Google sucks at upgrading their own devices to Android 4.0. Here is a story I didn’t think I would be writing a year ago. Google is disappointing a lot of Nexus S owners with their inconsistent software updates, as our very own Dustin pointed out earlier this month. Now JR Raphael of Computer World has graded most of the major manufacturers on their promises to deliver Android 4.0 updates and the results confirm what others have been saying. Acer, Archos, ASUS, and HTC all received better grades than Google when it came to updating their devices to Android 4.0.
Even AT&T, once billed the worst carrier for Android users, rubbed salt in Nexus S owners’ wounds when it updated the HTC Vivid to Android 4.0 this week. Last year at Google IO 2011, Google and their partners announced the Android Update Alliance to help speed up software updates, but it doesn’t appear to have had any effect. There have been a lack of updates about the alliance, which led some to write that it failed before it really started.
Giant Giveaway #12 - Shadowgun Edition: Win A Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 16GB + Jambox Wireless Speaker + $25 Giftcard. Apple or Google: Who makes the best mobile operating system? Massive Security Vulnerability In HTC Android Devices (EVO 3D, 4G, Thunderbolt, Others) Exposes Phone Numbers, GPS, SMS, Emails Addresses, Much More. I am quite speechless right now. Justin Case and I have spent all day together with Trevor Eckhart (you may remember him as TrevE of DamageControl and Virus ROMs) looking into Trev's findings deep inside HTC's latest software installed on such phones as EVO 3D, EVO 4G, Thunderbolt, and others. These results are not pretty. In fact, they expose such ridiculously frivolous doings, which HTC has no one else to blame but itself, that the data-leaking Skype vulnerability Justin found earlier this year pales in comparison.
Without further ado, let me break things down. The Vulnerability In recent updates to some of its devices, HTC introduces a suite of logging tools that collected information. That is not the case. But that's not all. Let me put it another way. Theoretically, it may be possible to clone a device using only a small subset of the information leaked here. Technical Details /system/xbin/su 0 /data/data/com.htc.loggers/bin/htcserviced Proof Of Concept App Patching The Vulnerability. Here's What Google Is Cooking Up For Ice Cream Sandwich (And Beyond!)
With Ice Cream Sandwich on the horizon, we at AP thought it would be a good idea to give you a roundup of what Google's been cooking up in Building 44 . We actually know a good deal about the future of Android; I'm talking real, solid facts. These are features Android engineers have demoed or talked about, and acquisitions Google has made related to Android technology.
We even have pretty clear timelines for most of them. A quick note before we get started: most of these videos are like, an hour long -- you're only expected to watch about 30 seconds of them, so pause whenever it gets boring. It has come to our attention that, while most of the points in the article were officially announced, there are a couple (mainly "keyboard" and "text-to-speech) that are speculatory. Device to Device NFC Sharing Near Field Communication (NFC) allows devices to wirelessly transfer small amounts of data over a short range. We were given a concrete release date at Google I/O 2011. Better Text to Speech. Midweek Madness: Win the first Android Limited device, a custom XOOM tablet! – Android and Me. Good news everyone! After giving away custom shirts and posters and toys for the past few years, we’ve finally landed at the logical conclusion: custom devices! Today we are happy to announce the launch of Android Limited, a special edition line of devices from Android and Me available only to you, the loyal reader.
We’re kicking off the series with a one-of-a-kind Motorola XOOM, powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 2. The XOOM is WiFi-only and has had its entire back laser etched with a custom design from our own @angiedoes. I could talk almost forever about how cool this was to make, but I think it’d be easier to just show you: Gallery When I said one-of-a-kind, I meant it. How to enter To win this XOOM, you’ve got to tweet or share on Facebook a link to this page with the hashtag #AndroidLimited. Update: the contest is over. Since this is the WiFi-only version, the contest is open to everyone regardless of location. Special Thanks And the winner is… @paleogirl2003! Sprint revises EVO 3D video capture specs to 720p. Taptu 1.5 Brings Better Search and New UI Customization | Android Tapp. Android App Reviews.
By Toni McQuilken Jun 9, 2011 4:21 PM – Install Taptu, a social media and mobile technology company, is releasing Taptu 1.5 for Android, the latest version of its social news reader app. Version 1.5 supercharges search, making it easy to discover more content, while also adding the ability to customize the look and feel of the app. Check out our Android app review of Taptu plus extra editorial of a head-to-head comparison of Taptu vs Pulse News Reader! The search function now scans both for the topic of a stream and for keywords within streams. “Our promise has always been to ensure that no matter what you’re searching for, we’ve got a stream for it. Taptu 1.5 also brings the ability to resize streams to make them larger or smaller and color code them to get organized. Writer’s Review Notes: After playing with the new app for a bit, I have to say, I like it, a lot.
I also love, love, love that the images are bigger when you click on an item. BBC News Worldwide Now Available for Other Countries. How Android Smartly Manages Your Accounts and Logins. Android has always operated as a connected operating system. It feels almost alive in the course of daily use as tweets and emails flow into the phone. Your contacts remain synced with various services in the cloud and apps remember your login info. All this data synchronization requires a fairly complicated set of logins and account management behind the scenes. Developers have the option of working within the Android operating system to manage credentials, or rolling their own solution. So let’s talk about how accounts and logins are managed on Android devices. Google services This is the principal feature of Android account management, and the first brush most users will have with Google’s attempts at a single sign on.
Over time, more and more services have been added to the Google account. The Google account, while having the distinction of being requested as the phone starts up, works within the same account management system as other apps do. Android Account Manager Why this is cool. Apps From Foursquare, LinkedIn, Netflix Put Data at Risk, Firm Finds - Digits.
[Unconfirmed] Samsung Galaxy S II Coming To Verizon In July | Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets - Android Police. Video: 7 reasons to trade in your EVO 4G for an EVO 3D – Android and Me. The official price and release date for Sprint’s HTC EVO 3D were finally announced a couple days ago, and it’s just crying to be picked up. Announced at CTIA 2011, this device has been one of the most anticipated of the year. And it only has a few worthy competitors. (Mostly the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S II). Soon after the EVO 3D’s price and availability were made official, multiple companies started announcing pre-order offers. Target seems to stand out amongst the crowd, since they’re offering a $150 credit if you’re willing to trade-in your HTC EVO 4G.
And Radio Shack is willing to give a $100 credit for it. Why should you give up your beloved EVO 4G? Processor If you thought your HTC EVO 4G was fast, wait ’til you see the power of the EVO 3D. Though this might be a battery drainer for some, (we all know Android devices have bad battery life anyway–especially ones with HTC Sense), this device does have 1 GB of RAM, which will greatly improve your multitasking experience. CONTEST: One Epic Droid Dad Will Rock Out To $1200+ Of SONOS Gear! Father’s Day is coming up (June 19th) and there is at least one dad in your life that absolutely rocks.
This year, thanks to our friends from SONOS, we’re helping one lucky reader give the dad in their life the ultimate Father’s Day gift… $1,296 in SONOS equipment that (like them) absolutely rocks. Don’t know what SONOS is? Watch the video below right now and you’ll thank me later: My full review of SONOS will come early next week but I’ve been testing the system for over a month and trust me- it’s awesome. It only takes a few minutes to setup: connect one box to your modem, load the software on your computer, put SONOS speakers in the rooms you want to experience musical nirvana and you’re good to go. Did we mention you can control it all directly from your Android Phone?
The winner will receive: (3) Sonos S5s valued at $399/each(1) Sonos ZoneBridge valued at $99Total value of prizes: $1,296! How to enter: How winner is chosen: Rules & Restrictions. [Video] Wirefly Reviews The HTC EVO 3D | Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets - Android Police. Thrutu App Gets A Massive Update, Adds Tons Of Features To Your Phone Calls | Android News, Reviews, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets, Tips, Mods, Videos, Tutorials - Android Police. Out of all the things that we use smartphones for these days, calls come in pretty close to last. We're too busy texting, taking pictures, surfing the web, getting directions... you get the idea.
What if we could incorporate all of these things into our phone calls though? That's exactly what Thrutu aims to do, and the newest update to the app makes most of that possible. Here's a video to get a better idea: Every feature isn't highlighted in the video, though - it can actually do even more than that. Here's a breakdown of each option, directly from the Market listing: It's also possible to install buttons developed by the community, using Thrutu's APIs.
PayPal: send money, instantly and securely, to the person you're talking toMeet Me: quickly find the best place to meet in personShared Search: search and browse the web togetherCoin Flip: make decisions or settle arguments with the flip of a coin Another really cool feature of Thrutu is Google Voice integration. EVO 4G Gingerbread update set to hit June 3. Dolphin Browser HD 5 Ditches Beta Status, Heads To Market – Now With Ad-Block! | Android News, Reviews, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets, Tips, Mods, Videos, Tutorials - Android Police.
Update: It appears that I misread the Dolphin Blog the first go around - version 5 doesn't block in-browser ads, the in-app ads have been removed. I apologize for the misinformation. The final version of Dolphin Browser HD 5 landed in the Android Market this morning, and it brings a whole slew of bug fixes and improvements along with it. Among the many improvements is one that most users will be quite happy about - Dolphin HD now blocks all Google Ads within web pages without the need for an add-on, making your browsing much simpler, as well as using less bandwidth Dolphin HD is now ad-free! Previously, you had to pay $4.99 for a license to remove ads, but that's no longer the case. Other major features include a new, elegant UI, an improved speed dial, and a much more organized bookmarks sidebar with subfolder integration.
Several popular add-ons have been updated, as well - including Alexa rank, Shiny Shake, Dolphin Read it Later, Read it Later, and Morning Coffee. [Dolphin Blog] EXCLUSIVE: Test model for the Nexus 3 by HTC? - Tech Hog. Amazon Tablets Priced for Winter Holiday Season 2011. Sprint Releases ID Pack Geared for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Customers | Android Tapp. Android App Reviews. By Toni McQuilken May 5, 2011 3:59 PM – Sprint is making a lot of news today.
In addition to the new Motorola phones they launched earlier, they also announced the Sprint Relay ID pack, which allows anyone who has difficulty hearing on their phone and members of the deaf community who use sign language to receive a customized bundle of applications, links, tips, icons, widgets and wallpapers on their Sprint ID-capable Android device. The bundle includes voice mail transcripts, visual and vibrating alerts and readable captions, among others – all available in a single download. The bundle marks the first time a carrier has developed multiple applications in one package for the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing communities. The Sprint Relay ID pack is currently available on the following Sprint ID devices: LG Optimus S, Sanyo Zio, Samsung Transform, Samsung Epic 4G and Samsung Galaxy Tab. The Sprint Relay ID pack includes the following applications: Categorised in: Apps Blog, News.
How to easily install third-party apps, even if your carrier prohibits it – Android and Me. PhoneDog Media ExclusiveDownload iM5, now available on Google Play. iM5 is a PhoneDog Media backed Social Platform to inspire real-life action through the crowdsourcing of ideas. See the video After the recent crackdown on tethering apps, it’s becoming clearer than ever that we’ll soon have to look outside the Android Market to download some of our favorite apps — perhaps Android needs its own Cydia store.
Meanwhile, we’ll have to download some apps directly from the source. That’s very easy and fool-proof to do on Android, just download the .apk and off you go. Android Injector is a PC application that allows you to literally drag and drop Android apps onto your phone. Download and install Android InjectorInstall your phone’s drivers. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Via: Lifehacker. Spotify Mobile App Now Available for All (Still Not in the US, Though) If you have been a Spotify Free user jealous of premium users and their access to the Spotify app on mobile devices, today is your lucky day.
The music streaming and download service has made their Android app open to all users, bringing the ability to sync your Spotify playlists wirelessly with your smartphone. Unfortunately, Spotify is still unavailable for those living in the United States. That may change soon, sort of. Recent rumors suggest Spotify is in talks with Google over a new-format Google Music service. When and if that happens, it may be the only taste of the wildly popular music player the US gets. [via Spotify] Google Blocking Tethering Apps per Carrier Requests | Android Tapp. Android App Reviews. With Apps, The NOOK Color Is Now A Smart Hybrid.
Monday's announcement that the Barnes & Noble NOOK Color had launched its application gallery was much anticipated, with leaks and rumors galore over the last few months, as industry watchers have been curious how the eReader would adapt to a world in between the single mindedness of a Kindle and the do-anything catch all of a full-fledged tablet device. Full disclosures up front, due to my role at my6sense, I've known the Barnes & Noble app plans for several months, and our app was included as one of the first to be included on launch day. But as a user who already owns an Android tablet in the Samsung Galaxy Tab and a pair of iPads besides, I was independently eager to get my hands on these apps, and I believe what has been delivered is a smartly curated, less intimidating way to bring the best features of Android to users who don't want to lose the comfort or familiarity of a device centered around reading.
My NOOK home screen with apps and the apps gallery NOOK Color Apps for Sale. Boy Genius Report » Sprint Kyocera Echo review. Sprint’s Kyocera Echo is a brand new concept in the mobile space. It’s innovative, and it’s bold. Using two displays that connect together to form one large touch surface, you’re able to interact with your handset in a way that’s never been possible before. You can use Twitter on the top screen while scrolling through your photos on the lower display until you pick just the right one you want to upload to TwitPic — or you can use the email app with both screens, one letting you view your inbox and the other showing you an individual message.
Does having two displays make sense in the real world? More importantly, is the Kyocera Echo the right device to deliver this unique new experience? You’ll find out after the jump! Hardware / Display The Echo features a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, dual 3.5-inch touchscreen displays with extremely small bezels (which is important when they are placed side by side) and a 5-megapixel camera with 720p HD video capture.
Software Phone / Speaker Battery Conclusion. Motorola Xoom, Atrix Too Pricey for the Public | Gadget Lab. Yared.com. Boy Genius Report » HTC Flyer makes compelling case to be your next tablet in official video. LauncherPro 0.8.4 Brings Gmail Widget, New Homescreen Transitions. Google working with Mastercard and Citigroup to make NFC payments a reality. Amazon App Store Requires Security Compromise | Gadget Lab. NOOKcolor Getting Froyo, App Store and Flash Player in April. Broadcast Yourself. Broadcast Yourself. Sprint Nexus S 4G available this spring for $199 on contract.
Google Voice integration goes deep with Sprint. Rumor: Motorola Atrix and XOOM Headed to Sprint with 4G WiMAX | Android Phone Fans. Direct Installs for Android 2.3.3. Gingerbread for Nexus One and Nexus S discovered. Why Nobody Can Match the iPad’s Price | Gadget Lab. Honeycomb SDK Ported to the HTC EVO!!! The Curious Myth of the Tablet Operating System. Google’s Dan Morrill: All of Honeycomb’s Features Will Make their Way to Smartphones “in Some Form” | Android Phone Fans.
HTC Wins Device Manufacturer of the Year at Annual Global Mobile Awards | Android Phone Fans. Motorola Xoom priced at $799; WiFi only version around $600. 4G Speed Tests Show Samsung Galaxy S 4G as Winner | Android Phone Fans.
AndroidOS. Apps. Hardware.