Samsung Galaxy Nexus –Why All the Fuss?

As we approach the release date of the Galaxy Nexus, talk of this ‘game-changing’ new phone is increasing in amplitude - as it always does of course. Google ‘Galaxy Nexus’ and you’ll find it crops up almost twice as often as ‘Motorola RAZR’ - which wouldn’t have anything to do with the search engine giants collaborating on the former by any chance would it? It would be safe to say that the Nexus is one of the most hotly-anticipated phones of the year.

But why all the excitement? Surely the blogosphere should still be dominated by the swathes of Apple fanboys not quite done fussing over their brand new iPhone 4S handsets? One factor may be that Nexus phones are tailor-made by Google to suit the needs of their Android operating system. If any phone is going to guarantee that your apps don’t lag, it’s a Nexus. It’s easy to see this in the spec: a processor on par with that of the Samsung Galaxy S2 and twice the memory of an iPhone 4S means Google certainly aren’t underestimating Android’s requirements.

The phone’s high-end technical specification might be enough to do it for some, but most of us are more excited about the operating system. Given Android’s increasing popularity with smartphone users, it’s no surprise that the first phone to use Android 4.0 is creating such a buzz. Succeeding Honeycomb as the latest confectionary-based OS (don’t ask - no really, just don’t), Ice Cream Sandwich promises a major overhaul of the OS, one which Android fans - let’s call them fandroids - can’t wait to get their hands on.

We shan’t bore you with a list of all of the improvements featured in ICS – they’re out there elsewhere on the web if you really want to see – but it can be summarised as a fusion of phone and tablet technology. The new OS is designed to be used without requiring any physical buttons, so handsets can shed the excess bulk and maximise screen-size at the same time. The new tabbed web browser means users can have up to sixteen tabs open at once – so that’s one for work, and fifteen for Lolcats. The OS also implements a built-in photo-editor, drag-and-drop style folders and facial recognition software. The Nexus is going to be the closest smartphone yet to a pocket-sized computer.

And finally, for the real fandroids out there, the Galaxy Nexus is going to be easy for users to modify themselves, known as ‘rooting’. Unlike HTC and Motorola, Samsung haven’t taken action to block users from rooting Nexus phones, meaning that users can edit the user interface of their Android phone - not just altering it aesthetically, but also functionally.

So, to return to the original question – why all the fuss? Well, c’mon. Who wouldn’t be excited over a top-spec phone with a brand new operating system that’s fully customisable to each user? Google’s mantra to give power to the user is what will revolutionise the way we use web-based technology. The Galaxy Nexus is a bold new step in the right direction.

Unable to send email using gmail app

Lately I was unable to send emails using the gmail app on both my Android phone and Xoom tablet. They happened at different times but happened after installing a rom or updating to a newer software version. I presume this problem is pretty widespread.

I tried re-syncing as well as deleting my gmail account and re-adding. Nothing worked. Finally I tried going into settings -> manage applications -> gmail. I selected clear data and voila, it worked!

Note: once you clear data any emails in your outbox that were not sent will get deleted. You should copy the text or try saving the email before clearing data.

Official Netflix app for Android

I was able to find a copy of the netflix android app for android. It is available in the market for only a limited number of devices. If you cannot find the app in the market you can download the app from below. I have tested it on my Original Motorola Droid running Android 2.3.3 and it seems to be working fine including streaming. Let me how it works for you in the comments.

Download the new APK here [com.netflix.mediaclient-1.apk - 5.44mb]

Motorola Zoom Shipping on 3/21?

I have been holding out for the Wifi only version of the Motorola Zoom tablet. Its a dual core honeycomb (android 3.0) tablet w/ 10 hour battery life and won best of show at 2011 CES. The 3G version has been on sale from Verizon wireless for a few weeks for $800 w/ no contract and $600 w/ 2 yr contact.

There have been some rumors that it will be on sale March 27th from Staples for $600 or $540 from Sams Club. Anyhow, today the news got a little bit sweeter. B&H Photo has the Xoom available for pre-order w/ a 3/21 ship date. I was able to pre-order from B&H Photo for $599 w/ free shipping and no tax! The add on Google suggests a 3/21 ship date but no mention of the date on their website. Ill update with more info when available.

Bugless Beast v0.6

Peter Alfonso released Bugless Beast v0.6 for the original Motorola Droid today and its got to be his best ROM to date. You can view the full changelog but here are some of my favorite features

• FRG83D (2.2.1) base with new Gingerbread theme, skins, alarms, menus, text, etc. 
• Home screen has 5 icons on bottom and allows to uninstall apps by dragging and dropping into trash. No longer need for Launcher Pro (which kept causing redraws/slowness) 
• Superfast (overclocked to 800mhz)
• Nexus S/Gingerbread live wallpapers

Download from ROM manager or http://www.peteralfonso.com/p/bugless-beast.html

Swype Beta Installer

I got my hands on a cracked version of swype beta for Android. It should work on most devices but has been tested on Droid 1 and HTC Incredible. Its an older copy but no activation required. Only download if you don't already have a swype beta account. Enjoy!

Download it here (v.5612)

Download Android 2.2 for Moto Droid

The official Android 2.2 download link for the motorola droid has been posted.

• For information on backing up before doing the install see my post on Backup Pro
• For information on Android 2.2 see my post on new features

Non root users:

1. Download here from google
2. Rename to update.zip and copy to root directory of your sdcard.
3. Turn your phone off
4. Power on your phone while by holding down X on the keyboard
5. Wait for a triangle with exclamation point to appear and hit the volume up and camera button
6. Using the D-Pad select “apply update.zip”
7. Reboot and you now have Froyo!

Root Users: 

1. Download rooted official android 2.2 ROM from Peter Alfonso or use manager to install any other Stock 2.2 with Root (FRG01B)
2. Copy file to clockworkmod/downloaf directory of SD Card
3. Open rom manager and select Install ROM from SD Card
4. Find the from you downloaded in your clockworkmod directory and select it
5. Choose Backup Existing ROM and Wipe Data and Cache and Click OK, OK
6. Rom Manager will now install Froyo!

Official Android 2.2 Rollout

Motorola officially announced last week that android 2.2 for the Motorola droid will start rolling out starting August 2. Verizon Wireless also has upgrade enhancements and install instructions.

If you are a non-root user you will be notified that a system update is available on your device. Just click install and the the phone will update and restart when finished.  Pretty simple stuff.

For rooted users you will probably want to wait until the rooted rom is released. Peter Alfonso, developer of bugless beast, has stated that he will be installing the official 2.2 update over-top of 2.1 and release it with root. If you don't mind waiting an extra day or two, it will definitely pay off. Verizon has already stated that mobile hotspots and USB tethering will not be supported (at least not for free). By keeping root you can continue to use 3rd party tethering apps such as Wireless Tether.

If you have questions let me know. Can't wait for the official release...

MyBackup Pro - Backup your apps and settings

If you are like me and constantly wiping and re-installing your phone MyBackup is a great tool. Its free to try for 30 days and only $5 after that. You can backup data and application to your SD card or online. With applications you can backup just the application installed (apk) or the application + data. Including data will allow any application to be restored with any settings or customizations. I highly customize my twitter client twicca with colors and many settings. Being able to restore the app w/ all its settings intact is a huge time saver. You can also manage, view and even schedule backups.

Options for data backup are:

• Contacts
• Call Log
• Bookmarks
• SMS
• MMS
• System Settings 
• Android Home Screen
• Alarms
• Dictionary
• Calendar
• Music Playlists

Verizon Wireless Text Message Delivery Confirmation

I've always wondered why I sent text messages to Verizon Wireless customers from my Droid I never received confirmation of the delivery. All my previous phones would display an extra check mark or some indicator that the message was successfully delivered. As it turns out, Android also has this capability, although its not turned on by default. If you go into Messaging -> Settings -> Delivery reports and check the box you will see a mail icon with an arrow once the message is received. Also, if you long press the text you will have an option for delivery report. The report should show Pending for non Verizon Customers and Received for those with VZW.

Reducing Image File Sizes

My friend Taylor asked "Why sometimes when sending a picture to a friend via Text/Email and it takes forever? Uploading to Twitter/Facebook too!"

Well Taylor, Join the club. Newer Android Phones are sporting 5-8MP cameras and can create large image file sizes easily over 1MB that can take a long time to upload.

You can reduce the image quailty and resolution but I perfer keeping my images full quality and then reducing before sending. PicSay easily allows you to reduce photo quality on import and then you can export without altering the photo at all. The pics are saves to your /SDCard/PicSay directory and are usally compressed 95%. There are some paid app alternatives for $1 or so but this is a great free solution.

.93MB jpg image file - Before Image Redction

 

                 Import Image (all 3 options work)        Export Image or Share

37kb jpg image file - After Image reduction

App Launcher Alternatives

Update 5/18/2010 - Launcher Pro Beta is a great alternative to Helix Launcher 1 or 2. It has mostly the same features but is running much faster for me. Another difference is the "card" view in Helix. In Launcher Pro, when tapping the Home button the screens all minimize onto one screen for easy display.

The one downside is that the 4 quick launch icons (phone, contacts,  messaging, and browser) are static and cannot be changed.

                        Launcher Pro Beta                 Launcher Pro Beta "Card" View

Update 5/10/2010 - Helix Launcher 2 is working without errors on stock Android 2.1. I like the App drawer much better than on Helix 1. Be aware that Helix Launcher 2 is slower than the original.

Did you upgrade to android 2.1 and were shocked to find you still only have 3 screens? Well don't worry Helix Launcher will give you 3-7 screens, shortcut icons, screen preview popups and more. Search the market for Helix (not Helix Launcher 2). After installation make sure you set HelixLauncher as your default home-screen.

You can set options (including number of screens) by using the menu click and choosing configure. Double tap on the screen to pop-up the card screen previews. Click on one to move to that screen. You can also create 4 shortcuts that are displayed no matter what screen you are on. To create the shortcut icons drag any icon to the lower portion of the screen and drop onto one of the 4 dots.

 

                   Helix Launcher Card View         Helix Launcher App Drawer 

Top Free Games for Android

Updated (5/18/2010) to Include Homerun Battle 3D

Updated (3/12/2010) to Include Nesoid and Snesoid

My top favorite free games (plus one for <$2) for android are:

• Homerun Battle 3D - What a fun multiplayer baseball game. Really challenging and you gain "Gold Balls" by beating others by hitting the most home runs. Gold balls allow you to customize your player and get better gear. Did I mention the awesome 3D graphics? 

• Nesoid & Snesoid - NES and SNES emulator for Android. This thing Rocks. To play games you  download ROM files to your memory card. Once added you you open the emulator and select the file/game you want to play. Theoldcomputer.com has tons of ROMs to download for NES and SNES.

• Cestos - Online multi-player game where you try to knock the other players balls off the screen or into a hole. Use your fingers to line up your shot and hope you don't hit a mine and knock yourself out! So much fun!

• Robo Defense - Line up your defense and try and stop the enemies from entering your tower. Kill enemies to earn more money and buy guns, flame towers, and cannons to stop them. 

• Trap! - Its kind of like the old school InkBall game for Windows tablet PCs. You draw lines to trap moving balls into boxes. You get bonus's and extra goodies by also trapping icons. Get 75% of the screen covered and your on to the next level.
  

• Graviturn - Uses the accelerometer to move the red and green circles around the screen. The objective is simple; remove all red dots from the screen while keeping the remaining green circles. Simple at first but gets much harder in the more advanced levels.
  

• Armored Strike Lite - Remember the old game Worms? It was one of my favorites. This game is just like it but with a little less functionality. Point and aim at your enemies and shoot missiles/grenades to damage your enemies . Be the last tank standing and you win.
  

• What The Doodle? (UK£ 1.00 or ~$1.60 US) - Okay well this is typically the 6th game but it also isn't free. Its an online pictionary type game where you try and guess the other players drawings. You get points for correctly guessing other drawings and also by having other guessers correctly get yours.
  

3 (Cubed) Music Player

Updated 5/11/2010 - Added Lock Screen Info & Morph Flow

I came across the really nice music player in the Market called ³ (Cubed). It has really fast 3D renderings of album art that it gets by automatically scanning you music. Check out some screenshots and give it a try. Get it directly from the market or search "cubed player". As an added bonus Go!Lyrics can be used in conjunction with ³ player to display the song lyrics of any playing song.

                               ³ 3D view                                   ³ Wall view

³ Widget

Version 1.5.x of 3 (Cubed) Player was updated to include an Unlock screen when coming out of standby. Controls are displayed on the screen instead of the lock that needs to be slid right. I have not tested w/ the Lock Pattern. It has also been updated to include a new View Mode Called Morph Flow. Its looks better than iPhone cover flow!

 

                              ³ Lock Screen                           ³ Morph Flow View

Comparing the Best Android Twitter Clients

Updated (5/5/2010) - Added Official Twitter Client for Android

Updated (4/20/10) - Added Twicca, HootSuite, Touiteur and ratings.

Updated (2/5/10) - Seesmic has been updated to v1.2 which includes search, multiple accounts and many bug fixes.

My new favorite client is Twicca. So fast and simply the best.

Three of my favorite twitter clients are Twidroid, Swift, and Seesmic. Personally, I used to use Twidroid because it supports multiple accounts. If you don't feel like shelling out the $5 for the pro version I would suggest using HootSuite Seesmic Swift app because Twidroid free can't manage followers and Seesmic doesn't support search. There are pros and cons to each app and I would suggest giving each one a shot and see what works best for you.

Android Twitter Timeline Comparison

Flash is here...

On the same day that Steve Jobs whined why flash won't be on the iPhone/iPod/iPad, I found an application that will play flash on Android. Skyfire 2.0 (BETA) browser isn't an official flash player but it sure does fill the void until Android 2.2 comes out with Flash 10.1 support. The browser itself is pretty nice looking and is easy to use. Hulu does not work but I got NBC, ESPN, and South Park videos to load.

Skyfire Flash Video Popup

Skyfire Loading...

You can download it from the Android Market or from Skyfire

Android Location Based Showdown...Foursquare vs Gowalla

I've been "playing" location based games for some time now on Android. I have been using both Gowalla and Foursquare and came up with some pros and cons. I'm personally more of a fan of Gowalla on Android but let me know which one you like more and why.

Foursquare (v2010-04-23)

               Foursquare Places    Foursquare Single Place     Foursquare Me

• Pros
• Gain Mayorships by checking in the most to a venue
• Gain Points and compete with your friends
• Collect Badges for completing certain activities 
• Large user base
• Add tips to a venue
• Horizontal layout 
• Tweets will shout other people who are checked in with you
• Send new badges won to twitter
• Cons
• Small Black and White venue icons
• No push notifications
• Cannot view total number of Check Ins
• Cannot all view users that have checked in, just recently. 

Gowalla (v1.2.1)

                    Gowalla Spots        Gowalla Single Spot      Gowalla Passport

• Pros
• Spots display number of people and Check Ins 
• View spots complete history of check ins
• View top 10 users of a spot
• Attractive color icons for spots
• Gain, drop or carry items in your pack
• Collect Pins for completing certain activities 
• Check In to Trips
• Push notifications when friends check in
• Cons
• Smaller user base
• No clickable map
• No points to compete with friends
• No mayorships 

Verizon's NFL App

According to droid-life, the NFL app for Android being release tomorrow (4/12/2010) but the leaked app is already is released. You can download it here.

Whats new with 2.1

You upgraded to Android 2.1? Now What. Here are a list of tips, tricks and features to get you started.

1. Live Wallpapers - Menu Click -> Wallpaper -> Live Wallpapers

2. Speech-to-Text in all input screens

3. Google Earth available in Market

4. Pinch Zoom enabled in Browser, Maps, and Gallery
5. News and Weather Widget. Long Press Homescreen -> Widgets -> News and Weather


6. Updated 3D Gallery