Google Would Like Their Music Service Up and Running by the End of the Year, but yet to Sign any Record Label Deals
Google Music — or a version of what Google plans for Music to be — was shown off way back at I/O along with the debut of Android 2.2. It has since then been assumed that the launch of Music would most likely coincide with the launch of Android 3.0 (Gingerbread). From what has been revealed so far, the service will offer cloud-based functionality such as streaming from a desktop system to your Android handset as well as the ability to push song and album downloads directly to your phone. But when, exactly, does Google plan to unleash their counterattack on Apple’s iTunes?
The word is Andy Rubin has been hard at work in an attempt to get the service up and running by the holiday season, which does go hand-in-hand with the rumored release timeframe for Gingerbread. The problem is, so far Rubin and Google have failed to get any record labels to sign on to their music store. It isn’t that they don’t want to. One exec speaking on conditions of anonymity said, “finally here’s an entity with the reach, resources and wherewithal to take on iTunes as a formidable competitor by tying it into search and Android mobile platform. What you’ll have is a very powerful player in the market that’s good for the music business.”
See, music execs would love to have someone come along and take the power out of iTunes’ hands, or at least alleviate some of the hold Apple has on the digital music distribution industry. But for the same reason negotiations with Google may take a while. Record labels are very protective of their intellectual property, if you hadn’t noticed, and are pretty hung up on big profits at the same time. We expect most if not all major distributors to hop on board, though whether or not negotiations will delay the debut of Google Music remains to be seen.
[via BGR]
IFA Hands-On Round Up With Toshiba and Huawei Tablets Plus More
While Phandroid wasn’t able to make an appearance at IFA and personally shmooze with device manufacturer’s as we fondled their goods, plenty of pals from around the Android community made their way to Berlin for the event and did a bang-up job of covering the many releases. Tablets seemed to be the hot topic at the event, specifically those running Android. Two slabs announced were the Toshiba Folio 100 and the Huawei Ideos S7, both of which seem to be getting shaky verdicts on the overall presentation of Android.
First up, the device with arguably less potential is the Huawei S7. SlashGear was on hand to take a spin with the thing, and took away an impression that the device may have been a stand-out tablet had it been released earlier in the year, but in the face of future tablets it probably doesn’t stack up.
And one of the tablets that will create a bit of a harder time for the S7 would be the Toshiba Folio 100, which boasts the sort of specs that could make you drool, though initial feedback has seen a version of Android not quite optimized or the 10.1-inch widescreen display. There is hope that may change as release draws near however. The tablet runs on the bigger side and lacks the portability of something like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. You can check out Android Central’s full preview for more info on that.
And finally we will bring it back to Huawei for impressions of their entry-level Ideos handset also announced yesterday. This one provides a cheap and dirty pathway to Android 2.2 with surprsingly decent internals including a 2.8-inch QVGA display. 3.2MP camera, and the ability to act as a mobile hotspot. It should go for right around $150 off contract when it launches to numerous markets around the globe.
Bonus: Hands-on action with the recently announced line of ARCHOS Android tablets.
Archos 101, 70, 43, 32, And 28 Family Hands-On [Video]
Archos has their whole group of Android devices at IFA-2010. We will start off first with the Archos 101 and 70. Both of these tablets are the bigger ones coming in a 10 and 7 inches. They both sport a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor, 3D OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator and WiFi b/g/n.
The capacitive touch screen on the 70 has a resolution of 800×480 and the 101 is 1024×600 and both incorporate multi-touch that appears to be buggy at times. The slates have HDMI ports on them to output 720p HD video on to your HDTV and support the video codecs as follow, AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, WMV, MPG, PS, TS, VOB, FLV, RM, RMVB, ASF and 3GP. The 101 weighs in at 480 grams, and is just 12mm thick, and over all it feels very solid without any flexing of any kind. It also is sporting a kickstand on back to relieve your hands if you are watching a movie or wanting to give you an angle to type on. Games on the device looked stunning and were very responsive to the action.
Now let’s move on the the 70. It is defiantly more pocket friendly with the dimensions of, 201 x 114 x 10/14 mm (the 250GB hard-drive unit is thicker than the 8GB flash version). The touchscreen was more responsive on the 70 than it was on the 101, it lacks the two-stage kickstand and only props up for watching video. When it comes to the camera’s both devices have a front camera, but no camera on the rear. The Archos tablets, are running Eclair 2.1 and are said to be launching with Froyo 2.2.
The 43, 32, and the 28, are the smaller of the bunch ranging from 4.3 inches (FWVGA), 3.2 (WQVGA) and the 2.8 (QVGA). All three of these guys are small hand sized devices that are half PMP and half MID starting out at $99, then $149 and ending at $199. These will support all the same video codecs, as their larger brothers and will also launch with Froyo pre-installed. The Archos 28 and 32, both are running an 800MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor and the 43 gets a 1GHz version; all have WiFi b/g/n plus USB Host and Bluetooth 2.1. None have Android Market access, instead using Archos’ own AppsLib download store.
Archos’s 32 has 8GB of storage and comes equipped with a 720p capable camera, and with it’s low-res screen the browsing and typing are not the best experience to say the least. 43 is the best of the lower end devices despite it’s restive touch screen, rather than a capacitive. It has a really good sized display coming it at 4.3 inches, with plenty of features including, 720p video recording and playback (with a camera on the back), an HDMI output, up to 16GB of storage (with a microSD slot) and the same processor as in the bigger Archos 70 and 101. It will have Flash 10.1 support on board and we think with paired together, out of all 5 devices surely you can find one to suit your needs at a price point you can live with.
[via SlashGear]
AndroidSWAG.com Announces New Goodies!
Our friends over at androidswag.com have released some new must have Android items, including a deck of Cyanogen Mod cards pictured to the left! Along with the Cyanogen cards, there is an Android wall clock, mouse pad, business card holder and a home Welcome mat.
Check after the break for the gallery of new items, then head on over to AndroidSWAG to get you some awesome Android gear!
Check out the gallery
AndroidSWAG.com Announces New Goodies! originally appeared on AndroidGuys.
Angry Birds Lite Beta [V1.3.5_beta]
Beta test version of Angry Birds Lite. The survival of the Angry Birds is at stake! Dish out revenge…
Read more @ AndroLib : New Apps and Games
Motorola Takes Out Another Full Page Ad in the NYT Complete with Not So Subtle Jab at Apple
Just like they did before when all the cool kids were mocking antennagate (funny how a couple million dollars of free cases will silence critics so quick), Motorola is flinging the proverbial poo at Apple in their latest full-page ad for the Droid 2 found in the New York Times. This time they take Apple to task on Flash, which actually was in vogue before the whole antenna thing but has sort of settled down as the two sides more or less agreed to disagree.
The ad reads, “Flash websites? There’s a phone for that.” That should ring familiar to anyone who has repeated or mocked Apple’s successful “There’s an app for that” campaign.
Now I have nothing against Flash for mobile — in fact, you may recall my stance that it likely will do more good than harm — but is it a selling point worthy of a full page ad that snidely jabs at the competition? Probably not. Still, we give Moto props for exhibiting their grapefruit sized testicles once more.
[via MobileCrunch]
Target Releases Android App
Ah, Target, you provide a near-WalMart-like selection at reasonable prices without the social stigma of PeopleOfWalmart.com. And now you are giving us an Android app? That’s just too kind. The new Target app for Android provides users with the ability to look up items and check stock at their local stores, then get directions right down to the aisle to retrieve your goods. You can also view your weekly ad for deals at the store and get the low down on clearance items. For now a third area of the app covers college essentials for this back to school time of year.
The app also includes a barcode scanner for looking up the price of an item, though it does not feature the same sort of price comparison functionality of other barcode apps. Fair enough, this one stays pretty focused on Target. It might not have the most uses in the world, but if you frequently find yourself shopping among their aisles of red, it might be worth checking out. Snap the QR below.
[via Android and Me]
Target App for Android Now Available
Well, if you’re a fan of Target stores, or maybe you just don’t happen to have a Walmart close by and Target’s your only choice, you’ll be happy to know that selecting your next object to buy just got a little easier. Deciding against going with a full press release or anything of the sort, Target has officially released an application of their own into the Android Market. Oh, and it’s available right now.
As you might imagine, the application will let you look up stock, see if the store nearest you has what you’re looking for, and check out pricing. It will also give you directions to the nearest Target, if you find yourself in an area you’ve never been, and you have to get pick up something right then. A notable feature: it will actually tell you where to go, the exact aisle in the particular store, to get what you’re looking for. Sure, it’s a little thing, but it’s the little things in life, right?
Other features include a barcode scanner, which works specifically for Target, and won’t show you comparison prices for other retail locations around you. So, the app is free, and you can get it right now. It may not be the biggest app to release this week, but hey, it’s a Friday — get ready to enjoy your long weekend. Maybe even find something at Target to make it enjoyable.
[via Android and Me]
Huawei Ideos S7 Tablet and U8150 Hands-On Videos from SlashGear
Over there in Europe, there’s a little show going on right now called IFA. And by little, we actually mean huge. And, as we had heard rumored well before its official kick-off, there’s plenty of Android related news, devices, and everything else flying around the event. As we’re sure you’ve already noticed, there’s hands-on videos all over the place, so hopefully you’re not getting sick of them. Because here’s another one, featuring Huawei’s Ideos S7 tablet and Ideos U8150 smartphone.
First and foremost, the smartphone. The cheap, cheap smartphone. The Ideos U8150 is meant to target the entry-level crowd, as it is rumored to have a price tag that borders on $150, without contract. Interestingly enough, though, the price doesn’t reflect the features. Under the hood you’ll find Android 2.2, but there is a 2.8-inch QVGA display. There’s a 3.2MP camera on the back. Additional features include the capacitive touhscreen, and a 3G mobile hotspot feature built-in. You won’t find a 1GHz processor, though, which isn’t surprising considering the price point.
As for the hands-on time with the S7 tablet? Well, there was no network connection available, so while we could play with the device a bit, we couldn’t really put it through its paces. Responsiveness on the home screen wasn’t the best, and there were a few times we were waiting for the device to catch up with us. Could the S7 tablet have been a good purchase at the beginning of the year, when there weren’t any real Android-based tablets on the horizon worth looking at? Probably. But that’s a totally different story now, isn’t it? Check out the hands-on videos, and make sure to let us know what you think in the comments.
[via SlashGear]
The Ticker (September 3rd)
We get an awful lot of emails from you guys wanting to share news, promote links, tips, etc. As much as we’d love to share everything that comes across the inbox, we simply can’t. So, we decided to start a semi-regular series of posts called “The Ticker”. These will be items that we think are worth covering, but not necessarily in a dedicated post. And away we go!
- Debating on whether or not to use a task killer for your Android phone? Droid Den breaks things down and helps you understand why they are mostly unnecessary, yet sometimes, handy.
- Why aren’t developers making as much money on Android as they’d like. The answer, according to Open-First, is porn and piracy. Of the 118 developers polled, the unhappy guys blame “Google’s absence of quality controls and promotional support”.
- Download Vignette’s latest release and try their new Time-Lapse feature. It allows users to take pictures at 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 second intervals. Here’s a sample video of how it works!
- Pure Pwnage has a beta app in the works that should be released in the next few weeks. Oh, and they have another app coming called “Boom Headshot”.
- Launcher Pro is not just a great home screen/launcher app. It’s also a fantastic tool that allows users to build custom shortcuts. Check out how this guys uses Launcher Pro Activities to create a one-click icon to the LbsTestMode (GPS settings).
- For those of you who don’t have Launcher Pro, Anycut also lets users do similar things. Here’s how to do the same thing.
- The highly addictive, super popular iBasket has come to Android. Download it and see how many points you can score in 90 seconds!
Porn and pirates hide Android’s money maker
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/27/android_market_devs_unhappy/ (and as a developer I have to say it’s 100% true)
Vignette for Android: Time-Lapse Feature – Press Release
Time-Lapse photography allows the user to take photographs at 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 second intervals.
Vignette’s new Time-Lapse feature can be seen in action {at} http://www.vimeo.com/14489694
1 Click LbsTestMode on Captivate
Using Launcher Pro Activities I have created a 1 click icon to the LbsTestMode (GPS settings). I have created an easy walk though on how to do it on my blog, http://www.gmachine.net -Greg
NOTE: This is a similar trick, to a different set of settings, and using AnyCut to make the shortcut: http://www.tested.com/news/how-to-use-a-shortcut-to-keep-the-nexus-one-from-switching-to-edge/69/
Might be good to include both to make clear that this can be used to make shortcuts to all kinds of hidden activities.
First ever cross-platform real-time multiplayer mobile gaming tournament
Pure Pwnage releasing official Android app
http://www.rgbfilter.com/?p=9370
Press Release: iBastket
The Ticker (September 3rd) originally appeared on AndroidGuys.
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