As good as Google Maps is for most everyday Android users, many users still clamor for a high quality turn-by-turn GPS solution. Enter TomTom. Having just released an official application for the iPhone platform, TomTom recently announced their interest toward Android and plans to develop an official application for it. According to a VP at TomTom:

"We cannot ignore such a successful platform as Android. HTC is an important partner of ours and Android is becoming increasingly important too." 

Though we would obviously prefer a Google Maps turn-by-turn solution, we certainly can't deny a GPS heavyweight like TomTom. We've tested the iPhone TomTom application and in our brief time with it, it truly feels like a standalone TomTom GPS unit. If TomTom can offer the same experience with Android, we'd happily jump on board.

What do you guys think?

[pocket-lint]

Google has released a new application for Android that enables users to find and play their favorite podcasts on their Android device. Aptly named 'Listen', the app allows you to search, subscribe, download, and stream your favorite podcasts--or at least the favorite of the 'thousands of popular English-only podcasts' currently available. Also, 'Listen' will also learn your habits. In Google's words:

By subscribing to programs and search terms it will create a personalized audio-magazine loaded with fresh shows and news stories whenever you listen.

From the sounds of it, 'Listen' is definitely worth checking out. Which application do you guys currently use to listen to podcasts on your Android phone?

A video showcasing the HTC Click has popped up and it's pretty much what you expected. The budget-minded Android Phone gets a brief run through and there's nothing too jaw dropping about it--no HTC Sense UI, relatively small screen, etc. The HTC Click also comes with a microSD slot, 1100mAh battery, 3.5mm headphone jack, camera, and what is purported to be Android Donut build 1.50.999.0.

The HTC Click obviously won't be targeted to power users but we're pretty sure it would still serve as a nice introduction to Android and first time smartphone users. What do you guys think?

[via engadget]

The Notorious FCC is at it again. This time the ridiculously anticipated HTC Hero just cleared their hands and those previous HTC Hero to Sprint rumors are getting realer by the second--because this version of the Hero rocks CDMA, which just so happens to be what Sprint's network is constructed on.

So now that we know that Sprint will get the HTC Hero, the question becomes when? Is it the previously rumored October 11th date? Closer to the holidays perhaps? We just know that sooner sounds pretty darn good to us.

[engadget]

Let us translate the above picture for you: 'The appointment is confirmed.' What appointment does the invitation speak of? Well on Tuesday September 15th, Archos is widely expected to announce their much anticipated Android tablet and we can't wait to see what they've cooked up. The Android tablet will have a 5-inch 800x480 screen that can play 720p content, HDMI out, and rumored for 500GB of storage. Hawt.

What may be even more interesting than the Archos Android Tablet is that Archos has decided to launch an Android App Store of their own, specifically tailored for "high end devices" like their upcoming tablet. Known as AppsLib, AppsLib will eventually be offered on other Android devices and we're definitely interested in seeing how AppsLib and Android Market will co-exist.

Anyone interested in an Android Tablet Device?

[pocketables]

Meet the Samsung InstinctQ. Judging from the leaked picture above, the InstinctQ is going to be an Android powered Sprint device that includes a hardware QWERTY keyboard (joy!) and from the looks of it, solid styling. If you remember correctly, we had previously reported on an Android-powered Samsung Q device releasing on October 11th (along with the HTC Hero). Doesn't it all makes sense now? They're the same device!

The Samsung InstinctQ should make for a great alternative to the HTC Hero. Sprint users will soon have a choice between a strictly touchscreen device (Hero) and a touchscreen/hardware keyboard device (InstinctQ). Either way, both devices have the look of a winner. We can't wait to pore over the specs of the InstinctQ and we're sure you Sprint users can't wait to jump on the Android bandwagon.

What do you guys think? Is October 11th going to be a glorious day? Another Android device with a physical keyboard in tow is a good thing in our book.

[via gizmodo]

Sigh. Engadget Mobile is saying that they've heard some "pretty believable" information indicating that the HTC Lancaster, originally expected to be AT&T's first Android Phone, has been canceled. As in it'll no longer be released. Shelved. Dead. Bye Bye.

Obviously this is bad news for any AT&T customer looking forward to Android devices but simply put, the HTC Lancaster wasn't going to be a game changer, hardware-wise at least. QVGA screen? Psssh. Yeah, it would have been nice to see how Android would take off on a bigger carrier but good things come to those who wait (so we've heard, at least).

So AT&T, the ball in your court. If you really did drop the HTC Lancaster from your product portfolio, we better see a better Android device lined up to take its place. Maybe something from Motorola? Or maybe the "pretty believable" information turns out false and the Lancaster will launch on AT&T as originally planned. Yikes, counting on AT&T to deliver typically never pans out.

Radio Shack (or is just The Shack now?) just announced that they'll be selling the T-Mobile myTouch 3G in store which would certainly spell a good thing for T-Mobile considering 'The Shack' has more than 4,000 locations nationwide. Radio Shack and T-Mobile had just minted a new deal to sell T-Mobile handsets so hopefully we can expect future T-Mobile Android devices available there as well.

We're not frequent customers of Radio Shack, so this deal doesn't exactly affect us but what about the rest of you guys? Radio Shack + Android = Good?

[cnet]

We know there are some of you out there who've been very interested in what the pink HTC Hero would look like and there you have it, side-by-side with regular ol' white. After the shockingly bright pink Hero that leaked along with the rest of HTC's 2009 smartphone lineup, we were glad to see that HTC decided to switch gears and offer a softer, more soothing pink.

Though we're firmly entrenched in the white HTC Hero camp, we can't help but applaud HTC for delivering such a nice color option. It definitely feels like a breath of fresh air. We think we'll be seeing a lot more pink Hero's in the future.

Who else likes the pink HTC Hero?

[via phandroid]

hit the jump to see the back of the pink htc hero!

The T-Mobile 3G Rollout has been slowly inching its way across the United States, slowly making its way toward respectability. We're happy to report that many cities have received T-Mobile 3G since our last Rollout Report and they're as follows:

• Chesapeake, VA
• El Paso, TX
• Middletown, CT
• New Haven, CT

We're positive that a lot of big cities are still without T-Mobile 3G and we definitely empathize with you guys--3G is such a difference maker, it'll make your T-Mobile G1 feel like a brand new phone. So, let's work together and compile a list of the biggest cities still without T-Mobile 3G and put some pressure on T-Mobile to accelerate their 3G rollout!

Let's hear which cities don't have T-Mobile 3G in the comments!

thanks to all our wonderful readers who contributed to this report!