• Symantec Warns of Android.Counterclank: Always Check Permissions

    Android Apps

    Symantec, the makers of Norton, warned today about several different app publishers that have been found to be pushing out Android.Counterclank . This bot-like threat is a new variation of the threat Android.Tonclank . The malicious code is attached in a package called “apperhand” to the main application and when executed it can carry out certain actions and steal information from the device. It can also place a new Search icon on the Home Screen. Take a look at their visual summary here . When you combine the number of downloads for all these malicious apps you get 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 installations, which is the widest reach reported for any malware yet this year. The threat is limited to people who have installed apps from the following list (sorted by publisher). You’ll notice that several of the apps are given similar names to legitimate apps. If you have a similarly named app, check the publisher (ex. there are a number of different Hearts Live Wallpaper apps, but the one by  iApps7 Inc is the malicious one), because more than likely you have a legitimate app and are not affected. iApps7 Inc Counter Elite Force Counter Strike Ground Force CounterStrike Hit Enemy Heart Live Wallpaper Hit Counter Terrorist Stripper Touch girl Ogre Games Balloon Game Deal & Be Millionaire Wild Man redmicapps Pretty women lingerie puzzle Sexy Girls Photo Game Sexy Girls Puzzle Sexy Women Puzzle If you have been affected, Symantec provides removal instructions using their Norton Mobile Security here . Some of the named apps are still in the Android Market, but will likely be removed soon by Google. This serves as another reminder to always check the permission requests for carefully for any new app before you install it, especially those made by lesser known publishers. Just because an app is in the Market doesn’t guarantee it is safe, and be especially careful for non-Market apps. Source: Symantec.com Official Blog

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  • Android Apps Alert #86: TurboTax, ESPN, Steam, 1Weather, and more

    Google Android

    January’s almost over and this is the first Android Apps Alert of 2012. Madness, I know, but things kept moving even while we were away dealing with CES and other things. App makers must have had their fingers hovering over the publish button because there have been plenty of apps and games released recently, so here’s a tidy little round-up of a few that you may want to grab. 1Weather Limited to high-end Android devices (support varies) Radar weather works on in United States As far as weather apps go, it would be easier for me to list how many options aren’t available than to write down which ones can be on your screen at the moment. If you previously yearned for a minimalist widget that showed the date, weather highs and lows for the day, you’ve got another style to scratch off the list. 1Weather has an understated 2

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  • Is Google right to say farewell to the Menu button? [POLL]

    Google Android

    The menu button has lost its space among the elite conventions of Android UI design. What once was Menu, Back, Home, Search has become Back, Home, App Tray, and Google wants Android developers to get used to it. But should they? Following Scott Main’s blog post on the Android Developer blog yesterday, Android fans are wondering if Google made the right decision to encourage developers to downplay the Menu button and embrace the Action Bar. In a reply to someone’s Google+ post , one disappointed user called it the “worst idea ever,” saying that “Android should have stuck with the menu button just because it’s always been there and apps are developed around that.” Not anymore they aren’t. Google urges developers to stop relying on the menu button because the Action Bar is the new home for navigation. The Menu button was previously seen as a “catch-all for various user options” says Main, but the action bar puts a focus on specific actions. Take for example Dropbox. The pre-Ice Cream Sandwich version requires pressing the Menu button in order to search for a flee, but the Honeycomb/ICS version has a dedicated search button on the access bar. It’s quick, convenient, and neater. And in the event that I need to access more features – like settings, for instance – that aren’t on the action bar, there’s still the Action Overflow button. It’s not that the Menu button is “dead” – it’s just been reincarnated. The Action Overflow contains the items once housed in the Menu section, and developers can still support Menu on legacy devices with one line of code. So what’s the problem? Who would have thought that a simple change to UI conventions, which arguably makes more sense, could upset people? So I ask you, great reader of Androinica, who’s right here? Should Google have downplayed the Menu button in favor of the Action Bar/Overflow, or should the company have kept doing things the old and familiar way? Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

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  • Samsung ”still reviewing” the launch date of Galaxy S III

    Google Android

    The Samsung Galaxy S II has clearly been of the most popular Android-based smartphones ever, if not the best, so it’s only natural to crave for a Galaxy S III release as soon as possible. However, even though the next generation Korean handheld was originally rumored to make its official debut at the 2012 MWC, it seems that we might wait for a while before catching a glimpse of it after all. In an exclusive conversation with the guys at sammyhub.com , Mrs. Younghee Lee, one of Samsung’s executives stated that the Korean company is ‘’still reviewing several options to launch’’ the future smartphone. Of course, no exact date has been revealed by Samsung’s executive, but, as we are only a month away from the 2012 MWC in Barcelona, it’s starting to seem more unlikely than ever that the Galaxy S III will see the light of day so soon. The rumor mill already hinted a couple of days ago that Samsung might hold out for an exclusive launching event, as the Korean electronics giant is planning to blow our minds with their new quad-core smartphone running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This supposed event might happen sometime this spring, according to speculations, and Samsung is expected to officially release the Galaxy S III in early summer. However, these are all rumors for now, so rather than dream with our eyes open, we should wait for some official news. Stay tuned on Androinica for further developments and don’t forget to hit the source link below to hear the official Samsung statement about the ‘’reviewing’’ of several possible launch dates. Sammyhub.com

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  • Deal of the day: Refurbished 16 GB HP TouchPad for $169.99, 32 GB model for $220

    Google Android

    If you failed to pick up an HP TouchPad a few months ago when it was available for 100 bucks (granted, only for a couple of hours), you can today take advantage of a special deal and get the 10-inch tablet for… well, for a lot more. For 169.99 dollars, to be more exact, which is a lot more than the ‘’yard sale’’ price from when HP discontinued the gadget, but is significantly less than what this gadget goes for on most online stores right now. Sure, the TouchPad you will get from Woot for $169.99 is a refurbished 16 GB model, but I personally am thinking to get one, as the CyanogenMod guys are almost done with their Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich port. After all, if the CM brilliant minds will manage to get the job done in the near future (and chances are they will), you will end up with an elegant and snappy tablet running Droid ICS. The TouchPad, for those of you who don’t know or have forgotten, is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and features WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a 1.3 MPx front-facing camera, as well a pretty strong battery, capable of around six or seven hours of running time between charges. The 9.7-inch IPS wide viewing-angle screen is itself very nice, featuring a 1024 x 768 pixels resolution and all in all, for 170 bucks, this is a darn fine piece of technology equipment! Also, if you are afraid that you will pick up a faulty slate from Woot , as it comes refurbished, you should not worry very much, because you get a 90 day warranty from the producer. Finally, if 16 GB of internal storage space is not enough for you, the guys at Woot have the 32 GB HP TouchPad on sale as well, going for 219.99 dollars. Again, that seems like a very nice deal, at least as far as I’m concerned, so get them while they’re hot and while they’re not sold out (pardon the childish rhyme, it was unintentional)!

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  • Motorola shipped 1 million tablets, 18.7 million phones in 2011

    Google Android

    Remember all those times where we tried to play the guessing games about how many Motorola Xoom’s were shipped ? Well, we don’t have to guess anymore because Motorola has finally told us – about 1 million. Motorola released its earnings report for the fiscal year 2011, and in it the company revealed that it sold “approximately 200 thousand and 1 million tablets in the fourth quarrier and full year, respectively.” Motorola was the first company to sell a device with Google’s tablet-specific OS, the Motorola Xoom , that was eventually replaced by the Xyboard. These numbers are only for devices shipped, not necessarily how many were sold to consumers, but the tally seems slightly lower than I expected. i always assumed that the combined sales of the Xoom – even with its ridiculous pricing structure when the device debuted – and eventual Wi-Fi release would have cracked more than just a million. Smartphone shipments gave more reason for Motorola to smile. The Atrix, Droid Bionic, Razr, X2, and several other phones combined to ship more than 18.7 million in 2011. Motorola shipped 5.3 million in Q4 alone. Due to Google’s pending acquisition of the company, Motorola is not conducting an earnings call, so we’re going to miss out on the colorful commentary that usually comes along with these releases. However, we can guess that CEO Sanjay Jha would have thrown at typical buzzwords like “innovative” and “revolutionary” to describe a year that was full of product releases but had its share of disappointments. We can guess the company would have spoken about the upcoming year as well. Jha hinted in previous comments that Motorola would cut down on the number of devices released and focus more on its core products in 2012 ( similar to HTC ). Motorola, which was once a leading Android smartphone producer, is poised to put more wood behind fewer arrows as its future boss likes to say . [ Motorola ]

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  • Deal: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is available from Amazon Wireless for $99

    Google Android

    If you’re looking to start a new account with Verizon Wireless, then you will definitely want to take a close look at the promotion Amazon Wireless is currently running.  While supplies last, Amazon Wireless will sell you a Samsung Galaxy Nexus for only $99 on a new two year contract with Big Red. Currently, Verizon is selling the Galaxy Nexus for $299, but the same Android 4.0 device can be had for just $99 if you’re looking to sign a new contract with Verizon.  As I previously mentioned, the promotion will only expire when supplies run out, so it is advised to jump on the opportunity as soon as possible — if you are interested in the 4G LTE smartphone. As a quick recap of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus specs, it features a 4.65 inch Super AMOLED HD display, a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 5MP rear facing camera, 1080p video capture, 1.3MP front facing camera, Android 4.0, 4G LTE connectivity, and NFC. The Galaxy Nexus has consistently received high praise as being of the industry-leading smartphone options.  Feel free to check out the Amazon product listing below. [ Amazon Wireless ]

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  • Toshiba Thrive 7 Review

    Google Android

    Bigger is better. Well, unless we’re talking about the Toshiba Thrive. While we had a mostly favorable review of the “Honeycomb Hulk,” certain elements of the design were a bit awkward. Months after the original Thrive’s release, Toshiba hits a little closer to the mark with the Toshiba Thrive 7. Playing Bruce Banner to the Honeycomb Hulk, the Thrive 7 has a more sensible build, is more palm-friendly, and makes more sense to own if a user doesn’t need the full 10-inch screen of a tablet. What’s less clear is if the Thrive should be considered over the Galaxy Tab 7, Amazon Kindle Fire, and host of other 7-inch screens. How does the Toshiba Thrive 7 stack up when compared to other devices in its class? There’s only one way to find out, so let’s get  to it. HARDWARE Toshiba copied the basic design philosophy from the original Thrive and created a mini-me for the 7-inch version of the Android tablet. The Thrive 7 is a long black slab with round corners and a front-facing camera made more distinct thanks to a metal half-circle wrapped around it. The back has a rubber grip texture, though this style is smoother and flatter than the larger ridges we noticed on the original Thrive. It also has the NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor that chugs along nicely and opens users up to a higher class of mobile gaming. The Thrive 7 has a 7-inch LED touchscreen. Other display types typically garner more praise for their array of colors, but the 7′s high resolution (1280 x 800) on a smaller screen looks fantastic. The downside is that you can’t do much watching since battery life was suspect. I managed to watch an episode and a half of American Pickers on Netflix before the 7 took a big battery hit, and web browsing and reading activities didn’t seem to last as long as other tablets do. For leisure activities like reading books in transit or browsing apps on the couch, you’ll be fine, but things get dodgy if you are out and about for extended periods of time. * 16 to 32 GB of internal memory and a chance to expand with micro SD * The device can be held in one hand comfortable and is very portable, which is excellent for readers and travelers. * MicroSD, mini USB, and micro HDMI ports provide more options for connecting devices and expanding memory. That means more entertainment options than you might get with other devices. * While the original Thrive put speakers on both sides of the device for its “stereo” effect, the 7 has both speakers at the bottom in portrait and right in landscape, which often get blocked by the hand. * Battery life is disappointing. CAMERA Toshiba offers a 2 MP front-facing camera and a 5 MP rear camera with flash. You won’t win any photography awards with either, especially since the camera takes so long that your subject may have moved already. You’re looking at a 3-5 second delay from pressing the button to the picture actually being snapped. You can still capture images in decent lighting to showcase, or have a video chat while sitting in an airport lounge, but photo-taking is not this device’s strong suit. The rear camera isn’t very good, but it gets the job done. Just be sure to watch where you put your hands because of camera placement. The lens is near the top or left of the device depending on orientation, so the natural way to hold a tablet in landscape will cause a user’s hands to block the lens. Either keep your hand at the bottom of the device or record with one hand (it’s light enough to permit that kind of operation.) SOFTWARE Little has changed about the smaller Thrive’s software since we last reviewed the larger version. The 7 is running Android 3.2 and has the stable of standard Google Mobile apps that have been built with tablets in mind. The difference is that Toshiba toned down the amount of pre-loaded software that bloated the larger Thrive. The 7 still has pre-installed apps, but they are limited to a few card and board games, Kaspersky Security, Need for Speed Shift, and Printer Share. I would have preferred to see even those left off, but at least Toshiba slimmed down more than just the physical design of the 7. On the plus-side, the Thrive 7 has standard, regular, no sugar-added Honeycomb 3.2. Most of the other 7-inch tablets we’ve seen have been heavily customized. While that’s not automatically a bad thing, it’s good to know that people who prefer stock Android have an option. Aside from a few awkward attempts to unlock the device while it slowly switched between portrait and landscape, it was a smooth ride. We can’t speak to upgrades regarding Ice Cream Sandwich because there’s no official word on it, but fingers are crossed that Toshiba will provide an upgrade. CONCLUSION So what’s the bottom line on the Toshiba Thrive 7? On the surface, it’s a solid 7-inch tablet that has better gaming options than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7, but it’s tough to say that its really a better buy with the weaker battery life. The Thrive 7 tries to make up for shorter battery life with a longer features list: more port and storage options that are great, a well-performing screen, and a comfortable feel. The person who buys this tablet must be someone who tries the Galaxy Tab 7 and finds some flaw that pushes them into the arms of the Thrive. (He or she might actually be better served with that device.) While the original Thrive was a clunky piece of hardware with enough strong points to overlook those shortcomings, the Thrive 7 offers some of the same awkwardness with more comfort. If you don’t care about cameras on a tablet and keep a charger handy, you’ll enjoy your time with the Thrive 7.

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  • Dolphin, meet Evernote and Skitch for Web Clipping and Image Annotation

    Android Apps

    I’m not the only one here at Androinica who loves Evernote, and I use it many times every day, as well as my trusty Dolphin browser. Well this week these two good friends have started working together on Android in a big way, through two new add-ons, and Evernote rounded things out with a new version that adds some very handy new features as well. If you’re still not familiar with Evernote, I strongly recommend you head over to the Market and give it a try. I’ve used it to organize my thoughts, writing, receipts, warranties, loyalty cards, grocery lists, travel plans, gift ideas, goals, ideas, and just about anything. I love being able to access searchable notes from my Android phone, tablet, Windows desktop, laptop, and even a browser in a pinch. Up until now, the desktop version had a few features that were sorely missed on Android, but no longer! The Evernote Add-On for Dolphin lets you do web clipping similar to the desktop Chrome browser extension. This is functionality that I had actively been trying to find ever since I first started using Evernote, and now we finally have it. Download the Add-On, authorize your account, and you’re ready to start clipping any text you want to remember. Select text on a website and click the Evernote icon to send it directly to a new note, and you get to edit the title (default is the webpage title), choose the Notebook, and add Tags as well. I love that feature while I’m doing research, grabbing a recipe or part of an interesting blog post, or picking up book titles or model numbers for future reference. In fact, it helped me write this post. Quick tip: make sure you select the text you want first, then press the button, otherwise you’ll end up with just the title and an empty note. It is a nice and usable start, but far from perfect and can (and likely will with Dolphin being very responsive to user feedback) get even better as we go along. I’d like to see an option to automatically added the source link to the bottom of the note, and quite a number of users are complaining that the Evernote icon replaced the Dolphin Home button in the browser. The latter didn’t bother me, since I never really use the home button, but I’d far rather have the web clipper accessible from the main screen rather than have to go to the add-ons by sliding to the right side Dolphin drawer. It would definitely make sense to give users that option up front. Note that it does a good job clipping the formatted text, but it doesn’t grab images like the Chrome extension. That would be a nice future addition too. Download it now in the Market , and get clipping! Skitch for Dolphin extends all the great capabilities for image annotation right into your browser as well. Click on the Skitch icon in the drawer and the screenshot goes right into Skitch and you can annotate away. Its perfectly implemented and very smooth – great job Dolphin! This is one area where we’re now ahead of the Windows version, since Skitch is still Mac and mobile only. Available now in the Market . Not to be outdone by Dolphin, the new update to version 3.5 of Evernote for Android adds the usual bug fixes and reliability improvements, but a few little changes that make the overall experience better. Auto Titles auto generates a title for a note that you create via snapshot or voice memo if you don’t give it a name. I’ve had notes that I made and then had trouble finding before when they stayed nameless, but now the name will be based on the type of note and the date/time. Improved image spacing in notes by using a bit of padding around the border to make it look better, especially with multiple images in a note. You can tap and zoom to fullscreen for an image, or even better long press and open it in Skitch to annotate. You can now Save anytime, without having to exit the note. A basic feature and one you would have thought was in there earlier. The desktop version autosaves frequently, and while working on mobile you might like to be able to do those saves without breaking your flow. It’s not very often that three great applications I use daily get together to get even better, but this is one of those rare and special times. Great job by everyone involved. How are you going to use these great new Add-ons, and what’s your favorite way to use Evernote?

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  • Lenovo and NAF partner to teach Android app development to teens

    Google Android

    Mobile apps are already a huge industry, but there’s still plenty of room for growth. That means companies will have a need of skilled programmers and designers to develop those apps in the future. Lenovo and the National Academy Foundation have partnered to make sure that teens in the U.S. will be prepared to become those developers. Lenovo and the NAF have launched a pilot program at five high-schools that aims to increase interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. A 12-week after-school program will be combined with students’ in-class IT studies to teach app development. Students will form groups that create a wireframe, business plan, and implementation schedule for their app. The program will help participating students not only create the app concept, but build it and pitch why their creation matters as well. Lenovo is donating ThinkPad Tablets to aid the process. The NAF’s project is an interesting concept that appears to meet a demand according to a survey that Lenovo called our attention to. Omnibus found that 80 percent of American teens are interested in learning how to create an app, and 22 percent recognize that skill as one of the most important to have. (Web development was the must-have skill of the future when I was in high-school, and I was always disappointed that my school didn’t do more to offer classes to push me further along.) “To succeed in tomorrow’s workforce, students need a solid foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with fluency in the technologies that will power the global economy. This exciting program engages students via the technology and apps they use every day.  By partnering with the National Academy Foundation, we’re delivering a rigorous and relevant curriculum that will help create our next generation of developers and entrepreneurs.” -  Michael Schmedlen, worldwide director of education, Lenovo The National Academy Foundation hopes to deliver the curriculum to all of its schools, but the first to participate in the program are: Grover Cleveland High School in New York City Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles Pathways to Technology Magnet School in Hartford, Conn. A.J. Moore Academy of Information and Technology in Waco, Texas. Thanks, Melissa!

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  • AT&T has huge Q4 of smartphone sales – Android crushed by iPhone

    Google Android

    We’ve been in the habit of reporting so much about Android’s incredible sales that it’s sometimes jarring to hear when the green bot isn’t racing towards the top. On at least one U.S. carrier, Android’s raced toward record sales, but it got lapped several times in the process. AT&T released its fourth quarter earnings for 2011 and reported that it had the “best-ever quarter” of smartphone sales: 9.4 million activations. Most of those activations, 7.6 million to be precise, were for the iPhone. That leaves only 1.8 million sales between Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7. Q4 2011 featured 50 percent more sales than the previous quarterly record, and nearly double the sales registered in Q3 2011. It was a brightspot in a not-so-sunny time for AT&T, which failed to acquire T-Mobile USA . The company must have been ecstatic to finally have some good news to share. But for Android fans, seeing such a discrepancy in sales might cause slight nervousness. AT&T neglected Android and didn’t release quality devices until 2011. Could such a huge preference for iPhone among subscribers cause the carrier to not try as hard to deliver top of the line Android devices? I wouldn’t go that far just yet because AT&T will always need to support an iPhone alternative to give consumers choice. But with 80 percent of AT&T subscribers last quarter opting for an iPhone, there may need to be a better crop of choices. Notes from today’s earnings call: AT&T has 74 millions LTE pops. Network coverage will double in 2010, and 80 percent of US population will be covered in 2013. Android sales were double what they were in Q4 2010, a sign that AT&T greatly improved its Android offerings Call quality saw an increase from the the depiction of AT&T as a poor network. 3G call retention is at 99% since September. [ AT&T ]

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  • HTC to rethink its strategy and concentrate on only launching a few high-end devices in 2012

    Google Android

    After registering what was the first profit drop in two years in the fourth quarter of 2011 , HTC bosses have announced that they are planning to rethink their strategy for 2012. Peter Chou, the HTC CEO, has stated a few weeks back that he is welcoming competition, which could make his own company better and stronger, but that a few changes need to be made in the coming months. On the same note, the HTC UK chief, Phil Roberson, has released a statement earlier today, saying that ‘’2012 is about giving our customers something special’’. Roberson admitted that HTC needs to reduce the number of products released and to focus on a few high-end devices that can drive the company forward. The new approach has been described as a ‘’hero’’ approach by Phil Roberson, who says that a more ‘’rationalized’’ smartphone portfolio is much needed. The HTC UK chief has added that the risks of failure might increase by adopting such a strategy, because the ‘’margin for error increases and you have fewer products to fall back on’’. Phil Roberson has hesitated to clearly state how many high-end smartphones will be released by HTC in the coming year, but has stated that the tablet output will be contained. Also, he didn’t give out any technical details about the coming products, but it’s pretty obvious that HTC will be bringing one or several quad-core handsets in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress and then on the worldwide market. All in all, we can say that the Taiwanese manufacturer will try to gain some momentum against competitors like Samsung or Apple with weapons familiar to the two latter companies, both of which are expected to release only one or a couple important products in the coming year. Will the HTC make it and recover from the Q4 2011 loss? What do you think? Via MobileToday

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  • Waterproof and dustproof Disney Mobile phone unveiled in Japan, to go for sale in February

    Google Android

    While it’s nothing out of ordinary to see a bunch of gadgets unveiled or released in Asia and especially in Japan, today seems like a special day, with not one, but two Android devices that I myself would like to see in the US as well being revealed. Toshiba has just unveiled a good-looking and pretty snappy e-book reader and now a Disney Mobile smartphone targeted towards women and kids has been revealed as well and is due to hit the market next month. The DM012SH has a very special and original design, inspired by Disney’s classic character Mickey Mouse. Even though I’m past the age of watching Mickey Mouse cartoons, I think that a smartphone like this, which is both slim and chic, but also functional and powerful, could well become a hit for kids and teenagers. Available in two colors, pink and white, the 4-inch smartphone is set to be resistant to dust and water, which once again makes it a perfect choice for clumsy kids nowadays. There’s a bit of power under the device’s hood as well, with a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T processor and 512 MB of RAM among the phone’s tech specs. The 4-inch display sported by the Disney Mobile DM012SH should also be pretty nice, coming with a 960 x 540 pixels resolution, while an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera is decent, if not perfect, for a medium-range gadget like this. Other features include 4 GB of internal storage space (kind of poor, if you ask me), as well as WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, a micro USB port and a microSD card slot. Also, the smartphone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which is not ideal, but I guess is decent enough for this gadget’s target customers. The 4-inch Android based smartphone will be made available in Japan in mid-February for a yet to be specified price and for the time being we have no news about a possible US or Europe release. What do you think, would such a device have any chance of becoming successful in the US of A? Via Octoba.net

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  • Toshiba reveals the DB50 Android based e-Book reader, to sell in Japan in February

    Mobile Technology

    Tablet prices have dropped significantly during the past few months and one of the consequences has been the e-Book readers’ decreasing popularity. However, when Toshiba is introducing an e-reader running Android and featuring a pretty nice screen, as well as a snappy processor, it’s pretty difficult to not become interested. Toshiba’s new e-reader is called the DB50 and will sadly only be released in Japan. Sporting a 7-inch color LED backlight screen with WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600 pixels), the DB50 has pretty much all the features you would expect from an affordable entry-level tablet these days. There’s a 1 GHz processor under the hood (granted, it’s a Freescale i.MX535, so don’t expect a very high performance level), as well as WiFi support, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB 2.0 port and a microSD card slot. The internal storage space is far from ideal, with just 8 GB of on-board memory to go around, but then again there is the card slot, so you can expand the storage. As for the software, the guys at Toshiba have stated that the e-reader will be running Android, but they haven’t released any additional details. We can’t therefore say if the e-reader will run Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich (the last two are highly unlikely, though) and we can’t even say at this point if the DB50 will offer Android Market access. However, it will be compatible with Toshiba’s BookPlace, which I guess might be a big thing over there in Japan. In terms of design, the DB50 looks pretty slim and elegant and is set to weigh only 0.77 pounds (330 grams) and measure a mere 0.43 inches thick. We also have a couple of details about the device’s battery, said to run for around seven and a half hours between charges. As I already mentioned, the Android based e-book reader will only be released in Japan (at least for the time being) and will hit the market in February at a yet to be specified date and for a yet to be specified price. Stay tuned for more details coming soon! Update : It seems that the e-reader will cost around 22,000 yen (285 bucks) and will start shipping on February 10. Also, Toshiba has decided to follow in the Kindle Fire’s footsteps and their DB50 will run a customized version of Android 2.3 with a simple, but interactive interface. Via AkihabaraNews

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  • SEGA Sonic 4 Episode 1 available now in Android Market

    Mobile Technology

    SEGA is hedging its bets on Android and delivering the a new-ish game Sonic the Hedgehog. No longer just an iOS affair, Sonic 4: Episode 1 is available now in the Android Market for anyone with an urge to race through plush lands, grab coins, and defeat evil in a way that only Sonic can. Ok, you might be able to see someone on PED’s do something similar, but not in digital form. Be aware that this is not the Tegra-optimized version of the game first teased in December . That version of the game (Episode II) is to have an all new set of graphics and physics built specifically for Tegra 2 and 3 processors that would really push the boundaries of what we’re use to seeing from SEGA’s mobile games. Not only is this version compatible with non-Tegra devices, the Android Market website tells me that it is incompatible with several Tegra phone and tablet models linked to my account. The Motorola Atrix and Toshiba Thrive are supported, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Toshiba Thrive 7 are not for some reason. All compatible devices can purchase Episode I for $3.99 USD and download an additional 107 MB file in order to run the game under a more traditional Sonic look. There are also two levels built specifically for phones with an accelerometer, 7 special stages, 4 unique zones, a “revamped classic boss battle” when taking on Dr. Eggman. I made the purchase instantly based on my childhood love of Sonic, even though I know something better’s coming along. Grab this game if you don’t want to wait until the unnamed date later this year when Sonic Episode II arrives. Thanks, Erin!

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  • Forget auto-focus – what if Lytro someday gives smartphones infinite focus?

    Google Android

    Lytro is a company that is gearing up to deliver a light field camera that can capture an image and then choose what to focus on later. The “shoot first, focus later” technology allows users to capture fields of light rather than a standard image like most cameras do. This can do away with blurry images and allow users to tap on an area to focus a picture after the light field has already been captured. Now what if you could do it with your phone? The Lytro camera isn’t even in the hand of consumers yet, but people were bound to wonder if the company’s technology could appear in smartphone. PCWorld’s Tim Moynihan posed that question to Lytro CEO Ren Ng, who responded with this statement: …We’re very focused on building our own branded cameras and product line to sell in the marketplace…If we were to apply the technology in smartphones, that ecosystem is, of course, very complex, with some very large players there. It’s an industry that’s very different and driven based on operational excellence. For us to compete in there, we’d have to be a very different kind of company. So if we were to enter that space, it would definitely be through a partnership and a co-development of the technology, and ultimately some kind of licensing with the appropriate partner. A Lytro-licensed camera won’t appear in any smartphone any time soon, but it would be a compelling feature to see in the future. Smartphones are becoming the most-used camera for the average consumer, but they often require multiple shots because of poor sensors and blurriness. And everyone has taken a picture with a smartphone that looked fine on a 4-inch screen but disappointing on a computer monitor. Lytro would provide more leeway in correcting those focus issues. Of course, there’s the issue of costs. The debut Lytro camera retails for $399, which is more than half half of what the average smartphone costs at full retail price. How much more would it cost to utilize Lytro’s technology and engineer it in a small enough space to make room for all the other components found in a smartphone? The silver lining is that we probably have a long time before that becomes an issue, so maybe Lytro can partner with a phone maker who can keep the costs down and the quality up. Visit Lytro.com to get more info on Lytro’s technology and take a look at how it works. [ PCWorld ] via Engadget

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  • LG proudly exclaims one million Optimus LTE devices have been sold

    Mobile Technology

    LG’s current flagship device has made quite a name for itself over the past several months.  The Optimus LTE, according to LG, has been sold over a million times in the markets in which it is available. The LG Optimus LTE originally launched in October 2011 in Korea and sold 8,500 times on its first day of availability.  In its first three months on the Korean market, it sold over 600,000 times setting the tone for its popularity in markets around the world.  Despite any specific statistics referencing how well it sold in the United States, we do know that it is available through AT&T and Verizon Wireless.  On AT&T, it is known as the LG Nitro HD and on Verizon as the LG Spectrum.  On Bell in Canada it is known as the Bell Optimus Eye. Wherever the device is sold, it retains several important specs.  Since it is a flagship, you can expect a large screen, snappy processor, high-resolution camera, and fast network connectivity.  More specifically, it contains a 4.5 inch True HD display, dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 8MP rear facing camera, 4G LTE connectivity, Android 2.3, and 1GB of RAM. While this is a great milestone for LG, we suspect that the company is already hard at work on its next flagship device that could possibly see a Mobile World Congress debut. [ LG Press Release ]

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  • Chevy Game Time gives Android users a chance to win a new car during Super Bowl XLVI

    Android Apps

    My car is 10 years old and chugging along nicely, but I wouldn’t mind pushing something new for the new year. Chevy has an app that might help me, or any other legal resident of the United States, get a new set of wheels in 2012. The Chevy Game Time App , now available for Android 2.2 and higher, is a new Android app that serves as a companion for a contest held during Super Bowl XLVI. And there’s an appealing prize – well, prizes actually – awaiting winners: 20 Chevy cars will be given away through the Game Time app, along with prizes from Motorola, Papa John’s pizza, and NFL fan gear. To enter, download the Game Time app from the Android Market, and register your full name and email address. Game Time will then generate a random license plate that, if displayed during one of Chevy’s Super Bowl commercials, entitles you to a brand new car. You’ll also be entered for a drawing just for registering with the app, and get another chance on February 7, 2012. Aside from being the gateway to your potential Price Is Right moment, Game Time offers some interactive and trivia elements. The app shows fun facts related to the Super Bowl, Live Polls, trivia questions, video clips, a preview of Chevy’s Super bowl commercial, and tweets from the #ChevyGameTime hashtag. Click the Download app button below to head to the Android Market page. The standard legal mumbo jumbo and a breakdown of the all the prizes available are available here . 1. No purchase necessary. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.) 18 years and older or of the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is greater. Void where prohibited. Ends 2/6/12. To enter for a chance to win, Official Rules , alternate method of entry, and complete details, visit www.Chevy.com/GameTime. Sponsor: General Motors.

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  • PlayPhone to debut four new Android games in the next month

    Android Apps

    PlayPhone, a US-based mobile phone content provider unknown to many, has proved to be very active during the past few months and has released a bunch of interesting and mostly free Android games. Their Android Market ‘’invasion’’ is set to continue for a while and we have no less than four new titles due to be released by PlayPhone over the next month, according to an official press release. Well, as a matter of fact, the press release announced 11 games to hit the market, but five of them are already up for download on Android Market and one is an iOS-exclusive (shame on you, PlayPhone!). The first of the four, Journey to Egypt, is a game developed by China Wireless Arts and is intended to be a ‘’heroic adventure filled with fast-paced arcade combat, cryptic Egyptian themes and an immersive storyline’’. Tempting, at least for an Egypt culture fan like myself, but we should wait and see how the game looks like in reality. The second title, Puzzle Rivals, comes from Nimbus Games, the developing mind of the already successful Apollo 69. Telling ‘’the story of brave folks of a forgotten nation’’, Puzzle Rivals sounds like something I for one would only download if it were available for free and if I would be extremely bored. Pet Kingdom comes from China Wireless Arts, like Journey to Egypt, but unlike the arcade game, doesn’t sound very appealing. The Pet Kingdom’s target is to nurture and train your pet to become a ‘’trustworthy friend and ally as you embark on an adventure-filled journey to eradicate the Ghost King’’. Thanks, but no, thanks! Finally, SmartQuiz Live! seems to be the most interesting title of them all, at least for me personally, being a LIVE multiplayer trivia game based on pop culture, historic and non-traditional trivia categories. Now that sounds like fun and is the only one of these four games that I actually see myself paying for! As I already mentioned, the PlayPhone announcement includes other gaming titles as well, but these have already been released and can be downloaded from Android Market. As for these four games’ availability, we have no official news right now, but if I were to make a guess, I would expect them to be made available in a few weeks tops. Via Develop-online.net

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  • WatchESPN adds full-screen streaming on tablets, support for Ice Cream Sandwich

    Google Android

    ESPN has finally updated its flagship live streaming app in order to be compatible with more devices;  WatchESPN should now support phones running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and improved the playback experience on Android tablets as well. WatchESPN was previously problematic for Galaxy Nexus owners and those running a ROM based on Ice Cream Sandwich, but the most recent update appears to have fixed that. Another note in the “What’s New” changelog points out that it also has the ability to go into full-screen mode when viewed on tablets. Many users have ranted about their disappointment in the video window being limited on larger devices, but the app is finally streaming content in full view. Not all complaints about WatchESPN have been addressed. The app remains limited to a select group of U.S. cable and Internet providers, so the vast majority of Android users are unable to access live streaming. Just look at WatchESPN’s Android Market review page and you’ll see that of the 5,200 comments, half are 1-star reviews, many of which complain about their provider not being supported. Only ESPN subscribers on Bright House Networks, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS can access the full range of live streaming options. (Verizon High Speed Internet subscribers can watch ESPN3 only.) Download WatchESPN from the market to see if better streaming and support holds up nicely. I’d love to give you guys a review, but I’m unfortunately one of the many cable subscribers unable to access the app since my provider is not supported. Sigh.

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