June 2011 Archives

Jun

Galaxy Tab 10.1 Overclocked To A Stable 1.4GHz 2 Days After Kernel Source Release (Thanks, Samsung!)

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Galaxy Tab 10.1, Mods, News, Samsung

Every once in a while, we announce kernel source releases that manufacturers are obligated to post up when their new devices hit the market, and in case you've been wondering what the significance of such releases is, here's one for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 owners.

This article deals with a couple of advanced topics. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the terms, hit up our primers here:

Rooting Explained + Top 5 Benefits Of Rooting
Top Android Apps Every Rooted User Should Know About: Part 1 (Apps 1-8), Part 2 (Apps 9-16), Part 3 (Apps 17-25)
Custom ROMs

...

Jun

No Need To Wait For Gingerbread: The Atrix Bootloader Has Been Unlocked

Posted by Matt Demers in Atrix 4G (Olympus), Froyo 2.2, Gingerbread 2.3, Motorola, News

Even though we reported yesterday that the Motorola Atrix would be receiving the option to unlock its bootloader, a group of dedicated developers on XDA have found a way to do, even on Froyo. The update involves flashing a specifically-coded SBF, and then running commands from the fastboot menu of the phone. If all goes well, you'll get the fabled "device is now unlocked" message, and you will be one step closer to killing that damned Motoblur.

^{XDA user XLR88 reports his success}

However, there are some limitations. The phone has to either be running the AT&T or OLYFR version ...

Jun

[CyanogenMod 7 Theme Roundup Part 2] Five More Ways To Make It Yours

Posted by Cameron Summerson in CyanogenMod 7 Theme Roundup, News, Other Reviews, Reviews

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

Last week, we dropped our first CyanogenMod 7 Theme Roundup, and since then, we've gotten several great theme suggestions, as well as a bundle of requests to do another roundup - so here we are! This edition of the roundup brings some really nice offerings from the theming community. Everything from mellow colors with tones of blue and grey, to multiple colors that really stand out, there should be something for everyone. Without further ado, let's get started!

MattedBlues by Team MattedBlues

After last week's roundup went live, we immediately began receiving requests to feature this theme. After taking ...

Jun

[Ultimate Deal Alert] Amazon Wireless Now Selling Motorola ATRIX 4G For Just One Cent

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in AT&T, Atrix 4G (Olympus), Deals, Motorola

A few days back, we listed Motorola's cutting-edge ATRIX 4G as one of the best five Android phones for budget-conscious consumers. At the time, it was just $30 at Amazon Wireless - a very good deal for a dual-core smartphone capable of turning into a laptop (though said laptop is expensive and somewhat limited in terms of functionality).

Today, Amazon Wireless has slashed the ATRIX's price further still: it's now just $0.01 on a new two-year contract. Free two-day shipping is included as well, and better yet, Amazon will email you a promotional code good for $100 off the ...

Jun

Nightly Build Of CyanogenMod 7 Now Officially Available For HTC Incredible S

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in HTC, Incredible S (Vivo), Mods, News

The recent unlocking of the HTC Incredible S' bootloader made possible some astonishing feats, not the least of which is the possibility for custom ROMs. Cyanogen and his team have already gotten to work on that last part, and the fruits of their labor are nothing to scoff at: a nightly build of CyanogenMod 7 is now available for the Incredible S.

This article deals with a couple of advanced topics. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the terms, hit up our primers here:

Rooting Explained + Top 5 Benefits Of Rooting
Top Android Apps Every Rooted User Should Know

...

Jun

Archos Announces Android-Powered 35 Smart Home Phone And 35 Home Connect Radio

Posted by Cameron Summerson in 35 Home Connect, 35 Smart Home Phone, News

So, two new tablets from Archos weren't enough for you? Apparently, it wasn't for them either - enter two new products that put Android in places that we haven't really seen it before: on your radio, and on your... home phone. Yeah, it took me a moment to digest the idea of a home phone as well; I haven't used one of those in years.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the 35 Smart Home Phone first. It's basically a smartphone without cellular connectivity, offering the same features that you've come to expect from an Android phone. ...

Jun

[New App] [Update: It's In The Market] Fresco: A Mobile Canvas For All Of Your Artistic Needs

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

Update: This app has finally landed in the Android Market, so head over there and grab it!

Have you ever been out somewhere when you were suddenly hit with a stroke of artistic genius? You haven't? Oh... well, have you ever been bored and just wanted to doodle on your phone a bit? If you fall into either of those categories, you need to check out a new app called Fresco.

This app is labeled as a "mobile art studio" per the developer, and it packs quite a few nice features: full layer support, configurable brush and eraser tools, ...

Jun

Archos Announces 80 G9 and 101 G9: 250GB Of Storage And 1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor In A Honeycomb Shell

Posted by Cameron Summerson in 101 G9, 80 G9, News

When it comes to Android tablets, we've become accustomed to seeing near-identical specs for each one: 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16/32GB of storage. While those specs are still pretty awesome, Archos is looking to change the game completely with its newly announced 80 G9 and 101 G9 tablets. If you haven't already guessed, the biggest difference between the two tabs is the screen size, with the former offering 8 inches at 1024x768, and the latter with the more common 10.1-inch 1280x800 display.

That's about the only typical spec you'll find on this dynamic duo, though, as they're ...

Jun

[Review] Otterbox Defender Case For The Motorola XOOM: It's Like A Fat Suit For Chris Farley

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in News, Other Reviews, Reviews, XOOM

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

The Motorola XOOM, the world's first Honeycomb tablet, costs a pretty penny - between $600 and $800, depending on the variant. If you picked up a XOOM in the last few months, you've probably asked yourself whether you should get some sort of protection, and, if so, which option you should go with.

Motorola has released a few official cases, such as the $40 PORTFOLIO, but most aftermarket case manufacturers, such as Otterbox, Amzer, Trident, and others, haven't put out many options. The PORTFOLIO case, while decently priced, has too many faults, and I simply can't recommend it unless ...

Jun

HTC Has A "Sense" Of Humor - Friend Stream Widget References Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in EVO 3D (Shooter), HTC, Sensation / Sensation 4G (Pyramid)

Complaints about HTC's Sense UI becoming increasingly bloated are nothing new, but there's no denying that the skin has its upsides - and Reddit user TheEntireUniverse just unearthed another such boon. Behold, the preview image for Sense 3.0's "Friend Stream" widget:

For those not familiar with the reference, Jill Valentine is one of the main characters in the popular Resident Evil franchise, and the Nemesis-destroys-a-helicopter story was taken right out of the third game in the series.

So how does it all end? To find out, you'll have to wait for HTC Sense 4.0, which will introduce the revolutionary ...

Jun

Want 300 Additional Minutes On Your Sprint Everything Data 450 Plan For Free? Here's How To Get Them

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Sprint, Tips

If you recently signed up for Sprint's service, then there's a good chance you took advantage of the current running promotion that adds 300 bonus minutes to the Everything Data 450 plan. That's awesome for you - but what about those who already have Sprint? You're not left out, my friends - you, too, can enjoy the benefits of 300 additional minutes every month for the low cost of nothing, and it's easier to get than you think: call and ask. That's right, all you need to do is give Sprint a shout and ask them for 300 more ...

Jun

[Rumor] Is The Motorola Atrix 4G Getting Android 2.3.4?

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Atrix 4G (Olympus), News

The Motorola Atrix has been making some serious waves as of late - first, we saw a Gingerbread test build that had an unlockable bootloader, and now the crew over at Android and Me have gotten a hold of some exclusive images showing the Atrix running Android 2.3.4 with the latest version of Gingerblur. Before I continue, have a look:

If these images are to be believed, then the Motorola Atrix is back in the game in a big way. The tipster went on to say that the update drastically improved battery life and GPS functionality, fixed ...

Jun

Samsung Updates Kies For Mac Beta To Include Galaxy Tab 10.1 Support

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Samsung

If you're a Mac user who scooped up the recently released Galaxy Tab 10.1, then there's little doubt you've already had to deal with some frustrations - like the fact that you couldn't even access the device's internal storage from your computer. Fortunately, Samsung pushed an update to Kies for Mac Beta that adds Galaxy Tab 10.1 support, so you can finally start loading it up with all of your favorite on-the-go goodies.

While this update does bring some welcome features, you still won't be able to use it upgrade your devices firmware. Of course, this can still be done ...

Jun

N.O.V.A. 2 HD From Gameloft, One Of The Best Android FPS Games To Date With Multiplayer Support, Available Now In The Market

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Games, News

First-person shooter lovers, if you've been waiting for a good game in the FPS genre with multiplayer capabilities and awesome 3D graphics to hit the Android Market, you're going to want to check out Gameloft's latest offering - N.O.V.A. 2 HD that was just released into the Market.

Gameloft, which caught a lot of flak for avoiding the official Android Market for years, recently reversed its stance and vowed to start taking the Market more seriously. Releasing a hit like N.O.V.A. 2 HD, following other hits, such as Asphalt 6 and Modern Combat 2, seems to reinforce the company's ...