It's time for the Android Police Week in Review (... to disrupt my Memorial Day vacation). Don't forget, you can find lots of this news on our weekly podcast, without the burden of a literacy requirement.
Hardware Reviews
- A quick look at the quick SanDisk 64GB SDXC UHS microSD card - needs more acronyms.
- The Logitech Z515 is like a Jambox, but bigger. Revolutionary.
Carrier 411
- Sprint's making its tethering plans more expensive. But there's still that whole issue of getting people to actually pay for tethering in the first place.
Rumor Roundup
- Microsoft Office for Android tablets: the most exciting boring rumor we've heard in months.
- LG is making a QWERTY slider version of the Viper for Sprint, expect thickness of OG DROID proportions.
- The T-Mobile Galaxy S III could be coming on June 20th. Or is it?
Android at Arms (legal news)
- Microsoft puts an ITC exclusion order on Motorola's calendar.
- The Amaze 4G also appears to be experiencing patent-related import delays. Can customs just "lose" these at the dock?
- HTC has cleared import hurdles on some of its phones, as well as the hundred-meter sprint to... Sprint. Some people even have phones now.
- Android infringing Oracle's Java patents? The jury's in, bitch.
Code Google
- China has given the Google-Moto deal the go-ahead after a few alterations - pray they don't alter it further.
- And now that the deal's done, it's time to make Motorola phones not... suck.
- The Play Store now has in-app subscription support, so you can pay for your fake money with your real money on an auto-renew basis.
The Hotsheet (device news)
- The Galaxy S3 has been rooted, much in the way a lock has been "picked" when you find the key under a rock next to the front door.
- Its ROM has also been pilfered. I just wanted an excuse to say pilfered, really.
- Verizon's getting a Galaxy S III. Sprint's getting a Galaxy S III. You're getting a Galaxy S III, he's getting a Galaxy S III, EVERYBODY'S GETTING A GALAXY S III (and bees)!
- The Galaxy Note 10.1 got a slot for its pen. So that's cool.
- ViewSonic is going to make a 22-inch "tablet" running Android 4.0, pleasing comparative infographic lovers everywhere.
- Acer has halted shipment of the Iconia Tab A510 - presumably they figured out just how awful that name really is.
- The Transformer Pad 300 is now unlocked, so kindly, let Change.org get back to being used for things that are actually important.
- $200 Tegra 3 tablet? Yes, please.
- Tegra 3 will have integrated LTE. By 2013. There's also going to be a swarm of T3 phones coming out.
- The RAZR and RAZR MAXX and the XOOM 4G will be getting ICS by the end of June. Personally, I'd like to see Moto and Verizon continue playing this cruel, sick joke on XOOM owners, because it's getting to the point where it's funny.
-
HTC has published a list of
promises to be brokendevices getting ICS and the expected times of release. - The XPERIA Play won't be getting Ice Cream Sandwich. Said Sony "I mean, really, really? People actually bought that thing?"
- CyanogenMod 9 is out for more versions of the Tab 10.1 you didn't buy.
- Here's a new AT&T HTC One X root if you flashed the newest firmware, and here's how to unlock the bootloader.
- Device updates: Galaxy S II (T-Mo), Transformer Pad 300.
App Update
- Theme Hospital has come to Android. Just avoid the version in the Play Store - it's dirty.
- CallApp is awesome and you should try it, unless you hate things that make your life better and easier with literally no downsides.
- JetAudio is like an equalizer app on steroids.
- Do you like football? I mean, the one they actually play with their feet. You might want to read this article, then.
- Do you have socks? And Comcast? Then XFINITY TV is about to blow them off.
In Other News
- There's a whole bunch of Android games on sale, and surprisingly, a good deal of some of them don't suck!
- GameFly is throwing money at Android game developers, hopefully they didn't bring coins.
- Free Wi-Fi hotspots for cable subscribers. Hooray.