You may notice on here and on ZDNet that I try not to post too many rumors and news right away since so much of it today seems to come from fairly unreliable sources and I would rather wait and get the truth with some of my own personal perspective out there. This morning I woke up and started reading Twitter before I went for my run and saw Tweets all stating that Nokia was shutting down and killing Ovi Music Unlimited service. The problem with Twitter was that there was no context to this news or the rest of the message that stated they indeed stopped selling new subscriptions back on 31 December 2010 in order to make way for new services and that those with the service would still get full support.

I highly recommend you read the Nokia Conversations post for the full story that actually has me excited about the possibilities of these new services. The whole Ovi Music Unlimited service was never even applicable to the North American market so I don’t know why anyone in the North American market is even reporting on the news, except for the apparent need to find ways to slam Nokia whenever possible. Actually, when you do a Google search for the news I am very disappointed in the main stream media’s irresponsible reporting on products that are not even available in the US and very little, if any, mention that the reason is also tied to new upcoming services being rolled out.

As you can read in the story from Nokia, they stopped selling new subscriptions a couple of weeks ago and anyone who has a supported device or even someone who buys a device still out in stores will get uninterrupted access until their subscriptions finish, including the ability to keep their downloads forever as promised. This change is also not universal and Nokia will continue to offer 12-month subscriptions in China and India, while offering six-month subscriptions in Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.

Check out the video below to hear more about the changes.

For those of us in North America, remember that you can use your unlimited Zune Pass subscription, Mobbler, Soundtrckr, and soon Slacker Radio so there is really nothing to see here for those in North America while there is the possibility that something may come to us here from Nokia.

View full post on Nokia Experts

We just received an e-mail from Google that sums up the changes that have been happening in the Market over the past few weeks. The majority of information has been widely disseminated and discussed in gory length(15 minute refund window), but let’s just get it all out on a single page.

Hello,

We’re writing to inform you about some changes to Android Market that require your attention.

As we mentioned in an email sent last week, we’ve been updating Android Market with several new features that may affect your applications. That update is now complete and the features are now active:

* The purchase refund period is now 15 minutes, and the maximum size for .apk files is now 50MB.

* The details page for every app now displays the app’s "Promotional Graphic" assets at the top.

* Market is now capable of filtering based on screen sizes and densities. NOTE: Filtering based on GL texture compression formats is not active at this time, but will be available in early January 2011.

* Applications are now automatically added to new Live Wallpapers and Widgets categories, as appropriate.

We’ve also activated two new features on the Publisher site:

* The maximum size of the description field for an application is raised to 4000 characters.

* A minimum of two screen shots is now required for all applications. You can supply up to eight screenshots for each application.

Additionally, we’ve recently redesigned the categories on Android Market to better support users and developers. We’ve split some popular categories, renamed others, and added completely new categories. At this time, we recommend that you take a look at the categories and ensure that your applications are assigned to the best categories for them. For details, see the Android Market Help Center:

http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=113475

Finally, we wanted to bring to your attention that Android Market now offers a new form of payment for users on the AT&T network — Direct Carrier Billing. This payment option lets Android users on the AT&T network purchase applications more easily.

Thank you once again for your continued support of Android Market.

Regards,
The Android Market Team

[Image Thanks to Talk Android]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

A week ago we saw a tweet from @levelupstudio say that Twitter has asked them to change the name of Touiteur because it could be misconstrued as “Twitter”. It didn’t make much sense then, and it doesn’t make any now.

LevelUp decided it would be better to avoid conflict and comply with Twitter’s request. A tipster just pointed out that “Touiteur” has officially been changed to “Plume” in the Market. Aside from the name change, LevelUp says a series of bug fixes and performance enhancements have been added.

[Thanks, Mr. Anonymous-Tipster!]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

I’m sure that, by now, most of you have heard about the new Android Market, and all the changes it brings to the table. Changes like skimming down the window for a refund on an app from 24 hours to 15 minutes. Now, Google has started sending an email to developers, making the change official. It’s all pretty standard stuff beyond the refund window, but let’s not forget about AT&T customers now being able to bill apps to their phone bill.

Hit the break for the full email text, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

Read More…

Google makes 15 minute refunds, AT&T carrier billing, other Market changes official

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

The Android Developers Blog just posted an announcement that the Market has undergone a few, fairly remarkable, changes that will both please and probably tick off most of us.

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.

A new .apk file size limit has just been implemented, the new cap is 50MB this is to “better support richer games.” Also on tap is support for “device targeting” to best fit end users and their respective displays and densities. Which is a must have feature now that Android has a large window for variable screen sizes.

They also decided to reduce the refund window to a measly 15 minutes. Their justification for this was “most users who request a refund do so within minutes of purchase”. Yikes! No more buying now and waiting until later to try out your purchase.

All Phandroids running Android 1.6 or higher should see the update for the client within the next two weeks.

Update:
For those of you who want the new Market now, Android Police is hosting the .apk via multiupload. We suggest reading the post before diving in as there is some warnings about custom ROMs and the lack of testing, specifically those of you running CM.

This is one of those “we’re only sharing the information, not suggesting you go and install it without regard to the risks”.

[Android Developers Blog]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

The Android Developers Blog just posted an announcement that the Market has undergone a few, fairly remarkable, changes that will both please and probably tick off most of us.

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.

A new .apk file size limit has just been implemented, the new cap is 50MB this is to “better support richer games.” Also on tap is support for “device targeting” to best fit end users and their respective displays and densities. Which is a must have feature now that Android has a large window for variable screen sizes.

They also decided to reduce the refund window to a measly 15 minutes. Their justification for this was “most users who request a refund do so within minutes of purchase”. Yikes! No more buying now and waiting until later to try out your purchase.

All Phandroids running Android 1.6 or higher should see the update for the client within the next two weeks.

[Android Developers Blog]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

Some more details have emerged about the upcoming changes to the Android UI that are coming with 2.3 (Gingerbread). A lot of these changes are somewhat technical in nature, but an important one is the fact that Gingerbread is finally bringing true 32 bit imaging support to Android.

If you’re a developer or are just really into the hardcore technical aspects of Android, you may want to hit up this link for some more juicy details.

More details emerge about Gingerbread UI changes

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

A new update to the Google Maps app seems to have some interesting UI changes, and rumors are they are the types of styles we can expect to see in Gingerbread. The UI change comes by changing the API level from 8 (Froyo) to 9 (Gingerbread). If you take a look at the image above, you see Google Maps as we know it today on the left, and the supposed UI change on the right.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself that this is not exactly a mind blowing change, and you’d be correct in your thought process. However, keep in mind that we’re only jumping up by .1 in version number, and not all the way up to 3.0 as previously thought. In all honestly, though, I think I kind of like it the way it is now, but what do I know?

It’s also important to keep in mind that this is just one example of a change brought by 2.3, and that we won’t know the full extent of the jump from Froyo to Gingerbread until it is upon us. If this one example is any indication, however, I wouldn’t count on a great deal of changes to the UI in 2.3.

Gingerbread interface changes leaked through Google Maps update?

View full post on Android News, Rumours, and Updates

Amazon UK has updated their listing of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, with a new price of £599, with a listed release date of November 1st. While this may still be quite a lot for the 7″ tablet, it still isn’t as much  as it was. With it being from Amazon, hopefully the pricing and availability will be more accurate than some we’ve seen thrown out by the plethora of other third-party retailers.

What price would you like to see Samsung’s up-and-coming new tablet at? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

HTC, one of the biggest advocates for the Android platform, has made some modifications to their management blueprints. The new setup is meant to put the handset manufacturer in a better position for market advancement. Changes include:

• Former VP of Sales and Marketing for HTC America, has been moved up to President of both HTC America and Latin America.
• Jougi Kodera has been hired on as HTC’s Chief Product Officer.
• Ron Louks Has been moved up to HTC’s Chief Strategy Officer.
• David Chen has been moved up to HTC’s President for European, African and Middle Eastern divisions.

It is HTC’s hope that the new management layout will keep them ahead of the curve when it comes to the mobile market. Full press release is below.

HTC Strengthens Management Team in Preparation For Future Growth

TAOYUAN, Taiwan, July 29 /PRNewswire/ — HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today announced a series of executive promotions and newly created management positions focused on building a stronger foundation for future growth.

“As the smartphone industry expands at this lightning pace, it is essential for HTC to grow its management capabilities from within while also adding outside expertise,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “Today’s announcement is not just a signal of our current growth and progress, but of our vision for bringing unique smartphones to people all over the world.”

Ron Louks, Chief Strategy Officer

As HTC’s newly created chief strategy officer, Ron Louks will be responsible for driving new strategic initiatives, technology incubation and will work closely with HTC’s engineering and operation departments. Prior to joining HTC, Louks was the chief technology officer at Sony Ericsson.

Kouji Kodera, Chief Product Officer

As HTC’s newly created chief product officer, Kouji Kodera will be responsible for HTC’s global product portfolio planning and management. As a seasoned veteran of the mobile industry, Kodera has a strong track record of building device portfolio strategies. Prior to joining HTC, he worked for Sony Ericsson as its head of products.

David Chen, Chief Engineering Officer

Previously vice president of product development, David Chen has been promoted to chief engineering officer, David Chen will continue to drive HTC’s product development and engineering. As one of HTC’s first employees in 1997, Chen has played a key role in HTC’s success. Under his leadership HTC has successfully created many of the world’s first and most innovative smartphones.

With this announcement, Horace Luke, HTC’s chief innovation officer and John Wang, HTC’s chief marketing officer will work closely with Kodera and Chen to strengthen HTC’s overall product offerings around the world.

Jason Mackenzie, President, HTC North America and Latin America

Previously vice president of HTC North America, Jason Mackenzie has been promoted to president of HTC North America and Latin America. As president, Mackenzie will continue to drive HTC’s strategy and market growth in North America and Latin America where he has contributed to HTC’s strong performance. As one of HTC’s founding North American members in 2005, Mackenzie has led HTC’s strong growth in North America.

Florian Seiche, President, HTC Europe, Middle East and Africa

Previously vice president of HTC Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Florian Seiche has been promoted to president of HTC EMEA. As the founder of HTC’s EMEA operations in 2005, Seiche has grown HTC’s business and brand to be one of the top smartphone makers in EMEA.

HTC also announced that Jason Juang, a senior executive vice president at HTC, has left the company to pursue other opportunities.

About HTC

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

All trademarks mentioned in this document are trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on Android and the current Android mobile phones, check out our Android Guides

HTC changes management scheme

View full post on Google Android News Android Forums

Update: A kindly developer who remembers the details of the previous version of the agreement has corrected us on several points. See below.

As we reported on Saturday, Android developers have been notified of an updated version of  the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement. We based our report on a post on the Android Developers Blog that highlighted changes in a couple of sections of the agreement, and that implied carrier billing might become more widely available as a way of paying for apps. Soon after, we began hearing from developers that other sections of the agreement seem to have been changed as well. From what we can tell, several sections have changed in ways that will affect not only developers but also users.

The new agreement was provided to developers without changes highlighted, so we reached out to the folks who maintain the Android Developers Blog to try to sort out what exactly had changed. They did want to help, but weren’t up on the legal intricacies of the agreement, and passed our inquiry on to the legal and p.r. teams at Google, who, unfortunately, have not provided us with any information.

But after looking at the new agreement, we’re fairly sure that there are some other changes beyond those related to new billing methods:

• Section 3.4, Special Refund Requirements, states that no refunds will be available for apps that can be previewed before buying, such as ringtones or wallpapers, and that all other apps will be refundable for 48 hours after purchase. Several changes here. The current refund period is 24 hours, and applies to all apps. Additionally, there currently is no way to preview ringtones. This perhaps points to new functionality coming to the Market. Update: This section has always stated a 48 hour refund period, despite the actual 24 hour refund period. This is confirmed by the Android team’s Reto Meier. It’s unclear if the part about no refunds for previewable apps is new or not.
• Section 4.5, Non-Compete, states that apps with the primary purpose of distributing other apps outside of the Market are not allowed. This was mentioned in one of the emails we received as possibly new, but we’re not sure if it was there before or not. Update: This section has always been part of the agreement.
• Section 4.9, Product Ratings, discusses not only ratings of individual apps but also scores for developers that “will be determined at Google’s sole discretion,” using not only user ratings but also uninstall rates and refund rates. Again, we’re not sure this section changed, but ratings for developers are certainly not a feature of the current Market.
• Section 13, Indemnification, is the section discussed on the Android Developers Blog. “Authorized carriers” are now an indemnified carrier. Together with the post’s mention that the Android team is working on “new payment options,” we believe this means that carrier billing for apps, currently limited to T-Mobile U.S. customers, will be rolled out more widely.

The changes to refund policies, along with the implication that users will be able to preview ringtones, seem to be the biggest news here. Some that contacted us worried that a longer refund period would facilitate more piracy, but hopefully Google’s new licensing system for apps will help lay those concerns to rest. Update: It seems more likely than not that the only changes are to section 13, as was originally stated on the Android Developers Blog.

NOTE: (UPDATED) Sorting Out Changes to the Android Developer Agreement originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

You May Also Enjoy…

• July 28, 2010 — A Spammer Responds: “We Will Flood the Android Market” (33)
• July 24, 2010 — More Payment Options for the Android Market (32)
• July 10, 2010 — Android Market Will Hit 100,000 Apps This Month (60)

View full post on AndroidGuys

Image: Lego Buzz Lightyear by CC by Flickr user jamiejohndavies

And you thought you liked Toy Story 3!

The man, formerly called Steve Bolton, made the change to mark the opening of Toy Story 3 in the UK, according to The Sun.

He said: “I’m a massive fan of Toy Story. They are my favorite films, and I’ve always thought Buzz would be the ultimate action hero if he wasn’t a toy.

“It’s a great name, a great film and my girlfriend is going to love telling people she’s going out with Buzz Lightyear.

Yeah. We’re all sure you’re girlfriend is going to love it. And any future kids you have. You know, until they’re old enough to be embarrassed!

(via Digital Spy)

View full post on GeekDad

Fans and owners of the HTC EVO 4G have been obsessing rather strongly over some of the shortcomings their device has presented over the past couple of weeks since it’s launched. For starters, the screen’s tendency (on some units) to lift up from the rest of the body has been a huge concern of those who’ve been affected by it.

Other users are also unhappy with some problems regarding the device’s screen sensitivity which – according to HTC – can be fixed with a software update. As for the latter, that software update is being worked on right now and will begin rolling out soon. For those of you with hardware defects? HTC’s made some changes to their assembly that should rid the device of such problems, but the only way this’ll benefit you is if you exchange the device and are lucky enough to land one of the newer models.

[via Engadget]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

Jon Kolko On Design That Changes Human Behavior
A well-crafted product can make the world a better place.

Read more on Forbes

Not even a week after we reported the original story regarding GameLoft’s horrific DRM policy, they listened to the concerns of many of their potential customers and has taken significant action. For starters, they’ve completely reversed their stance on redownloading games that aren’t in the Android market.

We’d like to announce you that policy regarding Android HD+ games sold through our own store is currently changed to allow you to re-download a game that you paid for.

Unfortunately this change will take a bit of time but rest assured we will announce once it is live.

Thank you for your patience.

That’s a great first step, but they’ve not implemented the functionality just yet (we’re chalking it up to them having to figure out a technical solution to minimize piracy risks). The heat was on them and they showed that they’re willing to do what it takes to make sure their customers feel comfortable buying their games. Has this move restored your faith in GameLoft?

[Thanks, Dave Loft!]

View full post on Android Phone Fans

We’ve mentioned that Verizon and Sprint dropped Nexus One.  Now Google is directing people to other devices with those carriers. Just take a look at the screen cap above.  I guess Google’s new philosophy is one can’t go wrong if you go Android.

Source: Google

View full post on AndroidSPIN | Your No.1 source for Android news.

CIO.com’s Kristin Burnham offers up a list of five essential Facebook privacy settings you should review now and tweak accordingly to ensure your information remains safe.

View full post on Macworld

Apple has reversed its decision and is allowing the previously banned comic app by Pulitzer Prize-winning satirical cartoonist Mark Fiore in the App Store.

View full post on Macworld

Macworld’s made some design changes.

View full post on Macworld