Amazon & Android

Amazon are stirring up quite a haze around their involvement with Android at the moment. Sure, the Amazon Kindle application for Android has been around for a while now, but we’ve recently learned Amazon might launch their own App Store for Android too. To become a developer for this Amazon App Store you have to pay a fee of $99 and Amazon will pay you a royalty equal to the greater of 70% of the purchase price or 20% of the List Price as of the purchase date. What is most interesting comes next…

It has subsequently been alleged that Amazon may release their very own tablet based device. This device will presumably run Android too because of the App Store that they have just announced. Sure, this isn’t a given, but it would be surprising if Amazon stuck to their own software like they did for the Kindle (which runs a Linux-2.6.10 based platform). The rumor is borne out of information from TechCrunch, so head on over there if you want to read it form the horses mouth.

Via Android news

Nexus one upgrade via Android Central

Although Google have not released an official note regarding the update, nor is there an official ‘changelog’ to details what is new, really smart people at xda-developers are allegedly stating that this update ‘patches the vulnerability that allows Universal Androot to work’.

Via Android News

LG Ally shazam

Shazam is one of the original music identification applications. I’m sure you use it, or have heard of it, but for the sake of those who have not, this application allows you to hold your phone up towards a speaker and have it report to you the name and artist of a song or piece of music. Shazam has been around the block and as such, it is arguably the most accurate recognition software for music available for any mobile device. It turns out that LG know all this too, and have decided to pre-load Shazam on all of their forthcoming Android handsets. The first of which will be the LG Optimus GT540.

LG are biggin’ this one up a little bit, but in truth there is no big deal here. Only the free version of Shazam is heading to these devices. If you want to get your hands on the full version you will still have to pay the full whack for it ($4.70). Boo!
Via Android News

Sony Ericsson LiveView

Is it a watch? Is it a phone? No, it is a 1.3-inch device that can be worn like a watch and display notifications from your phone. Sony Ericsson has decided that there is a niche in the market for a device capable of streaming you important information from your Android handset, even when it is in your pocket or bag. LiveView only offers a 1.3-inch display, but it is capable of interfacing with your Android device to bring you news from Twitter, Facebook, sms, calls and pretty much anything else you can imagine.

The idea is intriguing, but the form factor design is one that Sony Ericsson are going to have to nail for anyone to be seen dead in this thing. I for one would probably get a lot of use out of something like this as I spend most of my time on a bike (cycle) or in a quiet office. Right now I make the most of TalkMyPhone for when I’m sat at my computer, but cycling around is another matter.

This Sony Ericsson LiveView device will work with any Android 2.x device, which is fine… unless you own a Sony Ericsson Xperia. Then its just ironic and sad.

Via Android News

Android for in-flight entertainment

Thales and competitor Panasonic Avionics are looking to make full use of Android for their in-flight entertainment systems. What Thales are doing with the system seems relatively straightforward, but entertainment systems in the sky always lag behind the times when compared to those on the ground.

For example, Thales are using Android to power a display on your wired hand-set controller, as well as manage the content displayed on your bigger screen TV or media unit. This means that you can control you playlist, play games and make full use of the Android OS while at the same time watching a movie on the primary display display unit. This whole concept is called the Touch Passenger Media Unit.

With all of this said, Panasonic Avionics are doing their own thing with regards to Android too, and both videos are available after the jump.

Via Android News

Android for in-flight entertainment

Thales and competitor Panasonic Avionics are looking to make full use of Android for their in-flight entertainment systems. What Thales are doing with the system seems relatively straightforward, but entertainment systems in the sky always lag behind the times when compared to those on the ground.

For example, Thales are using Android to power a display on your wired hand-set controller, as well as manage the content displayed on your bigger screen TV or media unit. This means that you can control you playlist, play games and make full use of the Android OS while at the same time watching a movie on the primary display display unit. This whole concept is called the Touch Passenger Media Unit.

With all of this said, Panasonic Avionics are doing their own thing with regards to Android too, and both videos are available after the jump.

[Via: Engadget]

Sony Ericsson LiveView

Is it a watch? Is it a phone? No, it is a 1.3-inch device that can be worn like a watch and display notifications from your phone. Sony Ericsson has decided that there is a niche in the market for a device capable of streaming you important information from your Android handset, even when it is in your pocket or bag. LiveView only offers a 1.3-inch display, but it is capable of interfacing with your Android device to bring you news from Twitter, Facebook, sms, calls and pretty much anything else you can imagine.

The idea is intriguing, but the form factor design is one that Sony Ericsson are going to have to nail for anyone to be seen dead in this thing. I for one would probably get a lot of use out of something like this as I spend most of my time on a bike (cycle) or in a quiet office. Right now I make the most of TalkMyPhone for when I’m sat at my computer, but cycling around is another matter.

This Sony Ericsson LiveView device will work with any Android 2.x device, which is fine… unless you own a Sony Ericsson Xperia. Then its just ironic and sad.

[Via: ubergizmo]

Mozilla Labs Sea Bird

Apparently Mozzila have some labs where they go about all day making cool concepts of what the future will be like. ‘Who’d have thunk it’, right? Well this time they’ve come up with a pretty solid concept of what a mobile phone could be like in the not too distant future, making use of emerging technologies that exist or are about to exist. Their creation? Sea Bird! An Android based device with a whole host of awesome features that will leave you smiling.

Of course, this is really just a little bit of fun. After all, the device features an 8MP camera, dual Pico Projectors (one for display offering 45 Lumens @ 960×600 and one for interactive typing), embedded Bluetooth dongle that can act like a remote control too, 3.5mm headphone jack, wireless charging, and more. I guess after thinking about it, all these features seem realistic. Let’s face it, they could have put in a bendy OLED display too, but they thought better of that.

The take home message here from Mozzila is that when one goes about creating a concept device, one does not use Samsung’s Bada or Windows Mobile as the OS of choice. It’s Android, all the way. Enjoy the video after the jump.

[Source: Mozilla Labs]

LG Ally shazam

Shazam is one of the original music identification applications. I’m sure you use it, or have heard of it, but for the sake of those who have not, this application allows you to hold your phone up towards a speaker and have it report to you the name and artist of a song or piece of music. Shazam has been around the block and as such, it is arguably the most accurate recognition software for music available for any mobile device. It turns out that LG know all this too, and have decided to pre-load Shazam on all of their forthcoming Android handsets. The first of which will be the LG Optimus GT540.

LG are biggin’ this one up a little bit, but in truth there is no big deal here. Only the free version of Shazam is heading to these devices. If you want to get your hands on the full version you will still have to pay the full whack for it ($4.70). Boo!
[Source: Business Wire Press Release]

via fortune.cnn

The Technology Fortune blog from CNN is reporting that the Android OS will out-weigh Symbian in 2012. The information comes via an analyst company named ‘informa’. According to principal analyst Malik Kamal-Saadi, Nokia will suffer most from this trend. This is in part because they have the most to lose.

“Informa expects that the market share of Symbian, from total smartphone users, to drop significantly from 53 per cent in 2009 to 32 per cent in 2015. In terms of sales, smartphones powered by Android are expected to surpass these of Symbian as early as 2012,” he said.

We have heard from Google themselves that they are activated around 200,000 Android phones per day. If sales are now flat we can expect 147 million Android devices within two years. However, sales aren’t flat.

[ Source: Tech Fortune CNN]

Image via Reuters

Dell are rumored to release a 7-inch Android based tablet sometime in 2011, but in truth an exact date is about as firm as quicksand.The 5-inch screen of Dell’s Streak fills a niche screen-size but also offers an identity crisis; “am I a tablet?” However, this newer offering clearly fits in with the tablet crowd and Michael Dell revealed the device on stage for but a fraction of a moment before saying that, “of course, it’s nice to have a larger screen,” and then left it at that.

This device is alleged to run Android, but the version is anyone’s guess. Indeed, something above Android 2.1 is almost a certainty, but it is possible that this tablet may run Android 3.0 or similar. Let’s wait and see!

[Source: WSJ]

Nexus one upgrade via Android Central

Although Google have not released an official note regarding the update, nor is there an official ‘changelog’ to details what is new, really smart people at xda-developers are allegedly stating that this update ‘patches the vulnerability that allows Universal Androot to work’.

[Via: Android and Me]