Liam Spradlin
Besides being an avid Android fan and blogger, Liam is a photographer with a degree in both Anthropology and Sociology. He can usually be found reading through blogs, taking photos, or studying ancient pottery. Liam has been known to leave on international trips at a moment's notice, and can't resist a new challenge.

02
Oct
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Looking to create a more versatile and powerful build system for Android developers, Google has been working on what is currently called "New Build System," a tool that aims to (one day) replace, unify, and build upon the functionality of Eclipse's ADT and Ant build systems.

While the new build system is still in very early stages (just reaching build 0.1 today) and not yet ready to build ship-able apps, it's already proving useful. Our own Artem cites the ability to build both dev and production versions of apps simultaneously and the ability to use the same build process between ADT and Linux as signs that the project is already showing great potential.

02
Oct
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Right on schedule, Sony's PlayStation Mobile is going live today, bringing PlayStation titles to certified devices and – of course – PS Vita.

While, at the moment, Sony's list of certified devices is limited primarily to Sony's own Android phones and tablets, more devices – including some from Fujitsu and Sharp – are expected to gain certification in the near future. HTC's One line is already on the list, with "details to be announced later on."

02
Oct
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It looks like mobile device users in the UK can expect 4G services to begin rolling out a bit sooner than previously expected – six months sooner, to be specific.

The Wallstreet Journal reported Tuesday that the UK government has struck a deal with the UK's four largest mobile operators which will enable the auction of 4G mobile spectrum to begin at the end of 2012, with bidding beginning in early 2013.

The deal, which comes after rumblings that Vodafone and O2 were considering legal action against Everything Everywhere (EE) to stop it launching its own 4G service, was closed on by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

02
Oct
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Encouraging players to "go for the big win," Hothead Games recently released Big Win Football to the Play Store. The makers of the artistic masterpiece that is Machinarium and the similarly sports-minded Big Win Soccer have added another entry to their catalogue of "Big Win" sports games, bringing the same customizable, competitive and unique gameplay dynamic to football fans, allowing them to create their own customized dream team, play against opponents online, and enhance player skills with game-changing boosts.

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One of the things that makes Big Win Football different from other football games, besides its Mii-like character style, is the ability to play big impact cards.

01
Oct
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Google has once again updated the Android platform distribution numbers. The numbers, released right on schedule today, show Gingerbread still leading the pack at 56% of devices (down from 57.5% last month), with Jelly Bean crawling up the ladder to 1.8%, up from 1.2% last time.

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The two most important stat changes from last month, Gingerbread and Jelly Bean, are somewhat disappointing – both shifting at a lower rate than last cycle, but promised updates and leaked devices we may or may not see in the near future will likely help those numbers along.

Other versions, meanwhile, are moving as expected.

01
Oct
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Amtrak, aiming to give you a "new way to take the train," released an official app to the Play Store recently.

The (logically named) Amtrak app allows passengers to plan their entire train excursion, from buying tickets (which can be displayed right on your device) to navigating to a nearby station, changing/upgrading seat selections, checking train schedules, and using an Amtrak Guest Rewards account.

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"Optimized for Android," the app carries a holo-ish interface with swiping tabs, proper navigation and scrolling, and all the visual flair you may expect from an app in line with Android's design guidelines. That being said, the app itself is also well-built and stable, and works just how potential train passengers would hope.

28
Sep
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Looking to give users the "fastest, smartest launcher for Android," Jesse Andersen brought Conjure to the Play Store recently. The app, which is actually more of a launcher companion, can perform an incredible range of actions, from finding and launching apps to calling contacts, adjusting device settings (like volume, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), and searching the web.

What's great about this app is not that it can do a lot, but that it actually adapts to your usage, storing a history of actions and listing content results by frequency of use. It can even recognize abbreviations for app names when searching.

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Those familiar with solutions like Launchy for Windows will feel right at home using Conjure.

28
Sep
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One of the most common questions users have regarding Google's various content offerings is "Why isn't it available in [insert any number of countries here]?" Google has been working to change that, offering more and more of the Play Store's non-app content abroad. In that spirit, today it announced that Google Play Movies is now available in Korea (where we saw Eric Schmidt having some Gangnam style fun earlier this week).

According to the announcement, Korea's Play Movies includes "hundreds of full-length feature films from some local Korean studios and Hollywood." The post goes on to invite users to start their movie enjoyment with The Avengers.

27
Sep
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Those of us with rooted devices and a penchant for flashing ROMs know just how valuable a great backup tool can be. Titanium backup is undoubtedly one of the most popular (and most useful) backup tools around, and it just got an update to version 5.6.0.

The update, which had been floating around as a "test version" prior to official release, brings a few UI enhancements and fixes, an updated set of translations, and improved "Market Doctor" and "Force Attach" functions to repair broken links between apps and the Play Store.

The real story here, though, is Titanium Backup's new ability to allow for the restoration of ADB backup files (which can be created without root) from TB when rooted.

27
Sep
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Zeebox, a social TV companion app that's already found popularity in the UK has officially hit the US, aiming to make a splash thanks to monetary and promotional backing from both NBC and Comcast.

Essentially, Zeebox serves as an auxiliary guide to TV enjoyment as well as a social platform where users can see which shows are hot, who's watching them, and what they're saying in response. Users can see what their friends (and everyone else) are viewing or planning to view, chat with friends, start a viewing party, or tweet reactions.

What's interesting about the service's arrival in the US is that it's being heavily backed by broadcast giant NBC as well as Comcast Cable, meaning you aren't likely to see this app fade out of conversation very soon.

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