Android Thoughts - Opinions, News, Advice & Reviews on Android Devices

"Android: The Dolphin browser for Android is already our pick for the best web browser for Android, but today it got much more useful. Dolphin users can now download Skitch and Evernote add-ons for their browser that make it easy to jump between the Dolphin browser and the Skitch and Evernote apps for Android."

Dolphin Browser continues to make the mobile browsing experience more useful by bringing popular Desktop plugins to the smaller screen. Dedicated Evernote users like myself will welcome the new plugins to live alongside such essentials as Xmarks and Lastpass!

"An Android developer by the name of Koushik Dutta is building an alternative Android app store which will house the apps that have been banned from Google’s official Android Market. These will include the custom ROMs (customized versions of the Android OS), classic gaming emulators pulled due to copyright complaints, unofficial tethering apps removed at the behest of mobile operators, Visual Voicemail apps, one-click rooting apps, and more."

Koushik Dutta, the developer known for creating ClockworkMod, is creating an app store for things like tethering apps, ROMs, emulators, and whatever else doesn't have a home on any other market. There is no launch date right now but if you check the source you'll see a screen shot of a page for a developer to upload, showing progress has been made.

One thing I love about Android is the app store options you have without having to jump through hoops other than check one box in your settings. It took AT&T a while to get a clue but other than that no carrier has had a problem with alternate app stores. It will be interesting to see how carriers respond once this new app store becomes a reality.

"I've been hanging on to the Asus Transformer Prime for the last month for a reason.

Even though the tablet launched a few weeks ago, the real news was that Asus was going to push out a major update to the new version of Google's Android called Ice Cream Sandwich."

Looks like a very good Android tablet has gotten better with Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) - better performance, better multitasking, and the hardware just feels faster. In fact, the author states that swiping between screens is now faster than on the iPad2. Improved browser performance is another advantage, and there is now a control panel "for controlling stuff." Unfortunately, quality tablet apps are still lacking, according to the author, and there appear to be bugs in the ICS update process, and with the tablet's GPS. Despite these improvements, again according to the author, the iPad2 still is ahead in the overall user experience, but this is the best Android tablet to date.

According to AT&T's official release, new smart phone customers will have a choice of three new monthly data plans—300MB for $20, $30 for 3GB, and $50 for 5GB, including the ability to share the wireless data connection with other devices.

Sure they're giving you another 1GB for $5 a month but most people don't use more than 1GB a month so the 2GB for $25 was a better option. If they offered a 1GB plan for $10 or even $15 a month that would be great and work for the vast majority of smartphone users. I'm sure that will never happen though. What are your thoughts? How much bandwidth do you use in a typical month?

"Download the latest release of Google Maps, and never carry a paper map again."

Google Maps has been updated with some nice battery life improvements, improvements to transit navigation, and more! A nice little CES-week gift I suppose, however what I'd really like to see are some heavy duty G+ updates!

"Today the company's pressing forward once again by introducing its Dragon Go! app for Google's mobile OS. The app focuses on verbal commands, giving you the ability to ask it to perform internet searches, make dinner reservations, buy movie tickets, play music on services like Pandora and Spotify and the list goes on."

Since Apple released iOS 5 with Siri people are really getting excited about voice commands and dictation. This looks like a very good voice command app to add to the mix of options that are available now for Android. Dragon Dictation has been around for years and I think was considered the best for a long time, it may still be. For that reason alone I'd like to give Dragon Go! a try and see how well it performs. I'm not convinced that voice control is super practical most of the time but it is fast and convenient sometimes. I especially like to use Android dictation for short messages and notes.

Do you use voice control or dictation on your Android device?

"Flustered with the original Transformer Prime you just purchased? We'd advise you to have a seat. ASUS just took the wraps off an all new Transformer Prime (the TF700T) here at CES, which is presumably designed to rival Acer's newly-announced Iconia Tab A700."

There are tons of new devices being announced at CES right now! How about a new ASUS Transformer Prime TF700T. It's a 10.1" quad-core tablet but with a 1.3GHz Tegra 3 CPU/GPU and a 1920x1200 Super IPS+ display!!! It also just weighs over a pound and will come with Ice Cream Sandwich! It will be compatible with the current tPrime keyboard/battery dock and is due to hit North America next quarter.

If you've been eyeing up the Kindle Fire you may want to consider the ASUS Eee Pad MeMO (ME171). It has a 7" 1280x800 IPS display and a 1.2GHz Qualcomm CPU/GPU along with 1GB of RAM and 16 or 32GB of built in storage. The Eee Pad MeMO will also ship with Ice Cream Sandwich.

Make sure you check the article for all the details on both of these tablets. Does either of these look like what you've been waiting for?

"Rooting an Android phone used to be an esoteric practice reserved only for the tech-savvy. Those days are long gone. With Android gaining more world-wide popularity, users of Android devices have also learned the tricks of the trade."

Looking to liberate an Android device? Then check out UnlockRoot - which promises to root dozens of different devices!

"Android 4.0 showcases the Holo theme family, further refined since its debut in Android 3.0. But as most developers know, a new system theme for some Android devices isn't a new or uncommon event."

You want the Android Market on your ICS powered phone, Mr. Carrier or Mr. OEM? Then you've gotta include Holo. It doesn't have to be the default, but it has to be an option, like it or not. A slight win for those against bloatware, although I'd prefer Google forcing a screen at initial config asking which skin you want, and telling you how to change it easily.

"ASUS has announced that due to the response they’ve had on the subject, they’ll be releasing a bootloader unlock tool for the device as well! Developers and hackers alike will be able to work with their NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core toting Transformer Prime on an intimate level, and will be able to do it with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as well, starting on January 12th, 2012!"

In case you missed it there was a public outcry due to the locked bootloader on the Transformer Prime over the weekend. Because of that ASUS said it will release a bootloader unlocking tool on January 12 and also start pushing out Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) to the Transformer Prime at the same time!!! This should make everyone happy! I'm impressed that they'll have ICS ready for the Transformer Prime so soon. Hopefully this will push other manufactures to get on the ball and release ICS for their devices sooner rather than later.