-
Watch What You Say: YouMail Adds “Social Voicemail”
Think twice before you leave a message with that fascinating story about what’s happening to the toenail on your pinky toe: it may end up on Facebook. YouMail (and competitor PhoneFusion) has been providing visual voicemail for Android since long before a Google Voice app existed, …
-
Digital Chocolate Games Launch on GetJar
Facebook game developer Digital Chocolate is bringing two of its most popular games, Millionaire City and MMA Pro Fighter, to Android, and has launched them on GetJar, an independent cross-platform app store, rather than on the Android Market.
Though the games debuted on GetJar, they are now also available in the Android Market, joining a number of other previous Digital Chocolate releases.
-
Rubin: Next Android Release will be Ice Cream Sandwich
We all assumed it’d be Ice Cream, but, admittedly, an ice cream statue might look a lot like a frozen yogurt statue. TechCruch is reporting that in a conversation about last month, Android’s Andy Rubin let slip the code name Ice Cream Sandwich in reference to the Android release that comes after Honeycomb.
-
Duarte on Honeycomb: Hardware Buttons, Multi-Tasking Overhaul and More
In a 25 minute interview at C.E.S. with Engadget’s Joshua Topolsky, Android Director of User Experience Matias Duarte revealed several details of what’s changing in Honeycomb, including that all hardware buttons will be optional, opening up manufacturers to create form factors that don’t include the Back/Menu/Home/Search combination we’ve become used to.
-
App Review: FlexT9 Keyboard
The Developer Says: “FlexT9 powered by Dragon is a four-in-one keyboard experience that puts you in the driver’s seat for communicating how you want – when you want. And only FlexT9 gives you the power to seamlessly switch between the Speak. Trace. Write. Tap. input modes as easily as it is to flip on a light switch!”
What We Liked:
Dragon voice recognition lives up to its reputation, easily besting Google’s voice recognition accuracy.
As a tracing keyboard, FlexT9 is every bit as good as Swype (better at telling the difference between “in” and “on”), with a better UI for suggested words. -
Google Working on Fixes for SMS Bugs
That’s right, “bugs,” as in two of them. As you may recall, we were initially dubious about reports of misdirected SMS messages. Then we came around in light of new information. Now, in the Google Code thread related to the issues, a Google representative has confirmed the bugs exist and says that fixes are on the way:
-
CLIQ 2 Officially Announced, Available Jan. 19 [VIDEO]
Confirming recent rumors, Motorola and T-Mobile have officially announced the CLIQ 2, a 1 GHz landscape slider with a 3.7″ screen and a funky, reptilian keyboard. Like its predecessor, it seems intended for the middle of the market, but unlike the original CLIQ, includes a lot of enterprise friendly features. It is not an HSPA+ phone.
-
Keep Your Fingers Warm While Caressing Your Nexus S
If, like me, you live somewhere where winter really means winter, you know that being outside this time of your you have to choose between cold hands and not using your phone: capacitive touchscreens require something conductive, like your flesh (or perhaps a sausage) to …
-
PSA: EVO Shift 4G Pre-Sale Starts January 6 at Best Buy
Jonesing to get ahold of the EVO Shift 4G? Best Buy Mobile just announced their pre-sale will start on January 6 with just one catch: only Best Buy Reward Zone members will be able to take advantage of the early date.
If you’re not a member, you’ll be able to find the EVO Shift 4G online and at Best Buy stores three days later on January 9.
-
“Android, Meet ChromeOS”
Though he warns that it’s incomplete and should be left alone for now, ChromeOS hacker Hexxah seemed to acknowledge that he’s working on an Android ROM for Google’s Chrome OS laptop, the CR-48, providing the photographic evidence of Froyo you see above along with a few enticing words:
“Android, meet ChromeOS.”
Not much more than that right now, but certainly enough to get excited about. If you’re one of the lucky few who has received a CR-48 from Google, will you consider hacking Android onto it if/when it becomes possible to do so?
-
Google Continuing to Clean Up the Market
We’ve known for some time that Google doesn’t hesitate to remove apps from the Market that violate the distribution terms that developers agree to. Tonight, we’ve learned of another instance: the developer of EliteBomb and EliteBomb Plus, who openly describes the app as “the first SMS spammer to offer the ability to send unlimited text messages,” reports that Google has removed his apps from the Market and suspended his developer account.
-
I Was Wrong: the “Android SMS Bug” is Real
Looks like I was wrong in my previous post: the Android SMS bug appears to be real, but dependent on a very specific condition that does not exist for most users. That’s why most people cannot reproduce it.
Specifically, there is something about certain email-to-SMS messages that corrupts Android’s SQLite database, causing unpredictable results thereafter.
-
The “Android SMS Bug” Does Not Exist [Updated]
Over the past week, a supposed Android bug has gotten a lot of press, both on Android-related sites and mainstream tech sites. A bug report claims that SMS messages intended for one person are getting sent to a different, unintended recipient. Worrisome to be sure, but why has Google taken no action on it, leaving it at medium priority until all the bad press this week?
My guess is that they have been unable to reproduce it.
-
Market Overhaul Rolling Out “Over the Next Two Weeks”
The Android Market team announced a huge overhaul to the Market app tonight that will be rolling out “over the next two weeks.” It features a whole new look, new features, and a big change in the refund policy–but no mention of the long-awaiting web interface to the Market.
Apparently in response to the common critiques of the Market, the new version is aimed at “improving discoverability and merchandising.” New features include:
-
Holiday Shopping PSA: the Complete Android Guide for 99 Cents
Giving someone their first Android phone as a gift this holiday season? Excellent choice, but guess who that newb is going to be coming to for help while they get up to speed? That’s right, it’s you, unless you accompany that phone with the Complete …
 |
 |
 |
