android

Access music in the clouds

Editors' note: In order to use mSpot for Android, you will need to download the uploader app for Windows or Mac.

Music services for mobile phones are enjoying an increasing popularity thanks to the fact that cell phones are replacing standalone MP3 players for many people. MSpot is one of many solutions that has cropped up as a solution for on-the-go listening. The company offers a music cloud service that lets you upload up to 2GB of music for free and access it from any Wi-Fi-capable computer or Android device. (More information on the service here).

As of press time, … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1258: Plants vs. Lasers (podcast)

Look for Brian Tong's new movement on Facebook: pain-ray-free produce. But the rest of us actually think it's kind of cool that the government pain-ray has been re-tasked to warm freezing plants. Also, the Supreme Court has finally ruled in the Bilski patent case, giving us a relatively non-destructive moderate decision. ACTA is ramping up again, and we make a date to go see "The Social Network."

Samsung unveils Galaxy S models for Sprint, Verizon, U.S. Cellular

Over the past few days, Samsung has unveiled the identities of a couple of Galaxy S phones heading to the U.S., including the Samsung Captivate for AT&T and the Samsung Vibrant for T-Mobile. But it seems as if Samsung has plenty of Android love to spread around as it announces three additional models for Sprint, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular. Though the Galaxy S handsets share many core features, they all have unique designs and carrier-specific services, so here's a quick rundown of each one.

Samsung Epic 4G for Sprint: As you might have guessed from the name, the Epic is a 4G network-capable phone--the second one for Sprint after the HTC Evo 4G--and it has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a 4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen. According to Samsung, its Super AMOLED display has a higher contrast, wider viewing angles, faster response time, and lets it create a thinner phone than a traditional LCD does. We've seen the Super AMOLED screen on the Samsung Wave, and we can say that most of the benefits are true.

Armed with such a display, 4G, and Samsung's 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, multimedia will, once again, play a central role on the Epic, much like it did on the Evo 4G. However, Samsung will make it even easier to get and watch TV shows and movies on the phone by including a video store. Samsung has not revealed where the content will come from, but according to the company, it includes "some of the biggest names in entertainment."

The phone's other goodies include a 5-megapixel camera with HD video capture, a front-facing VGA camera for video calls, and the capability to act as a mobile hot spot for up to five devices. Samsung will ship the Epic running Android version 2.1 and its TouchWiz interface; however, if you're concerned about another Behold II situation, don't worry: the Epic will get the Android 2.2 Froyo update. According to Sprint, it plans to announce pricing and release date in the coming months, but you can sign up for updates via its Web site. If you're an Android developer, Samsung has a 4G Developer Guide available now for anyone who wants to create apps for the Epic. … Read more

LG answers Samsung Galaxy S with Optimus Q

It may be a member of the Open Handset Alliance, but LG hasn't done much with Android here in the United States. To date, the company has only released one such device, the Ally, on Verizon's network. Though it was among the first phones released with Android 2.1 it was quickly lost in the shuffle with the EVO 4G and Droid X stealing the spotlight.

The situation back home in South Korea is somewhat similar in that Samsung's Galaxy S is getting all the buzz, but things could change with the release of the new LG … Read more

Google remotely wipes apps off Android phones

Google has remotely removed two free apps from several hundred Android phones because the apps misrepresented their purpose and thus violated Android developer policies, according to a company spokesman.

This marks the first time Google has used the Remote Application Removal Feature that allows the company to delete apps for security reasons that have been installed through Android Market.

The apps were proof-of-concept programs designed to test the feasibility of distributing a program that could later be used to take control of the device in an attack, according to Jon Oberheide, the developer who wrote and distributed them.

The one … Read more

Ask Adobe your mobile Flash questions

Updated, June 28, 2010: We updated this post to include the name of the Adobe representative.

The debate over Flash on mobile devices has been the hot-button issue in the smartphone world for the past several months. On the next episode of Android Atlas Weekly, we'll try and settle the score once and for all with your help. Our guest will be Anup Murarka, director of technical marketing for Adobe's mobile and devices group, and we want your best questions for the interview. Submit your questions in the comments section for this post, and Jason and I will … Read more

Samsung Acclaim for U.S. Cellular drops July 9

In late spring, U.S. Cellular revealed through its Facebook page that it would be bring two Android smartphones, the HTC Desire and Samsung Acclaim, to its lineup this summer, and we now have a release date and pricing for one of those devices.

The Samsung Acclaim will be available July 9 for $99.95 after a mail-in rebate. With the purchase of the phone, the carrier will also give customers a $20 gift card to use toward app purchases in the Android Market.

Google's Android 2.1 operating system powers the Acclaim and the phone has a 3.… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1257: Don't hold it that way (that's what Steve said) (podcast)

Turns out the iPhone grip of death is simply a "fact of life" with all wireless phones. If holding your phone makes your iPhone 4 signal drop dramatically, Apple would like you to know you should either hold it a different way or buy a case. From them. That sounds logical, right? Right. No, thanks. Also, introducing Rafe's new side project, oneleggedgoat.xxx. Enjoy.

Android 2.2 coming to Evo 4G; no Froyo for Hero, Moment

Editors' note: This post was last updated June 25 at 10:42 a.m. PT.

Sprint might have dragged its heels on updating its devices to Android 2.1, but it's wasting no time on Android 2.2. Sprint spokeswoman Michelle Leff Mermelstein told CNET in an e-mail that the carrier is finalizing work on the software and expects to release an update in the "near future."

This helping of Froyo will bring such features as Flash 10 support, improved Exchange ActiveSync support, voice dialing over Bluetooth, the ability to save apps on external memory, and an … Read more

Minor update expected for Evo 4G next week

The HTC Evo 4G is rumored to be receiving a minor software update next week. A source close to Boy Genius Report said that three particular items will be addressed in the update.

Key among the improvements will be an Exchange ActiveSync fix for setting up a new account, PIN policy usage, and more. Also look for a tweak to the Social Networking Sync with Facebook, which should improve battery performance. Rounding out the update will be improvement to the Wi-Fi connection and performance.

Though there's been no official confirmation from Sprint, the source said the target date for … Read more