Android Apps

Samsung I7500 with OLED touchscreen powered by Android Live

2009-04-27T12:32:00.001-07:00

April 27, 2009, Seoul, Korea - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading
mobile phone provider, today unveiled the I7500, its first
Android-powered mobile phone. With a launch of I7500, Samsung became
the first company among the global top three mobile phone manufacturers
to unveil an Android-powered phone.

"Samsung is among the
earliest members of the Open Handset Alliance and has been actively
moving forward to introduce the most innovative Android mobile phone,"
said JK Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Mobile Communication
Division in Samsung Electronics. "With Samsung's accumulated technology
leadership in mobile phone industry and our consistent strategy to
support every existing operating system, I believe that Samsung
provides the better choices and benefits to our consumers" he added.

The
Samsung I7500 is a cutting-edge smartphone, featuring a 3.2" AMOLED
full touch screen and 7.2Mbps HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, giving users
access to Google™ Mobile services and full web browsing at blazing
speeds.

The Samsung I7500 offers users access to the full
suite of Google services, including Google Search™, Google Maps™,
Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Calendar™, and Google Talk™. The integrated
GPS receiver enables the comprehensive use of Google Maps features,
such as My Location, Google Latitude, Street View, local search and
detailed route description. Hundreds of other applications are
available in Android Market. For example, the application Wikitude, a
mobile travel guide, allows consumers to access details of unknown
sights via location-based Wikipedia articles.

Based on
Samsung's proven product leadership, Samsung I7500 comes with latest
multimedia features. The large and vivid 3.2"AMOLED display ensures the
brilliant representation of multimedia content and enjoyable full touch
mobile experience. Along with supporting a 5-megapixel camera and
various multimedia codec formats, the I7500 also provides a long enough
battery life (1500mAh) and generous memory capacity up to 40GB
(Internal memory: 8GB, External memory: Up to 32GB) to enjoy all the
applications and multimedia content. The phone also boasts its slim and
compact design with mere 11.9mm thickness.

The Samsung I7500 will be available in major European countries from June, 2009.

HSDPA 7.2Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps (900 / 1700/ 2100MHz)
EDGE / GPRS (850/ 900/1800/1900)
OS
Android
Display
3.2" HVGA(320x480) AMOLED
Camera
5 MP Camera (Auto Focus), Power LED
Video / Audio
Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA, RA
Value Added
Features
Full Web Browser Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Android Market
Connectivity
Bluetooth® 2.0, USB 2.0, WiFi, MicroUSB, 3.5mm ear jack
Memory
Internal memory: 8GB
External memory: Micro SD (Up to 32GB)
Battery
1500 mAh
Size
115 x 56 x 11.9mm

* Google, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, Google Talk are trademarks of Google Inc.

1 Million Google Android Phones sold by T-Mobile

2009-04-25T10:19:00.001-07:00

T-Mobile’s Google Android smartphone has reached one million in US sales in the six months since the phone launched. The smartphone now accounts for almost two thirds of all of the 3G devices available on the T-Mobile.

T-Mobile is the US’s fourth largest wireless network operator and has
over 32.1 million customers. The company started selling the G1
Smartphone on October 22, 2008.

It is being reported by mobile advertising specialist AdMob that the
Android OS now accounts for 6% for the entire smartphone market in the
United States. Though the popularity is increasing, Android still has a
while to go until it beats out Windows Mobile, which holds an 11%
market share, the Blackberry OS at 22% and the iPhone, which takes the
cake with 50% of the smartphone market in the U.S.

During a
conference call last week Eric Schmidt, Google CEO stated that he felt
the Android had a chance for great success this year. Schmidt claimed
that the open source strategy was gaining ground and hinted that the
company would deliver future announcements.

“There are
announcements happening between now and the end of the year that are
quite significant from operators and new hardware partners in the
Android space, which I won't preannounce except to say that they really
do fulfill much of the vision that we laid out more than a year ago,”
stated Schmidt during the call. “On the netbook side, there are a
number of people who have actually taken Android and ported it over to
netbook or netbook-similar devices.”

via: TGDAILY

HP Confirms Considering Android in Netbooks

2009-04-01T09:32:00.001-07:00

Hewlett-Packard confirmed Tuesday that it is testing Google's Android operating system as a possible alternative to Windows in some of its netbook computers.

Analysts said the move would allow HP to develop a low-cost netbook
optimized for wireless networks that provides access to Web-based
services such as Google Docs, but others questioned whether the Google
software is ready for such a task.

"Right now Android is
barely finished for phones," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current
Analysis. While it works well enough for T-Mobile's G1 smartphone, the
software was released only last year and "the UI still feels
half-finished," he said.

HP stressed that it was still only
testing Android, an OS based on the open-source Linux kernel. It has
assigned engineers to the task but has made no decision yet whether to
offer Android in products, said HP spokeswoman Marlene Somsak.

Read the rest here.

Archos Promises Android-Packed Media Tablet/Phone

2009-03-31T12:47:00.001-07:00

In a public release to investors over the weekend, Archos revealed
company plans to release an Android-powered internet tablet by the
start of Q3 2009.

Tethering Apps Being Banned From Android Market

2009-03-31T12:42:00.001-07:00

According to this Blog Post an Android Developer's App has been banned from Android Market for violating the Developer Distribution Agreement.

According to the agreement:

"Google enters into distribution agreements with device
manufacturers and Authorized Carriers to place the Market software
client application for the Market on Devices. These distribution
agreements may require the involuntary removal of Products in violation
of the Device manufacturer’s or Authorized Carrier’s terms of service."

And the T-Mobile Terms of Service say the following:

"Your Data Plan is intended for Web browsing, messaging, and similar
activities on your device and not on any other equipment. Unless
explicitly permitted by your Data Plan, other uses, including for
example, tethering your device to a personal computer or other
hardware, are not permitted."

You can read the rest of the blog post here, but this kinda goes against the whole "OPEN" thing Google was going for?

Motorola Readies Its Own Android Social Smartphone

2008-10-20T07:05:00.001-07:00

As the wireless world awaits the Oct. 22 debut of the first phone based on the Google-backed Android software, engineers at Motorola
are hard at work on their own Android handset. Motorola's version will
boast an iPhone-like touch screen, a slide-out qwerty keyboard, and a
host of social-network-friendly features, BusinessWeek.com has learned.

Motorola has been showing spec sheets and images of the phone to
carriers around the world in the past two months and is likely to
introduce the handset in the U.S. sometime in the second quarter of
2009, according to people familiar with Motorola's plans. Building a
phone based on the highly anticipated Android operating system is part
of Motorola's effort to revive a loss-making handset division that has
forfeited market share amid a drought of bestselling phones.

The phone will appear among a new class of social smartphones designed to make it easy for users to connect quickly and easily to mobile social networks such as Facebook and MySpace. Such phones let users message in-network friends directly from phone contact lists.

Read the rest of the story Here.

[Via: Businessweek.com]

gphone, android motorolla phone, motorolla android

Update

2008-10-16T18:10:00.001-07:00

Androidapps.com was sold today. If you are looking for Androidapps.com it will be back online soon. Androidapps.blogspot.com is no longer associated with Androidapps.com.

Thanks!

T-Mobile Launches G1 Emulator

2008-10-06T11:23:00.001-07:00

~~It appears that the site is currently down~~ ~~but~~ The site is current back online, here is the link so you can check it out ~~later.~~

http://tmobile.modeaondemand.com/htc/g1/

The site offers a 360 degrees view, visual guides instructions and a emulator.

PAC-MAN CHASES PESKY GHOSTS ONTO FIRST ANDROID-POWERED DEVICE

2008-09-26T21:53:00.001-07:00

Namco offers PAC-MAN application at no charge in support of first Android-powered device!

Namco Networks, a leading publisher and developer of mobile games
and entertainment for mass-market casual gamers, today announced the
availability of the arcade classic PAC-MAN® on the first
Android™-powered device, announced today by T-Mobile. When the phone
launches, PAC-MAN will be available to consumers in the Android Market™
at no charge, giving owners of the new T-Mobile G1 handset full access
to the game which usually retails for $9.99.

"We are thrilled to launch PAC-MAN on the flagship Android-powered
device," said Scott Rubin, senior vice president of sales and marketing
for Namco Networks. "To encourage consumers to checkout PAC-MAN on the
G1, we are picking up the tab for the game. We want consumers to see
how great PAC-MAN looks on this device and how well it plays on the
Android platform."

Who can forget the countless hours and quarters spent avoiding the
pesky ghosts while chompin' on the dots? In addition to the classic and
addictive game play, PAC-MAN, the most popular video game in American
arcade history, has been upgraded to fully utilize the T-Mobile G1's
features. Taking advantage of the device's large screen, PAC-MAN on the
T-Mobile G1 includes three unique control schemes:

Swipe Mode allows players to direct PAC-MAN's path by simply swiping in the direction you want to travel.
Track Mode lets players zip through mazes using the phone's trackball
Accelerometer Mode allows players to control PAC-MAN by tilting the phone in the direction they want to move.

For more information on PAC-MAN for the G1 or other mobile games by Namco, please visit www.namcogames.com.

Visa to develop apps on Android, Nokia phones

2008-09-26T06:15:00.001-07:00

Visa has announced plans to make mobile payment-related services broadly available to United States consumers by the end of the year. Central to this effort is Visa’s delivery of mobile applications for the Android platform, which will be available for download on Android-powered handsets and initially available to Chase Visa cardholders.

The first set of services that Visa is planning to develop for Android
will allow Chase Visa cardholders to receive notifications to their
mobile devices about transaction activity on their accounts; obtain
offers from a wide array of merchants; and use the built-in
location-based technology developed by Google to quickly map nearby
merchants where they can redeem Visa offers and locate ATMs that accept
Visa.

Visa mobile services that will be
developed for the Android platform will first be offered to Chase Visa
account holders. Following this initial launch phase, Visa plans to work
with additional card-issuing financial institutions to extend
availability of its mobile services for Android to their Visa account
holders. Visa is also developing a payment application that will enable
consumers with Visa accounts to make mobile payments in retail locations
nationwide, or while on the go, over wireless networks.

”By developing these mobile services for the
Android platform, Visa has taken a major step toward achieving our goal
of combining two of the world’s most powerful
and ubiquitous consumer innovations, electronic payments and mobile
technology,” said Elizabeth Buse, Global Head
of Product at Visa Inc. “Through this effort,
U.S. consumers will, for the first time, be able to download Visa mobile
service applications directly to their handsets. Visa cardholders have
come to expect more from their Visa account than just convenience and
security of payment, and wireless customers expect their mobile devices
to carry a multitude of applications. Extending Visa payments and
services to the mobile device is a natural extension, and makes the
consumer payment experience more convenient, more secure and more
rewarding.”

Visa mobile services developed for the Android platform include:

Alerts: Consumers will receive near real-time notification of
purchase activity based on customized cardholder preferences. The
consumer will be able to personalize the types of alerts delivered to
their mobile device according to pre-selected parameters, such as the
size of the transaction, or whether the transaction is in foreign
currency. Because these alerts are triggered by the transaction as it
passes through the Visa network, consumers will receive notifications
almost immediately, typically before they even leave the store. This
adds a new layer of peace of mind when using Visa, and a new way to
combat fraud.
Offers: Consumers will receive targeted offers from merchants
directly to their phone. These offers –
ranging from discounts to loyalty offers –
could be based on a consumer’s previous
purchase activity. For consumers and merchants alike, this service
will ensure the most relevant offers are sent in a timely manner,
helping increase merchant traffic, loyalty and customer satisfaction.
Locator: The Locator service is expected to integrate with
technology developed by Google, such as Google Maps and Google
location-based services, to show consumers nearby locations of
merchants sending them offers, or of an ATM that accepts Visa. The
location would be called out on a map displayed on the mobile device
screen.

“We’re pleased to
extend the value of Visa to the mobile channel,”
said Buse. “With more than 3 billion mobile
devices already in market today, we have an opportunity deliver the
convenience and security of Visa to consumers around the globe.”

[Yahoo! Finance]

T-Mobile G1 Features List

2008-09-25T16:36:00.001-07:00

I know I have a few posts with some of the features of the new T-Mobile G1 but I thought I would add everything into one post to make it easier to find the information.

Here are the Main features of the G1:

Touch screen

Instant access to key information with the touch of a finger

Just tap the screen and go

Real Web browsing capabilities

Quick and easy access to the Internet one click away

View more pages and rich Web content on your phone

3MP camera

Capture key moments in high-quality fashion wherever you are

Never worry about blurry photos with auto focus built right in

Customizable home screen

Just
drag and drop any of your favorite applications, photos, or folders
onto your home screen for quick access to what you use all the time

QWERTY keyboard

The built-in familiar layout lets you type messages easily without scrolling for the letter you want

Hinged screen slides open to reveal keypad and closes to prevent accidental dialing

Easy access to Google applications

One-touch access to Google applications:

Maps (including satellite, traffic, and street views)
Gmail
YouTube
Calendar
Google Talk

IM/text/e-mail

All the ways you need to connect while you're on the go

Music player

With the 1GB memory card, you'll never be without your favorite tunes

One-click Google Search

Quick and easy access to the Internet in one click

Video playback

Watch your favorite videos, even YouTube, anywhere

3G network and Wi-Fi access

High-speed 3G network connection for surfing the Web or downloading information quickly and effortlessly

Seamlessly transition to open Wi-Fi networks to surf the Web or download information quickly

Android Market

One-touch access to Android Market

Customize
and personalize your device to fit your life with a variety of software
applications like games, social networking, and on-the-go shopping

Download the applications wirelessly with just a couple short clicks

There are some pretty great features to the G1/Android Platform and I'm sure we will learn much more once the Phone is officially released including access to the Android Market.

T-Mobile removes the 1GB data cap, takes a different approach

2008-09-25T07:17:00.001-07:00

Engadget is reporting that T-Mobile has changed their decision to include a 1GB Data Cap on G1 users. Instead of a 1GB data cap for everyone they will now only cap users who abuse the network.

Here is what T-Mobile had to say about the issue:

"Our goal, when the T-Mobile G1 becomes available in October, is to
provide affordable, high-speed data service allowing customers to
experience the full data capabilities of the device and our 3G network.
At the same time, we have a responsibility to provide the best network
experience for all of our customers so we reserve the right to
temporarily reduce data throughput for a small fraction of our
customers who have excessive or disproportionate usage that interferes
with our network performance or our ability to provide quality service
to all of our customers.

We removed the 1GB soft limit from our
policy statement, and we are confident that T-Mobile G1 customers will
enjoy the high speed of data access over our 3G network. The specific
terms for our new data plans are still being reviewed and once they are
final we will be certain to share this broadly with current customers
and potential new customers."

[Engadget.com]

Sounds like good news for G1 users, I'm glad they responded to this issue.

Installing Google Android SDK 1.0 On Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop

2008-09-25T06:45:00.001-07:00

Falko Timme put together a nice guide together. The guide explains how you can install the Google Android SDK 1.0
on an Ubuntu 8.04 desktop. With this stable release of the Android SDK,
you can now develop applications for Android smartphones (like
T-Mobile's G1) and offer them on the Android Market.

Take a look at the guide if you are interested in developing apps for android on Ubuntu.

Android Phone VS iPhone Cartoon

2008-09-24T11:23:00.001-07:00

Pretty funny cartoon from Joyoftech.com

Click the image to see full size.

Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

T-Mobile 3G Data Usage Restricted to 1GB a Month

2008-09-24T09:02:00.001-07:00

Here is a copy of the fine print at the T-Mobile G1 Website:

3G coverage is available only in certain markets. See coverage map.
If your total data usage in any billing cycle is more than 1GB, your data throughput for the remainder of
that cycle may be reduced to 50 kbps or less. Your data session, plan, or service may be
suspended, terminated, or restricted for significant roaming or if you use your service
in a way that interferes with our network or ability to provide quality service to other
users. Some devices require specific data plans; if you do not have the right plan for
your device, you may not be able to use data services. Some downloads, such as movies,
music, and games, not included. Domestic use only.

So if you plan on downloading songs off of the new Amazon MP3 store make sure you do not go over your 1GB limit or your speed will be reduced to below EDGE Network speeds.

1GB appears to be really low considering the way they are marketing this phone.

Android Developers Videos

2008-09-23T18:21:00.001-07:00

Android Peeks - browser tricks

One thing I like about Android... browser tricks.
Watch Android team members talk about their favorite features.

Android Peeks - copy & paste

Steve what are you waiting for?

Android Peeks - reader and photos

Android Peeks - media in the browser

T-Mobile G1 has no 3.5mm headphone jack? WTF!

2008-09-23T14:37:00.001-07:00

So you are thinking about how cool it will be to Download DRM free tracks from Amazon right to your new HTC G1 Phone? Cool now just plug in your headphones that you already own.....wait....WTF...there is no Headphone jack on the HTC G1!

Engadget has the photos to prove it on their website.

Instead of a 3.5mm Headphone jack the G1 uses a proprietary ExtUSB connector. Okay fine a few extra bucks and were all set, there is just one more little problem.

The adaptor will not be available when the G1 Launches on October 22nd!!!!!

Have fun with this one.

On a side not I just found this link:

3.5mm Audio Multi-Adapter

No word on if it will be compatiable with the HTC G1..most likely not.

T-Mobile G1 FAQ's

2008-09-23T13:03:00.001-07:00

Where can I buy the T-Mobile G1™?
The T-Mobile G1 will be available for purchase on www.T-Mobile.com, in select T-Mobile retail stores, and in authorized retailer locations across the United States beginning October 22nd.

What types of plans are available for the T-Mobile G1?
Once you’ve selected a specific T-Mobile voice plan, you must also choose a data plan in order for your G1™ to work. You can choose from a data plan that offers 400 messages and unlimited data access for $25 a month—or add unlimited messaging for just $10 more a month.

What Google services come pre-installed on the T-Mobile G1?
# This device takes many of the popular Google services we’ve come to love on our desktop computers and optimizes them for use on a phone. These services include: Google Search
# Google Maps
# Gmail
# Google Calendar
# Google Talk
# YouTube

What is Android?
Android is the mobile operating system on the T-Mobile G1. It allows developers from around the world to create new and exciting applications that can easily be loaded onto the phone from the Android Market.

What is the Android Market?
The Android Market is an application storefront, developed by Google, where you will find unique applications as well as mash ups of existing and new services from developers around the world. With just a few short clicks, you can download a wide range of innovative software applications—from games and social networking, to on-the-go shopping. You’ll even be able see which applications are the newest or most popular with a star rating system (similar to YouTube).

Can I use my T-Mobile G1 while traveling internationally?
Yes. All voice and data usage outside of the United States will be subject to international rates.

Can I activate my T-Mobile G1 with Prepaid service?
No. Prepaid service for the G1 is not available at this time.

Have questions about the G1 that you ordered early?
Just login to My.T-Mobile to get the FAQ’s

HTC G1, Google Phone Video

2008-09-23T09:59:00.001-07:00

Here is a Video showing some of the things the new T-Mobile G1 can do.

Panoramio Application for Android, T-Mobile G1

2008-09-23T09:31:00.001-07:00

The application starts by showing your current location in a custom MapView. You can pan and zoom this map to choose the area you want to search.

Once you have selected a search area, the application downloads thumbnails of the most popular photos taken within that area.

You can tap on an item to see more details.

You can use the menu to find more pictures by the same
photographer or to see the original photo on the Panoramio site. You can find the location of the photo in
the real world. You can show the location on the map along with your
current location.

Or, you can bring up a radar view that uses the compass and GPS to show
you the location of the photo in relation to your own location.

T-Mobile G1 Press Confrence, Google, HTC, T-Mobile Live Blogging

2008-09-23T07:44:00.001-07:00

T-Mobile G1 Worlds first Android Phone from Google, launched on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time. On the market by the end of this year.

Creating an open mobile internet and platform. Mobile internet will be dominant in the future, Mobile Traffic has grown 250%.

Committed to open mobile platforms. G1 brings open mobile platform to market for the first time.

Develop Applications and also make Android better, Android is future proof.

HTC, Google, T-Mobile shares same vision making mobile internet open and fun. Want to make internet experience more enjoyable.

Iconic Design (G1) maximize mobile experience, touch screen, keyboard appeals to many people, nothing like it on the market. Flexible and very powerful.

Mobile Internet lags in the USA by 16%, T-Mobile and Android want to change that.

http://announcement.t-mobileg1.com/#

Showing Phone now with teaser reel, looks like pictures. Taking Photos and getting ready to do live demonstrations.

Touch Screen, swipe across to see, long press for more features. Frame pictures to add on home screen. Drag and Drop on Home Screen.

Amazon.com one click MP3 ordering. Long press for more song options.

Multitasking, full slide out keyboard. Contacts, click to go to address with map. Directions, Traffic View, Street View (Google).

Compass moves as you move the phone.

Web Browser (Full Featured) zoom, multiple tabs, dedicated search button, search from anywhere on device (Contacts, Web) Send links by email right from browser (Gmail).

Applications:

Android Market on Phone, with user ratings. Programs, Apps, Games and more. (They Showed Pac-Man)

Open Marketplace, Great Third Party Applications to market.

Open Source, Freedom to develop any application to hoops, free to develop and Google will not stop your application from being distributed.

Track your Carbon footprint with the EcoRio Application.

Shop Savvy application lets you use as a Bar Code scanner to compare prices on the internet right in the store.

Question and Answer session.

Pricing is $179.00 (Beats the iPhone) existing customers can order today. October 22nd official launch day. 2 plan options for Data $25 Unlimited (Data) $35 Unlimited Web and Messaging/Data.

3G Network.

Europe Availability UK early November rest of Europe early 2009 First Q.

Tethering? Pricing with just data?

No tethering, data plan requires voice plan.

Support for MS Office Files? Can read Word, PDF, can develop by third party.

T-Mobile only? Yes Sim Locked to T-Mobile

Push email? Yes, Push, IMAP Pull

Desktop Application to Sync? No not yet, syncs with network.

Outside of 3G Markets? Yes but best experience in 3G. Also has Wireless.

How locked is this Phone? Issues like the iPhone?

Deflects Question.

Marketing? Google Marketing?

Yes, T.V. Ad's Marketing starts in October largest Advertising Campaign ever.

Server Sync? Bluetooth?
Sync with Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and more. Supports wireless headsets.

Chrome Browser?

No, but works on Web Kit. Chrome like but not Chrome.

Device Aimed at? Consumer, Business....?

Mass appeal for everyone. Young, Family, more consumer but thing enterprise will enjoy.

Gmail Functions?

Robust experience, same as desktop experience. Integrated in front end. Online Google Talk presence inside contact list.

iTunes, Skype, International?

works with any AAC, WMA, MP3, would need to be DRM unlocked for iTunes, up to consumer. No Skype support.

Dual band and Quad Band works on any band in the world.

Special Guests, Google Founders take stage.

Awkward moment......

They have been using the Phone for a while now. Throws phone in Air uses accelerometer to demonstrate app he created to measure time in the Air.

They enjoy the phone.

Describes Phone as a computer.

Asks crowd to do a web search on their phone to demonstrate how easy it will be to do on the G1.

Computer like functionality on Phone.

Location based services.

Taking Photos. Everyone has their G1 Phones out.

Press Conference ends, press making way downstairs to see live phone demos.

T-Mobile G1 with Google Press Conference in New York

2008-09-23T04:22:00.001-07:00

The T-Mobile G1 Google Press Conference site is up and ready for today's conference, as information becomes available we will have the latest updates.

You can see the website HERE.

All site content and information about the T-Mobile G1™ with Google™
will be available shortly after the press conference is complete.

T-Mobile G1 Android Phone

2008-09-23T04:06:00.001-07:00

The G1 is 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.63 inches, weighs 5.6 ounces, features a
480 x 320 HVGA display, 3G, GPS, 3.1-megapixel
camera, up to 8GB of memory (no format is mentioned),
5 hours of talk time with 130 hours of standby. No Video?, No
Bluetooth?, will require a Gmail account, and won't be sold at stores
outside of a 2-5 mile radius of T-Mobile's 3G coverage areas.

Read more at Tmonews.com

HTC Dream (gPhone) In The Wild

2008-09-20T06:50:00.001-07:00

Click Image for better picture.

Here is Video of the Interface

Google's Android To Launch Sept. 23

2008-09-17T05:58:00.001-07:00

T-Mobile just sent out some invitations for a press conference to be held next week.

You are invited to attend a press conference to witness the official unveiling of the first Android-powered phone from T-Mobile. The event will include presentations from T-Mobile,Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and other company executives and an opportunity for you to get hands-on with the phone during a live product demonstration following the speaking portion of the event.

And here is an interesting video from Google Android demo at Google Developers Day, 16th September 2008

Google Android demo

Android Photostream

2008-09-08T16:22:00.001-07:00

Photostream is a simple photos browser and viewer for Flickr. All you need to use it is a Flickr screen name or user name.

This application serves as an illustrative example of several Android features and APIs:

Activity aliases
Adding custom shortcuts to Home
Adding a new wallpaper chooser to the system
Custom layouts
Custom XML attributes
Use of themes
Use of styles
Use of text colors
Use of <include>
Use of bitmap and layer drawables from XML
Use of HttpClient
Proper interaction between background threads and the UI thread
Efficient display rotation (using the new onRetainNonConfigurationInstance() API)
Animations and layout animations
Cropping an image
Image manipulation

Type in Home, to create a shortcut to any Flickr account. The shortcut
shows a custom icon, downloaded from the Flickr user profile:

If you plan on reusing the source code to access Flickr in your own application, you should modify the Flickr.java file to replace the existing API key with your own. The application source code also contains a very handy class called UserTask.java. This class is designed to help you easily write background operations that interact with the UI thread.

http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2008/09/android-photostream.html

Skypop on Android

2008-08-30T09:46:00.001-07:00

Skypop on Android

Bruce Leak and Timo Bruck from SkyPop demo a couple of their new applications for Android.

Android Market Images and Features

2008-08-30T09:44:00.001-07:00

Go to ImageShack® to Create your own Slideshow

The Android Market is an open content distribution system that will help end users find, purchase, download and install various types of content on their Android-powered devices. The concept is simple: leverage Google's expertise in infrastructure, search and relevance to connect users with content created by developers like you.

Developers will be able to make their content available on an open service hosted by Google that features a feedback and rating system similar to YouTube. Similar to YouTube, content can debut in the marketplace after only
three simple steps: register as a merchant, upload and describe your
content and publish it.

More information Here

Android App: Life360

2008-08-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

Created by Chris Hulls, Dilpreet Singh, Luis Carvalho, Phuong Nguyen, Steve Potell

Life360 uses a multi-channel messaging system and neighborhood-centric
social network to keep you up-to-date and in contact with your family
and local community. Fire warning in your area? You’ll hear about it
right away and can instantly let your entire family know you are safe.
Dog ran off and you want to ask your neighbors for help? Post a request
on the map that everyone nearby will see.

Using Android’s always-on networking capabilities, Life360 can ensure
you always stay in contact with your family and know when important
events happen in your area. Unlike most emergency alerts, these are
specifically customized to you.

Track your family on the map, know everyone’s status instantly, and
access their important medical information and emergency profiles. Get
in an accident? Life360 monitors the accelerometer to detect if you are
in a collision and automatically displays your emergency data onscreen
when you need it.

A location-based message board where you can ask for help and assist
others. Unlike other social networks, this one isn’t about interacting
with friends, but helping your neighborhood overcome challenges as a
group. Need help in a hurry? Push panic and we will notify everyone
nearby.

Android App: Compare Everywhere

2008-08-30T09:37:00.001-07:00

Created by Jeffrey Sharkey

Scan a barcode to instantly check if that "sale price" really is a good
deal. Read reviews to find out if those hiking boots will last a
lifetime, or fall apart next month. Keep track of shopping lists, wish
lists, and more.

Use the built-in camera to effortlessly scan barcodes, making shopping a breeze.

Compare prices across dozens of stores in only a few seconds.

Use GPS to find nearby stores, then call them directly, or find driving directions using Google Maps.

Android App: cab4me

2008-08-30T09:34:00.001-07:00

cab4me enables you to easily call a cab to any location worldwide. You
do not need to know the number of the local cab company. You do not
need to enter or even know the address you want to be picked up at. You
do not need to place a call. With cab4me you can order a cab to your
current location with a single click.

cab4me integrates the Google Maps component provided by Android. This
enables the user to select their cab destination by simply moving the
map. Cab4me shows places where cabs usually wait as overlays and uses
geocoding extensions to find and display addresses.

cab4me uses the location awareness of Android (GPS and cell-based), to
make it easy for the user to order a cab to his current location
without the need to know the exact address or to know the name of the
cab company.

cab4me integrates the phone’s contact list to select pickup locations.
It can initiate calls to a cab company and uses notification services
to inform the user about the current cab order status.

App Created by Konrad Huebner,
Henning Boeger

Why Google Removed some API's from Android 0.9 SDK Beta

2008-08-27T07:26:00.001-07:00

From Android Developers Blog

GTalkService
We were all really excited when the "XMPPService" (as it was called, at first) was included in the first early-look SDK. Once we brought in our security review team to examine Android, however, they soon realized that, as exciting as it is, the GTalkService has some fundamental security problems. Rich Cannings is one of our security researchers, and here's his explanation of the issues:

When I first read about GTalkService, I was both excited and scared. As a developer, I was interested in a feature that provided a simple interface to send messages between two Google Talk friends. The messages would appear on the receiving device as a standard Intent that was easy to handle. How simple and beautiful is that? Unfortunately, when I put my tin foil hat on, I recognized that things are a little more complicated than that.

We decided to postpone GTalkService's data-messaging functionality for the following reasons:

1. "Repurposing" Google Talk Friends
Google Talk friends are intended for a different purpose than that envisioned by the GTalkService. Your Google Talk friends can contact you at any time via IM. They can see your email address and often can see your real name. However, the idea of a Google Talk friend does not always line up with the types of people who may want to interact with via an Android application. For example, imagine a really cool mobile Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game using GTalkService. You would have to add all the players to your Google Talk friends list in order to play with them. Next time you log in to Google Talk from your desktop or on the web, you would notice that you have many new "friends". You may not want to chat with these friends -- and perhaps worse, you may not want them to know what your real name or email is. We do realize that Android users will want to interact with other Android users anonymously and for short periods of time, especially in gaming scenarios. Unfortunately, it turns out that using Instant Messaging is not really a good way to do that.
2. Verifying Remote Intent Senders
Intents were designed to send messages within the device. The Intent subsystem can conclusively determine who sent Intents only when the Intents originate from the same device that services the Intent. When Intents come from other devices, the Intent subsystem cannot determine what application sent the Intent. This can lead to a variety of problems. At first, remote applications could send arbitrary Intents, meaning that your Google Talk friends had almost the same control of your device as you did. Even once that issue was resolved, we recognized that we could not trust the identity of the application who sent the request. We could only trust the identity of the user. So a "bad" application on your friend's device could send a message to a "good" application on your device which would negatively affect the good application. In the end, we determined that the Intent system, as designed for local use, did not lend itself well to being the vehicle for a Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
3. Placing Too Much Security Burden on Developers
As originally designed, the GTalkService placed a significant burden on the application developer to avoid security flaws and perform user and relationship management. An Android application using GTalkService would be reachable from all of the user's Google Talk friends, and a flaw in that application could pose an inviting target to a malicious "friend" or automated malware. There are automated mechanisms that could be used to help protect vulnerable applications or stop the spread of malware, but the deployment of these technologies was not possible in time for the launch of the first Android handsets.

Although we would have loved to ship this service, in the end, the Android team decided to pull the API instead of exposing users to risk and breaking compatibility with a future, more secure version of the feature. We think it's obvious that this kind of functionality would be incredibly useful, and would open lots of new doors for developers. One of our top priorities after the first devices ship is to develop a device-to-device (and possibly device-to-server) RPC mechanism that is fast, reliable, and protective of developers and users alike.

As a final note, I want to point out that since the GTalkService was always a Google "value-added" service anyway, it was never guaranteed that it would be present on every Android device. That is, GTalkService was never part of core Android. As a result this change actually allows us the potential to build a new system that is part of the core of a future version of Android.

Bluetooth API
The 1.0 version of Android and the first devices will include support for Bluetooth; for instance, Android will support Bluetooth headsets. In the early-look SDKs, there was an incomplete draft of an API that exposed Bluetooth functionality to developers. Unfortunately we had to remove that API from the 1.0 release. To get the skinny on why, I contacted Nick Pelly, one of the Android engineers responsible for that functionality. Here's the story on Bluetooth, in Nick's words:

The reason is that we plain ran out of time. The Android Bluetooth API was pretty far along, but needs some clean-up before we can commit to it for the SDK. Keep in mind that putting it in the 1.0 SDK would have locked us into that API for years to come.

Here's an example of the problems in the API. Client code is required to pass around IBluetoothDeviceCallback objects in order to receive asynchronous callbacks, but IBluetoothDeviceCallback is meant to be an internal interface. That client code would break the moment we added new callbacks to IBluetoothDeviceCallback.aidl. This is not a recipe for future-proof apps.

To make things even more tricky, the recent introduction of the bluez 4.x series brings its own new API. The Android Bluetooth stack uses bluez for GAP and SDP so you'll see more than a passing resemblance to bluez's interfaces in Android. The bluez 4.x change requires us to carefully consider how to structure our API for the future. Again, remember that once we settle on an interface we need to support it for years going forward.

Rather than ship a broken API that we knew was going to change a lot, we chose not to include it. We absolutely intend to support a Bluetooth API in a future release, although we don't know exactly when that will be. This should include some tasty features, such as:

* Bindings to GAP and SDP functionality.
* Access to RFCOMM and SCO sockets.
* Potentially, L2CAP socket support from Java. (This one is under consideration.)
* An API to our headset and handsfree profiles.

On a personal note, Nick adds, "I would love nothing more than to start seeing some neat third-party applications and games over Bluetooth. In my opinion, Bluetooth is completely under-utilized on most mobile platforms and I'm excited to someday see what the developer community can do with Android."

I'm definitely bummed about these API removals. I was particularly looking forward to the P2P capabilities offered by GTalkService, but, as always, user security and privacy must come first. In all these cases, we'll work with the developer community to create some great APIs that balance these concerns.

T-Mobile to be first Android Carrier

2008-08-15T14:51:00.001-07:00

T-Mobile will be the first carrier to offer a mobile phone powered by Google’s Android software, according to people briefed on the company’s plans. The phone will be made by HTC, one of the largest makers of mobile phones in the world, and is expected to go on sale in the United States before Christmas, perhaps as early as October.
The high-end phone is expected to match many of the capabilities of Apple’s iPhone and other so-called smartphones that run software from Palm, Research in Motion, Microsoft and Nokia to access the Internet and perform computerlike functions.

The HTC phone, which many gadget sites are calling the “dream,” will have a touch screen, like the iPhone. But the screen also slides out to expose a full five-row keyboard. A video of the phone has been posted recently on YouTube. A person who has seen the HTC device said it matched the one in the video.

The phone’s release date depends on how soon the Federal Communications Commission certifies that the Google software and the HTC phone meet network standards. Executives at all three companies are hoping to announce the phone in September because they would benefit from holiday season sales. The people briefed on the discussions declined to be named because they were not authorized to discuss the project.

Read the rest here
Link

HTC: "Android handsets on track, Will launch before the end of the year"

2008-08-04T07:00:00.001-07:00

HTC's chief financial officer, Hui-ming Cheng, has confirmed that the
company is on track to launch Android-based handsets before the end of
2008.

Cheng has been quoted as saying the first Android phones from HTC are
due to ship to "ODM" (original design manufacturer) clients in the
fourth quarter of this year.

HTC currently creates own-label branded handsets for T-Mobile - who is
a member of the Open Handset Alliance, with seperate confirmation from
T-Mobile will launch an Android handset by the end of the year
suggesting this is what could launch soon.

It's predicted that HTC will beat other manufacturers to market
with an Android phone, as the company were given a several month
headstart with access to the OS thanks to their role as the
manufacturer of the HTC "Dream" Android prototype.

Enkin Video, Android App

2008-06-20T08:00:00.001-07:00

"Enkin" introduces a new handheld navigation concept. It displays location-based content in a unique way that bridges the gap between reality and classic map-like representations. It combines GPS, orientation sensors, 3D graphics, live video, several web services, and a novel user interface into an intuitive and light navigation system for mobile devices.
Check out our web page enkin.net.

Enkin from Enkin on Vimeo.Technorati Tags: google phone, gphone, Enkin, android

Android Scan

2008-06-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

New Android App

Android Developer Challenge submission by Jeffrey Sharkey

Android Scan is one of the 50 winners of the Android Developer Challenge, more details to be released on Monday. I'll also be at Google I/O later this month.

Scan is an Android application that finds pricing and metadata for anything with a barcode. Here are some key features that make Scan stand out:

Automatic barcode recognition using onboard phone camera using ZXing library
Shows CD, DVD, or book cover along with detailed reviews from Amazon.com
Searches over a dozen stores, both online and brick+mortar
- Highlights brick+mortar stores that are nearby, with option to call the store or get directions
- Links to online storefronts to buy online from the phone
Tracklisting for CDs, along with option to play sample tracks right on phone
For books, searches local libraries to see if they have a copy

Watch the quick 3-minute video that shows the power of Scan in action with real barcodes:

Video Here http://scan.jsharkey.org/

This looks very interesting!

More info at the link. http://scan.jsharkey.org/

Technorati Tags: android apps, android, google phone, android scan

T-Mobile Android Phone Release Seen Bringing 'Avalanche'

2008-04-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

SAN FRANCISCO -(Dow Jones)- With Deutsche Telekom AG's (DT) T-Mobile USA Inc.
preparing to ship out its first cellphones built on Google Inc.'s (GOOG) open
Android platform later this year, wireless carriers are expecting an avalanche
of innovation from users - and radical changes to what customers expect and
demand.

But some disagree on where start-ups should focus their efforts if they aim to
make money in this fast-changing landscape.

At the Wireless Innovations 2008 conference in Redwood City, Calif., sponsored
by Dow Jones & Co., Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile's
broadband and new business division, said he had already seen prototypes of the
company's Android-based phone, which are scheduled to ship in this year's final
quarter.

(This story also appeared in Venture Wire, a newsletter published by Dow Jones
& Co. that covers the venture-capital industry.)

"I'm impressed," he said. "We will have more than one product...(The move to
an open platform) will be innovation across the board, not just one device."

T-Mobile, like other carriers, was leery of Google at first, because the open
platform that the search giant was pushing seemed radical and untested, Sims
said. T-Mobile is now a part of Google's Open Handset Alliance, as is chip maker
Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM).

Like T-Mobile, Qualcomm was "skeptical" of Google's plan at first, said Sayeed
Choudhury, Qualcomm's vice president of product management for CDMA
technologies. "But we got over that hurdle when we saw the use-case models,"
Choudhury said. "The Web-browsing, the taking and uploading of pictures."

Choudhury said he expects big changes to happen fast once the Android phones
get into consumers' hands. Nedim Fresko, director of strategic platform
initiatives at Blackberry maker Research in Motion Ltd. (RIMM), predicted T-
Mobile's release would be a "wake-up call for innovation."

But conference panelists differed on what areas of mobile technology - video
distribution, social networking, enterprise or entertainment - were likely to
heat up first.

"Security is the issue," Fresko said. "People want secure, managed and safe"
networks.

John Smelzer, a senior vice president and manager of News Corp.'s (NWS) Fox
Entertainment Group Inc.'s interactive media division, said photo and video
distribution would be the "next killer app."

News Corp. owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal and Dow
Jones Newswires.

Fox isn't immediately interested in moving social networks to mobile, Smelzer
said, but it sees great potential in start-ups working on applications that
replicate the broader online experience on handsets - for instance, middleware
companies, content aggregators, ad distributors and companies working on
encoding and transcoding data.

Subscription-based video has served Fox well, Smelzer said, and the company
plans to continue that model as networks and handsets move toward openness.

"For the long tail, we think it will be mobile Web," he said.

T-Mobile says all of its offerings will be tailored to the consumer, and the
consumer, in turn, will tell the carriers what they expect their mobile devices
to be able to do.

Panelists agreed that the major, inevitable changes in the next few years
won't be top-down changes, but will be a response from carriers to consumers,
who are going mobile in ever greater numbers and learning to expect much more
from their phones. In addition, they said, the time is ripe for innovators and
start-ups to deliver what consumers want in new, possibly lucrative ways.

"The college kids out there have all the ingredients, finally," said J.H. Kah,
senior vice president of Korean cellular service provider SK Telecom Co. (SKM).

"It's so easy and cheap for these kids to start new ventures," Kah said. "VCs
ought to look at very early-stage (companies), but the real winners (will be)
those that stick around a few years."

-By Timothy Hay, Dow Jones Newsletters; 415-439-6625

[Via: Cnn.com]

AT&T Will Sell Google's 'Android' Phone

2008-04-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

And a 3G version of the iPhone is coming within months...

AT&T Wireless Boss Ralph de la Vega says that AT&T will be selling phones based on Google's Android operating system, but only after the baby bell executive was assured the telco wouldn't be forced to offer all-Google applications. "If it's good for customers we'll offer it like any other OS," says de la Vega. The wireless boss also confirmed longstanding rumors that a second generation, HSDPA-supported iPhone would be arriving within months.

First generation iPhone users shouldn't be too sad -- while far from the same thing (particularly in terms of latency), EDGE network upgrades are in the works that could more than double existing speeds. Still, with technophiles flooding to the new versions, expect a fire sale on used first generation iPhones shortly.

Via[BBR.com]

Technorati Tags: AT&T google, google phone, google apps

Google releases new Android SDK

2008-02-14T07:55:00.001-08:00

Android SDK m5-rc14 now available today.

There are a couple of changes in m5-rc14 I'd like to highlight:

New user interface - As I mentioned when we introduced the m3 version
of the Android SDK, we're continuing to refine the UI that's available
for Android. m5-rc14 replaces the previous placeholder with a new UI,
but as before, work on it is still in-progress.
Layout animations - Developers can now create layout animations for their applications using the capabilities introduced in the android.view.animation package. Check out the LayoutAnimation*.java files in the APIDemos sample code for examples of how this works.
Geo-coding - android.location.Geocoder
enables developers to forward and reverse geo-code (i.e. translate an
address into a coordinate and vice-versa), and also search for
businesses.
New media codecs - The MediaPlayer class has added support for the OGG Vorbis, MIDI, XMF, iMelody, RTTL/RTX, and OTA audio file formats.
Updated Eclipse plug-in
- A new version of ADT is available and provides improvements to the
Android developer experience. In particular, check out the new Android
Manifest editor.

You can download the new SDK here:
http://code.google.com/android/download.html

Upgrading?

If you have already downloaded an earlier version of the SDK and developed applications on it, please read the Upgrading the SDK document instead. The Upgrading document explains
how to migrate your existing development environment and applications to the new SDK release. The document also provides
information that you will find useful during the upgrade, such as lists of framework and API changes.

To develop Android applications using the code and tools in the
Android SDK, you need a suitable development computer and development
environment, as described below.

Supported Operating Systems

Windows XP or Vista
Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later (x86 only)
Linux (tested on Linux Ubuntu Dapper Drake)

Supported Development Environments

Eclipse IDE
- Eclipse 3.2, 3.3 (Europa)
- JDK 5 or JDK 6 (JRE alone is not sufficient)
- Not compatible with Gnu Compiler for Java (gcj)
- Android Development Tools plugin (optional)
Other development environments or IDEs
- JDK 5 or JDK 6 (JRE alone is not sufficient)
- Not compatible with Gnu Compiler for Java (gcj)
- Apache Ant 1.6.5 or later for Linux and Mac, 1.7 or later for Windows

Note: If JDK is already installed on your development computer,
please take a moment to make sure that it meets the version
requirements listed above. In
particular, note that some Linux distributions may include JDK 1.4 or
Gnu Compiler for Java, both of which are not supported for Android
development.

Take a look at our extensive gallery of pics right here.

Technorati Tags: android sdk, android applications, google phone, gphone

Android Hands-On Video: It's Fast, It's Still Not There

2008-02-11T10:07:00.001-08:00

There is a great story over at Gizmodo.com with a video of Android.

From the site:

We have been playing with the Android prototypes
scattered through the Mobile World Congress here in Barcelona. ARM had
theirs running on one of their lower-end processors. No fancy graphics
demos, no iPhone-style multimedia fizzbang, just a humble ARM9
processor in a plain white prototype "to demonstrate the scalability of
Android" and serve as a "development platform." Our verdict: it works,
it's fluid, but it's boring. Qualcomm's Android prototype, however, is
a real beast.

Read the rest of the story and watch the video here:
http://gizmodo.com/354849/android-hands+on-video-its-fast-its-still-not-there

Technorati Tags: android, android apps, video, g phone, google pone video

Google updating Android dev kit

2008-02-04T08:00:00.001-08:00

Google today said it would upgrade the developer kit for its Android mobile OS, providing a significant upgrade to the Linux-based software based on feedback from programmers. The company does not say exactly what its enhancements will include but notes that both the user interface and the programming interface itself will receive upgrades. The delay is enough to justify pushing back the deadline for the Developers Challenge until April 14th, Google says, though the change will not force any software developers to migrate to the new code in the same timeframe.

"We're looking forward to seeing some great apps, especially after we've had a chance to incorporate some of your feedback into the Android platform," says Google's Developer Advocate Quang Nguyen.

The change is believed to be in response to numerous bug complaints from developers, who in the early stages of development criticized Google for supplying too little documentation and requiring excessive steps to accomplish simple user interface goals.

[Via:Electronista.com]

Technorati Tags: android apps, android sdk, android dev kit, google g phone, google phone

Google And Dell Set To Reveal First Android Phone

2008-01-31T10:41:00.001-08:00

According to reports, Google is currently working with Dell to
create the first Android mobile phone, bringing back the rumors that
the Gphone is on the way.

The expectation is that Dell and Google could reveal the world’s
first Android-powered mobile phone next month at the Mobile World
Congress.

The 3GSM telecoms conference is in Barcelona next month and could be the stage for a huge announcement.

Google and Dell are rumored to be working together and neither have denied that this is not reality.

It has been rumored that Google has been working on their own Gphone
for months now, but nothing was ever confirmed outside of the Android
OS.

[Via: dbtechno.com]

SkyFire Announces New Mobile Browser for Smartphones

2008-01-28T10:19:00.001-08:00

Skyfire has announced a new web browser for smartphones that is
designed to make it faster and more user-friendly to browse the web on
a smartphone. Skyfire uses proprietary technology to deliver web
content to mobile phones quickly, while maintaining the site's desktop
look and feel.

Support for web technologies such as AJAX, Java, and Flash video
suggest that the Skyfire browser could open up a new level of mobile
web browsing for consumers. Skyfire claims it is the fastest loading
mobile browser on the market, and offers features such as the ability
to bookmark particular areas of a web page so they can be quickly
accessed again at a later time.

Skyfire is currently in private beta for Windows Mobile 6
Professional and Standard, with a Symbian-compatible version planned in
the next month. Users can sign up for the beta at www.skyfire.com.

Technorati Tags: skyfire, dotsis.com, mini opera, juegos para nokia 6131, cankarjev dom

CES: Spotted, First Possible Android Smartphone

2008-01-11T09:29:00.001-08:00

A Chinese OEM was showing off a Phone at CES 2008 that will be running Android by March.

Here is what PCMag said about the specs of the Phone:

The GW4 (aka the PDA Dual Net Phone) is a
slab-style smart phone with a touch screen and QWERTY keyboard, that
was running a version of MontaVista Linux 2.6 when we saw it at the
event. But according to Wistron spokeswoman Molly Lin, the GW4 will be
running Android by March, when Wistron will start selling it to more
prominent firms for branding. As a manufacturing house, Wistron has
made desktop and laptop PCs for Dell, HP, IBM and other top brands.

The GW4 we saw had surprisingly low specs, but that's a testament to
the efficiency of Linux, Wistron execs said. The GW4 is based on a TI
OMAP 1710 chipset with a 216-MHz processor and only 64 MB of program
memory, yet the model we saw ran the Opera Web browser, played video
and flipped between a range of Web widget applications like weather and
stocks. The user interface was very responsive.
The phone will come in two tri-band GSM/GPRS versions, one for the U.S.
and one for Europe and Asia. The very slow cellular GPRS (not EDGE)
network will be complemented by 802.11g Wi-Fi with a built-in SIP VOIP
client for Internet calling. A higher-speed 3G version will come out by
the end of 2008. The GW4 also has a 2.5-inch, 320x240 touch screen and
2-megapixel camera.

To read the whole Article just click the PCMag link above.

Technorati Tags: android, google phone, gphone, ces 2008, ces, GW4

Wi-Fi Army Game for Google Android

2008-01-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

Giving you a peek at what kind of gaming platform Google's Android will host is the Wi-Fi Army developed by W2Pi Entertainment. The company hopes to win funds from the Android Challenge. This shooter game involves the 3 technologies - GPS, Google Maps, and camera phone. Instead of using video graphics, you can engage real people in a (gun) phone fight. The camera phone functions as your scope to hunt other players. The GPS is used to locate other players within 300 feet radius. Once another player is detected within the range, you will be notified about this new found enemy. Google Maps provides support to find other players. Sounds cool! Presently this game allows only 500 people to play per city. The icing on the cake is that this game is Free!

Wi-Fi Army takes virtual reality to the next level by adding mobility and location-based services to it.

http://www.mobilewhack.com/wi-fi-army-a-google-android-game/

Wi-Fi Army Game for Google Android - Newlaunches.com

Android Developer Challenge Submission Delay

2008-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

Delay in Android Developer Challenge leaves coders unsure....

This is taken right from the Android Challenge Group

From: "Dan Morrill" ...@google.com>

Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 22:45:22 -0800

Local: Thurs, Jan 3 2008 1:45 am

Subject: Android Developer Challenge Submission App

Hello, Developers!

As you probably know, the Android Developer Challenge submission period for
the first round is scheduled to run from today, 2 January, through 3 March.

Unfortunately final testing revealed some cross-browser bugs in the
application we'll be using to allow you submit your work. We're fixing
those now, and will have the site up and running as soon as we possibly
can. At the same time that the submission application becomes available,
we'll also make the final Terms and Conditions of the competition available.

We apologize for the delay, and thank you for your patience!

- Dan

Not only is there a Delay for the $10 Million Prize there is also word that Android was pushed out too soon and might experience trouble in 2008.

We will keep everyone updated.

Edit: Here is a link to the Google Group Posting.

Test your Android app on a real phone!

2008-01-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Framebuffer VNC server specifically for the emerging Android platform. Forked from an old version of fbvncserver originally released for the Zaurus and iPAQ devices.

This project is largely a hack to facilitate testing of the Android user experience on real handsets with full screen VNC clients running. The current test framework is ideally suited for Windows Mobile based handsets running .NET VNC Viewer.

The subversion repository contains instructions for advanced users to build the package from source, but I admit it is a pain. You will need to custom build an Android kernel, the libvncserver library, etc. For your convenience, I have supplied a statically linked fbvncserver binary to install onto the emulator as well as the kernel you will need to boot. For the brave, check out the subversion sources and read the README file for complete instructions.

Here is a link to the Developer's website.

http://devtcg.blogspot.com/2007/12/android-vnc-part-deux.html

DoCoMo, Google to join forces, say Japanese reports

2007-12-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

Japan's biggest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc., will partner with Google Inc. to provide search and e-mail on its handsets, news reports claimed today.

As early as this spring, DoCoMo subscribers may be able to access Google's search tool, as well as the Gmail e-mail service, Google Calendar scheduler and Picasa photo-sharer, using the former's i-Mode network, said the Reuters news service and Japan's main business daily, The Nikkei. Each cited unnamed sources within DoCoMo.

DoCoMo's growth has fallen behind that of smaller carriers in Japan, said the reports -- a problem that has forced the company to scramble to match rivals such as SoftBank Mobile Corp. and KDDI Corp., which have put more resources into developing wireless Internet services.

Google Mobile Phones Debut in Feb?

2007-12-27T09:53:00.000-08:00

There is new going around about a February debut of the new Google/Android Phone.

Here are a few links to news stories about this. There is no real info so it seems like this might be all speculation. Hopefully we will see soon. This new after everyone has been saying Android is not ready, buggy and hard to develop on.

Links:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/12/27/android-in-february-prepare-grains-of-salt-now/

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/12/gphone-alert-gphone-alert-february-in-barcelona.html

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/12/26/android.phones.in.february/

The article says that Apple will be missing and Google will be attending.

http://www.apcmag.com/7726/google_powered_mobile_phones_to_make_a_february_debut

Sci-Tech Today | Report: Google's Android Full of Bugs

2007-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Report: Google's Android Full of Bugs

Following reports that Google's Android platform for mobile devices is buggy, IDC's Chris Hazelton pointed out that developers are being asked to "design an application when they don't even know what the interface is." Android devices are expected "sometime in the second half of 2008," he said, so there is time for problems to be worked out.

Android Hardware In The Wild: Google Android Prototype In the Wild

2007-12-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

Android Hardware In The Wild: Google Android Prototype In the Wild: "Here's the first gorgeous shot of an Google Android prototype in the wild. It looks HTC-ish in build, similar to the grainy versions we've seen in the official videos and the renderings in the SDK emulator. Our source, a Giz reader, had some feedback to add to the prototype, which he used for a day: Even in early form, it's light and fast, much faster than the desktop emulator at times. And as a longtime programmer, he thinks it's a lot more put together than Window Mobile 5 on the back side of things. It's a prototype, so things will obviously change, but these are all great signs. I just pray that hardware by other makers is a lot more adventurous. In my mind, those HTC designs remind me a little too much of WM and will for a long time. [Thanks Tipster X]"

» Nokia dismisses Google Android threat at its peril | Open Source | ZDNet.com

2007-12-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

Nokia dismisses Google Android threat at its peril by ZDNet's Dana Blankenhorn -- Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, "Olli-mandias" and CEO of Nokia, sneeringly dismisses Google's Android effort with a figurative wave of the hand.

Android: MapMe

2007-12-06T07:35:00.000-08:00

This application is based on BrowseMap by Davanum Srinivas, a simple Google Maps viewer for Android which lets you:

Browse Google maps on Android
Zoom in and out
Move around with the mouse (could be touchscreen on a real device)
Toggle traffic and satellite view
Find location

(The basic functionality is the same as the Maps application that already ships with Android)

However MapMe adds several features on top of this basic functionality thanks to db4o object persistence engine such as:

Bookmark location to db4o (full map persistence including zoom levels and satellite & traffic view)
Browse list of bookmarks
Edit bookmark
Navigate to location on map from bookmark
Center map on current GPS reported location

Screenshots

To see the application in action you can watch the MapMe video on YouTube, a high resolution video (30 Mb) on an external server or the following screenshots:

db4o headquarters (satellite + traffic view)

MapMe main menu:

Creation of bookmark/navpoint:

List of saved bookmarks/navpoints:

More info!

Android Password Manager

2007-12-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

This is an adaptation of PasswordSafe by Steven Osborn (released under the Apache License) which is basic password manager for the Android platform. The source code have been adapted to use db4o instead of SQLite which makes the handling of persistence much more intuitive while still being fast.

Details

The application basically stores login information for websites such as url, username and password in a secure way using 128 Bit AES Encryption. The user must provide the correct password in order to access the application and this password is then used to encrypt/decrypt the data.

This is a sample video of the db4o powered application running on the Android Emulator:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFSD44AcBwM

If you check the source code (see the end of this page) you'll see that the the DBHelper class (SQLite persistence) has been replaced by the Db4oHelper class (db4o persistence). Let me now show you some of the differences between handling persistence with db4o and SQLite.

Link for more info and download:

http://developer.db4o.com/ProjectSpaces/view.aspx/Android_Password_Manager

db4o - the database for Android

2007-12-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

db4o: Persistence for Android

Native Java queries
600K footprint
Easiest database you have ever used
Object persistence out-of-the-box

db4o - the database for Android
Google has created a stir with the release of the Android SDK, a comprehensive software platform for mobile phones that was recently announced at the Open Handset Alliance. The Java programming API and the fact that it is free makes it an ideal platform for millions of application developers - and immediately compatible to db4o.

Only hours after the Android release the db4objects team had some quick evaluations of the SDK running with db4o. The result: db4o runs without a snag on Android and is much easier to use than SQLite.

Important Links:

Use Object-Oriented Database Technology for Android...
While Your Competitors Struggle With Flat Files or SQL.

Embed db4o's super-light database engine into your Android project and store any object structure with only one line of code - no more mapping required!

Powerful and lean at the same time, you can now build more data- and feature-rich applications, that propel you far ahead of competition and that make your users and customers cheer.

Enjoy superior performance, zero-administration, transaction safety, encryption, automatic deployment, shared memory processing, and much more. Out of the box.

db4o for Android
Download and test drive the world's most popular object database! It's free and open source under the GPL!

http://www.sybase.com/

2007-12-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

Keep this company on your Google Apps radar. More to come in the near future.

http://www.sybase.com/

Industry Leaders Announce Open Platform for Mobile Devices

2007-12-04T06:53:00.000-08:00

Group Pledges to Unleash Innovation for Mobile Users Worldwide

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.; BONN, Germany; TAOYUAN, Taiwan; SAN DIEGO, Calif.; SCHAUMBERG, Ill., November 5, 2007 -- A broad alliance of leading technology and wireless companies today joined forces to announce the development of Android, the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. Google Inc., T-Mobile, HTC, Qualcomm, Motorola and others have collaborated on the development of Android through the Open Handset Alliance, a multinational alliance of technology and mobile industry leaders.

This alliance shares a common goal of fostering innovation on mobile devices and giving consumers a far better user experience than much of what is available on today's mobile platforms. By providing developers a new level of openness that enables them to work more collaboratively, Android will accelerate the pace at which new and compelling mobile services are made available to consumers.

With nearly 3 billion users worldwide, the mobile phone has become the most personal and ubiquitous communications device. However, the lack of a collaborative effort has made it a challenge for developers, wireless operators and handset manufacturers to respond as quickly as possible to the ever-changing needs of savvy mobile consumers. Through Android, developers, wireless operators and handset manufacturers will be better positioned to bring to market innovative new products faster and at a much lower cost. The end result will be an unprecedented mobile platform that will enable wireless operators and manufacturers to give their customers better, more personal and more flexible mobile experiences.

Thirty-four companies have formed the Open Handset Alliance, which aims to develop technologies that will significantly lower the cost of developing and distributing mobile devices and services. The Android platform is the first step in this direction -- a fully integrated mobile "software stack" that consists of an operating system, middleware, user-friendly interface and applications. Consumers should expect the first phones based on Android to be available in the second half of 2008.

The Android platform will be made available under one of the most progressive, developer-friendly open-source licenses, which gives mobile operators and device manufacturers significant freedom and flexibility to design products. Next week the Alliance will release an early access software development kit to provide developers with the tools necessary to create innovative and compelling applications for the platform.

Android holds the promise of unprecedented benefits for consumers, developers and manufacturers of mobile services and devices. Handset manufacturers and wireless operators will be free to customize Android in order to bring to market innovative new products faster and at a much lower cost. Developers will have complete access to handset capabilities and tools that will enable them to build more compelling and user-friendly services, bringing the Internet developer model to the mobile space. And consumers worldwide will have access to less expensive mobile devices that feature more compelling services, rich Internet applications and easier-to-use interfaces -- ultimately creating a superior mobile experience.

Open Software, Open Device, Open Ecosystem

"This partnership will help unleash the potential of mobile technology for billions of users around the world. A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computing environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future," said Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt. "Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."

"As a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, T-Mobile is committed to innovation and fostering an open platform for wireless services to meet the rapidly evolving and emerging needs of wireless customers," said René Obermann, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsche Telekom, parent company of T-Mobile. "Google has been an established partner for T-Mobile's groundbreaking approach to bring the mobile open Internet to the mass market. We see the Android platform as an exciting opportunity to launch robust wireless Internet and Web 2.0 services for T-Mobile customers in the US and Europe in 2008."

"HTC's trademark on the mobile industry has been its ability to drive cutting-edge innovation into a wide variety of mobile devices to create the perfect match for individuals," said Peter Chou, Chief Executive Officer, HTC Corp. "Our participation in the Open Handset Alliance and integration of the Android platform in the second half of 2008 enables us to expand our device portfolio into a new category of connected mobile phones that will change the complexion of the mobile industry and re-create user expectations of the mobile phone experience."

"The convergence of the wireless and Internet industries is creating new partnerships, evolving business models and driving innovation," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer of Qualcomm. "We are extremely pleased to be participating in the Open Handset Alliance, whose mission is to help build the leading open-source application platform for 3G networks. The proliferation of open-standards-based handsets will provide an exciting new opportunity to create compelling services and devices. As a result, we are committing research and development resources to enable the Android platform and to create the best always-connected consumer experience on our chipsets."

"Motorola has long been an advocate of open software for mobile platforms. Today, we're excited to continue this support by joining Google and others in the announcement of the Open Handset Alliance and Android platform. Motorola plans to leverage the Android platform to enable seamless, connected services and rich consumer experiences in future Motorola products," said Ed Zander, Chairman and CEO of Motorola, Inc.

Open Handset Alliance Founding Members

Aplix (www.aplixcorp.com), Ascender Corporation (www.ascendercorp.com), Audience (www.audience.com), Broadcom (www.broadcom.com), China Mobile (www.chinamobile.com), eBay (www.ebay.com), Esmertec (www.esmertec.com), Google (www.google.com), HTC (www.htc.com), Intel (www.intel.com), KDDI (www.kddi.com), Living Image (www.livingimage.jp), LG (www.lge.com), Marvell (www.marvell.com), Motorola (www.motorola.com), NMS Communications (www.nmscommunications.com), Noser (www.noser.com), NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (www.nttdocomo.com), Nuance (www.nuance.com), Nvidia (www.nvidia.com), PacketVideo (www.packetvideo.com), Qualcomm (www.qualcomm.com), Samsung (www.samsung.com), SiRF (www.sirf.com), SkyPop (www.skypop.com), SONiVOX (www.sonivoxrocks.com), Sprint Nextel (www.sprint.com), Synaptics (www.synaptics.com), TAT - The Astonishing Tribe (www.tat.se), Telecom Italia (www.telecomitalia.com), Telefónica (www.telefonica.es), Texas Instruments (www.ti.com), T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com), Wind River (www.windriver.com)

For more information about the Open Handset Alliance, visit the website at www.openhandsetalliance.com.

Verizon Opens Network in 2008

2007-12-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

Verizon Wireless announced that it plans to open it's wireless network in 2008. It seem like Verizon finally "Gets" it. I'm sure that saw what Google is doing with Android and didn't want to be the odd one out.

In an interview Chief Executive Officer Lowell McAdam says it now makes sense to get behind Android. "We're planning on using Android, Android is an enabler of what we do."

Now the only thing to do is wait. Will Verizon really open their network or will it just be a half assed attempt just to fit in with the rest of the crowd?

We will see soon. Good Luck Verizon.

MyMobiSafe® Mobile Antivirus next Android App?

2007-11-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

MyMobiSafe^® Mobile Antivirus Security Solution
http://www.mymobisafe.com/

I stumbled upon this site today while searching for news about Android.
Could we be seeing the first Mobile Antivirus application for Android?

And could this become the winner of the $10 Million Dollar Prize?

Do you really think there is a need for Mobile Antivirus Applications at the moment? In the future?
I bet as these Phones get more popular and we see more applications we will also be seeing more need for Security for the Mobile Platform.

Only time will tell.

Android running on a real device

2007-11-28T19:49:00.000-08:00

Check out the video below it is a Armadillo-500 running an actual Android Application.
Pretty interesting video and I can't wait to see what all of these Developers come up with.

We should have some pretty interesting Applications in the near future!

Artificial Life -

2007-11-26T07:20:00.000-08:00

Artificial Life -

Artificial Life, a mobile entertainment and game company announced that they will be making Games and Applications for Android.
The company looks pretty interesting so hopefully some cool applications will come out of this.

You can check their site out here:
artificial-life.com

jflubber - Google Code

2007-11-24T18:21:00.000-08:00

jflubber - Google Code

jflubber

A simple java GUI tool to record flub points (mistakes) in recordings

Developed for the podcast I am a co-host of. The tool is like a simple stopwatch with the capability of recording any number of flub points - points with mistakes in the recording. It can then save a file which can be loaded directly into audacity as a label track, showing you exactly where the mistakes are to speed up editing.

See the developer.com article Building Java GUIs with Matisse: A Gentle Introduction at http://www.developer.com/java/ent/article.php/3589961 for much more information about the reason for writing jFlubber, and how it was built.

Download the executable Jar file with jflubber in it from the downloads section on the right.

For more help, see DownloadingAndRunning

Android Developers Blog: A Stitch in Time

2007-11-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

Android Developers Blog: A Stitch in Time

Background: While developing my first useful (though small) application for Android, which was a port of an existing utility I use when podcasting, I needed a way of updating a clock displayed on the UI at regular intervals, but in a lightweight and CPU efficient way.

Problem: In the original application I used java.util.Timer to update the clock, but that class is not such a good choice on Android. Using a Timer introduces a new thread into the application for a relatively minor reason. Thinking in terms of mobile applications often means re-considering choices that you might make differently for a desktop application with relatively richer resources at its disposal. We would like to find a more efficient way of updating that clock.

The Application: The rest of the story of porting the application will be detailed in future blog entries, but if you are interested in the application in question and the construction of it, you can read about it in a not-so-recent Developer.com article about using Matisse (a GUI builder for Swing). The original application is a Java Swing and SE application. It is like a stopwatch with a lap timer that we use when recording podcasts; when you start the recording, you start the stopwatch. Then for every mistake that someone makes, you hit the flub button. At the end you can save out the bookmarked mistakes which can be loaded into the wonderful Audacity audio editor as a labels track. You can then see where all of the mistakes are in the recording and edit them out.

The article describing it is: http://www.developer.com/java/ent/print.php/3589961

In the original version, the timer code looked like this:

class UpdateTimeTask extends TimerTask {
public void run() {
    long millis = System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
    int seconds = (int) (millis / 1000);
    int minutes = seconds / 60;
    seconds     = seconds % 60;

    timeLabel.setText(String.format("%d:%02d", minutes, seconds));
}
}

And in the event listener to start this update, the following Timer() instance is used:

if(startTime == 0L) {
startTime = evt.getWhen();
timer = new Timer();
timer.schedule(new UpdateTimeTask(), 100, 200);
}

In particular, note the 100, 200 parameters. The first parameter means wait 100 ms before running the clock update task the first time. The second means repeat every 200ms after that, until stopped. 200 ms should not be too noticeable if the second resolution happens to fall close to or on the update. If the resolution was a second, you could find the clock sometimes not updating for close to 2 seconds, or possibly skipping a second in the counting, it would look odd).

When I ported the application to use the Android SDKs, this code actually compiled in Eclipse, but failed with a runtime error because the Timer() class was not available at runtime (fortunately, this was easy to figure out from the error messages). On a related note, the String.format method was also not available, so the eventual solution uses a quick hack to format the seconds nicely as you will see.

Fortunately, the role of Timer can be replaced by the android.os.Handler class, with a few tweaks. To set it up from an event listener:

private Handler mHandler = new Handler();

...

OnClickListener mStartListener = new OnClickListener() {
public void onClick(View v) {
    if (mStartTime == 0L) {
         mStartTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
         mHandler.removeCallbacks(mUpdateTimeTask);
         mHandler.postDelayed(mUpdateTimeTask, 100);
    }
}
};

A couple of things to take note of here. First, the event doesn't have a .getWhen() method on it, which we handily used to set the start time for the timer. Instead, we grab the System.currentTimeMillis(). Also, the Handler.postDelayed() method only takes one time parameter, it doesn't have a "repeating" field. In this case we are saying to the Handler "call mUpdateTimeTask() after 100ms", a sort of fire and forget one time shot. We also remove any existing callbacks to the handler before adding the new handler, to make absolutely sure we don't get more callback events than we want.

But we want it to repeat, until we tell it to stop. To do this, just put another postDelayed at the tail of the mUpdateTimeTask run() method. Note also that Handler requires an implementation of Runnable, so we change mUpdateTimeTask to implement that rather than extending TimerTask. The new clock updater, with all these changes, looks like this:

private Runnable mUpdateTimeTask = new Runnable() {
public void run() {
final long start = mStartTime;
long millis = SystemClock.uptimeMillis() - start;
int seconds = (int) (millis / 1000);
int minutes = seconds / 60;
seconds = seconds % 60;

if (seconds <>

and can be defined as a class member field.

The if statement is just a way to make sure the label is set to 10:06 instead of 10:6 when the seconds modulo 60 are less than 10 (hopefully String.format() will eventually be available). At the end of the clock update, the task sets up another call to itself from the Handler, but instead of a hand-wavy 200ms before the update, we can schedule it to happen at a particular wall-clock time - the line: start + (((minutes * 60) + seconds + 1) * 1000) does this.

All we need now is a way to stop the timer when the stop button is pressed. Another button listener defined like this:

OnClickListener mStopListener = new OnClickListener() {
public void onClick(View v) {
    mHandler.removeCallbacks(mUpdateTimeTask);
}
};

will make sure that the next callback is removed when the stop button is pressed, thus interrupting the tail iteration.

Handler is actually a better choice than Timer for another reason too. The Handler runs the update code as a part of your main thread, avoiding the overhead of a second thread and also making for easy access to the View hierarchy used for the user interface. Just remember to keep such tasks small and light to avoid slowing down the user experience.

So that's it for the first of what will be a series of Android tips. Hopefully this will save you a little head scratching on what will probably be a fairly common thing to want to do (i.e. make something happen or update at regular intervals in a lightweight way in your application). There is plenty of more material from my experience of porting this very simple application which will be covered in some of the future "tips" articles. There are some other great tips being discussed as well as an opportunity ask questions at the Android Developers Discussion Group.

» Google’s big TV plan: Android on set-top boxes? | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

2007-11-21T05:41:00.000-08:00

Following Credit Suisse’s $900 price target for Google one nagging question remains: Where–and how–is Google going to generate large TV advertising revenue?

If you recall Credit Suisse analyst Heath Terry slapped a big price target on Google and made some assumptions for 2010. One of them was a base case that Google would have TV advertising revenue of $416 million in 2010, up from nothing today. The bullish case called for $1 billion in TV ad revenue with the bear case being $130 million.

All day, I was wondering how Google would get there. Its deal with Echostar isn’t going to cut it. And TV partners are wary of Google anyway.

However, Tech Crunch’s Erick Schonfeld has a working theory. Google will take its Android software to the set-top box, get a bunch of developers on board and give us the future of television. As to be expected, few are commenting on the record about this plan. And Google is doing its denial without denying routine (it likes these rumors).

Color me skeptical. Here’s why:

Android is unproven. There are high hopes for an Android announcement that so far is a nice press release, a developer kit and a partner roster that is a bit noncommittal about the whole thing. If Android were launched by any company other than Google it would be classified as vaporware already. Before Android makes it into a handset, we’re leaping toward the set-top box.

Set-top boxes are difficult to get into. There are two primary makers of set-top boxes–Cisco and Motorola. Any effort for an open platform has to go through them. And then there’s Microsoft, which has spent billions over the years and is just now getting some traction. Sure, the ability for consumers to buy their own set-top boxes (Googlebox) is a plus, but the set-top box sure is getting crowded. On the bright side, Cisco has Web 2.0 religion and Motorola is an Android partner.

Partners matter. In the land of the set-top box, Google will run into the same problem it has in mobile–entrenched players that tell you what you put on their network. Google can have the best set-top software on the planet, but it needs Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, AT&T and Cablevision to play along.

Maybe we don’t want our set-top boxes to be all Webified. Schonfeld argues quite well that the set-top box is a computer that doesn’t do much. What if it could? Schonfeld argues that a TV screen polluted with widgets, weather, sports scores and stock quotes could be a better experience. Well, I can have all of that now with Verizon FiOS TV via Microsoft’s widgets. I’ve hit the widget button maybe twice for giggles. TV is a different experience and more often than not I want all the boxes, TVs and technology to disappear in the background. Even the news scroll has become annoying. Some of us just want to watch the game in peace–without better targeted ads, widgets and other clutter.

PC World - Google, Sun May Clash Over Android's Use of Java

2007-11-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

Google could be heading for a showdown with Sun over the way Android, Google's new mobile phone software platform, handles Java.

Instead of using the standards-based Java Micro Edition (JME) as an engine to run Java applications, Google wrote its own virtual machine for Android, calling it Dalvik. There are technical advantages and disadvantages to using Dalvik, developers say, but technology may not have been the driver for Google.

Google most likely built Dalvik as a way to get around licensing issues with Sun that would have come with using JME, said Stefano Mazzocchi, a developer and board member at Apache Labs.

Phone makers that incorporate JME into their phones must license the technology from Sun if they intend to make any modifications to it, Mazzocchi said. A phone maker could freely use JME under an open source license if it shares innovations to the software with the community, but most large handset makers are reluctant to do that, he said.

Rather than require phone makers to license JME as part of Android, Mazzocchi said, Google built its own virtual machine. Dalvik converts Java bytecodes into Dalvik bytecodes.

"So Google can say Dalvik is not a Java platform," said Hari Gottipatti, a mobile developer who also has been examining the issue.

Google declined to comment on Dalvik.

"I believe Sun didn't see this coming," Mazzocchi said. "I think this was a very smart and clever move."

Still, Google could run into trouble. If Google used any of Sun's intellectual property to build Dalvik, Sun could sue Google for patent infringement, Mazzocchi said. "I'd be very curious to see what Sun would do," he said. That's because Sun is a staunch advocate for open source, so it would hardly appease the open source community to sue Google over an open source software stack.

However, Google's move threatens Sun's business strategy, Mazzocchi said. He believes that Sun sees a bright future in the mobile market and hopes to earn revenue off the use of the Java virtual machine by phone makers. Google's plan diminishes that opportunity for Sun.

While Sun declined to comment directly for this story, it pointed to some public statements from company executives. Jonathan Schwartz, president and CEO of Sun, wrote a blog post congratulating Google on the day of Android's launch. Notably, he refers to Android as a "Java/Linux" platform. By contrast, Google carefully appears to avoid calling Android a Java platform. Google describes the Android software development kit as a set of tools that lets developers create applications using Java.

Sun also shared statements that Rich Green, executive vice president of software at Sun, made during Oracle Open World this week about Android. "We're reaching out to Google and are anticipating they will be reaching out to us to ensure the software and APIs will be compatible--so deployment on a wide variety of platforms will be possible," he said.

Green also said that Sun wants to work with Google to prevent creating a fractured mobile development environment.

That's a concern for other mobile developers like Gottipatti. The mobile environment is already fractured. Even with JME, he has to alter his applications for different phones. "But in that case as a developer I'm porting once and maybe tweaking for different phones," he said. "But with this you'll need to develop a separate application that's not standard. Unless Android becomes main stream and kills J2ME ... why should I develop applications that are not standard which I'm not sure about because I haven't seen any commercial handsets yet?"

Gottipatti believes that the technical differences in Dalvik were the main driver for Google, not the licensing issue. The license fee that handset makers must pay for JME is very nominal, he said. He thinks that if Google asked, Sun would have included JME in Android and waived the licensing fee.

AT&T talks with Google about joining wireless software group

2007-11-18T09:17:00.000-08:00

AT&T eyes teaming up

Bloomberg News

Article Launched: 11/17/2007 01:41:05 AM PST

AT&T has talked with Google about joining its mobile-phone software alliance. The phone company is "analyzing the situation" and may use Google's software for phones, Ralph de la Vega, chief executive officer of the wireless unit, said in an interview Friday. He refused to give details of discussions and said he hasn't personally met with Mountain View-based Google. The search-engine giant announced Nov. 5 that it would work with 33 companies to develop software for mobile phones. Wireless carriers Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA joined the alliance, looking for features such as local shopping searches that could help them lure new customers.

This could become interesting. Direct competition to the iPhone?

Software tools for Google Android

2007-11-14T13:35:00.000-08:00

Google released a software development kit for its Android mobile-phone softw are on Monday. This shot shows what programming looks like in the open-source Eclipse programming tool project, including an emulator that lets coders get started even if they don't have a phone prototype handy.

Credit: Google

The Android software developer kit includes an interface to the Google Maps service. Pictured here are driving directions shown in a translucent window above a map.

Credit: Google

This shot shows the "home screen" running in the emulator with various menu options below. The user interface look and feel shown in the emulator is a "placeholder" that will change by the time Android phones ship in the second half of 2008, Google said.

Credit: Google

This emulator screenshot shows applications available on an Android phone. Google is offering $10 million in contest prizes to encourage programmers to build new software for the phones.

Credit: Google

What is Android?

2007-11-14T08:09:00.000-08:00

What is Android?

Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. This early look at the Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language.

Features

Application framework enabling reuse and replacement of components
Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices
Integrated browser based on the open source WebKit engine
Optimized graphics powered by a custom 2D graphics library; 3D graphics based on the OpenGL ES 1.0 specification (hardware acceleration optional)
SQLite for structured data storage
Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, GIF)
GSM Telephony (hardware dependent)
Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi (hardware dependent)
Camera, GPS, compass, and accelerometer (hardware dependent)
Rich development environment including a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE

Android Architecture

The following diagram shows the major components of the Android operating system. Each section is described in more detail below.

Applications

Android will ship with a set of core applications including an email client, SMS program, calendar, maps, browser, contacts, and others. All applications are written using the Java programming language.

Application Framework

Developers have full access to the same framework APIs used by the core applications. The application architecture is designed to simplify the reuse of components; any application can publish its capabilities and any other application may then make use of those capabilities (subject to security constraints enforced by the framework). This same mechanism allows components to be replaced by the user.

Underlying all applications is a set of services and systems, including:

A rich and extensible set of Views that can be used to build an application, including lists, grids, text boxes, buttons, and even an embeddable web browser
Content Providers that enable applications to access data from other applications (such as Contacts), or to share their own data
A Resource Manager, providing access to non-code resources such as localized strings, graphics, and layout files
A Notification Manager that enables all applications to display custom alerts in the status bar
An Activity Manager that manages the lifecycle of applications and provides a common navigation backstack

For more details and a walkthrough of an application, see Writing an Android Application.

Libraries

Android includes a set of C/C++ libraries used by various components of the Android system. These capabilities are exposed to developers through the Android application framework. Some of the core libraries are listed below:

System C library - a BSD-derived implementation of the standard C system library (libc), tuned for embedded Linux-based devices
Media Libraries - based on PacketVideo's OpenCORE; the libraries support playback and recording of many popular audio and video formats, as well as static image files, including MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, and PNG
Surface Manager - manages access to the display subsystem and seamlessly composites 2D and 3D graphic layers from multiple applications
LibWebCore - a modern web browser engine which powers both the Android browser and an embeddable web view
SGL - the underlying 2D graphics engine
3D libraries - an implementation based on OpenGL ES 1.0 APIs; the libraries use either hardware 3D acceleration (where available) or the included, highly optimized 3D software rasterizer
FreeType - bitmap and vector font rendering
SQLite - a powerful and lightweight relational database engine available to all applications

Android Runtime

Android includes a set of core libraries that provides most of the functionality available in the core libraries of the Java programming language.

Every Android application runs in its own process, with its own instance of the Dalvik virtual machine. Dalvik has been written so that a device can run multiple VMs efficiently. The Dalvik VM executes files in the Dalvik Executable (.dex) format which is optimized for minimal memory footprint. The VM is register-based, and runs classes compiled by a Java language compiler that have been transformed into the .dex format by the included "dx" tool.

The Dalvik VM relies on the Linux kernel for underlying functionality such as threading and low-level memory management.

Linux Kernel

Android relies on Linux version 2.6 for core system services such as security, memory management, process management, network stack, and driver model. The kernel also acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the rest of the software stack.

Android Developers Blog: This is the droid you're looking for

2007-11-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

Android Developers Blog: This is the droid you're looking for

Android Videos

2007-11-12T09:39:00.000-08:00

Sergey Brin and Steve Horowitz discuss the availability of the SDK, that it will be open source in the future, and demo some applications.

Three part overview of the Android architecture and APIs

A first hand look at building an Android application

Open

Android allows you to access core mobile device functionality through standard API calls.

All applications are equal

Android does not differentiate between the phone's basic and third-party applications -- even the dialer or home screen can be replaced.

Breaking down boundaries

Combine information from the web with data on the phone -- such as contacts or geographic location -- to create new user experiences.

Fast & easy development

The SDK contains what you need to build and run Android applications, including a true device emulator and advanced debugging tools.

Download the Android SDK - Android

2007-11-12T09:10:00.001-08:00

Download the Android SDK - Android

Android SDK is now open to Developers

2007-11-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

Open Handset Alliance

Developers

Learn more about the Android Platform.

Download the early look SDK.

Participate in the Android Developer Challenge, which will give away $10 million to developers who build apps on the platform. Learn more

Win $10 Million Dollars!!!!

Rumor: First Android App To Come From WhatsOpen.com?

2007-11-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some leaked Screen's of the First App from WhatsOpen.com for Android.

Looks Interesting. More info as soon as it's available.

Gphone: Everything We Know About the gPhone, Android, and Open Handset Alliance

2007-11-05T11:41:00.000-08:00

Gphone: Everything We Know About the gPhone, Android, and Open Handset Alliance

The details on Google's gPhone Open Handset Alliance are coming to light. Here's what we know:
•They're hoping to make a better phone, ultimately. (And sell a ton of ads and services, of course, along the way.)
•Android, an open system for handset dev, is the first joint project and core product of the alliance.
•There are 34 members of the group, including NVIDIA, Intel, Texas Instruments, Synaptics (haptics!), Marvell, Qualcomm (chips), Motorola, Samsung, TMO, Sprint, LG, HTC, KDDI and DOCOMO from Japan and China Mobile Comm. Corp.. Basically, a lot of companies sick of Windows Mobile Slop and other closed up phone systems like the iPhone.
•Who's missing is interesting: Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Blackberry/RIM, Apple, Verizon, and AT&T. Oh, did I forget to mention Microsoft?
•Handsets coming in 2008, second half.
•Nov 12th, the Android early look SDK drops.
•Android built on Linux, made avail as open source via the Apache v2 License.
•Companies can dev custom functionality to Android without contributing the source code back to the community.
• HTC's first prototype is the dream. It's the first set of hardware details we've heard of.
•Chen's rounded up Gphone details from a couple of mainstream publications. There's nothing you haven't read above, but a few more quotes.
•Couple of Videos on the Android. One by devs, one by kids.

I'll update this post as more comes. Just got off a conference call, actually. No new details. This is the basic outline of what we have for now.

Open Handset Alliance FAQ

2007-11-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

FAQ

What is the Open Handset Alliance™?
The Open Handset Alliance is a group of more than 30 technology and mobile companies who have come together to accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience. Together we have developed Android™, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. We are committed to commercially deploy handsets and services using the Android Platform in the second half of 2008.

What types of companies are in the Open Handset Alliance?
All parts of the mobile ecosystem are represented in the Alliance. Members include mobile operators, handset manufacturers, semiconductor companies, software companies, and commercialization companies. The current list of members can be found here.

What have members of the Alliance committed to?
All members of the Alliance have committed to making the initial version of the platform a commercial success. Some companies have contributed significant intellectual property to the Alliance that will be released under the Apache v2 Open Source license. Others are working to make sure their chipsets support the platform. Handset manufacturers and mobile operators are working to develop handsets based on the platform. Commercialization partners are working with the industry to support the platform via a professional services model.

Why is an open platform good for consumers?
Consumers will see cheaper and more innovative mobile devices and services, which will inevitably feature more engaging, easier-to-use interfaces -- as well as a rich portfolio of applications.

Why is an open platform good for mobile operators?
The overall cost of handsets will be lower and mobile operators will have complete flexibility to customize and differentiate their product lines. Furthermore, they will see much more rapid innovation in handsets and in services.

Why is an open platform good for handset manufacturers?
Handset manufacturers will benefit from lower software BOM (bill of material) costs and faster time-to-market for handsets. In addition, they will have greater flexibility to customize and differentiate their product offerings.

Why is an open platform good for semiconductor companies?
As cellphone-on-a-chip becomes closer to reality, semiconductor companies will need access to more sophisticated software that takes advantage of the enhanced features of these solutions. The processors of tomorrow will be multi-core and have access to shared peripherals such as 3D graphics, signal processor cores and dedicated blocks for multi media acceleration, etc. Without support for these peripherals in the platform, semiconductor companies have no clear way to give 3rd party developers access to this enhanced functionality. An open platform helps semiconductor companies add support for their newest products in a timely manner.

Why is an open platform good for software companies?
An open platform allows for simplified integration of software components into a complete mobile platform, and the lower acquisition cost of the mobile platform will increase the ability of handset manufacturers to invest in high value and differentiated software components.

Why is an open platform good for developers?
Developers will be able innovate rapidly because they will have comprehensive API access to handset capabilities that are web-ready. They will experience increased productivity because they will have comprehensive and easy-to-use developer tools. And because open source offers a deeper understanding of the underlying mobile platform, they can better optimize their applications. Finally, the distribution and commercialization of mobile apps will be less expensive and easier.

Who can join the Open Handset Alliance?
The Open Handset Alliance brings together companies in the mobile ecosystem that each contribute to the effort in various ways. We welcome companies willing to make serious and ongoing contributions to openness in the mobile world.

Who do we contact to learn about joining the Open Handset Alliance?
Email us at info@openhandsetalliance.com

Open Handset Alliance

2007-11-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

Open Handset Alliance: "What would it take to build a better mobile phone? A commitment to openness, a shared vision for the future, and concrete plans to make the vision a reality. Welcome to the Open Handset Alliance™, a group of more than 30 technology and mobile companies who have come together to accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience. Together we have developed Android™, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. We are committed to commercially deploy handsets and services using the Android Platform in the second half of 2008. An early look at the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) will be available on November 12th."

Live coverage of Google's Android Gphone mobile OS announcement - Engadget

2007-11-05T10:14:00.000-08:00

Live coverage of Google's Android Gphone mobile OS announcement - Engadget

Official Google Blog: Where's my Gphone?

2007-11-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

Official Google Blog: Where's my Gphone?

About Android™

2007-11-05T10:08:00.001-08:00

Android™ will deliver a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. On November 12, we will release an early look at the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) to allow developers to build rich mobile applications.

Open
Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It is built to be truly open. For example, an application could call upon any of the phone's core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. Furthermore, it utilizes a custom virtual machine that has been designed to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android will be open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.

All applications are created equal
Android does not differentiate between the phone's core applications and third-party applications. They can all be built to have equal access to a phone's capabilities providing users with a broad spectrum of applications and services. With devices built on the Android Platform, users will be able to fully tailor the phone to their interests. They can swap out the phone's homescreen, the style of the dialer, or any of the applications. They can even instruct their phones to use their favorite photo viewing application to handle the viewing of all photos.

Breaking down application boundaries
Android breaks down the barriers to building new and innovative applications. For example, a developer can combine information from the web with data on an individual's mobile phone -- such as the user's contacts, calendar, or geographic location -- to provide a more relevant user experience. With Android, a developer could build an application that enables users to view the location of their friends and be alerted when they are in the vicinity giving them a chance to connect.

Fast & easy application development
Android provides access to a wide range of useful libraries and tools that can be used to build rich applications. For example, Android enables developers to obtain the location of the device, and allow devices to communicate with one another enabling rich peer-to-peer social applications. In addition, Android includes a full set of tools that have been built from the ground up alongside the platform providing developers with high productivity and deep insight into their applications.

2007-11-05T09:59:00.000-08:00