android phones

Best Buy has announced that customers pre-ordering the Samsung Galaxy Note for AT&T beginning February 5th will receive a little something extra for their interest. Pre-ordering the Note at a Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile store or online earns future owners a flip cover case to protect that sizable 5.3-inch display. The case normally retails for $29.99. The Galaxy Note will retails for $299.99 when it launches February 19th.

[via Best Buy]

UPDATE: The Android Team’s Dan Morrill has posted an explanation for the removal of the Galaxy Nexus and other CDMA devices from the official developer support page. This has nothing to do with Google Wallet (we never thought it did) and everything to do with the way the Android code is compiled for CDMA devices. In short, if a dev were to simply compile the pure AOSP source code for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus the build would be lacking in full telephony functionality. Google still plans to support the devices directly via software updates.

A quick visit to the Android developer support page reveals some startling news. It appears as if Google is dropping the “developer device” tag of once-listed CDMA models. The Samsung Nexus S 4G, Verizon’s Motorola XOOM, and even the LTE Galaxy Nexus have disappeared from the site, leaving us with a note explaining exactly which versions of these devices will be supported moving forward. For the XOOM, only the “wingray” WiFi-only version of the slate gets developer designation. The GSM “crespo” version of the Nexus S also retains support. For the Galaxy Nexus, the GSM/HSPA+ “maguro” build is supported, but only if it originally shipped with the “yakju” build of Android 4.0.

We can speculate as to exactly why Google has decided against the inclusion of CDMA developer devices, but the fact that Sprint’s Nexus S 4G didn’t make the cut should silence those ready to blame Verizon and Google’s past disagreements about Google Wallet. In reality, Google is likely looking to simply streamline support and GSM tends to be the more global-ready network technology. CDMA devices function on a very limited portion of the globe’s cellular networks (despite Verizon and Sprint, two of the world’s largest carriers, both utilizing CDMA).

Does the removal of these devices from the developer support page mean they won’t be treated to the quick Android software version updates typically associated with the Nexus line? We get the feeling OS updates will still reach these devices just as quickly, if only due to their stock user interfaces. It’s hard to imagine Google neglecting any member of their Nexus family, lest they want to send mixed signals. And we’re not looking to have our hearts toyed with like that.

[via DroidLife]

Because apps are the answer to any woe, Yahoo is trying to turn people’s obsession with smartphone software into page views with the introduction of Android Market (and iOS) search results. An apps tab can now be found when using Yahoo to search the web. Users can view Yahoo’s suggested apps or poke around for whatever suits their taste. Results can be filtered by operating system, price, and category. Application pages provide reviews from the Android Market as well as Yahoo users, but do little more than act as a forwarding page to the Android Market. Was this even necessary? Save a step and search directly through Google.

[AndroidCentral via Engadget]

Motorola and Woot are warning that some refurbished XOOM tablets were not completely wiped of older user data before being sold through the daily deal website. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. Motorola is estimating that only about 100 out of 6,200 WiFi-only XOOM tablets sold between October and December of 2011 were not completely cleared of their previous owners data. The issues is obviously a concern for anyone who returned a XOOM tablet before that period, and while the chance of any particular previous owner’s data being present on a refurbished device is slim, Motorola is making an effort to make things right. Every customer that returned their XOOM between March and October is being offered a free two-year subscription to Experian’s ProtectMyID Alert to monitor any potential fraud that could arise from stolen personal data.

In addition, Woot and Motorola are asking that any purchaser of a refurbished XOOM return the device to Motorola to completely remove any data leftover from the tablet’s previous life. Motorola will, of course, cover all shipping costs.

Motorola can’t be happy about the slip up, but the company is doing all the right things to mitigate the negative impact of the news. With only a 1.6 percent chance that a returned tablet will still have older user data, the majority of potentially affected customers can rest easy. More details can be found at the link below.

[via Motorola | Thanks to all who sent this in!]

The US government is ready to start handing out Android smartphones to high-ranking officials and soldiers stationed throughout the world, according to new reports. We’ve heard plenty of chatter over the past year or so about the government’s interest in deploying devices running Google’s mobile OS for military use, and, the powers that be have signed off on our favorite green robot’s enlistment forms. The decision came after Google’s biggest mobile competitor, Apple, denied government officials access to iOS source code. Android became an obvious choice due to the platform’s openness and the ability for a third-party to alter the operating system’s code. This has allowed for the government to create their own custom version of Android that meets stringent security standards and allows for the transmittal of classified information.

Much work has been done testing specific applications and analyzing the sorts of data transmitted. Researchers found that many apps often ask for permissions excessive of what they actually need to function. Government-issued Android devices will allow users to see exactly what information is being sent and then decline the transmission of that data. The goal is to provide a strong layer of security while still allowing those with the devices to enjoy a casual game such as Angry Birds during down time.

The devices will be used to relay sensitive information and aid in communications between officials high on the political scale as well as soldiers in theaters of combat. Using the secure smartphones our men and women on the frontline will be able to communicate their position and better organize their military movements.

Oh, and the real kicker? One contractor working on the project has revealed that new Android OS updates will be pushed to government-grade devices in as little as two weeks. With a streamlined approval process, once software has been appropriately modified it will be fast-tracked to deployed smartphones. We’d like to see any carrier or manufacturer top that.

[via CNN | Thanks, Fort!]