News - 711/939 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

May

[Quick Game Hands-On] Clever Contraptions

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in Games, News

Last weekend, a developer (and redditor) posted on Andreddit to promote his new game, Clever Contraptions. He said he was "inspired by the classic game 'the incredible machine' [sic]" - a promise that triggered my nostalgia and prompted me to download it immediately. In the days since, I've managed to spend a bit of time with the game, and I have to admit I've come away pleased, despite a few minor niggles.

The official app description:

Clever Contraptions is an entertaining puzzle game with incredible, life-like physics simulation. The purpose is to perform such seemingly simple tasks as putting a ball in a basket by building intricate, creative chain reactions.

Apr

[Deal Alert] ASUS Eee Pad Transformer $40 Off From Target, But With A Catch - It's Backordered

Posted by Nate Kimmey in ASUS, Deals, Eee Pad Transformer, News

The Transformer is already a pretty great deal in the world of Android tablets - you get the same 10.1" screen and dual core processor as its competitors, for the low price of just $399.99. But if that price point isn't enough to get you to rush out and buy one, or you'd like some extra cash for that keyboard dock, you're in luck - you can get it from Target for a cool $40 off by using the code TCA27BAR at checkout.

The only problem is, the tablet isn't exactly available - it's still on backorder, so Target warns that it will begin shipping "in 2 to 4 weeks." Of course, shipping will set you back another $7.95, and you'll still be paying taxes, so chances are you either won't be saving too much off the original $400 price, or you'll be paying more, whereas with Amazon you could forego both those additional costs.

Apr

[Instructions] How To Root The Verizon Samsung Droid Charge

Posted by Justin Case in Charge (i510), Development, News, Samsung, Tips & Tutorials, Verizon Wireless

Last Updated: May 7th, 2011

Neither z4root nor SuperOneClick is currently working on the Charge (though I'm sure someone will come up with a one-click method soon enough), but guess what - Gingerbreak sure does. Follow these instructions, and you should have root and full /system unlock on your Droid Charge in a few minutes. Credit goes to the Exploid Crew and unnamed testers.

No custom recovery, such as ClockworkMod or RA, is available yet, but it is surely going to arrive very soon.

Pros

Permanent root
Read/write access to /system
The bootloader is factory unlocked, so no additional fiddling is required
All Droid Charges survived testing
No data wipe is needed

Cons

Voids warranty
Could brick your phone if you aren't careful

Android Police and Team AndIRC disclaim all liability for any harm that may befall your device, including, but not limited to: bricked phones, voided manufacturer warranties, exploding batteries, etc.

Apr

[Updated] Motorola ATRIX 4G Gets Two Updates, Includes HSUPA And Android 2.2.2

Posted by Cameron Summerson in AT&T, Atrix 4G (Olympus), News

Last Updated: May 3rd, 2011

Update: I know that most of you have not yet received the update, and now we know why. According to its Twitter page, Motorola has said that it would be "rolling out in phases", so hopefully you'll start to see some update action soon.

Well, what do you know? It looks like one update wasn't enough for AT&T today - there are now two OTA updates available for the Motorola Atrix 4G, the second of which brings some long-awaited features.

The first one brings the software version up to 4.1.57 and adds Bluetooth enhancements, improved performance for the fingerprint reader, car dock, 3.5mm jack, and improved battery life.

Apr

Unboxing & First Hands-On With The HTC DROID Incredible 2

Posted by Aaron Gingrich in HTC, Incredible 2 (Vivow), News, Verizon Wireless

I awoke this morning to the UPS delivery guy dropping off a package at my house; lo and behold, it was a DROID Incredible 2 (Dinc2) review unit. As an EVO owner, I'm fairly familiar with what has fast become HTC's modus operandi - high quality, good price, and higher-end specs. With that in mind, I was looking forward to my time with the Dinc2, and tore into the box immediately (I didn't even put a shirt on first... sorry, UPS guy).

Let's state the obvious right up front: the Dinc2 isn't going to break any records. We've already got dual-core phones with more RAM, we've seen handsets with bigger and better screens, and it's not packing 4G.

Apr

HTC Inspire 4G OTA Update Is Live, Includes HSUPA

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Inspire 4G (Ace, Stallion), News

We've been talking an awful lot about the Motorola Atrix 4G's HSUPA update lately, but don't think that we've forgotten that the HTC Inspire 4G suffers from the same problem. I guess HTC hasn't forgotten either, because the OTA update that fixes this very issue is now live.

The update includes a couple of other fixes as well, mainly where email is concerned. After the update, email setup should be much easier, and Hotmail, Live, and MSN email should auto-configure.

You can can see if this update is available on your device in the Settings>About Phone menu. Once you've got it, run a couple of speed tests and let us know how it goes.

Apr

[WTF] Barnes & Noble Responds To Microsoft's Android Lawsuit, Reminds Us Why MS Is The Devil

Posted by Brad Ganley in Android OS, Editorials, News, NOOKcolor (Encore)

Last month, Microsoft took bookseller Barnes & Noble, the company responsible for the Nook and Nook Color, to court over some patents infringed because B&N used the Android operating system in the Nook and Nook Color. This is definitely nothing new in the world of mobile devices. It happens all the time, especially with companies like Apple and Microsoft trying to take complete dominance of every arena they enter. That's not the big story here. The big story is the extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY douche-tastic way Microsoft is trying to attack Android with these patents.

One of Android's biggest advantages (besides being vastly superior, of course) is that it costs exactly nothing.

Apr

[New App] File Manager HD Is A Honeycomb Optimized File Browser For Your Tablet

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, Honeycomb 3.0/3.1/3.2, News

Up until now, if you needed a file manager on your Honeycomb tablet you were stuck using one that was designed for phone versions of Android, which didn't always translate well to the larger screen. Software developers Rhythm Software saw this issue, grabbed it by the horns, and took care of it. The end result? File Manager HD.

File Manager HD is the first file manager specifically designed for Honeycomb tablets (according to the developer). It offers a slew of useful features:

* Based on Android 3.0 new feature and theme
* High definition(1280*800) support
* 3 sets of commercial icons for 60+ different file types, toolbar and menu items
* Cut, copy, paste and cancellable progress dialog
* List and grid view for file browsing
* Compression and decompression support
* Search and share files
* Multiple selection and sorting support
* Thumbnail for photo, pictures and apk files
* Built-in text editor and swf player
* Fully tested on Motorola Xoom

This isn't their first rodeo, either - Rhythm also has a phone version of File Manager, and it's rocking a near-five-star rating.

Apr

FCC Is Open To Comments On The AT&T/T-Mobile Deal - Grab Your Pitchfork!

Posted by Zak Stinson in AT&T, Carriers, News, T-Mobile

It's no secret that the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T is largely unpopular in the Android community. T-Mobile was the first carrier to offer an Android phone and has been very supportive of the development community as of late. It would be a real shame to let an Android-friendly carrier fall under the control of a company that has the absolute worst track record in regards to Android devices, and mobile service in general.

Well, why don't you get off your duff (not actually, you can stay seated) and do something about it? The FCC is considering the matter currently, and has just opened up to the public, asking for opinions.

Apr

[New App] HBO GO Lands In The Android Market, Now You Can Watch True Blood Anywhere

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

If you're an HBO subscriber and just can't get enough TV, then I've got good news for you! HBO has just released its official watch-it-on-the-go Android App, HBO GO. Of course, you have to be an HBO customer in order to use this app, but that's the only prerequisite as far as I can tell.

The app allows you to watch all of your favorite HBO content directly on your mobile device, including movies and HBO original content. It should work on 3G, 4G, and WiFi, but unfortunately it is limited to US customers at this time.

That's not the only downside, either.