With the titans of the industry intruding on turf once hailed sacred to small timers like Foursquare and Vlingo, the two companies are forging a partnership that will help aim to continue their operations despite seeing some fierce competition. Facebook started to offer a new feature called Places that’s similar to what Foursquare offers while Google Voice Actions has taken a crack at Vlingo’s tried & true service. However, Vlingo is providing for some new features and enhancements to Foursquare for Android which essentially will allow users to do certain things with voice actions. Instead of manually having to check-in, you can simply say “Check in to Taco Bell” and the app will automatically do it for you. Other recognized functions are “Where are my friends” and “Who’s nearby?” This move could be possibly due to the increasing amount of share that Google is taking away from Vlingo with their Voice Actions service. On the other hand, it definitely strengthens the cause for both Vlingo and Foursquare to team with one another.
Just when we all thought we’ve seen enough regarding Samsung’s flagship set of Galaxy S smartphones, the Korean based manufacturer is holding a special event in New York to unveil some new things. First and foremost, it looks as though they will be showing off their long awaited Media Hub platform which is their centralized online store mobile store dedicated for movies and videos. Aside from that, the invitation sent out suggests that they will also be introducing their “latest Android-powered device.” It’s rather difficult to justify if it’s a smartphone or some other kind of device based on what’s said on the invitation, but the familiar “Samsung Galaxy S” words are plastered underneath – so it’s possible that it might be a smartphone. We’ll know for sure soon enough!
via Unwired View
Android users, we know you were feeling a bit left out. After all, as we reported, the highly addictive Angry Birds game has just landed on the Palm Pre and Pre Plus models running webOS 1.4.5, and had been on the iOS platform for some time. But this Friday, the birds, the pigs and the slingshots will be available for Android owners who want to beta test the game. If that includes you, sign up at this link. Rovio, the company behind the game, plans on sending out the beta to everyone who has signed up.
source: DroidLife
If you have wondered why Steve Jobs shuns Adobe Flash in Apple’s gadgets, it might not be just because of his capricious nature. We have been waiting for a while for Froyo to bring the full Flash experience to Android devices, but the end results are far from impressive. Over at GigaOM they have made a video trying to run various things on a Nexus One with Froyo, and found mobile Flash still not ready for prime time.
Given the resource hog that desktop Flash is, the mobile version has proved to be a daunting task for Adobe to scale down, and port over to mobile devices. Video playback on a lot of popular news and video websites was hit-and-miss, and basically the moral of the story is that the videos still have to be specifically optimized for mobile viewing, which kind of misses the whole purpose.
In our own experience with Adobe Flash 10.1 on Froyo we noticed actual improvement displaying interactive charts, like those of Google Finance, for example, which before were not exactly “interactive”, but Google recently optimized the site for mobile, so that might be it.
What about your experiences, has the Flash superhero come to the rescue on your Froyo device, or you also have some “Flashback” stories to tell?
source: GigaOM
Thanks to a tweet sent out by Sony Ericsson U.K., overseas owners of the Xperia X10 now feel comfortable that they will not be using Android 1.6 by the end of next month. It is not certain whether or not the message, which says that Android 2.1 will be due for the device by the end of September, applies to Stateside owners of the Xperia X10 on AT&T.
Originally, as we reported, the upgrade was expected sometime in Q4. As the number of high end Android models getting upgraded to Android 2.2 starts increasing, the pressure grows on Sony Ericsson to take the Xperia X10 up to Android 2.1. This would narrow the gap in functions between the flagship unit of the joint venture and other flagship models like the Motorola DROID X and the EVO 4G. The latter is currently powered by Android 2.2 while the former is expected to be upgraded to the Froyo build sometime early next month, as we have told you.
source: Twitter
The all-popular CyanogenMod 6 is out of relese candidate status now, and ready to bring Froyo to your rooted oldie-but-goodie Android device. The comprehensive list of supported devices includes the HTC-made Aria, G1, Google Nexus One, Desire, Hero, EVO 4G, Slide and Incredible, as well as the venerable Motorola DROID, and the flagship Samsung Galaxy S.
If you have already rooted your device, and want to try the Froyo experience, head over to the forums from the link below. Apart from improved speeds and battery life, the mod brings some additional features compared to the stock Android 2.2. A cool one is the browser color invert (saves battery life on AMOLED screens, such as the one on the Incredible), and there are also some music player enhancements, bringing along support for the lossless audio format FLAC. The mod is not without bugs, though, some users report installation problems, which might brick your device, as well as problems with Google services, so use at your own discretion.
In a battle of the operating system versions, the folks over at PocketNow have pitted a Samsung EPIC 4G, running a stock Android 2.1, against a Nexus One running the latest CyanogenMod 6 Froyo build. The authors ran the Quadrant full benchmark test and examined Wi-Fi and 3G download speeds, but we won’t spoil the fascinating battle for you.
source: CyanogenMod & PocketNow
Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox desktop browser, is now offering an Alpha version of its mobile Fennec browser for Android powered handsets, and for the Nokia N900. According to Mozilla, Fennec is the first mobile browser to offer add-ons and is built using the same technology that powers Firefox. The browser is a free download available from this link.
With Fennec installed on your phone, it is like bringing your desktop browser with you, thanks to Firefox Sync which allows you mobile access to your bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, form-fill data and open tabs. The Alpha download includes “Electrolysis” and “Layers”. The former allows the browser interface to run separately from the part of the browser that is rendering pages. The latter allows the user to scroll faster,improves zooming and animation, and makes the browser better when it comes to graphical functions. Developers can build exciting, fast and powerful mobile apps and add-ons thanks to new technologies on board the software, like HTML5, JavaScript and CSS.
source: Mozilla
Ever find yourself late for a meeting because of traffic, and when you arrived at your destination, your party had gone? Sure, you might have tried to send out a text, but tapping out a message while driving is a big no-no! TeleNav has come up with an app that will handle a situation like this. The company, known for its navigation software for AT&T and Sprint, has developed “OnMyWay”. With this app, if you are running late, the software will spring into action and send out a text or e-mail with a new ETA, to a pre-selected group of recipients.
Setting the app is a matter of taking care of a few simple steps. Enter your destination and expected arrival time, input a list of recipient’s text or e-mail info, and you are then ready to hit the road. You can also add a personal message for some of the recipients and no one will know your location except yourself.
So no longer will you need to fumble for the phone to send out a text while you are driving, or curse at the traffic light for turning green while you are in the middle of writing out your excuse. Already available for the BlackBerry platform, starting today “OnMyWay” can be downloaded on your iPhone or Android phone for free from the App Store or the Android Market respectively.
The constant ups and downs associated with the stock market can get anyone into a dizzying frenzy – even more if they’re unable to access share prices on the go. Well now, it looks as though Google is helping those financial astute individuals a lending hand by unifying the experience of Google Finance across a variety of platforms. Whether you’re using an Android handset, an iPhone, or simply resorting to usuing your personal computer, the experience is now going to be the same across those specific platforms. Google announced today that they are launching the new edition of Google Finance for the Android and iOS platforms which enables anyone to keep up with the constantly changing moods of the stock market. The mobile experience offers all the same features and functionality that you would typically find on their regular site – plus it’s now available as an app in the Android market.
source: Google Mobile Blog
Now that Android owners are getting comfy using the official Twitter app on their smartphones, it would’ve been only a matter of time before some kind of update were released for it. Sneaking underneath the radar, the app was recently updated to version 1.0.3 which unfortunately did not come along with a change-log. However, it appears that it’s basically comprised of mostly the usual bug fixes you’d expect to find and that it now utilizes OAuth for signing into the service. Aside from that, there really isn’t anything too different with it – so make sure to grab yourself the download through the Android Market.
via Android Central
With the titans of the industry intruding on turf once hailed sacred to small timers like Foursquare and Vlingo, the two companies are forging a partnership that will help aim to continue their operations despite seeing some fierce competition. Facebook started to offer a new feature called Places that’s similar to what Foursquare offers while Google Voice Actions has taken a crack at Vlingo’s tried & true service. However, Vlingo is providing for some new features and enhancements to Foursquare for Android which essentially will allow users to do certain things with voice actions. Instead of manually having to check-in, you can simply say “Check in to Taco Bell” and the app will automatically do it for you. Other recognized functions are “Where are my friends” and “Who’s nearby?” This move could be possibly due to the increasing amount of share that Google is taking away from Vlingo with their Voice Actions service. On the other hand, it definitely strengthens the cause for both Vlingo and Foursquare to team with one another.
Just when we all thought we’ve seen enough regarding Samsung’s flagship set of Galaxy S smartphones, the Korean based manufacturer is holding a special event in New York to unveil some new things. First and foremost, it looks as though they will be showing off their long awaited Media Hub platform which is their centralized online store mobile store dedicated for movies and videos. Aside from that, the invitation sent out suggests that they will also be introducing their “latest Android-powered device.” It’s rather difficult to justify if it’s a smartphone or some other kind of device based on what’s said on the invitation, but the familiar “Samsung Galaxy S” words are plastered underneath – so it’s possible that it might be a smartphone. We’ll know for sure soon enough!
If you have wondered why Steve Jobs shuns Adobe Flash in Apple’s gadgets, it might not be just because of his capricious nature. We have been waiting for a while for Froyo to bring the full Flash experience to Android devices, but the end results are far from impressive. Over at GigaOM they have made a video trying to run various things on a 
Thanks to a tweet sent out by Sony Ericsson U.K., overseas owners of the Xperia X10 now feel comfortable that they will not be using Android 1.6 by the end of next month. It is not certain whether or not the message, which says that Android 2.1 will be due for the device by the end of September, applies to Stateside owners of the Xperia X10 on AT&T.
Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox desktop browser, is now offering an Alpha version of its mobile Fennec browser for Android powered handsets, and for the Nokia N900. According to Mozilla, Fennec is the first mobile browser to offer add-ons and is built using the same technology that powers Firefox. The browser is a free download available from this 
Now that Android owners are getting comfy using the official Twitter app on their smartphones, it would’ve been only a matter of time before some kind of update were released for it. Sneaking underneath the radar, the app was recently updated to version 1.0.3 which unfortunately did not come along with a change-log. However, it appears that it’s basically comprised of mostly the usual bug fixes you’d expect to find and that it now utilizes OAuth for signing into the service. Aside from that, there really isn’t anything too different with it – so make sure to grab yourself the download through the Android Market.
