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.

Android weekend rumor recap

Welcome to the first rumor recap post of 2011! This is a weekly post we do to quickly sum up the best Android related rumors and leaks of the past week, along with out thoughts and commentary on each. If you're a huge Android fan and would prefer to follow these stories as they come in, we recommend any of the excellent Android blogs listed on the right side of this site. Continue reading for the rumors!

Welcome 2011!

(Photo from The Big Picture)

It's hard to believe that the first decade of the 2000s is over, isn't it? This past year was a very big one for Android, and was also the year we started this little website of ours. We saw the introduction of dozens of new phones, two major OS upgrades, Google TV, Android tablets, and lots more. This year had its high points and low points, and an overwhelming amount of exciting news.

2011 is already set to continue the breakneck pace of Android news. CES is only a few days away and will bring with it a flood of new products, announcements, and news. We'll definitely be covering it all, even though we can't actually attend CES...maybe next year. After CES, we have Mobile World Congress, Google IO, and lots of other events throughout the year, so there's not going to be any shortage of news.

Our first post here was back in August, so we've been at this for 5 months already. Maybe we'll come up with some type of exciting giveaway for our 1st anniversary. It's going to be a big, exciting year for Android and for us.

We don't have tons of readers, but we know there are some of you out there, so thanks for sticking with us and giving our fledgling website an audience.

From both of us, Happy New Year!