Archive for the ‘Android Smartphone’s’ Category

Samsung has announced, that they have shipped one million Android 2.1 Galaxy S devices, since the starting date of July 15th. These are very impressive numbers for the short amount of time that the Series of phones have been available. One of the main reasons that the devices have been such a success, is the availability of the devices on multiple carriers.

Another reason they have been successful, is the marketing strategy effort that Samsung has put fourth. It seems like everywhere you look you see the Galaxy S name, on TV or printed up somewhere. There is no denying that Samsung knows how to make a great device and have it to succeed, so if you want to hear their official words, see the press release below.

Press Release

“SAMSUNG MOBILE SHIPS ONE MILLION GALAXY S DEVICES IN THE U.S. MARKET

Android 2.1-powered smart phones available at AT&T and T-Mobile and coming soon to Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular and Cellular South

DALLAS, August 30, 2010 —Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S., today announced that it has shipped one million of its Android™ 2.1-powered Galaxy S devices in the U.S. market. Samsung Mobile began shipping the Galaxy S portfolio2 on July 15, which are currently available with AT&T and T-Mobile. Galaxy S devices will also be available with Sprint on August 31 and will be available with Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular and Cellular South this fall.

Samsung Mobile has packed cutting-edge technology into its Galaxy S portfolio, including features such as a stunning 4-inch Super AMOLED display screen, 1GHz Hummingbird Application Processor and a multitude of entertainment, messaging and social networking capabilities. In addition, all Samsung Galaxy S devices will be upgradable to Android 2.2 in the future.

“Bringing Galaxy S devices to multiple carriers has given Samsung Mobile the opportunity to reach millions of consumers,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “I am proud of the instant success of the Galaxy S line up and I am very pleased to announce that because of the support of our carrier partners and loyal customers, we have shipped one million Galaxy S devices in the U.S. market. Samsung Mobile looks forward to sharing additional Galaxy S milestones in the future.”

The roll out of Samsung’s Galaxy S portfolio has been supported by a multi-tiered print, online, cinema and television advertising campaign, including major networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and MTV and in cinemas such as AMC, Cinemark and Regal. Samsung Galaxy S was also a sponsor of X Games 16, which was held in downtown Los Angeles from July 29 to August 1. From September 30 to October 3, the Samsung Galaxy S lineup will be showcased at the World Cyber Games Grand Final in Los Angeles.

In addition, Samsung Mobile has executed a comprehensive Galaxy S social media campaign, which included a Facebook promotion and daily content sharing on Samsung Mobile’s social media channels, which include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube™. As additional Galaxy S devices become available, Samsung Mobile will continue to distribute key digital and video assets to sustain awareness of the Galaxy S.”

We all know that the Motorola Droid 2 is launching on August 12th. Pre-orders start tomorrow, folks. And, we all know that Android 2.2 is coming pre-installed on the device, as it’s one of the main selling points of the upgraded Droid model. And with Froyo, also comes Flash Player. While there’s been a huge furor over whether or not it even works on the device, as many original Droid owners are having a heck of a time with their own upgrade to Froyo and utilizing the software, it looks like Adobe themselves wanted to calm folks down. So, here’s a video.

And, sure enough, it looks like it works. And, we can confirm that Adobe’s Flash Player is definitely featured right on the Droid 2’s box, so it’s a pretty big deal to Motorola, Verizon, and of course Adobe. However, to get into the details, it looks like Adobe currently has their Flash Player 10.1 Beta at version number 3, and the final version is all set to get released on August 16th at the Adobe Android summit. So, that should mean all the other devices out there that can use the service, will be able to without a problem. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy S line-up, the Droid X, and the HTC Incredible should all get updated in due time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via Android and Me]

The Motorola Milestone XT720 is a talked about device. It features a 3.7-inch FWVGA 854×480 multitouch capacitive touchscreen display, has a 720MHz TI OMAP3440 processor under the hood, and is running Android 2.1 for good measure. And while there had been plenty of talk about the handset landing on major wireless carriers around the globe, there was probably no hint at Cincinnati Bell ever being on the list. Guess we would have been wrong.

Because the regional carrier has certainly just launched the Android device. Along with the features we listed above, it also has integrated 802.11b/g WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, USB 2.0, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an accelerometer. Plus, all the obvious Android essentials. Right now, you can pick it up for $!99.99 on a new, two-year contract. Or, if you want to get it without a contract, just drop $449.99 and it’s all yours.

[via Engadget]

The leaks are coming out fast and furious. It’s almost ridiculous. Luckily, this time it has nothing to do with the Droid 2, and it has nothing to do with August 12th. Well, it’s August related, but at least it’s almost a week later. Anyway, remember that story we told you about, how the FRG01B update for the original Droid, which brought the device to Froyo-land, wasn’t playing well with Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1? Apparently that’s a real issue, and Verizon’s already on top of it.

In this new leak, which is designed to showcase the reasons why the Droid is still great, especially with Android 2.2, it says right there in bold font that the device will be getting Flash Player 10.1 on August 18th. Strange, considering that technically the Flash Player 10.1 Beta is available right now, but we won’t ask questions. Truth be told, we’ll see it when we see it. Any Droid owners out there have FRG01B right now, but can’t use Flash Player? Let us know in the comments.

[via IntoMobile]

Shocking: the Android 2.2 update for the original Droid is all messed up. We’d say that we saw this one coming, but we imagine that would be a pretty big understatement. Though, it shouldn’t be all that surprising. Considering the work that had to go into the Droid’s Android 2.1 update, and the time they had to get that out, it would have been almost miraculous to see Motorola/Verizon get an update like 2.2 out in as little time as they suggested they could.

That “unknown bug” that’s been apparently marring the FRG01B update? Apparently it’s big enough that Motorola has decided to pull the process, and they are apparently now waiting until August 12th to start it up again. That’s strange. Isn’t there something else happening on the 12th? Oh, yeah, that’s right. The release of the Droid 2! Which happens to be launching with Android 2.2. There are a lot of coincidences running around these days, folks.

Anyway, if the FRG01B has been pulled, and the OTA update scrapped for now, then it’ll definitely be the FRG22 version that gets installed on your device later this month, some time. Though, there are still some reports that contradict this rumor, saying that folks, as of right now, are still getting the FRG01B update. And, if the MyDroidWorld story checks out, and FRG01B isn’t working with Flash 10.1, then it would make even more sense that they’d wait for FRG22. So many numbers, versions, and so little time!

Did you get the update? Let us know!

[via MyDroidWorld]

This may or may not be any way related to the Droid 2 launching on August 12th. We haven’t quite decided. There are a couple of ways to look at this, and it’s a strong possibility that the simplest (and most unexciting way) is the logical one, but then again, we love to dig up as many rumors as we can, so why not head down the track with this little bit of news as well?

The picture you’re looking at is an email that some Droid owners out there are getting. That’s the Droid X and the original Droid, as you can clearly see. Now, that August 12th date is pretty notorious right now, as it’s billed as the official release date of the Droid 2. Let’s go ahead and dig into the rumor part. If the August 12th date is real, and we have no reason to think it isn’t (right, Verizon?), then that means if you do partake in this little training deal, and you happen to have an original Droid, you may be asked about an early upgrade to the Droid 2.

Unfortunately, there may be just enough of a difference between the original Droid, and the Droid 2, that setting up training for the original model, just to get someone into the new one may not make a lot of sense. Yes, we all know that at the base, it’s just Android and Android, but with the Motoblur User Interface implementation, the skin-deep differences may be enough to make someone pass on the deal, especially if they’re coming in to get trained on their original model.

As for the other option, this could mean that the wireless carrier is going to have a training day for customers on their Droid devices, so they can become better acquainted with them. This wouldn’t be the first time Verizon has done such a thing, even if the past events were for all phones in general, and not a specific brand. What this could also mean, is that the Droid 2 isn’t launching on the 12th of August. And, well, that’s a possibility (even if we don’t think it is). So, who’s going to go in for training, and upgrade from the Droid to the Droid 2?

[thanks, Thomas!]

Never-you-mind the fact that another platform out there is plenty happy with their current ability to stream Netflix. That’s not important. What is important, is that the folks over at Netflix freely admit that Android is blowing up, and that “it would be stupid of us to ignore that.” Yes. Android is blowing up, and it would be stupid of Netflix to ignore that — we second that wholeheartedly. But, alas, that doesn’t mean the Netflix app we’ve all been waiting for is coming out any time soon.

Here’s the quote from one Netflix employee who was taking questions from folks on Reddit:

“I just know we’re actively hiring Android devs. I wish I knew more about a timeframe for you. Good things come to those who wait. Netflix is essentially a tech company and with the way Android is blowing up it would be stupid of us to ignore that.”

So, while it’s not an official confirmation in much the way we’d like, it does strengthen the fact we already know Netflix is working on an Android app. This just means they’re still working on the app, and haven’t pushed it into the background. Great news today, folks. Great news.

[via Android Central]

At this point, this just needs to be said: this is Verizon’s launch for the Droid 2. Yes, we’re going to pull some standard Apple fare into this, and just come right out and say that the wireless carrier’s “quiet” launch of the Droid 2 hasn’t actually been quiet at all. At this point, they don’t even need to announce the device. We’ve already got our release date. We’ve already got plenty of images and video of the Droid 2, and we already know its specifications. What else would Verizon even need to do?

In this latest batch of images, we get to see the accessories. Not that anyone should be surprised, but they will be backwards compatible with the original Droid (if you’ve still got one of those, of course). There are a few cases being shown off, but the main take away from this is the car dock, the multimedia station, and the extended battery (hey, where’s the extended battery for the Droid X?). Pretty standard stuff at this point, but obviously Verizon needs all the Android fans out there to know what’s coming.

[via Droid-Life]

When it comes to a leak, the best way to get your information is right from the source. And, thanks to some informants within Best Buy, it looks like we’ve got another flag for the release date of the Motorola Droid 2. You know the one — it keeps getting leaked all over the place. And, we’ll go ahead and say that, while we knew the launch of the Droid 2 was going to be “quiet,” considering we’re only six days away from its supposed release into the world, it’s way too quiet.

According to a source handing out information to Boy Genius Report, Best Buy systems are tagging the release date of the Droid 2. If this had been the first time to hear this, we may have been skeptical. But let’s face it: if it doesn’t launch on August 12th, that’s when we’ll be surprised. In any event, there’s not much more to go on here, other than pure hopes and dreams that Verizon actually confirms something about this phone.

[via BGR]

Android is turning up in a lot of MIDs and tablets of late and some of them are very affordable devices. One of the more affordable Android tablets to surface of late is the Nationite MIDnite. The tablet runs Android 2.2.

The MID uses a TI 600MHz OMAP3 3530 CPU and packs a 7-inch touchscreen and offers access to the Android Market. The little MID has a pre-order price that is under $200 making it one of the cheaper tablets we have seen.

The 7-inch screen has a resolution of 800 x 480 and is a resistive single touch screen. Other features include 802.11b/g, a 3000mAh battery, and it lacks Bluetooth. Storage is 2GB onboard and the machine has a microSD card slot.

Well, fancy that. If you’ve got a Droid X, or if you’ve heard about the issues with Exchange 2003 (and ActiveSync, and Exchange in general…), then you know that Motorola’s hard at work at the problem. They say they are, anyway. And, despite the fact a new update just released, and didn’t feature the fix to the problem, we figured that Android 2.2 would be the update to bring it around. Sure enough, a Motorola rep has just responded to a thread on Motorola’s site, about Exchange, and verified the truth.

Android 2.2 is apparently on an “early September” launch release date. It’s Motorola, though, so we’ll go ahead and keep this as a tentative thing for now. Sure, it’s a date, but yeah, it doesn’t mean anything until we actually get the update. Even if the Droid’s update to Android 2.2 is any indication, we can expect things to get confusing by the end of August.

[via Engadget]

Some interesting bit of news today, thanks to a fresh leak from a Verizon internal computer somewhere out there. As we’ve seen with a countless number of other Verizon devices out there, there’s always the standard paper outlining the details of a particular update. Especially when it comes to Android. In this case, after hearing yesterday that the official Droid update to Android 2.2 would actually be FRG22 and not FRG01B, it looks like
Verizon is all set to make the FRG22 update official.

There’s still no word on whether or not why Motorola/Verizon decided to hold off until this update. (We’re actually still hearing from folks that they’ve received the OTA update, still FRG01B.) But, if they are making it official, and you already did get the previous OTA update, you should get notified of a “security patch” soon enough, and be upgraded to the final, official Froyo build.

But, we do have a bit of bad news. Apparently after you update to Android 2.2 (FRG01B), you won’t have immediate access to Flash Player. Yes, we know — that’s shocking, especially considering Android 2.2 is supposed to natively support it. But, as the screenshot above shows, the Droid doesn’t support it, and Adobe hasn’t made it available to download from the Market. So, that’s definitely an interesting turn, if you ask us.

[via Droid-Life]

When the Dell Streak was announced, there was plenty of speculation about what Android version it would come with, once it finally made its way to the market. All of that got figured out, and there was talk about upgrades right off the bat. Engadget managed to get their hands on some exclusive time with the latest update to the Dell Streak, Android 2.1, which is set to be released for O2 branded Streaks next month, and thankfully it’s bringing more to the table than just some Live Wallpapers and a new unlock screen.

While there is obviously support for Live Wallpapers and that new unlock screen, there is also some much needed changes to the overall device. For example, and probably one of the biggest changes for the better in the update, is the new keyboard. You won’t find the number pad and caps lock key anymore, which provides just enough space to the keyboard to make it, apparently, a lot easier to type on. Other changes outside of the keyboard include the Android 2.1 Gallery application (like the one that the Nexus One showed off), and you’ll now be able to link to Picasa. And, perhaps the best news for some, the camera can now capture 720p HD video.

Let’s cover the bad things real quick, before we wrap this up. We know everything can’t be rosy, after all. Dell apparently decided to change the way that icons lay on the homescreens, as you were previously able to have 32 at a time, but now thanks to them arranging them in a more horizontal fashion, you can only put 24. Also, they increased the size of their proprietary News and Music widgets, making it so you can’t have two of those on the same homescreen. And worst of all, the homescreen switcher to a “Recent Applications” list, which means you don’t have a quick way to move from one homescreen to another anymore. Not a deal breaker, perhaps, but still annoying enough. Check out the video below for a bit more in depth look, and let us know if the Dell Streak is still on your radar.

[via Engadget]

Thanks to a trusted tipster to Boy Genius Report, it looks like we may finally have a release date for the Samsung Epic 4G. That may sound familiar: it’s the Samsung Galaxy S variant that’s heading to Sprint. Though, the Epic is definitely the more diverse of the Galaxy S devices out there, and probably most noteworthy is the fact that it’s going to have that 4G connectivity that Sprint talks so highly about.

The source, who has to remain anonymous obviously, says that the release date is mentioned in a Sprint playbook, and that there are going to be some stores out there that actually open early for the obvious demand of the device. Those stores, if the rumor turns out to be true, will be opening their doors at 8:00am. Now, this does make sense — especially considering we know AT&T’s BlackBerry Torch 9800 is launching August 12th, and rumors have the Droid 2 for Verizon launching on the 12th as well. Beating the competition by a day isn’t a bad deal at all. We’ll have to see if this turns out — we’re sure Sprint will announce something soon.

[via BGR]

The Army has hosted a huge developer challenge, called Apps for the Army (A4A), which was meant to see developers create applications specifically tailored for the United States Army. The developers were allowed to choose either Android or iOS as their platform, and the Army would then choose a winner in five categories: Training, Location Awareness, Information Access, Miscellaneous, and Mission Specific. And, as the title suggests, it was Android that managed to climb its way to the top, thanks to some amazing developers and the platform in which they worked on.

You can see the winners here, if you’re interested to see what took the prize. Android developers managed to grab four of the five categories. The Training category was the only one “we” missed. To get the whole thing kicked off, it was up to 150 soldiers and Army civilians to start their developing talents. They managed to create more than 50 applications, right off the bat.

As for the winners, each of them won $3,000. There was a total of 25 applications that were chosen for further development by the Army. The only trouble at the moment, is Android is still an open platform on relatively unsecured devices. Once the devices can get locked down to the military’s standards, then the applications will start to see field duty. It’s good to see Android helping with military efforts, but it’s even better to see the armed forces working tirelessly on new ways to train, and utilize our soldiers while out there in the field.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via Wired]

Hey, guess what? The Droid 2 is coming. Crazy, right? You didn’t even see that one coming, did you? Insane times we live in, folks. As you can see from the images below, that’s the Droid 2. From Motorola. The one that’s the true successor to the original Droid, and the device that’s supposed to be launching on August 12th. Or some time around that, anyway. We don’t know when it’s launching because Verizon still hasn’t officially announced the device.

But, there it is. Plain as day. With its updated slide-out full QWERTY keyboard, its Motoblur User Interface skin, and the same look and feel as the original Droid (with some obvious tweaks). And yet, despite the fact it’s showing up in Best Buy Mobile stores, in all of its dummy phone fashion, Verizon still hasn’t let a peep out. Let’s go, Verizon. Start peeping — give us something we can actually call “official.” And not “officially leaked.” Thanks.

[via Engadget]

No surprises here, folks. Though, it is a bit strange to see that the Captivate and Vibrant are the options being sent up to the Great North, and not the international version of the Galaxy S. It must have something to do with the 3G bands, and how they don’t have to work too hard to make them work on the Northern wireless carriers. In any event, both the Vibrant and Captivate are making their way up to Canada — this month.

The Samsung Captivate, which we’ve seen on AT&T’s network here locally for a little while now, is all set to launch on Rogers here soon. The wireless carrier says that it will have more details about its launch in the coming weeks, which suggests it will launch some time this month. It could get pushed back to September, but considering all that has to happen is rebrand the device and not install AT&T bloatware, it probably won’t take Samsung long to get enough units up there.

As for the Vibrant, that’s going to Bell Mobility. Unlike Rogers’ Galaxy S variant, the Vibrant is set to launch on August 6th. Yes, that’s tomorrow. So, if you’re in the market for a new device and you’ve been waiting one that could easily run for King of the Hill, tomorrow’s your day. It’s not even that badly priced, at $149.99 on a new, three-year contract (that’s just how they roll up there in Canada). Or, you could just drop $499 to get it without a contract. Your call. So, Canadians — Bell with their Vibrant, or Rogers with their Captivate? Which will it be?

[via Unwired View]

Another day, another announcement regarding a Galaxy S device. We’re not saying that we’re getting tired of seeing it — that’d be impossible with that screen — but it’s definitely getting kind of ridiculous. Samsung’s making sure to go to extreme lengths to make sure that everyone has the option of purchasing this device. That certainly won’t hurt Android’s numbers, that’s for sure. There’s a big difference with this device, though, which is a good thing.

The Samsung Galaxy S model (the i9000) that’s heading to Brazil is bringing along with it an ISDB-Tb Digital TV Tuner. Yep, embedded inside, and giving owners the ability to watch TV while they’re on the move. But, as for differences compared to the original Galaxy S, there aren’t any outside of the tuner. You still get the 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, the 1GHz Hummingbird processor, Android 2.1, and Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz 3.0 User Interface. You also get the ability to record video in 720p HD, it has a 3.5mm audio jack, GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi.

One thing to mention? The price. Apparently, carriers down there don’t mind that you’re going to have to pay a small fortune to get this handset. Pricing is going to be about BRL2,399. Hopefully that changes before it launches some time this month. We’ve got our fingers crossed for our Brazilian readers out there.

[via Samsung Hub]

When Google announced that their online phone store was going to the wayside, everyone’s immediate thought wasn’t about the store itself, but more about the device it was selling: the Nexus One. We had always heard Google say that they would be selling the device outside of their store, and when the store closed its doors they again said that carriers around the world would be selling the stock Android device. While that panned out, it didn’t show up in as many places as people would like (like at T-Mobile USA). But, if you’re still interested in buying it, you can, right from Google.

That is, if you’re a developer. You’ll have to pony up the $25 fee to register as a developer, and then you’ll have to drop $529 to get the device sent to you. But, for that 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 1GHz processor, and completely “vanilla” Android experience, that’s a small price to pay, isn’t it? Plus, it’s not like you have any real options, right? We’re just excited to see that it still lives on. Comment from Google below.

“We’ve always offered unlocked phones for direct sale to registered Android Developers. As of today, the Developer Phone is the Nexus One, at a price of $529. To see the details or order a phone, you need to sign in to your Android developer account and click on the “Development Phones” link.

“The Nexus One combines an up-to-the-minute platform (Android 2.2), modern hardware, and the pure Google Experience software suite. It’s a good choice both for people who want to build Android applications using either the SDK or the NDK, and those who want to experiment with modified versions of the Android platform. Note that the Nexus One still ships with Android 2.1 but will download 2.2 soon after you turn it on; make sure you’re near a fast network.

As well as being an outstanding developer platform, it’s a really nice everyday phone; we’re really happy to have connected the right dots to make this happen.”

[via Android Developer Blog]

Two unannounced HTC Android prototypes have shown up in the wild, after reportedly being sold on Craigslist.  Believed by Cellpassion to be the HTC Paradise – a sliding QWERTY version of the HTC Aria – and the HTC Fiesta, the Paradise at least had been spotted in an HTC user profile back in January.

Full specs for the two handsets are unknown, but the Paradise is believed to fall in line with the Aria – a 3.2-inch display, UMTS/HSPA, WiFi and a 5-megapixel camera – only with the addition of the sliding ‘board.  The Fiesta, meanwhile, has a confirmed 3.2-megapixel camera but otherwise we’re entirely in the dark.  Previous rumors had suggested that the handset – believed to be headed to AT&T – had been axed, so it’s not clear whether this is a sign those rumors were premature or that this is an abandoned prototype.

[Thanks Baz!]