May, 2012 - Android Community

Monthly Archive: May 2013

“World’s Thinnest” Oppo Finder set for pre-order in China

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

Another month, another world's thinnest smartphone. The latest contender for the somewhat wobbly throne is the 6.65mm Oppo Finder, last seen in a preview image about a month ago. The phone is currently set for preorder on June 6th, but unfortunately it's only in China, where Oppo operates. Getting a Finder into the hands of the fashion-conscious outside of Asia will require a crafty importer.

Fake Angry Birds peddlers fined £50,000

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

Ah, sweet, sweet justice. Instead of the slap on the wrist and a ban from the Google Play Store as usual, the developer of fake versions of several popular Android games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope will get a more lasting punishment. According to the BBC, The British government has sentenced a Latvian developer to a £50,000 fine for counterfeit apps posted on the Android Market in November of last year.

Huawei breaks hearts, plans custom Android UI

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

You know what I really like about Huawei? Despite being a definite up-and-comer in the Android world (in Europe and Asia, anyway - here they keep getting the shaft) they've left Android alone for the most part. Even on their high-end devices like the Acend P1 S, you'll find an interface that is mostly stock - and with Ice Cream Sandwich, what more do you need? Yes, Huawei is truly an example of what an Android manufacturer should be: a hardware vendor that lets Google's software shine on its own.

Verizon drops Motorola DROID BIONIC to free

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

If you're looking for a great deal on a Verizon LTE phone... keep looking. On the other hand, if you're one of the handful of people whose heart is still set on the Motorola DROID BIONIC, then today is your lucky day. The phone has dropped in price to free on-contract. It's been eight months since Moto's first LTE device debuted on Verizon, though it's been considerably longer since it was announced - the BIONIC had an unusually long gestation period. For the uninitiated, the Motorola DROID BIONIC packs a dual-core 1GHz processor, 4.3-inch 960x540 display, a full gigabyte of RAM and an 8 megapixel rear camera. The storage is a still-decent 16GB, and it can be extended a further 32GB with a MicroSD card. The BIONIC was one of Verizon's first LTE devices, and as far as specs go is still a pretty powerful one. Even so, the BIONIC became one of the most disappointing releases of last year.

Sony shows off ICS for the Xperia S on video

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

If you're a Sony Xperia S owner, no doubt you're getting mighty impatient for a long-overdue Ice Cream Sandwich update. Today you can get a little bit of a preview, thanks to a Thai video from Sony XP. The update is scheduled to land on the international phone in June, though it'll retain much of the same custom interface that's on the Gingerbread ROM at the moment.

ASUS readies new Transformer tablets for Computex

By Michael Crider
on 28 May, 2012

If a handful of Transformer models (many of them yet to go on sale) isn't enough for you, then you'll want to keep a close watch on Android Community come Thursday. That's when ASUS is set to reveal new models at the Computex conference in Taipei, according to their latest teaser video. In typical ASUS fashion it's intentionally vague, with an overbearing voice over and precisely zero specific information.

Android Community Weekly: May 27th, 2012

By Michael Crider
on 27 May, 2012

Another week of happenings for the best mobile platform around has come with some surprisingly good news. Courts have cleared Google of all wrongdoing in the long-awaited end to Oracle's patent trial, and HTC's EVO 4G LTE has been cleared through customs and away from the litigious hands of Apple's patents. Shipments are arriving to pre-orders now, with a little something extra. That's the best news you'll hear all week.

Kobo for Android gets better tablet support

By Michael Crider
on 25 May, 2012

If you're reading this and you're an avid e-book reader, odds are overwhelming that you use either the Kindle or Nook apps to do so on your Android device. But also-ran Kobo is making a case for itself with the fourth version of its Android e-reader app, available today in the Google Play Store. Like its counterparts, you don't need a Kobo device to use the app - it's good to go on any Android smartphone or tablet.

Russian app shames parking jerks via social networks

By Michael Crider
on 25 May, 2012

We've all been there: you're trying to park downtown and some jerk takes up the last two spaces in his Beamer. Apparently the problem is even more pronounced in Russian cities like Moscow, where drivers regularly hop the curb to park on the sidewalk. Local online newspaper The Village has decided to do something about it: using a combination of photo recognition, IP address targeting and social networks, they're exposing parking jerks all over town.

BlackBerry CEO cans BBM for Android

By Michael Crider
on 25 May, 2012

Hoping to talk to your misguided BlackBerry-using friends over an official version of BlackBerry Messenger? Don't hold your breath. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the BBM clients that Research in Motion had been testing for other platforms, including Android, have been taken off the development table. You can thank RIM CEO Thorsten Heins for the decision.