Motorola: eFuse does prevent unofficial ROMs but won’t brick your phone
Motorola has denied the eFuse technology used in its Android smartphones will leave customers handsets “bricked” if they attempt to install unofficial ROMs, though the company concedes that the system will indeed be non-functional with anything other than Motorola firmware. ”If a device attempts to boot with unapproved software” Motorola explains, “it will go into recovery mode, and can re-boot once approved software is re-installed.” “Motorola’s primary focus is the security of our end users and protection of their data, while also meeting carrier, partner and legal requirements. The Droid X and a majority of Android consumer devices on the market today have a secured bootloader. In reference specifically to eFuse, the technology is not loaded with the purpose of preventing a consumer device from functioning, but rather ensuring for the user that the device only runs on updated and tested versions of software. If a device attempts to boot with unapproved software, it will go into recovery mode, and can re-boot once approved software is re-installed. Checking for a valid software configuration is a common practice within the industry to protect the user against potential malicious software threats. Motorola has been a long time advocate of open platforms and provides a number of resources to developers to foster the ecosystem including tools and access to devices via MOTODEV at http://developer.motorola.com.” It seems the real difference between the rumors earlier in the week and the truth about eFuse – which is found in the DROID X, DROID 2 and other Motorola Android devices – is that users themselves will be able to “restore” their handsets rather than needing to send them off to Motorola to be reflashed. That’s certainly the implication from the official statement. However, the end result is the same: if you want an Android device that’s open to the various third-party ROMs available, Motorola probably shouldn’t be your first port of call. ) View full post on Android Community
Droid Incredible OTA Upgrade Finding Its Way to Handsets
A couple of days ago, there were rumors about an OTA update for the Droid Incredible, which would arrive on July 16th. There were plenty of people out there saying it was just a rumor and nothing more, but it looks like the naysayers have been silenced: the update is real.
Droid-Life is reporting that they did receive the update last night, and that it includes all of the goodies everyone was looking forward to. That includes a new boot animation, the 3G mobile hotspot feature (which you’ll need to pay an extra $20 per month, for 2GB), and 720p HD video recording. Today is a big day for Droid Incredible users. Although, it’s not Froyo, but this is better than nothing. Let us know in the comments if you’ve received yours, and what you think of it.
[via Phandroid]
) View full post on Android Community
Nexus One Now Faces its Last Shipment
Earlier in the year, Google announced that their online phone store, the Phone Store, was going to go away. And, while everyone probably assumed that that was going to happen from day one, it was still a sad day. Especially considering the Nexus One is still nowhere to be found in retail stores (at least, not in the States). And, while that’s still being spoken about in regards to its changing status, right now it’s not fixed. But, that’s not stopping the changing times. Because, well, they-are-a-changin’.
According to Google themselves, Nexus One Customer Support is still going to be around (guess it’s not that dead-end of a job, after all). And, additionally, there’s still going to be Nexus Ones sold through wireless carriers around the world, like KT in Korea and Vodafone in Europe. That’s still planned to be widened, but nothing is concrete at the moment.
Oh, and for all you developers out there, this is straight from Google:
Onhand X-Band for iPad – Accessory Review
Have you ever tried to show your iPad to someone for an extended period of time, while using it? If not, give it a shot, you will notice that in most situations, showing your iPad around can be a real pain – unless you are some kind of contortionist. As you can imagine, folks at PadGadget end up demonstrating their iPads and apps, and most of us dropped their iPads multiple times while doing it.
A company called TKO Solutions quickly realized there was a need for a way to help iPad users to safely and easily hold their iPads in the air with one hand, while using it with the other, especially for demo purposes. Their solution? The Onhand X-Band.
Consisting of four leather corner loops, connected to a neoprene and nylon “X” strap, the X-Band allows the users to get a much better grip on their iPads. The assembly is pretty sturdy, and TKO Solutions definitely paid attention to details, as the leather corners are fastened with heavy-duty stitching and rivets, and are covered to avoid scratching the back of your iPad. Also note that the X-Band comes in 2 flavors, black or blue.
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Use Your iPad As a Second Monitor With MaxiVista
Ever wish you had an extra display for your Windows PC? Don’t worry, there is an app for that. MaxiVista turns your iPad into a second monitor for your Windows PC. The app increases your desktop real estate allowing you to move your Windows programs from your PC to your iPad screen as if it was one large monitor. With your desktop space you’re able to display a word processing software, media player and Instant Messenger all at the same time. Or you can also get simultaneous visual access to your collection of Photoshop toolbars. Or you could free up your main monitor and move your utility apps, like Skype, Outlook, Calculator to your iPad screen. To use MaxiVista with your iPad there is no extra hardware required. MaxiVista uses an existing WiFi network connection to transmit the screen contents to the Windows PC. The application can be downloaded from the App Store for $9.99 . Features Summary MaxiVista works with every standard PC running 32/64 Bit Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 including WDDM drivers. Automatic update of the display orientation by simply turning the iPad. Works in existing multi monitor configurations. The 32 and 64 Bit virtual video drivers are certified for Windows. Automatic network parameter detection. The iPad’s IP address can, optionally, be configured manually. There are some limitations with MaxiVista. The app is not designed for full-screen video playback on the iPad. The Aero display mode is temporarily disabled while MaxiVista is activated. Aero is automatically turned back on after MaxiVista is deactivated. Hardware graphics acceleration such as DirectX or OpenGL, which may be used by Java or WPF applications, is not supported. The following video shows you the application in action. Tags : dual monitor , iPad HD , iPad screen , MaxiVista , Vista , Windows , Windows 7 , XP Category : iPad News , iPad for Geeks , iPad for Students , iPad for Work Powered by WizardRSS | Full Text RSS Feeds
DROID X Commercial Gets the Marketing Stage Under Way
Looks like you don’t have to wait for that marketing material for the DROID X. Verizon’s got their hands on one of the greatest Android phones out there, so it shouldn’t be that big of a surprise to see a commercial of this magnitude showcasing the new king of the throne. The storyline for the commercial is quite interesting. Basically, a group of astronauts/scientists are going underground and there they stumble upon the DROID X. The most interesting part is when a man sticks his hand out towards an object, and it turns his hand into a robot hand. And then the X appears in the palm of his hand. The music is something that you would heard from those movies like Aliens or Star Wars, and that’s not a bad thing at all. What do you think of it? Better than the original marketing for the first DROID? Click here to view the embedded video. [ via AndroidGuys] ) View full post on Android Community
Samsung Vibrant for T-Mobile Unboxed and Compared to AT&T’s Captivate
Android Police have unboxed the Samsung Vibrant, and they’ve even managed to compare it to the Samsung Captivate. Another device in the Galaxy S lineage, launching on AT&T. As we are all already aware, there are many similarities between both devices. They both have a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, and mostly the same specifications. But, in the end, the Vibrant seems more complete and solid than the Captivate, according to the folks behind the unboxing. After all of the similarities, let’s move onto the differences. First off, the packaging. The Vibrant has more variation in their design, while the Captivate is pretty generic. The Vibrant also ships with a microSD, but the Captivate does not. The Vibrant comes with pre-loaded with a few applications (The Sims 3, Amazon’s Kindle software, and Slacker radio) and a complete copy of James Cameron’s AVATAR movie. What’s very odd, though, is the fact that AP points out there are odd, and somewhat random software tweaks and differences between the handsets. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Vibrant allows third party application installs. But, the Captivate does not . So it looks like AT&T’s not backing down on that subject at all. There also different in the physical build quality. The Captivate is more plastic-y while the Vibrant is more solid. Also, the Vibrant battery cover is smooth and glossy plastic, but the Captivate’s is a matte battery cover that feels like a fake metallic. The Vibrant is a little bit lighter than the Captivate as well. The front design of the Vibrant looks similar to the first generation, while in our opinion the Captivate looks like a BlackBerry Storm 2 at first glance. So, if you’ve got a choice, which one are you going for? The Vibrant or Captivate? [ via AndroidPolice] ) View full post on Android Community
7′ Animated Black Widow to scare the jeebus out of folks
Halloween is still a long time away, but that doesn’t mean you cannot make early preparations for said festival, right? Hammacher has a bunch of Halloween-themed stuff for you to part your money with, but the 7′ Animated Black Widow is one of the more interesting ones, being an inflatable arachnid that is capable of turning its head automatically in a deliberate, calculating manner as though it was stalking its prey. As any self-respecting arachnid ought to be, the spider comes with eight legs in total accompanied by menacing fangs and a bulging abdomen which ought to make some kids pee in their pants when they go trick-or-treating at your doorstep. Made from durable tear-resistant nylon, the spider won’t go anywhere thanks to a quartet of stakes and tethers. This $79.95 arachnid needs to be plugged into a power outlet to keep it going, and is immune to pesticides and other insecticides.
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