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Friday, May 6, 2011

Recent Posts From Androinica - A Google Android Blog

 AT&T Samsung Infuse 4G delivers 4.5-inch SuperAMOLED Android phone for $199
 2011-05-05 20:56 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Samsung and AT&T introduced the Infuse 4G at CES in January. It took an additional four months, but we finally know when will the AT&T Infuse 4G be released, and how much it will cost: May 15, $199 dollars on a two-year agreement.
AT&T and Samsung held a special press event today in New York City to announce the Infuse 4G. The device comes with an almost complete list of what everyone wants in a new phone, including a massive 4.5-inch SuperAMOLED touchscreen, 8 MP camera that films 720p video, 1.3 MP front-facing camera for video chat and self-portrait, and packs it all into a very thin package. So thin, the device measure at only 8.9 mm, which Samsung claims makes it the thinnest 4G device in the U.S.
Two items are missing from the dream phone list. The Infuse 4G comes with Android 2.2 (Froyo) instead of the more recent 2.3 (Gingerbread) with TouchWiz layered on top of it. It also uses a single core processor rather than the dual core set to be a standard in the next round of Android phones. However, the 1.2 GHz single processor is nothing to sneeze at. And, the device will support AT&T’s HSPA+ network with 21 Mbps downloads and the faster HSUPA speeds originally unavailable to the Atrix and Inspire.
Samsung is launching the Infuse 4G with a $25 Media Hub credit for purchasing movies and television titles. It will also launch a special edition of Angry Birds that will provide prizes from Samsung.

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 Google Earth now looks and performs better on Android tablets
 2011-05-05 17:45 UTC by Andrew Kameka

The lack of Android tablet apps has been a thorn in the side of Honeycomb users everywhere. Things are thankfully starting to pick-up, and we’re seeing an uptick in apps that are being optimized for use on Android tablets. The latest such example is Google Earth.
Google has announced that Google Earth for Android has been updated to “look better than ever on your tablet.” The improved visuals come courtesy of new textures that have more detail and scale better on the larger screens seen on tablets. Users will now have a much clearer view of the cities they explore, and will be able to quickly search through them with a new Action Bar on Honeycomb. The Action Bar provides layer information for Google Places, Panoramio pictures, and Wikipedia entries.
It’s good to see Google take a more active role in enhancing the way Android apps look in Honeycomb. Even if we don’t see more apps built from the ground-up with Android tablets in mind, which is obviously preferable, it’s good to see Google be more creative with treatment for apps that we already love. All that extra space is there for a reason, so take advantage of it.
Download the latest version of Google Earth to see how well it performs on your Android tablet. There are some hardware and regional limitations for using the app, so visit the Google Earth Help Center if you run into problems.

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 DailyRoads Voyager Android app records the road, including hit and run case
 2011-05-05 15:17 UTC by Andrew Kameka

I’ve seen plenty of drivers record themselves speaking or singing along to music in the car, but rarely have I seen an Android phone recording the road. One Tennessee resident actually films his daily driving experience, and he managed to capture a hit-and-run driver in the process.
According to Knoxville station WBIR, Nic Bender was driving his car in February when a white Nissan Altima clipped the front passenger side of his car and then sped off. Bender had his Motorola Droid mounted on the front window of the car, and using the DailyRoads Voyager Android app, he managed to record the entire incident. The combination of bright lights, rapid movement, and limited camera capabilities made it hard to see the other driver’s temporary tags, but having DailyRoads Voyager provided some obvious benefits.
For one, it gives police officers a starting point. Someone who doesn’t know much about cars may find it difficult to describe the car that hit them, so being able to look at the video and see what’s clearly an Altima is a big help. Second, it provides unquestionable proof that Bender is not at fault when he goes to make a claim to his insurance company. Fraud concerns and discrepancies between accounts of people involved in accidents can be roadblocks to getting an insurance claim; having a driving camera app for Android creates a backup that will help your case. Heck, something crazy might even happen and you could capture it all on your phone.
DailyRoads Voyager provides continuous recording of driving and gives users the option to automatically or manually delete video they no longer need. The app uses sensitivity to determine when a traffic incident occurs, so it will auto-save at the point of impact during an accident. Users can also boost their case by pointing out that videos show the time and location through geotagging. The app will not save drivers from an accident, but it can save a lot of the stress that comes after one.
Be sure to take care when using this app and do not become distracted. Place the phone in a car mount that doesn’t obstruct view whenever in use. via Reddit 
Install app

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 Sprint announces two new Motorola Android phones for business users
 2011-05-05 14:28 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Sprint and Motorola previously teamed up to deliver an iDen phone, the Motorola i1, geared for the business crowd. The two companies have joined forces once again to release another iDen device, and an enterprise phone to boot.
The Motorola Titanium joins Sprint’s Push-to-talk service through Nextel Direct Connect. The device picks up the mantle from the Motorola i1 as a “sleek and attractive, yet durable” phone that has military-grade resistance to dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, and high or low temperature. Unfortunately, it also inherits the i1′s use of Android 2.1 and not the more capable features sets of Android 2.2 or 2.3.
Disappointing as the software version may be, the hardware is at least promising. No word on when you’ll be able to grip that hardware, or how much it will cost when it finally goes on sale. Here’s a look at the early specs released by Sprint today.


  • Support for Nextel Direct Connect Services, including Direct Connect, Group Connect®, International Direct Connect®, DirectSendSM, Group Messaging and NextMail®
  • Android Market for access to more than 150,000 applications, widgets and games available for download
  • Google mobile services such as Google Search, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps with Navigation, syncing with Google Calendar™ and YouTube
  • Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync) and personal (POP3 & IMAP) email
  • 5-megapixel camera with camcorder, 4x zoom and flash
  • Wi-Fi b/g
  • Stereo Bluetooth
  • GPS navigation
  • microSD slot, with a 2GB memory card included, supporting up to 32GB
  • 1820 mAh Lithium-ion battery
Meanwhile, the Motorola XPRT aims for Android users with a business-first mentality. Encryption and remote control are built into the MOTOBLUR-powered device, which Sprint thinks will please the IT department. The XPRT is more likely to please the employees thanks to a portrait QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch HVGA display, which is reminiscent of the Motorola Droid Pro on Verizon. The XPRT also has a 1 GHZ processor and supports international roaming.
The XPRT costs $129.99 on a two-year agreement and goes on sale June 5, 2011. Unlike the Titanium, the XPRT runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and has more features. Here are the early specs released by Sprint today.
  • Android Market™ for access to more than 150,000 applications, widgets and games available for download
  • Google™ mobile services, such as Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Talk™, Gmail™ and YouTube™
  • Corporate email (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®) and personal (POP & IMAP) email
  • Worldmode – CDMA (EVDO Rev. A), GSM/UMTS (HSPA) – international roaming service available in more than 200 countries
  • 3G Mobile Hotspot capability, supporting up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously
  • 5-megapixel camera with camcorder and dual LED flash for low-light performance
  • microSD slot, with a 2GB memory card included, supporting up to 32GB
  • Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR
  • Wi-Fi® b/g/n
  • 1860 mAh Lithium-ion battery

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 Android phones account for half of U.S. market share; 4G is King.
 2011-05-04 15:44 UTC by Andrew Kameka

There has been an abundance of reports in the recent months noting that Android is the leading smartphone platform. Canalys echoed that main sentiment once again in its Q1 2011 analysis, but it discovered something pretty interesting: almost half of smartphones shipped in the United States last quarter were powered by Google Android.
Canalys reports that Android now has a 49 percent market share, continuing the trend of Android being the leading smartphone operating system in the U.S. That’s an increase from the 43.6 percent share reported in Q3 2010. Canalys originally attributed the popularity to the HTC EVO, Droid X, and other high-end Android devices that ate away at RIM’s stronghold in the smartphone wars. This time around, much of the credit goes to a prevalence of 4G devices.
“The popularity of 4G-branded models, such as the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, HTC EVO Shift 4G and the T-Mobile myTouch 4G, heavily influenced US market shipments this past quarter,” the Canalys report states.
An estimated 600,000 4G-capable phones – ranging from AT&T and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ networks, Sprint’s WiMax, and Verizon’s LTE – were shipped in Q1 (sales numbers not available). This shows that carriers are betting big that Android will continue to command consumer attention and be critical in their 4G strategies. Anyone walking into a U.S. carrier and requesting the faster speeds of a 4G device will have to choose Android for the near future, which should give Open Handset Alliance members a leg-up on the competition.
Here are some other stats from the report

  • Smartphone shipments were up in every region of the world. Q1 2011 shipments were 101 million, an 83 percent increase from the 55.2 million reported in Q1 2010.
  • The Asia Pacific region had the highest growth of shipments (98 percent) and the Europe/Middle East/Africa had the lowest (67 percent).
  • The United States had the highest smartphone shipments estimated in any single country.
  • HTC is now the top Android manufacturer in the United States, according to Canalys. The EVO 4G, Inspire 4G, myTouch 4G, Thunderbolt, and other smartphones pushed HTC to have more than 200 percent growth. HTC is behind only Apple in U.S. shipments.
  • All Android manufacturers shipped “well over 3 million devices” according to Canalys. The top 5 were HTC, Samsung, LG, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson. (LG’s Optimus line sold well in all regions and pushed LG ahead of Motorola).

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 Spotify Android app now provides limited options for non-premium users
 2011-05-04 13:23 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Spotify has been working to improve its Android app and overall service, but these “improvements” may actually be for the worst. The music streaming service announced today that the Spotify Mobile app is now available to “everyone,” premium account be damned. But don’t get too excited because the streaming of the entire Spotify library still requires a premium account; non-premium users only get to access the mobile app so they can sync their music purchased from Spotify or stored on their computer.
Yes, you can buy music from Spotify. Rather than listen to streams over-and-over again, users can now purchase all of the songs on their custom playlists in “MP3 bundles” that can be as little as 50p per song (prices will vary). The ability to own songs on a playlist is why the mobile app was opened to more customers. The announcement initially touched off excitement that Spotify would provide mobile streaming of all songs to Android devices. However, an employee soon confirmed a user’s complaint that people who opt for the advertising-supported free service still cannot have full access to the app.
While the ability to own a song is great, it comes at a price. Spotify free users will be able to listen to a song only five times. If a user does not purchase a song after the five play limit is reached, it will no longer appear in playlists. Moreover, non-premium users will be limited to 10 hours of playback per month. I originally lusted after Spotify, but not under these circumstances.
via Spotify 1 & 2

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 Can apps and a refresh at I/O 2011 save Google TV?
 2011-05-03 20:33 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Google TV has been rather disappointing for Google and its launch partners Logitech and Sony. Recent earnings reports say that Logitech has probably moved about 200,000 units in the past six months, leaving the company with a lot of unsold inventory. There’s no telling how many Sony Internet TV’s have been sold, but sales haven’t been good enough for the company to brag about. Whatever the numbers may be, Google must act fast to increase them.
Google and its partners are rumored to introduce a new line of Google TV products next week at Google I/O. The new products are said to have faster chips, a better UI, and the Android Market support that we’ve waited for so patiently. But even if these rumors prove true, it may not be enough to save Google TV.
Speed was never my problem with my Revue. While I’d welcome a faster web browsing experience in new chips, it won’t matter much how faster I can get to Hulu.com and be told that Google TV cannot access it. A new UI might be nice to have, but only if it lets me get rid of the pre-loaded apps that I never use and gain more control over how my menu is designed. Apps…well, actually, apps might just be what GTV so desperately needs.
I called the Logitech Revue the best television add-on that you don’t need because the product was a beta in every sense of the word. Things were half-baked, critical features were missing, and it didn’t make sense to spend $300 for something that could be replicated with cheaper add-ons. Introducing Android apps would change all of that. When we asked readers what they wanted from GTV, here are some of the great examples they came up with:

  • VLC to beef up media playback options
  • Games that could turn GTV into a console
  • An IMDb app that could recognize an actor’s face in a movie/tv show and go to that person’s entry
  • Video chat to Skype or programs other than Logitech’s proprietary option
These are just the pipe dreams of some end users, but third party developers could easily make this a reality. It’s madness that I can watch pretty much any codec on my HTC EVO thanks to the many video apps in the Android Market, yet streaming from my PC to Google TV is severely limited by the playback formats supported by Logitech. The Android Market could address some critical shortcomings and make Google TV far more appealing than Apple TV, Boxee, or Roku are in their current forms. News from Google I/O should reveal whether Google TV will be just another also-ran or the go-to television add-on that you need.
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 Sprint Google Voice number porting now available
 2011-05-03 17:35 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Sprint customers can now port their existing number to Google Voice without changing their existing contract. There were a number of reports of the service going live last week but many were still unable to use it because the feature was actually rolling out in stages. All Sprint customers should be able to visit google.com/googlevoice/sprint and sign-up now.
First announced during CTIA 2011, Sprint and Google have partnered to allow Sprint customers to turn over many of their services to Google Voice. Signing-up for the integration will then make your Sprint number capable of forwarding to multiple phones, listen to voicemails online, and see voicemail transcriptions online or in text messages.
There are a few things to consider before signing up for the Sprint-Google Voice integration, namely that you will lose your current Google Voice number if you sign-up using your existing Google account. You will be able to turn off integration and go back to regular Google Voice/Sprint options, but your number will go back into the number pool and could be lost after 90 days. Find out more information on this and other questions by reading our post from the Sprint Google Voice demo session at CTIA. A number of common questions are already answered there.
Sprint subscribers can head over to google.com/googlevoice/sprint and begin the porting process. Based on demonstrations from CTIA, integration should be up and running within a few minutes,

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 Even MetroPCS enjoys an Android bump
 2011-05-03 16:18 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Great Android phones have already been credited for boosting performance at major U.S. carriers, even sparking a complete turnaround at Sprint. It seems MetroPCS has also benefited from embracing Android based on the Q1 2011 earnings reported today.
MetroPCS says that it added more than 725,000 net new customers from January to March. That’s a 21 percent increase in the number of MetroPCS customers in the previous 12 months. The no-contract, low-cost prices likely played a huge role in attracting new customers, but the presence of new Android phones also influenced customer decisions.
CEO Roger D. Linquist said there was a “significant uptake of our Android smartphones” in Q1 2011, which helped power MetroPCS to a record-breaking quarter. The reported churn, which is the rate at which contract customers leave a service, fell to 3.1. That’s pretty high comparatively considering that Sprint had a 1.8 churn rate, but it’s still an important dip from the 3.7 churn rate that MetroPCS reported this time last year.
“The Internet is going mobile and we believe our subscribers’ demand for multimedia and video will continue to increase, specifically within the Android platform,” Linquist said in a statement. “4G LTE is rapidly becoming the world standard and we now offer 4G LTE in all of our major metropolitan areas and we continue to expect to finish the majority of our planned build out by the end of 2011.”
I was a fan of MetroPCS’s Android for All marketing campaign, and the roll-out of LTE in key markets will go a long way in improving its reputation. So will the upcoming and still unannounced Android phones planned to join the LG Optimus M and Samsung Indulge.

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 Manual 2.3.4 updates come to Nexus phones, no Talk for N1
 2011-05-03 16:13 UTC by Michael Heller

Android 2.3.4 is coming soon OTA for Nexus devices, but as always, the manual updates come early to those who want them. Nexus S users are extra lucky in that the update also brings the new version of Google Talk which allows for video and audio chat. Unfortunately, Nexus One users aren’t so lucky. I can’t understand why Google hasn’t added in the new version for N1 users. The announcement of the new Google Talk specifically said that phones without a front-facing camera would still be able to use the new version because it also included audio chat. I may not have a front-facing camera, but I’d love to be able to place calls to my GTalk friends around the world video or not. Let’s hope that the new GTalk will be hitting the Nexus One sooner rather than later, as it’s unclear what improvements 2.3.4 brings to the Nexus One without the GTalk update.
If you want to manually update your phone, here’s how:
1) Grab the update you need:

2) Rename the zip file to “update.zip” (no quotes obviously, and be careful if you have file extensions hidden you just need to name the file “update”). Side note: Nexus S users can actually skip this step, as the NS can flash any file.
3) Copy the update file to your SD card (Nexus One) or internal storage (Nexus S)
4) Turn off your device.
5) While holding the volume DOWN button (Nexus One), or volume UP button (Nexus S), turn on your device.
6) Press volume down to highlight “Recovery” then press the power button to select it.
7) When you see the triangle with the exclamation point, press Volume Up and the power button together (may take a few tries.)
8) Nexus One: use trackball to highlight and select “apply sdcard:update.zip”. Nexus S choose “apply update from /sdcard” then select the update file.
9) 2.3.4!
Enjoy!

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 Facebook photos & video get batch uploads with Speedy Uploader [App Reviews]
 2011-05-02 16:03 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Uploading photos from Android to Facebook isn’t always the best experience. Sure, the official Facebook app is fine if you just have to share one or two images, but have you ever tried to upload an entire night’s worth of photos? It’s not fun and there must be an easier way. (Of course there’s an easier way; this is Android we’re talking about.)
Speedy Uploader is an Android app (2.0.1 and higher) that uploads multiple photos or videos to Facebook at the same time. Rather than go through a one-by-one process of the Facebook Android app, Speedy Uploader selects a batch and then handles the rest. Users can select to upload to their personal accounts (or Facebook Pages that they administer) and even specify which album the images should be stored.
Sending photos easily is thanks enough, but Speedy Uploader can also provide Captions and Tags information. The app even has a Manage Photos or Videos tabs that allows users to tag, caption, or edit any media in your Facebook albums. Throw in the ability to rotate images, Share to other apps, view the News Feed, and even post status updates, Speedy Uploader can even be considered a basic replacement for the Facebook app. (I consider it more of a companion, however, because the official app has more features).

KEY FEATURES

  • Upload multiple photos or videos to Facebook
  • Tag friends and add captions to uploaded or existing media
  • Upload photos to Facebook pages in which you are an administer
  • View, comment, like, or post status updates
Install app
App: Speedy Uploader
Price: Free with ads, $0.99 without ads
Website: http://www.facebook.com/speedyuploader

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 Android Apps Alert #58: Banking, Syncing, Caching, Printing Edition
 2011-05-01 15:30 UTC by Andrew Kameka

How many apps have been downloaded from the Android Market? I use to ask that question until Google shed some light on the answer earlier this week – more than 3 billion. That’s a whole lot of apps to put on a whole lot of phones, and the insatiable thirst among Android users is pushing that total higher with each passing second.
Androinica.com reviews new and updated apps in the Android Market each week. This week’s edition is called Banking, Syncing, Caching, Printing. Why? Because it rhymes and I love the rhythm of saying the words aloud. That plus we take a look at apps for mobile banking, syncing files between Android and the web, using geocaching, and printing documents or photos from your phone. These are all great ways to extend the features of Android, so let’s take a closer look.

Garmin Opencaching


Geocaching is a game in which people leave hidden treasures that others can discover through clues and GPS coordinates. The game is becoming increasingly popular among adventure seekers – both outdoors in the wilderness and in dense cities – and there are multiple apps to help people locate the caches left behind by other players. Garmin OpenCaching takes geocaching to the phone by displaying a map with points where a cache can be discovered. Tapping on a map point will then launch a page that reveals clues, difficult, size, terrain, and “awesomeness.” Members can then see a log of activity there or add it to the Favorites. OpenCaching then provides options for browsing according to the difficulty, size, etc., so download now if you’re in the mood for hunting.
Install app

HP ePrint service


Anyone wanting to print from their phone now has multiple options. Not only has Google released its CloudPrint service, but HP has joined the fray with its HP ePrint service that can remotely start printing jobs. Users can take a picture or choose from the gallery, launch from a website or email, or even upload a document stored on the SD card. The app can print to your home or work printer or even to public areas nearby. So the next time you’re running errands and need to print, locate a nearby FedEx or hotel business that can accept your print job (you’ll also get a code to start the job if you have sensitive information).
Install app

BB&T Mobile Banking


When Android launched in 2008, Bank of America was the only bank to deliver an official app right away. Thanks to Android’s growth over the past two years, it’s hard to name a financial institution that doesn’t have an Android app. BB&T is no longer on the list of the missing. The BB&T Mobile Banking app lets account holders view their balance, pay bills, transfer money between accounts, and locate nearby ATM’s or banks. It lacks the mobile deposit feature seen by Chase, but BB&T account holders will get an otherwise complete experience using this app.
Install app

SugarSync


SugarSync is a Dropbox rival that allows users to upload files to the cloud and then provides access to them on a wireless device. The company updated its Android app this week, enabling an AutoSync feature that will keep your mobile phone and cloud locker automatically in-tune. Users can set the app to automatically upload new photos taken or files saved to their SugarSync account, or download change made to the SugarSync folder to their phone. And if changes are made while you’re offline, the app knows to sync once a connection is reestablished. SugarSync provides up to 5 GB of free storage and more space available on paid subscriptions. To the cloud!
Install app

App Reviews & News of the Week


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 Send links from Android to Google TV with “Share” function [Tips]
 2011-04-29 18:30 UTC by Andrew Kameka

Since I first connected my Google TV and brought Android into my living room, I’ve cried out for one app: Phone to Google TV. Chrome to Phone has become a must-have app because it allows me to send links from my desktop to my HTC EVO 4G, and I wanted the same option to send links from my phone to Google TV. There have been plenty of times in which I’ve come across a website and wanted to bring it up on my Google TV, but I could never find an app that would save me from re-typing the address.
It turns out that there was a solution right under my nose the whole time. I recently noticed that there was a Google TV Remote option in the list of apps in the Android Share function. I’m speaking, of course, of Android’s feature that can push information, including links, from one app or service to another. So if I get a link to a blog post with a video embedded, I can use that function to send it to Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, or any other app set-up to handle it.
After a quick test, I suddenly realized that I actually have my Phone to Google TV option after all. With the Google TV Remote or the Logitech Harmony apps installed, I can push links from my phone to my Logitech Revue box. People have been able to do this with YouTube videos from the beginning, but this option works with more websites. Link shorteners don’t seem to be recognized, so you may have to click links you see on Twitter (bit.ly, deck.ly, etc.) to open in the browser and then pass it along. Here’s an example.

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 HBO GO now streaming full episodes to Android 2.1-2.3
 2011-04-29 16:30 UTC by Andrew Kameka

HBO has delivered another Android app. While the official HBO app that we wrote about in March provides show background and schedule info, the latest offering from the “It’s Not TV” guys lets people actually watch HBO on Android phones.
The HBO Go app provides full episode streaming of your favorite HBO shows, including Board to Death, Entourage, Game of Thrones, and Deadwood. And yes, the app provides full streaming for entire seasons. You can watch new episodes of Treme from this season or go back to the very beginning of Entourage and watch the whole catalogue.
HBO Go provides behind the scenes extras, movies, documentaries, and a personalized watch list that can act as your queue of videos to watch. There’s also a feature called “Series Pass” that will load new episodes of designated shows to the watch list automatically. Combined with the official HBO app, it will be hard to miss an episode.
Like anything worth having on Android, there is a catch. HBO Go requires that you are an HBO subscriber on a compatible cable or satellite television provider. You also must be in the U.S., run Android 2.1 to 2.3.3, and have 9.2 MB of space to spare. Download now if you fit that description.
Install app

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 Don’t let tech ignorance lead to foolish lawsuits [Android location scares]
 2011-04-29 13:41 UTC by Andrew Kameka

There are two residents of Oakland County, Michigan, who have decided to sue Google because of Android tracking issues. The HTC Inspire 4G owners claim that Android tracking phones exposes users to a “serious risk of privacy invasions, including stalking.”
I’m sure these two people are of fine Midwestern stock and are probably good people. They are probably just misinformed about technology, so I will refrain from insulting them. Besides, it’s not their fault that America has fostered a culture where the slightest perceived threat encourages eager lawyers from pouncing on companies with deep pockets, hoping to get a big payday or settlement.
But since these plaintiffs obviously know nothing of Android or that HTC Inspire 4G that they think is such a massive security threat, let’s provide some clarity on the issue:
You agreed to this, dummy. I know I said I wouldn’t insult them, but I say “dummy” lovingly. The plaintiffs deny agreeing to send their data to Google, but they are either lying, don’t remember giving their consent, or have poor reading comprehension skills. Every Android phone displays a warning during the set-up process and it clearly states that Google can track your movements to improve search and location-based services, but only if you consent to send data. The plaintiffs may not remember or may have made the mistake of letting someone else set-up their phones, but the warning was there before they ever took a glance at HTC Sense.
The data is anonymous. Google has stated on several occasions that the data it receives is anonymous and not tied to the user (except when concerning Google Latitude). The plaintiff’s lawyer claims that tracking exposes them to risks of stalking, but that’s a gross misrepresentation designed to scare people. The way that location data is stored on Android, a potential stalker would have a much easier time breaking into someone’s home, installing nefarious software on the phone, and then monitoring the plaintiffs from the comfort of a bad guy’s lair.
Information is already available. The plaintiffs’ lawyer complained that Google is monitoring location “just as if by a tracking device for which a court-ordered warrant would ordinarily be required.” That’s interesting considering that cell phone companies track what cell towers your phone pings, stores the information longer than your phone’s cache, and isn’t shy about giving that information to law enforcement agents. So people are getting upset because a company is collecting anonymous location data or storing cached data required to use LBS apps, even though your carrier has more data on you?
If you’re concerned with what Google does with your private data, it’s probably in your best interest that you not get a credit card, subscribe to a magazine, or do anything else with your name on it because your personal data is routinely sold and traded between marketers and financial companies. Much more important and sensitive information about you floats with ease.
Google knows that Phone X was at Starbucks and had a great Wi-Fi reception. Other companies know that John Doe, owner of Phone X, was at Starbucks and had green tea, a scone, reads Wired magazine, owns a Nook Color, lives at 23 Green Street, works as a math teach, etc. Go try suing those folks because your phone is the least of your concerns.
[Detroit News and Bloomberg]

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