Thread: All Things Android

anyone in BKK tried this ?
Lifestyle in Bangkok (Thai) for Android | AppBrain.com

^ What is the content rating on that ?

what recommendations for a replacement browser ?

^ I've tried them all and like the standard Samsung SGS one the best. Dolphin browser was the second best IMO.

Originally Posted by baldrick

what recommendations for a replacement browser ?

I use Opera Mini. Compresses the pages before it sends them to you, invaluable if you are on a miserly data plan.

It's also got nine "speed dials" which meet my needs for mobile browsing:

Sky Mobile
BBC Mobile
OddsChecker Mobile
Football/Satellite listings
Various NewsNow pages
etc.

Huawei unveils world's first 7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet



New Delhi, Jun 20: Huawei, a leading telecom solutions provider, today launched "MediaPad", the world's first 7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet.

The MediaPad is a complete entertainment powerhouse driven by Qualcomm's dual-core 1.2GHz processor, supported by Huawei Device's Hi-Space cloud solution and Google Android Market.

It is Huawei Device's smartest, slimmest and lightest tablet yet, measuring just 10.5mm (0.4 inches) deep and weighing approximately 390g (0.86 pounds).

It supports 1080P full HD video playback and features a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera and 5 megapixel auto focus rear facing camera with HD video recording capabilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Huawei Device Chief Marketing Officer Victor Xu said, "With the Huawei MediaPad, we are demonstrating yet again that design, functionality and performance is within anyone’s reach. The 7-inch tablet remains the preferred size for portability and Android Honeycomb 3.2 is dedicated to enhance the full potential of 7-inch tablets." With HSPA+ 14.4Mbps and high-speed WiFi 802.11n Internet connectivity, the MediaPad opens up new worlds of entertainment for consumers by removing the barriers to tablet ownership, enabling access to a truly high-quality mobile entertainment experience fully integrated with cloud-based internet content.

The MediaPad supports HSPA+ data services, Flash 10.3 videos and comes preinstalled with applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Let's Golf and Documents to Go.

According to the International Data Corporation, sales in the tablet market are expected to increase more than fourfold in the next two years.

--UNI

"Gadgets & Games

Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab Is no iPad Killer

By Clayton Morris
Published June 20, 2011
| FoxNews.com
Samsung
Despite its good looks, Samsung's latest Galaxy Tab is still no match for the still peerless iPad 2.

My prediction is holding strong that we won't see a serious competitor to the iPad in 2011. The new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has hit the streets and it's yet another in a long line of mediocre Android tablet experiences.
I say experience because it's really the software that matters here, not the hardware. Sure, the Galaxy Tab feels nice in the the hand, it's light, it's fast, and it takes okay photos but who cares anymore about that?
Think about it. Would you put a blindfold on and walk into a Best Buy, feel around for a tablet and buy one based solely on how it feels in your hands? By that metric RIM would've sold millions of the Blackberry Playbook.


Related Slideshow


Let the Tablet Wars Begin: 12 of the Best of 2011
From Androids to Apples, from Samsung, RIM and more, 2011 will be the year of the tablet. We've rounded up the 9 best tablets and 3 most notable e-readers you should keep an eye on.

Related Video


Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1


Buggy tablet no match for iPad


It has a nice display. That's great. The iPhone 4 has a gorgeous retina display but I've never heard one person say to me, "you know I'm thinking about getting an iPhone 4 because of the retina display."
The form factor of the Galaxy Tab makes little sense to me. The screen is really wide, boasting a 16:10 aspect ratio. That's fine for watching movies like Clint Eastwood's western Unforgiven with a similar aspect ratio, but it's weird for other apps like calendar where events look ridiculously stretched in portrait mode. (Back to movies in a minute).
The vertical space is also limited, so that means a smaller workspace -- and when you've got that virtual keyboard in use there's little if no space to work with. It works passably on the similarly sized Sony Vaio P laptops because the keyboard sits below the screen.
The Android Honeycomb software that powers this device is still buggy. Sure, Google's improved some of the stability issues that hindered the first go round but I still had plenty of sluggish moments. I experienced enough stuttering in the software for it to be annoying. You don't get that on the iPad. And let's be honest, no matter how you slice it, Honeycomb lacks elegance.
Apart from the software running the device there are simply too few quality third-party applications built for Honeycomb worth mentioning. Who cares if there are 65,000 Android apps that can run on Honeycomb tablets if most of them are nearly worthless when running on that same tablet?
Let's get real: almost no quality news-reading apps, no quality movie-watching apps that take advantage of that 16:10 screen, no Twitter apps worth mentioning -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
My job is to recommend or not recommend gadgets based on my experience using those devices. For the general consumer I can't think of a single reason to buy this device.
After all, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 starts at $499. So does the iPad 2."








Android will get there, just not yet and chances are that by then Apple will have moved on as usual with new trend-setting stuff, fact is that there is Apple - and then the rest trying desperately to catch up. eat that cuda

I'm afraid I can't take Clayton Morris seriously. He's such a Steve Jobs arselicker, none of his reviews of competing products can avoid the brown stain of his collection of Apple freebies.

For Australians, FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android is FREE until 14 Sept

FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android FREE until 14 Sept - OzBargain

What's the voice dictation like on that ?

Originally Posted by mc2

English (Australia)

Do you have to talk like Rolf Harris for it to comprehend ?

Originally Posted by mc2

For Australians, FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android is FREE until 14 Sept

FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android FREE until 14 Sept - OzBargain

What does it do, recognise words like "stubby" and "sheila"?

What's the resolution on the android 7'?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I'm afraid I can't take Clayton Morris seriously

a faux news self proclaimed gadget guru and also the owner of a media/advetising company

that post should be removed from this thread and put in MKP

Originally Posted by 9999

What's the resolution on the android 7'?

"The screen will have 1024x600 pixels, with a pixel density of 217 ppi. This is impressive, knowing that the iPad 2 has 132 ppi."

A few interesting links in this week's news:

Amazon preparing Android tablet

ITV Player coming to Android

Archos to roll out $99 barebones Android Tablet

Android apps coming to the Meego-powered Nokia N9

Sony Ericsson unveil the new Ray Smartphone

T3's Five best Android apps for June

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by mc2

For Australians, FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android is FREE until 14 Sept

FlexT9 - English (Australia) Text Input System for Android FREE until 14 Sept - OzBargain

What does it do, recognise words like "stubby" and "sheila"?

i guess they just changed spell check dictionaries

i got it for the swype like keyboard, which is excellent.

Anyone with a SGS phone would be doing themselves a favour flashing to a custom ROM. It literally makes your phone more than twice as fast, with no lag. The biggest change is converting the file system to ext. 4, but even without doing that, you phone will still be noticeably faster and slicker, with better GPS, sound, and many other things.

The developers have been onto the SGS from day one, the speed of development is awesome. It's pretty streamlined now and detailed instructions for even the biggest noob or techophobe are readily available. The hub for all this is the 'XDA forums', in fact any Android phone you're likely to find the latest ROMs here.

Last night I installed 'Juwe's Rom v5.0', after using 'Darky's ROM' for a few months. Will be sticking with this one, blows Darky's away and is geared towards getting battery life and being bare bones, ready for you to go and add colours, affects, etc as you like. It's based on Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread.

I've posted below the instructions so you can see how easy it is. This will wipe everything off your phone, format and do a clean install. It's like having a brand new phone. Best to use Google to back up contacts. Appbrain can keep a list of all your Apps so easy to reinstall them.

First you need to Download the ROM, which you will copy to your SD card after formatting it.

Download file for the ROM: Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

Info from forum including features, changelog etc: [ROM][16/6/11] Juwe's Smart Edition > v5.0 XXJVP Based On Official 2.3.4 < - xda-developers

Simple instructions: HOW TO INSTALL JUWE`s ROM v5.0 XXJVP 2.3.4 GingerBread - xda-developers

Make sure you have Kies installed (so you have the phone drivers).

JUWE v5.0 XXJVP 2.3.4 GingerBread ROM
---

Install drivers for your smartphone (ONLY IF NOT INSTALLED)

Make sure you have at least 50% battery.

Restore to Factory Settings via Recovery Mode

Wipe cache/Battery Stats via Recovery mode

Format internal/external SD Card

Backup EFS Folder with Nitrality (get it from Market)

Copy Juwe ROM to internal SD Card

Enter Download Mode and connect smartphone to PC via USB cable

Enter Odin and click on PDA button and browse for stock XXJVP ROM (the 276 Mb one), ignore the CSC-MULTI FILE.

Click on PIT button and browse for PIT file. (MAKE SURE RE-PARTITION IS UNCHECKED AS THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT)

CHECK ONLY Auto Reboot and F.Reset Time if needed and click on START and wait for the GREEN PASS notification.

EXIT ODIN and ENTER ODIN again and make sure you are in Download Mode again and connected to PC via USB cable.

Click on PDA button and browse for MODEM file and CHECK ONLY Auto Reboot and F.Reset Time if needed and click START.

Wait for the GREEN PASS notification, EXIT ODIN and ENTER ODIN AGAIN and make sure you are in Download Mode again while connected to PC via USB cable.

Click PDA button and browse for Semaphore Kernel JVP 1.20 and CHECK ONLY Auto Reboot and F.Reset Time if needed and click START.

Wait for the GREEN PASS norification and EXIT ODIN, DISCONNECT USB Cable.

RESTORE TO FACTORY SETTINGS AND WIPE CACHE/DALVIK CACHE/BATTERY STATS via ClockWorkMod Recovery as you have it by default now after you flashed Semaphore Kernel.

While in ClockWorkMod select "install zip from SD Card" and NOT "Apply update.zip" and browse for Juwe`s ROM you copied earlier to your internal SD Card.

Wait for the "Done..." message at the finish and WIPE CACHE/DALVIK CACHE/BATTERY STATS via ClockWorkMod Recovery and REBOOT SYSTEM.

Wait for the first BOOT (it takes a little longer) and follow the tutorial steps.

Now it`s time for battery calibration, in order to do that empty the battery until the phone shuts down and

MAKE A FULL 100% CHARGE while the phone is shut down (let it for 5 hours to charge).

Empty battery again until the phone shuts down and make a FULL 100% CHARGE with the PHONE ON until you get the message

"FULLY CHARGED, UNPLUG CHARGER....".


AND THAT`S IT.YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.



IF YOU FOLLOW EVERY STEP WITH PATIENCE EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST PERFECT AT THE END.


THANK YOU JUWE AND THE OTHER DEVELOPERS WHICH CONTRIBUTED WITH EVERY PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO MAKE THIS AMAZING ROM.



Download Link : Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

----

Remember to run the 'ext 4' app that will be in your app tray, to convert to a faster file system.

Hope that helps some of you out there get the most out of your phone. Cheers.

people may want to check how well this works

Thai Airport Flight Info - Android app on AppBrain

A few weeks back on Pocket-lint we lined up some of the biggest players in the cloud storage field against one another to see which service was the best. (It was a nice piece and well worth a read when you've got an afternoon to kill).Nonetheless, there are one or two cloud services that didn't get a mention, but one that perhaps that did more so than any other is Canonical's Ubuntu One. And one reason that's just made it all the more compelling is the launch of this app for the service on the operating system that we all call Android...

Ubuntu One Files

Format: Android
Price: Free
Where: Android Market

Now, before you go getting your knickers is a twist, you do not need to have Ubuntu - nor any version of Linux - installed on your PC in order to use Ubuntu One and the Ubuntu One Files app. We'll say it again, you do not need to have Ubuntu installed. This is a service that is, and has been, open to anyone who can access the Internet since its launch. What this app offers is mobile phone access and syncing to it.To start somewhere near the beginning, Ubuntu One gives anyone who signs up 2GB of free online space to insert whichever kinds of files they wish. All very nice. Naturally, you can upgrade that for more room but doubtless you can figure that one out for yourself should you get hooked.Installing the Ubuntu One Files app on your phone means that you can sync whatever's up there in your cloud with your Android mobile. In fact, as soon as you open it up for the first time, it will offer to upload your handset's photos to Ubuntu One and to do so every time you snap a new one. Naturally, you're welcome to drill down and select exactly when you'd like that to happen and whether over mobile broadband or Wi-Fi or both. Beyond that, you're welcome to upload any other file type manually.And the fun doesn't stop there. Press and hold on the files in the app and you can publish them to your social networks or share more privately to individuals or small groups of friends. Much like Dropbox, you can also share folders with people, collaborate on documents together and even start streaming music if you're willing to upgrade to the Ubuntu One Mobile package from $3.99 per month, but that's an app for another time. Short of that, you're perfectly welcome to click on songs in your cloud space and call them down to your device much in the same way as iCloud on Apple works.Whether or not you're looking to switch cloud services, what we would say to Android users is give this one a crack. It's always worth taking advantage of free locker space, especially when it syncs and can be accessed on mobile. Lots to gain here, nothing to lose. Dive in.

Google+ For Android - you don't have to wait for an invite apparently.

Since the tech world is so focused on Google+ at the moment, I thought it would be nice to cover the Google+ application for Android. Google+ on the web may only be restricted to those who receive an invitation, but the Google+ application is also restricted to invitees and Android users. In the few days I’ve had Google+ for Android, I’ve noticed some things that are good and bad. Let’s go over them right now.
I have to commend Google on the technical aspects of the Google+ app. It’s fast, clean and has plenty of features that are common with social networks. You can share statuses, pictures and locations with anyone you want from the same screen text box. Pictures can either be taken on the spot or uploaded from your phone. I like how Google+ shows you all your pictures from within the app instead of opening the default Android gallery.
Another feature I didn’t think I’d use is Google Check-In. I never checked-in on Facebook or Twitter because I didn’t want everyone on my friend’s list to know where I was. Frankly, it seemed somewhat dangerous to me. With Google+, I can choose who sees my check-ins. I no longer worry about internet creepiness because the only people who see my check-ins are the people I trust.
In the future, I can see Google integrating its Latitude deals into Google+. This will entice people like me to check-in and check-in often.
Google+ also has a feature called “Nearby” that pulls down public Google+ statuses from your local area. If you have something bad to say about your neighbor, you better make sure your status has limited reach.
Upon installing this app, another application called Huddle was also installed. Huddle is a group messaging feature that can also be launched from within Google+. It’s good if you’re trying to collaborate with other people with Android phones, but Huddle won’t reach its full potential until it becomes a more fluid experience across the app, mobile web and computers.
I also like the option of having Google automatically upload pictures you take to a private album in Google+. Not only is doing this the easiest way to transport photos from the phone to the computer, but you can also decide if or when you want to share them. If nothing else at all, you can use Google’s cloud storage to your advantage.
Oddly enough, there is one space that remains empty on the Google+ homescreen. I’d image Google will eventually bring Hangouts to the application as Android’s answer to FaceTime. If Hangouts is also included in the upcoming iOS app, Google will be on to something big.
And now comes the bad things. Some of them are persistent across the web and mobile app. I do not like how the Stream is arranged. Google automatically pushes the posts with the latest comments to the top of the Stream. It doesn’t matter how old the initial status is. As long as someone comments, Google wants you to see it first. This is especially bad because there is no way to filter the stream in the app. All of my Circles are feeding into a single Stream. If I have one popular person in a Circle that I don’t know personally, but follow anyway, their posts will take over my stream because so many people comment on what they have to say.
This also happens with my old posts. I would much rather keep the latest thing I posted towards the top of my stream rather than the post that got the latest comment.
I would also like to see Sparks integrated into the app. However, I want Sparks to be arranged differently as well. Currently, the posts that Google recommends in Sparks are in no particular order. I’ll see things that were posted three days ago before something that was posted 10 minutes ago. It also needs to be filtered better. I listed “Tablets” as one of my Sparks, but there are spam posts in that feed about medication. I get spammed too much on Facebook and Twitter as it is. I don’t want that to infiltrate Google+ as well.
Overall, I really like the Google+ Android app. It’s rough in some areas, but it hasn’t even been out for a week. I’m looking forward to obsessively checking it just as I do Facebook and Twitter.

Hmmmm, if you want Android, you want portability, but you want a keyboard:

The sub-100 euro Android Netbook.

Android Smartphone Taken into Space on the Space Shuttle

By: Vincent Chang | 8th Jul 2011: 7:26pm

[at]A Google Nexus S smartphone has taken a trip up in the last ever Space Shuttle flight. The Nexus S phone - manufactured by Samsung - is part of research that will equip small, free-flying satellites called Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) used by the astronauts to provide a broader range of capabilities and give better communication between land and sky.

Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone certified by NASA to fly on the space shuttle and to be cleared for use on the International Space Station. The experiment will use the smartphone-enhanced SPHERES as remotely operated robots to conduct interior survey and inspections of the station, to capture mobile camera images and video, and to study how robots can support future human exploration.

The addition of Nexus S to the SPHERES will add to the capabilities of each individual satellite while further increasing NASA's understanding and exploration of space.

Lead engineer in the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., DW Wheeler, explains, "By connecting a smartphone, we can immediately make SPHERES more intelligent. With a smartphone, the SPHERES will have a built-in camera to take pictures and video, sensors to help conduct inspections, a powerful computing unit to make calculations, and a Wi-Fi connection that we will use to transfer data in real-time to the space station and mission control."

Research Overview

In 1999, a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) undergraduate students, in conjunction with the Department of Defense and NASA, built five volleyball-sized free-flying satellites. These satellites are now referred to as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reporient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) and three of them have been on the International Space Station since 2006.

Each SPHERE satellite is self-contained with propulsion, power, navigation and computing equipment. When first designed, the usage possibilities of today were far from conceivable, thus an "expansion port" was built into each of the SPHERES. Additional appendages and sensors can be added to the satellites, allowing wireless power transfer systems and cameras to become parts of the systems. Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone to become a part of the SPHERES via this expansion port.

With the addition of Nexus S, it allows SPHERES a wider range of capabilities on the satellites and improved communication between the land and sky. Mission control can remotely operate Nexus S-enhanced satellites to perform relatively mundane tasks such as running inventory or environmental surveys on the space station. Thus, astronauts will be able to dedicate more time to science experiments and other work rather than having to respond to routine maintenance demands.