News - 18/20 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Apr

CNN Remembers Not All Of Us Have Tablets, Releases App For Android Phones

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

Almost 2 months ago, CNN pushed out its first news app to the Android Market, though with one quite annoying caveat - it was created specifically for Honeycomb devices, which were quite scarce to say the least (i.e. the XOOM).

As you can imagine, ~~those without Honeycomb tablets~~ pretty much everyone started demanding an app as well and today finally got their wish granted. CNN App for Android Phones (as opposed to CNN App for Android) was just released to the Market, with support for Android 2.1+ and full of features you would expect from a smaller screen port of its big brother:

U.S.

Apr

[Updated] Exclusive: Vulnerability In Skype For Android Is Exposing Your Name, Phone Number, Chat Logs, And A Lot More

Posted by Justin Case in Development, Exclusives, News

Last Updated: June 5th, 2012

Update #1: Skype is investigating the issue, we've been told.

Update #2: Skype's official first response can be found here.

The safety of our personal information is often a concern of mine - who has my email address, my phone number, my date of birth? How can I keep my private information safe while still enjoying the internet? These concerns have prompted me to take a deeper look at Android apps more than once, and often this can yield some frightening information.

On April 11, a leaked version of Skype Video hit the web and, having a Thunderbolt, I had to try it.

Apr

T-Mobile Confirms LG G2x And Sidekick 4G Release Dates: Both In Stores On April 20th

Posted by Cameron Summerson in G2x (p999), News, Sidekick 4G, T-Mobile

Thanks to Radio Shack, it's no surprise that the Sidekick 4G is hitting the sales floor on April 20th for $99, but T-Mobile has finally made an official announcement via its Twitter page. In the interest of consolidation, it was also announced that the LG G2x would be available in-store for $199 after a $50 mail in rebate, but If you just can't wait to get your hands it, you'll be able to grab it online starting April 15th.

If you need a quick refresher on the specs of these two devices, here you go:

LG G2x

1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor
512MB RAM
8GB internal memory
8MP rear camera/1.3MP front camera
4 inch screen
Android 2.2

Samsung Sidekick 4G

1GHz Hummingbird processor
3MP rear camera/0.3MP front camera
Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
3.5 Inch screen
Android 2.2

So, which device do you choose - the oh-so-classic feel of the Sidekick and deal with the subpar camera, or go all out and rock the dual-core G2x?

Apr

Motorola Droid X2 Benchmarks Confirm Tegra 2 Processor And qHD Display

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Droid X2, News, Rumors, Verizon Wireless

The rumors surrounding the Droid X2's hardware have been kind of sporadic, but it looks like we are starting to get a more definite look at what will be packed under the hood of this device. Some benchmarks that have appeared over at Nenamark are basically confirming the presence of a Tegra 2 dual-core processor and a qHD display, the latter via the device's reported resolution of 960x540.

This new information suggests the device is most likely a finished product and that release is upon us, making a launch sometime in May seem even more plausible.

Source: Nenemark via Droid Life

Mar

Rumor: Google To Incorporate Google TV Into The Next Version Of Android

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News, Rumors

We've all heard that Ice Cream (the next version of Android) is supposed to combine Gingerbread with Honeycomb, but our friends over at Phandroid have gotten the inside track on some additional information, and it looks like Google TV may become part of the bundle as well. While Google TV has gotten off to a rocky start, incorporating it into Android seems like it would be a smart move for Google.

So what does this mean? In all honesty, it could mean a number of things. One thing that I would count on, though, is consistency. All Google devices (TVs, tablets, and phones) would be running off of the same source code and utilizing the same APIs, providing a more streamlined experience.

Mar

Playstation Games Begin To Arrive In The Android Market, US Residents Patiently Wait For Their Turn

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Games, News, Xperia Play (Zeus, PlayStation Phone)

Just in time for the UK release of the Sony Xperia Play, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited (can we just say SCEEL for short?) has started to release Playstation games on the Android Market. So far, only five games have been released, including Syphon Filter and MediEvil, but I'm sure that many more are on the way (Metal Gear Solid, anyone?). Naturally, I tried to install one of these games, only to be denied.

However, according to yesterday's leak, we should see the Xperia Play hit Verizon stores in the US on April 14th, so it won't be too much longer before that dream becomes a reality.

Mar

Asus EEE Pad Transformer Shows Up On BestBuy.com As "Coming Soon" For Only $400

Posted by Cameron Summerson in ASUS, Eee Pad Transformer, News

It’s about time someone read the memo about Honeycomb tablet pricing being too damn high. According to Best Buy’s website, the Asus EEE Pad Transformer will be dropping at the awesomely low price of $400. If you haven’t heard about the the EEE Pad Transformer, check this out:

Yeah, it’s that cool. The EEE Pad Transformer ships with Honeycomb, a 10.1 inch display, Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GBs of storage. No word on pricing for the keyboard dock, but for a $400 Honeycomb tablet, who wants to stand in line with me?

Update: Aaaand, it's gone, at least for now.

Mar

[Rumor] Samsung Galaxy S Plus Coming To Russia Next Month With Android 2.3 And A 1.4GHz Processor

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Rumors, Samsung

We just caught wind of a new Samsung Galaxy S phone that might just trump all of its predecessors. Dubbed the Galaxy S Plus, it touts a 4-inch screen, a blazing fast 1.4GHz processor, 8GB of internal storage, and Android 2.3 to boot.

It will have the same familiar form factor as the Galaxy SL and is rumored to hit the streets of Russia around the end of April for somewhere in the realm of 24,000 Rubles (about $850 USD).

Source: Samsung Hub, thanks @wiineeth

Mar

SPB Shell 3D Comes To Android, Your Current Homescreen Cowers In Fear

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

We all love eye candy, but when combined with practical functionality, it truly becomes a thing of beauty. That’s exactly what mobile developers SPB Software have accomplished with their new shell replacement app, SPB Shell 3D.

SPB Shell 3D is a homescreen replacement that brings 3D modeling like we have never seen before. You don’t have to take my word for it, though, just take a look:

Impressive, right? I’m sure that it takes pretty modern hardware to back something that visually appealing, but if you’ve got the power, why not flaunt it?

There are a couple of downsides, however – it’s not available for tablets (yet) and it will set you back $15.

Mar

Angry Birds Rio Hits The Android Market; Bird Flingers Of The World Rejoice

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Games, News

It seems like it was just yesterday that mobile game developer Rovio Mobile announced that Angry Birds Rio would be coming to the Android Market and... Oh, wait, it was just yesterday. I guess they didn’t want to waste any time delivering on that promise!

Once available exclusively in the Amazon Appstore, Angry Birds Rio features 60 all-new levels, hidden achievements, a boss battle, and much more. To add to that, Rovio has announced that there would be episodic updates all throughout 2011. The game is free, but you’ll have to deal with the usual Angry Birds ads.

So there you have it, now everyone – not just US residents – can enjoy even more bird slinging action than ever before.