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[The Android Police Week In Review] Google I/O Special Edition (6/24/12-7/1/12)
Welcome to a very special edition of the Android Police Week in Review. This week was obviously all about Google I/O, so that's what we're going to be
Welcome to a very special edition of the Android Police Week in Review. This week was obviously all about Google I/O, so that's what we're going to be focusing on. Oh, and you can hear even more I/O-y stuff on our podcast.
The Nexus Q: Massive Misstep Or Misunderstood Science Experiment?
When Google unveiled the Nexus Q at I/O on Wednesday, there were cheers. But not until the designers and creators of the hardware came on stage to explain
When Google unveiled the Nexus Q at I/O on Wednesday, there were cheers. But not until the designers and creators of the hardware came on stage to explain what it was for a good 5 minutes. Hell, they even put together a fantastic video showing the process of manufacturing the Q (in the good 'ol US of A!). Seriously, if you haven't watched it - watch it. The production values are outstanding.
[The Android Police Podcast] Episode 16 - Exploring I/O With Bicurious Bob
This week's Android Police Podcast is a very special I/O edition (read: I'm calling in from a phone and it sounds awful), so get ready - it's a long one.
This week's Android Police Podcast is a very special I/O edition (read: I'm calling in from a phone and it sounds awful), so get ready - it's a long one.
Initial Hands-On With The Google Nexus 7: The Bar Has Been Set For Cheap Tablets
Today at Google I/O, I got some hands-on time with the brand-spanking-new Nexus 7 tablet. We've been pretty sure it's coming for a while now. Now
Today at Google I/O, I got some hands-on time with the brand-spanking-new Nexus 7 tablet. We've been pretty sure it's coming for a while now. Now that it's been officially unveiled, along with the newest version of Android, everybody and their gadget-loving grandma is chomping at the bit to see if the hype has been worthwhile.
Beats Me: Why HTC's "Amazing Sound" On The International One X Isn't Amazing At All - Even By The Numbers
HTC's marketing of Beats Audio on its One Series handsets has rapidly become a joke among critics and internet commentators alike. And that's probably
HTC's marketing of Beats Audio on its One Series handsets has rapidly become a joke among critics and internet commentators alike. And that's probably putting it nicely. The fact that the entirety of the Beats "enhancements" found on aforementioned phones has been zipped up and packaged to flash on any Android 2.3+ handset has, at least in the collective minds of the internet, exposed the Beats partnership for what it is: equalization software and a fancy logo.
[Lightning Review] Philips SHL9705A On-Ear Headphones With In-Line Controls And Control App
While earbuds and wireless headsets are an ever-expanding consumer electronic market thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, on-ear cans remain something
While earbuds and wireless headsets are an ever-expanding consumer electronic market thanks to the proliferation of smartphones, on-ear cans remain something of a niche (unless you count Beats - I don't). Even more niche than that are smartphone-friendly on-ear headphones. And somewhere between particularly obscure red wine varietals from Germany and Super Audio CDs lies the selection of specifically Android-friendly wired on-ear headphones. (Not really, but I wanted to make a ridiculous analogy.) The point is, if you're looking for wired on-ear headphones with Android in-line controls, your options aren't exactly endless.
[The Android Police Week In Review] The Biggest Android Stories Of The Week (6/17/12-6/24/12)
It's time for the Android Police Week In Review, where I lay out a smorgasbord of delectable news-bites for your reading pleasure. You can catch a lot
It's time for the Android Police Week In Review, where I lay out a smorgasbord of delectable news-bites for your reading pleasure. You can catch a lot of this appetizing information on our weekly podcast as well, which airs live every Thursday at 5PM PST, at androidpolice.com/podcast. There's an IRC channel there, too. We might even use it occasionally.
Judge Posner To Apple: Injunctions Are Not Meant For Small Software Feature Patents, Case Tossed
After an injunction hearing earlier this week, Judge Posner has issued his final decision on whether to throw out the Motorola v. Apple case. The result?
After an injunction hearing earlier this week, Judge Posner has issued his final decision on whether to throw out the Motorola v. Apple case. The result? You're (both) outta here.
[The Android Police Podcast] Episode 15: Team Waffle Dippers, Unite!
I didn't pick the title. Anyway, welcome back to another edition of the Android Police podcast, this week with super-special guest Ron Amadeo. He writes
I didn't pick the title. Anyway, welcome back to another edition of the Android Police podcast, this week with super-special guest Ron Amadeo. He writes here, in case you didn't know. Be sure to catch us live every Thursday at androidpolice.com/podcast too!
[Lightning Review] Geneva Model XS Portable Bluetooth Speaker: Really Cool, Just Don't Ever Buy It
The portable Bluetooth speaker market is rapidly heating up, and one of our favorite designs in recent memory in the super-portable range was the Geneva
The portable Bluetooth speaker market is rapidly heating up, and one of our favorite designs in recent memory in the super-portable range was the Geneva Model XS. It's sleek, minimalistic, and so retro. Unfortunately, one crippling design flaw (along with some strange control choices) means this $250, almost art-like speaker / clock-radio just doesn't work in the real world.
Toshiba Delays Android 4.0 Update For Thrive And Thrive 7 To "Early Fall" / 5th Of Never
As the person that reviewed both of these devices, the Thrive and Thrive 7, here at Android Police, I felt something of a responsibility to post on this
As the person that reviewed both of these devices, the Thrive and Thrive 7, here at Android Police, I felt something of a responsibility to post on this matter. On its community forums, a Toshiba rep issued the following statement on the status of the Ice Cream Sandwich update for its Thrive tablets:
Samsung Releases Source Code For Sprint Galaxy S III
Samsung has just dropped the source code for the Sprint version of the Galaxy S III, and it's available on Samsung's open source web portal here. Samsung
Samsung has just dropped the source code for the Sprint version of the Galaxy S III, and it's available on Samsung's open source web portal here. Samsung has been surprisingly on-point with getting source code for the Galaxy S III here in the US, ensuring that custom kernels and ROMs will have the maximum amount of tweakability available to tinkerers from the likes of RootzWiki and XDA.
Why The T-Mobile Galaxy S III Does Not Have A Quad-Core Exynos Processor - It's Not What You Might Think
Back at the announcement of the Galaxy S III, many people were quick to note that Samsung disclaimed the availability of the Exynos quad-core processor
Back at the announcement of the Galaxy S III, many people were quick to note that Samsung disclaimed the availability of the Exynos quad-core processor powering the beast as contingent on certain issues of geography. And then we learned that, for reals, the US versions of the Galaxy S III would be shipping with Snapdragon S4 dual-cores onboard - the MSM8960 chipset, to be precise.
Amazon: Appstore Going Live In UK, France, Germany, Spain And Italy "This Summer"
According to a press release just sent out by Amazon, the company's Appstore will be headed to Europe this summer as rumored, though only to five countries
According to a press release just sent out by Amazon, the company's Appstore will be headed to Europe this summer as rumored, though only to five countries to start. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy will all be getting access to Amazon's Appstore in the coming months, and developers can head over to the App Distribution Portal to get started on certifying their apps for distribution in those countries right now. Building on that, developers will now be able to control where and when their apps will be available to customers.
Alpha Colony: A Tribute To M.U.L.E. Is A Great Example Of Increasing Kickstarter Abuse - And The Blurry Line It Sits Upon
Update: I've refined a few of my points in this article to focus less on the whole "how much it costs to make a video game" angle, because I'm not exactly
Update: I've refined a few of my points in this article to focus less on the whole "how much it costs to make a video game" angle, because I'm not exactly an expert on project funding. I think the point I'm trying to illustrate about Kickstarter as a whole is now clearer, and articulated in a more generally-applicable manner.
The Official Google I/O 2012 App Is Now In The Play Store
Come one, come all [Google I/O attendees] - the official I/O app is now available in the Play Store. It includes maps, event schedules, the conference
Come one, come all [Google I/O attendees] - the official I/O app is now available in the Play Store. It includes maps, event schedules, the conference agenda, and detailed information about all sorts of devvy stuff. Oh, and this year you can play back various "I/O Live" talks and events straight to your 3.0+ tablet. Awesome. In addition, Google will be open sourcing the whole app once I/O has ended.
Archos G9 80 / 101 Receiving Small Software Update To Version 4.0.7
Owners of Archos' G9 series of tablets should be receiving an update today, bringing the software version of their devices to 4.0.7. The update contains
Owners of Archos' G9 series of tablets should be receiving an update today, bringing the software version of their devices to 4.0.7. The update contains mostly bug fixes, but also enhances graphics performance:
Editorial: Android Tablets Still Suck, And Google's Running Out Of Time To Fix Them
I want to ask everyone a question - well, everyone who owns an Android tablet, that is - how often do you instinctively reach for it, as opposed to your
I want to ask everyone a question - well, everyone who owns an Android tablet, that is - how often do you instinctively reach for it, as opposed to your phone or laptop? I don't care what the reason is, I'm just genuinely curious how much of a "tweener" role your Android tablet has taken in your life. And after you read this editorial, share that story with me in the comments, because I'd really like to have a discussion with people on this.
Have you been annoyed by the "SmartSync" battery-saving feature found on HTC's newest phones? If you're not familiar with this aspect of Sense 4.0, that might make, well, sense. HTC has been fairly quiet about how exactly its battery optimizations in Sense work, but SmartSync is a big part of it, especially when it comes to saving juice overnight.
Update: According to HTC, this problem is currently only affecting the Tegra 3 (international) version of the One X - not the Rogers/AT&T One X or international One XL. HTC advises those affected to contact customer support, though the channel through which you purchased your device is a good bet as well, especially if it was from a carrier or brick and mortar store where they can exchange the unit immediately.