Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Skype Rival Viber Hits 10M Downloads, Poised To Release Android App (Video)
Viber, which debuted its free calling service for the iPhone back in December, says 10 million people have already downloaded its mobile app (iTunes link). Pretty impressive feat when you consider the service is currently iOS-only and the milestone was reached in under two months.
But as MobileCrunch found out last week, Viber is poised to hit the Android platform in March. Consider that confirmed, as we can exclusively show you a video of the app in action:
With the app, Android users will be able to make free calls to both Android and iPhone users, which should make quite some waves upon launch. Users will still be able to dial cell numbers directly without having to register a username or add friends to a contact list, and make and receive calls over 3G or WiFi, free of charge. Quite a compelling proposition.
Next big feature: free text messaging. Can’t wait for that one (should land this month).
Information provided by CrunchBase
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Adobe Flash for Android downloaded over a million times
While it’s impressive to hear, we’re not actually too surprised that Adobe has hit the million download mark for Android.
The Flash player first hit Android in beta form this May and the 1.0 hit in August. We’re sure that the one million download mark must sound like music to Adobe’s ears.
That said, Flash isn’t anywhere as good as it is on a computer but we’re sure that it’s not going to stop many people from downloading the application. As time goes on, Flash for mobile devices should get better. The keyword is “ should“.
As our handsets become more powerful, the app will be able to flex its muscles and provide us with a better experience of Flash. Why? Because Adobe needs this to be something people want and while it’s not horrible, if you go to a mobile optimized site, it’s a little silly to think that the majority of websites will begin to do this in the near future.
Some Flash sites are actually pretty great, run well, and are a joy to view. Other sites that aren’t optimized for mobile are a little less than great and a message saying, “video not optimized for mobile” will be displayed if viewing a video on a non-optimized site.
This will get better over time and it will become even more of a hit with the Android users, especially when tablets like the Galaxy Tab are released. Adobe has been working pretty hard on Flash for mobile and we don’t think it will stop anytime soon.
Here’s to a million downloads, Adobe, we hope that Flash will get better soon. We’re glad it’s here, but there’s room for improvement, so get to it!
HTML5 may not be anywhere near as ubiquitous as Flash is today but that may change if months go by and if Adobe little to improve its application. We do know that people are willing to give it a try, even if it’s not available for your platform.
Do you think that Flash will run just as well on phones as it does on computers one day? Or is it doomed for failure?
[Via: Phonedog]
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
T-Mobile G2 Will Self-Repair if You Try to Root
The T-Mobile G2 gives us a little reminder in the joys of owning an Android handset. If your Android smartphone isn’t trying to self-destruct after a hack attempt, it will fix itself instead. Although both results are not really the desired end goal for a would-be hacker, I’d choose the latter. And the latter is almost exactly what the T-Mobile G2 is doing when the hacking community tries to root that smartphone.
MobileCrunch states its case:
That said, this is pretty much some BS. To force a user to use one and only one version of Android is an anathema to the spirit and letter of the Apache license under which Android is given away by Google. This move proves that carriers see Android as a cash cow. They don’t really have to spend any money on development so they can spend plenty of money on locking things down to their liking. It also flies directly in the face of those who see Android as the “freer” alternative OS.
For its reputation as an open platform, it seems less open these days as carriers start to abuse and lock down the platform. Carriers like Verizon and Sprint are loading up their Android handsets with crapware that users don’t really want, but there is no viable option to delete those apps.
Moreover, some Android handsets on Verizon’s network are being offered with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine. I couldn’t think of anything more blasphemous on a Google-powered gadget.
Most Android fans have been looking forward to the G2 since it doesn’t come with any funky interface and T-Mobile tends to leave its Android handsets alone in terms of bloatware – much like the G1. But if the XDA Developer Community can’t do its thing and make the G2 a little more open to other software and customizations because the phone resets itself, it’s pretty much a lost cause for those tinkerers.
[Via: MobileCrunch]
Friday, July 16, 2010
Root your HTC Android phone with unrevoked
Filed under: Utilities, Android
Root your HTC Android phone with unrevoked
by Lee Mathews (RSS feed) Jul 16th 2010 at 2:30PM
Not everyone who wants to root his or her Android phone is interested in doing things the hard way (like me, for example -- if I had an Android phone, of course). Want to make things easy on yourself? Download unrevoked and let it do the heavy lifting for you!The tool provides simple rooting for five HTC Android phones: the Incredible, Desire, Aria, Hero, and Evo.
Windows users: you'll need to first load the included HBoot drivers -- Linux and Mac users won't. You'll also need to make sure that no other programs are trying to access your device via USB (like HTC Sync or DoubleTwist, for example).
[via Droid Life]
How To Enable the Android Market in the Google Android Emulator
Would you like to try out apps from the Android Market on your PC? We recently showed you how to run Android in an emulator on your PC, so here’s how you can install apps from the Android Market in the emulator.
Getting Started
First, you’ll need to have the Android Emulator setup on your computer. If you don’t already have it installed, check out our article about Installing and Running Android on Your PC with the Android Emulator.
Now, download the new Android Virtual Machine that has the Android Market installed. Select the Android 1.5 link, as this is the simplest to setup.
Once the download is finished, you can open the file in your favorite archival program. If you don’t have a program installed to read RAR files like this, download the free 7zip (link below). Extract the files, and then open the folder where you extracted them.
Open your Android virtual machine folder; you can do this easily by entering the following in your Explorer address bar:
%userprofile%/.android/avd
Copy the files and folder you just extracted to the .android/avd folder.
In your .android/avd folder, open the new AndEmu.ini file in Notepad. We need to change the path to our Android folder. If you’re using Windows XP, replace user with your username; if you’re using Windows 7 or Vista, replace Documents and Settings\user with Users\your_user_name, replacing your_user_name with your real user name.
Here’s our edited AndEmu.ini file, though again, remember that you’ll need to specify the correct username for your computer. Remember to save the file when you’re finished.
You’re now ready to start the new virtual Android. Open the Android SDK Manager, and you should see your new AndEmu listed along with your other Android virtual machines. Click Start to run it.
Alternately, you can start it from Command Prompt, or you can create a shortcut to it on your desktop. See our article on Running the Android Emulator for more info.
If you entered the folder path incorrectly before, you may see an error as below. Go back and correct your .ini file, and then try again.
Setting up Your New Virtual Android
If everything’s entered correctly, you’ll soon see your new Android emulator starting up. This may take several minutes to startup, especially on your first run.
Once it’s started, click the Android logo to setup your virtual device.
You can step through a tutorial to help you get accustomed with Android, or click Skip to go directly to your home screen.
This may be fun to look at, but is mainly aimed at helping you get used to using Android on a touchscreen so is not overly useful on a PC.
Now you’ll be asked to setup your Google Account. Click Sign in and enter your standard Gmail account info, or create a new one. Alternately, you can skip this and set it up later.
Once you’re done, you’ll see your Android home screen with a Market link, all running on your PC!
Using the Android Market
To download and use Apps on your Android virtual machine, click the Market icon on the home screen or in the Apps menu.
If you haven’t already entered your Google account into the virtual Android, you’ll need to set it up as before.
Android will then sync with Google’s servers, which may take a few moments.
Accept the Market terms of service when they appear.
Now you can browse, download, and purchase apps from the Android Market, directly on the emulator on your PC.
Browse apps by categories to find something you want to download.
Or Press the Menu button on the emulated phone to search for apps and choose viewing options.
Once you’ve found an app you want to try out, click the Install button on its description page.
Click Ok to continue installing the application.
Your new app will now download, and you can check it’s progress from the notifications bar at the top.
Now, go back to your home screen by pressing the home button on the virtual phone. Your new apps will be in the apps menu, so select one to try it out.
Here’s the popular Opera Mini browser in our virtual Android.
Evernote’s Android app works great in the virtual Android, too.
Or, you can even try out some Android games directly from your PC.
Conclusion
Whether you would like to try out Android apps without purchasing a new mobile device, or simply want to test apps safely before installing them on your Android phone, this is a great way to take advantage of the whole Android Market on your PC. Some apps may not work correctly on a PC, such as camera and microphone apps that require specific hardware, but we were able to try out a large variety of apps this way. If you’re using a Mac or Linux computer, you can use this, too, with the Android Emulator for your OS. Enjoy!
Link
Download an Android Emulator image with the Android Marketplace
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Android modders beware: Droid X bricks itself if you try to modify it
Filed under: Security, Hardware, Android
Android modders beware: Droid X bricks itself if you try to modify it
by Jay Hathaway (RSS feed) Jul 15th 2010 at 2:10PM
Android fans love that their OS is much more freely modified than a relatively closed system like Apple's iOS, but the new Droid X is reportedly far from mod-friendly. Droid X has a self-destruct sequence built on a technology called eFuse, which disables the bootloader and bricks the phone if you try to tinker with it. The only way to get your Droid X working again after eFuse has been triggered is via a hardware fix from Motorola.
So, what kind of modding triggers the eFuse? Messing with the bootloader itself, the firmware, or the Android kernel will all result in bricking. There's no way to delete the software, either, as it's apparently part of a chip that the Droid X needs to boot, and eFuse lets the chip reprogram itself (in this case, to stop your phone from booting). You can get more details from a post on the MyDroidWorld forums. What is going on, here? It doesn't make any sense that companies marketing an open phone would want to treat their customers this way.
[via MobileCrunch]
Update: Boy Genius Report says the bootloader is probably the same as the one on the Milestone, and that it "may not" or "probably won't" brick your phone. They do suspect, however, that it will be "difficult to crack."
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Run Android on Your Windows Mobile Phone
Interested in Android but think you need to buy a new phone to try it out? Actually, your Windows Mobile phone may already have the capability of running Android. Today we show you how and the type of phone you’ll need.
Installing Android
To run Android you will need a microSD card that is not HDHC (typically a card less than 2GB) and a supported Windows Mobile phone (see below). You can check your microSD card compatibility by looking at the card to see if it shows the “HC” label.
The microSD card will need to be formatted in FAT32. Plug the microSD card into the computer and right click on it and choose format.
Note: Formatting a microSD drive will erase everything on that drive. Make sure you have any important files backed up before you format it.
Now that the microSD card is formatted, the first step to installing Android is finding the right Android port for your phone (see below). You will need to find the port that works on your phone as well as the version of Android you want to run. Versions start at 1.0 but typically you will find ports for version 1.6 or 2.1.
Once you have found the right port for your phone and Android version you want to use, extract the files to a folder using 7-zip.
After the files have extracted there should be a folder called “andboot”. Go into the andboot folder and there will be another folder called “startup config” or “startup”. Open this folder and you will need to find the right startup.txt file for your phone. Inside each folder will be a single “startup.txt” file. Copy the file for your phone model to the root of the andboot folder. This file will tell Android what type of hardware you have, how big your screen is, how much RAM your phone has etc. so it is very important to choose the right file. If you are confused on what these phone names are please read below on finding your phone model.
Once you have moved the correct startup.txt file to the andboot folder, copy the entire andboot folder to the root of your newly formatted microSD card.
Plug the microSD card back in the phone and open the file browser on your phone and browse to the memory card. Make sure the phone is plugged into power before the next few steps because on some phones running on battery may cause the phone to hang.
Open the andboot folder and run haret.exe. If the right startup.txt file is in the root of the andboot folder you should be able to click “Run” and you will get a quick loading screen while haret turns off Windows Mobile and starts up Android.
You should get some scrolling text and probably a nice Android logo while the phone boots up the first time.
Note: The first boot is going to take a considerably longer time than subsequent boots. and you may need to calibrate your screen during the boot process so make sure you keep an eye on it.
Once the basic Linux settings are done your new “Android” phone will boot to a welcome screen so you can walk through the rest of the settings like setting up your email account.
Tip: If you are running Android on a phone that does not have an active data plan but does have wifi, you can get around the startup screen by tapping on the welcome screen in this order: top left corner, top right corner, bottom right corner, bottom left corner then tap the Android logo. You can then enable wifi and join a network and set up your gmail account manually.
It is usually recommended that you leave your phone alone while it syncs your information for at least 10 minutes. Once the initial syncing is done the phone should start running faster and you can play around with installing apps. If you don’t wait for the phone to fully sync you may have problems with apps crashing prematurely and a force close dialog popping up.
Change any settings and install any apps you want, they will be saved to your memory card and ready on next boot. All phones that run Android from the microSD card will automatically boot Windows Mobile when the phone restarts. To run Android again, just open the file browser and run haret.exe again.
Android Ports
There are a few different Android ports for Windows Mobile devices and each one supports a different family of device; each family of device has a varying amount of hardware support. Most phones will support the touch screen, hardware buttons, cell phone radio, and data connection, but some ports may not support bluetooth, GPS, or power management. This is not a complete list of Android ports available, but it should cover the most popular Windows Mobile phones.
Almost all Android development on Windows Mobile phones started with the development on theHTC Touch (also known as the HTC Vogue and the Verizon xv6900). The HTC Touch has 100% of the hardware features working and even some features that were not available in official Windows Mobile ROMs. One of the main differences between Android for the Touch and Android for every other phone is the Touch allows for Android to be flashed to the phone’s ROM (NAND memory). This was a big break through for Android development and has increased battery life and speed greatly. Running Android on the Touch can be done following the steps above but it is recommended to run Android by flashing the phones NAND memory. To learn how to do that, start at the Android Touch FAQ thread at XDA-Developers.Android ports for the HTC Touch can also be used on the following phones with varying success.Note: HTC phones all have proper names that come from HTC and in many cases each carrier will give the phone its own branding and rename the phone to something else. For example, the HTC Titan was called the Mogul on Sprint and the xv6800 on Verizon. To find the Android port for your phone, start by finding the proper HTC name of your device. Start on HTC’s site to discover your device’s official name.
- HTC Nike (Neon)
- HTC Polaris (Touch Cruise)
- HTC Kaiser (TyTN II)
- HTC Titan (Mogul, xv6800)
XDAndroid supports the most popular touch screen HTC Windows Mobile phones and if you bought a touch screen HTC Windows Mobile phone within the past year, most likely this port will support your phone. XDAndroid runs directly from the phones microSD memory card on the following phones:
- Touch Pro (Fuze, RAPH, RAPH800, RAPH500)
- Touch Diamond (DIAMOND, DIAM500)
- Touch HD (BLACKSTONE)
- GSM Touch Pro2 (TILT2,RHODIUM, RHOD400, RHOD500)
- GSM Touch Diamond2 (TOPAZ)
You may also want to look at threads for the following phones to check the status of Android on these phones.Andromnia is an Android port for Samsung devices. Currently this port is in the pre-alpha stages and things like the headset speaker does not work. But if you want to test it out it supports the following phones:Wing Linux isn’t as quickly developed as XDAndroid but should get the job done if your phone isn’t supported by any other port. Wing Linux supports the following phones to varying degrees:
- Samsung i900 (GSM, supported worldwide)
- Samsung i910 (CDMA, used by Verizon in the US)
- Samsung i780 (Mirage)
- Samsung i907 (AT&T Epix)
- HTC Artemis
- HTC Elf, HTC Elfin
- HTC Excalibur, T-Mobile Dash
- HTC Gene, HTC P3400
- HTC Herald, T-Mobile Wing
- HTC Opal, HTC Touch Viva
- HTC Pharos
- HTC Prophet
- HTC Startrek
- HTC Wizard
- Asus P320, Galaxi Mini
Sony Xperia 1
HTC Leo (HD2)
Extra links
If you still can’t find what you are looking for I recommend checking out these links for more information.
XDA-Developers forum
PPCGeeks forum
Connect-UTB
HTC Linux
![sshot-2010-07-07-[22-09-07]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uuNwy_Otm267zZ5SXr7OYmB0p201d0xsUD2YHF7Au49qQ-l9glcPZr6OMhy83xifLX7ZLyEZjrtbqrFVdN98dQThLAaWWh0DEFGaFQUHYP4OiZpuDnjzugpWHPRc6t2W2QHJCxfE2alfVSUI0Z=s0-d "sshot-2010-07-07-[22-09-07]")
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Cisco announces the 7-inch Cius Android Tablet
Cisco is in the business of sending bits from one place to the next. Therefore, anything that will allow them to play to their strengths, namely data access, is important. That’s why they bought Flip and that’s why they just announced this odd business tablet.
It’s basically an HD tablet running Android with full video conferencing and email and media access. Obviously there’s no price and they’ll be shipping in 2011, if they ever ship.
This is definitely not a consumer-facing product. It will be part of their Communications package that they sell to business users. My thinking is this won’t ship at all, but that’s just a hunch. Perhaps they’ll farm out the manufacture to an OEM for mass production, but don’t expect it in your local Best Buy.
802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3G/4G data and Bluetooth 3.0 help employees stay connected on and off-campus
HD video (720p) with Cisco TelePresence solution interoperability for lifelike video communication with the simplicity of a phone call
Virtual desktop client enables highly secure access to cloud-based business applications
Android operating system, with access Android marketplace applications
Collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share, WebEx, Presence, and IM
Tablet Highlights:
7” diagonal, high-resolution color screen with contact-based touch targets delivers an elegant, intuitive experience
HD Soundstation supports Bluetooth and USB peripherals, 10/100/1000 wired connectivity and a handset option
Detachable and serviceable 8-hour battery for a full day of work
Highly secure remote connections with Cisco AnyConnect Security VPN Client
HD audio with wideband support (tablet, HD Soundstation)Cisco Simplifies Mobile Collaboration With First-of-Its-Kind HD Video-Capable Business Tablet
New Android-Based Computing Device Uses Cisco Collaboration Architecture and Virtual Desktop Integration to Deliver Mobile Computing, Collaboration and Communication ServicesLAS VEGAS, NV, Jun 29, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — Cisco (CSCO 21.56, -0.86, -3.83%) today unveiled Cisco Cius, a first-of-its-kind mobile collaboration business tablet that delivers virtual desktop integration with anywhere, anytime access to the full range of Cisco collaboration and communication applications, including HD video.
Cisco Cius is an ultra-portable device weighing just 1.15lbs (0.52kg) that extends the productivity benefits of Cisco collaboration applications to a highly secure mobile platform. In addition to full telepresence interoperability, Cisco Cius offers HD video streaming and real-time video, multi-party conferencing, email, messaging, browsing, and the ability to produce, edit and share content stored locally or centrally in the cloud.
Based on the Android operating system, Cisco Cius is an open platform for communication and collaboration whose form factor and applications are designed to more securely connect employees on-the-go with the right people in real-time, and to provide those workers with the ability to access and share the content they need from any place on the network.
Cisco Cius offers IT professionals new options when it comes to equipping mobile workers with computing devices. Through virtual desktop integration, Cisco Cius offers flexible computing options with cloud-based services, providing dramatically lower capital costs and cost-per-user for desktop maintenance.
Businesses can also tap into the growing Android developer community that is building business-class productivity applications with appropriate IT controls. The combination of applications and flexible computing options provides a compelling alternative to today’s PC-on-every-desktop paradigm.
ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Product Features
– The Cisco Cius is a lightweight portable business computing tablet
offered with an optional HD audio station equipped with a telephone
handset speakerphone, HD DisplayPort and USB ports.– The Cisco Cius tablet features a front-mounted 720p HD camera which
refreshes at up to 30 frames per second; a seven inch, high-resolution
widescreen super VGA touch-target display for real-time and streamed
video, and single-button TelePresence interoperability that can be
utilized either when the tablet is docked, or being used remotely via
Wi-Fi.– The tablet has a 5-megapixel rear facing camera that can transmit
streaming VGA quality video and capture still images, and dual
noise-cancelling microphones for audio conferencing.– Cisco Cius features an eloquent contacts-driven user experience,
designed to enable users to quickly reach their important contacts.– An on-board accelerometer readily orients applications for viewing in
portrait or landscape modes as users rotate the device to their
preferred viewing orientation.– Cisco Cius supports 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi for enterprise campus
mobility and 3G cellular services when off-campus. 4G services will be
available at a later date. Bluetooth and Micro-USB means users can
work untethered and share data with a PC.– A detachable and serviceable battery offers eight hours of life under
normal usage.Integration with Business Applications
– Cisco Cius provides support for the comprehensive suite of Cisco
collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share,
Cisco WebEx Connect, Cisco WebEx Meeting Center, Cisco Presence, and
interoperability with Cisco TelePresence.– Cisco Cius is supported by Cisco Unified Communications Manager and is
easily integrated into existing Cisco customer environments.– Cisco Cius helps ensure a more secure mobile collaboration experience
by leveraging Cisco AnyConnect VPN Security, part of the Cisco
Borderless Networks architecture.– Virtual desktop integration provides IT organizations with the ability
to host software applications securely in the data center and to
utilize the Cisco network to deliver those applications ‘as-a-service’
anytime, anywhere. Cisco Cius thereby supports data center
consolidation and reduced software licensing costs.– Cisco Cius offers businesses the ability to take advantage of the
ever-expanding ecosystem of cost-effective, third-party applications,
supported by the Android operating system, while controlling user
access policy.– Cisco will help expand Android developed applications for business by
offering Cisco Collaboration Application Protocol Interfaces (APIs) to
developers through a Software Developer’s Kit (SDK).Availability
– Customer trials of Cisco Cius will begin in the third quarter of
calendar year 2010, with general availability in the first quarter of
calendar year 2011.
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