official

May

The Official Google I/O 2011 App Now In The Market - Start Starring Those Sessions

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, Google, News

Ever since my visit to Google I/O last year, I've been waiting for this year's event with great anticipation - after all, I/O still remains the most exciting conference for Android fans and developers. To help attendees navigate around it, this morning Google updated the official I/O app that has been sitting idle for almost a year.

If you're trying to manage all the sessions on your own, just stop - this is exactly what the I/O app will do for you. You can see the whole schedule, including all the necessary details, star the ones you want to attend, take notes (using Catch integration), and guide yourself around the floor.

Apr

Official Google Docs App For Android, It's About Time

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

If there is one single Google service that I've wanted on my phone since the day I got it, it's Google Docs. That wait is finally over, because Google has released an official Docs app for Android - and it's nothing short of awesome.

This app not only allows you to view and edit all of your Docs, but also brings a few other killer features. Firstly, it offers a widget that allows you to quickly create a new document, take a picture and upload it, or directly access your starred documents.

The most impressive feature, however, is the ability to snap a picture of a document and turn it into a fully editable Google doc.

Apr

Dual-Core HTC Sensation Official, Coming To T-Mobile USA As Sensation 4G This Summer

Posted by David Ruddock in HTC, News, Sensation / Sensation 4G (Pyramid), T-Mobile, Vodafone

HTC just announced via Twitter that the Sensation is a go - posting pictures on its Facebook page of the device at various seductive angles, as well as this video:

Did we mention it's coming to T-Mobile? And it'll be sporting an HSPA+ radio to take advantage of T-Mobile's 4G network. Unfortunately, it won't be available until this summer.

Earlier, Mobile Bulgaria (which, as of this writing, is down) stumbled upon a Vodafone product page for HTC's upcoming dual-core Android handset, the Sensation (aka the Pyramid). Availability for Europe and Asia will be throughout Q2 - no exact dates have been announced.

Apr

Notion Ink Launches Official Support Forums, Support Email Inbox Must Be Full

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Adam, News, Notion Ink

Notion Ink is one of the most controversial companies in recent Android history - it's gone through product delays, building up one of the most passionate communities around, followed by communication issues that you could write a suspenseful thriller about (I am fairly sure there is enough for a trilogy with twists at the end of every chapter), and some of the weirdest reasons for shipments delays we've ever seen.

So far, the only communication methods available were commenting on the official blog, where your thoughts were quickly drowned in a sea of others', and emailing customer support, which probably resulted in more frustration and rage than trying to have a meaningful conversation with a concrete wall (those walls just don't get it, do they?).

Mar

HTC Takes A Deep Dive Look At The Flyer Tablet In A Detailed 6-Minute Video

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in EVO View 4G, Flyer, HTC, News, Videos

HTC Flyer, also known as the HTC View 4G in the U.S. on Sprint, is one of the more interesting Android tablets coming out within the next few months, due to its superfast 1.5GHz processor, a perfect for many (as the Nook Color and Galaxy Tab showed) 7" size, palm rejection technology, and the Scribe digital pen.

Sure, we got a few hands-on here and there, but nobody can be as good as HTC itself at highlighting the best features of the tablet, at least until we get our own review units.

In this 6-minute video that surfaced a few hours ago, HTC showcases the tablet's aluminum unibody construction, sleek looks, the new Sense for tablets with improved homescreen swiping, gaming, video playback, and the Scribe pen.

Mar

T-Mobile's First Dual-Core Phone, The G2x Made By LG, Now Official Ahead Of CTIA - Coming This Spring

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in G2x (p999), LG, News, T-Mobile

While AT&T and Verizon both announced dual-core devices at CES (Atrix 4G and Droid Bionic, respectively), T-Mobile and Sprint have been quiet about their offerings. It was only through accidental leaks that we found out about the LG Optimus 2X, rebranded as T-Mobile G2x, coming to T-Mobile and the EVO 3D coming to Sprint.

Now, after being spotted at CTIA, the G2x really had nowhere else to hide, so T-Mobile decided to finally officially unveil it to the public. As expected, the G2x sports a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor with a 4" capacitive display, an 8GB ROM, an 8MP rear camera with 1080P video recording, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, DLNA capabilities, and the stock version of Android 2.2 (!).

Feb

[Updated] Sony Ericsson Expands The Xperia Brand With Gingerbread-Powered Neo And Pro

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in News, Sony Ericsson, Xperia Neo (Hallon), Xperia Pro (Iyokan)

The days where the Nexus S was the sole Android 2.3 smartphone are over, it seems - as are the days where Sony Ericsson had only one Android-powered Xperia-branded device.

SE just announced two new Xperia devices: the Neo and the Pro. Both pack 3.7-inch WVGA (854x480) displays, 1GHz Snapdragon processors, 2MP front-facing cameras, 8MP rear counterparts, Bravia graphics engines, and Gingerbread-based software, with the Pro adding a slide-out QWERTY keyboard to the mix. Additionally, the pair of smartphones will feature HDMI ports and Exmor R technology, which improves photo quality.

Sound like a good time? The Neo will be available "globally in selected markets" starting at the end of Q1, while the Pro will launch at the end of Q2.

Feb

Plixi (Formerly TweetPhoto) Releases Official Android App

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

You've probably heard of Plixi, a picture-sharing service heavily aimed at social networking users - after all, according to Alexa, it's the 372nd most popular site in the world. Or maybe TweetPhoto, the company's previous name, rings a bell? As you can see below, its popularity is undisputed, but until now, the millions of users sharing their media to Plixi have been doing it mostly through 3rd party apps.

Frankly, I'm surprised it took them this long, but today the company announced the official Plixi Android app, dedicated 100% to uploading photos from your Android devices and sharing them with your social graph.

Feb

Revision3 Quietly Drops 6 New Apps In The Android Market: Hak5, Dan 3.0, GeekBeat.TV, Young Turks, Totally Rad Show, And Scientific Tuesdays

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

Revision3, a popular Internet-based TV network started in part by Kevin Rose, just quietly released not 1, not 2, but 6 apps for 6 of their popular shows.

The apps allow you to stream episodes in standard or hi-def, view comments, and view individual show segments - the Segments tab acts a video table of contents of sorts - a subtle feature, but it really makes all the difference.

There aren't many features besides the ones I've listed, but what the apps do do (ha), they do very well. Sometimes simple is good, and in the case of video streaming apps like these, the statement holds true.

Feb

Samsung Galaxy S 4G, T-Mobile's Fastest Smartphone Yet, Launching Later This Month Alongside An Expanded HSPA+ Network

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in Galaxy S 4G, News, Samsung, T-Mobile

Following several wild conspiracy theories, a smattering of purported leaks and rumors, and an odd semi-announcement a few weeks ago, T-Mobile and Samsung have finally revealed the full specifications of their latest smartphone, the Galaxy S 4G.

While it's not exactly revolutionary, it does pack some unique goodies - most importantly, T-Mobile claims its Samsung ST-Ericsson M5720 HPSA+ 4G modem makes it capable of theoretical peak download speeds of 21 Mbps, whereas the G2 and myTouch 4G are limited to 14.4 Mbps. As an added bonus, T-Mobile just announced that it's expanding its HSPA+ network - it is now available in eight new major metropolitan areas.