David Ruddock - 57/143 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

David Ruddock

David's phone is an HTC One X+. He is an avid writer, and enjoys imparting a legal perspective on Android news where it is relevant. He also doesn't usually write such boring sentences.

Follow @rdr0b11

Oct

Editorial: Did HTC Drop The Ball With The One X+?

Posted by David Ruddock in Editorials, HTC, One X (Endeavor), One X+

Last Updated: October 26th, 2012

Even as the proud owner of an HTC One X, sometimes I find it difficult to defend the company whose handsets I really do love. The One X is a truly gorgeous piece of hardware - a unique and interesting design among a sea of relatively similar (or extremely boring) shiny plastic rectangles. It's the first Android phone design I've looked at and thought to myself, "Wow, that's really inspired." Call me a fanboy if you must, but I really do love the look of this phone. I have since I reviewed it, and I still love it now.

As such, you can guess that I love the look of the One X+.

Oct

Motorola Voluntarily Ends Major ITC Lawsuit Against Apple - What's Going On?

Posted by David Ruddock in Legal, Motorola, News

Some very interesting legal news surfaced this morning in regard to a Motorola patent suit against Apple at the ITC. The lawsuit in question was filed back in August, and sought import bans on almost every Apple product currently manufactured based on seven Motorola patents. It had barely entered the preliminary stages before Motorola voluntarily sought for the case to be dismissed today.

Motorola provided no reasoning for the request, which is basically a matter of procedure - it will be granted. This suit had at play IP that may have been "second tier" in terms of legal firepower, but the actions Motorola asked of the ITC because of Apple's alleged infringement were certainly nothing to scoff at.

Oct

[Update: Merger Confirmed] Reuters: T-Mobile Is In Talks To Acquire MetroPCS, Press Conference Tomorrow?

Posted by David Ruddock in MetroPCS, News, Rumors, T-Mobile

Update: Deutsche Telekom has confirmed that this merger will be happening (given regulatory approval), and that DT will run T-Mobile and MetroPCS as one company. The DT board will meet tomorrow to approve the transaction.

According to Reuters, "three sources familiar with the situation" are saying a deal between T-Mobile and MetroPCS is "close," and by close, they mean an announcement is probably happening tomorrow.

This is a bit odd, given that MetroPCS is a CDMA carrier, and that network is largely incompatible with T-Mobile's current spectrum holdings. MetroPCS does have a burgeoning LTE network, though, and this may be the proverbial apple of T-Mobile's eye driving the deal.

Oct

Judge Koh Lifts Galaxy Tab 10.1 Sales Ban In US

Posted by David Ruddock in Galaxy Tab 10.1, Legal, News, Samsung

Do you want to buy a Galaxy Tab 10.1? No? Well, that's pretty understandable, but for Samsung, a US sales ban on the tablet issued earlier this year has been a symbolic thorn in the company's side throughout its ongoing legal spats with Apple. Today, after a decision from the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals indicating the issue was ripe for review, that ban was lifted.

Judge Koh, reviewing the issue on the grounds under which the injunction was granted, found that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was not infringing the patents which Apple based its injunction request on. This falls in line with the jury verdict on the Tab 10.1's non-infringement of Apple's design patents.

Oct

T-Mobile Galaxy S Blaze 4G Ice Cream Sandwich Update Available Right Now Via OTA Or Kies

Posted by David Ruddock in Device Updates, Galaxy S Blaze 4G, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News, Samsung, T-Mobile

T-Mobile has begun rolling out the long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich update (T769UVLH5) for the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, and you can get it right now one of two ways. First, you can head to your phone's settings menu and check for the update. If the update doesn't appear, though, you'll either have to wait, or download Samsung's Kies utility (here) and check through that.

Here's the changelog:

Android version 4.0.4 / Software version T769UVLH5 - Current version
Version

Android version 4.0.4 / Software version T769UVLH5

Updated 10/3/2012

Optional Manual update

Improvements

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Mobile Hotspot Icon location fix

Add Email option fix

Prerequisites

Manual (via Samsung Kies) update

Android version 2.3.6 / Software version T769UVLB7/T769UVLF4

Device software is not rooted

50% battery life

Data connection

20 MB available memory (File size of update is 15.7 MB)

Happy updating.

Oct

Motorola And Google Open Source And Merge Key Parts Of MOTODEV Studio Into AOSP

Posted by David Ruddock in Android OS, Development, Motorola, News

For some time, Motorola Mobility has offered its MOTODEV Studio for Android suite as a standalone alternative build on Eclipse. A lot of developers seemed to like the additional tools Moto built into Studio, but weren't exactly keen on dropping Eclipse in exchange for Moto's less open solution.

Now that Motorola is a part of Google, it seems that state of affairs just won't do. Earlier today, on the official Motorola blog, the company announced it was open sourcing key parts of MOTODEV Studio and merging them into the Android Open Source Project. Looking at the commits (here), head of the ADT/Tools team at Google, Xavier Ducrohet, seems to have been involved extensively in the process.

Oct

BBC Releases Good Food Recipe App For Android, Packs Hundreds Of Detailed Recipes - All Free For A Limited Time

Posted by David Ruddock in Applications, News

You may not know it (especially if you see how I eat most nights), but I rather enjoy cooking. The fact is, though, that most recipe apps on Android really suck. Like, really, really, really suck (I am looking at you with extreme disapproval, Epicurious).

So when I saw the BBC's Good Food app on the Play Store this afternoon, I was intrigued. Then, I tried it, and I have to say - I'm impressed. This app is well designed, runs smoothly, and is absolutely gorgeous. It's seriously good. If you cook, just download it right now and snatch up all the add-on recipe books.

Oct

Amazing Flight Simulator X-Plane Drops Price Tag, Now Free On The Play Store

Posted by David Ruddock in Deals, Games, News

Flight simulator players are something of a different breed. Flight simulation games can require hours of attention to what, for many people, is an extremely tedious (boring), monotonous (boooooring) task. But, the best simulators on the market are so good (realistic) that you can actually use them as part of a professional flight simulator. X-Plane (for the desktop) is that good.

Now, the Android game is no substitute for getting your pilot's license, but Laminar Research, the company that makes the game, promises "85% of the accuracy" of the desktop version. Which is amazing, considering just how much less hardware horsepower you're dealing with on a smartphone compared to a modern PC.

Sep

[The Android Police Week In Review] The Biggest Android Stories Of The Week (9/23/12-9/30/12)

Posted by David Ruddock in News, Week In Review

Welcome to the Android Police Week In Review - your source for the biggest Android stories of the week. Don't forget, you can catch a lot of these stories (and more) on our weekly podcast.

Featues

What we use: the apps, tools, devices, and other stuff Eric can't do without.

Carrier 411

Sprint is doing LTE in places you might be and they want you to know.

Rumor Roundup

HTC's One X+ shows up on blurrycam for T-Mobile, but it might not actually be coming at all. What a tease.
$99 Nexus 7? How about "no."

Android at Arms

Apples wants $707 million more from Samsung, blood from stone.

Sep

[The Android Police Podcast] Episode 29: Rosemary Duck

Posted by David Ruddock in Podcast

Welcome to the Android Police Podcast, Episode 28. Don't forget - the Android Police Podcast's live broadcast is every Thursday at 5PM PST (www.androidpolice.com/podcast).