Android

Make your own ringtones on Android, iPhone (video)

Cutting your own ringtones from songs in your mobile library isn't hard at all, and there's even one ingenious Android app that takes a much more creative approach than the usual slice-and-serve.

iPhone apps also handily make ringtones. Apart from choosing the start and stop times--which can be frustrating and time-consuming depending on your level of meticulousness--the most trying portion of the creation process is transferring your newly created selection to iTunes and then back to your computer as a ringtone.

No, it doesn't make sense, but the apps show you how to do it and ultimately … Read more

Google Maps for Android adds new location, check-in features

Google has tweaked Google Maps for Android once again. Starting today, smartphones running Android 1.6 and up will see new location history and check-in features in Google Maps 5.3.

The first addition is for maps users who have enabled Google Latitude on their profile. If you choose to, you'll now be able to view stats and graphs of your location history, including estimates that break down how you allocate your time at work, home, or elsewhere.

Maps' second feature expands the pre-existing Latitude check-in option to let followers and friends know you're at home when you'… Read more

Will AT&T be the next carrier to offer the Nexus S?

A variant of the Nexus S optimized for AT&T's network has appeared on Samsung's Web site.

Listed with a model number of GT-I9020A, the handset is strikingly similar to the Samsung I9020T currently supported by T-Mobile. The Web site specifically mentions AT&T and references the carrier's UMTS 850/1900 network bands, but with no announcement from Google or AT&T, this remains strictly unofficial at this point.

Given that Sprint recently unveiled its version of the Nexus S, it would not surprise me to see a Verizon variant offered down the road. … Read more

Boost Mobile set to unveil Galaxy Prevail April

Boost Mobile is holding a press event tomorrow in New York City where the prepaid carrier should unveil, among other things, a new Android handset. Rumors had been gathering steam over the last few days that Boost will announce a no-contract Galaxy phone, dubbed the Prevail.

Engadget obtained a PDF document that outlines Boost Mobile's plans for the near future. Included in the file are the first preliminary details for the new smartphone.

Though an exact release date remains unknown, it appears that Boost will debut the Galaxy Prevail with a $179.99 sticker. Details for the handset include … Read more

The 404 791: Where we're rolling with the homies (podcast)

Happy 404 Day! To celebrate the second most popular day in April, we've kicked Wilson off the show and replaced him with Mark Licea. Happy Monday! Today we're chatting about an immersive new take on Shakespeare's "Macbeth" story, nude therapists working in New York, an Android bootleg that publicly embarrasses pirates, and Web vigilantes Anonymous joining hackers GeoHot and Graf_Chokolo in their fight against Sony.

The 404 Digest for Episode 791

"Sleep No More" offers a modern take on classic theater. Pirates beware: a bootleg Android app punishes with public shaming. A therapist in NYC meets with clients with clothes on, then slowly takes them off. Speaking of nudes, a Web developer site is looking to recruit nude female Web coders. .01% of Wikipedia is equivalent to 952 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica...and it's for sale.

Episode 791 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Xperia Play misses United States in initial release

Sony Ericsson announced via its blog today that the Xperia Play has gone on sale in 11 markets around the world. The United States, however, is not among them.

While the "PlayStation Phone" is available today in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Russia, Verizon Wireless customers in the United States will have to wait a couple of weeks at least. At CTIA last month, Sony Ericsson said the device will launch by early next month, though a recently leaked Verizon document predicts an April 14 arrival. That fits with a recent admission by Sony Ericsson that six … Read more

The 404 790: Where toothless Tim tells tall tales (podcast)

Today we're saying goodbye to a CNET colleague and frequent 404 guest host, Tim Geisenheimer. No, this is not an April Fools joke, but guess what? The Shock Top is. Today we're showing off some of our favorite Internet April Fools pranks, starting with Hulu taking us back to our Internet salad days.

The 404 Digest for Episode 790

RIM debuts the first screenless Blackberry, dubbed The Dauntless. Gmail gets motion activation functionality. Zookeepers in Europe equip gorillas with Apple iPads. PC Mag follows tech trends with a name change. Manalapan Best Buy employees accused of stealing $50,000 in gear. ThinkGeek sells Playmobil Apple Store playset. New flash dance show "Mobbed" debuts on Fox. Follow THE GEISENTUMBLOG!

Episode 790 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Facebook tweaks mobile-optimized sites

If you visit Facebook's mobile site, you may notice a few changes to the way the Web site looks.

The social network began rolling out an update to the site that optimizes Facebook.com for all mobile phones, from the humble feature phone to the high-end smartphone.

Facebook previously encouraged feature phone owners to visit m.facebook.com, while channeling touch-screen devices to touch.facebook.com, but found the backend logistics limiting from a design standpoint and time-consuming for developers.

The upshot is that all of Facebook's mobile socialites will be able to see the latest updates regardless … Read more

Best Android music player apps

Like a lot of smartphone owners, I use mine as a music player. When I got my Droid Incredible, though, I was really disappointed by the stock players that were on it, mainly because I listen to a lot of music and am consistently hunting down new (and old) stuff and sharing what I'm listening to with my friends and family.

The stock players are not designed for me; I get that. So I turned to the Android Market (the most poorly organized store in the world) to find something better. (I ended up searching on GetJar and AppBrain, too.) The slideshow below includes the results of that search.

For people like me, with large music collections, the desire for better sound quality, broader format support, and some customization options, I recommend PlayerPro, PowerAMP, and Audiogalaxy. Although, as a platform, the new Amazon Cloud Player is pretty great for just about any type of music fan.

That's only four of the 10 I tested, though, so if those don't work for you, check out the rest in the slideshow. Also, most of them are free; PowerAmp is the most expensive at $4.99 and worth it. And if there are any I missed that you think I should add, please let me know.

… Read more