Android

Pandora apps put comedy in your pocket

Recently I finished a three-month trial of SiriusXM Radio. And despite a relentless onslaught of calls and e-mails from the company, I elected not to continue my subscription. The only channels I really wanted were the comedy ones, which, frankly, weren't that great.

Pandora to the rescue! Yesterday, the incomparably awesome Internet-radio service introduced comedy stations. My first thought: "Please let them be available in the mobile apps. Please let them be available in the mobile apps." Because I figured that such an incomparably awesome addition to the service must come with a catch.

Huzzah! Turns out I can enjoy the likes of Daniel Tosh, Bill Cosby, Steven Wright, and Mitch Hedberg on my iPad, iPhone, Android phone, and so on--wherever there's a Pandora app. And make no mistake: Pandora's comedy stations are infinitely better than the ones on SiriusXM, if only because the mix caters directly to my tastes.… Read more

Motorola reveals XPRT and Titanium for Sprint

Months after it was announced for Verizon Wireless, Sprint has finally gotten its own version of the Motorola Droid Pro. Dubbed the Motorola XPRT, this candy bar handset houses the same enterprise-class security as the Droid Pro, and it also boasts international roaming. Other features include a 3.1-inch HVGA screen, a 1GHz processor, plus it ships with Android 2.2 with Adobe Flash 10 browser support.

Sprint unveiled another Android candy bar smartphone as well: the Motorola Titanium. The Titanium is a successor to the Motorola i1 from last year, except the Titanium now has a full physical QWERTY … Read more

Release dates surface for Moto Droid X2; Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

A little red birdie has passed on possible release dates for some of Verizon Wireless's most-anticipated smartphones. And since that birdie gave us reliable information before (mainly, the HTC Incredible 2's April 28 debut), we're inclined to believe that the following dates will hold up. So here's what we know.

The HTC Trophy is scheduled to arrive May 12. Verizon promised late least year that it was bringing Windows Phone 7 to its handset stable, but the carrier has yet to show us the goods despite earlier false alarms. Bonnie Cha has reviewed the unlocked GSM version … Read more

U.S. Cellular set to offer dual-screen LG Genesis

LG should be the next company to enter the dual-screen smartphone fray with its Android 2.2-powered Genesis. Uncovered by AndroidCentral, the LG Genesis features a very familiar enV design with its two touch displays (3.5-inch external, 3.2-inch internal).

On the hardware front, the handset offers a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera, and a five-row QWERTY keyboard. Additionally, the Genesis has 430MB of internal memory, an 8GB microSD card, and support for Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and DLNA media sharing.

AndroidCentral's findings indicate that U.S. Cellular will offer the smartphone for an expected $249.99 price tag with the requisite two-year commitment and $449.99 outright. As of this time, neither the LG nor the carrier have formally announced the phone or its release date.

I'll admit that I'm growing a little bit leery of the dual-screen Android phones and tablets hitting the market. Android developers already have their hands full dealing with the various platform versions and I foresee that the secondary displays will only add to the equation.

Already, we have the Samsung Continuum and Kyocera Echo on sale with Sony's tablet arriving later this year. Until one of these handsets really takes off, developers will sit on the sidelines, fearful of wasting time and effort on a one-trick pony. … Read more

The 404 813: Where our pets' heads are falling off (podcast)

The listeners in the chat room this morning want us wish you a happy Star Wars Day, but we're pretty sure we'll get beaten up for saying something like that. Instead, we're taking taking our anger out on Wilson's floating head in the studio, dodging blueberries and corn from our neighbors in New Jersey, and, of course, bringing you silly tech stories of the day.

The 404 Digest for Episode 813

Man robs Subway sandwich shop with PlayStation Move Controller.

Original space-traveling Game Boy fetches $2,000 at Sothebys auction.

Nintendo drops the price of the Wii to $149.

Episode 813 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

New PdaNet 3 masks tethering from carriers

The latest version of connection-tethering app PdaNet masks its tether from your phone service provider, just as major carriers move to block tethered connections that bypass their services and hide unapproved tethering apps from the Android marketplace when viewed over certain carriers' networks. Released on April 30, the major feature update in PdaNet 3.0 (download for Windows x86 | x64 | Mac | Android) is the tethering mask. Additionally, publisher June Fabrics Technologies noted unspecific performance and connection quality improvements.

In addition to supporting wired USB tethering, PdaNet 3.0 also includes support for Bluetooth DUN tethers, and offers an SMS agent … Read more

Sprint readying low-cost 4G Android smartphone?

Sprint's Galaxy S lineup is set to grow by at least one more handset now that a new Samsung phone has appeared in FCC documents.

Already, we know a few details for the SPH-D600. It promises a 320x480 HVGA display, a 3.1-megapixel camera (or higher), and WiMax capability. According to Pocketnow.com, this unnamed handset features a sliding QWERTY keyboard and will get its power from a 1GHz Qualcomm processor. Other tidbits include requisite Android support for Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n); Bluetooth 3.0 and presumably, GPS; and (judging by the picture at least) a front-facing camera.

You'd be correct if you think this sounds an awful lot like the Epic 4G, also released by Sprint. That handset carries a very similar model number of SPH-D700 and featured somewhat beefier hardware. It's possible that Sammy's new device will help bring about a lower price point for 4G Android smartphones. And given that Sprint's current options start at $149 (Evo Shift 4G), this could potentially slide in with the magic sub-$100 sticker. … Read more

Chocolate bathroom? Translation tools for travel

We had only been in Buenos Aires for a few hours last month when my wife and I realized that our Spanish-English dictionary and Latin America phrasebook were still sitting on a bookshelf back at home. "Not cool," my wife said simply.

So I made a trip to El Ateneo, one of the biggest and certainly most beautiful bookstores south of the Panama Canal and picked up the only paperback dictionary in the house--a thick, clunky volume with a neon orange cover meant for speakers of Mexican Spanish, which is quite different from the Argentine dialect.

After a few times stopping in the middle of a crowd to pull out the big, glowing book, I became worried that I might inadvertently start directing traffic; I quickly retired the dead-tree translation method and started looking for a less conspicuous, digital solution. I found three top contenders, each with their own pros and cons. Here's the rundown. … Read more

The 404 812: Where can you, like, turn down your keyboard? (podcast)

Wilson joins us on the show, Max Headroom style from the CNET office in San Francisco. Tune in to the first half where we grill him about his loyalty to the East Coast and why he refuses to take showers in the office. We also have a couple stories in the rundown about teens asking Yahoo about Osama Bin Laden, a Nintendo 3DS augmented reality icon, a Japanese kissing machine, and yet another privacy breach from the already befallen Sony PlayStation Network.

The 404 Digest for Episode 812

Japanese engineer creates Facebook kissing machine. Dude tattoos Nintendo 3DS augmented-reality icon on his arm. Yahoo search trends prove teens don't know Osama bin Laden. Sony hacked again.

Episode 812 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more