The GOOGLE | ANDROID Thread

[Swisha]

Galaxy Tab 8.9 hits pre-order, ships October 2nd in US; Galaxy Player 5.0 and 4.0 shipping October 16th



Hot on the heels of a UK release, Samsung has just announced that its long-awaited (and long-delayed) Galaxy Player 4.0 ($229) and 5.0 ($269) will be available for pre-order starting September 27th, with US availability pegged for October 16th. Oddly enough, Samsung gave no reason behind the once-spring, now-autumn pushback, but at least we can finally stop wondering and instead start enjoying the spoils of an (almost) Galaxy Note-sans-phone. (Not like we haven't heard a similar tune before). All that aside, the Player 5.0 and 4.0 weigh in at 6.4 and 4.2 ounces, respectively, and both are powered by Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread); other specs include 802.11b/g/n, WVGA Super Clear LCDs (800 x 480), Bluetooth 3.0, 8GB of onboard storage, a microSD expansion slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, voice recorder, mini-USB connectivity, front and rear cameras and support for Sammy's Media Hub content service. The big fellow gets a 2,500mAh battery, whereas its little(r) brother is equipped with a 1,200mAh cell.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is available for pre-sale right now, with shipments to hit retail on October 2nd. You'll be laying down $469 for the 16GB model, while a doubling of capacity will run you $100 more. Need a refresher on this one, too? How's about a WXGA (1,280 x 800) touchpanel, dual-core T250S processor, 6,100mAh battery, sub-one pound weight, DLNA compatibility, a 3 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front-facing camera, integrated Swype / Polaris Office and even a few amenities for those in the enterprise -- things like full support for Exchange ActiveSync (v14), on-device encryption, Cisco VPN, Sybase MDM and WebEx support. Best of all, the inbuilt FindMyMobile service allows users to track their lost / stolen Tab 8.9 down on a map as it moves, remotely lock the device to prevent unauthorized access and delete personal information stored on the device. Head on past the break for the full release.




Engadget

[Swisha]

Yes, Google Drive Is Coming. For Real This Time.



About a month ago, some additions to the code in Chromium (the open source browser behind Chrome) suggested that the long-fabled “GDrive” may be on the verge of actually launching. A week later, user-facing proof started appearing. Then earlier today, sharp-eyed social media consultant, Johannes Wigand, spotted something interesting during a presentation at a Google-sponsored event: something that sure looks a lot like Google Drive.

And it is.

Over the past month, we’ve been able to dig up more information about Google Drive. First of all, it is very real. And it is being used internally at Google. Of course, it was also real back in 2007 and 2008 before it was eventually killed. But talking to employees back then who saw and used the service all agreed that it was pretty wonky and not ready for prime time. This new version is expected to be much better.

As you can see in Wigand’s picture (above, with important elements circled by me), Google Drive on the web will essentially be Google Docs rebranded. This shouldn’t be a big surprise since Google has been positioning Docs as a sort of Google Drive since early 2010. The difference is that Google specifically didn’t want to call it that at the time. Now they do.

And it makes a lot more sense. Few people are using Google Docs for online storage beyond the files they use in Docs. Most still probably don’t even realize they can. Something as simple as changing the name to Google Drive should help with that. There will also be a new “My Google Drive” area for various folders in Google Drive. There will be other Drive-specific tools as well.

But here’s the real key: there will also be native syncing software that you install on your various computers and mobile devices. Yes, like Dropbox.

This was also true back in the day with GDrive, but again, the service (codenamed: Platypus) was said to be very buggy. Now it is said to work well. If you have a document on your computer that you want to move to another one, you simply drag and drop it into this new Google Drive sync app. Or, of course, you can use the web.

We haven’t heard the timetable for the Google Drive roll-out, but we imagine it will be fairly soon. Again, Google is using this internally right now and has been for some time. One thing that Google may be waiting for is Ice Cream Sandwich, the new version of Android due next month. There may be some built-in Google Drive component to it (though that’s just me speculating). And it seems that it will be at least a part of Chrome, and more importantly, Chrome OS.

Expect Google Drive to reside at drive.google.com (not live yet). It’s not clear how docs.google.com (the current home of Docs) will be used — perhaps as the home of the word processor app or maybe it will just redirect. Also not clear is how Google will allocate storage for this service, but presumably it will be the same as they currently do for Docs/Gmail/etc. You get a certain (ever-increasing) amount for free, and if you need more, you can buy it.

TechCrunch

[Swisha]

Samsung announces latest Unpacked event, set to kick-off at CTIA



Remember those Samsung Unpacked events from earlier this month and way back in February? Well Sammy is apparently readying something else for the upcoming CTIA, and we've tentatively circled October 11th in our diaries. There's nothing concrete yet on precisely what the Korean manufacturer will be offering up to the masses, though we've seen previous events cover smartphones, cameras and even tablets all in one fell swoop. Might the next Google phone -- heavily rumored to be a Samsung baby-- be "primed" for launch?

Engadget

[achillies]

4299 post, 4599 pre - not that big of a difference. Was thinking to get off amazon actually, but I new to the android world so I dunno if there is some site that is preferred.

Anyone with insight on the prepaid data?

I'm using a SGS2 with prepaid plan, $29 per week, well yuh done know the speed is bollocks, but it's good enough for me to use all the social networking apps like facebook, google+, twicca, ubersocial and what have you, I don't recommend to much browsing unless you really really need to pull up a website, it slowwwwww

Just call them n tell them to add the social plan and that's it. Not going to even think about that 2Mb/m plan, My phone would be brokes.......

[Swisha]

[Stephon.]

Time they lose 49 million users.

Look at the pic upside down.

[S_2NR]

raptor ordered the android pouch for me from ebay.
ebay standard shipping is apparantly 3 weeks.
amazon spoiled me with 2 day shipping..

[S_2NR]

Gingerbread 2.3.6 released.
Got the OTA Update today.

[r3iXmann]

raptor ordered the android pouch for me from ebay.
ebay standard shipping is apparantly 3 weeks.
amazon spoiled me with 2 day shipping..

lolwut

[S_2NR]

thats what raptor said.

[achillies]

Fellas, I'm posting this link from my phone, but check it out nonetheless, I had to share it immediately

http://www.technobuffalo.com/companies/ ... ute-video/

[achillies]

Fellas, I'm posting this link from my phone, but check it out nonetheless, I had to share it immediately

http://www.technobuffalo.com/companies/ ... ute-video/

[S_2NR]

ZOMG..

lucky b!tch

[M_2NR]

what is it with these phones... and the red hue in the center of the camera when taking pics... its on the i4 and even on that video its is seen (23secs in). I think its lack of ability to process under florescent light

[S_2NR]

Turns out that "leak" is most likely fake..

BREAKING: Ice Cream Sandwich Leaked on Nexus S?
This is (most likely a) fake. Leaks are always too coincidental. Apple lost an iPhone prototype in a bar, twice, and we sure as heck didn’t believe it was real the first time.
The idea of someone lucky enough to purchase a Nexus S on eBay, stocked with this highly anticipated OS from Google, takes things a bit far in the “This is totally real, please believe me!” world. Especially with the version openly advertised as “Ice Cream Sandwich”, instead of a code–name. We know how Google likes code-names, so why not use one now?
However fake this may be, it’s still interesting to see how Gingerbread could look if squashed against Honeycomb with a meat tenderizer. Photos of Ice Cream Sandwich leaked several months ago, and this doesn’t look anything like it. It looks better. Popular speculation is this is an independent development. A custom ROM, made to look like ICS. Take Honeycomb and scale it down, add a little functionality to make navigation easier and look fancier on a lower resolution. And you have the leaked Ice Cream Sandwich ROM.
This leak came with a two minute video, featuring a quick demonstration of the ROM and its differences to Gingerbread. If this is real, it’s opens up a whole new arena of questions as to how this got onto eBay. Movies in post-production can’t be exported, carried out onto the streets, and sold on eBay, so how did this OS leave the office on a brand-new unit of Google’s flagship device without a fuss? Tighten security, Google. That, or stop fobbing us off with fake leaks.
Let’s hope this development is distributed publicly. I want it, as I’m sure you do. If it’s real.

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/breaking-ice-cream-sandwich-leaked-on-nexus-s/

[Swisha]

Google / Samsung holding event on October 11th, Ice Cream Sandwich and Galaxy Nexus coming?



We just got invited to Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2011 at CTIA’s fall show on October 11th out in San Diego, a press conference where the company will pull the covers off its latest devices. The fact that Samsung is holding the event comes as no surprise — it’s par for the course. What is notable, though, is the fact that this one is called the “Google Episode,” complete with Google co-branding at the bottom of the invite and a note that we’ll “get a look at what’s new from Android.” That certainly suggests to us that Google has something to show here — and considering how well the timing lines up with the Ice Cream Sandwich release timeline and the Galaxy Nexus / Nexus Prime rumors, we’d say it’s a lock. We’ll know for sure in a couple weeks.

this is my next

[achillies]

Turns out that "leak" is most likely fake..

BREAKING: Ice Cream Sandwich Leaked on Nexus S?
This is (most likely a) fake. Leaks are always too coincidental. Apple lost an iPhone prototype in a bar, twice, and we sure as heck didn’t believe it was real the first time.
The idea of someone lucky enough to purchase a Nexus S on eBay, stocked with this highly anticipated OS from Google, takes things a bit far in the “This is totally real, please believe me!” world. Especially with the version openly advertised as “Ice Cream Sandwich”, instead of a code–name. We know how Google likes code-names, so why not use one now?
However fake this may be, it’s still interesting to see how Gingerbread could look if squashed against Honeycomb with a meat tenderizer. Photos of Ice Cream Sandwich leaked several months ago, and this doesn’t look anything like it. It looks better. Popular speculation is this is an independent development. A custom ROM, made to look like ICS. Take Honeycomb and scale it down, add a little functionality to make navigation easier and look fancier on a lower resolution. And you have the leaked Ice Cream Sandwich ROM.
This leak came with a two minute video, featuring a quick demonstration of the ROM and its differences to Gingerbread. If this is real, it’s opens up a whole new arena of questions as to how this got onto eBay. Movies in post-production can’t be exported, carried out onto the streets, and sold on eBay, so how did this OS leave the office on a brand-new unit of Google’s flagship device without a fuss? Tighten security, Google. That, or stop fobbing us off with fake leaks.
Let’s hope this development is distributed publicly. I want it, as I’m sure you do. If it’s real.

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/breaking-ice-cream-sandwich-leaked-on-nexus-s/

Three recognized developers have confirmed it as being real.

It was running on linux kernel 3.0.1 built on Aug 15th

No other version of android runs on that kernel

and the phone was remotely wiped destroying the system partition, that's where all the goodies would have been found.

Guess we will see in a couple weeks time

[S_2NR]

so you honestly think this guy order a phone and co-incidentally got ice cream sandwich on it?
that doesnt sound right to me.

[achillies]

Go read the thread over at XDA, I can't say about where he got the phone as I don't really care, the guys over at XDA found the eBay listing, but I am not really interested in that, what I can say is that several devs spent hours on Gtalk with this guy, guys that build roms and kernels and apps of their own, but it was too late as the device no longer boots into the OS as it was wiped remotely

I am not expert nor am I a developer, but if developers (Chainfire being one of them) can watch what was left of the OS and confirm that the guy was running ICS, who am I to say they are wrong.

If it is fake, a very talented person spent quite a few hours (probably days or weeks) writing a lot of code to perform a very elaborate hoax, because that video has stuff that no current version of android has, themes and apps included, as many peope have tried but cannot produce any thing close to the effects and menus that were demonstrated.

Can't put my head on a block, all I can do is wait.....

Edit: that thread got pretty nasty, I can't wait for the release now because some people gonna look like fools, just don't know who yet....

[S_2NR]

fake or not..
on october 11th it will be released! cant wait!

[BAZZINGA]

Ah sorta new to this whole Android thing... Gots me an Xperia X10 today! Anybody could recommend some must have apps i could download from the market?
Oh, btw S_2NR... Ah upgrade it already boss! Only running "Firmware version 2.1-update1" though...
Also just any little advise would be VERY helpful to a newcomer to an Android device...

[trinitachi]

Ah sorta new to this whole Android thing... Gots me an Xperia X10 today! Anybody could recommend some must have apps i could download from the market?
Oh, btw S_2NR... Ah upgrade it already boss! Only running "Firmware version 2.1-update1" though...
Also just any little advise would be VERY helpful to a newcomer to an Android device...

just type in xda sony x10..you gonna learn alot.

[S_2NR]

Ah sorta new to this whole Android thing... Gots me an Xperia X10 today! Anybody could recommend some must have apps i could download from the market?
Oh, btw S_2NR... Ah upgrade it already boss! Only running "Firmware version 2.1-update1" though...
Also just any little advise would be VERY helpful to a newcomer to an Android device...

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=614

knock urself out.

[Swisha]

Hotmail app now available on the Market for those still stuck in the 90s


btw, [sarcasm]allyuh see d badd up iPhone 4S today?! time to sell mih S II and downgrade yo![/sarcasm]

[Captainzaak]

Hotmail app now available on the Market for those still stuck in the 90s


btw, [sarcasm]allyuh see d badd up iPhone 4S today?! time to sell mih S II and downgrade yo![/sarcasm]

Saw this and just HAD to post it

[achillies]

First Glimpse Of The Samsung Nexus Prime Revealed [Video]



I’m trying everything in my power to keep my composure right now but — WE FINALLY HAVE THE FIRST GLIMPSE AT THE SAMSUNG Nexus Prime !! Samsung has just uploaded a teaser video for their upcoming Google announcement at this year’s Unpacked 2011 event being held at CTIA in San Diego, CA. Aside from being overly charming (and cleansing our palates of today’s earlier announcement) at the very end of the video we finally get a side-view of what we believe to be the Samsung Nexus Prime. You can see a Nexus S style curved display (video adds extra emphasis with blue accent) and 3 gold contact pins cluing us in that a dock will also be accompanying the device.
Go nuts. Tell all your friends. Slap yo momma. Something BIG is coming!



UPDATE: Came across a bigger, clearer pic taken from the video for you guys (click a total of 2 times for full high resolution image). I messed around with the contrast of 2 super imposed images of the device from when the shine revealed both the top and bottom of the phone. This gives us a much better look at the Nexus Prime’s form factor. You can see, the curve isn’t as dramatic as the blue line suggests. Much more mild like the Nexus S. I don’t know about you guys, but it looks a lot like a curved Nexus One and to me, that is a very good thing.

Hi-Res Pic


Phandroid

[achillies]

BlackBerry Messenger for Android Shown Off in Spy Shots (again)

There have been rumors circulating for some time that the popular BlackBerry Messneger app might be making its way to Android phones, but it’s something that Research In Motion (RIM) has never chosen to confirm. We ran some images yesterday that showed what appeared to be a BBM app on an Android device, but those seemed a bit odd to begin with, and they were later debunked.

Today, an anonymous tipster reached out to us with some rather nice new pictures we haven’t seen before of the supposed application. And instead of just dropping the images in our laps with no information, he gave us a little background on the situation:

I work for RIM and I was shown the latest version of bbm for android. I ran the app on the blackberry android dev phone.( The dev phone feels very cheap and unstable and the front four buttons have just been stuck on. I don’t believe this phone will ever be released to the public.) The latest version certainly looks better than the previous version.

What’s interesting, however, is he also adressed the images from earlier this week that were dismissed as being fake by adding the following:

Just to clarify for the leaks earier this week, the “Nicole” account in the previous photos is the default account for BBM Testing.

While some sites have declared them as totally fake images, now they bubble to the surface again from this tipster. While that could potentially make you think that everything they have to say is suspect, he then backed everything up with some pretty clear images that do away with a lot of the doubts you may have. (We’re particularly enjoying the stuck-on navigation buttons.) True, these could be a really good Photoshop job, or perhaps just images shown on the screen, but they are looking and feeling pretty legitimate to us. We did ask the tipster about the possibility of an iOS app, and they responded that it is under consideration.

As for when we might see this application announced, the tipster told us that it is possible it might be rolled out at BlackBerry DevCon that is coming up in San Francisco October 18 – 20.

For now, we advise taking these images with a grain of salt as you should with any leaked photo, but, if real, one has to wonder if RIM isn’t going to end up damaging the BlackBerry brand even further when the most popular feature of the device can be found elsewhere.




Technobuffalo

[wishmaster]

Got a Nexus S last month and boy this phone rel bess. I rooted it and now running MIUI ROM

[S_2NR]

Got a Nexus S last month and boy this phone rel bess. I rooted it and now running MIUI ROM

cm7 > miui..

im running stock right now tho..
i fedup of the random reboots.

as solid as a rock now

[BAZZINGA]

What mobile antivirus ya'll does use?