Best of Smartphone Experts, 5 Sept 2010

Posted on Sunday, Sep 5, 2010 by Dieter Bohn
Filed Under: News; Tags: best of spe 1 comment »

Looking to switch carriers? Amazon has insane deals for you

Posted on Sunday, Sep 5, 2010 by Kyle Gibb

 Insane Amazon prices

Remember when we reported Amazon was selling the Captivate and Vibrant for insane discounts? Well, Amazon has many other Android phones available for purchase now at far below what you will find in any carrier store or website. You do have to be a new customer to the carrier to get the price, but this should make it easier than ever to jump your current carrier's ship for that new Android phone you have been craving. We've rounded 'em all up for you after the break. [Amazon]

 

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Samsung releases Epic 4G source code

Posted on Sunday, Sep 5, 2010 by Phil Nickinson

Sprint Epic 4G

Part of working with Android means that manufacturers have to release the source code for their devices (minus the proprietary stuff, of course), and Samsung has coughed up its code for the Sprint Epic 4G. (Check out our full review) For most of us that means very little. But for those who like poking around the the innards of an Android ROM, it's pure gold. [Samsung Open Source Release Center via Android Central Forums] Thanks, ConceptVBS!

 

Verizon Android world phone at the FCC

Posted on Sunday, Sep 5, 2010 by Phil Nickinson

Verizon PD42100

If there's ever been any doubt that Verizon is the current king of Android, you can put it to rest now. The HTC PD42100 -- a horizontal slider dual CDMA/GSM "world phone" that we've seen once before -- has made its way through the Federal Communications Commission. In addition to being able to work overseas, it's sporting Wifi b/g/n a 4-inch display, and possibly one of the fastest processors ever crammed into a production phone. (We'll have to see on that, of course.) And then, of course, there is the keyboard. If anybody knows how to make a horizontal slider, it's HTC.

No word on pricing or availability just yet, but we're going to sit here waiting, not so patiently, for this guy.[FCC via Engadget]

 

The week in Android news

Posted on Saturday, Sep 4, 2010 by Jared DiPane

Motorola Charm -- hands on with T-Mobile's tiny messenger

Posted on Saturday, Sep 4, 2010 by Jerry Hildenbrand

Motorola Charm

That little bitty phone you see in that big meaty paw is the new Motorola Charm from T-Mobile.  The form factor is a first for Android, and one many of us (myself included) have been looking forward to.  While it may not be running the latest and greatest hardware, and many would say that MotoBlur hinders it, I'm going to go forward and be optomistic about what it can, and does bring to the table.

Under the hood the Charm betrays it's tiny outsides.  Android 2.1 (with MotoBlur), a 600 MHz OMAP processor, 512 MB of ROM and RAM, and all the connectivity you'd expect -- Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, and a 1700/2100 GSM radio for T-Mobile 3G.  The real sore spot is the screen.  At 2.8 inches,, and 320x240 resolution, you might have trouble using this as you would a 'standard' Android phone.  The rear mounted track pad (TrackBack) and full qwerty help out.  A lot.  I'll be sure to put it to the test for a bit and we'll see just how it measures up after.  For now, enjoy the video after the break.

 

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From the forums: Custom boot animation

Posted on Saturday, Sep 4, 2010 by Phil Nickinson

Android boot animation

Fresh from our Droid X forums, Natemz brings us a couple of cool custom boot animations. On the left, a spinning Android logo. On the right another for some little Android site we've heard a little bit about. You're going to need to be rooted, and there are a couple steps involved. But that's a small price to pay for looking good. Video of the Android logo animation is after the break, and check out the forums link for the whole shebang. [Android Central Forums]

 

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Android Central Editors' app picks for Sept. 3, 2010

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Jared DiPane

apps

The Android market is one of my favorite places to spend time while on my Motorola Droid, but cruising the market is not nearly as fun as messing around with some of the great applications that are available. Trying to decide which of the hundreds of thousands of applications are a solid starting point can be a daunting task, but we love to help you out with that. Let's take a look at some great applications that our writers use on their devices.

 

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T-Mobile reportedly in talks to carry Huawei Ideos [video]

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Jerry Hildenbrand

Huawei Ideos

T-Mobile USA in in negotiations to carry Huawei's new Ideos handset -- an entry-level Android handset that will ship with Android 2.2, so says the Wall Street Journal. WSJ's unnamed source, however, says that it's unsure if the deal will go through, and to expect the answer in four to six weeks.

Huawei is better know for its telco equipment (that's the stuff your carrier buys for its towers and data centers), and a push to get into the U.S. smartphone market is somewhat new.  Any manufacturer who can ship a solidly built messaging phone replacement, that also runs the latest and greatest version of Android is OK in my book.  Bring it!  We're trying to track one down at IFA, in the meantime hit the jump to see Huawei's promo video for the Ideos. [WSJ online]

 

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Verizon Fascinate ringtones, wallpapers available

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Jerry Hildenbrand

Samsung Fascinate

A new device means new goodies, and this time we don't have to wait for the Samsung Fascinate to launch before we get a peek at it's innards.  We have the full system dump for you hackery types, as well as a bevy of new wallpapers and system sounds for the rest of us to enjoy:

Now all that's missing is a unit in our hands.  Big props to our mystery man for this Android treasure trove!  [Android Central Forums

 

R2-D2 Droid 2 dock pictures revealed

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Sean Brunett

R2-D2 Droid 2 dock

Verizon's R2-D2 version of the Motorola Droid 2 will be released September 30th, news w broke a few weeks back

Pictures have now begun to creep up showing off some of the R2-D2-specific accessories. The phone dock, pictured above, is one such item. It's style and color fits in with what the phone will look like and it even has a couple Star Wars references on the device in case you forgot where the phone got its inspiration. 

How many of you will be springing for the R2-D2 version coming to Verizon at the end of the month? [Engadget]

 

Samsung Galaxy Player 50 hands-on

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Dieter Bohn

Samsung S50

Take the Samsung Galaxy S, low-end it a tad, and take out the radios. What you're left with is the Samsung Galaxy Player 50, a 3.2-inch multitouch multimedia player running Android 2.1. The screen itself is LCD and not Super AMOLED like the Galaxy S phones, but this guy has a 2MP camera and 802.11n Wifi. It comes in either 8GB or 16GB versions, plus up to 32GB extra with a microSD card.

As is the case at an event like IFA, we're unlikely to see the particular version in the United States -- the center home button design is a bit of a giveaway, as the Samsung usually keeps the square buttons at home in Korea. But it would be an interesting alternative to the iPod. More pictures and press release after the break.

 

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Froyo on the Droid Incredible [video]

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Kyle Gibb

 Flash running on a Froyo Droid Incredible

Wow, what a wait it has been. The Droid Incredible faithful (of which I am a member) have waited what seems like forever for Google's latest version of Android to hit their phones. But finally, Froyo is upon us and it is glorious. If nothing else, you can finally sing along with Strong Bad as Trogdor ravages the countryside thanks to Flash 10.1. For those of you who have yet to receive the OTA notification, you can find links and manual download instructions here. Watch the full video walkthrough along with a Quadrant score comparison past the break. 

 

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Motorola unleashes new iPhone zinger in print ad

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Kyle Gibb

 New Droid 2 Ad

Remember how a certain fruit company used "There's an app for that" as a marketing slogan for the longest time? Well, Motorola has used a similar slogan in its latest ad in the Wall Street Journal to remind people that the Droid 2 can run full Adobe Flash 10.1. Personally, I would have gone with a certain gloved wrestler to show off Flash (with consumate v's), but to each their own. [@benforta via CrunchGear]

 

Android Central Podcast Episode 28

Posted on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 by Phil Nickinson

Phil gives birth, Jerry's struck by lightning and Mickey takes over as Great Leader of the Android Central Podcast. Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Droid Incredible gets Froyo, tons of app news and your e-mails and voicemails.
 

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