First, A Brief Introduction…If you’ve been paying even the slightest bit of attention to the tech world for the past year or two, you’re probably well aware that Android has more or less taken over the smartphone scene. Way back in June of 2010, Google revealed that 160,000 Android devices were being activated per day – at the time, that was more than double the combined total of iPhone, Mac, and iPad activations. According to comScore, Android had already conquered 28.7% of the market in December of 2010. In March of 2011 – just a few short months later – comScore’s numbers showed market sh…

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[Editorial] The Life And Trials Of Android: A Beautiful Mess That Is Destined To Survive
Aaron Gingrich – rss.feedsportal

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, we thought we would bring you this week’s recap a bit early so that you can all get out and enjoy the time off. Be sure to remember the men and women who gave their lives for this country as that is the reason you get these extra couple of days off. After that, celebrate with friends and family, enjoy the sun and food, and do not drink and drive. End of lecture.

Another solid week is in the books here at Droid Life as we head into a summer that should be a blast. We have Google I/O happening at the end of June, the Incredible 4G LTE any day now, the RAZR HD at some point, the Galaxy SIII potentially in a few weeks, and all sorts of Nexus t…

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This Week in the Life of Droid: 5/25/2012
– droid-life.com

A while back we showed you guys a great looking new music player called Apollo being created by +Andrew Neal for CM9. It looked amazing and everyone wanted it. It was supposed to be released to the play Store but we haven’t seen it yet. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t out there somewhere for you to check out though. Looks like our old friend Tony found it just sitting around at Redmond Pie. I hate it when great things go unnoticed. Apollo is much like any other music player you may already have, but it is always fun to check out something new. They point out a more white th…

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CM9 Music app project, Apollo, hits the web for all Ice Cream Sandwich Devices
Stormy Beach – androidspin.com

If you’re one of the lucky people who received their brand-new HTC Evo 4G LTE phones, there’s some good news for you. You can now root your new Evo 4G LTE phone and gain complete access to the device. Rooting the Evo 4G LTE isn’t hard and doesn’t require any crazy computer knowledge either. The process is fairly simple because it uses the same root exploit used on the Transformer Prime after it received its Android 4.0 upgrade.

All you need to do is install some drivers and then run a script that will take care of the rest. As always, if you’re not sure if you want to root, o…

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HTC Evo 4G LTE gets rooted via simple script
Jonathan Radande – droidmatters.com

According to a leaked image obtained by the folks over at Mobile Syrup, Canadian might be able to get their hands on the Samsung Galaxy S III on June 20. The ad, which appears to be from Best Buy, has a picture of both variants of the Galaxy S III with an available date of June 20. Also displayed on the ad are all the major Canadian carriers: Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Virgin Mobile.

So far, the only confirmed release date that we have for the Galaxy S III is the European release, which is happening on Wednesday, May 30. In regards to North America and other parts of the world …

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Is the Samsung Galaxy S III launching in Canada on June 20?
Jonathan Radande – droidmatters.com

The interesting thing here is that the whole panel is a touchscreen which would obviously enable some serious sharing abilities but, with Android 4.0 said to be released on the tablet it’s hard to see how the tablet will perform with such a large display. Android 4.0 is not exactly built for more than one operator in mind however, it’s flexibilities as an OS might just fulfil ViewSonic’s aim to market these as “smart business tablet monitors”. Computex kicks off June 5th and so we ought to see more of these massive monitor come tablets sooner than we think.

A handy “screen-to-body” graph has been making the rounds across a few tech sites which brought it back to my attention. I actually found the graph while cruising through the depths of Reddit the other night on my off-time and thought a few of you would find it useful. The graph takes information on a various device’s body and display size, plotting them in graphs and charts so we can see who comes out on top.

Also known as “screen-to-bezel ratio,” it appears that the Samsung Galaxy Note takes top honors as the one Android device with the biggest sized screen for its body size. Rounding up 3rd place is the HTC EVO 4G LTE (although …

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Handy Graph Shows Screen-to-Bezel Ratios Of Popular Android Handsets
Chris Chavez – phandroid.com

Say What?!?!? Apparently ViewSonic is looking to take the idea of Android computing and tablets to the next, rather insane, level. ViewSonic should be showing off a new 22-inch Android 4.0 tablet at the upcoming Computex conference in June. The tabletors (Tablet + Monitor), ya I suck at clever names, will be a new breed of “smart business tablet monitors.” They are expected to show off a wide array of these types of device both running Android and Windows 8. Not many details are floating around about these behemoths just yet though. We hope they make the resolution impressive…

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22-inch Ice Cream Sandwich tablet planned by ViewSonic
Stormy Beach – androidspin.com

We’re receiving reports from folks who pre-ordered the EVO 4G LTE that Sprint and HTC are sending out free gel cases for the handset along with an apology letter for the delays caused by the U.S. Customs. Here is what they said:

HTC EVO 4G LTE. Please accept this phone accessory as a small token of our appreciation and thanks.

We think that this is really nice of Big Yellow to let their customers know that they care, even though this whole situation isn’t their fault. Enjoy you free cases and let us know if you got one packed with the Evo 4G L…

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Sprint, HTC say thank you to EVO 4G LTE buyers, sends them a free Gel case and a sorry letter
Zack Nebbaki – droidmatters.com

Google may have cut down waves of these types of apps but, it didn’t stop roughly 1400 people being charged £27,850 in fraudulent fees in the UK alone. The openness of Google’s Play Store is a double-edged working under a takedown of apps model rather than a strict – too strict, if you ask me – curation model for the iOS App Store. It’s not difficult for these apps to get themselves into the Play Store, they often get taken down before any real damage is done – this case it was a little too late, obviously. With malware getting more and more sophisticated it’ll be interesting to see what Google has in its arsenal ready and waiting.

In a rather surprising turn of events it appears that the hotly anticipated HTC EVO 4G LTE is finally starting to arrive at the doorsteps for those who pre-ordered it, as we reported yesterday, but with a little extra treat. The EVO is arriving for many with an apology note for the delay, and a free TPU smartphone case for their troubles.

Well played guys, well played. It looks like both the carrier and HTC have teamed up and are shipping out free cases along with the smartphones to thank their customers for being patient and not canceling to opt for another device. Bonus! Then again there isn’t too many good choices from the Now Network, but users could hav…

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HTC EVO 4G LTE shipments showing up with free cases
Cory Gunther – androidcommunity.com

We found the Asus Transformer Pad to be a great choice for those looking for an Android tablet at a price, but the lack of cellular connectivity could be limiting for some. It appears Asus is planning to address those concerns, with a new variant, the TF300TL, appearing in the FCC’s database with support for 2G, 3G, and LTE. According to the filing, the device will support LTE at 700MHz and 1700MHz, and HSPA+ at 850MHz and 1900MHz – all the bands we’d expect for a device destined for AT&T here in the US. Of course, this doesn’t mean the device’s pairing with Ma Bell is a done deal, and the tablet could be equally at home on some Canadian carriers. That said, we wouldn’t be surpris…

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Asus Transformer Pad 300TL appears in FCC database with support for AT&T LTE
theverge.com

Recently we broke news that a port of Bullfrog ‘s classic Theme Hospital had hit the Google Play market, courtesy of Barley Studios. A commercial success on both PS1 and PC its passionate fan base has given it several attempts at trying to revitalize the game through various open source projects. One of these projects named CorsixTH has been somewhat successful at doing this and is almost complete. News recently broke again that Alan from Armed Pineapple has altered the code of CorsixTH and ported it to android himself.

Read more…

…

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Interview with BarleyStudios about Theme Hopsital, Permissions and CorsixTH
droidgamers.com

Those of you who were hoping to get RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger on your Android device will have to say goodbye to those thoughts. Although we’ve seen multiple images of BBM running on Android, it just won’t be happening.

According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, RIM is not going to be licensing their popular BBM service and making it available on other platforms, such as Android.

RIM was indeed testing out BBM on Android and other platforms. The project, known as “SMS 2.0″ internally, was supposed to make the messaging app available on Android and iOS…

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BlackBerry Messenger not coming to Android or other platforms
Jonathan Radande – droidmatters.com

By know you should all know how much we love themes, particularly MIUI themes. We have amassed quite the collection on the site and even more in our devices folder. What is better than finding a great new theme to toss on your device, creating your own and winning some great prizes for ding it. If you are one of those highly talented individuals that likes to create amazing lockscreens, icons, clocks, wallpapers and back covers, you should pay attention for a second. MIUI is currently hosting the second global MIUI theme design challenge.

The challenge began on May 15th, so we, and you…

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Second Global MIUI Theme Design Challenge Underway, Amazing Prizes up for Grabs
Stormy Beach – androidspin.com

The POGO landscape dock for the Galaxy Nexus is back in stock at Samsung’s official store, for those interested in dropping a cool $90 for a nightstand mate. We reviewed this dock back in February when it first surfaced, so if you are in the market for a stand, we suggest you check it out. I will warn you that $90 is about $60 above what this dock is probably worth. It charges your phone using the 3-pin connector and that’s about it. 

Buy

Cheers garbagedick and Mike!

…

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Galaxy Nexus POGO Dock is in Stock, Still Costs $90
– droid-life.com

If you’re one of the many people who purchased the Sony Xperia Play, there’s some not-so-good news for you. Today, Sony announced that its popular gaming phone was not going to be receiving an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Instead, it will forever be stuck on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

Sony’s decision to not upgrade the Xperia Play to ICS comes after lots of testing between their teams of developers and partners. Overall, they can’t guarantee a consistent and stable gaming experience on the Xperia Play if upgraded to ICS. So, to keep things working good, they’ll cont…

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Android 4.0 ICS not coming to the Sony Xperia Play
Jonathan Radande – droidmatters.com

Google’s Project Glass has been getting quite a bit of buzz lately even though it is still in its “project” phase. We have already seen a few Google execs wearing the glasses (or would it be glass?) in public and a few have even posted example photos on Google+. Speaking of posting on Google+, the company also recently posted a short 15 second sample video showing us what 720p video looks like when recorded via the wearable tech. We have included the video after the break for your viewing pleasure and as you will see the quality is pretty damn good. 

Click here to view th…

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Watch the First Publicly Aired Video from Google’s Project Glass
Stacy Bruce – talkandroid.com

Remember Cartoon Wars? Well, all the murderous stickman-fighting action you can handle is back in Gamevil’s latest title: Cartoon Wars 2: Heroes.

As the self-proclaimed “most complete defense and real-time strategy game of the Cartoon Wars series,” CW2 picks up where the original left off, and even adds a handful of features, including new heroes. In CW2 you can develop your stickman hero from six upgradeable characters, learning new skills as you level up.

There are three different modes of gameplay in CW2: Quick, Special, and, of course, Hell m…

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Gamevil Releases ‘Cartoon Wars 2: Heroes’ To The Play Store
Cameron Summerson – rss.feedsportal

If you need your Android phone to be with you whether it’s rain or shine, with more emphasis on the former, you might be interested to read what Kyocera has to offer. The Kyocera Hydro is a mid-range Android phone that might not pack enough goodies inside to make it a stand out, except for one of its features: this device is waterproof.

That’s right. It’s not a typo. The phone has a 3.5-inch IPS display with 480 x 320 resolution and boasts a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 processor, 2GB internal storage, 512MB RAM, 3.2MP rear camera, a 1500mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  Not bad at all for a mid-ranger, right?

As for the Hydro’s nonchalant stance…

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Kyocera Hydro, a waterproof Android phone with ICS, might be heading to Sprint
Bams Sadewo – androidauthority.com

It looks like ViewSonic wants to shake things up in the “tablet” market, although I’d hardly call this specific device announcement a tablet. Apparently they want to start producing some huge 22-inch Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet-like devices and will be showing them off at Computex. That isn’t all we can expect from ViewSonic this year either apparently.

Should we call this a Moniblet? Just like Samsung and others are calling the Galaxy Note a Phablet. According to Engadget it seems ViewSonic will be calling this new lineup “smart business tablet monitors,” and will be showing off a wide array of them at Computex this ye…

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ViewSonic planning 22-inch Android 4.0 ICS tablet at Computex
Cory Gunther – androidcommunity.com

Comcast has launched a new app that brings a long-awaited feature to Android users: streaming. The Xfinity TV Player app – not to be confused with the Xfinity TV app, which essentially serves as a remote for your set-top box – lets subscribers stream on-demand television shows and movies to either a phone or tablet, so long as it’s running Android 2.3 or higher. Xfinity TV Player doesn’t support AnyPlay, so you can’t use it to watch live TV while on your home network. Instead you can stream “thousands of hours” of on-demand content from networks like HBO, Showtime, and Starz, as well as Comcast’s Streampix service, provided you’re a subscriber – though the company says that there …

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Comcast Xfinity TV Player app brings on-demand streaming to Android
theverge.com

What do you most on your Android phone? If you’re anything like us here at Android Headlines you probably use it for browsing the web, right? Even more so on your tablet, I’m betting. As such, I’m going to be taking a look at a lot of web browsers, and rounding the Top Ten for you below:

1. Dolphin Browser

I don’t think Dolphin Browser needs too much of an introduction, it’s been around for some time now and was one of the first viable third-party browsers for the platform. I currently use Dolphin Browser HD on my tablet by default and have recently started to use it on my phone as well. Dolphin Browser is unique in one way as it comes in many forms, there’s Dolphin Browser Mini, Dolphin Browser HD and Dolphin Browser for Pad. That’s not all, though, if you like customisation – which let’s face it on Android, you do – then there are a whole host of add-on available for the browser in the Play Store. Ranging from the ability to save Web pages as PDFs to opening your most regular tabs in the morning. There’s a killed add-on out there for everyone add that to the customisable start page and you have a browser easily moulded to suit your needs. Definitely worth a shot if you’re looking for a change.

Play Store Link

2. Google Chrome

If you’re running Android 4.0, you’re more than likely running Google Chrome. It’s fantastic that Google have, at long last, brought their fantastic cross-platform Desktop browser to the Android platform. It’s not fantastic that it requires Android 4.0 but as more and more devices get their updates to Ice Cream Sandwich more and more of you will be able to enjoy it. At times, it can be a little heavy on memory but, I’ve not experienced too much of a problem on that front. The browser itself has improved a lot since it’s debut at the beginning of the year, looks fantastic on tablets and phone’s alike and also brings one killer feature to the table – tab-sycning. If you’re anything like me, your Desktop might always be on, and thus, so is Chrome. Having the ability to access whatever I have open on my Desktop on my tablet or phone is fantastic. It’s a great feature and a reason to start using Chrome on it’s own. Unfortunately, Chrome for Android doesn’t support Flash – nor will it ever – a bummer, for sure but, Flash is definitely on the way out and if you can live without it then you’re assured a great experience using Chrome for Android.

Play Store Link

3. Firefox for Android (specifically the Beta Version)

You might be wondering why I’ve suggested a Beta version of a browser for this list. Well, I’ve done so for a couple of reasons, firstly; it’s updated with performance enhancements and features more regularly and secondly; it recently got a significant update regarding it’s UI, performance and Flash. It takes up quite a bit of space but, it can be well worth it. If you’re a desktop user of Firefox – like myself until a year or so ago – then you can enjoy tab-syncing between the two as well, which is easily set-up and works well. It’s extremely quick as well, giving Chrome a good run for its money. If you;re more comfortable with Firefox as a platform on your desktop then this is the browser for you.

Play Store Link

4. Maxthon Android Web Browser

This is another big player in the browser market and it certainly lives up to that. Maxthon were one of the first people to develop a third-party web browser for Android, their experience shows time and time again with every release of their popular browser. I discovered Maxthon some time ago – back in the 2.2 days – and found it be greatly superior to the stock browser for what I needed to get done. It’s fast, stable and is choc full of features and options to customise it to your needs. The developers are also a busy bunch and there is even a “Kid Safe” version of the browser – found here - which is perfect if you’ve bought your little one a cheap 7″ tablet or they just can’t keep their hands off your latest smartphone. There’s a lot that Maxthon and its companion apps can offer, well worth a look.

Play Store Link

5. Opera Mobile

Opera have long been big players in the Desktop space for web browsers and for the last couple of years they’ve been gaining ground in the mobile space as well. Their browser has a feature that its long touted on Android – Opera Mobile can load web pages faster by offloading a good portion of data to Opera’s own servers through its Turbo mode. This works especially well when either not connected to a Wi-Fi network or don’t have a speedy connection from your cell coverage, it’s a quick and painless way to get online quick. I’ve been using Opera Mobile on and off for some time and whilst it’s not for me some people swear by it – I certainly can’t blame them either. If you’re a fan of Opera on the Desktop this is a great experience.

Play Store Link

6. Ninesky Browser

This browser shares some design cues with Google Chrome but, that doesn’t stop it from shining in its own rite. This is a fast, stable browser with a clean interface that’s easy to use. In short, it gets the job done, and it gets the job done well. It’s a light browser that packs quite a few features under the hood as well, it features a Speed dial home page, Flash support and detects security certificates throughout the web – which is always nice, isn’t it? This is well worth a try if the stock browser wasn’t for you.

Play Store Link

7. ICS Browser+

Unfortunately, this is another for those lucky enough to be running Ice Cream Sandwich. This is essentially, a perfected version of the default browser that ships with Android 4.0. Of course, it’s just a redistributed package of the source code from Google – there’s quite a few improvements. The app features “Quick Controls” that relegate all the fluff of a web browser to either edge of the screen to be used in a half-circle radial menu – this works well once you climb the learning curve and you don’t fully realise how much real-estate the standard controls of a browser take up until you regain it. You can also change the User Agent to Desktop and there’s speed improvements to boot. Basically, the developers have taken the best from Google’s latest and made it better which, with the default browser being so good in ICS seems impossible but, somehow they managed it. This is also perfect for those who have a skinned device running Android 4.0 and want a little more Stock Android in their life.

Play Store Link#

8. Overskreen Floating Browser

This one is for sure, like no other web browser. This isn’t a full-fat browser like the rest, but rather a windowed web browser you can put anywhere. Simply put, it’s fantastic. Have you ever wanted to have a permanent web browser up – like you do on your pc – to call upon whenever, without switching apps or interrupting that funny cat video on YouTube? Well, this is it, folks. Overskreen gives you just that, a method in which to have a true multitasking web browser for your Android phone or tablet. Yes, it’s a paid app but, it doesn’t cost all that much and, once you get used to it you’ll be thankful. For instance, your on Skype to a friend and there’s an argument going on – bring up Wikipedia to silence them, there and then. A brilliant app that has as many uses as you throw at it.

Play Store Link

9. xScope Browser

These guys have been around for some time as well, as such, their browser is well established in the Play Store by now. I first stumbled across xScope when I was looking at a new browser for my now defunct Archos A101 that ran 2.2. The browser performed well and I’ve had it installed on my devices ever since then. It’s a solid browser that offers reasonable speeds with great stability. There a lot of features to it, such as a comprehensive bookmark manager and some nice simple themes as well.

Play Store Link

10. Boat Browser

A lot of the browsers on the Play Store take cues from the same tab design that Chrome pioneered on the Desktop years ago. As such, it’s nice to see an app put their own mark on it. Boat Browser does just that, by bringing a fresh take on a design we all know and love. The speed and stability of the browser coupled with easy bookmark management doesn’t help either, no?

Play Store Link

Anyone with a Sprint HTC EVO 3D feeling a little adventurous today? If you are then we have found some fun news. It looks like the guys at BriefMobile have gotten their grubby little mits on an Ice Cream Sandwich RUU file for your device. While it is uncertain if this will be the final build for the EVO 3D, it is always fun to take a look at. The last leak that rolled through was a IMG type of file and caused a lot of issue for some people. An RUU update is quite a bit safer. THere is a pretty good chance that this will wipe your data, include a new radio and probably a new HBOOT. You should a…

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HTC EVO 3D Ice Cream Sandwich RUU update files Leaks
Stormy Beach – androidspin.com

For some lucky HTC EVO 4G LTE pre-orders, their devices are being shipped with a bonus – an official HTC TPU case and an apology letter. The letter expresses Sprint’s sincere apologies for the delays (although, really, it was never their fault). Nice gesture on Sprint’s part. This is the first I’ve heard from users receiving free cases along with their devices, so shout out if any of you received something similar.

[TheVerge]

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Some Sprint Customers Receiving HTC EVO 4G LTE’s Along With Free TPU Cases and Apology Letter
Chris Chavez – phandroid.com

According to a report out of the Wall Street Journal, RIM is no longer looking to license its BlackBerry Messenger client to other platforms and will instead focus on creating additional features for it while pushing BlackBerry 10 and new devices. This move comes as somewhat of a shocker to many, as purported pictures of the service running on Android devices have appeared a couple of times now. There have also been countless rumors over the last year which suggested that RIM may try to leverage the popularity of the service to make some money for the company as their sales and market share continue to fall off cliffs.

My thoughts? Who cares. RIM had a chance to port this se…

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BlackBerry Messenger Not Coming to Android After All, Not Sure Anyone Cares Anymore
– droid-life.com

If you need your Android phone to be with you whether it’s rain or shine, with more emphasis on the former, you might be interested to read what Kyocera has to offer. The Kyocera Hydro is a mid-range Android phone that might not pack enough goodies inside to make it a stand out, except for one of its features: this device is waterproof.

That’s right. It’s not a typo. But first, let’s talk about why the Kyocera Hydro won’t make a bad present. The phone has a 3.5-inch IPS display with 480 x 320 resolution and boasts a 1GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 processor, 2GB internal storage, 512MB RAM, 3.2MP rear camera, a 1500mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  Not bad…

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Kyocera Hydro, a waterproof Android phone with ICS, might be heading to Sprint
Bams Sadewo – androidauthority.com

Who wants to buy the best smartphone over on T-Mobile this weekend? If that’s you then most likely you’ll be buying the new HTC One S. Lucky for you it has landed on sale for this Memorial Day and the folks from Wirefly are offering it for just $125 this weekend only. Below you can find more details, the coupon code, and our review of the impressive new smartphone.

You should all know plenty about the HTC One S by now but if not here is our full review. This 4.3-inch smartphone rocks T-Mobile’s increasingly fast 4G HSPA+ speeds and a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor to keep things smooth, while getting great battery life. Wirefly is offerin…

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HTC One S just $125 for Memorial Day Weekend from Wirefly
Cory Gunther – androidcommunity.com

Sprint ran into some trouble getting the HTC Evo 4G LTE into the hands of those who pre-ordered the handset, and it looks like the company’s making it up to customers: it’s apparently sending free gel covers to pre-order buyers along with their new phone. A tipster sent us a shot of the cover, plus a note saying “HTC and Sprint want to thank you for your pateience as we know you have been anticipating the arrival of your new HTC Evo 4G LTE. Please accept this phone as a small token of our appreciation and thanks.” We’re not sure if this gesture is being extended to every pre-order customer, but we’ve reached out to Sprint and will update when we hear back. Either way, it’s a nice …

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Sprint sending free phone covers to Evo 4G LTE pre-order customers as apology for shipping delay
theverge.com

Over the last year or so, Comcast released a couple of XFINITY apps that were nothing more than glorified TV guides or DVR managers. The one feature that would have actually made them useful on a regular basis, ON Demand streaming, was left out. That is until today. Comcast pushed the XFINITY TV Player app to the Play store, giving customers access to all of their favorite shows from anywhere in the world. It works over WiFi or a data connection, and does it flawlessly. I fired up the app for a few minutes and was watching old Eastbound & Down videos within seconds. Thanks, Comcast.

Play Link

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Comcast Releases XFINITY TV Player on Android, Watch Thousands of ON Demand Shows From Anywhere
– droid-life.com

A day after word spread that Sony’s Xperia Play had vanished from its list of incoming Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades, the company has come forward and confirmed that the gaming-centric handset will not be making the jump to Android 4.0. “After extensive in house testing with our developer teams and working with our partners, we have concluded that a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich,” says the post at Sony’s Xperia Product Blog. “Therefore, we will not make the Android 4.0 upgrade available for Xperia Play.”

According to Sony, a beta test conducted on unlocked Play units brought about s…

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Sony confirms Xperia Play will not get Android 4.0, cites stability concerns
theverge.com

Android Moving Forward

Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility finally received China’s approval. As part of the agreement Google has agreed to keep Android open and free for at least the next five years, in arrangement they had stated would be the case back with the deal was announced last summer. Which means as it stands Google still needs to address fragmentation, and gaining tablet market share. With Motorola as their hardware arm, there are a few keys moves that they could take in order to sure up a number of Android’s weaknesses moving forward.

Fragmentation

Google appears to be addressing the problem of fragmentation head on, with the rumored five Nexus device launch planned for later this year with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean. This a departure from their one Nexus one partner ways of the past and signals they know that their is a need to get their updated OS out to a much larger group of consumers. With each manufacturer having a Nexus model their will be an option for all of the consumer needs and for each of the different carriers world wide, and available in the Google Play Store. This move will also show carriers that consumers do indeed want the latest version of Android when they opt for Nexus model instead of the skinned option with older Android versions.

Whether or not they decide to get rid of the Moto skin over Android, Google can make Motorola the manufacturer that gets updates out to all their devices in the timeliest of manners. With all manufacturers being a part of Nexus program they will not be able to call foul saying Moto had early access and will only have themselves to blame for their prolonged update process.  With ICS released last November and still only running on 5% of Android devices updates are a major issue and Moto could light a fire under other manufacturers if they are known for having quick and consistent updates.

Would you consider getting a non Nexus Moto device if you knew they had updates, under control and timely? Do you think it would cause other OEMs to get more serious about their app updates and help the Android fragmentation issues?

Google’s wasting no time showing off their new glasses that are for now being called Project Glass. You’ve probably seen plenty about them already but now we have actual video footage. Yes these awesome Google Glasses can take 720p video, and are looking better and better by the day. Did I mention yet that I want a pair like right this minute? Well I do!

Earlier this week during the Google Glass Walk in San Francisco tons of pictured were snapped of the augmented reality headset and we have now received are first look (gallery below) at them not being worn. What does this reveal? A power button on the inside of the frame, a micro-USB port for charging an…

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Google Project Glass video sample revealed
Cory Gunther – androidcommunity.com

Lately, there’s been a lot of chatter around the net regarding a Samsung Galaxy S3 delay. According to Tweakers.net, apparently Samsung was forced to destroy nearly 600,000 battery covers, after a defect was found in the Pebble Blue version of the covers. It’s this hiccup that has pushed back the launch date for the international model of the GS3.

Yesterday, we received an email from online retailer Negri Electronics confirming these delays, but strangely, had to do with the white version of the device. The email sent out to pre-orderers reads,

“To many, being first is a necessity. To us, it is a requirement. While we do no

…

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Samsung Galaxy S3 Facing Delays – Defective Battery Door To Blame [Rumors]
Chris Chavez – phandroid.com

Sony has been rather good as of late with keeping everyone in the loop on their upgrade process to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. They however made a change to the list yesterday removing the Xperia Play or PlayStation Phone. Sony later confirmed that the device will not see the OS upgrade stating,

A consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich… in this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability.

This has to be bad news for many who were told by Sony that their entire 2011 Smartphone lineup would receive the upgrade to ICS. The rest of the list should be seeing their upgrades around the end of June, so this is bad news for some and good news for others.