Directed Electronics has released its popular Viper SmartStart application for the Android platform, which allows drivers to remotely start their car, lock and unlock doors, pop the trunk, and more.

You've probably seen their iPhone app featured in an AT&T iPhone commercial.   Be aware, it does take hardware in your vehicle, which you may not have and will need to have installed.  While applications like this may not be for everyone, it's great to see developers of top tier products supporting Android, it shows that they too see the potential behind out friendly green robot.  You can download the application from the market and at Viper.com , and it would be great to hear from anyone who's converted over from iOS and is using the iPhone app -- let us know how they compare.  Hit the jump for the full press release. [Viper]

Motorola this morning announced its second-quarter numbers, earning $162 million in Q2. That's up from $26 million in Q2 2009. Overall, however, mobile sales were down 6 percent, to $1.7 billion, compared to last year. Motorola cited the Droid X, i1 and it's applications section as it shipped 2.7 million smartphones.

CEO Sanjay Jha said he expects sell between 12 million and 14 million smartphones by the end of the year, and Motorola should have released more than 20 models worldwide. [Motorola]

As if the Droid X wasn't awesome enough, Android Central reader Derek, dwd3885 on the forums, shows us what gaming on the go is really about. He shows off his amazing Super Mario Brothers 3 skills on his X using his Wii remote to control the action. This goes right along with the PlayStation emulator to make Android one of the most versatile work/entertainment/communication platforms ever seen, and the Droid X is just the right hardware to really bring out the best. Check out the video after the break. Thanks, Derek! 

Because one commercial for its Galaxy S line of carrier branded phones wasn't enough, Samsung has put out another Hollywood style production for the T-Mobile Vibrant (maybe you've read our review?).  It's great -- this is what commercials should be like, and 100 percent hairy palm free (ewwww) this time.  Check it out after the break.

Nexus One. Android. Rocket motors. You see where this is going, right? Self-described "Freelance scientific molecular evolutionary biological videographic NASA microgravitational & space education specialist" (and Phish fan) Matthew Reyes dropped word to Make: Online about the RocketMavericks event last weekend in Nevada, where James Dougherty's Intimidator-5 rocket did the deed. It was all in the name as using smartphone technology as low-cost rocket components, which is about the coolest thing we've ever heard.

Nexus One went up, Nexus One came down, shooting video all long the way. Did it survive? Well, watch the video after the break, and be sure to check out the Flickr page for the aftermath. [Make: Online, Flickr] Thanks, dppatel!

According to CEO Eric Schmidt, Google has positioned itself to make $10 billion dollars or more per year in the mobile business, from things like subscription news.  "If we have a billion people using Android, you think we can't make money from that?" He went on to say that it would only take 10 dollars per person, per year, and among other things, Google might earn that money from selling access to digital content from newspapers. 

We're used to thinking of Google as a search and advertising giant, but maybe the big G has plans to expand?  It makes sense -- Google gives away Android, and they certainly know how to generate cash.  Considering the other Google services, they have the ability to do paid news right.  What else they have in mind to go along with paid news, Schmidt didn't say, but some sort of music service has been tossed around a lot lately, too.  Make it as functional and personalized as everything else Android, and you got my 10 bucks Mr. Schmidt. [WSJ via Electronista]

HTC’s European representative, Mark Moons, let it slip through a tweet that there’s a chance Froyo will begin rollout to their many devices starting with HTC Desires in the Netherlands as soon as tomorrow. A Dutch tech news site, tweakers.net comments that, “the update will start Thursday, but due to a limit on bandwidth it will be a gradual rollout” again, that’s if they have all the kinks worked out and are ready to roll out this highly anticipated update. Nonetheless we can all be sure that all  Desire owners in the Netherlands will be checking for updates nonstop tomorrow. [via engadget and tweakers.net]

If you fly more than, say, once a year, you absolutely should look into an Android travel app. And a new one to Android is FlightView. It's got the all the basics that you'd expect from a top flight-tracking app --track by flight number, track by route, flight mapping, speed and altitude, departure and arrival info, delays at major airports, notes -- the works, basically.

FlightView is nicely designed and easy to use. You also can save flight info to build an itinerary, which is a must for frequent fliers. But that's also where FlightView's Achilles' heel presents itself -- there's no integration (yet) with a service such as Tripit. You have to manually input all of your flights, which is OK if it's just one or two, but a big pain if you have connecting flights. The developer tells us, however, such service will be added in future updates.

But for now, if you've looking to try another travel app, FlightView's a solid performer. It's available in ad-supported form, or for the low, low price of 99 cents. More pics and download information is after the break.

Remember how a leaked Froyo ROM was promised for the Galaxy S? Well, it's out, it's working (mostly) and Italian site HDblog has been giving it the what-for on camera. A reminder that this is for the international version of the Galaxy S and won't (yet) work with your Samsung Captivate or Vibrant, but hopefully we'll see that change soon. Check out the hands-on video after the break. [Samsung-Firmware, HDblog] Thanks, iNicc0lo.

What do you get when you combine a Nexus One, a bike handlebar holder and a Wiimote? The answer is a whole lot of awesome.

YouTube user baza210 made this awesome contraption and made a video demonstrating it while playing an old-school SNES ROM. See the video after the break. What makes this even better is that he is playing one of my favorite games of all time, Super Mario World!

This is what makes Android great, so keep coming up with superb ways to use these devices, and we'll keep showing them. [via CrunchGear]