Monthly Archives: April 2011

AirPush Sends Ads to Your Notification Pane (And Why I Think It’s Horrible)

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So I just got done watching this video from an ad agency called AirPush that will allow developers to target users in a much more effective way – right from the notification pane. I immediately wondered what type of response they’d get from users. I’m sure developers are intrigued, but what about the people they’ll be showing these ads to?

AirPush’s technology will allow developers to send advertisements to your notification pane even if you’re not using the app. That’s the first bad part. The second bad part is that these ads are in my freaking notification pane where I expect to see stuff that I actually care about.

And what if you have multiple apps from the same or different developers with this technology? Yep, you’d probably need to wade through a sea of notification ads (it already sounds horrible) before you can get to your real notifications. I imagine this sort of thing will become very popular with developers for a few different reasons.

Why developers will love this

For starters, like I mentioned above, these will be pushed to a user’s notification pane at any time – they don’t even need to be in the app to help make the developer money. This tactic seems quite intrusive and I don’t imagine participating developers will give users the option to disable them.

Tying into the point above, users will be more likely to click on an advertisement in their notification pane than one inside the application they’re using. Whether it be by accident (because you thought it was a real notification) or just because certain users will want to get rid of them without having to dismiss legitimate notifications from other applications they use, the click rate would probably be much higher than traditional practices.

Finally, these types of ads would not be subject to the various ad-blocking methods out there for rooted users. Unless developers find a way to block notifications from certain services from showing up, there is nothing they can do to stop it short of removing the application itself.

Resistance isn’t futile, it’s inevitable and it works

It’s not just me who thinks this is a bad idea. Developers and users alike have taken to reddit and other channels to express their distaste for AirPush. Folks are coming together to try and identify which apps use it and developers are looking to build an application that would keep AirPush from working. Take a look at two posts on reddit – here and here – if you’d like to learn more and if you want to put your own word in.

Users in the Android market feel the same way, too. The developer behind APNDroid was the first to implement AirPush and immediately felt the resistance from his users. They complained so much that the amount of reports dubbing the application as “malicious” forced Google to take it off the market temporarily. It has since been republished, but the developer said he has learned his lesson and will no longer implement AirPush.

Developers should keep their ads within their own apps

“Go and use another free application or buy the full app,” you shout. Sure, that’s an option. And believe me, I’m all for developers making money. (I have a large list of paid apps that I use regularly.) But what I’m not for is them shoving their revenue generating tactic down our throats even when we’re not inside their application.

For that reason alone, I’ll close by saying I hope AirPush doesn’t take off. There are some who might like it and some who think it might be better for users, but if APNdroid is anything to go by, no one wants this on Android. The notification system was made to bring the information you want and need to the forefront without having to jump into each and every application you own each time you need a quick update. Don’t abuse it, folks.

I’m only one man with one opinion, though. What about you guys? Will AirPush be a harmless commodity for developers to embrace or do you think this sort of advertising would destroy your Android experience? Let your opinion be known in the poll and comments section below. [Thank you to Manny for drawing our attention to this!]

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Samsung Droid Charge might be released this Tuesday (Updated)

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Verizon has been advertising their 4G LTE network to be the largest in the world, as well as the fastest in America, and the recent 4G LTE outage caused great disappointment among their customers. Aside from all the commotion, though, what really bugged some people was the fact that the Samsung Droid Charge was delayed. This device was supposed to be released along with the HTC Droid Incredible 2 and the Casio G’zOne Commando last Thursday, April 28, but Verizon’s second 4G LTE smartphone didn’t make it to the fantastic trio.

Our friends over at Android Central got a hold of some screenshots of a document from Costco, which seems to indicate that the device might be available for purchase this coming Tuesday, May 3rd. The Droid Charge shipments should start arriving this Monday (along with confirmation or revision of the launch date), and all locations should be stocked by the end of Wednesday.

Whether the Samsung Droid Charge will be released this Tuesday or not, we are not completely sure, but the date should be near, since preparations are clearly being already scheduled. If you have been interested in this device, stay tuned to see if it will make it to the shelves on Tuesday, and don’t forget to read Russel’s hands-on with the Droid Charge. As always, share your opinions and comments with us, and keep coming back for more information about the topic.

Update:

Android Central has also received an image of Costco’s inventory screen, further proving that the Droid Charge may be coming on May 5th. The image is now added to the slideshow below, so go ahead and check it out.

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Samsung Galaxy S II Root Achieved

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We figured it’d be quite easy to crack this thing considering Samsung has no interest in locking down their devices without need. The Samsung Galaxy S II has been rooted. The process is fairly simple for experienced rooters, but even folks new to the scene should be able to pull it off without a hitch. You can find the instructions at XDA if you’re interested. [via AndroidForums.com]

T-Mobile: We Downloaded a Crap Ton of Stuff While Verizon’s 4G Network Was Down

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T-Mobile wasn’t going to let this juicy opportunity slip away. In what has to be a very gutsy blow to the – well – gut, T-Mobile has tweeted Verizon to let them know that they were able to get stuff done on their 4G network while Verizon’s 4G network was down. Here’s the full tweet for your consideration:

And with that I leave you to talk amongst yourselves because I don’t think I can follow that statement with anything worthy enough of being said. [TmoNews]

On the verge of real Android fragmentation

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Of the many things that get said about Android in an derogatory tone, my least favorite is that of “fragmentation”. The biggest reason for my distaste of the subject is typically the extra junk that gets lumped in, causing even the most rational of conversations to tailspin into a fanboy fight. It’s a subject that is neither clearly defined, nor is there a platform right now that does not also suffer from fragmentation to some extent. The truth of the matter is that Android takes more heat regarding fragmentation due to the volume of handsets that are running the OS. So, my distaste of the subject typically leaves me unwilling to even talk about it, until now. Unfortunately, I see Android on the verge, and in some way already beyond the point, of having actual fragmentation issues.

I was quick to ignore it, but the signs are all around us. The first, and likely the most significant in the not-so-distant future, is app development. When NVIDIA dropped the Tegra 2 Processors, Android saw the advent of the Tegra Zone and Android Market apps with “THD” (Tegra High Definition) on the end. NVIDIA isn’t the only one playing this particular game, either. At this year’s Game Developer Conference, Qualcomm could be seen wooing game developers with the promise of a dual-core chipset with native 3D audio support to create a truly immersive mobile gaming experience. At Appnation this past week, Qualcomm made their Developers Kit, which includes a dev phone made entirely by Qualcomm, for sale to developers. There are already several really impressive looking games on their way to Android, but they will be specifically optimized for the Qualcomm chipset.

Let’s not forget the increasing chasm that exists between Android 2.3 and Android 3.0. This week alone I have installed 3 different apps that either could not run on 3.0, or displayed an error upon install that informed me my device was not supported. Backbreaker HD, which ran amazingly on my phone, isn’t optimized for Tegra 2, and as a result is not even playable. Earlier today, as excited as I was to finally see HBO Go for Android, I was unable to use the service on my Xoom, because my device wasn’t supported. Soon, we’ll see Netflix for Android, but it will only run on Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon hardware. The list goes on and on, and the end result is that one day EVERYONE will own a phone that can’t do SOMETHING in the Android world.

Every answer I can think of when it comes to a solution to this problem is the wrong one. Google can’t get involved in policing apps for functionality, lest we lose the “open” Market we’ve come to love so much. The hardware manufacturers will continue to give you a reason to buy one of THEIR phones, and just wait until the carriers get involved so that the random awesome game you want is only available on AT&T. Don’t get me wrong, some parts of this are going to be just amazingly awesome. The rich graphics, the amazing sound, the more powerful handsets are all going to rock, but what exactly is the cost of that much awesome?

Thunderbolt update ready, OTA rolling out soon

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Though the HTC Thunderbolt is a great device, we know that you may still have some grudges about Verizon’s 4G outage this week. If you need something to improve your mood, you will be happy to know that Verizon is ready to push out a software update for the HTC Thunderbolt.

This update was actually leaked through a rom last week, which led us to believe that this was coming soon, but with Verizon posting a pdf file on their website, things are now starting to look good. As you can see, the first improvement is “Enhanced data connectivity when accessing the Verizon 3G network,” which could have probably helped many users during the outage, but regardless, it is nice to hear that better days are coming. Aside from the 3G enhancement, the update includes better organization for text messages, and better access to some apps, as well as some other performance improvements.

Verizon’s PDF is posted below if you would like to check out the specific details on this update, and stay tuned for your next OTA, which should be here anytime. Don’t forget to share your comments and opinions below, and let us know when you start seeing your updates!

Android Overload: Samsung Goes Big Against Apple, Atrix 4G Laptop Dock on Dale, and More

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Looking back on this week in Android some pretty big stories stand out. Verizon launched two new Android devices and delayed another, the Samsung DROID Charge due to 4G LTE outages; the Atrix 4G and Inspire 4G finally received HSUPA support through new updates; and then there are the leftovers, which you can find below. TGIF!
  • Samsung goes on the offensive. Broadens their patent infringment claim against Apple. [Electronista]
  • LG has the worst timing. Launches Black the same day as the Galaxy S II.
  • The Motorola PRO is not headed to the UK, says retailer. [EuroDroid]
  • Telus’ Samsung Fascinate 4G will be out May 8th.
  • Telus is dropping the original Fascinate to $0 in anticipation. The Nexus S is also on sale for $99 on a three-year contract.
  • Some of those lucky enough to receive the Asus Eee Pad Transformer were surprised to find pre-release Android 2.2 software in place of the promised Android Honeycomb. [AC]
  • $90 via Amazon.
  • GameStop is looking to hire an Android developer to bring their Game Spawn streaming game application over. [Droid Gamers]
  • The Motorola Atrix 4G Laptop Dock will drop to $299 as of May 1st. [AC]

Android Overload: Samsung Goes Big Against Apple, Atrix 4G Laptop Dock on Dale, and More

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Looking back on this week in Android some pretty big stories stand out. Verizon launched two new Android devices and delayed another, the Samsung DROID Charge due to 4G LTE outages; the Atrix 4G and Inspire 4G finally received HSUPA support through new updates; and then there are the leftovers, which you can find below. TGIF!
  • Samsung goes on the offensive. Broadens their patent infringment claim against Apple. [Electronista]
  • LG has the worst timing. Launches Black the same day as the Galaxy S II.
  • The Motorola PRO is not headed to the UK, says retailer. [EuroDroid]
  • Telus’ Samsung Fascinate 4G will be out May 8th.
  • Telus is dropping the original Fascinate to $0 in anticipation. The Nexus S is also on sale for $99 on a three-year contract.
  • Some of those lucky enough to receive the Asus Eee Pad Transformer were surprised to find pre-release Android 2.2 software in place of the promised Android Honeycomb. [AC]
  • $90 via Amazon.
  • GameStop is looking to hire an Android developer to bring their Game Spawn streaming game application over. [Droid Gamers]
  • The Motorola Atrix 4G Laptop Dock will drop to $299 as of May 1st. [AC]

HTC Thunderbolt Receives Update With Enhanced 3G Connectivity and Messaging Fixes

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Remember that new HTC Thunderbolt software that leaked a little over a week ago? It’s prepped and ready for installation, as Verizon has updated their support page to reflect the latest tweaks and enhancements that will hit their first 4G LTE handset. The main fix here is enhanced 3G data connectivity, which should alleviate some of the 4G/3G switching problems some users have experienced. Messaging fixes correct incorrectly displayed SMS and MMS messages. As is usual, expect this one to roll out over the next couple of weeks, so don’t panic if it doesn’t hit your handset this weekend. See the full release notes at the source link below, and let us know in the comments when you receive your update.

[via Verizon]