Android Phone

Steps for Setting up Internet Tethering on Android Mobiles

Now the concept of your touch screen tablet on your phone offered you much kind of advanced facilities. Tethering is suitable and stretches the capability of technology to make our everyday life easy. There have some impotent information about how to setup internet tethering on android mobiles. First look for the common tethering. Then tether the smart technology on android tablet in your cell phone. Tethering is used for mobile device. According to Wikipedia: it simply use like a mobile phone for supplying internet in other unconnected device.

This device use mobile phone like a modem. Using tethering is so beneficial for us. It allows your mobile phone to connect android tablet with internet. For this your mobile phone gets a 3G connation. Most recent invention of touch screen tablet is craze. This craze tethering gives you the ability of save money. It irritates all subscription of not paying of monthly internet for all devices. But tethering is the most costly use of smart phone. It is very useful in weak or non-existent connection. When you need the most reliable and fast online access then tethering android tablets for your smart phone is best. The use of tethering touch screen tablet is very important for business man.

You can find yourself normally by using the tethers in any situation. Who dislike the potential security system of public Wi-Fi can use the tethers. It is the ideal option and most advantage part of tethering. Tethering of your touch screen tablet is more secure. It always allows the complete privacy when you transfer confidential work in other file. All tethering software is available in market. It is easy in use. It has a wide speed of internet in case of heard arise. Tethering is absolutely the most powerful and advantage step for internet tablet and smart phone technology. If the total process is completed then you can easily use these internet facilities and apply anything that you want. Internet is found in your hand and play or shows all those things that fulfill your demand. So, by the use of android internet facilities you can do all important works.
Recommended Article, Know how to configure Android on PC

How to Steps For Mobile Internet Tethering with Android

What is often asked about phones that provide data plans is if you can use it to tether the Internet to your laptop and now Android provides a means to do so on the G1.

The steps below provided by a 28 year old in Boulder Colorado, Graham Stewart, and require some technical and programming experience:

Install the Android Proxy application on your android phone,
You might have to change your settings to permit apps that don’t come from the Google Market by going to your home screen and choosing MENU > Settings > Applications > Unknown Sources.

Turn USB debugging ON by going to the G1 home screen, press MENU > Settings > Applications > Development, then enable USB debugging.
If your laptop is using Windows or Linux installthe Android driverhere.
If using Linux or Mac download and install the current Android SDK here
If using Windows just get the ADB utility from here
Plug your phone into your computer
Choose Proxy App from your phone’s menu
Press the Start Proxy button on your phone
Move to the directory that has the adb utility, using inside the Sdk Tools folder and run
On Windows: adb forward tcp:8080 localabstract:Proxy
On Linux/Mac: ./adb forward tcp:8080 localabstract:Proxy
Now you should have a proxy server running on port 8080 of your own computer that will relay the information over the Android Debug Bridge to the Proxy App which will relay it on to the Internet.
Set your FireFox proxy : Options > Advanced > Network > Manual Proxy Configuration
HTTP Proxy: localhost
Port: 8080
Leave the others blank

THE SOURCES :-

http://andgeeks.com

http://www.androidxpert.com

Advantages and Disadvantages of Google’s Android Smart Phones

Google Android is open source software. In theory this means that the Google Android software platform will have a competitive advantage over other operating systems like Symbian, Microsoft mobile or Blackberry.

There are a host of advantages that Google’s Android will derive from being an open source software. Some of the advantages include:

1.    The ability for anyone to customize the Google Android platform will open up the applications playing field to small and new players who lack the financial muscle to negotiate with wireless carriers like AT&T and Orange. The consumer will benefit from having a wide range of mobile applications to choose from since the monopoly will be broken by Google Android.

2.    Although this will depend on the carrier, one will be able to customize a mobile phones using Google Android platform like never before, right down to the screen. Features like weather details, opening screen, live RSS feeds and even the icons on the opening screen will be able to be customized.

3.    In addition, as a result of many mobile phones carrying Google Android, companies will come up with such innovative products like the location– aware services that will provide users with any information they might be in need of. This information could include knowing the location of a nearby convenience store or filling station. In addition the entertainment functionalities will be taken a notch higher by Google Android being able to offer online real time multiplayer games.

However, Google Android is likely to experience some problems as well. These problems might include rejection of Google Android by carriers who charge a fee for some of the web based applications which Google Android will enable mobile phone holders to access free of charge.

Also, since Google Android is an open source platform driving all Android phones, it could significantly increase the risk of hacking these devices. If this happens, then locking mobiles as a security measure will be a mockery.

Advantages And Disadvantages of the Google Android Phone

Google Android is open source software. In theory this means that the Google Android software platform will have a competitive advantage over other operating systems like Symbian, Microsoft mobile or Blackberry.

There are a host of advantages that Google’s Android will derive from being an open source software. Some of the advantages include:

1. The ability for anyone to customize the Google Android platform will open up the applications playing field to small and new players who lack the financial muscle to negotiate with wireless carriers like AT&T and Orange. The consumer will benefit from having a wide range of mobile applications to choose from since the monopoly will be broken by Google Android.

2. Although this will depend on the carrier, one will be able to customize a mobile phones using Google Android platform like never before, right down to the screen. Features like weather details, opening screen, live RSS feeds and even the icons on the opening screen will be able to be customized.

3. In addition, as a result of many mobile phones carrying Google Android, companies will come up with such innovative products like the location– aware services that will provide users with any information they might be in need of. This information could include knowing the location of a nearby convenience store or filling station. In addition the entertainment functionalities will be taken a notch higher by Google Android being able to offer online real time multiplayer games.

However, Google Android is likely to experience some problems as well. These problems might include rejection of Google Android by carriers who charge a fee for some of the web based applications which Google Android will enable mobile phone holders to access free of charge.

ResourceS:-

• http://www.wapalize.co.uk
• http://www.pubarticles.com

How to use QR codes on Android phone

What you see below is called a QR code and it’s used for Android user as a quick way to get link to online content or if you want to install an Android app. In order to use QR codes you need to use your phone camera. This way you can save lot of your time typing lengthy URL addresses into your mobile browser.

QR Code Barcode Scanner

A QR Code is basically a two-dimensional code (specifically a matrix barcode) readable by camera phones and dedicated QR barcode readers. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

How to use your QR codes with your Android phone

You need to first install barcode reader app or bar code scanner from android market. Once installed, run barcode scanner app on your Android phone and point your camera at a QR code. It will automatically show you the download section in the Android Market. You can try by scanning the above QR code and see where it takes you in Android market.

* Line2 VoIP/SMS App available on android smartphones
Line2 is an Android app that uses VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) technology. With Line2 VoIP/SM…
* Future version of Android called Ice Cream Sandwich
As far as Android codenames go we have already had Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, and Gingerbread. H…
* ASUS launches 3 Android 3.0 Tablets at CES 2011
Earlier today, Asus unveiled 3 Android tablets and 1 Windows 7 tablet at the ongoing Consumer Electr…

The only QR code app rated “5.0 out of 5 stars” by PCWorld. Get the best!

QR Droid lets you use your camera to scan a QR code in a magazine and watch a video immediately! Or create a code from a Contact stored in your phone, let a friend scan it and get that info transfered! And much more…

QR Droid has been installed in more than 5 MILLION Android devices!★

WHAT IS A QR CODE?
It’s the ‘evolution’ of normal barcodes. They can hold more information and are more flexible. QR codes can be used to share Contact information, links, geo-locations and more.

HOW TO SCAN A QR CODE?

• Open QR Droid

• From “Scan” tab, select “From camera”

• Center QR code in your camera’s viewfinder

• Scanned information will be shown, without pressing anything

QR Droid has the best previewer. If scanned QR code had a link to a YouTube video, you’ll see video’s image, title and duration, immediately! If it has a geo-location, you’ll see a mini Google Map; and so on.

ABOUT PERMISSIONS

• INTERNET: QR Droid lets you decode from a QR code in Internet, given its URL

• ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: You can set QR Droid to show preview of webpages only while using WiFi, because that feature can use a lot of data

• WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: You can save generated QR code in your SD card

• CAMERA: To scan codes from camera

• FLASHLIGHT: QR Droid lets you turn your camera flashlight on to improve light conditions

• INSTALL_SHORTCUT: QR Droid lets you create shortcuts to your most-used features, to acces them with a single tap!

• READ_CONTACTS: QR Droid lists your contacts so you can select one and share their information, without typing anything! Without this permission, you’d need to write everything, every time. Absolutely no information leaves your device, only you can see your Contacts

• READ_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS: QR Droid lists your Browser’s Bookmarks, to share them without typing anything. Absolutely no information leaves your device, only you can see your Bookmarks

Note: If you don’t want to grant permissions READ_CONTACTS and READ_HISTORY_BOOKMARKS, please install “QR Droid Private” instead of “QR Droid”

IMPORTANT
• This is a free, ads-supported app. Ads can be removed with a small donation. In the app, press Menu > Remove Ads

• QR codes *MUST NOT* be used with confidential/secret information

• Uses ZXing library. Apache License 2.0

• “QR code” is a registered trademark of Denso Wave Incorporated

• QR Droid has been COMPLETELY updated after version 4.0. If you’ve updated and want to go back to previous version for any reason, just open QR Droid > Select tab “More…” > “Settings” > “QR Droid 3″

• If you are looking for “QR Droid 4 Beta”, it was deprecated and replaced with this app (QR Droid)

ResourceS:-

• http://cash-bandit.com
• https://market.android.com

Samsung Galaxy S Becomes the First DivX HD Certified Android Phone

Need another reason to push the limits of that awesome Super AMOLED display on the Samsung Galaxy S DivX has today announced that the Samsung Galaxy S is the first Android-powered handset to receive official certification from DivX for DivX HD media (second handset overall). Movies, TV shows, and other movies encoded in the DivX format (popular with leading content distributors) can be loaded up onto any Galaxy S smartphone and play beautifully in both standard and HD 720p (I should clarify that this doesn’t mean the video is being displayed in 720p, just that it has support to play it back).
How to Convert Divx to Android Phone?

Enjoy DivX on Android Phone

And it requires certification and licensing to get your device to run DivX but it also figures as one of many codecs commonly used for ripping discs into hard drives for transcoding in smaller files. Though Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica is the first Android to run DivX, but not all android phones carry the feature as it still require users to convert Divx to android phone supported video format. So, as far as i know the best way to enjoy DivX on android phone is to convert DivX to android phone compatible with video format with a professional Android Video Converter. such as H.264 video format specially optimized for android phone.

How To: Watch DivX, XVID, MKV, AVI Videos On Android Phone
At times it can get extremely annoying to convert your favorite videos into Android compatible formats.

Larger video files take more time to convert and hence one would prefer watching them on a PC or DVD rather than going in the trouble of making videos Android playable. The new  RockBasePlayer uis a wonderful app that lets you play following popular video formats:

AVI
MKV
XViD
DivX

And now the step by step guide on how to get this player on your phone:

As the RockBasePlayer is still not available in the market, so you will need to download the .apk file from here.
Once the file is downloaded, put the .apk file on your desktop.
Now download “Apps Installer” from the Market. You can search for the keywords “Apps Installer” and download the relevant result.
Now connect your phone to your computer and mount SD card. Copy and past the .apk file you placed earlier on your desktop in the SD card root.
Launch “Apps installer” on your phone and follow on-screen instructions to install the app.
And there you go! Now you can play all the above mentioned video formats on your Android device. To cross check if every thing went fine, copy any supported format video file to SD card and launch RockBasePlayer to play the file.

THE SOURCES :-

http://www.addictivetips.com

http://www.snowfoxsoft.com

http://phandroid.com

DONUT! Android 1.6 OTA Update Begins!

We heard grumblings last night that Android 1.6 aka Donut might start rolling out to customers but we were hesitant to believe the hype. Afterall, you folks DO remember how long those cupcakes took to bake, don’t you? Well now it is 100% OFFICIAL… T-Mobile has announced that they have begun rolling out Android 1.6 over the air to G1 and MyTouch customers:

donut16

You can tell its officially offiicial by checking out the T-Mobile Android Forum and you’ll see the above graphic plastered above the forums. And if that wasn’t enough, the administrator himself posted a more detailed announcement of the rollout:

The rollout of Android 1.6 (Donut) to T-Mobile’s G1 and myTouch 3G customers is now underway, and provides new features and software enhancements. The update also includes an important fix for isolated instances of system reboots after dialing 911. We have worked with Google and HTC on a solution, and the rollout of Android 1.6 is being accelerated to ensure the system reboot fix is rapidly delivered to our customers.

The over-the-air update will be delivered to all G1 and myTouch customers in the coming days. Given the system reboot fix, we strongly encourage all users to install Android 1.6 when prompted to do so.

Regarding new and enhanced features, Android 1.6 includes:

* An improved Android Market experience that makes it easier to discover great applications.
* An integrated camera, camcorder, and gallery interface.
* Updated Voice Search, with faster response and deeper integration with native applications, including the ability to dial contacts.
* Updated search experience that make it easier to search various sources, such as browser bookmarks & history, contacts, and the web, directly from the home screen.

HTC Hero takes Android to next level with Donut

After the world has recently gone gaga over the latest Cupcake upgrade to the Android operating system, the next iteration of the software, Donut, has been demoed already.

Shown off by hacker Haykuro, a member of the XDA Developers Forum, the latest upgrade comes from the HTC Hero handset, the (very likely) next phone in the Android line up from the Taiwanese firm.

It shows a vastly revamped music interface, which was something of a bugbear in the recent HTC Magic, and an easier way to navigate around multiple internet windows in an Apple-a-like Cover Flow line-up.

Auto-login

It also places a much larger onus on social networking right out of the box, at least according to the version shown on the G1 handset Haykuro has used to port the new OS, as there’s an option to have auto-login to Twitter, MySpace and Facebook in the menu system.

It also comes with more customisable options, such as setting lock-screen wallpaper and different ‘lifestyles’ to presumably re-arrange your widgets to suit different moods.

It all seems a lot more slick than Cupcake, as well as some nice graphical upgrades that can only entice more shiny-loving gadget fiends.

ResourceS:-

• http://phandroid.com
• http://www.techradar.com

How To Set Up ADB/USB Drivers for Android Devices

So most people won’t have to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) ever, but if you want to learn how or want to get a little more technical with your Android phone, here’s how to get it set up.
I. Setting Up The SDK

1. Download the Latest Android SDK from Google

Android SDK

2. Extract the Android SDK .Zip file to C:\AndroidSDK (this should name the new folder created AndroidSDK in the C directory.

3. On your phone, click Settings > Applications > Development and make sure USB Debugging is on.

4. Plug your phone into your computer via USB cable (it needs to be on). It should say installing drivers if using Windows.

!UPDATE 12.01.09 – If using Windows 7 skip steps 4 and 5 and use this procedure instead.

5. After it installs the drivers, goto the Start menu and type cmd into the search bar (Vista or higher) or click Run then type in cmd (XP) to open the command prompt.

6. Type the following into the command prompt window (hitting enter at the end of every line):

cd\
cd AndroidSDK\tools\
adb devices

UPDATE: If it says adb not found or something similar, download the ADB files and extract them into the Tools folder of the SDK (they were taken out by Google in the R08 version for some reason and need to be put back).

You should see a serial number pop up, it’s the serial number of your phone. This means you are all set.

If you do NOT see a serial number, then we need to reinstall the drivers.
II. IF DRIVERS JUST WON’T AUTOMATICALLY INSTALL, DO IT MANUALLY HERE (UPDATED 10/22/10)

1. A program called PDANet (used normally to allow you to wired tether your phone’s internet to your computer) can be used to install the ADB drivers for a lot of phones. Download it and follow it’s instructions to install it then go back to step 6 in Section I above and see if that gets you the serial number (if you do, you are all done). If not, then use one of the device specific programs below in step 2.

PDANet

2. Download your phone’s driver’s below then goto your Device Manager on your computer, look for the phone and click on it. Then click Properties > Update Driver > Browse > Let me pick > Computer > Have Disk > Browse > Then select the driver you downloaded below:

Universal Motorola Drivers (unzip the file once you download it, and run the program inside to install the drivers)(Updated 09.27.10)

Motorola Droid Drivers (unzip the file once you download it).

Motorola Milestone Drivers (follow the instructions on the page).

Motorola CLIQ Drivers (follow the instructions on the page).

Nexus One Drivers (unzip the file once you download it).

Samsung Behold 2 Drivers (unzip the file, run the setup.exe) (If you have Windows 64Bit, you CANNOT install the Behold Drivers. Find someone with a 32Bit system to to any Behold 2 procedures involving ADB).

Samsung Galaxy Drivers (unzip the file, do NOT run setup.exe. Instead follow step 1 in Section II and install manually.)
Samsung Galaxy Fastboot Drivers (unzip the file, then when you plug the phone in via fastboot mode, select to install drivers manually and choose the folder you just unzipped and it should install them from there).

Install Android USB drivers windows 7 64/32-bit

We are now happy doing some cool Android development and doing it on the MAC is amazingly simple, just connect the device to the USB port and enable USB debugging by doing the following on your device:

* Settings > Applications > Development > Enable USB Debugging

The problem, as with the majority of things, is windows #fail.  To get your Android phone to work on windows 7 so you can debug it and install apps is a pain in the buttocks.  Anyways, after much loosing time and hair, the easiest solution was to use PDANet.

So just download PDANet and follow the instructions, it really solves all the nasty issues in Windows 7 to get the pesky USB drivers to work and as an added bonus, you can use it to tether your phone!

ResourceS:-

• http://theunlockr.com
• http://luismajano.com

Kindle books on your phone including thousands of free books. No Kindle required

The Kindle app is optimized for Android devices giving users the ability to read Kindle books on a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. You’ll have access to over 900,000* books in the Kindle Store, including popular new releases and New York Times Best Sellers from $9.99. Read thousands of free ebooks and over 100 newspapers & magazines.

Amazon Whispersync automatically syncs your last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across devices (including Kindle), so you can pick up where you left off on another device.

Get the best reading experience available:

• Shop the Kindle Store for over 900,000* Kindle books, including New Releases and 110 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 610,000* of these books are $9.99 or less, including 73 New York Times Best Sellers.

• Buy, read, and sync over 100 Kindle newspapers and magazines, including The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Atlantic, and many more.

• Choose from thousands of free classics, such as Pride and Prejudice or The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

• Get free book samples – read the first chapter free before you decide to buy.

• Enjoy the benefit of Kindle optimized for Honeycomb tablets; A new library layout, an improved book, newspaper, and magazine reading experience, and dozens of other new enhancements to take advantage of the larger screens.

• Customize your reading experience by choosing the background color, font size, and either portrait or landscape format.

• Instant dictionary word lookup with 250,000 entries and definitions. Tap and hold a word to view the definition. Use the Google and Wikipedia links to get more information.

• Search inside the book to find a character, topic, or section you want to revisit.

• Simply tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages.

• Experience seamless integrated Kindle shopping tailored for Honeycomb tablets that gives you quick access to personalized recommendations, customer reviews, and more.

• You can also read your Kindle books on your Kindle, Kindle DX, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod and BlackBerry. Our Whispersync technology syncs your last page read, notes, bookmarks, and highlights across devices, so you can pick up where you left off.

* Selection and price of books in the Kindle Store may vary by country.

Kindle for Android Available Now!

If you’re a book reader who likes Android, today is your lucky day! Amazon has finally released the Kindle Reader for Android!

The app lets you read Kindle books purchased from Amazon.com, just like the iPhone app and the Kindle hardware itself do.

Just like you’d expect, Kindle for Android automatically synchronizes your last page read and annotations between devices, and you can adjust text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle, computer, or other Kindle-compatible device. It supports reading in both portrait and landscape mode. Additionally, you can shop for books in the Kindle Store right on your Android phone, buy it, and get it auto-delivered to your phone over the air.

The Kindle app requires Android 1.6 or higher, isn’t available in all countries (though the list of supported countries is impressive). Not all books are available in all countries either. But, if you’ve been waiting for Amazon to release the Kindle reader for your Android phone, today is your day: it’s available free in the Android Market, search “Kindle” or scan this barcode from your phone.

kindle chart

Android Books on Kindle

To get you started, if you’re into Android development or are a power-user, here are some Kindle books that might interest you:

- 101 Google Android Tips, Tricks and Tweaks
- Professional Android Application Development
- Android Wireless Application Development
- Beginning Android
- Sams Teach Yourself Android Application Development in 24 Hours

If you’re just into android in general, check out these Kindle books:

- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
- I, Robot

ResourceS:-

• https://market.android.com
• http://pocketnow.com

The Developer’s Guide

Welcome to the Android Dev Guide! The Dev Guide provides a practical introduction to developing applications for Android and documentation about major platform features. It explores the concepts behind Android, the framework for constructing an application, and the tools for developing, testing, and publishing software for the platform.

The Dev Guide holds most of the documentation for the Android platform, except for reference material on the framework API. For API specifications, go to the Reference.

As you can see in the panel on the left, the Dev Guide is divided into several sections:

Android Basics
An initial orientation to Android — what it is, what it offers, and how your application fits in.

Framework Topics
Discussions of particular parts of the Android framework and API. For an introduction to the framework, begin with Application Fundamentals. Then explore other topics — from designing a user interface and setting up resources to storing data and using permissions — as needed.

Android Market Topics
Documentation for topics that concern publishing and monetizing applications on Android Market, such as how to enforce licensing policies and implement in-app billing.

Developing
Directions for using Android’s development and debugging tools, and for testing the results.

Publishing
Instructions on how to prepare your application for deployment and how to publish it when it’s ready.

Best Practices
Recommendations on preferred techniques for writing applications that perform efficiently and work well for the user.

Web Applications
Documentation about how to create web applications that work seamlessly on Android-powered devices and create Android applications that embed web-based content.

Appendix
Reference information and specifications, as well as FAQs, a glossary of terms, and other information.

The first step in programming for Android is downloading the SDK (software development kit). For instructions and information, visit the SDK tab.

After you have the SDK, begin by looking through the Dev Guide. If you want to start by getting a quick look at some code, the Hello World tutorial walks you through a standard “Hello, World” application to introduce some basics of an Android application. The Application Fundamentals document is a good place to start learning the basics about the application framework.

For additional help, consider joining one or more of the Android discussion groups. Go to the Developer Forums page for more information.

To return to this page later, just click the “Dev Guide” tab while any Dev Guide page is loaded.

Android’s Open Accessory Development Kit lets anyone make Android accessories

Whenever we purchase a new smartphone or tablet there is always the added cost of buying essential accessories, like a hands-free kit or docking cradle. Even if you do put down cash for some extra functionality, chances are you are left wanting more or can’t afford everything you need.

Google has decided to fix that problem by opening up accessory creation to everyone on the Android platform during Google I/O. It has done this by releasing the Android Open Accessory Development Kit (ADK) which effectively allows anyone to tinker with some hardware and design their very own accessories for doing anything your heart desires.

Getting access to compatible hardware to do this is difficult, you may think. But Google wants this to be easy so it has allowed the interface to work with the widely available Arduino kits. That means easy access to cheap electronics with a wealth of open source tools and information to support budding developers.

The end result is a simple system of using your Android device for new functionality controlled by a piece of hardware you have made compatible using the ADK. That could be a homebrew method of adding a keyboard for a tablet, or a wireless system for controlling the temperature and lighting in your home. Want a wireless gamepad for Android gaming? You can now make the controller yourself.

ADK is completely open meaning you are free to design what you like. If we understand it correctly it means you could make a desirable new accessory and start selling it. Or, because it all relies of hardware anyone can purchase readily, designs can be shared online and everyone can make their own.

ResourceS:-

• http://developer.android.com
• http://www.geek.com

What Is an Android Phone?
Definition:

An Android phone is a smartphone running on Google’s open-source Android operating system. Many different manufacturers make Android phones, including HTC, Motorola, and Samsung. Dozens and dozens of different Android phones are now available, and all of the major cellular carriers in the U.S. offer Android phones.

Originally derived from the Linux desktop operating system, Android is a customizable platform that can look and feel very different on very different handsets. That means that an HTC Android phone will look and operate differently than an Android phone made by Samsung. It also means that an HTC Android phone from T-Mobile won’t be exactly like an HTC Android phone that runs on Sprint’s network.

Still, all Android phones do share some common features. All of them have touchscreens. Some also have hardware keyboards, but not all of them do. All come with a desktop that is made up of a certain number of screens (some Android phones have 3, others have 5, while still others have 7) that you can customize to your liking. You can populate screens with shortcuts to apps or widgets that display news headlines, search boxes, or more.

All Android phones also offer access to the Android Market, where you can download Android apps. As of this writing, more than 150,000 apps are available in the Android Market.

Android

Android – a definition of the term Android from the Know Your Mobile mobile phone glossary

Definition: Android is a smartphone operating system (OS) developed by Google. It is used by a variety of mobile phone manufacturers including Motorola, HTC and Sony Ericsson.

The first phone to run on the Android OS was the HTC Dream which was launched on 22 October 2008. Google’s own-brand Android phone, the HTC-made Nexus One, was launched in the US on 5 January 2010.

At present there are four main varieties of the Android OS available:

Android 1.5 (aka ‘Cupcake’)
Android 1.6 (aka ‘Donut’)
Android 2.0/2.1 (aka ‘Eclair’)
Android 2.2 (aka FroYo)

Each version features slightly different functionality and user interface, and recently-launched software may or may not work on older versions of the OS.

Android is an open-source operating system which means that any manufacturer can use it in their phones free of charge.

THE SOURCES :-

http://www.knowyourmobile.com

http://cellphones.about.com

Perfect Keyboard is a customizable keyboard for your Android phone

If you have used an Android device for long, then you have come to realize that the built-in keyboard is not always the best option. Some of the typical complaints about the standard Android keyboard include the small key sizing, poor key spacing, and the lack of skins.

If you have been looking for a fully customizable keyboard option, then your stubby fingered prayers have been answered. Perfect Keyboard is different from a vast number of other keyboards in the Android Market in a number of key ways, most of them revolving around the keys themselves.

What Perfect Keyboard really does for you is gives you control over the size and spacing of your keyboard keys. So if you find yourself hitting letters you didn’t mean to while you are tapping out those text messages, then look no further. Simply go into the settings for Perfect Keyboard by going into Settings -> Language & Keyboard -> Perfect Keyboard -> Appearance.

Perfect Keyboard also has a host of other features that have come to be expected from alternative keyboards. It has its own set of long press shortcuts, auto correction, and speech to text. It also sports custom vibration and sounds, auto-text, and deep theme customization options.

Motorola Droid 3 review: iPhone snob likes keyboard, not Android flakiness
The original Motorola Droid put Android on the map in 2009 as the smartphone’s features and Verizon’s marketing blitz gave the iPhone a run for its money.

Last year’s Droid 2 made significant improvements to the slideout keyboard. Now the Droid 3 has arrived during a time when a new Android phone arrives on the market seemingly every week.

Hardware
While the first Droid felt big with a 3.7-inch screen, the Droid 3 offers a larger 4-inch screen. The slideout keyboard also adds some thickness to the phone. But as someone who carries a massive Droid X everyday, the Droid 3 doesn’t feel huge compared to most Android offerings.

While I’m a fan of onscreen keyboards, the Droid 3′s physical keyboard is a pleasure to use. A bonus with this year’s model is dedicated row of keys for numbers. It is satisfying to be able to type a message or email address without having to hit the “Alt” button and hunting for an odd character. While usually I hesitate to use a smartphone to write a lengthy response to an email, the Droid 3 keyboard makes it doable.

THE SOURCES :-

http://www.mlive.com

http://androinica.com