Phil, Mickey and Jerry are back to talk up the Droid X, the Galaxy S, what's wrong with the Android Market, plus more of your voicemails and e-mails. Listen in!
The HTC Skin Case for the Sprint Evo 4G is one of the easiest ways to protect your phone. It's a basic rubber skin that fits around the Evo with cutouts for the camera, speaker, flashes, kickstand and ports, and it leaves the phone's massive 4.3-inch touchscreen completely uncovered, so you don't lose any usability.
Marrying the Evo to the skin case is a simple matter of sticking the phone in it and making sure the rubber wraps all the way around the phone. The fit at the corners is snug, but not too snug. The case can be a little loose on the sides, but it's only a minor annoyance. It's not going to come off unless you want it to. The case wraps slightly around the front bezel of the phone, so it will keep the screen from hitting if it falls flat.
The biggest drawback to the skin case's rubber texture is that it's a little slick, and it's a bit of a magnet for dust and lint. But the occasional bath in soap and water (be sure to remove your phone first) should take care of that.
Yesterday we came across a new television ad for Samsung's new Galaxy S line of phones.
Now, one of its print ads has been spotted that takes direct aim at Apple. The ad simply says "Hello" with a Galaxy S picture underneath. However the l's are replaced with bars, an obvious dig at Apple's ongoing Antennagate debacle.
Well played, Samsung. [via @jmcomms] Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Our pal Robert Werlinger from sister site PreCentral.net has been at the O'Reilly Open Source Conference this week in Portland, Ore., and sat in on the "Your Smartphone May Not Be as Open as You Think" session. And, obviously, that's been a topic of discussion in these parts, what with the whole Droid X eFuse conspiracy, and the usual general Android hacking.
And we get an interesting look at why things often are the way they are. Why despite Android's open nature, some code needs to remain secret. Why when you strip out the proprietary code, you're left without a lot of what you'd consider to be basic functionality. Anyhoo, it's a great read, so head on over and check it out. [PreCentral]
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2 years ago
Samsung UK: Frustrated with iPhone 4? We'll give you a free Galaxy S
In recent weeks, you may have heard of something called "Antennagate" flying around the web. In short, there is an issue with the iPhone 4's antenna, causing some to suddenly lose bars and drop calls. Many users who have had this issue have (naturally) been venting on Twitter, and Samsung has been listening.
Samsung has had a flash of PR brilliance and has been giving away free, unlocked, and off-contract Galaxy S phones to angry (soon to be former) iPhone 4 users in the U.K. At least one user has reported that he has actually received the phone, and Samsung has been asking many other users for contact and shipping info. Check out their official Twitter account (@samsungukmobile) for yourself if you want to see the magic in action. [via Pocket-Lint]
Every Android phone has a standard set of buttons at the bottom. They may be physical -- with parts that move -- or they may be capacitive, reacting to your touch. The order may change, but the functions are the same. You'll find:
Home: Returns to the main home screen. Hold down to see your most recently used apps. (Tip: Try tapping it again once you're at the main home screen and see what happens.)
Back: Takes you back a level in an app, or back a page in a browser, etc. (Tip: Hold down while browsing to quickly access bookmarks, history and most-visited sites. Thanks, Snapdragon0503!)
Menu: Tap this for additional options in an application, or from the home screens. (Tip: Hold down to make the keyboard appear.)
Search: Brings up the search function. Could be search within an app, Google search, or universal search of contacts, bookmarks, apps, etc. that are in the phone. (Tip: Hold down to launch voice search.)
Most Android phones have four buttons, though occasionally a manufacturer will do without the search button.
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2 years ago
OnStar Android application expanded to include most GM 2011 vehicles
General Motors has expanded the functionality of its OnStar application for Android, and it will now work for most 2011 GM cars and trucks. Using the OnStar app, drivers will be able to remotely unlock, start the car and sound the horn. Also, and a little more practical, is the ability to check diagnostics and see things like how full your gas tank is, tire pressure, and see when the vehicle was last used. All of this can be done over any internet connection.
Thanks to Samsung's official Twitter account, we were alerted to a new commercial for the AT&T Captivate. It's nice to see the manufacturer promoting its products even if the carriers won't. We've already seen some generic Galaxy S commercials and this appears to be the first for a carrier-specific version. Hopefully they give the T-Mobile Vibrant some love as well, seeing as how it has gotten next to no marketing push upon its release.
And once again, art imitates life. Recently we saw some Android appearances on Entourage not just once, but twice, and we figured it wasn't long before we saw devices popping up in other places. One of our many great readers caught an appearance of a G1 recently on "Lie to Me." Have you spotted any Android devices on any shows you are watching? If so, drop us a line and let us know which show! Thanks Mister X
It may finally be time to put all that time you spend gaming on your Android phone of choice to use. The guys over at DroidGamers are organizing the first Android Gaming Challenge (AGC), which also might be the first official mobile gaming tournament ever.
The tournament kicks off on July 30, when they will announce the game that players will compete in. After that, gamers have 5 days to post their highest score and the top 40 players will be selected. These top 40 will then get set up in a ladder and elimination games begin, with one round happening every day (players have 24 hours to beat their opponent). It seems like there will be a new game for each round, which should keep things interesting. There will be prizes galore, ranging from free copies of games all the way up to the grand prize, which contains a free Android phone of the champion's choice. Excited yet?
The tournament looks to be a huge opportunity to spotlight some of the amazing games on the Android platform, and will hopefully drive awareness and sales for the many dedicated developers that have helped make Android a success. Hit up the source link for all the details. [DroidGamers]
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