Sprint plans on making it a lot easier for its customers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and off their phones. The mobile operator announced that it will pre-install Drive First, an anti-distracted driving app, on all Android phones it sells.
Originally posted at The Car Tech blog
Naturally, one of the first things you need to do when you get your hands on an EVO 3D, of course, is pit it in brutal battle with its progenitor, the original EVO 4G — a phone that was introduced at this exact same event a year ago. As we’d mentioned in our hands-on, we immediately noticed that the EVO 3D didn’t feel particularly heavy or bulky in the hand; in fact, we would’ve guessed that it was a bit lighter than the 4G. Well, turns out they’re almost exactly the same weight — holding the two one right after the other, we couldn’t detect a difference.
As for dimensions, the 4G is actually wider — the 3D’s quite a bit more manageable when you’re holding it, especially if you don’t have giant paws — and they’re right around the same thickness. Pretty amazing that HTC was able to pack this much additional heat into a phone one year after the first model without adding any bulk, isn’t it? Science!
Gallery: HTC EVO 3D vs. EVO 4G… fight!
HTC EVO 3D vs. EVO 4G… fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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You know that special Mortal Kombat kick where there are, like, multiple Johnny Cages? Well, by firing a flash a bunch of times during one photo, you can create Johnny Cage kicks out of anything. More »
Tim: “And thus the talent portion of the Ms. Xperia Arc pageant proved to be far more interesting than the swimsuit competition.”
Darren: “First stop: Akihabara Mall. Next stop: Dancing with the Stars.”
Joe: “Fragmentation or no, our man can still krump with the best of them.”
Don: “And now, a preview of Android 3.2: Electric Boogaloo.”
Sam: “What version of Android is the person in the costume running?”
Chris: “I call this next move the Force Close.”
Myriam: “Go-go gadget Android dance app?”
Michael: “I’ve seen b-boys and b-girls, but never knew there were b-bots.”
Richard Lawler: “Chris Brown is making a quick comeback after today’s Good Morning America blowup.”
Christopher: “Lady Gaga fires stylist following first mall appearance.”
Sean Hollister: “Look ma, no thumbs!”
[Thanks, Anders]
Caption contest, video edition: Android gets its groove back originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Helmet cam aficionado? Contour’s ContourGPS currently has the greatest range of connectivity options, and one of those options, Bluetooth, is finally good for something. The company has just flipped the switch and deployed its Viewfinder app that we last saw at CES, which allows iOS devices to pull live video from the camera, even if it’s still stuck to the side of your head and covered in mud. Users can also tweak camera settings in real-time, which is a huge step forward over the previous process that required tethering the cam and booting up some software. However, there is a catch: to use the device you have to install a little card, called a ConnectView, into your camera. This sucker will set you back $29.99, though we’re told the upcoming Android release of the app will be able to do without. Unfortunately, that version won’t be along until an unfortunately vague “Spring,” but the iOS flavor is a free download right now in the App Store.
Continue reading Contour launches Viewfinder App, lets your iPhone talk to your ContourGPS (video)
Contour launches Viewfinder App, lets your iPhone talk to your ContourGPS (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Amazon Appstore is the exclusive source (for now) for Angry Birds Rio, which is a free download on Tuesday only.
Amazon opened the doors Tuesday on its own marketplace for Android apps.
As reported by Wired.com last week, Amazon’s new store, the Amazon Appstore for Android, appears to be a more-carefully curated, selective virtual storefront than the Google’s default Android Market. It features the new Angry Birds Rio game, as well as many other popular Android apps, including Twitter, Fruit Ninja, Shazam, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and others. The Amazon Appstore has 3,800 apps, according to reports.
While most of these apps (with the exception of Angry Birds Rio, which is an Amazon exclusive for now) are also available through Google’s Android Market, Amazon’s sales pitch to customers appears to be trust and ease of use. For developers, it’s access to Amazon’s vast customer base.
“The Android platform’s openness provides a great opportunity to reach new customers,” said Mikael Hed, CEO of Rovio, the maker of Angry Birds, in a statement provided by Amazon.
The Google Android Market is primarily accessible through Android phones, which makes comparison shopping difficult, hampers the ability to read many reviews and slows down search to the speed at which you can type on your phone’s keyboard. (Google recently added a web version of its store.) In addition, the Android Market has been frequently criticized for the low quality of and even security risks posed by some apps, a probably inevitable side effect of Google’s rather open policies. However, it contains over 200,000 apps, a far wider selection than any mobile app store save Apple’s.
With the Amazon Appstore, by contrast, apps are easier to browse and appear to be more carefully vetted by Amazon. Customers can browse Android apps through Amazon’s familiar web interface, which makes it easy to see customer ratings and reviews, look at screenshots, read details on the app and see related apps.
In addition, Amazon says it will provide the ability to “test-drive” apps in the web browser, through a simulated Android phone. We were not able to find this feature on any apps in the store, however.
To purchase apps, customers must install an Amazon Appstore app on their Android phones, which requires Android 1.6 or higher.
One problem for Amazon is that its store does not work with AT&T phones, although Amazon says AT&T is working on a solution. AT&T Android devices are currently configured to install apps from the Android Market only. There are workarounds, but they require a bit of comfort with using the command line.
AT&T told Wired.com that it plans to support third-party app stores, including the Amazon Appstore, on Android phones soon.
“We’re working to give our Android customers access to third party application stores,” an AT&T spokesman said. “This requires updates to our systems and finalizing arrangements with Amazon. We we will share more info with our customers in the near future.”
Another obstacle Amazon will face is a lawsuit Apple filed March 18, which claims that Amazon is improperly using the term “App Store,” which Apple says it has trademarked.
In addition to its store’s ease of use, Amazon’s biggest advantage may simply be the option to pay for apps through Amazon.com, which is available in more countries than Google Checkout and has been around more than a decade longer than Google’s payment system.
Once installed and connected with your Amazon account, you have the option of shopping through the Appstore app or on the Amazon.com website. However, you need to use Amazon’s app to actually download and install your new apps (they cannot be “pushed” to your device).
In addition, the Amazon website displays information about each app’s compatibility with your phones, since it knows what kind of hardware you have.
We’ve just put our paws on the EVO 3D for the first time, and what struck us immediately is that it’s not as beefy, bulky, or overwhelming as the 4.3-inch display or specs might have you believe — if you’re familiar with the EVO 4G, you’ll feel right at home here (and you might even be pleasantly surprised). The screen’s stereoscopic 3D effect is about as good as what we’ve seen on the Optimus 3D in the past — very good head-on with decreasing effectiveness as you move your head to the side. The 2D / 3D switch along the side is for the camera, not the display; it seems that all management of the screen’s capabilities is managed in software alone. Check out the shots in the gallery below; now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go play with this monster some more!
Gallery: HTC EVO 3D first hands-on!
HTC EVO 3D first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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So, there’s good news and bad. Naturally, we’re going to start with the former. A month after we spotted this character sneaking around at Mobile World Congress, LG has finally taken the (official) wraps off of its incoming WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad. It’s a pretty familiar design — a slim (6.29- x 3.54- x 0.39-inch) inductive charging pad with a battery of LEDs to let you know the current status of things. We’re guessing this guy is designed to work initially with the Verizon-bound Revolution, but given that LG makes no mention of what phones / cases will eventually be compatible, it’ll have to remain just that for now. As for the bad news? Well, aside from not knowing what exactly this unit is for (in terms of compatibility), we’re also left in the dark when it comes to pricing and a ship date. But hey, at least we’ve got a trio of high resolution images to gawk at.
Update: Fulton Innovation has just confirmed that LG is using its Qi-compliant eCoupled technology for the charging pad.
Continue reading LG gets official with WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad, fails to provide pricing
LG gets official with WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad, fails to provide pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Android users will now be able to control their Squeezebox digital-music players from their smartphones and tablets.
Originally posted at The Digital Home
The Evo 3D shouldn’t come as a surprise—we’ve seen the LG Optimus, and know the onslaught of 3D-everything is unstoppable. But inevitability of something doesn’t make it good. In fact, 3D phones, fundamentally dumb, make us cringe. More »
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