10 Great Android Multiplayer Games

With the possible exception of Angry Birds, games are more fun when you can play them with others.

The Android Market is full of great game apps, and there are quite a few multiplayer games in that number, as well — far more than when we first wrote about Android multiplayer games a year ago.
Here’s a quick roundup of the best Android pass-and-play and cross-platform multiplayer games, including MMOPRGs, action games, casual games and the ever-popular Words With Friends.
In the comments, please let us know if we missed any of your favorites.

Total views: 207. View As One Page »

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Pocket Legends

This mobile MMO has garnered plenty of critical acclaim, including a Mashable nod during the 2010 Mashable Awards last year. As with many MMORPGs, you'll chose a character, develop your abilities and skills and do battle alongside other players in fantasy settings such as dungeons, mountains and swamps.Android Market

This mobile MMO has garnered plenty of critical acclaim, including a Mashable nod during the 2010 Mashable Awards last year. As with many MMORPGs, you'll chose a character, develop your abilities and skills and do battle alongside other players in fantasy settings such as dungeons, mountains and swamps.Android Market

Pocket Legends

1

This game uses Google Maps and your actual location with a Zelda-reminiscent overlay to show players "the creatures lurking in your backyard and the mythical beasts that you pass everyday on your way to work." You can chat and plot with your fellow players to navigate the augmented reality around you.Android Market link

Parallel Kingdom

2

Are you ready for a cross-platform multiplayer racing game? Raging Thunder lets you play with up to three other people in an arcade-style setting.Android Market link

Raging Thunder

3

If mafia lore is your thing, you'll be entertained by iMobsters, an MMO game with mobster trappings. Players start as petty thieves, fighting with one another and recruiting new mobsters to rise through the ranks.Android Market link

iMobsters

4

Cestos is a real-time multiplayer game that pits you against other players all around the world in a marble battle royale. You can chat with other players, and the more you play, the most goodies -- including marble customizations -- you can unlock.Android Market link

Cestos

5

This excellent MMORPG plays in real time and allows up to 24 players per game. Other features include customizable stats, multiple maps and game modes, and several character types.Android Market link

ProjectINF

6

This pass-and-play -- or hold-and-play -- game lets you and up to three friends play together on the same device in a fast-paced battle of wits and reflexes. The app includes 20 individual game modes as well.Android Market link

4 Player Reactor

7

Would a Scrabble by any other name play as sweet? Words With Friends proves that it would, indeed. Players find one another by username, and the in-game chat feature is a nice touch.Android Market link

Words With Friends

8

This award-winning first-person shooter was first a hit on iOS devices and is now a cross-platform multiplayer game on Android, too. It features "an arsenal of kick-ass weaponry, unique enemies, explosive ammunition and non-stop humor."Android Market link

Guerrilla Bob

9

This action MMORPG features Unreal-powered graphics and a World of Warcraft aesthetic with tons of stats for players to nerd out over. Take on a Hero class and battle invaders with other players.Android Market link

Dungeon Defenders

10

Total views: 207. View As Slideshow »

Pocket Legends

This mobile MMO has garnered plenty of critical acclaim, including a Mashable nod during the 2010 Mashable Awards last year. As with many MMORPGs, you'll chose a character, develop your abilities and skills and do battle alongside other players in fantasy settings such as dungeons, mountains and swamps.Android Market

---

Parallel Kingdom

This game uses Google Maps and your actual location with a Zelda-reminiscent overlay to show players "the creatures lurking in your backyard and the mythical beasts that you pass everyday on your way to work." You can chat and plot with your fellow players to navigate the augmented reality around you.Android Market link

---

Raging Thunder

Are you ready for a cross-platform multiplayer racing game? Raging Thunder lets you play with up to three other people in an arcade-style setting.Android Market link

---

iMobsters

If mafia lore is your thing, you'll be entertained by iMobsters, an MMO game with mobster trappings. Players start as petty thieves, fighting with one another and recruiting new mobsters to rise through the ranks.Android Market link

---

Cestos

Cestos is a real-time multiplayer game that pits you against other players all around the world in a marble battle royale. You can chat with other players, and the more you play, the most goodies -- including marble customizations -- you can unlock.Android Market link

---

ProjectINF

This excellent MMORPG plays in real time and allows up to 24 players per game. Other features include customizable stats, multiple maps and game modes, and several character types.Android Market link

---

4 Player Reactor

This pass-and-play -- or hold-and-play -- game lets you and up to three friends play together on the same device in a fast-paced battle of wits and reflexes. The app includes 20 individual game modes as well.Android Market link

---

Words With Friends

Would a Scrabble by any other name play as sweet? Words With Friends proves that it would, indeed. Players find one another by username, and the in-game chat feature is a nice touch.Android Market link

---

Guerrilla Bob

This award-winning first-person shooter was first a hit on iOS devices and is now a cross-platform multiplayer game on Android, too. It features "an arsenal of kick-ass weaponry, unique enemies, explosive ammunition and non-stop humor."Android Market link

---

Dungeon Defenders

This action MMORPG features Unreal-powered graphics and a World of Warcraft aesthetic with tons of stats for players to nerd out over. Take on a Hero class and battle invaders with other players.Android Market link

---

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, duncan1890

 

iAndroid

iAndroid – Android Simulator For iPhone

Android has been ported to the iPhone, and jailbreak apps like Bootlace have made it easier to install the ported Android OS on a jailbroken iPhone to experience Google’s mobile operating system. But unfortunately they’re only available for iPhone 3G and iPhone 2G users.

A new jailbreak app called iAndroid has recently been released, which simulates Android on a jailbroken iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.x.x.

iAndroid works like a native iPhone app that can be launched from iPhone's homescreen, which simulates the look and feel of Android OS. Since it is not a port, you won’t be able to download apps from the Android Market etc. But iAndroid comes with a few pre-installed apps such as Facebook, Web browser, Camera app, Twitter and the Phone app that work quite well.

You can checkout the cool demo video of iAndroid below:

If you’re curious to checkout the Android experience then install iAndroid for free from Cydia. It should also work on the iPod Touch running iOS 4.x.x.

Let us know what you think about iAndroid in the comments.

 

Android Tablet/Phone Combo (Videos)

Padfone: Asus Officially Announces Its Android Tablet/Phone Combo (Videos)

Today, on the first day of the yearly Computex Taipei exhibition in Taiwan, Asus took the wraps off the Android tablet/phone combo it teased last week. Dubbed Padfone, Asus is relatively mum on details (specs, pricing, availability) at this point.



But the general idea is to dock the handset in the tablet for a wider view, charging it through the tablet’s bigger battery or making use of the phone’s 3G connection on the tablet. Users can also avoid data transfer and sharing hassles between phone and tablet.
Asus says that the layout of applications running on the phone adjusts automatically once you place it into the tablet to get an expanded view (see clips below).

Netflix updates Android app

Netflix updates Android app, expands device support

Tired of content providers bossing you around, telling you what you can do with your own phone? Good, because Netflix is sick of telling you kids to keep off its lawn. Following a recent update, the outfit's Android app now officially supports the LG Revolution, Motorola Droid, Casio G'zOne Commando C771, and any unsupported device that just happens to work on its own. In addition to adding official support for the aforementioned trio (and of course, some minor bug fixes), the stream king removed a device check that previously blocked unsupported handsets from attempting playback. Your mileage may vary, but the folks over at Droid Life are reporting success with both the Droid X and Droid X2, as well as the Xperia Play. That's no guarantee for you and your unsupported device, but at least you have the freedom to fail. That's nice, isn't it?

 

Official Android app BBC

Official Android app BBC Android app

BBC announced the availability of its free mobile news application for Android on Wednesday. The application provides quick access to BBC’s top stories complete with pictures, videos, and the option to share stories on Facebook or via email. Other features include breaking news notifications, pre-cache viewing, background sync, and a compact widget for viewing headlines from your home screen. There’s even an option to stream live BBC News video content, provided you’re running a phone with Android 2.2 and Flash pre-installed. BBC News for Android is available for free in the Android Market now. Update: for now it’s only available to U.K. residents.

 

Android Market Decives

Android Market's new movie rental service blocked from rooted devices

 

We can't make this up people.  According to Google, who gets to make the rules since it's their service, rooted devices are not supported by the Android Markets new movie rental service "due to requirements related to copyright protection".  You'll even see a specific error message when you attempt to try -- "Failed to fetch license for [movie title] (error 49)". 

So now people who root their phones, whether to get rid of the crap "open" that's forced down their throats, or to have a current version of Android, are punished and lumped in with folks who steal movies.  Nice move, Google.  That makes me want to buy more of your products and use more of your services, so I can be treated like a criminal just because I'm smart enough to get rid of CityID, or want a safe version of Android on my phone.  And of course, I'd much rather steal movies streamed with a poor bitrate at a low resolution to my phone than use Google to search out any of the thousands of places where I could steal them using my computer. Facepalm.

Of course, the Android community will find a way around this.  I already have some ideas, and I'm sure others will, too.  But we shouldn't have to.  And once we do, I'll download one (and only one) movie from the Market for the satisfaction of defeating this stupid move by Google, then be sure to never use the service again.  Redbox doesn't care if I want to run a custom ROM on my phone, so they'll get my $4.00.

 

Al Jazeera Android

Al Jazeera English Lands on Android and BlackBerry

In a recent push by Al Jazeera the Middle East’s largest news Network has released two new smartphone apps for the Android and BlackBerry in a shift from its standard Live Streaming model provided for iPhone users.
The launch comes a couple of months after the first Al Jazeera English Live Android app quietly hit the market this year raising the Al Jazeera smartphone app stack to 4 apps running on BlackBerry, Samsung Wave (Widget), Android, and Nokia.
The Android app has a simple and slick design providing access to the grid making up the landing screen of the app. Categorizing its content into 9 blocks: News, Opinion, Features, Video, In Pictures, Programmes, Blogs, Spotlight, and ‘Your Media’.

Home Screen

The landing screen also has a ‘Breaking’ heading to display whatever breaking news that’s available on the network which when not available is replaced with a link to Al Jazeera English’s Live Stream when clicked launches the Al Jazeera Live android app, or otherwise do nothing, which I think Al Jazeera have either overlooked or are feeling overconfident that whoever’s installing the new app has the steaming one as well (at least not this guy).
We put it up against other global news network apps to compare focus on content and functionality and the differences are striking. Comparing it to CNN’s Android app (but is inaccessible to many countries in the Middle East for some reason) that was released only last month, Al Jazeera has an entirely different target audience if its app has any say on the matter.

Video
With one block of the landing screen dedicated to video, it’s quite a disappointment when the user is taken to a screen containing a news piece with yet another icon to click only to be asked whether the video be displayed via browser or YouTube.
Al Jazeera should remedy that by providing the app with some native video streaming capabilities instead of sending users on their way to get the rest of the day’s news from YouTube.

Social Support
The least I can say is that the app is antisocial. The first thing I did was attempt to share a story with friends I found it to be an impossible task. This means users will have to use the network’s mobile web version that surprisingly provides multiple options for sharing on Facebook and Twitter.

Offline Access
The app does have a Preload articles functionality that’s displayed in the Setting’s tab (which cannot be disabled) that allows users to preload the apps articles minus images which can be a bit confusing when launching the app without Internet access for the first time.

Citizen Journalism
The recent uprisings in the region helped Al Jazeera catapult into a global position not before displayed by the Doha based network, with a large part of its coverage attributed to event bystanders providing their opinion/footage via mobile phone video cameras.

Your Media

For this reason an Android app is expected to contain functionality to upload a video or image file without leaving the app. But again, the ‘Your Media‘ tab only includes a button to send Al Jazeera content through the device’s default email app which launches when clicked.

Conclusion
It appears Al Jazeera released this version of the app to give its viewers/readers a quick way to read the latest news with the least possible clicks as oppose to its online mobile web version. For now they’ve successfully done that, and nothing more.

 

android news

The Week in Android News

Boom. Website redesign. Device reviews. Tons of Android news, and so much fun this week. Next week we will be live at Google IO, and we expect tons of fun and awesome news to come from that as well, but first if you happened to miss anything be sure to check below, especially if in the market for a new device since we reviewed a TON!

General News

• RIM to provide enterprise tool for secure management of ... Android devices?
• Lloyd Launcher Pro theme now available [from the forums]
• Sprint's Relay ID Pack aids those with hearing difficulties

Hardware News

• The competition: RIM goes thin, light with the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930
• Samsung Gem Review
• LG Genesis: Verizon's cast-off enV Pro finds new life on US Cellular
• HTC Desire HD mini review (Three network)
• Samsung Droid Charge Review
• Samsung Replenish video hands-on
• LG Optimus Black initial review
• Samsung Infuse 4G video hands-on
• Kyocera Echo review
• HTC Thunderbolt review

Tablet News

• HTC Flyer's Digital Pen gets priced at $79.99 at Best Buy
• HTC Flyer 'Magic Pen' gets priced in the UK and Europe
• LG Optimus Pad 3G coming to Rogers
• Sneak peek at the Seesmic Honeycomb Twitter client

 

Best of 2011: Beauty Gadget in India

The Best Android Phones Coming to India in 2011

The Android revolution began about 3 years back and its stunning growth has dwarfed the growth of even iOS (iPhone) as a mobile platform. It is now the most popular mobile OS in the US, and is on its way to becoming the most used mobile OS in the world. It is expected to overtake Symbian soon, and will soon be the Windows of the mobile world.
Unlike Apple which always ignores India when launching new products, most Android manufacturers have made sure that they launch new Android smartphones in India at the same time as the worldwide launch.
As I’ve said before, 2011 is going to be the year of Android. We have seen a lot of exciting devices at CES, MWC and CTIA 2011. Most of these devices will either be launched soon, or have been launched already.
In this post, I will show you the best Android phones that money can buy. Despite the title, the list is relevant to users around the world, not just Indians.
1. Samsung Galaxy S 2
This is definitely the best Android smartphone that money can buy. It has received the best reviews yet, and offers the best overall package, compared to any other Android phone. It is the successor to the most popular Android phone of 2010 – the Samsung Galaxy S.
It has an excellent 4.3 inch SuperAMOLED Plus display which has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. It comes with an 8 MP camera which can record 1080p video, a 1.2 GHz dual core Exynos processor, 1 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with TouchWiz 4.0.
It is expected to be launched by the end of May 2011 and will be priced at around Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 35,000.

2. HTC Sensation
The HTC Sensation is probably the only phone which can rival the Samsung Galaxy S 2 in terms of specifications and features.
It will come with a 4.3 inch S-LCD touchscreen display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels. It will come with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has the HTC Sense 3.0 UI, which is widely regarded as the best third party Android UI.
It has a dual core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, an Adreno 220 GPU and 768 MB RAM. It also comes with an 8 MP camera with dual LED flash which can record 1080p video at 30 FPS. It has 1 GB internal storage, and is a bit heavier than the Galaxy S 2, at 148 gms. It will likely be launched soon, but we have no idea about the pricing.

3. LG Optimus 2X
The LG Optimus 2X was the first Android smartphone with a dual core processor. While it was launched some time back, it is still one of the best Android phone options in India. In the US, you can buy the T-Mobile G2X which is identical to the Optimus 2X, and comes with pure Android 2.2 Froyo.
It comes with a 4 inch LCD touchscreen display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. It also has a 1 GHz dual core Cortex A9 processor (Tegra 2) and offers 1 GB RAM. It has an 8 MP camera and can also capture 1080p video at 24 FPS. Though it’s not as good as the Samsung Galaxy S 2, it is much cheaper. You can get it for as much as Rs. 28,000.


4. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was recently launched and is probably the most stylish Android smartphone to date. It is extremely slim, and has a very sleek design. It comes with a 4.2 inch display and has a 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor, an Adreno 205 GPU and 512 MB RAM. It also offers an excellent 8 MP camera, which makes it the best Android camera phone. It is powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has the Sony Ericsson custom Android UI.
It is available for Rs 28,000.


5. Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is another notable Android phone. It deviates from the touchscreen only trend in Android phones, and features a unique gaming keypad which slides out from under the display. It has the same hardware as the Xperia Arc – 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor, an Adreno 205 GPU and 512 MB RAM.
It also has a 5 MP camera and Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but the main attraction is the library of exclusive PSP games which it supports. If you are a gamer, and want an Android smartphone, the Xperia Play is the device you should get.
It is priced at Rs. 30,000.
6. HTC Incredible S
HTC was the top dog in the Android arena an year back, but since the launch of the Galaxy S, Samsung has become the dominant player. HTC, though, has been trying to get back to the top.
The HTC Incredible S is one of the best Android smartphones by HTC. It comes with Android 2.2 Froyo and the HTC Sense 3.0 UI, probably the best third party Android UI. It will definitely get an upgrade to Android 2.3 Gingerbread and comes with a 4 inch, 480 x 800 pixel display. It has a 1 GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor, 768 MB RAM and comes with the Adreno 205 GPU as well. It has a very good 8 MP camera which can capture 720p video.
It is the cheapest of the lot. It is priced at Rs 26,399.


We might see many more Android smartphone launches soon, but for the next 2-3 months, this list should guide you well, should you want to buy the best Android smartphone in India, or the world, for that matter.

 

android 3.0 available

HTC Lead and SE Azusa Outed, Thunderbolt Update Delayed, And More

 

The Android Robot huffed and puffed and tried to blow our site down with Android news, but we McGyvered him and trapped all the airborn shrapnel on this here post. Throughout the day we covered what we thought you’d find most interesting, informative, relevant and entertaining, but you can’t please everyone. So for those we haven’t yet pleased, see if the items below will quench your Android thirst.

• Acer Iconia Tab 500 and Iconia Smart officially released in India. [Unwired View]
• O2 delays the release of the Sony Xperia Play to June in the UK. Bugs were the issue.
• Leaked picture of the HTC Lead. No real info. Just a nice, full frontal picture. [PocketNow]
• Mysterious Sony Ericcson Azusa gets outed in a Nenamark benchmark. Looks a lot like the Arc. [Engadget Mobile]
• Verizon delays HTC Thunderbolt update. Most likely due to 4G network issues. [Droid-Life]
• Flexible paper computer may change the way you interact with phones and tablets [IntoMobile]
• Google Maps receives 5.4.0 update in the Android Market. Now allows web search history.
• HTC hints that the Chacha could be hitting Germany this June [Electronista]
• Android OS was the clear smartphone(s) leader in first quarter results. [Reuters]
• Pandora recieves an update. Introduces new Comedy genre to their streaming service.
• The LG Optimus Black will hit UK retailers by May 14th. [PocketLint]
• T-Mobile is offering the myTouch 4G for free now through 5/5/2011.
• Samsung silently dumbs down Wi-Fi-Only Tab Specs [Droid-Life]

 

smartphone share

Android, BlackBerry and iOS are tied in US smartphone share

Which smartphone operating system truly leads the US market. According to Nielsen, none of them. Says Don Kellogg, Nielsen's Telecom Practice Research and Insights senior manager, it's a "three-way tie" between Apple's iOS, Google Android and Research in Motion's BlackBerry OS. Oh, man, it is going to be a bad day for fanboy jockeying for position.

Nielsen strips back any potential contention about unit shipments and focuses on install base. By that measure, among US smartphone owners, 28 percent have devices with iOS and 27 percent each for Android and BlackBerry OS (data is from December 2010). But as the chart above shows, the long-term trend is revealing. Since February 2010, iOS has remained largely flat, with sine-wave like fluctuations between 26 percent and 29 percent install base share, that despite the June 2010 launch of iPhone 4. During the same time period, Android's install base steadily rose from 8 percent share. Meanwhile, BlackBerry OS has steadily declined -- from 39 percent share measured by install base.

The longer-term trend syncs with another Nielsen observed last month -- in December, 43 percent of recent smartphone purchasers bought an Android phone compared to 26 percent for iPhone. For some perspective on why Android is gaining now, please refer to my October 2009 post: "Apple cannot win the smartphone wars." However, BlackBerry nosed down after iPhone 4 launched, with percentage among new purchasers dropping from 35 percent in June 2010 to 20 percent in December.

Nielen also did some, ah, ethnic profiling of smartphone buyers. Thirty-one percent of all Americans owned a smartphone in December 2010. Asian Pacific/Islanders and Hispanics were most likely to own smartphones (45 percent for each). African-Americans: 33 percent. Whites were least likely to own smartphones: 27 percent. Among new purchasers, Asian Pacific/Islanders were the most likely to buy a smartphone (60 percent), followed by Hispanics (56 percent), African Americans (44 percent) and Whites (42 percent).

By measure of install base, iPhone leads among Asian Pacific/Islanders (36 percent). Hispanics: iPhone (29 percent) African Americans: BlackBerry (31 percent). Whites: iPhone (29 percent). But among Hispanics and Whites, BlackBerry closely follows (27 percent).

The demographic data is by far the most interesting and useful, particularly for cellular carriers planning their marketing programs. But Nielsen doesn't provide other demographic measures. Which ethnic group is more likely to have data or choose 4G over 3G?

But news of the day will be the three-way tie. Android is sure to nudge ahead of iPhone when Nielsen updates the data, thanks to the surge among new smartphone purchasers. But iPhone is coming to Verizon on February 10. This horse race isn't over yet.

gadget maniac | Nexus Android 2.2.2

gadget maniac | Nexus One gets tiny update to Android 2.2.2, fixes SMS routing issues

Not to be outdone by its Samsung successor, the Nexus One's getting a miniature over-the-air update as well, sending users on a mind-bending ride from Android 2.2.1 (version FRG83D) to the FRG83G build of Android 2.2.2. When they emerge thoroughly dazzled and confused on the other side, what will they find? We spoke to Google and it's just a few bug fixes, but one of them's rather important -- this update will go down in the annals of history as the one that doesn't inadvertently send humorous texts intended for your co-workers to your deathly serious boss. Oh, and if that sounds like something you'd like to have immediately, rather than waiting for a formal rollout, you can find the file you need at Google's servers right now.

Problem With Android Updates

Problem With Android Updates, Samsung Galaxy Phones Are Stuck in the Past

If you own a Samsung Galaxy Android device, there's a good chance you're expecting an update to the second-most-recent release of Android, version 2.2, aka Froyo. It has not arrived! A purported insider explains why. Short version: Money. Updated.

Update: Samsung's official response:

"Samsung does not charge carriers for updates to new versions of Android.

We are working to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available to all U.S. Galaxy S owners as soon as possible. Due to the complexity and unique functionality of each Galaxy S device, we are performing additional testing. Samsung feels it is important to make the Android 2.2/Froyo upgrade available only after we feel that we can give the millions of U.S. Galaxy S owners a simple and reliable upgrade experience."

As commenter The Samsung Secret tells it on XDA developers, there are a few kinds of updates for phones. Namely, critical, maintenance and feature updates. Phonemakers develop and release them, based on a contract they sign with a carrier. Critical updates, resolving a crazy bug are provided to carriers from phonemakers for free; maintenance updates, the routine ones, "have some maintenance fee associated with them"; and finally, according to their account, feature updates, which add new things, "are usually costly."

According to him (or her!), Samsung considers major Android updates to be a feature update, and "requires carriers to pay a per device update fee for each incremental Android update." (Unlike other major Android phonemakers, who this person says do not charge for Android updates. And indeed, we verified with a major Android phonemaker that they don't charge carriers for big Android releases, so this is not routine.) Anyway, according to this person, carriers don't want to pay for these updates. Or as they put it, "all U.S. carriers have decided to refuse to pay for the Android 2.2 update, in hopes that the devaluation of the Galaxy S line will cause Samsung to drop their fees and give the update to the carriers."

It's worth noting the definite facts at hand: Samsung's international Galaxy phones have been updated to 2.2—it's just the US ones that are stuck on 2.1. And Samsung been resoundingly opaque on when the updates are coming.

We've reached out to some carriers, along with Samsung, for some comment on the allegations, but haven't heard anything as of press time. If they have to something to add, we'll update. Whatever the case may be, one thing's certainly true: The update to Android 2.2 hasn't arrived for Samsung phones, even though it has for others, and some vocal portion of Galaxy owners are beginning to get antsy.

(Feel free to make your own comments about the irony of Samsung making the Nexus S, the only device running the latest, best version of Android.) [XDA developers via Lifehacker]

Send an email to matt buchanan, the author of this post, at matt@gizmodo.com.

LinkedIn App for Android Now Available for Download

Good news for Android users. The LinkedIn team has announced the release of a public beta version of LinkedIn app for Android. This app will bring the basic of your professional networking on your Android device. If you are using Android OS 2.1 or later then you will be able to download this app for your device. Simply you have to join the LinkedIn for Android group. When you install this beta version of LinkedIn app on your Android device you will be able to view updates from your professional network.

LinkedIn App for Android Features

• Allows you to keep in touch with your own connections on LinkedIn
• You can view updates from your professional network
• Respond to invitations those are sent from people in your professional life
• Search for people to discover things you have in common and establish new connections

This app allows you to keep in touch with your own connections on LinkedIn. You will be able to respond to the invitations those are sent from people in your professional life. Also this app allows you to search people to discover things you have in common and establish new connections. As LinkedIn app for Android is in beta version so we should expect more features in the full version.

LinkedIn app is not available in Android Market. So you have to visit http://m.linkedin.com/android from your Android phone for installation instructions and from there you will be able to get a link to the application. Click here to get more information about LinkedIn App for Android. Don’t forget to share your views in the comment section below and stay tuned with us for more updates.

New Android Market Makes Its Way To The UK

Looks like our friends overseas, the Great Brits, will be seeing some new Android Market love before December’s end as well. We’ve been seeing the new Market roll out here in the US on several devices already, such as the Nexus One and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Google seems to be wasting no time at all pushing the update out to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, UK residents will also have to endure the brutal decrease in the amount of time one can refund an application. Like us, they too will have 15 min to return an application instead of the previous 24 hrs.

From the Android Developers Website:

With a focus on improving discoverability and merchandising, we’ve introduced a new carousel on the home and category screens. Users can quickly flip through the carousel to view promoted applications and immediately go to the download page for the application they want. Developers have been very active in creating great Widgets and Live Wallpapers. To make it easier for users to find their favorites, we’re introducing two new categories for Widgets and Live Wallpapers. Applications that include Widgets and Wallpapers will be automatically added to those new categories. We’ll also be adding more categories for popular applications and games in the weeks ahead. In addition, the app details page now includes Related content, which makes it easier for users to quickly find apps of similar interest.

Have you received the update yet? Don’t forget to let us know what device you’re using in the comments!

BendDesk: This could be your future workspace

Do all touchscreen table tops have to be flat like the Microsoft Surface? This is what the folks at Media Computing Group have recently re-defined with their latest technology BendDesk. This is truly cutting-edge stuff. BendDesk is a multi-touch desk environment that seamlessly combines a vertical and a horizontal touch surface with a curve into one large interactive workspace. Before you start wondering whether this is just another never-to-see-day-of-light concept, we can tell you its not only just an idea anymore.

As you will see in the video below, the BendDesk workspace can be used to display any digital content like documents, photos, videos or even play games. The multitouch technology in the BendDesk allows users to interact with the entire surface of the desk using direct physical manipulation as it follows and recognises your multi-touch gestures. Check out the video demo below, might you picture yourself in something like this in the next ten years or so?

rencana google

Google plans to fix broken Android Market with upcoming update

The Android Market on Google’s Android operating system has been broken for some time. Today, Google said it will fix some of the longstanding problems with an update coming in the next couple of weeks.

In a blog post, Google executive Eric Chu said the update will apply to all Android phones running version 1.6 of the software or higher. That means it will go out to a majority of the devices on the market today. The changes will go a long way toward establishing the Android Market as a legitimate distribution vehicle. With that, developers should be able to build real businesses on Android.
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Developers have been asking for a lot of these changes for months. The Android Market is Google’s equivalent of the Apple iTunes App Store. While commerce remains stalled on the Android Market, the App Store has sold billions of apps in the past couple of years.

One of the problems was that Google allowed users to return apps a full 24 hours after purchasing them. That often meant that users would pay 99 cents for a game, play it, and then return it within the allotted time to get all of their money back. Now, Google will cut the return window down to 15 minutes. With that change, developers can be confident that when they make a sale on the Android Market, they can be reasonably certain that it will count as a sale.

Google has also done what every good platform owner should do: make it easier for users to discover cool titles and purchase them. In the past, promoted apps would appear at the top of a screen in the market and change every few seconds. Now they will be featured in a way that highlights them in a more attractive way. A single window pane will show the details about the app, and there will be a content-rating system where users can review apps. The highest-rated apps will presumably be visible on a ratings chart.

Apps can also be more easily targeted at phones with varying screen sizes. An app can be targeted for a 4-inch screen, for instance, or for phones with better graphics processing capabilities or larger memory sizes. Overall, the maximum size of an app will now be 50 megabytes instead of 25 megabytes. That will allow for richer applications.

The Android Market is also going to have separate categories for widgets and live wallpaper apps. there is still no web version of the Android Market. But the improvements go a long way toward improving e-commerce on Android. In China, for instance, some 20 carriers have created their own markets on their phones because the Android Market was so weak.

No exact date has been set for the rollout of the new market. If Google truly fixes the Android Market, Apple had better beware. The weakness of the Android Market was one of the major problems that was holding developers back from making money on Android. If Android becomes more attractive to developers, Apple runs the risk of losing some of its advantage with users because of its better content.

Panasonic’s New Handheld Gaming System

Now here's a surprise for you... A brand-spanking new handheld gaming system has been unveiled by none other than Panasonic of all people.

Named 'The Jungle', the difference with this new little wonder, is that it's been specifically designed for online gaming and especially MMO's in particular including a new MMO called Battlestar Galactica Online... All in glorious hi-def no less. Little else has been made known about The Jungle Portable as far as particular details are concerned, but what we 'think' we know at the moment is that it's said that the gaming system will run the Linux OS.

According to Engadget, the Jungle will also apparently sport a mini HDMI port, a micro USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack to boot along with what looks like dual touch-sensitive D-pads and shoulder buttons. This all seems to resemble the old Nintendo Game Boy Advance handheld form factor.

MacBook Air Gets Colorware Treatment

If you have a MacBook Air and a few hundred dollars to waste, then you can now give your MacBook Air the colorware treatment.

The company is now offering the MacBook Air in any colour combination you wish and allows you to choose what you want. The price? $1850 although it does include a 13 inch MacBook Air (2010 model).

Unlike some other offerings they have that allow you to send your gadget in for recolouring, the company currently only offers the $1850 plan which gets you a brand new MacBook Air in the process.

TOP HI-TECH GADGETS FOR GADGET LOVERS

There are many hi-tech gadgets available in the market today and people love using them because every product is the result of some innovative thinking. Some Hi-tech gadgets that have been released recently are like smart phones, digital microscope, USBs, Bluetooth watches etc. Most of the gadgets are electronics based, that are used in entertainment, games, or education purposes. Now let us see the latest gadgets like LBO Light Touch and BlueNext Bluetooth wireless headset.

The LBO Light Touch is the Pico projector which has infrared sensor which can project a touch sensitive display on any flat surface. This can give a simulation of a 10 inch touch screen with autofocus capability and multi touch support. Also this gadget is small in size just like a pocket camcorder and it is portable. This device comes with Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi connections with a storage capacity of 2GB and expandable storage up to 32GB using the micro SD memory cards. This device may be one of the hints for the futuristic technologies coming up for the mankind.

The BlueNext Company introduced its H&H-006 new kind of Bluetooth wireless headset that gives a high quality communication. H&H-006 device is classic and distinctive in design apart from other models designed by the same company. This device provides a long talk time of 13hours and standby time of 12 days and is compatible with almost all the PDAs and mobile phones. It also boasts the voice recognition technology activation on the mobile.

The features of this Bluetooth device are Bluetooth v2.0 with EDR, CSR BC4 chipset, rechargeable polymer battery. The operating range is 10 meters and supports both headset and hands free profile in mobiles. It weighs only 16grams and is charging time is 2.5 to 4 hours. Many new innovations and gadgets are coming up with the advancement of the technology.