IntoMobile » Platforms

Video Preview: Need For Speed Shift shows what OpenGL ES graphics can do on a BlackBerry Storm2

Will Park — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:07:39 +0000

RIM today announced at their BlackBerry Developers Conference in San Francisco that the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) OS will soon support OpenGL ES for 3D graphics acceleration. The arrival of 3D graphics support should finally bring the BlackBerry platform out of the dark ages, where BrickBreaker and other 2D games reigned supreme. RIM and EA Mobile took to the BBDC keynote stage to show off the still-in-development “Need For Speed: Shift” 3D game, giving the world a glimpse of what’s to come. The game looked impressive, to say the least, so we figured a hands-on video was in order.

We sat down with EA Mobile and gave the game a solid once-over. Before we continue, we should mention again that Need For Speed: Shift is still in early stage development, and what you see below is actually the first ever playable version of the game. As such, there weren’t too many cars to pick from, and the game had only a single playable track. Still, the accelerometer-based controls were easy to use – they were responsive but not twitchy (like a lot of racing games on the iPhone). In-game audio was impressive and really gave the game a more polished feel than the two weeks worth of development time would have suggested.

EA Mobile promises to have Need for Speed: Shift polished off by the time it hits the BlackBerry App World. By that time the game should support more computer rivals (AI enemies), a drift-turn feature to slide around corners and player-points to upgrade your ride. Check out the video below!

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Vobis Computer unveils its second Android device – Highscreen Zeus

Dusan Belic — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:14:07 +0000

Back in July, we saw Vobis Computer’s first Android device – HighScreen PP5420, and now the company unveiled the second one – Highscreen Zeus. The new smartphone is obviously better than its predecessor and it comes with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Rest of the specs include HSPA connectivity, 3.2-inch 240×400 pixels touchscreen, 3-megapixel camera with auto-focus, GPS, 256 MB of RAM coupled with 512 MB of ROM, Bluetooth 2.1, while Qualcomm (NSDQ: QCOM)’s MSM 7225 CPU is running the show at 528 MHz. Size wise, the Highscreen Zeus measures 110×55x15.1 mm and has a weight of 124.6 grams.

Exact release date is unknown at this stage, but we do have the price. Once released, Vobis will ask 13,990 rubles (about $483) for the Zeus…

[Via: Unwired View]

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CHARGE Anywhere unveils mobile payment app for Android

Dusan Belic — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:12:40 +0000

Mobile payment solutions provider CHARGE Anywhere is “going Android” with a dedicated application which it argues is the first PCI PA-DSS validated Payment Application for the platform. All major card processors support CHARGE Anywhere’s mobile payment software and payment gateway solutions, hence seamless integration with virtually every merchant account provider is guaranteed.

To put this mumbo-jumbo into plain words, CHARGE Anywhere for Android enables merchants to easily and securely accept credit and debit card transactions at the point-of-sale or point-of-service.

The software also supports optional hardware such as a Bluetooth printer with integrated card reader, enabling for printing of receipts on the spot… Additional details are available from CHARGE Anywhere’s website.

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Remember The Milk’s Android app updated with customizable widgets and start screen, Quick Search Box, and HTC Tattoo and Motorola Droid support

Dusan Belic — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:08:26 +0000

On the heels of its recent iPhone app update, Remember The Milk updated its Android application adding some cool new features to the mix. Here’s what’s changed in the version 1.1.0 (codename “Bender”):

Widget customization – you can now choose between two different sizes (2×2 and 3×3) and customize what the widget shows: tasks due today, all tasks, or tasks from a specific list (Smart Lists, included).
Start screen customization – allows for customization of the screen that the app starts up on from the “Settings” menu. Choose between screens like “Today,” “Tags,” and “Nearby,” or select a specific list (or Smart List) to start on.
Quick Search Box – available in Android 1.6 and later.
HTC Tattoo and Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid support – meaning that QVGA and WVGA screen resolutions are now supported!

In a nutshell, great update hence it’s a must grab for all RTM fans who are at the same time Android device owners. Look for the RTM app in the Android Market.

[Via: RTM blog]

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The Unboxing: Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris

Will Park — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:32:15 +0000

We’ve already had a chance to play with the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless, but there’s nothing like a retail package unboxing ceremony to really get up close and personal with a new handset. As the “ying” to the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid’s “yang,” the HTC Droid Eris offers Verizon customers a fully capable Android smartphone at half the price of Moto’s headlining Droid, and it deserves some of our undivided attention.

The HTC Droid Eris is a lot like the HTC Hero from Sprint. Just like the Hero, the Droid Eris packs a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel auto-focusing camera, 3G data, WiFi, GPS and a microSD card slot. It also runs the Sense UI, HTC’s custom Android homescreen skin, which gives the Droid Eris a bunch of extra HTC widgets to play with – and it doesn’t hurt that Sense UI looks way prettier than the vanilla Android homescreen.

Surprisingly, the HTC Droid Eris isn’t much thinner than the Motorola Droid, which sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That’s not to say that the Droid Eris is a brick, it actually sits really comfortably in the hand. Still, the Eris could stand to lose a couple millimeters around its waist.

The Droid Eris’s 5-megapixel camera is faster and less laggy than the Motorola Droid. It also supports touch-focusing, which gives it a another small but significant leg-up on the Droid. The 3.2-inch display is smaller than would be ideal, but it’s plenty big for day-to-day use. Above all, there’s no sliding mechanism on the Droid Eris, so build quality is top-notch – no jiggling or creaking here.

The Droid Eris is available from Verizon Wireless for $99.99 with new 2-year contract. Or, you might be able to find a better deal here.

Unfortunately, the Eris runs Android 1.5 OS. The Motorola Droid features Android 2.0 OS, which has the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps Navigation app pre-installed. Android 1.5 isn’t bad, especially with HTC’s Sense UI riding on top, but it’s no Android 2.0.

Anyway, acquaint yourself with the Droid Eris below!

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Deal Alert: $99 Motorola Droid, FREE HTC Droid Eris from Wirefly.com

Will Park — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:46:08 +0000

If you’ve been resisting the urge to run out and buy a Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid at a Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless store, we’ve got some good news for you. Wirlefly.com is rewarding your patience with a seriously hot deal on a brand new Droid. How hot, you ask? Wirefly is offering the Droid for $99.99 with new 2-year contract (or contract extension). They also have the HTC Droid Eris on deck for FREE, if the HTC Sense UI is more your style.

For about $100, Wirefly.com will ship a newly activated Droid to your door. There’s no mail-in rebate to deal with and FedEx shipping is included, free of charge. The promotional ad makes it look like the $100 Droid requires new activation on Verizon’s $59.99 monthly rate plan, so we went through the checkout process with Verizon’s lowest-tier $39.99/month rate plan selected. We stopped short of processing payment information, but everything looked good to go with the cheaper rate plan.

The FREE HTC Droid Eris offer seems to be more limited. You’ll have to have an existing Verizon Wireless account and be willing to extend your contract for another two years. And, it seems the contract extension only applies to rate plans of $59.99 or more. On the upside, shipping is free via FedEx.

If you can wait a couple days for your new Droid hardware, you’re going to have a hard time beating these two deals.

$100 Motorola Droid
FREE HTC Droid Eris

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Google promotes the Moto Droid on its homepage

Dusan Belic — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:59:19 +0000

We do know Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) have worked together on the Droid, but still we haven’t thought we’ll see the search giant promoting the smartphone on its homepage, which is known for not carrying any ads at all. There are no doubts in my mind, Google bets heavily on Android and I’m guessing this is their way to show the true iPhone killer is now available, sporting the latest version of Google’s mobile OS – Android 2.0. We’re also unaware whether some cash was exchanged in the process, and considering Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has spent a small fortune for Droid promotion, that also sounds like a viable option.

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

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Motorola Milestone coming to Brazil, too

Dusan Belic — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:58:00 +0000

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) announced that “B” of the BRIC countries will get their Android 2.0-powered Droid. We’re talking about Brazil, of course, and since the carrier is TIM, it’s the GSM version of the phone called Milestone that will be available to interested users. The price is unknown and but the good news is that the version TIM will sell comes with the multi-touch display, which is very useful for zooming all around the web, maps and so on.

Again you know the specs, but let me shortly repeat them nonetheless – the display measures 3.7 inches, there’s a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, HSPA connectivity, GPS, WiFi, 3.5mm headset jack and a 1400 mAh battery.

[Via: Unwired View]

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Promptu to bring voice-to-text ShoutOUT app to Android; Make it PayPal-enabled

Dusan Belic — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:41:59 +0000

Promptu Systems announced that it will bring its ShoutOUT voice-to-text mobile application, powered by PayPal X, to the Android platform (it was the iPhone thing only, until recently). The release date is scheduled for Q1 2010, when interested users will be able to manage such tasks as send text messages and updates to Facebook and Twitter without typing a word.

As for the PayPal’s role, their new Adaptive Payments APIs sits at the backend, enabling purchasing of ShoutOUT voice credits…

And that’s about all we have at this stage. iPhone version is also in works — when I searched for it in the AppStore I found some other ShoutOUT app, so I’m guessing it will hit iTunes in no time as Promptu’s website talks about it like it’s ready.

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Hacker cracks latest iPhone OS, Apple starts looking for iPhone security manager

Will Park — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:45:04 +0000

The cat-and-mouse game between Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and would-be iPhone hackers is about to get a little more interesting. Following the recent release of “blacksn0w,” an iPhone unlocking tool capable of unlocking new iPhone 3GS’s running the latest iPhone OS, Apple has posted a new job listing for an “iPhone OS Platform Security Manager.” Apple is apparently looking for someone to head the development team tasked with securing iPhone boot-up and operating system installation as well as other aspects of iPhone platform security.

We’re not sure if Apple is looking for someone new to fill the position, or if Apple wants to replace the current iPhone OS Platform Security Manager. In either case, it’s pretty clear that the iPhone maker wants to make sure that hackers like George “geohot” Hotz and the iPhone Dev Team aren’t able to keep cracking the iPhone.

The back-and-forth between hackers and Apple is an ongoing saga juicier than your daily soap operas. The iPhone and iPhone 3G were initially jailbroken (the process of opening the file-system to allow unauthorized application installs) and unlocked to work with any GSM network, courtesy of the iPhone Dev Team. Apple then updated the iPhone OS to close the jailbreak exploit known as “24kpwn,” eventually updating the baseband firmware (the code that controls how the iPhone connects to wireless networks like AT&T (NYSE: T) and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)) from version 04.26 to 05.11 to prevent unlocking. iPhone hacker geohot countered with his “blackra1n” jailbreak utility, following that up with the release of “blacksn0w” to unlock the latest iPhone 3GS baseband (05.11) to work with GSM networks around the world.

That pretty much brings us up to speed (in a nutshell, from a very small nut). The iPhone platform is, at this point, jailbroken and unlocked. Now it’s Apple’s turn.

It’s conceivable that Apple’s incoming iPhone security manager will put an end to baseband 05.11 unlocks, but it’s hard to see Apple ever locking down the iPhone completely. Still, if you’re interested in jailbreaking and unlocking your iPhone, you’re best bet is to jump on board soon.

[Via: NetworkWorld]

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iPhone game developer sued for farming phone numbers

Will Park — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:34:36 +0000

iPhone gaming can be hazardous to your privacy, apparently. A security hole in the iPhone OS allows someone with the right know-how to design an iPhone app to secretly learn an iPhone’s phone number. The problem is serious enough that iPhone game developer Storm8, creators of Vampires Live and iMobsters, has been hit with a class action lawsuit for allegedly collecting the phone numbers of iPhone gamers without their knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit, filed in San Francisco on behalf of Washington State resident Michael Turner, claims that Storm8 included “malicious software code” for gathering phone number data into the company’s iPhone games. “Storm8 has written the software for all its games in such a way that it automatically accesses, collects, and transmits the wireless telephone number of each iPhone user who downloads any Storm8 game,” alleges the suit.

In its defense, Storm8 acknowledged back in August that it was getting phone number data from its iPhone games. The company claims a “bug” was to blame.

What’s interesting here is that Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) didn’t catch the supposed “bug” before approving the game for the AppStore. Apple’s getting really good at rejecting iPhone apps that don’t fit into the company’s narrow view of acceptable content, but it seems they still need to work on the basics – like rejecting potential spyware.

Should Apple be held accountable for letting an iPhone app embedded with “malicious software code” onto the AppStore? Should Apple pull the app on grounds that it’s collecting iPhone users’ phone numbers? We’d like to hear what you think in the comments below.

[Via: boingboing]

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Proof that Motorola Droid Hype was built by the media

Stefan Constantinescu — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:15:49 +0000

Read this Tech Crunch piece in its entirety.

I walked up the Verizon (NYSE: VZ) store no later than 6:20 AM, forty minutes before the 7:00 AM opening time (three hours earlier than usual in light of the big day). But no sooner had I arrived than I began to question my still-groggy mental state. The Verizon sign was directly above my head. There were five or six employees buzzing around the well-lit store, two of whom were decked out in bizarre Droid-branded outfits, complete with black leather vests. But the street could not have been more empty.

The door cracked open. One of the employees, perhaps concerned by my confused expression or excited that someone had actually shown up, had come to talk to me.

A few minutes later I was joined by two new Droid fans. Unfortunately, my excitement over my new friends was rather shortlived — the newcomers turned down my offer of free TechCrunch T-shirts, and informed me that they weren’t actually waiting in line, but had come to witness it for themselves too. As it turned out, they were members of the Android team, who were also apparently let down by the sad turn out.

Droid. Does. Fail.

Update: Some further clarification as to why I posted the above snippet from Tech Crunch. Remember the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre? Remember how everyone fell in love with it in January, and we all eagerly waited for it to come out? First in the USA on Sprint (NYSE: S), then in Germany and the UK on O2 (NYSE: TEF). Look where the Palm Pre is now in November. Hell, look where Palm is right now. The amount of attention the Palm Pre received was outstanding, yet how many Palm Pres do you see out in the wild?

There is no doubt that the Droid is an awesome device. Everyone who has reviewed one has said that it’s the best version of Android to date. The camera sucks, but the polished UI, and let us not forget Google Maps Navigation, are compelling enough reasons to say that the Droid is better than the iPhone. But what actually happened? All the press, from hyper enthusiast gadget sites like us, Engadget and Gizmodo, to main stream coverage from places such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, all amounted to nothing.

No big lines, no big parade, nada, zip. Think we’re going to be talking about the Droid in 6 months? No. We’ll be up to our eye balls in Android 2.0 devices, and in 6 months we may even see a new, better, more hyped up version of Android from either HTC or Motorola (NYSE: MOT).

The reason I posted the snippet above was to point out, and make fun of, people who said the Droid was going to change the status quo. Android is still not awesome enough to be accepted by the masses, but it’s getting there.

Update 2: One more thing, how long do you think it will take for Motorola, or Verizon, to issue a press release saying 1 million units have been sold? How many do you think will be sold over the weekend?

Update 3 (Monday morning): Looks like TechCrunch changed their mind, apparently the Droid is selling well. The CTO at Pandora said downloads for his application tripled.

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Google Maps updated with NYC subway maps layer

Will Park — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:15:37 +0000

Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps just keeps getting better. Google recently rolled out the “Layer” feature for Google Maps on BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM), Windows Mobile and Symbian S60, allowing users to overlay different types data on top of Google Maps – stuff like Wikipedia entries and your friends’ Google Latitude locations. Today, Google is launching a new NYC subway map layer that should help anyone in The Big Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) navigate the city’s maze of subways.

In addition to the step-by-step public transit directions that Google Maps has been serving up for a while, the new Google Maps NYC subway layer “will help you quickly navigate the New York City subway system.” You’ll need to update your Google Maps for Mobile app to the latest Layer-supported version before you can use the NYC subway layer. Once you’ve done that, “just click the Layers menu and then turn on the Transit Lines layer.”

We’d whine about not having a San Francisco public transit layer available for Google Maps, but public transportation in the SF Bay Area sucks compared to NYC, so it makes sense that NYC gets first dibs. Which is why we drive everywhere.

Google Maps NYC subway layer

[Via: PhoneScoop]

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Droid Day: Where to Get a Motorola DROID and for How Much

Simon Sage — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:59:04 +0000

Droid Day has arrived, and there are a lot of people waiting in line to pick up their shiny new Verizon Motorola droid. If you don’t feel like taking to the battlefield, here are some handy links to help you order one online, but even if you’re intent on picking one up today, maybe there’s a brick and mortar store in the list you haven’t checked yet…

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) – $149.99 if upgrading
Wal Mart – $149.99
Best Buy – $199.99
Wirefly -$149.99
LetsTalk – $149.99
Sears – $149.99

Anywhere else y’all have managed to find the droids you were looking for?

P.S.: Most online retailers are providing the $100 mail-in rebate instantly, but be sure to double-check with a live agent to make sure you know what the deal is.

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Dell Mini 3iX hits the FCC with WiFi and US 3G

Will Park — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:26:04 +0000

We recently saw the Dell 3ix pop up in Brazil with WiFi and support for wireless frequencies used in the US, indicating that Dell’s Android handset would make it to The States. Today, we have confirmation that the Dell Mini 3iX is indeed headed to AT&T (NYSE: T) (likely in Q1 2010). The FCC has just given its blessing to Dell’s first Android phone, complete with 3G support on the 850Mhz and 1900Mhz frequencies used by AT&T.

The Chinese Dell Mini 3i lacks WiFi to comply with China’s oh-so-reasonable censorship laws, but we’re happy to say the US-bound Mini 3iX will have full WiFi support. It’ll be running a vanilla Android build of some sort (hopefully Android 2.0 “Eclair”) and will feature a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 3-megapixel camera, GPS, 3G data and a microSD card slot.

As for pricing, we’ll have to wait and see. With Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s Droid and Droid Eris launched today, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)’s Behold II on the way, and Sprint (NYSE: S)’s HTC Hero already on market, the Dell Mini 3iX has some stiff competition. Hopefully that will mean a cheaper price point.

[Via: UnwiredView]

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OS 5.0.0.344 Leaks for the BlackBerry Bold 9700

James Falconer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:50:54 +0000

If you’re one of the early adopters of the BlackBerry Bold 9700, chances are you already have 5.0.0.321 or 5.0.0.330. However, heading into the weekend there’s been a new OS leak for the Bold 9700, bringing the OS to 5.0.0.344. Keep in mind this is an unofficial release, so be sure to backup your device and take all necessary precautions before you install. If you’re hesitant, hold off… I have a feeling we’ll see this build hit us in a more official capacity in the near future anyways.

Download OS 5.0.0.344 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 >

[Via: CB]

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Verizon offers Internet tethering on Motorola Droid, for a price

Will Park — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:19:31 +0000

There’s more to the Droid than its high-end spec-sheet and Android 2.0 OS. Turns out, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless is going to let Droid owners use their new smartphone as a 3G modem. But, it’ll cost ‘ya.

In return for allowing you to connect your laptop to your Droid and use its 3G data connection to hop online (tethering), Verizon will ask that you hand over an additional $30 per month – that’s on top of the $30/month data plan that gives you 5GB of data per monthly billing cycle. The tethering option basically doubles the cost ($60) of the Droid data plan, which gives you a total 10GB of data allowance.

The cost might be a bit prohibitive, but at least it’s an option on the Droid. Unlike some other smartphones that we won’t mention by name.

[Via: EngadgetMobile]

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The DROID is live!

Will Park — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:55:13 +0000

The Motorola Droid is live on Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless! Following weeks of hype and impressive TV ads, the highly anticipated Android phone from Motorola (NYSE: MOT) has landed on US shores. Verizon Wireless stores across the country opened for business bright and early this morning to accommodate the masses of Droid hopefuls yearning to be the first of their friends with Verizon’s new smartphone. The midnight launch in Manhattan saw something like 100 people waiting in line for a Droid. The store in Palo Alto, California, said they had a line of about 10 people when they swung their doors open at 7am, and has since been seeing a steady flow of customers coming in with Droid on the brain.

The crowds aren’t bad right now. VZW stores are staffed and ready to serve. It’s not clear how Verizon Wireless will keep up with Droid demand over the weekend, but if it were us, we wouldn’t risk not getting into a store ASAP.

[Update]
Just a quick reminder for all you in NYC considering a Droid purchase today: Verizon Wireless is celebrating its Droid launch with a secret Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert in Manhattan. Droid customers get free tickets today!

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TheStreet.com App Now Available on Android

James Falconer — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:28:19 +0000

The app that recently won a Webby Award Honoree for BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Devices has made it’s way to Android. I’m talking about ‘TheStreet.com’ App, and it’s now available for those of you on your Android devices via m.thestreet.com or in the Android Market.

The app delivers up-to-the-minute market data, articles, commentary from the one and only Jim Cramer and much more. No matter if you’re a day trader, or just a casual investor, TheStreet.com app is a worthwhile addition to your app portfolio for sure.

The port to Android was a natural one, according to Kunal Gupta, CEO of the developers at Polar Mobile:

“The buzz around Android is undeniable…With Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Verizon (NYSE: VZ), Samsung, LG and other major players taking a significant bet, it is essential for Polar to extend our SMART Platform to support Android devices for our customers. The application market is heating up and we get that media brands need help getting their content out across multiple platforms.”

Again, you can check it out via m.thestreet.com or via the Android Market. TheStreet.com app is also available on BlackBerry and iPhone.

[Read]

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Android-powered Saygus VPhone V1 is at the FCC

Dusan Belic — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:56:11 +0000

I haven’t heard about this phone (and manufacturer) before, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad product. Quite the contrary, as its specs include 5-megapixel camera, 3.5-inch WVGA (800×480 pixels) capacitive touchscreen, 624MHz Marvell PXA310 processor, WiFi, GPS, microSD card slot, and that great lookin’ keyboard. We’ve no idea which carrier will end up adding this baby to its portfolio (if any), but the Saygus VPhone V1 certainly looks like a promising device. The only problem I see is in the name – VPhone sounds like something Howard Stern uses to call his wife on Vday.

Anyway, the phone has cleared the FCC and we can only hope it will hit the U.S. market (and other parts of the world, for that matter) just in time for Christmas. Stay tuned…

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

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