case - 5/5 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Aug

Google Takes First Baby Steps In The Fight Against Lodsys

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in News

Lately, it seems like news about patent lawsuits and bullying is worse than most Hollywood gossip. Frankly, most of the suits are about as justified as Hollywood gossip, if not less. Nevertheless, there are bright spots - such as when the big dogs step up alongside developers to help fight back the patent trolls. Such happened yesterday, when it was revealed that Google has joined Apple in the fight against patent troll Lodsys' claims against developers.

^{Artist's rendering of Lodsys.}

For the uninitiated, Lodsys is a company that does nothing but hold patents for the purpose of licensing them. They produce no goods and offer no real services, and their patents are purchased from others - meaning they contribute nothing to the process.

Aug

Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard Case For Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Available For Pre-Order For $99

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Galaxy Tab 10.1, News

When most people get a new device of any kind, one of the first things that they start looking for is good accessories. For tablets, some of the more sought after add-ons include keyboards for added functionality and cases to protect the investment, but the brilliant minds over at Logitech decided that it would be much more practical to combine the two with the new keyboard case designed specifically for the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

While we've already taken a look at the official Samsung keyboard for the Tab 10.1 both before and after the TouchWiz UX update, we were still left wanting more -- even going as far as to recommend waiting for the $150 Samsung Bluetooth keyboard/case combo.

Jul

Creative Contest: Win This Rugged Otterbox Defender Case For The Motorola XOOM (MSRP $90)

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Contests / Giveaways, Motorola, XOOM

Last Updated: July 26th, 2011

The Prize

Motorola XOOM owners, listen up. Rather than keeping my XOOM protected with the very rugged Defender case from Otterbox that I reviewed last month, I'm going to give it away to one of you, as you probably need it more than me.

Otterbox is one of the top brands in the case business, and I'm sure this $90 shell that can withstand a nuclear attack will find a nice home.

How To Enter

This contest is now over. We have selected the winner - see if it's you here.

To make this a little more interesting and fun, especially for those who don't like social giveaways (Twitter, Facebook, etc), to enter this contest:

Take a photo of your XOOM and include some reference to Android Police anywhere in the same photo.

Jun

[Review] Otterbox Defender Case For The Motorola XOOM: It's Like A Fat Suit For Chris Farley

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in News, Other Reviews, Reviews, XOOM

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

The Motorola XOOM, the world's first Honeycomb tablet, costs a pretty penny - between $600 and $800, depending on the variant. If you picked up a XOOM in the last few months, you've probably asked yourself whether you should get some sort of protection, and, if so, which option you should go with.

Motorola has released a few official cases, such as the $40 PORTFOLIO, but most aftermarket case manufacturers, such as Otterbox, Amzer, Trident, and others, haven't put out many options. The PORTFOLIO case, while decently priced, has too many faults, and I simply can't recommend it unless it is reworked from the ground up: it appears to scratch the XOOM, has no charging port, USB, or HDMI cutouts (really, Motorola?

Jun

XPAL PowerSkin Review + Giveaway: Extra Juice Meets Extra Protection [Updated: And The Winners Are...]

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in Contests / Giveaways, Droid X (Shadow), Droid X2, EVO 4G (Supersonic), Galaxy S, Galaxy S 4G, Galaxy SL, myTouch 4G (Glacier), Vibrant

Last Updated: June 15th, 2011

Horrific battery life on Android phones is nothing new, and neither is the mind-~~blowing~~ shattering frailty of said handsets. We've seen - and reviewed - solutions to both of these issues, but for those who want a convenient, all-in-one product, nothing beats XPAL's "PowerSkins."

Available for a variety of devices, PowerSkins are, in a sentence, silicone cases with built-in batteries from which your phone can sip juice once its internal supply has run dry. With the help of the kind folks on XPAL's PR team, I hooked my EVO 4G up with one and am now ready to report on the aftermath.

May

Samsung Parades 10 Galaxy Tab 10.1 Accessories Ahead Of Launch, Including HDMI Adapter, Keyboard Docks, And More

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Galaxy Tab 10.1, News, Samsung, Tablets

Last Updated: May 25th, 2011

Just so you're not worried that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet with its single proprietary 30-pin connector (according to Wikipedia, it's not the standard PDMI port) is going to be crippled in the HDMI, USB, storage, and keyboard department, the company unveiled a whole host of [rather expensive] accessories that should satisfy even the most needy ones among you.

Since over 5000 Google I/O attendees already received and inspected every inch of their 10.1s, you may have already seen a flood of complaints regarding the absence of any kind of standard connectors, be it USB, HDMI, or SD.

May

[Unboxing and Review] Otterbox Commuter Series For Desire HD/Inspire 4G Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bulk

Posted by Zak Stinson in Other Reviews, Reviews

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

In the world of mobile phones, cases can be something of a contentious issue. There are those who insist that putting a case on anything so beautiful as a high-end Android phone is pure blasphemy, and anyone who does so is sullying the experience of owning high technology. Others recognize that they are walking around with $500 worth of slippery glass and plastic, opting to cover that shit up. Personally, I am on the fence. I alternate between the two options, revelling in the hard work of the designers at HTC on some days, and others I want to shake up the look and maybe get a little extra protection.

May

[Not As Good As It Sounds] Judge Forces Oracle To Throw Out 129 Of Its Patent Claims Against Google

Posted by David Ruddock in Android OS, News

File this under "things that look good on paper." On Tuesday, a federal judge for the Northern District of California issued an order forcing Oracle and Google, in their fight over various Java patents allegedly infringed by Android, to reduce the number of patent claims and defenses thereto to a "triable" number. That number? Three. And Google will be allowed eight "prior art references" to defend against those claims. (Note: A "prior art reference" is a way of showing that a patent was trying to patent something someone else had already invented prior to the filing, a complete defense against patent infringement, invalidating the patent in question)

Oracle's complaint ended up amounting to 132 patent claims against Google's Android mobile operating system - a staggering number for any court.

Dec

DryCase Review: Keep Your Electronics Dry At The Beach. Or The Bar

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Other Reviews, Reviews

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

I may be stating the obvious here, but stay with me: most people reading this right now probably own a number of expensive gadgets - for example, a phone, a digital camera, or an MP3 player. It's also safe to say that just about everyone who isn't living under a rock knows that liquids and electronics rarely go well together. So then, what's a gadgeter to do when they expect to encounter liquids but want to keep using their electronics?

A company called DryCorp thinks it has the answer with its DryCase, which is exactly what it sounds like: a clear case that keeps your electronics dry.

Oct

[Review] Trident Cyclops Case For The HTC EVO 4G

Posted by Brad Ganley in Other Reviews, Reviews

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

The folks from Trident Cases were nice enough to send me a review unit of their brand new Trident Cyclops for the HTC EVO 4G. I must say, after putting this case on and using for a few hours, there are several reasons that this is my new favorite case, and I'd like to do some show and tell.

My first impression of the Cyclops was actually a direct result of its packaging.

There's a lot that can be said for good, clean packaging, and this box delivers with some cool tech info and a QR code that takes you to a video of a Trident employee smacking around an iPad in one of their cases.