Liam Spradlin - 89/99 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

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.

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Oct

Here It Is - Samsung Gives Us A Peek At The Nexus Prime (Or Whatever It Will Be Called) In Teaser Video Leading Up To Mobile Unpacked

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Galaxy Nexus, News, Samsung, Videos

Hot on the heels of the Nexus Prime's blurrycam debut, Samsung has provided us a tantalizing peek at the so-called Nexus Prime in a teaser video leading up to Mobile Unpacked 2011, where they are sure to unveil Google's next flagship device.

It appears that rumors pointing toward a curved display are true, and that the Nexus Prime will share the sleek, trim form factor that we've come to expect from Samsung's mobile offerings. BriefMobile speculates that the three dots we're seeing on the right side of the device will be its docking connection, and that the camera will jut out forming the slight chin we see on the backside of the Prime's alleged 4.6" 720p display.

Oct

Great Little War Game Brings Turn-Based Strategy To Your Android Device In A Comical, Dynamic Package

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Games, News

Rubicon Development has just released Great Little War Game, a turn-based strategy game, promising intuitive gameplay and a unique visual twist.

GLWG has a ton of different environments, multiplayer capability, and openFeint achievements, making it a dynamic game with certain replay value.

Adding to the elements you may expect in a turn-based strategy game, Great Little War Game is styled in an almost cartoonish, comical way while still offering big guns and explosions.

The games unique fusion of cutesy visual style and robust turn-based strategy give it a strange appeal, and for $2.99, it's pretty reasonable for a game that offers great replay value and a nice strategy experience.

Oct

Trailer For Age Of Defenders Released - Tower Defense Meets Strategy Meets Awesome

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Games, News

Last Updated: August 2nd, 2012

The creators of Age of Defenders, a game coming soon to Android and iOS (and already available for PC and Mac), released the game's first trailer today, giving viewers a taste of what's in store for its release.

The game combines the familiar tower defense genre with offensive strategy, and even allows for online play. Better still, the game's desktop version can run directly from your computer's browser.

The graphics are clean, sharp, and realistic, and there are plenty of environments to play through. Enhancing the experience of online play, Age of Defenders offers a chat feature in its computer iteration, allowing users to communicate strategies at the click of a button.

Oct

Adobe Announces Touch Apps, A Suite Of Tablet Apps For Sophisticated Design And Editing On The Go

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Adobe, the masterminds behind the ubiquitous Creative Suite of products, has just announced Adobe Touch Apps, a set of apps aimed at Honeycomb tablets, allowing users to perform sophisticated design, editing, and generally creative tasks from just about anywhere.

Perhaps the most exciting member of Adobe's new group of apps is Photoshop Touch, which is pretty much Photoshop on a tablet. The app allows for layer control, blending modes, curves adjustments, and almost everything you've come to expect from its desktop counterpart. Interestingly, Photoshop touch also makes it easy to grab a photo from your tablet's camera, Google Images, or social media sites such as Facebook.

Oct

[Download] Android Skin Pack Disguises Windows 7 As An Android Launcher

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Development, Off-Topic

Typically, I'm not very interested in theming for Windows, and I resist change to my desktop configuration as much as possible. I was convinced today, however, to give it a try with Android Skin Pack 1.0 from Hamed Danger.

Android Skin Pack 1.0 transforms your desktop, disguising the start menu as a notification bar, and adding a launcher dock at the bottom of your screen (albeit with several more icons than its Android counterpart). The pack also comes with a variety of familiar Android icons, a stylish wallpaper, and even spruces up your computer's boot screen.

The theme is a fun tweak for those PC users who have been yearning for a taste of Android on their desktop, and can be implemented using a handy installer package available for download here, and don't worry - if you get tired of the theme, it can be uninstalled easily, and Windows will revert back to normal.

Sep

[Update: It Has Been Pulled] Gingerbread Update Officially Available For The HTC Thunderbolt - Get It While It's Hot

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Gingerbread 2.3, News, Thunderbolt (Mecha)

Update: In a not-so-unexpected (read: expected) twist, Big Red has pulled the update for the TBolt, so if you haven't gotten it yet, now you know why. There isn't much info as to when it will start rolling out again, but we'll let you know when we find something out.

The wait is finally over - Thunderbolt users can now officially pull the latest update for their devices, Android Gingerbread 2.3.4, fresh from the oven.

The procedure for updating is the same as always - just hit Settings > Software Update > Check New, and you should be ready to go.

Sep

Lumix Phone 101P To Debut In Japan This Fall, Promises A 13.2MP Sensor And A Host Of Other Features

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News, Panasonic

Panasonic has announced a unique Android offering headed for Softbank, a Japanese carrier, officially unveiling the Lumix Phone 101P today.

The Lumix Phone looks almost exactly like a pocket-sized digital camera, except for its 4" touch screen and Android 2.3 software. Under its surprisingly slender frame, it houses some interesting specs:

4-inch QHD LCD screen with 960×540 resolution
13.2MP CMOS Lumix sensor with “Mobile Venus Engine“
Waterproof body
TI OMAP4430 dual-core CPU (1GHz)
Ultra Speed compatibility (Softbank's broadband network)
microSD card slot
Infrared connection
E-wallet function
Digital TV tuner
A sleek body (64×123×9.8mm)
Android 2.3 Gingerbread

There's no word yet on pricing, or whether this phone will make an appearance in other countries, but it seems like a unique fusion between a point-and-shoot camera and a mobile phone, and it will be interesting to see how its 13.2MP sensor performs, especially next to Samsung's newly-announced 16MP sensors.

Sep

Droid 3 Currently Receiving Update To Build 5.6.890 - Includes Google Talk With Video

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Droid 3, News

An update began rolling out to Droid 3 users earlier today, upgrading the device's build to 5.6.890, and bringing with it Google Talk (with video capabilities), and a long list of bug fixes.

Users can go ahead and grab the update in the usual manner, by visiting Settings > About Phone > System Updates. Download, install, and enjoy.

via Droid Life

Sep

[Update: Today's The Day!] Motorola Xoom 4G LTE Upgrade Will (Finally) Be Ready To Go Starting September 29th

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News, Tablets, Verizon Wireless, XOOM

Update: So, today's the day. Who plans on living the tablet-less life for the next week?

Verizon Wireless has just announced in a press release that the Motorola Xoom's 4G LTE upgrade process can finally begin Thursday the 29th (tomorrow).

To get the upgrade, customers need only go to Verizon's Xoom upgrade page. Oh, and send off their Xoom for approximately 6 business days.

Verizon also announced that Xoom tablets with 4G LTE built in will be available starting October 13th for $499.99 on a new two year contract. Broadband data plans will begin at $30/month for 2GB of data.

Sep

[New Game Review] Jelly Defense Adds A Whimsical Twist To Tower Defense

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Game Reviews, Games, Videos

Tower Defense is probably one of the most populated genres in mobile gaming, or at least it seems that way. There are tons of games in this style to choose from, so it's rare to see something that changes things. Jelly Defense from Infinite Dreams attempts just that, putting a whimsical, almost cute touch on the genre of tower defense.

The game starts off with a brief intro story about the peaceful nation of jelly inhabitants in which the game takes place. Suddenly alien invaders arrive, and the player is given the charge of defending the jelly people's crystals. Right off the bat, the visual style and animation made me think of the popular Katamari series, especially when a colorful, blocky spaceship (ostensibly powered by rowing oars) zoomed into frame.