T-Mobile and Tony Hawk have a positive relationship like not many carriers and celebrities do. The pro skateboarder turned media superstar has always been a good friend of Magenta’s, and they’ve never been afraid to give him special treatment. At one point, they even made a Tony Hawk special edition Sidekick. But do they love [...]]]>

T-Mobile and Tony Hawk have a positive relationship like not many carriers and celebrities do. The pro skateboarder turned media superstar has always been a good friend of Magenta’s, and they’ve never been afraid to give him special treatment. At one point, they even made a Tony Hawk special edition Sidekick. But do they love him enough to give him an unreleased phone like a T-Mobile branded Galaxy Nexus?

Mr. Hawk posted a picture on Twitter today (from Instagram no less) that features a close up of a Galaxy Nexus with the text “I love T-Mobile.” How do we know it’s a Galaxy Nexus? For one, it’s the stock Android 4.0 data usage menu from in the settings. And if you compare what’s being displayed in the picture to the same thing on a Nexus S, it’s obvious whatever Tony has sports a bigger display than the Nexus S.

As to why Tony Hawk is posting a picture of a Galaxy Nexus and talking about his love for T-Mobile, we don’t really know. The international Galaxy Nexus works just fine with T-Mobile. He could just be bragging about his data, or the tethering app you can just barely see at the bottom of the Nexus’ display. But he could be talking about a free T-Mobile Galaxy Nexus he was lucky enough to score before it went to retail.

Mind you this is all speculation at this point, but we’re an Android blog, and that’s what Android blogs do. So what do you think, did Tony Hawk just accidentally spoil T-Mobile’s secret plans to sell the Galaxy Nexus? We know quite a few of our readers out there would love that, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed. But not for a Tony Hawk branded Nexus. Please, anything but that.

Over the holidays Gameloft announced that all their games in the Android Market will be going on sale for $0.99 as part of a special New Years promotion. Starting Thursday Dec. 29th (10:00AM PST) until Thursday Jan. 5th (10:00AM PST) all paid titles on the Android Market will be reduced to $0.99. The only exception is the newly released Modern [...]]]>

Over the holidays Gameloft announced that all their games in the Android Market will be going on sale for $0.99 as part of a special New Years promotion. Starting Thursday Dec. 29th (10:00AM PST) until Thursday Jan. 5th (10:00AM PST) all paid titles on the Android Market will be reduced to $0.99. The only exception is the newly released Modern Combat 3 that will only be on sale for a single day.

Follow us to find out when you can grab ALL of our games, including Modern Combat 3, for $0.99 on the #Android Market!

— Gameloft (@gameloft) December 26, 2011

Games to be included in the sale include titles such as Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, 9mm, NFL Pro 2012, N.O.V.A. 2 HD, Order & Chaos Online, The Adventures of Tintin, and many more. In order to find out when Modern Combat 3 will go on sale, you will need to follow Gameloft on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Expect 2012 to be another blockbuster year for Gameloft. They have now fully embraced the official Android Market and support a wide range of devices. Check out the Gameloft video podcast below to see what they have in the pipe for the coming months. Dungeon Hunter III is expected to release in January and should be their next big launch.

When any high-profile smartphone finally hits the market you expect it to receive a few critical complaints and the Galaxy Nexus is no exception. Over the weekend several Verizon Wireless customers began to complain about signal strength issues on their new Galaxy Nexus. We haven’t experienced any 4G LTE problems with our Galaxy Nexus phones [...]]]>

When any high-profile smartphone finally hits the market you expect it to receive a few critical complaints and the Galaxy Nexus is no exception. Over the weekend several Verizon Wireless customers began to complain about signal strength issues on their new Galaxy Nexus. We haven’t experienced any 4G LTE problems with our Galaxy Nexus phones around Austin, but it appears a number of customers are having problems because Verizon Wireless responded to the claims.

Today on Twitter, the @VZWSupport account said that signal issues are “currently being investigated” and a software update is already in the works. No ETA was provided on the fix, but we all know how long it takes Verizon to test and approve a software update before sending it out over the air.

It appears the problem is happening most often on the edge of 4G LTE coverage areas where a device switches over to a 3G connection. Some users have reported a complete lack of data connection when this occurs and have to toggle airplane mode to establish a new connection.

We know from all the Galaxy Nexus launch stories people posted that many of you now own this device, so let us know if you have experienced any signal strength issues or any other problems in the comments below.

@doyleJack The signal strength issue is currently being investigated. We don’t have an ETA, but a software update is being developed. ^MS

— VZW Support (@VZWSupport) December 19, 2011

Just one day after Facebook updated their Android app, Twitter has decided to roll out a simplified design across all of their clients, including the Android app. The new Twitter for Android just went live on the Market only minutes ago, so go grab the update now.

Twitter’s latest update focuses around the [...]]]>

Just one day after Facebook updated their Android app, Twitter has decided to roll out a simplified design across all of their clients, including the Android app. The new Twitter for Android just went live on the Market only minutes ago, so go grab the update now.

The new Twitter buttons.

Twitter’s latest update focuses around the redesigned icons, which they hope will make the service easier to use. These new buttons include Home, Connect, Discover, Me, and Tweet. Head over to Twitter’s site for a full description of what each action does.

I’m downloading the app to my phone as I type, so I’ll have to give it a spin before posting my impressions. Go upgrade now and let us know what you think. While you are at it, make sure you are following @androidandme for all our latest updates.

BlackBerry has always been seriously lacking in app selection. More so than any other major platform out there. But there’s one app Berry users have been able to hold over Android and iOS users for years now. It’s called Socialscope, and it’s a networking powerhouse.

Socialscope is a one-stop shop for social networking. It features [...]]]>

BlackBerry has always been seriously lacking in app selection. More so than any other major platform out there. But there’s one app Berry users have been able to hold over Android and iOS users for years now. It’s called Socialscope, and it’s a networking powerhouse.

Socialscope is a one-stop shop for social networking. It features Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare integration for managing multiple networks within one app. There are similar apps available for Android right now, but Socialscope has a cult-like following. That could be due to the fact that it’s been in private alpha for years now, or because it’s a well designed app. Either way, both BlackBerry and Android users are scrambling to get their hands on a copy. There is, however, a new addition to the Android version of Socialscope that will have BlackBerry users asking what gives. Instagram support.

Instagram is a simple photo sharing app that’s currently only available for iOS. Users can take pictures, apply a faux-vintage filter and share online. Android users have long been pining for an Instagram client to call their own. An Instagram app for Android is supposedly in the works, but anyone who lands access to the early alpha of Socialscope for Android should be able to beat Instagram to the punch.

To sign up for the early alpha of Socialscope for Android, use the Google Docs-powered form here. Word of advice, don’t hold your breath. It’s probably going to be awhile.

Do you know what’s even better than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, a 720p HD display, NFC and a ton of other incredibly awesome features? A free Samsung Galaxy Nexus, rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, a 720p HD display, NFC and a ton of other incredibly awesome features.

Every now and then, [...]]]>

Do you know what’s even better than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, a 720p HD display, NFC and a ton of other incredibly awesome features? A free Samsung Galaxy Nexus, rocking Ice Cream Sandwich, a 720p HD display, NFC and a ton of other incredibly awesome features.

Every now and then, Google likes to take to Twitter on their @GoogleNexus account and give away free Google products like the Samsung Nexus S. Today, GoogleNexus came alive again with the promise of something in store for Twitter users who pay close attention to the account.

Stay tuned today to learn how you could win a tasty treat from #Android...Google NexusTwitter

With the arrival of the Galaxy Nexus just around the corner, it’s safe to say that’s what they’ll be giving away. However it probably won’t be easy. In the past, Google has sent out brain teasers and riddles that have to be answered to win a phone. You have to be on your toes and paying close attention as these things go quick. If riddles aren’t your thing, then there should still be something for you to take part in. Last year, there was a gingerbread house contest to win a Nexus S. This year? Well we’ll just have to wait and see.

Good luck out there!

Update:

Google has also announced the contest on Facebook and Google+, along with a list of rules (warning, PDF). The fun starts tomorrow, November 12th, at 9am Pacific time, and ends November 21st.

The Motorola Droid RAZR is about to hit the streets. One of the most exciting things about big Droid launches is the @DroidLanding giveaways, and things are starting to get cooked up.

After a temporary hiatus, the DroidLanding Twitter account has just been activated. This time around, the protagonist happens to be the [...]]]>

The Motorola Droid RAZR is about to hit the streets. One of the most exciting things about big Droid launches is the @DroidLanding giveaways, and things are starting to get cooked up.

After a temporary hiatus, the DroidLanding Twitter account has just been activated. This time around, the protagonist happens to be the Motorola Droid RAZR. Get ready for some scavenger hunting, because the action is about to start.

While the main prize(s) will probably be the Motorola Droid RAZR, more goodies should also be offered later on. Make sure you follow @DroidLanding on Twitter to stay up-to-date on the details. Who knows? You might be one of the lucky winners. Will you guys be trying to score a free device? What else could Verizon be giving away this time?

As part of our increasing focus on you, the loyal reader, we’re pleased to introduce a new weekly series called Topic Tuesday. Each Tuesday we’ll post a question for user-only discussion. In exchange for your opinions, we’ve increased the points for a comment upvote on these posts, so sharing something useful to the community [...]]]>

As part of our increasing focus on you, the loyal reader, we’re pleased to introduce a new weekly series called Topic Tuesday. Each Tuesday we’ll post a question for user-only discussion. In exchange for your opinions, we’ve increased the points for a comment upvote on these posts, so sharing something useful to the community will get you even more credit.

Today’s question: What is the best Twitter app for Android? I’m sure we’ve had this discussion before, but the last post I could find was from 2009, so I think we’re ready for a revisit.

In addition to user comments, we’ll make sure to get a few staffers to answer each Topic Tuesday, too. My favorite Twitter client has to be Tweetdeck. I’m in love with the column interface, especially the small yellow dots/lines that indicate when there are new tweets to be read. At a glance, I can see new tweets across multiple accounts, saved hashtags or other users. The compose tweet screen is also one of the best I’ve seen, making it insanely easy to add mentions, location, shortened links, etc. On top of all the Twitter stuff I like, Tweetdeck also supports Facebook and Foursquare, neither of which I use but mention here in case some of you guys do.

We asked staff author Dustin Earley which Twitter experience he preferred and he want the au natural route:

“When it comes to Twitter clients for my Nexus S, I have obsessively used them all. It may not be the best looking of the bunch, but two things keep me coming back to the official Twitter client for Android. I have yet to find another app that is quite as smooth or has better notifications. Every app seems to have at least some small form of stutter or lag except for the official Twitter app. The ‘pull to refresh’ animation is a great example. Other apps have tried to use it, but the animation for the action is never as fluid. Notifications in the official Twitter app are quick and have never had a negative impact on the battery life of my Nexus. With an older phone like this, every little bit towards the battery life counts.”

We also polled our editor Anthony Domanico, who reminded us that he also likes to check out The Twitters on a tablet:

“Though it’s not necessarily my first choice when it comes to phones (Tweetdeck wins it in that category), I religiously use Plume on my Honeycomb tablet. Simply put, the UI on Plume for Honeycomb is gorgeous, and the way Plume handles multiple accounts helps me manage my two personal and one AAM accounts with ease. Also, since this is one of the main projects for developer LevelUpStudio, updates and bugfixes come relatively frequently, especially when you participate in their beta program.”

So what about you?

Which Twitter client is your favorite? And why? With so many solid contenders to choose from, it’s sometimes hard to really decide why to use one app over another. The devil really is in the details (notifications or smoother animations, for example) and we want to know which app you’ve crowned king.

Every Friday on Twitter, users of the service send out tweets with the hashtag #FollowFriday attached to a list of people they think you should follow. So why is this information post-worthy today? Because Android finally has its very own official Twitter account.

That’s right, just yesterday, @Android popped up online as the official [...]]]>

Every Friday on Twitter, users of the service send out tweets with the hashtag #FollowFriday attached to a list of people they think you should follow. So why is this information post-worthy today? Because Android finally has its very own official Twitter account.

That’s right, just yesterday, @Android popped up online as the official Twitter account for the little green guy featuring “news, tips, and tricks direct from the Android team.” The account only has two tweets so far (a hello message and a link to the Ice Cream Sandwich statue video), but you can bet Google will be using it to make announcements, give away prizes, post information on updates and who knows what else. @Android has nearly 58,000 followers already, but we can do better than that, right?

And hey, while we’re on the subject of Follow Friday, why not show the Android and Me team some love as well?

Clark Wimberly: @clarklab
Angie Strickland: @angiedoes
Taylor Wimberly: @wimbet
Anthony Domanico: @adomanico01
Alberto Vildosola: @alfalcon
Nick Gray: @nickmgray
Sean Riley: @Technogasms
Edgar Cervantas: @epct414
Dylan Andersen: @dylandersen
Dustin Earley: @du57in
Chuck Falzone: @chuckfalzone
Jess Blanchard: @technicquill
Justin Shapcott: @nExSoftware
Joseph Carrington: @yayisgames

Do you have a Twitter account you’d like to get noticed? Looking for some Android fanatic friends perhaps? Feel free to share in the comments below.

Every now and then when Verizon releases the next big device in the Droid series, they decide to really build up the hype. I’m not talking about the normal advertising campaigns; I’m talking about DroidLanding. Verizon likes to utilize the DroidLanding Twitter account and DroidDoes website to really drag out a launch event. [...]]]>

Every now and then when Verizon releases the next big device in the Droid series, they decide to really build up the hype. I’m not talking about the normal advertising campaigns; I’m talking about DroidLanding. Verizon likes to utilize the DroidLanding Twitter account and DroidDoes website to really drag out a launch event. In doing so, they always end up giving away a ton of phones and gaining a lot of attention.

If you take a look at the DroidLanding Twitter stream today, you’ll see the next chapter in the DroidLanding saga is about to unfurl. And this time, the main attraction is the Droid Bionic. Verizon has handed out press kits to BGR, BoingBoing, Joystiq and Android Central that contain codes for unlocking special content on DroidDoes.com. Once all four codes have been “entered,” a video will be completely unlocked that details how the Droid Bionic launch will play out. So far, 52 percent of the video has been unlocked. Not much has been detailed in that 52 percent, but we do know people will be scrambling to play a game with 768 chances to win. We can only assume some of those “chances” are bound to be Droid Bionics.

If you want to get in on the action, head over to Twitter and follow the DroidLanding account. To check out the progress on the video unlocking, visit DroidDoes.com.

I know a lot of you have said you’re going to skip out on the Bionic and wait for the Nexus. But if you won one, would you use it?