android

How the Hero tops the MyTouch 3G

Now that Sprint finally has announced its first Google Android phone, we thought we'd take a closer look at how it stacks up against the competition. Sprint has chosen the HTC Hero, which is the third Android phone HTC has made. The Hero was first released overseas shortly after the HTC Magic, which T-Mobile launched in the United States as the MyTouch 3G. The Hero and MyTouch 3G are similar, but the Hero offers a few key advantages.

Memory The Hero and MyTouch have the same processing power, but the Hero should be faster thanks to its increased memory. The Hero features 288MB of RAM compared with the 192MB RAM on the MyTouch 3G. Many current Android users have complained about speed issues, which normally are caused by background processes that slow the phone down. Having more free memory will let the Hero be more responsive, even when multiple programs are open.

Multimedia Media fans will be pleased to find a 3.5-millimeter headset jack on the Hero. This was a major complaint of the first two Android phones, but now HTC has committed to including a 3.5-millimeter jack on all future devices. The Hero also includes a 5-megapixel camera, which is an improvement over the 3.2-megapixel shooter on the MyTouch.

Battery The first Android phone, T-Mobile G1, suffers from battery issues that HTC addressed in the MyTouch. The Hero takes it to the next level by offering a 1,500mAh capacity battery, which is the highest capacity available on an Android phone. In contrast, the MyTouch has a 1,340mAh battery.

Software The Hero's software is another of its advantages. The Hero will be the first U.S. phone to feature HTC Sense, an HTC enhanced version of Android.… Read more

BOL 1056: Time to get a pimp

Ok, but just to be clear, when I say it's time for me to get a pimp, what I MEAN is that it's time to get a PMP -- a portable media player. That is, perhaps, an iPod Touch. Anyway, you'll understand. In other news, the MPAA is trying to clamp down on your analog hole and break your DVR all at the same time and Apple's Snow Leopard is having a rough landing ... apparently because of the picture on the box.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video)Read more

T-Mobile unveils pay-as-you-go Android phone

T-Mobile has demonstrated the first pay-as-you-go Android handset to go on sale in the UK.

The Pulse, which is manufactured by Huawei, was announced on Thursday. Huawei is best known in the UK for manufacturing mobile broadband dongles for operators such as T-Mobile, and the Pulse marks its entry into the British handset market.

"The T-Mobile Pulse represents another Android milestone from T-Mobile," said Nicola Shenton, who currently heads the operator's handset business in the UK, in a statement. "We introduced the first Android handset, the T-Mobile G1, to the UK back in October 2008, launched … Read more

The countdown to Flash 10 for Android

Flash remains one of the most requested features for Google Android phones since Adobe first demonstrated an Android version at last year's Adobe MAX show. Fortunately, users finally will have a chance to get their hands on Flash 10 next month when a beta version is released at Adobe MAX 2009

Adobe first revealed when we would get a look at Flash 10 during its second quarter earnings call. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said during a presentation that Google's Android, Nokia's Symbian, Windows Mobile, and the new Palm WebOS will be among the first devices to support … Read more

Sprint announces Android HTC Hero

Just a few days after we caught a few glimpses of a Sprint HTC Hero, the carrier surprised absolutely no one by finally announcing that it would carry the smartphone beginning October 11. Sprint's first Google Android phone will cost $179 with a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year Simply Everything plan.

With a large touch screen, a few physical controls, and a trackball, the Hero more resembles the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G than the GSM Hero available in the United Kingdom. It also has a few unique characteristics, of course, but the design isn't a rapid departure from … Read more

Gameloft hearts the App Store

Well, it turns out that not everyone hates Apple's App Store. Gameloft, the ever-present publisher of mobile games worldwide, likes the iPhone and iPod Touch quite a bit. In a recent news release, Gameloft announced that, to date, it has sold more than 6 million games in the App Store, making it its biggest platform.

"Our core focus is digitally distributed games," said Sanette Chao, Director of Public Relations for Gameloft. "Apple is our number one customer and the IPhone OS is our number one platform. I think that alone speaks volumes to the importance of … Read more

Sprint's Hero gets a face-lift

It's been a long summer for Sprint customers waiting to purchase a Google Android phone. Sprint has confirmed that it would launch at least one Android device, but have given no specifics since then. Mounting evidence now points to an October release and new photos reveal what their first Android phone might look like.

We've long expected that the HTC Hero would appear on Sprint first. The phone first launched in the U.K. and was made popular by the new HTC Sense user interface.

First it was reported by an inside source that the HTC Hero would … Read more

Archos Android tablets get unofficial pricing

After making an initial appearance at the FCC in August, a new model of the Archos 5 Internet media tablet popped up on B&H on the first of September.

The product listings briefly showed pricing for four models of the updated Archos 5, as well as a page for the Archos DVR Station. If the listings are accurate, consumers can expect to see 16GB ($293), 32GB ($369), 160GB ($319), and 500GB ($419) versions of the updated Archos 5 in the not too distant future (September 15, maybe?).

The odd pricing discrepancy between the $369 32GB Flash memory model … Read more

A sneak peek at the new Android Market

We're receiving more tips as we approach the Motorola Android event on September 10. An Android Atlas reader with access to the Motorola Sholes sent in pictures that show off the new look for Android Market. The tip is unconfirmed, but based on the information that was provided, I'd say the screenshots are real. Please keep in mind that these reflect a work in progress and the final look could change.

The pictures below reveal an updated user interface. The new Market has buttons for Top Paid, Top Free, and Just In. There's also a search button … Read more

Report: Half of Android users have not purchased apps

According to a recent survey from AdMob, more than half of Google Android users (55 percent) have never downloaded a paid application. The amount is double the 23 percent of iPhone users who have chose not to purchase apps.

So what is preventing Android users from spending their cash? Though many people from other countries still lack access to paid applications, some developers are blaming the structure of the Android Market. Currently, customers can only purchase applications using Google Checkout, which requires a Google account and a credit card.

The iTunes App Store also requires a credit card for purchases, … Read more