Eric Ravenscraft - 48/103 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Eric Ravenscraft

Eric is a snarky technophile with a taste for the unusual. When he's not obsessing about Android, you can usually find him obsessing about movies, psychology, or the perfect energy drink. Eric weaves his own special blend of snark, satire, and comedy into all his articles.

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Oct

Rdio Launches Beta For Its Upcoming App Redesign, And It Is Glorious

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

When it comes to streaming subscription services, Spotify has stolen the spotlight in the US, where companies like Rdio have struggled to get the attention and acclaim they used to enjoy back before the Swedish invasion. With Xbox Music looming on the horizon, promising to install 30 million free, ad-supported tracks into every computer running Windows 8, the market has never been more competitive. Which makes Rdio's newly announced overhaul to its Android app all the more timely. It's even better that it looks fantastic.

Old Versus New

^{The old version of Rdio that current users have.}

^{The slick new look.}

Oct

Zombies, Run! Update Brings Accelerometer Support, Now You Can Flee For Your Life On A Treadmill In Front Of Strangers

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

How far we've come since the early days of running from zombies! Why, back in my day, if we wanted to be chased by hordes of the undead, we had to actually get out of the house and run around, since GPS was the only supported method for keeping track of our progress. Now, however, the app that's designed to get you working out by forcing you to flee for your life has added accelerometer support, so treadmill runners can get in on the action. Nifty!

In addition to accelerometer mode, there is also a bit of new content.

Oct

Sprint's Galaxy Note II With LTE Will Launch On October 25th For $300, Offers Rebate To Get Your Arm And Leg Back

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Galaxy Note II, News, Sprint

Last Updated: October 25th, 2012

For the first time, Samsung's largest flagship line will be landing on Sprint with the Galaxy Note II. During the initial launch, though, you better know you want it as this device will come with a whopping $300 price tag with a new two year contract. This isn't unheard of for some major devices, but it still ranks as one of the most expensive handsets you can buy.

The Note II will be launching with Android 4.1.1, LTE, and the same Exynos processor as the international version. As we know, devices that use the Exynos 4 processor require a discrete LTE chip outside the SoC itself which can add thickness to a phone.

Oct

[Rumor] Amazon Is In Talks To Acquire TI's Mobile Processor Business, Puts On Its Big Boy Business Suit

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Amazon, News

Before we get too far into this, let's point out that this rumor is coming from an Israeli newspaper, so it is easy enough for a company to disavow stories like these. With that disclaimer out of the way: Amazon may be looking into buying Texas Instrument's OMAP business. As we already know, TI has expressed interest in getting out of the mobile game. Not to say they'll stop making processors, but that the focus would be less on tablets and phones, and more on embedded SoCs for a variety of applications (such as automotive, vision, and robotics).

Of course, Amazon uses TI's mobile processors for its Kindle Fire line, which runs a very heavily modified version of Android.

Oct

It's Happy Hour Down At The Pub: The Bard's Tale Is Half Off In The Play Store ($2.99)

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Deals, Games, News

The Bard's Tale is huge in just about every way. It's a 3.5GB download (at most), it's a long, elaborate game and, until now, it was $6, which is not quite expensive, but certainly pricier than the average game. Today's sale, however, brings the cost down to an outright bargain. For $3 you can get the full Cary Elwes experience on your phone or tablet. It's almost unreasonable not to go for it.

If you're really attached to those three bucks and need some extra convincing, you can always read Ryan's review of the game here. The short version is that The Bard's Tale is entertaining, hilarious, and is a huge download.

Oct

You're Wasting Four Minutes Of Your Life If You're Not Watching This Guy Create An Optimus G Out Of Diamonds With His Mind

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in LG, News, Optimus G

I know what you're thinking. ~~Did he fire six shots or only five?~~ LG? Making an interesting video? Pshaw, I say! Before you dismiss it, though, let me ask you something. Have you ever seen a phone built out of magic and diamonds?! No? Then I've got something new to show you. In this four-minute promo video for the LG Optimus G, we see a man who is, apparently, a sparkle bender, forge a block of pure obsidian, then literally carve the phone out of this block with telekinesis. And that is just the beginning.

The video also demonstrates other key features of the Optimus G.

Oct

[Update: More Carriers] Canadian Galaxy Note II Will Launch On Mobilicity On October 30th, Get $50 Off If You Pre-Order Now

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Deals, Galaxy Note II, News

Residents of the great white north have a special treat coming up soon. The Galaxy Note II is coming to Mobilicity the day before Halloween. If you know you're going to want it on day one, though, you can sign up for a pre-order right now and get $50 off. Unfortunately, the ad doesn't specify just what price you'll get $50 off of.

One tipster sent in an email that he received after placing his order. The email seemed to have an additional stipulation that you must be one of the first 1,000 people to purchase and activate your phone. If there are more than 1,000 pre-orders, it's unclear if everyone will receive the $50 credit.

Oct

Sprint Promises LTE Coverage For San Francisco, 21 Other Cities 'In The Coming Months'

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in News, Sprint

Sprint would like you to know that, while LTE coverage has not yet been activated in these areas just yet, the Now Network has plans to rollout the shiny new towers to cities like San Francisco and Napa, CA, Naples and Cape Coral, FL, and several markets in midwest and southern states. The network is not live yet, of course. As with the carrier's previous announcement, this is simply to let people know what's coming.

Here's the full list of cities that have been added to the plan:

San Francisco, CA, San Mateo-Redwood City, CA
Cape Coral-Ft Meyers, FL
Dyersburg-Union City-Martin, TN
Emporia, KS
Fort Wayne, IN
Greenwood, MS
Joplin, MO
Kokomo, IN
Lafayette/West Lafayette, IN
Lexington Park, MD
Marion, IN
Napa, CA
Naples-Marco Island, FL
Ottawa-Streator, IL
Punta Gorda, FL
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
Sebring, FL
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN
Terre Haute, IN
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
Warsaw, IN

According to Sprint, before the official launch of these networks, you may see LTE coverage pop up and, in that case, you "are welcome to use the network" (as opposed to politely declining the coverage you paid for?) but there's no word yet on when the official launch in these cities will occur.

Oct

Google Releases Dedicated Zagat App, Shows You Restaurants Near You In Beauty And Style

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Sure, Google may have acquired Zagat and used the company's renowned ratings engine to start powering its data on everything from electronics stores to car washes. However, the review site got its start in restaurants way back in the day, and even after the purchase, continues to provide helpful information on every aspect of your food consumption outings. So, why not give the service its own app? Well, that's just what everyone's favorite search giant did!

Zagat is predictably gorgeous. With Google Maps built in, it's convenient to find a restaurant near you, check its ratings, and even get photos of the place where available.

Oct

AppSurfer Aims To Bring Android App Emulation To Your Browser, Wants To Embed Apps In Your Web Pages

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

One of the biggest drawbacks to buying apps on things like the Play Store is wondering if it does what you need it to do before you put your money on the line. AppSurfer, an India-based startup, is building a platform to alleviate this concern and give developers a web-based tool to let users test drive their apps before they buy. If this sounds familiar, it's because Amazon allows customers to do this very thing on its Appstore. The advantage here is that it would be open to the entire web and not just one market. You could even embed your fully-functional app in a website.