HTC Jetstream and LG Thrill now available on AT&T

On Sunday, AT&T officially launched their first 10" Honeycomb tablet and their first glasses-free 3D smartphone. The tablet, the HTC Jetstream, is also the first 10" tablet from HTC and features a dual-core processor and HTC's Scribe pen-input system. It is available now for $699 with a 2-year contract.

The phone, the LG Thrill, is AT&T's first glasses-free 3D smartphone, and only the second one to be available in the US. It features a 4.3" screen, dual core processor, 8GB of storage, 3D screen, and dual cameras for capturing 3D pictures and video. It is available now for $99 on a 2-year contract.

HOLY expensive. Seven hundred dollars WITH a contract? Are they seriously serious? Even the iPad with similar specs is $729 WITHOUT a contract. This sure seems to me like they're trying to keep people from buying the Jetstream and encourage them to buy the iPad instead. Which they probably are. The Thrill, on the other hand, looks really nice. I know lots of people who think the glasses-free 3D is a gimmick, and something they would never want, but I personally think it rocks and would absolutely want it.

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I think the Jetstream sounds like a nice tablet, but not that nice. Nowhere near that nice. Not even close, actually. Plus, I'm curious to see how the Scribe thing works. It sounds like an awesome feature, but pen-input on electronics has been traditionally...crappy. It would be awesome if it worked, though. But still, not $700 (+ another several hundred dollars in contract costs) awesome.

The Thrill sounds like a seriously decent phone, and at a much much better price. I've never tried the 3D screen but I would love to check it out. I have no idea if I would want that on my phone, but it does sound cool.

Samsung updates phone naming scheme

Samsung announced some phones today, and also an update to the way they name their devices. The new naming strategy is designed to help convey details about the device simply by the letters that follow it. For example: the devices announced today are the Galaxy W, Galaxy M Pro, Galaxy Y and Galaxy Y Pro.

Confused? Here's how it works: , R is for Royal (high-end) M is for Magical (cheaper high-end), W is for Wonder (mid-range), and Y is for Young (entry-level). Additionally, the Pro designation means the device has a physical keyboard.

So look back at the devices announced today. The M Pro, to pick one, will be a cheaper high-end device with a keyboard. It does make sense once you wrap your mind around it. As for their well-known Galaxy S line, that is sticking around, too and will denote their highest-end, premier devices.

Remember that this is just Samsung's official naming scheme, and carriers (especially those in the US) are almost assured to change them. So while the M Pro, Y, or Y Pro may arrive in the US, they won't go by those names here. [via Engadget]

Complete ridiculousness. Royal? Magical? Wonder? Those definitely make me think of Disney cruise ships rather than Samsung phones. I appreciate their desire to simplify their naming scheme, but...this?

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Bwahahaha! This is so stupid, it's awesome. What's the S mean, then? Superior? Saint-like? Superphone?

Android weekend rumor recap

Another week, another batch of rumors. We're getting ever closer to the holiday season, meaning these rumors are going to intensify over the coming months. Stick with us and we'll give you a nice weekly summary to help you make sense of it all. Keep reading for the rumors!

Google is buying Motorola Mobility

Huge news this morning from the Android world, as Google has announced that they are acquiring Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. Motorola Mobility was split off from the main Motorola back in January and is now a separate company, with Motorola Solutions being the second company. So Google isn't buying the entire Motorola brand, but rather just the Mobility company, responsible for all mobile devices.

If you recall, Motorola was responsible for some major Android home-runs including the original Droid, the Droid X, the Atrix, etc. Many people credit them with jump starting the entire Android brand with the Droid line.

Android weekend rumor recap

Finally, the first rumor recap since our return to blogging. This is the usual place where we discuss the past week's rumors, information leaks, and stuff like that. If you are a huge Android fan and prefer to follow these rumors as they show up, we recommend any or all of the Android blogs listed on the side of this site. Of course, if you're a huge Android fan, you're likely keeping up with at least one of those sites already. And now, some rumors!

Facebook launches new Messenger app

Facebook announced a new app yesterday called Messenger. The app is available now on both Android and iOS and is a simple group messaging app. It doesn't work with Facebook Chat, but is rather a stand alone app that provides group messaging similar to iMessage, Kik, Google+ Huddle, etc. It doesn't provide read/delivered notifications yet, either.

Google discusses Android patents

Google took to their official blog yesterday to vent some frustration surrounding the Android patent situation. According to the post, two longtime rivals, Apple and Microsoft, have joined forces to hamper Android innovation and attempt to profit from bogus patent licensing.

Android pro tip: Search with different apps

Cross-posted from The Dastardly Report

One of the best parts about using an Android smartphone is that there are so many seriously powerful things that the OS is capable of. An admittedly frustrating part of Android, however, is that not all of the cool features are immediately apparent and average users may not always discover them.

One such feature is app searching. Most Android phones have a dedicated search button right on the front. And even those that don't at least have a Google Search widget with launches the same search app. Pressing it brings up a search bar that lets you search through items on your phone, as well as search the whole Internet. By default, it searches through your apps, contacts, bookmarks, etc.

But that search can be customized to be much, much more powerful. With a few tweaks, you can pick which apps you want to be searchable right from the search button

Logitech Revue Google TV box now only $99

The Logitech Revue was one of the first Google TV devices announced and is still generally considered to be the flagship device for the platform. When it launched, it cost $300, which nearly everyone agreed was simply to much for what the product did. You could get a cheap PC for that price which could do all that and more, and for simple streaming duties, the Roku boxes start at just $59.

Late last week, however, Logitech announced that they'd be cutting the price from $299 to just $99, which makes it considerably more affordable and brings it right in line with the current Roku and Apple TV.

Plus, with the whole Google TV platform getting an update to Honeycomb later this summer that will allow installation of apps from the Android Market.

Personal note: We bought one. We were this close to buying a Roku, but for only $99, the future potential of Google TV is just too good to pass up. Expect a review of the product in the weeks ahead. :-)

We're back!

After a much needed break, we are back to blogging! We spent the last few months house hunting, having a baby, and hosting many family visits. But life has mostly returned to normal, so we are going to attempt a return to our previously scheduled blogging.

The Android world hasn't slowed down, of course. In fact, it's gained momentum and it's becoming increasingly difficult for non-full-time Android sites (like this one) to keep up with all the news. So, as has been our strategy in the past, our focus here at H&HA will be to focus on the news that the general population would find interesting. This includes new device releases, exciting new apps, and breaking news.

This won't be the place to come for a continual stream of Android news. For up-to-the-minute news, rumors, etc., we recommend any of the great Android blogs listed on the side of this site. We plan to continue the weekly rumor recap posts, as well as occasional product reviews.

So thanks to those of you who stuck around this long. Here's to a more uninterrupted blog, more interesting posts,  and more fun through the rest of this year and whatever comes next.

Taking a break

It's no secret that we haven't been keeping up with the vast amount of Android news around here lately. Our last post was over a week ago and we just haven't been able to continue posting as frequently as we'd like. As such, we have decided to temporarily take a break from this site to turn our focus on other life events.

Between having another baby in just a couple months, trying to move, and adjusting to a new work schedule, blogging has been forced to take a back seat. Don't get us wrong, we still love Android, still have our G2s, and are still just as interested in Android news as ever. As we've said before, all of the sites listed on the right side of this site are excellent for keeping up with the deluge of Android news and we recommend you check them out.

We'll be back, for sure, so don't worry. It may be a few months, but hopefully by summer, at the latest, we can resume writing about everyone's favorite green robot.

So bookmark this site, subscribe to the feed, or follow us on Twitter, and you'll stay in the know about when regular posting returns. Until then, thanks to all of our readers for sticking around. We'll be back.

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Froyo finally coming to the Epic (and maybe Captivate)

When the whole Samsung Galaxy line launched, they were all running Android 2.1, Eclair even though Froyo was already available. Samsung and the carriers told everyone not to worry, that an update to Froyo would be provided very soon. Well, the devices have all been out for over 6 months now and the updates are finally starting to arrive. The Vibrant on T-Mobile was the first to receive the Froyo update, and now the Sprint Epic (and maybe the AT&T Captivate) are joining the fun.

HTC announces new, refreshed phones

HTC took the wraps off their newest products this week at Mobile World Congress and they had a lot to show off. They announced five new phones and a 7-inch tablet. Two of the phones are the rumored Facebook phones, which we'll discuss in another post. We'll also cover the tablet in another post.

For the most part, their new products were simple refreshes of existing devices. The three phones we'll discuss in this post, the Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S are all updates to existing phones by the same names. Many have questioned why HTC went with the S suffix for these devices, since both the iPhone 3GS and Galaxy S have both previously used it. HTC didn't provide an answer to that question.

LG announces the Optimus 3D

LG has already showed off the Optimus Pad (called the G-Slate in the US), which features 3D video recording, but at MWC this week, they showed off a phone with similar capabilities. The Optimus 3D features a 4.3" glasses-free 3D screen and dual cameras on the back for 3D video capture.

It's powered by a dual core CPU, and runs Android 2.2, Froyo. LG promises an update to Gingerbread will be provided soon, maybe even before the device actually launches. It is promised to be available in Europe later this year, with no mention of a US launch.

Samsung announced Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1

Samsung announced their latest phone and tablet this week at MWC, the Galaxy S II, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Both are sequels of sorts to their existing devices and both push the envelope. Nothing about price, release date, or even what country both will be for sale in was announced, but the devices are coming sometime this year.

To start, the Galaxy S II is a powerful follow-up to the original Galaxy S line. It packs a dual core CPU, a larger 4.3" screen, full 1080 HD video recording, front facing camera, all packed in a body that's thinner than the previous model and even thinner than the iPhone 4. It also features the same NFC technology as the Nexus S. Samsung is claiming it's the world's thinnest smartphone, and they just might be right. The device is running Android 2.3, Gingerbread.

Android weekend rumor recap

Welcome to another February edition of the weekend rumor recap! This is where we briefly summarize the various Android related rumors of the past week, along with our commentary. If you're the type of Android fan who likes to follow rumors as they come in, we recommend any of the great Android blogs listed on the side of this site. Now on to the rumors!

INQ announces a Facebook phone

The rumors of a Facebook Phone have been around for several months now, and even though the company has explicitly stated that they are NOT working on a phone, the rumors refuse to die. And yesterday, the rumors all got a little more credibility as INQ showed off their custom Facebook phone, called the INQ Cloud Touch.

It's important to note that this is not a Facebook branded device, but rather a phone made by INQ that runs Android and features very, very deep Facebook integration. INQ worked with Facebook on this device, not the other way around. INQ is not a company most Americans will have heard of, but they are a fairly well known phone manufacturer in Europe and Canada.

Dual-screen Kyocera Echo now official

Earlier this evening, Sprint held their special press event where they promised something new that had never been done before. Some early rumors suggested they would do a 3D phone, while others pointed to some type of folding tablet. Turns out neither were quite right, though the second was much closer to the mark, as the device announced is a smaller, folding, dual screen phone.

The Kyocera Echo is a Sprint device that features a very unique hinge design, allowing one screen to fold down over the other to form a traditional slate form-factor, or fold open to create a unified, tablet style device. The folding hinge is hard to describe, so take a look at Kyocera's press video:

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play finally official

After literally years of rumors, leaks, pictures, videos, etc., Sony has finally decided to make the device official. All the leaks look to have quite accurately predicted how the device would look and perform. While it does take quite a few design cues from the PlayStation, it is not called the "PlayStation Phone" as many predicted. Instead, it is branded with Sony's Xperia line of entertainment TV devices, and is called the Xperia Play.

Android weekend rumor recap

It's time once again for the weekly rumor recap post! This is where we quickly summarize the best Android related rumors and leaks of the past week, complete with our commentary on each. If you prefer to follow rumors as they come in, we recommend any of the fine Android sites listed to the right. Now, on to the rumors!

Official Blogger app now available!

Google has owned Blogger for 8 years, and Android has been around for more than 2 years now, and yet there was never an official Blogger app. You'd think that with Blogger being one of the most popular blogging platforms in the world, and owned by Google, that it would have been one of the first official apps to be released.

Thankfully, those of us using Blogger no longer have to long for an official app, as it was finally released yesterday! The app allows switching between multiple accounts and multiple blogs, composing new posts and saving offline drafts, uploading photos, location sharing, and photo sharing right from the Gallery.

Web-based Android Market goes live!

Early last year, at their annual developers conference, Google briefly teased a web-based version of the Android Market that would allow browsing, searching, and installing of apps right from the desktop. They said it was coming soon, but nothing was ever said about it. That all changed yesterday when the new Market website finally went live.

The new webstore can be found at market.android.com and allows for detailed searching, browsing by category, sorting search results by popularity, and instant, over-the-air installs. Simply log into your Google Account, and you're good to go. Pressing the Install button on a given app presents you with the option to choose which device you want it to be installed on (assuming you have more than one), and then it instantly begins to download and install on your phone.

T-Mobile G-Slate details announced

Late last night, T-Mobile took to Twitter to announce some official details of their upcoming Honeycomb Tablet, the LG G-Slate. The G-Slate was announced at CES, but no details were given at all. Now we have some concrete specs, and a slightly more concrete release date.

The G-Slate will have an 8.9" screen, a super-fast dual-core processor, and will be powered by Android 3.0, Honeycomb. In a first-of-its-kind move, the G-Slate will also feature some fancy 3D capabilities. Its display will be able to display 3D content, though glasses will be required. It also features dual cameras on the back, allowing it to record full HD, 1080p 3D videos. The glasses won't be required all the time for using the tablet, just for when you want to watch 3D content. It's unclear what type of 3D screen technology LG is using for this device.

HTC Inspire 4G available Feb 13 on AT&T

The impressive HTC Inspire 4G was announced at CES earlier this year for AT&T, and now we have an official launch date. If you recall, the Inspire 4G is nearly identical to the Evo 4G on Sprint. The Inspire has the same 4.3" screen, but features a newer generation processor and an improved graphics chip for better game and graphics performance. It lacks a front-facing camera, however, which is one of the prime features of several other modern smartphones.

The Inspire is the first device to go on sale running on AT&T's 4G network, and it will cost only $99 on contract. It goes on sale February 13, less than 2 weeks away.

Android weekend rumor recap

Welcome to the final rumor recap post for January! This is a post we do every weekend here, where we quickly sum up the week's best Android rumors, complete with our commentary. To follow all the exciting rumors and leaks as they come in, we recommend checking out all of the excellent Android blogs listed on the side of this site. Continue reading for the rumors!

Honeycomb event scheduled for Wednesday

Just yesterday, Google sent out invitations to a special event scheduled for February 2, which is just a few days away. The invitation was sent to major tech blogs (read: not us), and promises to provide, "an in-depth look at Honeycomb, Android ecosystem news, and hands-on demos.

The exact nature of what they plan to announce/show is still a mystery, but everyone has their theories. Since the Honeycomb SDK was just released, this event will likely offer reporters and bloggers a look at actual tablet hardware where they can give Honeycomb a true test, as opposed to using it in an emulator on the desktop.

Angry Birds Rio coming soon

Rovio, the makers of Angry Birds, released a trailer this week showing off a new, upcoming version of their insanely popular Android and iPhone game. The new version is called Angry Birds Rio and is a promotional tie-in with 20th Century Fox's animated movie which will hit theaters in April. The movie (trailer here), is about a blue macaw who travels to Rio de Janeiro to find more of his species.

Honeycomb SDK released

Google released a preview of the Android 3.0, Honeycomb Software Development Kit yesterday, which allows Android developers to get a look at how the new version is going to work, and how to make their apps work for it. It also gives the rest of us a chance to get a good look at how Honeycomb looks and works.

There's nothing hugely new that we haven't seen before, but it does show off how notifications work, how the system buttons will work, and what the updated apps look like.

Samsung announces 4 new phones

Samsung just took the wraps off of the newest additions to their Galaxy line of smartphones. They announced four new models in total, ranging from very inexpensive, entry level devices, to midrange devices. They're likely going to keep the Galaxy S (and upcoming Galaxy S2) as their high end device.

The new devices, pictured above, are the Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Gio, and Galaxy Mini. The Ace is the most capable of the bunch with a 3.5" screen and an 800MHz processor, while they descend from there down to the Mini which has a small 3.2" screen and just a 600MHz processor.

Google Cloud Print comes to Android

Way back in April of last year, Google introduced Cloud Print as a way to share printers across the Internet. As long as Chrome was installed and Cloud Print set up on a home PC with the printer, any other Chrome browser or Chrome OS machine signed into the same account could print back to the home printer. It works perfectly and provides a perfect way for laptops or Chrome Notebooks to print back to the home printer without worrying about complicated shared network printing.

When it was announced, Google promised that they'd bring Cloud Print to other devices, including mobile phones, and even printers with Cloud Print pre-installed, no PC necessary.

Android weekend rumor recap

The weekend is once again upon us and that means it's time for another edition of the Weekend Rumor Recap. This is where we briefly sum up the various Android related rumors and leaks of the past week, along with our commentary. If you would prefer to follow these rumors as they come in, we recommend any of the excellent Android blogs listed on the side of this site. Keep reading for the rumors!

Froyo update for the Samsung Vibrant

After much weeping and lamenting by Samsung users, the first of the Galaxy S phones in the US is finally receiving the long awaited Froyo update. To recap, all of the US carriers have their own version of the Galaxy S (Vibrant on T-Mobile, Captivate on AT&T, Fascinate on Verizon, and Epic on Sprint) and all of them launched running Android 2.1, Eclair.

The US variants of the Galaxy S all launched last summer, shortly after Froyo was made available, and Samsung stated that updates would be provided. Now, seven months after google released the Froyo source code to manufacturers, the first of the Galaxy S devices in the US is receiving an update.

Disney-themed Android phone coming to Japan

The Disney-themed cellphone company in the US had a very short life and was closed back in 2007. But in Japan it is thriving and apparently has a rather large fanbase. And now they're launching their own, custom Android smartphone.

Not much is known about the device itself, but it will be running Android 2.2, Froyo and will feature all kinds of exclusive Disney content like wallpapers, apps, widgets, themes, etc. The device also might even feature a glasses-free 3D display.

Android weekend rumor recap

Another weekend is here and it's time for more Android rumors! This is where we briefly recap the best Android related rumors of the past week, along with our commentary. To follow Android news and rumors in a more timely manor, we recommend any of the fine Android blogs listed on the right side of this site. Now, on to the rumors!

Google Goggles now solves sudoku

Google pushed out an updated version of their popular Goggles app this week for both Android and iOS. The update includes a number of new features, such as improved barcode scanning, improved QR code support, faster response times, etc.

The update also gives Goggles the ability to recognize ads in magazines and newspapers. The app should be able to recognize ads from August 2010 and later, and will allow you to view more detail on the ad as well as visit the advertiser's website. A very cool feature.

Android weekend rumor recap

Welcome to the second rumor recap post of 2011. This is where we quickly discuss the best Android related rumors of the past week along with our commentary on them. If you prefer to follow the rumors as they appear, we recommend any of the Android blogs listed on the side of this site. This Consumer Electronics Show was going on this past week, and tons of announcements were made. But there were also a few juicy rumors that weren't confirmed this week, so keep reading to check them out.

Hulu Plus coming soon to Android

At CES this week, Hulu made the exciting announcement that they have an Android app coming soon that will allow access to Hulu Plus content. Hulu Plus is the service's pay-for option that costs $8 per month and allows for access to more content than the free version, and allows you to watch content on more devices.

Motorola's amazing desktop dock for the Atrix

When Motorola showed off the Atrix 4G device for AT&T, everyone was excited that it was a remarkably powerful Android phone for AT&T's 4G network. It's thin, capable, has a great screen, and is just what smartphone enthusiasts have been waiting for.

But then Motorola surprised everyone by showing off the Atrix's desktop and laptop docks which are extremely impressive and unique accessories that truly change what we expect from a smartphone. The docks allow you to snap your phone into a small dock and immediately begin using it as a desktop or laptop computer. Not just view your phone's screen on a big screen...really use it like a desktop.

Dell Streak 7 now official on T-Mobile

T-Mobile and Dell officially announced the Dell Streak 7 yesterday at CES. The Streak 7 is a 7" tablet that features a very fast, dual core Tegra 2 processor, 16GB of storage, front facing camera, and T-Mobile's 4G network. It is powered by Android 2.2, Froyo, which is odd, and somewhat disappointing now that Honeycomb tablets have been announced. It is also running Dell's custom skin called Stage, and Dell has refused to comment on whether it will be upgraded to Honeycomb or not.

Motorola announces Droid Bionic for Verizon

Continuing to prove their undying love for Verizon, Motorola showed off the Droid Bionic yesterday at CES. It's a beast of a phone, with a dual core processor, high resolution 4.3" screen, 8MP camera, front facing camera, Verizon 4G LTE, and powered by Android 2.2, Froyo with Motorola's custom skin on top.

T-Mobile announced Cliq 2 and G-Slate tablet

At CES yesterday, Motorola and T-Mobile took the wraps off of the previously rumored Cliq 2. The device features a 3.7" screen, 5MP camera, runs Android 2.2, Froyo and is powered by a 1GHz processor. It is the direct successor to the original Cliq, a device that many customers are still angry about due to Motorola's lack of updates.

The Cliq 2 is notably thinner and more powerful than the first one, and early reports indicate that the keyboard is nice to use, if a bit cramped. It will be available on T-Mobile this Sunday, January 9, so we can expect full blown reviews to be arriving shortly.

Motorola Xoom tablet becomes official

The long rumored Motorola tablet got very official yesterday at CES. The tablet is indeed called the Xoom (pronounced "zoom"), and will be available on Verizon sometime this spring for an unannounced price. The tablet itself features some pretty impressive specs including a dual core Tegra 2 processor, 10" screen, full HD video playback, 32GB of internal storage, 5MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. It will be locked to Verizion with no word of a WiFi only version, and it will be upgradeable to Verizon's 4G LTE network later this summer.

AT&T launching 12 new Android phones this year

Today at CES, AT&T took the stage along with Motorola, Samsung and HTC to announce three new high end Android devices, and also announced that an additional 9 will be arriving through 2011.

First up is the HTC Inspire 4G, which is very similar to the Desire HD, except with AT&T 4G HSPA+ frequencies. It has a 4.3" screen, 1GHz processor, and pretty much all the same other specs of the Desire HD.

Asus announces 3 new tablets

Just a few days before CES officially starts, Asus took the stage today and announced three new Android tablets, all expected to be available later this year. Each one tries something new for tablets, and each will likely appeal to a different group of people.

First up is the Eee Pad Transformer, which is a 10.1-inch tablet powered by a Tegra 2 CPU. It has both front- and rear-facing cameras, along with a detachable keyboard/touchpad which also serves as a docking station. When attached, the device looks like a small netbook. Asus says this device will launch in April for $399.

Sprint Evo Shift 4G now official

In a move that surprises no one, HTC and Sprint have just officially announced the Evo Shift 4G. As all the rumors and leaks predicted, the device is a 3.6" QWERTY slider and packs Sprint's 4G radio inside. It's extremely similar to the G2, but has a tweaked front face to more mirror the original Evo, as well as a more traditional slider mechanism.

Vizio announces phone, tablet, Google TV

Earlier today, Vizio, more known for their televisions, announced that they will be showcasing an Android phone and tablet this week at CES. They will also be unveiling a new line of Google TV powered televisions. The TVs, tablet and phone will all be part of what they're calling the Vizio VIA Plus Ecosystem.
They've given a few official specs, and more will be announced this week at CES. The phone is a 4" slate device with a 1GHz processor, 5MP camera, and a front facing camera. The tablet has an 8" screen, GPS, HDMI out, front facing camera, and three speaker surround sound.