Google has finally taken the lid off the next generation of Google TV. Announced this morning on the Google TV Blog, el Goog reminds us that "these are still early days." But things are improving. And this major update will focus on four areas:

• A simpler user interface, with a customizable home screen.
• Finding content becomes easier. TV and movies get their own search, whether they're on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, cable, satellite, etc.
• Improved YouTube experience. Leanback was just the beginning. It's now been integrated even deeper.
• Apps. Finally, the Android Market comes to Google TV. You won't initally have the full breadth of the market on Google TV -- apps that require a touchscreen, GPS or telephony won't show, so that pares things down quite a bit -- but Google says it has 50 developers already lined up.

So, when will we see updates? If you've got one of the Sony boxes or TVs, you should start seeing updates early next week. The Logitech Revue will come later. Google says new devices from multiple manufacturers will arrive in the coming months.

Check out the preview video after the break.

Source: Google TV Blog
More: Google.com/tv

Sprint has announced that an OTA (over the air) update is now available for all current HTC Android phones on their network, specifically the HTC EVO 4G, the HTC EVO Shift 4G, the HTC View 4G, the HTC EVO 3D, the  HTC EVO Design 4G, and the HTC Wildfire S.  They say they worked closely with HTC after news of the data mishandling by HTC phones was brought to light, and now offer a solution for all affected phones.  Like every OTA, they will be going out in waves -- if you don't get it today, you will shortly.  To manually check for the update, go to Settings >System updates > HTC software update > Check Now, and if the update is available for you it will begin the download and installation process. 

We still want to remind you to always watch what applications you install.  When your smartphone is as powerful as the desktop PC's we used 5 years ago, they are susceptible to the same security issues.  Be safe, not sorry.

Source: Sprint

We're live at Motorola's event in New York, where Sanjay Jha just announced a pretty broad leap into the fitness space with MOTOACTV.

It's a 46mm square Android-powered device that in addition to tracking your fitness regiment with its own website also serves as an MP3 player. The big plus, though, is that it's entirely wireless. Headphones, heart-rate tracker. No wires.

And, yes, it looks like an iPod Nano with buttons.

Developing. ...

The most popular accessories for your Motorola Droid Bionic

We know searching for the best accessories for the Motorola Droid Bionic can sometimes be confusing with all the choices available out there.  Whether you're looking for a case to protect against drops, an extended battery to keep your Bionic powered up all day or even bluetooth speakers so you can enjoy your music anywhere you wish-- here at Android Central we carry the best assortment of accessories for your new Motorola Droid Bionic smartphone.

Let's dive into this edition of Accessories Roundup by checking out the top five most popular accessories for the Droid Bionic:

A couple of days ago we got a look at was dubbed the Motorola Xoom Family Edition and now, we're starting to see some accessories for this device pop up that confirm what was sent off to bix box retailers. Still no word from Motorola confirming the device, release date or price but we're expecting to here something come Monday when Motorola shows off their goods.

Thanks, Anon!

Fans of footlongs and 4G will soon be able to pay for their sandwiches using Google Wallet. The restaurant chain has announced (and we've also been tipped with an internal Subway e-mail -- there's a first) its intention to full support NFC purchases with Google Wallet at more than 7,000 restaurants by April 2012. Also in 2012, expect full support for Subway Cards.

Restaurants in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, among others, have already been receiving the NFC hardware, and the rest should get them by the end of the year.

Hit the break for the internal Subway e-mail, or find the official press release here.

Motorola made us all fully aware of the fact they were going to be bringing top notch accessories to their higher-end devices in the future. What started with the Motorola Atrix 4G, webtop has now expanded into Motorola's latest accessory announcement being the Motorola Lapdock 100.

Equipped with a bright 10.1 inch high resolution screen, high quality audio, large ergonomically-slanted keyboard with dedicated Android™ keys, touch-pad, multi-tasking capabilities, and desktop-class tabbed web browsing using Wi-Fi or the smartphone’s data plan, the innovative companion device is now more affordable, lightweight, and intuitive.

Motorola LAPDOCK 100 supports full multi-tasking - making it easy to respond to an incoming text or take a call while browsing the web, using any one of the thousands of Android™ apps available, viewing pictures, or listening to music.

At a mere 2.2lbs (less than 1Kg), Motorola LAPDOCK 100 is designed to be as mobile as its owners’ lives. Compact enough to carry in a back-pack or briefcase, use in the office, in the classroom, at a café or on the couch at home, the device’s up to five hour* battery charges the phone so a user never loses their freedom to be mobile.

Motorola LAPDOCK 100 is compatible with multiple Motorola smartphones, including Motorola ATRIX™ 2, PHOTON™ 4G, and DROID BIONIC by Motorola.** It will also be compatible with future Motorola webtop-enabled devices.

So when will it be available? The Motorola Lapdock 100 will be available online at AT&T on 10/17. It will also be available through Verizon Wireless and Sprint later this quarter. No pricing was announced as of yet either but you better believe we'll keep you all up to date on that.

Source: Motorola

AT&T has announced their latest offering for users looking to bring their own devices to their work environment. AT&T Toggle, as it is called allows your device to contain two worlds essentially -- your work world and your home world all while keeping both worlds safe and secure and making it easy for IT admins to implement:

• Personal mode: When not working, send text messages to friends, watch TV shows and movies, and play games on your mobile device as you otherwise would. Personal activities remain segregated.
• Work mode: If it’s time to buckle down and focus on business, employees can enter their work environment. In this mode, users can access corporate email, applications, calendars and more, just as they would on a company-provided device.

The service will allow IT admins to control the corporate side of the device with the capability to update applications, remote wipe and manage company access while the personal side of your device remains unaffected.

The long and short of it, you get to use the device you love to use and businesses save money and know that their data is both compliant to security standards and secure on whatever device it is that you are using. AT&T Toggle can be used on devices running Android 2.2 and higher, and with any service provider. Full press release can be found after the break.

Source: AT&T

Microsoft announces wealth of new Xbox 360 content partners

Google TV's pretty much been a non-starter since it was announced at Google IO in 2010. Trouble with networks and other content providers has kept any sort of mainstream adoption at bay, and we're still waiting on the long-promised update to Honeycomb that will bring more apps and features.

Microsoft might have just made any update moot with the announcement of a major update to the Xbox 360 and the announcement of  slew of new content partners worldwide. Movies. Games. Sports. News. Worldwide. Coming around the holiday season. Ouch.

Here's the list of the new partners:

• ABC iView – Australia
• AlloCiné – France, Germany, Spain, U.K.
• Antena 3 – Spain
• Astral Media’s Disney XD – Canada
• BBC – U.K.
• blinkbox – U.K.
• Bravo – U.S.
• Canal+ - France, Spain
• Channel 4 – U.K.
• Channel 5 – U.K.
• CinemaNow (Best Buy) – U.S.
• Comcast – U.S.
• Crackle – Australia, Canada, U.K., U.S.
• Dailymotion – Available in 32 markets
• EPIX – U.S.
• GolTV – Spain
• HBO GO – U.S.
• Hulu – Japan
• iHeartRadio (Clear Channel) – U.S.
• LOVEFiLM – Germany, U.K.
• Manga Entertainment – U.S.
• Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports – Canada
• MediaSet – Italy
• MSN with MSNBC.com – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, U.K.
• MUZU.TV – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K.
• Rogers On Demand Online (RODO) – Canada
• RTVE – Spain
• SBS On Demand – Australia
• Syfy – U.S.
• Telefonica – Spain
• Televisa – Mexico
• “The Today Show” – U.S.
• TMZ – U.S.
• UFC – Canada, U.S.
• Verizon – U.S.
• VEVO – Canada, U.K., U.S.
• YouTube – Available in 22 markets
• ZDF – Germany

Read over that list again. Those are just the new additions, folks. And YouTube -- probably the biggest draw on Google TV next to Pandora and Amazon -- is among them. This is going to be an uphill battle now, that's for sure.

Maybe Google's got something up its sleeve for Google TV. But a shovel might well need to be one of the tricks.

Source: Microsoft

We're getting a little too excited over this little feature, but it's one we're happy to see on another phone. See those three dots we're circled in Samsung's teaser of what's to come next week at CTIA? Those point to probably contact charging.

That's a feature that never quite took off like we'd hoped. We first saw it on the Nexus One with the desktop dock and car dock, and later on the myTouch 4G, and it's back on the HTC Rhyme. There's no fiddling with plugs when seating the phone in a dock. Just place and go. Sure, you have to plug the dock into a power source. But chances are your dock is pretty stationary.

Put it this way. Once you go plugless, you're going to have a hard time going back. Check out what we're talking about after the break.

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