Google Android
This Week In Android 8/1-8/7
Aug 8th
Even though this week was BlackBerry Torch week, that doesn’t mean Android didn’t have its fair share of news. Multiple numbers came in this week showing tremendous growth in the market share and mind share of Android handsets, the Nexus One isn’t completely dead, and there were various other Android phone release rumors and announcements. Check in after the break to see the week’s Android News.
Android is the best. Or, at least, it’s the most popular. Up 886% year over year.
Half of BlackBerry Users are Ready to Jump Ship to Android and iPhone
Froyo Hitting More Devices. Onto the next one!
Bell Samsung Vibrant launching August 6 for $149.95
Motorola Flipout Now Available From Rogers for $29.99
Android OS Takes the Lead from BlackBerry in Q2
Google Keeps the Nexus One Alive as an Official Developer Phone
Samsung Gem – a Wave with Android for Verizon?
Droid X Froyo Update Coming in “Early September”
HTC Desire Available From Telus for $79.99! Whoa!<Rumour: Bell Samsung Vibrant not unlockable
WIND Mobile Getting High End Motorola Milestone XT720 Android Device?
WIND Mobile Getting High End Motorola Milestone XT720 Android Device?
Aug 7th
This will be a nice surprise if it pans out! An inventory screenshot of the Motorola Milestone XT720 Android 2.1-powered device has been leaked from WIND Mobile, and, if true, will be the only high-end Android device to hit the new carrier, and its second Android device overall after the Huawei U8100.
The XT720 is a much better device, matching the Droid’s odd resolution of 854×480 on a 3.7″ display, 8MP camera with flash, and media controls built into the device. Were this to come to WIND, it would be a huge get for the provider whose AWS devices are looking a bit long in the tooth after the premieres of the iPhone 4, Samsung Vibrant, HTC Desire and the BlackBerry Torch. This could get a lot of people to switch over, as, knowing they will never receive the iPhone (unless T-Mobile in the US gets it) their next best smartphone option is an Android-powered device. This should be upgraded to 2.2 eventually, as the Droid, Droid X and Droid 2 are all going to get the upgrade in the coming weeks.
We’ll keep our eyes peeled for you.
(via Mobile Syrup)
Rumour: Bell Samsung Vibrant not unlockable
Aug 7th
Now this won’t really be news to anyone except Canadians who want to unlock their newly-minted Bell Vibrant to be used on another provider, but it turns out that the device for whatever reason is not unlockable. There is a thread going on at Howardforums where the consensus seems to be that no company can seem to find a suitable unlock algorithm for the phone, and for most new Samsung devices. Bell will, after 30 days and for $75 dollars, sell you an unlock code for the device, but the price seems exorbitant.
Besides the iPhone, which is either factory or software unlocked, this Samsung device is the first I’ve heard that is hard to crack.
Remember, BlackBerry devices are always going to be easy to crack, and they can be obtained from our store should you need one. This goes for the Torch 9800 when it is released, too.
HTC Desire Available From Telus for $79.99! Whoa!
Aug 6th
Seriously?
Ok, so we actually knew this was coming, but looking back at it, we didn’t realize how important this phone would be to the Canadian Android market once the iPhone 4 was released. And since Telus is wisely pricing this phone at a very cool $79.99 on a 3-year term, I have no doubt that it is going to push a lot of people weary of the iPhone’s issues over to this bad boy.
The Desire is essentially the Nexus One on steroids. Which is a very, very good thing. While it doesn’t have the same “oomph” of the Bell Samsung Vibrant, its implementation of HTC Sense is a huge advantage compared to Samsung’s attempt to “improve” Android with their own TouchWIZ3 overlay. Consider as well that the Desire is half the price of the aforementioned Bell device, and we are talking a seriously attractive deal.
As for the upgrade path of the Desire, we know that unlocked European versions of the phone have already seen Android 2.2 released officially, so while the device is being released with 2.1, it shouldn’t be long before it sees Froyo. Right, Telus?
Check out the hella cool HTC Desire at Telus’ website, or go into a store to touch one.
Droid X Froyo Update Coming in “Early September”
Aug 5th
With the HTC EVO 4G and even the Motorola Droid getting Android 2.2 recently, we all know the Droid X is feeling a little left out. Today on Motorola’s support forum we got out first official word of an early September drop date for the update. An extra special fix is supposed to be mixed into this frosty dish of Froyo, as issues with Exchange 2003 email are expected to be fixed. While we are sad to see the previous promised release date-which put the update in the August time frame-come and go, we won’t complain that Motorola wants to add a little extra stability to the build.
[Via Motorola Support Forum]
Samsung Gem - a Wave with Android for Verizon?
Aug 5th
Verizon peeps have all the luck. According to a leak by IntoMobile, the Samsung Gem will be a lower-cost version of the Fascinate, running Android 2.1, when it is released sometime soon. The Gem looks not-so-vaguely like the newly-released bada phone, the Samsung Wave, on which the company installed their own awful software onto some beautiful metallic hardware. Honestly, 800×480 Super AMOLED on a 3.2″ screen is GORGEOUS. That the UI and apps are wholly unusable is infuriating.
So Samsung must have taken a cue from their manufacturing process; they know they’re not selling a ton of Wave devices, so why not take the hardware as is, or close enough, and slap some Android love on it. Makes perfect sense to me. Heck, I’d buy one if the price was right.
Along with the Gem, the Fascinate will be coming to Verizon in the next few weeks as well. This is their Galaxy S variant and shows little difference to the already-released Captivate and Vibrant, on AT&T and T-Mobile respectively. Rogers will also soon be getting the Captivate, and Bell the Vibrant even sooner, this week in fact.
(IntoMobile)
Google Keeps the Nexus One Alive as an Official Developer Phone
Aug 5th
Whew, that was a close one. Just when we thought HTC’s Nexus One was gone for good, Google’s Developer Blog has announced that the phone will still be available for Android Developers to purchase for $529. You will of course need to be a developer to be eligible to purchase a Nexus One so perhaps that $25 registration fee is worth it if you missed your chance to snag the phone earlier. Thanks Google, we were worried sick that we would lose the most hackable Android phone ever.
[Via Android Developers Blog]
Android OS Takes the Lead from BlackBerry in Q2
Aug 5th
Watch out RIM and Apple, the little green guy is knocking on your front door to claim the title of most sold smartphone operating system in US 2nd quarter of 2010. NPD is reporting that Android had 33% of US device sales followed by RIM with 28% and Apple with 22%. NPD is crediting HTC and Motorola with the huge surge in Android device sales and we certainly don’t disagree. It looks like Android definitely has the momentum to hold the top spot in the US smartphone market, and with RIM’s slightly disappointing BlackBerry Torch 9800 launch yesterday it doesn’t look lik RIM will be taking back their title anytime soon.
[Via Business Wire]
Motorola Flipout Now Available From Rogers for $29.99
Aug 4th
The strange-looking but incredibly neat Motorola Flipout has arrived at Rogers for $29.99 on a 3-year term. Nothing to say other than that obvious: if you need a keyboard and a compact Android device, this should be a killer phone. While it doesn’t boast the high specs of the latest Android phones to hit the market, it is no slouch: 3.2MP camera, 2.8″ QVGA screen (320×240), 512MB RAM, WiFi, GPS and it runs an updated, and hopefully less crowded, version of MOTOBLUR.
And remember that the Flipout is going to be eligible for the BOGO offer that Rogers will kick off soon. So stay tuned for that!
Check out the exclusive device at Rogers.
Bell Samsung Vibrant launching August 6 for $149.95
Aug 4th
This wasn’t unexpected, but the news is here, and it’s officially official. The Samsung Galaxy S variant that we’ve seen floating around the US in T-Mobile bands is now in Canada, and will be priced at a fairly expensive $149.95 on a 3-year term, $499.95 without one. While cheaper than the 16GB iPhone 4 by $10, it doesn’t exactly scream “alternative!” to me. That’s because, for all it’s beautiful specs, the phone runs Android 2.1 underneath Samsung’s less-than-ideal TouchWiz3 interface.
I will be getting a demo to try as soon as it’s released, and a full review will be forthcoming, but until then, hold tight.
In the meantime, try to win one yourself at Bell’s contest page.
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