Adobe AIR Now Available for Android PhonesAdobe AIR Now Available for Android Phones

If you run a desktop Twitter client, you're probably familiar with Adobe AIR, an application framework and runtime environment that allows developers to write an app and have it instantly portable to multiple operating systems. Now, Adobe has announced that AIR is available for Android mobile phones as well, giving app developers another way to code apps that will work in Android.

The news doesn't mean that all of your desktop AIR apps like your favorite Twitter client or RSS feed reader will work instantly on your Android device however. App developers will have to use Adobe's Flash Builder or Flash Professional to develop AIR apps for Android. The list of AIR-enabled apps for Android isn't very long yet, but as more developers sign up to get the AIR developer tools for Android, it's likely the list will grow.

Developers who want to use the AIR platform to build apps for Android will need to have a handset running Android 2.2 "Froyo" or later, and will have the option to port their existing code or build code from scratch using Flash or AIR tools. In either case, developer code will have to be heavily modified to run on mobile devices that have significantly less system resources than a desktop or laptop.

AIR for Android works similarly to AIR for Mac OS and Windows; if you try to install an app that requires the AIR framework you'll be prompted to install it first. In fact, apps that use AIR are already beginning to appear in the Android App Market, and there's a short list over at Adobe's AIR for Android page. Most of the apps so far are simple games, instructional or educational apps, and a few entertainment apps with relatively simple features.

Even so, the fact that AIR exists for Android gives developers another way to build applications for Android without using Google's native Android toolset, and gives developers a way to quickly and easily release versions of their apps for desktop operating systems and for Android in one round, all using tools their developers are likely already familiar with.

source : appscout

Negroponte: One Laptop Per Child is now a $75 Android Tablet

The former head of MIT's Media Lab said the next OLPC device, the XO-3, would be a 9-inch tablet made by Marvell and running Google's Android OS.

The first OLPC was an underpowered, 'designed-by-committee' laptop that cost at least double of what it was supposed to. Most importantly, didn't adapt to the needs of the children who used it. For instance, it didn't have a method for non-Latin characters to be input. It was also made of plastic and had moving parts that would often break in rugged environments.

At CES in January this year, that will change, according to Nicolas Negroponte.

The new OLPC devices will take the lead from Apple's iPad but use Google's (GOOG) Android OS, at least initially. The keyboard will be virtual and be able to adapt to different languages.

XO-3 will also have some specs that might appeal to a broader audience (myself included). Quoting the WSJ (subscription req):

The new tablets will have at least one, and maybe two, video cameras. They'll sport Wi-Fi connections to the Internet, multi-touch screens and have enough power to play high-definition and 3-D video. Unlike Apple Inc.'s iPad tablet, the device will also work with plug-in peripherals such as mice and keyboards.

[I'm aware that iPhone's Touch OS doesn't need a mouse (and one's been hacked, anyway) and Apple supplies both keyboard docks and Bluetooth Keyboards as well]

Negroponte said the new tablets will not use Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows 7 because the software requires too much memory and computing power. That's been a common theme lately and might be a reason that HP (HP) picked up Palm.

Going tablet might be something he picked up from Apple (AAPL). Negroponte got advice from Apple's CEO Steve Jobs on the eve first OLPC launch:

"I got an email from Steve Jobs (the night the laptop was revealed) he said you can't build it for a hundred dollars, and my answer was oh yes I can," Negroponte said as part of a lecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Thursday night.

"He was actually a very good critic, and each time we got to a point, I did talk to him," Negroponte added. Negroponte also mentioned his displeasure with Microsoft, both in terms of Windows 7 performance, and Microsoft's attempts to thwart the OLPC initiative.

The device will be based on Marvell's Moby platform and will initially cost $99 for the hardware, but that price is expected to drop to $75 by 2011. What does the Moby platform buy you? According to Marvell, Moby is:

Powered by high-performance, highly scalable, and low-power Marvell® ARMADA™ 600 series of application processors, the Moby tablet features gigahertz-class processor speed, 1080p full-HD encode and decode, intelligent power management, power-efficient Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM/GPS connectivity, high performance 3D graphics capability and support for multiple software standards including full Adobe Flash, Android™ and Windows Mobile. The ultra low power Moby tablet is designed for long-battery life.

XO-3 will come loaded with an application able to access two million free books available on the Internet, cutting down on the high costs of textbooks in the developing world.

Image Credit: OLPC

I want one.

Source : Fortune Tech

HTC EVO: Hands-On with the First 4G Phone

The HTC EVO 4G will be the first phone in the U.S. to take advantage of Sprint’s 4G cellular network, up to 10 times faster than current 3G speeds. The Android handset will also be one of the most powerful “superphones” to hit the U.S. market when it launches on June 4. We had a chance to go hands-on with the device and get a demo of the phone’s hardware and software, which includes the HTC Sense user experience on top of the typical Android UI.

Google (), Qik and other application developers have stepped in to develop versions of their apps customized for the HTC EVO 4G experience, including a YouTube () client that will auto-detect your connection speed and serve up content in high-definition when on a 4G or fast 3G connection. The Qik application takes advantage of the phone’s two cameras — one 8-megapixel and one front-facing 1.3-megapixel — to provide on-the-go videoconferencing support.

Sprint told us the HTC EVO 4G so far has garnered “the highest interest of any device we’ve ever announced,” and there are plenty of reasons why. Beyond the promised 10-fold speed boost from 4G, which Sprint will be the first to market in the U.S., the device can also act as a mobile hotspot, connecting up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Internet (). Add to that the overall hardware specs of the device, which render it a more powerful workhorse than even the Nexus One, and it’s no surprise that the HTC EVO 4G is one of the most hotly anticipated phones launching this summer.

The phone will be available June 4 at retail partners Best Buy, RadioShack, and Wal-Mart as well as at Sprint.com for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 rebate (pro tip: picking up the phone at Best Buy Mobile nets you the rebate price on the spot). Everything Data plans start at $69.99 per month, and the HTC EVO 4G will also carry a $10 per month Premium Data requirement. Use as a mobile hotspot is an optional extra at $29.99 per month — although at half the cost of the typical mobile broadband plan for devices like the MiFi or 3G broadband card, the portable hotspot cost is actually a good deal.

Check out the video demo below and let us know what you think. We’ve included some still photos after the video as well. If you’re in the market for a new phone in the near future, does the HTC EVO 4G make the list of potential purchases?

Size comparison with the iPhone 3G and the Nexus One

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Source : Mashable

Nokia Has An Android Phone After All : NOKIA 900 Dual-Boot Solution

In a recent hack, a user found a way to dual-boot the native Maemo-Linux operating system on the Nokia N900 and also the Android operating system. This hack may be the boost that is needed to give the N900 more traction as it is a powerful device, but due to the developer/hacker-centric approach to Maemo-Linux, the device may not find its way into the hands of many consumers. Having Android as an alternative may make the device more attractive as consumers can still get all the easy to use apps from Android and if they want more power, they can switch back to the versatile and extensible Maemo OS.

At this time, the solution is still a proof-of-concept showing that the dual-booting idea can be done. Hopefully, it can get packaged and loaded onto more N900s out there.

(via: SlashGear)

By: Chuong Nguyen | Date: 25-Jan-10

Motorola Unveils Another Android Phone, the Backflip

Motorola has a new Android smartphone out, and judging by the looks of it, it’s going to be one of those love-it-or-hate-it devices.

Its most prominent feature is a full QWERTY keyboard that opens up in an unusual way, like a book in reverse; the device also packs some interesting innovation in an otherwise not-too-exciting package.

First, a quick rundown of the specifications. It’s an Android () 1.5 device (it should get Android 2.1 support later on); it has a 3.1-inch, 320 x 480 pixel TFT display, a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and a LED flashlight, 2 GB of memory (a bit low for today’s smartphone standards, but it can be expanded to 32 GB with memory cards), and it supports EDGE, HSDPA, Wi-Fi and aGPS.

If those specifications and the look of the device seem familiar to you, you’re right: It’s very similar to Motorola’s first Android device, the CLIQ. The innovation part, besides the “reverse QWERTY flip” form factor, comes in the form of a touchpad on the back of the screen, which can be used to control the phone… well, from the back of the screen. We’ll have more about that bit when we actually try out the device.

How useful (and practical) these innovations really are, only time will tell. The phone’s form factor is odd, and it does make it a bit chubby, which (together with the fact that it launches on the outdated Android 1.5) will probably make the Backflip a niche product, aimed primarily at users who loved the CLIQ but wanted something slightly different – if such a niche exists.

Stan Schroeder

Motorola Unveils Another Android Phone, the Backflip

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