Droid Life

Mobile Mix Report: Android Still Slaughtering all OS Competitors, OG DROID Sneaks Into Top 3 Smartphones

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:07:46 +0000

These reports have become a little redundant since Android took the top spot in smartphone OS share some time ago, but this latest Mobile Mix from Millennial Media had enough goodies included to make it worth sharing. With Google's approach to allowing its operating system to be used by phone manufacturers for free, there appears to be no stopping it even if random tech pundits insist that the i*hone 5 will end its reign just like they said with version 4. For the 7th straight month, it topped the U.S. smartphone OS charts with an astounding 54% share. The next closest was iOS at just 26% making this not even a competition to be talking about anymore. We did find it interesting that the original DROID managed to sneak into the top 3 for smartphones after almost 2 years of service though, followed by the Nexus S as the next highest Android device. People are still showing love for the phone that helped launch all of this growth, and that makes us smile.

More info can be found at the Millennial Media blog.

MIUI Will Get An Interface "Face Lift" This Week

Tim — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:13:40 +0000

MIUI is one of the few complete UI changes you can make to your Android device. It's a ROM that once installed, switches up the entire OS, making it mostly look like iOS in our opinion, but one that has been incredibly popular. It made its first big splash back in September 2010, so we're excited to see the improvements that the MIUI team will unveil next week to this already clean and completely smooth/working ROM. MIUI is available for most devices, and from their site you can see if a developer has ported it to your phone. In most cases, if your phone has root, then you can enjoy some MIUI love. Anyone here using it already? If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go. [gallery columns="4"] Click here to see all of the supported MIUI supported devices. Via: Phandroid

Verizon 4G LTE Phones Won't Be Compatible With AT&T's Network

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:08:57 +0000

If your 4G LTE plans included buying one of Verizon's current phones and then ditching their service for AT&T's soon-to-be-launched LTE network (or vice versa), you may be out of luck according to word that PCMag received this week. Big Red spokesperson Brenda Raney, confirmed that their LTE phones won't "be compatible on other LTE networks in the U.S." because "the phones will be on different frequencies." Not that we're surprised by any of this, but it's slightly disappointing. Since we're seeing each carrier adopt a different set of impressive phones these days, it would have been nice to have more options than just the one lineup that a specific carrier is offering. Clearly, operating their LTE networks on the same frequency would only benefit customers though and our slight hopes for some sort of openness between carriers have now been crushed. I'm sure that shopping for the carrier with the best plan that fits your needs and then activating a phone from another is not their idea of awesome. Via: PCMag

Koush Launches DeskSMS, Send Text Messages Using Gmail and Google Talk

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:57:39 +0000

Our buddy Koush released his latest app creation yesterday called DesktopSMS. It's a simple app that allows you to have your phone's text (SMS) messages forwarded to your Google Talk and Gmail accounts. Once received, you can respond directly through either service to continue the conversation with your texting pal. All you need to do is install the app, login with one of your Google accounts, and then decide how you want to receive your texts. It's definitely a beta, so he's looking for early adopters to jump on it and provide feedback. I recommend going with the GTalk method if you want your responses to be sent at a faster pace. I should point out that it appears to lack Google Voice integration. Not sure if it would even be possible to include that though, but I have asked Koush for his thoughts on it and will report back. Market Link (FREE)

Google Finally Ready to Launch Music Store? New Android Market Suggests So

Kellen — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:12:26 +0000

Our homies over at Android and Me discovered a set of icons loaded deep within the new Android Market's resources (download it here) - that would be the spot where they store icons, menus, and anything that pushes the look and functionality of the app. The icon set they've noticed, is the orange set with "music" references all over it that you are seeing above. Right next to it we have the red set that's found when you are browsing the movie section, as well as the blue icon set from the book store which is leading to their conclusion that a music section has already been built. So what exactly does this mean? Well, a couple of things that A&M notes. First, Google could just be preparing for the day that they finally finalize licenses and contracts with music labels or they may have already finalized everything and are just picking the perfect spot to launch. We all know that contract negotiations have not gone as planned, but this could be a great sign that they are moving along, bringing us closer to an all-in-one Android media store. Via: Android and Me

Motorola DROID3 Hands-on and Walk-through (Updated: Second Video Added)

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:30:36 +0000

We finally got a hold of the brand spankin' new DROID3 and have had just enough time with it to put together some first impressions, a quick video walk-through, and a fancy little gallery. Overall, we've been really impressed by it after our first few minutes. Motorola has done some major improving upon Blur to make this device feel like nothing they've produced before - and that's a good thing. The performance is stellar with the dual-core processor, we're not hating the qHD screen by any means yet, and the keyboard is something we're beginning to enjoy again. So far, so good. Gallery: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"] Video walk-through: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UJk8YG5pdY[/youtube] One more video of some additional features: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eY0DHgqagQ[/youtube]

Android 3.2 Headed to Verizon XOOM in the "Coming Weeks"

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:21:38 +0000

We have been talking about the Android 3.2 update for the Motorola XOOM WiFi now for most of the week, but there are a number of readers out there with the Verizon 3G version who are wondering what their status is. According to Moto's Twitter account, they can expect the update, which finally brings SD card support and the new app zooming feature, in the "coming weeks." That could mean next week or a month from now, we're not really sure. There is a chance that it could happen when we send these bad boys in to receive a 4G LTE upgrade since that just cleared the FCC, but are hoping it happens long before. Via: Twitter

Android Activations Top 550,000 Per Day, Google+ Over 10 Million Members

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:16:19 +0000

Google CEO Larry Page was on hand today for his company's Q2 earnings call and dropped all sorts of impressive numbers for a variety of their products. Android and Google+ details were front and center as expected, leaving most of us with our jaws on the floor. Page made sure to mention that Android activations are now topping 550,000 per day (up 50K from June 28), bringing the total to over 130 million devices that have download the over 250,000 market apps over 6 billion times. Chew on that sentence for a second. Google+ on the other hand already has over 10 million users according to Page. That's right, the service that is still technically closed to the public (invite only), has eclipsed the 10 million mark - impressive. Oh, and those 10M users are sharing up to 1 billion items per day on the new social network. I'd say that's a pretty good start to a service that has to compete with the behemoth that is Facebook. I'm just interested to hear what these numbers mean to you guys. Impressed? Is it possible for any other mobile OS to keep up with Android at this point? And what about G+ - is it here to stay?

Swiftkey X Leaves Beta, Heads to Android Market at Half Price

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:50:24 +0000

One of our favorite keyboards of all time, Swiftkey X, has come out of its closed beta and entered the Android Market for both phones and tablets. Actually, today marks the first anniversary of this fantastic keyboard, so the crew behind it has decided to cut the price for both by 50% or so to $1.97. We tend to avoid recommending things, but this is one of those apps that we would suggest you jump on while it's so cheap. The ability that Swiftkey possesses to correctly predict letters, words and even sentences is unlike anything we have seen from any other keyboard in Android. Market Links: Tablet X | Phone X Anyone using Swiftkey as their daily 'board? Cheers Shane, Giorgio, Barry and others for the reminder on this!

Google+ App Updated, Customizable Streams and Other Enhancements Included

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:10:55 +0000

If you are one of the lucky 10 million members of Google+, you'll want to jump into the market now and see if you have an update available. You should. The update is an experience enhancer really; nothing major, but a lot of stuff that needed to be done, like customizable streams. The update also fixes some issues that people were having with Swype, changes the way invites to Huddles work, and adds some performance tweaks. Full changelog:

Customize the main stream view to show streams from individual circles

Fixed some issues encountered by users with the Swype keyboard

Set permissions for who can start a huddle with you (Anyone, Your Circles, Extended Circles)

If someone you've never huddled with before invites you to a group huddle, you can now dismiss the invitation

New UI allows adding multiple people or entire circles to a huddle

Set photo as wallpaper

Performance improvements and bug fixes throughout the app

Market Link Cheers kylewblack!

Motorola Partners With Spotify in the U.S., Plans to Hand Out 10,000 Invites

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:43:16 +0000

Spotify launched in the U.S. this morning and they've decided to partner exclusively with Motorola to hand out 10,000 invites. The service is essentially a closed beta right now, so this is your chance to sign up and get in the program early before the generally public. Moto appears to be only asking that you fill out a simple form for now - how they are choosing these 10K though, is beyond me. (Update: It looks like it's the FIRST 10K to sign up. Go, go, go!) Sign up here! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYX_P_c__8[/youtube] Cheers Taylor!

DROID3 OMAP4430 Dual-core Processor Confirmed Through XT860 4G Fact Sheet and MotoDev Site

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:18:58 +0000

On the day that the DROID3 has been made available in stores, Motorola decided to also announce a version of the device for Canada, known as the XT860 4G. We'll try to ignore the fact that this Canadian phone is technically "4G" (HSPA+) when the D3 is simply 3G and will instead focus on the processor confirmation we just received. It's indeed an OMAP4430 dual-core processor even though Moto seems to want to hide that fact here in the states. You may remember that the D3's fact sheet simply said "Dual-core 1GHz processor" without going into specifics. The XT860 on the other hand gets very specific:

Update: It has also been confirmed along with the 512MB of RAM through Motorola's Dev site here. (Cheers nick!) Not that this should surprise anyone since we've been reporting on it being an OMAP4 for a couple of months now, but we always like to get confirmations on these things. We'll be putting our DROID3 and it's new dual-core through a series of benchmark tests this week and will report back with our findings. Until then, be sure to check out our hands-on time with it.

Peter Alfonso Releases GPA16 (GB 2.3.4) For The DROID - And We Have The Hidden File

Tim — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:53:57 +0000

Peter Alfonso is a man well known for keeping our old favorite Motorola DROID, aka "OG" (we started that) alive and kicking. He is still making this phone his main priority and is releasing a new build of Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread for the 550 MHz processor rocking relic. So all we can do is thank him a million times over for dedicating all his time to this project and making this phone more up to date than carriers would have ever expected.

For Original DROID Devices Only!

Download: GPA16 Download: Secret CPU Toolkit Zip (Adds CPU Settings straight to the Android settings menu) Instructions: Place the zips on the root of your SD Card - Flash in ClockworkMod Recovery. The ROM includes all the new Google goodies. The new Market, and also Google Talk with video capabilities. Hope everyone enjoys the new ROM, and as always, please let us know below in the comments if you run into any issues. For more info, changelog, check out Pete's Blog and follow him on Twitter!

Straightening Out a Ridiculous Situation, Verizon is NOT Remotely Removing Apps From Your Phone

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:20:34 +0000

Some clown in the tech world started pushing around a story yesterday, suggesting that Verizon is "entering user phones" to remove "apps it doesn’t like" without your permission. He goes into some theory about how Big Red is "remotely" browsing through your phone's app catalog and hand picking the ones it deems a problem so that it can then remove them. He has clearly patched together 3 or 4 different stories to come up with this conclusion and is either 100% clueless or is trying to cause a stir because this story is completely false. Let me just reassure you, that Verizon IS NOT REMOTELY REMOVING APPS FROM YOUR PHONE. So what is actually going on? Well, you all know that 4G LTE customers have been enjoying a free hotspot promotion for 2-3 months now, right? Ok, so the newest HTC Thunderbolt update simply removed that promotion. That's it. No apps have been removed, no remote accessing is going on, and they sure as hell aren't doing anything without your permission. The promotion came to an end on July 6, and through the latest update, they included a new service which asks users to sign up for a tethering plan. Just. Like. Every. Other. Phone. Already. Does. Sure, they've blocked access to tethering apps from the market, but they aren't entering your phone to remove them if you already have them installed. Talk about highly illegal? The only company that has the ability to do that is Google, and they only do it in the most drastic of situations that involve something like malware. So again, please ignore the story from the ill-informed tech writer who is trying to cause a stir. Your privacy is safe - Verizon just wants you to pay for tethering now (which is an argument for another day).

Hulu Plus Updated to Support Additional Devices Including Thunderbolt

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:48:47 +0000

Hulu made a big chunk of the Android world happy a couple of weeks ago when they announced the availability of their Plus service, but as always seems to be the case these days, HTC Thunderbolt owners were left out in the cold. Until today, that is. In the latest update to everyone's favorite TV-show streaming service, the Tbolt has been added as a newly support device. Yay! (Support for the EVO 4G, MyTouch and G2 were also included in this update.) Market Link More info at Hulu's site. Cheers aperture and Michael!

Spotify Now Available in the U.S. on Android

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:50:59 +0000

Yep, it's Spotify day here in the U.S. of A. The streaming music service that has been taking the rest of the world by storm is now available to all of you. Spotify allows its users to choose an unlimited number of their favorite tracks, make playlists out of them, listen to them offline and even enjoy them on mobile devices. It's not like Pandora...at all. You can skip around, choose specific tracks, and never have to listen to the random no-name band that sort of sounds like the actual band you like. While we're new to it as well, we have spent a few minutes with it this morning on both our Sonos system and phone and can already see that this will be our next overused music service. We should point out that in order to gain mobile access, you'll need a premium account which starts at $9.99 a month. There are free options though, if you are just looking to test out the service through a computer browser before making the paid leap. Market Link More info can be found at the Spotify website. Everyone ready for this?

Facebook on Android Updated to V1.6.1, More Support for Pages Added

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 08:20:47 +0000

The Facebook on Android team sure seems to be on quite the tear lately. Just two weeks ago, they dropped a major update that included video uploads, a new UI, and pages support. Well today (or late last night), they added even more support to pages; now allowing users to see their entire list of pages as well as act as admin to them from their phones. Many of you are still really frustrated with this official FB offering, but you have to admit that it has come a long way in the last month or so. In order to access your Pages, simply hit the Search button from within the app and find the "Pages" tab at the bottom of the screen. Market Link Cheers Lorne and everyone else!

DROID3 Available in Stores Today for $199 on 2-year Contract

Kellen — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 07:52:27 +0000

If you have been waiting for the next big thing in slideout keyboarded phones, then look no further than the DROID3 by Motorola. The device that has been leaked time and time again is now available in stores for $199 on 2-year contract or $459 at full retail. It packs a dual-core OMAP4 processor, 4" qHD screen, front and rear cameras, 1080p video capabilities, HDMI-out mirroring, and the latest and greatest Android OS, version 2.3.4. I know that many of you ordered yours online last week, but there were some that had to get their hands on it before deciding to make a purchase this big. We should have ours within a couple of hours, so if you were waiting for our initial impressions, they should be out shortly. *Note - We're hearing that some Best Buy stores will not have them today. If you were planning on purchasing from BBY instead of Verizon, you may want to call ahead. Who's headed into a store today?

Rumor: Motorola Preparing Ice Sandwich Tablet With Ridiculous Resolution

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:04:21 +0000

Ahh yes, the rumor of the day that seems to be taking the internet by storm. What would you guys think about a new Motorola tablet that is thinner than the original XOOM, runs a Kal-El NVIDIA quad-core processor, Ice Cream Sandwich, and has a ridiculously high 4:3 (2048x1536) resolution? Sound too good to be true or possibly just odd as all hell? Yeah, we're scratching our heads too. But that's today's rumor though. Apparently Moto has been working on this beast for quite some time and has already sent it to some testers to play with. There is even a chance that it'll be available some time this year - again, according to this rumor. So what do we think? Well, it seems sort of odd that Moto has had Ice Cream Sandwich and a tablet with a Kal-El processor "for a while." Now, there is a chance that they have been selected to be the first quad-core tablet to run the newest version of Android, but they already received that honor with Honeycomb and the Tegra 2. Some of the facts make a little sense in this story, yet so many of them seem so odd along with the timing which is incredibly questionable. A lot of questions, that's for sure. What do you guys think? Via: Fudzilla

Android 3.2 Headed to the Asus Transformer "Soon" - In Testing Right Now

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:01:58 +0000

You weren't thinking that the Asus Transformer would be left out of all this Android 3.2 zooming goodness, were you? According to the Asus Twitter account, the update is going through testing as we type this and will be released "soon." I know you all love that word when used to define a timeline, but they have been one of the more on point companies when it comes to updates. Still no word on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 though... Via: Twitter, Android and Me

Official Twitter Updates - Allows For Multiple Account Support, And Push Notifications

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:38:28 +0000

The official Twitter app in the Market has been updated, and it brings along some much needed features. Multiple account support, push notifications, and much better widget options. Looks like they're finally catching up to all the other 3rd party Twitter apps. With the widgets, you can now have it show either mentions or tweets, but I still feel they should both come in one widget (like LauncherPro's), but this is better than nothing. Is anyone rocking the official Twitter, or does everyone use a different client? If you want to learn more about the update, head over to Twitter's blog. Market Link Cheers kaufkin, picolas!

Verizon Prepaid Data Plan Remains Unlimited at Just $30

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:26:56 +0000

We're now 1 full week into Verizon's new tiered data plan era - how is everyone doing? Any prepaid users in the building? We just wanted to point out that you will also be able to bathe in the unlimited lake for the foreseeable future along with smartphone customers that locked in prior to July 7. According to Verizon's site, prepaid unlimited data for smartphones is locked in at $30. Can't help but smile at that news. Cheers Gustafson!

Android Market Now Allows You To Switch Between Google Accounts, View "Trending" Apps

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:48:43 +0000

We know this new Android Market is going to have some neat new features which people haven't found yet and are just now being stumbled upon. The newest little trick allows you to switch between all your different Google accounts that are on the phone, which is a huge plus one. Another great addition is an added category entitled "Trending", which shows you how fast the new apps are slaying the competition and find the great newly released stuff. From the home page, just slide all the way to the right to see the categories. Anyone else find sweet new features? Share them below. Enjoy!

Custom Launcher Icons is Throwing a "Slick Home Screen" Competition, Enter to Win an Asus Transformer

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:03:16 +0000

Our buddy J. Hancock of Custom Launcher Icons is running a "Slick Home Screen" competition which is essentially a, "Who has the coolest looking home screen" contest and asked that we helped judge it. (Scary, right?) He's also grabbed Fede of LauncherPro, Ander from ADW as additional judges to name a few. It should be worth jumping onto if you are interested in winning....wait for it....an Asus Transformer. Not a bad prize for simply submitting a home screen. How can you enter? All of the official details are at the link below, but essentially all you need to do is use icons or docks from the Customer Launcher Icons app, set up your screens and submit them. And since we know that DL readers have the hottest screens on the planet, we're expecting one of you to come out on top. Voting begins on July 20 - top 3 will be chosen on July 27. That's when the judges take over. You can find all of the details for the contest at this post.

PayPal Introduces NFC Phone-to-Phone Payment System on Android, Available "Late This Summer"

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:33:49 +0000

No one should be surprised that PayPal has entered the NFC payment arena, especially after seeing the unveiling of Google Wallet back in May. For PayPal to continue to grow and expand into the mobile space, this was essentially the next move that had to be made. And today at MobileBeat2011 in San Fran, they demoed a phone-to-phone NFC payment system (available "late this summer") using two Samsung Nexus S devices. Through their new Android widget, a user can simply request an amount of money, touch their phone to another NFC-enabled device with PayPal and accept payment. Simple. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovxA35hQ058[/youtube] Via: PayPal Blog

Gameloft Adds Support for the DROID Charge

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:21:15 +0000

Gameloft is one of those companies that actually likes to make sure their products work before releasing them and is usually the reason we see support for new devices missing at launch. The DROID Charge is a pretty good example of that even if to many, support for it seems to have taken an extra long amount of time. The good news is that as of this week, you can find a number of titles that the Charge has been given the thumbs up to. All you have to do is head over the Gameloft online store and start browsing. Cheers Impatient Charge Owner!

Google And Apple Join Forces To Create The Next Revolutionary Device [Video]

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:41:04 +0000

The billion dollar idea has come and gone with the introduction of the GooApple 3G. An i*hone body, but at it's core is Android version 2.2 (Froyo). This isn't the first of its kind, but the GooApple 3G brings full Android functionality, with the stylish look and feel of the ever so popular i*hone 4. The video demo of the GooApple 3G is accompanied by soothing music, as the presenter shows all the devices features, including but not limited to - Google Maps, Angry Birds, and even the infamous pull down notification. This is truly a remarkable device. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QNjPtsTaww[/youtube] GooApple's Website Cheers DroidFans!

DROIDX2 Bootstrap Released, Clockwork Recovery is Go

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:18:13 +0000

Before we get into this, we need to make it clear that this DROIDX2 bootstrap app was found in a random Chinese forum, so we definitely aren't recommending that you jump all over this. With that said, we've been following the thread for this topic over at XDA throughout the last day to see if anyone has actually had the guts to use it, and apparently they have - and it works. The file was originally built for the Atrix 4G, but can work on the DX2 with no problems. Users are claiming to have backed up and restored their stock ROMs, plus some have even flashed a ROM that was discovered along with the bootstrap app. We have video from a friend below, but again, let's all be careful with this one. Download: MOTODX2_Bootstrap_signed.apk More info. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nHBuo5CwLw[/youtube] Cheers Mark, CyberWulf and crash!

Woot Offers REFURBISHED Motorola XOOMs For Only $400

Tim — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:10:16 +0000

If you're in the market for a refurbished Moto XOOM, then head on over to Woot, where today they have a pretty good deal on everyone's favorite Android tablet. Our only beef with the deal is that you can just go buy a brand new one for only $100 more, and maybe even less with all the coupons and online discounts that Motorola has. Is this price a bit better for everyone, or is this still too much? Buy Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Verizon Demos New Video Chat App on Thunderbolt at LTE Innovation Center, We Want it Now

Kellen — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:07:35 +0000

Verizon opened their brand new LTE Innovation Center yesterday as a place for people to come and, well...innovate. The idea behind this new Big Red building is to invite tech companies to use some amazing new technologies and then turn around and create their own, that use 4G LTE. The folks from @Laptopmag were on hand to experience some of these new innovations, and there was one we found particularly polished and what we would consider to be needed- a really sharp looking video chatting application that blows Skype or any other out of the water. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w2-HTcauTU[/youtube] Cheers Geoffrey!

Download: New Android Market Version 3.0.26

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:22:54 +0000

The new Android Market that was just announced is now available for download. It will only work on phones running 2.2 or higher, but should install right over the top of whatever market your device has. And as you'll see in the gallery below, it's exactly what we saw in the preview video that Google released earlier. At first we were questioning the WP7 styling, but we're ready to take that back. Download: com.android.vending-new.apk To install, download the file from above, tap on it and click "Install." [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"] Via: Twitter, 2 Cheers @bigxie and @Eminembdg!

Download: Motorola XOOM WiFi 3.2 Update HTJ85B

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:30:04 +0000

The Motorola XOOM WiFi Android 3.2 update that we first reported on this morning is now available for manual download. The only problem is, that we don't have instructions to get it installed on your device just yet, but those will likely come in no time once some devs get to crackin' on it. It's only about 15MB, so it shouldn't take too long to download. Oh, and I wouldn't advise that 3G/4G XOOM owners try this - you could screw something up. Download: HTJ85B.zip [mirror]

Cheers Jeffrey and @P3droid!

IMDb Is Newest Site To Release Honeycomb Optimized App

Tim — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:10:02 +0000

Looks like we all have a new Honeycomb app to play with. IMDb, the International Movie Database folks have released a 3.0+ optimized app for all the movie fanatics out there. You can browse all the upcoming and newly released trailers, stalk your favorite movie celebs, and of course, rate and review your favorite (or non favorite) flicks. Market Link [gallery]

New Android Market Unveiled for 2.2+ Phones: New UI and Movie Rentals Included

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:05:50 +0000

A new Android Market was announced today which includes an entirely new UI (user interface) along with movie and book rentals. This update will start to rolling out in the "coming weeks" and should go through automatically. There likely be some tricks to get it to happen sooner once the rollout starts, but for now, we'll just have to entertain ourselves with video overview that we've dropped below. To summarize though, U.S. users will now be able to rent movies that can be streamed or downloaded to their devices, book purchasing is now included much like it has been on tablets, and the UI overhaul should make finding the best apps available even easier. We sort of have mixed feelings on the new look (WP7?), but are eager to give it a run. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pbo-d62ivY[/youtube] Your thoughts? Via: Google Mobile Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

DROID Bionic Makes Verizon Site Appearance, Sign Up to Be Notified of its Release

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:46:44 +0000

Well, look at that. The DROID Bionic making its first ever appearance on Verizon's website. Obviously it's not the actual device, but it is showing up which is a pretty damn good sign that we're getting close to a release. We've been told some really positive things about the final device and that the it's is ready to go, so don't be surprised if this thing becomes official any day now. Sign up here. You all finally ready? Cheers Jarid and Ghery!

Netflix Separates Streaming and In-mail Plans

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:23:37 +0000

This isn't 100% Android-related, but in a round about way, it definitely does affect many of us who use our devices to stream Netflix content. So here is the news - Netflix is splitting up their in-mail and streaming plans which you used to be able to get in one tidy little package for around $9.99. For existing customers, you won't have to worry about anything until September 1st, while new customers will be forced into new pricing immediately. And what is this "new pricing", you ask? The streaming-only package will remain at $7.99, but if you want in-mail DVDs or Blu-Rays, separate packages will start at an additional $7.99. Here is the email that Netflix is sending out to users:

Dear Chase, We are separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into two separate plans to better reflect the costs of each. Now our members have a choice: a streaming only plan, a DVD only plan, or both. Your current $9.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs will be split into 2 distinct plans: Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month Plan 2: Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming) for $7.99 a month Your price for getting both of these plans will be $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). You don't need to do anything to continue your memberships for both unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs. These prices will start for charges on or after September 1, 2011. You can easily change or cancel your unlimited streaming plan, unlimited DVD plan, or both, by going to the Plan Change page in Your Account. We realize you have many choices for home entertainment, and we thank you for your business. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to call us at 1-888-357-1516. –The Netflix Team

What do you guys think? Should we blame to massive amount of mobile streaming for this separation? The streaming plan isn't necessarily changing in price, but we know the demand for mobile viewing is definitely on the rise. Is this just another way for Netflix to leverage future rates of streaming when they realize that no one is using in-mail packages any longer? You guys tell me... Cheers Chase!

4G LTE Upgrade for Motorola XOOM Receives FCC Approval

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:12:20 +0000

This is our second "it's about damn time" XOOM story today... As all of the owners of the Motorola XOOM 3G know, we were supposed to have received an upgrade to 4G LTE back in May - of course, that never happened. After delays by Moto due to who-knows-what, we were told that we could finally expect it some time this summer alongside the DROID Bionic. Today's FCC approval has at least made it look like they may actually meet that time frame. Here is the "stuffer" that will accompany your XOOM after it is upgraded:

Still no date, but as far as we know, you'll still have to ship your XOOM back to Moto and be without it for at least a couple of weeks. With this FCC approval, we should see an announcement from at least one of the involved parties in the very near future. Via: FCC, Wireless Goodness

Android 3.2 Update for XOOM Will Finally Add SD Card Support to U.S. XOOMs

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:35:20 +0000

Yep, the Motorola XOOM Android 3.2 update that we just showed you the first pictures of, will indeed enable SD card support. It's about damn time, right? Apologies for the blurry picture, but you can clearly see that there is new option under phone storage for "SD Card." Early word would suggest that this is only rolling out to WiFi XOOMs and not the Verizon 3G version, but we're still waiting for confirmation on that. We should point out that it wouldn't surprise us to see the WiFi version receive it first, since the Euro versions all had SD support after the 3.1 update. Definitely developing... Cheers again Michael M.!

Android 3.2 Update for Motorola XOOM Rolling Out Now in Small Batches, Build Number HTJ85B

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:09:48 +0000

Last week, a Google employee sent out a message through their support forums suggesting that Android 3.2 could be headed to the Motorola XOOM in just a matter of days - it's looking like today might be the day. We've heard from a couple of readers now that have received the update which includes the fancy new zooming app feature that was introduced by the Android team yesterday. So far, our guys aren't noticing any other major differences. And we have been unable to pull the update to our XOOMs, so we're thinking this could be rolling out in small batches. Keep us posted if you receive it though! About screen and a couple of zooming action shots after the break.

And a couple of additional pictures of this new zoom feature:

Zoomed in.

Zoomed out.

Cheers Michael M.!

Who Wants a Pool Party Invite? (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:42:46 +0000

Update: Our 5 winners have been picked - invites sent! Pool Party is this semi-secret group photo sharing service for Android that is sort of like Google+ in that users can only join if they are invited by someone who is already in the program. It also functions in a similar way in that it allows you to choose select groups (Pools) of people to share specific items (photos) with - sort of like G+'s Circles. It hasn't received nearly the publicity that G+ has, but we're going to do our best to change that since we're already becoming big fans of it. And how do we plan to do that? By giving away 5 invites to the fantastic readers of this blog. All you have to do is fill in the blanks to this sentence:

My favorite Android device of all time is ____ because ____.

We'll close this mini-contest down at 11AM PDT and pick 5 winners!

Ustream Receives Honeycomb Support, Lifecast the Night Away

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:51:23 +0000

Who's ready to lifecast!? Err...maybe not? If you wanted to though, you could on your Honeycomb tablet now thanks to Ustream. A shiny new update just popped into the market for the video hoarders in the building to gobble up. The new tablet-optimized Ustream allows you to of all things, upload live video - as long as you have a decent connection, of course. (And I'm officially scared.) Time to put that front-facing 2MP XOOM camera to work! To stop the cheese for a moment though, I will say that you've got to be at least a little excited to see another tablet-specific app hit the market. I've heard from a variety of Android tablet owners over the last few months who are not satisfied and it usually comes down to the lack of quality apps for them to enjoy. So while I'm clearly poking fun at Ustream, at least they are giving us the goods.

Market Link Via: TechCrunch

Google Shopper Updated to Version 2.0, Now Includes Google Offers Deals

Kellen — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:24:41 +0000

I'm not exactly sure how popular of an app Google Shopper is, but Google is certainly doing its best to make sure you at least give it a quick glance to see if it can help save you money. The app received a pretty polished update today which includes its Google Offers program (for select cities, plus NYC as of today), "nearby" deals, and a list of the deals that you have saved for later. I would assume that this will probably work best for folks in major cities, but hey, why not give it a shot to see it can help save you some hard-earned cash? Market Link Via: Google Mobile

DROID Incredible 2 Gingerbread First Look: Toggles, New Dock App and More

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:13:47 +0000

Hopefully our DROID Incredible 2 readers have all had a chance to pull the Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) update, because it just added some really nice new features to an already-impressive device. You get a lot of the standard 2.3 goodies which make any phone so much more stable, fast, and polished. However, they also tossed in the new Quick Settings toggle menu to the notification pulldown and a shiny new dock app. We already loved the Incredible 2 (our review) before this update, but man, this it just made it that much hotter. First look at the new dock app:

The rest of the 2.3.3 gallery: [gallery link="file" orderby="ID"]

DROID Incredible 2 Gingerbread Update Rolling Out Now

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:44:21 +0000

The DROID Incredible 2 Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update that we first reported on from Friday is now rolling out to users. If you haven't already been prompted to accept it you'll want to do the following:

Menu>Settings>Software update>Check new

The update is approximately 116MB and will take a while to download, so be patient. *If you are rooted and wish to remain rooted, it is recommended that you DO NOT accept this update. Anyone else able to pull this?

EA Games Releases Scrabble To The Android Market For Free

Tim — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:33:19 +0000

There have been so many Scrabble clones on the Market lately, the most popular being Words with Friends and WordSmith. Both are great, and deploy all the usual rules and features one would come to expect from a Scrabble-esque game. Being able to smack talk the competition with in-game chatting, cross platform competitiveness, and being able to play multiple games at the same time is just a few of the features the official Scrabble game has. Words with Friends has been plagued since the early days with a seemingly endless amount of development issues which Zynga still seems to be working on, so hopefully Scrabble doesn't have the same fate. Go grab it on the Market for free, and let us know what you think. And if you're feeling froggy, feel free to find me and challenge me. Market Link Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Contest: Kovdev Releases Tha Plus Theme Based On Google+, And We Have Three Copies To Give Away

Tim — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:33:18 +0000

Kovdev has been pumping out work like crazy lately, and he and Tha Plash's latest creation is entitled Tha Plus. It looks like they were highly influnced by the newest social networking crazy, Google+. The coolest part though, is Droid Life is getting a big kick down from these boys, and they're lowering the Market price from $2.99 for the Pro version, to just $1.99 for 48 hours. Market Link Tha Phlash is also offering up the icon pack from his site for a discounted price. If you wanted to use the icons on more than just ADW, this is how you would do it. Including all 747 icons, it's a true steal. If you're looking to win the ADW theme for free though, look no further then our comments section. All you have to do to win a free version is answer a simple question -

What's your favorite feature of the new Google+?

We will choose three winners, and they will receive updates of the theme for 6 months from the developer. Answer in the comments section below with a valid email so we can contact you if you win. Winners will be chosen at 4pm PST today. Also, if anyone here is a Google Chrome browser user, then you'll be excited to hear that Mr. Kover even has his own Google+ Chrome theme out now, on the Chrome Store. Definitely go check it out! Good luck everyone and thanks Dave and Tha Phlash!

Wireless Battery Covers for DROID3, Revolution, HTC Thunderbolt Now Available

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:17:01 +0000

Inductive (wireless) battery covers are finally available for a number of devices including the HTC Thunderbolt, Revolution and DROID3 through Verizon's accessory store. Some are cheaper than others (4G phones more expensive), but we've included links to all of them below so that you can grab whichever fits your device. Remember though, that you'll also need the charging pad in order to use these - last we checked, it was still $69.99.

Cheers 4n1m4l!

Android 3.2 to Include New App Zooming Feature, Should Help Non-Tablet App Functionality

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:58:07 +0000

(Click image to enlarge.)

A "near-future release of Honeycomb" (Android 3.2?) is on the way and will include a new zooming feature to make all of those non-tablet apps function much more properly on your big-screened device. Since many developers have not created or updated their apps to have tablet-specific features, this new zoom option should help end users out. If the developer of an app you are using is not forcing their app to look a certain way or has not targeted Android 3.0, then you should see a new box in the system tray which gives you two options for viewing:

If you were to choose the new "Zoom to fill screen" option, the app will essentially switch over to how you would expect the app to look on a phone. It's more of an emulated size that is then blown up to match your larger screen, making it much easier to use certain apps. A great example is in the picture at the top of this post. Via: Android Developers Blog

The Ultimate Google+ Users Guide

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:08:55 +0000

Hopefully many of you have received an invite or three to Google+ by now? If so, you may have been looking for a set of tips and tricks to make the most out of your time with this new social service? You'll want to check out this "collaborative document" then, that over 120 people (G+ users) tossed together that features tips, tricks, and a massive Q&A section to get you up to speed. If you ever wanted to learn to use Google+ like a champ, then cruise over to this document. Cheers to everyone who sent this!

DROID3 System Dump Available: Boot Animation, Wallpapers, and Apps

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:00:10 +0000

That was quick, right? With the DROID3 shipping early to those that put in orders last week, it was only a matter of hours really, before the system dump was pulled for all of you to enjoy. Below, we have links to the full system dump which includes all of the D3-specific apps like Zumocast and MotoPrint, but you'll also find the boot animation, ringtones and wallpapers. Enjoy!

Full System | Media (boot animation, ringtones, etc.) | Wallpapers

(Interesting note - wallpaper on the right was titled "bionic.")

Cheers Raj!

Motorola Handing Out 5 DROID3s, Simply Retweet a Few Messages to Enter

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:09:45 +0000

The DROID3 will hit stores this Thursday, but since the device is available through online orders, many of our readers are starting to see their devices arriving already. If you weren't up for paying though, or were still waiting for devices to make their way into stores, then you may want to check out Motorola's latest Twitter contest which ends tomorrow night at midnight EST. They are handing out five (5) of this latest slideout DROID in a simple Twitter contest. All you have to do to enter is follow them on Twitter and retweet everything they say that ends with #droid3win. There should be multiple tweets with that hashtag out there already; each one being equal to one entry. Simple, right? Motorola Twitter | Contest Rules Cheers shr1k3r!

HTC Says Bootloader Unlocking Roll Out Begins in August, Chance for Older Devices

Kellen — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:49:56 +0000

When HTC's CEO took to Facebook back in May to make the shocking announcement that they would never again lock a bootloader, we were excited to a point - I say "to a point" because there was never a mention of a Verizon device like the HTC Thunderbolt or Incredible 2. While both devices can now be unlocked thanks to the great developers in the this community, we still felt like owners who purchased these phones should be a part of the equation, just like the EVO 3D and Sensation 4G. We also wanted to see a Big Red device, simply to know that their future HTC devices won't be locked down like a frickin' military base. It's now looking like we may see some love down the road if any of these fall under the "other devices" category mentioned in this latest update on HTC's bootloader policy...

**UPDATE 7/10** We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience. We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments. HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

What do you guys think? As you may have noticed, both Verizon and AT&T are not mentioned as having devices that will receive the initial roll out of this new bootloader update. Could be because neither have a true "flagship" HTC device at the moment, but we also know that T-Mobile and Sprint are probably the most "dev-friendly" carriers on the planet. Will Verizon or AT&T ever release a phone with an unlockable bootloader? AT&T had a Nexus One, but hasn't come close since. Verizon has only had the XOOM and never an unlockable phone, so what are our chances? Via: Facebook Cheers Adam and everyone else!

Gameloft Offers Up Six $0.99 HD Titles for a Limited Time, Includes N.O.V.A. 2

Kellen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:00:41 +0000

Gameloft announced a semi-new promotion last night for the U.S. that includes 6 of their HD titles for just $0.99. They haven't exactly said how long this will run, so we'll simply suggest that all of the gamers in the building hit up the link below to see which games are popping up as compatible for their devices. On my Thunderbolt I'm seeing N.O.V.A. 2, Dungeon Hunter 2, and Asphalt 6, but most of us know by now that not all Gameloft games are available to all phones - so you could see something different. Buy. Cheers Manny!

AlphaRevX Beta 2 Released for Incredible 2, Time to Get Your Root On [Linux Only]

Kellen — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 09:08:49 +0000

You ready, DROID Incredible 2 owners? The AlphaRevX team released their beta 2 S-OFF tool last night that should take your phone from locked sad panda all the way to unlocked and rooted happy cheetah. There is something you should be aware of though - the tool is currently only available for Linux users. They had initially released a Windows version, but after a number of users ran into bugs, they decided to pull it for now to make it more stable and reliable. As soon as the Windows version is back up, we'll be sure to update this post. Head over to the AlphaRevX site now to download. Oh, an we thought we'd share this benchmark from reader Nic who used a virtual Linux drive of some sort to get the tool to work on his Windows machine. He then loaded up CM7 with S-OFF, perm-root, Clockwork Recovery and an overclocked 1.8GHz kernel that produced this benchmark. And now you know why we love this phone so much...

Cheers Jordan, Giorgio, Nic and Nick!

Gameloft Releases Another 9MM Trailer, Showcasing Multi-player Gameplay

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:04:20 +0000

Everyone's favorite (they just don't know it yet) GTA wannabe game, 9mm, is getting the online mulit-player action it very much deserves. Gameloft, the makers of 9mm, seem to be making sure the mobile gaming world doesn't forget that this game is hitting the streets soon, and the trailer is just as good looking as the ones before it. We all get shown a nice preview of the gameplay in the online mode, and it looks quite exciting, but the only thing it's still lacking is an official release date. They sent over a pretty in depth Press Release though, so our guess is that it shouldn't be too much longer. Well all still looking forward to this? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t-HkJ0xKAo[/youtube]

DROID3 Gets Benchmarked, It Was Just a First Run (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:53:09 +0000

Update: Just like we assumed, that benchmark was a first run. We've received another batch that were done after the device warmed up a bit and the results are much more favorable. ~~I’m not going to start making excuses for the DROID3 yet, but I’m certainly hoping that this was a first run after its first boot up because this is embarrassing.~~ In the days of phones with dual-core processors (this phone being one), we’ve got to at least break 2000 on a Quadrant benchmark. After all, single core devices that have been overclocked can certainly eclipse the 1700 mark. To see what real benchmarks look like, you’ll want to check out this post we ran for the Galaxy S II and the DROIDX2. To be fair though, we know that most benchmarks mean nothing and we also haven’t handled the device yet to run it through the DL set of tests. So I’ll try to hold back too many opinions, but what I will do though, is ask that all of our readers who received D3s early, post up their top benchmarks. This is not exactly what we were hoping to see from an OMAP4 – especially with the DROID Bionic likely running one. Linpack score after the break.

Cheers ShadowOfAnAndroid!

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 7/8/2011

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:25:46 +0000

This has been an ever so exciting week here at the Droid Life manor, and with it, we have a brand new family member! The DROID3 got its official launch from Verizon on Thursday, and so far, we haven't heard nearly any complaints. Customers are starting to receive the phone in the mail, and you can all start going into stores to pick them up next week. On a sad note though, this week also brought along the not-so-friendly tiered data plans by Verizon. If you didn't have an unlimited data plan on Verizon by this Thursday, then you're out of luck. The days of unlimited data for new customers has finally come to an end, and the capped/limited plans shall be the way of the future. Not to say it's the worst thing that has ever happened, but we don't want to imagine a world where we have to pay $30 for just 2GB of data. Oh wait....we live in that world.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and make sure to keep us up to date if any of you are pulling the Thunderbolt update, or if you're all playing with your snazzy new DROID3's.

HTC Thunderbolt Update Starts Tonight - Fixes Reboot Issues, Is NOT Gingerbread

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:57:46 +0000

It has been almost 2 months since the HTC Thunderbolt received an update that started causing an overwhelming number of random reboots for users. The last 6 or 7 weeks have been extremely frustrating to owners who jumped on this device thinking it would be kept up-to-date, bug free, and with the most current of Android operating systems. So far that hasn't necessarily been the case, but there may be a tiny light at the end of the tunnel. An update has been readied by Verizon that should at least fix the reboot problems that you all have been experiencing - it's not Gingerbread (Android 2.3) though. It should be available to pull at 8PM Eastern and will bring a number of fixes, plus that desktop dock app that we are expecting to see when the Incredible 2 receives GB next week. And hopefully this means that 2.3 is just around the corner. *Note - @TeamAndIRC is recommending that rooted users not accept the update.

More info here. Cheers ___!

Amazon's Free App Of The Day: Age Of Zombies

Tim — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:19:23 +0000

Amazon comes through again and offers up Age of Zombies as its "Free App Of The Day". Is it possibly the greatest zombie shoot em' up ever released on Android? Well let's not go that far yet, but it is definitely a lot of fun. With a whole assortment of guns ranging from your trusty handgun, to shotguns, and SMG's, there will be plenty of zombies to kill. The game is usually three bucks, and even if it wasn't free, I would still consider picking it up seeing as how smooth it is. I have been playing on my XOOM, and haven't had a single problem. Minus the fact that the zombie T-Rex keeps squashing me, it's a great game. Controls are smooth, and the sound affects are raw. Premise? A mad scientist has released his zombie army through a time machine into a whole array of different time periods. You have to travel back in time and stop them before they destroy the world as we know it! Not only is the plot genius, the dialogue is hysterical. Can't go wrong with giving this one a "shot". Amazon Link Cheers EvanTheGamer!

DROID3 Unboxing Gallery by DL Reader

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:30:33 +0000

The early DROID3 orders are already starting to arrive for many of our readers, which means we've got plenty of pics to share with you. Since we haven't gotten a hold of one yet, we figured this reader unboxing would help you pass the time. Early word is that the phone itself is beautiful, the slider is like butter, and that PenTile screen isn't too nauseating. Anyone else receive their order? Feel free to share your first impressions - pics too! [gallery link="file" orderby="ID"] Cheers Lonnie!

DROID3 Orders Already Arriving for Some Customers

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:00:06 +0000

The DROID3 went on sale yesterday through Verizon's website, but there were a sneaky group of our readers that jumped on their sales line Wednesday afternoon to place orders. Those early orderees are now receiving their devices almost a week before it will ever hit stores. And now we'll ask that they take to the comments to give us their first impressions. Cheers @NasKaras!

DROID Incredible 2 Gingerbread Update is Ready

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:52:24 +0000

Now this is the stuff we like to see on a Friday! The Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update for the DROID Incredible 2 is now ready according to Verizon's support pages. The update will finally bring the phone's software into 2011 and make your overall experience so much more stable and enjoyable. There really is nothing like GB - it makes Froyo feel like Android 1.6. It's 116MB, so when this thing starts rolling out (maybe next week?), you'll want to make sure you have a full charge and are near a WiFi network. The update will also include a new Wireless Charging UI plus a Desktop Dock App which leads us to believe that a new docking station is in the works. And of course, this has us hoping that the Thunderbolt will receive something similar when it gets GB, since it currently lacks any docking special features when charging. Speaking of the Thunderbolt...still nothing on that front. Cheers Jordan!

DROID3 Available for $149 if You Add a New Line

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:32:10 +0000

If you haven't already purchased a DROID3 and don't mind having to deal with the tiered data plan that you'll be locked into by adding a new line for one, then you may want to jump on this deal. Verizon is currently running a promo for new lines that will get you into this phone for $149 which is $50 cheaper than the normal 2-year contract price. Not a bad deal at all for a phone with a 1GHz dual-core OMAP processor, front and rear cameras, and a shiny new 5-row keyboard. Buy. Via: GadgetU

Samsung Galaxy S II Review - Unlocked Edition

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 09:00:57 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy S II has easily been one of the most anticipated and talked about Android devices of all time. When it was first introduced back at MWC earlier this year, we all started counting the days to its U.S. arrival after seeing the specs that Sammie was claiming to have included. The problem is, that we are still waiting. There is no telling why it has been left off of our shores, but that's the unfortunate story. So since all of the U.S. carriers and Samsung seem to be dragging their little feet on this one, I decided to grab the unlocked version, which works on AT&T's HSPA+, to see if this device could really live up to all of the hype. I also wanted to give you all a preview ahead of its U.S. release, just in case you were trying to decide whether or not you should pick up the DROID3 now, wait for this, or skip them all and head straight for the DROID Bionic. Let's dive in and see if it could live up to our high standards - something very few devices have been able to do over the last couple of months.

The Good:

Hardware: I'm not sure where to begin on this because it's so damn good. The device I'm using has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, an 8MP camera that can shoot 1080p video, a front 2MP camera for video chats, 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen, is thinner that almost any phone on the planet, weighs little to nothing, and has a 1650mAh battery that lasts forever. The only thing missing here is an HDMI port, but Samsung has an adapter that can take care of that. This phone is 100% today's tech and you can just feel it instantly when you use it for the first time.
Screen: The 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen on the Galaxy S II is stunning. As readers of this site, you already know that we're big fans of these displays after we first held the DROID Charge, but this phone has only strengthened those feelings. The resolution may be lower than many of the newer phones who are sporting "qHD" displays, but when it looks this vibrant and beautiful, resolution means nothing.
Battery life: Let's just say that I've not once been in a situation with this phone where I was worried about battery life. And trust me when I say that I've been using this phone constantly since picking it up on both 3G and WiFi. It will easily get you through an entire day without having to plug it in. For example today, my SGS2 was unplugged around 7:15AM and replugged at 4:30PM and still had 68% left. Remarkable, right?
Camera: By no means am I a professional photographer, but I do like to think that I can tell if a camera takes decent photos or not. The SGS2 is more than impressive to me with its 8MP shooter. I've attached a variety of indoor and outdoor shots with different lighting below which I think you'll also be impressed by.

(Click for full size versions.)

Front camera: Samsung continued with their trend of putting high-end parts into this phone by not skimping on their front camera like most phone manufacturers seem to be doing. They tossed in a 2MP camera for video chatting or self photos and not just a VGA as seen on the DROID3. Solid.
Weight: This phone is sooooo light. Could it be too light? Maybe to some, but to me it was a breath of fresh air after coming from ~~a tank~~ an HTC Thunderbolt. There are actually times when I forget that it's in my pocket, even with it's massive 4.3" screen taking up space.
Build: A lot of people aren't fans of the plastics that Samsung uses for their products, but there is something about this phone that just feels solid. While I still wouldn't recommend anyone corner-dropping it on concrete, I still feel like this phone could easily last through an entire 2-year contract - and that's what we're looking for, right? And to give you an idea of the quality, you'll want to watch the battery cover get abused and come out unscathed at this post.
Software: It's running Android 2.3.3 with TouchWiz on top of it. While I can't stand TW, it's hard to hate the fact that the device is running one of the newest versions of Android available. This is one of those phones that really highlights how stable Android as a mobile OS has become. There are zero lag issues, apps load incredibly quick, and the overall experience is something that I wish all Android phones could experience. Oh, and I'm also a huge fan of the pulldown toggles, so I've got to give TouchWiz at least a little props there.

Built-in screenshots: Samsung has been building screenshot technology into their devices for almost a year now and we wish other manufacturers would take note. With devices like the SGS2, you don't need to root just to take screenshots of home screens. All you need to do here is press in the physical home button and then tap the lock button to snap one. Yep, we're looking at you now Motorola and HTC.
HSPA+ (4G): OK, so it's not real 4G, but at least it's faster than regular 3G. Our only worry is that the U.S. version that lands on Verizon won't be 4G LTE. There are no real confirmations of that being the case, but rumors behind the scenes have certainly suggested that it won't be. If it's not though, it would still be hard for me to not recommend that you buy this phone - it's seriously that impressive.

The Not-so-Good:

Physical home button: Yeah, I'm not going to lie, the physical button on this thing is a major turn-off. If an Apple fan ever needed a spot on example of how Samsung is copying their stuff, they should be pointing right at this. I have no idea why they decided to get rid of the Home and Search buttons to make room for this god-awful button, but they certainly did.

TouchWiz: TouchWiz sucks for the most part, I've made this pretty clear. But this is the most polished version I've seen and you can tell that it has definitely come a long way. Samsung has taken this new magazine-esque approach that is close to being acceptable. They have even tossed in some pretty solid features like AllShare and a WiFi Direct transfer system - unfortunately, as an Android homer, I want stock.

No HDMI-out: Like I mentioned in the Hardware section, this phone does not have an actual HDMI-out port. The good news is that Samsung already has a converter to give you an HDMI-out experience. While the built-in port would have been nice, at least you have an option to make it work already. It's too bad it'll cost you extra.
Low screen resolution: As you can see, this is one of those that we threw in because we were struggling to find things wrong with the device. Since the majority of phone manufacturers are coming out with "qHD" resolutions, we had to fault Samsung a little for still putting out a device with a 480x800 resolution.
Speaker: The speaker on this phone is not going to blow you away. It does get pretty loud for ringtones and such, but my experience on actual speakerphone'd calls was not all that impressive.
Seriously, that's all that has bugged me about this phone...

Benchmarks:

The rest of the benchmarks can be seen at this post.

Hands-on and Quick Walk-through:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHPNMc8j0e8[/youtube]

Gallery:

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

The Verdict:

It's the best phone I've used to date - I'm talking ever, and I go through a lot of phones. Since opening the pretty black package and firing it up for the first time almost 3 weeks ago now, I haven't been able to put it down. I'm constantly finding reasons to pull this phone out and use it. The camera takes incredible photos, it browses the internet like a champ, has zero compatibility issues with the apps that I use, gets unbelievable life out of a single battery charge, and powers through everything I've ever tested it with thanks to its dual-core processor. The Samsung Galaxy S II truly is one of the first Android devices that feels 100% complete. Now, with all that said, there is one major situation that we need to talk about. Let's say this device comes out before the DROID Bionic - should you pass on it or pick it up instead? That's a very tough call. Like I mentioned earlier, rumors would suggest that this phone will launch without a 4G LTE radio on Verizon, making this decision incredibly tricky. All of the specs are future-proofed and there is no way you would ever be disappointed with it, but I know that many of you are following the "4G LTE or bust" moniker. I'll just say again that this is the best phone I've ever used (for now), however, that doesn't mean the Bionic couldn't come in and quickly steal that title away in a few weeks. We've heard some pretty mind blowing things about the Bionic over the last couple of days from a few key friends, so let's just end this by saying - August should be a fun month.

Rumor: U.S. Carriers Dragging on Negotiations with Samsung Over Galaxy S2

Kellen — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:10:04 +0000

File this one away as a giant rumor, but according to Korean insider Chosun Ilbo, the Samsung Galaxy S II hasn't made it to the U.S. yet because negotiations with carriers have "dragged" on longer than expected. They also speculate that part of the delay is because carriers like Verizon and AT&T tend to favor products made by Motorola and HTC, who apparently know how to make products that work "best with the American mobile protocol CDMA." Wait what? Ok, this is where we start to cut this rumor off, because not every carrier in the U.S. is CDMA (Hello AT&T and T-Mobile?). As you all know by now though, the Galaxy S II is a beast (our hands-on) and has sold in the millions in just a couple of months, even without being available in the U.S. It's specs basically crush any other phone at this time and has quickly become one of the most talked about and anticipated phones on this site. However, there is definitely something that has been holding it back from landing on our shores, and one could argue that it has something to do with carriers wanting to differentiate the product much like they did with the original Galaxy S phone. Remember, each carrier had its own special version of the Galaxy S, so we wouldn't doubt it if U.S. carriers were trying to push for a similar deal again this year. With each sporting different "4G" networks, we wouldn't doubt it if the need for radio swapping of some sort has made its way into these "negotiations." After all, why would Samsung or these carriers want to release such an impressive phone that would only run on old data connections? Well, I guess that argument doesn't fit with AT&T since the phone is already primed for their HSPA+ network. It's a frustrating situation knowing that a big piece of the rest of the world has had access to the phone for some two and a half months while we all sit here waiting impatiently. I just hope they figure something out in the next couple of weeks, because the DROID Bionic will be here in August and that other really popular phone maker has something planned for September. Samsung easily could have stolen half of the summer had they made the SGS2 available in July, but there are no signs of that happening. Oh, and to add a little shine to this story, we thought we'd let you know that our review of the Galaxy S II will be out today! Via: Chosun, GottaBeMobile Cheers Matt!

Verizon: Unlimited 3G Customers can Upgrade to 4G LTE and Receive the $30 Unlimited Hotspot Deal

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:39:19 +0000

We're still doing out best to help clarify all of the new tiered data questions that you have come up with, and we think we've got another situation worth mentioning. We first reported last week that unlimited 4G LTE customers would have a separate unlimited tethering package that would cost $30 per month, but some of our 3G readers were wondering if they could eventually get into that. The answer is "yes" according to @VZWSupport. As long as you locked into an unlimited smartphone plan by the end of yesterday, you will also be able to keep it and grab the unlimited tethering plan when upgrading to a 4G LTE phone. That help? Cheers Vic!

Motorola XOOM To See Android 3.2 In A Matter Of Days?

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:08:29 +0000

While other Honeycomb tablets are just now receiving Honeycomb 3.1, the Motorola XOOM is prepping to receive the latest Gooogle concoction labeled 3.2. Over at the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), a member with an email ending in "@google.com" spoke of a Motorola XOOM update coming within a few days.

3.2 is said to bring Honeycomb functionality to tablets with smaller screens, so beyond that, we don't exactly know how it will affect the XOOM. Guess we'll all find out sooner, rather than later. Via: AOSP, Android Central

Android 2.3.4 Leaked For The DROID Charge

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:15:10 +0000

The DROID Charge is getting love recently from the guys over at Team Blackhat, including today's leak of 2.3.4. You can find this Gingerbread goodness for Samsung's 4G LTE device over at their site where they've included instructions for those brave rooted users out there. The process includes flashing back to previous firmware, receiving multiple OTA updates, then flashing the leak. Worth it? We'll let you be the judge on that decision. There are two known bugs as stated on the site, including some Market apps not appearing (due to it being a leak), and in some cases music streaming sometimes cuts out. But it does bring a working Netflix function, and full HDMI compatibility. The overall consensus on this release though, is that 2.3.4 is much more stable than the 2.3.3 leak. If you decide to flash, have fun and be safe. Make backups. You can access the download links and full instructions by clicking the source link below. Source: MyDroidWorld Cheers @wynalazca!

Android 2.3.5 is Up Next for Phones? Will Enable NFC Secure Element for Google Wallet

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:17:19 +0000

Yesterday, news broke suggesting that the Samsung Nexus S 4G on Sprint would be receiving an update to GRJ90 which would activate the secure element in its NFC chip to allow Google Wallet to work. We're now under the impression that this update will also bump up the device's Android OS version to 2.3.5 from 2.3.4. While the device you are looking at above has a slightly older build number of GRJ85, our tipster assures us that it is the update that was made to work with Google Wallet and is the reason we believe it will see the bump to .5. And no, it's not just a "build.prop edit." Enjoy the pics of Google Wallet. [gallery link="file" orderby="ID"]

Comcast Updates Xfinity TV, Now With Honeycomb And Gingerbread Optimization

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:46:05 +0000

Back in March, Comcast released the Xfinity app for Android smartphones, but weren't delivering for Honeycomb tablets. Thankfully today, they have updated the app for all of the Honeycomb and Gingerbread users who have been missing it. You can now stay up to date with all the auction hunter, and pawn shop shows you all crave. You're able to browse through the whole guide, play with your DVR, and basically control all the aspects of your Comcast account. It's definitely a win if you're a Comcast customer. And just as clarification - you can't watch TV with this app. Market Link Cheers Bridget!

Verizon Offers 1-Year Contracts to Out-of-Contract Customers?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:00:12 +0000

Interesting email, right? Thanks to one of our readers, we now know that Verizon didn't completely ax 1-year contracts on April 17 and is instead using them for special occasions and circumstances. That special circumstance in this situation has to do with the fact that the recipient (our reader) of this email is currently floating around contract-free. Yep, our reader is not under contract, so Verizon has offered him a 1-year deal plus a month of free service if he were to consider locking back in. It doesn't appear as if there are equipment deals also attached to this, so the incentive here could just be the 1 month of free service. Anyone else receive this? Cheers Jonathan!

DROID3 Is Released With A Locked Bootloader According To Motorola Forum Manager

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:32:08 +0000

This is it everyone, the biggest question surrounding every new Android release it seems - and it's not favorable. The Motorola Forum Manager has just announced that the DROID3 bootloader is locked, just like most previous Motorola devices. This unfortunately will not be a device like the XOOM, with its lockable and unlockable bootloader. Not to say we actually thought it would release with it unlocked, but we definitely hoped Moto finally started listening to their screaming consumers. This isn't the end though, the DROIDX and the DROID Incredible 2 are just now seeing CyanogenMod, so who knows. We have the best developer community constantly working on these phones, so don't lose hope just yet. Is this a shock to everyone or is this just the same thing, different device? *Note (from K) - Before everyone gets too nasty up in these comments, let's stop for a minute and let some devs get a hold of this thing. There are actually very few devices in the world that are unlockable/relockable (Nexus phones and the XOOM), so this isn't all that surprising. What we have to find out now is how locked down this thing really is. Like Tato said above, our devs managed to get past the DX bootloader, so I'm sure they'll do whatever they can to make some magic happen here. Also, remember that Motorola said that their new bootloader policy wouldn't go into effect until "late 2011, where carriers and operators will allow it.” We're technically still in mid-2011...or something. Via: Motorola Forums Cheers Rick!

DROID3 Releases With ZumoCast, Motorola's Answer To The Cloud

Tim — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:52:21 +0000

Motorola Mobility acquired ZumoCast, a cloud streaming system of sorts, back in December of last year in order to boost their MotoBlur product. We had yet to see this service implemented into any of their devices - well, until now. The DROID3 which just came out today, will have a ZumoCast app pre-installed that will give owners access to file streaming from their personal computers whether they are on 3G or WiFi. The cool thing about this service is that instead of uploading anything (to say DropBox or Amazon), users can now access all the files they already have on their computers, directly to their D3. We're definitely excited to get our hands on this new software, especially after seeing how uploading our entire music library to Google Music Beta took a few solid hours. We wouldn't want to imagine having to upload movies too. So is this something that could beat Google and Amazon? No need for uploading, just stream right from your computer at home.

"Smart" - E.M.T.

Via: Motorola Forums Cheers Heath!

Toshiba Thrive 16GB and 8GB Units Already Available at Newegg?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:43:46 +0000

As far as we knew, you were only able to pre-order the Toshiba Thrive from retailers, but somehow Newegg managed to get a few and put them up for sale early. They currently have the 16GB model available for $479 and the 8GB model available for $429 - as far as I can tell, they will actually let you purchase both and have them within a couple of days thanks to free shipping. Anyone interested? Buy (16GB) | Buy (8GB) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgvs0LTneh8[/youtube] Cheers masroor!

Verizon Ups Regulatory Charge $0.03, Will Pay Difference for Life of Contract Instead of Waiving ETF

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:22:45 +0000

There was a whole bunch of Regulatory Charge talk going on around these parts over the last week or so, and we've got some additional information on it today to pass along to those of you looking to exit your VZW contract. If you need to catch up on this story, you'll want to read this post first, followed by this post. According to our sources, Verizon did indeed up the Regulatory Charge by $0.03 and did not offset the cost in another area. That technically counts as a material adverse effect since it raises your bill and should allow you to exit your contract without paying an ETF (early termination fee), except Verizon is taking another approach. At this time, they are willing to credit your account for this new 3 cent charge for the life of your current contract and are denying requests for free early terminations. So basically this menas that Big Red would be handing you back $0.72, assuming you have an entire 2 years left on your contract rather than let you walk away without paying a fee. While I'm no lawyer and am not about to make any predictions on whether or not they can legally do this, I will say that this appears to go against their own customer agreement which clearly states, "...this agreement has a material adverse effect on you, you can cancel the line of Service that has been affected within 60 days of receiving the notice with no early termination fee." Update: I should point out that in order to get this credit, you would have to call in to their customer service department. They won't just automatically refund you the difference from this charge. /shrug.

Fieldrunners HD Available from Amazon Today for Free, A Tower Defense Game with Stunning Graphics

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:01:47 +0000

If you were looking to get into the next big thing in Android tower defense games, you'll want to head straight over to the Amazon Appstore today and grab this new goodie called Fieldrunners HD. It's free for the next 24 hours, but will go up to $2.99 thereafter. While I haven't had a chance to dive into it yet myself, from the videos and multiple screenshots I've seen over the last week or so, I can tell you that I'm installing it right now to get in some quality time. Tower defense games may seem all so similar, but this one looks stunning. And to our international friends that don't have access to Amazon, you can find it for $1 today in the Android Market. Amazon Market Link | Android Market Link ($1) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ_hixvR3xQ[/youtube] [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"]

New Motorola XOOM LTE Cruises Through FCC?

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:39:00 +0000

Could a new version of the Motorola XOOM with built-in 4G LTE have cruised through the FCC this week? It certainly appears that way, only it has slightly different dimensions than the original which means Moto may have something up their sleeves. The original LTE-lacking XOOM is 249.1mm by 167.8mm, yet this new one is 259mm long and 166mm wide. So it's slightly longer, but shorter? Could this be the tablet that we first spotted in this Verizon commercial? Or could it be the "XOOM 2" that popped up over at Moto's site a couple of months ago? Maybe it's just the "XOOM LTE" that received it's MAP (minimum advertised price) back on June 19 alongside the DROID3? Whatever it is, we're thinking that it's going to be here very soon. Via: FCC, Wireless Goodness Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Beginners Guide to the DROID3 by Motorola - Videos

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:49:50 +0000

The DROID3 is official and on-sale for $199, so now it's time to learn how to use it properly. Motorola has added 20 tutorial videos to their Youtube channel to help everyone make the most of their new DROID. Some of these videos were leaked already and will look pretty familiar, but there are so many others that will give you a great overview of the device. And yep, we attached every single one of them so that you can sit back on DL and enjoy the show. Using your phone for the first time: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qIiUkZUcU4[/youtube] Home screens: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qypMwupHdDs[/youtube] Tips and tricks: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUweR7dq2iY[/youtube] DROID3 accessories: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfOcv23jxHs[/youtube] Setting up corporate and personal email: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPs3peqcv4[/youtube] Capturing and sharing pictures: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60WVIujLAW8[/youtube] Your contacts and more: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tux3c8Xe2pc[/youtube] Making your phone a mobile hotspot: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcKRGN07bgc[/youtube] Using quick contacts widget: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5LaH9Srje0[/youtube] Social location: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P1B3EDU_vU[/youtube] Using HDMI mirror mode: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0M_PGfOPlI[/youtube] Adding a social networking widget: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJSS21pqO8[/youtube] Using your calendar: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P82cENbvxJ4[/youtube] Texting and typing: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPfPFfXhyio[/youtube] Browsing the web: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd5cHo4io88[/youtube] Your own HD pocket camcorder: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fnIqKkuOxo[/youtube] Creating app groups: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrNcjiSsmoA[/youtube] Using Quick Office: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaWZ3n72fhA[/youtube] Using your gallery: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zAvQ8JuhmQ[/youtube] Global dialing: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGX_i7odkE[/youtube]

DROID3 Finally Announced by Verizon, Available Online Today and In Stores July 14

Kellen — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:13:21 +0000

The DROID3 went on-sale last night online and through Verizon's telesales, but we can finally call it official now. The next beast in the DROID series has been announced by VZW and is as expected, $199 on 2-year contract and $459 at full retail. It's sporting a dual-core processor (more than likely an OMAP4), 4" qHD screen, 5-row keyboard, front and rear cameras, HDMI mirroring, 1080p video recording, and Android 2.3. It's not 4G LTE, but it should is packing some nice specs and should definitely be considered. Still no word on the bootloader situation - we'll likely know in the next day or so. Buy.

Verizon Wireless Introduces The Next Generation DROID Delivering Power And Performance: The DROID 3 By Motorola Full Keyboard, No Compromises; DROID 3 by Motorola Available Online Today BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the new Android™-powered DROID 3 by Motorola, a global smartphone that delivers power for work and play without making compromises. DROID 3 by Motorola is the world’s thinnest full QWERTY smartphone, and still delivers the power of a dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast multi-tasking. Customers can take stunning photos with the 8-megapixel camera or capture the moment in 1080p HD video. Equipped with Android 2.3, the DROID 3 by Motorola features a brilliant 4-inch qHD display, a roomy 5-row QWERTY keyboard and 3G Mobile Hotspot capabilities, with the ability to connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices. DROID 3 by Motorola delivers the power needed to conquer the day whether customers are at home, work or somewhere in between. Additional features:

Powered by Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread

Mirror mode allows you to view and share photos, videos and movies on a larger TV via HDMI output (requires HDMI cable)

Global ready, allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, including more than 125 with 3G speeds

Enterprise ready with advanced security policies, device and SD card encryption, complex password support, remote data wipe of device and SD card; document and presentation viewing and editing with Quickoffice®

Citrix® GoToMeeting® for Android, gives users the ability to attend online meetings while on-the-go, and Citrix Receiver® for Android, a universal software client that allows companies to deliver corporate apps, desktops and data to any corporate- or employee-owned device

ESP smart dock technology for a tailored experience based on whether DROID 3 is docked in home, office or car settings

Adobe® Flash® Player 10

Front-facing camera for still shots and video chat

Video playback in 1080p HD in mirror mode

Pricing and availability:

DROID 3 by Motorola is now available online atwww.verizonwireless.com, and will be available in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores by July 14 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Customers that purchase a DROID 3 will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. New Verizon Wireless customers will have the option of smartphone plans starting at $30 for 2GB of data. Current Verizon Wireless smartphone customers who are upgrading their smartphone can keep their current data plan.

For more information on 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 fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visitmotorola.com/mobility. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. Adobe and Adobe Flash are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and other countries. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2011 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.

DROID3 Added to DroidDoes.com, Should Be Available Online Any Minute Now (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:10:55 +0000

The DROID3 should be going on-sale through Verizon's website any minute now, but until that happens, you can head over to DroidDoes.com and check out the entire overview of the device. There aren't many surprises, however I will say that I'm really starting to warm up to it as it's gotten closer to this July 7 launch day. That keyboard looks sharp, it has a 4" screen, is super thin for a slideout, and I'm dying to get my hands on an OMAP processor to see how it can compete with the Tegra 2. Oh, and you can order it through *611 now if you can't wait for the website to make it available. A number of our readers started placing orders for theirs earlier this afternoon. Yep, the next version of our favorite phone is finally here.

Here it is again, but no luck on the device page (Cheers 0mie!):

Update: Looks like it finally went on sale last night around 1AM Pacific.

More info. And here is the Buy link.

Tip: Latitude in Google Maps Now Has Google+ Integration for Check-ins

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:25:32 +0000

Today's Google Maps update that included transit navigation is turning out to be quite the fun-filled hidden gem adventure. Our readers first discovered that you could start downloading maps for offline viewing, but there is also new Google+ integration in Latitude that hasn't been pointed out anywhere yet. All you have to do is update to GMaps 5.7, install Google+ (join too if you can), cruise to your favorite bar, sign in to Latitude, choose to Check-in, and then start adding Circles. Once you've added your favorite Circles, press the big blue "Check in here" button and watch it post straight to your Google+ stream. Ahh yes, integration into other Google apps. We likey. Cheers Ben!

Reminder: Free 4G LTE Hotspot for the Charge, Thunderbolt and Revolution Ends Today

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:45:43 +0000

It seems like it was just yesterday that we were informing everyone of Verizon's plans to extend out the free 4G LTE hotspot promo for the Charge, Revolution and Thunderbolt to July 6, doesn't it? Well, we wanted to remind everyone that today is the last day - unless of course another extension is issued, but we haven't been told by anyone that there will be one. And I'll admit that it would be pretty surprising since VZW is going live with tiers tomorrow which includes new hotspot plans. We're also still waiting on an official confirmation that current unlimited LTE customers will have a separate $30 unlimited tethering plan from new customers - hopefully that comes tomorrow. We should also remind you that Verizon's lineup of 4G devices should all receive a minor software update to stop the free hotspot promo and replace it with a message, reminding customers that they will now need to purchase a plan. Cheers for the reminder Octotron!

Amazon Announces Unlimited MP3 and Music Cloud Storage

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:14:41 +0000

Not to be out done by Google's new cloud-based music service, Amazon has decided to step up its game in the free storage department. The Amazon Cloud Player will now allow you to store an unlimited amount of music as long as you purchase one of their storage plans which start at $20 for 20GB. You seriously can upload as many music files as possible and they will not take up any of the storage space that you purchased. All of your previously purchased Amazon MP3s can also be uploaded for free. And let's not forget that you can get the upgrade to a 20GB plan just by purchasing an entire album from their music store - some can unlock the storage for just a couple of dollars if you find the right one. Anyone willing to move away from Music Beta and back onto Amazon? More info at Amazon's site. Cheers Andrew!

Verizon Makes "Usage Based" Data Plans Officially Official Through Facebook (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:10:48 +0000

And it's official. Verizon's "usage based" data plans have been announced through the company's Facebook page and confirm everything we've been telling you for weeks now. The positive spin of everyone now having "MORE options" is pretty comical, but they did mention the fact that current smartphone customers will not be impacted. I know that some VZW reps were telling people that those "rumors" were untrue, but we wouldn't have been so adamant about them if we didn't have multiple trusted sources telling us the same thing over and over again. Update: Tiered plans are now live on Verizon's site. Looks like they are allowing you to bundle tiers and tethering together (which we sort of figured they would do) (Cheers Anthony!):

Again, new lines and new customers that are activated tomorrow will be affected and the rest of you will all still be unlimited and happy. For now that is.

Cheers Gustafson and Edward!

DROID3 Pricing: $459 Full Retail or $199 on New Two-Year Contract

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:00:12 +0000

The DROID3 by Motorola should be available some time tonight around midnight eastern for direct fill orders, which would be through Verizon's sales number and possibly online (not in stores though). We know that Big Red has already uploaded a video walk-through of the device to Youtube that is just waiting to go public and we've seen it in a complete 360 degree view through their test site. So the only things we really need are pricing and a press release - we have one of the two. The device will go on sale for $459 at full retail and $199 on new two-year contract. No big surprises there, but $459 is technically $10 higher than similar devices like the DROIDX2 that are available for just $449. Maybe it's the front facing camera? So that basically covers it all. Feel free to press "send" on that presser, VZW! Cheers 0mie and Lonnie!

Wednesday Poll: Locked Bootloaders Still Matter to You?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:30:37 +0000

Yesterday we ran a poll that asked if everyone still considered the DROID Bionic to be the device to have and saw over 8,000 votes that were all over the board. Some of you have clearly decided that this won't be your next phone, while others are now waiting to see what happens with the Galaxy S II by Samsung before punching a ticket. What I noticed about the poll though, was the answer that received the least amount of votes that simply said that the Bionic would be purchased as long as it had an unlocked bootloader. I'm just wondering, are bootloaders still important to the majority of people? The ROM, theme and hack crowd seems at least to me like it's growing exponentially, but are people ready to trade that for the newest specs? Is root enough? Sound off as usual. [poll id="89"]

DROID3 Video Overview Makes Brief Appearance on Youtube

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:29:10 +0000

That was quick. I didn't even have a chance to watch the entire thing before Verizon pulled this new overview video of the DROID3 that just appeared on Youtube. It was literally there for 5 minutes and now it's gone. Fortunately, I was able to grab one screenshot, but it's all stuff we already know. I guess this is indeed a sign that the device is about to be announced and available for d-fill starting tomorrow. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf19i6rJjRI[/youtube] Cheers Jacob!

Reminder: This is the Last Day to Lock into Verizon Unlimited Data

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:40:14 +0000

Tomorrow is July 7, and that means that you will need to be on an unlimited smartphone data plan by the end of today or else you will be subject to Verizon's new tiered data plans. It's been almost two weeks since we broke news on these new tiers and have talked about it at nauseating levels, but we still wanted to give you one last reminder. We've put together a summary of Big Red's new tiers below. First off, here are the official tiers that we pulled straight from Verizon's site:

Who will be affected by new data tiers? New customers that are signing up for a smartphone plan starting July 7. Current customers that add on new lines starting July 7 will also be affected. They will be allowed to keep unlimited data on all lines that were locked into unlimited data prior to July 7, but the new lines will be subject to tiers. Are there different plans for 3G and 4G customers? No, Verizon is looking at 3G and 4G data plans as being one and the same Whether you buy a 3G or 4G smartphone starting July 7, you'll see just one set of tiers - the one we have pictured above. I have smartphone data now, but want to upgrade to the Bionic - can I keep my unlimited data? According to multiple Verizon documents, as well as our sources, current unlimited smartphone customers can upgrade after tiers are implemented and still keep unlimited data (as long as they are currently on a smartphone plan). We aren't sure how long or how many times that Verizon will allow users to upgrade without switching over to tiers, but "at this time" they are letting it slide. I have 3G service now, but want 4G later - can I keep unlimited data? Yes. According to two of our reports and Verizon's support, as long as you are locked into unlimited smartphone data before July 7, you can upgrade to a 4G device later and not be moved to tiers. We have no idea how long they will let this happen, but all signs point to it being for a while. How do I know which tier to choose? Verizon has a data calculator that can help you decide. I have a feature phone now, should I lock into unlimited data now? Yes. If you don't upgrade to an unlimited smartphone data package now and decide to after July 7, you'll have to choose a tier. Basically what that means, is that you'll need to run out a buy a smartphone today to keep unlimited. Remember that there is a 14-day return policy at Verizon, so you could buy something today and return it tomorrow for the DROID3.

_________________________________________

Everyone all set? Tiers are officially here tomorrow. You can find all of our coverage on tiered data here.

Best Buy Ad Outs DROID Bionic, Listed as an "Unstoppable Machine"

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:50:46 +0000

We're getting close, folks. The DROID Bionic has eluded us all for 7 months, but we now know that retailers like Best Buy are finally starting to gear up for it thanks to the document received by the crew at This is my next. While we aren't seeing a whole lot of useful information in this flyer, we do get confirmation on the new styling and that a massive marketing campaign could be in the works. The device is definitely looking just like the one we saw in a variety of forums over the last month, so this must be revision 3 that our sources told us was final. We get confirmation on dual-core and dual cameras, but those were expected back when the original version was announced in January. The big thing here, is that the device is ready for launch. Could it be early August? Let's hope so. Via: This is my next Cheers Bardia, Tucker, JLukes, and Michael!

Spotify Officially on its Way to the US, Sign Up Now

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:27:02 +0000

Spotify is officially on its way to the U.S. The music service that has taken a large chunk of Europe by storm might have finally received enough clearance by record labels here in the states to launch. For those not familiar, Spotify allows you to pick songs at will and without limitation on your desktops and mobile devices through both paid and free subscriptions. It's apparently awesome. You can sign up to be notified of its arrival at the link below. Sign up.

Tip: Map Downloads Also Added to Latest Google Maps Update for Offline Viewing

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:07:23 +0000

We had heard rumors back in early June that Google Maps could be receiving offline navigation support and now appears as if they at least slipped in a piece of it into the latest 5.7 update without a mention. If you head into Labs (Menu>More>Labs) and select the "Download Map Area" option, you will be able to download maps to your phone to give you offline viewing when your phone is without data service. Here is how to set it up: Once you have marked the option in Labs, head back to your map, zoom out a little, and long press on an area that you could need a map for in the future. Tap on the bubble that appears and then select "Download map area." Your phone will then download the map to your device for later use. Lovely. +1 Google Maps. Cheers interstellarmind!

Google Maps Introduces Transit Navigation to 400+ Cities

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:54:22 +0000

Just when you thought that Google Maps couldn't possibly get any better, an update is released that introduces a new type of navigation - for public transit. In version 5.7 of GMaps, you can get turn-by-turn (stop-by-stop) directions that will use buses, light rails, etc. to get you to your destination in over 400 cities (above ground transit is recommended). And let's say that you are in a foreign country and can't speak the language - this new transit navigation will buzz and notify you that your next stop is coming so that you won't miss it. Talk about brilliant. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NTXkd0dguQ[/youtube] Oh, they also added a fancy new picture viewer to Places and improved search suggestions. Via: Google Mobile Blog

Motorola XOOM WiFi Prices Slashed Everywhere, Time to Expect Something New?

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:42:27 +0000

It's been a rocky road for the Motorola XOOM, the world's first ever Honeycomb tablet. A device that was the talk of the tech world back in January has almost been forgotten about as rumored sales numbers have not even come close to expectations. With customers knowing that newer, thinner, and generally better tablets were just around the corner at cheaper prices, the XOOM almost didn't stand a chance. And well, we're seeing that this week as prices on the WiFi model have dropped $100 (to $499) across the country to make it more competitive with the Galaxy Tab 10.1s and Transformers of the world. We've linked to a couple of deals below, one of which has the XOOM for $449:

Amazon | Staples (coupon code: 51758 for additional $50 off) | Motorola Store

So what's next in the tablet world from Motorola? First off, they need to fix the 4G LTE situation with the Verizon XOOM. Then, they'll likely release a newish version of the that same Verizon XOOM, but with a 4G LTE radio already built in. We're doubting it'll look all that different or have a bump in specs, so what we all care about is really what's beyond that. Does Moto have something up their sleeves for the second half of 2011? We've seen Sanjay Jha hint at 7" tablets time and time again, plus there is a chance that Kal-el quad-core tablets could be seen before the end of the year. We've even heard the codename "Ghost" mentioned, but are unsure of the reliability of that tip. No matter what though, Motorola needs to come back with something strong or 2011 might end up being the year of disappointments for a company that seemed to be doing all of the right things less than a year and a half ago. With devices still hitting consumers hands with locked bootloaders, they not only have investors to appease, but they also are starting to lose touch with those that actually purchase their products. And enough rambling, go grab that Staples deal before it's gone! Cheers for the coupon code Max!

DROIDX2 Sees First Custom Recovery, Now We Wait for ROMs

Kellen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 07:42:39 +0000

Yes, the DROIDX2 still has a locked bootloader that will likely never be cracked unless something magical happens, like say a dev build leaks out (just like with the Atrix) or Motorola decides to become customer-friendly. Until then though, we'll all be forced to find work-arounds which appear to be well under way as of yesterday. RootzWiki member ericerk managed to force a custom recovery onto the device, making ROMs seem oh so close. There are no instructions to get this going on your on DX2, nor do we know if they'll find a similar loophole (2nd-init) for ROMs like they did on the original DX, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Now if only we could get some devs to start really cranking away on this thing, the DX2 world might turn out to be grand after all. Via: RootzWiki

DROID Incredible 2 Gets Treated to CM7 and MIUI

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:28:35 +0000

Since root and S-OFF have been achieved on the DROID Incredible 2, we're starting to see the first batch of ROMs appear for it which includes CM7 and MIUI. As the two most popular on the planet (arguably), this should be taken as a good sign that the development community is ready to accept this device into the family. We've said this a number of times now, but it truly is one of our top 2 devices of 2011 from Verizon (our review). We were worried about it initially with the discovery that it had a locked bootloader, but all that has changed now even if it does lack 4G LTE. If you are brave enough to attempt to flash one of the new ROMs, you can find full instructions on how to root and get you going through the CyanogenMod Wiki. (And a MIUI link)

Tuesday Poll: Is the DROID Bionic Still the Device to Have?

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:24:26 +0000

The DROID Bionic could be here in just a matter of weeks (potentially August 4), which has us wondering if it is still the device of your dreams? There are rumors of it having an unlocked bootloader, but we likely won't know for sure until it finally arrives and gets in the hands of some developers. It could also end up with one of those not-so-hot PenTile screens that we've seen on the DROIDX2 and Atrix, which could turn a number of you off. It is Moto hardware though (which is usually a good thing), but the chances of it having Blur are high enough to make us all cringe. And let's not forget that we still don't know the fate of 4G LTE with the Galaxy S II. So, is this still your next phone or have you moved on from this phone that we first saw 7 months ago? [poll id="88"]

Google Videos Coming To Your Phone In The Very Near Future?

Tim — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:38:11 +0000

Google looks to be prepping for a release of their Videos app for smartphones very shortly. For some lucky users, it has been showing up in the Android Market, then disappearing though. There's only a few things Google really needs to implement with this release for it to be successful - Allow rooted phones to use it, lower the renting price of movies, and make sure there aren't device compatibility issues like we've seen from competitors. But alas, most of these will not happen. We can dream, right? With competition like Hulu+ and Netflix, I think it will be tough for Google Videos to get its foot in the door. As of July 1st though, Google seems to be in preliminaries of acquiring Hulu. Game changer coming soon? Quick Video Preview: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaOhLpsoCA0[/youtube] Via: Android Central

Samsung Provides a Full 12-Minute TouchWiz UX Preview for Galaxy Tab 10.1

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:45:44 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlLP3RXkmUQ[/youtube]

No one was complaining when Samsung announced that its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 wouldn't launch with their special TouchWiz UX on it. Unfortunately they still had plans to introduce the first ever Honeycomb (Android 3.1) skin in the near future and have provided a full 12-minute video of what you can expect. I wouldn't necessarily say that it looks awful, because it does add some nice new functionality and features. The problem is that TouchWiz on phones is indeed awful and also makes updating happen at a much slower pace. We won't know how UX will affect the Tab 10.1 in the future, but it's still something to be concerned about. Anyone pick up a Tab 10.1? Any of you want TouchWiz UX on it? Via: Phandroid

Walmart Lowers Price Of XOOM WiFi To Just $499

Tim — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Looks like Walmart is ready to clean their shelves, and are making way for newer products by lowering the price of the Motorola XOOM WiFi. It's possible that these devices could see lower prices in the future (original Samsung Galaxy Tab, anyone?), but not by too much. If you've been looking to score one, now would be the time. We know that some of you aren't the biggest fans of the XOOM, but it is still technically the Honeycomb "developer device" and has a pretty large community behind it. Buy Cheers Darren!

TI's OMAP4 Processor is First to Receive Netflix HD Certification, DROID3 a Lot More Attractive?

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 11:17:12 +0000

Texas Instruments announced today that its OMAP4 platform has achieved the first Netflix HD certification for mobile, which means that Android devices using their processors just became a heck of a lot more attractive. TI was able to meet the strict security measures through their M-Shield technology which is also able to provide optimal playback time, while maintaining low CPU loading so that mobile devices can run other apps and services. With Netflix HD, OMAP4 devices can stream full 1080p HD content or mirror it through their bigger screened TVs, monitors, etc. Anyone starting to consider the DROID3 now? We're almost 100% sure that the D3 is running an OMAP4 processor, leading us to believe that it will support Netflix HD at some point down the road. Sure, it's 4" screen may not seem super optimal for HD content, but it's HDMI mirroring sure does. And are we now hoping for an OMAP in the DROID Bionic? Umm, yep.

TI achieves first Netflix HD certification, brings new streaming capabilities to Android devices

Complete with M-Shield™ security technology, OMAP 4 platform enables first secure full HD streaming experience for Netflix on mobile devices to large screens
DALLAS, July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today became the first partner to achieve the Netflix Silicon Reference Implementation (SRI) certification for the Netflix HD application on Android. TI's OMAP™ 4 platform, complete with M-Shield™ security technology and TI's quad-radio WiLink™ 7.0 connectivity combo solution, met the Netflix requirements for mobile content streaming, including the ability to run up to full high-definition (HD) 1080p video within strict security measures. This milestone reflects the strength of TI's M-Shield technology on the OMAP 4 platform and marks the first time Netflix has certified its 1080p streaming application with end-to-end protection on a mobile device. With its dual ARM® Cortex™-A9 MPCore foundation featuring TrustZone®, TI's OMAP 4 platform sets the bar for multimedia-rich Netflix experiences on today's mobile devices. It employs parallel processing for higher performance and better power efficiency, and includes engines that drive consumer-demanded capabilities such as full HD 1080p 30fps multi-standard video and more. Part of the OMAP 4 platform, TI's M-Shield security technology protects premium content and mobile devices from attacks while streaming with the Netflix application. The M-Shield solution implements a hardware-protected, trusted execution environment (TEE), which runs on the OMAP processor, yet does not require a dedicated chip or extra CPU cycles. This allows M-Shield and OMAP architecture to provide optimal playback time, while maintaining low CPU loading so it is free to run other applications. Additional streaming security was achieved through the use of Wi-Fi-based WEP, WPA and WPA2 protocols, part of TI's WiLink 7.0 solution—the industry's only single chip to include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, GPS and FM technologies. Smartphones and tablets running the Netflix application on the OMAP 4 platform can also connect to larger, HDMI-supported televisions as the OMAP platform's security includes HDCP encryption over the HDMI connection itself. "Netflix already has a rich heritage of streaming to PCs, Macs, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs, iPhone and iPad, and many set-top-boxes, so we sought a semiconductor partner that could bring our service to the broader mobile environment smoothly and securely," said Bill Holmes, Vice President Business Development, Netflix. "TI's OMAP architecture and M-Shield security will set the stage for a high-performance, low-power, secure platform that will help Netflix members instantly watch unlimited TV shows and movies on Android devices." "TI is proud to be the first to achieve this coveted certification and to provide the solution that ensures a strong balance of performance, security and power efficiency as Netflix experiences migrate to the mobile world," said Fred Cohen, director of the OMAP User Experience team, TI. "Our OMAP processors deliver rich, life-like experiences on mobile devices, while our M-Shield technology stands as the guard dog, protecting customer, content provider and consumer assets. It's the best of both worlds, driving new growth opportunities for Netflix in the Android marketplace." TI worked with Trusted Logic to develop the secure middleware component (SMC), which is the OMAP version of Trusted Logic Trusted Foundations™. The SMC executes Trusted Logic TrustedShow™ and an OMAP-optimized implementation of the Netflix-required Microsoft PlayReady™ DRM scheme. "This Netflix certification represents another milestone in our successful work with the TI team," said Olivier Leger, VP and General Manager, Trusted Logic. "We are thrilled to bring the most advanced features – including premium content distribution and streaming – to various consumer products in a safe, secure manner. Netflix users and stakeholders will benefit from our proven technology, now optimized for TI's M-Shield, and the best possible experiences on their mobile devices." Support and availability The OMAP 4 platform's Netflix certification supports Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") today, with support for additional Android versions planned for this year. Devices with the OMAP 4 processor-driven Netflix application pre-installed will be launched in the near future. About Texas Instruments Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 80,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com. Trademarks OMAP and M-Shield are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments Incorporated. ARM is a registered trademark, and Cortex is a trademark of ARM Ltd. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.

DROID3 Dummy Units Start Arriving in Stores

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:22:17 +0000

The DROID3 is on the way, my friends. Dummy units have started to arrive in stores to meet the July 7 and 14 dates we first reported to you last week. You probably won't be able to get your hands on them just yet, but don't worry, Thursday is just around the corner. And we're expecting a Verizon announcement of the device at any time now. Via: Twitter

Best Buy Sort of Offers Up HTC Flyer with Free $80 Stylus Pen

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:10:44 +0000

There were a lot of confused souls when the HTC Flyer was announced for the U.S. without a stylus digital pen. The Scribe technology that came built in was one of the major selling points for this 7" tablet, so to ask customers to purchase the pen to take advantage of it separately was a little odd. Well as of today, Best Buy is looking to push some additional units by offering up the device with a pen included at no additional charge. That's right - the $80 pen will now be included with your Flyer for free...sort of. The package you are seeing above has popped up on BBY's site, only it may have been activated a little too early. You see, I was able to add it to my cart early, but the actual page for the Flyer + Pen seems to have disappeared. Feel free to try the "Buy" link below though - this is a pretty good deal. Buy. Via: UnwiredView

Verizon Prepares New Chart of Tiered Data as July 7 Looms

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:50:18 +0000

At this point, you probably know everything there is to know about Verizon's new tiered data plans, but just in case you were holding out hope that they would have a last minute change of heart and ax the program, we have site confirmation that they are all ready for launch. Yep, visual confirmation that Big Red is just moments (2 days) away from flipping the switch on tiers of 2GB for $30, 5GB for $50, and 10GB for $80. The good news is that all of the current unlimited data plan members in the building get to keep that unlimited data for the foreseeable future and these tiers mean nothing. New customers and lines though, not so much. If you don't lock yourself into an unlimited smartphone package by the end of July 6, you'll be subject to tiering (that a word?). Cheers @0mie and @rusty_richards!

Dolphin Apologizes for Releasing Email Addresses of Beta Test Group

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:33:22 +0000

Dolphin, one of the more popular browsers on Android, accidentally released a number of email addresses that belonged to members of their beta test group this weekend. While no passwords or other personal information was included in this screw-up, we did want everyone to know that as a part of the group, your email address could have been made public. They have offered an apology and an email address (support@dolphin-browser.com) that they can be contacted at in case you had any questions. Via: Dolphin

DROID Bionic Could Finally Launch August 4

Kellen — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 07:36:38 +0000

Could the DROID Bionic finally launch on August 4? Wouldn't surprise us one bit. We had been hearing "late July" for about a month now, so another week or two push by Verizon to get everything in order for the massive campaign that will surely arrive alongside it is definitely a possibility. After all of the many delays and revisions (we're now are rev-3), August 4 needs to get here now - this is in fact the device to have still on Verizon. Oh, and the screenshot below does match the launch date for the DROID3 that we first reported, so that makes it at least a little palatable. As always though, we'll be digging for more to get those of you that have been waiting so impatiently more details.

Via: Android Central Cheers to everyone who sent this!

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Kellen — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:42:31 +0000

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July! Today sort of marks the start of Verizon's Android summer release series which will include the DROID3 this Thursday, followed by the DROID Bionic in either "late July" or early August. It definitely didn't launch today like all of those random tech sites tried to suggest - you already knew it wasn't happening though. We're also hoping that Big Red will slide in the Galaxy S II somewhere in there, but rumors would suggest that it won't be 4G LTE and without any mention of a U.S. release from Samsung, it's pretty hard to know. There are a number of Gingerbread builds that need to come out for devices like the Thunderbolt, Incredible, Incredible 2, DROID2, DROID Pro, DROID2 Global, and DROIDX2. Our sources have suggested that all of the Motorola phones may not see Android 2.3 for a while after the bug list from the DX's GB build started piling up. And we were told by HTC that the Tbolt and Inc would see it in Q2, but we're now 4 days past that deadline and are without a new time line. So there are some big things on the horizon and even though we seem to be dealing with a new set of delays (again), it's still exciting when you start looking at all of the new goodness that's on the way. It's definitely going to get wild around here. Let's all get ready for it by relaxing and tossing a few back on this sun-filled holiday of ours. Cheers!

Verizon About to Offer HTC Thunderbolt for FREE in New Promo?

Kellen — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:08:08 +0000

If you've been following us on Twitter or saw this new DROID3 360 degree post today, then you know we've been poking around on Verizon's website, discovering goodies. This next one though, could be something pretty big if it actual happens in the next week or so. How does an HTC Thunderbolt for free sound? Verizon's website is about to undergo a series of changes and part of the kick to those changes might mean a new set of deals which could include the Thunderbolt for free and others like the *cough* i*hone 4 for $150. There is no telling when this could go off, but with the current $50 gift card promo for the Tbolt ending on July 4, we're thinking it could happen shortly after.

Anyone interested in a free Thunderbolt? It may not be dual-core, but it's unlockable, 4G LTE, and has an amazing dev community already. Cheers 0mie!

DROID3 Gets a 360 View on Verizon's Website

Kellen — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 18:25:53 +0000

We're still waiting on Verizon to officially announce the DROID3 by Motorola even though we've given you two pretty good indications that the phone will be released July 7 via direct fill and in stores on the 14. The official word on it will likely come Tuesday (July 5) though, and will more than likely include a link to the 360 degree view of the phone that we've grabbed for you in a series of pics throughout this post. You can see the official pic for the phone here, but if you want additional angles that include the volume rocker, HDMI slot, keyboard, camera, etc. you'll have to hit up the gallery after the break. And I must say, that this phone is lookin' sharper and sharper by the day. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"] Cheers Mr. 0mie!

Official HTC Thunderbolt Desktop Dock Now Available

Kellen — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 11:35:11 +0000

We're not sure why HTC can't seem to produce multimedia docks in a timely fashion, but it sure seems to happen every time they release a meaningful phone. The DROID Incredible still doesn't have the official dock that we were promised, and we're just now getting this one for the Thunderbolt, only it's not through a carrier or official store. Nope, you'll have to buy it through the folks at HTCPedia who happen to have 800+ in stock at this time for $59.99. If that seems steep, it's because this is the OEM dock that can fit the Tbolt with an extended battery attached. It can also charge a spare extended or standard battery in the back side to give you enough juice to last a week or two. If you want something cheaper though, you may want to check out the Seidio dock that in the Droid Life store right now for just $27.95. Buy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0aRec9pQb8[/youtube] Cheers NorCalDroid!

Another DROID3 Launch Date Confirmation, Still Coming July 7

Kellen — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 07:14:45 +0000

Just in case you needed additional confirmation after our report that the DROID3 will be available starting July 7 via D-fill and July 14 in stores, we've got this for you. Yep, those dates are starting to pop up everywhere for our friends at Verizon, so unless something catastrophic happens with the shipments of phones next week, we'll be seeing it. If you'd like to check out the official user guide for the phone, you can find that here. Also, we have this really fun chart that walks through the evolution of the slide-out DROID brand here, that I highly recommend you check out.

Cheers ___!

DROID Bionic Possibly Cruises Through FCC

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:06:10 +0000

A mystery Motorola phone sporting both LTE and CDMA radios cruised through the FCC today, leading us to believe that it's revision 3 of the DROID Bionic. There are no other LTE Motorola devices on the horizon that we know of (unless it's a new XOOM), so it's got to be it, right? As you all know by now, the original device we saw back in January at CES is no more, and from what we've been told, the 3rd version of the device received its final approval so this FCC filing makes us incredibly happy. We also first reported that Verizon's current release schedule for the Bionic is "late July" along with the DROID3 as "early July." The D3 is meeting that schedule, so we're starting to think there is a chance that the Bionic shows up before August. Well, maybe. Not...holding...breath. Via: FCC Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Download: Motorola DROID3 User Guide

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:33:27 +0000

Just in case you wanted to know every single last detail about the DROID3 that we haven't already covered, you can grab the official user guide below. The device is definitely coming to stores in the next two weeks, but maybe you wanted to see the brand new camera app and icon set that come with the D3's exclusive new Blur? Download: droid3manual.pdf Cheers ___!

Verizon 4G LTE Unlimited Data Customers Will Have Separate $30 Unlimited Tethering Plan

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:10:55 +0000

When we first reported news that Verizon was switching to tiered data, we also confirmed that customers would be allowed to add on tethering for an additional $20. What we were unsure about though, was how they would treat those of us with 4G LTE devices who remained on unlimited plans - we now know. All current customers with 4G LTE devices that will be grandfathered in to unlimited data plans will have a separate $30 per month unlimited tethering option starting July 7. We've known for some time now that Verizon extended the free 4G LTE mobile hotspot promo to July 6, but once that day comes and goes, we'll only have the option to add on an additional $30 plan rather than the $20 2GB tier. An automatic update will be pushed to the Thunderbolt, Charge, and Revolution on the 6th or 7th to cut off free hotspot capabilities. If you try to access the service after the update has hit, you will be prompted to purchase the $30 plan. The $20 2GB tier will be available to new 4G LTE customers that sign up after the 6th. From our understanding, current 3G smartphone customers will also have the 2GB option. I will say that while it appears to be expensive, it's a much better option that the 2GB $20 option. Power users who love unlimited data and also love to tether should be happy that they have another unlimited options. Your thoughts? Cheers ___ and vzw!

Evolution of DROID: Original DROID vs. DROID2 vs. DROID2 Global vs. DROID3

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:43:55 +0000

We just received confirmation that the DROID3 will launch July 7 for direct fill orders and hit stores on the 14, but wanted to also pass along this chart that shows the evolution of the slide-out DROID brand starting all the way back with the OG. Pretty amazing to think that in under 2 years, we've gone from 600MHz to a 1GHz dual-core processor with HDMI mirroring, 1080p recording, a front camera for video chats, and an extra row of number keys yet managed to lose some thickness. Too bad they couldn't slip in a 4G LTE radio though...

Exclusive: DROID3 Launching July 7 Via Direct Fill, Hits All Stores July 14

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:02:54 +0000

Well, we told you long ago that the DROID3 was launching on July 7 and just had it confirmed through our friends at Verizon. The device will be available via direct fill next Thursday followed by a mass store rollout on July 14 as a Big Red exclusive. Pricing is still unconfirmed, but we can almost guarantee that it'll be $199 on a 2-year contract. Specs are as we've known all along: dual-core processor, 5-row keyboard, front and back cameras, 1080p recording, HDMI mirroring, no LTE, 16GB internal storage, and Blur (the newest version). We knew those accessories that showed up in our inbox an hour or so ago were a good sign of a date to come, but who knew we'd have it this soon. Who's ready for some D3?

Cheers ___!

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 7/1/11

Tim — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:37:30 +0000

This week brought the introduction of Google+, a service which is sure to give Facebook (have you "liked" us yet?) a nice run for its money. Has everyone gotten their invites? We even told you how you might be in luck if you're trying to exit your Verizon contract. Make sure to check out what you may have missed.

Thanks everyone for another great week. Are we all looking forward to the 3 day weekend? Have a very safe and awesome 4th of July.

DROID3 Accessories Start Hitting Verizon Shelves, Release Imminent

Tim — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:05:07 +0000

We just received a handful of pics showing that Verizon stores are now starting to receive their DROID3 accessories for an upcoming release. We got all the classic snap-on cases, and screen covers. The only thing that seems to be lacking from all these DROID3 posts is an official release date. We're still thinking July 7th, but some say the 14th. We shall see very soon since both these dates are literally, right around the corner. Anyone tired of the hypebeastin' and ready to pick one up? [gallery] Cheers ____!

Cincinnati Bell Releases Froyo, And Needs You To Root Your Milestone

Tim — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:34:19 +0000

Cincinnati Bell is releasing Froyo for their XT720 Motorola Milestone, and what else are they giving customers? Superuser Permissions. Doesn't look like they have an actual OTA program going, so they're having users follow some mildly complex PC instructions for them to update their devices to Froyo, then giving them one click root. If Verizon did this, we would all be in paradise. From what the instructions are saying, they're giving users root due to the fact they lose all their data in the process of updating, so after installing a different firmware, you root, save your data, then flash the update. The instructions are about 23 pages long, and the step by step video guide only runs about five and a half minutes. If you're interested in looking it over (it's very interesting) head over to the Cincinnati Bell website. Can we now all shout, "Verizon take note!" Update instructions here. Cheers Syrenz32!

FlightTrack Releases Honeycomb Version To Android Market

Tim — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:05:53 +0000

Frequent fliers who bring along their Honeycomb tablets for trips may now rejoice as FlightTrack has just released a Honeycomb optimized version in the Android Market. You can still look up flights, track em', and even find yourself less stressed at the airport. The app looks great on the 10 inch screens, and even comes with some nice widgets. Definitely a well made app and worth the few bucks.

Some new features include,

Beautiful "map-centric" experience to make flight tracking more visual
Completely updated and tablet-centric experience for adding flights
Beautiful Honeycomb-specific widgets created to give a complete experience to the user from the home screen itself. Users can add a flight or view details of any flight just by tapping on the row in the list widget.

Market Link

Oh Google+, the Original DROID Doesn't Have Official Gingerbread

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:16:30 +0000

That phone in the middle sure looks pretty with Gingerbread (Android 2.3) on it, doesn't it? Unfortunately it's just a Photoshop job and something that will more than likely never happen officially to our favorite device of all time. It's too bad really, but the specs just aren't there to get the OG up to the current version of Android...err wait? That's not true at all - our buddy Peter Alfonso seems to be pumping out some incredibly stable Gingerbread ROMs still to this day. In fact, he just released a brand new series of kernels that you should all check out. So while it was a nice touch by the Google+ team to include the original DROID on their site with 2.3, it's really just a reminder that this device will no longer be receiving official support, and that's damn sad. At the same time though, it gave us another reason to talk about the device that singlehandedly propelled Android into the houses of millions of Americans. +1 to that. Cheers Shane!

Both Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Nook Make Today's eBay Tablet Deals

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:08:22 +0000

Yesterday, eBay tossed out the Motorola XOOM WiFi 32GB for $499 and are back again with two additional Android tablets on the cheap. You can pick up the brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for as little as $444.99 or the Nook Color (which has a ridiculously large dev community) for $189.99. I know that many of you are having trouble deciding if you should buy a tablet now or wait for the next batch of quad-cores, but there are some pretty solid deals out there to be had. The good news is that in the next few months, we'll probably see the current crop of Tegra 2 devices drop substantially in price while the new big dogs are introduced. Buy: Galaxy Tab 10.1 | Nook Cheers George!

Skype Pours Salt on Our Wounds, Teases Thunderbolt with Video Feature

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 08:48:56 +0000

Thankfully we released a version of Skype with Video that will work on Thunderbolts, but that doesn't make the multiple sightings of it on Skype's website any easier to handle. Since the device is still not running Android 2.3, even though HTC told is it would be ready some time in Q2 (which ended yesterday), there is no official support for it at this time. Do we have any idea when we'll get it 2.3 or Skype on the Tbolt? Not really. Skype appears to be ready to pull the trigger, but can't without it being updated to 2.3 - I guess we're looking at you HTC. Cheers to everyone who sent this!

Pool Party Released by Google's Slide Team, Another Private Beta You Can't Join

Kellen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:54:08 +0000

Google apparently has this secret Slide team somewhere deep within its realms that pumps out sharp looking apps like the one you are seeing above. Yep, it's called Pool Party and it looks like some sort of direct Color knockoff, but we can't tell because it's another closed beta. The reason we've come to that conclusion though, is simply from the description which claims that you can share photos in "real time" with your group of friends. Interesting, right? Anyone want to invite me? Via: TechCrunch

Tip: How to Invite Friends to Google+

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:25:00 +0000

So, Google+ is sort of back open (at least for now) to new members after last night's closure, but in order to join, you have to be invited by another friend through a multi-step process. Initially, you could invite friends by simply adding their email to a form and clicking "submit" - today however, you are forced to use the entire service in order to get them invited. It's not difficult by any means, and we've included the entire step-by-step process for you below. Instructions:

*Note - There is a good chance that Google will keep hitting capacity throughout the next few days. If that happens, I would suggest that you just keep trying every hour or so to see if more spots have been opened up.

1. Login to your Google+ account and head to your Circles page. 2. Create a new Circle and name it whatever you want.

3. Afterwards, start adding people by clicking the "Add a new person" button.

4. Once you've added all of your friends (Gmail only), head back out to your Stream. 5. Post a new item to your Stream and add the Circle you just created.

6. Once added, make sure the box is checked underneath it which will email everyone in that Circle.

7. Click "Share" and you'll see the following message. Just press "Okay, got it."

8. Then click "Share" again and your friends will receive an email to join. 9. Have fun with Google+! Cheers to everyone who sent this tip in!

DROID2 Global Gingerbread Available "Soon After" DROID3 Launches

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:20:00 +0000

The Gingerbread update for the DROID2 Global was primed and ready to rock back on June 15, but for reasons we have been led to believe were due to bugs that needed to be worked out by Motorola, it was pulled. Some conspiracy theorists would argue against that after seeing this note from a D3 training document that just popped up. Would Verizon and Moto really hold back 2.3 to make the D3 look a little more appealing? Not likely. In fact, no where in that note does it mention that as a reason, nor does it mention that the D2G's GB is even ready. It's "expected" to be ready which means they still have work to do on it. Also, if Moto is holding back updates to launch their newest slide-out with the newest software available, why'd they already give it to the DROIDX and skip the DX2? Exactly. To help out the D3 side of the argument though, they did release the original DROID as the first with 2.0 and the DROID2 as the first on Verizon with 2.2, so they could try to do the same with this phone. Although, it would make most of us DX owners a little uncomfortable to see them running around bragging about 2.3 on a phone when we've all had it for weeks. The D3 is launching with a newer version of Blur though, so...who knows. What we do know is that the GB builds currently available from Moto are filled with bugs - and once they get them all worked out, they'll be made available to their entire lineup of 2010 devices including the D2, D2G, Pro and DX2. And enough rambling from me for one night. Cheers nessa!

DROID3 Specs Revealed in Training Document, Nothing New to Report

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:17:57 +0000

Training has started for Verizon's employees on the DROID3 and well, there are absolutely zero surprises to point out. After being announced in China as the Milestone3, all of the specs you will see below were already known including its dual-core processor, 4" qHD screen, and global capabilities. It'll have dual cameras as expected, a ton of bloatware, Swype, and Android 2.3. Again, everything we've known for quite some time now. If there was one surprise though, it would probably be the little note in there about it only having 16GB of internal storage and an empty SD card slot. Of course, it will still support 32GB worth of removable storage, but this will be one of the first times that we have seen a U.S. device without an SD card of some sort pre-installed. I say U.S., because my unlocked Galaxy S II from across the Atlantic only had internal storage until I slapped a card in it. What do you guys think? Were you hoping for a reference to an unlocked bootloader? Confirmation on that will likely come much closer to release.

Via: Android Central

Download: New Skype for HTC Thunderbolt with Working Video, Other 2.3 Devices Too

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:56:28 +0000

Skype with Video was finally announced this morning, but the HTC Thunderbolt was unfortunately missing from its list of supported devices. Thanks to our buddy 0mie though, Tbolt owners are now semi-supported. Our devices are all running Android 2.3 (which is a requirement according to Skype) and work flawlessly, but that doesn't mean 2.2 phones will work. So to those of you unrooted, stock and on 2.2, please test the file below and let us know if it works. Download: TBolt_GB_Skype.apk [mirror] And let's not forget that the 2.2 Skype with Video that we leaked should still work. *Works on Galaxy S II, Charge, EVO3D, Sensation and Thunderbolt running 2.3. Cheers 0mie!

Path Makes Its Way to Android

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:11:30 +0000

The timing of Path on Android couldn't have come at a better (or maybe worse) time. With the launch of Google+, it either doesn't stand a chance on Android or it could find a nice niche thanks to the idea that Google's new service has dropped upon us: limited sharing. Path is like Facebook (it can actually work with FB) except that it allows you to really limit the number of people (50 max) that you share your life with (a la Google+'s Circles). You can post photos, share "moments" and even have conversations with friends/family. It's all about intimacy and privacy, people. It's a great concept that has been popular on iOS for a while, but I'm just wondering if it stands a chance on Android now with Google+ planning its world take over? Market Link

Cut The Rope Lands On Android Market For $.99 And No Ads

Tim — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:00:36 +0000

The time has come for Cut the Rope, and if anyone has been playing nonstop like I have, then this is just a plain necessity. For only $1 on the Android Market, you can now feed the ever so cute Om Nom with no advertisements. The only downfall so far, is that if you have already beaten the free version (got 3 stars on each level), your progress does not carry over to the paid version. But hey, it's like having a brand new game to beat all over again. Go grab it and rate it 5 stars.

Om nom nom nom nom!

Market Link Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Full Motorola DROID3 Accessory List, Inductive Charging and Extended Battery Included

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:09:57 +0000

The Motorola DROID3 is no longer a secret since we've seen a variety of pics, reviews and announcements for it as the Milestone3 in China, but we still weren't sure about accessories. Well, we are now. According to our homies at Verizon, we should see all of the goodies you had hoped for including an inductive wireless battery door, an extended battery (1930mAh), multimedia dock and a window mount. All signs are pointing to us being just a week or two away from a launch. We were told a while back that July 7 would be a pretty good bet, but others are hearing the 14th. Talk behind the scenes has definitely ramped up, so I wouldn't doubt it if we see something official very soon. Cheers ___!

New Verizon iPhone Marketing Campaign Mentions 4G? About to Hate on the Android LTE Parade?

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:08:18 +0000

Ewww is all I have to say to this image. I hate to report on this subject, but when it comes to this phone on our carrier of choice and all of the reports of Android plateauing, it affects our Android world and we can't help but toss it out there for everyone to see. What we've got in the image above, is a box full of new marketing materials for Verizon stores that mention the word "4G" and "iPhone" in the same sentence. We're not saying this means that an iPhone 4G is planned or on the way, but that could be one possibility. Truthfully though, we've heard from two sources with the box that say it's misleading as hell and that the materials included only mention the 3G iPhone. So what we're really thinking, is that this is the launch of a new campaign which will try to sell customers on the idea that a 3G iPhone 4 is better than any of the 4G Android offerings currently available. Yep, pretty gross. At some point over the last couple of months, I told myself that there couldn't be a set of commercials that were more pretentious than, "If you don't have an i*hone...well, you don't have an i*hone," but that could be changing. Update: We've seen some of the materials that were included in this box and they make no mention of 4G and the iPhone. What a sham of a marketing box. Moving on! Sort of a random post I know... Cheers M!

Google+ Invites Have Been Stopped for Now

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:22:14 +0000

As many of you noticed, we pulled the Google+ sign-up post from last night. For those that missed our message on Twitter, we did so because the invite system was taken down by Google after an overwhelming number of new members joined. They want to keep this bad boy stable and continue to roll it out gradually to everyone. There are potentially a couple of work-arounds to get you in the program, but we're hearing that they have started to patch most of them. If you do know some though, feel free to post those up in the comments below. What we will ask, is that DO NOT POST YOUR GMAIL ACCOUNTS IN THE COMMENTS.

Clarification on Verizon's Regulatory Charge and If You Can Use it to Get Out of that Contract

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:54:40 +0000

Earlier this month, Verizon customers started receiving a mailer (notification) that a Regulatory Charge on their bills could potentially increase starting July 7 which prompted a set of stories with details on how everyone could use this to get out of their current contract for free. We now have some additional info to add to this situation that should clarify the fee itself and also if you can really use it to walk away without paying an ETF (early termination fee). One of our Big Red resources reached out and provided the following, which looks like a long and in-depth read, but it's well worth it if for some reason you were looking to exit your contract. And if you aren't interested in reading all of that, we've summed it up for you down below.

1.) Customers cannot use that notification to cancel their contract without early termination. This isn’t a case of semantics, it’s a simple fact. If you read the notification that was sent to customers it states that we may increase the regulatory charge by up to etc. The change hasn’t occurred yet. The change is, in fact, still being debated at extremely high levels and may not in fact happen. The letters were sent as a courtesy to customers to let them know that we MAY increase the regulatory charge. 2.) Until the decision is made on 7/1, no changes have been made and no changes will be made. 3.) The Federal Universal Service Charge is a federal/government tax. It is imposed at a carrier level to all carriers that provide cellular, pots, or broadband service. It is left up to the carrier if they choose to pass the charge along to customers. If they do, it is that carriers charge so an increase in it would count as a materially adverse change provided it was of sufficient magnitude. To be of sufficient magnitude, your overall bill would need to increase. If VZW chose to increase that charge but decrease another charge, there would be no material adverse effect. The Federal Universal Service Charge is assessed quarterly and is based on both revenue and total subscribers at a carrier level. It changes each quarter, and has gone up and down over the years. When it goes down, this is also reflected in the customer’s bills, but they are often not notified as it’s a change to their benefit. Othertimes, the charge increases but the carrier chooses not to pass the charge along to customers but leave the fee at its current rate. The FUSC will be increasing in quarter three, but the amount of the increase will not be announced until June 30^th. At that time, all the carriers will assess whether they want to increase the fee the customer pays and may pass some or all of the increase along. If we are forced to increase our fees the other carriers will also probably follow suit. They just weren’t polite enough to warn folks in advance. 4.) On July 1^st, if the change is made, then the customers can attempt to cancel service without an etf. The reason reps are so boggled by the concept right now is that no decision has been made on if fees will increase. If they do increase fees, reps will be notified. Customers will also probably be directed to CMO/Loyalty (the toll free number in the notification) instead of front line reps. Arguing with a rep, or an escalations rep/supervisor, is not going to get the customer anywhere. They will need to call that number or request a transfer if they want the etf waived. Again, this is only *IF* the fee increases, which it may not. 5.) If you call in right now and talk to a rep or supervisor they will probably have no idea what you are talking about. I can tell you with all confidence that notification of the possible change has not been communicated outside of corporate and cmo/loyalty.

Summary: As of this morning, there has not been a decision made (at least publicly) on whether or not Verizon will change the Regulatory Charge. If they decide to increase it starting tomorrow, and leave all other fees exactly where they are (meaning your bill actually increases), then you can get out of your contract without an ETF. However, if say, they increase the Reg. Charge, but lower a fee somewhere else to keep your bill as-is, it would not count as a material adverse effect and you would not be able to get out of your contract. Calling regular customer service to cancel your contract will likely not get you anywhere - you will need to call 1-888-684-1888 to talk to someone familiar with the situation. And again, all of this comes down to an "IF." IF Verizon doesn't end up increasing this charge, then you can just ignore all of this and continue to hang on to that contract of yours. Update: We've heard from a CSR (customer service rep) that Verizon is distributing materials to coach them on how to deal with customers who are looking to exit their contracts. They are under the impression that you will not be allowed to leave without an ETF no matter what...guess we'll see.

Motorola XOOM WiFi is Back at eBay for $499

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:55:42 +0000

If you missed out on eBay's Motorola XOOM WiFi deal from the beginning of the month, you are in luck as it's available again for just $499. Not a bad deal for the first ever Honeycomb device that also packs 32GB of storage - $100 cheaper than the same version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Plus, it's like getting an extra set of curls in every time you pick it up! Buy. Cheers Davies and Matt!

Skype with Video Finally Released on Android

Kellen — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 07:42:39 +0000

Maybe that title should say, "for select phones?" Because Skype with Video has definitely been released on Android as of today, but yeah, only a select few devices can apparently enjoy it. Phones (not tablets) running Android 2.3 and above can download and start blasting out video calls to all of their friends right now - sorry HTC Thunderbolt owners. And I hate to bring up a sore subject, but I do want to point out that back in March when the Tbolt was announced, it was supposed to be the first device with this installed. As we all know now though, after 3 or 4 delays, a leak by us, and an acquisition by Microsoft, that never happened. Since it doesn't have Android 2.3, you may not even be able to test it. Here's to hoping we get that update soon! So what do we get with this new Skype? Two-way video calling support (Nexus S, Desire S, Xperia Neo, and Xperia Pro), SMS, and a revamped UI. Market Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o6TBezfSpU[/youtube]

Skype brings Video Calling to Android Phones

LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skype today announced an updated version of its Skype for Android app – Skype for Android 2.0, bringing Skype Video Calling to the currently fastest growing mobile OS¹.

“With approximately 30 million concurrent users logging into Skype at any given time4 and making up to half a million simultaneous video calls5, Skype for Android with video makes it even easier for users to share moments with their contacts wherever they are.”

With the new version, users will be able to make and receive free² 1-to-1 video calls over Skype between their Android phone and other Skype contacts on the iPhone, Mac, Windows PCs and even TVs³. Skype for Android with video works over Wi-Fi or 3G data connections and can be downloaded for free from the Android Market or Skype.com/m using any phone browser.

“We are committed to bring Skype Video Calling to as many platforms as possible and are delighted to deliver on this with our new updated Skype for Android app,” said Neil Stevens, Skype’s vice president and general manager for product and marketing. “With approximately 30 million concurrent users logging into Skype at any given time⁴ and making up to half a million simultaneous video calls⁵, Skype for Android with video makes it even easier for users to share moments with their contacts wherever they are.”

In addition to video calls, users can also make calls to landlines and mobiles around the world, as well as send SMS’s to friends and family anywhere in the world at great Skype rates. All this comes with a complete redesign of the Skype for Android user interface. There's a new main menu on the Skype app for Android where users can navigate easily through their contacts, access their Skype profile to change personal details or see the balance of their Skype Credit. Finally a new mood message box at the top of the Skype app menu makes it easier than ever for users to share how they are feeling, what they've seen, or what they're up to.

For this first phase of launch, handsets that support video calling include the HTC Desire S, Sony Ericsson Xperia neo, Sony Ericsson Xperia pro and the Google Nexus S.

About Skype

Skype is a communications software whose purpose is to break down barriers to communication. With an Internet-connected device, families, friends and colleagues can get together for free with messaging, voice and video. At low cost, they can also call landlines or mobiles virtually anywhere in the world. Skype has recently introduced group video, allowing groups of more than two people to do things together whenever they're apart.

Founded in 2003 and based in Luxembourg. Skype can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and other connected devices for free at www.skype.com.

Google+ Members Can Now Invite Others, Guess What That Means? (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:40:04 +0000

Google+ members have been given the option to invite others into the service. We have access and are willing to invite the first 10 people who comment on this post, but will cut our invites off after that (otherwise we'd probably be here all night). There is no need to leave your Gmail address as a comment, but just make sure you use one when you comment (hope that makes sense). After we invite those first 10 though, we'll leave it up to them and to those of you with invites to help each other out if you choose. Sound good? Start commenting. Update: We sent out 20, will try to do more later, but will leave it up to those 20 to hopefully dish out some more. Update 2: Since it looks like you guys are doing an amazing job of inviting each other, let's see if we can't get everyone. If you get your invite, go ahead and delete your comment or at least update to let people know. That way we can narrow it down to those that still need an invite. Update 3: According to Vic Gundotra, invites have been shut down for the night. It looks like we blew this thing up and they want to make sure it remains stable. Hopefully a bunch of you got in!

Dilbert Captures Our Smartphone World Brilliantly

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:15:57 +0000

Thought today's Dilbert was fitting... Cheers jhwf44!

Flickr Photo Appears to be Taken With a Motorola DROID HD?

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:34:10 +0000

A set of photos has popped up over at Flickr that appears to have been taken with an unannounced device called the Motorola DROID HD. At first we blew it off as being nothing or possibly someone messing with EXIF tags, but as we dug through some additional photos from this user, we noticed that they also had images posted that were taken with a DROID3. And to make things ever more interesting, all of the photos were geo-tagged from inside Motorola's offices in Libertyville, IL, just off of Motorola Parkway.

So what the heck is the DROID HD? We have absolutely no idea. Could it be the new Bionic or something to come just after? Are we talking massive HD screen or just a marketing tag? One thing I can tell you, is that we'll be digging for more... Via: PocketNow

Ready To Exit Your Verizon Contract With No Termination Fee? Now May Be Your Chance

Tim — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:27:41 +0000

The Regulatory Charge on your Verizon bill could potentially increase from $0.13 to $0.16 starting July 1, meaning you'll have an opportunity to get out of your contract without having to pay an ETF (early termination fee). The change in amount of the fee is minimal of course, but according to Big Red's Verizon's customer agreement, these tiny changes are enough reason for you to walk away:

Can Verizon Wireless Change This Agreement or My Service? We may change prices or any other term of your Service or this agreement at any time,but we'll provide notice first, including written notice if you have Postpay Service. If you use your Service after the change takes effect, that means you're accepting the change. If you're a Postpay customer and a change to your Plan or this agreement has a material adverse effect on you, you can cancel the line of Service that has been affected within 60 days of receiving the notice with no early termination fee.

If Verizon has been making you steamed with all this tiered data nonsense, or you're just fed up with them in general (everyone has their own horror stories with carriers), according to The Consumerist, just call up VZW, and ask to be transferred to the Retention Dept. You'll then use this information to tell them that this 3 cent difference is a Material Adverse Change, and you want out of your contract with no fees. They will tempt you with freebies most likely, or try to tell you otherwise than what you would like to hear, but if given any grief, just take it to their supervisor. If you've been trying to escape the Red Army's clutches, then now could be your chance. Good luck. *Note - We should point out that by exiting your contract, you would then be subject to tiers. Via: The Consumerist Cheers Jose and everyone else!

Leaked Gingerbread Now Available for the DROID Charge

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:59:15 +0000

The Gingerbread (Android 2.3) build for the DROID Charge that was teased over the weekend is now available for rooted users to download. We should point out that it does include its fair share of bugs though, like a dead mobile hotspot app and no HDMI functionality, but the biggest might be the fact that it can't send or receive texts. It's definitely unofficial 2.3.3 and these bugs aren't a surprise, so try to understand if you dive into it, that this is no where near what the final release will feel like. You can use Netflix afterwards though! You can find all of the files and instructions at MyDroidWorld.

DROID2 Gets Official CM7, Nightlies Should Start Tonight

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:06:40 +0000

DROID2 owners, get ready for nightly builds of the CM7 port that JBirdVegas has been working so diligently on. According to @cvpcs, they are bringing it all over and will merge it into the CM tree to make it an officially supported device. It's already showing up on GitHub under CM, so you'll want to make sure you have ROM Manager premium for easy access to all of the nightly work that will be done. Pretty big day for D2 owners who have been feeling a little left out after seeing the DROIDX get both official Gingerbread and CM7 long ago. Anything to say, D2 owners? Cheers Brian, Gordon and Christian!

Heroes and Villains Android Collectibles Unveiled, Will be Available at Comic-Con

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:07:56 +0000

The boys at Dead Zebra unveiled their new super hero Android collectibles last night to the world, and will make them available from their booth during Comic-Con (July 20). Fans that aren't attending the event will still have a chance to get them though, but it won't be easy. The plan is to make a "number of sets" available afterwards through the DZ shop and a variety of outlets in Asia. Check out the villains after the break.

Via: Dyzplastic

Almost a Month Late, the 4G LTE Galaxy Tab 10.1 on Verizon Can Finally be Pre-ordered

Kellen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:26:36 +0000

The 4G LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that's headed to Verizon in "4-6 weeks" was originally supposed to be available for pre-order back on June 8, but for whatever reason couldn't quite make it. Big Red decided that this month long delay wasn't worth a mention (we did) and has now made the device available starting at the announced prices of $529 for the 16GB and $629 for the 32GB models on 2-year contract. Yep, it's more expensive at 32GB than the Motorola XOOM - it will ship with 4G though! I will say though, that this could be my favorite tablet when it comes to size and weight. The device is extremely light, thin, and also comes packed with one heck of a screen. With it's dual-core processor (Tegra 2), 1GB of RAM, and dual cameras (although the rear one is garbage), it matches up spec-wise to everyone, but again, the weight and thickness make it easily the top dog right now. You can check our our hands-on with the I/O version here. Pre-order. Cheers Gustafson!

Rumor: Motorola Puts Gingerbread Builds on Hold for DROID2, Global, Etc. to Work Out Bugs

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:30:59 +0000

It's been almost 2 weeks since we first reported that the DROID2 Global's Gingerbread (Android 2.3) soak test was about to begin, yet here we sit today without a mass rollout or announcement from Verizon/Moto that the file is available. Let's also not forget that the DROID Pro was primed and ready at one point, but has seemingly disappeared from sight. After the original DROIDX received GB all the way back in May, we were expecting each additional Moto device including the DROID2, DROIDX2, Pro, and Global to start seeing updates right away - except that isn't happening. What we've been told is that Verizon has now rejected all Gingerbread builds from Moto until they have worked out a number of bugs that came with the DROIDX's 2.3, a list which seems to be growing by the day. There is no telling when these will all be ready, but we're our sources say that Motorola is reassembling teams to get this taken care of. It could be weeks or months before we start seeing GB on other devices - we really have no idea at this point. Stay tuned...

Tuesday Poll: Thoughts on Google+? Is it Your Next Social Friend?

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:46:41 +0000

Google announced Google+ just a few hours ago as a service that many are considering to be a legitimate Facebook contender. Invites have begun to roll out to a select group of people, however, the majority of us are forced to wait impatiently to see if this latest Google product will run our social lives. As someone who has never been a huge fan of Facebook, but is a big time social app machine, I can't wait to get my Android paws all over this. What about those of you who can't seem to get enough Zuckerberg, though? Is Google+ going to be your next social platform or is Facebook just too damn big and good? [poll id="87"]

TAG Heuer Releases The Worlds Most Unneeded Piece Of Android Technology

Tim — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:20:48 +0000

Do we have any time piece fanatics here? If you are one, then we'll assume you have heard of TAG Heuer, a high end Swiss watch maker who's pieces are quite extraordinary and pricey. TAG is now introducing the Link, which is a smartphone running Android 2.2, has a variety of skins such as alligator hide for an exterior, and even Gorilla Glass. The phone has a listing of $5,000 US Dollars, and TAG mentions they do plan on updating the OS in the future to hopefully Android 2.3. Let us proceed to wipe the sweat from our brows, because the phone itself, has actually been built like a tank. It is waterproof, air sealed tight, and is completely shock resistant (Samsung take notes). TAG has spared absolutely no expense in making this thee phone that all the celebrities want, and have produced an amazing promo video for its release. If anyone was wondering what the boys here at Droid Life want for Christmas this year, it's not this.

"Android OS is like hot sauce, they put that sh*t on everything!"

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMo1P60rwh8[/youtube] Via: A Blog To Read

Another New Google Mobile Site has Started to Roll Out, Pretty Icons Included

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:37:24 +0000

Two weeks ago to the day, Google introduced a new mobile site that made it easier for users to search for nearby places with shortcuts, but it also aimed to make searching in general much more fluid. Today though, they've taken all of those new features and made them so 2011 by slapping them with the pretty stick. As you can see above, you now have a set of colorful icons along with a tabbed look to maneuver around that can be accessed by simply swiping downward. From there, you can touch the "More" button which will bring you to a list of available search items or "apps" like Buzz, Picasa and Google Reader. Everything, all in one place. And this is going to sound odd since we can search from just about anywhere on our Android devices, but this new look and easy access to my favorite Google products has made the mobile version of google.com incredibly appealing. Nothing that I know of that you can do to make it look all snazzy like this, so to see if the updated version is available to you, just head to google.com from your phone's browser.

Download: New Droid Life Wallpaper Packs By Koveleski

Tim — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:10:50 +0000

Today we sneaked in some of the newest creations by Koveleski in our "Show Us Your Screenies" post. We got lots of comments wondering where we got our wallpapers, well now, here they are. We teamed up with the "Da Kover", and he pumped out these amazing wallpapers for everyone who enjoys spending time with us on the daily. There are three versions available - one for your phone, tablet, and even your desktop. All you need to do is download the app, then apply how you would any other wallpaper. We want to thank Dave so much for hooking these up, and everyone else for enjoying Android as much as we do. If you want to support Dave, feel free to donate for all of his awesome work, or even follow him on Twitter.

DL Wallpapers For Phones | DL Wallpapers For Tablets | DL Wallpapers For Desktops

A few previews:

[gallery]

Federico Carnales Releases Uber Music, Now As Beta

Tim — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:21:23 +0000

The Uber Music app by Federico Carnales has now moved out of Alpha, and is now in the Beta stages. The entire UI is now made up of a skinning engine, so you can be sure that you'll be seeing custom skins very soon for this app. Fede is always looking for people to let him know if they run into any bugs/issues, so let us know down in the comments section if you notice anything.

In my opinion it looks better than stock, has a widget, "lockscreen control", and now you can make it look however you want. That's #winning in my book. Is everyone liking this yet, or are we running a different music app? Let us know.

Download Link | Changelog

[gallery]

Google+ Introduced, A New Way to Share Your Social Life

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:47:52 +0000

Wow. So Google just unveiled Google+ which looks to be one hell of an impressive social tool that may even stretch beyond what Facebook has been doing for the last few years. Through this new service (which is invite-only at this time - sign up here), Google is preaching the idea that users want to have more control over what they are sharing and who can see it. I would 100% agree to that. We all have different pockets of friends, groups, drinking buddies, sports teams, etc. that don't necessarily need to see everything in our lives. With Google+, you get to pick and choose who sees what, and that's a pretty big thing (check out this demo site). The whole "project" has an impressive set of features such as +Circles, +Sparks, +Hangouts, +Mobile and +Huddle that all come together to make this, at least to me, the next big phase in social networking and sharing. I think the big struggle now is to figure out how we can pry all of our friends from Facebook and get them into using something new and fresh. I guess we would also need to make sure they continue to purchase Android phones as well, until this launches on that other platform. There are a whole set of videos to get you up to speed on each aspect of Google+ after the break, including a link to the mobile app. Remember though, you have to receive an invite in order to use it. Introduction to Google+: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwnJ5Bl4kLI[/youtube] Google+ on Mobile: Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8gvHaX1cwY[/youtube] Exploring Google Circles: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocPeAdpe_A8[/youtube] Exploring Google Sparks: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DoAl4JXhQo[/youtube] Exploring Google Hangouts: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN38vHZjWXw[/youtube] Google Huddle: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA22daAstNg[/youtube] Instant Upload: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y_xKVSRAy8[/youtube] You can read all there is to know about Google+ at the Google Blog. Tell me what you guys think? Is it too late for Google in the social-sphere? Is this your next social network? Cheers Tony and Mark!

Show Off Your Home Screens Day!

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:44:17 +0000

(K, Picolas, and Tato)

Can you believe that it has been something like 3 months since we last had a "Show us your home screens!" day? Today's event seems long overdue, so we're hoping to see some really creative stuff now that there are hundreds of themes and app packs for both ADW and LauncherPro. We also have a variety of devices that we cover on a daily basis in this Android world including tablets like the Motorola XOOM and Galaxy Tab 10.1 that bring a whole new customization element into the game. This should be fun to watch. For those that are new, what we're asking for is a shot of one or all of your home screens in the comments followed by a little description of the setup. This is how we share ideas, widgets, clocks, wallpapers, icon packs, themes, etc. with the rest of the DL community. As you can see up top, we've got the 3 home screens of the DL staff - dirty details of the looks will be posted in the comments. Update: We've posted up the wallpapers that we are all using here. *Note - Taking screenshots can be done by non-rooted users through the Android SDK or with a variety of screenshot apps from the market if rooted.. Show us your home screens!

No Surprises Here, Verizon's 4G LTE Network is Hands Down the Fastest in America

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:07:02 +0000

The folks over at PCMag have posted up the results of a cross-country road trip (21 cities) during which they tested all of the major mobile networks in the U.S. to determine which was the fastest. They looked at both 3G and 4G networks from Verizon and Sprint, the fake 4G of AT&T, T-Mobile's steadily increasing 4G, and some off-the-wall carriers like MetroPCS and Cricket to cover all bases. The results are not surprising at all - Verizon's new 4G LTE network easily came out on top with its incredibly fast, home replacement-esque data speeds. Here are a couple of the score sheets: Northeast City Scores

West City Scores

So what can we make of all this? Well for starters, your next phone should probably have a 4G LTE radio in it because the coverage map is only going to grow exponentially over the next 2 years. In fact, Big Red plans to have their 4G network covering every ounce of Earth that their current 3G network does by 2013, so that means you'll want a phone that can run on it even if you aren't expecting to see service for another year or so. Second, with tiered data coming on July 7 and the uncertainty that even current customers will continue to have unlimited amounts in say 2 years from now, you need to lock in soon. And when we say lock in, we mean lock in to a 4G phone so that you can really take advantage of these kinds of speeds. You can check out PCMag's full test results here. To our 4G friends in the building, would you care to share your experiences with the non-crowd?

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 32GB Available for $529 from eBay [Deal]

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:54:13 +0000

Still haven't made the jump to an Android tablet? Would a brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi with 32GB of storage help you take the leap if you could have it for $529? That's eBay's "Deal Blast" right now which appears to only be valid for the next 4 hours or so. We're huge fans of this uber-lightweight Honeycomb tablet (our hands-on) and would easily recommend the Tab 10.1 to anyone looking to pick up their first or second tablet. We know that their are quad-cores reportedly on the way, but the performance you'll see with its dual-core Tegra 2 processor and 1GB of RAM are more than enough to last you for years. Buy. Cheers Rishi and Davies!

Andy Rubin: Over 500,000 Android Devices Activated Each Day

Kellen — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:12:35 +0000

Just last month at Google I/O, we were told that over 400,000 Android devices were activated on a daily basis, but today that number has jumped up and over 500,000 according to Andy Rubin. The timing of this tweet couldn't have been better, as iOS fan-tech-pundits have been on a rampage lately with the "Android has peaked, iOS will crush it with version 5 and the next iPhone!" articles while sourcing a variety of random statistics and metrics. All I can say, is that you'd have to be a fool to really think that this massive Android train will come to a screeching halt in September. In fact, Android as a mobile OS is so far beyond iOS now, that it's almost not worth doing comparisons anymore. They both have completely different approaches to everything that they do, and there is nothing wrong with that. There is no denying that the i*hone is an iconic device and one that has this massive following, but I guess I've just been under the impression that most of us had moved beyond the seriousness of the this vs. that silliness of it all? Well, it seems like we sure are on the Android side of things - just don't expect the iPeople to stop with their giant white-lettered pot shots during presentations or from their crew of "analysts" who will do and say anything to hike up that stock price. 500,000 though. Wow. Cheers Pops!

Want to Win a Toshiba Thrive Tablet? Make Your Friends Watch this Video Then

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:10:16 +0000

The Toshiba Thrive is one of the new Tegra 2 Honeycomb Android tablets that we really haven't talked much about, but wanted to at least point out the fact that you have a chance to win 1 right now. Through Toshiba's site, they are offering up 10 Thrive tablets to people who simply find a secret code somewhere in the video that we've embedded below. It's pretty simple, but it does sound like you need to let your friends know to watch the video over and over again, because as we understand it, the secret code won't appear until the video has been seen 10,000 times. Once it appears though, you'll want to head over to this landing page and enter it in. So what is the Toshiba Thrive? Let's just say that it should be considered one of the most decked out tablets we've ever seen with full USB, SD card slot and HDMI port, but it's heft (1.6lbs is the same weight as the XOOM), size and thickness (thicker than the XOOM) could make it painful to use for a long period of time. Specs:

Android 3.1
1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor+
1GB DDR2 RAM
10.1" (1280x800) display
Up to 32GB on-board storage
Full SD card slot
5MP rear camera (720p capture and playback)
2MP front camera
Full size USB 2.0
Mini USB
Full size HDMI port
6 different colored back plates

See, it's another Tegra 2 beast, but that thickness and weight scares me. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TTB01sa9Gk[/youtube] Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Facebook App on Android Slowly Rolling Out Pages, Revamped News Feed?

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:28:10 +0000

The Facebook app for Android received an update on Friday that included a new video sharing feature, a more well-rounded news feed, and Pages, but the real goodness may not have happened quite yet. According to one of our long time readers, the photos above are what you can expect to see once the Facebook app update has been fully activated on your phone. I know what you are thinking, "This looks like a giant i*hone kang!" And yep, it does actually, but isn't that what you all have been asking for? So what we can see is a "Pages" button up top, that when pressed, pops up a wheel to take you to all of your other Facebook sections like Videos, Photos, Links, etc. The top Camera, "What's on your mind?", and Share bar also seems to be locked and won't disappear while scrolling which is nice. Liking and Commenting can be done quickly from your News feed, and there could be even more. Looks like the app will finally come close to the version from that other mobile OS, but now we'd just like to know when it's coming. Has anyone else noticed their Facebook app with these new features? Cheers 0mie!

Incredible 2 Owners Receiving Text Messages from VZWNMN? Here is How to Stop Them

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:40:15 +0000

Some time in the last few months, Verizon introduced a new free feature called "Sync and Connect" that allows smartphone users to view an all-in-one inbox online of all their email accounts as well as their contacts. It's almost like a direct copy of Backup Assistant (which we all hate), except it also includes access to your emails through MyVerizon. Basically what you are doing with this service, is giving Verizon control over your email and contacts rather than letting Google, Hotmail or Yahoo handle it. For those of us that like to be in control of everything on our phones, this is definitely not something that we would want to opt-in to. Update: It looks like Samsung Stratosphere owners are the new target. Instructions for them can be found here. We're hearing from a number of readers (mostly Incredible 2 owners) that this service has either been turned on without their knowledge or they accepted it without knowing exactly what it does. So, what's the problem you ask? Well, the service is notifying people with a Verizon text from VZWNMN (6250) every time this MyVerizon all-in-one email inbox receives a new email. You can attempt to add the number to your blacklist text app and block it, but then you really aren't solving the problem and instead are just masking it. It's annoying to say the least, but from what we can gather, most people are more frustrated with the fact that this service has been mysteriously turned on than anything. So here is what you can do to get rid of it: 1. Login to your Verizon account. 2. Click on "Account" at the top and then "Change Features" from the bottom right. 3. Select the device you would like to remove the service from. 4. Then scroll down until you find "Contact Management" and click "Remove."

*Note - If you aren't able to remove the feature from within your MyVerizon account, you'll need to call *611 and have a customer service rep do it from their end. They may not know exactly what it is at first, since this feature came out of no where, but just remind them that it'll be listed as free feature and that you need to them to take it off of your account. It seems like this issue should be on other devices, but we're really hearing about it from our friends with DROID Incredible 2s. Let us know if this has helped! Cheers Alex and everyone else!

Qello Introduces HD Concerts to Your Android Tablet

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:44:11 +0000

If you're as big of a music buff as we are here, then you'll be loving this new app for your Android tablet. Qello brings a huge list of HD concerts straight to your device, and the selection is actually pretty legit. Everything from The Doors, to Dr. Dre, and Billy Idol. Installation from the Market is free, and most rentals are about $5, but for that price you get 30 days to watch your shows. Not bad, right? Market Link [gallery columns="4"] Cheers Brian!

Samsung Slider Heading To Verizon Pictured?

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:07:51 +0000

All of us here have a love for slider phones by default. Unless you came here recently, then I'm sure that we have all owned an OG DROID at one point or another. Recently pictured is Samsung's newest contribution to the "Red Army" (Verizon), and it looks just like an Epic 4G. The device just got its Bluetooth and WiFi certificates, so we're possibly looking at a couple more months for release. If you're feeling Samsung sliders, then this might be the device you've been waiting for. We'll keep you posted if we hear any more details. Anyone down with sliders, or was that "so 2009"? Via: PocketNow

Amazon Deal: FREE DROID2 Multimedia Station with Purchase of Car Dock

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:40:23 +0000

If you have been on the lookout for a multimedia dock for either your original DROID, DROID2 or D2 Global, then you may want to check out this new deal from Amazon that popped up over the weekend. All you have to do is purchase a car dock for the device and they'll toss in the multimedia station for free. Actually, it looks like they are just discounting the heck out of both of them to make it look like you are getting one free, but whatever - cheap is cheap, right? You can check out our review of the D2's multimedia dock here. Buy. Cheers Jamerson!

CyanogenMod 7.1.0 RC 1 Released For Most Supported Devices

Tim — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:17:41 +0000

Over the weekend the boys at Team Douche dropped CM7.1 on us with their first release candidate. Most of the CyanMod supported devices have builds available on their website, and after flashing to all my devices, it's definitely smooth and fast. Unfortunately, 7.1 is not available for the DROIDX, but I'm sure we'll be seeing that soon. Something which we noticed running CM7.1 is that Hulu+ still doesn't seem to work. We're hoping they squash that bug in the very near future. 7.1.0 is based on Android 2.3.4 and has a pretty sweet list which should definitely meet all your Android needs. To check it out, just open up ROM Manager on your phone and check the CyanogenMod section. If it isn't in ROM Manager, head over here to find all the downloads. To see the ChangeLog, head here. Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Full Gingerbread RUU for the DROID Incredible 2 Leaks, Rooted Version Too

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:29:25 +0000

If anyone has a DROID Incredible 2 and wants Gingerbread (Android 2.3) early, then you are in luck. The full RUU has been leaked for all non-rooted users, but recommendations suggest that if you want root in the near future, that you should hold off from flashing it. Apparently, the root method that is still unreleased by AlphaRevX, will not work on GB, so you are better off waiting for them to release their method (which we're hoping is soon) and then upgrading to 2.3 with the rooted files we've included below. Download (non-rooted): Gingerbread RUU *To upgrade using the RUU, simply plug your phone into your computer and run the .exe file. Download (rooted): ROM | Radio Instructions (rooted): 1. First, we have to wait for root instructions. 2. Then you can simply flash the ROM in Clockwork Recovery just like you normally would. 3. Then you apply the radio, but it must be renamed to PG32IMG.zip. 4. After renaming, you'll drop it on your SD card and boot into the bootloader to allow it to flash. Via: Android Police

Gingerbread for the DROID Charge About to be Leaked, Gets Teased on Video

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:26:15 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Crt5xhLWmnM[/youtube]

The DROID Charge is rumored to be receiving Gingerbread (Android 2.3) in the very near future, but it appears now as if it'll get leaked to all of you much sooner. In the video above that @P3droid released over the weekend, a 2.3.3 build has been released and will be made available to rooted users shortly. They had originally planned to release this to everyone by tomorrow, but it's looking like there are still some bugs that need to be worked out including mobile hotspot. I will say that the device seems much more stable and snappy compared to the 2.2 device we reviewed. Oh, and 2.3.3 will also unlock the ability to play Netflix. Charge owners, you ready for some Gingy? Via: MyDroidWorld

Tango Update Includes Mention of Thunderbolt Gingerbread

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 08:06:44 +0000

We now know that Gingerbread (Android 2.3) is up next for the Thunderbolt after receiving word from HTC support reps, but there is still no telling when it'll arrive. We were previously told to expect it by the end of Q2 (which is Thursday), however, that seems sort of unlikely unless we see an intensive last minute push. The folks over at Tango certainly seem to think it should be here any day though. In a recent update to the app that went live over the weekend, they fixed bugs that were preventing their video chatting app on the Tbolt after flashing 2.3 to it. So is this a pretty good sign that we should be seeing it any day, now? If you look at past market boo-boos, like this one that outed Android 3.1 just days before it was released, I'd sure say so. Usually when developers get a hold of unreleased builds and start tossing out updates for them, we get a little giddy. Cheers Adam and Vincent!

Verizon Support: 3G Customers Upgrading to 4G After July 7 Can Keep Unlimited Data

Kellen — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:29:48 +0000

On our quest to try and provide you with as many different upgrade situations as possible that will allow you to keep your unlimited data plan after July 7, we may have another to add to the list. This is one of those that many of us sort of figured would be the case, but with rumors swirling about and no official mention in any of the pieces we've reported on, we weren't 100% sure. Well, according to @VZWSupport (the official Verizon support account on Twitter), if you are currently locked into a 3G unlimited smartphone plan and will more-than-likely jump to a 4G phone after the July 7 tiers begin, you will still be able to keep your original data plan.

What we have to hope, is that this support account actually read that reader's question correctly, but all signs point to this being the case. According to all of the information we brought to you first last week, 3G and 4G smartphone plans are exactly the same, so there shouldn't be any issue going from 3G to 4G LTE and staying unlimited. People still wanted clarification though and we hope this has at least helped a little. Cheers Brendon!

Asurion Out of DROIDX, Offering DROIDX2 as a Replacement

Kellen — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 17:04:37 +0000

We've seen Asurion run out of replacement phones in the past and pick others to take their place, but going from a single-core to a dual-core phone is quite the impressive jump, I'd say. And according to multiple readers of ours, that's exactly what is happening to owners of the DROIDX who are making an insurance claim. With Asurion running out of select devices (as seen in the screenshot above), the DROIDX2 (our review) is the current replacement phone until they receive another batch. So while we would never tell you to go out of your way to cause damage to your device, now would be the time to look into replacing it should there actually be something wrong with it. *Note - Yes, I see that the picture is of the DROID2, so you'll just have to trust me on this one. Cheers Andrew, app tipster, and everyone else!

HTC Rep Confirms that Gingerbread is Up Next for the Thunderbolt

Kellen — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:15:31 +0000

HTC told us all the way back in March that we'd have Gingerbread (Android 2.3) on the Thunderbolt some time in Q2, but with that time frame about to come to a close, our readers are starting to get antsy. And that means that they are reaching out to HTC to try and find out any little tidbit they can, one of which we've included below. An HTC rep has confirmed that the next update for the Tbolt won't just be to fix the reboot issues, but that it will also update the phone to Gingerbread.

Dear Adam XXXXX, I understand how important it is for your Thunderbolt to function properly and I apologize that you have been experiencing rebooting of the device. HTC and Verizon are aware of this issue and an update will be released soon that will address the reboot issue, and bring the Gingerbread 2.3 upgrade on board, as well as several other enhancements. Although I don’t have an official release date to provide you, this update will be released soon. Please monitor our website for further information as the release date moves closer. To send a reply to this message or let me know I have successfully answered your question log in to our ContactUs site using your email address and your ticket number xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Sincerely, Jessica HTC Want to see what others are saying? Have a question to ask other HTC fans?

I know that isn't a date, but Q2 ends in 5 days, so we'll be on the look out for any happenings behind the scenes. To get an idea of what you can expect from 2.3 on the Tbolt, you'll want to check out this post. Cheers Adam!

DROIDX2 SBF (2.2.2) Available for Download

Kellen — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:28:39 +0000

DROIDX2 owners, here is a Saturday treat that you may want to consider downloading and storing away. The SBF for the current stock 2.2.2 build has been released and can be grabbed from the link below. Download: VRZ_MB870.sbf *Note - In order to use this, you'll need RSD Lite 5.3.1 and the 5.1 USB drivers. [Download] Credit for the SBF goes to daywalker04 at XDA. Credit to TBH for RSD. Cheers Kenneth!

Custom Theme Friday: Five Kovdev Themes For ADW EX And LauncherPro Plus

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:15:51 +0000

We're quite fond of the developers like Koveleski and Tha Phlash who are always bringing us new ways to make our phones sparkle with custom goodness. What's so great about these different themes is that you don't even have to be rooted to enjoy them, and all you need is a home replacement launcher such as LauncherPro Plus and ADW EX.

We're going to post links to just five, but they have a very large list of themes, with even more on the horizon. You can check out some really awesome work that they have planned by visiting Tha Phlash's website, here.

Tha Gemstone | Tha Crystal | The Eyefold | Tha Entity | Tha Whiteout

There are free versions of all these themes, but may we highly recommend the Pro versions. In the Pro versions, you will get a lot more fun icons that will take the place of every stock app on your phone. Plus, we want to support these guys for putting so much time and effort in.

They have sent along their direct email so you can give them suggestions, icon requests, or if you have any other questions. Just hit them up at "support @ kovdev.com". Be sure to check them both out on Twitter (Dave Kover, and Tha Phlash), but you must see their site. There are some seriously amazing icons in there.

Click here to see more Custom Theme Fridays.

Facebook on Android Updated, Stalkers Rejoice With Personal Video Uploading

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:35:35 +0000

Hey, a Facebook update to take us into the weekend! To those of you that still use this social network to stalk former high school partners, you should get excited - this update allows everyone to upload their own videos and expose more of their personal lives than ever! Let's take the snooping, snickering and eye rolling to a new level! Oh, they also added support for Pages and made the news feed a little spicier. Market Link

HTC Thunderbolt Wireless Charging Battery Cover Now Available at Verizon Stores

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:15:14 +0000

Seriously, it's about damn time. The Wireless Charging Battery Cover for the HTC Thunderbolt first showed up back in April, but just like the multimedia dock (which has gone completely MIA), we've been stuck without it. The good news is that it's looking like you can walk into a Verizon store this weekend and pick one up, however that may be your only option for purchase. For whatever reason, we're not seeing it listed in Verizon's online store at this time. Cost is $29.99, but don't forget that you'll need the charging pad which is available for $69.99. Cheers ___!

The Tato Series: An Interview With Actngrezy, Developer of Project Elite

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:40:51 +0000

It's been too long since we've done a developer interview here at Droid Life, and you won't believe how many emails and tweets I get asking that we bring it back. When we ran a poll on which custom ROM users were using on their OG DROID, I saw that the majority of readers were using Project Elite, even more than CM7. I knew that I would soon be reaching out to the developer for an interview, and here it is.

Greg ("Actngrezy") was a pleasure to chat with, and we'll definitely be keeping good track of his future releases for all our readers. We've heard nothing but good coming from P.E. users, so be on the lookout for it if you haven't already tried it.

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Tato: So can you introduce yourself and give everyone here the run down on what it is you do? Greg: My name is Greg Maahs and I go by Actngrezy or Greg, I develop a custom rom that goes by the name of Project Elite for the original Motorola DROID (Good ol' trustee). I would also like to point out that mojo_droid is a co-developer of P.E. and there are others that help as well. Tato: Ahh, yes. Project Elite is very well known in the OG DROID community. How long have you been developing for the DROID? Greg: I got the DROID in Feb of 2010 and couldn't help but notice everyone talking about rooting and having features that weren't available with stock software so I began to research and dabble about a week after purchasing, but did not actually begin to really do anything as far as ROMs until July which were just tweaks for myself and a select few friends. Tato: So how did you learn about making ROMs and doing tweaks? Do you have a background in development? Greg: Well at first I was just making tweaks and edits to the OTA software and leaks. I started reading day and night, bought books, and more books. I read everything I could online from more knowledgable people and couldnt keep myself away. Then after releasing the first version I realized I needed to build from source if I wanted to actually do anything that would be interesting. At first I had help from different members in the community getting started. Liquid was there to help me and show me alot about compiling from source. Other members from the android community like Koveleski, Gurluvsdroid, Cereal Killer, etc helped me get P.E. off the ground and continued to help and support the project. From then on I just kept up with reading about Android, Java, and trial and error of course. I didnt have a background in mobile platform development but went to school for computer science so I had the basic c++ and other courses that helped me a little but nothing as far as developing anything like Project Elite. Tato: That's wonderful! When I talk to our readers about Project Elite, they have nothing but nice things to say. What do you think makes P.E. different from the many other different custom ROMs available for the DROID? Greg: Thats a tough question. There are so many great ROMs and developers out there. I honestly never expected P.E to even come anywhere near as far as it has. Especially with ROMs like CyanogenMod, LGB, Simply Stunning its hard to even think P.E. can compare to any of those. I think one of the main differences is that I feel like P.E. is a team effort. Without the support from others like Gurluvsdroid who's always around on the forums to help out with questions, help from other developers at times, Mojo_droid who helps with development and maintains the website,many others on the forums who are always around to help and users who voice their input Project Elite wouldnt be what it is. I definitely try to read and see what the users want as long as it can be implmented without impacting the performance of the ROM. I try to include their feedback and suggestions into the ROM so I think those are the factors that help out a lot. Tato: We love a good team effort around here. Where do you think the future of your developing is going? Anything new on the horizon? Greg: I would like to expand and build for other phones/devices. I would have already but I really feel like I should have the phone that I develop for. If I have the phone, I can test for something specific or need to log something or throw something in and I have the device then I can. If I do not have the device then I'm relying on someone else which isn't a bad thing but I feel more comfortable if I could do the intial testing. The worst is releasing something that has problems which could have been prevented. I am eligable for upgrade but just waiting for the right phone to come along or if I got my hands on an older phone then Project Elite would expand. Tato: So expanding and developing on more phones is your goal. That's great. So is this a full time job for you, or do you have day job and this is the hobby? Greg: This is a hobby. It would be nice to do this fulltime. Actually this is going to sound kind of funny but I am now a plumber. I fell into an opportunity for decent money a few years ago and while I would love to move back into the computer field, for now I am a plumber. I have been working alot lately which hasn't allowed me much time to play with Android as much as I would like to, but a recent job change will open up more time for me to work on Android stuff again. Tato: Oh wow. Well everyone needs plumbers. No flack there. What did you do before your current occupation? Greg: I worked at General Motors. There was a plant where I live but all the plants on the East Coast started to close which forced all the younger people out of a job because everyone with senority moved to the plant I was working at. Of course I was one of those younger people so I was out the door. Tato: And how old are you? Greg: I will be 29 in August. Tato: Is there anything you wish Android had which you think it lacks currently? Greg: Not so much Android, but maybe Google to enforce their open source policy on manufactures and carriers. I just don't feel its fair that they can take an open source platform and try and close it down. While I know this is probably about politics and money since they are a business but it would be nice to see. While that wasn't so much an answer geared towards features and Android, that is the one thing I would like to see happen with Android powered devices. Tato: Well, in closing, is there anything you would want to say to the readers, or anyone else reading? Greg: Well I'd like to thank everyone that helped make Project Elite possible. Without the developers from the Cyanogen team, and people like cvpcs, p3, Birdman, b16a2smith, JRummy, Droid Life, forums and others that are in the forefront of the android developing community android wouldn't be what it is today. Also with these people and others such as Koveleski, Gurluvsdroid, Mojo, Liquid, Peter Alfonso, Cereal Killer and many others Project Elite would not have been possible. Especially the users, themers, etc. I wish I could name everyone. I would just like to thank everyone for all the help and support Project Elite has received and I hope to continue to bring great roms and contributions to the Android community as a whole.

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If you wanna know more about Greg and stay up to date on Project Elite, follow him on Twitter. More importantly, if you're a DROID owner, check out the Project Elite ROM. Thanks again everyone for all of your previous feedback concerning developer interviews. If you would like to request/submit an interview then just email me at timotato at droid-life dot com.

More on Verizon's Tiered Data Plans and How Long You Get to Stay Unlimited

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:43:00 +0000

What you are seeing above is a Q&A sample that Verizon employees are being trained on which has to do with the new tiered data plans we first reported on earlier this week. We've highlighted a couple of items that you will want to pay close attention to. The first green box has to do with upgrades and renewals. We've made it 100% clear a number of times that even after July 6, existing customers will be able to keep their unlimited data plans even during an upgrade or renewal. The initial thought was that this could be for an extended period of time, but according to this screenshot, that has now changed to "at this time." How should we interpret that? Well, I'm interpreting that as meaning there are plans to make existing customers convert to tiers at some point, much like they had to do with the New Every 2 deal that was axed at the beginning of this year. This is just speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if Verizon gives existing customers all one last upgrade and renewal with unlimited data before making them choose a tier. The second box is for those of you with feature phone lines that have unlimited data - it's looking like you won't be so fortunate come July 7 and thereafter. Even if you have an unlimited plan on a "dumb" phone at this time, it apparently will not carry over to a new smartphone plan should you upgrade after the 6th. You'll have to choose a tier if you decide to upgrade to a 3G or 4G smartphone. And apologies for the number of posts that have to do with tiered data, but we want to make sure that you have every little detail before this goes live. Cheers TheGhostbuster007!

Samsung Galaxy S II vs. DROIDX2 - Benchmarks

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:00:54 +0000

As many of you know by now, we picked up a Samsung Galaxy S II to try to understand the massive amounts of hype that this device has seen even though it has yet to land in the U.S. We walked through a quick hands-on yesterday, but wanted to come back today and fulfill some reader requests which called for a string of benchmarks to be done. And since we happen to have a DROIDX2 handy, we thought it would be a great dual-core competitor to match it up against. Here are the results we came up with after running SmartBench, CF-Bench, Linpack, Quadrant Standard, Neocore, and Nenmark1 a number of times on both devices.

(All images can be clicked to see larger versions.)

(Galaxy S II will be on the left in each set.)

SmartBench: Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Motorola DROIDX2

CF-Bench: Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Motorola DROIDX2

Quadrant: Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Motorola DROIDX2

Linpack: Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Motorola DROIDX2

(Single Thread: SGS2 vs. DROIDX2)

(Multi-Thread: SGS2 vs. DX2)

Neocore: Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Motorola DROIDX2

Nenamark1: Samsung Galaxy S II (top) vs. Motorola DROIDX2 (bottom)

We're not about to claim to be benchmark gurus by any means, but there is something pretty evident here, and that's the fact that the Galaxy S II is wiping the floor with the DROIDX2. (The SGS2 that I'm in possession of has a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos processor and the DX2 as you all know is running NVIDIA's dual-core Tegra 2.) One thing I will note though, is that the DX2 is still running Froyo (Android 2.2) and a ridiculously buggy version of MotoBlur, so I wouldn't be surprised if these numbers jumped up quite a bit after it receives Gingerbread (Android 2.3). That's all speculation of course. And now we await the arrival of the DROID3 and it's dual-core OMAP to see if it can stand up to this beast that Samsung has produced.

New Vizio Tablet Rooted Well Before Launch

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:03:33 +0000

We initially passed on posting the news of Vizio's new Android tablet that was introduced last week because the UI looked pretty unfinished, it wasn't running Honeycomb and there was enough lag while scrolling through menus to give us an instant headache. But now, thanks to a DL reader, we can see that production models of the device can easily be rooted using one of our old friends, GingerBreak. Talk about a great way to put life into a device that so far had sort of underwhelmed most Android enthusiasts. I would guess that with root, its $349 price tag, and plans to get it upgraded to Honeycomb shortly after launch, this might be worth a look after all. And in case you missed the random promotional video of Blake Griffin with his paws all over this laggy little machine, we've dropped it below. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXqZ__u_9RQ[/youtube] Cheers CO!

Finger Your Screen, Charge Your Battery With New Nanotechnology

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:36:56 +0000

Researchers in Australia at the RMIT University and the Australian National University are working on new ways for you to charge your phone while using it how you normally would - by touching, swiping, and poking. They have developed a "thin piezoelectric film" that can be laid over any existing smartphone screen and will generate electricity from mechanical energy, which will then produce a small bit of voltage to recharge your batteries. The next challenged outlined by the researchers is amplifying the voltage to a level fit for microchips. Imagine the day where you can be playing Cut the Rope and it would actually be charging your phone. Hopefully this isn't just a fairy tale. Via: PC World Cheers Michael!

Gameloft Finally Releases N.O.V.A. 2 to the Android Market, And It Proceeds To Blow Our Minds

Tim — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 10:45:35 +0000

I am a huge FPS junkie, so when I'm not writing, enjoying the company of my cats or walking on the beach, I am slaying noobz on Call of Duty. I was quite excited to find that Gameloft had finally released N.O.V.A. 2 to the Android Market this week. After seeing the price tag though, I was a little hesitant - I'm not about to pay $6.99 for something unless I know it works darn well (especially when it's only $5 at Gameloft.com). Then I read through a few user reviews though and decided that it was a solid purchase and shelled out my money. After the purchase I was surprised to see a wonderful pop-up telling me there was an additional 265MB of data I would need to download in order to play this beast. First of all, I don't know how many of you might have some really slow Wi-Fi, but sometimes I only get about 5 MB down (when everyone is home), so basically it was either go for it and know that I would not be able to return this within the 15 minute time frame, or turn back now and get issued a refund. Of course, due to hypebeastin', I accepted the download and spent a good 12 minutes watching the progress bar slowly trickle toward completion. Oh boy was I happy I didn't back out. I'm running the Samsung Nexus S at 1GHz (CyanogenMod7) and this game plays fantastically with no signs of lag. (Due to the fact I had to take screen captures I did get one Force Close, but it was not because of the game). Gameplay is totally solid and was basically everything I was hoping for in a FPS for my mobile. One extra really nifty feature is the ability to play other people online, which completely ties in with the whole, "Halo to go" motto we have stuck to this game. If you're a big gamer like myself, then definitely don't be afraid of spending the money, I think you'll definitely get your monies worth. Market Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JdS69IWU1I[/youtube]

[gallery columns="4"]

Samsung Galaxy S II Will Outsell DROID Bionic? Umm, Obviously. [Infographic]

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:54:10 +0000

Oh boy. What you are looking at, is an infographic that details the amount of social buzz that both the Samsung Galaxy S II and DROID Bionic have received from a period of April 1 - June 21. According to the compiled results that were created from this buzz, a research or marketing firm has decided that the Galaxy S II is going to crush the Bionic in sales, once they are finally released. And how did they come to that conclusion? Well, out of those 14,828 (10,090 for the SGS2 and 4,738 for the Bionic) opinions they gathered from a variety of social networks (including Facebook and Twitter), 39% of people said they were going to buy the Galaxy S II compared to just 19% for the Bionic. The results also show that only 13% of people are considering the Bionic while 29% are interested in the newest device from Samsung. Interesting right? Except there is one major flaw in this comparison: carriers. How can you compare the sales of a device that will hit 1 carrier to a device that will more-than-likely land on all 4 of the major carriers in the U.S.? Basically, there are customers of 4 different carriers here that all have a shot at the SGS2, when the Bionic is really just available to Verizon customers. Obviously people could change carriers to get the Bionic, but I'd put a lot of money on a stat out there somewhere that shows how unlikely people are to change carriers over a single device. Look at how many customers stayed with Verizon year after year without the iPhone because they they were unwilling to switch to AT&T? In essence what I'm saying, is that this marketing firm decided to compare a device which we all know will have 4 times the carrier reach than another who is headed to just 1. Umm, it's pretty obvious who is going to win that battle. And if we're talking social buzz here, that also means there are 4 times the people that would be talking about this phone rather than the customers of just 1. I love the Galaxy S II and all (our hands-on with it) and will be recommending the hell out of it to our readers, but this comparison makes almost no sense. And because we're snarky a-holes at times, we have to point out that huge error in the Bionic listing which states that it'll launch with Ice Cream Sandwich. Apparently this marketing firm knows something that every single Android guru on the planet doesn't, including Andy Rubin who told us ICS wouldn't be ready until Q4. Your thoughts? Via: Mashwork, BGR

Asus Transformer 3.1 Kernel Source Available

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:40:04 +0000

The Android 3.1 kernel source (8.4.4.5) for the Asus Transformer is now available. Download. Cheers Kevlar!

New Batch of Android Collectibles Teased by Dyzplastic

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:19:18 +0000

For whatever reason, we can't get enough of Dyzplastic's (Dead Zebra) Android Collectibles, especially the new series 2 set. In fact, we love them so much, that we gave away an entire case during our Reader Appreciation Week. So when we saw this image tease come across the wire last night from their blog, we got more than a little excited. All that was included with it were the words:

Heroes, Masked Avengers, Villains, Killer Robots... all in a Summer's work.

Being a summer filled with some awesome (Thor, new X-men) and some crappy (Green Lantern) superhero flicks, this new set could be more-than-fitting. Who doesn't want a superhero ~~Bug Droid~~ Andy? Anyone else excited, or is it just me? Via: Dyzplastic

Zinio Offers Tegra Optimized Magazines on Honeycomb Tablets

Kellen — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:04:11 +0000

Zinio actually launched their Android app almost three weeks ago, but we're just now finding out that it has been Tegra-optimized to give you a buttery smooth experience while thumbing through the latest edition of Cosmo or Bazaar. In the video we've attached below, you can see just how much of a difference it makes when these application developers work closely with chipset manufacturers; the results are what we should demand to see from everyone. And for those that don't know, Zinio is a big time digital magazine publisher - they might even be the biggest. You'll find titles in this new app like ESPN the Mag, Maxim, Rolling Stone, and Road & Track just to name a few. Apparently you can have 3 free magazines today, just for downloading, installing and signing up for account with them. Probably worth a look if $6 digital mags are up your alley. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVlt6a2XL8A[/youtube]

Motorola Atrix Bootloader Can Now Be Unlocked

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:58:13 +0000

Whacky reports starting flying around last night when a leaked and unlockable engineer build of Gingerbread (Android 2.3.3) found its way onto a consumer Atrix. Some were quick to think that this would happen in mass to everyone's Atrix going forward through an update, but we're standing by our thoughts that this unlockable build was never meant to see the light of day. To our knowledge, Moto had no plans to unlock this phone yet. No matter what though, the damage has been done and the fantastic developers in this great Android community of ours have found a way to unlock everyone's Atrix using files from this new build. That's right, everyone running 2.2 can enjoy the freedoms that come with an open phone. All I can say to this, is that I hope Motorola sees the amount of positive press this has given a device that for the most part underachieved in sales numbers. I hope they realize that if they want to sell millions and millions of devices like they did with the original DROID, that they should watch the next few weeks of this device's life very closely and see just how popular it can become. CM7 for the Atrix anyone? And how about that DROID Bionic? This sure would be a great way to make a big splash, especially after so many delays. Let's do something big Moto! /fired up. For instructions on how to unlock your Atrix, head over to RootzWiki. Credit for the files goes to XDA.

Download: Cut the Rope on Android

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:12:39 +0000

So much for that big Friday surprise, right? We just got done reporting that Getjar will be the first to have Cut the Rope starting tomorrow, but they've already posted it up at this link. And if you don't feel like heading there, we've posted the .apk file below. The version we have is for the DROIDX though, so depending on the screen resolution of your device, you may want to still head over to Getjar. Download: cuttherope.apk [officially from Getjar] Cheers @jonathan_shell and @cheeltun!

Video: Samsung Galaxy S II Hands-on and Quick First Look

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:47:48 +0000

Since the Samsung Galaxy S II can't seem to find its way to the states, we decided to pick up an unlocked version and give it a good run-through to decide if it can really live up to the hype that has followed it around since early 2011. We're pretty sure it'll arrive in some form to the major carriers including Verizon over the next few months, but without word from Sammie, there is no telling when exactly that could be. And with the DROID Bionic possibly just 6-8 weeks away, we wanted to give you guys a good view of the S2 in case it somehow slips out of the summer. So what sort of conclusions have we come to after just 3 days with it? Let's just say that we couldn't be more pleased and have had a hard time picking up any other phone. It truly is a pretty remarkable piece of technology. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHPNMc8j0e8[/youtube]

Thursday Poll: Your Favorite New App is...

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:29:11 +0000

We're always looking for the next big app to show up on Android, but one of the best ways we've found is to simply ask all of our fabulous readers. In the past we've asked what your current list of tops apps is - starting this month though, we want to make it a much more regular thing. So instead of a random poll, we're going to do our best to ask you once a month what your favorite app of the moment is. And of course, feel free to list more than one, but the goal here is to find out which app you've stumbled upon recently and just can't live without. For me, it's Flex T9 keyboard that was an Amazon app of the day. Every time I pickup a new device to review or mess around with, I find myself downloading the Amazon store immediately just so that I can put Flex on it. I'm officially addicted to this keyboard. And Tato wanted to point out that he can't get enough Nano Panda, HeyTell, and SMS Popup. That's three I know, but he's special. What about you guys? Any current app addictions?

Want Cut the Rope on Android? Sign Up at this Reddit Landing Page? (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:25:11 +0000

Update 2: It's already available over at Getjar. We've posted it here. So there is this weird, semi-underground notification system going on for Cut the Rope on Android, which we have all be told is coming tomorrow by a random Twitter account that appears to be unaffiliated with the real Cut the Rope makers. If that didn't make sense to you, trust me when I say that you aren't the only one who is confused. Just minutes ago though, that same @CTRAndroid account tweeted a URL to a Reddit landing page which is allowing users to sign up with their email address to be notified when it hits what we're assuming will be the Amazon Appstore. Sound a little shady? Yeah, providing your email address to something that isn't necessarily confirmed and in a world that seems to be filled with malware and other sneakiness, doesn't seem like such a good idea - does it? Don't worry though, we plugged one of ours in to see what evil deeds may occur. The really odd thing about all of this, is the fact that there is an official Cut the Rope Twitter account that refuses to acknowledge this other one. Part of me is wondering if it's fake, but then again, you would think the official account would let everyone know that danger is near? Who knows... Update: OK, we already have an update. The game appears to be headed to GetJar:

You can sign up through Reddit here, but please proceed with some caution. And know that if the game does drop tomorrow, that we'll be posting it anyway, so there is almost no need to fill out this form.

Skyfire Is Looking To Save Android Users Money As Carriers Impose Tiered Data Plans

Tim — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:51 +0000

Skyfire came out with a set of numbers today showing that smartphone users can save up to $120 a year by using data efficient apps like their browser. If you recall our post showing Verizon's data calculator, you can see that streaming video is what's going to be really eating up your data on a month to month basis, but with Skyfire's "Instant Optimization" video process, which compresses data by 75%, they can save you a ton on your monthly bill. When watching video though their toolbar, Skyfire slims down data use exponentially, which is a good thing since Cisco is reporting that 53% of all data use in wireless networks in 2011 will come from video. Luckily for most of the readers of this site who are existing Verizon customers, data gobbling won't affect you. We can't say the same for new VZW customers though or anyone stuck on AT&T who will have to worry about spending 200MB of data on a single HD video. Neat little infographic on data consumption can be found after the break.

Skyfire Saves Smartphone Users Hundreds of Dollars as Wireless Carriers Impose Data Caps and Price Tiers

Skyfire’s cloud-based video optimization compresses videos by an average of 75% -- helping users watch more video while minimizing data overage charges.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (June 23rd, 2011) – Today Skyfire, maker of the award-winning and popular mobile browser, releases new numbers on how much smartphone users can save through apps like the Skyfire Browser which allow radically more efficient data usage. After 7.5 million downloads across all platforms -- Android, iPhone, and iPad -- Skyfire has achieved over 75% average data savings when watching web video through the Skyfire toolbar, which performs “Instant Optimization” on videos from over 200,000 web sites. This feature can save Android users hundreds of dollars over the course of their wireless contract. U.S. wireless carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile have put in place data caps and tiered data plans. Rumors abound that Verizon will shortly impose data caps. And for years, European and Asian consumers have “paid by the drink,” with expensive “metered” charges on their data use. Data from Cisco indicates that 53% of all data use in wireless networks in 2011 will come from video. Even a single high-quality video can burn through a subscriber’s entire 200 MB typical base data plan. The average wireless user consumes 582 megabytes (MB) on Android and 492 MB on iOS per month, according to a 2011 study from Nielsen. Unfortunately, many carrier data plans charge significantly more once users pass the 200 MB mark: $10 to $20 or more in extra fees per month. Using the Skyfire browser can help users minimize or avoid these extra charges while still watching four times as much video. With Skyfire’s ability to significantly reduce data usage, the average mobile user now has the realistic choice of choosing a less costly 200/250 MB data plan rather than having to opt into the more expensive tier of data plans. A recently released Nielson poll showed that the average smartphone user watched 3.25 hours of mobile video each month in 2010. In a video data consumption test, Skyfire allowed the average user to watch 4.5 hours of video per month, while staying below the baseline 200 MB data cap. For this reason, the one-time in-app purchase of a Skyfire mobile browser ($2.99) can save an average Android user from $120 to $240 annually in data charges. (This comparison is based on current AT&T and T-Mobile data plan pricing. Specific pricing for other carriers around the world will vary.) ”With today’s global economy, consumers still need ways to save money,” said Jeffrey Glueck, CEO of Skyfire. “Skyfire helps protect users from surprise data charges. Users struggle with these new charges as there are no labels warning how much any given video will burn off their plan. Skyfire is putting the ‘smart’ back in smartphone browsing.” Download Skyfire 4.0 here: Market Link

Archos Introduces Two New Inexpensive Honeycomb Tablets With OMAP4 Processors Clocked at 1.5GHz

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:45:25 +0000

Archos finally decided it was time to join the legitimate Android tablet game today by introducing two new Honeycomb variants of 8" and 10.1" that actually have the market installed. Before we get into the specs of these things though, let's talk about the most important piece which may really blow your minds: price. The 8" G9 tablet can be had for as little as $279 with the 10.1" G9 dropping in at $349. Remarkable, right? So what's packed inside - it's gotta be garbage right? Not necessarily. Archos decided to use TI's OMAP4 dual-core processor which has been clocked at 1.5GHz and allows them to call this the "fastest tablet experience ever." In fact, they are claiming it can outperform the Tegra 2 by up to 50%. They are also giving customers the choice of either 16GB of on-board storage with the ability to add additional SD cards or a 250GB Seagate hard drive. Seriously, a 250GB hard drive. Both tablets come as wifi-only, but an additional 3G dongle stickie thingy can be purchased and connected to give you on-the-go data. These tablets can decode 1080p H264 High Profile videos - something no other tablet can apparently do. They have gyroscopes, vibrators (hah), GPS abilities and every other normal tablet feature we've seen over the last few months. When I initially saw the announcement for these, I sort of rolled my eyes, but I'm taking that attitude back and will gladly say, "Nice work Archos." Both tablets will be available at the end of September. Who's buying?

Specs | Features

Archos 8" G9 Archos 10.1" G9

The World's Most Advanced Sleep Technology, Pzizz, Is Now On Android

Tim — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:50:55 +0000

Fresh on the Android Market is pzizz - proclaimed to be the world's most advanced sleep technology, helping you take advantage of your power nap time, and also fall asleep at night much easier. Complete with a never ending array of soothing music and calm voices pzizz is aimed at reducing your stress levels and helping you just simply, relax. Sometimes during the day I don't have time to think about things besides Android, so when I lay in bed my mind is just full of all the other things in life. Girlfriend, bills, what I had for dinner that night, so falling asleep isn't as easy as I would like and I find myself just lying awake for an hour. Pzizz has special pricing available for the program until the first of July, available for just $5, but will then moving to $10 after the end of the month. If you were thinking of trying this out, now is definitely the time. Anyone else here have trouble falling asleep at night? Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsyGQQW8Tso[/youtube]

Onavo Launches Android Beta App, Should Help Reduce the Amount of Data You Consume

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:18 +0000

Not that this will affect any of the current Verizon users in the building, but just in case you wanted to see how much data each of your apps was using, Onavo has a beta app for you to test. This new service can apparently funnel all of your data through Onavo's own compression technology which can greatly reduce the amount you use - in some instances doubling or tripling the life of your data package. I have no idea if this app can do what it claims it can do, but it has been available on iOS for a couple of months now and received great praise. I'm personally interested to see what this app can do, especially with all this tiered data plan talk lately. Who wouldn't love to save up to 80% on a tiered data plan? Only 500 slots available in this beta program, so get over there in a hurry. Sign Up. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQYbCPfnQys[/youtube] Via: Onavo, Limitless Droid

Asus to Introduce Quad-Core Tegra 3 Transformer by October?

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:28:59 +0000

File this one away under gigantic rumor, but word in the component shipping world pegs Asus as preparing their first Kal-El (quad-core) Tegra 3 version of the Transformer for an October release. While our first reaction is to say that this seems highly unlikely, we do know that NVIDIA is expecting tablets with their new Tegra chip to start shipping some time around the end of the Summer. We're only calling it "unlikely" because of the lack of internet buzz surrounding any manufacturer's quad-core tablets. It would make sense for Asus to rush to be the first, especially after seeing the success of their Tegra 2 Transformer which DigiTimes is calling the number one non-Apple tablet in the U.S. Why not capitalize on all of the buzz that has surrounded one of the hardest tablets on the market to find? Hell, even we struggled to find one to give away. OK, that's an exaggeration, but it was the hottest of all of the tablets that we gave away. To our Transformer readers out there - are you ready for what's next? Is Asus now your tablet brand of choice? Via: DigiTimes

Amazon Offers Up $5 Appstore Credit to Users Who Were Charged for SeekDroid

Kellen — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:45:06 +0000

On Monday, we noticed that Amazon was offering up SeekDroid, a lost device locator, for free alongside whatever the app of the day happened to be and wanted to make sure you all had a chance to pick it up. Unfortunately, the minute we posted it, Amazon's site started to have some issues and while it was showing the app for free on the main Appstore page, it was charging people $.99 at the actual product page. The troubles were worked out after an hour or two, but some damage had been done and a number of you did not receive the app for free. Well, guess what? Amazon last night, started sending out the email you are seeing below to each user that was charged during that time. What's included? Oh, a solid $5 credit to use towards future Appstore purchases. Not a bad gesture, I'd say.

Hello, We're contacting you about order for "SeekDroid." We recently learned that some customers were charged $0.99 during a period we intended to make this App available for free. As a result, we’ve applied a $5.00 promotional credit to your account that can be used on any App available in the Amazon Appstore. Your promotional credit will automatically apply to your next Amazon Appstore order and will not expire until 11:59 PM Pacific Time on March 31, 2013. The promotional credit may be redeemed only for the purchase of apps then available from the Amazon Appstore for Android. The promotional credit is non-transferable, not redeemable for cash, and may not be combined with other credits or special offers. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Sincerely, Customer Service Amazon.com

Everyone that purchase the app get one of these emails? Props to Amazon. Cheers Fernando, Maureen, Michael, Mike and everyone else!

Hulu Plus Lands on Android Market for Select Devices Including the DROIDX and 2

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:12:01 +0000

Talk about a big night for Android - first we had Motorola bootloader chatter and then Hulu just did the unthinkable and released their Plus service to a select few devices including the DROIDX, DROID2, HTC Inspire 4G, Atrix 4G, Nexus S and Nexus One. Again, this is for Plus users who are already subscribed to the $7.99 monthly plan and not just for anyone that's looking to get their Hulu on. *Note - Looks like it won't work if your device is running CM7. Stock DX and Nexus S run just fine. Market Link If your device is not supported and wanted to give it a try though, you can download the .apk file here.

Cheers 0mie!

Motorola Will Unlock the Atrix 4G Bootloader When it Receives Gingerbread? We'll See.

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:37:56 +0000

According to tech site Brief Mobile, who is apparently the only site and person on the planet with a leaked version of Gingerbread for the Motorola Atrix, there might be a chance that it will see the first retroactively unlocked bootloader. That's right, the version of Android 2.3.3 that they have had for a few weeks now (but are unwilling to share) can apparently be unlocked using fastboot oem unlock just like you would with a Nexus device or the Motorola XOOM. We've known for a couple of months now that Moto was taking steps towards a more developer-friendly bootloader policy, so this could be possible. In fact, less than two weeks ago they attempted to clarify this new policy and even hinted at unlocking some older devices. So, could the Motorola Atrix be the first to receive such glory? We're not ready to jump down that road just yet and we'll tell you why. First off, since this build of Gingerbread has not been seen by anyone but this tech site, it's pretty clear that they got it from a developer. And what I mean by that is, this could easily be a build that was left wide open and that was never supposed to see the hand of an end-user. Second, the Motorola Photon 4G which was just announced, will have a locked bootloader according to Motorola, so why would they all of a sudden retroactively unlock the Atrix instead of their newest device? Third, if Moto was going to finally take a stand and start unlocking phones, they had a really good opportunity with the DROIDX when it received GB a few weeks back, but passed. And fourth, this is an AT&T device we're talking about here. So I apologize if I'm sounding a little skeptical at this point, but will hope for the best. And who knows, maybe AT&T decided to flip a complete 180 and become the ultimate dev-friendly carrier with an "OK"? Maybe it's Verizon that held the DX back? Or maybe this is all nothing and the official GB for the Atrix will be locked down as ever. Update: For more info, you may want to check out this Atrix thread at XDA. It looks like this build is in the hands of a few select people and is also pretty clear that it's just an "engineering" build which we would assume are all unlocked. Not looking so good, folks. Still hoping that a miracle is about to happen though! Will be keeping an eye on it... Via: Brief Mobile Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Handcent SMS Receives Update, Brings With It List Of New Features

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:46:43 +0000

Handcent SMS is one of those apps that has been around since the beginning and is still going strong. Today they have just updated to version 3.9.5 in the Android Market and are bringing some cool new features with it.

New group sms helper plugin,you can real group sms now (work around android 100 messages/hour limitation)
Improve Mms+ feature, now you can more easy to attach and download high resolution picture and full quality video from handcent Mms+ network.
New Default Messaging application option can full replace stock messaging app and work independently.
Full work (SMS & MMS) with Korean SKT version of Galaxy S and SGS2.
New Led plus option, helps you change Led color, frequency for rooted phone(Android 2.3.3 on Evo,Desire,Incredible)
Support Led color for Sidekick4g.
New message counter style.
New Delay send option, you can cancel after click send.
New Darkness skin.

Does anyone here use Handcent? I've given it a few tries but always end up going back to stock, especially since CM7 gives me all the customization I could ever want for text messaging. Market Link Cheers Rocktoonz!

Angry Birds Seasons Updated In The Android Market, Includes Summer Pignic Levels

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:41:29 +0000

We told you to grab your towels and tanning lotion yesterday, and here it is. Rovio has just released the newest installment to Angry Birds Seasons in the Android Market, and may I say that it's "pigtastic"? I think I'll stop right there. 30 new levels of destroying pig fortresses. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMp3nPpZM-Y[/youtube] Cheers Mark!

Motorola DROID3 Accessories Start Making Appearances

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:10:20 +0000

The DROID3 doesn't have many secrets left after a string of appearances on benchmark sites and in overseas reviews, but accessories were still one thing we had yet to really see - until today that is. Qmadix, a major player in the accessory game, dropped this first snap-on case for the D3 and are about ready to unveil a bunch more. We don't get any extra details about the device, but that's fine since we already know almost everything about it including specs. We are hoping this means we'll still see the device on July 7 though, along with those new tiered data plans that have been the talk of the week. Oh, and as far as we can tell, that is not the new DROID Red Eye - it looks like they grabbed the OG's and tossed in on their mock-up. Via: Qmadix Cheers Steve!

Verizon Shares Tiered Data Pricing During Employee Training, Confirms Everything We Already Told You

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:15:03 +0000

Verizon employees have finally started receiving training on this new set of "usage" aka tiered data plans and the juicy details are available all over the web today. Funny thing is, these juicy tidbits simply confirm every single detail we already told you on Monday and Tuesday. So just in case you weren't ready to believe that this is all happening July 7, a couple of reports have pretty pictures, but we'll just recap everything we've already told you below. The tiers (for new customers and new lines only starting July 7):

2GB of data - $30/month
5GB of data - $50/month
10GB of data - $80/month

Extra data (overages and tethering):

If customers go over their purchased amount of data, it will cost them $10 per 1GB.
If you would like tethering, it will cost you an additional $20 per month.

Existing customer rules (grandfathering):

Just as we reported yesterday, existing customers get to keep their current data plans. No length of time has been set for this, but as of now, it's "forever."
Current customers will also keep their unlimited data plans after renewing contracts and upgrading phones after July 7.
As long as you lock into an unlimited $29.99 data plan before July 7, you get to keep it for the foreseeable future.

New customers and new lines:

All new customers as of July 7 will have to fall into one of the tiers listed above.
If you are an existing customer and add a new line after July 6, you will also be subject to the tiers.
Even if your entire family plan has unlimited data, your new lines after July 6 will still be subject to tiers.
If you were looking to add a new line, now would be a good time.

3G vs. 4G data:

There is no difference between 4G and 3G data plans. All of the new tiers will fall in at the same price and do not care if you are using a 3G or 4G device.
This is the same for current customers with unlimited data plans. You will see no change.

Everything good? While tiers were not something that many of us ever wanted to see, you've got to give Verizon at least a little props for allowing their existing customers to keep everything they've got for the time being - that includes upgrades and renewals after July 7.

Is Cloud Storage Here To Stay? Answer To Win One Of Two Wyse PocketCloud Laptop Bags

Tim — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:45:46 +0000

With all this talk of cloud storage lately, we need to get everyone's opinion. Wyse, the makers of PocketCloud, have been awesome enough to send over two 15" Timbuk2 laptop bags for us to give away to Droid-Life readers who will answer a simple question about the Cloud. So here’s how this will go down: 1. Winners must be over the age of 13. 2. Giveaway is open to International residents. 3. Leave a comment telling us if you think Cloud Storage is here to stay, and if so, why/why not? 4. We will randomly choose two winners at 4 PM PST and email them. (Make sure to comment with a valid email address) Cloud storage has the potential to change the game as we know it, so let's hear your opinions! Make sure to check out @Wyse on Twitter and say "Thanks for the bags!"

Motorola Mentions DROID Bionic and Set of "New Updates" on Twitter

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:50:27 +0000

We can take this new tweet by Motorola a couple of ways: they could be talking about the previously announced enhancements to the DROID Bionic or this could have to do with revision 3 of the device that we first reported on yesterday. We're leaning towards our report that the device is now going through a final set of changes that could help it live up to everyone's ultimate expectations. It just seems too coincidental that multiple sources of ours over the weekend mentioned that changes were happening and that now Moto is bringing up a set of "new updates" just days later. Anyone care to take a guess at what these revisions are? Hypebeasted. Cheers @TheGhostBuster7!

Motorola XOOM Display is "Low-end" and "Poorly Calibrated" According to DisplayMate Showdown

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 11:07:56 +0000

Dr. Raymond Soneira is the guru of all things display, so when he drops a comparison or digs deep into a device, we tend to listen. He just published his comparison of the Motorola XOOM, Asus Transformer and iPad2 which are more than likely the top 3 selling tablets on the market right now and had some not-so-pleasant things to say about the flagship Honeycomb device. The results came out favorable for both the Transformer and iPad2, but the XOOM is another story altogether. Here is the quick version of his conclusion on the XOOM:

The display on the Motorola Xoom is a lower performance LCD than on the other Tablets, compounded by poor factory calibration. Colors and color saturation were much worse than the other displays. The Xoom screen has 49 percent higher ambient light reflectance than the iPad 2 and the variation with Viewing Angle is awful. The Xoom also has a Dynamic Backlight that varies the screen brightness in a peculiar fashion – it slowly dims the screen based on the Average Picture Level down to about 60 percent and then just stops. It makes dim images dimmer – it’s counterproductive and just strange display behavior… The other Tablet displays have standard Backlights, which don’t vary the brightness with picture content.

He continues on, even mentioning the "outstanding" display from the original DROID:

...the Asus Transformer, which delivers very good performance across the board and comes in a solid second, all the more impressive because it is $100 cheaper than the iPad 2 and $200 cheaper than the Motorola Xoom. And finally, the Motorola Xoom comes in a distant third and last place – it’s not a horrible display but definitely significantly below the display quality of the iPad 2 and Asus Transformer. This is all the more surprising because the Xoom is by far the most expensive Tablet, and Motorola previously included an outstanding display in the original Motorola Droid Smartphone – so they once knew how to deliver a great display. This time it seems they just settled for a cheap low-end poorly calibrated display.

I'd attempt to argue with him, but if any of you remember my instant reaction to the comparison of my XOOM to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 from I/O, you'll know exactly how I feel. From a non-display guru perspective, I would say that the XOOMs display is not where it should be. As the most expensive tablet on the planet, and one that was supposed to lead the charge for Android, it has fallen short in a number of categories over the last few months. It's not that I already want to look to see what's next from Moto in the tablet game because I forked out some serious cash for a XOOM just like many of you did, but as I hold my Galaxy Tab 10.1 each day, it becomes more obvious that Sanjay and the boys need to step their game up. Via: DisplayMate, MaximumTech Cheers Jason!

Non-US Motorola XOOMs Get SD Card Support with Android 3.1 Update, Moto Points to Google for Delay (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:31:14 +0000

"The 3.1 update for non-U.S. devices, in addition to many other improvements, also includes SD card activation." Thoughts on that? I'm sort of speechless at this point. Our 4G LTE upgrade has been delayed until, well we don't even know when. The SD card was supposed to be activated separately with a software update, but now we're hearing that it won't happen until we get 4G, which is a hardware upgrade and makes no sense. And I'm not even talking about the WiFi edition which isn't receiving 4G and should be updated at the same time as these Euro versions. Why is it that we are getting left out of this one? I'd love an explanation. Update: And it looks like Motorola is pushing this one onto Google's plate...

Update 2: OK, even I can admit when I'm called out - and it just happened. One of our long time readers reminded me that the US version is essentially the "development device" for Honeycomb and that Google does in fact have to do work on SD support to get it to function properly. We should all remember that Android 3.0 was released as a half-baked product and that some of these tweaks that were missing initially could be taking more time than anyone originally thought. Thoughts? Via: Facebook, Android Community

Verizon's Data Usage Calculator Can Help You Decide a Tiered Plan Already

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:05:38 +0000

Since the confirmations have come from a variety of Verizon representatives after our initial report on tiered data, we know for sure now that these plans are coming July 7. As you also know, we received reports that pegged the tiers at $30 for 2GB, $50 for 5GB and $80 for 10GB which has probably led many of you to wonder which you should consider if you were to for some reason lose your unlimited plan. Thankfully (yes, that's snark), Big Red has this fun little data calculator that can estimate how much data you use in a month. As you can see above, we went relatively extremely conservative, leaving out streaming video and still managed to eclipse 2.75GB. So what can we gather from this tool? That the majority of you will strongly consider jumping up to the 5GB tier which costs $20 more than your current unlimited plan. Since you are charged $10 per 1GB after going over your allotment of data on the 2GB plan, you'll be sold on the $50 plan since it's like you are getting a "free" 1GB of data. That's right, if you were to go with the 2GB tier and then use say 4.5GB for the month, you'll be charged $60 when you could have just purchased the 5GB tier and only topped out at $50. Sneaky right? Don't think that was unintentional. Fortunately for all existing customers, it's looking more and more likely that we will be able to renew and upgrade for a least a period of time without having to give up our current unlimited plan. (Please continue to cross those fingers for the next 3 weeks.) You can calculate your smartphone usage here. Cheers Brandon!

Best Buy Introduces Cloud Music Service, Confuses Us All

Kellen — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:38:46 +0000

With Google, Amazon and Apple already launching their own cloud music service variations, Best Buy decided it didn't want to be left out of the fun. Today (or last night maybe), the electronics retail giant announced "Best Buy Music Cloud" which is just like all of the other previously named services, except that you can sign up for monthly usage ($3.99) rather than lock yourself in for an entire year. They also have a "lite" aka free option. BBMC can sync or pull from iTunes, has an Android app so that you can take music on the go, and even allows for offline cached playback of your collection. All of the stuff we've seen from everyone else. The odd thing is that after digging around their site for 15 minutes now, I can't actual tell how much storage they plan to give you. Could be unlimited if you go with the "premium" package, but it's tough to tell. It also appears as if you are stuck with just the web player unless you upgrade to the $3.99 plan, meaning no love for music-on-the-go unless you've got monthly cash to burn. This is the most half-#$%ed release of a cloud service I have ever seen, I think. We'll be digging for more... Something tells me that Best Buy isn't going to be the last cloud music service that we see this year either, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. Did we really need another? Sign Up.

Tip: Google Maps Traffic Widgets Can Save You Some Serious Time

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:43:22 +0000

This could be old news, but for those of you with long commutes and that are not familiar with Google Maps and its Traffic widget, you'll want to pay attention. With this widget, you can set up a variety of locations that will in real-time, update to show you how long it may take you to get there depending on your current location. So as you can see, I've set up a few including a BBQ spot across town. According to Google Maps and its live traffic reporting, it should take me around 17 minutes to get there in some not so friendly (red) traffic. However, if I want to head down to Deschutes Brewery which is only 10-12 blocks away, it should take me just a couple of minutes. To set these up, all you have to do is open up a home screen, long press, and choose Widgets>Traffic. After that you can name it in the first box, and then jump to the second to search for a particular location or plug in a specific address. Simple right?

Cheers 0mie!

My Friends, the DROID Bionic is Not Launching on July 4

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:11:12 +0000

So our inbox has been flooded over the last few days with this rumor that the DROID Bionic is going to launch on July 4 and decided to finally address it. First off, I don't know where it started, but the links people are sending me with this story are from the most random sites on the planet. Second, we know that Verizon almost always (like 99.9% of the time) releases new phones on Thursdays and July 4 is definitely not meeting that criteria. Third, it's the freakin' 4th of July. Who releases the biggest phone of the year on a holiday? And fourth, we heard from 2 sources this weekend that Motorola is on revision 3 of the device, which means it's not yet ready. If this thing was coming to us on the 4th (2 weeks from yesterday), then it would basically be arriving in warehouses and we'd have seen it enough to know every single finalized detail. The last schedule we were sent showed it listed as "late July" with the DROID3 sneaking in before it in "early July." It'll be here this summer, and we wouldn't doubt it if it showed up in mid-August. Be sure that you don't need to adjust your plans for the 4th because of a nasty rumor that this phone is going to magically appear around then. Enjoy the fireworks.

Motorola XOOM Gets The Teardown And Rebuild

Tim — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:53:25 +0000

It makes me cringe when I see these types of breakdown videos, because I myself am so scared to bust my XOOM. The guys over at Direct Fix are doing it again though in this new video, where they tear up a Motorola XOOM and show you how to replace a screen assembly, or even replace the battery. It's quite informative, and actually pretty neat. But as always, we don't recommend you try this at home. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOPik-u-9uk[/youtube] Cheers Robert!

Angry Birds Seasons Introduces Summer Pignic Episode - Coming Soon

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:35:24 +0000

Get your extra large towel, sunblock and man-kini ready - Angry Birds Seasons is taking you to the beach this summer. The next episode has been dubbed "Summer Pignic" and includes sand, sunglasses and of course, tanned pigs. Another welcomed edition by AB fanatics who have already cruised through Mine and Dine. Check out the preview after the break. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMp3nPpZM-Y[/youtube]

New Type Of Android Trojan Charges For Premium SMS Services

Tim — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:04:37 +0000

GG Tracker is a new Trojan which has recently been discovered by the lovely people over at Lookout. If users are infected by the Trojan, they are directed to an imitation of the Android Market on their mobile, to download a free app. Once it is downloaded it unknowingly goes to work by signing you up for a ton of premium SMS services, and it's all downhill from there. Lookout has done a very extensive write up on what it is, how it works, and how to avoid it. Tim Wyatt of Lookout writes:

Lookout has identified a new Android Trojan, GGTracker, which is automatically downloaded to a user’s phone after visiting a malicious webpage that imitates the Android Market. The Trojan is able to sign-up a victim to a number of premium SMS subscription services without the user’s consent. This can lead to unapproved charges to a victim’s phone bill.

Have you all been browsing bad websites? Let me just say that this issue could seriously be alleviated if we all just took two seconds and make sure that what we're browsing is such a good idea. If you're on the Android market's website, you better see "Android Market" somewhere in the URL.

Above is an example URL taken from the Lookout blog, where the mobile site imitates the Android Market. The first step in making yourself safer against these things, is honestly being aware of their existence. If you're proactively making sure you're visiting safe sites, then this issue hopefully will never affect you. Lookout has their own thoughts on how this is happening to victims;

We believe Android users are shown an advertisement that directs them to a malicious website that resembles the Android Market installation screen. The website entices a user to click-through to download and install an application (in one case, a fake battery optimizer packaged as t4t.pwower.management, and in another a porn app packaged as com.space.sexypic). If the user clicks the install button, the malicious app will begin to download and dialogue appears to direct the user to install via the download notification. Once activated, GGTracker registers the victim for premium subscription services that would normally require the user to reply or enter a pin on a webpage. Charges may be up to $9.99.

They list a few ways to protect yourself, one of course is Safe Browsing which is included in Lookout's app for Premium Users. Others include making sure you're visiting safe sites, and double checking the URLs you are browsing. We have done readers polls before asking if you were all worried about these things, and from the look of it, this is something a few of you are concerned about. So are you going to be more careful? We all have a choice when it comes to these things, so don't be afraid to do the research and see if downloading a mobile security app is right for you. Via: Lookout Blog

ESPN Scorecenter Receives Hefty Update on Android: Panel Swiping and Extra News Tabs Added

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:15:28 +0000

The original release of ESPN's Scorecenter on Android was pretty weak - there is no denying that. As of today though, the app stands up to the best of them with its new panel swiping abilities, drop down menus for additional coverage of your favorite sports, video feed and performance tweaks. Using this app used to be extremely frustrating, but after having the latest update for just a few minutes, I'm starting to find a new attraction. Now, if only we could get a tablet version? Here is the full changelog:

Smooth card swiping to easily slide from screen to screen to view new leagues

News and standings for dozens of leagues, conferences, divisions, and tours + aggregated local news coverage for your favorite teams

New video coverage of the biggest breaking stories in the sports world including a ScoreCenter video widget for one-touch, on-demand access to exclusive ESPN video!

Massive performance updates to improve speed and reliability of the application

Market Link

Peggle Released on Android, is FREE Today from Amazon

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:34:01 +0000

PopCap released Peggle onto Android today through the Amazon Appstore and as expected, is free. The game itself is pretty silly, meaning it reminds us of Plinko from the Price is Right, but with a unicorn as the host instead of our main man, Bob Barker. Yeah, we get that this is one of those super popular games from iOS, but man, 75MB for a kids game? OK, that may be a little harsh after just 5 minutes with it, so we'll instead leave it to you guys to tell us why we should obsess over this for the next few days. Market Link Cheers EvantheGamer!

Verizon Announces New Batch of 4G LTE Markets for July 21 (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:52:22 +0000

The coverage just keeps on growin'! Today, Verizon announced a new batch of cities that will have the 4G LTE switch flipped on starting July 21. This initial list of locations appears to be mostly east coast, but with LTE already live in Portland, OR and without an announcement from Big Red, we're thinking this list could grow over the next couple of weeks. New 4G LTE cities:

Springfield, MA
Huntsville, AL
Augusta, GA
Wichita, KS
Toledo, OH
Carbondale and Marion, IL
Chattanooga, TN
Charleston, WV
Knoxville, TN
Greensboro, NC
Winston Salem, NC
High Point, NC
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA
Portland, OR
Olympia, WA
Tacoma, WA
Honolulu, HI
Hilo, HI
Maui, HI
Lakeland, FL
Winterhaven, FL
Sarasota, FL
Bradenton, FL
Colorado Springs, CO
Ogden, UT

Expands coverage in:

Louisville, KY
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Seattle, WA
Phoenix, AZ
Las Vegas, NV
Northern New Jersey

Update: We're just going to keep adding to the list as Verizon announces them. Keep it close! Anyone noticing 4G yet in some of these new cities? Wouldn't be surprised if you are. Cheers Tom and Jake!

Current Verizon Customers Won't Ever Be Affected by Tiered Data, Only New Customers and Lines?

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:33:39 +0000

Yesterday was filled with the not-so-exciting news of tiered data plans that will launch at Verizon Wireless on July 7. The whole day got kicked off when we received an initial pricing tip on how the plans would be structured which was then followed up by an employee email that hit more than a few major tech sites, including ours. And after all of that settled, the executive director of communications for Big Red came out and confirmed that "usage based" plans would indeed be starting next month. It was a wild ride, but we may have some news that will brighten up your day as an existing VZW customer. According to our friends on the inside and that screenshot above (which is unfortunately partially cut off), existing customers may be able to keep their current pricing and data plan when renewing or upgrading as long as they are locked in prior to 7/7. And from what we've been told, that's a forever type of thing - as in, you can upgrade a year from now and still hang out with your best friend, the unlimited data plan. At the same time though, they only gave you one more New Every 2 after it was cancelled, so let's not get too invested into forever. With that said, we want to make sure you understand that this is for current or contracts that were just signed prior to 7/7. What that means is if you add a smartphone line after that date, it will receive tiered pricing even though your other lines will all remain unlimited. Update: A non-cut off picture of the same document (Cheers @michaelfagan!):

Sound too good to be true? It almost does to us too, but we've heard this a couple of times over the last day and a half. File it away as a semi-rumor for now, until we hear something official from Verizon. Cheers TheGhostbuster007!

DROID Incredible 2 Receives S-OFF, Permanent Root is Next (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:34:48 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEva63LEJyQ[/youtube]

The AlphaRevX team who unlocked and perm-rooted the Incredible S has apparently found a similar method that works on the Incredible 2. This marks a pretty significant day for folks who shelled out for the Inc follow-up, since up until now there has only been a temp-root that would wipe each time you rebooted your phone. With S-OFF achieved though, they should have perm-root in no time (might already) and then the fun can really begin. Stay close, as we'll post up instructions the minute they drop. Update: Our man jcase with @TeamAndIRC assures us that the phone in the video has perm-root and Clockwork Recovery on it. Via: XDA

DROID3 Pops Up in New GLBenchmark: Still an OMAP Processor, Wipes Floor with Most Devices

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:30:00 +0000

I'm not exactly sure where rumors of the DROID3 having a Tegra 2 started, but we've known for quite some time now that it'll sport an OMAP 4430 dual-core processor. So today's discovery by the folks at AnandTech through a GLBenchmark that just went live, isn't all that new, except for the actual benchmark score part. This is looking to be a much more powerful device than I think we had originally thought. In fact, after reading the review of the Milestone3 from last week, we weren't sure it could even compete with some single core devices - boy was that review wrong. As you can see in the "Egypt" bench below, the DROID3 and it's qHD screen come in only behind the LG Optimus 3D which happens to be running the same processor, but with a lower screen resolution. That's right, the D3 outperformed the Optimus 2X (G2x in the states), HTC Sensation and the HTC EVO 3D.

In the "Pro" bench it came in slightly behind a couple of those previously mentioned devices, but still performed above devices like the Motorola Atrix and DROIDX2. Impressive, to say the least.

And we should note that we're starting to doubt that original July 7 release date that we heard last week a little - and only because we now know that the 7th marks the day we see data tiers. It's definitely just around the corner though, which we learned from the MAP (minimum advertised price) status that it received over the weekend. What do you guys think? Maybe we shouldn't be sleeping on this device even if it lacks 4G LTE? Via: AnandTech Cheers Anthony and Bryan!

Verizon Head of Communications Confirms "Usage Based" Plans Will Start in July

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:22:45 +0000

I promise that this is the last time we'll mention this today, but in case you needed a 4th or 5th confirmation on our report that tiered data plans are coming to Verizon next month, we wanted to point out the statement that Big Red's executive director of corporate communications, Brenda Raney made to AllThingsD this afternoon:

“We will move to a more usage based model in July,” Raney said in an e-mail. “We’ll share more later.”

"Usage based" and "structured" - say hello to the buzzwords of 2011 for the wireless communications industry. Let's hope for some positive device news for tomorrow, like the Incredible 2 receiving S-OFF. Oh wait, that just happened. Via: AllThingsD

Cut The Rope Heading To Amazon Appstore This Friday?

Tim — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:18:49 +0000

Cut the Rope is coming to the Android platform this Friday, and from the looks of it, we're thinking it will be FREE on the Amazon Appstore. A few of the bigger titles have been released onto Android (Plants vs. Zombies for instance) with the price tag of free, so the number of downloads will skyrocket within the first few days. We certainly aren't hearing any complaints about that business plan. Cut the Rope is one of the highest downloaded apps on the iTunes store for games, and there's a reason why: it's a solid game, with literally hours of entertainment to be had if you enjoy these cute/whimsical puzzle titles. Definitely be on the lookout Friday for this release. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_GFCueQjoQ[/youtube] Via: Twitter

SeekDroid Available for FREE Today from Amazon (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:15:48 +0000

SeekDroid is not the Amazon App of the Day, but it's definitely free for a limited time and we wanted to make sure that you didn't miss it. As one of the more popular paid Android apps (10-50K Market downloads), SeekDroid normally runs for $.99 and can help you locate, lock, and destroy anyone that manages to steal your device. OK, the destroy part may be stretching things, but it can remotely turn on your GPS for location, activate an alarm, retrieve missed calls, remote wipe both internal and SD storage, and seriously, so much more. While we're not big fans of things like anti-virus apps on Android, we are fans of protecting devices when they have been lost and this is one of the best. Market Link Update: So I think we're all a little confused. When you head to the app page, it's showing as $.99, but if you head to amazon.com/appstore you can clearly see at the top that it is supposed to be free. Please let us know if it is charging you. Also, if you are finding a way to get it to appear as free, please let the rest of our readers know in the comments. Update 2: For those that aren't seeing this, here is a screenshot that I took of the Amazon site within the last minute:

Update 3: Looks like it may not be free because Amazon updates their pricing hourly? Whatever they are doing, they need to update their damn main page because this has quickly become one of the most annoying app posts in the history of Droid Life.

Update 4: Amazon may be willing to issue you a refund if you were charged for this app as is stated below from one of our readers. That same reader also learned from their support team that they are looking into the issue which we're hoping means it'll be resolved and set to "free" again within the hour.

Update 5: SeekDroid should be free again! Cheers Darren!

Gingerbread (Android 2.3) Leaked For Samsung Fascinate

Tim — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:30:38 +0000

Our buddy P3droid, has leaked Gingerbread for the Samsung Fascinate. Fascinate users can thank the Android dev community once again, for keeping this device respectable in the face of newer Android phones. Samsung has been taking their time releasing GB on the Galaxy S series, so who knows exactly when an official release is to be expected. If you feel like giving this a shot, and want to have some fun with the Odin Recovery, and adb rooting Gingerbread, then check this out for sure. For download, instructions, and support head on over to the original thread at MyDroidWorld. Cheers John!

Verizon Notifies Employees of Impending Tiered Data Plans in Letter

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:37:19 +0000

Not that we needed more confirmation on our exclusive report from this morning that tiered data plans are on the way from Verizon, but we have some for you. Employees are beginning to receive word of the changes from their regional VPs, who don't necessarily get as specific as the dirty pricing details we revealed, but you'll still get the point. This letter does re-confirm our original report that 3G and 4G pricing will be exactly the same though, which is one of the few positives we are seeing from these impending changes. So yeah, "structured" plans are on the way - we're just hoping they introduce family share versions alongside them to help ease this pain because this letter isn't going to brighten anyone's day around this site. Update: Verizon's Head of Communications has confirmed tiered data for July. Letter after the break.

The Next Generation of Data Pricing – Our Evolution Amidst an Industry Revolution
June 20, 2011 Greetings team, it’s [redacted], your Area Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations. As we approach the summer solstice, I wanted to reach out to the team and overview what I believe represents a significant and exciting evolution around how we package data solutions to our customers and the marketplace. The Revolution is Upon Us… In what has been a year of amazing performance by the [redacted] Area including company leading year-over-year churn improvement, successful introduction of the iPhone 4, strong post paid gross and net adds and industry leadership in launching our 4G LTE network; we find ourselves entering into a period of transformational innovation within Verizon Wireless and the wireless industry as a whole. Our ability to out execute and deliver upon the promise of The Credo everyday has allowed us to maintain the industry leadership. At the same time, accelerated market expectations coupled with the introduction of many emerging solution categories has created new opportunities for us to meet and exceed the needs of our customers. Data Pricing Evolution…The Present Our legacy data pricing structure was designed to address a somewhat different customer need profile than what we are seeing and can expect in the future. Consider this. Data usage has more than doubled over the last three years. Consumers and business users alike are doing more and more with their mobile devices. The notion of “send and end” has migrated to “managing multiple aspects of one’s lifestyle through mobility.” Whether it’s social media (85%+ of Smartphone users), mobile internet (88%+ of Smartphone users), or email/applications (71%+ of Smartphone users), this usage has one thing in common—dramatically increased demand for data and media consumption. As a result, we are evolving our approach around how we package our data solutions and pricing to our customers. Coming soon, Verizon Wireless will move from our existing pricing format to a structure designed to allow customers to choose the right data solution that best aligns with their needs. The Value Benefit Equation... With the new usage based pricing plans, the vast majority of our customers will be able to enjoy their typical level of data consumption for the same value that they outlay today. Additionally, for those who have greater requirements for data, we will have solutions that they can tailor to their unique needs. Perhaps more importantly, given our strong desire to continue to provide enhanced capability and value to our customers, the new data pricing will apply to both our 3G AND 4G LTE networks. So in essence, for those customers in our ever and rapidly expanding 4G LTE network coverage footprint, users will gain the benefit of the fastest and most advanced 4G LTE network in the U.S. all for the same usage based value. More speed. More functionality. Same value. Let’s Do What WE Do… Our expectation to extend our market leadership will be largely dependent on our demonstrated ability to “operationalize” in the face of an ever-changing environment. The successful launch of our new data pricing solutions represents a key milestone in our continued march to excellence. Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving much more insight, information, and learning opportunities around this significant evolution in how we provide our industry leading best solutions, to the right customer, that best satisfies their needs. I have every confidence in our ability to execute this flawlessly because it is the Verizon Wireless and South Area way. Our customers expect and deserve nothing less. To paraphrase a quote from a favorite cinematic masterpiece of mine from the 80’s, Top Gun, “Verizon Wireless is engaged. The South Area has the lead…” Let’s do what we do.

Cheers desi!

Friend Me - Finally, A Tablet Optimized Facebook App On Android

Tim — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:54:14 +0000

We should have expected the hard working Android developer community to pump out a tablet optimized Facebook app before the actual Facebook Corp, and Locomo Labs have done it. They are a developer team we have featured a few times, and have made some other great tablet optimized apps you may have heard of called Tweetcomb, and Newsr. This app allows for some great features of Facebook to really shine with in-app gameplay, and full size photo viewing. Now you can haul your crops on Farmville and play Zynga Poker wherever you are. If you've been looking for Facebook to fit your tablet, and you're tired waiting, then check out Friend Me. Price: Free | Market Link [gallery] Cheers @mskks64

CM7 Nightlies Go Live For The DROIDX

Tim — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:40:23 +0000

If anyone was excited for the official release, then you should be just as excited for the release of CyanogenMod7 nightlies for the DROIDX. Anyone experiencing problems with the first build, should be reassured that all those bugs will get hammered out in some of these nightly builds. And even better is the fact that @cvpcs, the developer responsible for all this, has been amazingly kind and wrote out exactly what to expect from these builds. You can always grab nightlies on your DX from the CyanogenMod official site, or if you have Rom Manager Premium installed on your device - check there first. In order to see the nightlies in RM you'll need to do the following: 1. Open RM Premium and hit the "Flash ClockworkMod" button. 2. When prompted, choose the "Droid X (2nd-init) recovery." 3. Once that flashes, you'll be able to view nightlies under "DownloadROM." So how excited are we all for this? Time to start squashing bugs. Via: @cvpcs

Verizon Drops $50 Off of DROID Incredible 2 Price

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:04:24 +0000

In the post we released yesterday with information on the DROID3 and XOOM LTE landing on Big Red's MAP list, there was also mention of the Incredible 2 seeing some sort of a pricing update. And according to the updated MAP (minimum advertised price) list that was just sent to us from our friends at Verizon, that update appears to be a price drop of $50 that goes into effect today. After quickly checking out VZW's site, it indeed appears to be available at just $149 right now. Not a bad deal at all for one of the only phones we've truly enjoyed over the last 3-4 months - our review can be found here. If only someone could find permanent root and HTC would unlock its bootloader... Cheers ___!

Exclusive: Tiered Data Plans Headed to Verizon July 7, Packages Start at $30 for 2GB

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:26:25 +0000

We knew that July 7 was going to mark the beginning of something after Verizon extended out the free 4G hotspot promo one more time to the 6th, but what we weren't 100% sure of was if it would have to do with tiered data. Employees have been receiving training over the last couple of weeks on a new point-of-sale system along with new account management tools that hinted at family plan changes, so again, we knew that something was definitely on the horizon, just weren't sure exactly what. Well, we've just received word that tiers are scheduled to start the day after the promo ends (on the 7th) for new customers and will look something like this... Data plans:

2GB - $30/month
5GB - $50/month
10GB - $80/month

If you would like to add tethering on to any of those packages, you can purchase 2GB of data at an additional cost of $20 per month. Data plans w/ tethering:

4GB - $50/month
7GB - $70/month
12GB - $100/month

If you go over your purchased amount of data, it will cost you $10 per 1GB. Tablet data plans will now go to $30 for 2GB of data as well instead of $20 for 1GB of data that is currently available. *Note 1 - We have also been told that this is for both 3G and 4G smartphones and that there are not separate plans depending on device. So if you are under contract currently, you should be fine and don't need to run out and buy a 4G phone just to lock in as we've seen other sites seem to want to suggest. *Note 2 - And I should probably clarify that these new prices should not affect anyone that is currently under contract. Major changes like this concern only new customers and possibly those that are up for a renewal. We have even heard mention of current customers being allowed to upgrade to a new device after July 7 though, and continue to keep their unlimited data, but are awaiting further clarification on that. Surprised by these numbers? Update: If you'd like to see additional confirmation, then check out this letter we received that has been sent out to Verizon employees by VPs. Update 2: Head of Verizon Communications confirms tiers are coming in July. Update 3: It's looking like current customers may have unlimited data for life. Let's look at how they compare to AT&T's tiers:

200MB - $15/month
2GB - $25/month
4GB - $45/month

So each plan is essentially $5 more per month, which Verizon will likely justify by saying that they offer a more reliable 3G network and a faster 4G LTE network. We knew they were coming - let me know what your thoughts are. This is definitely developing...

Official: Movies Available to Rent on Motorola XOOM WiFi

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:00:27 +0000

We first reported last Thursday that it appeared as if Google Movies were on their way to the Motorola XOOM WiFi - our assumptions have been confirmed by Moto as of 5 minutes ago. We're still not exactly sure if the movies tab will ever be added via Market update or if you'll simply have to download and run the Google Videos app that you are seeing above each time. No matter what though, the service should be active. Well, except for rooted and unlocked devices. Market Link To all the WiFi-only owners in the building, let us know how your experience is...

Worried About the Flimsy Plastic Samsung Galaxy S II Battery Cover? Watch this Video.

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:27:26 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErXqnQKs-tA[/youtube]

We still have no official word on when the Samsung Galaxy S II will land stateside or on Verizon, but until then, the video above should ease any concerns over the fragility of its plastic battery cover. Since the phone debuted earlier this year, one of the biggest knocks against the device (any Samsung device for that matter) was the fact that the back plate felt (or at least looked) like it might break every time it needed to be pulled off. The video that our buddies over at Phandroid have uncovered clearly shuts down that notion. All I can say, is please be 4G whenever you do arrive. Via: Phandroid

Verizon's 4G LTE Network Goes Down Nationwide Again? (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 06:19:10 +0000

We're hearing from a number of you across the nation that Verizon's 4G LTE network could have gone down again last night around 2:00AM Central in an "unscheduled outage" and is not back up completely. Some east coast cities like New York City are reportedly doing just fine, but Philly, Atlanta, Cincinnati and some in Florida may still be down. I know that I've had 4G out west in Portland for the last week, but definitely cannot grab a signal as of 6:16AM this morning - San Francisco may also be down. No word yet from @VZWSupport. So as always, we ask that you drop us a line in the comments with your 4G status... *Note - A simple reboot seemed to fix everything for me. Worth a try. Update: It sounds like service is being restored for the most part around the country, plus people are having success by just rebooting their phones. We'll keep an eye out for anything else that could potentially happen and update it here. Cheers marc and everyone else!

New Motorola XOOM LTE Nears Launch, Receives MAP Along with DROID3

Kellen — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:17:31 +0000

It looks like the Motorola XOOM with 4G LTE (aka the Motorola XOOM LTE) is about ready to launch, along with the DROID3. Both devices have been added to Verizon's MAP (minimum advertised price) list, which is one of the better indicators that a device is about to be released. There is no telling if this is the mystery device that we first spotted from a VZW tablet commercial last week or just the same ol' XOOM with an LTE radio in it. We're going with the latter. Oh, and this is a pretty good sign that we should be hearing from Motorola about sending in our current non-4G XOOMs for upgrades. (/Fingers crossed.) The DROID3 on the other hand is still headed for July 7 until we hear otherwise. It was just announced as the Milestone3 in China, so you've got to figure that Big Red and Moto are just looking for the perfect spot to make it official here in the U.S. What do you guys think? Finally ready for 4G in a XOOM? Is this a newer version of the XOOM or just the current version with a 4G radio in it? Cheers ___ and ___!

Thunderbolt Gingerbread Update Coming June 30, Includes Skype and GTalk with Video? (Updated)

Kellen — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 08:23:38 +0000

Update: Sounds like the majority of folks think these are fake. What grabbed my attention about this story though, was the June 30 release day that also came with their report - we heard the same exact date, but from a very trusted source. Pics do indeed appear to be fake or at the very least, poorly put together. Stay tuned... This couldn't have popped up at a better time from our friends over at Android and Me - we received the exact same tip last night, although their visual evidence is a lot prettier. According to friends of ours at Verizon, the HTC Thunderbolt could start to receive Gingerbread (Android 2.3.4) by June 30 and it will include Skype with Video. Yep, the same Skype that seems to have disappeared from the world even though there have been working versions floating around behind the scenes for months. Verizon and HTC may not be stopping there with video chatting applications though - the internal documents that have been leaked mention that Gtalk with Video will be added as well. As many of you know, the video side of GTalk has only been available (officially) to the Nexus S, so we're a little surprised to see the Tbolt get it next but won't be complaining. The phone could also be upgraded to Sense 2.1, which is not the fancy new version that we are seeing on the Sensation and EVO 3D, but does include some additional features that really round out the skin. Pretty big news on a Saturday. I guess we'll all stop worrying about that MR2 update?

Via: Android and Me

This Week In The Life Of DROID: 6/17/11

Tim — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:27:41 +0000

Another week has come and gone here at Droid Life, and with it we would like to introduce you all to the new weekly recap of our top stories. Just a nice place where you can find all the juicy news you may have missed.

Hope everyone has a great weekend, and to all you fathers out there, happy Father's Day. Maybe the family bought you a new Android phone? Fingers crossed.

Costco Has The Acer Iconia 32GB Version And Acer Case For $480

Tim — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:42:08 +0000

Costco seems to be pumping out the deals on tablets lately. Earlier this week we showed them having the Motorola XOOM for only $500. They're now dropping prices for the Acer Iconia tablet, and throwing in a $40 Acer tablet case for free. Not too shabby considering the MSRP for the 32GB version is $500 with no case. If you're thinking about picking one up, you might want to start hitting yourself though, because you missed an amazing deal on eBay where they were just $380. With all these crazy deals on Honeycomb tablets, who here is picking one up? And if so, which one? Is everyone still thinking all these tablets are overpriced and lacking features to warrant the hefty price tags? Let us know. Cheers Bryan!

Custom Theme Friday: DropTheme For CM7

Tim — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:47:12 +0000

We're not shy to show our love for DropTheme. It's been one our favorites for a long time, and now that it has been ported to the CM7 theme chooser in the market, it makes enjoying these themes so much more easy on all of our devices. And if you're one of our newest CM7 users due to the release of CM4DX, then definitely check these out. There's a few basic colors to choose from so far, including all the classics. Blue, Red, Green, and Yellow have been a landmark in the theme world. Here's the links and more pictures.

Yellow | Red | Blue | Green

If you're rocking CM7 on any of your devices, then go ahead and play with them all. If you possibly run into any issues with these (you really shouldn't) then let us know in the comments below. If anyone is curious I'm using the "Minimalist Black" icon pack found on the Market.

Cheers Jesus!

Heading Into Your Local Best Buy To Pick Up A New 32GB Galaxy 10.1? Might Want To Call First

Tim — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:48:29 +0000

Hopefully you're not expecting to get a 32GB version, because after calls to all of our local Best Buys, not one store had a single 32GB Samsung Galaxy 10.1. White or Metallic Gray. If you're in the market for a 16 gig version, then you should have no issues there at all. We're going to reach out to our local Best Buy people and figure out when they're planning on getting some in, because according to the stores in San Fran, it won't be for at least two weeks. Update: It sounds like it's hit or miss on this one. Some stores have them, some won't have them for weeks. Like we said in the post title, call first. Anyone else having this issue at their local Best Buy? Let us know.

New Swiftkey Beta Released for Tablets and Phones

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:20:06 +0000

Members of Swiftkey's VIP beta program, please check your inboxes. You should have received an invitation to download the new version for both tablets and phones within the last couple of minutes. Each of the updates appear to be more than just bug fixers, especially the tablet version which has reworked layouts for both portrait and landscape. If you haven't signed up yet to be a part of their beta program, now would be a good time to head over to their site. As many of you know, Swiftkey is easily one of our favorite keyboards of all time.

Tablet changelog:

New features: - installer and setting UIs; - reworked large portrait and landscape layouts; - addition of secondary characters to layouts. Improvements to: - the keyboard which address several of the typing issues found in the previous release; the usability of the personalization functionality, particularly with regard to issues with Gmail and Google Apps; - typing accuracy and spelling correction; - status notifications, particularly during personalization; -the usability of the installation process; - the shortcut launcher (particularly in landscape and on larger devices); - the preferences and language settings UI; - general performance, responsiveness and power consumption. Bug fixes - Repeated characters ("DoubleDouble") bugs are now fixed for the most part. There are still some application-specific problems (see Known Issues). - No more flickering on Gingerbread devices. - Web search fields now behave correctly. - Fixed a bug where occasionally the installer got stuck in a loop. - Language states and summaries now update correctly.

Phone changelog:

Improvements to: - the usability of the personalization functionality, particularly with regard to issues with Gmail and Google Apps; - typing accuracy and spelling correction; - status notifications, particularly during personalization; - the usability of the installation process; - the shortcut launcher (particularly in landscape and on larger devices); - the preferences and language settings UI; - general performance, responsiveness and power consumption. Bug fixes: - Repeated characters ("DoubleDouble") bugs are now fixed for the most part. There are still some application-specific problems (see Known Issues). - Fixed problems with physical/hard keyboards where SHIFT and ALT would get stuck on and symbols were printed rather than alphabetic characters. - No more flickering on Gingerbread devices. - Web search fields now behave correctly. - Fixed a bug where occasionally the installer got stuck in a loop. - Language states and summaries now update correctly.

Video: Verizon Mystery Honeycomb Tablet is Back and as Confusing as Ever

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:50:30 +0000

The mystery tablet that appeared for all of 5 minutes yesterday in a new Verizon ad is back for everyone to see. You'll finally get a good look at the Honeycomb lock and home screens we mentioned yesterday, but now that we've had even more time to check out it, we're really just think it's a mock-up and is 100% not-real. No branding on the front, no front camera, and with a Verizon logo pressed firmly into its backside, we doubt that this will ever become something on a store shelve. Feel free to check it out. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_INWezbkBJ8[/youtube] Cheers CG!

eBay App For Android Now Lets You Sell Directly From Your Phone

Tim — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:15:26 +0000

The official eBay Android app received an update yesterday. Users now finally have the ability to list an item for sale "in under 60 seconds" and then sit back and watch the auction pandemonium. Being able to sell an item through eBay's mobile Android application has been a feature that app users have wanted for a while, so hopefully this will be beneficial and everyone makes great use of it.

So has anyone picked up this new version and listed anything yet? How simple is the process? Were able to hammer one out in under "60 seconds"? Happy bidding, everyone.

Market Link

Full changelog:

What’s new in v1.5:

Selling on eBay is now supported (available in US and UK with support for more countries coming soon!)

Quickly list an item from start to finish on your phone and include up to 8 photos

Use the integrated barcode scanner from RedLaser to prefill item details when listing an item

Revise an item from your Active Selling list

Relist an item from your Unsold list

Sell one like this feature available when viewing a similar item on eBay

Schedule an auction to start immediately or choose a later date

End an active auction

Mark an item as shipped

Contact the buyer

Updated home screen

View your own feedback ratings and recent comments from eBay members

More options for refining your search results: condition, free shipping, location, completed listings and sold items only

Other bug fixes and improvements

Another New MR2 Radio Leaks for the HTC Thunderbolt

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:34:18 +0000

With the original MR2 update for the HTC Thunderbolt having been cancelled (rumor), it only makes sense that a new version with a new radio should appear, right? That's exactly what has happened thanks again to chingy51o over at XDA. No one is exactly sure what this radio fixes yet since it's so new, but it's available for you to flash if you understand all the risks involved. Download: (MR2.5)PG05IMG.zip Instructions: 1. Download the file from above and rename to PG05IMG.zip 2. Drop it on the root of your SD card (not in a folder). 3. Reboot into hboot, choose Bootloader and allow the file to flash.

*Tip - An app called QuickBoot can get you right into the bootloader if you don't know how.

4. Report back to us if this looks like it has fixed anything. Via: XDA Cheers xstahsie and Gorgio!

DROID2 Global Gingerbread Update NOT Rolling Out Yet, According to Motorola

Kellen — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:48:49 +0000

It is rolling out! No it isn't! It is! According to Motorola, the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update for the DROID2 Global that we first reported on earlier in the week, is not rolling out at this time even if Verizon support seems to think it is. We figured all along that a soak test would begin by the end of this week and that the mass rollout or "pull" availability would not be until next week, so VZW's tweets were a little shocking to us. So now that Motorola has essentially shut them down though, we go back to waiting. Our question is, what happened to carriers being in control of these updates? Hmmm. Via: Motorola Cheers Justin and Anguish!

Motorola Introduces Milestone3 (DROID3) In China (Updated)

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:53:27 +0000

"Looks more like a DROID3 to me". The first sentence in an email we just received regarding Motorola's release of the 3rd generation of the Milestone. Well, it is a DROID3, but only to us Americans. It's thinner, faster, and all packed into an extremely slim and streamlined package. We're looking forward to this release (minus the pentile screen) in the states, which is still slotted for July 7th to our best 'guesstimations'. Since we're seeing release in international markets now, we should start hypebeastin' this immediately. Some of the confirmed specs which we already knew from this post:

Dual-core processor
4" qHD screen
Android 2.3
5-row slideout keyboard
16GB internal storage
Global capabilities
8MP camera (1080p video)
Front camera for video chatting

Via: Motorola

Cheers J!

Amazon Offers Up Watchdog Task Manager for FREE, Different Than a Task Killer?

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:15:47 +0000

Task Killers again? Sort of. At the beginning of this month, Amazon offered up a task killer for free and we tried to do our best to educate some of our newer readers who may not have known, that these apps are basically useless now that phones are up to Android 2.2 and above. Today though, Amazon returned with a similar app that isn't exactly a task killer, but more of a task "manager" called Watchdog. First of all, it's a $3.49 app that can be had for nothing, so you may want to grab it just for the sake of grabbing it. But second, we want to know if this app is something worth having on your phone? When we tweeted our initial thoughts on it earlier, many of you were quick to point out that this app is actually different than your average run-of-the-mill task killer. In fact, a decent sized group of you made sure we knew that this app wasn't that bad and can come in handy if you run into rogue or poorly coded apps that have run amuck on your device. Watchdog can tell you if something is using up too much CPU and then let you decide if it should be killed. So in essence, this is more of a CPU monitor than a task killer - and that's not a bad thing since RAM is something we like to let Android handle. So we've sort of changed our opinion on this app (a little), and will recommend that you at least give it a look. We'll be giving it a good run-through over the next few days and will report back. But again, the app is normally $3.50 and if can help the efficiency of your device, why not try it out before it jumps back up in price? And as always, please feel free to let us know your thoughts on Watchdog in the comments. Amazon Link

Google Videos App Now Available For Motorola XOOM WiFi, Time To Rent Movies

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:27:55 +0000

Motorola XOOM owners can now try and grab themselves Google Videos, but be warned, it really doesn't seem to be working too well. We rented a movie on the web browser, but the application is just displaying a server error. So is Google in the process of testing this, or have they released a broken app? Go ahead and try downloading, but definitely let us know in the comments section if it's broken or working for you. It's also still looking as though it will not work for rooted XOOMs. But try it just to make sure. Market Link Cheers Neal!

Verizon Begins Charging Full Price of Warranty Phones if Rooted? (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:00:20 +0000

What exactly should happen if you were to root your phone, play around with ROMs/hacks/etc., somehow manage to break it, and then send it in to Verizon for a warranty replacement? Should you be allowed to get a replacement or not? According to reports, you can get a replacement, but the rooting of your phone voids any warranty you had and gives Verizon permission to charge you for a new one if they determine that your broken phone was tampered with. Our buddy @P3droid has apparently heard from a couple of friends who have run into the scenario that we described above and then been slapped with a pretty hefty and unannounced bill. Fair or unfair? I'll just say this - we've known that rooting your device voids your warranty since well back in the original DROID days, so it makes sense that Verizon would do this. As unpopular as this may sound, I can't fault Big Red for going this route. If you decide to take your phone out of its original factory status, tinker with its guts, and break something, it shouldn't be their responsibility to take care of you. With that said though, a broken volume rocker, faulty screen, etc. has nothing do with rooting, so I'd hate to see someone get charged for something that they didn't cause even if they decided to root. It's an interesting topic, and one that I would love to hear all your opinions on. Update: Our friends at Verizon saw this post and wanted to reach out to clarify everything immediately. First up, is the fact that their policy says absolutely nothing about checking for root on devices. When a phone is received, a phone is checked for three things and that definitely isn't one of them. They check to see if the box that the device was sent in is damaged, if the outside of the phone looks awful, and if it powers on - satisfy all of those and they move on to the next phone. So basically, these reports of being charged for a rooted phone simply mean that these people were sending in garbage phone with defects. So...sound off! Via: MyDroidWorld

Angry Birds Mine and Dine Levels Available Now on Android

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:45:35 +0000

The Angry Birds regular edition on Android has an update available that brings you the Mine and Dine episode which was teased a week or so back. This new episode includes 45 levels of deep, underground bird carnage to take you into the weekend. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u3uLFBTjPk[/youtube] Cheers Mike!

Deal Of The Day: Asus Transformer, Headphones, And 8GB SD Card For $475

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:18:52 +0000

It's looking like today is the day of tablets around here. We have Galaxy's tomorrow, XOOMs at Costco, and now we have Asus Transformers. The plus on this deal is that it's coming with a sweet little bundle of goodies. Packaged with it are a set of Klipsch ProMedia in-ear headphones, a Centon 8GB MicroSDHC card, and wait for it...free shipping. All this for $475. Does that excite you all? If you're liking the way all that sounds, head on over to eBay. Happy tabbing. Buy Cheers Matt!

Google Maps 5.6 Adds "Best Ever" Rating to Places

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:47:40 +0000

Google Maps just received another nice little update, bringing with it something called "Best Ever" ratings for restaurants. Now when you have the most excellent dining experience, you better let everybody know. Go grab it. Market Link Cheers Mark and Adam!

Motorola XOOM WiFi Goes On Sale at Costco for $499 Plus Free Gel Case

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:09:35 +0000

Looks like Costco is lowering the price on our beloved Motorola XOOM. (Review) We checked the mobile site and aren't seeing the new price, so if you're in the market for a XOOM Wifi this weekend, be sure to head into your local Costco for a great deal on a great tablet. And since they're throwing in a $20 Gel case, show em' some love. (Update) Just got an email from a reader who was given money back due to Costco's Price Adjustment Policy. If anyone has bought the XOOM from Costco recently, you better hurry back and get yourself some money. Costco Site Cheers MM and Mathew!

Burn the Rope Released for Free on Android

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:45:43 +0000

Another addicting iOS game has made its way over to the good side of the mobile OS world today - Burn the Rope. The game involves fire, ropes and bugs which is always something that dudes (and some chicks) tend to love, so be sure to grab it. Oh yeah, it's free (with ads of course). And no, it's not like Cut the Rope at all. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCj9HorjsG8[/youtube]

Reminder: Samsung Galaxy 10.1 WiFi Tablet Goes On Sale Tomorrow

Tim — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:49:55 +0000

Looks like we will have another gorgeous device to acquaint ourselves with and welcome to the Android family, this Friday. The newest Honeycomb tablet to hit the streets is the uber-thin Samsung Galaxy 10.1. We were lucky to grab ourselves a limited edition tab when we attended Google I/O, and even did a quick hands on video. If you're looking to pick one up, definitely hit up all the usual suspects: Best Buy, Amazon, Fry's, and Newegg. Best Buy seems to be the only retailer with white though, if that tickles your fancy. The 16GB version is going to run you a hefty $499, while the full 32GB is $599. We have a full features video from Samsung as well for all our tablet obsessed enthusiasts. So who's picking one up? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06XCmy_cELE[/youtube]

Mystery Honeycomb Tablet Appears in New Verizon Ad (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:55:28 +0000

It's definitely not a XOOM or the new Galaxy Tab 10.1, so what is it? It very well could be nothing, and just a place holding device that would allow them to put together an ad without paying out to Motorola or Samsung? Odd, really. The Verizon coverage bar that they quickly show looks like something straight out of a iDevice, but it's definitely running Honeycomb. You guys tell me. Update: Oh! And the video is now set to private...and I was an idiot and didn't grab a screenshot of the front which clearly showed the Honeycomb lock screen and opening home screen. Update 2: It looks like a Motorola device. Has an identical speaker to a XOOM, but the device is too upright to actually be it. The camera is also different and the device lacks the Motorola "M" in the middle. Again, this could just be some random place holder, but there are rumors of a new XOOM being worked on. Kal-el here we come? Ok, let's not go that far. Keep the guesses coming! Does Verizon have a new tablet to announce that it has been keeping from us? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_INWezbkBJ8[/youtube]

CM7 for HTC Thunderbolt Gets Update, Looking More Stable Every Day

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:23:18 +0000

The CM7 build for the Thunderbolt that slayher has quietly been working on hit v0.6 yesterday and we wanted to point out how far it has come. From its early pre-alpha stage, many of you were a little hesitant to go with it, and rightfully so - the warnings were pasted all over that original post. Since then though, our very own MrPicolas has grown quite fond of it and even made it his daily driver. He mentioned that some people are having to toggle their 3G and 4G from time to time, but he hasn't had to at all. And let me tell you, for a guy that uses his device for everything and rarely touches a computer, a ROM better be good for him to stick with it for a long time. Pretty good sign right there. Download: update-cm-7.1.0-RC0.6-Thunderbolt-KANG-signed.zip Doesn't work: Slow GPS (although Picolas hasn't had any troubles), mic on video is broken (might be fixed actually), possible data/voice bugs. Does work: Everything else. *The original Thunderbolt radio is recommended. And I'm actually not even sure if the new radio will work. So I highly recommend you flash back to the original radio if you plan on running this. Load it up as you would any other ROM. Full support can be found at this RootzWiki thread.

Wireless Tether Appears to Work on CM7 for the DROIDX

Kellen — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:38:13 +0000

There has been a lot of talk around these parts over the last few weeks that has to do with the wireless tethering situation on Verizon with certain devices like the DROIDX. We've posted work-arounds for whatever block they've implemented and complaints have been filed with the FCC, but it looks like all we really needed was a little CyanogenMod 7 to get it going. According to reader Ryan, he's had no issues with a tethering block now that he has flashed the new CM7 for DX that we posted yesterday morning. His proof is above. To download the latest version (since it has been pulled from the market), head here. Cheers Ryan!

Video: Galaxy S II Gets Fingered in French Commercial

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:34:37 +0000

I promise that this Samsung Mobile France ad for the Galaxy S II isn't as dirty as that title makes it out to be, but is still definitely worth a look. It's just a dude sittin' in a chair, bustin' out moves with his arms and fingers in ways that would really impress your girlfriend. Again, I promise it's not dirty. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyMfpJh3h4A[/youtube] Cheers Adam!

Google Voice Update Includes Battery Enhancement, Flash 10.3 Receives Support for OMAP4 Devices

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:59:48 +0000

One of the greatest apps on Earth, Google Voice, has an update available that should help to improve your battery life even though part of it also allows for your screen to stay on while listening to voicemails. I know, it seems like two things that would work against each other, but you know what? We'll take Google Voice for its word, since it's so awesome. The other major app to receive an update today was Flash 10.3 which actually ends up being pretty interesting even after we originally thought it was just another "security enhancement" thingy. After checking out the official changelog, we noticed that it now supports "NEON optimizations for OMAP4 (Cortex A-9) based devices." And why is that interesting? Well, because we don't currently have any Android devices running OMAP4 processors, but are expecting the DROID3 to be one of the first. We first reported that the D3 could be out by July 7, so with Adobe letting the world know that OMAP4 phones are just around the corner, we're hoping they are referring to our next family member.

More info on the Flash update here. Cheers @d1g1k!

RUMOR: Next Google Nexus Device Possibly Detailed, Will be 4G LTE?

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:42:34 +0000

The boys over at BGR think they've been tipped today to the motherload of next gen Nexus information, but our friends over at Android and Me aren't buying any of it. From our standpoint, we're not really sure what to think since our specialty is certainly not Nexus devices, so we'll just let you guys all decide. This device, if real, sounds like the ultimate mobile phone that will run the latest version of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich), sport a dual-core processor rather than quad-core, a 720p HD screen, dual-cameras, and a 4G LTE radio. BGR is speculating that it won't be a Verizon LTE device though, and could actually end up on AT&T as the phone to kick off their LTE march. He's also saying that it could be called the Nexus 4G, but that there is a chance it might just end up as a flagship device like the original DROID without Nexus branding. Here is the full list of specs from the post:

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Dual-core 1.2 GHz or 1.5 GHz processor
Either TI’s OMAP 4460 or Qualcomm’s Krait-based Snapdragon chips
720p HD “monster-sized” screen
1 GB of RAM
5 MP rear-facing camera with “class-leading image quality in addition to superior low-light performance”
1 MP front-facing camera
1080p HD video capture and playback
4G LTE support
Ultra-thin design
No hardware buttons
Thanksgiving release

But like I said, there are doubters out there and we're starting to think that we might be one of them. As A&M points out, an LTE AT&T device seems highly unlikely since they aren't planning to turn on more than 15 LTE markets in 2011. The Qualcomm Krait processor they think will be available seems improbable since we know that it won't be ready for mass production until 2012. We're also not buying the name Nexus 4G since we already have a Nexus S 4G, so I guess they could be right in expecting it to be a non-Google phone. Why even toss out the Nexus 4G name though? Again, it's a pretty bold rumor that took the Android world by storm this morning, but it might just be a little hard to buy. So what do you guys think? Real? BS? What? Via: BGR, Android and Me

Netflix Updated on Android, Now Officially Supports DROIDX on Gingerbread

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:04:20 +0000

Netflix on Android just received a spicy little update that brings official support to the DROIDX running Gingerbread. Previous market versions actually worked a couple of weeks ago on leaked 2.3 for the DX when Team Netflix removed the device check from the app, but now things should be a little more consistent during that installation process. Go grab it now! Market Link Cheers @chad917!

Thumb Keyboard Goes On Sale for $.99 at Amazon

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:32:27 +0000

We're not sure how long Thumb Keyboard will be on sale at the Amazon Appstore for $.99, but we suggest you jump on it right away. This is hands down the best app you'll buy as a tablet owner - that's no joke. And even if you don't own a tablet, you might as well grab it so that it's locked to your account forever in case you do some day take take the plunge and buy one. Buy. Cheers Andrew!

DROID2 Global Gingerbread Starts Rolling Out Today (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:53:37 +0000

According to @VZWSupport (the official Verizon support account on Twitter), the DROID2 Global should be receiving official Gingerbread (Android 2.3) some time today. We first reported the news that this was headed to the D2G this week and that a soak test would kick it off, but Verizon has essentially made it official by sending out this tweet. The odd thing here is that we have zero reports of anyone receiving it, so maybe they meant 6/16? Either way, we'll be on the lookout and will ask that all of our D2G readers hit us up should the update become available on your phone. Head into to Settings>About phone>System updates to check. Update: It is now being tweeted by Verizon's Support account that the update is rolling out systematically/batches. So don't worry about trying to pull this one just yet. Just wait for the notification from Verizon.

Verizon is Making Changes to Plans on June 26, Family Data Sharing a Possibility? (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:38:52 +0000

We're not exactly sure what Verizon has planned for June 26, but we've been told that it has to do with new plans that could eventually lead to shared family data packages. We first heard about family data buckets back in May, so this wouldn't be completely surprising, although it seems a little sooner than we had originally thought. The idea here is that family plans already allow additional lines to pull from a main line's bucket of minutes, and doing the same with data only makes sense. As you can see from the screenshot above, this new data screen shows the option to "Share Data", but also shows a "Family Share" tab which is where we are drawing these conclusions from. We should note that there have been no indications that tiered plans are imminent and likely won't be involved on the 26th, but it sure would be a lot easier for Verizon to sell them if they also offer new family data packages. And June 26 could come and go and we might not hear a word on any of this, since it almost appears to be just backend stuff. What you will want to look out for though, is the time after the 26th which could involve announcements on the future of Big Red plan structuring. Update: We're hearing that you may not see any major changes including family shared data until after the 4G LTE hotspot promo ends on July 7th. And hopefully that wasn't too confusing, but we wanted to make sure to keep you all in the loop on this stuff. We know that tiers and data are always a hot topic. *Note - IGNORE the numbers in that screenshot. The only thing we are trying to point out is the stuff we've highlighted in green boxes. Cheers ___ and ___!

Download: Fede Releases Updates to Alpha Music Player UberMusic

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:46:24 +0000

Fede released the first alpha edition of his new WP7-esque music app almost a month ago and is already up to version 7 as of today. After thumbing through it for just a few minutes, you can tell that this is really turning into a solid and light music player (not that we weren't expecting it to) even if he is calling it UberMusic. (Hah!) He's fixed a ton of stability issues, added more menus, tweaked the widget to work properly, and overall has made the experience much more enjoyable. To stay up-to-date, you'll want to grab v7 below. Download: UberMusic-Alpha7.apk Changelog.

Official Starbucks App Available on Android

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:49:21 +0000

Coffee addicts who enjoy the not-so-awesome taste that is Starbucks brew, get ready to spend money easier! (Look at me going all coffee snob.) Their Android app is finally available and allows you to do all sorts of fun things like add in your SB card, reload it with funds, track transactions, check balances, and most importantly, pay using it at the register. Oh, and apologies for the heavy sarcasm. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp56vcQZBhY[/youtube] Cheers Anish!

Download: CM7 Released for the DROIDX

Kellen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:51:24 +0000

Well folks, it's here. You can finally get a taste of CyanogenMod7 for the DROIDX. Our boy @cvpcs worked some magic, tested it over the last few days, ironed out the majority of bugs and has released a version (basically a beta) that's stable enough for everyone to try. This is a pretty damn exciting day. And no need to for any extra wordplay, let's just jump on into it.

READ FIRST: There are two sets of instructions here - the first is from CVPCS and is essentially the "official" way to get CM7 on your device. The only problem here is that you'll need to SBF back to 2.3.340 in order for that to fly. This will be the method that he supports going forward though. However, if you want to go the fast and sneaky way, then you'll want to check out the instructions that the guys at MyDroidWorld have put together which allows you to jump to CM7 from any build, including the latest Gingerbread (.596). Both sets are clearly marked below. Busted Things: Camera/camcorder and maybe Youtube. Working Things: Audio playback, radio, 3g/data, calling, video playback, gps (maybe), accelerometer, notification lights, battery charging, usb connectivity, bluetooth, bluetooth audio, bluetooth calling, wifi, opengl, theme engine, market installs, dsp manager, maybe more?

______________________________________________________

Instructions: [CVPCS VERSION]

*Note - This method only works if you start from a clean 2.3.340. *You can donate to CVPCS here.

1. Flash the 2.3.340 SBF. [Download]

*If your phone bootloops when it loads back up, pull the battery and boot into recovery by holding Home+Power, then Search when the Android appears. Select factory reset/wipe data.

2. Download CM7 for the DX and drop it on your SD card. [Download] [Mirror] 3. Install z4root and root your phone. [Instructions] [Download] 4. Download and install D2 Bootstrap (NOT DX BOOTSTRAP). [Download] 5. Bootstrap your phone and head into recovery. 6. Scroll down to wipe data/factory reset just for good measure. 7. Choose "install zip from sdcard." 8. Then "choose zip from sdcard." 9. Select the CM7 file that you downloaded from above. 10. Install and reboot.

*If your phone bootloops on first reboot, pull the battery and reboot into stock recovery holding Home+Power, then Search. Wipe data one more time and it should boot back up. *GOOGLE APPS Note - This does not include the set of GApps. Instructions can be found at the bottom.

11. Enjoy!

Instructions: [MDW VERSION]

*Note - This method works regardless of the OS build on your phone. Can be used with Gingerbread or 2.2.

1. Download the All-in-One Monster file. [Download] [Mirror] 2. Drop the file on your SD card and reboot into recovery. 3. Go to mounts and storage 4. Format system 5. Format data 6. Format cache 7. Mount system 8. Go back 9. Go to install update from zip 10. Select the update-cm-*-MONSTER.zip 11. Install 12. Install gapps (instructions at the bottom)

*YOU WILL GET A RADIO INSTALL ERROR IGNORE THIS AND RESTART PHONE. *To install the Radio **** Must be done for GPS to work***After intial install of CM7

13. Hold down power button and select reboot and then recovery. 14. In recovery select "install zip from sdard." 15. Select "choose zip from sdcard." 16. Find the Monster.zip and install. 17. Reboot phone.

Instructions for Google Apps:

1. Once you have CM7 up and running you can find Google Apps in ROM Manager. 2. Flash ClockworkMod Recovery. 3. Head into Download ROM and select one of the Google Apps (cvpcs recommended 20110307). 4. Install. *FINAL NOTE (PLEASE READ) - DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES INSTALL/RUN DROIDXBOOTSTRAP OR DROID2BOOTSTRAP WHILE RUNNING CM7. IF YOU IGNORE THIS YOU WILL HAVE TO SBF YOUR DEVICE.

Full support can be found at RootzWiki and MyDroidWorld.

Cheers faber, Michael K, and Nick!

Verizon Extends Free 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot Offer Through July 6th for Thunderbolt, Charge and Revolution

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:09:05 +0000

We just received some pretty welcoming news from Verizon concerning the free 4G LTE mobile hotspot promotion that has been available to owners of the DROID Charge, HTC Thunderbolt and LG Revolution for the last couple of months. According to our friends at Big Red, the promo has been granted an extension and will take users all the way through July 6. We had already seen one extension that gave us all free hotspot usage through tomorrow, but we'll gladly accept another month.

Verizon Wireless has extended the Limited Time promotion for Mobile Hotspot and Mobile Broadband Connect on 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Smartphones, ThunderBolt by HTC, DROID Charge by Samsung, and Revolution by LG. The following are the Unlimited Hotspot promotion details. Limited Time promotion available through 7/6/2011 which allows customers unlimited 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and Mobile Broadband Connect usage until July 6, 2011 with the purchase of a ThunderBolt by HTC, a DROID Charge by Samsung, or a Revolution by LG, with a voice plan and a data package $29.99 or higher. The $20/GB (Gigabyte) plan will not be available on 4G LTE Smartphones. On July 6, 2011 a software update will remove the Mobile Hotspot offer. A message will be sent to the end user to contact their system administrator to subscribe to Mobile Hotspot.

So be sure to live it up for another month! You never know what sorts of prices we could see once July hits. And props to Verizon for continuing to extend this out for additional months. I can't put into words how important this feature was to me at Google I/O this year with all of the spotty wifi hotspots floating around. It definitely kept Droid Life afloat for those few days. Cheers ___!

Tuesday Poll: Front Facing Cameras, Anyone Actually Use Them?

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:42:50 +0000

What happened to everyone saying that a front facing camera was a necessity when purchasing a smartphone? With the delay on Skype, lack of front facing cameras on many new and upcoming devices, are they still such a big deal? Sure they're cute from time to time, but are they really needed? You be the judge. Feel free to let us know what your favorite video chatting apps are, too. [poll id="86"]

Tip: Activate Google Voice Search in Browser Now [Off Topic]

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:25:38 +0000

We just wanted to quickly share a tip that will enable the new browser-based Voice Search that was announced today by Google. First off, you'll need the latest version of Chrome in order for this to work (no Firefox or IE support at this time). Once you have that up and running, head over to google.com and sign into your account. After that, you'll want to head over to this Google Experimental Labs page and click the "Join this experiment" button next to Voice Search. And that's it! Head back to google.com and try a search by clicking the microphone button. Just try not to do this. Cheers to @ethankjfan!

Mysterious Android Device Appears at Google Search Presentation, Was it the New Nexus? (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:48:38 +0000

Google was on stage a couple of hours ago talking about all things Search including a bunch of new mobile features that went live today. During their presentation though, they cruised through a number of demos that featured devices such as the Nexus S and original DROID, but there was one that caught the eye of and confused famed Android opinionaire (that a word?) Russell Holly. The device is pictured (possibly just a render) above - so what is it? We've blown it up for you a bit below, but it's still pretty hard to make out. The phone definitely lacks branding and we were originally going to cast it off as some ancient basement dweller, until we saw that it has a front facing camera. It also appears to be missing physical home/search/menu buttons which have been rumored to have disappeared in Ice Cream Sandwich. The odd thing is that the keyboard they are showing is from Froyo and not from Gingerbread, so maybe it's not ICS? What are those green and red physical call buttons though? It almost looks like a hybrid DROIDX gone FroyoBreadSandwich.

Update: It's looking like they took the Sony Ericsson Satio and spiced it up with some Photoshopped Froyo. False alarm...and talk about a random phone to use in a presentation? (Cheers @MeetAndroid!):

What do you guys think? Random ugly render of a non-existent device or is it the new Nexus running Ice Cream Sandwich? And thanks again to @russellholly for pointing this out!

App Of The Day: Frame Grabber

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:53:16 +0000

We recently posted about an application that was in the works called, "Rewind". Soon after, we had a reader point out to us that an application called Frame Grabber did basically what Rewind was setting out to do. So we started the investigation and came to find out, that Frame Grabber is actually pretty awesome.

So when you open Frame Grabber, you're on the title screen. You then click on a "Get Video" button which then shows you a list of all videos you have on your phone. I did not see an option to be taken to the camera from inside the application. So basically, instead of taking stills, you just take video, then grab which frame out of the video you think is best. For the test I used a music video I had on my phone by a band called, Terror. For anyone who didn't know I'm an avid metal fan. There's a lot of fast sequences in this video which I would think could possibly make the app show me a bunch of fuzzy, out of focus pictures. I was actually surprised to see how good the quality of the pictures were, and even more happy to see how easy it was to use. Huge plus sign, and that was it. Stills get stored to your SD and you're set to share the pictures however you want. Application is available on the Market for $2.99 | Market Link Cheers Lonnie! [gallery]

King Kong Andy T-Shirt Available Now

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:36:59 +0000

The sequel to the infamous Andy vs. Apple has arrived in the form of another classic tee. Available on American Apparel asphalt colored shirts, with girl sizes also, start thinking about supporting the constantly running joke between the two top dogs.

Buy

Cheers Dion!

XOOM Folio Case Now Available In Verizon Stores - Save $15 Online

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:00:50 +0000

The folio case for the Motorola XOOM is now at your local Verizon stores. We happened to find an excellent deal for you though, online. When purchased through Verizon's shop, you'll save $15, bringing the grand total to just $85. Cha-ching. The folio doubles as a case, stand, and even has a built in keyboard. If you happen to be one of our many XOOM readers, definitely check it out. Buy Cheers Spaniard and Dennis!

Google Introduces New Mobile Site Today, Optimized Tablet Version on the Way (Updated)

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:23:17 +0000

Google introduced a string of new features for their mobile search site today, and as you can see in the above image, are essentially just shortcuts at the bottom of the screen to make your searching super fast and efficient. The mobile search will use your location to determine the hottest spots near you and will also include ratings for each, contact information and can even get you directions. While Android users already enjoy these services through Google Maps and Places, you can't help but toss Google a thumbs up for giving us yet another option. Video after the jump.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmOtMtPcwg[/youtube]

Later this week they are also releasing a tablet optimized search engine which all of the Honeycomb tablets in the market can take advantage of. To check it out on your mobile browser, just head to google.com now.

Video: HTC Thunderbolt Gets Torn Down And Then Repaired

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:45:16 +0000

The guys over at DirectFix released an educational video of themselves tearing down and replacing a HTC Thunderbolt's busted screen. Don't know if I would recommend this to anyone that has a warranty on their device, but we definitely thought it was worth sharing. Again, we don't endorse you ripping your new Thunderbolt apart and trying to self repair it yourself. Enjoy the video. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3rjgVsSWxQ[/youtube] Cheers Robert!

Reminder: Verizon Turns On 19 New LTE Markets This Week

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:01:17 +0000

Back in May, Verizon announced they would be flipping the 4G switch on even more cities by June 16th. Here's a friendly reminder for everyone living in these regions that this Thursday, you should be seeing some 4G LTE love. Anyone in these cities already seeing 4G? And how about anyone not in these cities? We get a lot of reports of unannounced areas receiving 4G, so be sure to let us know in the comments if you are seeing it. Verizon is still on track to having their entire 3G network covered by 4G by the end of 2013. List of cities after the break.

Fresno, CA Sacramento, CA Hartford, CT Boise, ID Fort Wayne, IN Indianapolis, IN Flint, MI Grand Rapids, MI Lansing, MI Dayton, OH, Erie, PA Harrisburg, PA State College, PA Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C. Sioux Falls, S.D. Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT Spokane, WA Madison, WI Milwaukee, WI Verizon Wireless is also expanding its 4G LTE network in San Francisco and Detroit on June 16.

Amazon To Introduce Video Streaming Later This Year For Newest Kindle Android Tablet

Tim — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 07:47:18 +0000

Rumor on the streets suggests that Amazon will release video streaming to their newest, yet unreleased tablet code-named "Hollywood", later this year. It is now expected that the 'Hollywood' will be a 10", Android powered, full color version of the extremely popular and high selling Kindle, and that the video playback service shall come free of charge to the first wave of buyers to snatch up the tablet. Amazon seems to be pumping out list after list of new features and products, continually competing with other huge performers in this industry. Challenging Apple and Google with Cloud Storage, and now taking on Netflix with this newest endeavor. Pricing of the new Kindle is expected to be set at around $399. I know many people that own Kindles, and if they make a color version for viewing movies, and shows, be sure they're all going to want an upgrade. Your thoughts? Via: Tech Trader Daily Cheers__!

Motorola Tries to Issue an Update to Their Locked Bootloader Policy, Everything is Still Up to the Carriers

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:12:19 +0000

Almost two months after Motorola first announced their semi-confusing stance on locked/unlocked bootloaders, they found some time to clarify things by speaking with the bootloader petition crew again. In their previous statements, Moto said that their intent was to enable relockable bootloaders on all devices starting in late 2011 "where carriers and operators will allow it." The new stance isn't all that different, and almost looks like a public finger pointing at carriers for getting them into this situation that has garnered so much negative press (at least in the developer community). According to Irwin Proud (the petition guy) who had an hour long conversation with Christy Wyatt (VP of Mobile Software), Motorola has plans to change the bootloaders of devices that are "scheduled to receive updates in the second half of this year." This sort of verbiage almost points towards Moto looking not only at unreleased phones, but also at devices like the DROIDX2 or maybe even the original DX who currently have locked bootloaders. (If this sounds unlikely, you aren't alone.) Their goal is to build all future versions of "flavoured Android" (whatever that means) with "the same unlocked source code" (again, whatever that means). Later in their interview, Christy apparently talked about a pretty significant and potential drawback of this new approach which had to do with problems that would arise because of the stringent testing that carriers put devices through. Again, seems to us like they want to deflect most of the situation to the carriers, but did mention the fact that the XOOM's unlockable bootloader was well received by them and that they are doing as much encouraging as they can to get these changes to go through. Irwin also wanted to assure everyone that Moto sounded genuine during his conversation with them, and that he is confident that they will live up to this "arrangement." As much as I hate being the negative Nelly and usually try to stay positive with these things, I can't help but think this will continue to be one of those "I'll believe it when I see it" sorts of things. And I say that because of Moto's consistent stance of "where carriers will allow it" which we know is not a good sign for us. Manufacturers can parade around all day talking about this or that policy, but we all know who has ultimate control. Via: AusDroid

Motorola DROIDX2 Review - Verizon

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:30:19 +0000

The original DROIDX has a special place in our hearts, so it's going to take some major upgrades in order for this DROIDX2 to stand a chance. On paper, it looks like Motorola has done a decent job by tossing in a dual-core processor and upping the screen resolution, but will that be enough to make this the device to take away that upgrade of yours? Tough call - let's find out.

The Good:

Battery Life: I wish I had a screenshot to accompany this battery note, but each time the phone had been on long enough to need a charge, I forgot to grab one. Trust me though when I say that the battery life on the DX2 was a pleasant surprise. With its dual-core processor, I wasn't expecting much, but came away more-than-happy. You should easily get a full day's use out of it on a single charge.
Hardware: You can't deny that Motorola makes some of the best hardware on the planet. If you liked the build of the original DROIDX, then you'll likely enjoy this phone as well since they are almost identical. Moto also introduced the NVIDIA Tegra 2 to its first Verizon phone, which at some point will take this phone to new heights - just not while it's running Froyo (Android 2.2). The phone also mimics past Moto models in looks which we enjoy, feels great in hand even as a larger device, and isn't made of flimsy plastic like certain other manufacturers seem to manage.
HDMI: Yes, the DX2 has full 1080p HDMI mirroring. That means you can hook it up with a micro-HDMI cable to a TV and enjoy everything from your phone without hesitation.
Camera: Pretty sure that the camera on this phone is the exact same as on the original DX, but something on it just seems to work better. We're not sure if it's the new software that came with the new Blue Blur of if we somehow found a steadier hand when snapping photos. No matter what, we found the camera to be a little better than average. We definitely didn't hate it, which is a good sign.

(click images for larger versions)

Screen Resolution: We like the 540x960 resolution on this phone. Actually, who doesn't love more on-screen real estate? Unfortunately, resolution numbers don't necessarily mean "awesome screen" - we'll get into that later though.
Screen Size: This will probably be the last time we include "Screen Size" in a review since 4" seems to be the minimum these days, but we wanted to give Moto props again for not shrinking this bad boy down. 4.3" seems huge at times (no bad jokes please), but once you get used to it you really won't want anything smaller.
Parts of Blur: As much as we all despise OEM skins, even I can admit that his new Blue MotoBlur has come a long way and isn't 100% awful. There are some parts we really like including the new notification system, new app drawer with folders, gallery app and camera overhaul. The problem with this phone is that this specific Froyo version seems to hate dual-core processors and overall doesn't run that well. And we're partially blaming Froyo and the new processor because the original DX with this Blur but 2.3, runs very well. Here's to hoping we get a Gingerbread update in the next couple of weeks.

The Not-so-Good:

Bootloader: It's locked just lock any other Motorola device that's come out after the original DROID. Sad, but something we've grown accustomed too unfortunately.
PenTile Screen: We did a pretty thorough run-through of the PenTile "qHD" screen on the DX2 after just a few days with it. I highly recommend you read through that, but will still say that after having the device for a few weeks, our stance has actually grown more negative towards this technology. This screen is not good, at all. Sure, you have a bigger resolution, but the colors are so off and the pixels are so visible that I would be more-than-lying if I told you it was even "decent."

Android 2.2: Still releasing phones with last year's version of Android, eh Moto? This is completely unacceptable, especially when the original DROIDX received Gingerbread the day after this phone came out. Talk about a slap in the face to anyone looking to upgrade.
This Version of Blur: There is something very different about this version of Blue Blur when compared to the one that the original DROIDX is running. Maybe it's Froyo vs. Gingerbread or maybe it's the fact that Moto spent little time on it - we'll probably never know for sure. What we do know though, is that this version is filled with bugs. For a device that runs on a Tegra 2 dual-core processor, you'd expect there to be zero lag or stuttering when whipping through apps and home screens, but that's just not the case here.
Bloatware: Almost forgot to throw this bullet in here; shame on me! It wouldn't be a proper DL review if we didn't call out Verizon for sticking in massive amounts of bloatware that cannot be removed from the phone. At last check, we counted 21 apps that Verizon decided would be worth your while. Are you kidding me?
Not LTE: This phone could have been huge if it had a 4G LTE radio built-in. The Tegra 2 definitely tempted us, but without those high data speeds and a front facing camera, it was hard for us to really feel like this was worth our money. In a world of tech that changes so swiftly, 3G phones just seem so 5 years ago.
No Front Facing Camera: Another missing piece to this phone that is almost inexcusable. How can you release a phone in 2011 without a front facing camera? All of the 4G LTE phones have them, the Incredible 2 (which is 3G) has one - so why not this phone?
RAM: 512MB looks like plenty of memory on paper, but once you start using this phone you'll quickly realize that it's not enough. The GPU in the Tegra chip takes up a substantial amount since it doesn't have it's own dedicated RAM, so you are really left with about 400MB for the rest of your apps to use. And 400MB isn't enough when you start looking at how poorly Blur is managing it. Our initial thought was to blame Froyo for the memory hogging, but we've never run into this problem on any other device. You'll quickly realize why Moto is including task killer apps into their bloatware - their skin is doing a horrible job of managing resources.

Hands-on and Walk-through:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5cHNG1t268[/youtube]

Benchmarks:

Gallery:

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

The Verdict:

If you have an upgrade available and can't wait for the Samsung Galaxy S II, DROID Bionic or DROID3, then the DROIDX2 could be an option to consider, although it lacks some of today's most important must-haves. The dual-core processor is pretty "future proof" and should become more efficient once this phone gets off Froyo and onto Gingerbread, but in some people's minds that may not make up for the fact that it lacks 4G capabilities and doesn't have a front facing camera. You might be able to crush a Thunderbolt owner in a benchmark, but you'll never be able to video chat with a friend from afar. We're also clearly not fans of the "qHD" screen that Motorola has chosen to use, but recommend that you all take a look at one in person and form your own opinions. So should this be your next phone? That all depends on what you need from one. If you really want power and aren't into video chatting, watching crystal clear video or downloading things at ridiculously fast speeds - buy it. If you want all of that wrapped up into one phone, then you might want to consider waiting.

Other DROID X2 Coverage

Swype Releases Version 3.0, Tablet Support And Tap Correction (Updated)

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:58:02 +0000

UPDATE: The 3.0 update is now available. Enjoy and let us know what you think. Swype just got done announcing version 3.0, bringing with it some very neat features including tablet support, tap correction, and horizontal word choice. After looking for it on the Swype site, we couldn't find anything, so we checked in with our contact over there - Community Relations guru, Brian Resnik who had this to say:

So, we're going through some last minute checks to make sure everything is rock solid before we push the new version live. This is a big launch for us, and we want to make sure all of the problems people have had in the past have been duly addressed. Particularly, we're making sure that the annoying "license failed on reboot" bug is permanently squashed. We're currently uploading the latest packages to our servers, switching the website over to the latest version, and doing a final round of testing before we flip the switch and start pushing out the new version. All said, we should have v3.0 ready to download in about 1-2 hours

He also handed us a very nifty video which showcases all of 3.0's new features presented by Swype's Director of Product Development, Brian Yee. You can check it out after the jump. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2NN8-aoNEI[/youtube] So now would definitely be the time for all of our amazing readers who are a part of Swype's Beta program to prepare for the newest Swype goodness. You can check to see if the beta is available here, but it looks right now like their servers couldn't handle our power. Via: MobileCrunch Cheers Brian!

Acer Iconia Tab Going For $380 On eBay

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:20:43 +0000

Were you one of the unfortunate people not to win the Acer Inconia tablet we gave away a few weeks ago? Well don't fret, eBay has them for only $380. That's a pretty darn good deal for a 10.1" Honeycomb boasting beast of a tablet. Buy Cheers Brandon and massror!

The Perfect Group Photo, Coming Soon To An OEM Near You?

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:48:29 +0000

My family gatherings are full of a few things - strong drinks, devilish pranks, and awkward family photos. Hopefully that will change once Scalado releases their application to an OEM. The app is called "Rewind" and has the ability to make those 5 minute long poses for everyone to smile and open their eyes into a 5 second hassle free situation. Praises. It works like this, photographer records a "burst" of photos and has the ability to look through the burst. You can then go through and individually make sure each person has their eyes open and is smiling thanks to facial recognition. Our friends over and Android And Me got a great hands on video with the application. Check it out after the jump. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMxTUVzJrgw[/youtube] Doesn't that look awesome? Well it's unfortunate that we may never see it in the Android Market due to the strains that it puts on processors, but it's possible they will team up with a certain carrier that has the powerful lineup to run such an app. If we hear anything more, we'll let you know. Via: AndroidAndMe

Monday Poll: DROID Bionic with LTE or Galaxy S II without?

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:05:36 +0000

The battle of the summer phones on Verizon appears to have been narrowed down to just two as of today: the DROID Bionic by Motorola and the Samsung Galaxy S II. Both have out of this world specs like dual-core processors, 1GB of RAM and the latest version of Android, but there still could be a thing or two that would make you choose one over the other. The Bionic has been the most anticipated and talked about Verizon phone that we've seen in a while, but we can almost guarantee (unless something wild happens) that it will have a locked bootloader, not-so-hot PenTile screen, and MotoBlur. The Galaxy S II on the other hand will have a slightly smaller yet much more vibrant screen along with an unlocked bootloader, but may not come with a 4G LTE radio. We're just wondering if LTE in this case would be a killer to you? Is an unlocked device with an amazing screen worth passing up on just because it won't run on Verizon's LTE network? *Note - Most of the specs and bootloader/LTE talk in this poll are our guesses and opinions on what these phones will likely ship with. There have been no official announcements as to whether or not these phones will be locked down or if the Galaxy S II will have LTE. [poll id="85"]

Virgin Mobile Might Dislike Skins, But Hates Root

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:12:32 +0000

Last Friday we were practically praising Virgin Mobile for disallowing manufacturers "skins" on their mobile devices, stating that the end user should have the freedom to customize their phones to their liking without all the mess. Well they have now rephrased their feelings of just how much an end user should have power over, in this statement:

We do not endorse in any way end users using a non-officially tested operating system nor do we approve of 'rooting' devices. This constitutes a violation of our terms of service and puts our network in jeopardy. We endeavor to provide users a customizable Android experience within the limits of the tested and network approved Android OS.

We appreciate their willingness to keep the bloat off of our phones, but it almost sounds like a plea. Be sure that this has only been taken as a challenge by the developer community at large. This won't be the last time a carrier tells us not to root their devices, but let's be real, the US Government supports us. Via: PCMag

LG Revolution Gets The ClockworkMod Recovery Treatment

Tim — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:21:51 +0000

The developers over at RootzWiki just aren't slowing down, and have now released ClockworkMod for the LG Revolution stating that the device is "very open", paving the way for more people to create and customize to their liking. Maybe we're seeing CM7 in the near future just like the DROIDX? The stock recovery was a story in and of itself - Being practically inaccessible, it's a good thing they got this taken care of, before people gave up hope on another device. The recovery is still being worked out and they're making sure it's safe for flashing, but if you want to learn more about CWM on the Revolution then be sure to check out the original post on Rootzwiki and see if there's anything you can do to help.

Cheers Tristan and DRod!

Video: Samsung Galaxy S II Gets a New Ad, Dual-core All the Way Baby

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:21:07 +0000

Since we're seeing nothing but pentile screens from our friends at Motorola and the lack of a dual-core presence from HTC on Verizon, our attention has quickly turned towards Samsung's Galaxy S II. With its dual-core processor, ridiculously beautiful 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen, 8MP rear and 2MP front shooters, ultra-thin body and worldly amounts of buzz, we can't wait for this bad boy to land stateside. The DROID Bionic may have wowed us in the past when its specs were first leaked, but with fears of its screen not stepping up to the quality plate, we're starting to wonder if the S2 is our only hope for 2011? Let's just hope it gets here in the next two months or it's going to be a long, long summer. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q74pXDvlKzM[/youtube]

DROID2 Global Gingerbread Update is Ready, Soak Test Begins This Week

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:47:41 +0000

(click image for full version)

With the DROIDX already receiving its official Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update, it's time that we start looking towards the rest of the crew. It's looking like the next in line to receive this major software upgrade is the DROID2 Global (nope, not the original DROID2) which could happen as soon as the end of this week - at least to members of a soak test anyway. Verizon has already released all of their info on the upgrade and Motorola is inviting D2G members to test it, so now we'll just be on the look out for an official date for mass consumption. Cheers C and E!

Motorola Milestone3 (DROID3) Gets Reviewed: Benchmarks, Specs, and Pentile Screen Included

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:16:14 +0000

The Motorola DROID3 has popped up quite a bit in recent weeks, but today's appearance as the "Milestone3" may be the most significant. Overseas site xda.cn, got a hold of this non-American version and put it through an entire review; giving us one of the best looks at this still unannounced device well before it will see a store shelf. As many of you know, the Milestone is normally the same exact device as the American DROID, but at times with different radios and a slight tweak here or there. This device however, matches up exactly to what we've been hearing and seeing for the last month or so - is that necessarily a good thing though? First, let's look at a gallery of photos of the device to get you familiar with it. We have confirmations on the 4" qHD screen, HDMI out, 8MP rear camera (1080p video), VGA front camera, 5-row keyboard, lack of physical camera button, neat new slanted lip, and 1500 mAh battery.

A couple of camera shots with the new 8MP camera (click to enlarge):

Benchmarks and system info (dual-core OMAP 4430 processor):

A quick look at that new version of Blur again:

And the worst news to come out of this review is the fact that the device sports the same garbage pentile screen as the last few Motorola devices including the Atrix and DROIDX2:

So what did they have to say of the device overall? To put it plainly, this thing doesn't even compare to the Galaxy S II or HTC Sensation in their opinion. The 512MB of RAM isn't enough to compete with the big dogs and the pentile screen is a killer. In my opinion, the device looks stellar and I don't completely hate the new Blur all that much, but to see Moto skimp on the RAM like they did on the DX2 and continue on with these really poor pentile screens is just a disappointment. Many of you have already passed on this device because it lacks 4G LTE, but after reading this you should really be worried about the state of the DROID Bionic. 4.5 inches of pentile? Yikes. Via: xda.cn Cheers BSweetness!

CyanogenMod 7 Finally Makes Its Way Onto the DROIDX (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 07:30:19 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5ZOLEHwfZA[/youtube]

No, that's not a misprint in the title. Our buddy @cvpcs has finally done what many considered to be impossible - he's successfully ported/installed/awesomed CM7 onto the DROIDX. A device that has seen developer almost come to a halt due to limitations may have a second life that is only getting started. Back in January when he announced through Droid Life that he would be joining the CyanogenMod team, one of his goals was to get the DX into the CM family; it appears now as if we are closer than ever. So how did he do it? I'll one quote from his post on the matter:

...this was done using my recently new-found-knowledge of 2nd-init, which I will describe later in a blog post (don't want to get into it here). This still runs on top of the original motorola kernel though. I repeat, the bootloader is still locked, and you are still forced into using moto's kernels, but that doesn't really prevent us from doing all that much. :D

While "2nd-init" means nothing to me, it sure sounds like the breakthrough that we've all needed in order to take DX development to the next level. We'll be eagerly awaiting his explanation.

...no, this means we are able to restart init and run a clean system using the currently existing kernel

Oh, he also plans to open up a testing period in the very near future, so stay close as we'll definitely have more on that. For now though, please let your feelings be known to the world - how does CM7 on the DX sound? Update: CVPCS offered some additional details in the comments to help clear up any confusion on the white M logo and whether or not this is Gingerbread:

Ok there seems to be some confusion. CM7 is gingerbread. it always has been gingerbread. it always WILL be gingerbread. The reason there's a white moto logo is because it has to boot off of the 2.6.32 kernel which shipped with froyo. That does NOT mean that it IS froyo. That just means that it's the 2.6.32 kernel instead of the 2.6.35 kernel that shipped with gingerbread. This is NO way affects gingerbread, as the D1 is currently running gingerbread off of a .32 kernel as well. Hopefully that will clear up some confusion.

Via: RootzWiki Cheers zepfloyd, Daniel, James and everyone else!

DROID3 Added to Gameloft's Device List, July 7th a Possible Launch Date

Kellen — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:06:37 +0000

The Motorola DROID3 is getting closer and closer to a release even if Verizon isn't ready to acknowledge its existence yet. One company that's ready though is Gameloft, who has added the phone as the "Motorola XT862 Droid 3" to their list of compatible devices. While this doesn't necessarily signal an imminent release, it is usually a pretty good sign that they expect people to be using the device to download some of their games in the very near future. And to throw a date at you - we're hearing from close friends that Big Red is currently targeting July 7 to make this phone official. We had been hearing end of June/early July for some time now, but things are starting to get a little more specific. So what do we know about the next edition of this famous Android handset? We've seen it pop up in Verizon (here too) and Best Buy systems, in leaked tutorial videos, and over at Nenamark in a benchmark which has led us to believe that it will run a TI OMAP dual-core processor. It should have a front facing camera, 8MP rear camera, 5-row slideout keyboard, 4" qHD screen, global radios, no LTE, HDMI-out, and Android 2.3.3 with Motorola's new Blur. This is the first device of the year on Verizon that will actually sport some 2011 technology, so we're excited even if it isn't LTE-ready. Who wants some D3? Cheers Eric!

Samsung Fascinate ED04 Update Rolling Out, Improves Call Quality and OTA Updates

Kellen — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:27:28 +0000

I'm not sure I've ever seen an update that improved the ability of the phone to receive more updates, but we'll accept it (any chance that means Gingerbread?). The Samsung Fascinate ED04 build that's rolling out now apparently does just that and also makes your call experience more tolerable. Yeah, it's minor and all, but how happy are you to see Samsung and Verizon continue to pump out updates to a year old device that seemed to be neglected for so long? Even I'll admit that it's becoming less and less painful to think about buying the Galaxy S II when it lands on Big Red. More Info. Cheers to everyone who sent this!

Virgin Mobile Prefers Stock Android on All of Their Phones, We Wish Other Carriers Would Take Note

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:20:44 +0000

I know this has nothing to do with Verizon, but we just wanted to point out how awesome it is as we head into the weekend. Remember yesterday's post that we got all excited over which had to do with the Motorola Triumph as a surprisingly stock Android device headed to Virgin Mobile? Apparently stock/vanilla Android is the standard on Virgin for a number of reasons: consistency, freedom to customize and a love for the true Android experience. In an email to our friends at PCMag (whom we're still trying to forgive for this piece), Virgin had this to say:

"Virgin Mobile USA aims to make available devices that allow the end user to have the freedom to customize the device to their liking. We like to take a consistent approach with our Android portfolio and so we prefer to have the true Android experience loaded on all our Android phones," a Virgin spokesperson said.

They might be a small carrier when compared to Verizon, Sprint and AT&T, but man do I wish their CEO would sit down and have a conversation with some of those other big mobile leaders after hearing this news. Can you imagine a world that actually let Android be Android? Mmmm. All we've ever asked for is a choice from these carriers that demand manufacturer skins be preloaded. And I don't mean a choice of which device has a certain skin, I'm talking about the option to choose whether or not our device loads up stock or something else on that first boot up. We know that one of the arguments for these skins is to differentiate, but differentiating doesn't mean funneling. When I buy a device at full retail price, you should let me decide what goes on that puppy. Ask me when I buy it if I want it to be stock or skinned - how hard is that? When you walk into a Best Buy to purchase a PC, they'll ask you if you want the version with all the preloaded crapware on there or if you want a 100% clean version. They may charge you another $20 or so for the clean version, but at least it's an option. They understand that not all consumers are the same and give them choices. Why can't mobile carriers do the same thing? /end rant. Via: PCMag

Friday Poll: What Device Do You Have And What ROM Are You Running?

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:32:48 +0000

Not much of a poll, but more of a question. With so many new devices coming out we want to know which device you are using and if you're not stock, what ROM are you running? We've asked this in the past (1) (2) and always like to know about our readers and make sure we're delivering what you like to see. So in the comment section below, feel free to tell us what you're up to. Here's my set-up: Nexus S running CyanogenMod 7 and the SynErgy theme with LauncherPro Plus. As you can see I also have a Kitteh4G running the MeowMix ROM. Feel free to post pictures too and show off your screenies!

StormShadow for DROIDX Liberty V0.6 And Up

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:07:24 +0000

We just got done posting about Liberty and ApeX for your DROID X. Well now let's get to talking about setting up a nice theme for your newly installed Liberty ROM. We bring you StormShadow by Mobile_Sensei. We're definitely seeing a black and white motif with this one. Download link and instructions after the jump.

*Make a backup before attempting a flash*

Instructions: 1. Download StormShadow and place on your SD Card. Preferably on the root. 2. Bootstrap & Reboot Into Recovery 3. Make sure to Wipe Cache 4. Locate the file and flash it 5. Reboot and enjoy! Let us know in the comments if you run into any issues. Source: Rootzwiki

Video: Samsung Galaxy Tab Can Save Your Kitty

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:20:22 +0000

You know it's been another great week here at Droid Life when we manage to slip in two kitteh posts that introduce two new products. Samsung is the latest to use one of our fluffy friends, and does so by saving one from a tree with one of their fancy new Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices. Actually, they show off a whole bunch of different uses for this Honeycomb tablet which comes in both WiFi and 4G LTE models, including the fact that it can use Flash...yes, yes it can. The WiFi-only version will hit stores on June 17th in both 16GB and 32GB models. The 4G LTE version doesn't have a release date, and for some reason also missed its pre-sale date, so we're not really sure when you'll be able to grab one. Still, enjoy the video! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1X_q1DM8s8[/youtube]

ApeX V2.0.0 RC1 and Liberty GB V0.6 Released For The DROIDX

Tim — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:45:43 +0000

We've been meaning to post about these for a bit because the developer community over at RootzWiki are hard at work and our boys JRummy16 and Fabolous have released two more ROMs for our beloved DROIDX. Two incredibly fast and stable works for your choosing. So it's all up to you which one you want to try out. But why try just one when you can play with them both for a while and then decide which you like best. Downloads and instructions after the jump. *Note 1 - Liberty v0.6 is based on the 4.5.596 OTA. You should be on a rooted version of this before installing the ROM. *Note 2 - To use ApeX you must be on .596 OTA or a .596 based ROM, kernel must be 2.6.32.9-g34b306dqgd748@il93lnxdroid09 #1, and you must be on baseband BP_C_01.09.12P Download: Liberty V0.6 | ApeX V2.0.0 RC1 Instructions (Liberty):

1. Make sure you are on Gingerbread 4.5.596 2. Reboot into clockwork recovery 3. Select "wipe data/factory reset" 4. Select "Yes" and delete all your data 5. Go back "powerbutton" 6. Select "install zip from sdcard" 7. Select "choose zip from sdcard" 8. Find and select the ROM 9. Reboot and enjoy!

Instructions (ApeX):

1. Make sure you meet the requirements before flashing (stated above) 2. Reboot into Clockwork Recovery 3. Wipe all data/cache + dalvik cache 4. Locate zip file on your SD 5. Flash and enjoy!

Let us know in the comments if you run into any issues. Source: Liberty Rootzwiki | ApeX Rootzwiki

Angry Birds Rio Carnival Update is Available in the Amazon Appstore

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:19:06 +0000

An update for Angry Birds Rio just went live in the Amazon Appstore that introduces a new set of levels known as "Carnival." Rovio teased the update earlier in the week and seemed to release it on iOS first for reasons we won't comment on - we'll instead just remind you to head into the store to grab it now. And I'd go into detail on how awesome this new update is, but as you can see from the screenshot that I rarely open the game and cannot access these levels yet. Check out the video below though which gives you a nice preview. Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBUNccC7Jbw[/youtube] Cheers @bradjason24!

Full MR2 Update Leaks for HTC Thunderbolt, Fix Those Reboot Problems Now

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:31:04 +0000

Earlier in the week we received the new radio for the Thunderbolt which will accompany the MR2 update that is scheduled to be released by Verizon in the next couple of weeks. And when we say "MR2," we're talking about the update that will fix all of the random reboot problems that many of you have experienced after taking the MR1 update from a few weeks back. Today though (thanks to Chingy and TeamAndIRC), we have the full MR2 RUU for non-rooted users to run and a set of ROMs based off of it for those with root to flash. We're still waiting on an official changelog from Verizon, but as you can see from the screenshot above, they have finally included the ability to turn off 4G without having to load up a separate app. *Note 1 - Rooted users, DO NOT try to flash the RUU or you will brick your phone. *Note 2 - Non-rooted users, the RUU will wipe everything from your phone. *Note 3 - Rooted users, you will need the new radio. [Instructions] Download (non-rooted users): Full MR2 RUU ROM Download (rooted users): Flyweight (deodexed and debloated) | PlainJane v3 (stock rooted) Instructions (non-rooted users):

Download the full RUU from above, and re-name it to PG05IMG.zip
Place PG05IMG.zip on the root directory of your SD card (not in a folder).
Turn off your Thunderbolt.
Holding Volume Down and then Power simultaneously until the phone boots into the bootloader.
The file should begin flashing the update immediately.
Wait, up to several minutes, for your device to reboot.

Instructions (rooted users):

Flash the new radio we've listed in "Note 3."
Download one of the ROMs from above and place it on your SD card.
Boot into recovery from ROM Manager.
Create a backup.
When that has finished, "install zip from sd card" and choose the ROM you downloaded.
Install it and enjoy a stable device.

Let us know in the comments if you run into any issues. Via: Android Police

Motorola XOOM Otterbox Defender Case Now Available

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:21:37 +0000

The Otterbox Defender case for the Motorola XOOM that you have all been waiting for is now available. It seems like this thing has been in the making for months now, so here's to hoping it was well worth that long wait. One thing I do know is that it better act as an ATM or a beer dispenser in order to live up to that steep $89.95 - yikes. To Otterbox's defense though, they have made some of the more popular and uber secure products in the past, so I'm not actually doubting that this will be any different. My teeth just start hurting when I look at a case for a mobile device that cracks the $30 mark. Anyone used Otterbox products in the past? Do I dare take the plunge and buy one? After watching that tablet drop test we posted earlier in the week, I'm sort of feeling like I should. Buy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QYsn5oMF-Q[/youtube] Cheers Ronin!

MotoBlur the Name on the Way Out Again, Don't Expect the Skin Too Though

Kellen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 07:56:06 +0000

Here we go again... Remember all the way back in August of last year when we all debated for months as to whether or not the original DROIDX would have MotoBlur on it? And then upon finding out that it indeed would, we also learned from CEO Sanjay Jha that the company would start to move away from the name due to a not-so-awesome public reaction to it? We're sort of moving back in that direction - or did we ever move away from it? According to the crew over at Engadget, they were surprised to notice (we weren't) that the name "Blur" was no where to be found in any of the press materials that accompanied the newly announced Photon 4G yesterday and started asking around. What they received was a comment from a Moto spokesperson who confirmed that the company is still trying to move away from the name "MotoBlur", but that doesn't necessarily mean we won't be seeing it on every major handset going forward. In fact, back in August 2010 when this story first popped up, Moto was clear that they were going to continue to use Blur as a skin - they just weren't going to call it Blur publicly. They have basically lived up to those statements; how often have you seen them use the name "Blur" over the last year? Unless you are an obsessive media personality and are on an earnings call, you probably haven't. Unfortunately for them though, we're still around and will make sure that everyone knows that the blueish overlay that causes constant frustration on their device is called MotoBlur. Via: Engadget

Video: Angry Birds Gets Real

Tim — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:42:01 +0000

We love us some cult classic Angry Birds here at Droid Life. Our lovely little pissed off avian creatures just got the serious life size treatment recently in Barcelona when a huge set up was made for the game. Users could control the game on a phone hooked up to the life size version. Needless to say it looks pretty intense. All brought to you in part by T-Mobile. Video after the jump: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzIBZQkj6SY[/youtube] Cheers RecursiveNature!

Team Tiamat Releases First Deodexed Xoom ROM

Tim — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:00:13 +0000

Could this be the start of something great? The first deodexed XOOM ROM by Team Tiamat has arrived. The team states almost all XOOMs can flash the ROM (yes you must be rooted) and in most cases you won't even have to wipe your data. With the arrival of the first flashable ROM, can we expect more to come and maybe even some themes? List of features and instructions after the jump. ROM features include:

Packed with Tiamat 1.4.4 stock GPU. Flash OC'd gpu version is you wish.
Rooted with SU and superuser, of course
Desktop UA string, CRT Screen Off Animation, Call setting with SIP, and SMS capable enabled.
Supercircle 100 point battery mod
Wifi Ad-Hoc mod enabled
USB Mass Storage Enabled. Use Dinomight's Mass Storage Tool or activity manager script. I've got some truly epic things lined up for this now that I can unleash the brd|smaliBeast !
Init.d boot scripts enabled.
Busybox built in
local.init.rc enabled in system/etc
openVPN binary and script from CyanogenMod. untested but with tun.ko included, should win. Also grabbed Wireless Toolkit binary with built in symlinks from CyanogenMod
Added Quickboot, Estrongs File Explorer, and Flash Player hulufied brdizzled in data/apps. This was included so users coming from full wipe can be up and running. Feel free to remove from zip before flashing.

Instructions on flashing:

Back up your device's apps and data and nandroid to be safe. Put ROM (download) on root of MicroSD Flash ROM Reboot Determine if wipe is necessary If your device bootloops, which is not likely, you will need to wipe. Once booted, attempt to install an app either from the Market or a side loaded apk. If the install fails and borks out, a wipe is necessary. If it is determined you have to wipe, do a Factory Reset in Android Settings menu. At this time do not use Clockwork Recovery to wipe. Once wiped, flash ROM again and reboot.

If you're planning on attempting this, please do your research and BACK-UP any and all data! For any questions and to learn more about the ROM, please visit the XDA forum thread. Cheers Luis!

Motorola Photon 4G Will NOT Ship With an Unlockable/Relockable Bootloader - What Does That Mean Though?

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:39:58 +0000

We've got some additional details to throw into this morning's Motorola Photon 4G bootloader story. We'll just say "details" because we're not sure if what we're about to tell you is a bad thing, good thing, or somewhere in between. What we did was reach out to Motorola hoping to find an additional confirmation that this new phone would indeed have an unlocked bootloader, and received this back:

Motorola has recognized the passion around this topic in our communities. As we've previously communicated, it is our intention to include the unlockable/relockable bootloader in software releases starting in late 2011, where operator and channel partners will allow it. However, this feature is not included in the software found on PHOTON 4G.

Since a "locked" bootloader has a variety of meanings, we rephrased our question and asked one more time to get some clarity:

It will not contain the unlockable/relockable feature; additional details beyond that will be available when the product comes to market. As you mention, our intent is to enable this feature on devices later this year and we will share updates on that as they become available as well.

So, before you start hammering on Motorola, let's talk about this a bit. When they refer to a phone having an "unlockable/relockable" bootloader, I assume that they are saying that this device would not fall under the category of the say the XOOM or Nexus phones. Those are essentially developer devices that can be unlocked using a simple adb command of: fastboot OEM unlock. There really are very few devices out there that have this ability. On the other hand, what we've seen from non-developer devices, are essentially "locked" bootloaders, but ones that we have been able to bypass because they either haven't been signed at all, or haven't been signed well enough. What I'm trying to say is that Motorola may not be releasing this phone with a bootloader that can be unlocked and relocked, but they may be issuing it with one that is easily bypassed like we saw on the original DROID. This probably just threw a lot of confusion into the situation, but we wanted to at least give someone from Motorola other than a rep at a press event the chance to comment on it. So it won't be unlockable/relockable, but we can still hold out hope that it and the DROID Bionic won't be locked up as tightly as the DROIDX or Atrix. And this is me shrugging...

Motorola has recognized the passion around this topic in our communities. As we've previously communicated, it is our intention to include the unlockable/relockable bootloader in software releases starting in late 2011, where operator and channel partners will allow it. However, this feature is not included in the software found on PHOTON 4G.

ROM Manager Updates, Brings Infrastructure For Cloud Backup Storage

Tim — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:15:38 +0000

Well our boy Koush looks to be up to something with his newest update of ROM Manager. Cloud Storage for our backups? That would be a very pleasant update indeed. The update also brings with it a few bug fixes, but beyond that we're just concerned about the cloud backup storage. Will be quite interesting to see how that will be integrated into the way we flash ROMs and store our files. Plus no more taking up half of my SD Card with 8GB's worth of backups. As soon as this becomes more of a reality, be sure that we'll let you all know. Cheers Chris!

Motorola Won't Lock Bootloader on Newly Announced Photon 4G? Is There Hope for the DROID Bionic?

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:32:32 +0000

Ok, we had originally thought that the story of the day surrounding Motorola and Sprint's announcement had to do with their stock Triumph which will be headed to Virgin, but boy did that just get trumped. Our homies over at Android and Me must be on the scene at the Moto event in NYC and asked reps if the Photon 4G (4.3" qHD, sual-core Tegra, HDMI-out, etc.) would come equipped with a bootloader locked similarly to what we've seen on the DROIDX2, Atrix, etc. There answer might have been the most favorable answer we could have ever asked for and is surely going to make you smile. Apparently this device won't be "locked" which probably just means it won't be encrypted like a motha', but no matter what, this is HUGE. So if this truly is the case (and we'll be reaching out for further comment), and this is a sign of things to come from Moto, the DROID Bionic might have just gone from sizzlin' hot to on frickin' fire. After the announcement from HTC that they will no longer be locking down devices, we were all waiting for some sort of response from the only other phone manufacturer that seems to feel it's necessary to do this - let's hope these reps are well-informed and not just tossing out random bootloader comments. We take that stuff serious around here. (hah) Please, oh please sound off in the comments. Via: Twitter

Motorola Announces a New Stock Android Device...it's Not Headed to Verizon

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:54:40 +0000

Sprint just got done announcing a pair of upper echelon Motorola phones in NYC: the Photon 4G and the Triumph. Both phones are pretty impressive spec-wise, and while one of them does look like a giant angled-corner coaster, we're here to talk about something else that grabbed our attention. Anyone else notice that the Triumph (that's actually headed to Virgin) is running stock Android? Who would have thought that we'd ever see something this clean from Moto ever again? We all know how big a fan Moto CEO Sanjay Jha is of his MotoBlur, so why is it that smaller carriers like Virgin are worthy of a stock experience, but not the big dogs like Verizon, Sprint, etc.? Sure, it might be Froyo and not Gingerbread, single core processor instead of dual-core, but wouldn't most of us take stock 2.2 over skinned 2.3 any day? This guy sure would. So what's the deal? Are carriers asking for skins so they can differentiate between the devices to customers? Could be, but when was the last time you walked into a store and a VZW rep said, "Well you could have TouchWiz, Blur or Sense..."? I seriously couldn't name one. One of our readers went as far as to call this a "slap in the face" to long time Motorola supporters. And seriously, I tend to agree with that. How long have we all been asking for a stock experience from these guys (both Moto and Big Red)? The only one we've seen to this day was the same phone that brought their entire company back from the dead - the original Motorola DROID. Now, I'm no marketing or sales guru, but don't you usually try to reproduce products that have had enormous amounts of success in the past? "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it" sort of thing? Oh, and to add to the pain, here is a quick comparison I tossed together of the new DROID Bionic (more leaked pics) next to the Triumph since they look ridiculously similar. Almost the exact same form factor (smaller screen on the Triumph though), only there is no chance in hell that the one on the left comes skinless. So sad. Can you imagine what new Moto hardware would do these days with an untouched OS? Think back to all of the amazing tweaks, overclocks, and ROMs we put the OG through...

And I know this is all just me preaching to the choir, but I wanted to get all of your thoughts on it as you all tend to have much more entertaining responses than anyone else in this Android community. So, any thoughts on a stock Moto device that will never see a major carrier?

Android Market Adds Device Compatibility Check to Application Pages

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:51:20 +0000

The browser-based Android Market is really turning into a great place to find new apps. In fact, it's almost the only place I go to anymore sine you can tell it to instantly download apps to multiple devices over the air. And now that the Android team has introduced a new device compatibility check, I can imagine that I'll be using the mobile version even less. To check to see that you have access to this new feature, simply head on into the market and go directly to an app page. On the far left underneath the icon for the app, you should sill a drop down menu that will list out all of your devices and whether or not it can be installed on them. Neat, right?

Buy a Motorola XOOM WiFi and Add on a Bluetooth Keyboard for Free

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:16:19 +0000

Still haven't picked up a Motorola XOOM? Does a free Bluetooth keyboard (our review) entice you any more? If you are interested and pick one up directly from Moto before June 20th, they'll toss in the keyboard (regularly $69.99) and free 2-day shipping. Not a bad deal at all. Buy. Cheers Shane!

App Of The Day: Cyberlords-Arcology

Mark — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:34:31 +0000

Today we take a look at Cyberlords-Arcology. Cyberlords is an RPG style action game that is based in the year 2173. In a society void of citizen political input, we have Jesse Lord with his kick butt and chew bubble gum attitude. I'm pretty sure you guys can see where this is headed. I'll admit that the dialogue is kind of cheesy but it delivers the plot and back story with little confusion. Where the game lacks in dialogue, it more than makes up in gameplay, graphics and fun factor. The controls are really accurate and quick to learn. Simple touch and do commands make this a "focused on the action" style game. The developer scored top marks in my book for his delivery of the game. In the Android Market, the full, all inclusive game is free with ads. You get near HD graphics, a good length story, and overall fun game for free without any in game add on purchases. The developer also offers a paid version that removes the ads, which I always recommend if you like the app, as a way to support. I also want to mention that the developer states he has optimized this game to run on the Xperia Play. If you have an Xperia Play, let us know how this looks on it.

From the developers listing: It's the year 2173. The power of government is in decline and the world is controlled by gigantic megacorporations. People may have no political power, but they still have control over their own bodies. Powerful NanoGear implants grant superhuman abilities and transform bodies into deadly weapons. Lead your four-man team of augmented cyber-warriors on dangerous infiltration missions. Hack into camera systems and computer terminals, take over security robots and lure enemies into ambushes with mines and sentry guns. Stealth, clever tactics or brute force - the choice is yours, and remember: the future lies in your hands! Features: - Science fiction RPG - Real-time combat with 4 team members - Tactics mode: pause the action at any time - 4 levels of difficulty - Improve your skills with biomechanical augmentations - Over 20 different weapons including blades, guns, grenades and mines - Specialise your team members in stealth, combat or hacking skills - Many achievements to hunt - Simulated persistent world

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5wf65QkbcQ[/youtube]

Market Link-Free Market Link-$1.45 *The Amazon Free app of the day is Random Mahjong Pro. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over. Cheers Jonathan!

DROID Charge EE4 Update on the Way - Fixes 4G LTE Connectivity, Other Bugs (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:29:39 +0000

An update for the DROID Charge looks like it has been approved by Verizon and is just awaiting their pressing of the "Go" button. The new 9.9MB EE4 build will introduce a slew of bug fixes, but whenever we see something mentioning better 4G LTE connectivity, it needs to be highlighted. And I guess we always like it when call quality and GPS tracking have improved as well. Overall the update should be considered pretty minor, since it's not Gingerbread. Update: Looks like the update could be rolling out now...

The changelog:

Call Features + Improved battery life when placing a voice call. + Easily return calls within the call log entry by pressing the phone icon. + Outgoing calls from the Visual Voice Mail application will be placed properly. + Pressing and holding the ‘1’ key will automatically route the user to the Voice Mail service (*86). + Audio has been adjusted to avoid ‘No Audio’ or ‘Screeching Sounds’. Web Browsing and Data Access + Accurately detect and connect to the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE or 3G network. + Enhanced browser performance. Email and Messaging + A new Email folder structure has been implemented. When a subfolder exists under a current Email folder, an arrow will appear to the right of the folder icon. When a user touches the arrow, the folder system will expand to show all subfolders available for selection. + When an Exchange password has been modified, the device will direct the user to the password screen to adjust the saved password accordingly. + Improvements in the Email and Calendar sync. Additional Device Features + Restoration of Mobile Hotspot capability. + When in USB Mass Storage mode (UMS), the device will be recognized immediately when plugged into a PC. + Device recognizes ringtones purchased from the Verizon Wireless website. + Improvements in GPS performance.

More info. Cheers @morrow171!

DROID Charge Starting to See Custom ROMs, Gummy Charged is One to Check Out

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:33:33 +0000

The DROID Charge (our review) may not have been adopted as widely as the HTC Thunderbolt was by developers after launch, but that doesn't mean there aren't some still out there puttin' in work on ROMs for it. Over the last week and a half we've started to see a handful or so reach pretty stable levels, so we wanted to make sure our Charge readers knew about them. The ROM that we've picked to highlight is from a familiar name that you may recognize from his DROIDX days: kejar. He's calling it Gummy Charged - a debloated Froyo ED2 build that has mostly "from source" apps aside from the freshly themed stock phone/contacts, task manager, camera and browser he left behind. Looks pretty sharp to me. Download: GummyCharged-1.0.zip Instructions: 1. You have to be rooted. (only way I'm finding to root is by reverting back to ED1) 2. You have to have Clockwork Recovery installed. 3. Once you have both done, download the file from above and place it on your SD card. 4. Reboot into recovery, create a backup and then perform a factory reset. 5. Select "install zip from sd card" and then choose the file you download from above. 6. Load the file. 7. Reboot and enjoy. Full support can be found at this XDA thread.

Googles Navigation To Gain Offline Support?

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:00:48 +0000

There's a rumor floating about from a Dutch site called All About Phones that is claiming Google will introduce a FULL Offline Mode for your Google Maps application. Back in December we were already starting to see the beginning of the offline navigation trick when Google updated Maps to version 5. It's now rumored that by summer, they will be taking it a step further and this could be in full effect with route caching and a full offline standalone navigation experience. This something everyone is looking forward to? Via: Engadget

SHADOWGUN Demo Video Released, Headed to Android Market in September

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:50:53 +0000

This impressive game called SHADOWGUN first popped up two weeks ago as a potential NVIDIA Kal-El quad-core title and was so impressive that we haven't been able to stop talking about it. So to continue to feed our addiction to these new console-quality graphics, the fine folks at Madfinger dropped this demo video of the game at E3 that will surely make your jaw slap the floor. We had previously just seen a couple of screenshots followed by a quick walk-through of a single area, but this thing takes us into battle against mutants, shows ammo pickups, blood, and so much more. It's pretty ridiculous. And at the end of the trailer, you'll notice that they plan to release the game sometime in September of this year. Yeah, that's just 3 months away. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aVttB25oPo[/youtube]

Verizon Postpones Pre-order of the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1?

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:26:58 +0000

Today is June 8, which means the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G LTE is supposed to be available for pre-order - only it's not. If you head on over to the landing page at Verizon's site you'll notice that you can only sign-up to be notified of future events related to the device and not actually throw down any cash for it. I've got to admit that it's sort of surprising to see the pre-order not go live today, especially since they just announced that it would happen 6 days ago. There's no telling what could have caused this potential delay, and we've reached out to Verizon to hopefully get the scoop. *Note - We reported on a story earlier today about the possibly of the Galaxy S II launching in July, but Verizon has now corrected their statement, saying that they meant the Galaxy Tab. Seems odd since the WiFi version will be available as early as June 17. Wonder what could have gone wrong now? Stay with us... Cheers J!

Motorola Sends XOOM 4G Upgrade Email In Error

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:35:18 +0000

Yesterday we posted a story about a consumer possibly receiving an email from Motorola asking that he send in his XOOM for the 4G LTE upgrade. Well we just got an e-mail from Motorola confirming our suspicions - It's a mistake, folks! Statement from Motorola Mobility:

A very small number of Motorola XOOM users recently received an email from Motorola regarding the 4G LTE upgrade process. While we are very excited about being able to offer the upgrade this summer, and know our customers are equally excited about the benefits that 4G LTE speeds will bring to their Motorola XOOM, the email was sent in error. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused, and look forward to being able to share more specifics on how -- and when -- users can take advantage of 4G LTE on their Motorola XOOM in the near future.

Well that's a bummer for everyone hoping for 4G on their XOOMs sooner than later. But not to worry, "near future" is always promising when it comes to these things.

HTC Thunderbolt MR2 Radio Update Leaked, Should Fix Reboot Issues

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:31:18 +0000

Well, a new radio has been released for the HTC Thunderbolt (thanks chingy51o!) that should fix many of the reboot issues previously experienced. From we're being told, this is the "MR2" update that could be out for devices in the very near future to fix a variety of things. There is one major thing to note here and that is the fact that the leakers are recommending that no one running Froyo attempt to flash this file. Apparently this radio only works on Gingerbread (except CM7). If you are running Gingerbread on your Tbolt though, you can grab the file below and see what new goodness this radio has to offer. Instructions: 1. Download this file and rename it to PG05IMG.zip [MD5: 4072b5954bf0032103b62c5ae69cb13e] 2. Drop on the root of your SD card. 3. Load the file from HBOOT. *Note - The full RUU of MR2 is apparently on the way. We're thinking this will be the love that Froyo users are looking for. Stay tuned... *Note 2 - Reason this radio will only work on Gingerbread ROMs (via humungus):

The leaked radio for the new Froyo OTA uses the new RIL, which was previously incorporated into the GB leak but not in the older Froyo releases. Thus, it works on the current GB roms but not on Froyo roms.

Full support can be found at this XDA thread. Cheers Steve!

Photobucket Releases Snapbucket For Android

Tim — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:15:45 +0000

If you're one of the millions of users on Photobucket, then prepare to smile. An application was just released called Snapbucket which allows you to take pictures then easily and instantly upload them to your Photobucket account. But that's not all - You can also edit and add awesome effects, frames, and other little things to your pictures before uploading, or sharing them on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, etc. I was actually having some great fun with my cats using the app, so I know it was worth the price tag. Free! After the jump, check out my cats Mylo, and Leo and our photoshoot. Market Link [gallery columns="4"]

Samsung Galaxy S II Headed to Verizon in July (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:01:00 +0000

A Verizon spokesperson confirmed via email today that they plan to sell the Samsung Galaxy S II in July, but that no firm date was available. This is really one of the first acknowledgments of the device by Big Red and I'd be lying if I said that "July" didn't sound a little early to me. I won't be complaining though, as the Galaxy S II has taken the rest of the world by storm as the device to beat in 2011 and we can't wait to get a hold of a couple. Update: ComputerWorld is now reporting that there was a mix-up by the VZW spokesperson. They actually meant that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available in July, not the Galaxy S II. Sad. With it's 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen (same as the DROID Charge), dual-core processor (it's a toss as to which one specifically), 8MP camera, and incredibly slim design, this phone has been pretty groundbreaking. There is no word yet on if it will be 4G LTE, but with the newly announced Galaxy Tab 10.1 sporting this super fast technology, it wouldn't surprise us if they somehow found a way to sneak one in. That's pure speculation on my part though. The other unknown is what the final name will come in at. You may remember that the original Galaxy S series hit all of the major U.S. carriers with different names, so we're sort of expecting that to happen again this time around. The word "Function" has popped up as a possibility because some random accessory site used it, but we've been told that it will likely just be dubbed the Fascinate II instead. I guess we'll know soon enough. So, is this your next phone? Slap a 3rd party launcher on there and it would be hard to turn down. Via: ComputerWorld

New Angry Birds Rio Levels Teased, Carnival Episode on the Way

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:15:58 +0000

Rovio just got done announcing a new set of levels for the regular Angry Birds and only days later is teasing the next release for Rio. Will this crazy slingshotting birds train ever slow down? Oh, and you should try to ignore the fact that the teaser says this new Carnival episode is available "now", and instead look toward the end of the month (or maybe this week?) for a release. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBUNccC7Jbw[/youtube]

HTC Plans to Unlock the Bootloader on the Sensation, What About the Incredible 2?

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:26:35 +0000

HTC made headlines a couple of weeks ago when their CEO announced that they will never lock another bootloader - and then everyone discovered that the HTC Sensation 4G was all locked up, prompting many of you to ask when this new policy would go into effect. The good news is that HTC plans to make it right at some point in the near future, has their support reps telling users that they are still committed to leaving their phones unlocked, and will issue an update that will take care of it.

We are currently developing new bootloader unlocked software for your phone. HTC is still committed to allowing our customers to unlock the bootloaders if they wish, however we are still implementing the policy and many updates were already finalized prior to our change in policy. We apologize for the inconvenience, but be assured that we are working on a solution for our customers and our commitment has not changed. Please stay tuned to our official channels for ongoing updates on how we will be implementing this policy.

We're happy for Sensation 4G owners and all, but can't help but wonder about the future of the DROID Incredible 2? As far as we can tell, HTC decided to start locking bootloaders with the Thunderbolt (which has been unlocked, thankfully) and continued that trend with the Inc2 which is what caused the cries for the bootloader policy change. So if they plan to re-visit the Sensation's, then they better head back a couple more weeks to the phone that brought about this whole new era of unlocking. Might be a good time to make sure HTC hasn't forgotten about this device. You can find them on Twitter at @htc and through their support page here. Via: XDA

Google Introduces Live Transit Schedules to Mobile and Desktop Maps

Kellen — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 07:55:14 +0000

This my friends, is something that has been needed for so long that I can't even begin to express how excited I am. As of today, Google Maps on Android and desktop will show live transit times and schedules in a select few cities: Boston, Portland, Ore., San Diego, San Francisco. Now, when you zoom way in on your map and tap on the transit icon for the stop you are accessing, you will receive live feedback on whether or not your train or bus is actually on time. You'll be able to see alerts, delays, and even detours all right from your phone. Fantastic. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW3ubvjG0PU[/youtube] Via: Google Mobile

DROID3 and Old DROID Bionic Appear in Verizon Cellebrite System

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:44:41 +0000

We see devices come and go all the time in Cellebrite systems (those phone data transfer thingies), but when two new DROIDs pop up in it, it's worth a quick mention even if one of the devices was cancelled months ago. That's right, you are seeing the words "Droid Bionic" above, but the key here is the model number of XT865 which is the old version that will likely never see the light of day. The new version of the phone leaked out in a series of pictures yesterday as model XT875, so we know this Cellebrite system simply has ancient info in it. Sorry if this got your hopes up, but we're still looking more towards August for the actual release. On the flip side of things though, we are seeing the DROID3 which is rumored to be arriving in stores some time around the end of June or first week in July. While it may be tough to take this appearance as meaning an impending release is upon us, it is nice to see it floating around additional Verizon systems. Cheers ___!

OpenFeint Launches GameFeed, More Cross-Platform Competition To Come

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:30:04 +0000

OpenFeint thinks they have an idea that will change the way we play mobile games, again. They announced the release of GameFeed, which is a cross-platform "news feed" of what your fellow OpenFeint users are achieving in their games, full with leader board, and challenges all in real-time. There are now 90 Million Registered OpenFeint users with over 5,800 games, so I can imagine some real intense game play is about to be had. We have the full press release and pictures after the jump.

OpenFeint Launches GameFeed, a New Way to Foster Cross-Platform Social Competition for 90 Million Mobile Gamers Burlingame, Calif. – June 7, 2011 – OpenFeint, the largest mobile social gaming network, today announced the launch of GameFeed, a cross platform news feed featuring real time gaming updates from players’ OpenFeint network. Designed to foster social competition, GameFeed launches in private beta to developers today. “We believe mobile games should connect people, whether they're living in distant corners of the planet or using completely different mobile operating systems," said Jason Citron, founder and CEO of OpenFeint. "GameFeed connects people by taking a simple act, like finishing a level or posting a high score, and turning it into a meaningful, cross platform shared experience." With GameFeed, developers can expose their game's community through a new drop-in widget with one line of code. Players see a stream of in-game updates based on the activity of other players in the OpenFeint network. By immediately seeing when a friend has bested a high score or unlocked a seemingly unattainable achievement, players are encouraged to play with each other more frequently. For players who opt in to OpenFeint, GameFeed will soon introduce them to new gamers, intelligently suggesting new friendships, featuring interesting changes to user profiles, and recommending new games that are popular among friends. “GameFeed will help form and strengthen relationships on the network – connecting Android and iOS gamers in ways that make playing games far more engaging,” said Citron.

[gallery] Cheers Bob!

Flash Player Gets An Update To Patch Security Vulnerabilities

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:45:46 +0000

Run to the Market and go get the newest Flash Player (10.3.185.23) for your device. Security Bulletins were published by Adobe about (1) and (2) possible issues with previous versions of Flash, so here we are with the newest version addressing them. Here's the release notes for 10.3. There is nothing listed under "recently changed" on the applications page, but we are certain it is for security fixes. Don't hesitate to update. Market Link Cheers interstellarmind!

NVIDIA Clears the Air on Compatibility Issues with LTE and Tegra Chips

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:00:49 +0000

Been wondering what caused the delay of the original DROID Bionic and the 4G LTE upgrade on the Motorola XOOM? Internet rumors would suggest that the Tegra 2 processor in each device has for some reason struggled to work with Verizon's new super fast network, but the dual-core's maker isn't about to let that go down. In fact, we just got off the phone with NVIDIA who wanted to squash this nonsense for good with the following statement:

Tegra has no compatibility issues with LTE at all. The Tegra-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE tablet runs on Verizon’s LTE network and is a perfect example of Tegra working fine w/ 4G LTE. Tegra 2 interfaces with many types of modems via standard interfaces, including LTE. There is nothing inherently unique about LTE as far as Tegra 2 is concerned.

Hard to argue with that point right there. The newly announced Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 2) which will be out later this month (possibly June 23), has zero issues running on Verizon's 4G LTE network. And not that we want to continue to hammer on Motorola, but their CEO Sanjay Jha did attempt to take the blame for these delays, so we're not completely sure why or where this Tegra hating LTE stuff started. NVIDIA will continue to pump out their innovative mobile chipsets and Moto we hope, will some day figure out whatever issues they have been experiencing and deliver us the goods. Everyone good?

Missing EA Games Start To Reappear In Android Market

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:06:52 +0000

It's starting to be a great month for games on Android, especially now that all of those missing EA games have started to return. Back in February, EA decided to pull their lineup of games from the Android Market for no apparent reason, which led many upon many users to take to the interwebz to give them a piece of their mind. One user states (which we found hilarious):

I PAID FOR A PRODUCT!! I EXPECT UNFETTERED ACCESS TO THE PRODUCT 24/7, 365 WITHOUT UNDUE INTERRUPTION AND WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR IT AGAIN!

We do agree wholeheartedly though. Well now everyone can start beginning the lookout for those missing titles. A simple search of EA Games in the Market delivered me to what looks like all of their games: Sims 3, NFS, Bejeweled2, Worms, and some other classic games. So go check the Market and see if your games are back. We're hearing that games are showing up, but some are not allowing users to install. We'll have to keep an eye on it... Cheers @quakerdan!

Motorola Attempts To Straighten Out CEO's Statements On Third Party Applications

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:15:16 +0000

It's never a good thing when the words of a CEO are taken out of context and flipped. But wait, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha did say that 70% of Android Phones that are returned, are due to the fact consumers are installing poor performing 3rd party applications from the Android Market. This seemed to only anger the Android community, causing Moto to receive some not-so-kind feedback. The statement from Jha:

Android is really truly multitask so you can run 64 parallel apps at the same time, and that has an impact on consumer experience and we're beginning to understand it and understand why 70 percent plus of devices that come back are because they're downloading third party applications and the impact that that has on the performance of the device.

Now Motorola has had to begin damage control and their PR teams are doing their jobs. In a statement from a Motorola:

He did not state that 70 percent of smartphone returns was due to third-party applications, but that examples of potential contributing factors are battery life, sluggish operation and third-party applications. We're trying to clear up that was not the point he was trying to make.

To help their case, they are relying on their investment in 'MOTODEV', which they say gives developers the tools to build great applications. So since they are providing some developers with devices to test and run their applications on before releasing to the Market, that should cut back on the amount of "poor performing" 3rd party apps. We shall see if this clears up any question about their CEO's feelings toward his approval of Android applications. What do you feel? You think the man that brought Motorola back from near extinction should be forgiven? Time will tell. Via: PC World

Motorola Starting To Contact Owners For 4G LTE XOOM Upgrade?

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:15:44 +0000

Been exhausting your resources trying to figure out when Motorola was planning on asking people to ship them their tablets for the 4G Upgrade? Well maybe it has finally started. An email was received by a tipster over at Phandroid from Motorola stating this:

Thank you for submitting your Motorola Xoom for the 4G LTE upgrade. You should have recently received a package in the mail with instructions and materials for returning your device for the upgrade. Our records indicate that we have not yet received your Motorola Xoom. If you are still interested in upgrading your Motorola Xoom, this is a friendly reminder to please follow the instructions provided in your upgrade package and ship your device back for the upgrade. If you have already shipped your device back to us, please contact us at 1-800-734-5870 and one of our support specialists will assist you with tracking and completing your order.

We have been under the impression that the update was postponed till August, but this is "so Moto". We'll also point out that the tipster didn't actually receive any shipping supplies and also said he had missed a FedEx delivery which could be the package referred to in the email above. So what we want to know is, have any of you gotten a suspicious email, or heard any news from Motorola about the upgrade? We'll keep you posted. Via: Phandroid

Animated Notification Pulldowns Coming to a ROM and Theme Near You?

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:41:03 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYRjTHMztBY[/youtube]

Animated notification pulldown menus...could this be the next big thing to obsess over in ROM and theme development? We're not 100% sure on that, but after seeing just a couple of them already in action, the ideas are starting to float through our brains. DF forum member Alastrionia deserves credit for figuring this out by tweaking the systemui.apk, but now we look to our favorite themers (@bgill55 and @jsinlegacy) and ROM developers (@jrummy16 and @bigxie) to find creative ways to make this look extra hot. What do you guys think - is this hokey or could it be brilliant? Via: DF, (2) Cheers MrPicolas!

Verizon Drops DROID2 Global Price, We Know What That Means

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:49:08 +0000

Some time over the last week, Verizon dropped the price of the DROID2 Global $50 down to $149 which is usually a pretty good sign that something else is on the way. What could that "something new" possibly be, you ask? We'll have to assume that it's the DROID3 and that all of those back alley June release rumors were somewhat on point. In fact, we've heard from two separate sources who expect the device to launch towards the end of June or early July. In the past, these price drops are usually pretty good indicators that a device will be replaced within a couple of weeks. We saw it with the original DROID2 when it was upstaged by this device, and then we also saw it when the DROIDX took over for the original DROID. The Verizon pricing guides are also showing a "while supplies last" note next to the D2 Global:

Everyone ready for the D3? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKlVdJGii8o[/youtube] Cheers Noah!

Sneaky Deal: Official HTC Thunderbolt Replacement Batteries for $19.99

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:57:42 +0000

If replacement/backup batteries for your HTC Thunderbolt were something of interest to you then heading over to Verizon's accessory site immediately would be a good idea. The official OEM standard battery can be had for $19.99 after a mysterious "additional discount" has been automatically applied by their checkout system. So yeah, you don't need a coupon code or anything special. All you have to do is add the $39.99 standard battery to your cart and once you check out it should show up as $19.99.

Buy. Cheers Neal!

Tip: DROIDX and 2 Gingerbread Wireless Tether Work-Around (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:00:12 +0000

It was just last week that we reported on a new blocking method that Verizon had enabled to stop rooted DROIDX users with Gingerbread from using select wireless tether apps. Today though, thanks to one of our fabulous readers, we have a work-around for the DROIDX (possibly other devices) that appears to get you up and running in just a matter of minutes. Hopefully this gives you a little bit of time while that FCC complaint over this very same subject is being looked at. Instructions: 1. First, you'll need to download this new Wireless Tether beta. [more info] 2. Open up the app after installing, and headed into Settings. 3. Under Device-Profile, search for "Motorola DroidX (CDMA)" or "Motorola Droid2" and select it. 4. ~~Then scroll down to find "Change preferred DNS."~~ 5. ~~Change the DNS to 4.2.2.2.~~ 6. ~~Then change the "alternate DNS" to 4.2.2.1.~~ 7. Turn on Wireless Tether and connect any device you like. Update: I had originally thought that the DNS server made a difference, but it doesn't. The key here appears to be step 3 where you specify the DROIDX under Device-Profile. So, feel free to continue to use DNS 8.8.8.8 which is Google's public server. *Note - If this works on any other devices, please feel free to leave that in the comments.

Cheers DroidRooterX!

Drop Test Of The Galaxy Tab, iPad2, And Motorola Xoom - Prepare To Cringe

Tim — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:15:49 +0000

What happens when you drop a Samsung Galaxy Tab, an iPad2, and a Moto XOOM? Some people would cringe, some would laugh, some would even cry. Well the lovely people over at ElectronicsBreak decided to see what would happen when you drop these tablets waist high onto a marble looking sidewalk. Unfortunately, there are no winners in this match up. Let's just say I won’t be walking around with my XOOM in hand downtown anytime soon after watching this. Who would have known this would be a great way to sell warranties for your tech. Great video after the "break"! (See what we did there, again?) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW_swJiebIA[/youtube] Cheers Jeph!

Tethering Complaint Filed Against Verizon with FCC by Free Press

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:37:01 +0000

Oh baby. The blocking of tethering apps by Verizon just got very real after a complaint was filed today through the FCC by Free Press which could potentially impact the future of LTE. This has been one of those hot subjects around Droid Life over the last few weeks, so we couldn't help but smile a little when we saw a group of this magnitude taking it straight to the top. As you may recall, we first reported news that tethering apps had either been removed or purposefully blocked from being viewed and downloaded to Verizon devices. The move wasn't necessarily a surprise since we know that Verizon likes to force you into purchasing an additional mobile hotspot service on top of your data plan, but the move was bold. And then just last week we noticed that even if you had managed to load up a third party app from outside the market to tether, that Verizon was blocking you from doing so. People grew angry at this for a number of reasons - and the complaint filed today by Free Press pretty much touches on them all. We pulled some points out to highlight the arguments they have given to the FCC over blocking tethering apps on LTE (which is where their arguments stands strongest):

Verizon’s actions in cutting off access to tethering applications unlawfully “limit” and“restrict the ability” of its customers “to use the devices and applications of their choice.” This practice [blocking tethering apps] restricts consumer choice and hinders innovation regardless of which carrier adopts such policies, but when Verizon Wireless employs these restrictions in connection with its LTE network, it also violates the Federal Communications Commission’s rules. When Verizon purchased the spectrum licenses associated with its LTE network, it agreed that it would not “deny, limit, or restrict” the ability of its users to access the applications and devices of their choosing.
Removing applications from the Android Market severely limits and restricts their distribution. Removing [tethering] applications from the Android Market severely restricts their use. [Meaning they are harder to find than other apps in the market, therefore are not as easily available as all apps should be.]
Mobile broadband providers, including Verizon, offer their own expensive tetheringservices that compete with the free and low-cost options offered in the Android Market. Mobile broadband providers have a financial stake in limiting access to third-party tethering applications. As noted above, many tethering applications are available for free or for a modest fee. By contrast, when Verizon introduced the Droid, it charged $30 per month for tethering service on top of its $30 per month “unlimited” data plan.

I don't know that I would get overly excited about this news just yet, but at the same time, we'll all be wanting to pay close attention to how this unfolds. I will say though that not only would a ruling to either side by the FCC change the way data is handled on Verizon, it would also likely change the entire smartphone industry in the U.S. Some thoughts that come to my mind immediately are:

Let's say the FCC tells Verizon it can no longer force us into mobile hotspot plans. What does that do to our monthly data bills? We were already expecting higher data prices this summer with LTE, but can you imagine what they would look like if tethering became uncontrolled?
And what if the FCC says, "We think Verizon is fine in doing this." Good bye tethering for life.

So, what do you guys think? Via: Free Press [PDF], PCWorld Cheers Corey!

BS Themes Releases SynErgy For Your Device Running CM7

Tim — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:15:11 +0000

It's been too long since we posted about custom themes and all the cool things we're able to do after we root our favorite devices. Well if you have a device in your possession and are running CyanogenMod 7 and have the Theme Chooser installed on your phone, then head over to the Android Market and pick up SynErgy immediately. It's an extremely thorough theme, which everyone can respect, and it's the perfect mix of color meets minimal. With light to dark blue, gun metal and silver, there are some great color combinations in this theme and we can tell the fellas over at BS Themes took there time on this one. They skinned all the popular widgets, phone dialer, Facebook, and Twitter. Even has some amazing light up notification icons.

After the jump we have the Market links and plenty of pictures. Here is the huge list of everything they worked on:

This will theme your phone will over 1800 different images, hitting all system apps and many 3rd party apps. Android System Calendar Camera Contacts Deskclock Docs (google) Equalizer Face Book Flext9 FM Radio Gmail Market Messaging Music (stock) News and Weather Pandora Phone Plume Settings Talk TweetDeck You Tube and many more!

If you wanna see for yourself head over to the Market for the Donate Version (Only $1), or the Free Version. Support these amazing Developers and artists with your donation.

Samsung Becoming Easier to Like, Gives CyanogenMod Dev a Galaxy S II

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:17:47 +0000

For those of you that follow us on Twitter, you probably saw us retweet a message about this some 6 hours ago, but we wanted to make sure that everyone caught it. It appears now as if Samsung has decided that it wants to be the greatest dev-friendly phone manufacturer in the Android game and has taken an impressive first step by sending over a Galaxy S II for the CyanogenMod team to start working on. Pretty nice gesture, I'd say.

How is everyone feeling about Samsung these days? We've seen them release source code faster than anyone in the last couple of months, but are you buying into them? Did they burned you too many times with the original Galaxy S series or is it time that we start to open our arms to their products again? Via: Twitter

More DROID Bionic Pictures Surface - 4.5" qHD Screen, New 3D Blur, and Android 2.3.4

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:23:10 +0000

The look of the new DROID Bionic is no longer a surprise after some pictures leaked out this morning, but we were still wanting to know more - specifically about the specs. Well, we think we may have some after an extra set of pictures that looks like a continuation of the ones from earlier found its way onto another non-U.S. forum. That 3D animations tip we mentioned earlier appears to be confirmed with a good look at the device's new Blur. Also, how does a 4.5" qHD screen sound? There is a shot of the device's docking software, the new Bionic Red Eye, and that hot new lock screen which was first spotted on the DROID3. Oh, and did we mention Android 2.3.4? Yep, when this phone is released, it should be running the newest version of Android available. About screen showing Android 2.3.4 and "DROID Bionic":

New 3D home screen previews in Blur plus the new lock screen:

The phone absolutely dwarfing a ~~Atrix~~ Defy:

The rest of the photos: [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"] Via: PhoneHK Cheers Raj!

Trailer Released For 'March of Heroes', Gameloft's First Unreal Engine Title On Android

Tim — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:13:28 +0000

The game trailers are in full effect lately, and this game is definitely continuing the trend. Powered by Unreal Technology, Gameloft is releasing a Vietnam-esque style war game full of M-16's, "Choppas", and fancy explosions. March of Heroes is their first attempt at making a mobile game with the extremely powerful Unreal Engine 3, which is the same game engine that powers X-Box 360 and PlayStation 3 titles. We'll keep you posted on the release date. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Chg1r5vUU[/youtube]

Fring Updated, Now Works On The Droid Charge

Tim — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:30:44 +0000

Fring got a lovely little update which includes "Clearer Voice Calling" and the ability to Group Chat with up to four friends/colleagues. The update also introduces support to newer phones such as the Nexus S, LG G2X, Samsung Droid Charge, and a few others.

Make free Group Video calls with up to 4 friends

Improved voice quality

Now on a bunch of new devices like: HTC Flyer, Samsung Droid charge, Nexus S (Running Android 2.3.4), Samsung Galaxy S 2, LG G2X

Bug fixes making it stable

And here's some video action of the 4 way video chatting. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3-qB0Yx6WI[/youtube] Via: Fring

Apple Introduces iOS5 with Notifications, OTA Updates, Cloud Services and Tabbed Browsing - Android Users Giggle at Their Late Arrival

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:45:58 +0000

We just couldn't help but take a few minutes to point out some of the interesting announcements from Apple's WWDC today. They brought forth iOS5 (well not until Fall), which basically introduced long-time Android feature after long-time Android feature - something we are finding to be hilarious. While I'll try to refrain from tossing out too many little jabs since so many of the people in this world lack a sense of humor on the Apple vs. Android subject ("why you so bitter!?" -Twitter), I'll just say that this marks a pretty important day for Android. It's now clear that Android has moved well beyond Apple on the innovation scale when it comes to mobile software. For a company that continues to stand on stage and put up twisted statistics, one that claims to have invented everything, and one that takes cheap shots at every other company in the industry even while the rest of them have moved on, we couldn't help but giggle a little. With the introduction of notifications, OTA updates, tabbed browsing, cloud services, a mobile IM program, and the ability to activate a device without having to connect to a PC, the roars from the WWDC crowd could be felt across the interwebs. We can't fault iOS fans for cheering today - after all, they should have been enjoying all of these features for years now. What we'll do though, is remind them that swiping, notifying, tabbing, clouding and customizing became the norm if your phone ran on a green powered mobile OS years ago. So to our Android brothers and sisters, give each other a little fist bump today and then be sure to welcome your random friends with iPhones to 2011. *Note - I hate that I have to leave a note on this, but let's all try to be civil here. It's all supposed to be in good fun. If we can't rib the competition a little, what fun would this be? So before you take to the comments with hatred, sit back for moment, smile a bit, sip on something other than Koolaid (see what I did there?) and try to giggle with us.

DROIDX Gingerbread (4.5.596) SBF File Released

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:47:04 +0000

Ahh, the trusty ol' SBF file. The file that can bring you back to a stock state should you do something drastic to your phone and actually screw up. This DROIDX Gingerbread (4.5.596) version would be one that you'll want to tuck away for safe keeping. We should warn you though, that using this will drop you to a clean and unrooted official Android 2.3.3. And that means you won't be able to get root since 2.3.3 has not been rooted yet. Download: VRZ_MB810_4.5.596_1FF_01.sbf [mirror] *File is super compressed and will need 7zip to unpack it. Via: XDA, MDW

Amazon Gold Box Deal: 32GB microSD Card for $45 (Updated: Sold Out)

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:58:56 +0000

Pretty decent deal on 32GB microSD cards that we wanted to let you know about. Amazon Gold Box is hosting it and these puppies are flying out fast, so if you need one, do it right away. Buy. (SOLD OUT) Cheers Shane!

DROID Charge Wireless Battery Cover Available Now, Still Nothing for the Thunderbolt

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:13:54 +0000

Purchased a DROID Charge (our review)? Ready to experience the future of wireless charging (Qi)? You can grab the inductive battery cover to attach to it now for $29.99 from Verizon's accessory store. Of course, you'll also have to grab an Energizer mat or similar product to charge it on, but at least you have the option unlike Thunderbolt owners who have been waiting for three months now without word on it. And not to hi-jack the post before it even gets going, but weren't we supposed to see a multimedia dock from HTC as well? Hmmm. Buy. Via: Engadget

New Angry Birds "Mine and Dine" Episode on the Way

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:43:41 +0000

Been a while since we've had an update to the regular Angry Birds, hasn't it? Fans of the game will be pleased with news of an impending update that'll introduce a new episode called "Mine and Dine." I'm sure you always had dreamed of playing Angry Birds in a cave with hard hats, bombs, rocks, and other explosives, right? It looks like you'll get your chance with this latest set of levels which will be arriving "soon." [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u3uLFBTjPk[/youtube] Via: DroidGamers

First Real DROID Bionic Pictures Make Appearance?

Kellen — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:35:16 +0000

Yesterday's news was all about the DROID3 and those 3 tutorial videos that it popped up in - today, it might become DROID Bionic leak day. Are these the first real (non-render) pictures of the phone? It sure appears that way. You've all heard of this device by now after cancellation rumors which were followed up by a confirmation of delay from Motorola. The phone itself has been the most anticipated phone on Verizon or really any carrier that I can remember over the last year and rightfully so. What we do know is that it'll sport a dual-core processor (likely an OMAP now), 4G LTE, front camera and qHD screen, but since it has been pushed back to undergo "enhancements" we don't know much else. Unless of course these pictures are of a real Bionic and then we can gather at least a couple of additional specs. We're seeing a definite front facing camera, new version of Blur (new icons and contact widget), an 8MP camera on the back (1080p recording), web-top capabilities, two separate speakers on the back, and a 4G LTE radio that should make everyone happy. If this is indeed the Bionic, sign me up now. There are two odd things here that we were expecting to see and wanted to toss them out while we dig for further confirmation on whether or not this really is the new Bionic. We had heard a month or two back that it would include a hump as seen on the DROIDX, but with sleeker styling - this phone doesn't appear to have a hump. We were also told that it would sport a 12MP camera and this only has an 8MP. It's a sexy device, but we're not ready to bet the world on this being it. The backside of the device: A comparison to the previously leaked render of the device:

Webtop-ready:

Closer look at that new 8MP shooter that can record 1080p video:

Via: IT168, MobileGearz

DROID3 Tutorial Videos Leaked, New Version of Blur on the Way

Kellen — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:20:15 +0000

We always love a tasty afternoon treat on Sunday, especially when it has to do with an unannounced and semi-secretive phone. Making an appearance today in 3 video tutorials, we have the DROID3 by Motorola which as you probably know, is headed to Verizon some time this summer. Most of us have this feeling that it'll show up this month (June), but without a firm acknowledgement from Big Red or Moto, that's basically just a behind-the-scenes-rumor-esque guess. Seeing these video tutorials pop up this weekend sure makes things seem like we are getting extremely close. There are a couple of things I did want to note though that have to do with a tip I received Friday night that will add to what you are seeing in these videos. First, is the fact that the D3 will run a newer version of Blur than the one we've seen on the DROIDX and DROIDX2. It'll look similar with all of that blue, but we're hearing there will be 3D animations similar to those we've seen from HTC. The picture above sort of helped confirm this tip because that lockscreen is something we have yet to see on any Moto device. The 8MP camera (which you'll also see below) in this device has been greatly improved over the one featured on both DX devices. We're not sure what they switched out on it, but apparently Moto has finally realized that they need a new approach to cameras. The device will also be webtop-ready just like the Atrix. From the videos we get confirmation on the 5-row keyboard, 8MP camera that can shoot 1080p video, HDMI-out, and silver-black exterior. It might be locked, but damn this phone is looking sexy. Now we just await the confirmation on the processor, which we believe is an OMAP. Videos after the jump! An overview of the phone: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKlVdJGii8o[/youtube] How to add contacts: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLOprtLX9tc[/youtube] Using the new 5-row keyboard: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH9VPvFoUEo[/youtube] Oh, and it'll definitely be called the DROID3:

Via: PhonePads, MobileGearz Cheers Ultimate Desire!

Team Of Developers Release Stock Gingerbread For Droid Eris, Droid Incredible, And HTC EVO

Tim — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:19:25 +0000

Stock Gingerbread is smooth, polished, fast, and stable. Happen to have one of these devices? Then definitely try out "OMGB" and "OMFGB". OMGB is stock Gingerbread for the DROID Eris, DROID Incredible, and the HTC EVO 4G. OMFGB is stock+features for each of the aforementioned devices. After the jump, we'll have download links and instructions.

Download and Flash in your devices custom Recovery. Make sure to make a backup first:

DROID Eris - OMGB | OMFGB DROID Incredible - OMGB | OMFGB <-- *1.3.0 Pre-Release Exclusive* HTC EVO - OMGB | OMFGB <-- *1.3.0 Pre-Release Exclusive* Note: With each of these ROM's you will need to also install their respective *Google Apps Zip* to have access to your usual applications list. So be sure to download and install this after you flash the ROM.zip You shouldn't run into any issues, but if you do please leave a comment and let us know. We got a great community here and would also love to hear some feedback on the ROMs. They have also set up a great IRC Channel for Live Support - Don't be afraid to holler at them. If you like the ROM, please let the great developers know by following them on Twitter. They're a great set of gentleman. There's r2doesinc, davidjr621, xoomdev, and linuxmotion. Good job, guys. Keep it up for the community. From looking at the downloads section, we can see there's possibly a Thunderbolt ROM on the way? Yes, please. Cheers IRONMatt! Check out their site for all additional info and support!

The Difference Between The Top Ten iPhone & Android Applications

Tim — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:20:07 +0000

What a thought provoking title. When you think about the subject and what both of these competitors have is a lot of the same thing. iOS has been around a bit longer than our green friend, and has had the majority of the great apps for some time. But now we see a lot of great games, and applications being ported and created for the Android platform. There is still one major difference - Root. The ability to access the phones hidden data, change files, swap themes, etc. And what makes this so powerful in the everyday market aspect, is the fact that the Android Market supports such applications. Where as our detractors devices must be jailbroken, then use a separate program called Cydia to use their device to its full potential. Widgets, custom icons, full themes, and installing non App-Store apps is all available once jailbroken. Isn't it great to have all that made easy with Android? For example - The #2 app on the Android Market is ROM Manager. (Cheers Koush!) Following ROM Manager is a great assortment of Root Access apps. Including #9 Titanium Backup, #7 Set CPU, and #3 Root Explorer. Compared to the list of the top ten iOS applications, it could be presumed that users of the iPhone aren't concerned about these types of things. Their list is filled with nothing but games. See for yourself after the jump. Here's the lists: Top 10 iOS Apps 1. Angry Birds 2. Angry Birds Rio 3. Tiny Wings 4. Fruit Ninja 5. Where's Waldo? 6. Tetris 7. Words With Friends 8. The Sims 3 9. Cut The Rope 10. Plants Vs. Zombies Top 10 Android Apps 1. Beautiful Widget 2. Rom Manager *Premium* 3. Root Explorer 4. Fruit Ninja 5. Better Keyboard 6. Robo Defense 7. SetCPU 8. Weatherbug Elite 9. Titanium Backup Pro 10. Power AMP *Full Version* So comparing these lists you see a few things. Apple users love them some games. Android users love utility applications, and making their phones very powerful tools. Do you feel it would be a completely different story if Apple allowed for easy jailbreaking and allowing users to switch up their phones? Is this what truly makes Android the more powerful "Smart Phone"? You tell us. We felt this was a great way to compare the two. Via: Retrevo Cheers Dave!

Epic Trailer Released For The Game "9mm" NSFW

Tim — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:38:16 +0000

Hot off the wire is the new trailer for the highly anticipated game coming to Android entitled, 9mm. We have been closely following this game and can't wait for a release. It is sure to be a hot seller, and a true Grand Theft Auto style shooter for mobile. Since the content rating of the video, we'll post it after the jump. Make sure no co workers or kids are around. Enjoy! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azIYhb4XkpQ[/youtube] Via: DroidGamers Cheers @WA_CO!

DROIDX2 Allows for Certain Bloatware Removal

Kellen — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:36:04 +0000

We're still putting the DROIDX2 through a few more tests before we drop a review, but we were just tipped to one thing that will surely be receiving some positive marks: bloatware removal. As you all know by now, unremovable software is not on our list of favorite things, so when we see a device that actually lets you block it from existence, we get a little excited. And even if the files are still on the phone tucked away in /system/app we're OK with that, because at least they are out of sight. Even non-anal Android users should appreciate this gesture, shouldn't they? We'd love to reach out and thank one of the companies involved who made this decision, but one of them would need to step forward and take the credit. Anyone? So you know though, not all of the bloatware on the DX2 is removable. City ID (at least not yet), Blockbuster, Slacker and the VCAST stuff are there to stay, but all of the games like NFS Shift and Let's Golf can be ~~hidden~~ uninstalled. Cheers Lonnie!

Sanjay Jha Did Indeed Blame Android Market Apps for Poor Performance, MotoBlur to the Rescue

Kellen — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:57:06 +0000

We actually reported on this story yesterday, but it seems to have really picked up steam this morning and wanted to make sure you all saw it. During the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Tech Conference, Moto CEO Sanjay Jha tossed out a remark about 3rd party apps and the harm they are doing to phones. In fact, he mentioned that some 70% of Android phones that are returned are due in large part to the crappy apps that have been loaded on them which are causing performance issues. While I had initially assumed he was talking about sideloaded apps, I went back and listened to it again and he definitely blames it all on Android Market apps. The scary thing here is that he went on to talk about how MotoBlur will eventually help users decide what they should be running on their phones. According to Jha, Blur knows how long your screen has been on, the usage of your battery, etc. The example he gave for the future was that Blur knows with "precision" what apps are killing off your battery the quickest and would be able to pop up a notification to warn you of just how poorly that app will perform. So basically, Motorola would have data showing which apps they believe to be made the poorest and would be able to remind you of that. We'll try to ignore our thoughts on how developers will react to that statement. Yikes. He also mentioned shortly after "what it is that we determine after interacting with you that you want" in regards to the intelligence of Blur which gives me the shivers. All I can say is that when a company claims it can help me decide what I want to do with my phone, that I'm tempted to run as fast as I can from them. Your thoughts?

Friday Poll: Experiencing Any Issues With DROIDX Gingerbread?

Kellen — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:16:01 +0000

You have all had the official DROIDX Gingerbread for at least a few days now, which means it's time to start reporting issues that you are running in to. Our inbox isn't completed filled with bugs, so we'll assume that Motorola must have done a pretty decent job this time around? We are hearing that some users are having text messaging issues where messages aren't threading correctly. And then there were a couple who actually ran into a bricked device after updating. Anything else though? Any fixes that you've found? Cheers Andrew, marc, and everyone else!

App of the Day: GRave Defense HD

Tim — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:34:10 +0000

There are few things more classic than a good tower defense game. Objectives are easy - Defend yourself against enemies using towers you build as they approach. In come the makers of GRave Defense (ArtOfBytess) with another great idea. Add zombies and amazing graphics, and say hello to your new favorite game. Filled with 20 HD levels, very clean animations, and solid gameplay, it is sure to keep you entertained for hours. Even better, it's only $1.00. No one is arguing about that price and excellent customer reviews keep streaming in. If you enjoy these types of games, I highly recommend. Market Link *We have written up how we feel about the Amazon App of the Day here. *Yesterday we covered: Thumb Keyboard If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it over! [gallery]

Sony Ericsson Announces 20 Games For The Xperia PLAY

Tim — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:50:55 +0000

Gaming is only getting better for the Green Robot. Sony Ericsson announced that they are bringing an excellent trove of game titles that are optimized for the Xperia PLAY. Huge titles like Minecraft, Pocket Legends, Star Legends, D.A.R.K., and even Battlefield Bad Company 2. Some titles are exclusive to the Xperia, including most of the aforementioned. Don't worry though, there are plenty of great games with no exclusiveness to the PLAY. After the jump check out the huge list of titles. The list is as follows:

New Android Games Exclusive on Xperia™ PLAY:

Minecraft™ by Mojang

Battlefield Bad Company 2 by Electronic Arts

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 Shadow Vanguard by Gameloft

Desert Winds by Southend Interactive

Ruined by Bigpoint

Icebreaker™ by NaturalMotion

Sleepy Jack by SilverTree Media

Cracking Sands by Polarbit

Armageddon Squadron 2 by Polarbit

An unnamed fighting game from Khaeon Gamestudio

New Games coming soon on Xperia™ PLAY:

Pocket Legends by Spacetime Studios

Star Legends: The Black Star Chronicles by Spacetime Studios

Eternal Legacy by Gameloft

Guns ’n’Glory 2 by HandyGames

Dungeon Hunter 2 by Gameloft

Pocket RPG by Crescent Moon Games

D.A.R.K. developed by Gamelab

Samurai II: Vengeance by MADFINGER Games

Vendetta Online by Guild Software

Order & Chaos - Gameloft

Happy Vikings by Handy Games

A Ball Game by Trendy Entertainment

Lumines by Connect2Media

Sony Ericsson is definitely leading the charge in bringing great titles to Android. For that, we salute them. We'll keep you posted when you can pick these games up! Via: Sony Ericsson Cheers__!

Revisiting Android Task Killers and Why You Still Don't Need One...

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:12:19 +0000

We almost hate to approach the topic of Task Killers on Android after all this time, but with so many new faces here at Droid Life and in Android in general, it's something that needs to be done. In fact, after seeing the Amazon app of the day and reading through the Twitter conversations we just had with many of you, this thing needs to be posted immediately. Let's see if we can't get you all some better battery life! First off, please ignore the image up at the top of the post. If this was 2009 and we were all running something less than Android 2.2, that statement plastered on that red banner might be somewhat correct. But since it is 2011 and the majority of people on the planet are running Android 2.2, we need to get you away from the mindset that killing off tasks on your phone is a good thing. So rather than me blabbering about the inner-workings of Android and how it manages RAM for the 10,000th time, I'm going to just pull from some posts that friends of ours have done that explain this in the plainest of ways. First up is our boy @cvpcs who you may know from CM and his Sapphire ROM days. He knows Android inside-and-out, so when he goes into memory management which is done by the OS itself, you should listen up:

...What people don't seem to realize is that android is designed to have a large number of tasks stored in memory at all times. Why? Well basically we are talking about a mobile device. On a mobile device things tend to be slower. The hardware isn't as robust as say a desktop or a laptop, so in order to get that same “snappy” feeling, there have to be workarounds. One of these is how android deals with memory. Android will load up your apps and then keep them running until they absolutely HAVE to kill them. This is because that way, if you want to re-open an app, the system already has it loaded and can then just resume it instead of reloading it. This provides a significant performance increase. What a lot of people don't realize as well is that android kernels have their own task manager. This means that:

it will be more efficient than any app-based task manager as it is run at the kernel level, and

it should be left up to that task killer to decide when to free up memory

There is only one case where having a task killer is a good idea, and that is when you want to kill ONE SPECIFIC APP. Killing all apps is never a good idea. You don't know what operations they are performing or if they are necessary.

Whitson Gordon of Lifehacker suggests that you should be more worried about CPU usage than what's going on with your RAM. We agree:

This set-up implies that the goal of killing these apps is to free up memory. Nowhere on the list does it mention the number of CPU cycles each app is consuming, only the memory you'll free by killing it. As we've learned, full memory is not a bad thing—we want to watch out for the CPU, the resource that actually slows down your phone and drains your battery life. Thus, killing all but the essential apps (or telling Android to kill apps more aggressively with the "autokill" feature) is generally unnecessary. Furthermore, it's actually possible that this will worsen your phone's performance and battery life. Whether you're manually killing apps all the time or telling the task killer to aggressively remove apps from your memory, you're actually using CPU cycles when you otherwise wouldn't—killing apps that aren't doing anything in the first place. In fact, some of the processes related to those apps will actually start right back up, further draining your CPU. If they don't, killing those processes can cause other sorts of problems—alarms don't go off, you don't receive text messages, or other related apps may force close without warning. All in all, you're usually better off letting your phone work as intended—especially if you're more of a casual user. In these instances, a task killer causes more problems than it solves.

More on how Android has a built-in memory-management system, but also on how killing all tasks is not a good thing (via: NextApp):

Android was designed from the ground up as an operating system (OS) for mobile devices. Its built-in application and memory-management systems were engineered with battery life as one of the most critical concerns. The Android OS does not work like a desktop operating system. On a desktop OS, like Windows, Mac OS X, or Ubuntu Linux, the user is responsible for closing programs in order to keep a reasonable amount of memory available. On Android, this is not the case. The OS itself automatically removes programs from memory as memory is needed. The OS may also preload applications into memory which it thinks might soon be needed. Having lots of available empty memory is not a good thing. It takes the same amount of power to hold "nothing" in memory as it does to hold actual data. So, like every other operating system in use today, Android does its best to keep as much important/likely-to-be-used information in memory as possible. As such, using the task manager feature of SystemPanel to constantly clear memory by killing all apps is strongly NOT RECOMMENDED. This also applies to any other task killer / management program. Generally speaking, you should only "End" applications if you see one which is not working correctly. The "End All" feature can be used if your phone/device is performing poorly and you are uncertain of the cause.

And we could go on for hours with source after source on why task killers do nothing but work against Android, but you probably get the point now don't you? Ready for a quick recap? OK. Basically, Android keeps tasks handy because it thinks you'll want to perform them again in a very short amount of time. If you don't, it will clear them out for you. It also likes to keep as many things handy as possible so that the overall performance of your device is top notch. If Android were to completely kill off everything that your phone is doing, then it would require more resources to restart all of them and you would likely run into slowness and battery drains. By keeping certain things available to you, your phone is actually running better than it would without. So please, stop killing off tasks and let Android do the work for you. Your goal for the week is wash your brain of the idea that having little RAM available is a bad thing. The more RAM available, the more Android will find ways to use it up which means your battery will be dead in hours. Instead, let it manage itself, so that you can spend more time playing Angry Birds or reading Droid Life. All good now?

Motorola XOOM Will Not See 4G LTE Before the Galaxy Tab 10.1

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:37:04 +0000

You've probably heard this by now, but the Motorola XOOM which launched back in February as a 4G LTE device, will not have the service until later on this summer. We heard word of this set back in April, but Moto CEO Sanjay Jha confirmed the summer timeline again today at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2011 Technology Conference. "We are late with 4G LTE on Verizon's network," Jha said before finishing off with a reminder of the statement he made during their last earnings call, "We will deliver LTE solutions this summer." While most of us were disappointed to learn this news, we had brushed it off as sort of a minor delay, hoping that when released, the product would be of the highest quality - and then today Verizon announced the Galaxy Tab 10.1 which will have live 4G LTE out of the box this month, infuriating many of you. Verizon and Motorola had originally planned for the upgrade to take place at the end of May or June, but after running into issues that they won't necessarily go public with, we're stuck waiting until the new Bionic comes out. He did sort of take blame for the delay though and dropped this little nugget today, "We were delayed on two 4G products because of network interaction issues with our protocol stack." The odd thing is, that just 30 seconds later when asked how they can prevent such a delay from happening again, Jha made reference to having burned bridges and "betting everything on one place." We can only assume he's referring to their decision to go with NVIDIA's Tegra 2 processor (~~which has been rumored to not cooperate with 4G LTE radios~~) (NVIDIA cleared the air on this rumor) rather than TI's new OMAP or Qualcomm's new dual-core, because as he continued he talked of working with all chipset manufacturers going forward so that they have fallback plans. It was an odd talk, and one that clearly painted Motorola in a falling behind the curve pack. They have now been beaten to the 4G LTE wave by HTC, Samsung and LG in phones and are about to be in tablets as well. They better hope the Bionic knocks all of our socks off or it's going to be one long year for our friends that brought us the original DROID. Would love to hear your thoughts. And a couple of other notes from the conference:

Jha made a comment about the return rate on Android phones being largely in part due to the installation of 3rd party apps. He is under the impression that these apps are causing performance issues. While I have no idea where he is getting this idea, it does scare me that they would possibly consider blocking them from being installed much like AT&T was doing for the last year or so. (Note: or was he talking about actual market apps?)
Motorola for the most part, was pleased with the XOOM and were glad to be the first manufacturer to release a Honeycomb dual-core tablet, but made sure to blame the lack of apps for it not blowing up the sales charts.
Sanjay is excited about Ice Cream Sandwich and the idea that Android will become one giant OS.
He expects tablet price points to come way down in the second half of the year.
They have no plans to work with Microsoft and are fully vested in Android.

Motorola Facebook Page Offers Up 50% Off Coupon Code for Bluetooth Accessories

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:32:45 +0000

If anyone was looking to get into some new Bluetooth accessories, we wanted to let you know that Motorola is offering up a 50% off coupon code for the month of June. So basically you can grab a $129 CommandOne (our review) Bluetooth headset for $65, which is a pretty good deal. Use coupon code HNDSFREE for Bluetooth accessories. Buy. Cheers James and Daniel!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi Also Announced in Two Sizes, Available on June 17 for $499 and $599

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:30:44 +0000

The 4G LTE version of the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was just announced by Verizon, but we're pretty sure this WiFi model is the one you really wanted to hear about, right? With the availability of two sizes (16GB and 32GB), you can grab the "world's thinnest mobile tablet" for just $499 and $599 (and yep, that's without a contract). It'll pack all of the same goodies as the Big Red version, well except for those 4G and 3G radios of course. But it will come pre-loaded with Android 3.1, that beautiful 10.1" screen, dual-core processor, and dual cameras. You can pick one up on June 17 at Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg - or on June 8 in NYC at Best Buy's Union Square store. This, without a doubt is the tablet to beat right now.

Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, World’s Thinnest Mobile Tablet, Makes Official Landing in U.S.

Premium Android Honeycomb Tablet with Ultra-slim, Lightweight Design and Brilliant 10-inch Touchscreen Available Exclusively at Best Buy Union Square Store in New York City Starting June 8; Available Nationwide Starting June 17
DALLAS, June 2, 2011 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.[1], and Samsung Electronics America, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the upcoming retail availability of the Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, starting June 8. The WiFi-enabled tablet measures at just 8.6 millimeters slim, making it the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world. The 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for $599, while the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499. A limited quantity of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available for purchase exclusively at the Best Buy Union Square store in New York City on June 8. Best Buy customers may also pre-order the Galaxy Tab 10.1 online or in-store beginning that day. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by Android™ 3.1, Honeycomb offering faster and smoother transitions between different applications, more intuitive navigation to and from home screens and broader support of USB accessories, external keyboards, joysticks and gamepads. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest mobile tablet currently available in the world, measuring in at an ultra-slim 8.6 millimeters. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also boasts an incredibly light weight of just 1.25 pounds (565 grams) for outstanding mobility and comfort in the user’s hands. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is designed with a brilliant 10.1-inch HD touchscreen display with WXGA 1280 x 800 resolution delivering vibrant colors and crisp clarity. This expansive screen is centered inside a narrow bezel to enhance the wide viewing angle. “Ensuring that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launched with Android 3.1 Honeycomb was part of our constant commitment to meeting the needs of our customers,” said Dale Sohn, President and CEO of Samsung Mobile. “The Galaxy Tab 10.1’s ultra-thin design and 10-inch touchscreen are impressive differentiators in the tablet market place. We’re going to make the Galaxy Tab 10.1 even more powerful, entertaining and secure through a series of upgrades coming to this device.” The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will receive these new upgrades through a software update that customers can access over the air in the near future. Those upgrades are currently scheduled to include: FEATURES/SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH FUTURE SOFTWARE UPGRADE Customized User Experience “Samsung TouchWiz UX” Samsung’s TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu for customizing the home screen of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds. In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a “Mini Apps” tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are already in use. Samsung Media Hub The Galaxy Tab 10.1 software upgrade will introduce the evolution of Samsung’s popular movie and TV content service, known as Media Hub. Media Hub has been redesigned with a new user interface for even easier downloads of rented or purchased content. The new version of Media Hub also includes an HD Extender which allows the user to playback Media Hub content on TV through an HDMI cable from the Galaxy Tab 10.1 dock or adaptor. Readers Hub & Social Hub The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also gain access to Samsung’s Readers Hub service, which is a robust library filled with more than 2.2 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 2,300 magazines. Also, the software upgrade will install Samsung’s Social Hub service, which aggregates email, instant messaging, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface. Versatile Content Sharing The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will also receive Samsung’s Allshare service, for seamless content transfer between the tablet and other DLNA-enabled devices such as HDTV’s, monitors and digital cameras. The software upgrade will also transform the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 into a device capable of accepting streaming content from a TV to the tablet itself. ADDITIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE AT PRODUCT LAUNCH Impressive Speed, Power & Battery Life The Galaxy Tab 10.1 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity to deliver rapid mobile download speeds and reduce data transfer times. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also includes a Nvidia Tegra 1GHz dual core application processor for powerful gaming and multimedia performance. The Tab’s ultra-thin design does not sacrifice battery life, thanks to a 7000 mAh battery providing up to 9 hours of continuous use on a single charge^[2]. Full Adobe Flash Player Compatibility The device offers extensive Web browsing access through Adobe® Flash® Player compatibility. Flash Player delivers beautiful HD video, faster graphics rendering, and high performance on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and is designed to take advantage of native device capabilities -- enabling richer, more immersive user experiences. Optimal Enterprise Solutions In addition, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 integrates several enterprise solutions to provide support for exchange device management policies, improve the security of data and services maintained on the tablet and meet IT guidelines for remote device access. The enterprise solutions include:

On-device encryption of user data

Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN

F5 SSL VPN

Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync Support

Quality Cameras and Sound The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 3 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera providing smooth video chat capabilities and seamless 1080p HD video playback^[3]. High quality speakers are positioned on the right and left sides of the device for a rich, deep audio experience. Google™ Mobile Services The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is preloaded with the full suite of Google Mobile Services including access to more than 60,000 Android Market™ applications for Galaxy Tab 10.1^[4], Gmail™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D maps, and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat. Availability & Pricing The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition will be available exclusively starting June 8 at the Best Buy Union Square location in New York City. Starting June 17, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available at Best Buy online and in-store along with Fry’s Electronics, Amazon.com, Micro Center, Tiger Direct and Newegg. These retail outlets will have the 32GB version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi edition available for $599, and the 16GB version of the device will be available for $499. In addition, the WiFi version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be available through Sprint starting mid-summer 2011. Visit www.samsung.com for additional details. ¹Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports. ²Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, and frequency of data and other application usage patterns. ³1080p video playback on an HD TV or other 1080p HD device. ⁴Based on a statistical analysis of existing Android Market™ applications 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 America, Inc. Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 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, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. Android, Google, Android Market, Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Talk are trademarks of Google, Inc. Adobe and Flash are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Verizon Announces 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Two Colors and Two Prices Options, Pre-order Opens June 8

Kellen — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:54:22 +0000

For some reason, we were the only site covering the launch of the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 which is odd, since it was just announced by Verizon and will be available for pre-order starting June 8 with a somewhat open-ended actual release date. The tablet, just as we said a couple of times, will come in two colors (metallic gray or glossy white), two storage sizes (16GB or 32GB) and at two price points ($529 and $629 on-contract). It will run on Verizon's 4G LTE network out of the box (3G too) from what we can tell, something the Motorola XOOM still can't and may never do. There will also be a whole bundle of accessories available at launch including a full-sized keyboard dock and multi-media station. Yep, this has "win" written all over it if you are looking to get into a new tablet. Oh, we forgot to mention that it will launch with Android 3.1 and allow users to take advantage of the new Movies tab in the Market. And that TouchWiz set of widgets and customizations that you've seen from preview videos? That won't be there initially, but will come in the future through an OTA update. So to recap - you've got the thinnest tablet on the planet, a beautiful 10.1" screen, Android 3.1, movies, accessories, two price points, two colors and 4G out of the box. You should be signing up now. Update: Samsung also announced the availability of the WiFi-only version here. More info here. Presser after the jump.

Verizon Wireless Adds 4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 To Portfolio

4G LTE-Enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1, Exclusive from Verizon Wireless, Measures Only 8.6 Millimeters Thin
BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and DALLAS, TX — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), today announced the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1 will be available on the fastest, most advanced network in coming weeks. The slim and sleek Galaxy Tab 10.1 debuts with Android™ Honeycomb and will be available in either Metallica Gray or Glossy White. Customers will be able to pre-order the device online on June 8 at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte. When the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits Verizon Wireless stores this summer, it will be accompanied by an array of optional accessories such as a full-sized keyboard dock and a multi-media docking station. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a great option for customers who want to enjoy the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network – the fastest network in America,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Customers can also use the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 wherever they are on the nation’s largest 3G network.” Dietel added, “The tablet market is exploding as customers are discovering new uses for the technology that features a large screen, powerful processing speeds and access to Android Market™’s 200,000 applications. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is perfect for customers who want to take advantage of Google™’s new movie rental option and view their favorite film on-the-go.” “Samsung Mobile is excited to expand its mobile tablet portfolio with Verizon Wireless to include the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest and lightest tablet in the world that delivers a truly mobile multimedia experience on an Android Honeycomb platform.” The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 offers full support for Google™ Mobile Services, including GmailÔ, YouTube™ and more. Customers will relish the 10.1-inch enhanced display with a1280x800 resolution HD screen, 1 GHz dual core application processor, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. Both consumers and business customers will find a multitude of uses for the Galaxy Tab that range from video chat to business tools, including those that allow for the opening and editing of documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 features Adobe® Flash® Player to deliver an enhanced Internet browsing experience and access to content-rich Websites. Verizon Wireless will offer two 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 models both priced with two year customer agreements: $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model. For more information on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, go to:www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab4glte. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. 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 visitwww.samsungwireless.com. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Adobe and Flash are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

App of the Day: Thumb Keyboard

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:54 +0000

If you own a tablet or plan on buying one in the near future, there is one app that I recommend you pick up immediately: Thumb Keyboard. To put it simply, this app makes typing on a big screened device so much easier than any other app on the planet and that includes Swiftkey's Honeycomb keyboard. Thumb Keyboard allows you to quickly type while using only your thumbs, utilizes built-in themes for different looks, predicts with the best of them, and includes more customizable options to make it fit to your personal needs than any keyboard I've used. Oh, and they just introduced multi-touch in the latest update making it that much more impressive. Best $2.50 I've spent since buying my XOOM on day 1. Market Link ($2.50) *The Amazon Free app of the day is Pac-man. *Yesterday we covered Plants vs. Zombies. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over.

Lookout Identifies Another 34 DroidDream Malware Apps in the Android Market

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:34:57 +0000

Back in March, a number of potentially dangerous apps were found in the Android Market that had the ability to root your phone and proceed to steal personal information. What the developer behind them was doing, was looking for some of the more popular apps in the market, downloading and repackaging them with malware, and then uploading them to the market. They were essentially duplicates that were difficult to spot to the average user. The group of apps were dubbed "DroidDream" and were thought to be all but wiped out - and this weekend happened. Our pals over at Lookout Security were tipped to another batch of apps that were posing a similar threat which they are now calling "DroidDreamLight" or DDLight. Around 34 applications and 6 developers made the list which we have for you below. I'd suggest that you take a quick look through them all and then browse through the app list on your phone to make sure you are clean. And I hate that we have to do this, but again, to avoid these types of problems you need to be a little more careful when downloading apps. If the app has only been downloaded a few times, has a low rating, and is from a developer you have never heard of, you should probably avoid it. If the app contains the words hot, sex, girls, or breasts you should probably avoid it. If you are browsing for free "fake" versions of legitimate paid apps ~~because you are a cheap ass, go get a job~~ just know that you are opening yourself up to a bad time. This isn't rocket science - only download from reputable developers and you'll be fine. The full list of developers and apps is after the break. Developer: Magic Photo Studio

Sexy Girls: Hot Japanese Sexy Legs HOT Girls 4 Beauty Breasts Sex Sound Sex Sound: Japanese HOT Girls 1 HOT Girls 2 HOT Girls 3

Developer: Mango Studio

Floating Image Free System Monitor Super StopWatch and Timer System Info Manager

Developer: E.T. Tean

Call End Vibrate

Developer: BeeGoo

Quick Photo Grid Delete Contacts Quick Uninstaller Contact Master Brightness Settings Volume Manager Super Photo Enhance Super Color Flashlight Paint Master

Developer: DroidPlus

Quick Cleaner Super App Manager Quick SMS Backup

Developer: GluMobi

Tetris Bubble Buster Free Quick History Eraser Super Compass and Leveler Go FallDown ! Solitaire Free Scientific Calculator TenDrip

Via: Lookout

Twitter Introduces New Photo Sharing Feature, Headed to Official Android App "Soon"

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:14:30 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmB15ER3LUQ[/youtube]

Twitter is sure making the best of June 1st with a couple of major announcements. This morning they introduced the "Follow" button which websites can embed on their sites to allow for quick follows from readers rather than through that ugly blue bird button we have over to the right that no one uses. Expect us to toss it into the fold in the next couple of weeks. The other things they introduced are a new version of search as well as a photo sharing feature. The new Twitter search will actually give you real results including videos and photos - the photo sharing feature will allow readers to upload and tweet photos without having to leave Twitter. It should be available in the coming weeks on the web and in their official mobile apps "soon." Twitter will use Photobucket as its photo host. And in case anyone was wondering, the song is Brett Dennen - Sydney. Via: Twitter

Google Adds +1 Button to Android Market Apps

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:24:55 +0000

Google's brand new +1 button has been added to Android Market app listings so that you and your friends can help each other find the best apps around. Well, we're still trying to figure out exactly how it'll work, but if it's anything like the search results +1 button, you should see results every time your friends and contacts give it the go. Should be a good way to show your friends if you think an app is legit. Be sure to start using it! Market Link with +1 button | More on the +1 button. Cheers Anish!

Motorola XOOM WiFi Only $499 From eBay Today

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:03:01 +0000

If all the quad-core tablet talk around these parts hasn't bothered you too much much, then you may want to jump on this Motorola XOOM deal that's only available for the next 3 hours through eBay (or is it all day?). How does $499 sound for the WiFi version? Not a bad price for the first ever Honeycomb tablet (our review). Buy. Cheers masroor!

Hacked Netflix on Android No Longer Working? Feel Free to Try the Real Market Version

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:17:31 +0000

The hacked Netflix app that was floating around a couple of weeks ago seems to have been shut down for good last night, so we thought this was a good time to remind everyone that you no longer need it on most phones. We posted up the market version last Thursday for everyone to try because Netflix removed the device check, leaving it wide open to more than they list in the market. That's right, the stock DROIDX2 pictured above is running the untouched market version of the app and is not listed as a compatible device. We're pretty sure it still won't work on the Thunderbolt, but people are having a fair amount of luck on other phones. You can download it here. [mirror] [mirror] Cheers @davekover for the reminder!

Wednesday Poll: Thoughts on XOOM 2, Kal-el Coverage, and Keeping Up with New Technology?

Kellen — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:52:23 +0000

The Motorola XOOM 2 made its first appearance yesterday and many of you started wondering if you should question the recent original XOOM purchase you just made. Can't say I don't blame you for at least wondering about the near future. After all, NVIDIA has been prancing around the interwebs with its new Kal-El quad-core processor that they told us would be ready for tablets by the end of August. We're starting to see games and demos made specifically for this new chipset, which has us all wondering if now is the time to hold off on making that next big purchase. Who's to say we can't grab a Tegra 2 tablet for half the price in 4-5 months when these quad-core beasts start rolling out? There is a rumor floating around that this XOOM 2 could be ready by fall and with the website appearance from yesterday, it's looking more and more likely. So, should we be upset by all of this change? I've been talking with friends about the speed of introduction of mobile technology these days, and all we can find to compare it to is the PC days in the 90s. You know, the days where you bought that first 600MHz Pentium 2 for $800 and the next month it felt ancient because the Pentium 3 1.0GHz had dropped. Are we about to see the same thing with mobile technology, specifically with tablets? The Tegra 2 has really only been out for 5 months now and it almost seems like last year's news with all this quad-core talk. Your thoughts on the quickness that we are seeing new technology introduced? Excited? Depressed? Wondering how you are going to keep up?

Official Gingerbread for the DROIDX Available, Can Now Be "Pulled"

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:43:56 +0000

If you weren't one of the lucky few to receive the "soak test" of Gingerbread (Android 2.3.3) and also weren't interested in upgrading manually over the weekend, then feel free to "pull" the update now. Verizon has held up their end of the bargain and made the update available just as the east coast clock struck midnight, leading us into June 1. So if you are running stock Android 2.2 (Blur 2.3.340) and want to be all official and stuff, do this:

Menu>Settings>About phone>System updates

The update should be the waiting for you. Cheers Patrick, Adam, Kurtis, Bill, Andrei, Brian, Jeff, MJZ, Scott, Sam and everyone else!

Video: SHADOWGUN Demoed on Acer Iconia Tab Running a Tegra 2

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:25:23 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L12sZP22UbI[/youtube]

This game called SHADOWGUN from Madfinger popped up late last week and pretty much blew everyone's mind with its incredible graphics and the fact that it would be optimized for both the Tegra 2 and Kal-el quad-core processors from NVIDIA. It really takes 3D environments to the next level on a mobile device and also might be the first title to truly bring console-quality graphics to the small screen. And it just so happened to be available for demo at what we're guessing is Computex? Neither of the videos we have actually say that, but we aren't worrying about such small things when a game this impressive is being mirrored to an HD TV. One more quick video after the break.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjHpFeAMrtg[/youtube]

Cheers Justin!

Verizon Enables New Wireless Tether Block, Asks That You Purchase a Plan

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:01:15 +0000

Your days of free tethering with a Verizon phone may have come to an end this weekend (at least on certain devices). Our inbox filled up with reports of users who received a warning message (pictured above) in place of the website they were trying to reach while tethering. We're not surprised by this at all, especially after seeing Wireless Tether get the stiff arm from Big Red at the end of April, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it. If you want to use Wireless Tether going forward on a DROIDX or Thunderbolt with Gingerbread, you'll have to fork out $20 a month for a 2GB plan. And I'd go into arguments on why I think this move is garbage, but we all get it, don't we? Most of us feel like we should be able to use our "unlimited" data any way we see fit and Verizon isn't about to let us have that much control. They will argue that using our devices to load up data-intensive web pages or streams would harm their network if done by a massive amount of people, but we all don't care and want to do it anyway. It's an argument we can't and never will win unfortunately. Anyone tried any of the other tethering apps lately? *Note - From what I can tell, this is only affecting Gingerbread builds that attempt to run Wireless Tether and not other tethering apps. My Thunderbolt and DROIDX both popped up the message above and are running 2.3. I also used the non-Market Wireless Tether. *Note 2 - Barnacle appears to work still. Cheers Mike, T and everyone else!

Handful of New Motorola Devices Spied in Site Redesign, XOOM 2 Included?

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 13:53:55 +0000

After digging through the back end of Motorola's website, a site redesign was discovered along with a number of never-before-seen or heard-of devices including the XOOM 2. Embedded into the images of this new Moto site we are seeing what appear to be codenames of Zaha, Slimline, Pearl, and Tracy XL. The same images for each phone are used over and over again though, so we're really not sure if these are fake, Moto screwing with all of us, or early renders. We're hoping that at least a couple make it to market though, as the designs are something we haven't seen before. So basically what we can gather is the Slimline is Moto's attempt at competing with the Galaxy S2 or LG Optimus Black on the thickness meter. It appears to have taken a new approach to their now-famous camera hump, sports a shiny new grey back cover, and huge camera encasing. It has that squared off look of a tablet or DROIDX which you know we're big fans of. The Zaha on the other hand has taken on some sort of futuristic disk design and at this angle at least, is not super appealing. The screen does look oversized, but until we see more, will not be waiting impatiently for this one to arrive. The Tracy XL is a watch. We're not sure what all it can do, but are thinking it'll at least run Android. There are no real details involved, and with these shoddy screenshots, all we can see are different color variations and a mention of Dick Tracy. The XOOM 2 is probably what you really care about though, right? Again, thanks to the blurrified images, all we can see is the name and what appears to be a silver rim around the outside of the device. The upper edge of it looks much thinner than the original XOOM though, so we can hold out hope that Moto addressed the obvious design flaws on its first take. What do you guys think? Are these just place holders? Any of them look appealing?

Via: PocketNow Cheers Connor!

Viber Releases Beta VoIP App on Android, Download it Now

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:19:37 +0000

At the beginning of May, Viber invited all of our readers to sign up to be notified when the beta version of their free VoIP calling and texting app would be ready - yesterday, invites went out. We have a link to the file below, but if for some reason it isn't compatible with your device, you'll want to fill out their form where you can specify a phone. It definitely seems a little picky. Download: Viber.apk Install just as you would any other 3rd party app. Free calls to other Viber users over 3G and WiFi. *Tip - If you can't get it to work with your normal phone number, I had luck using my Google Voice number on my Nexus S. Cheers Chris, nativi, and Wade!

And the Winner of the Motorola XOOM WiFi is...

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:13:42 +0000

Before we get into announcing the winner of the Motorola XOOM WiFi, I just wanted to say "Thanks!" one more time to all of the fabulous readers of this little blog of ours. We have now been up and running for about a year and a half and have experienced one of the greatest periods in mobile communications history together. Android essentially took over the world and we all helped make it happen as one giant group of enthusiasts. This place has become the most active and entertaining Android community around and wouldn't have stood a chance in this competitive genre if it weren't for all of the tutorials, tips, apps, jokes and stories from readers that have filled its comment sections since day 1. No one does it like the Droid Life community - you guys are awesome. So we hope you all enjoyed our first annual (yep, doing it yearly) Reader Appreciation Week! We handed out all sorts of amazing prizes, including 3 Honeycomb tablets. While it has been quite the task to keep up with the 7,000+ entries on each post, we wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It has been an absolute blast. To cap it all off, let's get down to the final tablet winner. Who takes home the Motorola XOOM WiFi? Chosen randomly is...

@imneveral0ne

Congrats Norman! We've already reached out and will give him 2 days to respond. And that's it people, the first annual Reader Appreciation Week has come to a close! Time for me to head to the post office and begin shipping...yikes. Thanks again everyone!

Tip: Use LauncherPro and the New Blur App Drawer Together on Your DROIDX

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:14:21 +0000

Upgraded to Gingerbread on the DROIDX and love that new app drawer, but can't part ways with LauncherPro? We have a solution that's built right into LP that will get you the best of both worlds. All you have to do is... 1. Long press on your app drawer. 2. Choose Change shortcut>App groups>All apps. 3. After that, pick an icon and your life with both the GingerBlur drawer and LP are complete.

All good now? Any other tips for new GingerBlur that we should let everyone know about? Cheers Shawn!

NVIDIA Demos New Kal-El Quad-Core Processor with "Glowball" Game

Kellen — Tue, 31 May 2011 08:08:20 +0000

NVIDIA told us back in February that their new Kal-El quad-core processor could be ready for prime time tablet use by the end of the summer - most of us thought it couldn't be possible. After all, their Tegra 2 processor was just getting its start on a select few devices, so why would they be pushing the next big thing already? I'll just say that if quad-core will look and perform just like they've demoed at this year's Computex, then I don't even need an answer to that question. Through this demo we see a game called Glowball, that has been developed specifically for quad-core processors. The quad-core processor with its 12-core GPU (graphics processing unit) take dynamic lighting and 3D environments to a whole new level. After watching this, you'll probably want to look back at those SHADOWGUN screenshots from last week and get a good drool session in. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBvaDtshLY8[/youtube] Who's ready for Kal-El? Via: NVIDIA

App Of The Day: Plants vs Zombies (Updated)

Mark — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:11:56 +0000

Everyone enjoy their Memorial Day weekend? If you're looking for a little bit of happiness to get you through the work day, Plants vs Zombies was released today on the Amazon App Store and in true Amazon fashion, made it the free paid app today. Normally it costs $2.99. That's a whole lot of awesome. We knew this game was coming and was very highly anticipated. The object of the game is to fend off the hoards of zombies that are approaching your front door. In this situation, I would probably prefer a minigun or a tactical nuclear weapon but seed spitting plants come in third on my list. So as the zombies approach, you capture drops of sunshine to help grow plants of all different kinds. You have shooter plants, sunflowers, cherry bombs, and more. Every plant has a sun value in order to grow the plant. When you capture enough sun drops you can place the plant where you think it will best serve. It's an addicting process. I'm hearing that on some tabs later levels are experiencing some lag and I'm not sure of the complete device availability as I am also hearing that the OG isn't capable of running it stock. Let us know what device you have and your opinions on the game. *Update: Possible work around for original DROID from a reader:

So I have an original Droid, and I decided to DL Plants vs. Zombies (free app of the day). It said my device is incompatible, so I found that if you go to the Amazon app store online & click get app, it will be saved to your app list (with an Incompatibility notice). After it's on your app list, you WILL be able to download it to your device from the Amazon app store on your Droid. Also it takes up around 75mb & can be moved to SD. Hope this helps!

Amazon App Store Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10D_qwQtZ0[/youtube] *Yesterday we took a look at DropSnap. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over. Cheers to Edgar, Bill, anish and everyone else for the PvZ tip!

Gingerbread (Android 2.3.3) Starts Rolling Out for the DROID Pro? New Blur Version 4.6.4 Finds Two Readers' Phones

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:16:10 +0000

Well, I've got to admit that even I didn't see this one coming. I had been hearing word that Gingerbread for the DROID2, DROID2 Global and DROID Pro were all finished, but no way did I think the Pro would see it before those other two. With the DROIDX spending the majority of the weekend receiving official Android 2.3, it seems only fitting that some of the other devices in the Moto lineup would be close behind - this just seems really close. We have no idea why two of our readers opened up their System Updates page today and had this waiting for them, but I'd suggest that all of our DP readers jump to it immediately before Moto pulls it from their servers. Sorry DROID2 owners, it looks like you aren't next after all. We'll be keeping a close eye on some specific Verizon pages though to see if we can pull up any additional info. We're still trying to figure out if this is just a freak thing, or if Moto really meant for this to start rolling out. The device in action:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-PDkrm_JkI[/youtube]

And the device running Netflix:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duu90a-yczw[/youtube]

Gallery:

[gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"] Cheers ___ and Chris!

Trade Your HTC Incredable 4G Into T-Mobile and Receive $225 Credit - Wait, What?

Tim — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:00:21 +0000

Misspellings and misprints are bound to happen. It's a way of life and writing. Last week T-Mobile launched a new trade-in program where consumers can trade in their old handsets for instant store credit for phones, routers, and other accessories. Well that's great news for me because I'm not really feeling this Droid Incredable 4G device I just prurchased and have been wanting to try a newer T-Mobile device. Nevermind the spelling error, I want to know when this device became on the cutting edge of technology with its 4G LTE speed boost. We're hoping the lovely people at T-Mobile and The Wireless Source (T-Mo's Partners in the program) start making sure they're giving people the right information and definitely start using some good ol' spell checker. If you're interested in the trade in program and wanna see for yourself, head on over here. Cheers __!

Verizon Private Sale for $99 Thunderbolt Lasts Through June 12

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 12:00:05 +0000

On Friday we're received a tip from a reader who was invited via text to an exclusive sale from Verizon that would give them the opportunity to purchase a brand new HTC Thunderbolt for as low as $99. There were no details on why they had been invited to this event, but according to the email above that we just received, it's for Big Red's "most valuable customers." We were thinking it was regional at first, but this looks more like a long-time, multi-line customer sort of thing especially when you see the subject of the email titled "Your loyalty is about to pay off." Talk about a steal of a deal, right there. If you are in the market for a new phone, this price might be worth a mention at your local VZW store. Cheers David!

App of the Day: DropSnap

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 11:15:48 +0000

So we just got turned on to this sweet little photo uploading app called DropSnap, thanks our boy MrPicolas who found this in the market yesterday. The idea of the app is simple, but man is it something we've been waiting for as cloud sharing addicts. DropSnap allows you to automatically upload photos from your device straight to your DropBox account. By selecting a directory to monitor, DS knows almost instantly when you have taken or added a new photo and will then toss it straight up to DropBox. You can set up syncing options and times, notifications on uploads, and choose where you want the photos to go. We should point out that the automatic syncing comes with an in-app purchase of $3.99 though - without the upgrade it will simply notify you of new items to upload. Market Link (Free with $3.99 in-app purchase) *Today's AAS of the day is Gaia GPS. The app is normally $9.99 and appears to be a pretty impressive outdoor GPS tracker. For those of you into hittin' the trails on weekends, this might be worth a grab before it jumps back up to full price. *On Friday took a look at News360. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over.

DROID3 Pops Up in Verizon System, Only Running Froyo?

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 10:45:37 +0000

The DROID3 is looking more and more like the first real next-gen player of 2011 for Verizon, but if it ends up running Froyo at release, there better be a firm paddle to the rear of the person responsible for making that decision. We're almost positive this phone will run on TI's new OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, sport a 4" qHD screen, front-facing camera, 8MP rear camera, 5-row keyboard, and HDMI out. So with all of this new technology tossed in, why go with last year's OS? The original DROIDX just received GB - let's do the right thing here and release it with this phone as well. OK, Big Red? And of course we can also assume that this is just one bad type-o, except for the fact that we just saw the DROIDX2 hit the market running 2.2, so nothing would surprise us at this point. No word yet on a release, but June is starting to get a lot of play behind the scenes. Cheers ___!

Asus Transformer Update to Android 3.1 Starts Tomorrow

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 09:52:36 +0000

Asus announced this morning that its popular Transformer tablet will receive the update to Android 3.1 starting tomorrow. The update introduces re-sizable widgets, Movies in the Market, some UI tweaks and a overall provides a much more stable experience. You can see our hands-on with the update on a Motorola XOOM here.

If you can't wait for another day though, there is a leaked build already floating around in a variety of forums. Via: Facebook Cheers Dave!

Nexus 3 Possibly Caught in the Wild, No More Physical Buttons Required? (So Fake)

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 09:00:06 +0000

Update: Ignore this post. The image is obviously just one giant sh*tty Photoshop job. We've pointed out 5 blatantly obvious flaws in this idiot's work.

Verizon 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Appears Again, Still in White or Black

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 08:12:40 +0000

Almost 3 weeks now, we first reported news that Verizon may be planning to carry a 4G LTE version of Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1. The device was only showing itself as the SCH-I905 in one of their internal systems at that time, but as of this week has been updated to reflect the actual name. None of the other details have changed since our initial report, which means we should still see both black and white versions along with two storage size options: 16GB or 32GB. Oh and if you needed extra confirmation about these devices, then we'll look no further than Samsung's CEO J.K. Shin who in an interview this week, talked about their plans to introduce an LTE tablet this year. We're assuming he meant this one.

Cheers ___!

Evernote Beta Released for Honeycomb

Kellen — Mon, 30 May 2011 07:34:13 +0000

Back at Google I/O, a version of Evernote that was built specifically for Honeycomb and bigger screened devices was demoed, but was unfortunately without a firm release date. Luckily for all of us, these app companies are starting to really use their forums as a place to test stuff and in the case of Evernote, have released a beta version of this new and impressive tablet version. And while I've never really found a bunch of uses for this app like so many of you, I will say that the UI is very impressive. If you are rockin' one of the various Honeycomb tablets in the wild, this would be an app to check out. Download Via: Evernote Forums Cheers Joe!

Download: Official DROIDX Gingerbread 4.5.596 for Rooted Users

Kellen — Sat, 28 May 2011 09:19:00 +0000

The official Gingerbread (v4.5.596) update for the DROIDX started last night for soak test members, but a version has already been released for rooted users thanks to @P3droid. There are essentially two different methods to get you upgraded since there are a variety of leaks running on people's phones. You'll want to read all of the instructions carefully and decide which one is you before proceeding.

*WARNING* - Hate to throw a big warning at you, but you need to understand that all of this stuff is risky. You need to understand the entire process before you begin.

Method 1 (if you are running a GB leak 588/591/595) [preferred method]: There is a specific file below for your build that will upgrade you to .596.

*NOTE from P3 - IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE MOST CURRENT RADIO .12P THEN YOU WILL NEED TO SBF BACK TO .340 AND THEN USE METHOD 2.

Method 2 (to upgrade from Froyo): SBF back to 2.3.340, root the phone, and then apply the PART1 and PART2 files below. Files: [For Gingerbread Users] - ODEXED | DEODEXED [For Froyo Users] - PART1 | PART2

__________________________________________

*Note 1 - When you finish with this process, whether you are coming from Froyo or a leaked GB, you will be on official .596 with root access. *Note 2 - Files seem to be going up and down. We'll do our best to update them, but you can find current ones all the time at the source link below. Instructions (running Gingerbread 588/591/595): 1. Download the GB file of choice from above and drop on SD card. 2. Bootstrap and reboot into recovery. 3. Install the .zip file just as you would a ROM or other file.

*install .zip from sd card > choose .zip > install.

4. Enjoy! Instructions (running Froyo):

*Phone must be in stock 2.3.340 state with root access.

1. Your phone is running the 2.3.340 official Froyo Firmware. 2. Your phone has been rooted. 3. Your phone is using the Droid2 Bootstrap program (Do Not Use DroidX Bootstrap). 4. Download both PART1 and PART2 files from above - drop them on SD card. 5. Bootstrap into recovery. 6. Install PART1, followed by PART2 without rebooting.

*You should not leave recovery until both files have been successfully flashed.

7. Once both have finished, reboot your phone. 8. Enjoy! All credit to MyDroidWorld for the files and instructions.

New DROID Bionic Running Gingerbread Gets Benchmarked, Dual-core OMAP Replaces Tegra 2?

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 23:07:42 +0000

We had to leave that big fat question mark at the end of the post title because there is something that just looks a little fishy about this new Nenamark benchmark that popped up in the last day or so with the name DROID Bionic attached to it. Before we get into that though, let's talk about what new goodness we're seeing above. First off, the PowerVR SGX 540 GPU stands out. Why, you ask? Well, because this GPU matches up to the new TI OMAP 4430 and 4440 dual-core processors that we're pretty sure Motorola will be showing some favoritism to in the near future (in the DROID3). This also means that the Tegra 2 by NVIDIA has been given the ax, which shouldn't come as a huge surprise since most of the rumors surrounding the original delay of this device pointed at the T2 and 4G LTE not playing well together. Maybe this new OMAP was able to show some LTE love? The second thing we noticed is the "Android 2.3.3." mention. FINALLY, a phone in testing that's not running Froyo. The Bionic is slated to come out this summer, so it only makes sense that it would be running Gingerbread, but again, it's just nice to finally see it. The third thing is the screen resolution of 960x540. qHD screen, anyone? This could be both a positive and a negative which you can read up on over at this DROIDX2 post. And now to the confusing part. The Nenamark score of 24.0 flat is extremely odd. If this benchmark actually happened, there would be a high, low and average - not just a single number. It's almost like the benchmark started, someone cancelled it, and Nenamark decided that was good enough to report. Plus, the DROID3 pumped out a 45.20 on average just a couple of weeks ago, so there is no way the Bionic would put out anything less. So we'll take this as the Bionic finally going through testing, but we aren't going to look at that number and criticize the hell out of it. It's either just getting prepared for testing and can't perform or the benchmark was somehow cut off and then reported on. Seeing OMAP is pretty interesting though, and something we'll be paying close attention to over the next couple of months. No more happy marriage between NVIDIA and Moto? That sure was quick. Via: Nenamark, Ameblo

DROIDX Gingerbread Update Soak Test Available (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 22:49:34 +0000

Our inbox blew up about an hour ago with readers who were able to "pull" the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update for the DROIDX. It's tough to tell if all of these folks were "soak test" members or not, but we've known in the past that if the update goes live on Moto's servers, that almost any can pull it. So if you are running stock 2.2 and want to upgrade, now would be the time to check Settings>About>System Updates. Oh, we should point out that our buddy @p3droid mentioned that you are able to SBF back to 2.3.340 afterwards in case this thing never gets rooted. Update: P3 is already preparing a .596 update for rooted users running the leaked .595. Stay tuned, folks! Cheers L, B, J, J, and S!

LetsTalk.com Joins the Memorial Day Weekend Android Sale: DROIDX2 for $119 and Incredible 2 at $63.99

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:00:38 +0000

Let me just say that if you have an upgrade available to use, this could be the best weekend of your life to use it. Many of you are probably waiting for the DROID Bionic, and I completely understand why, but if dual-core and LTE together is something you can live without for another 20 months, it's time to jump onto a new device. Amazon is holding it down with some impressive 4G phone prices, Verizon may be handing out Thunderbolts for $99, and now LetsTalk.com is joining the party with their own set of deals. While they aren't going to attempt to match Amazon's 4G sale, they are willing to undercut them on Big Red's new 3G smartphone lineup which includes the DROIDX2 (our hands-on), Incredible 2 (our review), and the Xperia PLAY (our hands-on). Here is what they just dropped in our inbox:

Until May 31st, we have the following: • Free Overnight Shipping (This is actually for all carriers) • A 20% off coupon for all new Verizon Android Devices (coupon code = 7c7f3319) Here’s the rundown of top non-4G Verizon devices and their price relative to Amazon once the coupon is applied: • Droid X2 @ $119.99 (vs. $149.99 at Amazon, $199.99 at Verizon) • Droid Incredible 2 @ $63.99 (vs. $79.99 at Amazon, $199.99 at Verizon) • Xperia Play @ $79.99 (vs. $99.99 at Amazon, $199.99 at Verizon)

Be sure to use that coupon code. Buy.

Verizon May Be Holding Their Own "Private" Memorial Day Sale, Thunderbolts for $99

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 18:11:43 +0000

Memorial Day weekend is sure shaping up to be all about cheap 4G smartphones. First we had word out of Amazon that prices on all of their 4G phones would be slashed, and now we're getting word that Verizon may be holding one of their own. According to the text message received by one of our readers, certain customers are getting invites to an "exclusive Private Sale!" where they can pick up an HTC Thunderbolt for as little as $99. Hello, steal. We're pretty sure this sale won't be open to just anyone and is likely for those with upgrades available, but this may be worth checking your account over. We know that Verizon is holding a variety of regional sales, some of which will get customers up to $50 off of any phone, but this one looks to be combining a few. You'll remember that this phone normally retails in Verizon stores for $249, so at half the price, you may want to see what kinds of negotiating skills you have. And we'll be digging for more details... Cheers Andrew!

Amazon Slashes 4G Phone Prices for Memorial Day Weekend: DROID Charge, Thunderbolt and Revolution on the Cheap

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:59:03 +0000

Our friends over at Amazon just reached out to let us know of their big ol' Memorial Day Weekend 4G sale that has already begun. They've slashed prices on all 4G phones which includes the lineup currently offered by Verizon: HTC Thunderbolt ($129), LG Revolution ($149), and DROID Charge ($179). Not a bad deal, I'd say. Obviously those are the new customer prices, but I've looked at the "upgraded" pricing and it's almost as enticing and just a few bucks higher. And to top that off, there is also word floating around that these will all be free on Monday, but we have been unable to confirm that with Amazon directly. If we do, we'll be sure to update this post. Buy: LG Revolution | DROID Charge | HTC Thunderbolt

App Inventor for Dummies, Two Copies Up for Grabs! Updated With Winners!

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:15:31 +0000

Probably one of the hardest things I've done so far on this site was reading through all of these and determining the winners. You all have some fantastic ideas. We wish everyone could win. The two winners are... Brett Henderson and Banjo_Lips! Both had great ideas and we wish them the best.

I am only 15 years old and love the android community. I really want to make a app using my nexus s. I want to be able to make a data transfer app using NFC, So the phone uses less power and less time than bluetooth data transfers - Brett H My wife would like something that would allow her to keep track of her medical history (symptoms, appointments, medications, durations of illnesses, etc) - Banjo_Lips

Good luck to both of you and thank you everyone who entered! -Tato Our publishing buddies over at Wiley just released a new book that should interest those looking to enter the Android application game. The book is called "App Inventor for Android: Build Your Own Apps - No Experience Required!" and is a complete guide on how to get up and running and pumping out apps with Google's App Inventor in no time. The book takes you through the simple setup process and then proceeds to teach you how create 8 different apps including one for Twitter. There are pictures, step-by-step guides, and even instructions for getting adb setup which is something I know that many of you have struggled with. Most importantly though, we have 2 copies to give away to those aspiring to be the next big developer. ~~To win a copy:~~ ~~1. In the comments below, let us know what kinds of apps are missing from the market that you would like to see made. There are bound to be at least a few. (Keep it semi-clean.)~~ ~~2. We'll pick a winner in 2 hours at 4:15PM Pacific.~~ And if you don't happen to win, they wanted to make sure we passed on discount information for those who would still be interested in purchasing the book. From now until June 18, you can hit up the Wiley site and enter code ANDRD to receive 40% off. Not a bad deal, right there.

Win 1 of 10 JRummy Applications - DROID Overclock Or Root Tools Updated with Winners!

Tim — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:58:46 +0000

Jared Rummler aka JRummy16 is one of our favorite people here at Droid-Life. He has donated 5 copies of 2 applications for us to give away during our amazing Reader Apprecation Week for all of you to enjoy. Both applications are for rooted users only. Droid Overclock is an overclocking app, naturally, just like SetCPU. And with a beautiful interface it's a must have for any rooted user who enjoys speed boosts. Root Tools is an extremely powerful application which installs custom fonts, boot animations, allows users to change build.prop, and seriously a whole mess of other features. Sound like fun? And the winners are... Root Tools:

EvanTheGamer Nathaniel Watkins Ryan Ball versusxiii Steelertown7

DROID Overclock:

Hobbs Jacob Sjm614 Blueliner19 Lolitsnoah Raven

Congrats everyone! We'll forward your info on to Mr. Rummler and get you all set up. And thanks for all the fantastic comments. Some great laughs in there if you have a few minutes to spare on a Friday night.

_______________________________________

Since we've been asking you to tweet phrases for the bigger prizes, all I will ask is that you tell me in the comment section below...

Why do you love rooting your Android device, and which application you would rather win?

~~And from all the answers I will choose 10 winners at 5 PM PST. Make sure to answer the question with a valid email address so we can contact the winners properly.~~ It has been a wonderful week here, and I am extremely proud and grateful to be such a big part of it. Not only is Droid-Life appreciative of you all, but I myself am extremely appreciative towards everyone's support and kind words over the two years I have been reading and working on this site. It's my favorite place to be. You guys and girls are the best, and I'll continue to try my best in meeting all of your Android needs. Thanks again everyone! -Tato Cheers JRummy for being a great guy and amazing developer! Follow him on Twitter.

App of the Day: News360

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:00:34 +0000

If you own a Honeycomb tablet (like the XOOM we are giving away), then News360 is probably the only news app you'll need to install. Other than the fact that it has an amazing UI, you'll also be more than pleased with the 1,500+ sources it's constantly pulling from. It can be personalized to your favorite topics, learn from your Facebook "likes", pull up local news with a single click, and most of all is FREE. The only annoyance that I've seen, which will likely be fixed the more I play with it, is the ridiculous amounts of soccer coverage in the sports section. It's clear that this app was not made in the U.S. Took me 5 minutes to find one article on last night's Eastern Conference Finals. Other than that though, this thing is top notch. Market Link

*Today’s free paid app from Amazon App Store is Abduction! 2. Normally $1.99 cents and has a current AAS rating of 3.5 stars. *Yesterday we featured GhostTown. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over.

LG Revolution has been Rooted, Good Bye Bing.

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:55:34 +0000

For those of you that picked up an LG Revolution yesterday, you should know that our boys over at RootzWiki have already rooted it. It looks like LG left this one pretty wide open to that old rageagainstthecage exploit, making it easily rooted by pushing a couple of files in adb. Time to remove that Bing! Cheers Andy!

DROIDX Gingerbread Update "Soak" Test Starts Tonight

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:57:49 +0000

We were told earlier in the week by Verizon that the DROIDX Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update would start rolling out today, but it appears now as if only members of the "soak test" through Motorola's support forums will see it initially. We had assumed that the soak would have started days ago to test and prepare for the mass update which would start today, so this is a little surprising. And of course, there is that chance soak test members are just being grouped together with non-soak test members, and the rollout will happen as planned to a bunch of you throughout the weekend. Here are a couple of notes from Motorola about the GB update:

The update will be pushed late tonight. If you go to bed, it should be waiting for you in the morning. West Coast members and night owls may be up to see it.

It’s a good idea to keep your phone charged if possible and plugged in overnight. You don’t have to keep it on, but you can.

If you are rooted, you must flash back to the standard Droid X software to receive the update. (Even then we can’t guarantee the update will work.)

Interesting little note there about being rooted. I would hope that anyone running leaked software would know by now that you would need to roll back in order to accept it. I'll point out again though that we're hearing awful things about root with this update. If you want to stay rooted going forward, you might want to wait until the devs have a few days to crack on this thing. Would hate to see all of you hoping to be on "official" software and not see root for the rest of your device's life. Cheers B and everyone else!

Contest: Win a Motorola XOOM WiFi from Droid Life! (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:15:19 +0000

Update: Winner chosen here!

It's hard to imagine that our first ever Reader Appreciation Week has almost come to a close... On Monday, we announced that we'd spend the entire week thanking our readers for being the best in the entire Android community through a variety of prize giveaways. Hopefully we have done a decent job of that with all of the apps, t-shirts, sweatshirts and Android Collectibles that were handed out. Oh, and of course the Asus Transformer and Acer Iconia - wouldn't want to forget about those. It's been a blast, hasn't it? The last of our 3 tablets that will be up for grabs is the Motorola XOOM WiFi, a device that helped launch a Honeycomb and Android tablet craze that will take us well into the end of the year. This is the "developer" device in a sense, and one that will continue to see updates before any other tablet for the rest of its life. This is the original, people. Sure it may seem a little heavy and awkward at times, but man is this thing a beast. So how can you win it? By doing one of two things (U.S. residents only): 1a. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following:

Check out @droid_life, they are giving away a Motorola XOOM WiFi this weekend! - http://goo.gl/7VwZ7 #dlxoom #android

1b. In the comments, share your top 3 Android apps of all time. 2. The entry period will run from today (May 27) until Tuesday (May 31) at 10AM Pacific. 3. A winner will be randomly chosen and notified. They will have 2 days to respond. Good luck everyone! Oh, and since we ran out of time yesterday with all that crazy news popping up about unlocking bootloaders and such, we have a stack of things to give away today including some phone cases, two books, a XOOM case, etc. These might just be tossed out at random times on Twitter and Facebook, so be sure follow us on both. Let's go out with a bang!

Swiftkey X Released on Android, A Keyboard That Knows You Better Than You

Kellen — Fri, 27 May 2011 07:55:45 +0000

Swiftkey X has arrived. We all knew that Swiftkey was almost too good at reading your mind, right? It's actually hard to imagine that it could get better at it, but it just did. You may remember a beta version that went into testing a little over a month ago that analyzed your Facebook, Twitter and Gmail accounts? Well, that version has now become public as version X. In the past, Swiftkey would simply analyze all of the texts you would send, but with the ability to analyze all of your social networks, it can truly learn from the way you talk to your friends, family and random iPhone friend. It truly is one of the best keyboards on Android. Market Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUwtYFDdT9c[/youtube]

SWIFTKEY X - This time, it's personal. LONDON, UK — Android™’s most popular keyboard app took a major leap forward Friday, as its successor SwiftKey™ X launched in public beta. The world’s first ‘Social AI’ keyboard can analyze your Facebook®, Twitter® and Gmail™ sent messages in the cloud and use these insights to offer smart, personal and instant phrase prediction from first use. It builds on the success of developer TouchType’s first AI keyboard, SwiftKey. The technology company was named among Google’s ‘Top 150 Developers’ on Android earlier this month, with its award-winning app consistently among the most-downloaded, highest-rated on the platform. “SwiftKey has already been a remarkable success on Android; it’s been downloaded more than a million times and is used to send over 100 million messages each month,” TouchType’s CEO and co-founder, Jonathan Reynolds, said. “Thanks to our unique text entry technology, we’ve achieved many accolades, including being asked to demonstrate alongside Google at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, winning the Mobile Premier Award for best app while there, and being embedded in phone-maker INQ’s flagship Android handset,” Reynolds said. “But with SwiftKey X, we’re taking a quantum leap forward. This new beta improves on the original in every way, and it will stun those who try it.” SwiftKey X was built in collaboration with TouchType’s community of passionate ‘VIP’ users over the past six months, giving the new app a combination of cutting-edge innovation and hotly requested feature improvements. “When engineering SwiftKey X, we’ve been continually inspired by the stream of excellent ideas that have come from our VIPs,” TouchType’s CTO and co-founder, Dr. Ben Medlock, said. “This new app is built from a much clearer understanding of how our users interact with their devices. With SwiftKey X, from the word go it’ll feel like your phone just knows what you want to say.” In addition to cloud-based personalization, SwiftKey X contains a brand new version of TouchType’s flagship Fluency™ language inference engine, which is at the heart of the app’s ‘mind reading’ capability. Improvements to Fluency include ‘Personal Input Modeling’, which dynamically alters the touch-sensitive regions of keys based on how accurate your typing is. There are also two new ‘typing styles’ – Precise and Rapid – which ensure predictions and corrections work in harmony with the way you type. SwiftKey X contains many UI and customization improvements, including a totally redesigned installer and settings menu, and a theming framework that allows users to change the look of their keyboard. The app also now supports 17 languages, and remains the leading keyboard on the market that uses AI to intelligently interpret text input in multiple languages simultaneously. Android and Gmail are trademarks of Google, Inc. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc.

HTC CEO Officially Confirms The Unlocking Of Their Bootloaders

Tim — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:57:50 +0000

We have done it! HTC's CEO, Peter Chou has confirmed in a quote from the HTC facebook page that they will no longer be locking the bootloaders on their devices. This could be the first step to other companies following suit. We can only hope. Here's the quote from Mr. Chou.

"There has been overwhelmingly customer feedback that people want access to open bootloaders on HTC phones. I want you to know that we've listened. Today, I'm confirming we will no longer be locking the bootloaders on our devices. Thanks for your passion, support and patience"

So there you have it. Expect a lot more news stemming from this shortly. Congratulations everyone who wanted this so badly. Via: HTC's Facebook Cheers Everyone!

A Closer Look at the DROIDX2 and its qHD Display, PenTile at its Not-so-Finest

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:55:51 +0000

When the Motorola Atrix 4G first came out with its "qHD" display, we were all expecting it to be the second coming of some religious figure, but after being analyzed by sites like AnandTech, the term "PenTile" was brought into the light and quickly became the downer it word of the moment. So naturally, when the DROIDX2 (our hands-on) was released to Verizon and sporting that same "qHD" display, we started digging into it to see what we could find. So what is a PenTile screen? Without being the all-knowing guru on display technology, I'll have to pull from some other sources on this one and recap. The theory (as I understand it) behind using a PenTile grid is simply to give you a brighter display at a lower cost with a perceived bigger resolution, and one that also consumes less power. In the case of a cell phone, this has "win" written all over it, right? Well, not necessarily. You'll notice on a PenTile screen that certain colors won't display correctly. Such is the case of the DX2 or Atrix which use a RGBW layout - the pixels have to constantly fight with each other to produce the correct color that you should be seeing. You may also struggle to view black text over white backgrounds on websites when zoomed all the way out or find yourself with a headache after quickly scrolling. And then there is the fact that everything tends to look a little grainy. It's very difficult for a Pentile RGBW display to produce straight lines, some times leaving spots with an almost jagged (or grainy) edge to them. At the same time though, you are getting a higher resolution and a supposed sharper image (from a distance), which some would consider a nice trade-off. To give you a bit of reference to all of this though, here is a macro shot of the DROIDX2, DROIDX and Nexus S all taken in the same light, at about the same time and angle. The Nexus S wins in color quality, but the original DROIDX appears to be leading the way in clarity. The DX2 on the other hand, just looks odd and grainy with that PenTile grid. In fact, the green of the Android Market almost looks brown when you compare it to the other devices.

(click image to see full version)

We also pulled up this site to see the three phones display against a green background with a variety of colored texts. None of the devices struggled to pull up all of that green, but the DX2 was unable to even display the page correctly do to its grid.

(click image to see full version)

And a quick HD video in case those two pictures didn't provide enough:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp6JgchXFtg[/youtube]

Final thoughts? The PenTile (qHD) screen is really ~~not the devil of smartphone displays~~ (actually it is). Sure, it looks awful under a macro lens (something normal people shouldn't care about), can't render certain bright green webpages, and may even give you a headache if you zoom all the way out on a web page, but that doesn't mean it has zero benefits. Many would take this any day if it were to provide a better battery life and brighter/clearer viewing in an outdoor setting, which it does. I think the real story here is that "qHD" is another of this year's marketing gimmicks by Motorola to brag about a higher resolution screen to compete with you-know-who, when it's pretty obvious here that they are cutting a corner to make those dual-core processors last more than 3 hours without having to increase the price of their phones.

Should you avoid qHD screens? ~~No, not at all~~ Probably. ~~And to be clear, I haven't been dissatisfied with the screen on the DROIDX2 by any means, but instead wanted to point out exactly what it is.~~ Just know that there are some minor drawbacks, which you should be aware of. And hopefully this post will allow you to realize those and then decide if they are for you or not.

Update: After spending a lengthy amount of time (our review) with the DROIDX2 after writing this post, we can conclude that this might be one of our least favorite screens of all time. qHD to Motorola is indeed just a marketing term, because this screen is no where near HD-quality. You can see pixels on the device with a naked eye, colors are never correct, and the instant head pounding that you receive while scrolling through anything is something I've never seen from another phone. It's not pretty in the Moto PenTile world.

Google Wallet Headed to Non-NFC Devices Through Snazzy Stickers

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:34:43 +0000

Google Wallet was introduced this morning as the next big thing in mobile payments, but without many NFC phones available in the market, there are very few people who would be able to take advantage of this new technology that should roll out this summer. So what does Google plan to do to make it more widespread? Stickers. Yep, they plan to make snazzy little single credit card holding stickers that can be attached to the back of your phones. The stickers will have enough technology in them to transmit a signal between the Google Wallet app and the credit card machine at the store you are visiting, giving you at least part of the easy-checkout experience. The downside is obviously the fact that you can only use one card, but at least it lets the rest of us join the party, right? Via: TechCrunch

Google Music App Updated, Songs Can Now Be Deleted From SD Card

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 15:01:55 +0000

Everyone's new favorite cloud streaming music app (Google Music) has an update available in the market that brings one major feature which was curiously missing from the start: song deleting. If you have been making songs available offline, you have been unable to remove them afterwards - well until now. All you have to do us go back into your "Make available offline" settings and unpin whatever you want removed. It should wipe them out of your cache folder after doing so. Market Link Cheers Mark!

And the Acer Iconia Tab Winner is...

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:14:10 +0000

Reader Appreciation Week is just getting nuttier by the day...when we announced the Asus Transformer we had almost 4,000 entries, but the Acer Iconia giveaway is a whole other beast. We had over 5,700 entries between Twitter and comments, making this our biggest contest yet. You guys are seriously the best. So who won it? Chosen randomly by number, our winner is...

Garrett S. who had this to say about Android being in his life:

Android has taken up a chunk of my life since i spotted the OG Droid commercial late one night two years ago. I love things that are open to me tinkering with them so Android was the way to go. Now if we could only have more pure google devices.

Congrats dude! And be sure to stick with us on Twitter and Facebook throughout the rest of the day - we're going to start tossing out all kinds of stuff. And then tomorrow, we open up the entry period for our final tablet giveaway, the Motorola XOOM WiFi.

Netflix Removes Device Check, Should Work on Most Android Devices (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:25:09 +0000

We just threw up a post about the latest Netflix update which brought support to the original DROID, but what we failed to originally realize is that the update removed the device check which means in theory, that it should be able to work on all phones. Well, guess what? I loaded it up on my DROIDX2 (which is "not" supported) and it installed just fine and is now streaming a video. I'm loading it up on other devices too, but wanted to make sure you all knew. Feel free to grab it below and install - let us know how it goes!

Update: MORE MIRRORS ADDED HERE.

Download: Netflix.apk *Note - this is not a hacked version. This is 100% the market version. Update: Works on Thunderbolt (rooted 2.3), DROIDX2, DROIDX (2.3), and Xperia PLAY. Update 2: No XOOM support though. Update 3: Looks like it's pretty hit or miss. Definitely sounding like it's not working on stock Thunderbolt which is a damn shame. Cheers Brandon!

Video: Sony Xperia PLAY Quick Hands-on

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:06:16 +0000

The Sony Xperia PLAY aka the Playstation Phone is now available from Verizon for $199 on contract. It includes a gamepad, 4" screen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and probably most importantly, runs stock Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). This phone has been leaked time and time again and there are little surprises left, but we still want to give it the full DL experience. We're starting with a quick hands-on... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzjKKcuiE8Y

Netflix on Android Updated to Support the Original DROID (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:03:09 +0000

The Netflix app on Android just received an update and apparently supports our old friend, the Motorola DROID. That's right, the OG is still getting love even after almost 2 years of life. There is a chance that it will only work if you are running Android 2.2, but feel free to try it on one of those 2.3 ROMs. We also received a report that it may no longer be working on rooted DROID Incredibles, but can't 100% confirm that. Our Inc is running Gingerbread with root and definitely doesn't work, but almost didn't expect it to since the requirement is 2.2. Anyone else having issues with their rooted Inc after updating? Update: Our guy with issues is also running 2.3. Looks like that is the problem. We have confirmation from rooted 2.2 owners that are not experiencing issues and still enjoying their favorite movies and shows. Cheers Mark, Romma, and Clayton

Video: DROIDX2 by Motorola Quick Hands-on

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 10:31:21 +0000

Well, we finally got our hands on the new DROIDX2 and wanted to take you on a quick test drive with it to see what's new. This would be the first dual-core phone to hit Verizon store shelves, will run you $199 on contract, and could easily be mistaken for the its original self if it weren't for that snazzy red lettering on the battery cover. We'll have plenty of additional coverage after this, but wanted to get you acquainted with this new family member first. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5cHNG1t268

Google Wallet and Offers Announced, NFC Payments are the Future

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 09:08:37 +0000

Google is on stage in NYC and just announced their Google Wallet and Offers services. We're watching it right here.

Google Wallet and Offers combined, allows you to purchase goods from groceries stores, clothing shops, etc. all without ever swiping a physical credit card. All of your information is stored securely on your phone and then transacted using the built-in NFC chip.
The first partners are Citi, Mastercard, First Data and Sprint.
First retail partners are Macy's, American Eagle, Subway, Noah's Bagel, and more.
The first cities are New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Not launching until this summer on the Nexus S 4G.
The app:

And Google Offers (starting in Portland and NYC):

A walk-through of the Wallet app:

Google Wallet site is live.
You can shop for items online, find an offer and send those directly to your Wallet app:

You can even include all of your rewards cards from retailers:

They demoed a transaction at American Eagle - signatures are still required. No wallet though!
Talking heads up now...
Who wants a Nexus S 4G?

Developing...

Reminder: Acer Iconia Tab is Up for Grabs!

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 08:45:40 +0000

Update: Winner chosen here!

Just a quick reminder that Reader Appreciation Week is still rolling along and we have an Acer Iconia Tab to give away today at 2PM Pacific. Be sure to enter if you haven't already! To enter you must do one of the following (U.S. residents only again): 1a. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following:

Win an Acer Iconia Tab from @droid_life! Details here - http://goo.gl/RS1wt #dlacer #android

1b. In the comments of this post, remind us why Android is in your life. 2. The entry period will run from May 25 until today (May 26) at 2PM Pacific. 3. A winner will randomly be chosen and notified. They will have 2 days to respond. Good luck!

App Of The Day: GhostTown

Mark — Thu, 26 May 2011 08:15:52 +0000

GhostTown is one of those apps that makes me say,"wow" pretty quickly. Within a few minutes of running this app, I started writing the review since I already knew it was going on the App Of The Day today. I'm one of the people that uses my phone as an mp3 player as well as a phone. I like music apps and have tried a lot of them. GhostTown does something that not many music apps do. For free. GhostTown lets you type in the name of any artist and play any song by that artist. There isn't "you like this artist so try this artist" going on here. It's straight forward. You can select any song you want, pause it, skip it, rewind it, repeat it, create playlists, and more. This literally is just like having, in the developer's words, "an infinite playlist". There is no limit to how many songs you play or how many times you skip songs. I'll say it again. Any song. Any artist. No watered down lounge singer cover bands here. There are no monthly fees but a .99 cent in app purchase will remove ads. If you use your phone as a mobile jukebox, check this one out. Market Link *Today's free paid app from Amazon App Store is Hundred Pushups. Normally .99 cents and has a current AAS rating of 4 stars. *Yesterday we reviewed Text Clock. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over.

LG Revolution, Xperia PLAY and DROIDX2 All Available from Verizon Today

Kellen — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:22:28 +0000

If you were looking to invest in a new Android phone, then today wouldn't be a bad day to head over to your nearest Verizon store. The LG Revolution ($249), Sony Xperia PLAY ($199) and Motorola DROIDX2 ($199) are all available. One of them run's on their brand new 4G LTE network, another is a gaming machine, and the last is Big Red's first dual-core phone. We'll be doing a bunch of coverage on both the Xperia PLAY and DROIDX2 starting today, so if you want to wait and see our thoughts on them, just hang out here. The LG Revolution on the other hand has us torn - it's basically the DROID Charge (our review), but without Google Search or that amazing Super AMOLED Plus screen. Oh, they did toss in Netflix though. Buy. Anyone picking one up today?

Man Arrested For Fleeing The Scene After Being Tipped Off From His DROID Police Scanner App

Tim — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Imagine this. You're the getaway driver in a pharmacy robbery, and you think you're smart because you have an Android phone equipped with a Police Scanner application. Thinking you're one step ahead of Johnny Law, you go for it. While listening for activity you hear police are on their way to haul you to jail, so you speed off before they arrive and leave your buddy at the scene of the crime. Only to be pulled over and arrested for attempted arm robbery and on top of that, a misdemanor for using a Police Scanner illegally. That's what happened to Matthew Hale. His bail is now set at $25,000 and is facing felony charges of attempted armed robbery. Matthew had an Original Droid with a Police Scanner application installed on his handset at the time of the criminal act. Not good because in his state of Indiana, it's illegal to use a mobile police scanner without a license from the Federal Communications Commission (i.e., a ham license) or without permission from local law enforcement. It's that way in at least 4 other states, and in most other states it's still against the law to have a "mobile" scanner. There's another story out of Kentucky where a gentleman had 3 police scanners installed on his phone and was charged just for having them installed, completely unrelated to the crime he was originally charged for. These applications are fun from time to time, and allow boredom to be passed while listening to emergency services, but maybe it's a good idea to now look up your local laws and see if you're in violation. Especially if you're going to be doing any law breaking - Which we do not condone. Head over to the MSNBC site and read the full story. It's a crazy one. Via: MSNBC Cheers Anthony!

SHADOWGUN Announced for Both Tegra 2 and Kal-El Processors, Might Be the Most Visually Impressive Mobile Game Ever

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:06:51 +0000

Madfinger Games, the same guys that brought us Samurai II, just announced their new project called SHADOWGUN which is one of the first titles to be made specifically for NVIDIA's new Kal-El quad-core processor. When you look up "console-quality" in a dictionary, the picture you are seeing above is now featured. Everyone please attempt to pick your jaw up from off the floor. The game is already being referenced as the "most advanced handheld game in the market" and will also have a version available for Tegra 2 devices. It involves futuristic weaponry, a personal Android assistant, bounty hunters, cyborgs, mutants, and genetically-enhanced humanoids in the year 2350. Do we even need to say more? Oh, a date. They are only announcing that game is in the works at this time, but hope to have it out some time in 2011. Be sure to check out the press release and some additional screenshots of the game after the break. This game looks amazing. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"]

MADFINGER Games Announces SHADOWGUN Unity-powered Action Title to Storm Tablets and Smartphones in 2011 Brno, Czech Republic - 25th May, 2011 – Madfinger Games, creators of Samurai II: Vengeance, today announced the beginning of a new property SHADOWGUN, with an emphasis on next-gen graphics and immersive gameplay. By focusing on mobile platforms - including smartphones and tablets- Madfinger has created the most advanced handheld game in the market, optimized for superb performance and offering gamers the same quality expected from console gaming systems. With SHADOWGUN, Madfinger is expanding the entertainment potential of smartphone, iOS devices and tablets. SHADOWGUN will support Android mobile devices powered by the NVIDIA Tegra super chip, and will be available on the Tegra Zone app and Android Market. Authored with the Unity development platform, SHADOWGUN combines tactical combat with third person harrowing action, ushering in a new visual standard for handheld gaming. SHADOWGUNputs players into the role of John Slade, a professional bounty hunter in the year 2350. Slade’s mission: hunt down Dr. Edgar Simon, renowned geneticist and former employee of the trans-galactic corporation Toltech Enterprises. Players must lead “shadowgun” John Slade as he infiltrates Dr. Simon’s mountain fortress and fights his personal army of mutants, cyborgs, and genetically-enhanced humanoids. Using state-of-the-art weaponry, ships, and the assistance of S.A.R.A.—Slade’s personal android assistant. The story is written by award winning author Micah Nathan who has joined the MadFinger team as executive creative consultant for SHADOWGUN. “ SHADOWGUN is possibly the the best expression of quality production achievable on mobile devices and a great indicator of what consumers can expect from future mobile games,” said Brett Seyler, General Manager of Union. “We’re very proud to see this kind of creative product created with Unity and excited to offer it to our partners through our Union distribution service.” In addition to an optimized version for Android super phones and tablets powered by Tegra 2, Madfinger is also developing an even more enhanced version supporting NVIDIA’s Project Kal-El, the next-generation Tegra quad-core processor. Ashu Rege, Vice President of Game Content and Technology at NVIDIA, said: “ SHADOWGUN shows off the console-quality experience that Tegra is bringing to Android devices. We’re especially excited that Madfinger is creating a special version ofSHADOWGUN that’s optimized for multi-core processors and will take advantage of the processing and graphics power of Project Kal-El.” About MADFINGER Games Located in beautiful Brno, Czech Republic, MADFINGER Games brings together a team of veteran console game developers. Their goal is to create console-quality games for iOS, Android mobile devices with a major emphasis on complete customer satisfaction. Their Samurai series has been downloaded over a two and half million times and received rave reviews across the web. Their most recent game, Samurai II: Vengeance THD was released on the Tegra Zone app on the Android Market received outstanding reviews and high ratings, optimized for stunning graphics and smoother gameplay on NVIDIA Tegra-powered devices. For more information, visit:http://www.madfingergames.com , http://twitter.com/madfingergames About Unity Technologies Unity Technologies is revolutionizing the game industry with Unity, its award-winning breakthrough development platform. Unity Technologies has more than 500,000 registered users worldwide -- including Bigpoint, Cartoon Network, Coca-Cola, Disney, Electronic Arts, LEGO, Microsoft, NASA, Nickelodeon, Ubisoft, Warner Bros., large and small studios, indies, students and hobbyists -- all using Unity to create games and interactive 3D, like training simulations and medical and architectural visualizations, on the web, mobile, consoles and beyond. Unity Technologies is aggressively innovating to expand usability, power and platform reach along with its Asset Store digital content marketplace and Union game distribution service so that it can deliver on its vision of democratizing interactive 3D technology. Unity Technologies is headquartered in San Francisco and has development offices worldwide. For more information, visit: http://unity3d.com. About Union? Union is a newly formed business unit of Unity Technologies, dedicated to syndicating high quality video games to mobile phones, app stores, tablets, set-top boxes, connected TVs and other emerging platforms. Union works closely with Unity’s video game developers and publishers to build a portfolio of premium gaming titles. Union then adapts, localizes and syndicates this content to app stores, mobile phones and other platforms, as appropriate to the medium, helping developers access technically or commercially challenging monetization opportunities and providing platform partners with a rich gaming experience for their consumers. Union provides an 80 percent revenue share to its developers. For more information, visit: http://unity3d.com /union.

Google Maps Updated to V5.5.0, Additional Check-in and Latitude Support Included

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:43:46 +0000

A fairly minor update was released today for Google Maps on Android. You can see exactly what was changed in the screenshot above - looks like Latitude and new check features with some transit support tossed in. More polish, which we love. Market Link More info can be found here. Cheers interstellarmind, Edgar, and Adam!

TweetCaster HD Beta for Honeycomb Released

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:55:07 +0000

It may have taken almost 3 months, but we're now starting to see the wave of Twitter apps built specifically for Honeycomb and big screened tablets hit the market. TweetCaster HD is the latest and within just a few minutes of time with it, we're liking the approach. I'll probably always be a big fan of column-styled Twitter apps because I'm obsessive compulsive and need to see massive amounts of tweets all at once, but Tweetcaster HD seems to have found a nice balance between both a beautiful and user friendly UI that goes completely away from the rest of the pack. I'm really enjoying the buttons that allow you to filter tweets with photos, videos or links out separately. Seriously, great job by the folks at Handmark. Market Link [gallery link="file" orderby="ID"] Cheers lkkwus!

DROIDX Gingerbread Update Available for Manual Download June 1

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:26:33 +0000

Word spread this morning that the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) update for the DROIDX would become available to some starting May 27 (this Friday), but according to a VZW employee at their community forums, the availability of the manual "pull" update for those not prompted, won't go live until the following week on June 1. Feel free to start checking your phone on Friday through next Wednesday though, (Settings>About>System Updates) as you may be one of the lucky few who gets it early. Cheers Rick!

Thunderbolts Running Leaked Gingerbread Turning Into Bricks? Might Want to Consider Reverting Back to Froyo

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:37:27 +0000

Forget about the random reboot issues on the HTC Thunderbolt for a minute, we may have something that needs your immediate attention. While we have yet to see or hear about this from our readers, there are enough reports of Tbolts turning up as bricks after running the leaked Gingerbread over at XDA that a warning has been released by @TeamAndIRC. What exactly is happening? Well, we're not sure, but phones out of no where will just start endless bootlooping - leaving you without the ability to even load up a recovery or revert back. Anyone running one of the leaked GB ROMs (not including CM7 alpha) with the new radio should think about reverting back to Froyo. Instructions: 1. Download the file from below:

Custom upgrade PG05IMG_MR1_upgrade.zip (md5sum : 7960c7977c25b2c8759605be264843ea) (Please check the md5sum before flashing)

2. Rename it to PG05IMG.zip and place it on the root of your sdcard. 3. Reboot the phone into hboot:

adb reboot bootloader

4. Allow the file to flash. Full support can be found at this XDA thread. Cheers Edward M.!

Contest: Win an Acer Iconia 16GB WiFi Tablet!

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:05:29 +0000

Update: Winner chosen here!

Day 3 of Reader Appreciation Week is here and we're ready to give away another Honeycomb tablet to one of our amazing DL readers. This time we've got the Acer Iconia Tab, a 16GB, Tegra 2, dual-camera, WiFi beast that many people have been sleeping on. We all know that the Asus Transformer and XOOM are top notch, but the Acer hasn't been getting enough press, which is a shame. The device is easily rooted with Gingerbreak, is starting to build up quite the following in various forums, and should get Android 3.1 in June. So who wants it? To enter you must do one of the following (U.S. residents only again): 1a. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following:

Win an Acer Iconia Tab from @droid_life! Details here - http://goo.gl/RS1wt #dlacer #android

1b. In the comments, remind us why Android is in your life. 2. The entry period will run from today (May 25) until tomorrow (May 26) at 2PM Pacific. 3. A winner will randomly be chosen and notified. They will have 2 days to respond. Good luck everyone! And be sure to keep up with all of the action Tato has going on over at the Facebook page. We've got all sorts of extra goodies to continue to give away. Three full days left of giveaway madness...everyone holding up OK?

Thunderbolt Reboots: Trade Your Phone in for a New One, Update Possibly Ready for Launch

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:04:27 +0000

The most recent HTC Thunderbolt update hasn't made owners of the device the happiest. Random reboots seem to be plaguing the phone more than ever and while we had a semi-quick acknowledgement from Verizon, a fix is still no where in sight. At least publicly that is. One of our VZW friends reached out this morning to let us know that employees who own Thunderbolts may be entitled to a software update that is ready to be rolled out - before the general public sees it. So it's looking more and more like a fix is ready for us, but a final batch of employee testing may be in the works first. Or they could just be giving them first dibs as a perk. And on a related note, a couple of lucky readers were told by customer service reps that if they are experiencing this nasty reboot issue, that they can head on into a store and swap their phone out for a new one. Reps also advised them to make sure that the phone they are given is not running the updated software and that it has been placed on hold for now while they work on a fix (more than likely the one we referenced above). Hang in there folks... Cheers Zach and J!

Pick Yourself Up A Refurbished Galaxy Tab Today Only For $260

Tim — Wed, 25 May 2011 10:50:24 +0000

Been in the market for a tablet? Not feeling lucky that you'll win one from us? Well take a look at Woot today. They're selling refurbished 7" Galaxy WiFi+Sprint 3G Tablets today only, and for $260, that's a pretty darn good deal. It's even known that they'll receive the Gingerbread update. Being that it's the 3G capable version alone makes it worth the deal. I know some of you are not all about dealing with refurbished products, but at least Woot offers their 90 Day Warranty. So what do you think? Gonna pick one up? Check the deal yourself at Woot! Cheers Kellex's Dad, and Kyle!

App Of The Day: Text Clock

Mark — Wed, 25 May 2011 08:39:20 +0000

Monday, after reviewing Simple Text, I promised to bring an app that would add to the minimalistic arsenal, so I bring you Text Clock. As you can see above, Text Clock takes a unique approach to the time telling game. This is not a widget but instead runs as a live wallpaper and displays the time in text format. With the settings menu, you can customize the wallpaper with multiple color combinations and different positions. One of the features that caught my attention right away is how the clock reads minutes until hour along with minutes after hour. In other words, 4:46pm will read "fourteen minutes to five o'clock" or 8:20am is "twenty minutes past eight o'clock". This may not seem groundbreaking but whenever you see time told this way, it just feels classy. And to top it off, this app uses very little battery. So grab this one up if you are into minimalistic text or if you are looking for that next great time app. There is a Lite version and a .99 cent version. Free version Market Link | Paid version Market Link *Todays free paid app from Amazon App Store is Walkabout. Normally .99 cents and has a current 4 star AAS rating. *Yesterday we reviewed Bubble. If you have a suggestion for a future App of the Day, send it on over.

LG Revolution Officially Headed to Verizon Stores May 26 for $249 on Contract

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:16:53 +0000

Verizon made the LG Revolution officially official today, and will launch it May 26 (tomorrow) in stores for $249 on a 2-year contract. This should come as no surprise to DL readers - you've already seen the entire spec list which included this date, the first shots of the new black battery cover, and the user guide. For those that haven't been keeping up though, you are looking at a 4.3" screen (not SLCD or SAMOLED), front and rear cameras (1.3MP and 5MP), 16GB pre-installed SD card, HDMI-out, and a 1GHz Snapdragon single-core processor. Yep, another device sporting last year's tech with this year's catch phrases. It will run LG's Home over top of Android 2.2, feature Bing as its primary search option, and is the first Android device to come pre-loaded with Netflix. Been wondering why the Charge and Thunderbolt still don't have access to the movie streaming service? They've got to sell this device somehow don't they? Anyone?

Revolution™ By LG Arrives For Verizon Wireless Dynamic Trio of 4G LTE, Entertainment and Power Combine To Make Revolution™ by LG BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and SAN DIEGO, CA — Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile Phones today announced Revolution™ by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 26. An entertainment powerhouse, Revolution by LG is the first Android™ smartphone preloaded with the Neflix application, allowing Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows. Revolution customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen. Built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability allow customers to share multimedia content with HDMI capable displays, creating an exceptional entertainment experience. Key features:

4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas 1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® processor

Android™ 2.2 platform

Access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™

Bing® Search and Maps

Adobe® Flash® Player

Rear-facing 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash

1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat

720p HD video recording and playback

Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11 b/g/n

Mobile Hotspot capability allows customers to share 4G LTE with up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to 5 devices

Bluetooth® Version 3.0 Support Profiles: headset, hands-free, object push, advanced audio distribution (stereo), audio/video remote control, file transfer, phone book access

Additional features:

V CAST Apps

Virtual QWERTY keyboard with SWYPE technology

Equipped with Dolby® Mobile for rich listening experience

Extensive image editor includes: crop, rotate, resize, apply filters, image adjustments, draw, write, erase and add stamps

16 GB preinstalled microSD card™

Pricing and availability:

Revolution by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.comfor $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Revolution customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access. An unlimited data package is available for $29.99 for monthly access. The Mobile Hotspot feature will be included for a limited time at no additional charge.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless’ 3G network. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company’s entire 3G coverage area over the next three years. For more information on 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 fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About LG Electronics, Inc. LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of 55.8 trillion Korean won (USD 48.2 billion), LG comprises four business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both a Global Partner and a Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lg.com. About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a leading global mobile communications and information company. With its cutting-edge technology and innovative design capabilities, LG creates handsets that provide an optimized mobile experience to customers around the world. LG is pursuing convergence technology and mobile computing products, while continuing its leadership role in mobile communication with stylish designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit www.lgmobilephones.com.

New Blockbuster App for the DROID Charge Also Hates Rooted Users, Blocks Movie Access

Kellen — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:00:16 +0000

Just after Google I/O finished and Android 3.1 started popping up on XOOMs across the nation, we quickly realized that its newly announced movie service was not so root-friendly. That's right, Google or its contract with the movie industry, must have figured that since your device may be rooted, you planned on doing nothing but stealing from them and blocked your access. So that XOOM you bought, which came with the ability to be unlocked, can no longer access all of its services unless you lock it up tight again. It's only getting better though. The new Blockbuster app for the DROID Charge that became available this week, actually calls you out for being rooted and even proceeds to tell you that you will struggle to enjoy its content. The app comes equipped with Widevine's DRM software that has the ability to detect whether or not your device has been left untouched in the system department. Oh and speaking of Widevine, did you know that Google owns them? Who would have thought? Welcome to the future of rooted users, my friends. Cheers Cory!

DROIDX Gingerbread Update is Ready, Verizon Releases Changelog (Updated: Friday)

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:23:13 +0000

(Click image for larger version.)

The Gingerbread (Android 2.3) for the DROIDX is finally ready. After 3 or 4 leaks, word from our sources that the .596 build had been finalized, and a "soak test" announced by Moto, Verizon appears to be ready to make it official. The support page for the DX has been updated with new GB information, including the entire change log which we've captured for you above. You are getting everything we saw in the leaks like the new blue Blur, ActiveSync fixes, and that snowy looking new fixed dock. The update will weigh in at 112MB. ~~I should point out that we're still waiting for a date~~ and for the soak test to finish, but when these documents go up on Big Red's site, it's usually a good sign that we're within a week. So try to hold off from "pulling" at your phone's system update page for now until we know more. We'll hopefully have more in the morning. Sweet dreams. Update: Verizon has notified the blog world that the update will be available on Friday (May 27).

*Note - When this does become available, we've heard plenty of word surrounding the root situation of this update which is not pretty. What I mean by that, is if you are currently rooted and want to stay that way, the update might not be the best thing to accept.

More information. Cheers Jim!

HTC to Review Bootloader Policy?

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:13:49 +0000

Bootloaders, bootloaders, bootloaders. You almost can't approach an Android phone these days without talking about its locked bootloader. We all know that Motorola has long been fans of locking down their devices for good, but it was only recently that HTC jumped on board with a failed attempt through the Thunderbolt and a so-far successful attempt on the Incredible 2. There are also signs that the Sensation and EVO 3D will be as locked as anything we've seen, which has prompted Android enthusiasts to share their opinions through a variety of social networking channels. The sort of good news is that we may have been heard on Facebook. According to a post that went up on HTC's FB page within the last hour, they have at least accepted the idea that their "policy around bootloaders" should be revisited. I should point out that we've heard things like this from Motorola in the past, yet they continue to ship devices like the DROIDX2 as locked as ever. Still, it's a positive sign. Developing... Via: Facebook Cheers Drew and Shane!

And the Android Mini Collectibles Go to...

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:21 +0000

Sorry for the short delay on announcing the winner, but we wanted to push out news of HTC revisiting their bootloader policy first. Soooo...back to Reader Appreciation Week! Who wants this case of Series 2 Android Collectibles? In just 8 hours of entry time, 2,000 of you jumped in and told us through Twitter or the comments how badly you wanted this box and also what your favorite comparable toy was as a child. (And thanks to all of you I'm now running through G.I. Joe and Transformer listings on eBay.) Ahh memories. Anyways, let's do this! The winner is...

Terrance Emerson09 - who loved his 12-car train set as a kid.

Congrats TE! We have now given out an Asus Transformer 16GB, this case of Android collectibles, 2 t-shirts, 2 hoodies, plus some app unlock keys, but trust me when I say that we're only getting started. Tomorrow we'll open up the entry period for the Acer Iconia tab, hand out some accessories, more shirts and a bunch of apps. Be sure to stick with us on Twitter and Facebook so that you don't miss out on anything.

Google Preparing to Launch NFC Mobile Payment System May 26?

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:42:28 +0000

Google is inviting media members to a special event on May 26th in New York and Bloomberg has pegged it as the launch of a new NFC payment system through Sprint using the newly available Nexus S 4G. If they are right, the first 5 cities to see the service would be NYC, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. Both Google and Sprint would not comment on the matter, but the timing couldn't be better with Apple's WWDC starting up the next week. If a new iPhone is not announced, Analysts are still expecting something big to come out of it; possibly a cloud service or even a similar NFC payment system for this fall's iPhone 4S. This would be the second time in a month that Google has announced a brand new, game changing service. Personally this one excites the heck out of me. I'm sure there will be thousands of questions about security when it comes to waving your device in front of something to make a payment, but think of how streamlined your life could become? Sign me up. So what do you guys think? Ready to just swipe your device and pay for those 4 happy hour martinis? Via: Bloomberg

And the Asus Transformer Winner is...

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:06:51 +0000

We kicked off our first ever Reader Appreciation Week yesterday with the announcement that we'd be giving away 3 different tablets: an Asus Transformer 16GB, Acer Iconia, and Motorola XOOM WiFi. First up was the Transformer, which is one of (if not the) hottest Honeycomb tablets on the market. All you had to do to win it was retweet a simple message on Twitter - something almost 4,000 of you did in just over 24 hours. Pretty remarkable. So who won?

@rjskalet

Congrats! As for the rest of you, the Acer Iconia will go up for grabs tomorrow morning and entry won't be just limited to Twitter this time. You'll want to join us on Twitter and Facebook though to keep up with all of the side contests we have going on!

DROIDX and DROIDX2 "Essentials" Bundle Only $19.97 at Verizon, Steal of the Century?

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:13:44 +0000

DROIDX and DROIDX2 owners, you may want to pay close attention. Verizon is offering a "Launch Week" exclusive accessory bundle that includes a HDMI multimedia dock, car mount, wall charger, HDMI cable, and car charger for less than $20. If you bought this stuff individually it would cost you about $145, so as you can see, is the steal of the accessory century. *Note - In order to get this deal, you may have to sign out of your account and buy it that way. Instructions: (via Leightonius)

Click the "Buy" link below. If for some reason it doesn't take you straight to the bundle page, do the following: Click "Shop By Another Device" on top right of page. Choose Droid X2. Add to cart. Checkout: Total should be $19.97.

Buy. Update: Verizon appears to have dropped the previous link. We've updated it with a new one. If it goes down again though, follow these instructions: 1. Go to VZW.com. 2. Click on "Accessories." 3. Scroll down to "Bundles" and click "Learn more." 4. Choose the "DROIDX2." 5. And it should show up. Add it to your cart. Via: Slickdeals Cheers Jubby and anonymous!

Verizon Adds More Cities to the June 16 4G LTE List, A Little West Coast Love Sprinkled In

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 10:24:07 +0000

Verizon announced yesterday that 21 new 4G LTE markets would be live by June 16 and we covered most of them here. By the afternoon though, they had added to the list and we wanted to point them out since some of them actually involve the good half of the U.S. (Kidding!) But seriously, we're seeing non-East coast cities for the first time in what seems like forever. Still no Oregon though! Some of the new westerly cities:

Boise, ID
Spokane, WA
Sacramento, CA
Fresno, CA
Salt Lake City, UT
Expanded coverage in San Francisco

Cheers Briant!

Contest: Case of Series 2 Android Mini Collectibles Up for Grabs!

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:40:10 +0000

Update: Winner announced here!

Day 2 of Reader Appreciation Week has begun! We just handed out two limited edition DL hoodies and are just hours away from giving out an Asus Transformer. So what can we do from now until then? How about hand out more ridiculously hard to find Android swag? If you thought the Transformer was tough to get a hold of, try asking around to see if anyone owns a case of Series 2 Android Mini Collectibles. It's a pretty exclusive club and we want to make you a part of it. What we have pictured above is an unopened, fully-intact and unharmed case. Those free-floating collectibles on top are simply from our personal collection and are there just for show. The box we're giving you hasn't been touched and should include 1 of every Series 2 collectible including a mystery bot. So how can you enter to win it? By doing one of the following (U.S. residents only again): 1a. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the following:

I want that FREE case of Android Collectibles from @droid_life! - http://goo.gl/FTdCY #dltoys #android

1b. Or tell us in the comments what your favorite toy was as a kid. (Keep it clean.) 2. We'll pick the winner tonight at 5PM Pacific. Good luck!

DL Sweatshirt Winners Are...

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 09:02:14 +0000

We asked you last night what your dream device would be and boy did you guys come through in a big way. With over 2,000 comments that just took me an hour to sift through, we've picked two winners. The decision was not easy... Jessesmith888

Verizon, motorola, nexus, unlocked. Enough said.

Dollyllama

My dream tablet: -Would suffer from processor WINE...yes that's right...the processor would produce wine. If you're playing Angry Birds, it would dispense chilled white wine. If you're watchin videos, room temperature red wine. -Would be powered by a remote charger with unlimited range...the power source for this charger would be Governor Tom Corbett running in a human hamster wheel...one mile for each dollar he cuts from education funding. -Would be free but supported by ads for Preparation H with the following slogan: "If you don't have hemorrhoids, you don't have hemorrhoids." Of course I fully anticipate a lawsuit from Apple for overwhelming marketing similarities...and they would be right...both hemorrhoids and the iPhone are a pain in the rear.

Congrats! And don’t forget to continue to follow us on Twitter and Facebook because we are about to start dropping more goodies on both. Announcement of the Asus Transformer giveaway is less than 5 hours away!

App of the Day: Bubble (Non-game)

Mark — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:03:31 +0000

Yesterday we reviewed Simple Text. What did everyone think? Now, in between keeping up with all of the give away goodies, I think the app Bubble is something everyone should take a look at. How many times have you caught yourself saying, "there was something I wanted to tell you but I forgot what"? Well Bubble is like your pre call assistant. You assign bubbles to any contact with a question or statement. When you call that contact, the bubble(s) pops up on the screen and reminds you of what you had assigned to it. It seems like a simple concept and it is, yet I have found that it's just plain handy. If I have a thought about something I wanted to ask someone on a future call, I just go in and type up a quick bubble instead of having a note in my pocket or trying to remember what it was. It has a very simple UI and is easy enough to use. Video and free market link below. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3nYgNil6uY[/youtube] *Today's Amazon App Store free app is: textPlus GOLD+. It is normally $2.99 and has a current AAS rating of 2.25 stars.

Asus Begins Teasing PhonePad Hybrid Device

Kellen — Tue, 24 May 2011 07:38:33 +0000

Anyone interested in a PhonePad? A Phonablet? Tabhone? Phablet? Asus is apparently preparing to unveil one at Computex 2011 and have opened up a teaser site for it with the slogan "Break the Rules: Pad or Phone?" Our instinct is definitely telling us to assume it'll run Android especially after seeing some early success from their Transformer Honeycomb tablet, but is a hybrid phone/tablet something to get excited over? We've already seen 7" unsuccessful slates from big time players like Samsung and 5" Dell Streaks that no one bought, so what would make Asus stand out from the crowd? It's tough to tell from the images that have been released through Tech in Style, so we'll leave the creativity and imagination to you. Pics after the jump. [gallery link="file" columns="4" orderby="ID"]

Contest: Two Limited Edition Droid Life Hoodies Up for Grabs! (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:00:57 +0000

Update: Winners picked! With it being Reader Appreciation Week here at DL, it's time to give more stuff away! How about a couple of our favorite hoodies? We made sure to hang on to a few of the extra special Limited Edition Droid Life ones just for occasions like this. What do we mean by "extra special?" Well, we put out the limited version on sale for one week only, but we had some custom made just for the DL crew with pink lettering to give it that extra flair. So these really are something that no one else can have except for the lucky two that we'll be picking from the comments of this post. So here's how this will go down: 1. You have to be a U.S. resident. 2. Leave a comment in this post telling us what your dream device would be. 3. That's it. Comment and you are entered. 4. We'll pick the two winners in the morning! *Note - When you fill out the comment form, be sure to include a real email address so that we can get a hold of you. And don't worry, only admins can see your email address which is me, Tato, and Picolas. And don't forget to continue to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Tato has already handed out a DL t-shirt and two LauncherPro Plus keys through both of those services. More free goodies to come tomorrow though, including the announcement of the Asus Transformer giveaway!

Motorola Employee Confirms Gingerbread Update Headed to DROIDX, DROID Pro, DROID2 and Global, - Finally Fixes ActiveSync Issues

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:40:42 +0000

Motorola's Support forums are alive today with talk of the impending DROIDX Gingerbread (Android 2.3) "soak" that we first reported on over the weekend. Many users are worried that ActiveSync will still be broken, but Moto employees are assuring us all that it has been fixed this time around. I'd have attempted to confirm this on all of the leaks, but I'm a Gmail man and will have to rely on all of your input for that in the comments. What might be even more important though, is the confirmation that the rest of the DROID series that was introduced last year will also all be receiving 2.3 in the near future. The DX is first (which is not surprising) and will be updated by the "end of the second quarter", although we're thinking it'll be much sooner than that with user testing going on this week. Afterwards, the DROID Pro and both DROID2's will receive it some time "before the end of the third quarter." And to add to that thought, we've been told that almost all of the GB builds for these devices have been completed, but as always is up to VZW to approve them. Update: It looks like that Moto employee is probably receiving a firm spankin' as his comments have been edited by the forums' manager. Luckily our friends at Phandroid grabbed a screenshot before it was changed.

Via: Moto Support, (2) Cheers Heath!

Verizon Silently Drops Prices on Devices for Customers with Upgrades and to New Lines

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:10:37 +0000

If you have an upgrade available or were thinking about adding a new line to your existing Verizon account, you may be entitled to a solid $40-$50 discount that they haven't made much of a big deal over. We're hearing from a number of you who still have 1-year and NE2 upgrades that prices for phones through VZW.com are showing up at least $40 under normal pricing - some of them as much as $50. I was also able to verify that you can get an instant $50 off just by adding a new line, but something tells me (responses from Twitter) that some of these other discounts are regional. If you have an upgrade on the way, it may be worth your time to login to your account. I would say that this is just another sign of the flexibility Verizon has now that they've gotten rid of those pesky mail-in-rebates. Instant discounts are always a good sight to see, especially with 2-year contract prices hovering around $300 for 4G LTE phones. Cheers Aaron and everyone who helped out on Twitter!

New CM7 Nightly Allows Users To Deny Permissions For Applications

Tim — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:15:17 +0000

Lots of people are always griping about the permissions applications ask for off the Market. Whether it be to read the phones ID, need full network access, or to send SMS messages. Sometimes, most of these applications do not need these permissions to work properly, so in comes the CyanogenMod Team and their big brains providing a solution. Instructions are as simple as making Jell-o.

Tebee on Reddit explains - To use it: CyanogenMod settings / Permissions / Enable management Applications / Manage applications / tap on permissions to revoke Revoked permission are marked by a ~~strikethrough~~. Revoking and reenabling permissions is applied instantly. Though, at least reenabling "Network communication" requires a reboot (revoking still works instantaneously).

Just know, if you run into any problems, it isn't the Developers fault. Be sure to make backups of your apps before trying because we would hate for you to run into any problems. You can get the new nightly by going through your Premium Rom Manager App or by visiting the Team Douche Mirrors Page. Have fun. Via: Phandroid Cheers Michael!

Rooted Devices Will Not Have Access to New Google Movies Android Feature, That Includes Your XOOM

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 12:16:23 +0000

This story on how rooted Android devices are being blocked from watching Google Movies seemed to pick up a lot of steam over the weekend, but it's funny because @p3droid and I talked for a couple of hours about this on Twitter just after Google I/O got done almost 2 weeks ago (another reason to follow us!). We both run rooted XOOMs and manually upgraded to 3.1, but were greeted with the nasty "Failed to fetch license" error that you are seeing above from the Android Market support pages. We even thought we had found a fix which involved upgrading and then deleting su and Superuser.apk, but that ended up not working for everyone. In fact, I installed 100% stock images from Motorola on my device, accepted the OTA update and still cannot access movies. So my thoughts on this are, "this sucks, but is not unexpected." We all know how long it has taken Netflix to get past their security fears with Android, so I can only imagine how those negotiations went down when Google asked movie companies directly for permission to sell their titles. And I would hope Android's security reputation isn't also the reason that they have been unable to secure contracts to sell music, but wouldn't be surprised. This new wave of anti-root on Android is a little unsettling, especially since many of us joined this army because we loved the idea of having total control. But in the end, it's all a business and rooted users seem to be looked at as evil hackers and thieves these days, so I'm afraid this is only the beginning. Cheers to everyone who sent this!

Amazon's Set of Android Tablets to Debut During the Holidays, Priced at $349 and $449?

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 11:13:56 +0000

Early last week, BGR dropped word that Amazon is in the process of creating their first 2 Android tablets codenamed "Coyote" (7") and "Hollywood" (10"). The bigger of the two will apparently run on NVIDIA's new Kal-el quad-core processor which we've been told will be available for tablets around the end of this year. Today, a report from PCMag basically confirmed this story, but also tosses in potential price points from "sources." The "Coyote" which will likely just be a Tegra 2 device, could come in around $349 with the much more impressive "Hollywood" undercutting almost every other 10" tablet at $449, but with a ramped up processor. Talk about making it tough for competitors to even think about competing in this space with prices and hardware like that. The thought of Amazon putting out their own Android tablets just seems to make sense though, especially with their new cloud service and Appstore up and running. With so many other tablets fizzling in sales when compared to the iPad, Amazon sure looks like they are putting the pieces in place to actually put up a little bit of a fight. If we do see a set of Amazon tablets towards the end of the year, would you consider one? All about those specs, right? Via: PCMag, BGR

Contest: Enter to Win a 16GB Asus Transformer!

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:31:52 +0000

Update: Winner chosen here!

To kick off our first ever Reader Appreciation Week, we are giving away the Asus Transformer (16GB) which just so happens to be one of the hardest tablets on the planet to get a hold of. This puppy will show up as "in stock" through an online retailer and disappear within minutes; it's been wild. It's running stock Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), boasts a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 16GB of internal storage, front and back cameras, and one of the nicest 10" screens you'll ever see. Oh, it also has this really nifty keyboard dock (sold separately) that can essentially turn your tablet into a fully working laptop. Yep, it's a beast of a tablet - arguably the best on the market today. So how can you win it? You have to follow just a few simple rules... 1. You must be a U.S. resident. 2. Then follow us on Twitter. 3. Tweet the following:

.@droid_life is giving away an Asus Transformer 16GB tomorrow! Check them out - http://goo.gl/Ud0KZ #android #free #dltransformer

4. And you are entered! 5. A winner will be chosen at random from all entrants tomorrow at 2PM Pacific. Easy enough, right? Be sure to keep it close though, as we have so many other cool things to give away this week including a XOOM WiFi and an Acer Iconia tablet. And as we reminded you this morning, subscribing to our feed and following us on Facebook and Twitter is going to set you up to hopefully walk away with some goodies. Good luck everyone!

Sense 3.0 ROMs Popping Up for HTC Incredible and Thunderbolt (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:30:57 +0000

When the HTC EVO 3D was announced as running Sense 3.0, there were a few of us with Thunderbolts and Incredibles that were possibly a little jealous. That new lock screen was just too sexy to not envy, plus we love that the notification bar has built-in toggles for WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Well, guess what? Some of our fine friends in the ROM game have already popped out fully-working Sense 3.0 Gingerbread ports for you to try out. Actually, I shouldn't say "try out" since almost everything seems to be working on them and would easily hold up as your daily driver. Thunderbolt:

MikRoms Gingeritis - Download [XDA thread]
Liquid GingerSense - Download [XDA thread]
Update: Das BAMF - Download [XDA thread] (Feelin' the hate.)

Incredible:

Kingdom GingerSense - Download [XDA thread]

Instructions: 1. Download the ROM that fits your device and drop it on your SD card. 2. Boot into Clockwork Recovery and backup your current settings. 3. Then perform a factory reset/full wipe. 4. Load up the .zip of the ROM that you downloaded above. 5. Enjoy! Cheers Nicholas!

Get Notified When the Amazon App of the Day Changes Using this App

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 09:30:13 +0000

If we aren't doing a good enough job of reminding you about Amazon's Free App of the Day and you continually forget to check for yourself, then you'll want to grab this app from XDA member cody_04l. You can set it up to trigger a notification that will tell you what Amazon's app is for that day and even direct you into the Appstore for download. Simple and easy. Download: AAOTD_Reminder.apk Via: XDA

Welcome to Reader Appreciation Week at Droid Life!

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 08:00:30 +0000

Been wondering what last week's teases were all about? Here is your answer.

Welcome to Reader Appreciation Week here at Droid Life!

Over the next 5 days, we'll be doing our best to give and show thanks to the greatest Android community in the entire world. Without the contributions from all of you, this site would never have grown into what we think is one hell of a place to talk about all things tech. The stories and experiences, tips, tricks, favorite apps and occasional jabs at our fruit foes have made this into a special place to spend your days on the internet. The Plan: So the goal is to take everything that you are seeing pictured above (plus more), and hand it all out through a variety of contests and giveaways. That's right - those 3 tablets (Asus Transformer, Motorola XOOM WiFi, and Acer Iconia), case of Series 2 Mini Collectibles, DL limited sweatshirts and T's, various applications, etc. will be in the hands of DL readers very soon. We're incredibly excited to have the opportunity to do something like this. And while we wish we could have done even more, we hope that this week will touch at least a little on how thankful we are to have spent the last year and a half with all of you. Schedule of Events: It's clear that there are 3 major toys up there that you will all be vying for, so to make it easier for you to sign up to win one we thought we'd let you know how this will go down. In about an hour, we'll open up the entry period (details still to come) for the Asus Transformer (16GB model). On Tuesday (tomorrow), we'll cut it off at 2PM Pacific and choose a winner. Then on Wednesday morning, we'll open up the entry period for the Acer Iconia with a winner being chosen the following day (Thursday) at 2PM Pacific. The Wifi XOOM will be last to go and will have an open entry period starting Friday morning and running all Memorial Day weekend with a winner being chosen on the following Tuesday (May 31). So we'll be focusing on each tablet for almost a full 2 days before choosing a winner. We'll notify you on entry details and requirements each of those mornings. The rest of the stuff (shirts, collectibles, apps, etc.) will be given away at random, spurt-of-the-moment times throughout the rest of the week. You could win by doing something as simple as answering a question that we pose on Twitter or Facebook. It's going to be a wild time, so like we mentioned on Friday, you may want to follow us on Twitter and Facebook if you aren't already. Subscribing to our feed will also be essential since many of these things will be given away from details through a blog post. We'd hate for you to miss out on a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes. Again, we'd just like to thank everyone for making this a special place. Let's start giving sh*t away!

Verizon Prepping 21 New 4G LTE Markets for a June 16 Launch (Updated: Cities Added)

Kellen — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:55:14 +0000

Verizon just got done announcing 9 new LTE cities last Thursday, but that was nothing compared to what we should see come June 16. 21 new markets will go live and so far appear to include:

Ann Arbor, MI
Flint, MI
Grand Rapids, MI
Lansing, MI
Indianapolis, IN
Fort Wayne, IN
State College, PA
Erie, PA
Harrisburg, PA
Dayton, OH
Springfield, OH
Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Hartford, CT
Madison, WI
Milwaukee, WI
Racine, WI
Kenosha, WI
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Sioux Falls, SD

As we see more throughout the day, we'll do our best to update this post. Via: Twitter Cheers Mark!

App Of The Day: Simple Text

Mark — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:19:44 +0000

Saturday's App Of The Day was Timeriffic. Hope everyone had a chance to take a look at it. Today, I am writing up an app called Simple Text. This app is for users who are looking for a change up from standard icons or for those of us who like minimalistic styles (Kellex). To use the app you do have to have LauncherPro, ADW, or Go Launcher. (In the pictures above I am using LauncherPro Plus.) The app is about as straightforward as they come. There are two words you can edit. One is on top (see "SIMPLE" in pic) and the other is on bottom (see "TEXT" in pic). Just type in any word you want for top and bottom then customize size, scale, position, color and font. Save the icon and apply it to the launcher icon of your choice. Here are his exact instruction per market:

How to use with ADW Launcher or ADW Launcher EX: 1. Long-press an app icon 2. Select "Edit" 3. Tap on the app icon 4. Select "ADWTheme IconPacks" 5. Choose Simple Text 6. Create your icon 7. Press Menu, then "Save Icon" How to use with other Launchers ( LauncherPro, GO Launcher... ): 1] Run Simple Text in your application list 2] Create your icon 3] Press Menu, then "Save Icon" 4] Use your launchers specific change icon option and browse to your images ( stored in /sdcard/Simple Text )

Market Link *Today's free paid Amazon App Store app is: Aces Bubble Popper.

Video: First Look at Plants vs. Zombies on Android

Kellen — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:21:15 +0000

Last week, PopCap announced that it's super popular iOS title Plants vs. Zombies, would finally make its way to Android before the end of the month courtesy of the Amazon Appstore . We have a feeling that it could show up tomorrow, but just in case it doesn't, we wanted to give you guys a quick preview of the game before it has been released to the public. For those of you not familiar with PvZ, just think of it as another tower defense game only it involves zombies, plants and rednecks. It's pretty a pretty entertaining game to say the least. We have a video walk-through of it below. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10D_qwQtZ0[/youtube] Cheers 0mie!

Incredible 2...err...DROID Charge Available at Target for $299

Kellen — Sun, 22 May 2011 19:17:30 +0000

This is just one of those posts that we wanted to toss out on a Sunday night to give us all a good laugh before we head into the next week. Notice anything weird about the picture above? Sure looks like a DROID Incredible 2, right? Well that description clearly states that it's the DROID Charge and is available for $299 at Target, marking the 118,558th time that the person responsible for a store's flyer has screwed up. Silly. Oh and feel free to read our reviews on both devices: Incredible 2 | Charge Cheers nicholas!

Netflix Hacked to Work on HTC Thunderbolt

Kellen — Sun, 22 May 2011 19:06:18 +0000

Now before we get too far into this post, we should point out that this will not work for the majority of Thunderbolt owners. There are a couple of qualifications you must meet before you can even attempt this: 1. You have to be rooted. 2. You have to be running the leaked Gingerbread or a GB ROM. So if you met both of those, then let's jump into this. XDA member rmk40 created a patch for Thunderbolt owners, that will replace the "entire media library stack" of the device to a newer version to allow for Netflix to run. Once the patch is flashed, you can then load up one of the Netflix files that's in the wild and start to enjoy a service that should have been available to your device from day 1. Download: rmk-patch_netflix_gingerbread-minimal.zip Instructions: 1. Make a nandroid backup first. 2. Seriously, make a backup in Clockwork before proceeding. 3. Download the file from above and drop it on your SD card. 4. Boot into recovery and flash the .zip just like you would a ROM or other file. 5. Reboot your phone, install Netflix and test it. 6. If for some reason that didn't work, try this file instead. Via: XDA Cheers Cody and Bart!

Motorola Prepares "Project" for DROIDX, We're Thinking Gingerbread

Kellen — Sun, 22 May 2011 08:17:00 +0000

Our inbox just blew up with the email below, which we're going to assume means that Gingerbread (Android 2.3) for the DROIDX is finally on the way. We've known for weeks that the build has been finalized, so for Motorola to begin testing it with a select group of forums members is not surprising.

Dear Motorola Owners' Forums member, We are preparing a project for Droid X owners and would like to invite you to take part. We are now opening the project for registration. Please click this link to take a short enrollment survey if you are interested. Please note that this is a confidential project under the terms of the Motorola Feedback Network. Do not post any details or information about this project on any public sites. At this time, there are few details to share, but if you register we'll provide more information. If you have any questions, please e-mail me here. Thanks again, and we hope to be in contact with you soon. - Matt Motorola Owners' Forums Motorola Feedback Network

I should also point out that one of the links that testers are being directed to definitely says, "Droid X May 2011 update soak" which we're hoping means that GB will be here before the end of the month. A few signs have already hinted at 5/26 as being a possibility. Everyone ready for some official 2.3 action? Cheers R, M, J, J, and M!

Firefox Beta for Android Introduces "Do Not Track" Privacy Feature

Kellen — Sat, 21 May 2011 14:40:48 +0000

Users of the beta Firefox Mobile for Android can feel much more secure after today with the introduction of a "Do Not Track" feature which gives them more control over the way their browsing behavior is tracked and used online. By simply toggling the DNT to "Yes", users are sending a "DNT: 1" signal to each website they visit - prompting that site to stop tracking them. Not a bad feature, right? Now, how about we ad support for Flash next? Market Link | More Details Via: Mozilla Blog

Riptide GP Released for Tegra 2 Devices, Mobile Gaming has a Bright Future

Kellen — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:47:17 +0000

Riptide GP was released to the Android Market today and we haven't been able to put it down. If you are looking for a mobile game with that "wow factor" then look no further than this one. It's really just a jet ski racing game and the concept isn't anything that you haven't seen before, but the graphics, environments, and game play will probably make your jaw drop a little. When NVIDIA stood on stage at CES talking about how much fun gaming would be on their wave of Tegra 2 devices, this must have been what they were referring to. Check out our video walk-through below. Market Link ($6.99) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch18M3cYnEU[/youtube]

App of the Day: Timeriffic (Revisited)

Mark — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:15:42 +0000

Yesterday we took a look at TweetCaster from AAS. How many jumped on that one? Thursday, while I compulsively scanned twitter, @droid brought this app to my attention: Timeriffic. We touched on this app over a year ago, but I think it's worth repeating to our readers. Since that time the developer has been featured at I/O 2011 and was a top developer in 2010. So let's give him another go round. This little doozy of an app is pretty slick. I should mention that this app was created by a high school student looking for a way to maximize the hours in his day and spend as little time in his phone settings as possible. Queue Timeriffic. Who doesn't want to basically get that little green robot a bit more automated? Heard of profiles, like back in the day when you had settings for "outdoors", "sports", etc? Timeriffic is kind of like that concept, but on steroids. You can set up multiple profiles for multiple events in your life. Work? Sleep? Party? This is your app. You can set up literally every setting on any event within any profile that you want. Or do individual events. And what these events do is the bread and butter. You can assign the event time then direct the phone to do what you want done in that time. Silent? Vibrate? All loud? Media only? WiFi on/off? Any combination you want for the time frame is yours. Just set it up and let it go. Now you can forget about that untimely alert going off in a meeting, missed call because you forgot to turn the ringer up again, or even that battery drain from Wifi search when you forgot to turn it off. All can be done automatically now based on your schedule. And it includes a nice, crisp, and easy to use interface. Oh, and it's free. *A note to those of you on any Gingerbread leak - you'll have to change your fingerprint back to 2.3.340 to find some of these apps. I'm pretty sure this one will read any print, but wanted to give you a heads up as some of the future apps I have in store won't read the 588-595 prints. Market Link *Today's Amazon App Store free paid app is: Baseball Superstars. For all of you gamers out there, this app is normally $4.99. I installed it but haven't had any time to actually play around with it. It has an AAS rating of 3 stars currently.

Asus Transformer 16GB Still in Stock at Best Buy

Kellen — Sat, 21 May 2011 11:59:15 +0000

So either Asus finally figured out how to manufacture more than 10 Transformers at a time or Best Buy just pulled a massive secret shipment of them out of their back pockets. We tweeted about the availability of the 16GB model late last night, but apparently that wasn't enough to flip the switch back to "Out of Stock." That's right, they are still available if anyone is interested. Buy. Cheers 0mie!

Hacked Netflix App Now Works On Most Devices

Tim — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:21:12 +0000

Hooray for the amazing people at XDA, again. Thanks to their hard work we have a working version of the Netflix applicaton for most devices. The hack makes it so the application doesn't check the Device ID, allowing for all the Netflix streaming goodness we have wanted all along. There are currently two versions: one which should work just fine for everyone, and another is for those who experience a crash after launching. Give the first a try and if you have issues, come back for the second. If you continue to have issues, contact the Devs at the forum.

Download Link 1 | Download Link 2

Via: XDA Cheers Terry!

Best Buy Stores OK'd to Sell HTC Flyer if in Stock

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:59:17 +0000

We're hearing from friends at Best Buy stores that their "hard" May 22 HTC Flyer launch date has been removed and if they have them in stock, can go ahead and sell them to customers. So if this 7" Sense'd tablet is all that you've ever dreamed of, you may want to call your local BBY and see if they have them in stock. Chances are you can pick one up early. Oh, and we're hearing that the stylus is definitely not included. Cheers ___!

Next Week on Droid Life...

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2011 14:25:53 +0000

We've been teasing next week over the last couple of days on Twitter, but wanted to make sure that everyone felt the tickle, hence this post. While I'm not about to give away the details of what you can expect to go down, let's just say that as a DL reader you won't want to miss out. And to make sure you don't miss out, we'll just remind you that following us on Twitter and Facebook is probably not a bad idea. Feeling teased? Good.

Verizon Looks to End 3G Service, Go All 4G LTE By 2013?

Tim — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:37:22 +0000

Let's hope they plan on investing in some battery technology as well then. Earlier today, Tony Melone, the man responsible for the roll out of Verizons LTE network held a Q&A with reporters in Texas at the TIA conference. A few important things were said by Verizon's CTO of Communications, the most important to us is that he is nudging at the end of 3G service altogether by the year 2013. Stating that all devices should have LTE capability by the end of 2012, and that in 2013 some devices might not even come with 3G radios depending on how the consumer market responds to the LTE deployment. Verizon has already told us that they want 4G across 2/3 of the US by 2013, so this makes sense. This also brings on the continued development of voLTE (voice over LTE). Back in February was the worlds first ever voLTE call and now we are nearing a time of nothing but. How do you feel about the dawn of a new LTE era? No more 3G. Optimistic about the future? Via: GigaOM

Charge, HTC Thunderbolt, DROIDX2, and Xperia Play Wallpapers All Bundled Into Individual Apps

Tim — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:39:48 +0000

Dave Kover - a continuous giver to the Android community. Creator and maintainer of some of Android's most popular themes, has now put up on the Market individual applications for all of the aforementioned devices' wallpapers; putting them in easy to use, slick user interfaces. All users must do is download the application, hit Wallpapers from a home screen, then select from the different folders. All the images have been taken from the individual system dumps and packaged nicely for us. Simply hit the links below and be taken to the Market for download. All free.

DROID Charge | HTC Thunderbolt | DROIDX2 | Xperia Play

See all of Dave's great apps and theme add-ons by clicking here.

9MM Headed to Android, Think Grand Theft Auto Gone Mobile

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2011 11:16:05 +0000

Gameloft just tossed out this teaser for their new game 9MM which is probably not 100% safe for work, but still worth every second of your time if third person shooters that involve gangs, strippers, guns and blood are your thing. Yep, you get them all wrapped up into one 43 second video. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtrcHaMyoY0[/youtube] Via: Phandroid

Google Maps Now Available in Mobile Browser

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2011 10:02:20 +0000

Google Maps is now available from your mobile browser and even provides most of the features we as Android enthusiasts see in the actual app. As long as you "share" your location, you can see yourself on the map, search for nearby breweries, check out information about those breweries, and then find directions to them (OK, not just breweries). You can also check out your starred locations and view traffic and ratings of your favorite places - see, we told you it's fully-featured. While we're not sure we see the overall bonus to using this service instead of your Maps app though, it's at least there. And of course, your random friend with an iPhone can now feel almost as cool as us because it's available to them as well. Via: Google Mobile

App Of The Day: TweetCaster Premium

Mark — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:45:10 +0000

Before I get into the app of the day, I want to take a second to thank everyone who has been giving feedback about the apps we review. With hundreds of thousands of apps out there, I'm glad that this site can provide a path through some of the apps that stand out to us. So, thank you again and please continue submitting apps and commenting on the apps we do review. Yesterday we reviewed Live Wallpaper Flip Clock. I saw some interesting comments on that one. Today's Amazon App Store free paid app is: TweetCaster Premium Normally $4.99, this is a pretty big deal. Nice of Amazon to give away hot apps like these. So let's take a glance at this one. I know a lot of people use a lot of different clients for Twitter, so TweetCaster Premium being free should put this at the top of the list for anyone using a free client that has been looking for the upgrade to a premium with all the added benefits. TweetCaster does all of your basics and then goes a step further. From customizable notifications to themes to filters - make it your own. The app operates very smooth and as you can see, is one of the better looking UI's in the game. So if you don't have a twitter account, maybe now you should get one and take advantage of a stellar client to follow @droid_life with. :) Enjoy. Amazon App Store Link Cheers to everyone who sent this in!

Swiftkey Releases New Beta, Opens Up VIP Program to All for 1 Day Only

Kellen — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:07:45 +0000

Swiftkey, one of our favorite keyboards of all time, received an update today to beta version 2.0.2.8 which includes enough new features and stability that their team has opened up the program to everyone for one day only. Normally a "VIP" program, Swiftkey beta has been something that only a select group of people were able to join, sort of like the old days of Swype - you should definitely jump on this opportunity. Join at this URL using code #swiftkeyFRIDAY: http://www.swiftkey.net/vip

Federico Carnales Releases Alpha Music Application

Tim — Fri, 20 May 2011 07:45:03 +0000

The man behind LauncherPro is now diving head first into the music arena with his alpha release of an app with a "Windows 7ish" feel and look to it. So far it's very bare bones, but it plays music, shuffles, etc. We can definitely expect to see a lot more features as always from Fede. Maybe even see some music player skins? That would be neat. Since it's still in development, now would be a great time to throw out feature ideas. What are some things you would like to see in a music player app? Let's hear it. Click on the download link and tell us what you think.

Fede's Music App

Cheers Fede!

Angry Birds Rio Updated in Android Market, Beach Volley Levels Included

Tim — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:45:34 +0000

Nothing says it's Almost Summer like Angry Birds Rio being updated with the Volley Ball levels. Back on the 6th it was teased for us and then released to Amazon exclusively, but now you can grab it from the Android Market for free (ad-supported of course). No more exclusive. What's everyone's current thoughts on having applications like this split between the two markets? In the end, does it really affect how we get our products? There shouldn't be anything wrong with a little healthy competition as long as the developers don't mind and they keep developing and updating apps. Don't we the users continue to win? Market Link [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U443fas0XZo[/youtube] Cheers kaufkin and Josh!

Wi-Fi HTC Flyer Tablet Launches May 22 Exclusively at Best Buy

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:49:17 +0000

The WiFi-only HTC Flyer will finally hit Best Buy stores (exclusively) on May 22:

Best Buy today announced that the Wi-Fi only version of the HTC Flyer™ tablet launches on May 22. All Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile standalone stores, as well as BestBuy.com, will have the tablet exclusively at launch. The HTC Flyer is a fast, portable, light-weight tablet that integrates the immersive and highly intuitive HTC Sense™ experience and enables content including videos, music, games and more to be easily accessed and enjoyed. The addition of the HTC Flyer to our tablet lineup gives Best Buy further opportunity to help connect customers with the mobile technology that best meets their needs.

We're still not sure if it'll come with a stylus or not, but one thing we do know is that this device provides a completely different experience than the 10.1" stock Honeycomb tablets we're seeing in masses. It's only 7", runs a tablet version of HTC Sense over Android 2.3 instead of 3.0, is incredibly light, and allows users to take advantage of its unique Scribe technology (once they buy a pen of course). It's definitely been on our radar since it was unveiled at MWC just a few months back. Anyone still interested in the Flyer? Too small? Is the lack of Honeycomb a killer?

Verizon Xperia PLAY Orders Already Shipping

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:57:25 +0000

The Sony Xperia PLAY from Verizon went on pre-sale last night at midnight, but wasn't supposed to ship to customers until around 5/25 with the actual launch date as 5/26. Well, it looks like those of you that jumped on it early might be in for a treat as one of our readers just sent over this screenshot of a confirmation from Big Red that his phone has been shipped and should arrive by May 23 (Monday). That's right, his stock Android 2.3 gaming machine will be at his doorstep days before it ever hits a store shelve. So tempting.

Cheers Braden!

DROIDX2 Already Rooted Using GingerBreak

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:10:08 +0000

According to one of our lovely readers, the newly released DROIDX2 can be rooted easily using the now-famous GingerBreak we wrote about back in April. I know, I know what you are going to say, "But the DX2 isn't running Gingerbread!" That doesn't mean it can't be rooted using the same methods, my friends. But since we haven't grabbed one for ourselves yet, we'll have to rely on those of you who picked one up early today to get that second confirmation. Anyone willing to give it a spin? Download: Gingerbreak1.2.apk Cheers ___!

Beginner's Guide to the DROIDX2 - Videos

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:44:20 +0000

If you are considering a DROIDX2 but haven't pulled the trigger yet, maybe you have had some unanswered questions about the device or simply wanted to see more information on it? The fine folks at Motorola have you covered with this new series of videos that walks you through almost every single aspect of this dual-core beast. Wondered how this phone's hotspot feature would work? How about the new set of home screens and notification bar in Blue Blur? Thinking about grabbing an HD dock for it? All covered in this set of 20 tutorials. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm3tuPcAyoI[/youtube] Using Home Screens and Notification Bar: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTKnLK1RZ4g[/youtube] Using HDMI Mirror Mode: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPnPkUdaMUw[/youtube] Using the HD Dock: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0A5FbTfYtU[/youtube] Creatinga WiFi Hotspot: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m8xpakQ7Sc[/youtube] View the rest at How2Moto's Youtube Channel.

Verizon Readies Tiered Data Plans for this Summer, Family Versions in the Future

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 12:14:39 +0000

Verizon announced this week at the Reuters Global Technology Summit that they plan to introduce tiered data plans (not surprising) some time this Summer, meaning the days of enjoying our unlimited $29.99 package are coming to an end. Well, they didn't specifically say that the $29.99 unlimited plan would be gone, but it's fair to assume so, isn't it? No other details around new plans were provided, however the words "kick off" and "Summer" were thrown together in the same sentence, so expect changes to happen sooner rather than later. Shared family data plans were also mentioned though, giving those of us with multiple smartphone lines a little bit of hope. Since there are buckets of minutes for families, it only makes sense that they would attempt to introduce something similar involving data. Again, no time frame mentioned here, and "Summer" wasn't anywhere near this comment, so let's not hold our breathe on this one happening at the same time as tiers. Mobile broadband plans currently start out at $20 for 1GB of data - let's hope those don't transfer over to phones. Via: Reuters Cheers everyone!

Amazon Trade-In Program Now Accepts Electronics Including Smartphones

Tim — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:20:39 +0000

Amazon announced yesterday, a new way to exchange your Phones, Tablets, MP3 Players, Cameras, and other unused tech gear for new goodies through their Trade-In Program. By going to the Amazon site, simply find your devices and select "Trade in." From there, print out the prepaid mailing slip, slap it on a box and send your device off. Profit. After it has been received and thoroughly inspected, an Amazon.com gift card will be deposited into your account within 48 hours.

Now from searching for a bit, there is actually only one "DROID" branded device they are now accepting and that's the DROID Incredible 2. But they're definitely accepting almost all of the Android Tablets I've ever heard of including the XOOM and Galaxy Tab. Full press release below.

Amazon Trade-In Program Expands With Thousands of Electronics

Great Trade-In Values on Used Textbooks, Video Games, Movies and now Electronics Ship For Free, All in One Box
SEATTLE, May 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the Electronics Trade-In Store, offering customers a new way to conveniently trade in used electronics for Amazon.com Gift Cards. The Electronics Trade-In Store enhances Amazon's existing Trade-In program, giving customers great value on everything from video games and DVDs to textbooks and now electronics, without visiting multiple stores. Starting today, customers can trade in electronics, including tablets, cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, GPS devices and more. With Amazon Trade-In, only one box is needed to ship multiple items and shipping is free. Simply visit http://www.amazon.com/tradein and start searching for items to trade in. "Technology is constantly evolving and newer, better versions of consumer electronics are introduced all the time," says Paul Ryder, vice president of Electronics for Amazon.com. "We want to give customers the opportunity to get great value from their used electronics. Hundreds of thousands of customers have already received millions of dollars in gift cards from the other products in our program. The Electronics category is a natural extension and we are delighted to offer our customers more trade-in options." Regardless of where electronics and other products may have been purchased, customers start by simply searching for items to trade in. If the product is listed as eligible for trade-in, then customers can click the Trade-In button to add items to their trade-in shipment. Amazon's Trade-In program offers a variety of condition types including "Like New," "Good" and "Acceptable," giving customers an easy way to view multiple trade-in values. Once customers have added all the items they would like to trade in to their trade-in shipment, they can print a pre-paid shipping label and ship everything for free. After the product is received and inspected, an Amazon.com Gift Card will be deposited into the customer's Amazon.com account, generally in less than 48 hours. There are no claim codes or waiting for a check in the mail. Amazon.com Gift Cards can be used on purchases towards millions of items on Amazon.com. Amazon's Trade-In program (http://www.amazon.com/tradein) offers great value on used products, and starting today, customers can now trade in used electronics. Amazon.com Gift Cards are issued by ACI Gift Cards, Inc., a Washington company. About Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle with Special Offers and Kindle DX are the revolutionary portable readers that wirelessly download books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle 3G and Kindle DX utilize the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Kindle is the #1 bestselling product across the millions of items sold on Amazon. Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr,www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, and www.amazon.it. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise. Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Download: Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) for DROID Incredible

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:35:20 +0000

Thanks to XDA member Tmartin03, the Gingerbread (Android 2.3) leak for the DROID Incredible that popped up this morning is zipped up and ready for flashing. From what I can tell, everything works including the camera. And I apologize if I'm behind in Incredible updates, but FastBoot appears to now be available and 720p video recording is back(?). It's still old Sense and doesn't have switchable skins or anything, but it will bring you up to Android 2.3.3.

Download: TMartinPPC_GingerInc_v1.0.zip | New Radio Instructions:

*Includes Superuser. *NOT FOR INCREDIBLE 2.

1. Download the GB file from above and drop it on your SD card. 2. Boot into Clockwork Recovery and perform a factory reset. 3. Choose "install zip for sd card" and locate the file from above. 4. Install it. 5. Enjoy! Update Radio: 1. Download "New Radio" file from above and drop on root of SD card. 2. Boot into HBOOT by holding Volume Down and Power until it loads. 3. Follow prompts to flash the PB31IMG.zip file. Via: XDA, XDA (radio)

Amazon Drops DROID Charge Price to $199

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:04:33 +0000

Anyone interested in a DROID Charge that hasn't already purchased one? Amazon just dropped it to $199 on 2-year contract - a $100 price difference than the $300 tag Verizon slapped on it. And if you needed to read our thoughts on it, then feel free to check out the review we ran earlier in the week. Buy.

Verizon Adds 9 New LTE Cities Today, Expands Coverage in 5 Others

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:15:49 +0000

On Monday, Verizon teased six of the cities that would see live 4G LTE service this week, but they apparently decided to toss in 3 more plus expand coverage in some other major markets. The 9 new markets that went live today are Mobile and Montgomery Ala.;Greater Fairfield and New Haven, Conn.; Gainesville, Pensacola and Tallahassee, Fla.; Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.; and Bryan-College Station and Temple-Killeen, Texas. And coverage has been expanded in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans and Philadelphia. Still not seeing Portland, OR on there...can we do this already Big Red?

Verizon Wireless Launches Nine New 4G LTE Markets Today And Expands 4G LTE Network In Five Major Cities BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless is turning on the world’s most advanced wireless network in nine additional metropolitan areas today, as well as expanding the 4G LTE network in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The wireless leader announced today the 4G LTE network is now available in Mobile and Montgomery Ala.; Greater Fairfield and New Haven, Conn.; Gainesville, Pensacola and Tallahassee, Fla.; Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.; and Bryan-College Station and Temple-Killeen, Texas. David Small, chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless, noted, “We’re now offering consumers and businesses in 55 metropolitan areas the most advanced 4G wireless network on the planet, while continuing to offer the nation’s most reliable 3G network coast to coast. We plan to bring 4G LTE mobile broadband to our entire 3G coverage area by the end of 2013.” Consumers can choose from several devices to access the blazingly fast speeds of the 4G LTE network, including the newly-launched DROID Charge by Samsung and ThunderBolt™ by HTC smartphones, MiFi® 4510L 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot. Laptop users can enjoy speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network with three USB modems from Novatel, Pantech and LG. In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. When customers travel outside of a 4G coverage area, the devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast. Verizon Wireless’ 3G network is the most reliable network in the country, allowing customers with laptops and smartphones to download and use cool apps, from mobile social networking platforms to GPS-enabled maps. Customers can also can rapidly browse the Web to keep up with news, sports, stock quotes, Hollywood gossip and more, work on-the-go with fast file sharing and stream must-see video and customized radio stations. Customers in 3G coverage areas today who purchase 4G devices will be able to take advantage of 4G speeds when the faster network becomes available in their areas. As the first wireless company in the world to broadly deploy game-changing 4G LTE technology, Verizon Wireless is committed to building its 4G network with the same performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized. Verizon Wireless’ consistent focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year. The company’s 700 MHz spectrum gives Verizon Wireless specific advantages with 4G, including a contiguous, nationwide network license. Verizon Wireless’ vision also includes bringing its 4G LTE network beyond major cities. The company is working with rural communications companies to collaboratively build and operate a 4G network in those areas using the tower and backhaul assets of the rural company and Verizon Wireless’ core 4G LTE equipment and premium 700 MHz spectrum. Already, 10 rural companies have signed on to leverage Verizon Wireless’ scale for infrastructure while keeping their customers on the cutting edge of technology, including Bluegrass Cellular, Cross Telephone, Pioneer Cellular, Cellcom, Thumb Cellular, Strata Networks, S&R Communications, Carolina West / Clear Stream, Custer Telephone Cooperative and Convergence Technologies. While Verizon Wireless’ 3G network covers more than 290 million Americans, the company’s 4G LTE network is already available in 55 metropolitan areas, including:

Mobile Ala.

Montgomery Ala.

Phoenix, Ariz.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Oakland, Calif.

San Diego, Calif.

San Francisco, Calif.

San Jose, Calif.

Denver, Colo.

Greater Fairfield and New Haven, Conn.

Washington, D.C.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Gainesville, Fla.

Jacksonville, Fla.

Miami, Fla.

Orlando, Fla.

Pensacola, Fla.

Tallahassee, Fla.

Tampa, Fla.

West Palm Beach, Fla.

Athens, Ga.

Atlanta, Ga.

Chicago, Ill.

West Lafayette, Ind.

New Orleans, La.

Baltimore, Md.

Boston, Mass.

Detroit, Mich.

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.

St. Louis, Mo.

Las Vegas, Nev.

New York, N.Y.

Rochester, N.Y.

Charlotte, N.C.

Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.

Wilmington, N.C.

Akron, Ohio

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, Pa.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Columbia, S.C.

Hilton Head, S.C.

Clarksville, Tenn./Hopkinsville, Ky.

Cleveland, Tenn.

Nashville, Tenn.

Bryan-College Station, Texas

Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas

Houston, Texas

San Antonio, Texas

Temple-Killeen, Texas

Seattle, Wash.

Since 2007, when Verizon Wireless jump-started the global 4G LTE ecosystem with its selection of LTE for its 4G technology, the company has developed deep partnerships to spearhead a broad LTE ecosystem, with many being fostered at the LTE Innovation Center in Waltham, Mass., and the Application Innovation Center, slated to open in San Francisco later this year. Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Gingerbread Test Build Leaks for the DROID Incredible (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 08:13:31 +0000

Just like we saw with the HTC Thunderbolt earlier in the week, a test build of Gingerbread (Android 2.3) has emerged for the DROID Incredible and is available for download. This file isn't flashable to your device, but I'm sure there are a couple of devs in the crowd that wouldn't mind making that happen. *Note - This is not for the Incredible 2.

Update: Instructions and files posted here.

Via: 911HTC | Download [mirror] Cheers Nick!

App Of The Day: Live Wallpaper Flip Clock

Mark — Thu, 19 May 2011 08:06:33 +0000

Yesterday we brought you SBFportable. Did anyone try it? Today, we look at an app by Sergey Golovanov called Live Wallpaper Flip Clock. I assume people read the post topic and thought,"who uses live wallpapers?" Well, after about thirty minutes with this app, I can tell you that I do. This app creates an environment unlike most typical live wallpapers. The app has a built in fully functioning weather clock, HTC style. This is the only part of the wallpaper that is actually live. And since the clock is built right into the wallpaper, you don't lose any space with a widget on your homescreen. Everything else is customizable - backgrounds, type of clock style, color, location, fonts, battery status, temp, forecast, and so on. After running it on my DX and on friends' TBolts and OGs, I can tell you the battery effect is no more than any other clock widget you may use, but you get the added benefits listed above. There is a free trial version and a paid $2.00 version. Give it a fair run on trial version and let us know what you think! Market Link (Trial) | Full Version [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6YdfIs96TQ[/youtube] *Amazon Appstore Free Paid App Today is: Debt Payoff Planner. It's usually $.99 and currently has a 3 star rating. So if that's something you have been looking for... there ya go.

DROIDX2 Available Now Online at Verizon, Xperia PLAY Up for Pre-order

Kellen — Thu, 19 May 2011 07:14:47 +0000

Both the newly announed DROIDX2 and Xperia PLAY are up on Verizon's website - one of them to buy right now and the other to pre-order. The DX2 will likely ship out to your house this afternoon or tomorrow, but as we told you yesterday, can be purchased in non-corporate VZW stores today if you don't feel like waiting. The Xperia PLAY on the other hand is just a pre-order and will ship some time around 5/25. Each phone is listed at $199 on 2-year contract or $449 at full retail. Again, we're loving this new approach to full retail pricing from Big Red - please keep it up. Buy: DROIDX2 | Xperia PLAY

Old DROID Bionic Cases Show Up at Retailer, Something Tells Me They Won't be Selling Any

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:00:52 +0000

It looks like the cancellation of the original DROID Bionic isn't only going to annoy techies who have been waiting for the first ever 4G LTE dual-core phone to arrive, but accessory companies as well. As you can see in the shot above, cases have already been made for that original Bionic design and are on sale in retail stores like Meijer for $29.99. The problem here is that we are fully expecting the new Bionic to look much more like the DROIDX than anything, so all of these cases aren't going to fit especially since the camera and speaker have both been adjusted. Now, the render of the "Targa" below is exactly that, a render, but from what we've been told, the final design will look closer to that than anything we saw back at CES. Poor accessory companies.

More cases in the wild, this time from Fry's (Cheers Bjorn!):

Cheers Flamesbladeflcl!

Both Adobe AIR and Flash 10.3 Receive Updates

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:18:38 +0000

Both Adobe AIR and Flash 10.3 should be prompting you to update any minute now. Neither appear to include anything critical, but it's always good to stay up-to-date on these things, right? AIR changes:

AAC audio will now decode and play back correctly on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) devices.
Ghosting and green artifact issue now fixed on Android 2.2 devices with the NVIDIA Tegra2

Flash 10.3 changes:

Adobe Flash Player 10.3.185.22 includes security enhancements described in Security Bulletin APSB11-12

Market Links: Flash 10.3 | Adobe AIR Cheers Adam and @yisroelg1!

Want a DROIDX2 Early? Non-corporate Verizon Stores are Selling Them In-store Tomorrow

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:08:07 +0000

Verizon made the DROIDX2 official this morning by announcing that the device would be available online starting May 19 (tomorrow) and in stores next Thursday (May 26) for $199. However, if you wanted to walk out of a store with one in hand early, then you should head in to a non-corporate Verizon store including GoWireless and Best Buy as they will have them in-stock and ready for purchase tomorrow. We're not exactly sure why these other retail outlets were cleared to sell them early, but that appears to be the case. Cheers G and @2Glock3!

Asus Transformer 16GB and 32GB In Stock at Walmart (Updated: All Gone)

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:54:08 +0000

If you have been waiting impatiently for an Asus Transformer to show up as "in stock" somewhere, then you may want to pop over to Walmart immediately. They have both in stock, but for whatever reason are not calling theirs the "Transformer." It's definitely it though.

32GB model (out of stock now)| 16GB model (also gone now)

Cheers Davies!

PayPal on Android Updated, Deposit Checks Using Your Camera

Tim — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:54:20 +0000

PayPal is one of those things that some people in the modern world, just can't live without. It allows you to buy securely from almost anywhere, send money as a gift, view account balances and countless other things. The PayPal Android app was something that did all of that originally, but as of today you are able to do one more thing - deposit checks. The iOS version of PayPal app received this feature back in October of 2010, but we're the types to say, "Better late than never." Also added in this update is the ability to move the app to the SD Card for storage. Market Link Via: Paypal

Google Begins Rolling Out Fix for WiFi Vulnerability

Tim — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:04:41 +0000

Google is now beginning to roll out a fix for the wifi vulnerability issue that took the internet world by storm yesterday. It has been stated that through an open WiFi connection, our Android devices were prone to having their personal information stolen. Luckily, the Google Team is on top of it and has just released this statement.

"Today we're starting to roll out a fix which addresses a potential security flaw that could, under certain circumstances, allow a third party access to data available in calendar and contacts," a Google spokesperson said. "This fix requires no action from users and will roll out globally over the next few days."

Time to put this one to bed. It's impressive that Google can fix these issues OTA, while carriers have such troubles. But, this is something we're grateful for! We're hoping no one became a victim to this back door. Via: PC Mag Cheers Justin!

Wednesday Poll: Picking up one of Verizon's new phones - DROIDX2, Revolution or Xperia PLAY?

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 09:33:14 +0000

Next Thursday is shaping up to be a huge Android launch day for Verizon, with the DROIDX2, Xperia PLAY and possibly even the LG Revolution all becoming available. One is dual-core, another is stock Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and the other is 4G LTE, but are any of them your next phone? Can a qHD screen, gaming pad, or front-facing camera help you decide? And not to hi-jack this poll before you've even hit the voting part, but can you imagine a phone that combined all of these things? [poll id="84"]

App of the Day: SBFportable

Mark — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:49:48 +0000

Today’s app of the day isn’t an app at all. It’s a program. Currently it’s for the DROIDX but has plans to be applied to all devices. SBF. Did you just tremble a little? Feel a cold chill climb up your spine? How about the word brick? Well no more fetal positions for those of you that avoid SBF like the plague! A collaboration, spearheaded by WugFresh, between some big time Android players has spawned SBFportable. This is a stand alone and automated program for all Windows computers that takes the scary out of SBF. For those new to the term SBF, here is a little background. Let's say you jump into the rooting game and at some point find your device useless because a ROM flashing went wrong, you decide to go back to stock for an OTA update, or you are for some reason left without a working backup. Flashing an SBF file will solve all of your problems by returning your device to its stock state. After flashing an SBF file, you are left with a device whose software looks like it came straight out of a box. What is SBFportable and how does it work?

...here is the first release of a fully automated standalone live SBF exe built with 1KDS's latest iso (1KDStaz0.8.iso), MobaLiveCD.exe (standalone vm environment via QEMU), and some batch and VBScript I wrote to make it work. Just download it, and double click and it should do the rest; besides pressing 1 once its all loaded up. The file will silently extract its contents to a temporary directory on your local machine and then run...

WugFresh also points out a bunch of must-dos before using this program such as:

Making sure your phone is in bootloader mode.
Making sure your phone is fully charged.
Making sure your computer is fully charged
Understanding that SBF-ing wipes your entire phone clean.
Making sure your phone is actually plugged into your computer.

So there ya go. I have used it on my DROIDX to test it (although I’m a Linux flashing addict) and can tell you it is almost too easy. No excuses anymore guys. Get a ROM. Get Gingerbread. Get this file and never look back! Download: SBFportable_v0.6.exe Full support can be found here. *And the AAS app today is The Impossible Game.

Verizon Working with HTC on Thunderbolt Reboot Issue

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:10:45 +0000

It's no secret that the Thunderbolt is experiencing "device reset" issues, but we're happy to report that Verizon has finally acknowledged the issue and is working with HTC to find a solution. The rebooting of this device has become more than a nuisance at this point, so an acknowledgement is at least a step in the right direction. I would like to point out that my device was doing this long before the latest update though, and appears to have worsened since the latest update. Oh, and I should also let you know that I'm still experiencing it even while running this new Gingerbread leak. Here's to hoping that it's only a software issue. Via: Twitter, Android Central

Official: DROIDX2 Launches Online May 19 and in Stores May 26 for $199

Kellen — Wed, 18 May 2011 07:05:26 +0000

And just like we first reported a week ago, the DROIDX2 by Motorola will launch May 19 for online orders and in stores May 26 for $199. It will NOT launch with Gingerbread as we called just days ago, but will be upgraded at some point which we're thinking is in the very near future. It has HDMI mirroring, a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, qHD 4.3" screen, 512MB of RAM, 8GB on-board storage, 8GB pre-installed SD card, and a 8MP camera. It should be a beast of a phone - if only it had that front-facing camera and the power of 4G LTE though, right? Is this your next phone?

DROID X2 By Motorola Coming To Verizon Wireless With Double The Power, Double The DoesFast and Powerful DROID X2 by Motorola With Broad Range Of

New Features To Be Available Online Beginning May 19
BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the second-generation DROID X2 by Motorola, designed for the consumer who does everything on their smartphone. Fly through the Web with the DROID X2, which boasts Verizon Wireless’ first dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast webpage loading and Adobe® Flash® Player, allowing Verizon Wireless customers to experience rich content online. The 4.3-inch scratch-resistant and anti-reflective qHD display delivers a sharp, clear view ideal for watching movies, typing emails and playing your favorite games. Never miss a moment using the 8-megapixel camera with continuous autofocus and stunning HD video capture. Use the new Gallery app to view, tag and post photos on sites like Flickr® and Facebook®, all from one place. Additional features:

Powered by Android 2.2, to be updated to Android 2.3

Mirror Mode allows you to view and share your photos, videos and downloaded movies on a larger TV via HDMI output

Enterprise-ready with security and IT-grade policies, allowing you to use your DROID X2 for work and play

Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™ and Google Maps™, as well as access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™

Mobile Hotspot capability, allowing you to share your 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE technology for quick and easy typing of messages and emails

Pricing and availability:

The DROID X2 will be available online atwww.verizonwireless.com on May 19 and in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on May 26 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

DROID X2 customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access.

For more information on 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 fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. 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. Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. Adobe and Adobe Flash are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and other countries. Flickr is a trademark of Yahoo, Inc. Android, Google, Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Search, Google Maps and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2011 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.

Exclusive: New Verizon LG Revolution First Pics

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 17:28:05 +0000

We dropped the first report earlier on the LG Revolution launching May 26 as a newly blackened, Bing'd out 4G LTE device on Verizon and are back with the first real pics of it. The lock screen which as we mentioned is a straight MIUI kang is on display here along with that smooth new black cover. I'm now torn on whether or not I prefer this to the silver back we saw back at CES, but either way will be hard pressed to want it knowing that it's not a "with Google" device. Here's to hoping that it lacks a locked bootloader and can be rooted in no time so that we can all take full advantage of its above-average internals. Oh and the packaging will look identical to that of the HTC Thunderbolt:

Cheers ___!

NVIDIA CEO Thinks Android Tablets Will One Day Eclipse iPad in Sales, Already has Players for Quad-core Chips

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:21:39 +0000

NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is a pretty entertaining dude. We watched him tear up the stage at CES this past January with infectious amounts of energy over his brand and the future of Android tablets using Tegra 2 processors. And now we're watching him make bold predictions over the future of that same tablet industry, which he thinks will mimic that of the smartphone. On Monday, at Reuter's Global Technology Summit, he tossed out the idea that in 30 months or so, Android tablets will eclipse those from Apple.

"The Android phone took only two and a half years to achieve the momentum that we're talking about. I would expect the same thing on Honeycomb tablets," Huang told the Reuters Technology Summit in New York on Monday.

It's hard to argue with his logic there, but man, it's going to be a rough ride especially after looking at the lack of success from this first wave of Honeycomb tablets. Sure, the XOOM and Transformer are quality products, but you can't with a straight face say that they have been a success to either Motorola or Asus. Huang is however hoping that his next release, the Kal-el quad-core processor, will help take Android tablets to the next level. So far, NVIDIA has 10 players ready to use this new chip (5 phone and 5 PC manufacturers) which is expected to be ready for prime time tablet use by the middle of this year and in phones towards the end. Lofty expectations I'd say, especially knowing that things like 4G LTE can't find a way to play nicely with their current crop of processors. What do you guys think, does Android stand a chance as a tablet OS? We know that it took a couple of years for the smartphone side of things to come around, but is this gap between the iPad and us to big to overcome? Via: Reuters

Google Music Beta Invites Start Rolling Out to the Masses

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:30:52 +0000

We first reported news that invites for Music Beta were being sent out to Motorola XOOM owners last week, but as of today, it's looking like Google has opened the flood gates to almost everyone. While I've been using the service for a week (and love it) thanks to an exclusive invite for attending Google I/O, another of my email addresses just received an invite. Also, our very own Timotato just got his as well as a ton of our followers on Twitter. It's looking like a good day for music fans. Check those inboxes! Cheers everyone!

Gameloft Modifies DRM And Allows Re-Download Of Games To New Devices

Tim — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:45:59 +0000

Just got a new Android phone and want to load up all of your previously downloaded games? Have you purchased a Gameloft title and not been able to transfer it to your new device due to Gamelofts fear of piracy? Fear no more! Gameloft has now modified their DRM (Digital Rights Management) to allow for the transfer of titles to all of your different devices. Before the policy change, users had to back up the games to their SD Cards and transfer over. (A shady process.) Now you can just go to the Gameloft website and re-download your games that you have purchased and install them on your new Android devices. This is definitely coinciding with Gamelofts decision to finally release some of their games on the Android Market as well. This call by Gameloft should definitely make users happy. Via: DroidGamers

Download: LG Revolution User Guide

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:00:13 +0000

Looking into making the LG Revolution your next device on May 26? You may want to cruise through the user guide beforehand to see if it's right for you. You'll see additional confirmations that the device will come loaded with Bing instead of Google Search, a new black back, and LG's custom UI that looks like a MIUI/TouchWiz kang. It is 4G LTE though, and also comes pre-loaded with Netflix and Swype, so as long as you can overlook the built-in search preference, it'll still be worth a look. Download: VS910_manual.pdf Anyone?

Honeycomb Released On Original DROID?

Tim — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:00:22 +0000

Tricky title, eh? Looks like the tireless Developers over at XDA have a semi-solid build of Honeycomb available for the Original Droid. No, you can't make calls on it, or use GPS, or use WiFi, but every passing day it seems that those features shall become reality for our old dear friend. We should all be so optimistic to think that developers will continue to pump out work like this, long after these devices have been declared dead by their carriers, and manufacturers. After the jump, I'll show you what is working, and the video the developer has posted up! Very plainly on the XDA Forum page are two lists. Working. Non-working. They read as such: Working: Data Touchscreen Text Messages Notification and Softkey Lights Not Working: Wifi Gps Calls (Honeycomb doesn't come with a phone app) Hardware acceleration Simple auto rotation Camera And no where does it say they're done. Who knows, they could get everything working besides calls of course seeing as how Honeycomb doesn't support such things. If you wanna give it a try, and I might do the same if I have some extra time today, follow this link and see how smooth it is. Can the DROID's processor handle the beast that is Honeycomb? Let us know!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPt1b1s1gxY[/youtube]

Source: XDA Forum Cheers JWilliams!

Samsung DROID Charge Review - Verizon

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:25:34 +0000

Ahhh yes, the first ever 4G LTE "DROID" has landed. After a couple of weeks of delays to make sure Verizon's new network was stable enough for it, the DROID Charge by Samsung is available for purchase at the arguably high price of $300 on a 2-year contract. It's a device we saw go nameless for months, but one that eventually found its way into our favorite brand of smartphones. Can it live up to that exclusive name though? Normally when a new phone comes out with the "DROID" brand on it, we expect it to dominate, so let's see if the Charge can.

The Good:

Screen: There is no denying that the 4.3" Super AMOLED Plus screen on the DROID Charge is a thing of beauty. As the first device in the U.S. to sport one, you at least have that to brag to your friends about. The colors are incredibly vibrant and do wonders even in outside light.
4G LTE: Who doesn't love ridiculously fast download and upload speeds on their handheld device? While in San Francisco last week for Google I/O, this and the Thunderbolt allowed me to continue to pump out stories while the spotty WiFi connections tried to bring me down. As long as you are in a 4G LTE area, you are going to love having this in your pocket. Oh, and they extended the free hotspot offer through June 15!

Battery: Well, it's not the greatest battery on the planet, but when we compare it to the Thunderbolt, it's a winner. My device suffered from signal issues for the first couple of weeks while Verizon tweaked their new network and the Charge cruised through it all.
Camera: The Charge has an above average 8MP camera. Someone tell Motorola to kang whatever Sammie is doing with their cameras, because it's nothing but right. Check out the two shots below which have been untouched aside from resizing.

HDMI mirroring: The Charge has full HDMI mirroring and it definitely works well. Plug in your device, switch your TV over and BAM! In seconds you are up and running your device on your big ol' screen TV.
Feel: The weight of this device is pretty exceptional. It's definitely made out of 100% plastic which we'll talk more about later, but in your hand anyways, it feels pretty good. The size isn't too intense coming from a Thunderbolt or DROIDX, and with it being lighter than both, it's definitely manageable.
Notification pulldown: This may sound like a simple little "Good", but I love the fact that TouchWiz puts your toggles into the notification bar. HTC is doing this with Sense 2.1+, but Samsung has been doing it for a while. I still hate TouchWiz, but they at least got this one thing right.

Video chatting: The front-facing camera on the Charge is 1.3MP and allows for pretty decent video chatting with friends. We would have loved to see Android 2.3.4 and Google Talk on there, but only 1 device currently has that. There are plenty of options out there to choose from though, so we have to give them props for at least going beyond VGA.

The Not-so-Good:

TouchWiz: I know that many of you despise Motorola's Blur, but I'm hear to tell you that nothing is as bad as Samsung's TouchWiz. It's an iOS ripoff that makes even decent hardware chug along at a pace not seen since 2007. It's buggy, appears to be designed by a children's book company, and can't be masked by LauncherPro fast enough. If there was a ever a reason to start the "We want stock only!" petition, this would be it.

Old hardware: If this was worthy of the "DROID" tag, it should have had something other than the same guts as the Samsung Fascinate which came out in 2010. Sure, they added a front facing camera and an 8MP shooter on the back, but the rest of it is all the same including that god awful RFS file system. Where is the dual-core? The massive amounts of RAM?
Plastic casing: The device is made of plastic and isn't going to last you 2 years. I've had it for about a month now and already managed to scuff the edges from simply pulling it in and out of my pocket. I haven't seen this happen on any other device in the life of this blog. At least when HTC makes a phone out of plastic, it almost feels like metal and not like something your 2-year old will crush in less than a minute.

Android 2.2: As I've said with every Verizon device over the last couple of months, it's almost sickening to see them launching with Android 2.2. Gingerbread has been out for almost 6 months now, yet we're releasing phones with one that came out a year ago? Just wait and see how happy new Charge owners are going to be when the entire DROID lineup from Motorola has GB by the end of June and it's still sitting at 2.2.
Verizon Bloatware: The amount of bloatware that Verizon tossed onto this thing is intense. I'm not sure I can even count that high to tell you the truth. While we're no longer surprised that they will continue to fill up Android devices with this crap, we'll still point it out so that Big Red doesn't forget how much we hate it.
Look: This is a personal thing, but I'm not a fan of the Alienware-esque exterior of this phone. The hump on the back doesn't allow the phone to lay flat on a desk, the pointy shield speaker/camera housing/chin all remind me of something from Star Trek, and those massive physical buttons just seem well, silly.
"DROID" tag: You get the feeling that since the original Bionic was delayed, that Verizon panicked because they no longer had a 4G LTE "DROID" and decided to slap the tag on this phone. Sure, the marketing campaign is super slick, but this device should never have donned this elite tag.
Slow wake time: It may sound like I'm nitpicking here, but when you press the unlock button on your phone, it shouldn't take 3 seconds for it to come on. Such is the case with the Charge and I still can't figure out why.

Unboxing:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3C5HQrsTsc[/youtube]

Benchmarks:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYIY5HiqyrY[/youtube]

Gallery:

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

The Verdict:

I'm going to be perfectly honest and blunt here - this phone has no business having the "DROID" tag next to it. Is it an above average device with a few stand out specs? You betcha it is. Is it capable of dominating the smartphone landscape for the next 1 or 2 years? Not a chance. While we came away incredibly impressed by the Super AMOLED Plus screen, camera, and battery, we struggled to come up with much else to love about it. The alien-inspired look is not our thing (but may be for some) nor are the oversized physical home keys. We're also becoming increasingly sick of seeing phones launching with Android 2.2 which is now a year old and custom skins that make phones feel like they were manufactured by monkies. So should you buy the DROID Charge? At $300 on a 2-year contract it would be tough for me to tell you to do that. If this phone launched somewhere around $199, I'd tell you to seriously consider it, but unfortunately that's not the case. The plastic exterior has me questioning just how long this device will stand up to daily wear and tear and of course there are still questions about Samsung's OS update support. Is it time for carriers and phone manufacturers to stop releasing last year's tech with this year's marketing slogan? I'd say so.

DROID Charge Specs | Other DROID Charge Coverage

Dolphin Browser HD 5 BETA Released to Public

Tim — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:25:50 +0000

Remember we told you about the Private Beta Dolphin had? Now's your chance to pick up the newest and freshest in Android internet browsing. Dolphin has just produced a Public Beta of Version 5 which includes some nifty Innovative UI Changes, Speed Dial Style New Tab, Powerful Bookmarks Sidebar, Subfolder Supported, a Faster Browsing Experience and more Stable Performance. Feel free to download and let us know what you think. Could possibly be time for another "Browser Poll"? Is there anything you think all these companies are missing from a mobile browser? Let us know.

Direct Download

Source: Dolphin Browser Blog

Confirmed: LG Revolution Launching May 26 on Verizon With Netflix, New Black Look and Bing

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:52:32 +0000

The LG Revolution will launch of May 26 alongside the DROIDX2 and Xperia Play, making next Thursday a beast of a day. This will be the third of Verizon's four 4G LTE devices that were shown off at CES to hit the market, and as you can see from the picture above has gone through some changes since we last saw it. Instead of going with the silver backing we've grown accustomed to, LG and Big Red decided that all black would be much sexier - I have to agree. So what else can we expect from the LG Revolution? Well, it's the first 4G LTE device to be flooded with Bing instead of Google Search which I know isn't going to make many of you happy. It will launch with Netflix though, so at least you'll have 4.3 inches of goodness to take in all of your favorite movies and shows. It will also launch with Android 2.2, LG "User Interface", a 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front camera, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, HDMI-out, a 16GB pre-installed SD card, and will likely be one of the first to take advantage of Qi wireless charging. The rest of the specs can be seen after the break.

And if you had any questions on the device, feel free to ask them in the comments and we'll see what we can find out. As far as it being "locked" though, we have no idea, but will assume so being a VZW device and all.

Cheers ___!

99% of Android Users Vulnerable to Shady WiFi Hotspots, Please Avoid Them

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 09:32:31 +0000

Sorry if that post title comes off as a little snarky, but there are reports flying around today claiming that "99% of Android users' data is vulnerable to theft!" While the report talks of an exploit that would in theory affect almost all Android users, the possibility of it actually affecting them is probably slim to none if they have even an ounce of brain power. Nothing like a good title to bring in the sheep though, eh? If they wanted to hypebeast they should have come to us for tips. So what does this story speak of? According to a German University, Android creates a token every time a service like say Facebook or Tumblr is logged into that lasts for 14 days. And that token, if you aren't running Android 2.3.4, can be snatched up by potential hackers if you were to jump onto their WiFi network. The idea they pose, is that said hacker could setup a WiFi hotspot next to a Starbucks, call it "starbucks wifi", leave it wide open for anyone to join, and then as you join begin to snatch up these tokens to then access all of your personal information. Brilliant. Thankfully the Android team has patched it in 2.3.4, but again as the title suggests, only 1% of users are actually running that version. So what should you do? Avoid random shady free WiFi hotspots titled "FREE Starbuckz Wifeez." Is that really that hard to do? Via: Register, BGR

App of the Day: Prox on Android

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 08:20:23 +0000

Amazon's Free app of the day is Chuzzle, but we're skipping it again in favor of an independent developer. We were turned onto an app called Prox over the weekend that utilizes the proximity sensor of your phone to complete actions. It's like using the Force to make your phone complete magic tricks such as opening the app drawer or pulling down the notification bar. Prox pairs your accelerometer to your proximity sensor, and then lets you swipe in front of it at different angles to initiate different tasks. It's a pretty cool concept that we'll be following closely to see where this dev plans to take it. Think of tilting your phone towards you and then swiping in front of the sensor to pop up your browser. You could then lay it flat and swipe again to open the camera, followed by a tilt left to jump to Facebook and finish it off with a tilt right to jump back home. Seeing the possibilities? And if that made no sense at all, we've attached a video below that should walk you through it. *Note: I was able to bypass my lockscreen with Prox enabled, so that'll need to be fixed. *Note 2: If you are having issues with the app, head over to the dev's site for support. Market Link ($1.99) | Lite Version [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKMk_K-Am6g[/youtube] *Note to developer: We got the first email - should have stopped there.

Official: Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Headed to Verizon May 26 for $199

Kellen — Tue, 17 May 2011 07:03:59 +0000

No surprises here, right? DL readers already knew that the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY would be dropping on May 26, but it's now officially official from Verizon. The device will be $199 on 2-year contract, sports a 4" screen, slideout gamepad, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 5MP rear camera, VGA front camera, runs stock Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and will come loaded with 7 major gaming titles. Pre-orders for the device will start on May 19 (Thursday) and will be available in stores on the 26. So, who's getting one?

Verizon Wireless And Sony Ericsson Take Mobile Gaming To The Next Level With The Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY

The World’s First PlayStation® Certified Smartphone Combines PlayStation®-Quality Gaming Experience with the Latest Android Smartphone Technology

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Take conference calls, send emails and win football’s biggest game, all on one device. The Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY, exclusive for a limited time for Verizon Wireless, redefines mobile gaming by combining all the features customers expect from a fully-featured smartphone with the ultimate gaming experience. Powered by Android 2.3, Gingerbread, the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY will come pre-loaded with seven game titles including, Madden NFL 11 (EA Sports), Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior (Digital Legends), Asphalt 6: Adrenaline (Gameloft), The Sims 3 (EA), Star Battalion (Gameloft), Crash Bandicoot (Sony Playstation) and Tetris. Customers can expand their video game library with more than 50 game titles available at launch for download via V CAST Apps. Customers easily become gamers with the slide out game pad revealing a directional keypad, dual analog touch joystick, two shoulder buttons and the four iconic PlayStation® symbol keys: circle, X, square and triangle. Additional Features:

1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon® II processor with Adreno 205 GPU
Adobe Flash Player
4-inch multi-touch display
5-megapixel rear-facing camera
VGA front-facing camera for still shots and video chatting
Support for Google Mobile Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk, Google Search, Google Maps and access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™
Mobile hotspot capability- share 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices

Pricing and Availability

The Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY will be available for pre-order online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning May 19, and in stores on May 26 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
Sony Ericsson Xperia™ Play customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access.

Game Developers

The gaming experience can only get better as additional games are being created. Developers have the flexibility to focus on content and not worry about binary file sizes when submitting apps to V CAST Apps. Developers can visithttp://developer.verizon.com/play for additional information about game development for the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. To learn more about the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY, visit www.sonyericsson.com. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visitwww.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 atwww.verizonwireless.com/multimedia. About Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson celebrates its 10th year as a joint venture between Sony Corporation and Ericsson in October, 2011. Over the years the company has brought together the best communication technologies with superior entertainment user experiences to create its Xperia™ line of the ‘most entertaining smartphones’ in the mobile handset industry. With its global corporate functions in London, Sony Ericsson has sales and marketing operations in all major regions of the world, as well as manufacturing in China, and product development sites in China, Japan, Sweden and Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit:www.sonyericsson.com/press.

Video Chatting Tab Found in Thunderbolt Gingerbread Leak

Kellen — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:57:13 +0000

When the HTC Thunderbolt finally sees an official Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update, it might have a new video chatting tab built into its People app. As you can see from the screenshot above, the leaked GB definitely has the option to filter your contacts by those that have video chatting capabilities. We were sort of expecting this built-in feature to come pre-loaded on the device along with Skype Video back at launch, but as we all know now, Skype has been delayed indefinitely and that never happened. I did load up Fring on my device, just to see if this would be able to pull from that and appears to not work that way. Could it have ties to Google Talk? Maybe it is just waiting on Skype? I have a feeling we will know in the very near future. Cheers @0mie!

Video: Quick Walk-through of Gingerbread (Android 2.3.4) on HTC Thunderbolt

Kellen — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:30:58 +0000

The leaked Gingerbread test build for the HTC Thunderbolt from this morning can now be flashed to your phone if your are rooted and willing to deal with a few minor bugs. The update brings you up to Android 2.3.4 with new Sense 2.1 and a feeling that somehow your life has become much more current than almost everyone else in the Android world. With so few phones actually up and running a semi-official build of GB, this one might be worth a spin just to say you did it. Here is a quick walk-through of some of the new features. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Gv2mG1Ba4[/youtube]

Download: New LauncherPro BETA Includes App Drawer Icon Skinning and ADW Theme Support

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:45:14 +0000

Federico Carnales has been seriously pumping the features out for LauncherPro these days. We go from skinning all the widgets, to now having full themes for icons in the App Drawer. And even better, all the ADW themes (yes ADW) that are available on the Market, also work with this version of LauncherPro, making life very easy! Along with the update is true infinite scrolling of homescreens, ability to hide label backgrounds, and much more. As always, we'll keep you up to date on more LauncherPro updates and other need to knows about customizing your favorite device. What are some more features that you think are lacking? Anything you would like to see next? Download new BETA: LauncherPro Version 0.8.6 BETA Source: Twitter Cheers everyone who sent this in!

Download: Gingerbread (Android 2.3.4) for the HTC Thunderbolt

Kellen — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:25:50 +0000

The leaked Gingerbread test build for the HTC Thunderbolt has already been zipped up and is ready for rooted users to flash. We're hearing that the camera may be busted, but the rest of it should all work. It'll upgrade you to Android 2.3.4 which is fun and all, but for the first time that I can recall on an HTC device, will upgrade the version of Sense to 2.1. All credit to @TeamAndIRC! Instructions:

Download both the ROM (0ba18ca101a0295df37bba36b562d210)and the radio (52dd83aa40e30186c9fbefafd1bab534).

Rename PG05IMG_gingerradio.zip to PG05IMG.zip and drop it onto the root of your SD Card.

Put mecha_gingerjane.zip onto the root of your SD Card

Boot into recovery

Do a Nandroid Backup!

Perform a factory reset

Flash mecha_gingerjane.zip, DO NOT REBOOT

Using ADB, reboot to bootloader

adb shell

reboot bootloader

If in fastboot mode, switch to bootloader mode and allow the updated radios to flash.

Enjoy!

*Note: If the zip you downloaded from above is version 1.2, you'll also have to flash this file to fix activation. *Note 2: There is a good chance that your camera will not work after flashing this. Continued support and fixes can be found at this XDA thread. Via: Android Police

Download: Stock Rooted Gingerbread For The "OG" Droid - GPA15

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:00:03 +0000

Our boy Peter Alfonso released an updated Stock Gingerbread ROM for the Original Droid over the weekend. This one is entitled GPA15 and from Pete's words is supposed to be the best. We can never get enough love for our beloved DROID. Link to download and instructions after the jump! If coming from an earlier build or a different ROM in general, I would recommended a full wipe. Step 1: Download this file and place on the root of your SD Card. (Changelog) Step 2: Boot in Clockwork Recovery and wipe both Data and Cache. Step 3: Using Clockwork, navigate to the .zip file and flash the ROM. And as we all know, Step 4 is to enjoy! Let us know what you think in the comment section below. He also wants you to note that if you have no sound when making a call, you need to reboot once. For additional info and Changelog head to Pete's website! Cheers Pete!

One Lucky DROIDX Owner Receives Official Gingerbread Early, May 26 Shows Up in Build Number

Kellen — Mon, 16 May 2011 12:07:04 +0000

We just got done talking about the official update for the DROIDX being pushed back a little so that Verizon can release the DROIDX2 first, and then these photos hit our inbox. You are looking at a "test" phone that one of our readers owns which was hit this morning with an update notification. That update as you may have guessed, was for official Gingerbread (system 4.5.596) which he gladly accepted. The interesting thing here, is that the build number (which he's asked that we partially blur) shows a date of 5-26 in it. What's significant about May 26, you ask? Well, that's the day we expect the DROIDX2 to launch. Are we looking at a massive Gingerbread treat on May 26 that will involve the original DX, DX2 and Xperia Play? It's tough to say for sure, but it looks like you all have a new date to mark on your calendars. Note: Now that I've had a minute to sit on this, I've realized that the .595 leak says 5-25 in its build number, so let's not get too excited about May 26. That's more than likely just a strange coincidence - we do love a good coincidence though. On more shot below.

Note 2: Since many of you have asked how Airplane mode and WiFi at the same time can happen, I thought I'd give you a screenshot from my DX to show you that it is indeed possible. I've also verified with at 2 people that this is indeed real.

Cheers CharlieX!

PopCap To Release Plants Vs. Zombies On Android Exclusively Through Amazon Appstore

Tim — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:50:17 +0000

Back in January we saw a couple of games teased by PopCap, the maker of some great iOS titles. (Anyone ever heard of Bejeweled?) Now, we can look forward to them bringing some of those titles to Android, courtesy of the Amazon Appstore. And as you will see in the press release below, PopCap has signed an exclusive contract with Amazon to hold their first titles and not on the Android Market for a two week period. Plants vs. Zombies will be one of those and is slated for release near the end of the month as a free app of the day; then continuing afterwards to be modestly priced at $2.99. When asked about the deal with Amazon, Giordano Bruno Contestabile, PopCap's senior director of global product and business strategy for mobile noted:

"Our relationship with Amazon is pivotal to PopCap's overall strategy in bringing a growing roster of mobile titles to the ever-widening base of smartphone users. By making these titles available on the Android platform, we'll significantly extend the reach of our top franchises to legions of new mobile customers and gaming fans alike."

This is a release which we know a lot of people have been waiting for - another great game in the bag for Android. This also marks the second time that the Amazon Appstore has had an exclusive on a big time game. Source: PRNewsWire Cheers EvanTheGamer!