Like many early iPod adopters, I’ve been using iTunes for a long time. It might not be the best media player, but it gets the job done adequately. Yet lately I’ve found myself using my Nexus One for most musical needs. Sometimes this involves streaming apps like Pandora. In others it means using the music I’ve loaded manually onto my Android device. I usually accomplish this by mounting my device and dragging the music folder. Clearly that’s not the most efficient way to do things, but it’s not like there’s a well-known media manager that will help me do it. But thanks to James Kendrick, I now know of, use, and love doubleTwist.
Read the rest of doubleTwist gives Android a media syncing option…
For a few weeks now Adobe Flash has been available for Android devices running 2.2, and it has been available for a bit longer in beta form. This means plenty of people have had a chance to try it out, but I haven’t seen much in the way of reviews. I tried it myself a couple of times and didn’t notice much, but there’s probably not much I can learn from watching two or three videos. Over at NewTeeVee they have a video demo of Flash on a Nexus One. Those who don’t yet have Froyo might be disappointed.
Read the rest of Is Flash on Android any good?…
It wasn’t even a half month ago that T-Mobile started teasing the G2, the first handset on its HSPA+ network. Now, via Cell Phone Signal, we see the first official pictures. It means that we’re just a bit closer to the launch date. I’m guessing we’ll see some video footage coming next. As we learned in July, an HTC-built, Android-running handset with an HSPA+ radio would be released in September, so all signs point to the G2 coming out in the next month. The pics make this look like a winner. I’m especially impressed with the thinness. That should give the G2 greater mass appeal than the bulky G1. Specs after the jump.
Read the rest of Here it is: The T-Mobile G2…
For the past two years I’ve lived in New York City and therefore have had no need for a car. The pains of gas price increases went completely unnoticed. In the past week, though, I’ve been doing a ton of driving and therefore have had to top off the tank a few times. It was an easy reminder of why I chose the city life. Gas can get expensive, and it seems like the most conveniently located stations have the highest priced gas. It came as a disappointment, then, that I didn’t come across the GasBuddy application until after I finished my driving duties yesterday. It would have been used frequently during the past week to help me find the closest and cheapest gas stations.
Read the rest of Use your Android to save money with GasBuddy…
Some companies refuse to adapt. They usually end up failing. As digital photography started to take off Polaroid, makers of instant cameras, started to decline. The company twice filed or Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the latest in 2008. They’re making a comeback now with a product that fits the company image perfectly. The PoGo is a small, portable printer that can instantly spit out photos from your digital camera, computer, or yes, even your mobile phone. For Android users it might be just a bit sweeter thanks to a bout of nostalgia.
Read the rest of Polaroid making a comeback with PoGo 3×4 and Android app…
In order to succeed, the old adage goes, you have to be either first or best. But with so many different types of apps in the market, and since the market has been around for a while now, the opportunity to be first has, for the most part, passed. There’s still room to be the best, but some developers are trying to take shortcuts. Take this example we saw last month, wherein a developer admitted to spamming the Market with mostly useless apps.
Read the rest of Making money in the Android Market…
It wasn’t too long ago that Android was just a project, a glimmer of hope for the future of the smartphone industry. But then, in September 2008, we were rewarded with the world’s first Android handset, the T-Mobile G1. In the 23 months since then we’ve seen a deluge of Android phones hit the market, and lately it seems like manufacturers have stepped up their games. Motorola just released a pair of high-end devices on Verizon, while HTC has the EVO and the Incredible, while Samsung has gotten into the game with the Galaxy. That left no room for older devices like the G1. Fret not, though. T-Mobile is coming back with an encore.
Read the rest of Android will be the first to show off HSPA+ speeds…
Being an Android newb means coming across issues that others might find common. But since this site is for newbs and vets alike, we try to cover these issues when they pop up. One notable instance cropped up over the weekend. On Friday I started getting a messaging warning me that disk space on my Nexus One was low. This seemed odd, because I don’t have a ton of apps on the device itself. I’ve installed a ton, but have either uninstalled or moved most of them to the memory card. So what was taking up so much memory?
Read the rest of Newb Post: Apps with growing memory usage…
As I’ve chronicled here, I love to read on my Nexus One. Everything just looks and feels right when I’m doing so. It helps a ton, too, that Google Reader works well with the Android browser. For the most part I can star articles in Reader from my desktop if I know I’ll have time to read later. But sometimes I find sites by browsing, and they’re not in Reader. And, even worse, sometimes you don’t get a full RSS feed. That’s why I love the new Chrome to Phone feature. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great start.
Read the rest of Chrome to Phone is my reading savior…
What’s the difference between a good app and a great app? A good app provides you a service you desire with a usable interface. Evernote for Android previously fell into that category. It performed the exact task for which I had intended it, which was to make note of stray thoughts while I’m not at the computer. It wasn’t the best app, but it served its purpose of keeping everything stored in the cloud so that I could access it via my desktop app. Thankfully the folks at Evernote have realized the error of their ways and have started to put more work into the Android app, including an update you can download right now.
Read the rest of Evernote for Android gets way better with home screen widget…
