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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

HTC EVO 4G & Samsung Epic 4G Available Now Online [HTC EVO 4G Back in Sprint’s Online Store; Samsung Epic 4G Starts Selling Too] Read: HTC EVO 4G & Samsung Epic 4G Available Now Online [HTC EVO 4G Back in Sprint’s Online Store; Samsung Epic 4G Starts Selling Too]

Sprint has today not one but two WiMAX-ready Android smartphones in its online store, the HTC EVO 4G and the Samsung Epic 4G. The first one has been selling for a few months now and has just been made available online again, while the latter one is on its first day on the job and has some big expectations to meet.



The HTC EVO 4G has been officially announced as back in stock but the device might not be available for much longer. It looks like HTC is still having problems when it comes to making this device so go grab one while you can. I wonder if they’ll have enough HTC Desire HD units to go around when the phone gets launched.
The Samsung Epic 4G on the other hand is launching today, and since Samsung sold 1 million units in the USA, and 1 million more in South Korea, I don’t think they’ll run out of stock on this one as Samsung launched the Galaxy S in multiple markets about the same time and we haven’t heard anything about stock issues so far.
So what handset should you buy? Well, Sprint came out with its own video in which it compared the EVO 4G and the Epic 4G. The comparison was just a little biased towards the Epic 4G, and while it’s understandable why they’re very interested in selling that smartphone model, I’d still argue that it’s pretty difficult to choose one of the two.
The HTC EVO 4G has a great 4.3-inch touchscreen display, a built-in stand and Froyo already running the show. It costs $199.99 with a new 2-year contract. The Epic 4G comes with a smaller 4-inch display and a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes it a better messaging tool, and only Android 2.1 on board, at least for now. It costs $249.99 with a 2-year contract although it might still be available from Amazon for $199.99. Oh, and don’t let the screenshot above fool you; they’re both Android devices although just one is marked as one.
Does that help you choose your next 4G smartphone? Of course if your area hasn’t been covered with WiMAX love then getting a 4G device isn’t really necessary, is it? Anyway, like always, it’s choosing time: the HTC EVO 4G or the Samsung Epic 4G?

Verizon bound EVO-like HTC handset shows its face

We certainly were not expecting to finish off a Friday like this.  Images of an unnamed HTC handset have just hit the web which show off a handset which looks strikingly similar to the HTC EVO 4G, but with a little extra style.  The HTC handset is expected to launch on Verizon’s network and will include a 4.3 inch display, 3.5mm headphone jack, an 8 megapixel camera with dual-led flash, a kickstand, and a front facing camera. 
Basically, it looks like Verizon’s going to be getting its own version of the HTC EVO with a highly modified exterior shell.  We’re not sure what version of Android will be loaded onto this handset when it hits store shelves, but the words “with HTC Sense” embedded into the kickstand give us enough confidence to say it will not be running stock Android. 


A few new rendered images of the T-Mobile G2

Two new “official” renderings of the upcoming T-Mobile G2 have just hit the web.  There’s really nothing more to report besides the fact that Cell Phone Signal is claiming that the G2 will only be available in silver.  The fact that the G2 will only launch with one color option isn’t a shocker to any of us, but it is a little odd considering that all the other HTC phones on T-Mobile have had multiple color options.  Though the leaked ROM showed no signs of HTC Sense, we’re pretty sure that quite a few Android purists are happy to see the T-Mobile G2 renders confirm that the handset will be running a vanilla build of Android 2.2. 



Gmail Priority Inbox Sorts Your Email For You. And It’s Fantastic.



Email overload has finally met its match. Tomorrow, Gmail is rolling out a new feature calledPriority Inbox that is going to be a Godsend for those of you who dread opening your email. In short, Google has built a system that figures out which of your messages are important, and presents them at the top of the screen so you don’t miss them. The rest of your messages are still there, but you don’t have to dig through dozens of newsletters and confirmations to find the diamonds in rough.
The beauty of the system lies in its simplicity — it’s nearly as easy as Gmail’s one click spam filter. There’s almost no setup: once it’s activated on your account, you’ll see a prompt asking you if you want to enable Priority Inbox. You can choose from a few options (the order of your various inboxes and if there are any contacts you’d like to always mark ‘Important’) but don’t have to setup any rules or ‘teach’ Gmail what you want it to mark important. It just works, at least most of the time.




The system uses a plethora of criteria to decide which messages are most important: things like how frequently you open and/or respond to messages from a given sender, how often you read messages that contain a certain keyword, and whether or not the message is addressed solely to you or looks like it was sent to a mailing list. If you come across a message that’s been marked important when it shouldn’t have been, you can hit an arrow to tell Gmail it’s messed up. Likewise, if a message that should have been flagged gets sent to the ‘everything else’ area, you can promote it. Through these actions Gmail gets progressively smarter, so the system should work better over time.



I’ve been using the service since late last week and have found it to work very well. Occasionally messages that shouldn’t have been marked ‘Important’ are flagged, but I’ve yet to encounter an urgent message that slipped into the ‘everything else’ section. My colleague MG Siegler, who has also had the feature active, has had similar success.
It’s great. I love it. But it isn’t perfect.
My biggest gripe so far is the fact that there’s no way to tell why a given message has been deemed important. Oftentimes it’s obvious — emails from my coworkers are generally given the golden arrows, as are messages from PR contacts whom I frequently communicate with. But occasionally there are oddballs that have been marked important for no apparent reason.
Sure, it’s easy to tell Gmail that ‘this message is not important’ and strip its golden badge. But what if the message was marked important for a reason that is usually sound (perhaps it contains a reference to TechCrunch Disrupt, for example)? It would be nice if I could tell Gmail something to the effect of “this sender is never important”, but not to start frowning on whatever keywords the message contained. Still, it’s a great start.
Of course, this introduces a new dynamic to the way a lot of people are going to be reading email. Email intros will become ever more important, because you’ll want to ensure that your message gets marked with coveted ‘important’ tag.  It also has much broader implications. Increasingly, content will be displayed to you based on its importance rather than its time stamp — not just when it comes to browsing email, but for social networks and other content as well.
Priority Inbox will be rolling out to Gmail and Google Apps users alike over the course of the week.

Monday, August 30, 2010

HTC's dual-mode CDMA / GSM Android slider with 1.2GHz CPU headed to Verizon in 2011?


It's not expected to land at Verizon until sometime in 2011, but it's never too early to take a look at an unannounced Android slider with specs like this. Leaked by Androidswag, the device is purportedly hiding a 1.2GHz processor (would that be dual-core?) beneath that 4-inch display -- the sweet spot for size and pocketability. The prototype pictured above was apparently sporting a Vodafone SIM card making this a pretty bodacious CDMA / GSM worldphone by the time it lands for retail. Of course, anything, or everything, could change by the time this pup is ready for launch and we'll be here covering every step of its journey. Two more shots after the break including a size comparison with the EVO 4G -- a few more at the source link below.


1.2ghz, 4 inch, 4-inch, 4Inch, android, cdma, dual mode, dual-mode, DualMode, gsm, htc, leak, prototype, qwerty, rumor, slider, verizon, worldphone

Talk in a foreign tongue - Android App

Talk to me translates what you say to a foreign language in real time and says it out loud. Very useful on a foreign trip or even to learn a new language.
Languages supported:
  • English
  • Spanish
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • English (UK)
Additional languages are supported if you just want to translate and not listen in.
Watch on Youtube.


Bump your friends phone to split a bill - Android App

Paypal finally brings its original idea to the Android after 11 years. Paypal was originally created to beam money from a Palm Pilot. It pivoted when EBay became more popular and the rest is history.
Features:
  • Bump Androids to exchange contact info
  • Split a check with a contact
  • Collect money from a contact
  • Send money to friends and family
If all you are interested in is the Bump feature, try the Bump app to share photos, contacts and apps with your friends.

Samsung Fascinate Launching September 8th? GetSetReadyGoGoGo

Didn’t fancy September 9th as a rumored launch date for the last of the US-bound Galaxy S phones, the Samsung Fascinate? Why not try September 8th on, for size? A newly leaked product launch guide suggests that we’ll be seeing the device that Wednesday instead of that Thursday. There’s no real reason to go into too much detail about which day it’ll be unless you’ve been literally dying waiting for the Fascinate. Everything else on the tale of the tape is everything we know a Galaxy S smartphone to be (save for the one differentiating preinstalled 16GB microSD card and any preinstalled software). Either way, the “first half of September” sounds like a safe day to keep a tab on, wouldn’t you think?

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 Coming Soon in U.S. Unlocked

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 is still expected to be officially launched on the market, even though most of its specs are already known, since it has been announced back in June. Rumors say that the smartphone is about to see an imminent launch in the US pretty soon.


According to an Engadget report from last week,Xperia X8 will soon arrive in North America, unlocked and for a price lower than $300.

Previously rumored as Sony Ericsson Shakira, Xperia X8 is powered by a 600 MHz processor and runs the old Android 1.6 OS (Donut).

Still, it seems that the handset manufacturer already leaked information about a future update to Android 2.1, which should be pushed on Xperia X8 sometime this fall.

For those out of the loop, Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 comes with a 3.0-inches TFT capacitive touch screen (320 x 480 pixels) with 16 Million colors support, scratch-resistant surface and accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate.

It also boasts HSDPA and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g connectivity, 128 MB RAM, as well as microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 16 GB, 2 GB included).

Other key features of the Android-based smartphone include: 3.2-megapixel camera with geotagging and video recording capabilities (VGA@30fps), Stereo FM radio with RDS, 3.5 mm audio jack, GPS with A-GPS support, and Digital compass.

Even though it comes with Android 1.6 OS, Xperia X8 is stuffed with Sony Ericsson's proprietary Timescape UI.

The phone is fully working with HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 networks, which makes it compatible with most of the U.S. and Canadian major carriers.

There's no information about a possible release of the device through a certain operator, but rumors are saying that its price tag should not be above $300 unlocked.

The device is slated for a September release on the North American continent.

HTC Desire Tips n Tricks - Cellphone News

HTC Desire, the flagship smartphone of the Taiwanese manufacturer is one of the most versatile Android-based devices launched on the market. It can be customized in so many ways, rooted and unrooted, as long as you know a few tips and tricks.


Here are some of these tips that will make your experience with the Desire more enjoyable.

The often use of the optical track-pad can make your life easier when browsing the Internet, sending an email or simply editing a text.

Even though many people think that the track-pad is useless and that HTC could've made the screen larger instead of including this item, I still think it saves a lot of time when it's used for specific tasks.

For example you can easily use it for precise cursor placement when you're editing a text. Also, it's perfect for going back to correct a block of text.

To select a certain text in text editing, just place the cursor where you want to start your selection and long-press on the optical track-pad to bring up the context menu.

Then tap “Select text” and use the optical track-pad to fine tune your selection. Further, you will then be able to cut or copy the selection, by long-pressing on the optical track-pad to bring up the context menu and choosing one of the actions.

While in the browser you can use the track-pad to jump between links, which is very useful in case the links are very small and hard to pinpoint with your finger.

There's also an interesting feature that enables you to open the link in a new window, when you long-press on the optical track-pad and choose the action you need from the context menu that it displays.

Feel free to add more of these tips, especially if you're an advanced Android user.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

T-Mobile G2 test Android build gets leaked

You know it’s going to be a fun day when a file named “PC10IMG_Vision_TMOUS_1.12.531.0_ Radio_12.18.60.05P_26.01.00.17_M2_test_144460.zip” shows up on the web.  Our good friends over at AndroidGuys spotted a new post on 911sniper which was titled “Test rom for HTC Vision / T-Mobile G2 (Android-Froyo 2.2)” and simply couldn’t pass up taking a peak. 

The zip file contained .img files and an excel document with details about the test build.   The spreadsheet verifies that the build belongs to the upcoming T-Mobile G2 and that it features support for T-Mobile HSPA+ network.  The file also references PC10100, the name of the handset that hit the FCC’s website yesterday.  We still have about a month before the T-Mobile G2 will hit the streets, but when new information gets leaked on a regular basis, time simply flies on by. 

Images confirm T-Mobile G2 launch date

New evidence has just surfaced which confirms the September 29th launch date for the T-Mobile G2. Our good friends over at TmoNews have gotten their hands on images of a T-Mobile training/release calendar which lists the Vanguard as having a 9/29 launch date.  Yes, there has been a little bit of confusion around HTC’s code names for the T-Mobile G2 and the HTC Desire Z, but at this point it’s pretty safe to assume that the G2 will officially launch in a little over a month. 
If you are willing to purchase the T-Mobile G2 sight-unseen, rumors are now suggesting that T-Mobile will allow current customers to pre-order the handset within the next week or two.  We’re hoping that final specs for the G2 will be revealed before then so that customers will know exactly what they are buying.  All we need now is a price for the G2 and we’ll be all set.

Free Monster Energy Drink - Gogogo


So the other day I found this coupon on the interweb and had to share this with y'all. Please pass on this to your friends and families and neighbors.
I love energy drinks more for their taste and Monster is my second best after Red Bull.
Enjoy!

Lifehack - How to Ninja

So you've always wanted to be a ninja your entire life, but you live in your mom's basement, are too skinny and/or too fat, are weak as hell, have no motivation to learn any sort of matial arts, are too poor to afford the proper attire/weaponry, and any other minor setback you may have. Well, don't fret, young padawan! This is just the right lifehack for you! This sacred diagram which has been passed down from the most ancient of generations will show you how you can dress up yourself as a masterful ninja and scare your opponent from even to wanting to face your deadly (lack of) skills.

Earn money for free International calls VOIP

I have found this wonderful VOIP company called Dial Simple that pays you to cover the international calling rates when you support the website through ads and surveys.

I highly recommended everyone who is using international calling. The site pays within 1 hour to 24 hours for every ad that you click.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD

How to Make your Nexus One into a Linux Computer!

Wanna run a desktop using your Nexus One as your CPU device?  Well, now you can!  Hacker Sven Killig has hacked his Nexus One by adding USB Host (which allows you to connect USB devices to your Nexus One), thereby being able to use a USB Monitor adaptor and run Linux X11 Window, all minced and diced with fully working USB keyboard and USB wireless mouse.   Incredible! 

Sven has full step-by-step instructions on his website. 

You will need a micro USB cable (which I suppose you have), USB 2.0 One B Male to Two A Male Y-Cable (which is needed for extra USB charging power), USB 2.0 Hub, and HD USB Display Adaptor (if you want to display onto an external monitor). 

Check out this great video demo of his setup




Certainly, it’s not surprising that Nexus One can do this as it comes with a fast 1 Ghz Snapdragon processors.

Motorola Motoroi XT720 Headed to Cincinnati Bell

Remember that Motorola phone that showed up a while back and was never to be heard from while its siblings got more love on other carriers in the United States? That phone was the Motorola Motoroi (otherwise known as the Motorola XT720) and – at the time –  we had our eyes on the thing expecting it to be one of Motorola’s flagship launches here in the States.

Since then, it’s been launched in numerous other markets, but a reliable source of ours has confirmed that the Motoroi will be making its way to the United States. Cincinnati Bell – who unexpectedly sold out of their very first Android phone in a matter of days, the Bell Blaze – is expected to carry the device sometime in Q3 of 2010.


This comes right after we heard of the Motoroi getting a UK launch and that the phone would get a significant upgrade, to boot. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm it’ll get the same internals that the UK version is getting, but it will still be stocked with Android 2.1 (but MOTOBLUR is still up in the air, last we checked). With that, we should also be seeing it equipped with an HDMI-out port, 720p video recording capabilities, and an 8-megapixel camera.

If we happen to get our hands on any more pricing and availability details, we’ll pass them along. Cincinnati Bell truly is looking to turn heads with their Android plans, and the Motoroi will do justice in turning a lot of attention to the regional carrier. Now let’s see if any other carriers on this side of the globe will finally be getting their hands on it, as well.

If you fancy further conversation with fellow Motorola Motoroi fans, be sure to make yourself known at the Motoroi section at AndroidForums.com. Similarly, if you’re a Cincinnati Bell customer and feeling like a million bucks with all of these new Android announcements for your carrier, be sure to express your excitement in the Cincinnati Bell section.

Droid Incredible to get Android 2.2

A leaked internal screen capture reveals that the Droid Incredible will get the upgrade to Android 2.2 starting Friday, August 27, according to Droid-Life. The update was originally expected to come out on August 18, but Verizon quickly squashed those rumors. Chief among the changes the new OS will bring is Flash 10.1 support.

The software will otherwise bring with it 720p HD video recording, the ability to use the handset like a 3G hotspot for up to five Wi-Fi devices, and let the screen rotate at up to 270 degrees in order to be more user friendly. Verizon should preload the VZ Navigator app as an alternative for turn-by-turn directions, although it's unlikely to be used given free Google Maps Navigation.

HTC Desire now available through U.S. Cellular

The HTC Desire finally makes its long-awaited American debut today through U.S. Cellular. The carrier has been promising to bring the smartphone to its network for a few months as it plans to bolster its Android offerings. The Desire runs Android 2.1 and has a 3.7-inch Super LCD, a 5-megapixel camera, and the ever-popular 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The phone costs $199.95 with a two-year service agreement and a $70 mail-in-rebate.

The Desire marks the second of five Android phones U.S. Cellular promised to release in 2010, following the exclusive release of the Samsung Acclaim. October will see the launch of its Samsung Galaxy S class phone while two LG handsets will follow shortly after.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Mafia II - Get Set Ready Go Go Go

How to run programs on startup when login into GNOME - Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

How to run programs on startup when login into GNOME

  • System -> Preferences -> Sessions
  • Sessions
Startup Programs Tab -> Add/Edit/Delete

How to turn on Num Lock on GNOME startup - Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

How to turn on Num Lock on GNOME startup

sudo aptitude install numlockx
sudo cp /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default_backup
gksudo gedit /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default
  • Find this line
...
exit 0
  • Add the following lines above it
if [ -x /usr/bin/numlockx ]; then
 /usr/bin/numlockx on
fi
  • Save the edited file

How to restart GNOME without rebooting computer - Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

How to restart GNOME without rebooting computer

  • Save and close all opened applications
Press 'Ctrl + Alt + Backspace'


or
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

or
If these tips did not help read #System requests (What to do if your system is unresponsive)

How to enable smooth fonts - Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

How to enable smooth fonts

gedit ~/.fonts.conf
  • Paste in this text:
<?xml version=”1.0” ?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM “fonts.dtd”>
<fontconfig>
<match target=”font”>
<edit name=”autohint” mode=”assign”>
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
</match>
</fontconfig>
  • You’ll have to log out and back in to see the difference.

How to enable lame for FFMPEG - Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

KINO FLVs silent? You need to recompile FFMPEG with LAME enabled. FFMPEG can be installed via apt-get as a package, but is not able encode MP3, which is the audio stream in FLV video (like Google & YouTube).
sudo apt-get build-dep ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install liblame-dev libfaad2-dev libfaac-dev libxvidcore4-dev liba52-0.7.4 \
liba52-0.7.4-dev libx264-dev checkinstall build-essential gcc
  • Download and extract FFMPEG source to current working directory
sudo apt-get source ffmpeg
  • Compile FFMPEG from source
cd ffmpeg-*
sudo ./configure --enable-gpl --enable-pp --enable-vorbis --enable-libogg \
--enable-a52 --enable-dts --enable-dc1394 --enable-libgsm --disable-debug \
--enable-mp3lame --enable-faad --enable-faac --enable-xvid --enable-pthreads \
--enable-x264

maybe try instead = 
sudo ./configure --enable-gpl --enable-pp --enable-libvorbis --enable-libogg \
--enable-liba52 --enable-libdts --enable-dc1394 --enable-libgsm --disable-debug \ 
--enable-libmp3lame --enable-libfaad --enable-libfaac --enable-xvid --enable-pthreads \
--enable-x264


sudo make
sudo checkinstall [accept defaults, set version to 3:0.cvs20060823-3.1ubuntu2]
If an application you are using employs FFMPEG to encode FLV, it should now work properly. You can also call FFMPEG directly from the command line. The extension/suffix of the outfile tells FFMPEG which audio or video format to encode to.
ffmpeg [-i infile] [outfile]