Latest Articles
The upcoming Motorola Photon 4G for the Sprint network has been made available for pre-order on Wirefly. While a ship date isn't listed, we know the Photon is being released on the 31st - meaning you can probably expect to receive yours on or a little before that date, if you opt for overnight shipping. $180 will get you on the list for the Photon, but you'll have to be a new Sprint customer to swing that deal.
In what can only be described as a real sphincter-clencher for Sprint customers, the nation's last true unlimited smartphone data provider has made a move that may signal the eventual end of that philosophy.
HTC has finally laid out a timetable for the release of software updates on phones that will allow the unlocking of device bootloaders. It sounds like HTC will be utilizing a system similar to Sony - which uses a web-based tool as part of the unlock process. Why? HTC states that while the OTA software update allowing unlocking will start rolling out in August, the actually ability to unlock phones won't be ready until early September. So, at the earliest, your EVO 3D or Sensation 4G will be unlockable in about 2 months.
Earlier today, Mika Mobile, developer of the popular game Battlheart, released their popular iOS title Zombieville USA on the Android Market. You can pick it up now for $2. What exactly is this game? Mindless sidescrolling, shoot/bash-em-up 2D action. This was Mika's first game release, and it's just now been ported to Android. Unfortunately, the gameplay is showing its age, and it's somewhat obvious this game is a hasty iOS port.
Apple's at it again, this time back on its "We own the words 'App Store'" reign of terror. While a judge denied Apple's request to bar Amazon from using "Appstore" in a preliminary injunction before the issue is decided at trial, that isn't stopping the world's most infamously litigious tech giant from going after everyone and their brother using the words.
Get it while it's hot, kids - the DROID Incredible 2 is officially merged into CyanogenMod, and the nightly builds are now being pumped out (direct link here). These nightly builds may contain bugs, dragons, and other potentially annoying/broken things - so flash at your own risk. Your Dinc2 will also need to be fully unlocked, meaning you'll have to use the AlphaRevX Beta 2 software, which you can learn about in this post. And you'll need a custom recovery, which you can find here. So, you do need to do some work before you can get your CyanogenMod on.
The Amazon Appstore's 'Wi-Fi Only' tag on certain large apps (read: Plants Vs. Zombies) has been a frustration for those with consistent access to 4G while they're on the go. I mean, come on Amazon, if I really want to download that 75MB PopCap game, it's my data connection! I'm sure there's some reasoning for this (like reducing the active # of connections on the Appstore's servers), but when you're on 4G, it only makes sense that you should be able to do the things you would on Wi-Fi.
The newest version of Firefox Beta for Android is out on the Market now, and it brings a slew of UI changes, performance improvements, and other fixes and enhancements. Just check out this condensed changelog:
Well look at what we found. It seems the Dinc2's Gingerbread update is on the way, and should be arriving soon - very soon. This update differs from previous leaks (though it is still Android 2.3.3), here's Verizon's breakdown of the new features:
I'm not sure why anyone would want the DROID X2 (our own Aaron Gingrich didn't exactly love it, either - and that's putting it nicely.) But, some people do seem to like the X2 - probably most owners upgrading from the original X. Why? Because it looks and feels exactly the same. So, if you want this Motorola monster, now's a decent time to get it - as it's just $100 with a new Verizon account on Wirefly or AmazonWireless.
Stay tuned - this is a multi-part "Deal Alert," everyone. First on our list: the HTC Thunderbolt. If you open a new Verizon account (sorry, additional lines and renewals aren't eligible) today, you can pick up an HTC Thunderbolt from Wirefly for just $100. Not shabby. The Thunderbolt was Verizon's debut 4G LTE device, and it has enjoyed substantial popularity since launch. It's also probably the best 4G handset on Verizon presently, though its battery life and lack of a Gingerbread update have put off many owners.
Do you have Comcast XFINITY cable? If not, this app may have you considering a switch of providers. The Comcast XFINITY TV app has been around for a while, but a lack of Gingerbread and Honeycomb compatibility has left many users frustrated - and drooling. Why? Because this app is awesome. Take a look at these Honeycomb screenshots taken from a XOOM:
Second only to Google Voice Search in terms of popularity on Android, Vlingo received a major update today. What's new? The entire UI has been streamlined into a much more intuitive list format that makes learning Vlingo's various voice command capabilities, or quickly accessing them, a breeze.
Yep, you read that right - you can pick up a DROID 3 right now from Verizon's online store, complete with free overnight shipping for $199 on a new 2-year agreement or eligible upgrade. If you're a new customer planning to switch to Verizon (or planning to add a line), it's worth noting that you'll be subject to Verizon's new tiered data plans as of today. You can also buy it off contract, and it's not too expensive, either - it'll cost you $460 commitment-free.
In what was a largely expected ruling, a district court judge in California yesterday denied Apple's motion for a preliminary injunction against Amazon attempting to bar the use of the word "Appstore" in conjunction with the Amazon Appstore.
When we published a piece reporting on the recent decision of game developer Bithack to pull its popular title Apparatus from the Amazon Appstore, we contacted Amazon asking for comment on the whole situation.
Got you on the title for a second, didn't I? With all the buzz (har har) surrounding Google+ lately, there's been near endless speculation about whether the new social network will have what it takes to "defeat" its biggest competitor: Facebook. In fact, it seems taken for granted that Google+ and Facebook are like oil and water - two things that simply cannot co-exist in harmony. As you may have guessed from my title, I think this is an absolutely silly discussion. Let's talk about just why that is.
It seems Best Buy just can't keep its stuff in the stockroom. Contrary to the earlier July 10th tip, we've gotten multiple confirmations that Best Buy stores have already started selling the Toshiba Thrive tablet - you can walk into your local store and pick one up right now.
You might have heard of the fun physics/Rube Goldberg machine game Apparatus. It's actually pretty popular, and quite well-loved - over 800 reviews on the Android Market putting it at an average score of 4.5. For a game, especially, that's a very difficult feat to accomplish. It goes without saying then, that the developer of Apparatus is very concerned with customer feedback and providing support for his application.