Home / Posts tagged 'Android'

• LG Optimus Elite Announced

  In News / By Noel / 18 April 2012

  

  Still like your smartphone with accompanying dubious green credentials?  Look no further than the LG Optimus Elite, the heir apparent to 2010′s similarly eco-aware LG Optimus S. Remember when eco-friendly phones were ridiculously ugly?  Well, this one isn’t the prettiest either, but the design is decent.  At the least, it looks like a modern phone.  Plus, you get to bask in your eco-friendliness with the phone’s ULE Platinum certification, casing constructed with 50% recycled plastics,...

   

• Rumor: Android 5.0 Jelly Bean Already On The Way

  In News / By Noel / 19 February 2012

  

  Still waiting for your smartphone or tablet to be upgraded to a manufacturer-provided version of Ice Cream Sandwich? Here’s something to piss you off even more: Google is reportedly prepping the latest Android 5.0 Jelly Bean for a second quarter release. The rumor was broken in by DigiTimes, who’s been known to get their information direction from Taiwan-based hardware providers. While it’s accuracy may or may not be on point, it’s still interesting to hear...

   

• Samsung Exhibit 4G And Gravity Smart Announced

  In News / By Noel / 2 June 2011

  

  T-Mobile USA just announced two new phones joining its robust Android roster.   Two spots in the lineup are set to be taken by the Samsung Exhibit 4G and the Samsung Gravity Smart. Samsung Exhibit 4G Another one for the HSPA+ network, this handset features a surprising design aesthetic that’s more reminiscent of Nokia’s stylings than Samsung.   Aimed at mid-range users who like their data bandwidth fast, it packs moderate hardware with a 1GHz processor at...

   

• Leaked Phones: Droid 3, HTC Holiday

  In News / By Noel / 23 May 2011

  

  Two new handsets just made it to the rumor rounds Monday, the HTC Holiday and the Motorola Droid 3, both of them running Android inside big-screened frames. HTC Holiday A certified behemoth, the HTC Holiday takes the screen size game a step further, boasting a 4.5-inch touchscreen display.  Design is rather uncomplicated and simplistic, as you can tell from the photo above.  The display is  very generous, though, especially with its qHD (960 x 540)...

   

• Android, WP7 Bests Pwn2Own Hacking Competition

  In News / By Noel / 17 March 2011

  

  Last week’s three-day Pwn2Own tournament showed some interesting results in the mobile phone arena, with both Android and Windows Phone 7 surviving the onslaught from competing hackers.  Does that mean they’re more secure than other mobile OS platforms?  Well, not necessarily. Both the iPhone and the Blackberry were successfully attacked using the built-in browser, which is based on WebKit.  Thing is, Android’s default browser is built from WebKit, too, leaving it with many of the...

   

• Vizio VIA Phone Announced

  In News / By Noel / 3 January 2011

  

  Over the last couple of years, Vizio has entrenched itself as a serious player in HDTVs, pumping out richly-featured yet affordable home entertainment centerpieces.  This year, they’re entering the mobile game too and have announced their first smartphone effort: the Vizio VIA Phone. Sporting a sleek-looking slate body, the handset will be running Android (no word on which version).  A custom UI sits on top (at least, based on the press photos), which is consistent...

   

• Acer Intros 4.8-Inch Android Smartphone

  In News / By Noel / 24 November 2010

  

  If we’re going to call a 5-inch slate a tablet, what the heck do we call a 4.8-inch phone?  Acer, at least, is sticking with the smartphone label on their yet-unnamed 4.8-inch Android slab. Actually, it’s not that simple.  In their press release, the company calls it “100% smartphone, 100% tablet,” which should be confusing enough to make you want to curse whoever concocted this product’s marketing.  At any rate, the upcoming device’s large capacitive...

   

• Android, Now With Anti-Piracy Measures

  In News / By Noel / 29 July 2010

  

  While much complaints have been logged about Apple’s draconian policies for its App Store, you can’t complain about the level of security they’re able to enforce.  Suffice to say, piracy just isn’t that easy to accomplish on such a closed platform. The complete inverse is true for the Android Market.  Ask any developer about what concerns them most about Google’s mobile OS and you’ll hear the same thing: Android apps are just way too easy...

   

• Google App Inventor: Say Hello To Countless, Useless Android Apps

  In News / By Noel / 12 July 2010

  

  As Apple taketh, Google giveth away.  While the former has decided to make app development on its platform stricter than ever (e.g. banning direct ports from Flash to iPhone), the latter is about to make it easier than ever to produce an endless supply of fart and spam apps.   How?  With the Google App Inventor for Android, a drag-and-drop creation tool that will allow even non-programmers to build their own roster of smartphone applications. Doing...

   

• Trip Journal Helps You Keep A Beautifully Detailed Record Of Your Travels

  In Android Apps, App Reviews / By Noel / 17 March 2010

  

  I rarely use a travel journal, but I have used plenty of notebook-style software over various platforms. When it comes to aesthetics and design, Trip Journal for Android is easily one of the most gorgeous I’ve seen, managing to strike a perfect balance between presentation and function. The winner of the Travel category in the last Android Developer Challenge, it’s a complete solution for recording, tracking and sharing all about your adventures on the road,...