Motorola Blur First Screenshots Or Android Market Update?

Over at CNET’s Android Atlas an anonymous source sent in two pictures of what appears to be a completely overhauled UI for Android Market complete with added functionality. In the screen shots you can clearly see a new, vibrant and colorful approach: As you can clearly see, the background color of the entire App Market display is white as opposed to the current black background and white text. Sorting options include Top Paid, Top Free and Just In with the search button being prominently displayed in the upper right. The category display lists apps that are available in the category in smaller/lighter text – I’m not crazy about this as it seems to clutter things up a bit. However, I like the idea of displaying recently searched or often searched keywords and other dynamic info. According to the article, this Market view was running on a Donut build of Android and most blogs republishing this information say this is the Android Market we can all look forward to later this year. But can we? Seeing as how the leak comes only a week before the big Motorola Android event, perhaps we’re seeing a custom displayed version of the market offered by Motorola. We know they have their own unique offering called Motorola Blur and perhaps THIS is what we are seeing? This possibility hadn’t been brought up yet and I thought it warranted a mention. I don’t have any information that would suggest one way or the other, but I think the idea that these COULD be the first screenshots of Motorola Blur is definitely a possibility. What do you think? [Via CNET ]

Read more here: 
Motorola Blur First Screenshots Or Android Market Update?

Sprint’s HTC Hero Has No Chin?

Love it or hate it, all HTC Android Phones thus far have come bless.cursed with a little Jay Leno action. But the most significant chin to date has been the one on the HTC Hero : But if the rumors and photo leaks found on 8080.net are true, Sprint’s version of the HTC Hero could be much more Letterman… no chin at all! Are you kidding? Is this possible? The folks who leaked the images swear thta this is the same HTC Hero200 that just passed the FCC and is headed towards Sprint in the upcoming months. If this is true I’m sure it’ll create quite the storm of opinions in the comments as people tend to either love or hate the chin. To be honest, I think more people hate it… but that’s just my guess. Personally I like it but don’t have an intense feeling either way. Many more of the pics found below! They can swear and promise up and down all they want, but I’m not so sure that this is actually the Sprint HTC Hero. The differences are so blatant and obvious that you would expect HTC/Sprint to bring this to market with a completely different name. I know you’ve got an opinion about this so let us know what you think! [ 8080.net ( English ) via EngadgetMobile ]

Read the original post:
Sprint’s HTC Hero Has No Chin?

Screw Google

This could get ugly. In an article published by Daily Finance on Friday , the website (owned by AOL) shared knowledge of a Microsoft lobbyist campaign to smear Google into governmental perception oblivion. According to Daily Finance, insiders have given these regularly scheduled meetings a name… “Screw Google” meetings. The group effectively trying to “Screw Google” is said to be composed of Microsoft employees, other Google competitors and hired 3rd parties: “Microsoft is at the center of a group of companies who see Google as a threat to them in some combination of business and policy,” said a source familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to avoid retribution. “The effort is designed make Google look like the big high-tech bad guy here.” The meetings have occurred as frequently as once a week, sources with knowledge of the meetings say. Daily Finance points out two particular public relations firms that Microsoft works with named Law Media Group and Glover Park Group. LMG declined to comment and GPG says they haven’t been involved in anything “Screw Google” related. But one source claims LMG isn’t so innocent: “Law Media Group has several people who work full-time on Google-bashing. Everybody knows Microsoft is trying to throw roadblocks at Google and knock them off their game. Microsoft is trying to harm Google in the regulatory, legal, and litigation arenas because they’re having problems with Google in the competitive marketplace.” Hold up, wait a minute (lemme put some Phandroid in it). Before we continue shall we take a dive into the realistic side? Microsoft isn’t the only one engaging in these lobbying and policy conventions and practices whereby they attempt to sway and influence key decision makers. Every big business does it… including Google. Sad perhaps, but a fact of business. And it isn’t “sad” or “negative” by nature – your company has certain ideas and beliefs and obviously, as a company, it is in your best interest to tell people your side of the story to create a favorable climate for your products and services. We should at least TRY to be objective. Unfortunately for Microsoft, their side of the story sucks. Their side of the story is that they dominated desktop software with Windows which they leveraged to also dominate desktop web browsing with Internet Explorer. They then watched Google waltz into the Search Engine space and less than a decade later Big G dominates with 70% search market share. In the past Microsoft execs have made comments claiming Google is more of an illusion than a business and Steve Ballmer himself screamed the words “I’m going to f*cking kill Google” as he hurled a chair across the room when speaking to a Microsoft engineer defecting to Google. Yes, that really happened… it is legally documented . So now Microsoft is trying to kill imaginary businesses? Yes… Google made them crazy. Now Google is leveraging their own success to enter new markets… think of how ubiquitous GMail and YouTube are and Android will become. And then there is Chrome… ahhhhh yes, Chrome. And better yet, Chrome OS. When Google announced Chrome OS it must have sent shivers down the backs of Microsoft Execs the world over. Because as much as they want to effing kill Google… they can’t. So now they’re going by the old mantra, “If you can’t beat them, join them.” Oh wait… slight correction, “If you can’t f*ck them, screw them.” This “Screw Google” campaign took on a new life as soon as it was given that name. Suddenly something that probably happens every day in every industry by hundreds of different companies was sensationalized with a marketable name. But this name tells a much bigger story. It tells the story of Microsoft’s simultaneous decaying self-image and denial that their stranglehold on all things computer related is slipping… and fast. Microsoft had a HUGE opportunity with Windows Mobile but the company absolutely FAILED to market it properly and even worse, squandered away valuable time they could have spent improving the software and making a compelling and superior product. Unfortunately, Microsoft’s market share in the mobile market is about to be gobbled up by Android and if you don’t believe me just ask HTC. But once again… Microsoft is delusional . Microsoft must have been really angry when Google ran away with the growing search market. Mobile could be considered the #1 growth industry in tech and Google is about to run away with that as well. But worst of all… Google is about to kick Microsoft where it counts with Chrome OS, taking their innovation to netbooks and laptops and perhaps eventually desktop computers to challenge the very essence of Microsoft’s existence on their home turf. Microsoft and Google are also gearing up for an intense showdown over the very future of the PC operating system. Google recently said it plans to introduce a new web-based operating system based on its Chrome browser (though to date, Chrome has barely dented Microsoft Internet Explorer’s lead in the browser market). Google’s fundamental strategy to shift the locus of computing onto in the Internet, and into “the cloud,” represents an ambitious assault on Microsoft’s dominance of the desktop-based operating system market. I don’t doubt that Microsoft execs, lobbyists and sympathizers are all saying “Screw Google” right now… if they aren’t then they should be. But maybe its time for Microsoft to realize that they can’t afford to spend their time and energy tearing competing companies down. Instead they should be using that time to focus on building themselves up. While others are bringing new and innovative ideas to customers no matter the cost (see YouTube), Microsoft seems to be that 32 year-old guy who is obsessed with how awesome and popular they were in high school without realizing they are no longer awesome or popular. Let me be clear… I don’t want Microsoft to fail. In fact I’d like to see them succeed. But the company seems to be driving itself into the ground with a corporate culture that may have worked a decade ago but will not work now. Its time to grow up, Microsoft… you’re only screwing yourself. [Via Daily Finance - thanks Dan]

More:
Screw Google

Developer Sheds Tears For, Light On Android Market

The battle of the app stores rages on! Despite recent woes and plummeting public sentiment for the iPhone App Store, it is regarded as the biggest and best mobile application market on the planet. We Android fans fiercely defend our robot shop and there obvious advantages/disadvantages to what each has going. But there is one thing we can’t deny – Apple and the iPhone App Store blow Android out of the water when it comes to sales volume. Last week the developers at Tap Tap Tap – makers of a conversion calculator in the App Store – gave a stunning account of what their newly launched Application earned after being ranked the #2 paid application in two weeks time. Selling at .99 cents a pop, the “featured” position helped them sell 9,000 copies per day, earning them $6,300+ after Apple’s cut. Holy smokes! Other stories of overwhelming iPhone App Store success are matched with equally depressing stories of Android Market failure. Take for example Trism who sold $250k+ in game downloads over the first 2 months of release and since being ported to Android has only sold 500 copies! Man… what the heck is wrong with Android Market? Matt Hall from LarvaLabs pointed out the huge gap between the App Store and Android Market with his company’s own first hand experience – the Market sucks compared to the App Store. The volume was paltry in comparison and despite 2 of their 4 applications enjoying time on the phone and website “featured” list, sales in August only averaged $62.39/day. As they depressingly explain, “Very difficult to buy the summer home at this rate.” Most of the complaints that the LarvaLabs developer provided were about the actual market itself… allow me to summarize: No screenshots 325 character app description max Only 1 payment form (Goog Checkout) Hard to find paid apps Various connectivity problems We hear you, we hear you and I’m sure Google is addressing many of these complaints as I type and you read, but let’s face it… this is NOT the reason for the gap in volume sales. The reason for the gap in volume sales is because there are so many more freaking iPhones on the market than Android Phones! Yes, I think Android users in general – being a little more open source geared and less in love with their own vanity – do a little crate digging for free stuff. But the total pool pales in comparison. To his credit, Hall identifies this issue and realizes the potential in Android: I should add that even though these numbers are pretty disappointing and currently don’t represent a viable business, we’re still excited about Android in the medium to long term. There’s been some talk from Google of improvements to the market, including more payment options, so that will definitely help. We’re also going to see some big phone releases from Motorola among others, but the main issue just seems to be the market itself and it’s low purchase rate ( 19% vs. 50% on iPhone ). I really don’t think purchase rate is the main issue here. And even if it is, the sheer volume of Android Phones on the market in the next 1 to 2 years will help Android surpass the iPhone , evening the playing field when all things are considered. So to Android users – support our developers and purchase/donate for apps that you enjoy because they deserve to be rewarded, especially these early adopters/developers. And to Android Developers… keep the goodness coming, I’m betting you will be very well rewarded in the not too distant future! Worth noting is Mark Murphy’s excellent response as the first comment of the LarvaLabs article: Two statistics pretty much sum up the differences: – The AdMob reported 19 purchase rates of paid apps, as you cite above – iPhone+iPod Touch have sold around 15x the number of devices at this point (also from the AdMob report) Combined, that’s about a 37x difference, which eats up a good-sized chunk of your revenue gap. So, in terms of “whether it’ll be possible to target it profitably as a small developer I’m not sure”, I’m hoping that won’t be a huge problem. Between hoped-for improvements in the Android Market, alternative markets with same/better capabilities (some interesting ones are on tap), and more places to promote your app, I’m hoping the 19 gap can be narrowed. Then, it’s a question of device unit sales, rising tides lifting all boats, and all that… Well said/researched Mark! And good luck to the guys at Larva Labs. [Via LarvaLabs ]

Here is the original: 
Developer Sheds Tears For, Light On Android Market

Flyscreen now available for Android

If you want to make your lock screen on your Android device useful for something other than preventing you from hitting buttons accidentally, here is your chance. The developers behind FlyScreen have an Android version available now. The Android version of the program allows the user to install a collection of widgets onto the home screen to allow you to access Twitter, Facebook and others without unlocking your device. The software is only being offered to users of HTC phones with Android 1.5 at this point. TechCrunch is offering 1000 users with the right hardware the chance to use the software. The application sounds good and it’s not clear why Flyleaf won’t work with other phones, perhaps it will. [via Washington Post ]

Original post:
Flyscreen now available for Android

Mobile TV app for Android hits

There have been times when I was stuck somewhere without a TV or anything to do for a while where being able to watch TV on my mobile phone would have been a great thing. Android users can now get an application that allows them to watch mobile TV. The app is called SPB TC and is a subscription free mobile IPTV viewing that turns available digital channels form all over the world into mobile channels. The app has lots of features to make it easy to use as well. Users can use picture-in-picture mode, check out over 100 live TV channels, use the weekly programming guide and more. Users can also set a calendar reminder go a show they want to watch that will air in the future. [via SPBSoftware ]

Read more:
Mobile TV app for Android hits

Google Translate now speaks 51 languages

We spend a lot of time thinking about how information travels around the globe. After all, there are Googlers living and working in dozens of countries — and we’re pretty sure our products are used in many more. So we’re familiar with the need to translate information across borders, and we’ve been working hard to build the technology to enable you to do just that. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’ve added nine new languages to Google Translate : Afrikaans , Belarusian , Icelandic , Irish , Macedonian , Malay , Swahili , Welsh and Yiddish . That means that Google Translate now supports 51 languages and 2550 language pairs — including all 23 official EU languages . The translation quality of these newest languages is still a little rough, but it will improve over time — and we’re continuously working to improve quality for all languages supported by Google Translate. We’re also working to integrate Google Translate into some of our other products; you can already translate emails within Gmail, webpages using Google Toolbar, RSS feeds in Google Reader and most recently, documents within Google Docs. For more information about Google Translate and these latest additions, check out our post on the Research Blog . Posted by Jeff Chin, Product Manager

Continued here:
Google Translate now speaks 51 languages

50 Best Android Apps: Lifestyle and Productivity Apps [#1 - 15]

Writing a Best Android Apps list is never an easy job. Android inspires passionate fans who believe their favorite app should be named, so no list will please everyone. Though voters selected their favorites in the Android Network Awards, these are my picks for some of the best Android apps. The apps are listed according

See the original post here:
50 Best Android Apps: Lifestyle and Productivity Apps [#1 - 15]

Augmented Traffic Views

The Android buzzword lately seems to be “Augmented Reality” and the latest addition to the pack is an Augmented Traffic View app that allows you to view live street traffic on roads ahead, helping you decide whether or not to take an alternate route based on congestion. The application is for Android users in Toronto  and it utilizes 250 geo-tagged traffic cameras in Ontario. Here is a video of the application in action: The concept is good but it seems much too complex in practice. And considering that texting while driving is a huge no-no, trying to locate the upcoming street views and using this app for its purpose seems like an intense distraction while driving that will ironically cause more traffic. If this principle was embedded into more polished GPS turn-by-turn apps like Telenav I could see it working brilliantly. It could warn you of congested traffic and suggest alternate routes as it already does, but pop up a street view before you decide to recalculate. As a standalone app it has a lot of work to do. That being said, you can’t knock the developers for putting together an app with a unique concept. Thhttp://phandroid.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpis is a first and hopefully the developers will continually improve and refine the idea and experience. And of course, for this to be widely used and effective, we would need to have other regions offering so many traffic cameras that are geo-tagged with API’s and whatnot. The developers behind the application had this to say about the app via the YouTube description: Sneak Peak at Toronto’s first Augmented Reality Application running on HTC Magic on Rogers (or any Android phone). See the Toronto/Ontario Traffic Cameras in a unique and exciting manner. Software supports an automated predictive tracking mode – see traffic cameras in the direction you are heading, well in advance, and real-time traffic maps. Supports automated proximity Alerts (speed traps, red light cameras from your favourite POI source including PhantomAlert). Ability to load your own custom POIs for viewing in the Augmented Reality mode! Several other “hidden” features including the ability to see real-estate listings where you in the Augmented Reality mode (Alpha feature). Search the Android Marketplace in early August for “Augmented Traffic Views” to download to your Android phone, worldwide and it will be FREE! Right now Augmented Reality apps are a novelty of sorts, but in the next year or two they will become much more practical as technology catches up to the ideas. It’s wonderful that Android and other open source initiatives allow developers to dream up the next big thing and produce it for the masses!

View original post here:
Augmented Traffic Views

T-Mobile Morrison Passes FCC

With the Motorola Android Event less than 2 weeks away, chances are the mysterious Motorola device that just passed through the FCC with T-Mobile bands, 3G, Wi-Fi and other distinguishable similarities is the T-Mobile destined Motorola Morrison! If the phone making the rounds really is the Morrison, it comes with Model number T56KV1. We’re pretty sure this thing will be officially announced on September 10th and as of now the rumored launch date is October 21st. The timing seems spot on and we hope the rest is clockwork.

Read more:
T-Mobile Morrison Passes FCC

Next Page »