The alternative app store for Android is now live—however much Apple doesn’t like others using the term “app store,”—where US Android owners can download the new Angry Birds Rio game for free, along with 3,799 other apps. It’s been years wandering the desert, but Android users finally have an app oasis of their own. More »
In spite of Apple’s grumbling, Amazon’s proceeding full steam ahead with the rollout of its Appstore for Android. The switch has just been flipped and early adopters will be welcomed with a free copy of Angry Birds Rio, whose Android launch Amazon scooped all to itself. Beyond day one, Rio will be a $0.99 app, but others will take its place as the online retailer is aiming to serve one usually-paid app for free each day. A total of around 3,800 applications are available at launch and you’ll be able to get on board via either a dedicated Appstore app on Android (sideload link available below) or Amazon’s web interface. The latter offers you a 30-minute Test Drive facility, where you can try out a program you might fancy for your phone before purchasing. Service looks to be US-only for now — sorry, international users.
Update: The web Appstore has gone down. Don’t panic, we’re sure it’s just teething troubles and not a smiting by the Cupertino ninja collective. In the mean time, the app still looks to be working okay.
Continue reading Amazon Appstore for Android goes live, welcomes newcomers with free Angry Birds Rio
Amazon Appstore for Android goes live, welcomes newcomers with free Angry Birds Rio originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oh, you know all about them, that much is true, but have you yet seen the HTC EVO 3D and EVO View 4G tablet? No, we hadn’t either, until this very moment when another premature information upload on Sprint’s website revealed their appearance. Two pre-registration pages exist for the as-yet unannounced products, one for the 1.2GHz dual-core EVO 3D smartphone and one for the 1.5GHz single-core EVO View 4G tablet. Both run Android and are unquestionably set to feature as Sprint’s flagship devices in their respective categories. Beyond confirming that the EVO looks like an EVO and noting that the EVO View seems to have a black case rather than the silvery one that the HTC Flyer (the product it’s based on) comes with, there’s little new here — you’ll have to wait till Sprint finally makes all this hardware official over at CTIA to learn more.
HTC EVO 3D and EVO View 4G tablet spotted — on Sprint’s website, where else? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ready for some serious Sidekick 4G news? We thought so. First up, we’ve finally got the official pricing details from T-Mobile. That’s right, come this spring the revived Sidekick will be hitting the likely-to-be-acquired carrier for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and two-year contract with unlimited data — those that opt for the two-year contract but go with a lower-end data plan will have to pay $149.99 for the Android 2.2 handset. Sure, the pricing doesn’t sound all that shabby, but how’s the actual phone? There was no stopping us from getting our hands all over the first ever touchscreen-equipped Sidekick here at CTIA Wireless — hit the break for our impressions and a hands-on video.
Gallery: T-Mobile Sidekick 4G hands-on
T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well, here ya go! T-Mobile has finally decided to come clean with the pricing on its 8.9-inch, 3D-capable LG G-Slate, and well, it isn’t cheap. The Honeycomb, Tegra 2-powered tablet will set you back $529.99 after a $100 mail-in-rebate and that’s only if you agree to a two-year contract. Of course, this thing can record 3D video, connect to T-Mobile’s “4G” HSPA+ network, and output 1080p video, but that still seems like quite a bit of money when you consider you’re also locked into paying at least $20 in data every month. Ready to grace us with the WiFi version, LG? Hit the break for the short press statement.
Continue reading T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate priced at $529.99 with a two-year contract
T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate priced at $529.99 with a two-year contract originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Why, hello there. Shortly after our sneak peek on the CTIA show floor, T-Mobile lifted its magenta curtain and announced the G2x, aka LG Optimus 2X elsewhere around the world. Despite the lack of LG’s custom UI (which will no doubt be welcomed by Android purists), this 4G stock Froyo device will come preloaded with goodies like Qik, Need for Speed Shift HD, T-Mobile TV, and DTS Ultra Mobile sound enhancer. Specific prices and dates have yet to be revealed, but we now have confirmation that the G2x will be “available nationwide later this spring,” so the previously rumored April 20th launch might still be on track. Full press release after the break.
Update: Our friends over at NVIDIA also informed us that the G2x will be the first phone to be shipped with Tegra Zone preloaded. Makes sense considering this is yet another of those delicious dual-core Tegra 2 devices that are flooding the market these days.
LG’s T-Mobile G2x announced, available ‘later this spring’ (update: preloaded with Tegra Zone) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Well, we knew it was coming, and tonight at CTIA we finally got our dirty little hands on Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play for Verizon. It’s pretty much what we expected: an Xperia Play that’s lacking a SIM slot but displaying a couple of Verizon tattoos logos. The front-facing camera is still on the menu, along with a tasty serving of Gingerbread — Android 2.3.2, to be exact. Strangely, the custom skin we saw during our hands-on at MWC was nowhere to be found on Verizon’s model, being replaced instead by what appears to be the stock Gingerbread UI with some Sony Ericsson wallpapers and widgets. The Xperia Play app was on full display on the demo phones, which came preloaded with Ashphalt 6, Bruce Lee, Crash Bandicoot, Star Battalion, Madden ’11, and The Sims 3. Take a peek at our gallery below, and poke your way past the break for our hands-on video.
Continue reading Sony Ericsson Xperia Play for Verizon hands-on (video)
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play for Verizon hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We should’ve known this was coming when Microsoft went after Motorola for Moto’s supposedly patent-infringing Android devices, and now Ballmer & Co. have their sights set on Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, and Inventec for making and selling the Nook Color. Once again, Microsoft has filed in both the ITC and the Western District of Washington Federal Court claiming that the Android OS infringes its patents, though the patents at issue have dwindled in number from nine to five this time around. Allegedly, the Nook Color is riddled with infringing bits from its tab-using web browser and web-document viewing capability to its text selection and book annotation features. Microsoft has resorted to litigation as a new means to get paid for its patents after year-long licensing negotiations with B&N bore little fruit (unlike those with HTC, who got with the licensing program). So count this as another clear message to manufacturers — Android’s open-source, but it ain’t free.
Same song, second verse: Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble for Android’s patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Cobra’s taking a step back from its usual array of radar detectors to make a showing down in Orlando, and as such, today’s announcements are all about mobile. The company’s Cobra Tag system — which popped up initially back at CES — has just been given a price and release date. The Bluetooth tagging system will be keeping track of your car keys (and other miscellaneous items) starting in July, with a Bluetooth key fob linking up with a smartphone app in order to constantly monitor the position of anything it’s connected to. All’s that required from you is a BlackBerry or Android smartphone, $59.99 and a mindful personality. In related news, the outfit’s also making available the previously announced iRadar application for Android, which is used to link your smartphone and radar detector, as well as the PhoneLynx for Android, which enables users to use a landline handset while tapping into Android voice minutes. Hit the source links if you’re hungry for more.
Cobra Tag Bluetooth key tagging system to ship in July, iRadar and PhoneLynx coming to Android originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Update: As pointed out by commenter Roberto V, the device is now already available for pre-order at both Best Buy and Future Shop. It runs the same $599.99 it does in the US, and is expected to ship on April 8th. Interestingly, Telus has also confirmed that it will be carrying the WiFi-only Xoom, but it’s made no mention of the 3G version.
Motorola Xoom WiFi hitting Canada next month (update: $599, available for pre-order) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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