• android,  google,  motorola,  verizon

    Motorola DROID 4 on Sale at Verizon

    The latest version of the popular Motorola DROID, the DROID 4, is now available for $199.99 at Verizon with a qualify new service contract.

    “The sleek QWERTY slider features a 4-inch qHD display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4G LTE connectivity, 1GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel rear camera, and it is being billed as the “thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone.””

    The DROID 4 ships with Google Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread.  I would have liked to see Motorola’s new flagship phone ship with the latest build of Android, 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, while I’m sure will be long as soon as Motorola and get Verizon to certify it.

    Of the few Android phones that I’ve used, I do like the Motorola DROID line of smartphones the best.  The HTC Android phones have their slick UI skin, but I think that Motorola’s UI is cleaner and just gets out of the way and lets you use the phone.

    The full specs for the new DROID 4 can be found on the Motorola Mobility website.

    [Via BGR.com…]

  • android,  apple,  google,  microsoft,  motorola

    Google Android: Now With Motorola Inside

    Early this morning, Google announced their plans to acquire Motorola Mobility – the Android smartphone OEM.

    Writing for AllThingsD.com, John Paczkowsi states:

    “With its $12.5 billion deal to acquire Motorola Mobility, Google is gaining not only a major Android handset manufacturer, but a vast trove of intellectual property with which to defend it.”

    The punch line here folks is that Google was feeling a little light in the Intellectual Property (IP) department, so they when out and acquired a company that already had a lot of IP build up.  Google intents to use their new found IP and patents to protect not only themselves, but their Android licensees from patent trolls like Microsoft and Apple.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

  • apple,  att,  google,  iphone,  jailbreak,  verizon

    End of the Road for Jailbreakers Stealing Cellular Tethering Service

    If you have a jailbroken/rooted Apple iPhone of one of the many Google Android and have been using apps to essentially “steal” wireless tethering services between your phone and your notebook or tablet computer, your days of “free” service are almost over.

    AT&T and now Verizon are putting technology in place on their networks that allows them to sniff out people who are tethering devices like laptops, typically over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, to their smartphone’s data plan as a sort of wireless modem to get on the Internet.

    Both AT&T and Verizon required you to subscribe to an additional service before you can tether another device to your phone.

    I may not be a fan of the prices that are charged to tether or setup your smartphone as a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot, but I like the idea of people stealing bandwidth and driving up the cost of my smartphone data plans even less.

    [Via EngadgetMobile.com, Electronista.com…]

  • android,  google,  nexus

    Skyfire Can Save You Money As Carriers Push for Tiered Data Plans

    The huge success of the iPhone helped to not only change the shape of smartphones for ever, but the growing numbers of iPhones and Android devices is causing carriers to take action to protect their data networks – or reap huge profits; you can call it anyway you like.  With unlimited all you can eat data plans giving way to tiered/capped plans, look for more mobile applications to start to become more efficient with data use.

    “Skyfire came out with a set of numbers today showing that smartphone users can save up to $120 a year by using data efficient apps like their browser. If you recall our post showing Verizon’s data calculator, you can see that streaming video is what’s going to be really eating up your data on a month to month basis, but with Skyfire’s “Instant Optimization” video process, which compresses data by 75%, they can save you a ton on your monthly bill.”

    [Via Droid-Life…]

  • amazon,  android,  apps,  google

    PopCap Plants vs. Zombies Free in Amazon Android App Store

    Amazon.com is offering PopCap’s zombie shooter, Plants vs. Zombies for Google Android devices free today only.

    Normally, $2.99, Amazon is giving away copies for Plants vs. Zombies for people who sign up for their new AppStore for Android.  To get started, you need to enter your phone’s telephone number or email address from the Amazon.com website.  You will receive a new text message or email with the link to download and install the Appstore for Android application on your device and then you can download the game.

    Plants vs. Zombies is a fun game in which you plant flowers and other forms of vegetation to prevent the zombie horde from making it inside your house.  I’m not exactly what you call a zombie or horror film fan, but don’t let the name of this app scare you away.  The plants and zombies that show up through out the game are loads of cartoon-y fun.

    A word of caution before you go hog wild downloading and installing applications on your Droid smartphone.  To install the Appstore for Android application, you must first turn on the ability to install applications for other sources than the Google Android Market.  While this step is not dangerous in and of itself, it does require that you be more vigilant about what software you install on your device because you are turning of a feature that Google perceived to be a security concern; if it the security is to address customer lock-in to the Android Market.

    For more details and to download Plants vs. Zombies, head over to Appstore for Amazon website.

  • android,  google,  maps

    Google Updates Maps for Android

     Today, Google released Maps 5.5.0 for Android powered smartphones.

    According the Android Market web page for Maps, there are only three things included in the update.  They are:

    • Check in and check out directly from Place pages.
    • Change your Latitude work and home addresses.
    • See the redesigned transit station pages.

    I find myself using the Maps application, and the Navigation feature, a lot more than I though I would when I was issued a Motorola Droid Pro for work.

    For more details, check the Android Market.

  • android,  google,  motorola,  rumors,  verizon

    Rumor: Motorola Droid 3 Coming to Verizon in June

    The next version of Motorola’s insanely popular Droid smartphone, the Droid 3, is rumored to touchdown on Verizon in June.

    If the picture is accurate, we can see that just like the Droid 2, the d-pad is gone because of the 4-inch, 960 x 540 qHD display.  The Droid 3 is also rumored to have an 8MP digital camera, and will not include an LTE cellular radio.  (iPhone fans feel the collective pain from Droid fans.)

    [Via BGR.com…]

  • android,  apple,  blackberry,  google,  ipad,  touchpad,  web os,  windows

    Forget the iPad! The HP TouchPad Will Be the #1+ Tablet!

    Chalk this one to drinking too much marketing Kool-Aid(tm), but Eric Cador, HP’s senior VP of Personal Systems Group in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, said that the HP TouchPad, powered by webOS 3.0, will surpass all of the tablets on the market today; including the Apple iPad.

    Mr. Cador, in an interview with The Telegraph, stated:

    “In the PC world, with fewer ways of differentiating HP’s products from our competitors, we became number one. In the tablet world, we’re going to become better than number one. We call it number one plus.”

    Are you kidding me?!  I think that it is going to take a little more than HP willing that their new TouchPad will beat out the growing number of tablet devices in the market running Google’s Android, Windows 7, RIM’s QNX, and, well, Apple’s iOS powered iPad 2.

    Don’t get me wrong.  I’m sure webOS 3.0 and the TouchPad are going to be a great platform, but with webOS hovering around 3% market share in the smartphone OS category, HP is facing a long hard up hill battle.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

  • android,  games,  google,  hp,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  palm,  touch,  web os

    Angry Birds Rio Updated With Beach Volley Levels

    Rivio’s Angry Birds Rio has been updated to include the 30 new Beach Volley levels.

    The update is available now for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.  Angry Birds Rio for iPhone/iPod touch is $.99; the Angry Birds Rio HD edition for iPad is $2.99.  The upgrade with the new levels is free to all existing Angry Birds Rio customers.

    Angry Birds Rio, like other versions of the Angry Birds franchise, includes Game Center achievements and new hidden fruits to find.  Once you have completed episode one, Blu and Jewel will be added to your avian arsenal. 

    Rovio has also released a free edition of Angry Birds Rio which features three levels per episode.

    Google Android and HP webOS users, unfortunately, still have to wait for Rovio to release the Beach Volley update.