10 Billion Android Market downloads and counting

(Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog and Android Developer's Blog)

One billion is a pretty big number by any measurement. However, when it’s describing the speed at which something is growing, it’s simply amazing. This past weekend, thanks to Android users around the world, Android Market exceeded 10 billion app downloads—with a growth rate of one billion app downloads per month. We can’t wait to see where this accelerating growth takes us in 2012.

To celebrate this milestone, we partnered with some of the Android developers who contributed to this milestone to make a bunch of great Android apps available at an amazing price. Starting today for the next 10 days, we’ll have a new set of awesome apps available each day for only 10 cents each. Today, we are starting with Asphalt 6 HD, Color & Draw for Kids, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, Fieldrunners HD, Great Little War Game, Minecraft, Paper Camera, Sketchbook Mobile, Soundhound Infinity & Swiftkey X.

Of course, none of these apps would have existed if it weren’t for the developers who created them. Every day, these developers continue to push the limits on what’s possible and delight us in the process. For that, we thank them.

Please join us in this 10-day celebration and check in every day to see what new apps our developer partners are making available on Android Market - for only a dime.

Posted by Eric Chu, Director, Android Developer Ecosystem

New Android Mobile app for Starbuck Customers

 

New Android mobile application for Starbucks' fans: secret recipes, coupons, nutritional information and more!

(PRWeb December 05, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/12/prweb9010600.htm

New Android Mobile app for Starbuck Customers
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:17:58 GMT

Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future

 

You might wanna pause for a moment of silence, because it looks like Dell has just discontinued its Streak 7 tablet. As the folks over at Streak Smart recently noticed, the Android slate has mysteriously disappeared from Dell's website, replaced only with a note to confirm that it's no longer available online. Dell, which axed the smaller Streak 5 back in August, provided us with the following statement:

Dell remains committed to the mobility market and continues to sell products here and in other parts of the world. Streak 7 delivered a unique experience for customers who wanted a larger screen-size yet the freedom of staying connected to their personal and professional content while on the-go. It continues to be available in many markets through retail, distributors and carrier partners such as Optus in Australia. A 10-inch version of the tablet, Streak 10 Pro, is currently offered in China, offering the ultimate digital divide between work and life. The Venue and Venue Pro devices, as well, continue to earn accolades for performance, design and functionality around the world. We also recently launched the Latitude ST, a 10-inch Windows 7-based touch-screen tablet designed for vertical markets such as education, finance and healthcare in November of this year. We remain committed to expanding our reach beyond PCs with a targeted set of open, standards-based mobility solutions and services designed for commercial and mobile professional customers.

So Dell isn't leaving the mobile space entirely, and it doesn't look like the Streak 7 is completely dead, though based on the above statement, it certainly seems to be on its way to pasture.

Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell halts online sales of Streak 7 tablet, turns toward a new mobile future
Amar Toor
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:32:00 GMT

Galaxy Nexus first look video and impressions

 

The Galaxy Nexus smartphone I ordered on Sunday from the U.K. has arrived. I haven't played enough yet, but the little time I've had with the first Android 4.0 smartphone has been most impressive. The best way to put the experience? Android has finally grown up.

 

Galaxy Nexus first look video and impressions
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:27:06 GMT

Plex app available on Kindle Fire, media servers and other clients get new updates too

 

For a media software package to survive these days, it has to be able to run pretty much anywhere and just recently Plex added the Kindle Fire to its list of supported platforms, uploading its Android client onto Amazon's Appstore. The team hasn't stopped there either, delivering updates across a slew of products starting with its Media Server v0.9.5.2 which added autoupdate and start on login features, while the Media Center package has reached 9.5.2, with support for refresh rate switching as well as a number of other tweaks and fixes. The various clients haven't been forgotten either, with a brand new alpha available for Linux users, individual apps for Android and Google TV, and a new v2.1 for iOS that supports myPlex cloud streaming without the need for users to run the Plex server software locally. Hit the source links for changelogs and more details or just check an app store near you where updated software is no doubt residing for your picture, music, and video streaming pleasure.

Plex app available on Kindle Fire, media servers and other clients get new updates too originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plex app available on Kindle Fire, media servers and other clients get new updates too
Richard Lawler
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:30:00 GMT

AT&T’s LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250

 

In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.

AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250
Joe Pollicino
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:34:00 GMT

Motorola Xoom 2 review

 

Motorola's Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple's iPad (first- or second-generation...) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1).
So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it's made it faster, slimmer and lighter.
They've beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it's now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you -- ones that it hopes customers won't miss.
However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that's merely dual-core? We'll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break.

Gallery: Motorola Xoom 2 review

Continue reading Motorola Xoom 2 review

Motorola Xoom 2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom 2 review
Mat Smith
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:30:00 GMT

Google tests Android update on employees' Nexus S

 

Web giant has delivered an over-the-air update of Ice Cream Sandwich to some employees' phones, according to an Android Police report.

Google tests Android update on employees' Nexus S
Steven Musil
Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:35:24 GMT

Acer Announces The Iconia Tab A200, A Boring Yet Capable Android Tablet

 

Acer is back with another Android tab. The Iconia Tab A200 is now shipping, loaded with Honeycomb but Ice Cream Sandwich is reportedly in the works. Hopefully Acer fanboys weren’t waiting for a Transformer Prime competitor. The A200 seems like just a repackage of the company’s original A500 Android tablet.

The slightly chunky 10.1-inch tablet runs a a Tegra 2 dual-core chip along with 1GB of RAM and either 8GB or 16GB of storage along with a microSD card slot. A 3260mAh battery is said to provide 8 hours of life during video playback. A 2MP camera sits in the front bezel as the tablet’s only image capture device.

The A200 comes pre-loaded with several software packs. Most notebly is the Acer Ring launcher as demoed in the video below.

There is no word on pricing or US availability just yet but Netbook News is reporting that the tablet is already shipping in some countries. The tablet current ships with Android 3.2 but the company indicated in the tablet’s press release that come January, units will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich pre-installed. Also, at that time, an ICS update will roll out to the previously purchased models.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPBM1ePZhPU&feature=player_embedded

 

Acer Announces The Iconia Tab A200, A Boring Yet Capable Android Tablet
Matt Burns
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:55:55 GMT

Researchers Find Big Leaks In Pre-installed Android Apps

 

An anonymous reader sends this quote from an article at Ars Technica: "Researchers at North Carolina State University have uncovered a variety of vulnerabilities in the standard configurations of popular Android smartphones from Motorola, HTC, and Samsung, finding that they don't properly protect privileged permissions from untrusted applications (PDF). In a paper just published by researchers Michael Grace, Yajin Zhou, Zhi Wang, and Xuxian Jiang, the four outlined how the vulnerabilities could be used by an untrusted application to send SMS messages, record conversations, or even wipe all user data from the handset without needing the user's permission. The researchers evaluated the security of eight phones: the HTC Legend, EVO 4G, and Wildfire S; the Motorola Droid and Droid X; the Samsung Epic 4G; and the Google Nexus One and Nexus S. While the reference implementations of Android used on Google's handsets had relatively minor security issues, the researchers were 'surprised to find out these stock phone images [on the devices tested] do not properly enforce [Android's] permission-based security model.' The team shared the results with Google and handset vendors, and have received confirmation of the vulnerabilities from Google and Motorola. However, the researchers have 'experienced major difficulties' in trying to report issues to HTC and Samsung."

 Read more of this story at Slashdot.

 

Researchers Find Big Leaks In Pre-installed Android Apps
Soulskill
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Verizon Gives a First Look at the Motorola Droid 4

 

Although Verizon has yet to officially announce the Motorola Droid 4, that didn't stop the carrier from giving the world a sneak peek at this upcoming high-end Android smartphone.

Verizon Gives a First Look at the Motorola Droid 4
info@brighthand.com
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:42:34 GMT

Android Beam in action: Ice Cream Sandwich's flashy NFC feature

 

NFC isn't just for mobile payments. Google uses it in its latest operating system to beam information like maps, videos, and contact information from one phone to another.

Android Beam in action: Ice Cream Sandwich's flashy NFC feature
Jessica Dolcourt
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:00:17 GMT

LG Nitro HD For AT&T: Hands-On

 

Tonight at LG’s media event in New York City, we were lucky enough to get some quality time with the LG Nitro HD. The third in AT&T’s line of LTE-capable phones, the Nitro HD was announced earlier this week with a launch date of December 4 for AT&T. Some of its spec highlights include a 4.5-inch 720p display (like the HTC Rezound), a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 4G LTE support from AT&T, of course.

Since the Nitro was announced before its dedicated media event (and since it’s basically the Optimus LTE we’re seeing over in Europe), there’s really no reason to hash out all the specific deets. So let’s just get down to business, shall we?

First impressions:

• Right off the bat the first thing you’ll notice is the Nitro’s size. It’s a hefty little beast with that 4.5-inch screen and a waist line of 10.4mm. That’s not terribly thick but not what I would call thin, either. For some perspective, it’s thickness falls right between the Droid Razr and the HTC Rezound.
• The screen, as expected, is pretty slick running at 720p. With a resolution of 1280×720 on 4.5-inches of real estate, the LG Nitro HD actually has a slightly greater pixel density than the iPhone 4, at 329ppi as opposed to 326ppi. It’s not the best display I’ve ever seen, but it can certainly compete with many other recently released phones.
• As far as performance is concerned, we have no complaints here. The NitroHD is snappy and super responsive, and web browsing was pretty enjoyable. We haven’t gotten a chance to test out AT&T’s LTE network as New York City isn’t quite on the list yet, so unfortunately reflections on that will have to wait.
• The textured back finish feels nice, and gives the Nitro a much pricier feel than its plastic casing would imply. Still, the strip of brushed plastic around the edge lets loose the secret that back panel was keeping.

• The Nitro HD doesn’t take prints well at all, whether it’s the textured back panel or (most noticeably) the display.
• The 8-megapixel rear-facing camera performed very well, handling white balance and movement between light and dark settings well. Shutter lag was a bit annoying, but it’s certainly no worse than most Android phones.
• This particular LG device has an LG Optimus skin running over Android. It isn’t terribly obtrusive but does seem to slow things down a bit from a strictly vanilla experience.
• I’m somewhat bothered by the fact that the charging port is square on the top of the phone, as that makes it pretty difficult to play around with in landscape mode while plugged in. It also has a plastic covering protecting the port, which will probably snap right off after a couple weeks of use.

All in all, I’d call the LG Nitro HD a fine option, but not necessarily my first pick. It packs specs that can compete on paper, but simply can’t keep up on the hardware front. The Nitro HD will show up on AT&T shelves December 4 for $249 with a two-year contract.

 

LG Nitro HD For AT&T: Hands-On
Jordan Crook
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:28:57 GMT

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread

 

It took a long time for the Galaxy S phones in the US to receive Android 2.2 Froyo, so it’s no surprise that Gingerbread would take just as long as well. For those of you who own the Samsung Fascinate on Verizon, it looks like the day has come for you to finally get Gingerbread on your phones – provided you haven’t already done the job yourself by loading a custom ROM. We all know that Ice Cream Sandwich is already out, but since it’s not going to arrive on this phone anytime soon (unless Verizon/Samsung prove us wrong) and you don’t plan to get your hands dirty – you might as well just enjoy the official Gingerbread update first.

According to reports online, it looks like the update also fixes the phone’s GPS and signal strength issues. So if you own a Samsung Fascinate, keep an eye out for the update notification for your phone or try pulling it manually. As usual, back up your phone just in case, and do let us know how the Gingerbread update goes for you.

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Asus Transformer Prime Review,

 

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread
George Wong
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:43:10 GMT

The New Samsung Galaxy Nexus Offers Support For Visually Impaired Users

 

We are about to see the release of the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first mobile phone to come with the Ice Cream Sandwich version of the Android operating system installed. There are some well documented improvements offered by this new system such as unified applications for both mobile phones and tablet devices. There are however some features that are less well known and one of them is the support offered to visually impaired users.

The New Samsung Galaxy Nexus Offers Support For Visually Impaired Users
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:09:45 GMT

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available for Intel X86

 

Andy Rubin (Google Android Leader) and Intel's Paul Otellini (Intel CEO) at IDF 2011

You may remember that during the IDF keynote, Google had committed to provide builds of Android that run on the Intel X86 architecture. This is now done and Android 4.0 aka Ice Cream Sandwich, is now ready and available for download. The build is mainly there for handset makers, but it’s free for all to take a peek – maybe you’ll find an interesting string that would hint to the next big thing.

Android on X86 may mean several things in the intermediate future: first, it is probable that Intel-powered tablets will make an appearance at some point in time. Secondly, an Intel-powered handset is still a long-term goal for the semiconductor giant. At this point, power consumption is still challenging for Intel, which comes from a tradition of “computer” chips versus “mobile” chips. However, the company has made quick progress in reducing the overall power consumption of its Atom series.

With a steady drop in power consumption from Intel and a steady rise in processing capabilities from ARM, both companies will eventually collide – the question is where and how.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available for Intel X86, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Asus Transformer Prime Review,

 

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich available for Intel X86
Hubert Nguyen
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:05:24 GMT

The Best Package Tracker for Android [Android App Directory]

 

There are so many package tracking applications available for Android that there's no way we could highlight them all, but after testing several, we think Parcels delivers the right package of useful features for the price tag—free. You still have to enter your tracking numbers manually, but where other apps may have more gimmicky features, Parcels is clean, to the point, notifies you of changes, and gets the job done. More »

The Best Package Tracker for Android [Android App Directory]
Alan Henry
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT

The New Essential Apps November 2011 [Apps]

 

iPhones. iPads. Android. Windows Phone 7. We've updated all of our essential apps lists to include a few forgotten favorites, some long awaited arrivals and, as always, even more amazing apps. Check them out! More »

The New Essential Apps November 2011 [Apps]
Roberto Baldwin
Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:00:00 GMT

Kindle Fire Auto-Update Scorches Roots and Potentially Shutters Android Marketplace [Amazon]

 

Amazon rolled out its newest software update for the Kindle Fire—version 6.2—this evening. Initial reports indicate that it both de-roots your jailbroken device and removes access to the Android Marketplace. But don't worry—the borking is reversible. More »

Kindle Fire Auto-Update Scorches Roots and Potentially Shutters Android Marketplace [Amazon]
Andrew Tarantola & Chris Beidelman
Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:34:45 GMT

Google Maps app for Android adds indoor floorplans

 

Disoriented at Minneapolis' Mall of America? Confused at Tokyo's Narita airport? Can't find the bathrooms at your local Ikea store? The Google Maps application for Android phones and tablets may offer some help.

Google Maps app for Android adds indoor floorplans
(Juan Carlos Perez)
Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:47:00 GMT