The GOOGLE | ANDROID Thread

[Swisha]

yep, have my eyes set on either the Galaxy SII, Atrix or EVO 3D.

not liking the fact that the EVO 3D has only 1GB internal memory though...

[Swisha]

Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread ROM for Samsung Galaxy S leaks

The official Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread update for the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S is out - well, unofficially. We’re still expecting the official update but you could download and install this one right now, at your own risk, of course.

The ROM is version XXJVK and works on the international Galaxy S, the Samsung I9000. Android 2.3.3 brings the API level to 10 and improves Bluetooth, graphics, media framework and speech recognition.

Here’s a video that shows off the new ROM running on the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S, including a whole bunch of benchmarks.



The firmware is a leaked official ROM, but there are still risks involved in installing an unofficial, unsupported software on your phone.

If you do want to install it on your Samsung Galaxy S, you should start with these instructions and watch the step-by-step installation video. The ROM can downloaded from here (there are versions with and without a boot loader). You might want to wait for the official update, it should arrive soon (or not, you never know).

Here’s the video:





GSM Arena

[homeboy]

Hey guys, does anyone have a Motorola XT5?
I bought one Dubai dufree and got a Motorola EX115 dual sim free also....i never used Android OS and this is what the XT5 is running.......I really bought it for someone and they say they don't want it, still unopened.
Is it a good phone?

[Parvin]

Looking for anyone who can tell me if the HTC Aria is a good buy. Anyone with hands on experience. Wanted the Desire HD but $$$ just won't allow it.

Looking to leave the BB phase.

[Swisha]

What Is Google +1?



Google is introducing a new feature in Google search results today: +1. But what is it? A new social network? A social thingy? A social search engine? Is it even social?

It's a simple way to Like Google search results...

When you're signed into your Google account, every Google search result will now have a +1 icon next to it (right now you have to activate in Google Experimental). If you find the search result useful or just enjoy the linked site, you hit the +1 icon. Google says by +1-ing a result you're giving it a recommendation, a stamp of approval. More +1's on a result means the site is more interesting.

...and is definitely social...

You can see what your friends +1'd which ideally lends more credence to a particular search result. Since Google displays so many sites, these little +1's will help you sift out the crappy ones (if you didn't banish them already). Imagine if your best friend found a link interesting and +1'd it. When you stumble upon that in the future, you're probably going to click it.

...but isn't a social network...

When the Google +1 project first started (as Google Me), it was billed to be Google's Facebook killer. Clearly, it's not. The +1 system works more like Likes in Facebook or Diggs in Digg, meaning to say it's a bare bones simple way to show that you like something. That's good! Google became the king of search because it was simple. +1 is simple.



...that will help Google target ads better...

You can also +1 ad's, which combined with the data of your usual +1s of search results, will let Google learn more about you and better target their ads. It's sort of like data research masked as a feature, like when Google offered free Google 411s to improve their voice recognition software, Google +1 improves their ad delivery system.

...and will eventually grow bigger...

Google isn't done with +1 yet. They've learned from previous mistakes in Google Buzz and Google Wave where they dug a grave for those products by overhyping them. This time, by starting small with a simple +1 icon only available on Google search results, they can quietly go about their business and slowly add to it (like +1-ing directly from a website, from Chrome, from apps etc.).

...but won't change the way you use Google. Yet.

Google +1 is another sign that Google wants to evolve into a more social search engine. All those +1's they keep track of will not only help Google make their searches better, but also make them more relevant to your social circle. As the Internet gets clotted in cobwebs, having friends personally +1 the best sites keeps Google from falling too far behind Facebook and Twitter in social sharing.


Google +1

Gizmodo

[Soundwave]

+1...

[Swisha]

[Swisha]

Google Talk Guru Gives Instant Search Answers via Chat



How could you get answers from Google faster than searching? Add Google's new Talk Guru to your Google Talk contacts, then ping him/her/it with your questions about the weather in Dallas, what $5 in Romanian leu equals in U.S. dollars, and translating words between many languages.

Add guru@googlelabs.com to your contact list, send a chat invitation, then "ask" it questions. It seems to support the same kind of quick queries that Google SMS supports, and gets back to you very quickly. It works through most chat clients, too, so if you can send a chat quicker than you can pull up your browser or Google.com, it's just a tiny bit faster and more helpful.

Google Talk Guru


Lifehacker

[Soundwave]

Soundwave: define warahoon

guru: Sorry, 'define warahoon' did not return any results.

[wheelbarrow]

navigate the human body like google maps

[Swisha]

Google tightening control of Android, insisting licensees abide by 'non-fragmentation clauses'?



A storm seems to be brewing over the realm of Android development. Bloomberg's Businessweek spies have received word from "a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem" that Google is actively working to gain control and final say over customizations of its popular mobile OS. That might not sound unreasonable, and indeed Google's public position on the matter is that it's seeking to stabilize the platform and ensure quality control, but it does mark a major shift from where Android started -- an open source OS that was also open to manufacturers and carriers to customize as they wish. Not so anymore, we're told, as apparently Mountain View is now demanding that content partnerships and OS tweaks get the blessing of Andy Rubin before proceeding. The alternative, of course, is to not be inside Google's warm and fuzzy early access program, but then, as evidenced by the company recently withholding the Honeycomb source code, you end up far behind those among your competitors who do dance to Google's pipe.

Things have gotten so heated, in fact, that complaints have apparently been made to the US Department of Justice. They may have something to do with allegations of Google holding back Verizon handsets with Microsoft's Bing on board, ostensibly in an effort to trip up its biggest search competitor. Another major dissatisfaction expressed by those working with Android code is that Google needs an advance preview of what is being done in order to give it the green light -- which, as noted by a pair of sources familiar with Facebook's Android customization efforts, isn't sitting well with people at all. Google and Facebook are direct competitors in the online space and it's easily apparent how much one stands to gain from knowing the other's plans early. As to the non-fragmentation clauses in licenses, Andy Rubin has pointed out those have been there from the start, but it's only now that Google is really seeking to use them to establish control. The future of Android, therefore, looks to be a little less open and a little more Googlish -- for better or worse. As Nokia's Stephen Elop puts it:

"The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going."


Engadget

[Swisha]

Samsung Galaxy S getting a 1.4GHz '2011 edition' next month (update: confirmed)



You didn't think Samsung was going to leave the classic Galaxy S handset in the past, did you? Dmitriy Ryabinin of hi-tech.mail.ru has tracked down the above comparison sheet showing off a new variant of the 4-inch Android phone, this time packing a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255T chip and a 14.4Mbps HSPA+ radio. Other than those upgrades and a 1650mAh battery, it's a faithful reproduction of last year's original and should be arriving in Russia around the end of April for a price of just under 24,000 rubles ($846). What gives us faith in this apparent leak is our earlier sighting of a 3.7-inch Galaxy S2 "Mini" device from Samsung, which also clocks in at a mighty 1.4GHz. Coincidence? We doubt it.

[Thanks, Andy]

Update: That was quick. Samsung's Russian mouthpiece has confirmed all of the above, adding note of a metal back cover and a Galaxy S Plus name for markets outside of Russia. Sadly, there's no word as to where else it might be showing up.


Engadget

[shaq090]

hey i need some help...i have a samsung captivate s and its on 2.1....i rooted it and used galaxy s unlocker to unlock it.....but 2.1 kinda buggy and i wanna update to 2.2.....if i unroot it and update it would i still have the unlock or would i have to find some other way to unlock it

[~*SiLvA MeRa*~]

:evil: those damn counter reps know nothing, all they can say is its still at the repair centre and we will call you when its back, i hadda salt till whenever yes...

WTF another month?!

They building the parts over from scratch or what?

Yeah you should have waited.

You should find out if anything was done to it or what exactly they plan to do.

Wolfie, good news finally man, naturally the phone was still defective when i got it back from Bmobile, even after i upgraded the software to Froyo 2.2.1, it was still buggy, i took the phone back to bmobile and was prepared for one long drawn out scene, however when i got there, explained the whole mess to a very helpful counter rep , she acknowledged that the phone was sent for repairs and it was still giving the same problem, lo and behold she says she will change the phone under the warranty, i was in shock actually, well long story short, i got a new galaxy s now and its going fine so far, thinking about installing froyo 2.2.1 through kies tonight.

What i noticed with the first phone though was after i had updated the software to 2.2.1, the battery was draining alot faster, phone was dead before the end of the day, so i am a bit hesitant to upgrade because of this, what do you suggest? ...really don't want to screw up this new galaxy s...

[jhonnieblue]

hey guys lil problem
my desire hd is giving trouble with receiving calls and txt when im using apps (facebook, browsing etc) on the phone
today however for a while i and got numerous missed calls and texts. it only rest itself after a reboot
its really bugging me because its important work related calls i am missing
this happens to anyone?
the phone is rooted but running stock htc 2.2 rom
tried looking up xda forums for possible help but nothing yet
would a radio change solve this?...thinking bout revolution HD but time due to exams etc i limited

[2NR Smurf]

:evil: those damn counter reps know nothing, all they can say is its still at the repair centre and we will call you when its back, i hadda salt till whenever yes...

WTF another month?!

They building the parts over from scratch or what?

Yeah you should have waited.

You should find out if anything was done to it or what exactly they plan to do.

Wolfie, good news finally man, naturally the phone was still defective when i got it back from Bmobile, even after i upgraded the software to Froyo 2.2.1, it was still buggy, i took the phone back to bmobile and was prepared for one long drawn out scene, however when i got there, explained the whole mess to a very helpful counter rep , she acknowledged that the phone was sent for repairs and it was still giving the same problem, lo and behold she says she will change the phone under the warranty, i was in shock actually, well long story short, i got a new galaxy s now and its going fine so far, thinking about installing froyo 2.2.1 through kies tonight.

What i noticed with the first phone though was after i had updated the software to 2.2.1, the battery was draining alot faster, phone was dead before the end of the day, so i am a bit hesitant to upgrade because of this, what do you suggest? ...really don't want to screw up this new galaxy s...

I have my bmobile SGS on 2.2.1 from kies a couple weeks now. I get about 2 days out of the battery with frequent Gun Bros and Angry Birds

[~*SiLvA MeRa*~]

^^i updated to froyo this morning, got through after deleting and reinstalling Samsung Kies 3 times, will see how the battery life goes..

[2NR Smurf]

^Yeh i hate kies...

[shaq090]

^Yeh i hate kies...

then how u does update ur firmware then? cuz i on 2.1 and i wanna update to froyo...i have the captivate...kies does give me some cant update error...it does neva finish downloading the firmware

[2NR Smurf]

^I use kies because its the only choice i have really to get official samsung updates.
Not too familiar with the differences between the captivate and the galaxy s though.

[shaq090]

^I use kies because its the only choice i have really to get official samsung updates.
Not too familiar with the differences between the captivate and the galaxy s though.

i keep getting the samsung i897 cannot be updated......how u got kies to work....i using x64 win7 ultimate

[r3iXmann]

just copped a captivate

back in the game soon

blasted nexus s was sold before i could get it

[shaq090]

hey update...u could use odin v3.1 to update or downgrade ur android to anyfirmware ^_^ once its supported for ur device

[Captainzaak]

Anyone have a EDGE data plan with Digicel?

I'm searching to see what unlimited data plan they have for my Desire HD, but i not finding anything useful, even on their website.

I know bmoible offer unlimited EDGE for around $100 (just for data).

Anyone can lend some advise?

[shaq090]

you could use the bis service.....the 1 month ulimited will cost u around 200...but u hadda activate it on a blackberry first...thats the prepaid way...but if u want unlimited post paid then u could do the same thing for a lil more on digicel(but u still need to at least buy the blackberry from them to apply for the plan) or u could just go with bmobile and take a call plan with the data plan....digicel is faster tho....orr there is the $50 for 50mb on digi but u hadda manage how u using it and MOST DEFINITELY TAKE OFF AUTOMATIC SYNC

[jhonnieblue]

using the unlimited on bmobile. works good jus lose reception in certain areas. like point lisas
but good otherwise

[achillies]

using the unlimited on bmobile. works good jus lose reception in certain areas. like point lisas
but good otherwise

Is it the post paid unlimited that you have or are you using the new plan they launched called DATA FOR PREPAID

In fact is anyone with an Android phone using the new plan???

[jhonnieblue]

postpaid unlimited plan
with auto sync on android thaz one huge bill u looking at if prepaid

[outlaw101]

got me a mytouch 4g with 2.2 about 4 days ago,i am new to android but so far it bess,this phone a beast!!

[achillies]

got me a mytouch 4g with 2.2 about 4 days ago,i am new to android but so far it bess,this phone a beast!!

Welcome