Posts tagged droid
Verizon Shows Us How Skype Mobile Works [VIDEO]
Mar 8th
Verizon recently announced that they’ve worked out an exclusive deal to offer Skype Mobile on their Android handsets. Starting this month, the Droid, Droid Eris, and Devour handsets will come loaded with the “new” feature that allows for calls anywhere in the world without using minutes. Since neither Skype nor Skype Mobile are technically new, we’d understand if you already know how the respective services work. However, there’s a large segment of the population who have yet to learn of Voice over IP (VoIP).
Verizon has taken to a cute little YouTube video to show us how their exclusive agreement stands to benefit current and potential Android users on the nation’s largest network. Never one to resist taking a dig at the iPhone, Verizon reminds us that “these phones can run more than one app at a time”.
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Leaked 2.1 Droid Update Reveals Live Wallpapers
Mar 8th
Late last week, the Android 2.1 update for the Motorola Droid was leaked to the XDA Developers forum. Interestingly, within the build was something I found extremely cool: live wallpaper! Does this mean live wallpaper will be included on the official build? Maybe, but I still wouldn’t put money on it just yet. Check out the video below to see live wallpapers in action. If you want the ROM, you can get it here. As always, flash with caution so you don’t brick your device! What do all of you think? Do you want live wallpapers? Tell us your hopes, dreams, and wishes below.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Source: Droid-Life
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Wirefly Offering Droid for $50
Feb 21st
Those of you interested in picking up a Motorola Droid might want to consider checking out Wirefly. While Amazon and LetsTalk are offering the phone for $99, Wirefly has for $50 after instant discount for both new or existing Verizon Wireless customers who sign a 2-year agreement. It’s not known exactly how long this promotion will last so be sure to jump on it if you’ve been thinking about grabbing a Droid.
Thanks Jeff!
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Verizon Announces FiOS Mobile Remote App for Droid
Feb 18th
Chances are pretty good that you’ve lost your remote control a time or two in the past, be it in the couch cushions or under the bed. Chances are also pretty good that you almost always know where your cell phone is at a given moment. Verizon understands this and has announced their FiOS Mobile Remote application for the Motorola Droid.
Starting this week, Verizon customers with FiOS TV and a Motorola Droid can use their Android phone to control their HD set-top-box. All your favorite control features and functions come along for the ride, including changing channels, manage parental controls, pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding or recording TV shows. On top of that users can transfer individual photos from the phone to the TV or view stored photos in a slide show.
Users can also import favorites from the TV to the Droid and then use the phone to pull up these channels on any FiOS TV. If your phone rings, the Droid will automatically mute the TV for you. According to Verizon, setup is a breeze. Download the app from the Android Market and then pair it with the WiFi network using the Mobile Remote Widget on the TV. Once you register your phone number, you’re off and running!
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Motorola Milestone Now Available On Telus
Feb 18th
From the carrier that brought you the highly acclaimed HTC Hero, Telus is now officially offering the Motorola Milestone. It is available for $199.99 on a 3 year term. As a bonus, Telus and Motorola have partnered to offer all customers who buy the Milestone a free car mount to help with in-car navigation. Details and features of the device have already been mentioned in earlier posts but here are some of the details available from the Telus website.
- Superior web experience on the touchscreen with the Google browser
- On-device Google Search™ to retrieve apps, contacts, songs, and more
- Sync email with Microsoft Exchange and set-up personal email
- Personalize 3 home screens with apps* and widgets
- Download free apps* from the continuously growing Android Market™
Want to win one free? Go to the Motorola Canada Facebook Fan page or click on this link to automatically be directed to the Motorola Facebook App. Enter your own personal milestone to be entered to win a free Motorola Milestone.
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The Future of MotoBLUR, Sense and TouchWiz
Feb 17th
Android is on the verge of earning the moniker “the future of the mobile operating system.” Although it is still in its infancy, the Android platform currently operates on nine handsets in the U.S. Five of the nine handsets, the G1, the MyTouch 3G, the Moment, the Droid and the Nexus One, run the standard version of Google’s mobile operating system. The remaining four, however, run operating systems that are customized by the device’s manufacturer. The Hero and Eris run HTC’s Sense, the Cliq runs Motorola’s MotoBLUR, and the Behold II runs Samsung’s TouchWiz.
Prior to the release of the Nexus One, and more importantly Android 2.1, these custom operating systems were incredibly appealing, and may still be to some users. The standard version of Android, prior to version 2.1, featured a measly three home screens, and to many was very bland. I, for one, had no interest in Android until HTC’s Sense UI debuted. HTC Sense expanded the number of home screens from three to seven, added useful widgets, and completely altered the theme of the operating system from a white, playful theme to a clean, black and grey theme. MotoBLUR also features a number of custom widgets and social-oriented theme to differentiate itself from “vanilla” Android.
The release of Android 2.1 raises an important question: What is the future of the manufacturer customized versions of Android? Android 2.1 is a vast improvement over previous versions of Android. Since it has been discussed ad nauseam, I will not go in depth into said improvements here, but cards and added home screens come to mind. Furthermore, these manufacturer customized versions of Android fracture the fledgling mobile operating system. Currently, the Hero, Eris, Cliq and the like run Android 1.5, the G1 is runs 1.6, the Droid runs 2.0, and the Nexus One is runs 2.1. Some may not consider that to be an issue, but there are a number of applications, specifically widgets, that are unavailable for Android devices running Android 1.5 or 1.6. I fear that Android, if it remains fractured, may find itself in the same position as Windows Mobile.
While writing this editorial, I spoke with our insightful Editor-in-Chief to get his opinion. He posed an interesting question: How does a handset manufacturer differentiate its product without a manufacturer customized operating system? Hypothetically, without a customized operating system, the only differentiating characteristics would be the phone’s design, the screen size/resolution, and the phone’s internal components.
I have decided to stick with Sense UI in the future because you always have the option to turn off Sense UI. Regrettably, upon turning it off, you are most likely going to find yourself stuck with an antiquated version of Android. Ultimately, consumers will decide the fate of these manufacturer customized operating systems.
What say you, loyal readers of AndroidGuys.com?
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Verizon Details Skype Partnership
Feb 16th
Verizon and Skype made their joint announcement this afternoon in Barcelona and it stands to benefit millions of subscribers, including those with Android handsets. Starting in March, Droid, Devour and Droid Eris handsets will be loaded with a special version of Skype Mobile designed for Verizon customers. This software will give these users plenty of freedom as it pertains to making and receiving calls from around the world.
A few of the features outlined in the press release today:
- Make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any Skype user around the globe on America’s most reliable wireless network;
- Call international phone numbers at competitive Skype Out calling rates;
- Send and receive instant messages to other Skype users; and
- Remain always connected with the ability to see friends’ online presence.
Josh Silverman, chief executive officer of Skype, noted, “People want to take their Skype conversations with them wherever they go, whether it’s on a PC, TV or increasingly mobile phones. Verizon Wireless will give U.S. consumers the best Skype experience on mobile phones and will truly change the way people call their friends and family internationally.”
Aside from Android handsets, others to load Skype Mobile include Blackberry Storm, Curve, and Tour.
What Say You?
Does this give you any added benefit? Are minutes even a problem for you? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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