Gallery - Android Community

Category: Gallery

Camera-shy Brown G1 Spotted at last! – More G1 Live Photos

By Staff Editor
on 23 Sep, 2008

With all the sightings of the G1 at the event today, it has become clear that black is the color favorite. There were a few white models in pictures here and there. Word is the brown one was spotted but we really did not see much of it. While the showroom was crowded with long lines and tons of media running about we had to get a shot of the brown, so we sent Vince back in to seek one out. He managed to get his hands on it but only for a moment, as well as plenty more hands-on images.

G1 Hands-On: Live with T-Mobile’s Android Smartphone!

By Chris Davies
on 23 Sep, 2008

After the main announcement this morning, we spent some hands-on time with T-Mobile's new G1 - the first production Android device. The HTC-made device has quadband GSM together with HSDPA 1700/2100, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, a 3.2-megapixel fixed-focus camera and a 3.2-inch 320 x 480 flush-fit touchscreen.

Slide the display to the right, and a full QWERTY keyboard with dedicated search button is revealed. The search function is device-wide and context specific: hit the button while browsing your contacts, for instance, and it will search through individual records. Press it when in the Webkit-based browser (which uses the same underlying technology as Google's Chrome browser for desktop) and it triggers a standard Google internet search. Our first impressions of the browser were that it didn't seem quite as slick as Safari on the iPhone 3G, but the hardware keyboard - while not the best we've used on a mobile device - made entering site addresses and filling in online forms far easier.

Size-wise, compared to what will likely be its most quoted competitor, the T-Mobile G1 is thicker and longer than the iPhone 3G. It's narrower, though, and of course much of the bulk is from the sliding section. A removable battery adds its own girth, too; the G1 talktime is estimated at up to 350 minutes WCDMA or 406 minutes GSM; standby at 402hrs or 319hrs for WCDMA or GSM respectively.

Storage is down from the iPhone 3G too - a 1GB microSD card is in the box, with a maximum of 8GB supported - but the G1 can send MMS messages and has Street View and a digital compass for use with Google Maps. You'll have to either use HTC's headphones or an adapter, though; the G1 lacks a normal 3.5mm socket in favor of the company's "HTC ExtUSB" which combines mini-USB with audio. As expected the G1 uses a multi-core Qualcomm chipset, the MSM7201A running at 528MHz and paired with 256MB ROM and 192MB RAM. One notable omission is A2DP stereo Bluetooth - that will apparently come in a later Android release. We'll have hands-on video very soon, so stick with Android Community! [gallery]

Apps-for-Android gets 3 new code samples: graphics & download

By Chris Davies
on 11 Sep, 2008

Android developer Jack Palevich has released three new open-source samples on the official project blog, two giving insight on how best to implement the OpenGL ES 3D graphics APIs, while the last is an example of a downloader. Triangle is, according to Palevich, the "Hello World" of OpenGL ES apps, and is a simple use of the GLView class and the OpenGL ES 3D library in creating a spinning, textured triangle. SpriteText adds to that, with the inclusion of screen-aligned text:

"SpriteText contains a reusable LabelMaker class for drawing static text and screen-aligned images, as well as a Projector class for finding the 2D screen coordinates corresponding to a 3D point, and a MatrixTrackingGL class for keeping track of the current transformation matrix. Finally, it shows how to use these classes to display a milliseconds per frame counter. A ms/f counter can be helpful for tuning graphics performance" Jack Palevich, Android Developers Blog

Finally, Downloader is an example of a file download system that could be added to the start of any new Android app. It automatically downloads any number of files from an XML configuration document stored on a named web server, and would be useful in situations where there is more local data than can fit into an .apk file. The code is available to download and experiment with now. Click to discuss now in Android Community. [gallery]

Android Photostream App

By Vincent Nguyen
on 4 Sep, 2008

Google just announced a new open source sample application called Photostream. Photostream has been added to the aapps-for-android project, and it's available for you to test drive.

Photostream is a simple photos browser and viewer for Flickr. All you need to use it is a Flickr screen name or user name (the application offers a default user name if you just want to try it.) This application serves as an illustrative example of several Android features and APIs:

Activity aliases
Adding custom shortcuts to Home
Adding a new wallpaper chooser to the system
Custom layouts
Custom XML attributes
Use of themes
Use of styles
Use of text colors
Use of <include>
Use of bitmap and layer drawables from XML
Use of HttpClient
Proper interaction between background threads and the UI thread
Efficient display rotation (using the new onRetainNonConfigurationInstance() API)
Animations and layout animations
Cropping an image
Image manipulation

My favorite feature is the ability to add a new shortcut type in Home, to create a shortcut to any Flickr account. The shortcut shows a custom icon, downloaded from the Flickr user profile:

If you plan on reusing the source code to access Flickr in your own application, you should modify the Flickr.java file to replace the existing API key with your own. The application source code also contains a very handy class called UserTask.java. This class is designed to help you easily write background operations that interact with the UI thread.

[gallery]

T-Mobile G1 phone images leaked!

By Vincent Nguyen
on 30 Aug, 2008

The Google's Android-powered phone for T-Mobile called G1 gets very real with the newly leaked images on a Chinese forum. We've seen the G1 demoed at Google IO earlier this year and another demo by Andy Rubin, but never have we've seen spy shots in the wild. So here is the T-Mobile G1 in all her glory!

Looking over the images, I'm not terribly surprised by it's appearance since we've already seen a leak diagram a few days back. Just as expected, the G1 phone will come in white with T-Mobile brand across the top. The display slides up to reveal a five row full QWERTY keyboard. There's a dedicated Menu button, a phone button, home, back and end call button. As expected the G1 features a jogball similar to what we'd find on a Sidekick.

The G1's specs and features are still unknown but it is rumored to sport a 528Mhz Qualcomm 7201 processor; Data kit for USB connectivity in the box; 64128MB Internal RAM; 128256MB Internal ROM, 1GB MicroSD card; Dedicated camera button; 3.1MP camera (no flash) 2048 x 1536; Video playback files - H.264, streaming, 3GPP, MPEG4, and Codec 3GP and a Dedicated YouTube Player. Yes, I agree the memory is really low, but this is still a rumor so take it with a grain of salt. Also, the rumor going around the Internet is that T-Mobile is set to launch in less than 8 weeks. On October 13th, 2008 you can get the G1 phone for the subsidized price of $199; this price is instant with no mail in rebates. Furthermore, existing T-Mobile subscribers "should" expect to be able to pre-order the G1 phone on September 17th. Customers who pre-order the G1 will receive it on launch day! Unfortunately, only postpaid customers with 22 months of tenure for people on a 2-year contract or 11 months of tenure for people on a 1-year contract will be able to pre-order it. Employees, FlexPay or Prepaid customers will not be able to pre-order it either. [gallery] [Engadget Via Gizmodo]

Android Market confirmed; no app checking by Google

By Chris Davies
on 28 Aug, 2008

Google have confirmed the Android Market download service, and released screenshots and further details on the system that will allow users of Android-based devices to browse and install software while mobile. A beta version of the service will be included on the first commercially available handsets, that will support free apps, with an update allowing for paid software soon after launch.

That update will also include features such as versioning, multiple device profile support and analytics, among other things. Google are taking a more hands-off approach to app distribution than, say, Apple; developers will merely need to register an account, upload their content and publish it, with no validation from Google themselves. A rating system will be used to weed out lesser titles and, presumably, malware.

"Developers will be able to make their content available on an open service hosted by Google that features a feedback and rating system similar to YouTube. We chose the term "market" rather than "store" because we feel that developers should have an open and unobstructed environment to make their content available" Eric Chu, Android Mobile Platform

Google is suggesting that their "expertise in infrastructure, search and relevance" will help users find the most relevant apps. There's no word on whether they plan to take a cut of paid-for apps distributed through the Android Market. However by stepping back from checking and approving each application, although perhaps allowing the developer ecosystem to flourish more freely than that of the iPhone, it's possible that malware and other dangerous apps could more easily find their way onto Android devices. [gallery]

Android-powered T-Mobile G1 Engineering drawings!

By Vincent Nguyen
on 25 Aug, 2008

Android Community has just been invited to an event that will see the launch of the first Android powered T-Mobile smartphone. The press conference will be on September 23rd at 10:30AM EDT and we’ll be Live Blogging the whole event, together with bringing you hands-on photos of the new Android device from a live product demonstration.

The cellphone we expect to see officially unveiled is HTC’s Dream, which is believed to be branded the T-Mobile G1. The September 23rd event ties in with the previously leaked suggestion that the carrier would be announcing their Android handset on this date, with availability by the end of October. Both T-Mobile and Google executives will be presenting the G1, and we’ll have all the details as they happen. The Live Blog address is http://Live.AndroidCommunity.com/ so join us on September 23rd!

Sept 16, 2008 -Vincent Nguyen

--- The Android Guys managed to get their mitts on the first real drawings of the T-Mobile G1. The images reveal a lot more information that we've only been able to speculate on up until now. The most notable part of the T-Mobile G1 is the "chin". It's located towards the bottom of the handset where the jogball and buttons are located. This design doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. The slide up display and the chin alone will drive case makers mad! I hope for the sake of the G1's longevity that the outer shell is well-built from scratch-resistant material. Other exterior markings include "with Google" located on the back of the G1, while the HTC logo and the T-Mobile myFaves logo live underneath the slide up display. As the Android Guys pointed out, I'm happy to see HTC branded on the Dream phone since they're the first to go to market so heck yes, they deserve to show off their brand.

The most important part of the engineering diagram is the sizing. Based on the dimensions given, we can calculate that the thickness of the G1 is approximately 0.64-inches or 16.35mm. This isn't bad considering the iPhone is 12.3mm thick, without a flip-out screen section. We're still unsure of the display's dimensions, but we can hope that it'll at least match the iPhoneís 3.5-inch screen. T-Mobile G1 specs/feature update - NOTE: the list is speculative and can change at anytime. Other specs AndroidGuys reported later via anonymous sources said the device will sport a 528Mhz Qualcomm 7201 processor; Data kit for USB connectivity in the box; 64128MB Internal RAM; 128256MB Internal ROM, 1GB MicroSD card; Dedicated camera button; 3.1MP camera (no flash) 2048 x 1536; Video playback files - H.264, streaming, 3GPP, MPEG4, and Codec 3GP and a Dedicated YouTube Player. [gallery]

Android SDK v0.9 released: GUI, app & stability improvements

By Chris Davies
on 19 Aug, 2008

Google have released version 0.9 of their Android SDK, with some significant usability, GUI and other improvements. Key is the replacement of the cluttered program screen, as seen in earlier builds, with a freshly cleared homepage; at the bottom, a new tab pulls up a user-chosen list of shortcuts.

There's also a new media player application, together with camera software that supports autofocus. The mapping application, in addition to Street View, also supports pop-up mini-maps in callouts, as in the full desktop version. In fact the release is looking particularly close to non-beta status (as well it should, being v0.9) and, given the recent news about the HTC Dream clearing the FCC, suggests that the rumored October launch is not at all unlikely. The build looks as though it has been tweaked for a device with a hardware keyboard. In one of the screenshots, of the SMS app, you can see the instruction "slide out keyboard to compose message". [via PHONE Magazine] Android video walk-through [gallery]

Google IO2008 after hour party!

By Vincent Nguyen
on 30 May, 2008

Google really knows how to throw a great party. After a long day of listening to folks talk about various topics ranging from Android to Google App Engine, all you want to do is kick back and relax with a nice cold adult beverage or shoot some pool with that new programmer you connected with at the Fireside Chat. You’ll see from the video below that Google has entertainment, music, arcades, plenty of food, drinks (lots of drinks) and most important of all, thousands and thousands of people from around the world hanging out.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p05FcwoYej0[/youtube]

In the next article/video, I’ll walk you through the “other side” of this room to tour the different groups just hanging out and chit chatting about YouTube, Google Web Toolkit, Google Data APIs, Gears, OpenSocial Application, Android, etc. As Robert of Scolbleizer.com put, “How can you tell what’s hot at a conference?” Come to the party and check out the size of the crowds around the tables.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aaSMtxRHEU[/youtube]

[gallery]

First LIVE images and videos of FULLSCREEN Android demos!

By Vincent Nguyen
on 28 May, 2008

Google's latest Android prototype is miles improved over the versions we last saw. Back at CES the GUI was clunky and the whole thing looked relatively primative; Google themselves asked us to keep an open mind and instead concentrate on the OS' potential. Now, they've brought out a device that you could, frankly, mistake for production hardware. The HTC Android Dream phone is a worthy competitor to the forthcoming iPhone 2.0! As our exclusive demo videos show, the Android team have been putting in some long hours bringing the user interface up to the standard people expect. The iPhone sets the bar high, and leftfield rivals like Samsung's TouchWiz GUI really pile on the pressure. What they've given us is, at first glance, a blend of the successful parts of each of those, together with a dose of Google's own minimalist aesthetic. Hopefully you'll agree with us, once you've looked through the photos and watched the video, that the design is a winner. In this first video, we see an overview of the new interface and menu structure, including the clever pattern-based unlock screen. Much of the GUI can be interacted with - for instance pulling down the title bar reveals missed calls and new messages - using the familiar palatte of swipes and taps. You can also see the straightforward way to create shortcuts on the home screen; a matter of holding down your finger and then following through the contextual menus. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arXolJrLVEg[/youtube] Next up, Google's Street View gets the Android treatment with a built-in compass. That lets you pan around the location-based image, turning the handset into something of an augmented reality device. As you can tell by the applause, this was one of the most popular apps! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PRfVKzuUJ4[/youtube] Google briefly touched on their work with developers, including the latest round of entries in their Android Developers Challenge. Here you can see a port of Pacman, developed for the handset: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfruA4RzzpQ[/youtube] In this last video, a demo of Google Maps, you can see how closely the Android experience matches that of the desktop. All of the usual mapping options are present - satellite views, traffic, etc. - and, with a 3G network, load and update quickly. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBHx5jHsqiU[/youtube] Pac-Man on Android for the firs time! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q3gGNtbxhQ[/youtube] Customize how you want to unlock Android [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGCIlAwrpvI[/youtube] [gallery]