Liam Spradlin - 92/99 - 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.

Follow @LiamSpradlin

Sep

Cricket Pre-Paid Service Going National, Set To Offer A Variety Of Devices Through Best Buy And Other Retailers

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Cricket Wireless, News

Leap Wireless, purveyors of Cricket pre-paid cellular services, is set to expand its business to the entire nation beginning Sunday, September 25.

Building on its presence as a regional service, Leap Wireless signed a reseller agreement with Sprint Nextel last year to begin using their network nationwide. On the 25th, Best Buy, followed by select Wal-Mart locations, Dollar Stores, and HSN will begin offering Cricket devices including the ZTE Score - an Android-based device - as well as phones supporting Leap's Muve Music service.

It would seem that Leap is seeking to move Cricket closer to a consumer base that seeks affordable smartphones and competitive pre-paid plans.

Sep

[Mobile Security App Shootout, Part 15] Kaspersky Mobile Security Offers Familiar Security Features, Adds Few New Twists

Posted by Liam Spradlin in App Reviews, Applications, Mobile Security App Shootout

Kaspersky, a huge name in computer security, not only protects your home and office computers, but your Android device as well. Kaspersky Mobile Security, now in its 9th revision, is a robust app packing anti-virus, anti-malware, call blocking, and theft/loss protection into one lightweight package.

At A Glance

Kaspersky's security solution for Android comes in a relatively lightweight app, costing only 1.5MB in storage. The app's loss/theft protection relies totally on SMS commands, meaning your phone is still protected even if data is turned off. Personally, I always like to see an online interface option, because it makes using the app that much easier in case you've lost your handset and don't have someone with a cell phone handy to send commands to your device.

Sep

Yale Locks To Introduce NFC-Enabled Residential Locks - One More Reason NFC Will Be Awesome

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News, Videos

In addition to replacing your wallet, it looks like your Android device may eventually replace your key ring as well. Yale Locks and Hardware showed off their Real Living line of motorized locks this year at CEDIA Expo, promising that your NFC-enabled phone will soon be able to open your front door digitally.

The new line of locks is also compatible with Zigbee and Z-Wave home automation systems and offers support for Assa Abloy's existing Mobile Keys system which allows users to securely store all their digital keys on their phone.

Little else is known about these locks for now, but they serve as one more sign that NFC is set to make a significant splash in the world of electronics, allowing your Android handset to effectively replace even more of your belongings.

Sep

Adobe Poised To "Turn Up The Dial" With Flash Player 11 And Adobe Air 3 In Early October - Supports 3D Gaming, HD Video Conferencing And More

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News

Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Air are part of a platform that has proven revolutionary for web content and user experiences since its creation. That platform is about to get a major update, coming in "early October," which introduces Stage 3D, an architecture that promises hardware-accelerated rendering at 1000x the speed of Flash Player 10.

Adobe also boasts support for theater-quality HD video, native 64-bit optimizations, and HD video conferencing in the upcoming release. Adobe is so confident in the new iteration of Flash Player 11 that they have dubbed it the next-generation console for the web, bringing "unmatched consistency" and the ability for developers to implement their games and apps on a wide range of devices more easily than before.

Sep

Amazon Offering $2.00 Appstore Credit In Exchange For A Simple Tweet

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Amazon's Appstore for Android is well known for handing out paid apps for free, but normally users don't have a choice in which apps are offered up. Amazon is currently running a promotion that changes that, however, offering a $2.00 credit to anyone who follows @amazonappstore and allows Amazon to tweet a special message on their behalf.

Getting the credit is as easy as pressing a button, and sending out one promotional tweet is a small price to pay for $2.00 worth of free apps. If you're interested, check out the promotion page on amazon.com here and enjoy your free app(s).

Sep

Google+ Beta Brings Open Signups And Updated Android App With Tons Of New Features

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Just as some were speculating that Google's invite-only signup system for their latest social networking venture would be its eventual downfall, the Google Mobile blog announced that Google+ is transitioning into beta, bringing open signups with it.

That isn't the only change Google has cooked up, though. Google+ has been updated with a host of new features in an effort by Google to show how fast they can implement users' "most requested features."

Perhaps the most exciting change to Google+ is the addition of Hangouts to the mobile app with the v1.07 update. This means you can execute group video chats from just about anywhere, using a clean, simple interface similar to the Google+ online interface.

Sep

[Deal Alert] Unlocked Samsung Galaxy SII At Mobile Daily Steals For $499 (That's About $100 Off)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Deals, Galaxy S II

The release of Sprint's Galaxy S II variant before that of other U.S. carriers has left many customers itching for their chance to get one of the hottest Android phones on the market. Daily Steal's Mobile site is holding a sale for the next 22 hours (until midnight September 22), offering an unlocked GSM version of Samsung's latest phone for $499, about $100 less than Amazon's price.

The unlocked SII supports a wide array of networks (a full list is viewable on Daily Steals' website). For those still out of the loop, here are some of the specs the Galaxy SII boasts:

Android 2.3 Gingerbread
4.3" WVGA Super AMOLED Plus Display
8MP rear shooter and 2MP front shooter
1GB RAM
1.2GHz Dual-Core ARM Cortex A9 Processor
Expandable Storage via MicroSD, up to 32GB

If you've been hoping for a widely compatible GSM version of Samsung's hottest, slimmest phone to date, head over to Daily Steals to grab the discount while it lasts.

Sep

Zynga's Hanging With Friends Now Available In The Android Market

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Games, News

Zynga, creators of the ever-popular Words With Friends, have just made Hanging With Friends available to Android users in the U.S. following its global release. The game is Zynga's twist on the children's game Hang Man, but it is not as gruesome as it sounds. The game features "cute characters in perilous situations," by which I mean adorable, doe-eyed cartoons hanging on to balloons suspended in mid-air over a pool of lava.

The game uses the familiar tile interface and scoring system from Words With Friends, and adds fun features such as lifelines and instant replays to add interest.

Sep

Nexus S 4G Android 2.3.7 Update GWK74 Rolling Out Now, Includes Wallet App, Google Shopper, Security Patches

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News, Nexus S 4G (Crespo4g), Samsung, Sprint

Last Updated: September 23rd, 2011

If you're a Nexus S 4G owner and you're wondering how to get your hands on Google Wallet and be the first nerd on the block to pay for espresso by tapping your phone, we've received a tip that a software update for the Nexus S 4G has begun rolling out (and will continue to do so over a 4 day period).

The update includes not only the official Google Wallet app, but also Google Shopper and various security patches. It looks like Sprint dealers will begin assisting customers with manually updating starting September 20th (tomorrow). If you're a user who hasn't yet received the Google Wallet app, don't worry - the wait is almost over.

Sep

It's Official - Google Wallet Is Here, Handy App Can Tell You Where To Use It

Posted by Liam Spradlin in News, Nexus S 4G (Crespo4g), Sprint

True to last night's rumblings, Google and Sprint have announced the launch of Google Wallet, a revolutionary new tap-to-pay service that allows customers to store credit card information and make payments from one app on their Android phone.

For now Google Wallet is only available to those with a Nexus S 4G and a Citi MasterCard. Google plans on adding support for various other card companies, and more Android devices with NFC capabilities are on the horizon.

A critical element to Wallet's success will be the presence of PayPass terminals capable of accepting payments via NFC. The terminals are not particularly widespread in the US at present, but if you're itching to try out Google's awesome new wireless payment system, you can find businesses with PayPass terminals using the Google Wallet webpage or by downloading MasterCard's PayPass Locator app (from the widget below).