google-android posts

Filed under: OS Updates, Google, Mobile, Android

Google launches Android 2.0 SDK

by Brad Linder Oct 27th 2009

Google is unveiling some of the features of its next-generation mobile operating system with the launch of an updated Software Development Kit. That means developers can already begin writing programs for Android 2.0 even though the first phone to run the operating system won't officially be launched until tomorrow.

So what's new in Google Android 2.0? Here's a shortlist:

Support for multiple email Google and Exchange accounts on each device, allowing you to sync with multiple email accounts and address books
Quick Contact feature that lets you pull up a contact's communication methods (email, SMS, phone, etc) with a single click
Combined inbox with email from multiple accounts
Search saved SMS and MMS messages
Auto-delete old messages in a conversation after a limit is reached
Improved keyboard with multi-touch support
Dictionary automatically includes contact names as suggestions, learns from words you enter
Web browser now includes web page thumbnails for bookmarks
Double-tap to zoom in broser
HTML5 support in web browser
Infinite scrolling in the calendar
Bluetooth 2.1 support

There's also support for digital zoom, white balance, and macro focus in the camera application. You can find a more detailed list at the Android Developers page.

You can also see some of the new features in action including a pretty nifty demonstration of how two Android devices can interact with one another in the video after the break.

[via Engadget]

Tags: google-android, google-android-2.0, mobile

Filed under: OS Updates, Google, Android

Google Android to get three more delicious flavors

by Brad Linder Jul 14th 2009

In case you haven't noticed, companies have a tendency to give often-silly sounding codenames to upcoming software releases. Ubuntu Linux, for example, gives each major operating system update an alliterative adjective/animal name such as "Hardy Heron," "Intrepid Ibex," and "Jaunty Jackalope." Google, on the other hand, is going for desserts with its Android operating system.

The company has already released an OS update code-named "cupcake," and the next version of Google Android is being called Donut. But it looks like Google is already looking ahead. Google's Andy Rubin tells Information Week the company has already picked out names for the next few updates, including Eclair and Flan.

That's right. Flan. Any thoughts on what obscure and possibly tasty treat Google has planned for the 24th Android release? (That'd be the one that will theoretically start with the letter X).

No word on what new features will be included in Eclair of Flan.

Tags: codenames, donut, eclair, flan, google-android

Filed under: OS Updates, Google, Mobile, Android

How to try Google Android on x86 computers with a LiveCD

by Brad Linder Jul 6th 2009

Want to give Google Android a try, but don't feel like buying a T-Mobile G1? Live-Android lets you download a LiveCD disc image of the Google Android operating system. Just burn the image to a disc, stick it in a CD-ROM drive, and reboot your computer and you can check out Android without installing it or affecting any files on your PC.

You can also use the disc image in a virtualization application like VirtualBox or Microsoft Virtual PC if you want to try the operating system without even rebooting your computer.

[via Netbook News.de]

Tags: disc-image, google-android, livecd

Filed under: Office, Mobile, Android

ThinkFree to bring its office suite to Google Android

by Brad Linder Jun 2nd 2009

ThinkFree offers a cross-platform suite of office applications that can be used on Windows, Mac, Linux, or on the web. And now it looks like the company is developing a full office suite for Google Android as well.

ThinkFree Mobile for Android will provide Google Android users with spreadsheet, presentation, and word processing applications. The application is compatible with Microsoft Office 97, 2000, XP, 2003, and 2007.

Users will also be able to store up to 1GB of data online using ThinkFree's web based office suite, which means you can begin editing a document on your computer, sync it to the web, and continue editing on the go with your mobile device.

There's no word on pricing yet, but ThinkFree Mobile for Android is due out later this year. In July an initial version with document viewers should be available. A full version with document editing capabilities should follow in Q4 of 2009.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

Tags: google-android, thinkfree-mobile, thinkfree-mobile-for-android

Filed under: Google, Beta, Android

First look at Google Android 2.0 "Donut" with universal search

by Brad Linder May 27th 2009

While Google Android 1.5 "Cupcake" just started rolling out to T-Mobile G1 users, Google is already working on the next version of its operating system for mobile phones. Google Android 2.0 is carrying the code name "Donut," and today Engadget got to check out a demo of some of the new features that will be included in the update.

One of those features is a new "Android Search" tool that will let you search both locally and online at the same time. In other words, you can search your contacts, calendars, music, and any enabled application installed on your Android device at the same time.

Donut also includes a text to speech API. You can find more photos from today's demo at Engadget.

Tags: android-search, donut, google-android, google-android-2.0, universal-search

Filed under: Linux, Canonical, Android

Coming soon: Google Android applications on Ubuntu

by Brad Linder May 26th 2009

While Google Android is built on the Linux kernel, all of the applications for the mobile operating system actually run on a custom Java runtime. In other words, Google Android doesn't run most native Linux applications, and most Linux distributions can't run Google Android apps... yet. But Canonical is working on software that would allow Google Android programs to run natively on Ubuntu Linux.

Right now that wouldn't really be that exciting, because most Android programs are designed to run on a cellphone. After all, would you really want to run the iPhone version of Safari or the Windows Mobile version of Word on your desktop computer when there are far better word processors and web browsers designed for desktop operating systems?

But in the long run, this could expand the developer community for both Ubuntu and Google Android. If you develop an app for one, it might not be that much work to get it to run on the other. The move could also make it much easier to come up with ways to synchronize the data on mobile devices running Google Android with a desktop computer running Ubuntu.

Development is still in the early phases, so it's possible that the whole project could lead nowhere. But the screenshot above (grabbed from Scott James Remnant's Twitpic stream) of Google Android programs running on a machine with Ubuntu Netbook Remix installed certainly suggests a world of possibilities.

Tags: android-on-linux, android-on-ubuntu, google-android, ubuntu

Filed under: Mobile, Android

Google Android could give new life to old PDAs

by Brad Linder Mar 4th 2009

AxDroid - Android on Dell Axim x51v from Ertan D. on Vimeo.

For years, people have been pointing out that you can Linux can give new life to old PC hardware. Just because your old Pentium 1 desktop doesn't run Windows Vista very well doesn't mean it's useless. Just throw a low profile Linux distribution like Xubuntu or Puppy Linux on there.

As PDA and cellphone software gets more capable, it's becoming clear that the same principle applies. Case in point, the Dell Axim X51v PDA was discontinued a few years ago. But it's capable of running the latest build of Google Android if you can shoehorn the operating system onto the PDA. The Axim has a 624MHz CPU and more storage space than many modern cellphones. As you can see in the video, it supports Android's touch features, and works with the on-screen keyboard.

The hacker who managed to load Android still hasn't gotten WiFi and power management feautres working. But it's still a pretty impressive example of updating old hardware with new software. Incidentally, you can also run Windows Mobile 6 on the Dell Axim line of PDAs, even though Dell and Microsoft never released the OS for this hardware.

[via MobilitySite]

Tags: dell-axim, dell-axim-x51v, google-android

Filed under: Linux, Mobile, Android

Installing Linux GUI's on Google Android phones

by Brad Linder Feb 25th 2009

Sure, Google has put a lot of time and effort into developing a graphical user interface for its Android operating system. It's designed for cellphones and provides quick and easy access to the features you need the most, like the phone dialer and web browser. But if you want some real geek cred, you might want to think about installing a desktop-style window manager on your Android-powered phone.

Ghostwalker at Android Fanatic has posted instructions for loading IceWM, LXDE, or other Linux desktop environments on Google Android. This requires installing a Debian Shell and a series of other utilities including an X server. It's not for the Linux newbies. Or for people who just want to use their phone the way Google intended.

In theory, you should be able to install GNOME or KDE following similar steps, but they'd probably be as slow as molasses on a phone like the T-Mobile G1. IceWM and LXDE have lower memory footprints and are designed to run on machines with slower processors.

Tags: desktop-environment, google-android, icewm, lxde

Filed under: Google, Commercial, Mobile, Android

Paid apps coming to Google Android Market

by Brad Linder Feb 13th 2009

Google is announcing the advent of paid applications in the Android Market. Android is Google's operating system for mobile devices (which, right now means the T Mobile G1 and the occasional netbook). And up until now, the only apps available in the Android Market were free. Good for cheapskates, but not necessarily the best thing if you're looking for high quality, professionally developed software. Or, you know, if you happen to be a developer looking to make some money from your work.

Developers can upload application and user prices at the new Android Market publish page. Paid apps should be available to US customers next week, and Google plans to roll out the feature to other countries in the next few months.

Not surprisingly, users will be able to pay for programs using Google Checkout.

[via The Gadgeteer]

Tags: android-market, google-android

Filed under: OS Updates, Google, Open Source, Mobile, Android

Google Android source code now available

by Brad Linder Oct 21st 2008

Google released an SDK for the Android mobile operating system a few months ago. But with the first Android-powered phone set to go on sale tomorrow, Google went all out and released the source code today.

This isn't a surprise. Google has long stated that it would make the source code for the operating system available, but now that it is, developers can do far more than create applications that will run on Android. They can help improve the operating system overall by submitting potential new features, bug fixes, or other ideas.

The software license also allows developers to port Android to run on additional devices (Perhaps your old Palm TX? Maybe an Eee PC?), or to develop custom versions of the operating system. Don't like the version of Android that ships with the T-Mobile G1? Maybe Verizon or Spring will have a phone that runs a completely different operating system built on the same source code.

You can check out a video introducing the open source project after the break.

[via Techmeme]

Tags: android, android-source, google-android, open-source, source-code

Filed under: Features, Google, Open Source, Mobile Minute, Mobile, Web, Android

First look at the T-Mobile G1 Google Android Phone

by Brad Linder Oct 17th 2008

So I don't know if you've heard, but apparently there's this company named Google. And apparently they've developed some sort of a mobile phone operating system that features tight integration with online services like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Talk. And you can't get one just yet, so we decided to talk to someone who did.

Kevin Tofel of jkOnTheRun has been testing a T-Mobile G1 for the last few days. When it hits the shelves next week, the G1 will be the first device on the market based on the Google Android platform. Tofel says there's a lot to like about the G1, but there are still a few things that annoy him.

And most importantly, the platform will only succeed if Google can do a good job of attracting third party developers. The built in applications work very well, but there are still too many things missing. For example, while you can watch YouTube movies using the YouTube player, there's no video play for watching downloaded movies or videos from other web sites. Fortunately there's already a third party movie player available in the Android Marketplace. But that's one of only a handful of third party apps currently available.

You can see the phone in action and hear more of Kevin's thoughts by clicking the video above. If you're too busy to sit through a ten minute video, you can read some of the highlights after the jump.

Tags: android, cellphone, g1, google-android, htc-dream, HtcDream, mobile, t-mobile-g1

Filed under: Audio, OS Updates, Google, Android

Amazon MP3 store to be available on Google Android phones

by Brad Linder Sep 23rd 2008

As you may have heard, T-Mobile has announced the first phone running Google's Android operating system. But an OS is only as good as its applications. And while it remains to be seen whether Android has the killer apps it needs to take on Apple, Microsoft, Symbian, and RIM, the T-Mobile G1 has some pretty good ones including access to Google's mobile search, maps, Gmail, contact, calendar, and chat applications. Oh yeah, and you can watch YouTube videos and play music and movies stored on your device.

One of the most noteworthy features is access to the Amazon MP3. You can purchase DRM-free tracks from Amazon's digital music store for 89 cents, or entire albums for under $10. You need to have a WiFi connection to download songs, but you can browse the store or listen to samples using T-Mobile's wireless network.

You can check out a video of the Google Android interface after the break.

[via Engadget]

Tags: amazon-mp3, android, google-android, music

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows Mobile, Microsoft

Windows Mobile 7 delayed: Coming in second half of 2009

by Brad Linder Sep 23rd 2008

T-Mobile and Google are announcing the availability of the first mobile phone running the new Google Android software today. But if you're holding out for the next generation of Windows Mobile devices, it looks like you might have to wait a while. CNet is reporting that Windows Mobile 7, which had widely been expected to ship early next year, will not be available until the second half of 2009.

The news comes from Microsoft partners, not the company itself. But a delay could seriously hurt Microsoft's mobile market share. The company faces increasing competition from Apple, Google, and Research in Motion.

Microsoft could offer some new features to Windows Mobile 6 users this year, including an improved web browser and better support for online Flash content.

Tags: google-android, mobile, windows-mobile-7

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures

Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party

Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

Download Squad bloggers (30 days)

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Jay Hathaway	109	5
2	Lee Mathews	73	33
3	Sebastian Anthony	45	152
4	Brad Linder	36	7
5	Jason Clarke	32	0
6	Grant Robertson	8	10
7	Dolores Parker	7	2
8	Victor Agreda, Jr.	7	1
9	Nik Fletcher	4	0
10	Matt Heerema	3	3
11	Paul O'Brien	2	0
12	John Burke	1	0
13	Download Squad Staff	1	0

More Tech Coverage

Control Shift It's all about the experience
Somewhat Frank Perspectives on tech as it fuses in everyday life
Switched Gadgets, web news and commentary
Urlesque Exposing bits of the web

Download Squad