Android 2.2.1 is out, breaks 1-click root

Google is pushing out Android 2.2.1, build number: frg83 to Nexus One users over the air, and while we love us some updates, you may want hold on before riding this wave. Users over at the xda-developers forum and around the web are revealing a couple issues with this one:

* “fixes” (ie: prevents) Universal Androot 1-click rooting
* prevents you from using unlock gesture for Exchange (must use numeric unlock)
* issues with Swype and Swiftkey not working properly
(FYI:  user Devastatin states this update was done on an unlocked Nexus One, running stock Android)

1.  Download the Android 2.2.1 firmware for the Nexus One >HERE<
2.  Rename the file update.zip and copy it to your microSD card via USB. [Note: make sure the file is named update.zip and not update.zip.zip.]
3.  Power down your Nexus One
4.  Hold down the “Volume Down” button as you power the phone back on.
5.  A screen should appear showing your phone’s system searching for various files. Scroll down to “recovery” and press the “Power” button.
6.  When you see the triangle with an exclamation point symbol, press the “Power” and “Volume Up” buttons at the same time.
7.  From the menu that appears, select “Apply sdcard:update.zip.”
8.  When the screen displays “Install from sdcard complete” select “reboot system now” and wait for the phone to power back up. (this will take a long time)

Lookout: an App Offering Online Safety, Phone Recovery and Backup for BlackBerry WinMo, Android an' Droid

Cloud-based smartphone security provider, Lookout, announced it has surpassed two million registered users for their security product.

In two months this summer, over a million users chose Lookout to protect their device, doubling the user base. Running in the background, Lookout scans for viruses, malware and security threats.

Lookout backs up contacts and photos, allowing the contacts to be uploaded to a new phone. Lookout also helps users find their phone by locating it on a map and causing the phone to emit an alarm. Unfortunately, if the phone is turned off, the find/alarm functions do not work. The "nuke" feature wipes data from the phone.

To date, Lookout has achieved these three milestones:

1. Found lost or stolen phones for users more than 700,000 times, with a phone found every 15 seconds over the past two months.
2. Backed-up over 130 million photos.
3. Backed-up over 625 million contacts, which if printed on business cards would wrap around the circumference of the earth 1.4 times.

The service and software and free. Lookout is available from Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile.
In the past two months, the threats to smartphone users have increased with new malware and spyware showing up across the major mobile platforms. A recent SMS Trojan made headlines as the first Android malware of its kind resulting in unwanted premium rate charges for its victims.

TapSnake is another example of a recently discovered mobile threat where a piece of spyware was disguised as a legitimate game which enables an attacker to track a victim's location without their knowledge. Lookout was able to immediately protect mobile devices against both of these threats, underscoring the importance of cloud-based security. Lookout leverages its worldwide cloud-based threat detection network to provide superior protection for mobile devices.

The App Genome Project, which Lookout introduced in July, allows Lookout to rapidly identify applications that carry the same characteristics of established dangerous applications, quickly isolate them, and protect users. To date, Lookout has analyzed over 300,000 apps from around the world with the number of applications being added to the system expanding more rapidly than ever.

As the smartphone market continues to experience explosive growth, the threats to smartphones follow. The worldwide smartphone market grew 50% last year, according to new data released by IDC - and Android shipments have now surpassed the iPhone, marking an important milestone for a platform leading the charge of the open mobile ecosystem. At the same time, apps consumed by smartphone users have increased to over 22 apps per phone creating new benefits for smartphone users but also introducing new risks.

Lookout Mobile Security is available for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile smartphones. To learn more or download Lookout visit www.mylookout.com

Android overtaking iPhone and BlackBerry

This week, research firm Gartner announced that by year's end Google's Android will rocket past both Apple's iOS and Research in Motion's Blackberry in popularity.

While the report that Google's smartphone OS will claim 17.7 per cent of worldwide sales by the end of 2010 -- an astounding leap from the 3.9 per cent it had at the same time last year -- has grabbed headlines, Android's speedy ascent should come as little surprise. Its multivendor business model brings iPhone-like capabilities to a variety of smartphone models and wireless carriers, allowing consumers myriad choices for their mobile experience.

In addition to its broader selection of devices and carriers, Android's open platform offers customizable features and a breadth of applications for each manufacturer, carrier, and user to tailor the OS to their individual needs. This versatility clearly makes it an attractive option for those who don't want to be locked into Apple's walled garden, particularly corporate customers seeking a platform they can readily tailor to their business environment
That versatility should help Android continue to make inroads in the business world. And though Android in its earliest incarnation had been commonly dismissed as an option for business professionals, Android 2.2 has made strides in its enterprise applications, bringing beefed up Exchange support and stronger security features, including the ability for IT administrators to remotely control passwords and wipe devices.

Despite these developments, Android still has a way to go before it's an ideal tool for every business. It still lacks a decent option to encrypt removable media cards, which will certainly blacklist if for businesses trafficking sensitive data. And in its present version, it can't yet match the administration features of the BlackBerry. Meanwhile, RIM's roll out of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express -- a free, slimmed-down version on its lauded mobile administration system squarely targeted at small businesses that allows them to deploy up to 75 BlackBerry devices without any additional software or user license fees--indicates that the BlackBerry won't easily be toppled from its perch as the go-to mobile device for businesses.
And, of course, the Android Market still lags far behind Apple's App Store in its selection of downloadable software.

Still, Android's popularity will undoubtedly continue to grow and a rumored 3.0 version to arrive later this year will likely bring more significant improvements. But it's going to need an even more sophisticated suite of enterprise tools if Android devices are going to be embraced as a corporate as well as consumer smartphone.

Android set to become No. 2 mobile software

Google Inc.'s Android software will become the world's second most popular operating system for cellphones this year, leapfrogging rival offerings from Microsoft Corp., Research In Motion and Apple Inc., according to a new report.

By 2014, Android will account for 29.6 per cent of all cellphone operating system sales, according to research firm Gartner, putting it in position to challenge Nokia Corp.' s Symbian software, which has reigned as the top mobile operating system for years.

Symbian will have a 30.2 per cent share of the global market in 2014, according to Gartner.

Chroma Burst Android Mobile Game v1.1 Download

Download
Chroma Burst Trial v1.1
A fun and addicting game in which you burst particles to create a chain reaction,
Chroma Burst was developed for Android by Gamaray Ltd.
Package name : com.gamaray.chroma.paid

Chroma Burst Android Mobile Game v1.1

Nielsen-Blackberry-Users-Download-An-Average-of-14-Applications

Nielsen recently conducted a survey of 4,000 mobile subscribers to determine how many apps they have on their device. Overall, users have an average of 27 apps installed on their phone, up from 22 in December 2009. The average number of apps downloaded per smartphone are as follows:

iPhone: 40
Android: 25
BlackBerry: 14

A BlackBerry really starts to lose some performance once you exceed around 20 apps and it’s no wonder the average is 14. Another interesting tidbit from the Nielsen study is that games and weather apps are the most popular across all devices, with navigation apps quickly gaining popularity. Social networking is also very popular with Facebook being a top-ranked app across all platforms. Twitter is only in the top 5 apps for BlackBerry and YouTube doesn’t make the top for either BlackBerry or iPhone.

T-Mobile Announces G2 with HSPA Support

T-Mobile, a preferred carrier by Google will try to perpetuate its G phone with the official announcement of the G2, 2 years after the launch of the G1. Many tech pundits refer the G2 as the Nexus Two with side-sliding QWERTY keyboard.

While others Android phone manufacturers put a coating on the OS Android called Sense, Smart Life, Blur, etc … The purists might like the fact that the G2 carrying just stock Android 2.2 UI, which benefits faster upgrade and less lengthy certification, tedious retrofitting custom UI,…

Along with Androis 2.2 goodness, VoiceAction, Falsh 10.1, Swype fast text input are all included out of the box. The G2 supports HSPA network that can go up to 14.4 Mbps for download speed, faster networking support comes as courtesy of the 800MHz Snapdragon MSM7230. In real life PCMag observed the speed of 5 Mbps with USB modems on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ system. The speed matches Sprint’s 4G WiMAX. T-Mobile says the new network reaches 100 million people in 55 cities, and it plans to cover 200 million people this year.

The new G phone features a 3.7” multi-touch-screen display with 800 x 480 resolution, optical trackpad, 5MP camera with LED flash and HD 720p video capturing, 4GB built-in memory and an included 8GB microSDHC card.

The smartphone will be available for pre-order sometime this month for possible launch on September 29. $200 with contract and $500 without. Check out at >http://g2.tmobile.com.