CrowdGadgets 23 | Carriers, App Stores, Tips, and More
Download: CrowdGadgets Podcast Archive
CrowdGadgets covered a wide range of topics this week, including self-healing phone cases, Windows 8 tablet hardware requirements, wireless carrier expansions and policy changes, and much more. Plus, how profitable are Android and Windows Phone for their respective creators? We also highlighted a collection of Android tips and tricks from across the CrowdGather Gadget Network.
00:55 – Virgin Mobile and AT&T change data plans
04:48 – Verizon opens up LTE networks
05:24 – T-Mobile and Nokia Lumia 710 ads
06:03 – Vodafone ads star Nokia Lumia 800, Jedi Master Yoda
08:12 – Skype coming to Windows Phone
11:30 – Nissan iPhone cases can heal themselves
14:21 – iBooks EULA discussion
15:09 – Potential iPad buyers scammed into buying clay
16:44 – Deeper iBooks discussion
20:21 – Windows 8 tablet requirements
26:23 – ZTE’s licensing fees for Windows Phone 7
28:30 – Android is very profitable for Google
29:43 – Do we need more than one app store for Android?
32:35 – How to customize an Android device
32:55 – Use your Android to sign into Google on a public computer with Google Goggles
33:18 – Webkey lets you take control of your rooted Android phone from the browser
33:45 – OnLive Desktop preview
35:00 – 1.6 million new jobs are possible thanks to 4G technology
36:50 – Galaxy S II variants (Skyrocket HD, UK pink edition, and KDDI awesome edition)
Hosts: Calob Horton and William Devereux
Guest: Brendan Hugo
Podcast Editor: Calob Horton
Newsletter Editor: William Devereux
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CrowdGadgets is the official podcast of the CrowdGather Gadget Network, which includes Anythingbutiphone, Anythingbutipod, Good and EVO, Nothing But Tablets, Pocketables, StreakSmart, and Zune Boards. Read the latest news from the network below.
News from around the CrowdGather Gadget Network
Anythingbutiphone
Mobile operators stole the show last week, with AT&T’s changes to its data plans, Virgin Mobile’s claim that it will start throttling data plans on March 23, and Verizon’s continued 4G LTE expansion. Meanwhile, Nokia has continued to receive a lot of press. The company has kicked off its ad campaign in the US and the Lumia 800 was featured in a Telefonica ad alongside Yoda. Also, Samsung Galaxy S II variants are popping up everywhere.
Anythingbutipod
FiiO, a portable headphone amplifier and USB sound card manufacturer, has announced the E17 “Alpen.” The successor to 2010’s E7, the E17’s brushed metal finish houses a familiar two-color OLED display, parallel 3.5mm headphone outputs, both S/PDIF and line inputs, and FiiO’s proprietary 18-pin port for compatibility with the L7 dock and E9 desktop amp. The sound adjustments return, along with the long-awaited addition of pan/balance, a very important feature. The device will retail for $150.
Good and EVO
How profitable is Android for Google? Oracle, a company currently embroiled in a lawsuit against the search giant, claims that Google brings in about $14 per Android user per year in advertising. That equates to approximately $10 million per day. We also published a few tips and tricks for our readers, showing you how to use Webkey to remotely control your device and how to log into your Google account on public computer without entering your credentials.
Nothing But Tablets
This week Apple announced its new iBooks and iTunes U services, and we went hands-on. The HP TouchPad received an alpha version of CyanogenMod 9, a custom ROM that might end up with its own app store for rooted devices. This is one app store we wouldn’t mind having! If more casual Android customization is your thing, we have a great in-depth tutorial. Also, we finally got to play with OnLive Desktop on the iPad.
Pocketables
This week, we reviewed the Amazon Kindle Fire. At $200, we found it to be a great media consumption device. But if you’re interested in an Android tablet, look elsewhere. Amazon has this tablet so heavily skinned that it doesn’t even resemble an Android device. In other news, Windows 8’s hardware requirements for tablets were revealed and we took a look at how every mobile ecosystem locks down users with app purchases.
StreakSmart
The Dell Streak 5 is notorious for its relatively dismal battery life. There have been a few third-party alternatives, but they were either the same 1530mAh battery size or they were too big to fit inside the standard Streak 5 chassis and therefore required a custom backplate. Naturally, when we found a 2430mAh battery from Ecell, we were excited. Unfortunately, the company turned out to be scamming customers.
