• android,  blackberry,  iphone

    Traveling With Your Smartphone

    September 1, 2010 /

    While reading USAToday on my iPad (iTunes link) I ran across an interesting little article talking about how people use their smartphones while traveling.

    The research, conducted by Ypartnership/Harrison Group, reported that 20% of travelers in the United States have downloaded and installed travel related applications to their phones.  (Sounds logical, doesn’t it?)

    The study also found:

    • 47% used GPS functionality to find their way to a destination
    • 46% searched for flight updates
    • 29% compared airfares or hotel rates
    • 18% booked air travel or lodging
    • 15% viewed virtual visitor guides
    • 11% downloaded and/or redeemed coupons

    I don’t often have to travel long distances for work that requires me to get on an airplane.  But I do have to say, that when I do need to drive out to a public event or to a training center by car, my Palm Pre is riding shotgun with me.

    You can read the full article on the USAToday website.

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  • android,  apple,  blackberry,  facebook,  google,  hp,  iphone,  rim,  web os

    More on the New Facebook Places Feature

    August 23, 2010 /

    Last week, Facebook introduced a new feature called “Places” that allows you or your friends geo-tag your location using the GPS in your mobile phone or location aware browser.  Naturally, people either hailed this as a super cool or flipped out and had kittens because “Big Brother” had found a new way to keep tabs on where you go and what you are doing.

    The New York Times, has a good article on the new Places feature in Facebook, which is also available in the latest version of the mobile application for Apple’s iPhone.

    Moments after Facebook introduced a new feature called Facebook Places on Wednesday that allows its users to share their location and find their friends, advocates raised flags over online privacy.

    The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California cited concerns over the new product, saying Facebook neglected to include several crucial privacy features.

    “Places allows your friends to tag you when they check in somewhere, and Facebook makes it very easy to say ‘yes’ to allowing your friends to check in for you,” read the statement, released late Wednesday night. “But when it comes to opting out of that feature, you are only given a ‘not now’ option. ‘No’ isn’t one of the easy options.”

    The A.C.L.U. also expressed concern over the integration of Facebook’s Places feature with third-party Web sites and applications.

    The Facebook Places privacy settings can be configured via custom settings in your privacy controls.  Android Central has a quick set of directions posted which I linked to last week.  iPhone users who want to keep their locations on the down low can tap the Don’t Allow button that pops up any time an iOS app tries to access the GPS on your iPhone.  (You know, I’m really glad that Steve Jobs insisted on that pop up!)  As of this posting, the Google Android, RIM BlackBerry, and HP Palm webOS clients haven’t been updated to use of the Places feature; but it is only a matter of time before they are updated too.

    You can read the full article on The New York Times website.

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  • adobe,  android,  google,  motorola,  verizon

    Has Verizon and Motorola Suspended Android FroYo 2.2 Updates?

    August 7, 2010 /

    Has Motorola and Big Red suspended all OTA updates of Google Android 2.2 to their Android smartphones?

    If MyDroidWorld and Droid-Life (link 1, link 2) are correct, there seems to be problems between the new Android OS and Adobe’s Flash Player, and Pandora.

    MyDroidWorld writes:

    “Motorola and Verizon are pulling all FRG Froyo builds and ceasing any current plans to update to Froyo. Seems there is a problem between Google and Adobe concerning flash, rights, and royalties. This comes as quite a surprise to us as it will others.”

    Personally, I’m a little bit skeptical of that statement.  You would think that Google and Adobe would have there ducks, and lawyers, in a row before the software goes out the door.  I quick Google search, ya, I should have used Bing this time out, finds an article from Examiner.com that seems to backup the Google/Verizon/Adobe claims until you start checking the links and see that they reference MyDroidLife too.

    So how about it Droid Nation on Big Red; are you getting your FroYo on? Drop us a line and let us know.

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  • android,  facebook,  google

    Facebook for Android Updated, Fixes Battery Drain Issue

    August 6, 2010 /

    Facebook has released version 1.3.1 of their Android client that corrects a battery drain issue.

    Recently, the Facebook client for Android devices received a major upgrade from the previous release in the form of the 1.3 update.  However, there was a bug in the background notification system that kept the phone from going to sleep and drained the battery very quickly.

    Hit up the Market Place application to get your weekend update action on!

    [Via Androinica.com…]

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  • android,  google,  motorola,  verizon

    Android 2.2 for Moto Droid Rolling Out As Early As Tomorrow [Updated]

    August 2, 2010 /

    A number of tech blogs were abuzz this weekend with reports that Verizon Wireless could begin pushing out Google Android 2.2 “FroYo” updates as early as tomorrow.

    The 2.2 update, like many recent over-the-air updates on other platforms, is likely to be a phased deployment, meaning that it may take as long as 2 weeks before your phone receives the upgrade is available notice.

    I haven’t seen any of the Motorola Droids that I support pop-up the upgrade available notice yet.  When the upgrade becomes available for your phone, a notice similar to the following will appear.

    “FroYo” for those not in the know, stands for “Frozen Yogurt.”  Google’s other Android updates have been code named “Donut”, “Cupcake”, and “Eclair.”  At least their updates are getting healthier.

    Update:
    You can download the official Verizon Wireless Motorola Droid 2.2. update release notes from Verizon as a PDF file.

    [Via Droid-Life.com…]

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  • android,  droid,  eris,  google,  verizon

    Verizon HTC Droid Eris OTA Update Still Rolling Out

    July 24, 2010 /

    I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve finally received my upgrade noticed for the MR4 Android update for my Verizon HTC Droid Eries. Android Central reported that the update began to trickle out to customers starting last week.

    MR4 is a maintenance release that addresses the “silent call” issues with the Eris and other minor fixes. The update weighs in at just under 13MB and will take about 30 minutes to install on your device from the time you start the download to the time you finish installing the update.

    You can check for the update by going to Settings > About Phone > System updates.

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  • android,  apple,  google,  ios,  iphone,  itunes

    For Apple, Google, the Stakes Are Sky High

    July 10, 2010 /

    Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android platform are on top of the smartphone world right now.

    Any one who has been watching both Apple’s and Google’s rise in the smartphone, music, and video businesses knows that the two tech titans are headed for a high stakes showdown in the sky.

    Apple’s approach to smartphones, and the entire iTunes ecosystem, is a walled garden that takes care of your every need; as long as you are using iTunes on your Mac or PC and an iDevice running iOS 3 or 4. Google, following in Microsoft’s desktop footsteps, has flung open the doors to their Android operating system and allows anyone with the ambition and the know-how to develop a new phone or develop applications for their smartphone platform.

    For both companies, streaming content over the Internet, or the “Cloud” as some like to say, is the next battleground for the hearts, minds, and dollars of gadget lovers across the globe.

    A recent online Baron’s Technology Trader column, How a Droid Could Eat Apple’s Lunch” talks about how Google’s and Apple’s approach to “locking” customers into their ecosystems have taken divergent paths toward the same goal. Right now, Apple is sitting pretty as the undisputed king of the kill. The number of Android smartphones being put on the market is staggering when compared to the number of carriers selling the iPhone, which is only available from Apple.

    It’s hard to say who will be the winner of this show down. Barron’s columnist Mark Veverka writes:

    “There are other reasons why Android is gaining momentum. Many Silicon Valley veterans envision Apple’s repeating the mistakes it made during the rollout of its first personal computers, when it chose to keep a closed proprietary system over a more pervasive operating system pushed by IBM (IBM), Microsoft (MSFT) and Intel (INTC). The WinTel collaboration took Apple to the brink of bankruptcy, and some fear that Apple is going down the same path with the iOS. “Android attacks Apple at its weakest point, which is its walled-garden ecosystem[.]”

    You can read the full article on Barron’s website.

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  • android,  apple,  ios,  iphone,  motorola

    Motorola Has Some Fun At Apple’s Expense

    July 6, 2010 /

    Looks like Motorola is jumping at the chance to go after Apple and their widely publicized reception problems with the new iPhone 4.

    A full page ad that appeared in the New York Times over the weekend, the ad reads:

    “Most importantly, it comes with a double antenna design,” the advertisement reads. “The kind that allows you to hold the phone any way you like and use it just about anywhere to make crystal clear calls. You have a voice. And you deserve to be heard.”

    Ouch!

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

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  • android,  droid,  eris,  google,  verizon

    HTC Droid Eris Android 2.1 Update Rolling Out

    May 17, 2010 /

    The HTC Droid Eris update has finally started rolling out to Verizon customers this past Sunday. A message from a Verizon Twitter account indicated that the update would become available yesterday.

    The Android 2.1 update is an Over the Air (OTA) update that you apply to your Eris without having to connect it to your computer. When the update becomes available for your Eris, an Update Available icon will appear at the top left of your screen. Once you download the update installer, you will be prompted to restart your phone and the update will be installed.

    For more details about the Google Android 2.1 update for the HTC Droid Eris, check out the Verizon Wireless support website.

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  • android,  droid,  eris,  google,  verizon

    HTC Droid Eris Android 2.1 by May 16th

    May 13, 2010 /

    I just saw the following Tweet by @VZWTechSupport:

    “Droid Eris users should expect 2.1 updates by Sunday 5/16.”

    That’s good news because I’ve had my Eris on all day and I keep getting the message “Your system is currently up to date” when I run the manual check.

    Well, at least I have something to look forward to playing with on Sunday afternoon.

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