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
A battery life test run by the folks from Laptopmag has produced some predetermined results. They wrote an Android app to run a web browsing test in controlled environment (60 websites changed every 60 seconds), and turned off all but the cellular data connectivity options. The web browsing was left plain and simple, with Flash and other plug-ins off, and the screens remained on all the time with 40% brightness.
The results are not very surprising if you look at the official manufacturer’s numbers for the tested handsets, however it’s good to have them confirmed by a 3rd party as well. The worst performer was the HTC Droid Incredible, but the authors admit that the type of testing chosen takes the most toll on AMOLED screens. Their power consumption when showing white backgrounds, as found in most websites, is triple the one of regular LCD displays. In other circumstances like shades of gray or colors, they consume way less power, but white is a killer. If the testers had chosen continuous video play, for instance, the results of the Incredible probably would have been better. Not to mention that it has a 1300mAh battery, while most of the others tested are with 1500mAh ones.
Nevertheless, on top of the smartphone pack climbed the two latest DROIDs from Motorola. The DROID 2 lasted 7:07 hours, and the DROID X the whopping 7:42 hours. Considering these two handsets are with the power-sipping TI OMAP 3630 produced with the 45nm technology, those hours are quite explicable. We wonder if the Super AMOLED screens don’t have the same power consumption disadvantage to the LCDs when a white background is continuously displayed that the AMOLED ones have. That might explain the fact that Samsung’s Vibrant, Captivate and EPIC 4G fared worse than the DROIDs, regardless of the fact that their Hummingbird chipsets are produced with the 45nm process as well.
Of note here was the top-notch performance of the Dell Streak, which fitted right smack in the middle between the DROIDs with 7:35 hours of battery life as tested. And this is despite the large 5″ screen, and the 65nm Snapdragon inside. Looks like the Streak was born to browse.
Have a look at the full endurance chart below to see how everybody fared.
source: LaptopMag
There is no denying the success of the HTC EVO 4G: Sprint cannot keep the unit in stock and two and a half months after launch supply simply cannot even come close to keeping up with demand. No doubt eager to capitalize on the momentum Samsung is throwing their name in the hat with the Epic 4G, a Galaxy S phone. Unlike the Galaxy S variants found on the other three major carriers the Epic 4G offers not only a 4″ Super AMOLED display but also a full QWERTY keyboard. As the name implies the Epic is capable of running on Sprint’s WiMax network, but also supports 3G over EVDO Rev. A and has Wi-Fi capabilities as well. It has a rear-facing 5 megapixel autofocus camera with flash, complimented by a VGA shooter up front for self-portraits and video chat.
Where the EVO 4G is a heavy slab of industrial design, the Epic is actually rather light. The two don’t differ much in size, but the Epic is noticeably lighter in the hand, almost to a fault. Like the HTC Diamond and Touch Pro, you expect the keyboard touting edition to be heavier, bulkier. Instead the Epic feels almost like a toy. Still, the Epic has some advantages over the EVO. Despite being smaller the display is undeniably better thanks to the Super AMOLED technology. Like we’ve seen with the other Galaxy S phones it is bright and crisp and vibrant. Second, the phone has six-axis motion sensing which will make it a better gaming device than the EVO. Samsung’s Media Hub is a one stop shop to rent videos, though the service has not launched yet so we are unable to try it out at this time. It will be available by the 31st, which is when the Epic 4G goes on sale at your local retailer.
Of course what most people will choose the Epic 4G for is the physical keyboard. While it does add bulk to the phone, to some is an absolute necessity and is worth the $50 premium over the HTC EVO 4G. In our early usage we’ve been accurate with it, but not as quick as we’d like. We’d the keys are large and well-spaced, but our initial impression is that we’d like some texture to the keys. They offer good tactile feedback though, and plenty of space to work with. Stay tuned for our full review of the Samsung Epic 4G, coming soon!
The Samsung Media Hub was one of the mysteries when the US versions of the Galaxy S were announced. It was supposed to bring on-demand music, TV shows and movies to Samsung’s handsets in that line, and availability was promised for later in the year.
There is now a video showing the Samsung Media Hub beta in action on an EPIC 4G handset. Our take from the conversation in the video, and the mock movies and TV shows content, is that it may be active shortly after one of the most anticipated Android phones hits the market August 31st.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the multimedia purchased from the Media Hub will be licensed for viewing on up to five devices, such as phones, tablets and Samsung TV sets, perhaps. Galaxy Tab anyone? The movies can also be rented temporarily for a much lower price. On a separate note, since the Media Hub was demoed on the Sprint’s WiMAX version of the Galaxy S, downloading or streaming content can be done quickly on the road instead of searching for a Wi-Fi connection.
source: SlashGear
On the Android developers web site, Google passed along word that it is making some changes to the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement. The Search Engine company’s Tim Bray wrote that this is being done in preparation of changes being made to allow more payment options for purchasers of apps on the Android Market. Currently, buying an app requires the use of a credit card using Google’s Checkout. Google plans on allowing carriers to put the charges for apps purchased from the Market directly on each customer’s monthly phone bill. Presently, only T-Mobile allows customers in the U.S. to have app charges put on the monthly invoice.
To get things moving in the right direction, Google has made one change in the Agreement and has added a new section. Section 13.1 has been changed so that “authorized carriers” have been added as an indemnified party.This is a big clue telling us what the Mountain View based company has in mind. They also added Section 13.2 , which covers indemnity for payment processors for claims related to tax accrual. All very bland legalese to be sure, but for those who would rather pay for app purchases through their carrier instead of using Google Checkout, these are two very good changes. Both the change and the addition take place in 30 days, so we would expect to hear some official word from Google about new payment options for the Android Market sometime late in August.
source: Androiddevelopers via AndroidGuys
AdMob’s latest metrics report, based on a survey of 12.7 million Android phones as of May 31st, shows that the Motorola DROID is the most popular Android model. With a 22% share of the Android pie, the DROID beat out the 16% that was captured by the HTC Hero. The rest of the top 5 is populated by HTC models, the Dream, the Magic and the Droid Eris, each with 8% to 10% of the market. The Nexus One was out of the top 5 with just a 2% share. Because the report was dated prior to the launch of the EVO 4G, the nation’s first 4G enabled device was not on the list although based on its high sales for the first month of its existence, the handset should be in the top 5 next month. As for manufacturers, HTC has a controlling 53% share with Motorola’s 30% mark good for second. Samsung’s 9% makes the Korean based firm a distant third. Upcoming launches that could make a quick impact on the top 5 include Motorola’s DROID X and DROID 2 (launching July 15th and August 23rd, respectively) and the 4 variants for the Samsung Galalxy S that each of the top U.S. carriers will be offering (Verizon Fascinate, AT&T Captivate, T-Mobile Vibrant and Sprint Epic 4G). As we reported, the Vibrant will be the first Galaxy out of the chute in the States, launching July 21st. 67% of Android users are in North America while China is second with 13% of the world’s users of Google’s open source OS
source: AdMob via AfterDawn
[ads right [1]]Believe it or not, there are people around that do not consider the cellphone the greatest technological achievement developed by mankind. For those people, Sprint is offering a series of YouTube videos that answer questions like, “What is an app?” and, “Which apps will I need to stay in shape?” For many, these will seem like the video equivalent of “Android applications for Dummies”, but they do serve a purpose. Next time your aggravating neighbor or relative, the one who makes fun of you for being a cellphone fanatic, has a question about the apps on his new “Android iPhone”, you can refer him to this collection.
Xda-developer member coolbho3000 has overclocked his recently purchased EVO 4G by nearly 30%. After the boost, the phone was running at 1.267GHz, up from the stock 1GHz provided by the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. With that speed, the device is most likely able to warm your toes on a cool winter’s night. But it is summer now, and the important thing is that this handset is acting pretty stable. “No crashes yet,” he says. Clicking for a Linpack benchmark test, the MFLOPS reading of about 6.95 (MFLOPS measures how fast the processor’s floating-point unit [FPU] is operating), speeds up to a reading of 8.77 once the phone is overclocked. For those of you who want to put your own unit through the stress of overclocking, don’t fret. Coolbho says that he will be giving out the source to this kernel and calls it a “fairly easy tweak”. He also vows to get his phone running even faster. That sounds cool, bro.
source: YouTube via AndroidGuys
Most people eager in lining up tomorrow at the crack of dawn to purchase the highly touted HTC EVO 4G don’t necessarily want to hear bad news about the handset on the verge of launch. Although there already seems to be one bug that popped up in regards to issues with saving data on a microSD card, there’s yet something a little bit more serious that can raise an eyebrow quickly. This time around, there is an apparent vulnerability found on the HTC EVO 4G from the source that reportedly managed to root the handset a week ago. It’s being alleged that “the Sprint customizations of Android are so bad that an Android application could get access to all of your data with very little work.” It won’t be long before this “unrevoked” exploit is made public on Friday – which is just bad timing when Sprint plans to roll this out nationwide. With the looming notion that there are vulnerabilities with the HTC EVO 4G, it remains unseen if Sprint will make any moves to address this issue.
source: Grack.com via Electronista
It was probably a smart move by the hackers who managed to root the HTC EVO 4G to keep its instructions hidden until the perfect moment before release. Now there are going to be plenty of owners looking forward in purchasing their HTC EVO 4G smartphones tomorrow as the step-by-step instructions are now available thanks to the team over at xda-developers. The process is somewhat involved and probably not recommended for novice users, but the rich rewards seen with it can be more than tempting for some people to get started as soon as they get home from buying their handsets. So if you’re up to the daunting task, you can diligently follow the instructions provided by xda-developers and get situated with your very own rooted HTC EVO 4G.
source: xda-developers via Engadget & Android Central
On the Android developers web site, Google passed along word that it is making some changes to the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement. The Search Engine company’s Tim Bray wrote that this is being done in preparation of changes being made to allow more payment options for purchasers of apps on the Android Market. Currently, buying an app requires the use of a credit card using Google’s Checkout. Google plans on allowing carriers to put the charges for apps purchased from the Market directly on each customer’s monthly phone bill. Presently, only T-Mobile allows customers in the U.S. to have app charges put on the monthly invoice.
Most people eager in lining up tomorrow at the crack of dawn to purchase the highly touted HTC EVO 4G don’t necessarily want to hear bad news about the handset on the verge of launch. Although there already seems to be one bug that popped up in regards to issues with 
It was probably a smart move by the hackers who 
