. Android

Buzz Out Loud 1308: Maladjusted mustache guys sniffing your data (podcast)

On today's show, it turns out that people and not just computers are looking at some of the super-private data you give to Google. And some of those people are hipsters in ironic t-shirts. Yeah, scary. Also, the new Twitter debuts, and it's better than the iPad version. Plus, IE 9 and Nokia's new attitude (and personnel): too little too late?

OpenFeint hits Android games this week

After two months of waiting, Android users will be getting the first batch of OpenFeint-enabled games this week.

Among some of the notable launch titles will be Half Brick Studios' Fruit Ninja, MiniSquadron by Supermono, and Must.Eat.Birds by Mediatonic--all of which will feature the same version of the company's social-gaming platform offered on Apple's iOS.

OpenFeint, which can be found in many of the top games on the iOS platform, offers game developers a way to add things like achievements, in-game currency, and intra-network messaging to their titles. More recent versions also add things like cloud-based … Read more

HTC debuts Desire phones, Sense service

LONDON--Rising mobile phone power HTC began an effort to rise further on Wednesday--and not just with phones.

The Taiwanese company introduced two Android phones, the Desire HD with a large, 4.3-inch screen and the Desire Z with a flip-out hardware keyboard. Both are set to arrive in October in Europe and Asia; the Desire Z will arrive in North America later this year.

Like Apple, Samsung, and many other competitors, HTC is trying to differentiate the products through software and services, though. The phones come with an updated version of HTC's Sense user interface and tie in with … Read more

HTC Desire Android 2.2 update due 'this month'

HTC Desire owners on T-Mobile will have been champing at the bit for an upgrade to Android 2.2, and the network has finally said it should be coming out within the next couple of weeks.

In responses to Twitter queries about a potential update, T-Mobile UK Support said we should be getting the Froyo update in September.

Android 2.2 is a significant update to version 2.1, with support for Flash 10.1 as well as a number of new features. These include dedicated shortcuts for the phone dialer, applications menu and Web browser on the home screen, … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1307: A zero-day porn moment (podcast)

On today's Buzz Out Loud, Jason confesses his noob security mistake, Consumer Reports wants the world to know they STILL don't recommend the iPhone 4. Plus, Mark Zuckerberg's Hollywood moment isn't going to be as fun as he hoped, and we predict the MPAA will go nuclear if rumors of a permanent HDCP crack are true.

Survey: Mobile apps prevalent but often unused

Though more mobile apps are finding their way onto cell phones, their owners aren't all necessarily using them.

Among the 2,252 U.S. adults surveyed for a new Pew Internet study, 1,917 said they use cell phones. Out of those people, 35 percent have mobile apps on their devices. However, only 24 percent of the 1,917 said they actually use those apps, and 11 percent were in the dark, not even knowing if their phones had any apps.

Released Tuesday, the "Rise of Apps Culture" study was based on phone interviews of people ages … Read more

LG launches Android-powered Optimus One, Chic

As expected, LG Electronics unveiled the LG Optimus One and Optimus Chic on Tuesday, two Android devices aimed for smartphone newbies.

There are a number of similarities between the two handsets. Both ship running Android 2.2 with LG's custom user interface, which is designed to make the smartphone experience "fun and user-friendly." They also feature a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touch screen, 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, and all the same core features (Google services, wireless options, and so forth). That said, there are some minor differences.

Dubbed the stylish one, the Optimus Chic has a slightly … Read more

Whistle while you walk

Links from Friday's episode of Loaded: Google Voice and Maps for Android T-Mobile G2 ready for pre-order Hyundai announces its first Electronic Vehicle VLC app one step away from the iPad Panasonic VIERA Cast will stream Netflix

Digital City 96: In-studio helicopter flight; Halo: Reach goodies; and the latest in pseudoscience

In this week's action-packed episode, we engage in a little live Halo: Reach multiplayer action, finding out in the process that none of us is particularly good at this sort of thing.

Then, Joey attempts to pilot a remote control helicopter around the confines of our broom-closet-size studio. Hilarity ensues, as does some small amount of danger.

After showing off some new minilaptops from Toshiba and Sony, Scott tells us about the FanVision handheld device being hawked by NFL teams (including his beloved Jets). Finally, we hold our heads in collective disbelief over the upcoming "Galileo was Wrong" pseudoscience conference, being held later this fall. Yes, that's a real thing, not some sort of Onion-like prank.

Rumor: T-Mobile MyTouch HD to feature 1GHz dual processor, front-facing camera

Yet another handful of new details have been unearthed for the upcoming T-Mobile MyTouch 3G HD.

A leaked internal document obtained by TmoNews for the carrier suggests that the handset will sport a 1GHz dual processor and feature support for T-Mobile's HSPA+ burgeoning network.

While we're still waiting for T-Mobile to formally acknowledge the handset, the picture continues to get clearer. Much like the soon-to-be-released G2, the MyTouch HD will come with Android 2.2, 4GB internal memory, a preinstalled 8GB microSD card, and a 5-megapixel camera.

However, unlike its counterpart, the MyTouch HD is expected to have … Read more