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Offical TOTA Android Thread (pg. 16)
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View this Thread in Original format
| Jem_hadar |
Samsung Captivate Gets Leaked Android 2.2 Froyo
October 2nd, 2010
Sure, you cant get one just yet. But once you get it in your hands, youre gonna want the latest and greatest version of Android right? While most people are gonna wait for Rogers to push their final build of the update through, I know there is certainly a crowd who is gonna decide thats too long of a wait.
So, a leaked bulid (and possibly final) is out. It has all the Froyo goodness you want and its out for you to try! My Nexus One got every single leaked build of Froyo until the final one officially came out so this is something Id be interested in doing if i had the phone. Trust me, its worth it if youre willing to spend a bit of time. A very thorough walkthrough video is just below for you.
By the way, how are your pre-orders going? |
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| TrAnCeiN4LiFe |
the first thing that comes to mind when word android comes up is this...
:rolleyes: |
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| Jem_hadar |
HTC Desire Z Coming To Bell Exclusively This November?
October 4th, 2010
As much as I love hearing great phones might be coming to Canada, I dont like the idea of spreading rumours. So now that I finally have some assertion from a good friend and source, I can less reluctantly tell you that Bell might in fact be carrying the HTC Desire Z come this November. Yes, the same phone we spoke of before.
A few days back MobileSyrup was tipped by a few individuals about this but I wanted some personal confirmation before running with the story on our site.
In terms of a detailed release date or price, we just dont know. We do know its a 3.7incher with a physical QWERTY keyboard, runs 2.2 Froyo, and has a 5MP camera with 720p recording. I know that physical keyboard is a big deal to a lot of people so its nice to see manufacturers still making high-end phones with them.
Now only if I could get out of this contract with Rogers. I wouldnt mind a physical QWERTY keyboard for a change either. Bell already has a pretty good line-up of Android phones but this would top things off quite nice. Now lets see if someone manages to bring the Desire HD to our country as well. |
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| Jem_hadar |
I dont use Skype myself, but very glad to see it now available for us Android users.
Skype Now Available for Android Phones
October 5th, 2010
Here is a monster story for all you Android users out thereSkype is now available! Instead of iPhone users having all the fun, Skype has announced that they have an official Android app that will make calls over WiFi and 3G. Heres an excerpt from their blog:
| quote: | Youve been asking us for it and now its here. Skype is now available on a wide range of Android phones, so you can save money and stay in touch when youre out and about. Visit skype.com/m on your phone to download, or read on to find out whats inside.
With the new app, you can make free Skype-to-Skype calls, and send and receive IMs for free, one-to-one or with a group. You can also call phones at Skypes great rates over WiFi or 3G.
To make calls and send texts to phones abroad, simply dial the number in Skype and pay with Skype Credit or make unlimited calls with a subscription. When youre abroad, we recommend that you connect to a WiFi zone for best value.
If you already use Skype on a computer, youll see your full contact list when you sign in to Skype on your Android phone. If not, you can set up an account and be ready to go in minutes.
You can download Skype from the Android Market, or from skype.com/m on your phone. Youll need Android OS 2.1 or later check Settings > About if youre not sure what version your phone is running. |
The team notes that calls over 3G wont work in the USA, only WiFi. There are issues with the Samsung Galaxy S. The app has been tested on Android OS 2.1 and higher. Whos excited for this? Let us know how it works for you in the comments! |
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| Jem_hadar |
Rogers: Samsung Captivate 2.2 Update Coming Early 2011
October 6th, 2010
So you got your pre-order in because $149 sounded good to you. You drooled over the leaked Android 2.2 Froyo build but arenft the sort of person to go through all that rooting trouble. Well, Rogers has an answer for you.
According to a comment by Rogers, we can gexpect an update to OS 2.2 to be available early 2011 for the Captivate.
Now thatfs an awfully vague release date and also in the rumoured 3.0 Gingerbread territory but better than never right? |
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| Jem_hadar |
Woooohoooooooo its almost in sight... GoogleTV soon coming to a television set near you... :D
(As with all things, very annoying that theres a dealyed thee-month rollout to Canada compared to with the US... :whip::whip:)
Logitech Reveals Revue With Google TV
by Pedram on October 6th, 2010
Google announced Google TV back in May at their I/O event. There are two main ways you can get Google TV. It comes pre-installed on your brand new HDTV (Sony being their first partner) or you get a set-top box that connects to any HDTV you already own (Logitech makes the box, called the Logitech Revue). Coming this fall.
Fall has come and Logitech held a big press event this afternoon to showcase what Revue and Google TV is all about. Lets go over the hardware.
Three ways of navigating Revue. First is a special keyboard for Revue that comes with an integrated touch surface and directional pad. The second is a smaller hand sized controller that has a QWERTY keypad but costs $129.99 extra. The third which appeals the most to me is a free app on both iPhone and Android devices.
They also introduced a Revue camera for HD video conferencing that costs $149.99. Can be used to call other Revues and Macs or PCs running the Logitech Vid HD software. HD camera has a nice wide shooting angle built for the living room and its easy to set up. Calls made through a simple built-in app interface and will have no monthly costs (take that Cisco!)
Speaking of software, the Revue will come pre-loaded with apps including Netflix and a Logitech Media app but the Marketplace wont be active until 2011. The box is also DLNA-certified, might work with Sling Media tech in some ways, and the media player will support various file formats including MP3, AAC, and MKV.
The Revue box, keyboard and IR blaster will sell for $299. In the US, it will ship through Bestbuy and Amazon by the end of the month, pre-orders start today. But if youre reading this blog, chances are that you dont live in the US. Canada and the rest of the world will see Google TV next year in 2011.
While the Revue stays unique with Google TV, the various options that will be available in Canada before 2011 like the Boxee Box and Apple TV might mean Canadians not waiting until Revue. What do you think? |
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| Jem_hadar |
Id be a dealbreaker for me too! Last thing I want on my phoen is more bloatware crap that I cant remove - esp if its the crappy Bing search engine and MS Maps... PEACE.
Why the would you instal that mess on a Android (Google) phone in the first place?
Ppl looking for such software built into the device's core have the upcoming Windows phone series 7 devices to get.
I too wonder what MSFT is paying Verizon to run with bing instead of (the better) google products...
LOL @ the wicked outrage this news prompted in teh comments section
Verizon to make Bing default search on all Android phones?
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 at 6:30 PM PST
Quite a zinger has been given to Google today for their Android mobile operating system, by none other than Verizon Wireless. Verizon will apparently be shifting to Bing as the default search provider for all upcoming Android phones from now on.
The whispers that Verizon will be using Microsofts Bing search engine exclusively on all upcoming Android phones is a bit surprising (although, given previous partnership announcements, we really shouldnt be that surprised) given the relationship Verizon has had with the search giant for some time now the original Motorola Droid was a close collaboration between Verizon, Motorola, and Google. We have to wonder how this will effect the relationship between Google and Big Red going forward? Furthermore, how much money did Microsoft pay the nations largest mobile carrier to get this done, eh? As it stands, we do know that the default search engine on the upcoming Samsung Fascinate is Bing, and who knows how much more well see of Bing on Android?
This isnt the first time weve seen this, as the Motorola Backflip had Google removed as the default search provider in favor of Yahoo!, so we can really just blame Android being open-sourced. Its not all bad though, you can always just search Google from Bing and make big G make your home page, but at the same time, people will likely just want to hit that dedicated search button and do their thing no matter what search engine is used. I wouldnt be too worried if I were Google, Verizon is but one carrier to jump ship, and nothing is ever set in stone. That said, Verizon is also the largest wireless carrier in the US (by subscriber count), and if one carrier could possibly affect Googles share, itll likely be Verizon.
So, whats up with Bing on Android? Well, remember how Microsoft beat out Google in 2009 to become the default search engine for the Verizons feature phones and smartphones? The deal was signed in 2009 and was intended to be valid for five years, starting in the first half of 2009. We doubt that it will hit the upcoming Motorola Stingray tablet, but the HTC Merge may ship with Bing search pre-installed.
So does this development really matter to you all that much? I personally cant say that I would really be swayed on way or the other by a smartphones default search engine, as Google is my default home page on my internet browser anyway. But, there are probably die-hard Google fans out there that wont pick up an Android phone with Bing as the default out pure principle alone. That said, its almost as easy to hit the browser button as it is to hit the search button, so who cares? And, dont forget that when Google Instant hits Android phones, whos going to use Bing anyway?
Wait, does anyone use Bing now?
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/09/0...android-phones/ |
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| Jem_hadar |
Woohoo! An Android phone with a nice BlackBerry-like keypad is coming out (well, in the States at least)!
From teh looks of it, the form factor looks very much like the BB keypad, which is brilliant since everyone knows theirs are the best in teh business to use. :D
Will be very nice to not have to sacrifice the OS for those that just absolutley need (or just wish) to have a physical keypad still.
Android OS + BB-quality keypad (if thast the case) = Awesome and HUGE WIN!!!
Reviews/comments:
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Motorolla DROID Pro SmartPhone Preview
Enter the Droid Pro; Reminiscent of the Motorola Q it has RIM users double taking. This baby is Android 2.2 powerhouse featuring a 1GHz processor, 5MP Camera, Capacitive Touchscreen, and a super sexy full QWERTY keyboard. Unless the screen is illuminated you'd never be able to tell this wasn't a Blackberry. The screen is a bit larger than your standard RIM device but that's so is the Torch's screen. Potentially this will be the standard size screen on devices of this type.
The Droid Pro truly keeps corporate users in mind with a "multi-headed" VPN client, remote wipe capabilities, and support for complex passwords. Motorola says the device will support encryption for its on-board memory and SD cards in 2011. Security in the Professional environment is always a concern and Motorola attacked these issues head-on... ThinkComputers
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Motorola Droid Pro Invades Blackberry
BlackBerry is facing new competition for its dominance of the corporate hand-held device market. Verizon and phone-maker Motorola revealed the Droid Pro, a new Android phone that fuses a touch screen interface with a full keyboard and world-phone capabilities.
The new phone features a 3.1-inch screen, compared to the iPhone 4s 3.5-inch screen and the Droid Xs hefty 4.3-inch screen. Neither of those two phones has a keyboard.
The Droid 2 features a 3.7-inch touch screen and slide out keyboard with bigger buttons than the Droid Pro, but there is one extra step involved any time you want to type on it.
However, inside the Droid Pro are all the top-line features Android uses have become familiar with. The phone has a 1-gigahertz processor, 512 megabytes of memory and a 2-gigbyte hard drive. The phones 5-megapixel camera is comparable to the ones offered by Apple and the Droid 2, but it is somewhat smaller than the 8-megapixels available on the Droid X. Shoppers are becoming less concerned about pixels and more interested in mobile features and speed.
The Droid Pros similarities to the Blackberry were noticed immediately.
Motorolas BlackBerry? one technology blog wondered, Engadget, The freshly-announced Moto Droid Pros keyboard feels like it, to be sure, and after trying it out, we believed the Motorola rep who told us they tested comparable speeds of 37WPM in several focus groups.
The Pro Phone could be bad news for RIM, the company that makes BlackBerry devices. RIMs share of the market has shrunk recently to about 2 percentage points behind Apple from April to June. In the same period, Androids share rose 5 points. |
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| Jem_hadar |
Motorola Droid Pro, first hands-on! (update: video!)
By Sean Hollister posted Oct 5th 2010 11:59PM Hands-On
Motorola's BlackBerry? The freshly-announced Moto Droid Pro's keyboard feels like it, to be sure, and after trying it out, we believed the Motorola rep who told us they tested comparable speeds of 37WPM in several focus groups. But that's definitely Android under the hood, paired with a nice, responsive capacitive touchscreen and a 1GHz processor that sped through the UI. Check it out in our gallery below while we go find out more!
Update: We just had a nice long chat with a Motorola representative, and found out what's under the Droid Pro's hood -- it's a 1GHz OMAP 3620, to be precise, with an MDM6600 chipset, 512MB of RAM, 2GB of onboard storage ROM and 8GB internal storage, plus 802.11n 2.4GHz WIFI, Bluetooth 2.1 and tri-band UMTS. There's a dual LED flash alongside that auto-focus camera, and a programmable key on the side that asks you what you want it to do the first time you press it. There's 3G mobile hotspot support for up to five devices, and an optional 1860mAh extended battery and case, plus a desktop charger dock like those for the Droid and Droid 2 but that holds the handset vertically. It also just so happens that the Droid Pro has the push functionality of Blur even though it isn't weighed down by the full Blur UI, and supports SD card remote wipes (and full device encryption in Q1 2011), has spellcheck integrated into the OS and a "multi-headed" VPN client. Had enough yet? We've got a series of screenshots below pulled directly from the device.
Update 2: Video of the Droid Pro and Motorola Citrus after the break!
Update 3: According to Motorola's Developer page (at the link below) the Droid Pro's also got PowerVR SGX 530 graphics inside, just like the Droid 2, among other devices.
    
    
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/...first-hands-on/
EDIT:
Here are the official specs for it, taken off Moto's US site. :)
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/U...D-PRO-US-EN.alt |
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| Jem_hadar |
Think Ill be pulling the trigger on one of these very soon (once its confirmed its been upgraded to Froyo; or will ask for one for Xmas)
Decent specs, Android 2.2 (coming), and under $200 = HOLY WINNER!!!
Is anyone else as excited abt this as me? ??
Say hello to the CherryPad, a 7-inch, sub-$200 Android tablet from Cherrypal
Thursday, October 7th, 2010 at 1:12 PM PST
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/10/0...android-tablet/
Cherrypal has a reputation for selling inexpensive, Asian-manufactured electronics that offer low-power consumption and other eco-friendly features. Its latest device, a follow-up to its Android-powered netbook, is a 7-inch Android tablet. The most riveting feature of this tablet device is its $188 price tag which makes it one of the least expensive Android tablets on the market.
The CherryPad, despite its pad based name is not an iPad clone. Its closest competitor would be the Samsung Galaxy Tab, though in this comparison, the Galaxy Tab would be considered the Rolls Royce of tablets and the CherryPad would be a Geo Metro. Though it has a discount price, the CherryPad offers respectable specs for its sub-$200 price tag including:
7-inch resistive touchscreen display with 800480 resolution
800 MHz ARM11 CPU
256 MB of DDRII RAM
2 GB NAND Flash
microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g
built-in gravity sensor
3.5 mm headphone jack
optional 3G modem
1.1 pounds with a aluminum casing
3200 mAh battery
Android 2.1 at launch, froyo upgrade in Q4 2010
The CherryPad, along with Cherrypals other products, will be available for sale through online retailer Zecozi. Zecozi is an online marketplace that focuses on sustainable and eco-friendly products. The Cherrypads ordering page on Zecozi is live and you can snag this interesting Android tablet for a mere $188 plus $18 in shipping. Anyone going to take the plunge just out of curiosity?
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Cherrypal Launches Powerful 7-Inch $188 Android 2.1 3D Tablet Computer for the Sub-iPad(C) Market Cherrypal Enters Into Exclusive Deal With Green Shopping Site Zecozi |
PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct 07, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) Cherrypal, a California-based manufacturer of high quality, low-energy consuming and affordable personal computers, today announced the availability of its new sub $200 tablet computer, the CherryPad America.
The CherryPad was designed for consumers who are looking for an affordable, powerful, high quality, and low energy-consuming tablet computer with the ability to run the Android operating system. CherryPad is powered by the fast Samsung ARM11, (CPU + GPU + DSP, OpenGL 2.0) 800 MHz processor and runs Android 2.1 and all Android applications. An upgrade option to 2.2 is planned for the fourth quarter 2010.
The CherryPad America features a 7-inch resistive touch widescreen display (no stylus needed) at 800480 resolution with built-in gravity sensor. Memory, storage and wireless functions include 256 MBs of DDRII RAM; 2 GB NAND Flash; Micro SD (1x) reader, and WiFi 802.11 b/g.
Standard I/O ports include USB 2.0 supported by an external adapter; 3.5 mm headphone jack, built-in speakers and microphone, DC port, optional external 3G modem. The CherryPad Americas Polymer 3200 MAH battery has a run time of 6-8 hours. The device weighs just 1.1 pounds and is housed in a sturdy aluminum case. MSRP of the CherryPad America is $188.
The CherryPad America does not compete against the Apple(C) iPad. The CherryPad addresses the sub-iPad market, said Cherrypal CTO Max Seybold.
According to Seybold, CherryPad has been designed for consumers who seek a lower cost, more compact tablet PC with the ability to run Android.
The CherryPad is neither an iPad killer nor an iPad clone, its a completely different product designed for a different market, Seybold said. The screen of the CherryPad is only 7-inches big, the processor is slightly less powerful, and the CherryPad comes with Android 2.1 and not Apples iOS. At a MSRP of $188, the price for a CherryPad is also less than half of the iPad.
Early user tests confirmed the CherryPad user experience has been extremely positive. Users appreciate full access to the Android Market, its powerful processor, battery run time, and high quality, Seybold said.
Cherrypal Partners With Zecozi Cherrypal also announced a strategic partnership with Zecozi (www.zecozi.com), a new online shopping site for conscious consumers. All Cherrypal products will be exclusively sold through Zecozi in the United States, with the exception of volume buyers. Every Cherrypal comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, as well as a 1-year replacement warranty.
We are a hardware manufacturer first and need to focus on our core competence in order to drive down costs and offer quality products that consumers can afford. We can offer our products for such a low price because we are frugal with non-product related costs. When we looked for a strong partner who shares our green, open and fair corporate value system, Zecozi was the obvious choice, said Cherrypal CEO John Collier.
About Cherrypal Corporation Cherrypal (http://www.cherrypal.com) is a Palo Alto, California based manufacturer of high-quality, energy-efficient and low-cost computers with worldwide sales operations. Cherrypals products are designed in Palo Alto, California and manufactured in Asia.
About Zecozi Zecozi (www.zecozi.com) is a community-driven marketplace for conscious consumers, that enable users to shop with friends and come together in real-time with the community to collectively define sustainability. The Zecozi community is the next generation of sustainable commerce.
iPad and Apple are registered trademarks of Apple. Other products/company names are either trademarks or trade names of their respective holders.
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Actual Zecozi site to view and order it from:
http://www.zecozi.com/index.php/bro...8297181563BD20A
| quote: |
CherryPad America 7-inch Android 2.1 3D tablet computer (powerful, easy-to-use, affordable)
Listing Number: 30649
Condition: New
$188.00
Shipping: $18.80
Handling: $0.00
The CherryPad was designed for consumers who are looking for an affordable, powerful, high quality, and low energy-consuming tablet computer with the ability to run the Android operating system. CherryPad is powered by the fast Samsung ARM11 processor (CPU + GPU + DSP, OpenGL 2.0) 800 MHz processor and runs Android 2.1 and all Android applications. An upgrade option to 2.2 is planned for the fourth quarter 2010. The CherryPad America features a 7-inch resistive touch widescreen display (no stylus needed) at 800x480 resolution with built-in gravity sensor. Memory, storage and wireless functions include 256 MBs of DDRII RAM; 2 GB NAND Flash; Micro SD (1x) reader, and WiFi 802.11 b/g. Standard I/O ports include USB 2.0 supported by an external adapter; 3.5 mm headphone jack, built-in speakers and microphone, DC port, optional external 3G modem. The CherryPad Americas Polymer 3200 MAH battery has a run time of 6-8 hours. The device weighs just 1.1 pounds and is housed in a sturdy aluminum case.
Shipping & Packaging Policies
Every Cherrypal comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, as well as a 1-year replacement warranty. If something goes wrong with your Cherrypal, well make it right, right away. Due to our high quality standards our defection rate is way below industry standard. Cherrypal's shipping policy and order management process are green/open/fair as well.
Green: In order to save on logistics and energy cost we ship centralized out of our Hong Kong warehouse. The less we have to move the goods the less energy is consumed and the lower the price for you.
Open: We provide tracking numbers, of course. We update our order management automatically and notify you by email every single step in the shipping process. The average delivery time for customers residing in the United States is about 7 days, for anyone else about 2 weeks.
Fair: Everyone pays the same price for shipping, whether you live in the United States (delivered by United States Postal Services) or anywhere else in the world. Our objective is to make Cherrypal products affordable to anyone we stand for green computing for everyone afterall.
Shipping Days of the Week
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Shipping Services Offered Shipping Fee Handling Fee
USA USPS Parcel Post $18.80 Free
Canada UPS Worldwide Saver $18.80 Free
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Note the $18.80 shipping for Canada too!! Woohoo! (For once we're not left out entirely re: shipping or screwed over with higher costs!) :D:D |
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