Google has updated the Google Earth app, fixing a pesky-as-hell bug that caused the app to crash during startup on Tegra 2 devices.  NVIDIA uses special instructions for the Tegra chip, and while they work amazingly well when used properly (check out some Tegra games if you haven't yet), sometimes different specialized hardware makes it difficult for the generic "works everywhere" app to use the full set of features.

That's probably what happened with the last update for Google Earth -- it certainly pushes the limit of what a mobile GPU can handle, and needed a bit of tweaking to run it all on the Tegra chips.  Call it fragmentation, call it legacy, but it's a fact of life that you have trade-offs between different hardware platforms.  Google seems to have it all sorted, and now we can have our imaginary getaways to exotic virtual locations on our Tegra based tablets and phones.  Hit the download link after the break or check the Market for your update.

When not browsing the Android Central Forums from a computer, many folks use the popular app Tapatalk. And now, a special version of Tapatalk is available exclusively from Samsung Apps free for a limited time. The special version was built for the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and Galaxy Tab Tab 10.1 so if you own either of those devices, you can open up Samsung Apps and grab your free copy now. Once downloaded, let us know how it's working in the Android Central Forums.

For those of you who want to root your ASUS Transformer Prime but don't want all the muss and fuss of command lines, the Nachoroot method has been nicely pacakged into a little executable file that will take the typing out of the equation. We'd still recommend at least reading through the manual method -- it's important to know how and why things work -- but this little ViperMOD Primer Tool indeed makes thing easier.

Note that we're talking root access, not bootloader unlocking here, and the ViperMOD tool is Windows-only for now. That'll still come from ASUS itself.

Source: XDA; via Engadget

Apparently some of the first CES 2012 devices are starting to leak out, with BGR getting a gander at the Pantech Element, an 8-inch Honeycomb tablet that supposedly will run $299 on contract with AT&T, or $499 outright. This little guy is another of AT&T's initial LTE devices, sports Android 3.2, 16GB of memory, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera with 1080p video recording, and a 2MP front-facing camera. Oh, and it's water-resistant, for what that's worth.

We'll be looking for this one early next week, we reckon.

Source: BGR

A lot of work has gone into the UI for Ice Cream Sandwich, and Google has decided that manufacturers who want to have access to the Android Market will now have to let it shine -- the Holo theme, in its unmodified form, is now a requirement for devices that wish to use the Android Market. 

Calm down, calm down -- manufacturer skins like Blur and Sense will still be around. (You were worried about them, we know.) But menus, widgets, and settings dialogs will now have to follow the standards set up in Android 4.0 and above.

This means a lot to app developers.  Having a standard set of UI elements to draw from makes applications look and feel more integrated into the operating system, and now that everyone will have to use the same base they don't have to worry about coding their own.  Adam Powell, Android framework engineer, says:

Before Android 4.0 the variance in system themes from device to device could make it difficult to design an app with a single predictable look and feel. We set out to improve this situation for the developer community in Ice Cream Sandwich and beyond.

Nice work, fellows.  The Holo UI is unique, and stunning.  Let it shine!

Source: Android Developers Blog

According to an update at the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office), Google acquired 188 granted patents and 29 pending patents from the granddaddy of things that go beep, IBM, on Dec. 31, 2011.  This is just three months after Google purchased over 1,000 patents from Big Blue back in September.  Not all these patents are for their mobile division (Google still does this little thing called search), but their are more than a few that cover things your Android phone or tablet (as well as other platforms) can do like web page rendering and VoIP.  We'll let interested parties check out the source link for a more detailed list.

No financial details have been provided, but we imagine it is far cheaper than lawyer and court fees for the upcoming patent meltdown that's sure to hit had they not purchased the patents outright.  Google seems to be preparing for the day when it all hits the fan as well as licensing and purchasing new technology to make their offerings a bit better. 

Source: SEO by the Sea

The latest firmware for the ASUS Transformer Prime blocks the root method that we found for the pre-production model, but the folks at AndIRC team have discovered a new method for rooting the first quad-core Android device.  This will go rather nicely with the bootloader unlock method ASUS has promised, making the Prime nice and easy to work with for the hackers independent Android developers out there.

There's not a lot to say just yet, other than a method was found but it will not be released until after Jan. 12 -- when Ice Cream Sandwich (tentatively) begins to roll out for the Prime.  Agree or disagree with this practice as you will, but there's not much to be done about it, other than plug it in to your computer and work it out yourself.  Let's hope that the method works with the ICS update, and my advice is not to take any updates until we know for sure if you plan on rooting your Prime.  When more is known, we'll be sure to tell you.

Update: They decided to release the method after all, according to the @andirc Twitter account:

@androidcentral I released it, after deciding we would likely be safe with ICS.

You can find more info at RootzWiki. 

Source: XDA-Developers

ASUS this morning teased some news regarding the locked and encrypted bootloader on its quad-core Transformer Prime tablet -- and it's good news. A bootloader unlock tool indeed is on the way.

As to why the bootloader's encrypted in the first place, ASUS says it was done for DRM -- digital rights management -- purposes.

The reason we chose to lock it is due to content providers' requirement for DRM client devices to be as secure as possible. ASUS supports Google DRM in order to provide users with a high quality video rental experience. Also, based on our experience, users who choose to root their devices risk breaking the system completely.

If you do choose to unlock the Transformer Prime's bootloader, you'll be voiding your warranty and all that jazz.

And in even better news, the anticipated update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will begin to push out starting Jan. 12. It'll be a worldwide over-the-air update.

Also, ASUS addressed concerns over the GPS on the Transformer Prime, saying the metallic unibody construction can essentially lead it to not perform as well as "a professional GPS device." We'll just let that hang out there by itself for a bit.

The full statement is after the break.

Source ASUS Facebook page

Keyboard developer A.I.type hit us up this morning in search of a few testers for its upcoming "Floating Split Keyboard for Tablets." It's got all of the features you know and love from A.I.type Keyboard Plus, including its predition engine. It also has context-aware autocorrect, built-in skins and more customizations. 

The really sexy part is that doesn't take up a whole lot of screen space and can "float" anywhere on the screen. Move it, resize it, do whatever you want. It'll also support more than 30 languages -- all of which can take advantage of the split keyboard. And nine languages are supported by the prediction engine -- Hebrew, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian, Frensh, Turkish and English.

To sign up for the closed beta, just drop A.I.type a note here. Tell 'em Android Central sent ya.

If the holiday season didn't manage to bait you into a new phone, this might be your chance: T-Mobile is having a three-day "New Year, New Phone" sale this weekend only, beginning on Friday, January 6.  Sure, there are mail-in rebates involved, and you'll have to make a monthly payment ranging from $10 to $20 on the device itself, but a $49.99 down payment on a Galaxy S II or an Amaze 4G is hard to pass up. Other Android devices pegged at the $49.99 sweet spot include the Sensation 4G, the myTouch 4G, the Springboard, and the G-Slate. The source link has a full list of devices on sale, along with the corresponding mail-in rebates and monthly payment information. 

Source: T-Mobile