Nate Kimmey - 13/21 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Nov

Qualcomm Unveils 2011 Dual Core Snapdragons: 5x CPU Performance, 1/4 Power Consumption, GPU Rivaling PS3/XBOX 360

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News

Despite all this talk about upcoming phones and tablets running on the Tegra 2 processor, you may want to stop and consider the new offering in the Snapdragon line of processors from Qualcomm. Taking a 28-nm dual core beast (MSM8960), the company promises speeds up to five times their current offerings, as well as 75% less lower power usage.

But the real shocker here is the updated GPU, which Qualcomm claims is capable of delivering gaming performance equal to the of an Xbox 360 or PS3.

We should certainly wait for some real life tests and comparisons to Tegra 2 before really hyping this up, but still: can you imagine the PSP phone launching with these capabilities?

Nov

LG Vortex Now Available: $79.99 From Verizon, Free From Wirefly

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News, Verizon Wireless, Vortex

Last Updated: November 19th, 2010

Specs

The LG Optimus One, the latest Android phone to hit all four national carriers (though AT&T has yet to announce its version), has finally launched on Big Red as the Vortex. Before deciding if this entry-level phone is right for you, be sure to take a look at the specs:

Android 2.2 with custom LG launcher and widgets
3.2-inch 320x480 (HVGA) screen
3.2MP camera
600 MHz processor
WiFi 802.11 b/g
170MB internal memory
1500 mAh battery

Deals

If you're planning on buying the phone directly from Verizon, you may want to re-consider, as it will cost you $79.99 with a new two-year contract.

Nov

Panasonic To Enter The Smartphone Market In 2011 Using Android

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News, Panasonic

If the Samsung Galaxy S taking over sales of the iPhone 4 in Japan is any indication, Android is growing at an insane rate, and isn't showing any signs of stopping. And that's exactly why Panasonic is choosing our favorite mobile OS in its return to the smartphone market. Starting early next year, the company plans on selling multiple smartphones in Japan, although sales in other countries will not begin until 2012.

"We misjudged the speed at which smartphones would be taken up in the Japanese market," Osamu Waki, head of the company's mobile communications unit said at a news conference.

Nov

Google Maps For Android v4.7 Adds Support For The New Google Hotpot Recommendation Engine, Guns Straight For Yelp

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Applications, News

Unveiled earlier today, Google's new service, called Hotpot, promises to recommend places to you based on an extremely simple rating system that allows scoring and ranking establishments from one to five stars. Additionally, you can rate individual characteristics, such as food, service, and atomsphere, as you can see below. Hotpot's release was accompanied by a simultaneous refresh of the Google Maps Android app (version 4.7), which brought along the fairly significant addition of Hotpot to the Places component of the app.

^{I'm far too generous}

Hotpot itself is accessible on any computer, but you'll obviously find rating and discovering places far more convenient while on the go.

Nov

Samsung Continuum And Motorola Citrus To Hit Verizon On November 11

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Citrus, Continuum, Galaxy S, Motorola, News, Samsung, Verizon Wireless

Last Updated: November 11th, 2010

Right alongside the launch of the Galaxy Tab, Verizon prepared to launch two Android-running phones on November 11: the ticker-equipped Samsung Continuum and Motorola's latest lower-end handset, the Citrus.

Samsung Continuum

As previously reported, the Continuum is a member of the Galaxy S family, albeit a rather odd one. The technical specs are largely the same as previous Galaxy S phones, with a few big changes:

3.4", 800 x 480 Super AMOLED screen
1 GHz Hummingbird processor
5 megapixel camera with LED flash
720p recording
2 GB internal memory
8 GB microSD card pre-installed
TouchWiz atop Android 2.2
96 x 480 "ticker" below main screen

Clearly, what sets the Continuum apart from the slew of other Android phones available is the secondary screen, which is said to be used for notifications, RSS feeds, Facebook, as well as music controls.

Oct

T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Seeing An Official Launch On November 3

Posted by Nate Kimmey in myTouch 4G (Glacier), News, T-Mobile

Just a few days after the original myTouch 3G finishes receiving the Froyo update over-the-air, its direct successor with an independently confirmed to us myTouch 4G name (not HD) will be officially released. While the November 3 date has been rumored for some time, we now have official confirmation through a leaked internal e-mail:

The HSPA+ handset comes with a 5 megapixel camera, 3.8" display, front-facing camera, 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, and the Espresso UI all on top of Android 2.2. There are still no answers regarding pricing or the burning question on the community's mind is: how easily will it be rooted?

Oct

Logitech Revue Unveiled, Now Available For Pre-Order

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Google TV, Logitech, News, Revue

The Logitech Revue site has gone live, and it includes all the details on the Google TV-powered box we've already heard so much about. You won't find much information on Google TV, but what you will find is plenty of information on the Revue itself, as well as its many accessories.

First things first: the Revue is available for pre-order right now, and is priced at $299.99. That price includes both the box and the keyboard; the keyboard has a touchpad and remote controls so you won't need a separate remote (you can check out a picture of the keyboard below).

Oct

Motorola Bravo, Flipout, And Flipside Make Their Debut On AT&T

Posted by Nate Kimmey in AT&T, Bravo, Flipout / Twist, Flipside, News

Even though they were the last major carrier in the US to release an Android phone, you can't question AT&T's commitment to Android now! Their latest offerings are all from Motorola and all feature the MOTOBLUR UI, but are still a huge step up from phones like the Cliq and the Backflip.

Each runs Android 2.1 with MOTOBLUR on top and feature a lackluster 3.2 megapixel camera. However, that is where the similarities between the phones end. First up, we gothe highest-end offering, the Bravo, featuring:

800 MHz processor
2 GB internal memory
3.7-inch, 854 x 480 screen
No physical keyboard

Then you have the Flipout, which we've seen a few times before.

Oct

T-Mobile Expands HSPA+ To Cover 16 New Markets

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News, T-Mobile

T-Mobile is certainly not resting on their laurels when it comes to bringing 4G speeds to all of their customers! Hot off the heels of the release of their first HSPA+ capable phone, the G2, T-Mobile has turned on their powerful 4G network in the following 16 markets:

Biloxi and Gulfport, MS
Denver, CO
Huntsville, AL
Knoxville, TN
Myrtle Beach, SC
Norfolk, VA
Omaha, NE
Phoenix and Tucson, AZ
Salt Lake City, UT
San Francisco, Sane Jose, Oakland and Sacramento, CA
West Palm Beach, FL

If you still aren't covered, T-Mobile plans to continue expanding their 4G network, ending the year with 100 major markets and 200 million people covered.

Oct

Phantom Black HTC Legend And Brilliant White HTC Desire Launching In Europe

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Desire (Bravo/BravoC), Legend, News

If you live in European markets, you may be glad to hear that HTC is offering a new color for two of their phones: the HTC Desire, which will soon come in "Brilliant White", and the HTC Legend, which will soon be available in "Phantom Black."

There's no doubt that each phone looks really slick, but you've got to wonder the purpose of a black Legend: wasn't its main appeal the gorgeous metal finish? The white Desire, on the other hand, is sure to be a lot more exciting than the plain old brown color it launched with. Check out pictures of each device and the full press release below.