how much developers hate that refund policy. So of the new games out this week (not Fruit Ninja or MiniSquadron), which games caught your eye? [poll id="18"]

Universal Androot Hits Android Market, Still Can't 1-Root DROID, DROID2, DROIDX

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:51:41 +0000

Remember Universal Androot? You know, the 1-click rooting method that at one time took care of just about every major Android device on the planet? Well, this week it resurfaced in the Market as an official app. The only problem is, it's pretty much useless to the biggest portion of Android users out there. We're talking about those with any "Droid" brand of phone, specifically the Droid 1, 2 and X. For those without a Droid, here is the list of compatible phones.

PrivacyStar Updated, Now Allows Text Message Blocking

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:43:39 +0000

Have an old stalker who kept your number tattooed on the back of their wrist for life long SMS text spamming? Then check out PrivacyStar who just updated their Android app to include text blocking to go along with their popular call blocking service. PrivacyStar also allows you to set "Do Not Disturb" messages, block groups of people, anonymous or restricted callers, etc. For those conspiracy theorists and anal phone folk, this is the app for you. Free in the market!

Download Link

Thursday Poll: Thoughts on Latest i*hone to Verizon Talk?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:33:08 +0000

I'm sure by now that you've all heard the latest rumor from the Wall Street Journal that the i*hone is officially headed to Verizon some time in early 2011. The WSJ says that Apple will begin manufacturing the CDMA version of the i*hone 4 by the end of the year and should have it ready for launch some time in the first quarter. So what immediately comes to mind when you hear this? As a blog that essentially just covers Verizon related Android news, a few things stick out. The first is, I'll believe it when Apple announces it. The second is, Apple only releases new i*hones in the middle of the year, so why would they switch now? Third is, the WSJ also mentions that an i*hone 5 is in the works which makes me wonder why they would pump out version 4 for Verizon, knowing that version 5 will be out 6 months later? Fourth, why would VZW want a CDMA version and not an LTE version? LTE will be in full swing by mid-1st quarter of 2011, meaning who wants a 3G phone? Fifth, there has been a lot of Android talk lately both in sales numbers and in new/future devices. Nice timing for Apple to sneak some new info into the mix? Sixth, Lowell McAdam stood on stage yesterday and shut down an obnoxious media member who couldn't help but ask about the i*hone rumor. He basically told her that there are already a lot of great Android devices on the market to be talking about. He didn't say "smartphones," he said "Android" phones. Seventh, hello Droid Tegra 2 and Tablet in Q1? We are all expecting the biggest Android devices ever to launch in the first part of the year, meaning Verizon would be fools to try and launch these plus the i*hone, right? Your thoughts? And feel free to dominate the comments with this one... [poll id="17"]

Full Version of HootSuite Turns Free on 10/13

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:42:42 +0000

HootSuite, one of our favorite Twitter apps of all time, just announced that its full paid version will become free starting 10/13. For those of you not interested in paying the $2.99 price tag of months past, next week will be your chance to check out the app we've raved about. In our books there are 2 Twitter apps worth using: Tweetdeck and HootSuite. I'd go into my list of reasons, but it could take a long, long time. From HootSuite...

Mobile HootSuite fans will enjoy an added bonus next week – as of noon PST on October 13, the full version of HootSuite for i*hone and HootSuite for Android will be absolutely FREE to download.

If you have already paid for the full version, they would like to thank you for the support. No refunds people. Via: HootSuite Blog

Swype Beta Invitation Winners, Read This!

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 08:16:49 +0000

If you were one of our 50 Swype beta invitation winners, then you must read this post to figure out exactly how you can get your account activated and Swype downloaded to your phone! We had some users win that had previously signed up to the beta but were late and didn't actually make the cut and then we had others who had never signed up before and were added to the system as new users. Each group has a different way of getting this whole thing going. So here is the deal: 1. If you had previously signed up to the beta, this means that you WILL NOT be receiving an email from Swype with activation info. Instead, your account has been manually activated by the Swype team. All you need to do now is visit http://beta.swype.com, login and click "Resend Activation Email" or go straight to http://beta.swype.com/android/get to download the installer. 2. If you had NOT previously signed up to the beta, this means you WILL receive an email from Swype with activation instructions. In fact, you should have already received it. The key piece here is that you have 24 HOURS to activate your account, so make sure to check your email immediately! Let us know if you run into any issues!

New DROID Commercial Features Lookout and DROID 2

Kellen — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:15:03 +0000

The Droid AppSphere returns to the small screen, this time featuring a Droid 2 and Lookout Security. The AppSphere was made famous during the original Droid campaign as a stylish way for Verizon to feature some of the top Android apps available on the market. Read into this however you want, but the commercial specifically mentions the Droid X and 2 at the end, but for whatever reason forgets about the Incredible. Now, I know the DI has been in the wild for quite some time, but it can still compete with the best of them and still has a long life ahead of it. Check out the spot below... The Droid campaign is still one of the greatest of all time in my opinion. Nice to see it returning to its AppSphere roots. Cheers zacqua10!

Download: Unlocked Skype that Makes Calls Over 3G

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:38:56 +0000

Android developer Xeudoxus, one of the visionaries behind Dark Edge, has taken the Skype Mobile Android application and ever-so-slightly tweaked it to now allow you to make calls over 3G. To Verizon customers this isn't that big of a deal as the VZW Skype already allows this, but to users who downloaded the newly released U.S. version for other phones and carriers, just know that you will no longer be locked into wi-fi-only calls. Download: Skype.apk

*You DO NOT need to be rooted.

Install as you would any other application. Download, tap "Install" and run it. Full support thread can be found at Xeudoxus' dedicated page. Donate to him here.

Is this the DROID Pro Red Eye?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:45:15 +0000

We just received a shot of the new Droid Pro with what appears to be the first look at its own custom red eye boot animation. We've written in the past about Droid phones and the fact that each one has a custom red eye, but were wondering whether or not this new family member would be included in that trend. The eye featured above is definitely unique and one we haven't seen before, so we'll be on the lookout for more shots of it. Oh, and I apologize for the blurry shot. The image we received was pretty small and it needed to be blown up in order to give you a good shot of it. With a red eye stamp of approval, I guess it's time to accept the DP? Cheers Legion!

Yahoo Releases Suite of Android Apps Including News, Weather, Movies and Finance

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:36:22 +0000

Yahoo keeps working hard to compete and stay relevant on the Android platform. After releasing their IM, Mail and Search apps back in July, they've added News, Weather, Movies and Finance to the pack over the last couple of days. For the power Yahoo users out there, you should be pretty excited to see the search giant rounding out their suite of services.

Weather | News | Movies | Finance

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Cheers Stephan!

Motorola Sues Apple for Patent Infringement

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:09:27 +0000

The battle of Android and the i*hone just got more intense today when Motorola filed three complaints against Apple for 18 patent infringements. The complaints attack Apple's entire lineup of devices including the i*hone, i*ad and even some of their computers. Most of the patents relate to wireless communications technologies such as antenna design, proximity sensing and location-based services...

...Motorola Mobility, Inc., has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iTouch and certain Mac computers infringe Motorola patents. Motorola Mobility also filed patent infringement complaints against Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of Florida. Overall, Motorola Mobility’s three complaints include 18 patents, which relate to early-stage innovations developed by Motorola in key technology areas found on many of Apple’s core products and associated services, including MobileMe and the App Store. The Motorola patents include wireless communication technologies, such as WCDMA (3G), GPRS, 802.11 and antenna design, and key smartphone technologies including wireless email, proximity sensing, software application management, location-based services and multi-device synchronization...

Doesn't the wireless world feel incredibly grimy these days? To understand what I mean, check out this info-graphic. Pretty shocking stuff right there. Full release after the break.

Motorola Mobility Sues Apple for Patent Infringement October 06, 2010 LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Oct. 6, 2010 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that its subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, Inc., has filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iTouch and certain Mac computers infringe Motorola patents. Motorola Mobility also filed patent infringement complaints against Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) in the Northern District of Illinois and the Southern District of Florida. Overall, Motorola Mobility’s three complaints include 18 patents, which relate to early-stage innovations developed by Motorola in key technology areas found on many of Apple’s core products and associated services, including MobileMe and the App Store. The Motorola patents include wireless communication technologies, such as WCDMA (3G), GPRS, 802.11 and antenna design, and key smartphone technologies including wireless email, proximity sensing, software application management, location-based services and multi-device synchronization. Motorola Mobility has requested that the ITC commence an investigation into Apple’s use of Motorola’s patents and, among other things, issue an Exclusion Order barring Apple’s importation of infringing products, prohibiting further sales of infringing products that have already been imported, and halting the marketing, advertising, demonstration and warehousing of inventory for distribution and use of such imported products in the United States. In the District Court actions, Motorola Mobility has requested that Apple cease using Motorola’s patented technology and provide compensation for Apple’s past infringement. Kirk Dailey, corporate vice president of intellectual property at Motorola Mobility, said, “Motorola has innovated and patented throughout every cycle of the telecommunications industry evolution, from Motorola’s invention of the cell phone to its development of premier smartphone products. We have extensively licensed our industry-leading intellectual property portfolio, consisting of tens of thousands of patents in the U.S. and worldwide. After Apple’s late entry into the telecommunications market, we engaged in lengthy negotiations, but Apple has refused to take a license. We had no choice but to file these complaints to halt Apple’s continued infringement. Motorola will continue to take all necessary steps to protect its R&D and intellectual property, which are critical to the company’s business.” About Motorola Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to mobile and wireline digital communication devices that provide compelling experiences, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com.

Source: Motorola

Official Verizon 4G LTE Launch Markets Map

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:30:01 +0000

(Click map for fullversion.)

For those not wanting to sift through the long list of 4G LTE launch cities, then simply click on the map above and look for your city. It should be noted that Detroit is missing, but Verizon clarified during today's conference that it will be included and that they are just working out some final bugs. Personally I'm disappointed to see a tech savvy city like Portland missing, but at least our airport will have the coverage. On a related note, we aren't expecting any major 4G LTE devices to be used in these cities until 2011, but Verizon does plan to showcase a half dozen smartphones and tablets at January's CES. No Incredible HD this year people. Cheers @DigitalDaggers!

Verizon: 4G Smartphones and Tablets to Debut at CES in January, Available 1st Half of 2011

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:53:02 +0000

Lowell McAdam, COO of Verizon, just announced that we will see 4G LTE smartphones and tablets in action this January at CES. He mentioned that development has really taken off much faster than they had expected and will show a half dozen or so devices at the event. You have to assume this will be the first major sighting of the Droid tablet (Stingray) which is now rumored to be LTE capable and possibly the Motorola Tegra 2 device. In even better news, the Droid Life team will be at CES to cover all of this insanity. This holiday season is looking to be more and more of a snoozer with January as the target of some game changers.

Verizon Ups 4G LTE Launch Ante, Will Hit 38 Cities by End of Year

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 11:01:47 +0000

We originally thought that Verizon would be launching 4G LTE into just 30 NFL cities to finish off 2010, but today, just minutes before their LTE conference at CTIA, they announced that the number will actually be 38 cities plus 62 airports. The launch will start in all of the major U.S. cities you would expect such as Boston, New York, Philly, D.C., Dallas, Seattle, L.A., Chicago, and Miami, but will quickly branch out. View the full press release and list of cities after the break.

Verizon Launches 4G LTE In 38 Major Metropolitan Areas By The End Of The Year 4G LTE Network Also in Airports in Key Cities Outside of Initial Launch Area 10/06/2010 BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Verizon underscored its rapid deployment of the world’s first large-scale 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network today from the CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ 2010 conference. Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon, detailed the company’s major network launch in 38 major metropolitan areas, covering more than 110 million Americans, by the end of the year. In addition, the company is launching 4G LTE in more than 60 commercial airports coast to coast – both the airports within the launch areas plus airports in other key cities. McAdam said, “We are driven by the vision to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband connectivity and mobility to rural and urban Americans alike. With our initial 4G LTE launch, we will immediately reach more than one-third of all Americans where they live, right from the start. And, we will quickly introduce 4G LTE throughout the Verizon coverage area.” McAdam highlighted the metropolitan areas for the initial launch, which include:

Large sections of the Northeast Corridor, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. as well as Rochester, New York

Throughout Miami and south Florida, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and New Orleans as well as Charlotte, North Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee

Chicagoland, St. Louis, the Twin Cities, Pittsburgh and major cities in Ohio

Major population centers in California as well as Seattle, Phoenix, Denver and Las Vegas

(A list of all metropolitan areas and airports is located at the end of the news release.)Verizon Wireless is building its 4G LTE network with the same commitment to performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized. Verizon Wireless’ laser focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year. Enterprise users, businesses and individuals can immediately benefit from Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network this year. While Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network promises much more than speed, the first application gives employees the ability to work at significantly faster speeds and improved latency, increasing productivity and the opportunity to get work done where their business takes them. McAdam continued, “Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network will also be available in the commercial airports in the 38 metropolitan areas, plus we’re launching airports in other key cities coast to coast, giving road warriors added coverage when they travel. Every time we’ve built a next generation network, our customers have seen real benefits to their bottom lines. Taking advantage of the first large-scale LTE network on the globe gives our customers a competitive advantage.” Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE rollout positions the company to be the global leader in 4G LTE deployment. Verizon Wireless expects 4G LTE average data rates to be 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink in real-world, loaded network environments. These speeds are significantly faster than Verizon Wireless and other wireless providers’ current or promised 3G network speeds. By leveraging its 700 MHz spectrum for LTE deployment in the United States, Verizon Wireless is capable of quickly deploying a high-quality wireless broadband network with excellent coverage. The company is currently installing LTE equipment at existing cell sites and switching centers around the United States as part of its extensive, ongoing investment in its voice and data network infrastructure. In addition to the 38 major metropolitan areas, Verizon Wireless is launching its 4G LTE network in West Lafayette, Ind., home of Purdue University. The public university is using several innovative software applications on Verizon Wireless’ 3G network that improve student engagement and success, and Verizon Wireless is working with Purdue to explore the next phase of how 4G LTE technology can improve e-learning across the nation. Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment Akron, Ohio Athens, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Baltimore, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Charlotte, North Carolina Chicago, Illinois Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Columbus, Ohio Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas Denver, Colorado Fort Lauderdale, Florida Houston, Texas Jacksonville, Florida Las Vegas, Nevada Los Angeles, California Miami, Florida Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota Nashville, Tennessee New Orleans, Louisiana New York, New York Oakland, California Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Orlando, Florida Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phoenix, Arizona Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Rochester, New York San Antonio, Texas San Diego, California San Francisco, California San Jose, California Seattle/Tacoma, Washington St. Louis, Missouri Tampa, Florida Washington, D.C. West Lafayette, Indiana West Palm Beach, Florida Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Commercial Airport Deployment (Airport Name, City, State) Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland Bob Hope, Burbank, California Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas Denver International, Denver, Colorado Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri La Guardia, New York, New York Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California Miami International, Miami, Florida Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee New Castle, Wilmington, North Carolina Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada Orlando International, Orlando, Florida Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio Portland International, Portland, Oregon Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia Sacramento International, Sacramento, California Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas San Diego International, San Diego, California San Francisco International, San Francisco, California Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida Tampa International, Tampa, Florida Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C. Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma William P. Hobby, Houston, Texas About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Verizon's 4G LTE Webcast Starts in 45 Minutes, Viewing Info Here

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:45:45 +0000

Verizon COO Lowell McAdam will be on stage at CTIA in 45 minutes discussing the company's plans for 4G LTE rollout. It is expected that 30 cities will have 4G coverage by the end of the the year, but we're hoping to hear additional details including some device specifics. At this time, we have zero confirmations on any 4G Android devices for Big Red and this would be a great time for them to announce one. Watch the LTE webcast live:

Via webcast (view/listen-only): http://www.verizonwebcasts.com/vzw/10825 U.S. toll free: 800-857-1380 / International: +1 773-799-3385 Passcode: 3243400

And be sure to hit up our chat in the toolbar (bottom right)! We'll be in there discussing all things LTE!

Wednesday Poll: Interested in the DROID Pro?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:15:54 +0000

The ~~BlurBerry~~ Droid Pro announcement (spec list here) has initiated quite the reaction from our readers. After reading through many of the comments, you can see a definitive line between those that think this is "Droid" material and those that don't. I just want to know if you'd even be interested in one? Motorola understands the need for a "business" device to compete with RIM and its Blackberry, so what do you think? [poll id="16"]

Full Version of Angry Birds Pushed to Next Week

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:37:00 +0000

Your Angry Birds obsession will need to be put in check for another week while their dev team polishes everything off. Rovio just announced via Twitter that they need to add "proper support" for Android multitasking and they will be pushing out the release of the full version until next week. Will you all survive?

Google and Paypal Finally Agree to Android Market Deal?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:20:03 +0000

Has the time finally come? Will we be able to make app purchases in the Android Market using PayPal? According to The Street, Google and PayPal have agreed on a deal to bring the payment option to the app market as early as late October. Rumors suggest that during the PayPal Developers Conference on October 27th, the two will come together and make the announcement. If there is a short list of Android annoyances, the checkout process for the market is developer on it. How big of announcement would this be? Via: The Street

Motorola CEO Confirms Tegra 2 Phone, Possibly Launching by X-mas?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 08:34:03 +0000

Last night, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha was asked a few questions by some media members just after the announcement of the Droid Pro and one of them touched on the mysterious dual-core Tegra 2 processor phone that we are all only hoping comes out by X-mas. He mentioned that there is a chance that they will release one more phone before the holidays, but the Tegra 2 phone could be pushed back to early 2011. And remember that the Droid 2 Global has yet to be announced, meaning there is a much greater chance that we'll see that before the superphone launches. There are zero specs or leaks out for this device and rumors suggest that Motorola is making NDA's for all of their new projects ridiculously strict. If this bad boy of a phone does drop by the holidays, there is a chance that it comes as a last minute announcement much like the Droid Pro. OK, that's a lie, you know we'll be on this. Via: Android and Me

The T-Mobile G2, this is not the (An)Droid you are looking for (Updated)

MrPicolas — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:40:39 +0000

Recently, my good friends at T-mobile let me have about an hour and a half to play with the new G2 from HTC, so I wanted to give you the lowdown from a Droid user perspective. The phone itself has a nice size to it, and the keyboard layout is also very easy to use. The device itself runs pretty well and I did not notice any lag or slowdowns as I put it thru its paces. The screen is nice and crisp and the touchscreen input is on par with some of the best devices out there. It is pretty much standard Android vanilla fare as far as the UI is concerned and as I was out getting 4 kids glasses I was able to text, browse, and email with little trouble while keeping track of my small army. Sounds good right? Well not all of it was good in my experience. The keyboard while nice has a big caveat as it is hinged and not in a good way. The hinge is made of a non ferrous metal which will keep it from rusting, but for being brand new it had way too much play for my liking. It seemed sturdy but I foresee people snapping this thing in two. Also as others have confirmed, the memory issue bothers me. The 4 gigabyte internal memory is shared between the system and apps with around 2 gigabytes left being pretty much unusable. The phone itself is expandable to 32 gigabytes thru the sd card so yes there is storage to be had, but in my opinion and having owned another phone with shared internal memory, I am not a huge fan. I also have found that the power button being located on the side is more of a pain, and restricts quick access to turning the screen on. (I am left handed by the way, so you right handers may have better results.) So to wrap it up, if you are not already on Big Red or have a significant other on T-mobile it may be worth a look. I say this apprehensively because unless you are very careful I see a trip back to your local carrier for a replacement. Please anyone who may decide this an option, I implore you to PURCHASE THE INSURANCE. That being said Once fully rooted (yes I know of the temporary root that has been achieved.) This may be the next cult following for the non-VZW crowd and I enjoyed my time with the phone, but will not be giving this another look. In todays smartphone market ease of use and durability should be much higher than the G2's current offer. UPDATE: Just after MrPicolas posted this, news broke that this phone has a rootkit included which can wipe your phone back to its original state should you tamper with it and put say, a custom ROM or something on it. Basically any custom or user change made to the source code can be overwritten each time the phone is booted. I think we all know that the majority of the excitement behind this device was the fact that it ran a pretty vanilla Android, but after hearing this news, I'd say our "locked" bootloader is nothing. (Via: News America) Thoughts everyone?

DROID Pro Full Specifications List

Kellen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 07:20:42 +0000

The Droid Pro was announced last night and you can now see the full spec list for a device that snuck up on just about everyone. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one, but this list should help us all out. You can't argue that this device looks as powerful as any on the market. It's just going to be weird for a while viewing it and not saying, "Wow, that keyboard is the same on my retired Blackberry!" Interesting indeed. View the list after the break.

Source: MotoDev

Star Wars Empire Strikes Back App Available to Verizon Android Phones Now

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:50:27 +0000

Verizon informed us that the Star Wars Empire Strikes Back app was scheduled to be released on 10/4, but it looks like they had a slight push back to 10/5 as the app is now available in the Android Market. Well, for "select" Verizon Android phones that is. The release of this app comes just 7 days after the R2-D2 Droid 2 launched and also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars saga. We haven't heard numbers yet, but you can still order the special edition D2 online, so we're only going to assume that the device didn't quite sell as expected. Maybe the release of this app will get the Star Wars fanboys excited? You can find the app for free under the Verizon section in the market, but will cost you $2.99 after download to unlock certain featured content such as the live wallpapers, widgets and sound boards.. I should also mention that the $2.99 will be charged to your bill and not through the normal Google Checkout procedure. Here are some of the features:

There are 4 sections based off of scenes from the movie Empire Strikes Back which include a live wallpaper, movie clip, photo gallery, soundboard, and widgets.
There is a Bounty Hunter scavenger hunt built in.
A Star Wars news feed.
A trivia challenge.

Download Link

Cheers bubbasixx!

It's Official, Verizon Launches DROID Pro by Motorola for Business Users

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:26:28 +0000

An hour or so ago, news started leaking out from Verizon that a Blackberry-styled Android option would be announced shortly. That device has now been made official at CTIA. Say hello to the Droid Pro everyone, the candy bar-styled, global roaming Droid family member which should help propel Android into an even bigger market, that of the world business traveler. A few specs that stand out are:

3.1" display
Android 2.2
Flash 10.1
1.0GHz processor
5MP camera
Portrait keyboard
Global-ready and can work in 220 countries
2GB built in memory, 2GB pre-installed SD card

No pricing has been announced, but should be available within the next few weeks. Full press release and gallery after the break.

DROID Does Business: DROID PRO By Motorola Designed For Work And Play On The Nation’s Largest And Most Reliable 3G Network Global Android Smartphone from Verizon Wireless Combines Rich Business and Personal Mobile Experiences SAN FRANCISCO, CA — From CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ 2010, Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest and most reliable wireless 3G network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today unveiled DROID PRO, a new, powerful, stronger and faster solution designed to meet both business and personal needs. The first Android™-based smartphone optimized for business use, DROID PRO is also a global-ready Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries. DROID PRO meets employers’ and employees’ needs by addressing the productivity tools businesses require, including corporate connectivity and security; full push corporate e-mail with corporate level security; unified calendar with additional work features; pre-loaded Quickoffice Mobile Suite, a powerful 1 GHz processor; 4 GB of memory (2 GB internal; and 2 GB removable) and a QWERTY keyboard designed for speed and convenience. “DROID PRO combines the feature-packed, high-level user experience that customers look for in an Android smartphone plus the security that enterprises require, all with the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network,” said Mike Lanman, president – Enterprise and Government Markets for Verizon Wireless. “DROID PRO builds on our commitment to deliver the best Android experience to the marketplace as well as to our enterprise customers.” “The DROID PRO is an advanced business-ready solution that provides users with the full smartphone experience, redefined by delivering the power of a DROID,” said Sanjay Jha, chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility. “The DROID PRO consolidates users’ work and personal needs. This is just another reason the DROID PRO is setting a new standard for enterprise, allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone with full push delivery of corporate e-mail and corporate level security.” Key features and specifications:

Support for both Exchange e-mail and Gmail™ for business

Corporate directory look-up, unified calendar for Enterprise and sync with Google Calendar™

PC-like browsing with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 on a full, multi-touch, 3.1-inch brilliant display built on Android 2.2

View, edit and share documents, including Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets, PowerPoint® presentations and Word® documents

Built-in security features, including AuthenTec IPSec multi-headed VPN integration, remote wipe of device and SD card, and complex password support. Device and SD card encryption will be available in early 2011

3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities – Allows customers to connect up to five other Wi-Fi®-enabled devices and laptops

Live widgets that stream e-mail messages to the home screen; customers can filter the widgets to separate work and home e-mail

5-megapixel camera with auto focus and dual LED flash as well as DVD-quality video

3G diversity antennae provides customers with enhanced data speeds and range

Wi-Fi®-enabled DNLA® connectivity

Android Market™ – Provides customers with access to more than 80,000 applications

My Verizon and Backup Assistant(SM) support – Allows customers to manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones

Pricing and availability:

DROID PRO will be available at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores in the coming weeks. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to high-definition video and mobile devices, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com. MOTOROLA, the Stylized M Logo and MOTOBLUR are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Used under license. The Bluetooth trademarks are owned by their proprietor and used under license. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners. © 2010 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved. Android, Gmail, Google Calendar, and Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc.

[gallery link="file" orderby="title"] Thoughts everyone?

DROID Pro About to be Announced? Is Like We Said, Not What You Were Expecting

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:49:53 +0000

You are now staring at what Verizon is claiming to be the new Droid Pro by Motorola. And yep, it's as we told you months ago, not what all of the ridiculous rumors were suggesting. While we didn't know it was going to be a Blackberry-styled device, we definitely knew it wasn't going to be the beast of forum chatter. While many were off calling the Droid 2 Global the "Droid Pro" we tried to make it as clear as possible that these were separate devices. Here is what we know from VZW:

This candybar-style smartphone packs a touch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard on the front. The Droid Pro is the first Global Android device from Verizon Wireless, and it allows customers to enjoy wireless voice service in more than 220 countries and data coverage in more than 200 countries.

Stay tuned as we're on the hunt for more info... Update: We're expecting the "official" announcement from Verizon within the next hour or so. Initial thoughts? Via: PhoneScoop, BGR

Nielsen: Android is Most Popular Phone OS Over Last 6 Months

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 16:43:12 +0000

More bragging rights for Team Android. Neilsen released statistics today showing that Android smartphone sales topped all others over the last 6 months. What's even more amazing is the fact that 32% of all smartphone phones acquired in August were phones running Android OS, while the i*hone went down another 1%. Nielsen made sure to point out in their data that they gave the i*hone 4 at least a full month on the market to compete so that no excuses can be made about the numbers. +1 to all of us. Source: Nielsen

Verizon Holding 4G LTE News Conference Tomorrow at CTIA

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:45:09 +0000

Tomorrow at 11:30AM PDT, Verizon will hold a press conference to drop details on its 4G LTE network launch which is expected to be spread across 30 NFL cities by the end of 2010. The announcement will come at CTIA in San Francisco and will be delivered by VZW's COO, Lowell McAdam. Details of the conference after the break.

WHO: Verizon Wireless, the 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network leader and builder of the world’s first large-scale 4G network WHAT: Verizon Wireless will hold a news conference during CTIA Enterprise & Applications™ 2010. Lowell McAdam, president and chief operating officer of Verizon, will detail the company’s major 4G LTE network launch. WHERE: CTIA Press Conference Room: Room 2A – Level 2 Moscone Center West 800 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Via webcast (view/listen-only): http://www.verizonwebcasts.com/vzw/10825 U.S. toll free: 800-857-1380 / International: +1 773-799-3385 Passcode: 3243400 On Twitter: Follow the news conference and join in live tweeting from the conference by following @VerizonWireless #VZW4G at http://twitter.com/VerizonWireless WHEN: 11:30 a.m. PDT / 2:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010 BACKGROUND: Verizon Wireless expects to commercially launch its LTE 4G network in up to 30 markets in 2010, covering 100 million people. To view a video about Verizon Wireless’ 4G network, visit http://bit.ly/vzw4g. For more information about 4G from Verizon Wireless, visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte.

Now if only someone would come out and announce the Desire HD for Verizon, we'd be some pretty happy bloggers. Source: Verizon

Motorola Releases MT716 Which Everyone Wishes was the Original DROID

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:35:09 +0000

Check out Motorola's new MT716, the phone that looks similar to the Droid and Droid 2, but has even better specs in some key areas. This new Moto device features an 8MP camera with dual LED flash, takes 720P video, 512MB RAM, a top notch keyboard with a useful trackpad, and a front facing camera. Sure it only hums along at 600MHz, but with the amount of RAM, 2 cameras and the Cliq's keyboard, this phone has us drooling over the thought of it with the "Droid" tag on Verizon's network. I should probably mention the fact that it's a Chinese phone though and runs some sort of custom Android OS port called "Ophone". Still, how can you deny the awesomeness that is the MT716? Who wants to buy one and hack the heck out of it? Source: MotoDev Via: Engadget Cheers Picolas!

LauncherPro Updated to V0.8.1.0, Includes Additional Popup Notifcations

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:45:52 +0000

Yes we just wrote about V0.8.0.0 yesterday, but there is another one available right now. Version 0.8.1.0 of LauncherPro has been released and fixes a calendar bug and also adds a new popup for quick access to your bookmarks. Keep 'em coming Fede. Cheers Kevin!

Skype Available in Android Market for All Devices

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:45:01 +0000

Skype announced today that it has opened up its Android app to all phones running 2.1 or higher. While Verizon customers with a Droid have been using the service for months, the rest of the world can now take advantage of free Skype-to-Skype action, text messages, low rate landline/mobile calls, etc...

Make free Skype-to-Skype calls over WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G)* to other Skype users anywhere in the world using Skype’s SILK codec for CD-like audio quality.

Make low rate Skype calls to landline or mobile phones

Send and receive instant messages to one or a group of friends on Skype

Synchronize contacts between Skype and the native address book and after synchronization place Skype calls directly from the native address book.

See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or chat

Easily import names and numbers to the Skype application from the native address book

Receive calls on their Skype online number

Full press release at Skype's website. Grab it from the market now.

Android Market Now Shows App Prices in Local Currencies

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:45:27 +0000

Long gone are the days when you need to Google or guess the price of an app that might show in the market as 900 Yen or 2 Euros. The Android team has made a slight tweak to market prices, showing them in your local currency. As you can see from the screenshot above, an estimated or approximated price is listed rather than some random currency you have zero understanding of. Man, it's about time. And thank you team Android. Cheers Michael!

OpenFeint Releases 12 New Games on Android, First Wave Already Topping Charts

Kellen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 06:00:18 +0000

OpenFeint pushed an additional 12 games to the Android Market today just weeks after their first wave which saw titles like Fruit Ninja and MiniSquadron top the paid app charts within 72 hours. Android users are proving that they aren't "cheap" but really just want quality titles to choose from in order to fork over that hard earned cash. You can keep setting aside money though, as OpenFeint is planning on releasing even more batches of titles throughout the rest of 2010. Times are good in Android people. The best way to check out their latest releases is by using the Feint Game Spotlight app.

Download Feint Game Spotlight.

View the full press release after the jump.

OpenFeint Pushes Android Launch Games to #1 on the Paid Charts in Less Than 72 Hours Smash Hit Super K.O. Boxing 2 from Glu to be included in Second Wave of Hit Games on Android This Week Burlingame, CA – October 5, 2010 – OpenFeint, the leading cross platform social gaming network with 40 million mobile players, announced today that its Android product is off to a strong start - 4 of 8 launch games reached the Top 15 in Android Market and Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick Studios) and MiniSquadron (Supermono) claimed the Top 2 spots on the paid games chart in less than 72 hours. OpenFeint also announced the release of its second wave of hit games on Android, including Super K.O. Boxing 2 (Glu), Flick Kick Rugby (PikPok), and Kamikaze Race (Tastyplay.com). "We’re absolutely ecstatic about MiniSquadron’s launch on Android with OpenFeint. Reaching number 2 on the paid charts and driving tens of thousands of downloads for our games has been a great success,” said Tak Fung of Supermono. The second wave of Android games from OpenFeint launches this week and will include Super K.O. Boxing 2 (Glu), Flick Kick Rugby (PikPok), Touch Racing Nitro and Penalty World Challenge 2010 (Bravo Game Studios), Cestos 2: Party Time (ChickenBrick Studios), SpeedX (Hyperbees), Babo Crash Deluxe (Playbrains), Kamikaze Race (TastyPlay.com), Brain Twister Lite and Color Cocktail Lite (The Game Boss), Dot Dot (ustwo), and SkyForce (iDreams). “Super K.O. Boxing 2 will make fantastic addition to the gaming community on Android,” said Mike Breslin, VP of Marketing at Glu. “OpenFeint’s social gaming platform offers an effective solution for developers and publishers to get their games discovered on Android and we’re excited to partner with them to bring one of our original hit titles to the platform.” Each launch game will be featured in the Feint Game Spotlight app, which is quickly becoming the preferred destination for Android gamers to discover and purchase high quality games. Feint Game Spotlight is regularly updated with new games and offers gamers the chance to enter contests and win prizes. OpenFeint’s cross platform social gaming network is adding over 160,000 new users daily and just recently eclipsed 40 million mobile players and 3,100 games. OpenFeint’s leading set of online gaming services and cross promotional tools are available to game developers through the company’s free, open source SDK. “The past two weeks have proved to us that Android users are hungry for great games - and they’re willing to pay for top quality content. Over the next few months, we’ll continue to roll out games and help establish the paid gaming market on Android,” said Jason Citron, CEO of Aurora Feint, makers of OpenFeint. “We couldn’t be more excited about this latest Android release.” Developers interested in implementing OpenFeint in their games can learn more and download the free, open source SDK at OpenFeint.com/Developers. Players interested in learning about more OpenFeint enabled games can download Feint Spotlight from the Android Market.

Introducing the Chinjuu DROID Stand, Where Art and Metal Meet Technology

Kellen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:00:18 +0000

The Chinjuu Droid stand is a look at where accessories could go if you were to start with a vision and finish it off with some high quality materials. I've used just about every Droid stand on the planet and this by far is the most impressive one I've seen yet. The build quality, feel and look all come together seamlessly, forming a product that I hope inspires other artists to see what their imaginations can create. This limited production stand is probably not for everyone, but the designer behind is expecting it to be. In fact, he's wanting feedback from Droid Life readers, so that he can decide if this is something to pursue. Be completely honest in the comments. Would you buy a Chinjuu? What would pay for it? More information can be found here. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

LauncherPro Update Adds Dock Popups for SMS and Missed Calls

Kellen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:45:14 +0000

What we love about LauncherPro updates, is the fact that they are never just "bug fixers." They almost always include some new goodie which makes the app that much better while fixing minor bugs that may have surfaced since the last release. With this newest release (v0.8.0.0), Plus users are treated to 2 new dock popups, which give you notifications from the dock for missed calls and unread texts. Another feature I had never even imagined, but seems so obvious and amazingly useful...

New Feature: Dock Popups! A perfect complement for dock notifications and dock swipe actions, the new dock popups give you quick access to information without leaving LauncherPro. In this release I’ve included two popups: Missed Calls, and Unread SMS. More popups will come in future updates.

Here are Fede's instructions on how to enable them...

To enable them, long-press on the desired dock icon, choose “Swipe gesture action”, then “Show Popup…” and choose the popup. Now when you swipe that icon up, you’ll get a popup showing you the selected information. Both of these popups mark all items as read/viewed when you open them, so they’ll automatically clear the dock notification bubble. You can click on an item (SMS or call) to open it in their respective apps.

Read up on all of the new changes at the LauncherPro site. Cheers Mario!

Napster Lands on Android Market

Kellen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:00:29 +0000

Wow Napster. Now that's a word I haven't said in like 10 years. Apparently the music service is still up and running and now works on Android. You can download the app, sign up to receive a free trial, and check out the 11 million songs in their catalog. Just understand that it costs $10 a month after the trial is up. Anyone still using Napster?

Download Link

Cheers Stephan!

Verizon Refunding 15 Million Customers Due to Mistaken Data Charges

Kellen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:15:20 +0000

As a current or former Verizon Wireless customer, you may be receiving a credit for "mistaken" data charges added to your bill that could have accumulated over the past "several" years. In October and November, if you made the cut, you could receive credits around the $2-6 range on your bill, but some will see much larger amounts. View full details and the press release after the break.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — OFFICIAL STATEMENT. May be attributed to Mary Coyne, Deputy General Counsel, Verizon Wireless: Verizon Wireless values our customer relationships and we always want to do the right thing for our customers. In October and November, we are notifying about 15 million customers, through their regular bill messages, that we are applying credits to their accounts due to mistaken past data charges. We will mail former customers refund checks. In most cases, these credits are in the $2 to $6 range; some will receive larger credits or refunds. As we reviewed customer accounts, we discovered that over the past several years approximately 15 million customers who did not have data plans were billed for data sessions on their phones that they did not initiate. These customers would normally have been billed at the standard rate of $1.99 per megabyte for any data they chose to access from their phones. The majority of the data sessions involved minor data exchanges caused by software built into their phones; others included accessing certain web links, which should not have incurred charges. We have addressed these issues to avoid unintended data charges in the future. Verizon Wireless issues credits to customers from time to time based on regular review and monitoring. When we identify errors, we remedy them as quickly as possible. Our goal is to maintain our customers’ trust and ensure they receive the best experience possible.

If you are on a data package now, but weren't before your Droid, you may be on this list. Start paying attention to your bill over the next 2 months. Source: Verizon

Original DROID Returns to Verizon as Certified Pre-owned Device

Kellen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 06:30:24 +0000

The original Droid family member just won't go away! The device that was the inspiration behind Droid Life and one of the greatest communities in Android returns to Verizon's website as a certified pre-owned device. The O.G. can be picked up for $99 on 2-year contract and should at the very least bring a smile to your face. Was a sad day when the D1 was removed from VZW's phone lineup, so even if it returns as a used-car version, we're still excited. Buy one here. Cheers Franklin!

BlindType Acquired by Google!

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:14:45 +0000

Been wondering what happened to BlindType, the keyboard company thats demo videos took the world by storm? They were hiding in a room secretly negotiating terms to a deal with Google it looks like. The company announced today that the search megatron has acquired them...

We are excited to announce that BlindType has been acquired by Google! We want to thank everyone for their overwhelming support and positive feedback. We know that typing on your mobile device can be a frustrating experience, which is why we've worked hard to make touch typing easier and faster than ever - the way it should be. We're excited to join Google, and look forward to the great opportunities for mobile innovation that lie ahead. The BlindType team

If you aren't familiar with BlindType, just understand that they created a keyboard technology that lets you type messages without being even slightly accurate. You can essentially type blindly and still get the results you intended. A few videos of their keyboard in action circulated a couple of months ago and people were instantly blown away. BlindType in action on Android:

So does this mean BlindType will be included in future Android builds? Wouldn't that be amazing. Via: BlindType Blog Cheers Curtis!

Introducing the Droid Life Toolbar, On-site Chat is Go!

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:00:37 +0000

Since it's Friday and we're assuming that you are sitting at your desks tapping your fingers as the minutes crawl by before the weekend officially hits, we wanted to give you an easy way to get through those last few hours. Say hello to the Droid Life Toolbar! Our new toolbar, while not revolutionary, is an add-on to the site that should make your DL experience that much more seemless. You can now access everything we've got going on without ever leaving the site. That's not an exaggeration either.

Toolbar features:

Chat: We now have an on-site chat feature that allows anyone the opportunity to BS with other Droid enthusiasts. This is a casual setting, meaning we still have our IRC channel for support, but wanted to give you an additional place to converse with like-minded folks.

Youtube: The Youtube button gives you access to our entire catalog of videos and tutorials without ever having to leave the site. It also looks pretty cool in its 3D Cooliris styling.

Social Buttons: We would greatly appreciate any Diggs, Facebook "likes" and Retweets that you can muster up. Buttons are located in the bottom left-hand corner!

Twitter: Follow our Twitter feed and update yours all from the toolbar!

Facebook: Follow our Facebook page and update your status without ever leaving!

Accessory Store: An additional quick link to our accessory store which also allows you to shop without leaving the main page.

Hit up the new toolbar at the bottom of the page and join us in the chat for a Friday afternoon gossip session!

DROID Incredible Hits BOGA Status, Semi-New Commercial Launched

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:15:46 +0000

The Droid Incredible is back in stock and Verizon is ready to start promoting it again with a solid "buy one, get any phone free" deal. Just like we saw with the Samsung Fascinate, Big Red wants to push some units. Any chance this is because of the HTC Lexikon on the horizon? Doubtful. Maybe something else, even bigger? Incredible HD? That would be amazing.

Cheers zacqua10!

Star Wars Empire Strikes Back App Set to Launch 10/4

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:30:36 +0000

To celebrate 30 years of Star Wars, the R2-D2 Droid 2 hit stores yesterday, but during its announcement earlier in the week, we were told to expect a special Empire Strikes Back app to be landing on the market "soon." The app will launch for $2.99 and feature a ton of Star Wars content like sound and photo galleries, live wallpapers, trivia challenges and even some widgets. We had no official date on the release, but today we were told from sources that Monday, 10/4 is current scheduled date assuming there are no setbacks. This app is exclusive to Verizon customers. Any Star Wars gurus getting excited?

FourSquare Updated, UI Changes Include Tips and To-do Tabs

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:09 +0000

Our favorite social stalking app received a major update late last night, only adding to our ridiculous addiction for becoming the mayer of the world. Yes, we're talking about Foursquare. The update included some pretty significant UI changes, additional features, new tabs and more. Changelog below:

Redesign for most activity screens.

Tips and To-do screens added as top-level tabs.

Friend information added to venue pages.

Can access friend requests from Me tab.

Can now refresh Me tab.

Switch from xml to json for API calls.

Available in the market now!

Friday Poll: Disappointed without a Major DROID Holiday Option?

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:15:04 +0000

A leaked Verizon roadmap from yesterday gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect come the holiday season. We'll more than likely see the Droid 2 Global, HTC Lexikon, and a couple of additional lower end Android devices, but there won't be a Droid Tablet until early 2011. So that means your only Android tablet option is the Samsung Tab and I get the feeling that most aren't sold on the device yet. There are some rumors of a secret Motorola device that could sneak up on us with a Tegra 2 processor, front facing camera and all of the other goodies you could ask for in a phone, but there is zero concrete evidence at this point to keep our fingers crossed. As of now, there won't be a game changing, epic device like last year's original Droid. So we want know, are you disappointed that we might not see a major Droid device this X-mas?

Video: DROID X Makes an OnStar Appearance

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 10:11:23 +0000

The Droid X makes a pretty substantial appearance in the new OnStar commercial, showing off some apps that will be available to car owners with the service. In the spot, the DX is shown as having the ability to check on the status of your car, unlock it, or start it from anywhere and I've got to admit that it almost has me thinking about going General Motors for the first time in my life. Wait, is GM still making cars? The 27 second mark for those impatient peeps on a Friday.

Cheers Brandon!

DROID Theme Friday: Zenito MIUI 1.0 by Bgill55

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:51:27 +0000

The MIUI ROM just won't go away and now we even have themers taking their turns at customizing it. We showed you a quick video walkthrough of this Asian sensation ROM earlier this week, so it only seemed fitting that we bring you a theme to go along with it. From our boy Bgill55, comes Zenito MIUI 1.0, the dark take on this epic ROM. Download: Zenito_MIUI_v1.0.zip Instructions:

*Original Droid only.

1. Flash the Zen-MIUI V2.0 ROM from our post earlier this week. 2. Flash the fix file. (Open ROM Manager>Install ROM from SD card>Select the file.) 3. Download the Zenito_MIUI_V1.0.zip file from above to your SD card. 4. Open ROM Manager, select "Install ROM from SD Card" and choose the Zenito file. 5. Check the box to make a backup if you'd like, SKIP "wipe data and cache." 6. Your phone will reboot and apply the Zenito theme. 7. When it boots you may run into a couple of force closes. Here is the fix:

a. Open Settings>Apps>Manage Apps>"All" b. Clear data for "Contacts Storage" and "Google Framework Services".

8. Enjoy your themed MIUI! Full support thread with tips and tricks can be found here. [gallery link="file" orderby="title"] Cheers Ryan and Armyof2!

R2-D2 Lock Screen Ported to DROID2 and DROIDX

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:45:07 +0000

The R2-D2Droid 2 lock screen has been pulled from the phone's system dump and is flashable to both the Droid X and Droid 2 as a MetaMorph theme. The process is pretty simple, but at this time is only available to rooted users. I've included this in the instructions, but PLEASE MAKE A BACKUP. Any time you are tweaking framework on a phone, you need to have a backup ready to rock in case something goes wrong. Download: lockr2d2.zip (alt link)

*Warning* - There is risk involved when flashing custom ROMs, themes or rooting your device. You accept all responsibility should something happen to your phone during this process. You've been warned.

Instructions: 1. You have to be rooted. (Instructions) 2. You need to bootstrap the recovery using Koush's Droid 2 or Droid X Bootstrap. 3. Boot into recovery using the Bootstrap and MAKE A BACKUP.

(backup and restore>backup)

4. Download and install MetaMorph from the market. 5. On your SD card, create a folder called AndroidThemes. 6. Download the lockr2d2.zip from above and unzip into your AndroidThemes folder. 7. Open MetaMorph, allow it to perform checks and give it superuser access when prompted. 8. Choose "Pick existing theme" and then tap the "lockr2d2.xml" file. 9. Tap on "SubTheme: framework-res.apk" and apply it. 10. Your phone will load the new framework and will more than likely reboot. 11. When it reboots, you should have your new Star Wars lock screen! Via: Droid Pirate Cheers Elliott!

Download: Google Car Home App

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:05:33 +0000

Struggling to find or install the new Google Car Home app? You shouldn't be surprised as it appears that Google may have actually pulled it from the market already. Who knows why, but you can download the .apk file below. Download: Google Car home (alt link)

*Should act as an upgrade to DROID 1 car app. *Installed just fine on DROID 2 and X. *Should work on any phone that is using a semi-custom Car Navigation app.

Instructions: 1. Download the file from above to your phone. 2. When it finishes downloading, tap to "Install" it. 3. Once installed, head to home screen with space on it. 4. Hit Menu>Add>Shortcuts>Activities (you need LauncherPro installed). 5. In Activities, scroll down to Car Home and tap on it. 6. Now select “Car Home – com.google.android.carhome.CarHome”. 7. You will now have a shortcut to the app on your homescreen. Let us know if it works or you have tips for other users!

How to: Find and Run Google's Car Home App

Kellen — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 07:32:52 +0000

Just like it did with Gmail, Google has released their official Car Home (navigation) app into the Android Market. As you can see from the shots above, they've tweaked the UI slightly, given you additional pages to use for app shortcuts, added the ability to set a custom wallpaper, and are now allowing color tweaks to be made to buttons. Overall they've done a great job, the only problem is, this thing is impossible to find or run. We've got you covered though! Update: It appears to have been pulled from the market. It is no longer available even on AppBrain. Update 2: We've posted the file for download here. Instructions: 1. First, try this link from your phone.

If it pulls up the app in your market, throw a party and install. If it pulls up nothing, head to step 2.

2. Using AppBrain's Fast Web Installer, send the app to install from this page. 3. Once installed, head to home screen with space on it. 4. Hit Menu>Add>Shortcuts>Activities (you need LauncherPro installed). 5. In Activities, scroll down to Car Home and tap on it. 6. Now select "Car Home - com.google.android.carhome.CarHome". 7. You will now have a shortcut to the app on your homescreen. Let us know if you've found a faster method for downloading this app and getting it to run. Enjoy!

And the Swype Beta Invite Winners are...

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:22:48 +0000

After just 24 hours and almost 250 entries later, we are ready to announce the 50 Droid Life readers who will be invited into the closed Swype beta program! Swype came to us yesterday realizing that our community is in love with their product and wanted to give back. So here we go! And the winners (from the forums) are...

quittle Thanos hakoreh CROSSBONES ohshaith55 duffer900 tbugree VESPADADDY XeonBlue TheTabe iramike ChrisCorp knitforjoy crcpeach chlevor cyberdemon potato arnmsctt EC8CH jakewoodblues harrellj cynicismisfun luigi90210 MikeDeAngelis hutj Trong holydroid kervation Moreno briderx tdpietrini jrecufan Czone PamalaW one95fxstc bigt0242000 Anksta girlymissjulie Mzmartipants nebur1686 whockey17 Barfight jaymez nagato Kwikie lp4261 blazinmyst24 chuckles92104 mrbobrowitz minuzle

The 50 of you will receive an email from Swype over the next couple of days with details on how to join the program. Congrats everyone! And thanks again to Swype for giving our readers a chance to test out their fantastic product! Stay tuned for more contests over the next week!

New Verizon Roadmap Emerges with Stingray, Droid 2 Global and Lexikon News

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:31:53 +0000

A new Verizon roadmap of sorts has leaked out from a variety of sources through Engadget and we've grabbed the major bullet points which affect your Droid lives. The entire roadmap basically highlighted every Android device expected to hit VZW over the next few months, but we picked out the "Droid" friendly ones. Here is what the new rumors suggest...

Motorola Droid Pro tentatively scheduled for late October or early November. It's listed as having a 1.3GHz processor, Froyo, global radios, and Flash 10. We still have every reason to believe this is the phone we've been calling the Droid 2 World Edition (or Global Edition), but it's unclear whether it'll replace the Droid 2 altogether.

HTC Merge / Lexicon / Lexikon coming in late October / early November, too. Don't be fooled: all of these code names refer to the same device, and even Verizon's communication uses both "Merge" and "Lexicon" interchangeably. As expected, it's a global phone with a 1GHz Snapdragon.

Motorola Stingray tablet in Q1 of 2011. Now this is interesting. We'd previously thought the Stingray would be a smaller tablet, but it now seems it'll be a full 10 inches with Android 3.0 Gingerbread, 16GB of on-board storage, and Tegra 2. Oh, but that's not the best part: it'll also be "hardware upgradeable to LTE," initially launching with CDMA alone. Whether that means you'll need to purchase and insert some sort of module or something, we're not exactly sure.

What can we make of this? Word from our sources after the break.

Let's just say that through our sources, we can confirm almost all of this including a few additional details.
The "Droid Pro" to our knowledge will actually be called the Droid 2 Global, hence the reason we've been using that term for the last month. It is also expected to replace the original Droid 2 altogether.
The Stingray tablet has always been a 10" tablet. It will run Google's custom Android tablet OS which has not been confirmed yet to be called "Gingerbread" and could still be "Honeycomb." Q1 is when you should expect this though. We also fully expect this to carry the "Droid" name when finalized.

So we're really just waiting for Q1 2011 then right? Unless Motorola has a secret device up their sleeves, we aren't going to see a big holiday splash to ramp up the Droid line again. I guess we're stuck with the Samsung Tab? Via: Engadget

Developers in 20 Additional Countries Can Now Sell Apps, Another 18 Over Next Few Weeks

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:35:43 +0000

The Android Developers team announced today that developers from 20 new countries can sell paid apps on the Android Market and an additional 18 countries will be added after that over the next few weeks. This confirms our report from last week, but to our surprise is more than we expected. Also, users from 32 countries will now be able to purchase apps. That's growth baby...

We have been hard at work on this and it is my pleasure to announce that effective today, developers from 20 more countries can now sell paid apps on Android Market. Additionally, over the next 2 weeks, users in 18 additional countries will be able to purchase paid apps from Android Market. Support for paid application sales is now expanded to developers in 29 countries, with today’s additions of Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan. In addition, Android Market users from 32 countries will be able to buy apps...

A global Android world that seems to be expanding by the minute. Awesome. Source: Android Developers Blog

HTC Merge/Lexikon User Guide Flashes a Lot of Bing

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:03:27 +0000

We got our hands on the HTC Merge/Lexikon user guide today and all of your Bing worries have been confirmed. The guide also confirms that it is indeed a global phone, has a slide-out keyboard and Froyo, but that's about it. The name was left off of it as that is clearly still being debated and no other specs were revealed that we don't already know. We're also pretty sure that this will NOT be the next Droid. We've heard murmurs from a few sources that it was at one time under consideration, but as far as we know will no longer become a part of this exclusive family of smartphones. More UG shots after the break. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Handcent Update Fixes DROID X Froyo Text Message Issue?

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:52:21 +0000

Apparently Handcent has already figured out a way to fix the text message issue that has plagued the Droid X since its Android 2.2 update. The newest version 3.3.0 just hit the market in the last couple of hours and has "Droid X 2.2 Support." A couple of readers have already said that this fixes the 4-hour time gap that was plaguing many of you, but we want to hear from everyone. New Handcent update fix your DX text message issues? Cheers @antroyd!

Want More of the DROID 2 Global? New Pictures Appear in a Car

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:10:06 +0000

We brought you the first look of the Droid 2 Global last week with some super crisp and clear shots, but today, an entirely new batch has popped up via AndroidSpin. There aren't a lot of new details since we already showed you that it runs at 1.2GHz and pumps out ridiculous benchmarks, but you do get to see the SIM card and a few additional shot angles. Now if only a last minute change would include a 4" screen, we'd buy it! More shots after the break. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Source: AndroidSpin

Thursday Poll: What is your Favorite Feature on the Droid 2?

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:31:02 +0000

Calling all Droid 2 users! Actually, to any Droid users in general out there, we want to know what interested you about this device or which part of it is still impressing you. We asked you about the Droid X already, but now it's the D2's turn. Your favorite feature is? [poll id="15"]

This is a sponsored post.

Samsung Continuum for Verizon Appears, Has Odd Dual Screen Setup

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:30:51 +0000

You are looking at the next Samsung Galaxy S device called the Continuum (SCH-i400) which appears to be on its way to Verizon to either replace the Fascinate (review) or least satisfy the...2 screen needing...Android crowd. Wait that exists? Apparently Samsung thinks so! According to sources at Engadget, this new device will have dual screens, with the bottom one acting as a ticker of sorts. This ticker will show you notifications, weather, RSS updates, etc. and might even automatically turn on just by picking it up. The benefit here is obviously its battery saving ability which would allow you to leave your big OLED screen off to check simple updates to your phone. Here are my concerns. The softkeys, which on the Fascinate were one of its major downfalls, are now in between 2 touch screens. Talk about frustrations in the making? Good luck finding those in a dark room on the fly. And is it just me or does this device look like it's about twice as long as the Droid X? Time to bring back the JNCOs? I'm not going to lie, this device looks ridiculously awkward, but maybe that's just me! Oh, I almost forgot to mention it's filled with Bing. And puzzle pieces. More shots after the break. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Thoughts? Source: Engadget, The Droid Guy Cheers Phil!

Last Day to Purchase Swiftkey for $0.99

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 09:45:18 +0000

We've featured Swiftkey a number of times now as one of the great replacement keyboards for those out there that aren't into those swiping types and also can't stand the stock Android version. Swiftkey uses a predictive text model that makes the device in your hand feel much more intelligent than you. It's pretty amazing actually, and a keyboard that I've been using alongside the Droid X multi-touch for quite some time. You can pick up Swiftkey in the market today for $0.99, but don't hesitate as the price is slated to jump up to $3.99 tomorrow. Better get on it! Download:

Download Link

Cheers Picolas!

Google Opens Phone Gallery to Replace Store, Compare Select Android Phones

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:03:08 +0000

We say compare "select" Android phones in Google's new phone gallery because they haven't provided a comprehensive list of every single Android phone available. For whatever reason, Google has decided to feature certain phones from each carrier, leaving off some pretty major players like the Samsung Fascinate (our review). Is it the Bing? For a little back story, the new "phone gallery" site used to be Google's Nexus One store which we all know came to a screeching halt a few months back. This new service provides a pretty detailed look at a hand selected number of devices, and is actually a pretty great way to compare if you are in the market for a new phone. As you can see from the shot below, we pulled up the big 3 Droid devices.

Overall I really like the idea, even if the list of phones doesn't feel complete. Start comparing at google.com/phone!

Verizon Launches Trade-in Program, Incredible and Eris Worth More than DROID X?

Kellen — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:25:00 +0000

For those of you wanting to ditch your current device for some cash in hopes of purchasing one of the new models of phones on the market, then Verizon's new trade-in service might be your ticket. The new service allows you to input your current device plus its condition so that it can provide you with a dollar amount that VZW is willing to give you via giftcard. Not a bad idea right? Check out the trade-in value of our Droid family:

Droid 1: $52
Droid 2: $72
Droid X: $124
Droid Eris: $132
Incredible: $152

Not a type-o. The Droid Incredible and Droid Eris are both valued by Verizon as being worth more than the much newer and bigger Droid X. I'll reserve comment and allow you to all jump on this one. Just keep it clean! We're all one big happy family remember? Source: Verizon Via: Droid Life Forums Cheers NetworkBuilder!

R2-D2 DROID 2 Site is Live, Buy One Now!

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 22:51:27 +0000

If you were interested in picking up the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2, then head over to verizonwireless.com now. The phone, which we gave you a walkthrough of earlier, is available as expected for $249 after instant $100 online discount or $599 full retail. With your purchase, you also receive the special edition multimedia dock, a set of Motorola headphones and pre-installed 8GB SD card. Many have speculated that this device won't stay in stock long, so you may want to jump on this immediately.

Anyone pick one up yet? Anyone at one of the parties? Send us your pics!

Google Maps 4.5.1 Update Includes Live Wallpaper with Weather

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:33:56 +0000

A Google Maps update is available to everyone in the market right now and will bring you up to version 4.5.1. What's significant about this version? It brings weather into the live Maps wallpaper! It's pretty hard to see from that screenshot above, but there are actual rain drops splashing on my screen. Nice touch there Google. And that's it as far as I know. Go grab it!

Video: R2-D2 DROID2 Hands-on, Only Clocked at 1.0GHz

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:14:52 +0000

We had a few minutes of hands-on time with the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2 today and dug into one of the main rumors that was floating around about the phone's processor. Is it clocked at 1.2GHz like the Droid 2 Global? The answer is no. The R2-D2 is at the same 1.0GHz that the original Droid 2 is at, but we have a feeling this will change in a later update. After all, these phones all have the same exact processor, the D2 Global is just clocked higher. Oh well right? And back to the phone! It's exactly as you have already heard (and seen), a Droid 2 that has been themed to look like an R2-D2 unit. I will say, that they've done a great job with the outside of the device and all of the special features tucked into the OS. For the first special edition Droid, Moto and Verizon have come up with a winner. This is definitely a collector's item for all of the Star Wars gurus out there. The phone launches tonight at midnight online and in select stores for $249 on contract after $100 mail-in-rebate. Full retail price is rumored to be $599. If you purchase one, you'll find a couple of extra goodies in the box including the special edition multimedia dock and a set of Motorola headphones. There is your extra $50 people. Stop complaining about the price! Video action:

How to: Pick an Android Phone

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:18:07 +0000

Need help choosing an Android phone? Gizmodo just created this handy little chart, which whether you like Giz or not, is spot on. The only thing I could really argue against is the T-Mobile selection. I'd say, screw the Vibrant and just wait for the G2 to come out (which I now realize it says) and then it would be about perfect. There could be an argument against the Droid X as being the best phone on Verizon, but it would be a hard one to win. Thoughts? Source: Gizmodo

Contest: Missed the Swype Beta Signup Period? We're Giving Away 50 Invitations!

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:35:59 +0000

Sick of waiting for some hacked version of Swype to be released every time there is a new beta released to their somewhat exclusive program? Still upset that you missed the signup period? Well as of today, you no longer have to worry. Swype just handed us 50 invitations to give out to Droid Life readers who want to be a part of the program! Pretty sweet right? (+1 Swype) And since these are premium invites, we're going to make it slightly more difficult for you to enter. OK, not terribly difficult, but instead of just 1 step like most of our contests include, you will have 2.

How to enter:

1. Join our forums and post the reason you love Swype in this forum thread. 2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following message:

@droid_life is giving away 50 Swype beta invites! Contest details here - http://goo.gl/EE5o #swype #android

That's it!

Winners:

We will pick the 50 winners tomorrow afternoon and forward them on to our friends at Swype. After they have received the list, they will setup invite accounts for the winners and forward you the information needed to get the latest beta and become a part of their program. There you go, another giveaway here at Droid Life. A big thanks to Swype for the 50 invites!

Good luck everyone!

Hot Reboot Allows Android Device Reboots in Half the Time

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:20:27 +0000

Want to reboot your phone in about half the time? Then check out an app called Hot Reboot which makes your your device feel a little closer to the quick boot that the new HTC Sense offers. You can see our demo on the Incredible here. Hot Reboot starts just the graphical shell and not the entire device allowing you to clear memory and get your phone running as fast as ever. Root is required though. In the market for about $0.68. Should work on almost any Android device.

Download:

Download Link

Cheers @tdog7879!

Amazon App Store Distribution Agreement Leaks

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:56:06 +0000

Rumors of an Android app store launching from Amazon have all but been confirmed today through a leaked distribution agreement meant for developers. Among the terms listed, we see that devs royalties will "equal to the greater of (i) 70% of the purchase price or (ii) 20% of the List Price" and that Amazon will retain a free copy of each app submitted for users who have already paid for the app even if it has been pulled from sale. There is also a rumored $99 annual fee to be a part of the store. We're all still waiting for confirmation from Amazon, but you've got to think it will be coming any day now. To read the full agreement, hit up the source link below. I've got to admit that I'm more excited to see an Amazon app store than I am a Verizon VCAST version. Thoughts? Source: Slashgear

Pandora Receives Update, Fixes Audio Quality Issue from Froyo?

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:41:57 +0000

Pandora has been updated to version 1.5 and we have been told that it could fix the audio issues many were experiencing while running it with Froyo. This seems a little odd as Pandora gave off the impression that Android was to blame, but all reports suggest that it sounds amazing again. We're digging for a changelog and have already reached out to the big P. Download the update from the market now. Anyone else noticing better quality audio? Cheers David Young Oh!

Ultimate R2-D2 DROID 2 Party Guide by City

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:07:31 +0000

Here you go Star Wars fans, the ultimate guide to finding the R2-D2 Droid 2 launch party near you. We've covered as many of the big places as we can, but we'll be updating throughout the day as we get more info. And let us know in the comments if you find anything else out!

East Coast:

New York, NY:

34th Street, NYC store — 134 W. 34th St, NY, NY 10001
Big Apple Comic-Con Convention (10/1) — Penn Pavilion, 401 7th Ave, NY, NY 10001

Rochester, NY

Jefferson Rd, Rochester — 951 Jefferson Rd, Rochester, NY 14623

Chicago, IL:

36 S State St, Chicago, IL - (312) 726-8277
3 R2-D2 DROID 2s to give away
6-8PM, 9/29.

Boston, MA:

Washington St, Boston store — 340 Washington St, Boston MA 02108

Miami, FL:

Hialeah store - 1599 West 49th Street, Hialeah, 33012
Costume contest starts at 9:30PM, 9/29.
2 R2-D2 DROID 2s to give away.

New Orleans, LA:

1818 Manhattan Blvd, Harvey, LA 70058 - (504) 367-0897
10 R2-D2 DROID 2s to give away.
Open at midnight, 9/29.

St. Petersburg, FL:

4870 Part Street N., St. Petersburg, FL 33709

Orlando, FL:

3742 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

Orange Park, FL:

1911-1 Wells Road, Orange Park, FL 32073

Atlanta, GA:

Buckhead Store - 3535 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326
Store opens at Midnight, 9/29.

Bloomsburg, PA:

Bloomsburg Fair (Millennium Park section) — 620 West Third Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Mt. Laurel, NJ:

Mt. Laurel, NJ store — 1211 Rte 73, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

Philadelphia, PA:

Market Street, Philadelphia (will sell from Store on Wheels outside City Hall) — Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Columbia, MD:

Columbia, MD store — 9021 Snowden Square Dr, Columbia, MD 21046

Fairfax, VA:

Verizon Experience Store — 11750U Fair Oaks Mall, Fairfax, VA 22033

Cordova (Memphis ), TN:

2323 N. Germantown Parkway, Cordova, TN 38016 - (901)377-4990
Party starts at 9PM, 9/29.
1 R2-D2 DROID 2 to give away.

West Coast:

Portland, OR:

635 SW Morrison St, Portland, OR 97205 - (503)827-4287
Party starts at 10AM, will include Storm Troopers.
1 R2-D2 DROID 2 to give away.
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 6AM, 9/30.

Seattle, WA:

1633 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 - (206)254-0415
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 6AM, 9/30.

Houston, TX:

Verizon Wireless Copperfield store - 15749 FM 529 Rd., Houston, TX 77095 - (281) 463-0475
Costume contest starts at 7PM, 9/29.
2 R2-D2 DROID 2s to give away.
Computers on hand for midnight online orders.

Salt Lake City, UT:

Sugarhouse - 2274 S 1300 E, Salt Lake city, UT 84106 - (801)461-0288
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 9AM, 9/30.

Lone Tree, CO:

Park Meadows - 8461 S Yosemite St, Lone Tree, CO 80124 - (303)708-1353
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 10AM, 9/30.

Corte Madera, CA:

417 Corte Madera Town Ctr, Corte Madera, CA 94925 - (415)924-9084
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 10AM, 9/30.

Mountain View, CA:

1020 N Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043 - (650)966-1441
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 10AM, 9/30.

San Diego, CA:

Sports Arena - 3505 Sports Arena Blvd, Ste A, San Diego, CA 92110 - (619)523-4500
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 9AM, 9/30.

Santa Monica, CA:

2530 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403 - (310)828-1279
Buy any Droid, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 9AM, 9/30.

Tempe, AZ:

Marketplace - 2040 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281 - (480)557-9017
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 10AM, 9/30.

Las Vegas, NV:

Boca Park - 8780 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89117 - (702)952-8525
Buy any Droid phone, get a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster.
Store opens at 10AM, 9/30.

More info on the way!

Wednesday Poll: Rooted or Non-Rooted?

Kellen — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:16:38 +0000

We like to ask this question every few months just to see where our readers stand on the rooted phone front. As we continue to shape our coverage as we see trends, fit, and reader requests, this is the question we probably get the most from. And this time, we've added some specifics. Let us know! [poll id="14"]

Portland Star Wars Fans, the R2-D2 DROID 2 Party Starts at 10AM this Thursday

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:00:27 +0000

If you are in Portland, OR and want the chance to win an R2-D2 Droid 2 or just geek out with a bunch of Storm Troopers, then Thursday the 30th is your day. The special edition D2 launches and the Pioneer Place store is throwing a party. Oh and if you don't want the R2-D2 model, but wanted say the Droid X instead, you can buy that and get a free t-shirt. Fair enough right? Full press release after the break.

The force of DROID™ is strong for Star Wars™ fans at DROID™ R2-D2™ smartphone launch in Portland Special collector’s edition phone brings the Galactic Empire to customers on September 30 Who: Followers of Star Wars™ films and DROID™ smartphones are invited to the Verizon Wireless Communications Store at Portland Pioneer Place to experience the new DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola. The limited edition smartphone goes on sale Sept. 30 online at www.verizonwireless.com and in select Verizon Wireless Communication stores – including exclusively in Oregon at the Portland Pioneer Place store. What: To celebrate the launch of the DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola, members of the 501st Legion of Imperial Stormtroopers are expected to make a special appearance at the store. Enter to win a free R2-D2—one phone to be given away at each store. Additionally, customers who buy any DROID smartphone at the Portland Pioneer Place store on Sept. 30 will get a free limited edition R2-D2 t-shirt and poster (with new 2-yr activation and $29.99 data package, while supplies last at participating locations only). When: 10 a.m., Thursday, September 30, 2010 Where: Verizon Wireless Communications Store at Portland Pioneer Place, 635 Morrison, Portland More: With a graphic design to look like the iconic Astromech Droid from the Star Wars™ Saga, the DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be packaged in a custom box resembling carbonite and come with a Star Wars media dock and wired stereo headset. Exclusive content comes pre-loaded on the special edition smartphone. For more information on DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola, go to www.droiddoes.com/r2d2.

Anyone else going to head down?

All R2-D2 DROID 2 Devices Recovered, Just in Time for Thursday

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:00:26 +0000

The hunt for the missing R2-D2 Droid 2 plans came to an end yesterday and today after the last 2 sections were unlocked. You can now head over to droiddoes.com/r2d2 and check out all of the exclusive content this special edition D2 has to offer. Well, some of it you've already seen from us like the live wallpapers, static wallpapers, and boot animation, but there are still a few hidden gems that might surprise you. The device officially launches this Thursday for $249 on contract at a select number of stores around the country. We'll be in attendance at the Portland party! Feel free to check out the rest of the list for the west side of the US.

BeejiveIM Lands on Android Market, For $9.99?

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:35:35 +0000

If anyone has an extra $10 laying around and loves to IM their friends through their phone, then you have a new option. BeejiveIM, which became famous on the Blackberry is now available on Android for a not-so-minimal price. I'd list out the features, pros/cons, but I'm not the IM'ing machine that many of you are, so I'm going to ask for reader input on this one. Plus, we have Trillian for free, and it's amazing. BeejiveIM worth it?

Best Buy Announces "Free Phone Fridays" for Month of October

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:21:52 +0000

Best Buy announced a new program today called "Free Phone Fridays" for the month of October. Each Friday throughout the entire month, BB will feature 4 phones, one from each of the major carriers and to kick it all off, they've offered the Samsung Fascinate. (Read our review here!) To get the phone for free, as you may have expected, you need to sign up for a new contract or at least add a new line to your existing plan. Still though, a free Fascinate? Not a bad deal right? They'll announce future Friday phones on the Thursday before at 1PM central time, so stay tuned to next Thursday. Maybe we'll see a Droid! Via: Best Buy Blog

App Roundup: Voice Plus, Abduction 2, Padmapper, Brightness Rocker

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:30:06 +0000

Voice Plus: (free) - Allows you to set rules for Google Voice and when you want your phone to use it. Set up specific area codes, contacts or even groups. A nice Google Voice add-on especially to those that hate choosing each time they make a call.

Abduction 2: ($3.09) - One of the more popular and original Android games returns. The jumping cow has another 120 levels to climb. Should just be called "addicting."

Brightness Rocker: (lite and $1.99) - Ever been stuck in an application and want your brightness adjusted? This is your ticket. Allows your volume rocker switch to act as a volume up/down switch. Brilliant right?

Padmapper: (free) - The ultimate apartment shopper. Padmapper pulls info from Apartments.com, ForRent.com, Move.com, Oodle, Walkscore and Craigslist to let you find the aparment of your dreams using geo-location services.

Moblox: (lite and $2.69) - A physics puzzle game that is pretty much over my head, but has been featured as the game of the weekend on the Android market from what I've been told. Smart people enjoy!

Cube Player Extended: (free) - Remember that crazy cube music player from a few months back that included 3-4 amazing widgets? Well it's been upgraded slightly and is much more advanced than it used to be. They even plan on adding lyrics in the future. Win.

Alarm Clock Launcher: (free) - Did the Froyo update remove your Alarm Clock app from the drawer? Then check out Alarm Clock Launcher and it will be gracefully returned.

To have your application featured in future Roundups, contact us here.

The Tato Series: An Interview With Fede Of LauncherPro

Tim — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:30:48 +0000

So, anyone who knows me should know two things about me: I love Sapphire and I love me some good ol' LauncherPro. When it comes to launchers though there are lots of choices other than LP like ADW, Stock, Helix, and the list goes on. Well we took a poll a lil' while ago to show what our readers were using then, (Time for an updated poll? I think so!) but there was one launcher missing from that list that lately has pretty much wiped the floor with the competition. That Launcher, is none other than LauncherPro. Besides ADW, LauncherPro is the definitive Home replacement application. With a widely growing list of widgets and customizable features...who could argue? I have been fortunate enough to score some time with the man behind the app, Mr. Federico Carnales. Please enjoy this as much as I did; he was a sincere pleasure to talk to!

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Tim-o-tato: Hi Fede! Thanks so much for 'sitting down with me'! Mind giving us your name and occupation? Fede: Thanks for having me, Tim. My name is Federico Carnales, and I'm a full time, self-employed developer of LauncherPro. Tim-o-tato: And what a great App it is! So how long have you been working on LauncherPro? Fede: Why, thanks! I started working on it April of this year. Tim-o-tato: So from April it has become one of the most downloaded apps in the market place. Surprised with this success? Fede: Quite a bit...I hoped it would get popular, but I didn't expect it to become so popular so fast! It's been a wild few months! Tim-o-tato: I can only imagine! What made you want to begin this project? Fede: Well, I really liked the idea of HTC Sense's launcher, bringing the most used apps of your phone right to the home screen. But I didn't have an HTC phone, and my phone at the time didn't support custom ROMs (Motorola Milestone). So in short, the idea behind LauncherPro was to bring an experience similar to HTC Sense, to any phone by any manufacturer. Funny thing is, now I have tons of users who ditched Sense for LauncherPro :-) Tim-o-tato: Ouch! That poor Milestone. So since you have a Milestone, you must be from out of the States. Where are you located exactly? Fede: I'm originally from Uruguay, but currently live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tim-o-tato: So in Argentina is there a big Developer scene at all? Fede: For Android? No, I don't think so. There aren't many Android phones in the market here. Which is upsetting. Tim-o-tato: So you're a big fish in a pretty small pond. Fede: Indeed Tim-o-tato: If there are more Devs down there like you, we need all the Android phones down there as we can get! Fede: Hahaha ... I'm sure there's tons of talented developers here. Android just hasn't quite caught on yet. Give it some time, you'll see more developers from around here! Tim-o-tato: So you must have a background in development. Care to share you history? Fede: My background in development is all self-taught. I started developing websites when I was around 14, and then got into web programming a couple of years later. Started getting some freelance gigs, which I did for a few years. Then got a bit sick of freelancing and decided to do my own thing. Tim-o-tato: Wow, so started at 14.. Fede: Yup Tim-o-tato: What type of sites were you working on at that age? Fede: I was mostly just learning, playing around with HTML. I think my first website was a portal for Webmasters. I was really into web marketing and that kind of stuff. Tim-o-tato: Haha. Wow. That's good! At 14 I think I was just sitting on the couch playing video games. I should of been on a computer. I could of doing bigger things :-P Fede: Haha, yeah, I've always been a bit of a lone wolf, so that was a good hobby for me. Tim-o-tato: You're not alone anymore! So we all know that people arent allowed to purchase the Plus Version of your app since you live out of the US. What's the story behind that? Have you contacted Google about that at all? I would think they could make an exception for Apps with a certain download marker? Like a prize for being so popular! Fede: At the moment there are only 9 (I think) countries allowed to sell paid apps on the Android market. The rest of the world doesn't exist apparently. It's weird because I was getting paid by Google (Adsense) almost ten years ago without a problem Tim-o-tato: I would think since you've made something better than even their Devs have that they would just hire you. I'll talk to some people! Haha Fede: Hahaha! I don't think I'd like to work for Google though. I'm quite comfortable being my own boss. :-) Tim-o-tato: Wish I could say that! So how many hours would you say you've put into LauncherPro? Fede: Hmmm... hard to say, wish I kept track. Several hundred hours for sure.

Tim-o-tato: So since this last update, can we see a lot more coming from LauncherPro? More feautres for the future? (perhaps a gmail widget PLEASE!) Fede: Yes, there will be a LOT more coming in the future and a Gmail widget is part of the plan, yes! Tim-o-tato: Yay! Well I'm happy now. Fede: Haha. Also, I'm slowly starting to work on rewriting the whole thing from scratch. Instead of starting with Android's launcher. Tim-o-tato: That must be lots of work Fede: Yes. But I will keep updating the current LP while I re-build it from scratch. Tim-o-tato: Lots of people have talked (wished for) a partnering with ADW and yourself in making the ultimate Home Launcher. Do you think something like that would ever become reality? Fede: Probably not. We have quite different takes on software. Tim-o-tato: So you two talk and are aware of the fact that people either use you or him? lol It is actually quite the feud I would say between users. ADW or LauncherPro! Fede: Yup, definitely. It's all about personal preference. Tim-o-tato: That's what I always say. Both are better than stock and that's all that should matter. Haha So is it just you, or do you have any other helpers/developers with this app? Fede: Just me so far. I am definitely planning to hire a developer to help though. And also someone else to take care of support, documentation, website, etc. Tim-o-tato: Well you have my email? ;-) The future is looking extremely bright for LauncherPro which is great! Fede: Yes, I see a lot of future in LauncherPro! Tim-o-tato: So you must get lots of emails about your App. About how many a day would you say? Fede: I used to get over 500 hundred a day! Most with the same questions and suggestions. So I started referring people to the forum instead. It was getting out of control. The forum has been there from the start but a lot of people didn't know about it, and a lot of people think it's better to just email the developer. Which was fine when I started and was getting 10-15 emails a day. Tim-o-tato: Then it blew up! Haha Fede: Yes. And a lot of pepole don't realize how much time it takes to reply to that many emails a day. Time that is much better spent adding cool new features to the app instead of answering the same questions over and over. Tim-o-tato: Exactly. I could not agree more. So say you weren't a Launcher Dev. Is there any other type of Apps you would want to Dev for at all? Fede: Hmm... I know what I don't like developing, and that's games. I'm much more comfortable developing utilities. As for types of Apps I'd like to develop, maybe a Twitter app. There's lots of great ones out there already, but I think there's room for improvement. Or maybe a music player? Haha Tim-o-tato: The Facebook App is also HORRIBLE... Help Fede! Haha Fede: Yeah, that would be cool too! The problem is that the Facebook API is currently a bit limited. So there's no way to make a fully functional Facebook app with the API. Twitter on the other hand, exposes pretty much every feature through their API. Tim-o-tato: Awe. So when you're not Developing what do you like to do? Any hobbies? Fede: Baking! Haha! I always liked baking since I was a kid, and a few years ago went to pastry school and got a pastry chef diploma! Other than that, I love going to the movies and eating out. Tim-o-tato: That's awesome! For giggles, whats your favorite thing to bake? Fede: Hmm, I make a bad-ass lemon meringue pie :-P Tim-o-tato: Yum! So do you ever stop by Droid-Life to read up? Fede: Yeah, whenever I have time. To be honest I hadn't heard of it until you wrote your first piece on LauncherPro. But I'm glad I found it, it's definitely one of the best Android sites out there! Tim-o-tato: I'm using that as a quote! Haha Fede: And you guys have been nothing but awesome to LauncherPro and me. You've been covering LauncherPro from the very beginning! Tim-o-tato: Thanks! We love to hear that! Tim-o-tato: Is there anything you want ask the readers? Feature requests or anything of that nature? Now would definitely be the time! Fede: Hmm, not that I could think of...I always try to make some time to read the comments when LauncherPro gets blog coverage. So I'm watching everything and always taking notes when someone suggests something interesting. Tim-o-tato: Now since I have you right here...this is MY chance! There is a feature I was always curious about, and thats the infinite loop of the homescreens. Is that gonna be in the works? I would pay big bucks for that! Haha Fede: That's a tricky one. The main problem is the wallpaper. Live Wallpapers would be incompatible with that, and normal wallpapers would have to be loopable to keep them from looking awful when you join two ends together. Tim-o-tato: Hmm, well if there is one man I believe in...it's you hopefully! lol Fede: LOL! It will probably come eventually. Tim-o-tato: Well I wanna thank you SOOO much on behalf of Droid-Life and everyone Fede for your time! It was a real pleasure! Fede: Thank you! Pleasure was all mine! Take care!

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It was a great time talking to Fede and I know we are ALL looking forward to future updates and progress reports. Thanks everyone for another great week in life, a Droid-Life! -Tim-o-tato Get LauncherPro here at Fede's Website! And please check out the rest of The Tato Series! Got ideas for more interviews? Message me at timotato@droid-life.com :-)

Droid 2 Theme Tuesday: Revolution Remix

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:39:13 +0000

Time for some Droid 2 love! Themes are being ported over like crazy these days including many of the Kangerades we enjoyed on the D1 and of course today's theme, which is from the now famous rEVOlution theme originally created by Manup. Times are exciting in the Droid family with each device having been rooted and developer communities becoming stronger by the day. Who's ready to customize that D2?

Theme: Revolution Remix for the DROID by 2draya1986

Download: Revolution_Remix_Theme_Final.zip

Instructions:

THIS IS FOR DROID 2'S RUNNING 2.2.20 ONLY.

1. You must be rooted. (Instructions) 2. You must be deodexed. (Instructions) 3. You need to have Koush's Droid 2 Boostrap installed. 4. Download the Revolution.zip from above and drop on your SD card. 5. Open Droid 2 Bootstrap and bootstrap recovery. Then reboot recovery. 6. Scroll down to "backup and restore" and make a backup. 7. Then go to "install zip from sd card" and "choose zip from sd card." 8. Choose the Revolution.zip and apply the theme. 9. Reboot and enjoy! To get the full look, download the LauncherPro dock and launcher icon below:

Full support thread over at XDA Forums.

Download: Themed Swype for DROID X

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:17:19 +0000

I know that Droid X users probably felt a little left out yesterday with all of the Swype's flying around for the original Droid and the Incredible, so we wanted to bring you some new toys to play with. There is a batch of themed Swypes available for rooted Droid X users that you must check out. Colors range from red to green to black to blue and all have color coordinated tracers to match the particular theme.

ALL CREDIT TO bad4u6669 AT XDA FORUMS.

Download: Black | Blue | Red | Green Instructions:

*Note* - If you want to save your original Swype file for safe keeping, use Root Explorer and find it in /system/app. Make a copy of it and save it somewhere on your SD card.

1. You have to be rooted. 2. Open Koush's Droid X Bootstrap, bootstrap recovery (if you haven't) and then reboot recovery. 2. Scroll down to "install zip from sdcard." 3. Select "choose zip from sdcard." 4. Select the themed Swype file that you downloaded above and "yes" to install it. 5. Reboot your system. 6. Enjoy your new Swype! Let us know if you run into any issues.

928DROID Releases Easy Deodox/Odex Method for DROIDX

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:13:17 +0000

We featured 928Droid a couple of weeks ago as one of the first full-on Droid X themes and over the weekend they released something that might be even more significant. Been confused by all of this deodex/odex talk lately? You really just need to understand one thing: if you want to apply a custom theme to your phone, your phone needs to be deodexed and the 928Droid crew just made this process as simple as an update.zip. We now have a file which will take your phone from stock rooted 2.2 Droid X, and turn it to themed deodexed rooted Droid X. Download: DroidX-OTA2315-DeOdexEERR-THEME.zip And in even better news, we also now have files which will take your themed deodexed phone and return it back to stock rooted odexed or even stock rooted deodexed so that you can apply other themes (Like Invertnito!). Happy? You should be! Instructions:

If you would like to deodex your phone and have it themed, then download the file from above and drop it on your SD card.

1. You need to be rooted. 2. You need to have run Koush's Droid X Bootstrap. 3. You need to have the DeOdexEERR.zip file on your SD card. 4. Open Koush's DX Bootstrap and boostrap the recovery before rebooting to it. 5. From there, go into "backup / restore" and create a backup. 6. Then choose "install zip from sd card." 7. Choose "select zip to install" and find the DeOdexEERR.zip. 8. Say "yes" and your phone will deodex and apply the 928Droid theme. 9. Enjoy! To grab additional files including the "return to stock" .zips, hit up the 928Droid site.

Tuesday Poll: Lexikon? DROID2 Global? Something Else?

Kellen — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:12:52 +0000

Yesterday we saw some pretty revealing pictures of a new HTC device headed to Verizon, codenamed the "Lexikon" and the week before we brought you some exclusive shots of the Droid 2 Global. Do either of these phones interest you? Are either of them a "must have"? Or are you waiting for something bigger and better? [poll id="13"]

New xScope Version 6 Released, Hello New UI

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:10:17 +0000

One of our favorite browsers of all time, xScope, has been updated to version 6 and as you'll see once you update or download it, has gone through a complete UI overhaul. Gary, the developer behind it, has kept it simple and left out the flashy fluff you've seen on other browsers yet still managed to make it all pretty. It's quite elegant really and couldn't be more understated especially for the quality that sits behind it. All of your favorite features are included, such as tabbed browsing, a file manager, etc. but the new look and functionality will surely impress you even more. Check out the full video walkthrough of it after the break. Video Action:

Download:

Download Link

HTC Lexikon Shows Up Looking Like the Next Global DROID

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:27:44 +0000

The device we know as the HTC Lexikon (ADR6325) just made a huge appearance over at BGR. The device is meeting all of the specs that we figured it would, but now sports a very Droid-esque appearance and what looks to be a fantastic physical keyboard. Let's also not forget though that it's a global beast (SIM card included), has a 5MP camera, runs Android 2.2 and more than likely the new Sense. Oh...yes that shot above does say BING. Maybe this won't be the next Droid? How could any Droid survive without the Google Apps suite? After seeing our Droid 2 Global exclusive pictures and now this new HTC device, you've got to be excited for the holiday season. Verizon again "ftw." Gallery after the break. Who wants one? [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Source: BGR

Ask Dr. Root: Adb Commands and Frame Me Widget

MrPicolas — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 13:00:14 +0000

Dr. Root, I have adb set up now how do I use it?

First of all, if don't have adb and the Android SDK installed follow these instructions. Now, I know we all don't share a love of adb, but seeing as it is being used more and more I thought that you should get a basic grasp of what can be done with it. I am going to provide you with a list of commands that you should have on hand to help you out. I'll also show you how to make sure your device is connected properly to adb. These commands can be found here. adb shell mount - lets you mount your system adb push /system/app/ -put in system folder adb devices – lists which devices are currently attached to your computer adb install – lets you install an Android application on your phone adb remount – remounts your system in write mode – lets you alter system files on your phone adb push – lets you upload files to your phones filesystem adb pull – lets you download files off your phone's filesystem adb logcat – starts dumping debugging information from your handset to the console adb shell – drops you into a basic linux command shell on your phone with no parameters adb devices – lists which devices are currently attached to your computer adb install – lets you install an Android application on your phone adb remount – remounts your system in write mode and lets you alter system files on your phone adb push – lets you upload files to your phones filesystem adb pull – lets you download files off your phones filesystem adb logcat – useful for debugging your apps adb shell – lets you run commands directly Fastboot Commands fastboot devices – lists which devices in fastboot mode are currently attached to your computer fastboot boot – boots a ROM stored on your pc specified by the filename fastboot flash – flashes a ROM stored on your pc, partition can be one of {boot, recovery, system, userdata}

Ok now that you have a command list lets get your phone up and running.

Connect you're phone to a PC but don't mount SD card (also tick the usb debugging option from settings>application>development). Open cmd (start>type "cmd" in search bar) and enter these commands:

cd\ cd AndroidSDK\tools\ - connect to adb adb devices - lists which devices are currently attached to your computer

If you get a list of "devices attached" followed by a long number and "device" you are up and running. Have fun with adb and the list of commands from above.

Frame me photo widget

I have been looking for a decent photo widget that will resize without the frame distorting on me and much to my dismay there were not many till now. Enter Frame Me. It allows you to pick your photo and also include the entire directory for which that photo resides. Now the cool part is that the widget only takes up a 1x1 space on your screen, but if you press on the photo it will expand to full screen and you can flick/scroll through the directory you chose earlier. Oh and don't forget to pick a frame! The app is $0.99 in the market or for those who like freebies, it can be found over at XDA.

Frame Me

That's it for this week. See you guys next week -MrPicolas (Dr. Root)

Video: MIUI ROM for Original DROID

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:08:16 +0000

I don't really know where to start with this ROM, but it's something that floated around Youtube for a few days and seems to have taken the ROM world by storm. MIUI is a Chinese ROM that was initially revealed on the Nexus One and was then quickly ported by US developers to every other device on the planet. It has a ton of features that would be nice to see on both stock Android and other custom ROMs even if it looks similar to the i*hone. Almost every thing should work and if ROMs are super interesting to you, then I suggest that you check this out even for a few minutes. It's running Android 2.2 and a Chevy kernel so you can overclock it. Video and instructions after the break. Enjoy! Video Action:

Instructions: 1. Download the MIUI ROM to your Droid: Zen_MIUI-v2.zip 2. Open ROM Manager and choose "Install ROM from SD Card." 3. Choose the Zen_MIUI-v2.zip file you just downloaded. 4. When prompted, check BOTH boxes for making a backup and wiping data/cache. 5. Your phone will reboot, make a backup, wipe and install the MIUI ROM. 6. It should reboot if finished successfully. Enjoy your random ROM! If you run into a dialer force close issue, check out this fix. Simply flash the file in Clockwork just as you did with the ROM. No wipe necessary. Source: Zen-Droid Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

New Fennec for Android is “Awesome”, Speedy and Allows for Updates

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:30:00 +0000

On Friday, the Director of Firefox tweeted about the newest build of Fennec, said that it "just got way awesome" and wasn't joking. Not only is this latest build substantially faster than previous versions, it also prompts you for updates when they are released. Instead of having to try and keep up with the latest nightlies, simply install the version below and it'll prompt you to update going forward. Can't beat that right? Now if only Flash 10.1 would work with it. Download: Fennec.apk Install as you would any other .apk file. Via: Mike Beltzner Twitter

It's Official: R2-D2 DROID 2 Priced at $249 on 2 Year Contract

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:52:04 +0000

Verizon made the R2-D2 Droid 2 official today a set its price tag at $249 on 2-year contract after $100 mail in rebate. No mention of full retail price, but we're thinking $649 assuming they'll even let you buy one at full retail. As we all know, the special edition Star Wars device comes out on September 30th, with some stores opening at midnight on the 29th to get the release party going. Oh, they also plan on releasing a special edition Empires Strikes Back app, but no date was given. Full press release after the jump.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless announced that the highly anticipated limited edition DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com and in select Verizon Wireless Communication stores beginning Sept. 30. With a graphic design to look like the iconic Astromech Droid from the Star Wars™ Saga, the DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be packaged in a custom box resembling carbonite and come with a Star Wars media dock and wired stereo headset. Exclusive content comes pre-loaded on the special edition smartphone, including:

R2-D2 notification sounds and ringtones

Four live wallpapers

R2-D2 Clock Widget

“The Best of R2-D2” video with the original Cantina music

Exclusive Binoculars App

Star Wars Mobile App Available for All Customers with Android 2.1 phones To celebrate 30 years since the film hit theaters, customers with Android devices running Android 2.1 or higher will soon be able to get the Empire Strikes Back app from Android Market™. The app, only for Verizon Wireless customers, allows Jedi Masters to browse, preview and download Star Wars content related to Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Verizon Wireless customers can access premium Star Wars content for a one-time charge of $2.99.The Star Wars mobile app will have the following features and content:

Bounty Hunt Visual ID: Find and capture images around the Star Wars universe to unlock hidden content

Sound and Photo Gallery

Live Wallpapers: Blast the Probe Droid, Luke Balancing Yoda, Navigating the Asteroid Field, Watch Bespin’s Cloud City

Trivia Challenge: Answer trivia questions about the Empire Strikes Back

Widgets

The DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola will be available for $249 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk plan or a Nationwide Talk & Text plan (beginning at $39.99 monthly access) and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan (beginning at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access). Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. For more information on DROID™ R2-D2™ by Motorola, go to www.droiddoes.com/r2d2. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to mobile and wireline digital communication devices that provide compelling experiences, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com. STAR WARS™, DROID™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under license. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. Android, Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc.

Via: Verizon

DROID X Theme Monday: Invertnito for DROID X by JsinLegacy and Bgill55

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:00:00 +0000

This is the Droid X theme that I've been waiting for. We posted Invertnito for the original Droid already, but through the fine work of JsinLegacy and Bgill55, Droid X owners can now enjoy it as well. A white theme is somewhat of a rarity in the Droid world, so take advantage of this one while you can. As you'll see from the screenshots after the break, this theme runs deep. Almost every app, widget and piece of framework has been themed to provide one of the cleanest and most polished looks you'll see. It seriously is amazing.

*Note* - Your phone needs to be deodexed to apply any theme. (Instructions for deodexing.)

Get the files and instructions from the Droid Life forums!

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Download: Swype 1.61.37.8128 or 2.4.44.10912 for DROID Incredible and EVO

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 08:00:47 +0000

A couple of semi-new versions of Swype are available to download for the Droid Incredible and don't require an installer or an email address to get rolling on your phone. Version 1.61 looks and acts just like what you'll see on the Galaxy S lineup of phones and version 2.4.44 is the beta that many of you were unable to sign up for. Grab whichever one you prefer after the jump! Download: Removed by request from Swype.

(Of course there are plenty of spots to find them near by.)

Instructions: 1. Uninstall any previous version of Swype from your phone and reboot. 2. Download the .apk file from above and install. 3. Enjoy!

Swype for the Original DROID at this post!

Via: EVO4G Forum, XDA Forums Cheers Nicholas!

Download: Swype Beta 2.4.44.10912 for Motorola DROID

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 07:00:31 +0000

Forum member BloodiedWraith hooked us up late last night with Swype Beta 2.4.44.10912 which is the newest version available. And when we say "hooked up" we mean a version that is installable without an installer or a registration email. This is as straight up of an app installation as you'll find. He sent me a message last night thanking the Droid Life community for all that it has done and wanted to give back. I'd say he more than gave back. Enjoy and be sure to thank him back! Download: Removed by request from Swype.

(Of course there are plenty of spots to find them near by.)

Instructions: 1. Uninstall all previous versions of Swype beta and reboot your phone. 2. Find the .apk file you downloaded from above, tap on it and install. 3. Enjoy!

DROID INCREDIBLE VERSION AT THIS POST!

Again, this community just amazes me more each day. It's been a full 10 months now and we're as strong of a community as ever. Thanks everyone for making this the most enjoyable Droid spot on the planet!

DROID X Officially Back in Stock!

Kellen — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 06:30:41 +0000

After almost 2 months of backorders and delays, the Droid X is "in stock" on Verizon's website. I have reports from contacts at a few stores that have some as well, so it looks like we are a fully stocked Droid family now. Mini-party? Cheers Franklin!

Final 10: LauncherPro App Icon Licenses!

Kellen — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 11:00:24 +0000

And we're finally here! The LauncherPro App Icon contest has come to a close with today's final 10 winners. We gave out 50 licenses to this fantastic app and I hope our winners are enjoying every minute of their new customizable lives. If you missed any of the previous winners lists you can visit them at these links: 1st set, 2nd set, 3rd and 4th sets.

And the final 10 winners are...

ROID1 goose71 sideshowbob dtuccillo mikedroidx jdnpepsi erodrigz1 AJHebert Mike6770 stevearrants

Congrats final 10! You should have received an email by now with instructions on how to get your free license. If not, hit us up via contact form and we'll see what we can do to straighten it out! And congrats to everyone else who won a free license. Please make sure to thank Jon F. Hancock, the developer behind this app. 50 licenses is a lot to give away! If you didn't win, you should still consider picking up this app in the market anyway. It's definitely a nice accessory to go along with your LauncherPro. Visit his site here!

TV Appearances: DROID X on Glee and Community

Kellen — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:00:28 +0000

At this point, it's starting to look the the Droid X is going to land on every popular show this fall and we're not all that surprised after seeing ads like the one above all over NBC's Community site. Always nice to see one of our Droid family members on TV though, right? First up is Troy from Community (feel free to text him above, hah) rocking his DX in the park with Chevy Chase who looks scarier by the minute...

And the second one we have for you today is Mr. John Stamos making a quick appearance on Glee in what appears to be some sort of obnoxious dentist role. Check it at the 23 second mark...

Cheers Mike and Trong!

Android Market Adding Paid App Support to Additional Countries Over "Next Few Weeks"

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:03:42 +0000

The Android team is reportedly getting ready to provide paid app support to additional countries who may have previously had none. In an email forwarded to us that is being sent to developers, the Android team says they expect the rollout to take place over the next "few weeks", but are not ready to release the names of the countries...

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be adding paid apps support for additional countries. If you have selected to publish your paid apps to all locations and intend to support all new locations as we expand the number of supported countries for paid apps, you don’t have to do anything. If you have selected to publish your paid apps to all locations but intend to only target the currently supported 14 countries, please update your location selections to target these specific countries. Please look for follow-up emails when we introduce paid apps support for specific additional countries in the coming weeks. At that time, you’ll have the option to target these specific countries.

Growth is good right? Does this mean Fede will finally be able to put LauncherPro Plus in the market?

Software Upgrade Required to Fix DROID X Text Message Issue

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:34:05 +0000

There is a known text messaging issue with the Droid X running official Android 2.2 that Motorola is apparently aware of and already working on. According to their forums manager, their dev team has realized that an actual software upgrade is the only way to fix the problem. Most right now are reporting that the issue has to do with text messages appearing out of order, but from my early experience with the leaked 2.2 and after talking with one of our readers, the problem is actually in the date and time settings of the phone. Messages aren't appearing out of order, but are showing with a 4 hour time difference to when you actually received the message. What's funny about this issue, is I ran into so long ago and was unable to find a fix. At the time, I had a pretty good idea that the OS was to blame, but figured it was a big enough problem that it would have been ironed out in the official version. Apparently I was wrong and should have made a bigger deal out of it. It should be noted that the problem is found in the native text app, Chomp and Handcent so there is really no work around at this time. Anyone experiencing this issue? Source: Motorola Forums Via: Phandroid

Custom Theme Friday: RZ Alien Darkness for BB V0.5

Tim — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:30:48 +0000

Another great week down! We had Kellex at OpenFeint in my neck of the woods (That was fun.). We got 4G on the Droid Incredible? And I'm changing the name of the IRC to CCROM-Life? More about that after the break...or not. So since the release of Bugless Beast Version Zero Point Five, I have been looking for a theme to throw on top and I think I have found someone who knows what I'm shooting for. Widgets, whole APK's, Pulldown Menu, and even your Mommas Pajamas are themed here! Yes, please! I present RZ Alien Darkness by 'RaidZero'. Enjoy...

________________________________________________

Instructions:

This theme is intended for Bugless Beast V 0.5 but is available on other ROMs (Sapphire, FRG22D)

1. After installing Bugless Beast please download the theme right---> RZ_frg22d_Alien-update.zip 2. Place theme zip on the root of your SD Card. 3. Open ROM Manager and select "Install ROM for SD Card" 4. Locate the theme file and select it. 5. Make a backup just in case. This goes without saying. You may skip wipe data/cache. 6. Sit back and allow Clockwork to do its thing. Enjoy!!! If you run across any problems please don't hesitate to ask in the comments section or in the Live Support IRC section! Thanks everyone and have a great weekend! And a big thanks to RaidZero for being kind and porting this to Bugless Beast for me. ;-) [gallery] See Droid Forums post here. See more Custom Theme Fridays here. Email Tim here with ideas for next week! timotato@droid-life.com

Another Flash Update Available in Market, Version 10.1.95.2

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:03:13 +0000

On Monday, Adobe released an update to Flash 10.1 which was supposed to fix a pretty major and known security bug. Four days later, they've dropped another one on us. The new update brings you to v10.1.95.2 and we're already on the hunt for a changelog. Grab it now in the market! Cheers @stick2e!

Motorola Milestone Available at Alltel Stores Now

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:06:30 +0000

Remember when we said that the Motorola Milestone would be hitting Alltel Wireless stores on the 23rd? Well, it did. As an Alltel customer, you can pick it up today and enjoy one of the last stock "Google Experience" phones ever. It's really no different than the Droid on Verizon, but it's a hell of a lot better than the Hero which is your only other option on this carrier. Anyone Alltel? Anyone picking one up? [gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4" orderby="title"] Cheers JK!

Google: Requiring Stock Android Violates "Principle of Open Source"

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:38:14 +0000

Ahhh manufacturers and their custom Android skins. If only we could get rid of them forever, life would be so fantastic, wouldn't it? For those hoping that a stance would be made by Google concerning this topic, be prepared for a let down. In a sit down with some press members at Google Zeitgest, Google CEO Eric Schmidt squashed any chance that they would mandate HTC or Motorola to leave off their Sense and Blur skins. When asked why Google can't ask (or require) manufacturers to give customers an option to either have a full "Google Experience" or install a custom skin like HTC's Sense, Schmidt had this to say...

I love that the fact that the two of you [Mike Arrington and Danny Sullivan] love the Nexus One, thank you very much. But the fact of the matter is that if we were to put those type of restrictions on an open source product, we’d be violating the principle of open source.

See the interview in action below...

It's a fascinating topic and one that could go on for hours if you had the right people in a room together. In fact, over the last couple of days that I spent with some fellow Android bloggers down in San Francisco, we discussed topics like this. I think we're all in favor of providing customers with options just like they see when purchasing a new PC, but Google appears to not be feeling that vibe, yet. Thoughts? Source: Search Engine Land Via: Engadget

R2-D2 DROID2 Launch Party Store List

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:21:55 +0000

We finally got our hands on the R2-D2 Droid 2 launch party store list! For those of you hoping to be part of Droid 2 history by owning this special edition device, here is your chance to dress up and get down with a jawa. Some stores are planning huge events which start at midnight, while others I'm told, like the downtown Portland store, will open at 6AM. And apparently you can snag a free R2-D2 t-shirt and poster just by purchasing any Droid phone on the 30th. Hit up the store list after the break!

For store opening times, make sure to call your closest store. Anyone want to join me at the Portland party? Via: VerizonInsider

HTC Desire HD ROM Ported to DROID Incredible, Quick Boot In Action

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:40:59 +0000

The HTC Desire HD which was announced by HTC last week, runs a new version of Sense that has some sort of quick booting process allowing the phone to basically boot back up in under 5 seconds after powering down. It's pretty remarkable actually and as of this week, you can enjoy that speed on your Droid Incredible plus some additional devices. That's right, someone has already pulled the ROM from the Desire HD and ported it to a variety of handsets. There are a few bugs in it which will surely be ironed out over the next few days, but you should give it a try right now to at least see quick boot in action. Or just watch our video below! Video Action:

Download: Desire HD ROM for Incredible Instructions:

ALL CREDIT TO XDA FORUMS FOR THIS.

1. You have to be rooted. (Run unrevoked 3.21) 2. Download the file from above and drop on your SD card. 3. Download and install ROM Manager from the market. Open it. 4. Tap "Install ROM from SD Card." 5. Find the file that you downloaded from above and tap on it. 6. When prompted, check BOTH boxes for making a backup and wiping data and cache. 7. Your phone will reboot and load up the Desire HD ROM. 8. Once it finishes installation, it will reboot itself.

THIS WILL TAKE A LONG TIME. DON'T PANIC!

9. Enjoy! Source: XDA Forums Cheers Wynn!

DROID Incredible Does 4G? Hidden Menu Says So

Kellen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:58:48 +0000

Well hello "4G Settings" menu on the Droid Incredible! Those screenshots were nabbed from my Incredible through Google Gesture Search and clearly show a secret 4G menu that will force close on you if used. Obviously I'm running a custom ROM, but don't worry, this menu is available to stock non-rooted users as well. So what does this mean? Maybe just some built in Sense setting? Probably. The DI and EVO are running pretty similar versions and could be the reason it has a hidden menu like this. Anyway, it's interesting to say the least since we know the DI isn't capable of running on 4G. Gesture Search can find a bunch of hidden gems like this. Now go play with it! Cheers KiriusKris!

Third and Fourth 10: LauncherPro Icon App Licenses!

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:11:06 +0000

We were a little busy over the last couple of days hanging out with the OpenFeint team and missed last nights LP Icon App license winners, so we're doubling up tonight! Here are the 3rd and 4th sets of winners (1st and 2nd sets here and here)! And if you have not already signed up to win one of these, head over to our forums now and post in this thread.

Shang DroidDefDoes Scuff02 streakybacon danlaw777 atomsk0 Almighty1 Dutch7 nfn6789 Cinzano smitman themuffinman atico Ukyfan rooktheklown blazingwolf DroidShadow charmcitybard 0pusX rwjake13

Congrats everyone! You should already have an email with instructions on how to get your free license in your inbox. Enjoy! Make sure to check back tomorrow to see if you are one of the final 10 winners...

R2-D2 DROID2 Dummy Units Arriving in Stores

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:24:17 +0000

A little number of the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2 will be released in stores on September 30th, but the dummy phones are already appearing. As you can see in the shot above, we are also expecting custom packaging to go along with this one of a kind device. It's such a tempting little toy isn't it?

Anyone else made up their mind on purchasing one? Source: BGR

Verizon Introducing Tiered Data Plans in 4-6 Months?

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:02:56 +0000

Ivan Seidenberg, the CEO of Verizon, confirmed today that tiered data plans may arrive in the next 4-6 months. There was no mention of pricing or structure of tiers, but he did manage to take a quick shot at AT&T, claiming they don't necessarily "agree" with the way they valued their data. Most people are expecting the new pricing structure to hit about the same time LTE (4G) takes off. And surprise, surprise, the i*hone was also brought up. Seidenberg said that Verizon doesn't feel like it has an i*hone "deficit" and that they would love to carry it, but need to "earn it." Whatever that means? I'm actually a fan of the tiered data idea, but I know many of you don't share my enthusiasm. Any reason a tiered plan would turn you away? Source: WSJ Via: BGR

Programming Note: We’re Still in San Fran!

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:30:20 +0000

Another programming note I know... So we're still in San Francisco hanging out with OpenFeint and will have a solid amount of time to hang out with the team today to pick their brain on some of their new projects. Posting may be a little sporadic, but don't worry, we're getting the goods for you. Oh, we'll also be back to normal tomorrow. Will you live? Any questions you'd like us to ask?

Bugless Beast V0.5 is Out!

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:45:15 +0000

Pete finally returns after a long layoff and just so happens to bring a new version of Bugless Beast, his incredibly popular Droid 1 ROM. This comes packed with some feature that I'm not any of us have even dreamed of, and trust me when I say that that is a good thing. Some of the highlights:

Automatic app install after wiping data and cache
Apps installed to data instead of system for easy uninstallation
Includes 3 of his paid market apps: sound recorder, video camera, testing menu

Since I'm in San Francisco, I haven't had a chance yet to flash this so I'm curious to know from all of you how it's going. Pete's ROMs are always top notch and this version has had a ton of buzz surrounding it. Go get it! Read the full ROM write up at Pete's blog. Changelog here. Download the ROM here. Anyone running this yet? Let me know what you think!

Thursday Poll: Thoughts on 2.2 for the DROID X?

Kellen — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:05:21 +0000

What are your thoughts on the official 2.2 update for the Droid X? Was it worth the wait? Are you already looking forward to the next Android release? Let us know in the comments! [poll id="12"]

Samsung Fascinate Update Available Now, Well Maybe?

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:36:16 +0000

The Samsung Fascinate update that sort of slipped under the radar yesterday amidst the explosion that was the Droid X 2.2 update appears to be available. Well to some people. I unfortunately am not one. Has it been pulled? Am I just unlucky? Remember that Samsung allows you to "pull" updates similarly to the way you can with Blur and the Droid X. From your phone visit: Settings>About>System Updates>Check New Details of the update can be found here. Anyone find the update still? Cheers @xFenixKnightx!

The Tato Series: An Interview With JRummy16

Tim — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:00:53 +0000

Exciting times around here seeing as how Kellex's Droid X finally got some 2.2 love, but I wish all you DX users the best. (I was skeptical hehe.) I got to have a very fun chat with JRummy the other day and can tell he is a very well spoken, smart individual. Throughout the Tato Series I have yet to converse with anyone that hasn't come off as someone who isn't extremely nice and knowledgeable in their respective fields including JRummy. Put all these guys in one room and North America might explode! Task Killers, nicknames, future of LithiumMod, and even a possible interview with "The Great Tim-o-tato"? Ha! We'll see about that! Continue on.... Tim-o-tato: So can I have you introduce yourself and what it is you do? JRummy16: Well, My name is Jared Rummler and on internet sites I usually go by the name JRummy16. Rummy has always been kind of a nick name so I went with it. I am from Southern California and besides working on Android I am a full time student at Cal State Fullerton and also have a full time job doing accounting. On my free time I love to hang out with my beautiful wife at the beach where I surf and skim board. Tim-o-tato: Excellent! What are you currently in school for? JRummy16: Accounting. Far from anything I do in the Android community but I have some opportunities that I don't want to pass up. Learning and developing in Android has definitely opened my eyes into different things that I have grown to love though. Tim-o-tato: Well I know that any work you put towards Android people will be happy with. What got you into Android to begin with? JRummy16: I am fairly new to Android and the ROM world actually. I have always had a "nerd" side to me and when I purchased my Droid1 I wanted to learn everything about it. After rooting my device I wanted to unleash the full potential of my new toy. I think my first ROM was Bugless Beast 7.4 or something. I started with simple hacks I could teach myself, then I got into creating themes where I learned simple but necessary things like xml's, smali and backsmali, and Eclipse. I then started building ROMs. First they were based off of Cyanogen Mod (which I believe was the only source built ROM at the time). Then I began to teach myself Bash and Java (which I'm still doing) and started compiling my own ROMs from source. So far it has been a fun and educational little hobby :-) Tim-o-tato: Wow! So JRummys first ROM was Bugless Beast? JRummy16: Ha, yep! Tim-o-tato: When you started working on all of this, did you have any clue that people would accept your work so widely? In other words, did you expect to become so popular? JRummy16: I didn't know what would become of my work. When I started I really looked up to AdamZ and Xeudoxus. Those are developers that do it just for the fun of developing and not for numbers or show (like many other developers too). I am stoked that so many people have enjoyed my work. I compile ROMs and theme because that's what I love to do and it's just a bonus that others love it too. Tim-o-tato: Awesome. So what got you thinking about making a *super* pink theme for Droid-Life then?

Tim-o-tato: Think it got people to check out the good work you were pumping out at the time? JRummy16: Because Droid-Life is just that cool! When my wife got her droid I wanted to root and install a custom ROM for her but she was hesitant until I showed her my Pink-Life theme. She is still using it today and loves it. Also, I had a color scheme going I guess. Besides Pink-Life I have developed a green, blue, red and a cyan theme. Tim-o-tato: My ex girlfriend really liked it too! Turns out she likes iPhones more though...(hence the Ex). What types of things are you working on these days? Anything up those sleeves? JRummy16: Lately I have been swamped with school and work but I can't seem to step away from Android. So, when I have time I have been working on a compilation of scripts which act much like BusyBox and getting them into a GUI. I have also spent some time working on more customization on status bar icons, SetCPU and other customization in the Settings App. Tim-o-tato: Sounds good. I'm sure we'll all be on the lookout. So may I ask you age Jared? I'm guessing you're not "16"? JRummy16: I'm 25. But what about you? When is Droid-Life going to have an interview with the amazing Tim-o-tato? Tim-o-tato: Haha. I'm 21! The amazing? Hmm, I guess I could get use to that. :-P Tim-o-tato: So what are your thoughts about the Android community as a whole? Likes? Dislikes? JRummy16: As a whole it is a great group. I have become friends with a great group of Developers and Theme makers. I talk constantly to JDLFG, Xeudoxus, {n8}, Liquid0624, and many others. I have also had a good opportunity to share what I have learned with other developers. I think I have spent more time talking, learning and teaching other people than I have spent developing because there are so many good people here. Tim-o-tato: That's what we like to hear! Hopefully it's only gonna get better!! As someone that's on the inside, where do you see Android a few years down the road? JRummy16: I think Android has a huge potential and it's obvious that the competition is scared. I'll be sticking with it for a long time and hope to keep bringing some amazing work to the table. Tim-o-tato: What type of phone did you have before your first Android phone? (which was? Droid? G1?) JRummy16: My first Android phone was the Droid1 and before that I had a bulky ugly Windows Mobile phone. Tim-o-tato: Ohh, so no I*hone? JRummy16: Nope! Tim-o-tato: Clever... Time for my dumb silly Q's... Tim-o-tato: Task Killers: What is your view and opinion them?

JRummy16: I never used one and I think they are a bit over rated. :-/ Tim-o-tato: We hear that a lot! Tim-o-tato: So Steve Jobs writes to you, say he needs your help with the new i*hone. Your response? JRummy16: Lol! Umm...I would say heck yes, if it were April Fools day or if he offered me a ton of money!! Tim-o-tato: Yea, ton of money would be nice I suppose... Tim-o-tato: If you had to change your nickname, what do you think you would choose? JRummy16: Mr.GinormousMuscles would probably be the best way to describe me...so probably that. Tim-o-tato: Awesome! Who could argue?!? Tim-o-tato: So you mentioned some other Developers you admire. Is there something you hope to be an innovator for maybe in the future? Or that you would like to create that isn't already available? JRummy16: There are always ideas and new things to work on. It has been a little of a slow start but Lithium Mod has some great developers and has some real potential. Tim-o-tato: That's good to hear that it's still alive! Well we are ALL waiting. You'll make us proud! So before I let you go, is there ANYTHING you would like to ask the Droid-Life readers? JRummy16: Sure. First, what do you look for most in a ROM (features, stability, theme, customization, etc.)? Second, what is going to be your next device? Tim-o-tato: That seems to be the question on everybodies mind. As contracts are starting to end, everyone wants to know what the next big thing is. In your opinion, what do you think the next big phone will be? JRummy16: The droid X is starting to explode but for the next device honestly I'm not sure. Tim-o-tato: Thanks so much for your time Jared! I myself and everyone at DL really appreciate it!!! JRummy16: Your welcome! Thanks! :-) Tim-o-tato: Have a good one and talk soon! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well that was fun! I had no idea I was "great", buuut I am not one to argue with a guy like Jrummy, so I'll run with it! Thanks for everyone reading these and letting me know that you care for it! Huge props to JRummy for giving me his time!

So tell me...What's gonna be the next big phone?!?

-Tim-o-tato Read the rest of the Tato Series interviews! Follow JRummy on Twitter! Check out Tato's Band!

DROID 2 Global Benchmarks and System Info, Hello 1.2GHz Processor

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:00:13 +0000

We first showed you our exclusive shots of the Droid 2 Global and now have even more goodies from this amazing looking device. Who wants some Quadrant system info and benchmarks? Unfortunately we don't have screenshots, but this is the information we've been given we have no reason to question. How does an ARMV7 clocked to 1.2GHz sound? 1709 benchmark? Update: Screenshots now posted!

System SDK version: 2.2 CPU ARMv7 rev 2 Current freq: 300mhz Max freq: 1200 mhz Min freq: 300 mhz Cores: 1 Memory Total: 488700 kB Display 480x854 68Hz

So you can see from the system info that this beast has been clocked at 1.2GHz which would make this D2 the fastest device on the market, right? It also is sporting what appears to be the same 512MB of RAM that both the DX and original D2 sport. And when an actual Quadrant benchmark was run, the first attempt came up with 1566 and the second hit 1709. Seriously, wow. To give you an idea of what the Droid X gets, check out this post. The Linpack score came in 16.499 which is about as high as you'll see for whatever reason on an OMAP processor. Other stuff we know:

Same 2.2 Blur that is on the D2 and DX
Same 5MP camera
Same keyboard

Impressed? I'm loving the look and the speed, but is the 3.7" screen a deal breaker?

We’re in San Francisco Gaming with OpenFeint!

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:00:18 +0000

Just a little programming note to start what is guaranteed to be the wildest day in recent memory... We're down in San Francisco for the next 2 days hanging out with the OpenFeint team! As you all know, OpenFeint unleashed a wave of their amazing games onto the Android platform last week, but this week they wanted to bring us down to meet everyone and show us what they've got in store for the future. How awesome is that? The future of gaming for Android has never looked brighter and OpenFeint is at the forefront. We'll be sure to have updates for you throughout the next couple of days, so stay tuned!

Exclusive: Motorola DROID 2 Global First Pictures

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:00:06 +0000

Say hello to the Droid 2 Global. (At least that's what we're calling it anyway.) The next Droid device to join our growing family has a new look, white. We had a pretty good idea this would be launching in something other than black or blue, but these photos just cemented that. The D2 Global is the first of the "DROID" franchise to hit "world edition" status and will be a key player for those business travelers who bounce from country to country outside of the U.S. It's about time right? There is also this nasty little rumor floating around suggesting that the original Droid 2 may be on the outs in favor of the up and coming Droid 2 Global. After seeing these exclusive pics of it, we might just believe it. This device looks identical aside from a color change and what appears to be a purely silver top rather than the gun metal look the D2 had. Oh, and this is still a 3.7" screen and not the 4" version many were hoping for. Check out 2 more exclusive shots after the break! [gallery link="file" order="DESC" orderby="title"] You might want to stay close to Droid Life for more exclusives of this device!

How to: Root DROID X Running Official Android 2.2

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:00:29 +0000

Since so many of you are curious about having a rooted device, then you'll be pleased to know that the Droid 2 rooting method works flawlessly on the official update for the Droid X. In even better news, the crew at XDA Forums have created a semi-1-click method so that you no longer have to use a series of adb commands. You will still have to install the Android SDK, but that's nothing right?

ALL CREDIT TO DARKONION AT XDA FORUMS FOR THIS!

Instructions:

Download: DoRootForWindows.zip

1. Extract and Update Android SDK package to your computer. (Our instructions here.) 2. Next, extract the files from the DORoot zip file to the tools folder of Android SDK.

(Take them out of the folder they came zipped in and place in tools.) Ex: C:\android-sdk-windows\tools

3. Install Motorola Drivers: (32-bit or 64-bit) 4. Enable USB Debugging on your phone and plug it into your PC. (Settings>Applications>Development) 5. Double-click and run doroot.bat 6. Let it run. 7. It will let you know if it has finished completely. 8. Reboot your phone and you are rooted! If these instructions don't seem all that clear, follow the step-by-step guide which includes adb commands. Our instructional post can be found here. Enjoy your newly rooted official 2.2 Droid X!

Video: DROID X Android 2.2 Walkthrough

Kellen — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 07:00:51 +0000

With the official Android 2.2 update for the Droid X coming out last night at midnight instead of noon today like we all were told it would, we had a chance to whip together a quick walkthrough! This isn't your typical Froyo overview since those have been done dozens of times by now, but I did cover some of the highlights which you'll enjoy with this newly updated OS. Video Action:

Everyone able to get the update? Visit Settings>About>System Updates from your phone now!

DROID X Android 2.2 Update is Live Now!

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:11:37 +0000

Unless it has been pulled this morning, the official Droid X Android 2.2 update is live right now! We will not be searching for a manual update method since the update can be manually pulled to your device at any time. To pull it to your device go to:

Settings>About>System Updates

Go! Go! Go! Other Links: Droid X 2.2 Update Notes | Unroot and Return to Stock 2.1 IMPORTANT UPDATE: Apparently once you have updated to the official OTA 2.2, you will no longer be able to use the 2.1 SBF that's in the wild (Not the leak, the actual OTA update). There is a good chance it will brick your phone. So that means if you update to official 2.2, you are stuck there. It's OK though, because we can root it. Just be warned! (via birdman) Full gallery after the break! [gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Second 10: LauncherPro Icon App License Winners!

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:45:36 +0000

We're still pumping out winners to our LauncherPro Icon App contest! We had 50 to start with, gave away 10 last night, and are ready to do the second batch of 10. Remember that all you need to do to enter is join our forums and post at this thread with whatever you want. Simple right?

And the second 10 winners are…

blah nberry asdroidx drake1300 TheSelli cpeter753 killsforpie racketier Fenders05 tr8301

Congrats all! You should receive an email within the next few minutes with instructions on how to get your free LP Icon App. Stay tuned tomorrow for our second batch of winners!

Update Coming for Samsung Fascinate, It's Not Android 2.2

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:30:09 +0000

On the same day that we broke the news on the Droid X 2.2 update, an update appears to be on the horizon for the Samsung Fascinate as well only it's not quite as big of a deal. Fascinate owners will not be receiving Android 2.2, but will instead see a few other bugs fixed. It looks like VZW is hacking away at that ugly list of known bugs that snuck out just after launch. And so Fascinate owners know, you can "pull" updates just like DX owners can with Blur. Don't forget to check out our full review of the Samsung Fascinate in case you missed it. Update: It looks like 2.2 might be coming in October though. Check this post. More info on the update here.

LauncherPro Update Includes Friends Widget, Customizable Homescreens

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:52:22 +0000

Continuing its reign as one of the top 2 launchers on the planet, LauncherPro has added the "Friends" widget to its lineup plus an option to set the number of rows or columns on your homescreens. The homescreen customization comes with the free version, but as with any of the widgets, the "Friends" add-on only comes with Plus version. What does the "Friends" widget do? It combines your Facebook and Twitter feeds into one spot so you don't have to mess with 2 separate widgets anymore. Time to upgrade if you haven't! We're not sure if or when these LauncherPro updates will ever stop, but just know that we'll never complain when we see one available. Full changelog at the LauncherPro site.

New HTC Sense Headed to DROID Incredible, Other Devices?

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:25:53 +0000

HTC just got done demoing their new version of Sense with the launch of the Desire HD and Desire Z, and the first thing people asked was, "Is it coming to the Incredible or EVO?" According to the Spanish HTC Twitter account earlier today, the answer might be "Yes." This tweet (which has now been removed) was captured by the guys over at Androinica...

Roughly translated, it comes out to this...

The Desire and rest of terminals with version 2.2 (Froyo) will be able to enjoy the #Htcsense a greeting

Here's to hoping we see the new Sense freshness on the DI! Via: Androinica

Our New Servers from BeyondHosting.net! Plus a 50% Off Deal!

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:51:49 +0000

We wanted to give a special shout out today to our new hosting company who has been one hell of a delight to work with. Please say hello to Beyond Hosting, the power and stability behind Droid Life! As you may recall, the last few months with our previous hosts had been a little rocky at times and seemed to struggle with our growth. I feel confident now that with Beyond Hosting behind us, we should have zero problems going forward and am really exciting to see where we can push this. We're running 2 servers now, 1 for forums and special projects and a single beast for our main site. We should be good to roll my friends. But that's not all! Beyond Hosting wants to give back to Droid Life and its readers! Here is the deal:

They are offering 50% OFF of your first order for any package under their "hosting" or "VPS" plans.
Use the code DROIDLIFE when you check out to save!

Basically what this means, is you can buy a year long package today and save 50% off of it. You could also buy a 1 month package and receive 50% off too, but the longer deal makes the most sense. So if you've been thinking about starting a blog, new website or just want to upgrade to some bad a** hosting, these are your guys. Anyway, go check them out!

Visit BeyondHosting.net and use the code DROIDLIFE!

@droid_life

Breaking: DROID X Android 2.2 Update Starting Tomorrow at 12PM EST

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:08:50 +0000

Just as we said yesterday, the Droid X 2.2 update will be released tomorrow to the masses. The update will become available at 12:00PM EST giving any user with a DX the opportunity to "pull" the update manually. Yep, just as we talked about at the beginning of the month, Blur does have one major benefit and that's the ability to pull updates rather than forcing users to wait for them to be "pushed" to their devices. To have your phone check for the update visit the following screen:

Settings>About>System Updates

At noon tomorrow, or 9:00AM here on the west coast, the update should be waiting for you. Oh, you can stop checking for updates now. Might as well wait until tomorrow. :-) One more shot after the break.

And finally?

New Gmail App Lands on Android Market

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:07:25 +0000

The leaked Gmail app which we posted a few weeks back has now become official and is available to anyone running Android 2.2. (Sorry Droid X users, you have to wait until tomorrow.) The update includes a bunch of much needed features including:

As you scroll through a conversation, your most important message actions will now stick to the top of the screen, one click away, no matter how long the email is.

Very long thread? Now you can view previous message content more easily, just like in the desktop version of Gmail. Tap “Show quoted text” to reveal the previous message.

Finally, this updated version of the Gmail app has limited support for Priority Inbox. If you’ve enabled Priority Inbox via the desktop version of Gmail, you’ll see an “Important” label that shows all messages flagged as important. You can even add a shortcut to “Important” to your home screen.

Purely awesome. Download:

Source: Google Mobile Blog

Reminder! Second 10 LauncherPro Icon App Winners Coming Today

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:21:04 +0000

Just a quick reminder that we are giving away 50 LauncherPro Icon App licenses this week! The first 10 were announced last night, but we've got another 40 to go. Be sure to enter in by following the steps below as we're giving away 10 each night through the end of the week!

1. Sign up to be a forum member. 2. Post anything you want in this forum thread!

And thanks again to the LP Icon guys for providing all of these goodies!

How to: Return DROID X Back to Android 2.1

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:22:46 +0000

For those not wanting to remain rooted, you are probably looking for a way to return from the leaked Android 2.2 update for the Droid X back to stock 2.1 so that you can receive the update which we are expecting some time this week. I'll just say up front that you will lose root access by doing this and there is a chance that rooting official 2.2 may be difficult, so think this over carefully. Still ready to go? Step-by-step guide after the break!

Instructions:

*Warning* - The process outlined below is very risky and could do permanent damage to your device. If you choose to proceed, you do so at your own risk. Droid Life will not be held liable for any damage that is caused.

1. Download and install Motorola USB drivers that fit your Windows system. (32 bit) (64 bit) 2. Download and install RSD Lite 4.7. (Download)

You will need to patch this after installing. There is an .ini file included in the folder that needs to be placed in your install directory. /Program Files/Motorola/RSD Lite

3. Download the Droid X 2.1 SBF file. (Find it here. Middle of page.) 4. Unzip that file to somewhere other than your desktop. 5. Open RSD Lite, tap the "..." button, find the SBF file that you just unzipped and select it.

*Tip* - If you are having issues with RSD Lite, check out this video.

6. Plug your phone into your computer and turn it off. 7. Boot your phone into bootloader:

With phone off, hold volume down plus the camera button and then power.

8. Release all buttons after 2-3 seconds. RSD Lite should now recognize your phone. 9. Click the start button and allow your phone to flash 2.1. 10. When the process gets to 100% and completed in RSD Lite, you can unplug your phone. 11. We're not done though! 12. Your phone may not boot up all the way. You will need to unplug it and pull the battery. 13. Put the battery back in and boot into recovery.

Hold home and press Power until you get an exclamation mark. Release home and tap the search button.

14. Using the volume up/down switch, highlight the option to "wipe data/factory reset". 15. Press the camera button half way down to select it. 16. When it finishes choose the option to reboot your phone. 17. You are now back to stock, unrooted, buggy Android 2.1 on the Droid X. Let us know if you run into issues!

Big thanks to Rootz Wiki. Check them out for your rooting/unrooting needs!

Verizon Stores Preparing for R2-D2 DROID2 Midnight Launch on 9/29

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:05:47 +0000

Verizon stores are starting to prepare for the September 30th launch of the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2, some with full on midnight costume parties. The device will go on sale 9/30 (pricing to be determined), but around 100 stores have been given the opportunity to open late on the 29th to bring in crowds and create buzz around this one of a kind device. As you can see from the photo above, we're starting to see stores in early preparation. Supply will be limited and we heard a couple of months ago that only 50,000 special edition models were made, so these could fly off of store shelves pretty quickly, especially knowing how the Star Wars crowd loves collectibles. Oh and on that front, apparently it is possible to purchase the device and activate it without removing it from the box or packaging. So for those of you looking to stash it away unopened hoping it'll be worth gajillions in 20 years, you are in luck! And anyone wanting to buy 15 to sell on eBay, you are out of luck. Verizon is going to do their best to limit each customer to two phones. We're digging to find a listing of stores opening at midnight. Don't forget that you can still try to win one of the R2-D2 hunt phones. Our forums are on the hunt! Source: Verizon Cordoza (pics), Miami Herald

DROID X Android 2.2 Update is Ready, According to Verizon

Kellen — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 07:07:58 +0000

The Verizon support page for the Droid X has now been updated to show that Android 2.2 is finally ready for launch. Wait, didn't we just say yesterday that it would be coming on Wednesday? Yes, yes we did. I'd say right now that 9/22 looks pretty likely at this point. The update will take everyone to version 2.3.15 and will be approximately 67.6MB. Froyo is here people!

Remember that Blur allows you to "pull" updates, so it's time to start trying. Go into Settings>About>System Updates and see if you are able to grab it way ahead of schedule!

Dedicated 2.2 Droid X forum thread has been created!

Cheers Mike!

First 10: LauncherPro Icon App License Winners!

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:10:54 +0000

Earlier today we announced a new contest which would provide 50 of our readers with a paid license to the LauncherPro Icon App and we're ready to announce the first 10 winners! As a reminder, we'll be running this contest all week, announcing 10 new winners each day until we run out of licenses. All you need to do to enter is join our forums and post at this thread with whatever you want. Simple right?

And the first 10 winners are...

Stangy bonekb13 omonk99 berzerkus Stang teletron SeaGhost droid2700 sdk1052 slowfive0

Congrats all! You should receive an email within the next few minutes with instructions on how to get your free LP Icon App. Stay tuned tomorrow for our second batch of winners!

Adobe AIR for Android Hits Market on 10/8

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:04:15 +0000

We just received word from Adobe that the first official release of Adobe AIR for Android will land on the market October 8th! Not familiar with AIR? I'll do my best to explain it in simple terms, but you can find a full breakdown of it at this post. AIR for Android provides developers with the opportunity and tools to create great apps that work outside of a browser and on multiple platforms. So apps made in AIR can essentially run on a PC, Android device, i*hone, etc. without much tweaking in between. Basically, it's what we would call, "amazing." When we were invited down to San Fran for the Android summit back in August, we got a first look at some pretty fun AIR apps, so trust me when I say that this will be a date to mark on your calendar. In fact, in the "Droid Does Flash" webcast the other day, Adobe evangelist Ryan Stewart pulled up an AIR app which appeared to be the greatest beer tasting/traveling companion you'll find. And Ryan, if you are reading this, we still want a copy of it! Thoughts? Confused at what AIR is? Excited for AIR?

Rumor: DROID X Android 2.2 Update Launching 9/22?

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:02:47 +0000

Another Droid X 2.2 rumor! The latest comes from level 2 Motorola support which normally would mean absolutely nothing, but when these service reps drop a few extra details in their conversations, sometimes they are worth at least a little mention. Here is what we've got... We know that Verizon and Motorola have stood by a "late summer" release timeline which if we're getting really technical, would mean they have 2-3 days left to drop this on us. What we also know is that the Droid X on 2.1 has some major exchange issues which caused Motorola to hook up DX business users with Touchdown licenses to pass the time until Android 2.2 is released. When you put these 2 together, this is where we get interested. One of our readers, needing Touchdown, had to call Motorola after not receiving his free license. He was then told that Moto is out of Touchdown licenses and they are waiting until after the 2.2 update hits before they plan on replenishing license stock. And when did he expect the update to hit? September 22nd. The last day of summer. Two days from now. Again, a rumor from tech support, so take it for what it's worth. On a related note, I can tell you that I've reached out to both Verizon and Motorola PR and received essentially the same answer. They are working on the update and expect it to be ready "soon." Rather than crossing fingers, let's cross shoe strings or something? Cheers sonic!

How to: Remove Preloaded Bookmarks on DROID X

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:42:54 +0000

The Droid X is not only preloaded with a bunch of non-removable apps that you may not be all that fond of, but it also comes stocked with a few additional bookmarks which you have been blocked from being able to remove. Unfortunate right? Don't worry, we can fix it with a simple file edit. Get the instructions after the break! Instructions:

*Warning* - Rooting your phone voids the warranty of your device. It can also do permanent damage to your phone so we are not recommending that you do any of this. If you do attempt this, you do so at your own risk.

1. You need to be rooted. (Droid X rooting instructions) 2. You need to have Root Explorer. 3. Open Root Explorer and navigate to /system/etc/motorola/com.android.browser 4. Tap the "Mount R/W" button in the top right corner changing it to "Mount R/O."

5. Long press on defaults.xml and choose "Open as Text Editor."

6. Find "preloaded_bookmark" and change the value to "0".

7. Hit the back button and say "yes" when prompted to save changes. 8. Tap the "Mount R/O" button again to return it to "Mount R/W." 9. Back out of Root Explorer and open your browser. 10. Open your bookmarks screen and you should now have zero bloatware bookmarks. All credit to WJD Designs for the idea! And if you don't have Root Explorer or don't want to pay for it, WJD has put together a new defaults.xml that you can flash in recovery for free. Enjoy!

Mobile Editing Headed to Google Docs in "Next Few Weeks"

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:16:07 +0000

Google announced today that Google Docs will soon be edit-able (word?) on Android. This is big news especially to their business clients who rely heavily on Google Docs to work simultaneously on projects. In just a few weeks, we'll all be able to collaborate using our lovely Droid devices...

Second, today we demonstrated new mobile editing capabilities for Google Docs on the Android platform and the i*ad. In the next few weeks, co-workers around the world will soon be able to co-edit files simultaneously from an even wider array of devices.

+1 Google again. Source: Google Blog

Flash 10.1 Sees Another Update, in Market Now

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:54:48 +0000

A new version Flash 10.1 is available in the market right now for your updating pleasure as version 10.1.95.1. Probably just a minor bug fixer, but we'll start digging right away for a changelog. Go grab it! (Should be available for D1, D2, DI and DX on 2.2.) Update: This should be the the fix for the security exploit we heard about last week. (Cheers Jason!) Cheers Ronald and Shurikenv!

Contest: 50 LauncherPro Icon App Licenses to Give Away!

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:23:06 +0000

More LauncherPro talk! Remember the LauncherPro Icon App that we wrote about a few weeks back? Well the developer has been gracious enough to let us give away 50 licenses to the paid version of their app! Yes, 50. For those not familiar, the Icon App was put together to help out anyone looking to customize their icons and dock in LauncherPro without having to dig around the internet. It's a one stop shop for full LP customization. So in celebration of their new version 3.1.1 which includes sets of colored icons, a bunch of new docks and a newly polished UI, they came to us to spread the word!

Who wants a free LP Icon App license?

How to enter:

All you have to do is join our forums and post whatever you'd like in this thread.

Winners:

We'll pick 10 winners randomly per day throughout the entire week announcing them the following morning. If you win, you'll be contacted via the email you provided when you signed up in the forums. So be sure to stay close to the site to see if you have won!

Buy it now:

If you don't feel like waiting to see if you've won, you can purchase the app here. LauncherPro Icon App site here.

Start posting!

Monday Poll: Importance of Android 2.2 on DROID X?

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:08:08 +0000

We sort of hit a tipping point on Friday in regards to the Droid X's Android 2.2 update which we have been expecting for 2 months now and dropped this rant on you. After seeing all of the responses in the comments, it's pretty hard for us to just let go of the subject which is obviously a pretty important piece to a phone that was supposed to be Verizon's new flagship Droid. So let me know, how important is this Froyo update to you? [poll id="11"]

HTC Lexikon will be Verizon's Next DROID?

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:56:08 +0000

You are looking at a picture of the HTC Lexikon which could very well be the next "Droid" family member, meaning it's headed to Verizon and packs a big enough punch to receive the coveted label. While the picture above looks slightly different than the photos we've seen of a new slider from HTC that is also possibly headed to VZW, the specs appear to matchup. An almost 4" screen plus a slide out keyboard; is that an instant win for some people? It looks a lot like the Incredible, which in our books is a good thing. Oh, we almost forgot to mention that an RUU (HTC leaked ROM) has already dropped. Catch it and rumored specs after the jump. Rumored Specs:

RUU File: Download (Please let me know if you figure out how to download this, hah!) Source: 911 HTC Via: Android Guys

Unrevoked 3.21 Returns, Let's Root Some DROID Incredibles

Kellen — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 07:15:43 +0000

Unrevoked 3.2 returns as version 3.21, has undergone some major testing and is ready for your use in dropping the rooting hammer on your Droid Incredible. After what appeared to be a few hiccups when used on a few devices, the team that has been dominating HTC products for months now seems to have smoothed it all out. So who's ready? An entire Incredible rooting guide has been setup at our forums to help you out. Unrevoked has also put together a nice FAQ plus the correct HBOOT drivers you'll need to accomplish this task. Download Unrevoked 3.21 here. For anyone that's rooted a DI, please drop your tips in the comments to help the newcomers out!

Best Buy Already Selling DROID Incredible with SLCD Screens and Froyo

Kellen — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:57:33 +0000

It looks like "end of September" for the SKU and screen change of the Droid Incredible has become middle September. Best Buy is already selling DI's with the new SKU (ADR6300VW3) meaning SLCD screen in tact and no more AMOLED battery-draining-but-beautiful-color-presenting goodness. And it also appears as if they are now being sold out of the box with Android 2.2 preloaded. If you look at the shot below, you can clearly see that the software version is "2.15.00.07.28" which is the same version sent OTA just a few weeks ago. Well, at least the same baseband anyway.

Cheers Anonymous from the Droid Life app!

Rumor: Milestone Hitting Alltel Stores on 9/23?

Kellen — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 08:54:57 +0000

Just received a hot little tip that the Motorola Milestone should be hitting Alltel Wireless next Thursday, September 23. And I know what you are thinking, "What? Why now?" Same questions I asked and all I really can say is that a dying phone is meeting a dying carrier. Match made in heaven? (Cheap shots on a Saturday morning!) What I'm wondering is if AT&T will absorb the Milestone into its Android lineup once it completes its takeover of certain Alltel areas? Interesting. And no this is not the Milestone 2. Update: Alltel is not dead (yet) for those asking. Verizon bought them, had to leave some of the stores open as "Alltel" and then was forced to sell them off to AT&T. Those remaining stores will be AT&T in January. Until then, still Alltel. Update 2: Here is a shot showing that the official Milestone page at Alltel's site is up, but currently redirecting. And you all said Alltel was dead. :-) (Cheers @andrewcweaver!)

Update 3: If you plug in zip code 59505 you can get to the Milestone page through this link which still just says "coming soon"...

Anyone an Alltel customer? I think your option is the HTC Hero at this point, so would this interest you? Cheers Jason!

So DROID X 2.2 Update, What's the Deal?

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:03:08 +0000

One of the more frustrating topics that seems to be getting less play than we feel it should is the Android 2.2 update for the Droid X. You may recall that the DX's press conference was one of the biggest events in recent history for a single device, claiming some pretty big things, most importantly that Froyo and Flash 10.1 would be just a few short weeks away from launch or by "the end of summer." Well guess what? We're almost in early fall and have zero idea as to when this thing might actually drop. No word from Verizon and no word from Motorola has left many of us completely frustrated especially with the growing list of known issues for the device on 2.1. We've seen 2 separate leaks come out, one of which was C&D'd out of existence by Motorola since they refused to provide support for it, and another which most didn't bother touching after a variety of issues appeared. Personally, I've been running the original leak from day 1 and can say that this phone has never run any better. This thing is as close to a final build as you'll see sans a couple of minor bugs. We're now a month out from that dropping and still nothing. What might be even more frustrating than seeing leaks removed though, is the fact that the Droid 2 launched, preloaded with Froyo and Flash. And after seeing it's system dump playing perfectly well with the leaked 2.2 for the DX, it's pretty mind boggling as to why we're still waiting. The hardware on both phones is identical aside from a screen and keyboard, and after using my D2 for a few weeks, I can see that the software is about as close for 2 phones as you'll find. Now aside from all of that, we've received probably a dozen emails from DX owners over the last 2-3 weeks who have spoken directly with Verizon support and have all been told that the DX update is currently rolling out in batches. Really? For some reason though, we have zero confirmations. And actually, the newest tip we received was pretty specific. The rep mentioned numbers claiming that there 520,000 Droid X's in the wild and the update is hitting 10,000 of them at a time. By our calculations, that's 90,000 since we first reported this support rumor, but we sit in silence on the confirmation front. And lastly, we broke news on this secret Verizon Droid X 2.2 screen on Monday which has been created to send via text message to DX owners once the 2.2 rollout has completed. So the page is there (droiddoes.com/2.2x), still live, just waiting and teasing all of us. Should we continue to think the update is just days away? Or are we back to thinking it's months away? Or is it actually rolling out now? What? Without standing on a soap box demanding an answer, don't we have reason enough to at least ask Big Red and Moto what's up? Don't we at least deserve some sort of update on progress? Most people bought this device with the understanding that it would be at the forefront of the Android game, but it's really just been falling behind. Thoughts? Feel free to vent after a couple of Friday happy hour pints, just keep it clean.

Rumor: DROID 2 Out in Favor of DROID 2 Global?

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:14:29 +0000

Recent purchasers of the Droid 2 might want to skip by this article; it might ruin your weekend. A sneaky little rumor just surfaced from BGR which shows a shot of the current Droid lineup on Verizon only with some choice words listed specifically under the D2. As you can see above, the words "while supplies last" are clearly displayed and that's not a good sign for a device that's been out for about a month. Would Big Red really drop a device just a few months after it arrives? I guess they did decide to skip the whole promotional tour for it and maybe we should have taken that as a pretty big hint? We know that there is a Droid 2 Global coming out at some point this year which should have a couple of upgraded specs, but why would VZW even release the original D2 knowing that it had a short 3-4 month lifespan? And you thought Eris owners were pissed at this morning's news. Droid 2 owner thoughts? Source: BGR, GizmoFusion

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Tab Top 10 List

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:42:40 +0000

You probably heard this already, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab was announced yesterday for every carrier including Verizon and will be the first Android tablet worth buying. But if you still had questions and needed any other reason to contemplate buying one, then Verizon has put together an incredibly long top 10 list to help you decide. Not a lot of things we didn't already know, but the layout is a hell of a lot simpler than that gigantic press release from yesterday. See it after the break!

Verizon Launches LTE (4G) Teaser Site

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:44:21 +0000

The official Verizon 4G teaser site went live today allowing you to sign up to be "the first to defy boundaries!" Known in geek circles as LTE, Verizon's 4G should be on your list of things to watch out for. More importantly, start watching out for 4G capable phones which Best Buy expects some time this fall. Sign up for LTE news here.

Friday Poll: Favorite Android Game Right Now?

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:45:17 +0000

There have been a number of big gaming releases on Android over the last couple of weeks and we want to know which one you are obsessing over. We've seen Angry Birds, a batch of OpenFeint games, and even some we found awesome and decided to cover like Deadly Chambers. Our poll below lists out the hot numbers right now, but feel free to tap the "other" box if you are romping on something else. Just be sure to let us know in the comments what that game is! [poll id="10"] For me, it's MiniSquadron and Flick Kick Football. Both OpenFeint games, both super addicting. Can't wait for full Angry Birds though!

Custom Theme Friday: Invertnito by 'Shocka2430' for Sapphire

Tim — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:00:36 +0000

Happy Friday everyone! Now we all know Mrpicolas is a master of customizing home screens with a bunch of cool widgets and apps to make it look how you want, but may I just say, I think I know how to make a pretty cool home screen myself. I am a more reserved 'less is more' type of guy and can't really enjoy looking at a bunch of clutter. (I need order!) And let me tell you, that's what makes this theme quite nice. Thanks to Ludacrosse05 (for always hooking it up Bro Status) I am able to tinker with a bunch of imagery.

Last week we had a few people wanting a lighter theme. Is this light enough for you?

This is the Invertnito theme by Shocka2430 based on BGill55's Incognito theme but, you guessed it....Inverted! I'm usually not a white notification bar kinda guy, but I will admit that this theme is extremely clean. Good job Shocka and BGill!

Instructions on installation after the jump!

This theme is for Sapphire 1.1.1 and the original Droid only.

Instructions:

1. Install CCROM's Sapphire 1.1.1 ROM which you can pick it up from ROM Manager under 'CVPCS'.

Select the stock theme and after it loads up then we can start having fun!

2. Download Invertnito theme HERE and place the zip file on root of your SD Card. 3. Open up ROM Manager and select "Install ROM from SD Card". Locate the Invertnito.zip and hit it. 4. You won't need to wipe but PLEASE EVERYONE, make a backup! Why would you root and not take advantage of that feature? 5. Allow Clockwork Recovery to work it's magic and and after reboot you will be playing in a Winter Wonderland! Enjoy!

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*Note* - May I say that this theme works great with the Themed White LauncherPro we posted. ;-) *UPDATE* - BGill55 has confirmed with me that this zip file will work with ALL GEM Builds. Let us know if you run into any problems and we'll try and help you out. Check out our Live Support IRC Channel! :-) -Tim-o-tato Check out other Custom Theme Friday installments here.

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Struggling with Your New DROID? Head to Florida for $69 Adult Education Classes!

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 10:06:39 +0000

Let me recap one of the more entertaining Droid articles I've read in quite some time... Apparently in Naples, Florida, retirees are flocking to Droid adult eductaion courses which cost $69 for a series of 6 (Steal!). At these classes you'll run into power users like Bob Graham, a 70-year old Tommy Bahama'd real estate broker who finds the screen on his Droid to be a bit too sensitive, but that's nothing compared to the complexity of his QWERTY keyboard (because standard is confusing). You may even learn to use Shopsavvy, one of the 10,000 apps available (wait only 10K?), which one silver-haired fox claimed would save her enough money to pay for her new phone and more! Get right out of the Villages with that! What's even more impressive though, is that you'll learn how to set up a new wallpaper, which in a smaller class, should only take about 25 minutes to do. And when the teacher asks you to stand up in class to introduce you and your Droid, be prepared for the middle-aged man in the front row to stand up with force and yell to the class, "Get the Droid X!" because after all, they are still backordered and he wants everyone to know that his pension paid for his on launch day. But don't worry if you are still rocking one of the other 40 Droid phones (that seems like a lot), as I'm sure Verizon will just keep manufacturing more (huh?) for you to upgrade to. Oh and my. More on the story at NaplesNews.com. Cheers Terry!

Best Buy Expecting Verizon LTE Devices "This Fall"

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:07:20 +0000

It looks like Best Buy has been handed some information regarding the release of LTE (4G) devices from Verizon. In fact, they fully expect some to be available "this fall" and have already updated BEAST, their internal activation system, to accommodate these mysterious LTE phones. While no specific devices are listed, this is one of the first times we've actually heard "devices" mentioned rather than the service which Verizon has said is coming to 30 NFL cities by the end of the year. Droid Incredible HD anyone? (I know that name is just made up, but it sounds neat.) Cheers Android Guy!

Angry Birds Hits Beta 2, Fruit Ninja Allows SD Card Storage

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:16:09 +0000

You have to admit that this gaming craze sweeping the Android nation has been pretty exciting to watch. Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja are everywhere! Today, both received some minor updates, but being two of the most popular games in Android history after a few short days/weeks, figured you might want to know. The Angry Birds update simply takes it to "beta 2" and as far as we can tell is just a bug fixer. There are no additional levels, no "white eagle", and a reminder from Rovio that his is just a "beta." The full version of the game is still at least a week away, so just be patient and enjoy what we've got. Fruit Ninja on the other hand now allows for SD card storage! Good news for those application hogs who don't have build in gig's of storage. And on a related note, Fruit Ninja and some of the other games from OpenFeint have climbed the charts in the paid apps section. Definitely a good sign, and proof that Android users are quite as cheap as many proclaim. Times are good.

Android 2.2 Not Coming to DROID Eris

Kellen — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:59:15 +0000

That poor Droid Eris. According to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney, there are no plans to bring Android 2.2 to this long lost and original family member. There are "other options in Android devices" these days meaning...well, we're not sure what that means. Are you allowing Eris owners to upgrade early then? Tis a sad day though, but one that ultimately makes complete sense. The update to 2.1 was a disaster, leaving many to believe the phone wasn't even ready to handle that version of Android let alone Froyo. The Eris really was set up as a entry-level Android phone from the beginning, much like the Devour or Ally, which doesn't mean that it isn't a quality phone, just isn't one that was built to stand up for years to come. And before Eris owners get angry at that statement, let me just point out that the original Moto Droid is basically in the same boat as you and there are over 2.5 million of those in the wild. This is how the cell phone/technology world works unfortunately. Source: ComputerWorld

Samsung Galaxy Tab Made Official for All 4 Major Carriers (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:09:30 +0000

Samsung just started their big Media Hub event in NYC and minutes before dropped a presser for the Samsung Tab. It will definitely be landing on all 4 carriers including Verizon. Oh, and there is already talk of a wi-fi only version. Stay tuned! Update: 5:00PM - For all of us Verizon heads, some details you may care about:

No LTE (4G) on this version
No pricing at this time, each carrier will announce
Wall Street journal says between $200-300. (link)
Wi-fi only option confirmed, but not for which carriers
Will allow Android Market downloads
No mention of Bing
Carriers do have option to put custom software on (meaning Skype hopefully)

Longest press release in history after the break.

SAMSUNG MOBILE EXPANDS GALAXY PRODUCT PORTFOLIO WITH LAUNCH OF SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB™ WITH MULTIPLE U.S. CARRIERS Designed as a true mobile tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab™ powered by 7-inch touchscreen, Android 2.2 platform with Flash Player 10.1 and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat support landing soon with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon DALLAS, September 16, 2010 -Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced the upcoming availability of the Galaxy Tab™ in the U.S with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. The first mobile tablet from Samsung shares many of the powerful characteristics of the Galaxy S smart phone lineup that launched this summer. The Galaxy Tab is designed with several enhancements to create a unique mobile experience that other products can't deliver. The Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch enhanced TFT display screen, 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor supporting 3D graphics and smooth Web browsing and front and rear-facing cameras for video chat while on-the-go. The Galaxy Tab is powered by Android 2.2™, including full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1. Just like the Galaxy S smart phones, the Galaxy Tab includes Samsung's Social Hub application and the new Media Hub content service, offering a robust collection of premium movies and TV episodes from some of the biggest entertainment companies. "The addition of Galaxy Tab to the Galaxy product portfolio is a powerful proof point of Samsung's commitment to bring new and innovative mobile experiences to U.S. consumers," said Omar Khan, chief strategy officer for Samsung Mobile. "The 7-inch display and thin, lightweight design, combined with premium content and productivity tools makes the Galaxy Tab a true mobile tablet that is as comfortable to use standing on a crowded train as it is relaxing on the couch at home. The Galaxy Tab is perfect for watching a movie, reading an e-book or catching up with your favorite TV shows or chatting with an old friend. Plus, the Tab's design makes it completely pocketable in your pants or jacket." Powerful Display, Portable Design The Galaxy Tab's 7-inch display features enhanced TFT technology, offering brighter colors and clearer pictures, whether watching a movie or reading a book. The display delivers 1024 x 600 WSVGA resolution, offering full support to the Android 2.2 operating system. With support for Flash Player 10.1, the Galaxy Tab delivers an enhanced content experience when compared to other tablets currently available in the U.S. Users can engage with thousands of sites with rich Flash based applications and content including games, animations, rich Internet applications (RIAs), data presentations and visualizations, ecommerce, video, music and more. Samsung's mobile tablet also provides access to the more than 80,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™. Many of the built-in productivity services and Android applications are scalable to fit the Galaxy Tab's full 7-inch screen. For example, the user's email, calendar and contacts will all rotate from portrait to landscape format through the tablet's accelerometer and then open as a split-screen to create a PC or laptop viewing experience on the Tab. Likewise, many Android Market applications will open in full screen. Non-scalable Android Market applications will be framed and centered on the Galaxy Tab screen. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is designed for people who want a premium mobile entertainment experience on the go, but don't want to be weighed down by a bulky device. The Galaxy Tab fits in a pocket or purse, weighs only 13 ounces and is 12 millimeters thin. Those super-light and sleek dimensions, matched with the 7-inch touchscreen display allows the Galaxy Tab to easily fit into a jeans' backpocket or the inside pocket of a jacket. The compact design of Galaxy Tab also makes it easy for the user to type on the virtual keyboard with both thumbs or with one hand using Swype technology to type with one continuous finger motion across the keyboard. Two Cameras, One-on-One Video Chat The Galaxy Tab is designed with a rear-facing 3 megapixel camera for taking pictures on-the-go and sharing with family and friends. The Tab is also outfitted with a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera and camcorder, enabling video chat with other people who have video conferencing capabilities. Users can align the Galaxy Tab with video chat clients including Qik and Fring and seamlessly talk with other people over a WiFi connection. Google Mobile Services Benefits Services like Google Maps™ Navigation (Beta) and Google Goggles are available on Google's Android platform. With useful location-based services like Google Maps™, consumers can search in Standard English instead of entering an exact address. A search-by-voice function is just as intuitive, meaning searches can also be completed easily on the go. Google Goggles™ is a powerful, visual search tool that uses the Samsung GALAXY Tab's camera to uncover information – an image of a landmark or artwork is automatically used to perform a search, delivering relevant content like a description or history. In addition, with a camera, users can enjoy various augmented reality services which are downloadable in the application market. Samsung Social Hub Simplifies Just like the Samsung Galaxy S smart phone portfolio, the Galaxy Tab keep users connected with Samsung's Social Hub application. Social Hub works with the user's Messaging and Contacts to initiate the sending and receiving of information, whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization. Additional features of the Galaxy Tab include: • Daily Briefing: Offers instant access to weather, news, stocks, and schedules. • Impressive Onboard & Expandable Memory: Galaxy Tab can add 32 GB of external memory to store and manage your favorite video content and pictures. • AllShare DLNA Technology: Take video or pictures shot with Galaxy Tab and send content wirelessly to other DLNA-enabled devices (HDTVs, laptops, PC monitors, etc.) • Document Viewer & Editor: Open and make changes to any Word, Excel, Powerpoint or PDF document • 4,000 mAh Battery: Super-sized battery provides ample power to watch movies, share content and surf the Web Samsung Media Hub – Entertaining the Masses In addition, the Galaxy Tab will include future access to Media Hub, Samsung's own content service, offering a vast lineup of critically acclaimed films and TV programs for rent or purchase. Samsung is working with the biggest and best names in entertainment, including MTV Networks, NBC, Paramount and Universal Studios Home Entertainment to assemble a full library of movies and TV programming, including new release films, next day TV episodes and even full TV show seasons. Media Hub also allows the user to expand the entertainment experience, allowing content purchased to permanently own to be shared with up to five devices that carry the Media Hub application. Premium Accessories Portfolio To enhance the Galaxy Tab user experience even further, a set of accessories designed specifically for the mobile tablet are available for purchase from www.Samsung.com including: Keyboard Dock - $99.99 • Ergonomic, comfortable full-size keyboard with 7" Galaxy Tab replaceable inserts that doubles as a charger for power and synchronization of media and data • Dock contains convenient stereo audio output jack for connecting to speakers or home stereo Desktop Dock - $49.99 • Doubles as a Galaxy Tab charger using the Micro USB wall adapter that comes with the Tab; allows users to view movies, display as a digital picture frame and listen to music • HDMI output to view HD content on HDTV enabled with 1080p resolution and provides HDTV connection to play content from the Galaxy Tab to a television Car/GPS Dock - $99.99 • Conveniently positions 7" Galaxy Tab display screen inside car for turn-by-turn GPS navigation instructions and traffic updates • Attachable to either the windshield or car dashboard and rotates freely between landscape and portrait modes Upcoming Availability The Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio of mobile tablets from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will be available in the coming months. For additional information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab portfolio, please visit www.samsung.com/galaxytab. 1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q2 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports. About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets and telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsungwireless.com. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 188,000 people in 185 offices across 65 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Via: Samsung

Red DROID Incredible, Better than White?

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:39:25 +0000

We finally got a hold of a red Droid Incredible back and have to say, it's giving the white back a seriously run for sexiest DI accessory. Remember you can order both the white or red with the following info by visiting your local store:

White HTC Back: VZW6300DORW Red HTC Back: VZW6300DORR

All the Incredible owners been picking these up? Red or white? You tell us. Two more shots after the break...

Video: DROID 2 Multimedia Dock Review

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:43:12 +0000

The Droid 2 seems to be an enigma of sorts that no one can quite figure out. Is it a worthy upgrade from the original Droid or not? (Maybe if we would actually do a review people could decide? Soon!) Well one of the accessories for it, the multimedia dock, is pretty easy to figure out. It's a newly polished version of the previous dock, but also allows for docking with a case on your phone. Really, those might be the only differences. It's definitely not the Droid X multimedia dock. Video Action:

Verizon Launching LTE to 30 "NFL Cities" in 2010, For What Devices?

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:50:56 +0000

Verizon announced today that it will be launching its 4G (LTE) service in 30 different National Football League cities by the end of 2010 with rollout to the rest of the country ending by 2013. (No Portland?) This falls in line with November rumors, but what has me concerned is that zero devices have been announced or leaked that can actually utilize the 4G power. So business travelers with netbooks and 4g broadband cards will be the only ones with access? Give us some devices! (And we're breathing again.) Or maybe this HTC device (rumored as the Incredible HD) could be first? Via: eWeek

Accessory Review: Arkon "Mega Grip" Mobile Mounting Solutions Lineup

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:37:51 +0000

If you are sick of having to buy a new car mount each time you pick up a new device, then you need to check out Arkon Resources and their lineup of mobile mounting products. The crew at Arkon has actually created an entire lineup of mounts called Mega Grip that are dedicated to the new wave of oversized devices we're seeing on the market today, like the Droid X, Samsung Fascinate (our review!) and EVO 4G. We were able to check out a few of these new Mega Grips and give our opinions on them which you can see after the jump! Travelmount Deluxe Mini Windshield/Dashboard Mount

This may look like your standard car mount, but it seriously fits almost anything you can stick in it. I dropped my Droid X in this mount and probably could have fit the Incredible alongside it. They aren't kidding with the term "Mega Grip." The actual mount is about as easy to use as you'll find. Slide in the back mount piece into the big squares on the back, drop your device in, squeeze the grippy sides together until it grabs your device. That's it. To release, simple hit the release button and your device will be freed. This will now be my "go to" car mount. Removable Air Vent Mount

Similar to the windshield/dashboard mount, this air vent version will hold almost anything. It will definitely hold every single device on the market. I'd actually be interested to see if a Dell Streak would fit, although that may be a little tight. So the vent mount does as the title describes, it slides into an empty vent and holds fiercely with a couple of jagged grips. This is definitely not some flimsy piece of plastic. Actually, none of their products are. Sports Armband

For the gym rats in the area, the armband is right up your alley. A great alternative to those that are meant for i*hones or i*ods only. I was able to get my Droid 2 and Fascinate in there, but not my Droid X even though the packaging says it'll fit. A great little product, especially if you hate carrying around your phone and mp3 player because there were no options for your Droid. Here you go. Friction Dashboard Mount

The friction dashboard mount is like the ultimate mounting solution for any car. If your dashboard is missing a spot to attach a mobile mount, then this is your option. You get a padded friction bed which allows the provided suction mount to stick right to it. It may take up space and look like a flight pillow, but some people need other options right? It comes with the same Mega Grip holder that the rest of products come with so it'll definitely hold your big screened machine. Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the Arkon lineup. A lot of accessory companies care about pumping out cheap plastic pieces for each new device, while these guys care more about long term quality. If you buy one of these Mega Grip mounts, you will seriously be able to use it for years to come on every single one of your devices. I'm definitely impressed.

Once again, a big thanks to Arkon for sending us these products to review. Be sure to check out their whole lineup of Mega Grip products!

And stay tuned, because we'd like to give away some of these mounts! Contest time? Oh you betcha.

App Review: *Spark (Beta)

MrPicolas — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:04:59 +0000

Spark you say? What's that? Spark is a new player in the home replacement game. This is currently in beta and definitely needs some work, but for the social user it may be right up your alley. Spark has a simple premise, your info in one place and easy to access. Spark uses a simple scrollable environment that is controlled by modules with each module representing information on your screen. Currently there are limited modules and no way to add more at the present time, but with the ability to pick and choose your modules you could tailor your screen to better suit your needs. A nice feature that I have not seen anywhere else yet is a looping app drawer. The headlines module is also something I liked that features scrollable headlines within the module. Once these are pressed it opens up to show you the rest of the post in a full screen format that is also scrollable. There is only one screen at present for you to use meaning they are aiming at form and function. The one screen features 3 selectable shortcuts that you can customize to your liking. The weather based on your area is automatically pulled in for you. And last but not least it has an app drawer with shortcuts for the phone and web. Well here comes the answer to the real question. Should I ditch LauncherPro or ADW for Spark? I would say not just yet. Yes it's simple and gives you your info right in front of you, but it almost feels like an alpha release rather than a beta. With some refinement and a smoothing over of the UI as well as a library of modules that you could pick and choose from, it may be the perfect home replacement for the busy on the go person who needs to access their info quickly. If you can't resist trying out new stuff I have provided a market link and qr code for you all. Also if you decide to try this out stop back by and let us know what you think. Download:

Download Link

Electronic Arts Ready to Pounce onto Android Gaming Scene

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:05:17 +0000

The Deutsche Bank Tech Conference sure seemed like the place to have been this week. First we had Motorola CEO, Sanjay Jha using some choice words for the rumored Droid tablet, and now we have Electronic Arts new CFO, Eric Brown dropping bombs on the Android gaming front. According to Brown, they see Android as the next big thing for mobile gaming and are positioning themselves...

"So I think there's a lot to happen in the future in Android, and we’re trying to position our mobile business to take advantage of that trend."

Brown also points out that the Android Market needs an overhaul in order to compete with Apple's, but has confidence in that happening...

"I think the next big positive wave to push better growth in mobile will be the deployment of an App Store equivalent for the Android operating system," Brown said at a Q&A as part of the Deutsche Bank 2010 Technology Conference. "We think long term ... the Android market is going to take its share."

This is exactly what we love to hear. Big gaming companies bringing their awesomeness to Android. In just the last few weeks we've had the release of Angry Birds, an OpenFeint onslaught, and Epic hinting at their Unreal Engine backing some Android games. Feel the takeover. Feel it! And yes, Madden 11 is headed to Android (tweeted yesterday by @EAmobile)...

Who's ready for some Madden on their DX's 4.3" screen? TWoods on their DI? FIFA on their D2? Via: Gamasutra Cheers Jubby!

Skyhook Sues Google, Not Headed to Motorola

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:33:22 +0000

There were some interesting opinions and rumors popping up way back in April when Motorola announced that it would be ditching Google's location-based services in favor of Skyhook Wireless. At the time, no one was really sure what to take from the move, but hoped Skyhook's technology had some sort of edge over Google in order for Moto to even consider such a change. And after the announcement, things sort of went quiet on the Skyhook front until today when the deal was brought back to the forefront, only not in a good way. Skyhook has filed a suit against Google claiming they persuaded Motorola to break contracts with them in order to keep Google's location-based services. To put it another way, they are accusing Google of intentionally disrupting Skyhook’s business relationships, going so far as to say that Google has notified more than one cellphone maker that they need to use Google’s location service as a condition of using Google’s Android smartphone operating system. Who knows what will come of this suit, but for the time being, we're still getting all Google on the Droid front. Oh drama. Source: NY Times

Motorola CEO: Droid Tablet "Hopefully" Coming Early Next Year

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:03:49 +0000

Not that I want to blatantly come out and call Motorola CEO, Sanjay Jha a liar, but after reading what he had to say at yesterday's Deutsche Bank Tech Conference in regards to the rumored Droid tablet, it's hard not to...

"I will only develop a tablet if it is sufficiently compelling. Hopefully, that is early next year."

We'll just have to assume he found it "sufficiently compelling" a few of months ago since most of us know this is already in development (Codenamed Stingray?). In fact, we can also almost guarantee that some are in the hands of testers at this very time and that hardware and even a lot of the specs are starting to be finalized. The "early next year" comments though, do fall in line with everything we've heard, so we'll just take this not-in-development talk as being out of context. Looking forward to that Q1 release Sanny! Via: Mobile Burn, Phandroid

Motorola Acquires Aloqa, Will Integrate into Motoblur

Kellen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 07:18:11 +0000

Motorola is looking to ramp up its location-based services with an announcement today that it has acquired Aloqa, a mobile service that "proactively notifies you of interesting places, events, music, movies and other activities near you." For those not familiar, Aloqa is an app/service that notifies of you hot happenings in your area or at your favorite spots without asking you to do any of the research. It's pretty damn sweet actually. Moto plans on integrating the service into Motoblur which say what you will, should at least provide one positive enhancement. Full press release after the jump!

Motorola Acquires Aloqa GmbH Acquisition to Enhance MOTOBLUR(TM) with Context-Aware Mobile Platform and Related Services SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Sept 16, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced that it has acquired Aloqa GmbH, a privately-held, leading developer of location-based software and technologies that are designed to enable the discovery of relevant web content by mobile smartphone users. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Aloqa has joined Motorola Mobility, which is comprised of Motorola's Mobile Devices and Home businesses. Motorola Mobility is expected to be spun off from Motorola, Inc. in the first quarter of 2011. Aloqa's technologies and services utilize the user's context (location, identity and social relationships) to proactively inform them of places, events, bargains and other opportunities of which they may choose to take advantage. For example, if Aloqa's software recognizes the user is in a certain region, it will offer him the top events of the day or special offers of leading discounters in the vicinity. Aloqa distributes its product as a mobile application for smartphone platforms, including Android, and more than one million users have already downloaded its software. Aloqa will further enhance Motorola's MOTOBLUR(TM), which delivers customized content to mobile device homescreens and allows users to access Facebook(TM), MySpace and Twitter updates -- along with emails, news and favorite apps and widgets -- all in one place. MOTOBLUR(TM) will integrate Aloqa's open, location-triggered mobile push platform to connect users and publishers of location-aware content in real-time. "Aloqa is an exciting addition to Motorola Mobility as its specialized engineering talent and location-tracking technology will significantly accelerate the release of our context-aware mobile services platform," said Christy Wyatt, corporate vice president of software and services product management for Motorola Mobility. "Aloqa's core technologies, user database, and specialized skills are a strong fit with our planned server-side context delivery architecture and will further enhance Motorola's MOTOBLUR(TM) capabilities. We welcome Aloqa's highly skilled personnel to the Motorola Mobility team." "We are proud that a global mobile giant like Motorola chose the Aloqa platform as a core part of its future in location technologies. Like every startup, we have always dreamed of our technology and product being used by tens of millions of satisfied users everywhere. Being a part of the Motorola Mobility team will help us achieve this goal," said Sanjeev Agrawal, chief executive officer of Aloqa. About Aloqa GmbH Aloqa is the first company to allow publishers with location-based content to proactively push content onto mobile devices for free. Aloqa's application pushes notifications in real-time about nearby events and social opportunities - with relevancy based on the user's current location, pre-defined interests, and social networks. Aloqa has offices in Palo Alto, California, and Munich, Germany. More information about Aloqa can be found at www.aloqa.com. About Motorola Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and is focused on advancing the way the world connects. From broadband communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility and public safety solutions to mobile and wireline digital communication devices that provide compelling experiences, Motorola is leading the next wave of innovations that enable people, enterprises and governments to be more connected and more mobile. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) had sales of US $22 billion in 2009. For more information, please visit www.motorola.com.

Via: Bloomberg, Motorola Cheers Wade!

Unreal Engine Headed to Android?

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:05:04 +0000

Mark Rein, VP of Epic Games has unofficially announced via Twitter that their Unreal Engine will make its way towards Android at some point in the near future. Pop the champagne bottles? For the non-gaming crowd, just understand that this is well, "epic." Epic is in charge of the Unreal Tournament and Gears of War franchises which have been globally popular in both PC and console gaming circles and also happen to be known for ridiculously amazing graphics. Let's just say that an Unreal Engine backed game on an Android tablet with a Tegra processor might just be orgasmic. (Is that SFW?) And an Unreal Engine game running on a Tegra Android tablet:

Anyone feel like firing up some UT99? (Cheers Justin.) Via: Droid Gamers

Download: Clear, Black or White Custom LauncherPro

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:32:00 +0000

We're starting to see some custom themes popping up for LauncherPro which is a major win in our books, since we obsess over customizing every last inch of our devices. And today we have 3 new versions which have been updated to replace the most current LP release on your phone. The developer behind these (signals23) also plans to keep up with updates so your custom LP will never go away. These install like any other side-loaded application would. You DO NOT NEED TO BE ROOTED.

All credit to signals23 for putting these together! Check him at XDA Forums.

Download: Clear LP - Is clear for all backgrounds. Download: White LP - Works with white backgrounds. Download: Clear Black LP - Has a black tint to it.

*Note 1* - In order to enjoy this themed widgets, you will need to purchase the Plus version of LauncherPro.

Instructions: 1. Uninstall any previous versions of LauncherPro. 2. Install the .apk that you downloaded from above. 3. Re-enter your "Plus" version unlock code to release the widgets. 4. Enjoy! Anyone to show off your home screens? Cheers Picolas!

Motorola and Adobe Hosting "DROID Does Flash" Meetup Tomorrow 9/16

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:51:02 +0000

Motorola and Adobe are putting together a quick hour-long get together tomorrow which appears to be directly aimed at "DROID" devices running Flash 10.1. The quick excerpt about the meetup doesn't give a ton of details, but it definitely mentions "DROID" and not just "Android" which you can see in the topic titled "Creating Flash Platform experiences for DROID Devices." What could Moto and Adobe be cooking up? I can't wait to find out. If you'd like to attend either in person or via live stream, hit up the source link at the bottom. And the details of the event:

We'll be live streaming the DROID Does Flash Meetup for all those Flash designers & developers plus Android developers from all around the world. Make sure to register below for all the details including the Adobe Connect url. If you are in SF and can attend in-person we would love to see you plus there are a few giveaways so a little extra benefit to be at the Adobe offices starting at 6pm. Here is the live stream agenda: 6:30-6:45: Welcome & Motorola Android & Adobe partnership Overview Lori Fraleigh, Motorola, Director, Developer Platforms, Tools, and Technical Services 6:45-7:15: Creating Flash Platform experiences for DROID Devices Ryan Stewart, Adobe, Platform Evangelist 7:15-7:30: Mobile optimization tips and Flash site demo Mochi Media, VP of Engineering 7:30-7:45: Q&A

Our boy Ryan from Adobe at 6:45! At least tune in just to listen to him dominate the podium. Anyone else in? Via: MOTODEV Blog, AndroidSpin

Ask Dr. Root: Fully Customizing your Homescreens, and a Goodies File to get you Started

MrPicolas — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:18:40 +0000

Dr, Root, How do I get all these cool looking home screens I see floating around? 1. First if you don't already have it, grab LauncherPro from the market and you'll need to pony up for the plus version.

(Fede is awesome anyway so please help support him if you can.)

2. Next grab Desktop Visualizer from the market also. 3. Download this ZIP FILE that I have provided for you to get you started.

This .zip includes some icons as well as 2 .psd files for the icons in case you wanted to create your own, but there are plenty provided which should give you a good start. If you choose to create your own, the .psd files work perfectly in Photoshop. For those of you without Photoshop the following measurements can be used to create the icons with your favorite image editor. For the 3x1 icon use 355x132 and for the 1x2 icon use 115x266.

4. Now that you have some icons lets start by selecting the 4x1 widget from Desktop Visualizer. You will want to resize this to 3x1 with LauncherPro's resizing ability. Using the 1x2 widget is straightforward and will require no resizing.

Ok there you have it, please feel free to show of your new homescreen creations over at our DROID-LIFE FORUMS. Dr. Root, Why does your LauncherPro have a custom skin? Well, glad you asked here's the answer. Benny879 has been kind enough to theme Fedes awesome launcher for us to enjoy. Go get the theme pack this post. There are a couple different flavors to choose from as well. Benny also themes more than just LP. Check him out and if possible donate. Now for some fun.. The 500th comment in this thread will receive a $20.00 dollar donation to their PayPal account. Courtesy of me. If you don't have Paypal I'll contact the winner and work out a way to send you your funds. This is my way of giving back to you guys. So have at it and have fun!

_______________________________________________

Our resident expert when it comes to anything Droid or Android related, but what he really loves is dissecting rooting questions. There is nothing our Dr. doesn’t know, so ask away! Ask Dr. Root. mrpicolas.. aka doctorpicolas@gmail.com

Download: Droid Life Mega-Wallpaper pack (400 Wallpapers)

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:03:42 +0000

DL crew member Ludacrosse05 keeps puttin' in work to bring you beautiful hotness to your phone. Earlier in the week he put out his LauncherPro icon sets and today, has released the Droid Life Mega-Wallpaper pack which features almost 400 custom and hand crafted backgrounds to drop onto your phone. Most people would charge for this much work and we're bringing it to you for free. Well, donations to Luda are always appreciated. :)

Head over to the forums now to grab the file!

Preview gallery after the jump! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] For those not familiar with Luda, he's also the mastermind behind our DL video intros which you can find in our Youtube Channel.

OpenFeint Unleashes Wave of games on Android, Fruit Ninja Available Now

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:00:11 +0000

Your Android gaming needs are finally becoming fulfilled with the announcement today from gaming powerhouse OpenFeint that 20 games will be released onto Android over the next month and as many as 10 today. Most are actually available right now in the market including Fruit Ninja, MiniSquadron and Flick Kick Field Goal which we've listed for you below. OpenFeint also announced the Feint Spotlight App allowing you to stay up-to-date on the most recent gaming releases from them. The Feint Spotlight App acts sort of like a mini-gaming market bringing you community, games and even prizes. OpenFeint and their 3,000 titles, hundreds of developers and millions of users are now a part of Android, people. We knew this day was coming, but damn is it still exciting. And just wait, cross-platform challenges are coming, meaning i*hone vs. Android battle royales. Win. Market Download Links:

Fruit Ninja ($.99) | MiniSquadron! ($.99) | Flick Kick Field Goal ($.99) | Feint Spotlight App

Full press release after the jump.

Major Wireless Carriers and OpenFeint Partner To Unleash First Wave of Hit Games on Android Cross Platform Social Gaming Network to Offer Access to Featured Promotion to Tens of Millions of Android Subscribers Burlingame, CA – September 15, 2010 – OpenFeint, the leading cross platform social gaming network with 37 million mobile players, is launching 20 games for Android in the next month starting today with top 10 iOS hits including dot (ustwo), Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick Studios), MiniSquadron (Supermono), Super Slyder (Sandlot Games), The Moron Test (DistinctDev, Inc.), and Tic Tac Toe (Posimotion). These games will be offered to major wireless carriers as part of a partnership where OpenFeint will regularly bring high quality games to Android as candidates for featuring. The company also announced the release of its Feint Spotlight app, where Android gamers will be able to discover new games, connect to the community, and win prizes. With over 200,000 daily activations, the Android user base is growing rapidly and will eclipse tens of millions of additional users in 2010. OpenFeint’s cross platform social gaming network has grown rapidly since being introduced just over 18 months ago, recently surpassing 37 million mobile players and 3,000 games. Game developers gain access to OpenFeint’s leading set of online gaming services and cross promotional tools by implementing the company’s free, open source SDK. “Android users deserve great games but haven’t had access to enough of them. That changes today,” said Jason Citron, CEO of Aurora Feint, makers of OpenFeint. “Hundreds of thousands of people activate Android phones every day, and there is a clear need for high quality games in the marketplace. The major wireless carriers are partnering with us to select the best games from iOS - like Fruit Ninja - to bring to Android.” All games utilize the newly cross platform OpenFeint mobile social gaming network and include features like leaderboards, achievements, and friending. iOS and Android gamers can now compete against each other in the games that they love to play. With a cross platform gaming network, gamers are no longer limited to playing games with friends who only use the same smartphone OS. OpenFeint also announced that it will aggressively market these games in its newly introduced Feint Spotlight app for Android. With new titles being added to the OpenFeint network every day, gamers can use the app to discover the hottest new games and win prizes in future giveaways. “Android is on track to become an incredible force as one of the largest mobile platforms in the world. Developers will need to unlock this gigantic market to maximize revenue potential for their mobile games. With the help of our wireless carrier partners, we’ve created multiple viral and editorial channels to help our developers drive revenue,” said Peter Relan, Chairman of Aurora Feint. Developers interested in implementing OpenFeint in their games can learn more and download the free, open source SDK at OpenFeint.com/Developers. Players interested in learning about more OpenFeint enabled games can visit OpenFeint.com. OpenFeint: Android Launch Month Games Developer: Appy Entertainment -Face Fighter Gold Developer: Bravo Game Studios -Touch Racing Nitro Developer: ChewSoft -Symbolism Developer: ChickenBrick Studios -Cestos 2: Party Time Developer: DistinctDev -The Moron Test Developer: Glu Games Inc. -Super KO Boxing 2 Developer: Get Set Games -Mega Jump Developer: Halfbrick Studios -Fruit Ninja Developer: Hudson -Bomberman Dojo Developer: Mediatonic -Must.Eat.Birds Developer: Mikengreg -Solipskier Developer: PikPok -Flick Kick Field Goal -Flick Kick Football -Flick Kick Rugby Developer: Posimotion -Tic Tac Toe Developer: Sandlot Games -Super Slyder Developer: Supermono -MiniSquadron Developer: TastyPlay.com -Kamikaze Race Developer: ustwo -Dot -Dot Dot About Aurora Feint, Inc: Aurora Feint Inc's software development kit, OpenFeint, allows game publishers to implement services which enable mobile social gaming. With over 37 million registered users and a presence on over 3,000 games, OpenFeint is the largest mobile social gaming ecosystem for iOS devices and Android. Aurora Feint is backed by DeNA Inc and The9.

HTCSense.com Launches, No Word on DROID Incredible Compatibility

Kellen — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:52:48 +0000

HTC is holding a big event right now in London and has already announced 2 new Euro devices in the HTC Desire HD and the Desire Z which does nothing for almost all of us unless the Desire HD lands on Verizon at some point with a "Droid" tag slapped across it. And actually, it's basically the same as this leaked phone that BGR dropped on us a few weeks backs which was rumored to be hitting VZW, so here's to hoping? But what really came out of the conference so far that should have you somewhat interested is the launch of HTCSense.com which would be HTC's attempt at allowing you to avoid the Lookouts and WaveSecures of the world. This new site allows for backup, remote lock, and locate features just like any other security app, but is at least through the actual phone manufacturer. No word yet on if the Droid Incredible or any other current Sense devices will be supported, but we'll be on the hunt to find out. Via: Engadget

Download: Rule the Air Droid Life Boot Animation

Tim — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:22:07 +0000

One of our most righteous members and IRC Channel OPs Mr. Darkwing Duck, has graced us with this more than awesome Rule the Air Droid-Life boot animation. It's extremely slick and only takes a couple minutes to install. (I know this is what I'll be using for as long as I have my Droid!) We can't thank everyone enough who comes up with all this custom stuff for us; it really is a super special (and may I say cult like) following we have here! Thanks everyone for making Droid-Life the place to be! Instructions for installation after the jump....

This is for rooted Droid 1, X and 2 only...

Using Root Explorer… 1. You have to be rooted in order to do this. Rooting info HERE or HERE. 2. Download Root Explorer from the market. 3. Download the Droid Life boot animation: bootanimation.zip 4. If you downloaded via PC, mount your Droid and drop the .zip file onto your SD card. 5. Unmount your Droid. 6. Open Root Explorer, tap on “sdcard” and locate bootanimation.zip. 7. Long press on bootanimation.zip and choose “Move”. 8. Hit the back button once and locate the “data” folder. 9. Tap and open “data” and then “local”. 10. Hit “Paste” which should be an option at the bottom of your screen. 11. If there is already a bootanimation.zip file, let Root Explorer overwrite it. 12. Back out of Root Explorer, reboot your phone, and BAM! 13. Enjoy your new Droid Life boot animation. Using Terminal Emulator… 1. You have to be rooted in order to do this. Rooting info HERE or HERE. 2. Download the Droid Life boot animation: bootanimation.zip 3. Drop the file on the root of your SD card. 4. Open Terminal Emulator and type the following commands:

su cp /sdcard/bootanimation.zip /data/local/ reboot

5. Your phone should reboot with the animation! And there it is. Easy as pie. Let us know if you run into any trouble and one of the many staffers here in the the Droid-Life Mansion can help you out. Thanks again everyone for making this my favorite site on the web. Its a very unique and amazing place. Thanks again to Darkwing Duck! You're the man! -Tim-o-tato Visit Darkwing Ducks site here or say, "Hi!" on the IRC Live Support!

Google Launches Series of Voice Search Videos

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:53:14 +0000

Google wants to make sure you don't forget that speech-to-text is one of the most useful features of its mobile operating system by releasing a series of videos which highlight practical and every day uses. I'll admit that I forget to use this almost every day, so a big thanks for the reminder Googs. Now, what's with the i*hone in half of the videos? We grabbed 2 that feature a Nexus One below. Foosball:

Sink:

You can find the rest of the series at the Google Mobile Youtube channel. Source: Google Mobile Blog

Asurion Launching Mobile Recovery App, Get it Early Here

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:27:20 +0000

The posse hanging out in the Droid Life Forums have discovered a way to grab the new Mobile Recovery app which should be available on 9/16 as a part of your Total Equipment Coverage with Asurion. The app might be due to launch officially on Thursday, but you can snag it today if you want by visiting the link below from your device:

http://www.getmymr.com/download (or this link to grab an apk for each supported phone)

Supposedly you need to have TEC on your plan for this to work, but it let me right in. Of course I didn't actually read the terms and conditions which might be a good idea since there is a chance I just opted into the coverage. Whoops. Here are some of the features of the app:

Sound an alarm from a misplaced phone, even if it's set to silent

Locate a lost phone on a map, with turn-by-turn directions

Lock a lost or stolen phone to ensure your privacy

Remotely erase contacts from a lost or stolen phone

Available at no added cost with Verizon Wireless Total Equipment Coverage

So it's basically like WaveSecure or Lookout, but comes free with TEC and appears to be a pretty solid app. I just asked it to find my location and it couldn't have been more spot on. Might be worth a look, especially if you have TEC on your plan. And once you get signed up with the app, head to the MR site: https://www.mymobilerecovery.com/ Cheers Rollo and the DL Forums!

DROID X Orders Backed up to 9/22, Incredible Lands on "Certified Pre-owned List"

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:00:11 +0000

The Droid X seems to have been plagued with the same stock issues as the Droid Incredible, although as far as we know should have nothing to do with screen availability. We really have to assume that delayed shipments are from high demand and a need for users to have such a big a** screen taking up every last inch of their Diesel jeans pocket. As you can see from the shot above, the DX has now been pushed back to 9/22 as the next available shipping date, but reports from many of our readers lead us to believe that they are arriving much earlier. In fact, a meager 8 day delay isn't too bad really. In semi-related news, the Droid Incredible has landed on Verizon's "Certified Pre-owned" device list which we're still trying to wrap our heads around. Obviously they are listed as "out of stock" but what's really baffling is why someone would go this route to purchase their next phone. Interested parties are still required to lock into a new 2-year contract to receive discounting pricing on the "pre-owned" device which really only lands you a $50 difference from a brand new device. That worth it? Anyone's Droid X arrive early? Anyone interested in a pre-owned device?

Samsung Tab to be Announced Thursday, To Verizon Employees Today

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:56:43 +0000

Verizon is preparing to announce the Samsung Tab to the world on Thursday, but their employees get a sneak peak today. I'm sure other carriers will follow shortly after, but VZW is at least talking like they will be one of the first to launch the first legitimate Android tablet. While many have been skeptical of the size, you can't help but be a little excited for this device. Although a wi-fi only option would be really gorgeous. All the information you need on the Samsung Tab here. Detail sheet after the jump!

Skyfire Hits 1 Million Downloads, Adds Compatibility for DROID X, 2 and Incredible

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 10:30:17 +0000

Skyfire announced today that they've hit 1 million downloads putting them in the top 0.02% of all products in the Android Market. We're talking pretty elite company here. You may remember Skyfire as our savior during those days when Android 2.2 release dates were still just rumors and we had almost zero opportunity to enjoy Flash video on websites. They also announced today that their browser now works on the Droid X, Droid 2 and Incredible which were previously not supported. Why would you use it over Flash in the stock Android browser? Skyfire claims to save you up to 75% bandwidth over actual Flash. Interesting enough. Full press release after the jump.

Skyfire Notches One Million Downloads of its Android Mobile Browser with New Compatibility for Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Droid X, Droid 2 and HTC EVO 4G Handsets Browser built for the social media generation quickly becomes one of the most popular apps on the Android Platform Mountain View, Calif. – September 14, 2010 –Android users want the best of the Internet, which means all their favorite websites and videos. This is why now over one million consumers have downloaded mobile browser Skyfire that optimizes Flash video content and brings it to Android devices worldwide. Today Skyfire announces that it has become one of the most popular Android apps, placing it in the top .02 percent of all products in the Android Marketplace. Additionally the company announces expanded availability to newer Android devices. . Now the browser works on popular Android devices such as the Samsung Galaxy, Samsung Epic, Motorola Droid X and Droid 2, HTC Incredible and EVO 4G. Skyfire works alongside the latest Android 2.2 update to ensure Flash video is always just a click away, regardless of network connectivity. For those with devices that do not have the Android 2.2 update (2.1 and below), Skyfire opens the door to millions of previously inaccessible Flash videos. Skyfire for Android took mobile browsing to a new level with the addition of the SkyBar™, a cloud-enabled toolbar that lets users enjoy millions of videos previously unavailable on mobile, discover the latest buzz on any topic they browse, and easily share content to their social networks. The company has since released several updates that make the browser faster, smarter and data optimized. Skyfire’s advanced cloud computing technology not only enables the features above, but also reduces mobile video data consumption by an average of 75 percent. According to a recent Cisco study, mobile video streaming is expected to increase by over 6000 percent by 2012. As consumers gain an optimized video streaming experience on mobile with Skyfire, mobile carriers are presented an opportunity to offload the impending mobile video data burden causing dropped calls and poor reception and clogged bandwith in major metropolitan areas. Skyfire (2.3.2) for Android is available for download worldwide for free at get.skyfire.com.

Grab it now if you haven't checked out the latest version.

Fruit Ninja Landing on Android Market Tomorrow!

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:45:37 +0000

We're starting to see a nice migration of popular iOS apps over to Android (Angry Birds baby!) and users who like to game on the go should be pretty excited for this next one. Ever heard of Fruit Ninja? The ultra-addicting, fruit slicing goodness of a game will land on the Android Market tomorrow. Yep, 9/15/Wednesday/Hump Day. In the video below, shot by Noah of Phonedog, you can see the game in action (on an i*ad unfortunately), plus one of the new game modes that should be included in an update some time over the next few weeks. (Android announcement at the 4:00 mark.)

On a related note, there is an app in the market now called "Fruit Ninja Kaka" which looks to be pretty similar, but isn't made by Hailbrick...check it out if you want though as it is free. Anyone else excited that we are finally starting to see some quality in our Android world?

Verizon Launching VCAST Android App Store

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:10:55 +0000

Another Android app store? Is that something we really need? Verizon sure seems to think so with the announcement of a new V CAST app store which will feature Android apps that actually have to meet approval before being published. Interesting right? We have yet to hear a possible launch date for this new venture of Big Red's, but we do know they are actively seeking developers to join their party. Oh, they also have a major developers conference coming on the 21st which should be their best opportunity to try to win over interested parties. If you were wondering, this isn't the "Verizon" tab you currently have in your Android Market. This would be a full blown and separate market strictly set up for Verizon and will at launch, only be available to phones running Android 2.2. So yeah, that's the Droid family of phones and no one else for the foreseeable future. So what would be the appeal for developers to jump ship and join a carrier market? Some of the offerings:

It’s Free – No Testing Fees It’s Fast – Our Goal is to place your application in the App Store within 14 days of Submission Abbreviated Click-Thru Agreement Carrier Billing – Your applications are billed directly to the Customer’s Bill; No credit cards, PayPal, etc. 70/30 Revenue Share – 70% Developer / 30% Verizon Hands-on, Experienced Content Programming Team Subscription Billing – Coming Soon!

It's pretty obvious that the number one option on that list should be highlighted as "Carrier Billing." Doesn't get any easier than that for someone to purchase an app from you does it? It's like the "Bill Me Later" button. Oh and the 70% revenue is about as big as you'll find anywhere. An Android app store run more closely to Apple's standards could filter out the garbage and also help highlight developers apps which so far the Android Market fails pretty miserably at. Overall the idea isn't a complete waste of time, but I keep going back to "Do we really need another market?" Thoughts anyone? Getting good or bad vibes about this? Via: Android and Me, Verizon

Download: Droid Life Splash Screen for DROID Incredible

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:15:21 +0000

One of the additional customizable pieces on the Droid Incredible is the "splash" screen which normally features a white and black HTC Incredible logo. The screen can be changed into almost anything of your liking, but you have to have used unrevoked forever (s-off tool) in order to do it. Once you've done that, it's a simple file creation which one of my buddy's has done below to create this custom Droid Life version. Video Action: (via Droid X blurryvision 720p)

Download: PB31IMG.zip Instructions: 1. Download the file from above and drop on the root of your SD card.

DO NOT RENAME IT!

2. Turn your phone off. 3. Boot into HBOOT by pressing the optical track pad and power button at the same time. 4. After processing for a few seconds, your phone will ask if you want to apply an update. 5. Press volume up to accept. 6. The update should take seconds to complete and will then prompt you to reboot. 7. Press volume up again to reboot. 8. Your phone should reboot with the new Droid Life splash screen! If you are interested in creating your own DI splash screen, check out this tutorial from XDA Forums. Cheers Justin!

Adobe Releases Flash 10.1 Security Advisory, Fix Coming

Kellen — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 07:35:42 +0000

Adobe announced last night that a security flaw in the latest version of Flash 10.1 for Android has been found and a fix is in the works. If your version looks like mine in the screenshot above reading "V10.1.92.10" then you have the newest version which they are referencing. The flaw was discovered as hackers were actively using an exploit on Windows machines running Flash 10.1.82.76, but to cover all bases, Adobe plans on issuing a fix to all of their platforms. By the week of September 27, 2010 they are hoping to have the fix ready for consumption, but yeah, that is almost 2 weeks away. If you are feeling uneasy about that period of time, feel free to simply uninstall it. Full info can be found at Adobe's site. Via: Androinica

Verizon Preparing Android 2.2 Release for DROID X? Hidden Document Sort of Says So

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 20:55:20 +0000

A semi-hidden document was just sent to us from Verizon's droiddoes.com site and shows the makings of a Droid X 2.2 update in the works. While no dates are given, this is the first time we've seen an Android 2.2 document/mention which even included a few Froyo details for the DX. It's an odd page though, and simply references the support page that would normally feature updates including PDFs. This page was created on 9/10 which would lead us to believe that an update could be just around the corner. Of course we're not holding our breath, crossing our fingers or anything that would require effort while waiting for this to actually happen, but it's at least something. Can anyone else find the page? :-) Cheers cmpx!

Download: Custom LauncherPro Icon Packs from Ludacrosse05

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:04:58 +0000

If you are into LauncherPro and custom icons as much as the staff is here at Droid Life, then you'll be pleased to hear that our very own Ludacrosse05 has been putting in some time over the last few days to custom color some of the top icon packs out in the wild. We're talking about the icon sets that Lekky, Manup, and Garemlin made famous and now thanks to Luda, are available in a variety of colors to match your theme. I've pictured a couple black and white versions above, but just know that you can get these in green, blue, yellow, etc. Oh he's also working on some docks, beautiful widget skins, and a ton of other stuff. And stay tuned tomorrow for a bunch of DarkEdge themed icons...

Check out his dedicated LauncherPro Icon Pack thread at the Forums to download now!

And again, huge thanks to Lekky, Manup and Garemlin for their original work!

DROID Incredible Shipping with SLCD Screens "End of September"

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:00:26 +0000

According to a Verizon insider memo, HTC is apparently ready to start shipping Droid Incredible devices with SLCD screens instead of their original AMOLED screens. They announced that this change would start some time at the end of the summer and I'd say that they've nailed that time frame. (Maybe they can teach Motorola what the term "end of summer" means?) And actually, VZW is saying "end of September" for the rollout of this new screen guy which should help out with the DI's not-so-user-friendly battery life. One thing to note at the very bottom of that memo is in regard to Certified Like-New Replacements. If you had an original DI with an AMOLED screen and need a replacement, you will be able to get one with that same screen type. So tell us, SLCD or AMOLED? Via: Android Central Forums

Congrats Dan Rua on the R2-D2 DROID 2 Win!

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:07:04 +0000

Another Droid Life Forum member wins a special edition R2-D2 Droid 2!

Congrats danrua (aka Dan Rua aka @danrua)!

Check out his post acknowledging the amazing group of people working so hard on this R2-D2 secret plans hunt here. As we posted earlier, Dan unlocked the boot animation through a process I'm not sure I can even begin to explain. Amazing work. That's our second member to win one of the 8 devices available (Andrew Tarr was the first!).

Join our forums now to help the team unlock the last 3 sections!

R2-D2 DROID 2 Boot Animation Unlocked, Reveals Custom Lock Screen (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:45:08 +0000

More R2-D2 Droid 2 secrets have been unlocked and the latest might look strikingly familiar to a lot of you. The official boot animation can now be seen at the droiddoes.com/r2d2 page, but you have all seen it already due to a leak last week. Unfortunately though, Motorola keeps requesting that links be taken down so it can no longer be downloaded at this time. Actually, good luck finding any of the leaked live wallpapers either or anything else to come out from this device. (I'll reserve further comment on the situation.)

Update: DL Forum member danrua was the winner! Congrats on the win Dan! Check out his post thanking all of the hardwork and group effort put in by the community here. And the official announcement tweet from @DroidLanding!

On a related note, the new custom lock screen is viewable and pictured above. Nice touch throwing in the Rebel symbol, right? You have to admit that the creators of this device did a great job of adding in little details here and there to make it pretty special. Geek or not, you've got to respect the work put in. Only 3 left to find! Official R2-D2 Boot Animation:

Don't forget to follow along in the hunt at the Droid Life Forums!

Incredible Theme Monday: INCredible rEVOlution

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:44:33 +0000

The rooting crowd for the Droid Incredible appears to be in full swing, pumping out themes and ROMs almost daily that rival those on any other device. In fact, there are so many polished and stable looks out there that we are now ready to start a regular feature for the DI just as we have done for the original Droid and as of last Friday, for the Droid X. First up is probably the most popular of the DI themes, but one that is also the most worthy of being featured. Say hello to INCredible rEVOlution, a ported theme off of Manup's now ridiculously famous rEVOlution theme for the EVO. Instructions and gallery after the jump! Instructions:

*Note 1* - Unforunately unrevoked 3.2 has not been re-released for new users looking to root Android 2.2. At this time only current rooted users will be able to do this. *Note 2* - Should work with any dedeoxed 2.2 Incredible ROM. These instructions use Virtuous ROM 2.6 which is available for free in ROM Manager.

1. You need to be rooted. 2. Download and install ROM Manager from the market. 3. Open it and select "Download ROM." 4. Select Virtuous and then Virtuous ROM 2.6. The ROM will now download. 5. Once it finishes, check the box to create a backup. 6. If you are already running a new 2.2 ROM you can skip "wipe data and cache."

*Note 3* - If you run into any issues, reflash the ROM, only make sure to "wipe" next time.

7. After your phone finishes installing the ROM it will reboot. 8. Open up ROM Manager again and go back in Virtuous. 9. Scroll down and tap on "Incredible Revolution Theme." 10. Select any patches you feel you will use and hit OK. 11. The theme will now download. 12. When it finishes, create a backup if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Skip "wipe data." 13. Your phone will boot into recovery and flash the theme. 14. Once it reboots, prepare to enjoy your INCredible rEVOlution! Full support thread including additional themed elements visit XDA Forums. (Donate if you can!) Support for Virtuous ROM can be found here. (Donate if you can!) [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Programming Note: Follow Us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:23:38 +0000

Just a quick programming note to take us into the week. We wanted to remind everyone who isn't following us already, that you can keep up to date with Droid Life in a number of ways. We just cracked 10,000 followers on Twitter, topped 5,800 "likes" on Facebook and are only 14 subscribers away from 3,000 on YouTube! Thanks everyone for all of the support!

Follow us on Twitter! (@droid_life)

"Like" us on Facebook!

Subscribe to our videos on YouTube!

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming, which doesn't include Oprah...

New Android 2.2 Leak for DROID X, Proceed with Caution

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 08:51:25 +0000

A new Android 2.2 leak has appeared for the Droid X, at this time is only available for rooted users and is apparently a giant pain in the arse. I had actually been holding off from posting about this after reading through 25+ pages of frustrations in the source forum and can't recommend that you even bother applying this. Users have ended up having to flash SBF files more than once in order to recover their phones which we all know is not the most enjoyable process. We're not seeing any real benefit or reasons as to why you would want this new leak, other than to say you have a new leak on your phone. Notes:

Avoid this unless you have the Droid X SBF file.
SERIOUSLY, avoid this unless you have the Droid X SBF file.
This is a deodexed ROM. I don't care what anyone tells you, but when files have been tinkered with, deodexed and batched into an update.zip which can only be flashed via custom recovery, it's a ROM. This is not the same as the previous leak.
You will likely lose root access. The current rooting process requires adb meaning avoid unless you are ready to install the Android SDK and bust out some adb commands.
The official is likely 2-3 weeks away. Might want to just wait this one out.
I did not bother flashing this.

Still want to do it? Instructions after the jump!

*Warning* - If you choose to proceed with flashing this file to your phone, you accept all risk which could include bricking your phone. Should you brick your phone, Droid Life will not be held responsible.

Download: DX-2313-Deodexed.zip Instructions: (taken word-for-word from source)

1. Restart phone via Koush bootstrap into Recovery Mode 2. Wipe Data 3. Wipe Cache 4. Select Mounts and Storage 5. Select Format System (ONLY DO THIS IF IT FAILS TO INSTALL THE FIRST TIME) 6. Select Mount System 7. Back out by pressing Power button 8. Select Install zip from sdcard 9. Select choose zip from sdcard 10. find and select this zip file 11. First Boot may take up to 5 minutes 12. Go into Koush Bootstrap (if you have it) and re do the bootstrap. (must be rooted)

Feel free to let us know if you've gone forward with this. Also, post up any issues you run into and what you did to remedy them. Any help you can provide those brave users out there is greatly appreciated! Via: MDW

Motorola to be Featured on Oprah Today, Something Involving Android (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:15:05 +0000

What exactly is Motorola preparing to do today on Oprah? Launch a new device? Talk about their current lineup? Pimp the Droid tablet? Have Andy the Android jump on a couch? Tell John Travolta he hasn't made a decent movie since Pulp Fiction? What could it be? I know my Comcast listing says the following with no real mention of Moto:

...dreams come true for viewers, and there's a major surprise.

Free phones for everyone? Update: It has been announced that Oprah will reveal the Motorola Defy. Consider my TV reminder to officially have been removed.

For the first time (and last) in my life I'll be setting a reminder to watch Oprah. This better be worth it. 4PM here on the west coast. Check your local listing if you want to watch day time shenanigans!

New Swype Beta Released

Kellen — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 06:46:09 +0000

If you are a part of the Swype beta then there is a new version available for you to upgrade to today. To get it, you have to have been a registered tester in their program, meaning you need an email and login in order for it to work correctly. They suggest that you uninstall your old version including the installer and then download the new version from your phone here. Here is the changelog:

Added German and Portuguese languages

Added the auto-space suppression short-cut gesture: Swype from the spacebar to backspace

Added the quick language switch short-cut gesture: Swype from the Swype Key to the Q key

Improved the word prediction algorithm to provide better support for additional languages

Improved handling of several gesture collisions, including want/wasn't, to/too and others

The Android IME no longer sometimes hangs/crashes when Swype scrapes the user's address book for dictionary entries

Tips and help menus now accessible when a password field is active

Backspace now works in applications which use raw key input instead of an editable text field (e.g. terminal emulator)

The single character "i" is no longer incorrectly auto-capitalized in non-English languages (reported by many of you!)

Tons of other minor bug-fixes, including many device-specific issues

What's interesting is that this "beta" is version 2.4.44.10912 while the Droid 2's official version is only 1.64.40.9380. Who knows right?

LauncherPro Updated Again, Now Includes Facebook Widget

Kellen — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 13:00:46 +0000

Another LauncherPro update and another amazing new widget. This time Fede (the LP developer) brings you a Facebook widget that like his other widgets, is top notch helping LP remain as the leader for home replacements in our eyes. Remember though, you need the Plus version of LP to unlock the growing list which now includes calendar, Twitter, messaging, bookmarks, and people widgets. Update yours now in the market! Full list of changes at the LauncherPro site. Cheers Picolas!

New Flash Player 10.1.92.10 Available in Market, Now Appearing for DROID X and Incredible on 2.2

Kellen — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 12:17:14 +0000

Flash 10.1 has been updated to version 10.1.92.10 and is available in the market. I've been unable to find a changelog anywhere, but you've got to figure it's some simple bug fixes adding to stability. What is note-worthy though is the fact that it shows up in the market for the Droid X (running 2.2) and the Incredible. You won't be prompted for an update though and will instead have to manually search for it. After hitting "Install" it should replace your previous version. Go get it now! Cheers CS and Tyree!

DROID X Theme Friday: 928Droid Black Glass

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:51:04 +0000

It only seemed right to start featuring some custom themes to other devices now that the entire Droid family is rooted and has a huge community of developer and themers behind it. And once the DX, DI and D2 get enough, we'll probably pick a day for each device to feature a new theme to keep you up on your custom look and freshness. Friday's is already taken by the D1, but we've still got 4 other days to play with right? We are pleased to bring you the first of many Droid X themes today, and damn is this one pretty. Say hello to 928Droid Black Glass, which many consider to be the first full theme for the DX. They've included themed widgets, framework, apps and so much more. This thing really is something to marvel at. Let's get to it!

*DROID X ONLY.

Download: 928DroidBlackGlassX-DroidX22DeOdex-r2b-THEME.zip

Instructions:

1. You need to be rooted and running a 2.2 deodexed ROM. (Ex: FlyX)

*DO NOT ATTEMPT UNLESS YOUR DROID X HAS BEEN DEODEXED.

2. Download the file from above and drop on your SD card. 3. Open ROM Manager and select "Install ROM from SD Card." 4. Locate the theme file that you just downloaded and tap on it. 5. When prompted, make sure to check the box to create a backup. 6. Skip "wipe data and cache." 7. Your phone will reboot and apply the theme. 8. The first boot could take a REALLY long time. Be patient. 9. Once it boots, you'll be running 928Droid for the Droid X! Enjoy! Hit up our IRC support channel to talk about issues that you've run into. Special "Cheers!" to MrPicolas aka Dr. Root for this one!

Visit the 928Droid site now to donate!

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Custom Theme Friday: Incognito-Red For Shadow Rom

Tim — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:15:30 +0000

Here we are again at the end of another great week at Droid-Life. We've been pumping work around here showing you how to get all rooted Froyo goodness (Rooting instructions HERE and HERE). Follow those instructions and join us in our journey to trying out the coolest and slickest ROM's available for our Original Bad-Boy (aka Droid-1, aka OG Droid, the Godfather, etc etc).

So let me run this down. Incognito has been ported to the ShadowROM and looooks fantastic! BGill55 is a master of this stuff. We're talking all widgets, and even icons for ADW. Just look at these pics. If you like black and red (God knows I do) then you wouldn't be able to stop yourself! Let's do this! :-P

Instructions after the jump...

*For original Motorola Droid only.

1. Gotta be running the ShadowROM. Pick it up in ROM Manager. 2. Download the Red-Incognito theme here ----> Incognito-Red 3. Place the zip on the root of your SD Card and flash using Clockwork Recovery. 4. Download these files. Inside are themed APK's to match this theme! Just download them then UNZIP the folder and install them as normal APK's. ESPN, Audio Widget, Pandora and Twitter, and ADW (ADW is VERY important). 5. Enjoy! [gallery] There it is in all of it's glory. Please stop by the comment section if you have questions or check out our lovely IRC Channel for Tech Support! Have a sweet weekend and we'll see you all soon! Flash safely! Huge props to: BGill55. We love you! | See the original thread: Here | Post for themed apps can be found: Here And of course, HUGE thanks: To InsaneNemesis and Billygalbreath for making the most righteous ShadowROM

Weekly App Roundup: System Info Widget, Tiki Towers, Picplz

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:15:34 +0000

System Info Widget: ($0.99) - Needing to know all of your most important system info at the touch of a finger? System Info Widget provides it all to you in the form of a 4x1 or 1x4 widget which includes battery percentage, memory available, SD card storage space and more. The various skins are a nice touch too.

Tiki Towers: ($1.99) - One of the more addicting games you'll find. The idea is for you to become the greatest bridge builder in the jungle to allow for monkeys to scale across them and snag bananas. Who doesn't love bananas and bridges? Full of over 40 levels of monkey business, you'll definitely enjoy.

picplz: (free) - Social app addict? Can't get enough Foursquare? Download picplz which allows you to take pictures of your locations and then post them to Foursquare, Facebook, etc. It takes your stalker/"look at me!" mentality to the next level.

Android2Cloud: (free) - Think of Chrome-to-Phone and reverse it. Yep, Android2Cloud lets you send links from your phone back to your browser and is a must have. So simple, yet so amazing.

triMirror Fashion: (free) - For the ladies of Droid Life, here is your new shopping buddy. Share photos of clothing and fashion ideas with your friends while you shop. Get fashion advice and styling tips plus hottest deals on clothes, shoes, and accessories. Girlfriend!

WidgetLocker: ($1.99) - Filled up those 7 homescreens already? Time to fill up your lock screen then! WidgetLocker allows you add additional widgets, app shortcuts, and other locking mechanisms to your lock screen. This might be one of the greatest apps ever invented, especially to those that can't stand unlocking their phone every 30 seconds.

To have your application featured in future Roundups, contact us here.

Android Notifier Sends Text, Voicemail, Incoming Call Notifications to Your Desktop

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:30:23 +0000

Wouldn't it be handy to have an app that allows your phone to send notifications of incoming calls, texts, voicemails or even low battery warnings to your desktop? Then check out a new player in the smartphone-to-computer game called Android (Remote) Notifier. Remote Notifier allows your device, when connected over wi-fi or Bluetooth, to send a variety of notifications to your desktop which as your brain might have just realized, is super handy especially if you were to be, let's say, sitting in a conference room with your phone on silent? Think about it. Win. Download the phone application here. Download the desktop application here. You will need both in order for this to work. Simply install them, connect to a wi-fi network and send over a test notifcation. It really is as simple as that. *I should note that it does not appear to be working with Google Voice texts, but does work with GV phone calls. Via: Lifehacker Cheers Jeremy!

Ask Doctor Root: Wallpapers, Icons and Rom Manager Recovery Fix for the X

MrPicolas — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:00:39 +0000

Our resident expert when it comes to anything Droid or Android related, but what he really loves is dissecting rooting questions. There is nothing our Dr. doesn’t know, so ask away! Ask Dr. Root.

____________________________________________

Dr. Root, How can i use multiple static wallpapers? Well. before last week I would have told you that it's not possible. I'll explain why. The Android operating system handles wallpapers by screen size and as you scroll or swipe from one screen to another it shows only a portion of the wallpaper. There is a technical explanation that involves a lot of math and layout jargon which I will not go into. Your solution? MultiPicture Live Wallpaper. Whats that you say, lwp? Yes I know what your thinking, I don't want to use a live wallpaper. Trust me you do. MultiPicture live wallpaper allows you to select up to 7 different images to use on your screens. It also has transition effects from one screen to another, as well as double tap to change picture and a few more goodies for you to play with.

MultiPicture LWP

Dr. Root I need more icons on my screen but have no more room. What do I do? Well personally, I prefer a more minimalistic screen, but since I know you all don't share my views, enter...MULTICON. This app acts as a widget and if used with LauncherPro Plus' resizing and you can have up to 144 icons per screen.

Multicon Widget

Dr. Root, I can't boot into recovery from Rom Manager on my Droid X. What do I do? This is an easy one folks. Simply uninstall Rom Manager and re-run Koush's Bootstrap app. Reinstall Rom Manager and re-flash clockworkmod recovery. This should fix the issue.

____________________________________________

Any other burning questions? Feel free to submit them to the Dr.!

New TweetDeck Available, Includes Three Widgets

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:08:00 +0000

TweetDeck is quickly becoming the best Twitter app available on Android. It pains me to say that after being a HootSuite fan for so long, but it's hard to argue against it at this point. In just a few short weeks, we're 5 or 6 versions in with the latest update bringing 3 widgets to the table. How many other Twitter apps have been out for months now and still can't figure out how to put together a clean widget? TweetDeck created 3 in about 3 weeks time. Download the new version here. Via: Android Police

Google Reminds Us that Current Android Isn't Meant for Tablets, Honeycomb is?

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:55:58 +0000

Current Android isn't meant for tablets? But, but, there are so many out there running 2.1 and 2.2! Google realizes this, and they are not supporting almost all of these devices. In fact, any Android tablet running a current build has a pretty good chance of never being supported according to Hugo Barra, director of products for mobile at Google...

"...the way Android Market works is it's not going to be available on devices that don't allow applications to run correctly. Which devices do, and which don't will be unit specific, but Froyo is not optimised for use on tablets." "If you want Android market on that platform, the apps just wouldn't run, [Froyo] is just not designed for that form factor. We want to make sure that we're going to create a application distribution mechanism for the Android market, to ensure our users have right experience."

And yes, Google is well aware that the Samsung Galaxy Tab (pictured above) is only running Android 2.2, but obviously made the cut or is simply considered a "phone" rather than a tablet. So should we expect Gingerbread or Honeycomb to be something built specifically for tablets? I'd sure put some money on it especially after seeing quotes from Samsung's head of mobile communications last week at their tablet launch. If his word means anything, Honeycomb is the ticket. Via: TechRadar, Androinica Cheers Wade!

Red DROID Incredible Back Brings Back Leak Memories

Kellen — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 07:14:58 +0000

We were pretty sold on the white Droid Incredible looking about as sexy as a phone could possibly look, and then we saw this red version. Talk about "Ferrari Red" or whatever HTC was preaching when this thing launched; they weren't kidding. Remember you can pick up these red and white official HTC backs by handing the SKUs we've listed below to a Verizon rep. Reports are coming in that they will set you back $24.99 which seems a little steep, but remember, EVO owners had to buy an entire new phone to get white.

White HTC Back: VZW6300DORW Red HTC Back: VZW6300DORR

Two more pics after the jump!

Thoughts on red? Anyone pick one up yet? Cheers Andrew!

Download: R2-D2 DROID 2 Wallpapers Pack

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:45:22 +0000

Another day, another leak from the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2. Can we drag out the releases of these any longer? Should we expect widgets tomorrow? I will say that the Boba Fett paper up above is pretty much 100% amazing though. There are 14 in all, I've highlighted a few in the gallery after the jump. Download: R2D2 - Wallpapers.zip [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] So you should now have the official boot animation, live wallpaper set, and now the static wallpapers. Is there anything else you can think of? You basically have your own little special edition Star Wars Android phone after this week. Good stuff. Via: MDW

Feeling Dirty? Wash Yourself Off with DROID Soap!

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:47:45 +0000

Talk about the greatest gift idea ever. For those of you who can't get enough Droid awesomeness, then you'll be happy to know that your best smartphone friend can now join you in the shower too. As dirty as that sounds, I know you are with me. Who doesn't want some Droid soap? Buy what looks to be the last one from here! Cheers JimD!

Motorola "Stingray" Tablet Appears in Verizon Inventory

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:13:19 +0000

Remember the Motorola tablet (MZ600) rumored to be called "Stringray"? Well, it just appeared in Verizon inventory showing demo, dummy and official versions. So does this mean it will still be launching this year? Signs would point to "yes" although we've heard rumors of a delay until early 2011. There is also no mention of the word "DROID" which is disappointing, but we have to assume it will end up as a part of our family right? Who just got a little excited? Via: Phandroid

Google Maps Update Brings "Walking Navigation", Updated Search Bar

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:31:17 +0000

A new Google Maps update! This time featuring a new Walking Navigation option, an updated search bar (pictured above), and Streetview Smart Navigation. What exactly does all that mean? Let's see if Google can explain. Walking Navigation

Walking Navigation lets you use GPS navigation with walking directions that are more direct and use pedestrian pathways when we know about them. To try it now, choose the “Walking” option from the Navigation icon. Walking Navigation has a few changes that help when you’re on your feet. For example, your phone will vibrate when you need to make a turn. You can even turn off voice guidance and just use these notifications while soaking in the sights and sounds around you. To help you orient yourself with your surroundings, the map will rotate with you as you turn the phone, and walking mode uses satellite view by default. Use it like a virtual compass with satellite imagery to look ahead or help pick out landmarks along the way.

Streetview Smart Navigation

If you want a sneak preview of where you’re going, use the new Street View on Google Maps with smart navigation and updated imagery. Just like with Street View smart navigation on your computer, you no longer have to slowly move down a street by tapping arrows along roads repeatedly. Now you can quickly navigate Street View by dragging Pegman from the corner and highlighting where you want to go with a lightly shaded “pancake” on roads or a rectangle on buildings. Let go of the screen when highlighting the front of a building, and you’ll fly there and turn to face it. With a swipe of your finger, you can hop rivers and scale buildings.

Awesome. A Google Voice update and now this...what else can possibly happen today? Grab it from the market now! More info can be found at the Google Mobile Blog.

Another Android 2.2 FRG22D Rooting Method for the Motorola DROID

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:27:35 +0000

After posting rooting instructions for rooting your Motorola Droid running Froyo FRG22D this morning using adb and the Android SDK, we are getting the feeling that many of you would rather use an RSD Lite method instead and decided to bring you a guide for that as well. This method will look familiar to those that went through our 2.1 rooting guide, but we've adapted it to work with some new files that have emerged. Have fun! This guide adapted from our 2.1 rooting guide which is a source for any issues you may run into. All credit goes to MotoCache1 for the files and awesomeness!

*Warning* – The process we are about to layout is extremely risky. If you choose to do this, we are not liable should you brick your phone or cause any sort of permanent damage. If you do harm to your phone, please do not email us asking for help as you have already been warned and accept all risk involved. Cheers!

Full rooting instructions after the jump!

*Note 1* – So we are clear, this is for Motorola Droid users running stock Android 2.2. *Note 2* – This is for PC users only. *Note 3* – This will not work on the Motorola Milestone.

Step 1:

Flashing SPRecovery onto your device: The first and most important step is to use a program called RSD Lite to flash/install the SPRecovery image onto your phone. This recovery will replace the stock Android recovery image and allow you to gain root access to your phone. This step does not root your device, but it does take you to the next step which will.

*Note 4* - For a general video overview of flashing an SBF file in RSD Lite, check out this.

1. Download the SPRecovery SBF file: MC1_A855_1282081087_Recovery-Onl..sbf 2. Place the file somewhere other than your desktop.

DO NOT RENAME OR ATTEMPT TO UNZIP OR ANYTHING.

3. Download the correct Motorola USB drivers and install to your PC. (32-bit) (64-bit)

32-bit for a 32-bit Windows OS and 64-bit for a 64-bit Windows OS. To find out what your Windows OS is, go to Control Panel>System and it will tell you.

4. Download and install RSD Lite 4.6. (Download Link) 5. Connect your phone to a USB and your PC and turn it off. 6. Open RSD Lite (run as administrator). 7. Slide open your keyboard, hold up on the d-pad, then the power button for 5 seconds and release.

Your phone should then boot to a black screen which is your bootloader.

8. Click the … next to the filename box and browse to where you saved MC1_A855_1282081087_Recovery-Onl..sbf. 9. Double click and open the file. 10. Click “start” and allow the SPRecovery SBF to flash. This should not take long. 11. Watch for "rebooting your phone" and do d-pad up before the phone boots to "catch the boot" and come right back into the bootloader. 12. Close RSD Lite and disconnect your phone. You now have SPRecovery installed on your Droid. 13. Proceed to STEP 2.

Step 2:

Rooting your device: You are now ready to flash a simple "update.zip" file in SPRecovery which will give you root access to your phone. Remember that you now have SPRecovery as the recovery image on your device after flashing the SBF file in the last section.

*Note 5* - For an instructional video which shows a general overview of this process, head here.

1. Download this file and place on the root of your SD card. (Meaning, do not put it in a folder.) 2. Reboot into recovery mode (Turn off then hold the power and “x” button at the same time). 3. Choose “Install.” 4. Choose “Allow update.zip installation.” 5. Choose “Install /sdcard/update.zip (deprecated).” 6. The update.zip will now be installed. 7. When it finishes, select reboot. 8. When your phone boots up, you will be rooted! 9. Enjoy!

Other Info:

Overclocking: If you are interested in overclocking your device, you can find some general information about it at this post. Root-Only Apps: Here is a list of apps worth checking out that work once you have root access. Trust me when I say that these will make your phone that much more amazing…

SetCPU: App used to overclock your device.
Root Explorer: File manager that lets you browse every file on your Droid.
ROM Manager: The easiest way to install new ROMs.
ShootMe and Drocap2: Screen shot apps.
Barnacle Wifi Tether: App for wifi tethering your Droid.
LEDs Hack: Gives you control over your LED soft-keys.
MetaMorph: Allows you to install custom themes.
Titanium Backup: For making custom backups including your apps.

Let us know if you run into any issues! Our IRC support channel is also live!

New Google Voice With Widgets Made Official

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:23:53 +0000

The new Google Voice with widgets has gone official. And actually everyone needs to update to this new version, including those that installed the leaked version from the G2 system dump that we posted last week. For those not familiar, this update gives you 2 widgets which you can see in the screenie above. A nice addition to one of the greatest apps ever invented. Available in the market now. Download Link Source: Google Voice Blog

How to: Root Motorola DROID Running Android 2.2 FRG22D

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:57:06 +0000

After updating to Android 2.2 FRG01B and FRG22D, there have been so number of issues after rooting and it appears to have finally been figured out by the brilliant minds of the Android community. Apparently with FRG01B, came a fix which would continue to break any custom recovery and return the phone back to a stock recovery leaving you all full of frustrations when trying to flash any custom ROM. (Pretty sneaky right?) Well with this new rooting method for FR22D, you not only gain root access, but you also trip this new recovery breaker giving you life long access to actually enjoying so many of the hidden secrets on your Droid device. So you know, this is essentially the same method used on the Droid 2 and Droid X running 2.2, it has just been manipulated to fit the D1. THERE IS ANOTHER METHOD AVAILABLE WHICH USES RSD LITE AND SBF FILES. IF THE METHOD IN THIS POST IS CONFUSING CHECK OUT OUR OTHER 2.2 ROOTING GUIDE.

*Warning* – As always, when you decide to root your phone, you understand that it voids your warranty. You also take all responsibility should something permanently damage your phone. Droid Life will not be held responsible. *Note 1*- This is going to look incredibly long and confusing, but trust me when I say that it takes 5 minutes once you have the Android SDK installed. No RSD Lite or SBF files needed.

Instructions:

*Note 2* - You need to have current Motorola USB drivers depending on your system. (32-bit) (64-bit) *Note 3* - You need the Android SDK and adb working properly. SDK instructions here or here. *Note 4* - You need to download and unzip this file to your PC. This contains everything needed to root.

1.) Enable usb debugging on your device if you dont already have it enabled. 2.) Extract Droid2Root.rar to c:\droid2root 3.) Connect your phone to the computer via usb cable 4.) On the computer open the command prompt. (In the start menu under accessories) 5.) cd to your adb tools directory: For most the command would look like this cd C:\android-sdk-windows\tools 6.) Now enter the following commands: adb devices (This should list a device as a long number. If it doesnt something is wrong.) adb push c:\droid2root\rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp adb shell cd /data/local/tmp chmod 0755 rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin ./rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin (Be patient here. When finished it will return you to c:\droid2root) adb devices adb shell (you should now see a # instead of a $) mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock4 /system exit adb push c:\droid2root\Superuser.apk /system/app adb push c:\droid2root\su /system/bin adb push c:\droid2root\busybox /system/bin adb shell chmod 4755 /system/bin/su chmod 4755 /system/bin/busybox mv /system/recovery-from-boot.p /system/recovery-from-boot.p.disabled mount -o ro,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock4 /system rm /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin exit 7.) Done! Reboot your phone for good measure. You are now rooted.

Running into issues? Drop your questions in the comments or head to our Live Support Channel! And I apologize to those of you experiencing issues over the last few weeks. There has been a lot of behind the scenes frustrations with regard to the new Froyo for the original Droid and this should get you all straight. Thanks for sticking with us! Via: Android Forums, Droid Forums

Download: New Desk Clock, Fixes "Set Alarm" Voice Action

Kellen — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:09:28 +0000

When Google announced "Voice Actions" for Froyo, there was one in particular which they advertised but appeared not to work correctly for, well, everyone. Luckily for us all, the G2 leaked system build keeps pumping out awesome updates to our favorite apps including a "set alarm..." voice action that had previously not been available. As you can see from the screenies above, the one on the left is the old version, with the right screenie showing it working flawlessly. Download: DeskClockGoogle.apk Install as you would any other application, just make sure you have Android 2.2. Source: XDA Forums Cheers garbaged!

Verizon Fascinate Deal is Actually "Buy One, Get ANY Phone"?

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:00:52 +0000

Sorry that I didn't find this out for you sooner, but you may want to hold off on those internet orders for a Samsung Fascinate for now. Why you ask? Because the device hits stores tomorrow and they are not simply running a BOGO offer like VZW.com is, they are running a BOGA offer, meaning "buy one get ANY" phone of equal or lesser value. So what does that mean exactly? You can buy a Fascinate for your girlfriend (sorry had to) and get a Droid X for yourself. Win.

The Tato Series: An Interview With InsaneNemesis Of Shadow ROM

Tim — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000

HOWDY D-L! Hope everyone is having a great week! So I have had the chance recently to sit down for a bit with Aaron aka "InsaneNemesis" (definitely the most brutal Dev name so far). I've been following him personally for a while and have passed a lot of cool stuff on to Kellex and even demanded he post this all the way back in July! He complied.... When I heard Aaron (17 year old whiz) was working on a new project I knew I just had to catch up with him and have him give me the scoop and how this young dude got into all this! I give you the 4th installment of The Tato Series! _______________________________________________________________________________ Tim-o-tato: Hello sir! Mind introducing yourself for anyone who may not know you? InsaneNemesis: Hello my name is Aaron (InsaneNemesis) and I develop for ShadowROM. I am 17 years old and am currently a Senior in High School. Tim-o-tato:Wow! How long have you been developing for the community? InsaneNemesis: About a two months... Tim-o-tato: ShadowROM....there has been lots of talk about it. Mind letting us in on the hype? Whats it all about? InsaneNemesis: Well it is a highly source modified CyanogenMod based beast! There are some never before seen things, some features utilizing some of the less noted parts of CyanogenMod. Billygalbreath and I both hope this is our best release and we have certainly put lots of effort in it. Tim-o-tato: So let me get this straight: You're a Senior in High School? And you're building "beastly" ROM's?!? That is not what I was doing in High School! What got you into all this? InsaneNemesis: I've always liked to mess with things and since Android is open and free I thought it would be a good way to start. When I got the Droid back in January I was just a normal user. Didn't know what a ROM was, and had no prior Android experience. Actually before Android I had never used Linux or even coded. I was scared to root as were a lot of people. I was un-rooting and rooting trying to decide. Then I started thinking what I could do to make my Android more likable (not that Android isn't awesome) but I wanted something more custom. So I started with live wallpapers and moved on to themes. It wasn't what I really wanted to do. So I decided to make the jump to full ROMs. I decided if I was going to do a ROM, I might as well start off in the right direction by building from AOSP. I met 'billygalbreath' and it seems we have the same views on a lot of things. So we decided to start ShadowROM! Besides 2 devs is a lot better than one. Billygalbreath is an awesome Dev. He knows a lot about stuff I've never learned before. And over the time I've worked with him and have learned more than I could ever imagine. *Woo, that was a lot* Tim-o-tato: Well that's great! So not just anyone can say, "Hey I wanna Dev!". How were you able to learn the coding aspect of it? Any background in that?? InsaneNemesis: Well I am not in any respect good at coding lol. I can do the stuff that's needed but sometimes I need help. That's where having a team member is great! You are able to learn and help each other. It's really not that hard to learn some java. A lot of it is close to English in androids form of GUI. Other than that you need to learn the basics and then you can use the android docs for the rest ;-) Tim-o-tato: So before you met up with Billygalbreath what were you doing ROM wise? InsaneNemesis: Well I was working on my own ROM Insanely Clean which was going well and I had a lot of users and stuff. Then I wanted to branch out and work as a team. Me and Billygalbreath started ShadowROM and since then that's been my first priority. Tim-o-tato: What are a few words you would attribute to your work with ROMs? InsaneNemesis: Clean, fast, simple, and unique.

Shadow on D-Incredible

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Now we've mentioned your age a bit. Does any of this sometimes get in the way of your schoolwork at all? Or social life in general? InsaneNemesis: Not during the summer. When school starts up I plan on studying and doing homework then Android stuff. Then while I'm at school my laptop will compile for me everyday at 8AM if its on and in Ubuntu. Tim-o-tato: Haha Nice! It's good to know we have people out there taking the time to do all this amazing work that benefits the Android Community! Whats the future looking like for you? Big aspirations? :) InsaneNemesis: Well I want to go to college and eventually go into the field of engineering. Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Can’t go wrong there! Are there any other Devs you're keeping your eye on? InsaneNemesis: Cyanogen and his team of 300 Spartans! lol Tim-o-tato: So do you think anything is missing then from the community? InsaneNemesis: Not really. I think we have a solid community with lots of devoted Devs and users and it growing more and more each day :-) Android as an OS has gotten more user friendly every time they release a new version. The community is great but not perfect. There will always be bad apples. But other than that I think people in Androids Community help each other are devoted and are respectful to other users. Tim-o-tato: OK, now is my time to ask you silly Q’s! My favorite part! lol Task Killers. What are your position on them? InsaneNemesis: Hate them. Useless. Pointless. Are we doing word association here?? lol Tim-o-tato: But they're the most downloaded app in the market! How can they be worthless? :-P InsaneNemesis: Verizon tells people to get it cause it's a good idea. I can confirm about 10 times they have told me that. I always say back, "NO IT'S NOT!" Tim-o-tato: So, Mr. Steve Jobs personally writes you and says, “Please work for us!”. What would your honest answer be? InsaneNemesis: No. Tim-o-tato: Just “No”?? This is Steve Jobs we’re talking about! lol InsaneNemesis: Yeah....."No" lol Tim-o-tato: You're very well spoken. Well in closing...is there ANYTHING you wanna ask the community? Now is your chance to get some good user feedback or to see what the people want! Any Q’s for us??? InsaneNemesis: Suggestions for features is what I want people to tell me :-) Tim-o-tato: Is basically anything fair game? InsaneNemesis: Sure! lol Not saying everything will be put into effect, but ideas are good! Tim-o-tato: Well Aaron, as always it has been a serious pleasure. We all look forward to playing with Shadow. We wish you the best! Hope to see you soon in the forums! InsaneNemesis: Yeah it's been fun Tim! Thanks! ________________________________________________________________________ It's good to know there are people (let alone young people) who will become the "future of rock n' roll" and carry the flag for development of things like this! A huge plus one to young people who are smarter than me! Yay! -Tim-o-tato Stalk InsaneNemesis on their IRC Channel. Pick up their brand new ShadowROM HERE! And of course...feel free to check out my band Abriel. Like "Gabriel" without the "G"

Submit questions in the comments for our next interview with LauncherPro creator, Federico Carnales!

Want a DROID Tablet Now? Get One for $249!

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:11:38 +0000

OK, it's not exactly the Motorola DROID tablet that has been rumored for weeks, but is instead the "DROID 10 Android Tablet" brought to you by Haleron Technologies. Who? Exactly. According to Haleron's Twitter account, this new "DROID" tablet launched today as a 10" Android 2.1 representing beast! Oh, it even offers the "new Flash browser for full internet browsing." No not Flash from Adobe, but Skyfire. Yeah, it gets better. Sporting 256MB of RAM and a 1.0GMHz processor (GMHz?) this thing should really fly especially with it's browser, Internet Explorer. (Stop laughing.) And let's not forget that the dedicated i*ad inspired button on the front gives it that extra beauty that we were desperately in need of. I'm sold. Check out the "DROID 10" here. And queue lawsuit.

Here You Go, the Droid Life LauncherPro and Homescreen Setup

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:11:20 +0000

We've been feeling the pressure to share our secret homescreen setup from some of you, so let's go ahead and reveal it all!

The launcher is LauncherPro Plus with a custom icon set and custom launcher button.
The wallpaper is a quick black and white DL special that I made to fit this setup perfectly.
The clock is D-Clock Widget, stretched using LP Plus.
Weather is Weather Forecast Widget (kortolk skin)
The battery meter is called BattStatt.
That's it!

All download links and files after the jump!

LauncherPro Setup:

Download: Black/White DL Wallpaper Download: Evolution Dock and Word Icons Download: Launcher Icon

Widget Setup:

D-Clock Widget (stretched using LauncherPro Plus): Market link Weather Forcast Widget (2x1 forecast, kortolk skin): Market link BattStatt (medium): Market link

Black Notification Bar:

Webst3r's SenseX Theme: DL Forums

All good now? _________________________________________________ Credit: LP dock and word icons from Manup456's rEVOlution theme. Credit: LauncherPro launcher icon by Kean. Inspiration: Reader davedemaria during our last "show off your homescreens" post.

Download: Leaked R2-D2 Live Wallpapers

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:07:20 +0000

The boot animation for the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2 leaked last night and now the live wallpapers are out. There are 4 of them in total and are almost all well worth at least a quick look. There might not be any surprises left on this device by the time we see it at the end of September. Oh well? Video Action:

Wallpaper Pack: r2d2wallpapers.zip Individual Files: [Millenium Falcon] [Lightspeed] [R2D2] [Spaceslug] Install as you would any other .apk file. Download it, tap on it, hit "Install." Should work on any 2.1 and above Android phone. Cheers Luda! Via: MyDroidWorld

Google Instant Search Coming to Android "Later this Fall"

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:48:35 +0000

Google announced their new "Instant Search" this morning and during the presentation, managed to slip in a quick Motorola Droid demo. Yep, Instant Search is apparently headed to Android "later this fall." Update: Apparently if you visit this site from your phone you can test it now: http://jmt20.google.com/m?sky=psy What is Instant Search? A game changer. Instead of having to type out a search query and hit "enter" or click the "search" button, results are displayed for you on the fly or "instantly." This is really hard to explain, so I suggest you just watch the video below and have your mind blown.

Who's starting the "I love Google!" chant? Via: BGR

Optimize Your DROID X Running Android 2.2 with a New Build.Prop

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:18:21 +0000

If you were one of the Droid X owners who updated to the leaked Android 2.2, you may have noticed a significant number of apps missing from the market, including the new ESPN fantasy football app. Don't worry though, there is a fix and one that has been out for a while, but just recently hit ROM Manager allowing for the easiest of installations. What needed to be fixed was your build.prop file and fortunately, Beesley (from our forums) has put together a bunch of edits which not only fix your market, but also speed up your call ring time, save battery, allow for faster list scrolling, and can even change your display density. Sounds like a lot, I know. It's all well worth it. Instructions: 1. Root your Droid X running 2.2. 2. Download and install ROM Manager. (Premium version needed) 3. Open it, choose Download ROM, Beesley's Build.Props, Build.prop mods. 4. The file is small and should take just a few seconds to download. 5. When it finishes, check the box to make a backup. Leave "wipe data and cache" unchecked. 6. Your phone will boot into recovery, flash the new build.prop and reboot. 7. Enjoy finding all of your apps, longer battery life and more! You'll find more gems like these in our new Droid Life forums. Sign up now!

Motorola Chooses Dual Core Tegra 2 for Q4 Release, Not 2 GHz?

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:30:38 +0000

The rumor of the year for Droid fanatics has to be the one Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha dropped on us all back in June. Remember the rumored and mysterious 2GHz phone that was promised for late 2010? Well that phone is still in the works, but signs are now pointing toward it being a dual core phone rather than a 2GHz phone. And why are we assuming it'll be a dual core instead of a straight up 2GHz processor phone? Well for a couple of reasons. An NVIDIA Tegra 2GHz processor doesn't exist at this time and with Jha claiming the Q4 phone would have an "Nvidia Tegra-based graphics processor", we can only assume they are talking about the Tegra 2 which is dual core. There is also a dual core OMAP4 from Texas Instruments in the works (and we know how Moto loves some TI), but has yet to be finalized and likely won't be ready in time for a phone to use it this year. Let me just say that this isn't bad news in any sense. As our processor guru friends over at Android and Me have pointed out, NVIDIA is promising 5x the graphics performance in this new dual core offering. Hello Moto gaming machine? Thoughts? Via: Android and Me

Download: Official R2-D2 Droid 2 Boot Animation

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:19:18 +0000

A new R2-D2 boot animation appeared on the internet late last night and there are rumors that it's the official one you'll see with the special edition Droid 2 that we've been covering over the last few weeks. In even better news, the boot animation is available for all to use, geek out to, and to aide your path of remaining single for the foreseeable future. Download: bootanimation.zip

*For both rooted and non-rooted users. Separate instructions though. *Should work on almost any phone, Droid 1 and Droid X for sure.

Instructions (rooted users): 1. Download the bootanimation.zip file from above to your SD card. 2. Open Root Explorer and copy the file to /data/local. 3. Reboot your phone and enjoy your new boot animation. Instructions (non-rooted users):

*You will need the Android SDK installed to do this. Instructions here.

1. Download the bootanimation.zip file from above to your PC. 2. Move the file into your android-skd/tools folder. 3. Make sure nothing is selected and hold SHIFT+right click inside your tools folder. 4. Choose “open command window here.” 5. Type in the following commands:

adb push bootanimation.zip /data/local adb reboot

6. Your phone will reboot with your new boot animation. And if you are feeling super saucy this morning, here is an audio file which reportedly works during boot, yet I can't for the life of me get to work. Actually, almost no one can get it to work. Let us know if you do! Cheers Aaryn and Mike! Via: MyDroidWorld

Thank You Droid Life Supporting Vendors!

Kellen — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:15:05 +0000

We wanted to take a quick moment this morning to thank our amazing set of supporting vendors!

xScope Browser

The fastest Android browser available. Stay tuned for xScope V6.0 in the coming weeks!

Wirefly

Wirefly has been a trusted source for quality wireless solutions for almost a decade. They've grown to be the internet's premier authorized cellular retailer – and have done it by making cell phone shopping affordable, accessible, and easy.

ezeStand

ezeStand is a versatile desktop holder for your Smart Phone or Personal Media Player device. It holds all of the latest Touch Screen devices including Motorola Droid and Droid Incredible. If you have a technology or Android-related company and would like to become a supporting vendor, feel free to contact us!

Adobe Still Supporting DROID While System Requirements Say No

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:53:21 +0000

While the Flash 10.1 player requirements still say that the original Droid is well under what is expected for a device to be supported, Adobe continues to stand behind one of the first ever "Flash ready" smartphones. Can't say that we blame them either, especially after seeing the outrage which ensued following reports hinting towards discontinued future updates for the D1. And seriously though, give Adobe a little more credit than that. Why would they talk Flash for a device from its birth, only to abandon it weeks after it finally received it? There are roughly 2.5 million D1's running in the wild and you should expect them to be Flash-enabled for the foreseeable future. At least we hope so anyway. Requirements can always be taken as guidelines, and who knows, maybe Adobe is simply covering bases so that we can avoid rioting Devour users crying for embedded Youtube support. Can you imagine that scene? Source: Adobe Via: Android Central

How to: Create a Full Nandroid Backup on a DROID X

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:15:00 +0000

We're starting to see quite a few themes, skins and ROMs for the Droid X and wanted to make sure you were covered in case you get the itch to test one out. One of the most important steps before attempting anything major like this on your device, is to make sure you have a full nandroid backup to save you if something were to go wrong. A nandroid backup is essentially a giant snapshot of your phone, stored on your SD Card that should be created each time you switch ROMs, themes or try anything which could potentially change a system file. Plus, they are good to have especially when you flash a new theme and realize how damn ugly it is. You can easily restore your backup and enjoy your previous settings. So let's do this! Full instructions after the jump.

*Warning* - Rooting your phone voids the warranty meaning you can not take it back should something happen. Rooting, flashing custom ROMs and creating backups is also risky and can do permanent damage to your phone, so you might need that warranty. Basically, don't do this unless you understand the risk. Droid Life will not be held responsible for your mistakes.

1. Your DX needs to be rooted. (2.1 instructions here, 2.2 instructions here.) 2. You need to download and run Koush's Droid X Bootstrap and open it. 3. Tap "Bootstrap Recovery." 4. If you get "Success!" tap OK and hit "Reboot Recovery."

5. Your phone will boot into Clockwork Recovery allowing you to create a backup.

6. Using your volume up/down keys, scroll down to "backup and restore" and press the camera button.

7. With "backup" highlighted, simply press your camera button and the backup will begin.

8. Once it finishes, highlight "reboot system now" and press the camera button to reboot. 9. You have just created your first nandroid backup!

*Tip* - Should you ever need to restore to this backup, simply boot into recovery like you just did, scroll down to "backup and restore" and this time highlight "restore" instead of "backup."

You are now ready and should feel safe enough to flash Birdman's FLyX or some of the various themes floating around in our forums. Any questions?

Video: Deadly Chambers on Android

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:29:44 +0000

If you are into first person shooters and have been saddened at the lack of quality titles so far on Android, then check out this game called Deadly Chambers. The developers put over 9 months into this release and were even invited to Google I/O to demo their work. This game is a fully featured FPS which includes multiple camera angles, assortments of guns, monsters, secrets and so much more. This is the exact type of stuff I hope we see more of in the near Android future. Demo and $2.99 versions available in the market. Video Action:

Download:

Download Link

HuddleHub Fantasy Football App Launches

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:43 +0000

I know, I know, this has been the day of fantasy football talk, but I promise you that this is it. We already launched a new contest, and now HuddleHub drops the first release of their free app which pulls in both Yahoo and ESPN leagues. Is there even anything else we need? Now remember that they plan on rolling out more features to this app as Thursday's kickoff approaches so just be patient with it. It is free people. Oh, and I recommend importing your teams at the HuddleHub.com site first, and then logging into the app. Just might ease the transition of your teams over. Let us know what you think! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Download:

Download Link

Cheers Donnie!

Samsung Fascinate Review

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:51:24 +0000

As the newest Android phone to land on Verizon, the Samsung Fascinate has to compete directly with the Droid franchise which as you may have expected, sparked our interest immediately. There is something exciting about seeing the next batch of Android devices on their quest to not only drive this mobile OS, but to bring a level of competition that forces manufacturers to continue to innovate and push technological boundaries. Did the Fascinate do all of those things? We'll find out. Before you read the full review of the Samsung Fascinate, you may want to check out our unboxing video which gives a nice walkthrough of the device's exterior, plus a brief hands on with its TouchWiz custom UI.

The Good:

Screen: How can you not instantly fall in love with a 4" Super AMOLED screen? It really does feel like the perfect screen size. I still have yet to re-adjust my grip to reach the notification bar or top left corner for an app like I do almost hourly with my DX. And you've got to love the weight of the device which you can almost 100% thank this super thin screen for.
Battery Life: The battery life on Super AMOLED phones, especially the Galaxy S lineup is supposed to be horrendous, however, I actually found a good deal of life. On Saturday night, I took to the town around 6:30PM, pounding Foursquare in a pub crawl, taking pictures, sending texts and making calls all the way up until 2AM and still woke up with 30% left on my charge. Not bad right?
Gaming: If you watched our unboxing video, you probably noticed the 60FPS during our Quadrant benchmark. And let me just say that in an actual game, this phone performs that exact same way. I put it through the works in both graphics heavy first person shooters and then simple animated games like Angry Birds and loved the performance. The GPU on the Fascinate is unmatched.
Feel: You can't help but love the feel of this device. It's ultra light, has an amazing screen and is incredibly thin. The first time you pick it up, I guarantee you'll come away impressed at the design, feel in hand, and ease at which it slides in and out of a pocket. No humps here folks.
Call Signal/Quality: No issues with call or signal quality. Phone gets plenty loud, works as expected on Verizon's rock solid network; new Fascinate owners should be able to avoid the antenna-gate category for sure.

The Not-so-Good:

TouchWiz: Uggh. If you thought Blur on the Droid X and 2 was laggy, wait until you get a minute with TouchWiz. Overall it looks really pretty, has a bunch of flashy colors and live wallpapers, seems to function in a semi-intelligent way, and then you actually use it. What's with the puzzle piece theme? If this is going to compete with the manly Droid lineup, adding kid toys to your OS skin might not be the direction to go. I also found that doing something as simple as setting a ringtone for a specific contact was quite the chore.
Android 2.1: We thought about giving TouchWiz a break and blaming everything on Android 2.1, but that's not really fair. However, having Android 2.1 on a phone launching weeks after phones have begun to launch with 2.2 is simply not OK. What makes it even worse, is that Samsung has yet to give us any definitive timeframe as to when their Galaxy S lineup will receive an update to 2.2.
Software Package: An Android phone not coming pre-loaded with the entire Google mobile app package is about as odd as Paris Hilton not spending monthly scheduled drug bust time in jail. Bing? Really? It doesn't even include multi-touch in its map feature. Spare me the competitors, just give me Google and life will be grand.
GPS: Every GPS I've used on a phone since the Droid 1 has been pretty poor and the Fascinate falls right in line. One tip that will save you some frustration though, is to make sure all of your location services are checked or the phone may never find you. It's not the worst I've used, but it definitely struggles at times, even while connected to wi-fi and sitting on a non-enclosed deck.
ButtonsKeys: The lock button on this phone is about enough to make me chuck it out the window. I'm still trying to figure out why Samsung thought it would be intelligent to put this button on the side of the device. Try locking your phone without hitting the volume rocker switch. It's impossible. The soft keys were also a little irritating at times. Not only do they go to sleep in 1.5 seconds, but you are then left guessing as to where they might be on a completely black glass screen.
Camera: This actually started out in the "Good" section and as I continued through the review, it had to be moved. 5MP? Really? The picture quality of shots taken with the camera aren't bad at all, but with the Incredible and Droid X both sporting 8MP beasts, you've got to come strong.
Look: It actually does resemble an i*od Touch or i*hone 3GS quite a bit. Bad news.

Camera Shots:

(right click, "open image in new tab")

Video Action:

The Verdict:

The Samsung Fascinate doesn't disappoint in look and feel, but the custom OS skin, lack of Google experience apps and Android 2.1 are a pretty substantial turn-off at this point. We understand that the phone will get Android 2.2 someday, but until then we're not ready to adopt our new Verizon Android relative. Like I said, the phone doesn't disappoint in some aspects, and it will surely fit the niche of users looking for something slightly different to that which accompanies the "Droid" name. And while I'm not about to call this device anything less than a winner, I'm just not ready to put it up there with the Droid X or Incredible. It has an amazing screen and specs to put many phones to shame, but it's just not ready to play with the big dogs until it gets one major OS update, a Bing removal and a LauncherPro installation. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] And stay tuned later this week for the Droid 2 vs. Droid X battle!

Contest: Droid Life Football Survivor Game!

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:57:08 +0000

Get ready for some Droid Life football action! I know it seems like we've been talking a lot of fantasy football lately, but we can't help it with the season starting in just 2 days. And to celebrate the return of America's most popular game, we're launching another contest! Who wants $100 cash in their Paypal pocket? Well that's exactly what we're giving away to the winner of our Survivor Game. Not familiar with Survivor games? Let's break this down for you... Here are some basics:

The object of Yahoo! Sports Survival Football is to be the last Active member of your individual group. In order to accomplish this goal, you must correctly pick the winner of one professional football game each week. In groups that use more than 1 Strike (i.e., incorrect pick), you may be allowed to miss up to 2 times and still be the group winner. To make this simple sounding game more of a challenge, you can only select each professional football team once during the regular season while an Active member of an individual group. Team restrictions will be reset at the beginning the playoffs (in groups that pick through the playoffs), and you will again be able to pick each team once. If a correct selection is made, you will remain Active for the following week. If an incorrect selection is made (or the game ends in a tie), you will be incur a Strike and could be Eliminated, depending on the group's settings.

Sign up: To join the Droid Life group, follow this link and enter the information below.

Group ID: 18097 Password: droidlife SECOND GROUP ADDED! (prize to be determined) Group ID: 24136 Password: droidlife

The prize:

$100 cold hard Paypal cash to the winner.

The winner:

The last contestant remaining will be the winner. Should we hit week 17 and end in a tie, we will visit a solution at that time.

And the Winners are...

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:55:18 +0000

In just 6 days, our $25 accessory store contest generated almost 1,200 entries! You guys are amazing and I want to thank you for your participation and also for helping out in a big way with the launch of our forums. We expect these to grow by the minute and provide you with one heck of a database for all your Droid needs. And with that said, let's get to it already and announce our 3 winners! As promised, we've randomly selected 3 winners from this forum thread who will each receive $25 worth of accessories from the Droid Life store. Here they are!

MrToTo4life

drgentz1

droid1way

Congrats! The 3 of you will receive a private message in the forums within the next couple of minutes with details on your win! Again, thanks everyone for participating! Stay tuned for another contest just around the corner. We've got a ton of goodies to give away...

ESPN Fantasy Football App Hits Market

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:28:15 +0000

ESPN wasn't about to be left in the fantasy football dust after Yahoo! dropped their FF app and a new player called HuddleHub sneaking into the picture any day now. On Saturday, the sports giant launched their own FF app, only this guy isn't free. For $4.99, you can snag it in the market. Yeah $5 seems like a lot, but to fantasy football addicts, what's another $5 right? This app does come packed full of features in case you were wondering. You cann add/drop players, check projections, see injury news, player cards, matchups, and so much more. And to help ease your mind on features, I've grabbed about as many screenshots as I can to show you exactly what you are getting. Enjoy! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Download:

Download Link

Cheers everyone!

R2-D2 Live Wallpapers Unlocked, Get Your Millennium Falcon On!

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:50:20 +0000

Without a new clue releasing and the @DroidLanding account taking the entire weekend off from dropping clues, someone still managed to figure out a secret code this morning, unlocking the live and static wallpapers for the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2. Whoever figures out these codes is some kind of Star Wars machine that's for sure. Like our guy, Andrew Tarr who won the first phone! Follow along with our guys on the hunt right now in the forums! [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] See the rest at droiddoes.com/r2d2.

Unrevoked 3.2 Drops, 1-Click Root for 2.2 on DROID Incredible

Kellen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:30:38 +0000

Droid Incredible owners have been asking for a 2.2 rooting method for quite some time now and the unrevoked team has come through again. This should work with a stock Android 2.2, stock, straight-out-of-the-box Incredible. And since this rooting method falls under the "1-click" category, I'll let you know now that the most painful part of the process is simply getting the correct drivers on your PC and phone. Once you get those set up, it really does take just one click. To help you get your drivers installed, check out the following from an XDA Forums thread...

1. Windows users MUST install the HBOOT drivers for this to work: http://www.unrevoked.com/rootwiki/do...driver_install 2. Windows users need to uninstall HTC Sync or any other program that might talk to the phone over USB (doubletwist, etc). Disabling HTC Sync from the system tray is not enough. They interfere with the root process and will cause problems. 3. When asked for USB connection type, select "Charge Only" and "Remember this".

This Wiki may also help. And once you have all that setup, head over to unrevoked to grab the 1-click file! (The method was pulled last night due to an EVO issues, but should be back shortly, if it's not already.) Cheers Lauren!

Contest Update! 1 Day Extension to Win Accessories by Joining the Droid Life Forums!

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:45:53 +0000

Our current contest, which is giving three Droid Life forum members $25 worth of accessories from our store, was supposed to end today, but with it being a holiday, we figured we'd push it out one more day! If you haven't signed up yet to become a member in our new forums, now is the time and you'll be entered into the contest! Entry into the contest is about as easy as it gets and involves just 2 steps:

Sign up to become a forum member.
Post your favorite Droid features at this thread!

We'll pick the winners tomorrow morning and announce them shortly after. So what are you waiting for?

Sign up now!

DROID 2 has Lowest Return and Dropped Call Rates on Verizon?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:53:53 +0000

Looks like the Motorola Droid 2 is a winner in build quality even if early sales numbers indicate it could have used a bigger marketing push. According to a BGR source, the D2 has the lowest return rate of any phone on Verizon and is also leading the way with the lowest number of dropped calls. So much for that weird signal strength issue? Source: BGR

First DROID 2 Custom ROM Released

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:15:45 +0000

Already rooted that brand new Droid 2 of yours? Well it's time to get your first taste of a custom ROM then, EPIC ROM to be more specific. Developer Matt4542, the mastermind behind the Droid 1's EPIC ROM, has been working hard to get his version for the D2 out first. It appears as if he's accomplished just that. EPIC for the D2 is still the stock Blur theme, but has been fully deodexed, includes a bundle of scripts, and no more bloatware. Yay, yay and yay. Obviously you need to be rooted first, then use Koush's Droid 2 bootstrap to get Clockwork Recovery flashed. MAKE A FULL NANDROID BACKUP. All of Matt's work can be found in our forums, so head over there for instructions and support! Here is Matt's dedicated EPIC Droid 2 ROM thread. (UPDATE and BUG FIX THREAD HERE.)

Rumors: Android 2.2 for DROID X Delayed? Or Rolling Out Now?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:25:05 +0000

Labor Day seemed like a great time to dip into the mailbag and see what kind of rumors were floating around and if any of them had to do with the status of Android 2.2 for the Droid X which we've all been waiting impatiently for. Luckily we have a couple of stories in the works, both of which haven't been confirmed by any of our Verizon connects, but are still interesting enough to let you know about. We'll start you off with the bad news first meaning this is the delay portion of today's rumors. According to one of our tipsters (a government telecom guy), the DX update has been delayed anywhere from 2-3 weeks and is apparently still running into Exchange issues, some of which are wiping security policies when moving from 2.1 to 2.2. The current test build has been sent back to Moto for fixing. I can't say that I've tested any of the Exchange settings in the leaked 2.2 build, so I'll have to ask readers to weigh in on whether or not there are still security issues. This isn't the first time I've heard this rumor though which leads me to believe it. The second part of today's rumor mill is more of a chance for everyone to let out a little laugh to end a long weekend. According to 3 separate emails from 3 separate and non-related tipsters, we are getting word that the Droid X Froyo update has been rolling out since 8/27! Yep, it started almost 2 weeks ago! News to you? Us too! Obviously these reps are referring to the Droid Incredible update which did in fact start on 8/27. The amazing thing is, that two of our guys called back on a separate occasions, asked specially 3-4 different ways if the rep meant the DI and each time were told, "No, the Droid X started on 8/27." Yikes. When should you expect the DX update then? We're thinking next week at the earliest. And I seriously hope we're wrong on this one.

New HTC Slider Hits FCC, Is it the Next DROID?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:30:23 +0000

A new slider dual-mode HTC Android slider has hit the FCC and as has been noted around the interwebs, is shining brightly in Verizon colors (logo included). Sporting a 4 inch screen and what appears to be an instant winner of a keyboard, how can this bad boy not get you all wet and steamy? No name, release timeframe or spec list at this time. We're guessing this would be a Q1 2011 release at the earliest. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Source: FCC Via: Engadget

Adobe Changes Flash Requirements, DROID No Longer Supported?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:32:43 +0000

According to Adobe's website, the requirements for Flash 10.1 on mobile devices have changed and in a way that effects a big chunk of Android users, specifically those with an original Droid or Milestone. The new requirement sets the minimum processor mark at a Cortex A8 running at 800MHz which we all know is above what a stock Droid runs at. Uh oh. Now before you all freak out, there is a chance that the Droid could be fine and a kernel fix or some other tweak in a software update could clock it to 800 MHz which it can easily run at. For those not in the rooting crowd, let me just say that the phone's stock kernel can be overclocked to 800MHz, yet Motorola has chosen to leave it underclocked at 550-600. There is still hope. Thoughts on the change in requirements? Flash not performing well enough or are new versions going to be even more processor dependent? Update: Phonescoop actually reported this news on Thursday. Source: Adobe Via: DroidForums, MobiFlip Cheers Luda!

Want a White or Red Incredible? Here's How to Get One!

Kellen — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:49:09 +0000

You were teased last week with the first pictures of a white Droid Incredible and again yesterday in our unboxing of the Samsung Fascinate with no mention of how you can get one for yourself. Unfair right? Well we're now ready to tell you how to score your own white or even red, yes red, back plate. These are official HTC accessories and will likely be in stores over the next few months, however, the only way to get them now is to have a local store special order them for you with the following codes: White HTC Back: VZW6300DORW Red HTC Back: VZW6300DORR I haven't seen the red one yet, but I'm guessing it's similar in polish and quality to the white one which is a good thing. Let us know if you have success in ordering these!

How Much RAM Does the Samsung Fascinate Actually Have?

Kellen — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:33:21 +0000

After our unboxing of the Samsung Fascinate, the big argument of the weekend seems to be whether or not it truly has 512MB of RAM or not and I can't say that I have the clearest of answers for you. As you can see from the screenshots above, the device displays that it has around 336MB available for use. This Galaxy S comparison chart we posted from Verizon also confirms this. HOWEVER, and that's a big however, there are some other, behind-the-scenes factors here which point to it actually having 512MB total. Take 5-10 minutes to browse around the interwebs and you'll find that pretty much all Galaxy S phones display their RAM the same way. Here is a screenshot of the Captivate and Fascinate together; both showing less than the advertised 512MB. While we seem to be jumping all over the Fascinate, it appears to be acting in a similar fashion to the rest of its brothers. So why are they displaying this way? Check out 3 explanations after the jump... The first explanation you'll find blames Android 2.1 for the misrepresentation. When Froyo was announced, there was talk that its new kernel would allow devices to use additional memory that 2.1 was limiting them from. So a phone like the Fascinate with 512MB, might only be able to use a portion since it still runs 2.1. A second explanation provided by reader orateam over at XDA Forums points out that dedicated RAM is possibly being used up by the GPU, hence the 336MB being displayed and the amazing graphics performance...

Look at the picture and it says 512mb flash/384mb RAM. Compare that to explanations of RAM for other phone products. That's 512mb flash RAM with 128 used by...VIDEO. Every computer without a dedicated video card says the same thing. Go look up video cards with dedicated memory and video cards with shared memory. Obviously Sammy's video cpu uses 128k or RAM and they bundle that with the actual RAM of 384 to say 512. But all Galaxy S have only 384k of Ram to use.

The last explanation I've seen is that the device has 176MB or so dedicated strictly to the OS, meaning the device definitely has 512MB, but only 336MB are freed up for apps, processes, etc. The verdict? As far as we can tell, with the phone still running Android 2.1 and the way RAM is possibly allotted to the phone's GPU or OS it does in fact have 512MB, but it won't ever appear that way. We're hoping that the 2.2 upgrade fixes this and eases the minds of all Galaxy S owners. Thoughts anyone? Any super-techy gurus care to weigh in?

Unboxing: Samsung Fascinate on Verizon

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:45:21 +0000

Got our grubby little Droid paws on a Samsung Fascinate today which we are all expecting to launch on Verizon next week for $199 on new 2-year contract and a possible BOGO offer thrown in. Anyways, no more rambling, let's get straight to the video...

Oh and if you are wondering about RAM, Quadrant says about 332MB and this comparison sheet we gave you the other day says 336MB. Questions? Anything you want me to use to attack this new Android family member?

Contest Reminder: Win Accessories by Joining our Forums!

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:30:29 +0000

Just a quick reminder before we head into the weekend that we are running our first Droid Life Forums contest which gives 3 members a chance to win $25 worth of accessories from our store! All you have to do is these 2 steps and you are entered!

Sign up to be a member.
Post your favorite Droid 1, 2, X, Incredible features at this thread.

And that's it! We'll announce the winners Monday, September 6th!

LauncherPro Plus Update Adds Twitter Widget

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:15:33 +0000

Another LauncherPro Plus update was released yesterday and includes a fabulous new Twitter Widget. As you can see from the shot above, it matches the styling of the rest of the LP widget series and is definitely winner. This new widget allows you to add one account, follow your main stream, see mentions, direct messages and even create new tweets. All of the same features most of the major Twitter apps haven't figured out how to do yet. Not bad right? Head over to the LauncherPro site now to check out the full change log.

New DROID 2 Ad Talks Flash, Laughs at Apple

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:17:04 +0000

Motorola sure loves to buy up newspaper ad space and drop bombs in the face of Apple. In the latest, Moto shows off the Droid 2 and the fact that it comes packed with Flash 10.1 allowing full "compromise-free" web browsing, which as well all know, is impossible on the i*hone. Full ad script...

Flash sites require Flash capabilities. Seemed pretty simple to us. That's why we created the DROID 2. With Adobe Flash Player it gives you unrestricted access to Flash sites, videos, and games. No more empty windows or half-loaded pages. And as a 3G Mobile HotSpot, it can connect up to 5 Wi-fi enabled devices and conquer the World Wide Web. It's compromise-free web browsing. The way it should be.

+1 Motorola. +1 Flash. +1 DROID. Source: Motorola Facebook Cheers Erin!

Verizon Makes Prepaid DROIDs Official, Launching September 28

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:00:49 +0000

Those prepaid Droids we talked about earlier in the week have turned official. As of September 28th, you'll be able to buy any Droid and turn it into a prepaid minute plan. Actually, you can probably take your current Droid and turn it into one if you'd like. While the press release below says 9/28, the VZW prepaid site is already live...

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless today announced it will be expanding its portfolio of prepaid offerings to include a new 3G Prepaid data package that lets customers access unlimited data on select 3G Smartphones and Multimedia phones for $30 monthly access. Multimedia phone customers also have the option of selecting a new $10 monthly data package for 25 MB per month ($.20/MB overage). These new prepaid data packages will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Store today and online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning Sept. 28. "These new data offerings will help our prepaid customers experience the full breadth of Verizon Wireless' robust device portfolio and the many engaging, informative and helpful applications that depend on a data plan," said Jim Sullivan, director of marketing for Verizon Wireless. "Our prepaid customers will now have the freedom to enjoy all of the capabilities that these phones have to offer, while controlling costs and without being tied to a contract."

Full lineup of Droid devices is available:

DROID by Motorola

DROID X by Motorola

DROID 2 by Motorola

DROID Eris™ by HTC

DROID Incredible by HTC

Monthly plans:

For more, visit www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid. Anyone switching to a prepaid plan? Source: PR Newswire

Custom Theme Friday: Drop Theme for Sapphire

Tim — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:49:41 +0000

Tato's Homescreen!

Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing well this glorious Friday! What an amazing week here at Droid-Life! We've been running our Live Supprt IRC Channel, and now have our very own Droid Life Forum! It's turning into an amazingly glorious place to be and I am completely honored to be here as a part of it. *Note: I always tear up when writing these*

So, this week we have an truly beautiful theme for Sapphire 1.0.0 for you; it's called the Drop Theme by Pandroid. I'm sure most people here have heard of Dark Edge. Well imagine if Dark Edge had a "sexy cousin". That is this theme. So, come on and take the plunge and give it a shot!

Downloads and install instructions after the jump...

This theme is intended for the Sapphire 1.0.0 STOCK THEME ROM. If you are not running that, please download from ROM Manager under the "CVPCS" section. Thanks!

*FOR THE ORIGINAL DROID ONLY.

Step 1: Download which color you would like RED, BLUE, GREEN, or ORANGE.

Step 2: Place zip file on root of SD Card.

Step 3: Open ROM Manager and select "Install ROM from SD Card".

Step 4: Please proceed to make a backup if you do not have a current one already. Do not wipe data.

Step 5: Click "OK" and watch Clockwork Mod Recovery turn your phone into pure "money".

As always, resort to our awesome comment section if you need help! So many great people on this site! And if you don't find your answers there, then come check us out in the IRC Channel! Much love you all! Have a great and SAFE Labor Day weekend!

-Tim-o-tato

_______________________________________

If you wanna make your screen look just like mine, check out these links! :-) BattStatt Battery Widget, D-Clock Clock Widget, Droid-Life wallpaper, and the lovely Icon packs!! Have fun everyone! See previous Custom Theme Fridays! Credit for theme to: Drop Theme by Pandroid. And special thanks to Ludacrosse05 for all the special things you do for everyone around here! [gallery columns="4"]

Angry Birds Hits Android Market!

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:57:34 +0000

Time to get your entire-day-wasting game on! Angry Birds beta has landed in the market for your dominating pleasure and is as expected, free. Do I even need to say anything else? Go play! Download:

Download Link

Cheers Rami!

Download: New Gmail Version 2.2.1

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:43:56 +0000

While messing around with a couple of new ROMs for my Incredible last night, I noticed the Gmail app doing some things I had never seen before up in the header. It now included a reply/reply to all/forward button in the header which made like instantly awesome. At first I had brushed it off as some new 2.2 Sense feature that HTC was including, but after seeing another post this morning on the same Gmail amazing-ness, I now get it, and have slapped myself 4 times for not realizing it sooner. So yeah, we have a new version of Gmail, which seriously, is so amazing. From the shot above, you can see a couple of the new features listed out:

New header design makes it easier to reply or star messages.

Performance boost for most features.

Lots more cool stuff you'll love.

Update: Apparently this has been included in ROMs for a while now, but now stock users can enjoy the tastiness too. Update 2: I get it people, ROMs had this built in. You could have at least told me! (hah) Works on every single on of my devices running Froyo including the DI, Droid X and original Droid. Yep, your device has to be running Android 2.2.

*Both rooted and non-rooted users enjoy!

Download: Gmail.v.2.2.1.apk

Install as you would any other application. Download, tap on it when it finishes, hit install, hit open. Source: XDA Forums Via: DroidDog

R2-D2 Gallery Unlocked, Includes Custom Media Dock

Kellen — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:08:58 +0000

One of our readers unlocked the "Widgets+Apps" section for the special edition R2-D2 Droid 2 and some time last evening another section was unlocked, although this time we have no idea how the person figured it out. Congrats anyway though! The cool thing is, the new section is a full on gallery of the device, which I know we've seen but this time they give us a shot from behind with the keyboard slid open plus a look at the special edition media dock. Win and win. Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Anyone still hunting? View the rest of the gallery here.

Blur Allows for "Pull" Updates to DROID X and 2

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:10:38 +0000

We actually wrote about the ability to "pull" updates when the Droid 2 was initially updated just after launch, but this news from Verizon actually clarifies and backs up our claim. The ability to "pull" an update from a server is something that is pretty important especially with the 2-week long frustrations we are seeing from people waiting for the 2.2 notification to hit their Droid 1. "Pulling" simply means that a user can initiate the update rather than waiting for Google or Motorola to "push" it to you. In the case of the Droid 1, you cannot "pull" and simply have to sit back and wait for any update to be "pushed" to you. Blur enabled phones on the other hand, are "push" enabled. So for anyone with a Droid X, D2 or Devour, you can in theory, "pull" an update the minute it has been announced. Once the update has hit Motorola/Blur servers, you can go into your System Updates and actually force your phone to check for availability. You can see proof in the screenshots below. On the left is the Droid X "pulling" and actually checking for an available update while the Droid 1 is simply waiting for an update to be pushed to it...

I know we all hate Blur, but this is pretty good news. Now if only Verizon would release 2.2 for the DX so we can test out this new "pull" goodness.

Congrats Andrew Tarr on the R2-D2 Droid 2 Win!

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:41:53 +0000

It's official, one of our forum members won the first R2-D2 Droid 2! Andrew Tarr (tarrx4) unlocked the Apps+Widgets for #AttackPatternGamma landing him a brand new special edition Droid 2. Congrats Andrew! Here is a link to his post. And here is our dedicated R2-D2 thread.

DROID X Battery Pull Tab Changed, Is this Clear Enough?

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:55:58 +0000

When the Droid X first launched, there was some confusion surrounding the battery pull tab and whether or not it should be removed. In fact, there was even a little rumor suggesting removal of the tab would be grounds for instant warranty cancellation. Good news though! As you can see from the shot above, new DX devices are shipping with a much clearer pull tab featuring 2 logos to remind you not to cut or remove. Silly. And here is the previous version...

Anyone remove their pull tab? Photo Source: Android Central

R2-D2 Hunt Ending by Week of 9/20

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:24:33 +0000

If you have been following along in the R2-D2 Droid 2 hunt, you should know that could be another 18 days worth of this mayhem. According to Verizon, the plan is to have all of the codes unlocked at the droiddoes.com/r2d2 site and free special edition D2s distributed by September 20th. Yes, your obsession has a ways to go. Follow along with our crew of hunters at the DL forums!

Exclusive: R2-D2 "Blogosphere" Clue Coming at 12:30PM PDT

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:01:35 +0000

Earlier today, an @DroidLanding tweet referrenced the "blogosphere" for the #AttackPatternDelta secret plans and we were the blogosphere they were referring to. In our possession is the next clue in the R2-D2 Droid 2 Scavenger hunt.

The clue will be released in our R2-D2 Droid 2 hunt thread at exactly 12:30PM PDT.

CLUE POSTED HERE!

One of our readers may have already won the first special edition Droid 2; time to join in!

Droid Life Reader Unlocks First R2-D2 Code? Apps+Widgets Revealed!

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:16:59 +0000

One of our readers appears to have unlocked the first R2-D2 code! The crew in our R2-D2 Droid 2 thread has been working at an amazing pace using the tweets sent from @DroidLanding and it looks like that work has paid off. After magically solving clues over the past 3 days, we were led to this Youtube video which included a comment clue directing everyone to this Star Wars book. Reader tarrx3 put in the barcode from the back of the book which was the correct code! Once the code was placed, he was told that he would be notified if he was indeed the first. Let's hope so! Update: The confirmation of the unlocked code from @DroidLanding...

This might be your best chance at winning an R2-D2 Droid2!

Time to start following our dedicated thread!

Oh and go check out the R2-D2 widgets at droiddoes.com/r2d2.

Android Honeycomb Confirmed for Tablets, Coming Next Year?

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:00:33 +0000

Rumors of the successor to Gingerbread (3.0?) called Honeycomb started just a few weeks ago and were confirmed today by Samsung's head of mobile communications, JK Shin. In a Q&A session today surrounding the launch of their Galaxy Tab, Shin mentioned that Honeycomb would be coming in a new, larger next-gen tablet, possibly next year...

“Moving forward with Honeycomb, that will be used in the next generation tablet as it is specifically optimized for different type of tablet, and will be used on another product only.”

This is the first real confirmation of Honeycomb and as far as we can tell, may be a special OS build just for tablets. Gingerbread was also mentioned as an upgrade for the Samsung Tab, but no time frame was given. Damn it feels good to be a part of Android. Things get more exciting by the day. Thoughts? Source: Android and Me, Intomobile

Another @DroidLanding R2-D2 Tweet! Something Hidden in the "Blogosphere"?

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:20:37 +0000

We're still following along on the R2-D2 Droid 2 hunt. The newest tweet is as follows...

@DroidLanding - http://bit.ly/dtEBiq #AttackPatternDelta

Plugging the message into the droiddoes.com Tweet Translator gets you this message..

I beg your pardon, what is "java script?" You silly utensil you must mean jawa script. Jawas don't have a written language. Simply awful creatures, jawas. Can't abide them. What? oh very well...Artoo suggests looking for another clue in the 'Blogosphere." Personally, I've never heard of that star system.

Blogosphere?!? Time to find a specific blog. Wonder if it's ours?

Follow along with our R2-D2 forum thread!

Samsung Galaxy Tab Announced, Commercial, Specs and Accessories Included

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:43:19 +0000

While we wait for the Droid tablet to be announced and see what it has under the hood, we get a preview of what real Android tablets should act like with the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Today, Samsung made it official with the launch of a dedicated site which includes all sorts of goodies. In fact, you could spend a solid hour and a half playing and learning; seriously think about checking it out. With the official launch and site, we get the first commercial which displays this 7" tablet beautifully and a spec sheet which we have for you after the jump! Full Spec Sheet:

Offical Commercial:

So, who wants one? Or are we all waiting for the DROID tablet? Tough right?

Verizon Selling Certified Pre-owned DROID Xs?

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:45:15 +0000

Now this news is just plain weird. Verizon appears to be pushing a new lineup of "Certified Pre-owned" devices and one of them happens to be the Droid X which we all know keeps getting pushed back (9/15 now). Smart idea...I guess? You can snag one for just $149 instead of the $199 price tag for the real un-owned version. Wait, only a $50 difference? Oh, and you may have to wait a while as the "certified" not-so-surprisingly enough happens to be out of stock as well. Thoughts? Source: Verizon Cheers Adam!

Samsung Fascinate Gallery, Yep It's Pretty

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:36:08 +0000

On our quest to keep you as informed as we can with competition for your Droid family member, we bring you an entire gallery of Samsung Fascinate shots in case you were actually sitting on the fence on whether or not to purchase one. As I said yesterday, the device has a beautiful screen, but the verdict is still out on whether or not this baby can compete with our heavy metal Droid brothers and sisters. We should have one tomorrow, so if there are any questions about the device or specific features you want us to check out, drop them in the comments. Full gallery after the jump! Gallery: [gallery link="file" order="DESC" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Skype Mobile Updated, Still No Calls Over Wi-Fi

Kellen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:11:09 +0000

An update to Skype is available and at first glance seemed like it included one major update, calls over wi-fi! Well if you read the description of this update a little closer, you can see that you can still only makes calls over 3G, but it will no longer kick off your wi-fi as it did in previous versions. While this is a much needed update, many of you will be disappointed to not have an option for wifi-only. Sorry folks! In the market now. Cheers pyroholtz from the forums!

Google Clarifies Steve J*bs Activations Remark, Upgrades Not Included

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:21:01 +0000

We're not going to dive too deeply into this because the last thing we want is for J*bs and his i*hone to have any sort of additional publicity, but earlier today he made a quick remark during the Apple iTunes/iPod/annoying event, on the number of daily activations of iOS devices as compared to the competition. Apparently they are activating 230K per day which seems like a lot, but for a company doing this kind of business for all these years, I can't say I'm impressed. Back to the point! During that mention of activation numbers, he tossed in something along the lines of...

We think some of our friends are counting upgrades in their numbers...

He was obviously referencing Google and the 200K activations per day that Eric Schmidt announced almost an entire month ago. And if his comment is confusing since he used "upgrade" in his statement yet the screen behind him said "update", I'll try to clarify. We think he's talking about upgrades from one Android phone to another which Google has already responded to...

The Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services.

And let's remember that Android activation numbers have probably eclipsed 230K by now. An entire month has gone by and with a full lineup of new devices releasing throughout the last few weeks, you can bet it's creeping towards 300K. (Insert giant eye rolls.) Source: Fortune Via: Androinica

New R2-D2 Tweet! We're Cracking Codes...

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:06:10 +0000

A new tweet was just launched that gives another clue to the R2-D2 Droid 2 lost plans hunt. Here it is...

@DroidLanding - http://bit.ly/b7zx9i #AttackPatternAlpha

Yesterday's tweet here. Update 1: If you drop the full URL from the tweet link into the Tweet Translator, you get this message...

Oh hello there. I am so glad to... Oh really do kindly excuse me. Artoo why are you burbling about motorola incorporated. You were constructed by industrial Automaton..obviously an inferior enterprise since you have clearly picked up a slight flutter. Do excuse us. Artoo, come along. I'll take you down to maintenance.

Update 2: Searching the Moto site for "Automaton" you get this memo which has obviously been created just for this contest. Sneaky Moto.

We're on the hunt for meaning over at the forums!

Cheers victor!

Samsung Fascinate TV Spot Launches

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:00:01 +0000

Being a big Droid guy, the Samsung Galaxy S lineup of phones just hasn't grabbed my attention yet, but with their impressive specs, SuperAMOLED screens and industry-wide availability, it's hard not to at least watch out of the corner of my eye. And with the launch of the Fascinate on Verizon coming in just 7 days, we'll probably start paying even closer attention. Here is the first TV spot for VZW's newest Android beast...

Anyone ditching their Droid for a Fascinate?

HuddleHub to Offer ESPN Fantasy Football Action for Android (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:03:40 +0000

ESPN Fantasy Football addicts were probably a little jealous yesterday after seeing that Yahoo had released its official FF app and rightfully so. After all, ESPN claims to be a "leader" yet can't even pump out a simple mobile app for one of its biggest online money makers. Don't worry though, we think we have an option! It's called HuddleHub and claims to be a fantasy football app that allows you to pull in your Yahoo and ESPN leagues with a full management experience! Seriously, sounds too good to be true right? Well apparently it'll launch within the next few days assuming they want it out before the season starts. We should also note that the i*hone version launched on August 30th, so let's hope the Android version isn't far behind. Update: We had a chance to chat with the HuddleHub crew and we have release information!

Right now we are going to be releasing a Lite and Premium version of our app. The Lite application will be available this upcoming Monday, September 6th. The Lite application functionality will include on 9/6: 1) Add/Drop players, 2) Import Teams, 3) View Rosters, 4) Live Scores, and of course 5) registering/logging into HuddleHub. Come 9/9 (the first day of the football season) we will have Start/Bench available for the Lite version of the application. The premium version of the application (launch date undetermined) will have all of the aforementioned features with Injury Player Notifications, Free Agent Notifications, and a Touchdown tracker.

So we've got a Lite version with a ton of features launching on Monday (9/6) and the Premium version with injury reports and additional goodies still in the works. Who's ready for some football? Sign up to be notified of the release of HuddleHub here. Cheers Martin!

Contest: Join Our Forums, Win Accessories!

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:54:02 +0000

We are pleased to announce a new contest which gives 3 Droid Life readers a chance to win $25 worth of accessories to the Droid Life Store! Since launching the new Droid Life Forums yesterday, we've already had over 1,500 people sign up to become members and can't help but acknowledge how amazing that is. We don't want to stop there though! We want everyone to realize the value of the newest extension of the Droid Life community and in order to do that, we are offering up fabulous prizes! What is the contest?

We are giving away 3 accessory prize packages to 3 different Droid Life forum members.
The contest starts immediately and will finish on Monday, September 6th.

How do you enter?

The first thing you need to do is sign up to become a member of our forums.
The second thing, is to post to this thread your favorite Droid 1, 2, X, Incredible features.
If already a member, simply perform step 2.

What are the prizes?

We are giving away three $25 accessory vouchers to the Droid Life Store.

Winners announced?

On Monday, September 6th, we will randomly choose 3 Droid Life forum members who have met both entry requirements.
Winners will be notified through their forum email address.

Head over to the forums now to join in on the action!

Angry Birds Now Hitting Market on Friday After "Massive" Response

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:00:29 +0000

Droid Life readers, you've done it again. After breaking the news that Angry Birds beta would be available this Friday to anyone who signed up to be a tester, you responded in a big enough way that Rovio was forced into exploring a new distribution method. That's right, they now plan on releasing the beta into the Android Market rather than having to send out thousands of emails. Nice work people. In an email to Talk Android, we get the following...

Angry Birds Begin Hatching On Android This week, we were planning to run a closed beta test of Angry Birds Lite for Android. Due to the massive response and demand from the Android community, we have decided to make Angry Birds Lite Beta available for everybody through the Android Market this Friday. Please note that this will be the beta version of the application which is still undergoing final testing before official release. Angry Birds Lite Beta is presented on an “as is” basis, and we cannot guarantee its functionality on every Android device. Angry Birds Lite Beta will run on second generation Android devices and upwards...

Watch for it Friday! And remember that this version is only "beta" and will have some bugs. Via: Talk Android

DROID X Does 4G? Best Buy Says So!

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:31 +0000

Not that we find great joy in pointing out the mistakes of others, but we did find this Best Buy advertisement gaff pretty entertaining. The Droid X apparently has 4G capabilities and also appears to have a new custom HTC Sense theme in the works. Should we expect that via OTA update? I guess we'd probably take Sense over Blur. (Ooh poll question!) And that's about enough ribbing of our friends at BB.

Cheers to xgrinder911 for the find in our forums!

Ready to Buy a Prepaid DROID, DROID 2 or DROID X?

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:00:36 +0000

Big time prepaid smartphones are headed to Verizon. According to reports, September 2nd is the day you'll be able to walk into a VZW store and straight up buy a Droid, Droid 2 or Droid X "pay-as-you-go" phone. And why would you do that? To have "control" over your plan...or if you have crappy credit. Oh, it looks like the Droid Incredible is on there as well. It's a family affair! Pricing details:

Source: Android Does

Motorola Milestone 2 Becomes Official, Actually Does Shoot HD Video

Kellen — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:12:56 +0000

After a video of the Milestone 2 appeared yesterday on Youtube, you got the feeling that Motorola was about to announce it. Well today, that happened. And yes, the non-US version apparently has the ability to shoot HD 720p video while the "Droid 2" doesn't...

Further enhancements to the original MILESTONE include 720p HD video capture and playback allowing you to capture life’s moments in crystal clear detail...

You can view the entire press release here. Via: Phandroid

DROID 2 as Warranty Replacement for DROID Continues, Surprises Customers

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:43:25 +0000

We broke the news last week that Verizon was sending out Droid 2 and Incredible devices as warranty replacements for Droid 1's and it looks like they aren't stopping any time soon. After another 2 dozen confirmations from readers, we received this shot of the letter that's included in some shipments. What's interesting, is that customers are assuming that a D1 will be in the box and are instead opening it up to a nicely upgraded surprise. +1 Verizon. Anyone else? Cheers Alex!

Milestone 2 Makes Brief Appearance? Does HD Video?

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:27:50 +0000

The Motorola Milestone 2 made an unexpected appearance today and one that wasn't planned by Motorola from what we can tell. A full on intro video was found by Android Central then quickly removed only to re-appear again from some a sneaky Engadget reader. Some interesting facts from the video:

Opening credit mentions "Motorola Milestone 2 with MotoBlur". Yuck.
HD video. (Yep, the same feature left off of the Droid 2.)
Flash 10.1.
1 GHz processor.
Up to 40GB of storage.
3G mobile hotspot.
New Droid 2 keyboard.
Improved camera with dual LED flash.
Seriously, MotoBlur everywhere.

Check out the video after the jump before it's pulled! Video Action:

This is definitely interesting and semi-frustrating stuff. If it really takes HD video with the Droid 2 is stuck with "DVD quality" video, that is extremely unfortunate. And the MotoBlur stuff is funny. We told you the Droid X was running MotoBlur and after seeing this phone with it, you can tell that Moto simply change the launcher to look more Droid-esque, but is all about the Blur. No release date, but we'll see what else we can dig up! Via: Engadget, Android Central Cheers RacecarBMW and Orlando!

Introducing the Droid Life Forums

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:16:45 +0000

Yep, that title says it all. Today, the whole crew here at Droid Life would like to announce that the DL Forums are live and ready for you to take over! It's been a fun 9 month journey so far in the Droid community and this is the next step to helping continue our support for what we believe is the greatest lineup of smartphones on the planet. We really just want the forums to be an extension of this site and a place for the unbelievable community here to gather and discuss topics in greater detail. Sometimes a single thread of comments on a post can be a little overwhelming, especially if you are looking for a very specific answer and we're hoping this will fix that. The forums have been set up in the simplest of manners with only 6 major categories and just a few very specific sub-categories. The last thing we wanted to do was scare you at launch, but know that we are open to suggestions and will definitely be evolving over time. A couple of notes:

Sign up is free.
Each forum category has rules set up. Please read them.
Birdman is dropping knowledge at the DL Forums.
Enjoy!

Developers:

We would love to set you up a spot to release ROMs, hacks, etc. Just let us know!

Hosting:

BeyondHosting.net hooked us up big time! Tyler and the crew had us up and running in what seemed like minutes and you will be more than pleased at the performance. I highly recommend you check them out should you need any hosting in the near future.

Visit our forums here or through the dedicated link up top!

Angry Birds for Android Coming This Friday? Sign Up Now!

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:22:09 +0000

If you are interested in beta testing one of the most popular mobile games on the planet, then you might want to think about signing up for the Angry Birds Android beta immediately. According to an email sent from their support department to one of our readers, they plan on sending out the beta this Friday to everyone that signed up...

Hi Jeremy, We are going to send out a massive beta test to everyone that signed up to android.angrybirds.com at the end of the week. Cheers, Matt

Visit android.angrybirds.com to sign up now!

DROID Does R2-D2 Page Updated, New Contest Announced

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:56:49 +0000

The @DroidLanding Twitter account just started up what appears to be a new contest. At the same time, the new R2-D2 Droid 2 page went live and includes all kinds of fun facts, tricks, secrets, and info about this mysterious Star Wars related device. Visit the R2-D2 site here. Update 1: Apparently the new contest involves secret codes which will unlock the location of the secret plans of the lost R2-D2 unit. Should you find the plans, you will receive one of the special edition D2's for free. Also along the way, these unlock codes will give you access to all of the features on the new R2-D2 site like exclusive video, wallpapers, a device gallery, etc. Update 2: Here is the first tweet. Someone figure out the code!

@DroidLanding - http://bit.ly/bRccc9 #AttackPatternAlpha

Update 3: If you plugin the URL that the above tweet redirects you to into the C3PO Tweet Translator you get an answer and a redirect to these photos. Here is the message...

R2D2 IS REPEATING INFORMATION FROM THE BATTLE OF YAVIN...UGH. SOMETIHNG ABOUT UNITING THE CALL SIGNS TO FORM A CIPHER. COULD HE POSSIBLY MEAN THESE? http://bit.ly/a0Ytzp

Let's do this people! Put our Droid Life brains together and find us the lost plans! Dedicated thread started over at the forums! Check it here.

The Tato Series: An Interview with CVPCS of Sapphire

Tim — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:44:36 +0000

Well.....Hello there lovely readers of Droid-Life! Boy, has it been busy around here! We got an IRC Channel, we got OTA's, and even Manual Updates! Plus, you can expect it to get busier! Time for a break and a nice lil' sit down with one of my favorite peoples in the Android Community, Mr. CVPCS of the most righteous Sapphire ROM. You guys may know me for my non stop flashing of different ROM's and themes, but if I had just one choice for a "backup" emergency ROM....it would be Sapphire. *sheds tear* It's very good! Anyways, enough of the emotional stuff. TechDeft and I had a great time chatting it up with CVPCS and are very excited to share this with you! ENJOY!

_______________________________________________________________

Tim-o-tato: So, its great to chat with you as always CVPCS. For the people who might not recognize the handle, mind giving us your name and what it is you do? Cvpcs: My name is Austen Dicken, and I am currently a software developer full time over the summer and full time student in the fall/winter/spring. Tim-o-tato: What is it you are currently in school for? Cvpcs: Computer science and Mathematics (double major) Tim-o-tato: From your work, I would say that's just about right! TechDeft: Is the development you mention just android or professional as well? Cvpcs: Professional. I develop software that tracks the manufacture and testing of black box recorder systems designed by the company where I work for use in helicopters. Tim-o-tato: I feel out of my league already! Thanks! TechDeft: Sounds like you've already said too much! Do you have to kill us now? When did you get your start in programming? Cvpcs: I started programming around when I was 12. About a half-year after my parents had bought their first computer. I started with Javascript, and then moved onto Java. From there I wanted to get into more low-level stuff. Around the time I turned 13 I started working on learning C. (give or take a year, it was some time ago) Tim-o-tato: So with all of these things you seem to have going on, how is it you find time for Android? A natural love? Cvpcs: Like most of my personal programming projects, they tend to be quite time consuming and don't pay well, so I would have to say I do it out of love, haha. I find programming in general to be a ton of fun, especially when it comes to just trying to do interesting things with technology. Android is the coolest thing I've been involved with in a long time. I always love seeing the different things there are to do. And it's an extension of some of the stuff I've done in the past. I used to spend lots of time fiddling around with trying to see what different devices I could get to run Linux. Haha TechDeft: Whats a personal goal for Android that you are working on now? Cvpcs: Well currently I am excited to see the GEM series of ROMs ported to new devices. Most know we are working on Ruby for the Incredible, and we are also looking into Emerald for the Evo. I am also working on some other really exciting stuff, but sadly I can't openly discuss it at present. Tim-o-tato: Awe. We understand how that is! So tell us, how did the affair start for you and Android? Cvpcs: Well, as soon as I heard Google was going to put out a Mobile OS I was hooked. I knew I wanted a droid pretty much as soon as they released it. After that, it took me about a month until someone asked me, "Have you rooted yet?". While I knew what he meant I had never really thought about it. So I went online and (of course) Googled it. After that I found "Alldroid" and a lot of information about all this "ROM" business. To be honest though, at first I was a bit skeptical, and like most people a little scared. I mean I had just dropped a few hundred on this phone!! Haha Tim-o-tato: Makes sense lol Given your background with java, were you able to easily dive right in once you got your feet wet? Cvpcs: Well, after awhile I just decided, "Hell, I hack every other thing I own, why not this?!" I did it and haven't looked back since. It actually wasn't quite as easy as you'd think. I didn't start in the java end of it (what can I say, I'm a low-level guy). My first android-related hacks were working on porting various x86 libraries and programs over to android. My first popular port was of the CWiiD Wii-mote connectivity library. After I got that working I knew I was going to be messing with my phone for awhile. It was bliss being able to use my classic controller to play SNESoid! Tim-o-tato: Wow! I can see it now! Must have been exciting knowing you were doing all this...with a phone! So then how did you make your way to building ROMs? From source nonetheless! Cvpcs: Well, to be honest I started by reading some of Sniffle's guides on Alldroid, but needless to say the source building process is very difficult, and very hard to explain in a simple guide. I was determined to build my own ROM just out of the curiosity to learn how it's done and the excitement of being able to make in-source changes.

TechDeft: Outside of programming for Android phones, what are some hardware or software hacks that you have done that might be interesting to our readers? Cvpcs: Well, I personally love the reboot recovery menu option and the extended volume/camera button music controls. I also love seeing what kind of crazy things I can get running on my Wii, as well as attempting to push the limits of my EeePC. TechDeft: Wii and Netbook hacks! Have you tried installing Android to the Asus EeePC at all? Cvpcs: Way ahead of you! I think I first installed android-x86 on that thing back in March. Right now it dual-boots! TechDeft: That is impressive! So what do you feel Android is lacking? Cvpcs: An open-source bootloader :-P Tim-o-tato: Amen to that :) Cvpcs: Let me rephrase that...A standard open-source bootloader. Tim-o-tato: So did you ever think your work would become as popular as it has with the community? Cvpcs: Well, yes and no. I always figured that one day Sapphire/GEM would become popular, as I truly believe in open source, and a lot of people hadn't really been going down that route when I first started. I wanted to do work that was freely available and always online for others to look at and base their work on or add their work to it, to show what it is like for a project to be completely open. Everything about GEM is open. What I had never expected was that it would take off so fast. People have been so supportive that it caught me off guard. It's been a real blast working on all of this! TechDeft: You do have quite the community! Do you have any metrics available? Number of ROM installs, number of contributors, etc? Cvpcs: Well, we have Google Analytics on our website, but the most interesting metric is I suppose downloads to date. Haha TechDeft: Oh yea? Would you care to disclose? Cvpcs: The 1.0.0 zip has been tracked at approx: 20,000 downloads as of right now. Tim-o-tato: That's quite the number! What about all this work and social status. Do you get a kick off knowing you are a Dev for one of thee best built and popular ROMs for the Android device? Get a sense of cockiness at all? I think I would. Just being honest :-P Cvpcs: I try my best to keep a level head about it. If I ever find myself feeling popular I just tell myself, "Yes Austen, you're popular..... on the Internet!" Haha. But in all seriousness I do enjoy when people recognize the name. But it's about community and helping out. I still get a lot of help from a lot of people and I still like doing my best to help out anyone who has questions be it about the ROM or about Dev. Tim-o-tato: Classy answer. +1 Do you mind if we ask your age? Cvpcs: I'm presently 23, going to be 24 this fall. Tim-o-tato: Happy early B-Day! So im gonna go for the goofy questions now! Feel free to let loose and open up on these! Cvpcs: Haha sounds good! Tim-o-tato: So....Steve Jobs hands you an iPhone and says, "Come to the Dark Side and Dev!" What do you say back? Cvpcs: "You're holding it wrong" Tim-o-tato: Yay! Good answer! Task Killers- Do you use one? Or have you ever? Cvpcs: I use Advanced Task Manager Free. I don't really support task managers the way people tend to use them, but when developing it's common to have an app that may go haywire and for whatever reason the system won't let you force close it. In those cases a task killer can be useful. Tim-o-tato: Well from a Dev stand point that is understandable lol TechDeft: I like to keep the ATK widget on a screen for quick and dirty memory management myself. Cvpcs: Haha don't even get me started on task killers and memory management. >.< Tim-o-tato: So Austen, tell us all something you think no one would know about you. Exclusive Droid-Life info lol Cvpcs: Well, when I was 16 I toured Europe as a tenor in an a-capella choir, where I performed in ~14 locations in 7 different countries. Tim-o-tato: Wow! That's awesome! Do you travel a lot anymore? Ride any of the helicopters? lol Cvpcs: I haven't been overseas again since then, but I have traveled quite a bit around the states. I'd like to go see Asia next, as I've never been there and the culture is so rich. As for helicopters, I'm strictly a developer, so no I haven't had the pleasure, haha. I've always wanted to see Japan, China, Mongolia, and India Tim-o-tato: The Japanese would LOVE you! lol TechDeft: So we are getting about ready to wrap it up...but before we go, can you think of one question you would like to ask of the Android Community readers? Cvpcs: Hmmm, that's a tough one! Tim-o-tato: Good! It's hard thinking of tough Q's for someone of your caliber! Cvpcs: Last I heard, the Droid1 makes up 80% of the market share for android devices. This as well as it being one of the most hackable phones created such a strong and vibrant development community that we have today. Other phones had communities of their own but they never seemed as big or strong as the Droid1 "home brew" community. Now Verizon/Motorola have discontinued the Droid1. I'm curious what people think will be the next big thing! Tim-o-tato: Great question! (ANSWER IT PEOPLE!) lol I wanna thank you for all of your time today!!! It has been a real pleasure! I'm walking away with +5 I.Q. points :) Cvpcs: It's been a real pleasure for me as well! Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Hope to see you around Droid-Life sometime! Don't be a stranger!

_______________________________________________________________

And there it is. Another one for the books! Talk about someone who is on a completely different conscience level then me (and most people). Reminds me of Russel Crowe's character in Beautiful Mind. Just a complete whiz. Someone with a gift. I absolutely LOVE how the Android Community is filled with them too! We need more people like Austen to lead the way in Development! *sheds more tears* I wanna thank everyone again for all your support of this site and Android in general. None of this would be possible if it weren't for the readers! Keep it up! I'll see ya in the comments section! (I'll be the one posting "first") ;-) -Tim-o-tato & TechDeft

_______________________________________________________________

Don't forget to check out Tim's previous interviews with Peter Alfonso and ChevyN01. Support Cvpcs and check out the Sapphire Wiki Site! | Also: Cvpcs on Droid Fourms Check out Tatos band! They just released an album! | Mr TechDeft runs a Blog. Perhaps you'll stop by? So tell me..."What's gonna be the next BIG thing?" Also: Submit questions for my next interview with Aaron Carpinteri of InsaneNemesis/Shadow ROM!!!

Yahoo Fantasy Football App Hits Market!

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:45:09 +0000

It's here! It's here! The Yahoo Fantasy Football app has launched and is available in the market for free! A glorious day indeed for all fantasy obsessive football fiends. Nice timing too with the regular season starting in just 9 days. Everyone signed up for their leagues? On a related note, we can't do a Droid Life league because there are way too many people and we'd end up having 150 different leagues going on. However, we are looking into a pick'em or survivor league which would allow for everyone to join in the fun. Stay tuned for that! Download:

Download Link

Cheers ckeegan!

DROID Incredible Update Rolling through 9/3, DROID X in "Testing"

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:45:14 +0000

Forget what the rumors said over the weekend, the Droid Incredible Froyo update has not been put on hold and is still rolling out to devices right now. The proof would be the dozens of emails we've received this morning from people who received notification to update or found the update.zip which allows for immediate 2.2 awesomeness. Verizon is currently planning on having it on all DI's by 9/3 (Friday) which seems a little ambitious, so don't hold your breath on that date. I wouldn't be surprised if they have to extend that out just a little and rightfully so. Anything to avoid a Droid 2.1 fiasco, right? As for the Droid X, the "official" 2.2 update is still going through last minute tests and does not have a specific date for launch. The Motorola forums mentioned "early September" just yesterday, so we can only hope that means within the next 2 weeks. Test that baby already! We need some official Froyo-ness!

Manually Update DROID Incredible to Android 2.2

Kellen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:00:19 +0000

Ahhh, the finding of an early morning OTA update.zip file. My favorite. So yeah, the "official" Android 2.2 update for the Droid Incredible has been found and is ready for your manual consumption. It's a pretty simple process that we'll assume causes you no pain. Well maybe a little. Instructions:

*Note 1*- This is for stock non-rooted users ONLY.

1. Download the update.zip file from here. (DIRECT FROM GOOGLE.) 2. Drop the file on the root of your SD card. (Meaning, don't put it in any folder.)

*MAKE SURE IT'S NAMED UPDATE.ZIP!

3. Turn your phone off. 4. Press and hold the Volume Down and Power at the same time to boot into HBOOT. 5. When the white HBOOT screen appears, use the volume button to move down to "RECOVERY." 6. Press the Power button to select "RECOVERY." 7. When the triangle and exclamation appears, hold the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. 8. Using the volume button, scroll down to "apply sdcard:update.zip" and select it. 9. Your phone will now update! 10. It could take some time, so be patient. When it reboots, you are on official 2.2. Yay! Via: XDA Forums Cheers Android Central for the Google Link! And cheers to everyone who sent this in!

FRG22D Update for DROID Running through 9/4

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:33 +0000

Don't worry, we haven't been ignoring any of your tweets regarding the status of the FRG22D Froyo update for the original Droid which allows Flash 10.1 to be downloaded from the market, we were simply waiting to hear from VZW. It appears as if the rollout for the update could last through 9/4 so you'll need to remain somewhat patient if you have yet to see the notification hit your device. Of course, you could always manually update today.

No Path to Official DROIDX Update Coming from Motorola for Leaked 2.2 Users

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:41:36 +0000

Motorola doesn't appear to want to follow in the steps of HTC when it comes to updating to Froyo. If you remember, during the series of leaked Android 2.2 builds for the EVO, HTC was doing their best to create patches and fixes to early adoptees that were having trouble updating to their official release. Moto on the other hand, appears to be taking the other path which could explain their prompt spraying of C&D letters to anyone hosting the leaked 2.2 for the Droid X from 10 days ago. The Motorola Support Forums mentioned the following today...

WARNING: Do NOT load the leaked 2.2 upgrade that has been floating around on the Internets. There is currently no upgrade path from that load to the official 2.2 load that will be released by early September. Unless you have some plan to flash your phone back to the current official load, you could be stuck on the leaked version.

Let me just say that we warned you twice about this, so if you are getting all red and out of breath with droplets of sweat beginning to form on your forehead, stop now. There are risks involved in the flashing of any leaked Android update and we make that as clear as can be. But not to leave you hanging, we figured we should probably give you some instructions on how to get back to 2.1 so that you can receive the official 2.2 and save yourself from an aneurysm. Stay tuned for those... Oh yeah, and that note also mentions an "early September" release which could mean as early as this weekend? Via: Motorola Support Forums Cheers Rodney!

Koush's Bootstrap Recovery Method Works on DROID2

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:06:10 +0000

For those that purchased a Droid 2 and have rooted your device, get ready for your own set of custom ROMs to start hitting the interwebs. Koush released a Droid 2 Bootstrap which appears to work flawlessly and allows you quick access to Clockwork Recovery to create backups, flash ROMs (once they are made) and have control over every aspect of your new phone. Rooting instructions here. Bootstrap info here. Happy hacking! Cheers @slayher!

Samsung Fascinate Comparison Charts

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:48:43 +0000

We try to focus as much of our energy as we can on the Droid family of smartphones, but it's hard for us to argue against the buzz and hype surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S lineup. And as of September 8th, you'll be able to purchase the Verizon version aka the Fascinate and thought it was only fair to provide you with some comparison sheets to not only the Droid lineup, but to other Galaxy S devices in case you were considering one. The Galaxy S comparison including the Epic 4G...

Further detail on the Galaxy S line plus an i*hone mention...

Anyone jumping the Droid ship for the Fascinate?

Bing Android App Hits Market

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:19:35 +0000

Writing about an official Bing app on Android seems so wrong in so many ways, but after playing with it for 5 minutes, I'm actually sort of impressed. In cheating on your cat kind of way. (Huh? Exactly.) As you may have heard, Bing (of Microsoft) is one of the big competitors against Google and their search domination. Today, they announced the release of their first Android app that comes fully loaded and doesn't skimp on features. In fact, you can actually ditch all things Google experience if you choose to just by downloading this new Bing app. Overall, I really like this app. However, you can't beat Google integration. In the market for F to the R to the E to the E. Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Download:

Download Link

Cheers Wade!

Real HDMI App for DROID X Unlocks HDMI Magic

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:18:01 +0000

Time to take your Droid X and use it's HDMI out feature the way it was meant to be used through Real HDMI. From developer Gman comes the first app which allows you to hook up your DX, see the display simultaneously on your TV and take full advantage of its awesomeness. There are a few limitations, but remember that this is brand new and will continue to get better through time. If you have a Droid X, this is definitely worth your money. Video Action:

In Market for $1.99. Full support thread at source link below. Download:

Download Link

Source: Droid X Forums Cheers Dave!

New DROID Incredible User Guide, Maybe they are Shipping with Froyo?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:00:21 +0000

After Verizon updated their Droid Incredible page to include Android 2.2 and bloatware in the description of the device, we had to wonder if they would start shipping DI's with Froyo already pre-installed. It now looks like that will definitely be the case going forward after we received this new user guide. While the massive 308 page guide doesn't actually mention Android 2.2, it drops enough hints including the screenshot above which shows the Froyo Google search bar. We also just received word from a reader who's brand new DI is apparently running Froyo out of the box. Download: New Droid Incredible Userguide And to answer the question we've seen a lot over the last few days; yes as far as we know, 2.2 is still being sent out to all Incredibles. But remember, you can update to it now by visiting our guide if you'd like! Anyone receiving a new Incredible today? Would love to hear what OS it's running. And who's received the 2.2 update? We've heard from a few of you, but want to show the world that it's still rolling out. Cheers Jordan!

Monday Poll: Where you at Droid Lifers?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:15:51 +0000

Back in March, we ran this same poll/map to see where in the world the readers of Droid Life hail from and thought it was a great time to do it again. After the release of the Droid X, Incredible and now Droid 2, there are a ton of new readers out there that we are curious to hear from and thought this was the best way to break you into the community that is DL. Plus, the map looks really cool after a few thousand people drop their location on it! Here is what you do:

Click on the “Add” button on the map and put in your city or zip code.
You can also click "Add" and then tap on your location on the map.
From there you can either preview it to make sure it’s correct or just hit submit.
Please do not put in your actual street address.

Here we go!

Birdman Releases First DROID X ROM, Installation Instructions Here

Kellen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:34:20 +0000

One of our favorite devs/hackers/awesome people, Birdman, just dropped the first Droid X ROM onto our laps and it's officially time to get our DX paws a little filthy. Anyone with us? His FlyX ROM (ROM Details here.) is only in "RC1 status", but is available to anyone with a 2.2 rooted Droid X to try out via ROM Manager if they are willing to take the risk. Obviously we are willing to take that risk!

*Warning 1* - If you root, hack, install a custom ROM onto your phone you are voiding the warranty. If you choose to do this you accept all risk. Risks would include permanently damaging your device to the point where it will no longer work. Again, you accept all risk. *Warning 2* - READ EVERY SINGLE NOTE. If you don't meet all of the criteria, do not attempt this.

Instructions:

*Note 1* - YOU HAVE TO BE RUNNING THE LEAKED 2.2. (Instructions here.) *Note 2* - YOU HAVE TO BE ROOTED. (Instructions here.) *Note 3* - YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DROID X BOOSTRAP INSTALLED. (Info here.)

1. Once you have all of the above taken care of you are ready to start. 2. Download and install ROM Manager from the Market. 3. If you haven't already, tap the top button to "Flash Clockwork Recovery." 4. Once that finishes, choose "Download ROM." 5. Choose Birdman's FlyX. 6. Choose the only option which is FlyX 0.1 RC1. 7. The ROM will now download. 8. When it finishes you will be prompted to backup and wipe data/cache. Check BOTH boxes.

*Note 4* - Seriously, check BOTH boxes. You need a backup in case something goes wrong and Birdman is highly recommending that you wipe data and cache.

9. You phone will now reboot, create a backup and flash the FlyX ROM. 10. Once it finishes, it will reboot and you will now be running Birdman's FlyX.

*Note 5* - The first boot will take some time. Be patient. *Note 6* - After your phone boots for the first time, if you are really patient, it will likely re-download all of your previously installed apps. Sign into your Gmail account and watch the sync icon appear and work for a long time depending on the number of apps you had.

11. Enjoy life without bloatware! Let us know if you run into any issues. There are likely to be some seeing as this is the first ROM available, so understand that. We'll work through them together by holding hands and singing campfire songs.

I also highly recommend you visit Birdman's site and donate to the cause.

Cheers everyone who sent this in!

White DROID Incredible Anyone?

Kellen — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:55 +0000

You can already buy a special edition white HTC EVO, but what about the Droid Incredible? Similar phone, similar styling, all that, right? Well now you can. Except the good part is, it appears as if you can simply buy a new battery cover rather than an entire new phone. White Incredible time people! Thoughts on the look? For some unexplainable reason, I'm kind of digging it. Full gallery after the jump... Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"]

Download: New Google Voice with Widgets

Kellen — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:15:19 +0000

The new version of Google Voice which will be included with the T-Mobile G2 has been found in the system dump that's out in the wild. Who cares right? Well it becomes news-worthy for the simple fact that this version comes packed with 2 widgets to drop on your homescreens, making your voice and texting addictions even more accessible. Download: googlevoice-0.4.1.19.apk Install as you would any other .apk file. It will upgrade your current Google Voice. Source: XDA Forums Cheers 0mie and Ben!

New HTC Verizon Phone Looks Impressive, but What is it?

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:18:47 +0000

BGR just snagged some images of a new HTC device (reportedly headed to Verizon) that are guaranteed to leave you all hot and bothered. Looking similar to the EVO 4G while sporting a kickstand and front facing camera, this bad boy better be the next "DROID". Could it be the Merge which a Phandroid tipster spotted a couple of weeks ago? What about the "SICK" which was mentioned in a VZW roadmap? Should we expect it to be 4G? We have zeros answers to any of those questions at this point, but will be hitting up every source we've got to find out more juicy details. And hit up one last shot after the jump!

Source: BGR

TweetDeck Beta V0.9.5 Released

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:54:38 +0000

TweetDeck appears to be serious about making a top notch Android Twitter client and that should make you smile. We all know how amazing their desktop client is, and after 5 or so beta updates in about two weeks time, you can tell that this is going to be a guaranteed winner as well. A new version has just been released which can be downloaded directly to your phone now. Download: TweetDeck-0.9.5.apk Changelog:

Full compatibility with all phones running 1.6 and above
Added option to remove Facebook, Buzz, or Foursquare accounts
Added option to delete tweets sent by you
Improved handling and refined UI for Facebook and Google Buzz attachments
Fixed bug preventing successful updates containing multiple photos
Added multi-Twitter account compose
New "More" button on all Twitter user profiles and updates allowing

Reply All Sharing Translation Copy update text Copy update URL

Tapping the header when at the top of the column will refresh that column

And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! Source: TweetDeck

Custom Theme Friday: Purple Passion for Sapphire 1.0.0

Tim — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:02:20 +0000

Talk about a busy day. We officially launched our IRC Channel which completely blew up and MrPicolas (Dr. Root) is still recovering in the Trauma Center at the local ER. We hope for a speedy recovery! Today, I present Purple Passion by 'roberj13'. I enjoy LOTS of his work! This theme has been ported to Sapphire 1.0.0 and runs incredibly well! Especially since the Sapphire team has built such a beautiful ROM. Continue on to see Gallery and instructions! Instructions: Download and flash Sapphire 1.0.0 stock theme! 1. Download the Purple Passion theme: Link 2. Place file on root of your SD Card. 3. Flash file through ROM Manager - "Install zip from SD" And that's it! Sit back and watch magic happen! Enjoy everyone! <3 -Tim-o-tato See all of the previous version of Custom Theme Friday here. See all of RoberJ13's work HERE: Droid Forums Profile [gallery]

Fennec Hits Official Alpha, Download it Now

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:15:59 +0000

Firefox Mobile or Fennec, hit official "alpha" today for all Android phones running at least version 2.0. While this is still a very early build, the Fennec team has decided that it is worthy of an announcement and some video action. I'll also say that after just a few minutes of time with it, you can see that it has come a long way. What a great browser this is going to be. Download it now by visiting this link from your phone's browser. Video:

Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Cheers orangearrows!

New DROID Incredibles to Ship with Froyo? Maybe, Maybe Not?

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:50:22 +0000

The Droid Incredible order page on VerizonWireless.com has been updated to include all of the features the device will see once it finally gets Froyo over the next few days. What's interesting is that it sort of leads you to believe that new versions of the device will ship with all of this update goodness, however we understand the unlikeness of that happening. After all, the Droid has been updated 2-3 times now and if you were to somehow find a brand new one today, it would come with Android 2.0 (in some cases 2.1) and simply force you to update it immediately. Nice to see VZW acknowledging the update everywhere though. Via: Android Central, Verizon

Introducing the Droid Life IRC Support Channel!

Tim — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:15:09 +0000

You heard it right folks! I give you the awesomely official Droid Life channel on IRC! If you have a look at the top of your screen you'll see a tab for "Live Support" where you will find a gang of us hanging out and chatting it up about everything Android/Droid Life/and life in general. So come on in and say "HI!" If you need help solving a phone related issue or any other type of problem, this is a great place to start! Obviously our comment section is top notch when it comes to support and we want to keep it that way, but this is another outlet for you to find an answer from the community. As the community grows, the IRC channel will provide support for your custom ROM, rooting, backup, etc. needs, so don't be shy! Located on the FREENODE server ;-)

ENTER LIVE SUPPORT!

-Tim-o-tato and EVERYONE here at Droid-Life.com

Verizon Support Confirms Incredible Froyo Update Starts Today

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:15:28 +0000

The official Verizon Support Twitter account has weighed in this morning with news confirming that the Incredible Froyo update indeed starts today. (And yes, this account has been verified.) While this isn't news to us after we showed the world an email from Verizon with today's date on it yesterday, I do hope this helps some of the doubters out there, because damn, there are a lot of you. (Smiley!) Let us know as soon as you see the update hit your device! Via: Phandroid, Twitter

Anyone Receive the Incredible Froyo Update? How About the DROID FRG22D?

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:45:01 +0000

You know we had to ask right? Has anyone received the Android 2.2 for the Droid Incredible yet? How about the FRG22D update for the Droid which allows for Flash 10.1 to be downloaded from the market? The Droid update was supposed to start rolling out in massive batches yesterday, while the Incredible is likely just hitting its first test group. Still, let us know in the comments!

Latin American Milestone Froyo Now "Under Evaluation"?

Kellen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:04:05 +0000

Maybe it was just a type-o? Two days ago, the Motorola software upgrade timeline clearly showed that the Latin American and Mexican Milestone would not be receiving Android 2.2 and that apparently started a war. After 48 hours of anger and #motofail hashtags, Moto has now changed their stance on the possibility of a Froyo update. Via Twitter...

To realize the call made by you guys decided to reassess the possibility of upgrading the Milestone w / Android 2.2

Now that's some Android community power right there. +1 to all of us! Via: Phandroid, Planeta Android

DROID Pro is just DROID 2 World Edition?

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:30:19 +0000

Normally I'm not one to do the "I knew this already!" stuff, but we were told that the Droid Pro would simply be the Droid 2 world edition almost a month ago from 2 separate and non-related sources; we were just put on strict orders not to actually say it publicly. Then today some additional details have come to the forefront, so it's time to talk about it! If you want proof, check out this little hint I dropped on July 30th in a running Droid Pro thread over at Droid Forums...

Not to cause a stir, but I've heard from 2 separate sources that this device is as far from what is in the original post as could possibly be.

Anyways, enough on us, let's talk about the Droid Pro/D2 World Edition. Engadget just received this screenshot which looks similar to one BGR had a few weeks back only with more detail...

As you can see, we now know for sure that the R2-D2 Droid 2 will be model A957 and the D2 "WE" will be A956. We previously weren't sure what A957, but this surely clears up some of that confusion. The R2-D2 D2 should still launch on September 30th, but the D2 "WE" is a complete mystery. So the mysterious Droid Pro is likely not as amazing as was previously rumored and could just be a business version of the D2. Still interested? We are still trying to figure out what the Droid "SICK" is though. Via: Engadget

Manually Update to FRG22D Froyo for DROID Now!

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:18:44 +0000

Don't feel like waiting until you Droid is prompted to update to FRG22D? Then manually update now and enjoy full Flash 10.1 in all its glory well before the rest of the world. The guys at Android Forums have discovered the file and we're bringing it to you live right now!

*NOTE 1* - UNIVERSAL ANDROOT DID NOT ROOT THIS BUILD. IF YOU WANT TO ROOT, I SUGGEST FOLLOWING OUR INSTRUCTIONS INSTEAD OF UPDATING TO THIS. *NOTE 2* - There is a chance you will lose root should you update to this from FRG01B. While the update file is only 1.6MB, it sounds like it is still capable of breaking root. Avoid for now if you wish to stay rooted.

___________________________________________

Instructions to manually install the FRG22D Froyo Update on your Motorola Droid:

*THIS IS ONLY FOR NON-ROOTED STOCK 2.2 USERS RUNNING FRG01B.

1. Download this file: update.zip or DIRECT FROM GOOGLE LINK 2. Place file on the root of your sdcard (not in any folder).

Make sure it is named UPDATE.ZIP! The Google link will need to be renamed.

3. Turn your phone off. 4. Boot into recovery (Hold Power + X). 5. Wait for a triangle with exclamation point to appear and release Power and X. 6. Hit the volume up and camera button (half-way down) at the same time. 7. Using the D-Pad select “apply update.zip” and press in the gold button on the D-Pad. 8. Your phone will now run the update. 9. When it finishes, use the D-Pad to select reboot phone. 10. Your phone will reboot with Android 2.2, build FRG22D. Enjoy! Flash was there for us immediately! Let us know if you run into any issues. Source: Android Forums Cheers Brent and NickMili!

How to: Root Android 2.2 for the Motorola DROID

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:01:25 +0000

Now that the Motorola Droid has received Android 2.2, we get asked quite often when we'll update our guide to rooting especially from those that were waiting on Froyo before taking the dive. Fortunately for everyone, the process takes a simple click rather than that long drawn out RSD Lite process we had to run through during the 2.1 days. This post should act as your one-stop guide to rooting your Droid running Android 2.2, flashing a custom recovery image, and creating your first nandroid backup to get you on your way to custom ROMs and so much more. If you are looking for reasons as to why someone would root their phone, check out this poll we ran a while back. The comments serve as one of the best compilations of reasoning you'll find anywhere. Enjoy! Update: This rooting method works on Android 2.2 build FRG01B. It does not currently work on FRG22D. If you would like root access, I suggest rooting instead of installing the new FRG22D update.

_________________________________________

Instructions for Rooting Android 2.2:

*Warning* - Rooting your Droid will void its warranty. There is also a chance that you could do permanent damage to your device and possibly "brick" it. You accept all risk should you decide to follow this process. Droid Life accepts no responsibility.

1. Download and install Universal Androot. 2. Open Universal Androot and tap the "Root :-)" button.

3. It will run through a series of steps.

4. If you the process completes successfully, it will look like this.

5. Congrats! You are rooted!

6. Now reboot your phone to finish off the process.

_________________________________________

*You can stop here and enjoy being rooted or you can hit up the next set of instructions to get a custom recovery image on your phone which will allow you to make full backups and flash custom ROMs.

_________________________________________

Installing a Custom Recovery: 1. Open the Market and search for ROM Manager. Download and install it. 2. Open ROM Manager and select "Flash Clockwork Recovery" at the top.

3. If asks you for permission, check the box and tap "Allow."

4. ROM Manager will now flash Clockwork Recovery onto your phone. When it finishes, it will tell you.

5. It is now time to create a full nandroid backup and prepare for custom ROMs!

_________________________________________

*Time to create a nandroid backup which will save you should you have a misstep somewhere in the future while flashing a custom ROM, new recovery, etc. Nandroid backups should be created constantly to ensure you have a current backup of your phone.

_________________________________________

Creating a nandroid backup: 1. In ROM Manager, tap the option to "Reboot into Recovery."

2. Using the volume up/down keys, scroll down to "nandroid" and press the camera button. 3. Choose "Backup."

4. Clockwork Recovery will now create a full nandroid backup of your current phone settings.

5. When it finishes, choose "reboot phone." 6. You now have a rooted phone, custom recovery and a full nandroid backup. You can now participate in our Custom Theme Friday's, flash future ROMs, Android leaks and so much more with your Motorola Droid. Hope this helped and feel free to drop your comments or questions below!

Breaking: DROID Incredible Froyo Update Starts Tomorrow

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:03:56 +0000

To all non-rooted users, you may want to hold off from updating your Droid Incredible just yet! The Froyo update appears to be hitting DI devices tomorrow. Coming packed full of all the Android 2.2 goodness you can expect including Flash 10.1, the "Dinc" will officially be caught up. Full list of updates:

VZW's Incredible support page has more info as well. And if our VZW email plus the support page wasn't enough, Android Central has also received word. Now how about the Droid X?

Rollout of FRG22D to Enable Flash 10.1 for DROID Starts Today

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:45:02 +0000

Verizon started the testing rollout of FRG22D which allows Droid 1 users to download Flash 10.1 from the market on the 24th and are now ready to confirm that it'll be hitting all D1's over the next few days. From Big Red...

Verizon Wireless has begun pushing an update today to the DROID by Motorola (introduced November 2009) that will allow customers to download Adobe Flash 10.1 via Android Market. Flash Player 10.1 provides access to millions of sites with rich content including animations, casual games, videos, rich internet applications, audio and much more.

Start checking your "System Updates" screen religiously! Or remain patient...if that's possible.

How to: Update your DROID Incredible to Leaked Android 2.2

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:56:28 +0000

We've had a chance to flash the new (and what appears to be official) Android 2.2 for the Droid Incredible and wanted to drop the instructions on you. *Warning* - For those that aren't rooted, the steps are pretty simple (read Note 2), just understand that this will wipe your phone completely clean meaning all of your apps will be gone and you'll need to set up your accounts/settings again. Also be warned that if this is not the official update, it could be extremely difficult to back out of and OTA updates could pass you by. Don't say I didn't warn you. You accept all risk involved.

UPDATE: FOR NON-ROOTED USERS, THE UPDATE IS COMING TOMORROW OTA. DO NOT UPDATE TO THIS.

Instructions: (pulled from XDA and edited)

*Note 1* - If you are rooted, make sure you have flashed the unrevoked-forever file! *Note 2* - If you just want to update to 2.2 without root, just plug your phone in and run the RUU which you can download from here. 1. Download this file and place on your SD card. 2. Boot into hboot (Hold optical button + power) and select Bootloader. 3. PB31IMG.ZIP will start to install.

**Step 3 note** Your phone might reboot to either hboot or recovery after trying to install PB31IMG.ZIP, just get back to hboot and install again, when you get back to hboot you should notice its version .92 and S-OFF is still on, just install PB31IMG.ZIP again and all should be good. I believe at one point after it updates hboot it has to reboot to finish the install, so this might be what you are seeing.

4. Reboot, setup your google account, etc. 5. Put the files attached below on the root of your SD-Card.

***Files are PB31IMG.ZIP (this is not the update, either delete the other PB31IMG.ZIP or rename it to PB31IMG.BAK, this is just clockwork recovery in the PB31IMG.ZIP) , payload-update.zip, and su-2.3.2.1-ef-signed.zip***

6. Power down phone and boot to hboot (hold optical button + power). 7. Install PB31IMG.ZIP in hboot, this installs clockwork recovery. 8. Once that is done installing, press volume down, so your phone doesnt reboot, then select recovery. 9. Once you boot into recovery choose install zip from SD-Card, then choose payload-update.zip. 10. After that installs, choose to install another zip and install su-2.3.2.1-ef-signed.zip. 11. Reboot and enjoy your rooted phone running the new Froyo.

Have fun kiddies.

Unstoppable Andy, the Latest Must Have Android Shirt

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:32:01 +0000

The should-be-award-worthy Android t-shirt series that we've been covering is back with a new edition, the Unstoppable Andy. Following up on the Andy vs. Apple release, this new gem takes the evil empire vs. the good guys one step further. Notice the attenna Ghostbuster pack? Notice its failure? Priceless. Pick one up today for $19 here. And so you know, these shirts are printed on American Apparel t's which are top notch. I have both Exploded and Andy vs. shirts and love them.

Full DROID Incredible Froyo Build Leaks

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:00:05 +0000

Only hours after our source dropped a 9/1 Froyo release bomb for the Droid Incredible (then retracted it), a full Android 2.2 leak snuck into the wild. And we aren't talking about some simple nandroid ROM, we're talking an RUU which is like an SBF file in HTC land. You can grab the file from the source link below, but you may want to hold off from flashing this just yet.

Update: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS HERE.

We're still in the process of flashing this to our own DI and will let you know as soon as we have finished, but really you just need to understand that this is big news. And maybe our jittery source wasn't so wrong after all? Source: Shipped ROMs Via: Android Central

DROID2 Rooting Method Works for DROIDX Running Froyo

Kellen — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:30:00 +0000

The same rooting method used for the Droid2 that we told the world about yesterday also works on the Droid X running Android 2.2. So anyone that upgraded their DX to Froyo the other day and either lost root or never had it, prepare yourselves to gain control. All you need to do is follow these directions exactly and superuser access is yours:

*Warning* - As always, when you decide to root your phone, you understand that it voids your warranty. You also take all responsibility should something permanently damage your phone. Droid Life will not be held responsible.

Setup: - Install adb/Android SDK and Motorola drivers for windows(32-bit or 64-bit) - Download this file: Droid2Root.rar - Extract to a directory, I used c:\Droid2Root - Make sure you have USB degugging enabled - Change connection to PC Mode Process: 1. Open command prompt 2. cd c:\wherever-your-sdk-tools-folder-is 3. adb devices (to verify the connection) 4. cd c:\Droid2Root 5. adb push Superuser.apk /sdcard/Superuser.apk 6. adb push su /sdcard/su 7. adb push busybox /sdcard/busybox 8. adb push rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin 9. adb shell 10. cd data/local/tmp 11. chmod 0755 rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin 12. ./rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin 13. let the process run until it returns you to c:\Droid2Root (be patient, it may take a bit) 14. cd c:\wherever-your-sdk-tools-folder-is 15. adb devices (to verify the connection) 16. adb shell (you should now have a # prompt) 17. mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system 18. cp /sdcard/Superuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk 19. cp /sdcard/su /system/bin/su 20. cp /sdcard/busybox /system/bin/busybox 21. chmod 4755 /system/bin/su 22. chmod 4755 /system/bin/busybox 23. mount -o ro,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system 24. exit 25. exit

*Note 1* - If you get to step 16 and do see a "#" then something has gone wrong. I was able to simply start the process over and the second time through received the "#". *Note 2* - Should you run into other issues, hit up our comment section or the XDA Forum link below. And this is just a guess, but you have to figure a 1-touch method is in the works already. Stay tuned. All credit goes to Sebastian Krahmer and XDA Forums.

Original DROID Not Dead, Just Living in Asia Running WinMo

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:15:47 +0000

Fake phones are simply awesome. The newest, which mimics the original Droid might be the best one to date too. This Droid knockoff sports some pretty impressive specs/features including WinMo6.5, a 3MP camera, 3.5" "high definition" touchscreen and a 533MHz processor all while taking itself as serious as possible. This new version rivals the fake D1 we saw a while back, but looks so much more legit, especially with those phone buttons replacing the softkeys. (You can't paint sarcasm any thicker.) Enjoy the gallery after the jump! Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] Source: M8Cool Via: Engadget Cheers nicholas and Endi!

Rumor: DROID Incredible Froyo Update Coming September 1st? (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:15:02 +0000

There hasn't been much Android 2.2 for the Droid Incredible talk in recent weeks, so we thought we'd fire up that engine again with a juicy rumor that just hit our inbox. The Droid and Droid 2 already have the latest Android OS leaving those with the Incredible and Droid X feeling just slightly frustrated. So when can we expect it then? According to one of our sources, the DI's update to Froyo should happen on September 1st and will include all of the previous features we've covered a dozen or so times such as 720p video, improved voice quality, and a bunch of bloatware. Apparently the marketing team for Verizon has already been notified and you can expect to see a ramp-up of DI commercials over the next week or so.

Update: Our sources are now backing off of their original report. Delays people. No word on what those may be, but the 1st is likely out. And that was the quickest rumor in Droid history. We're sorry that we've wasted you time. I hate Froyo.

Start crossing your fingers now. And as we've clearly stated in the title, this is only a rumor until we see some documentation or until an update actually hits someone's device. Until then, we'll keep digging as we always do for further confirmation. Of course you can also root your phone and install the leaked 2.2 now. Excited? Crossing fingers?

DROID X and 2 Dominate Battery Showdown, AMOLEDs Struggle Mightily

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:15:40 +0000

The guys over at LaptopMag just released battery test results for every major Android phone on the market and the Droid 2 and Droid X dominated the show. Their LCD screens appear to be the key to their battery life awesomeness while all phones running AMOLED or Super AMOLED screens seemed to struggle to even keep pace. As you can see from the chart below, it's not even a competition...

So does this mean you should avoid buying an Incredible? Not necessarily. AMOLED technology produces some amazing colors, just steer clear of anything involving a lot of white. Or you could buy one of the extended batteries available in our store. (Shameless plug!) Check out the rest of the writeup including details on the actual test over at LaptopMag.

Latin American Milestone Will NOT Receive Android 2.2

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:30:27 +0000

This Motorola software upgrade timeline is as good as any daytime soap opera. Just yesterday it was upgraded to show that the Canadian Milestone would be receiving Froyo some time in early 2011 and everyone bunny hopped for joy. The good news stops there unfortunately. The timeline has once again been updated only this time it shows as clear as day that the Milestone in Latin America and Mexico will NOT receive Froyo...ever. Yikes. Any of our Latin American readers want to weigh in? Cheers @yvesnadjarian!

DROID 2 and X Pegged for March 2011 "End of Life" Status

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:45:41 +0000

A new "end of life" device list appeared late yesterday afternoon and features specific dates for every major Verizon smartphone including the new Droid 2 and Droid X. Don't worry just yet though, the date given to both devices is 3/31/2011 which puts both out of commission about 8 months after their release. Wait really? Seems a little early right? The original Droid at least lasted 10 months before being taken off the market. Speaking of the original, it is also listed, only with an 8/6/2010 date which matches up perfectly to our report almost a month ago. Have any thoughts on seeing an "end of life" date only a few weeks after the release of your brand new phone? We knew 4G (LTE) devices were coming and that devices have shorter lives than ever these days, but this news can't be exciting you. Am I right? Source: Phonedog

DROID 2 Has Been Rooted.

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:52:51 +0000

It looks like the guys over at XDA have done it again, this time rooting the Droid 2 only two weeks after it was released. The process involves adb, a ton of commands, and a bottle of prescription pills to ease those nerves. Apparently, the rooting procedure is similar to that on the Droid X meaning we'll likely see a 1-touch version in no time, but until then, feel free to hit up the source link to get the file and step-by-step instructions. It should be noted that a custom recovery is not available and custom ROMs are not around the corner. This is a major step in that direction though. And let us know if you have success!| Source: XDA Forums Cheers Stephen!

Motorola Buys 280 North, Looking to Amp Up Android Innovations

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:00:47 +0000

Motorola is positioning itself to jump into the web-based applications game with their recent acquisition of 280 North, a small startup who specializes in speeding up the development such rich goodness. In a letter to TechCrunch, we are sort of given reasoning behind the acquisition. Android.

The transaction provides Motorola with specialized web-app engineering talent and technology that will help facilitate the continued expansion of Motorola’s application ecosystem. We believe 280 North will be instrumental in helping us continue to foster the Android ecosystem with innovative web-based technologies and applications.

The key words in that quote are obviously "foster the Android ecosystem" which we can only hope means enhancements to all things Blur since we know Motorola doesn't plan on completely abandoning it for quite some time. Or we can also hope it means that some new miracle product will come to life which allows us to forgive them after locking down bootloader after bootloader. Anything in particular you would like to see Moto begin working on after this purchase? Via: TechCrunch

Android Users 80% More Valuable to Advertisers than iPhone Users?

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:11:46 +0000

When I first read this article, I gave off a little fist pump followed by a "Yeah! +1 Android!" and then 5 minutes later started to question myself on why I was so excited. Chitika, a big dog in the online ad world, just reported that Android users are "more valuable" that i*hone users in the sense that they click on ads 81% more of the time...

In the Android vs. iPhone war for mobile supremacy, which operating system should advertisers look to target? Online ad network Chitika looked at ad click rates across its network for the two devices and came to the conclusion that Android users are by far more valuable individually than iPhone users – people on the Android OS clicked on ads 81% more often than people on the iPhone.

So what exactly does that mean? Are Android users less intelligent than i*hone users which would lead to them being suckered into tapping on mobile ads? Or are Android users simply too new to the smartphone world that they are unfamiliar with ads leading them to random tappings? What's the deal? All I know, is that activations of Android devices are increasing by the minute and we'll leave that as the reason why our family is making advertisers so rich. Source: Chitika Via: TalkAndroid

Anyone Receive the FRG22D Update for their DROID?

Kellen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:27:30 +0000

It's 8/25 and I have yet to receive an update on my original Droid or any emails from readers suggesting that the update which will take them to FRG22D Froyo and allow Flash 10.1 to be downloaded has hit theirs. There is a "leaked" version out and about which has some controversy surrounding it, so for now we'll be moving past it. However, I still want to know, have any of you seen the 1.6MB update which gives you access to Flash 10.1 in the market?

Google Earth Updated, Allows for Deep Sea Diving

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:10:30 +0000

Google Earth received a nice update today which allows you to dive deep into the oceans of the world and see vast crevasses which will blow your mind! OK, that might be a stretch, but it's still pretty cool to know that you can zoom in next to Bermuda, hit the little eyeball button and check out all of the sunken pirate ships that mysteriously vanished in the Triangle. OK, again, pushing it, but the overall idea is still pretty entertaining. Still free in the market. Download:

Download Link

Source: Google Mobile Blog

DROID X Shipping Date Pushed Back Again, Incredible Still Available

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:06:26 +0000

The Droid Incredible's stock caught up some time last week for the first time since launch and it appears to be holding strong. We're not sure if that is a good thing or not to tell you the truth though. Why do I say that? Well, because the Droid X replenishment date seems to be getting pushed back by the day and now shows "9/8" as the next available shipping time meaning people are still willing to wait for the 4.3" destroyer and not for its Sense-friendly brother. While this isn't anywhere near the delays we saw with the DI, it's still unfortunate as it remains the top seller in the Droid family. What is actually a little mind-boggling though, is that neither have officially received Android 2.2 yet. (Any plans for that Big Red?) The only devices currently with Froyo are the original Droid which can no longer be purchased and the Droid 2 which lacked any sort of campaign to push it onto people other than geeks like us. Catching up on stock is one thing, now can we focus on at least getting these devices some up-to-date software?

Canadian Motorola Milestone to See Froyo in Q1 2011

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:42:35 +0000

Just yesterday, Canadian Motorola Milestone owners were left with the thought that they may never see Android 2.2 after Moto released a timeline stating the update was "under evaluation." And then today happened. It looks now like the Milestone, Droid cousin, and friend up north will in fact see Froyo, but not until the 1st quarter of 2011. Talk about leaving yourself a cushion. Source: Motorola Support Forums Cheers Ron!

Show Off Your DROID, DX, D2, Incredible Home Screens!

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:19:50 +0000

Been a while since we've done a "show off your screens" post, so let's do it again! With an entire lineup of Droid devices, this could get really big and entertaining especially with the number of launchers, custom docks, hacks, etc. floating around. Plus, we love giving all of you the opportunity to show other readers your style. If you missed out the last time we did this, here are the basic guidelines:

Take screenshots of as many of your screens as you'd like using apps like drocap2 or ShootMe if you are rooted. Follow these instructions to take them using the Android SDK if not rooted.
Upload your screenshots to an image hosting site like Imgur. Paste the URLs to the images in the comments to allow everyone to see the images as click-able thumbnails.

With your shots, list out some, all or more of the following info:

Device (D1, D2, Incredible, DX, etc.)
Current launcher
Special wallpapers, widgets, icons
Custom ROM if you are running one.

My home screen:

Droid X (leaked Android 2.2)
LauncherPro (custom dock and text icons)
Beautiful Widgets (Minimalist weather skin, NakedDroidBW clock skin)
BattStatt (the text battery meter)

Show us what you've got!

Samsung Tablet to be Revealed September 2nd, Features Teased

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:15:47 +0000

Even though general Android news isn't always our cup of tea, I couldn't help but feel shivers after watching this Samsung Tab teaser video. It's about time we see some of these rumored tablets become official, and I'd say this is about as official as it gets. Well September 2nd it will be anyway. Video Action:

Features teased:

Swype
Google Maps
Augmented reality
Video calls
Full web browsing
Android 2.2
7" screen
Me drooling

And if Samsung is doing this, just wait until we see the Droid tablet some time this fall. Yum. Via: Phandroid

Ask Dr. Root: Video Encoding, Tablets, Weather Widgets

MrPicolas — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:30:37 +0000

Our resident expert when it comes to anything Droid or Android related, but what he really loves is dissecting rooting questions. There is nothing our Dr. doesn't know, so ask away! Ask Dr. Root.

____________________________________________

Dear Dr. Root,

What are the best settings to encode video for use on my Droid X?

To answer your question I did a bit of digging and came across this. This should give you a great starting point. There is a good wealth of information here and it comes strait from Motorola.

Dr. Root, What is the best android tablet out right now?

In my opinion the tablet game is still very new. I would wait until the Christmas shopping season swings into full gear. Not only will you have more choices, you will most likely find that Black Friday deal of a lifetime. I'll leave you with a teaser that Google is supposedly building one with HTC.

Dr. Root, why does my weather widget not update correctly?

Well there are a number of of reasons this could be happening, first check and make sure that you do not have it set to be killed by your task killer if you are using one. Next, see if your widgets support more than one option to pull your weather information in. Google offers weather information for a lot of widgets, but this doesn't mean you have to use them. Weather forecast widget (paid app) and Snowstorm weather widget (free app) are both some options to check out. Both come with options to skin the widgets.These are both available in the market.

The top widget is Snowstorm and the bottom widget is Weather forecast

Dr. Root, RSD Lite 4.7 wont recognize my Droid X. What do I do?

If you downloaded RSD Lite 4.7 it should have come with a patch file named pst flash. First, make a copy of the orignal pst flash file and save it somewhere on your computer. Replace that file with the updated patch file. If you need this file it can be found here. Once this is put in RSD Lite restart the program and it should find the phone. Good luck and remember, flashing sbf files can be risky. Now for the disclaimer. (This information has been provided as is and Droid-Life assumes no responsibility for any problems that may arise.) Happy flashing and be careful.

Thats it for this week. Please keep sending those questions my way!

mrpicolas.. aka doctorpicolas@gmail.com

Verizon Pushing a new Froyo Update to Rooted Users? (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:24:36 +0000

Anyone with an original Droid is supposed to receive a minor Android 2.2 update over the next few days which will allow them to download official Flash 10.1 from the market and so far, we've seen some odd stuff happening. From the shot above, you can see that one of our readers was sent an update, only this thing wasn't 1.6MB like we saw yesterday, but was the full 2.2 OTA update with some added goodies inside (original was only 45.2MB). Since this reader is rooted (hence the dropcap2 icon), this is the new OTA update that will be sent out if you are not currently running FRG01B (which is the previous update). We're pretty sure this is FRG22. Update: This is just the full FRG01B, not FRG22. No idea where we are actually going right now, but just be aware that a batch of updates are floating around for your downloading pleasure. If you are already running FRG01B, you should see FRG22D which is only 1.6MB. If you are rooted and blocked FRG01B, then you will likely be prompted to install this new 76MB file. It should be blocked by your custom recovery as they all have in the past. Oh and remember, you can download official Flash right here if you don't feel like waiting. Anyone receive an update yet? Cheers James!

Breaking: Verizon Update for DROID Allowing Flash 10.1 Installation Starts Tomorrow

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:13:53 +0000

The tip showing that FRG22D Froyo was headed to the Droid came across like 30 minutes ago and we can already confirm to you that the update will hit your D1's starting tomorrow, August 24th. The update on top of your FRG01B Android 2.2 will allow you to download official Flash 10.1 from the market, finally. Of course you can download from here right now if you can't wait.

Finally: Verizon Readying FRG22D Froyo Update, Flash 10.1 Included

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:52:11 +0000

A 1.6MB OTA update which will take your Motorola Droid to version FRG22D Froyo, allow for Flash 10.1 to be downloaded from the market, and include some additional security patches will be sent to your phone...well...soon. No date yet, but the Verizon Droid Support page is live with the document above. Wonder if it had anything to do with this post of official Flash from us just a couple of hours ago? And while this is only a variation of FRG22 like we were on to a few weeks back, we were aware that this was coming. Wonder what those security patches are for? Stay tuned while we dig for dates! Cheers Luda!

Custom Theme Monday: Watermark'D

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:00:44 +0000

We are fully aware that we skipped last week's Custom Theme Friday and wanted a chance to make up for it by bringing you 2! The first one for the week is from themer stewart1champ and is called Watermark'D, one of the more polished themes I've seen in quite some time. Watermark'd has been ported to work on just about every major ROM on the planet including Bugless Beast, CM6, Sapphire, Lithium Mod, and a few more. How can you beat that? We chose the Sapphire version for this round, but hit up the "thread" link at the bottom for your ROM of choice.

Theme: Watermark'd

Download: WatermarkD3.2Sapphireupdate.zip Instructions:

*Note 1* - This is for the original Droid ONLY. *Note 2* - For the download above, you must already be running Sapphire 1.0.

1. Download the file from above and place it on your SD card. 2. Open ROM Manager and choose "Install ROM from SD card." 3. Scroll down until you find the file from above and tap on it. 4. Check the box to create a backup if you do not have a recent one. 5. You can skip "wipe data and cache" if already on Sapphire 1.0. 6. Tap "OK" to reboot your phone and allow it to work some magic. 7. When it boots back up, you will be Watermark'D! Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="title"] To get versions for Bugless Beast, CM6, Lithium Mod, etc. head to the official thread. Let us know if you run into any issues!

Download: Official Flash 10.1 (V10.1.92.8) for Any Android 2.2 Phone

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:13:25 +0000

We just posted up a way for you to find the official Flash 10.1 in the market and in the comments, one of our amazing readers happened to post up the .apk file which doesn't even require root in order to install. In fact, all you need is to be on a phone running Android 2.2 and you can run it. No root required people. Enjoy your Flash. Download: com.adobe.flashplayer-1.apk And so you know, I tested this on my 2.2 Droid X and stock non-rooted 2.2 Droid 1. Cheers Adam!

http://www.droid-life.com/2010/08/23/want-official-flash-10-1-on-your-droid-install-new-cyanogenmod-6-0-rc3/#comment-70808681

Want Official Flash 10.1 on your DROID? Install New CyanogenMod 6.0 RC3

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:41:53 +0000

If the leaked beta versions of Flash 10.1 for your Droid aren't cutting it these days, especially with the official version launching on the market for the Nexus One last week, then we have a solution for you. Root your Droid and install the latest CyanogenMod 6.0.0 RC3 build through ROM Manager and it should appear for you in the market as you can see from the screenies above. According to Verizon, we should have seen Flash released for the D1 on the 18th, but that date has now come and gone with no word. We had sort of hoped to see Flash with FRG22 Froyo, yet that build seems to have disappeared as rumors of a new 2.2 for the D1 have emerged. It's a huge guessing game at this point. Like I said, grab it now using the new CM6.

*Note* - If you are on a 2.2 ROM and can't see Flash in the market, try going into Settings>Applications>Market and clearing data/cache and then force stopping it. It may appear afterwards.

Any luck? This build seems to run much better than those leaked builds which were not meant for the D1 anyway. Cheers Shane!

SetCPU and Android 2.2 for DROID Allows for Simple Overclocking

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:18:50 +0000

Ever since the original Droid was rooted back in the 2.0.1 days, we've had super user access which allows us to do whatever we want to the device. And one of those things that many of us wished to do from the beginning was overclock it from the 550MHz that Moto stuck us with in hopes of gaining some much needed boosts in performance. In both Android 2.0.1 and 2.1, simply rooting your device was not enough, you also needed to flash a custom kernel which would allow for overclocking and was a step that many of you were uncomfortable with or even struggled to grasp an understanding of. Well guess what? Android 2.2 is sooooo much different thanks to SetCPU. All you need to do now is root that Droid 1 of yours using Universal Androot, download SetCPU from the Market and overclock to a number of speeds. No more custom kernels people. While you won't see those 1.0GHz monster numbers since the stock kernel can't crank that high, you will still find 600, 700 and 800MHz speeds which should do you just fine. So for those of you wanting more power from your original Droid, but aren't willing to dig deep into the ROM and kernel world, this is your safest bet. Cheers Glenn!

How to: Unroot the DROID X Using Universal Androot

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:30:09 +0000

This is essentially the follow-up to our post Friday morning on how you can root your Droid X using Universal Androot with a simple click and reboot. And since we never like to leave you completely hanging, we wanted to cover the other side of the game which would be to "unroot" in case you needed to take your device into Verizon, like being a slave to your phone, etc. (Hah!) So here we go! Instructions...

*Note* - This would be for those of you still running Android 2.1 on your DX.

1. Open up Universal Androot and tap the "Unroot :-(" button.

2. Your phone will work through a series of steps.

3. It will then notify you that it has finished.

4. Reboot your phone for good measure, and you are unrooted! It really is that simple with Universal Androot and you shouldn't run into any issues along the way. If you do though, make sure to drop them in the comments so we can assist you! Now if only these guys would come out with a working method for 2.2. Questions?

Download: DROID X Android 2.2 Lock Screen

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:45:37 +0000

If you were unable to grab Android 2.2 for the Droid X before Motorola starting harassing websites, then you have missed out on the new lock screen that comes with it (pictured above). While this isn't a big change, it does come off as slightly more appealing than the original grey version and can be pushed to your 2.1 DX now if you'd like.

*Note 1* - This is for ROOTED 2.1 Droid X owners only. *Note 2* - This will mess with your framework-res file which can be dangerous and possibly leave you at a standing M logo on reboot. You may need to flash an SBF file to recover should something happen. *Note 3* - Since you have to be rooted, downloading Koush's Bootstrap and flashing Clockwork Recovery with a backup before doing this is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Download: framework-res.apk Instructions:

**Phone must be rooted and only for Droid X on 2.1 0. Put this .apk file on the root of your sd card. 1. Point your command prompt to where your adb is located. Usually where you installed the sdk. 2. Launch a shell on your device. Command: "adb shell" (without quotes) 3. Access superuser permissions. Command: "su" (without quotes) 4. Mount the system as writable. Command: "mount -o remount,rw -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system" (without quotes) 5. Copy over the .apk to the systems framework. Command: "cp /sdcard/framework-res.apk /system/framework" (without quotes) 6. Mount the system as read-only. Command: "mount -o remount,ro -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system" (without quotes) 7. Reboot the system. Command: "reboot" 8. Enjoy!

Let us know if you run into any issues! Via: Android Central

Motorola Decides to Give Froyo to the Milestone, DROID X Still "Late Summer"

Kellen — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 06:55:38 +0000

If the locked bootloader on the Motorola Milestone wasn't enough, the news a month or so ago that Android 2.2 for the Euro-Droid was still under consideration just about started a war. But guess what cousins of the Droid world? Moto has decided to give it to you! Well, to the European version anyway and some time in Q4. Yay! Still no firm date for the Droid X, but we're thinking it could be any time now that a version of Froyo has already leaked for it. We've even had a couple of sources confirm that the leak was the real deal, hence the reason for Motorola to send out C&D letters to have it removed. And isn't it late summer? Or does "late summer" mean August 31st? More timeline dates here. Cheers Eric!

App Roundup: Thunderstorm Live Wallpaper, RemoteDroid, Drop Block

Octotron — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:00:02 +0000

Thunderstorm Live Wallpaper (Free and $0.99): This weeks live wallpaper is a new submission to the market. I came across it and simply loved the way it looked. It gives you a pseudo-realistic lightning storm that travels as you move screens. The donation version allows you to change the colors and some other settings such as cloud density and number of strikes. This live wallpaper has a lot of potential and this is a strong showing for a brand new submission. Recommended for higher end/overclocked devices.

RemoteDroid (Free): Ever have a feeling while sitting at your computer such as, "Man, I really enjoy my mouse and my phone, but I am simply too lazy to hold both or swap back and forth between the two."? I have, and that is why RemoteDroid is the perfect app for me. It allows me to not only integrate my phone with my computer, it also allows me to be lazy. RemoteDroid turns your Droid into a multitouch mouse pad that uses your homes wireless network to communicate with your computer. Simply download the app, download the Java application to your computer and cruise on in to the easy life. This app is also great for messing with your girlfriends computer from across the room!

BoggleDroid (Lite and $1.25): BoggleDroid is a multi language and worldwide challenging version of Boggle. It has an intuitive interface that lets you easily select words against a timer or against a challenger. Touch feedback acknowledges letter selections and allows you to slide your finger for quicker selection of words. This is a great time waster and is easily picked up and put down in minutes.

Key Ring Reward Cards (Free): Do you have a giant key chain with 60 or so supermarket club cards attached to it? If you do, you have a problem, and Android has a solution. Key Ring Reward Cards can consolidate all of your annoying cards into one app using the bar code scanner. It backs up your cards online if you choose and displays the code for scanners to read right off your phone. Ladies, you know you can reduce the weight of your purse by half using this app!

Drop Block (Free and $3.10): Drop Block is another rehash of your classic physics game. You need to drop the blocks using timing and wits to save the green ones and get rid of the red. The interface is geared for a younger crowd with cute smiley faces and bright colored backgrounds. The game starts out extremely easy, but quickly ramps up in difficulty. This app will definitely keep your kids busy while you drag them into Wal-Mart.

Hypnotoad To Go (Free): This app has virtually nothing to do with anything other than feeding my geek quotient for the evening. I love Futurama and for any fan of the series. you surely realize the value in this app. I mean lets be honest... there is no way that thing thing could .... ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!

To have your application featured in future Roundups, contact us here.

DROID 2 Receiving Minor Update, Now Allows for User Initiation

Kellen — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 07:48:57 +0000

If you own a Droid 2, you should be receiving a minor update over the next couple of days and in fact, there is a pretty good chance that you have already been prompted to install it. The update, although minor, does fix a couple of things which will enhance your D2 experience...

Improvements: + Enabled text and picture message scrolling. + Streamlined set up of Visual Voice Mail feature. + Improved contact sync with Corporate Exchange categories and groups. + View accurate contact pictures when reviewing Recent Call Log.

On a related note, it looks like Verizon may be allowing user initiated updates for their new Droid family member. If you check out their update installation instructions, there are now 2 types of software loading: user initiated and server initiated. We also just received this shot which shows that manual updates could start as early as last night, and OTA server initiated updates will start on the 24th if users have not already gone through the process...

After the update you will be running version 2.2.20.en.us. Via: Verizon Wireless Cheers Mitch and Shawn!

StumbleUpon App Lands on Android Market

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:00:32 +0000

Another social bookmarking site has released an app for Android and this time it's browsing button pushing StumbleUpon. I'll admit that I used to be an SU machine, but now all my time goes towards another SU, the one related to rooting all of your beautiful Droid devices. Grab it from the market now for free and start Stumbling all of your favorite Droid Life posts! Free. Download:

Download Link

Via: TechCrunch

Trillian Released for Android

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:00:05 +0000

We knew Trillian and its messaging wonders were headed to Android and we are pleased to see that it has been announced already. This is one of those long standing messaging apps from the PC that supports almost everything including Facebook chat and has now been ported to Android. After just a few quick minutes with it, I can tell you that I've dropped Meebo and will now use Trillian. Download it now from the Trillian site. Cheers everyone!

App Judgment Releases Android Rooting Video, Shows Droid Life!

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:00:21 +0000

App Judgment, one of Revision3's internet shows, posted a rooting Droid video yesterday and sure enough, they grabbed a bunch of posts from Droid Life to display for users! At the 4:42 mark, you'll see a slideshow of our "Custom Theme Friday" posts and yeah, our egos just grew a little. (Kidding!) On a funny note, the lead host who refuses to root his Nexus One for app testing reasons, calls it "routing" at one point and then gets called a "wuss" by the time the video finishes. Check it...

Cheers James!

DROID X Running Froyo Quadrant Benchmark

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:00:12 +0000

I know we just got done talking about Quadrant and it's benchmarks which can be tricked pretty easily, but we couldn't help but show you one on the Droid X running Android 2.2. After warming up for a good hour with Froyo on it, the DX blasted away all other phones. The Linpack scores on the other hand are not something to brag home about. For those with a DX that has been newly updated to Froyo, post your benchmarks in the comments!

Video: Official Flash Running on Motorola DROID X

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:00:19 +0000

If you downloaded the leaked Android 2.2 update for the Droid X earlier, then we want to be sure you know that it comes pre-loaded with official Flash 10.1. Yep, you can now watch Youtube videos in browser, play the thousands of Flash games in the wild, and tell your i*hone friends that they are inferior to you. This runs just as good as it did with Froyo on the Incredible meaning, it's awesome. Video Action...

More to come!

Video: Android 2.2 First Look on DROID X

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:00:34 +0000

What may be the official Android 2.2 update for the Droid X has leaked and we flashed it in order to run a video "first look" so you can see it all in action. First impressions mean a lot and they definitely left us smiling after running through this video. Official Flash 10.1 is included, an updated gallery, SD card app installation and so much more. Video Action...

More to come including official Flash in action!

Fix: Logwrapper Issue when Installing Froyo for DROID X

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:08:42 +0000

If you were running into the "logwrapper" issue when trying to install the leaked Android 2.2 update for the Droid X earlier, we apparently now have a fix. The issues seems to be stemming from Clockwork Recovery's DX Bootstrap and can be fixed with a few file removals and edits...

*Note 1* - I have not attempted this method, but have been told by 2 reliable testers that it works.

Instructions:

-Open Root Explorer -Go to the System folder -Go to the Bin folder -Tap the button in the upper right corner to mount RW (This lets you edit files in there) -Scroll down and find the file called hijack, long press and delete it. -Scroll down to the file named logwrapper, longpress and delete it. -Directly underneath that is a file named logwrapper.bin, long press and RENAME it to just logwrapper (so take off the .bin at the end) -Tap the button in the upper right to mount as RO again -Reboot into recovery and apply the update!

Have fun! Instructions for installing Froyo here. Via: MyDroidWorld Cheers Brandon!

Froyo for DROID X Allows for Contact History Removal

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:51:04 +0000

Those of you out there sexting behind the backs of your significant others should be sprinting to download Android 2.2 for the Droid X. Remember that supposed security flaw in 2.1 that would not allow for removal of contact history? Well that appears to have been fixed with 2.2. You can now remove single lines or even clear out the entire history. And I've tried both, and they seem to work just fine. Let me know what other goodies you can find!

Download: Leaked DROID X Android 2.2 for ALL Users

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:16:53 +0000

A leaked version of Android 2.2 for the Droid X has popped up this morning and is available for all users to try. It's a simple "update.zip method" and can be done in just a couple of minutes. This is our first taste of the Froyo for the DX and we're hoping it fixes the dozens of bugs that have frustrated so many of us. I will say right up front that this is more than likely not the final version and if you update to this version, getting back to stock 2.1 is not going to be easy.

________________________________________

Download: MOTOROLA IS REMOVING DOWNLOAD LINKS FOR THIS 2.2 UPDATE LIKE CRAZY. AT THIS TIME I'M GOING TO HOLD OFF FROMM UPLOADING THE FILE. SORRY ALL.

*Warning* – Just a reminder that rooting VOIDS your warranty and could potentially do permanent damage to your device. This is not a recommended practice and you do so at your own risk.

Instructions...

*Note 1* - This should work for rooted users as well. Just make sure you haven't themed or removed any bloatware or it will not work. *Note 2* - If you get an installation aborted error mentioning the "logwrapper" we are looking into the issue and will update you as soon as we know a fix. Update 1: LOGWRAPPER FIX INSTRUCTIONS HERE. *Note 3* - To keep root you must move your "su" file to your xbin folder and out of your bin folder. You can check by going into /system/bin.

1. Download the update.zip from above and place it on the root of your SD card. (Not in a folder) 2. Turn your phone off. 3. Boot into recovery but holding the Home key and Power at the same time. 4. When a triangle with exclamation mark appears, release buttons and press the Search key once. 5. Using the volume up/down switch, scroll down to "apply sdcard:update.zip." 6. Once highlighted, press the camera button to apply the update.zip. 7. Your phone will work some magic and if finished correctly will say "Successful." 8. Scroll back up to "Reboot system." 9. You phone should now reboot running Android 2.2. Enjoy the Froyo! Again, this is a leaked version, so we have no idea if it is final or not. If you update to this, it is not an easy process to get it back to stock 2.1 and requires RSD Lite and an SBF file which I know you all love so much. Do so at your own risk! Source: MyDroidWorld

How to: Root the DROID X Using Universal Androot

Kellen — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:43:44 +0000

Universal Androot is one of the newer 1-click methods to rooting a whole lineup of devices and one of them happens to be the Droid X. We had been holding out a little on posting this until there were methods available for creating backups using something like Clockwork Recovery and since Koush just released that option, it was time. This is also great timing for the 2.2 ROM that is supposed to be released today...

*Note 1* - THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE UPDATING TO ANDROID 2.2. THIS METHOD DOES NOT CURRENTLY WORK ON DROID X FROYO.

Instructions...

*Warning* - Just a reminder that rooting VOIDS your warranty and could potentially do permanent damage to your device. This is not a recommended practice and you do so at your own risk.

1. Download and install Universal Androot to your Droid X: Download Link (alt link) 2. Open it and tap the "Root :-)" button.

3. Your phone will now run through a series of commands.

4. When it finishes, it will tell you that you are rooted.

5. Reboot your phone and BAM! Rooted Droid X. Let us know if you run into any issues! Unrooting and backup instructions plus Droid X 2.2 ROM on the way! Source files: Universal Androot Cheers Wade!

Droid Life Decals Available Now!

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:00:28 +0000

Our buddies over at GrafiXpressions have put together a Droid Life decal for those wanting to spice up their laptop or car with some DL pride. Coming in at 6.5"x0.8" and almost any color on the planet, grab them now. You can pick up your pack of 2 DL stickers for $5 at GrafiXpressions.com!

Fixes Available to Bricked DROIDs after Froyo Update

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:20 +0000

If you received the official FRG01B Android 2.2 update for your Motorola DROID and ran into a frozen device after installation, Verizon has fixes available. While we have yet to hear from even a half dozen people with "bricked" devices following the update, we are aware that it is happening in rare instances. With a non-bootable Droid in hand, feel free to reference the following files when entering a Verizon store's tech support desk. It might at least help them get in you the right direction a little quicker...

Files for FRG01B: Mot.RSD.A855_1.0.6.msi | Mot.Verizon.A855.Firmware_1.2.6.msi

And if someone were to stumble upon these specific file names in the wild, using them in RSD Lite as we've done in past rooting posts, should fix your device. (Just saying!) I'm curious though, any of our readers run into a frozen M logo after updating? Cheers Matt!

Froyo is Confusing those who Vibrate and Silent their Devices

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +0000

One of the top frustrations for new Froyo users is clearly the way this version of Android goes into vibrate or silent mode. When using the rocker volume switch on the Droid, you no longer have the opportunity to choose one or the other and it is killing some of you. While this functionality is semi-absent, you now have 4 ways to customize your vibrate settings by simply going into Menu>Settings>Sound>Vibrate. From there, you can configure your rocker switch to act similarly to the way it used to and more. Obviously many of you are frustrated by this change, but we are hoping that this helps ease some of your volume adjusting pain. Thoughts? Feel free to express your frustrations with a smile and a rainbow.

New Dolphin Add-ons Allow for Flash File Downloads, Browsing while Listening to Last.fm

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:19 +0000

One of our favorite browsers, Dolphin HD (and supporting vendors) has released 2 new add-ons which will help change your browsing experience in an exciting way. The first is the ability to download Flash content from web pages straight to your SD card and the other is the ability to now stream Last.fm and browse the web at teh same time. Yay!

Download Flash file in the webpage. *Automatic detection of existing flash files in webpage, you can download them selectively. *Downloaded Flash files will be saved to SD card, allowing you to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Listen to Last.fm when browsing *Open a personal radio station on your phone. *When you browse the web, you can listen to Last.fm at the same time.

Download:

Flash Files | Last.fm

Via: Dolphin Facebook Cheers matrix2004!

Verizon Offering DROID 2 and Incredible as Warranty Replacements?

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:24 +0000

We had heard directly from Asurion a few weeks back that they would be offering up Droid X and Incredible devices some time this summer to those making a claim on the original Droid, but today we have even better news. We've heard from 2 readers, one who had the option to replace their 3rd refurbished Droid Eris with either a Droid 2 or an Incredible and another who was able to swap out a 4th refurb'd Droid 1 for a D2. And we're not talking insurance claims here, this is straight up warranty swapping. Update: I should point out that dropping your phone in a toilet will not get you a replacement. That would be an insurance claim. Warranty swaps are for phones that simply do not function properly even though you have done nothing to it. Apparently the Verizon rep they both spoke with was as speechless as we all are at this point. If anyone else is able to essentially upgrade to a newer device, let us know! Cheers Phil and Tyler!

Fennec Nears Alpha Release, Beta Release Coming this Fall

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:04:15 +0000

We'll probably never get over this browser kick that we're on, especially when the guys working on Firefox mobile (Fennec) keep releaseing new builds and teasing us with future release dates. How does an official "alpha" sound? A "beta"? Neither are ready just yet, but the alpha should be within the the next "few weeks" and the beta should drop "this fall" according to one of their lead developers. Some of the features already being ironed out...

Firefox Sync is now built in – sync tabs, bookmarks, and history from your computer to your phone, no add-on required!

The new Find In Page command is available through the site menu (or by pressing Control+F on a hardware keyboard).

You can now share links through Twitter, Facebook, Google Reader, or email. (The final version of this feature will also let you send links using native Android or Maemo apps.)

Fennec 2 can use your phone's address book to make it easy to enter phone numbers and email adresses into web forms. (This works on Maemo now; support for Android will be added later.)

We're adding multi-touch gestures. Pinch zoom has landed for alpha; later releases will also include multi-touch swipe gestures to go to the top or bottom of the current page, or navigate between pages.

Read more on the first alpha Fennec release at Matt Brubek's blog. Future builds and downloads including a pre-alpha of Fennec 2 can be found here. Cheers BAoxymoron!

After "Gingerbread" Android will be Called "Honeycomb"?

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:00:25 +0000

Is the next version of Android after Gingerbread going to be called Honeycomb? That's what "multiple" sources have told TechRadar and at least the first letter of the word matches up to the previous naming convention, so why not? No idea what the build number will be yet. Maybe 3.1? For those not familiar with anything I just said, let me fill you in. Since the beginning of time, Android has used an alphabetized sweet snack naming convention for all major releases of their mobile OS. We've seen Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0 and 2.0.1), and of course most recently, Froyo (2.2). Personally, we had our hopes set high on "Ho Ho's!" but that could have come off a little...well, you get the idea. Thoughts on Honeycomb? (Post tag added!) Source: TechRadar Via: Android Central

Thursday Poll: Everyone have Android 2.2 for the DROID?

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:58 +0000

Verizon told all employees that the Android 2.2 update for the original Droid should have completed by August 18th, but according to our inboxes, that doesn't appear to be the case. So today's poll is as simple as it get; we just want to know if you've received the official OTA update or not... THIS POLL IS JUST FOR NON-ROOTED USERS. (I don't care if you have a custom ROM, hah.) [poll id="9"]

And if you haven't you can manually update here.

Koush Releases DROID X Bootstrap, Allows Full Nandroid Backups, Custom ROMs

Kellen — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:06:13 +0000

The guy just never quits. Koush, whom you may know from ROM Manager, Cyanogen Mod, Clockwork Recovery, etc. just released what he's calling the Droid X Recovery Bootstrap app to the market which tricks/hacks/laughs at your phone in a way to allow you to load Clockwork Recovery and create full nandroid backups leading to custom ROMs. Yep, custom ROMs, full backups and pure awesomeness on the Droid X. And so many of you say it couldn't be done. Here is the deal...

Caveats: This is not a *real* recovery. The way this recovery works is by hijacking portions of your boot process during system initialization and starting into recovery instead. So, if you hose your system *COMPLETELY* you will need to SBF. Specifically, if your logwrapper, logwrapper.bin, or hijack binary are missing from /system/bin, you will be screwed. Do I have to be rooted to run this? Yes. So can we now install custom ROMs? Yes, but you can't replace the kernel or boot image. But really, once you have access to /system, anything is possible. It will just take a little hackery. Will this work with ROM Manager? Yes, but not yet. I need to make some minor updates to ROM Manager first to support this recovery. Future recovery updates will come through ROM Manager.

Rest of the "FAQ" can be found at the source link below. If you are interested in the Bootstrap and understand the risks, I highly suggest you grab the donate version from the market, it's only $2 and helps with the advancement of the Droid community immensely.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Source: Koush Cheers Koush and the other 50 that sent this in!

Motorola Droid does... Outerspace

MrPicolas — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:40:52 +0000

Thats right folks you heard me right, the team at QuestforStars put our beloved little buddy in a balloon and sent it on a mission. The Droid was outfitted with a program called LapseDroid to take time-laspe photography shots to record the whole trip. Due to a lucky shift in the wind our little buddy made it to the great beyond

Droid ! First Android in space

Hit the link for the Youtube video

Also feel free to let us know what have you done with your Droid?

The Tato Custom ROM Manifest!

Tim — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:31:04 +0000

WELL! We had a sweeeet idea floating around and here we are today. With tons of time to fill waiting to find Kellex and for that darn Froyo Update on the D-Inc, I have decided to start a manifest of *almost* ALL custom ROM's. This is my way of making droid-*life* easy on all you. I know there are screen shots of mostly all of them, but there is never full write ups from the people who really use them. I think it would be great to get real user opinions out there for people to read and also see. Sometimes forums are just TOO jumbled to find what you're looking for. :-) So I am taking comments below about what YOU (the droid-lifers) want to see! What type of reviews do you want? Check lists of features, "smoothness", lag, aesthetics? You tell me, and I'll make it happen....as always! The possibilities are pretty much endless. So, HAVE AT IT! -Tim-o-tato and everyone here at Droid-Life Thanks everyone for the great ideas! Droid-Lifers are the best! Picture is credit to: Cyanogen Mod

D - Day for Droid Incredible Froyo Update?

MrPicolas — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:32:16 +0000

Well today is the day or so we've been told that Froyo goodness would would come to the Incredible. If you remember correctly, sources from Mashable slated today as the day. Feel free to chime in and let us know if you recieve the update, or if any new info on the update has been discovered.

We'll be on the lookout as well and keep you updated if there any breaking news. :-)

LET THE FROYO WATCH BEGIN!!

Update..

Sorry, looks like we'll have to wait just a bit longer.

Site Maintenance, and Where's Kellex?

MrPicolas — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:04:43 +0000

The site will be undergoing some routine maintenance over the next two days. What does this mean to you? Well we may not have as much coverage as we would like. Rest assured, once this is complete we will be back better than ever. We will still try however to get any major updates posted for you.

On a side note, I think i saw a bunch of people carrying I*hones abduct Kellex early this morning. No one has seen or heard from him since. Therefore readers if you think you have spotted Kellex, please chime in with a location and who he was with throughout the day. I'll start.

Kellex last seen at Portland Starbucks being carted off by an angry mob of I*hone users.

DROID 2 WE, "SICK" and Motorola Tablet Mentioned in Fall Roadmap

Kellen — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:47:48 +0000

Through a new leaked roadmap we get some new rumored details for Verizon fall lineup which is said to include the Droid 2 world edition, the A957 (possibly named the "Sick") and the Motorola tablet (MOTMZ600), which we think could launch as the STINGRAY. The D2 could hit store shelves as early as September with global roaming capabilities and should ease the minds of the traveling man. The Stringray could drop some time in November which is sort of what we've heard all along. And after the ridiculously successful launch of the Droid 1 last October/November, it would only make sense right? The "Sick" might find life in October, but appears to be completely up in the air and we're guessing this is the Droid Pro. Other highlights from the roadmap include a new HTC phone with a 10MP camera. Please tell me that no one plans on buying that. Palm Pre 2 is mentioned, a bunch of Blackberries and a few other tablets which you can read about at the source link below. Source: Phone Arena Cheers matrix2004!