Android Advice & Tutorials
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PRESS RELEASE

Android has quickly become the most used mobile operating system for not only phones but tablets as well. With Android users increasing rapidly, online resources for these devices are also increasing. When looking for information on a new phone that your interested in or trying to find a way to modify the one you already have, consider the following:

Information on New Android Devices
There are over 500,000 Android Devices activated every day and only a few great resources on the devices available outside of the biased reviews from carriers and manufacturers. When looking for the perfect Android phone for your needs (and wants) its important to look at an unbiased review.

Rooting your Android Device
Once you have the new device that you feel is the latest and greatest (after looking around for days i’m sure) its time to unlock all of the features your new device is capable of. Rooting your phone while slightly dangerous (depending on the method) is worth every worry along the way. Some of the reasons you will want to root would be installing custom ROM’s like CyanogenMod or Tethering without paying a carrier for the plan using an app like Barnacle and for some users (AT&T users i’m talking to you) its as simple as being able to install apps from sources other than the Google Android Market.

Currently while we have only been around a few months now we have all kinds of instructions on rooting and modifying your Android Devices. This site does not stray from Android Devices much but also includes news and information on Android Carriers and Device Manufacturers.

Sony now offers their cloud music service on the Android Market.  While many others have been promising these cloud music services Sony has delivered and made it available now.  Below is the official press release on Sony’s new “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™” App.

“Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™” App Now Available on Android Market

Listen to over seven million songs at anytime and anywhere

TOKYO, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Corporation (“Sony”) announces the immediate availability of the “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™” App on Android Market in the U.S., France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand(i).

http://m.qriocity.com

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110615/AQ20272)
The cloud-based, digital music service gives music lovers streaming access at anytime and anywhere(ii) to an ever expanding catalogue of currently over seven million licensed songs from major labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music as well as leading independent labels and major publishers worldwide.
Users can now enjoy the service on Sony Ericsson’s Android-based mobile devices including Xperia™ arc, Xperia™ PLAY, Xperia™X10, Xperia™X8 and Xperia™ neo as well as Android-based third party devices(iii). Users can also continue to access the service on a wide variety of internet-connected Sony devices including 2010 and 2011 models of network-enabled BRAVIA® HDTVs, Blu-ray Disc™ players and Blu-ray Disc Home Theater systems as well as the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) and personal computers including VAIO®(iv) personal computers.
“‘Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity’ offers extensive breadth of content, easy music discovery and personalization through a synchronized music experience across a variety of compatible home entertainment and portable devices,” said Kazuo Hirai, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation. “‘Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity’ for Android is the next evolution of the service which enhances the value proposition for our customers.”
Powering the back-end of the service are Omnifone and Gracenote. Omnifone provided its award-winning platform services to develop and deliver the service across a range of device platforms as well as licensed the service with rights holders around the world to provide a global catalogue of over seven million tracks, while Gracenote’s music identification and discovery technologies and Global Media Database create a rich experience for subscribers, letting them enjoy their existing digital music collection and discover new artists and albums.

 

Lookout Mobile Security has identified 26 new apps on the Android Market presumed to include the DroidDream malicious code that hit Android Market a few months ago. These 26 applications were found thanks to Android developers that noticed their apps being repackaged and uploaded to the Market under a different developer name. These developers notified Lookout Mobile Security who identified them as malware after putting the apps through their scanning software. After alerting Google, all 26 apps that were known to be infected were removed from the Google Android Market.

You can never beat common sense when installing anything onto your device but Lookout Mobile Security makes it so much easier. Always make sure to check exactly what permission newly installed apps are requesting BEFORE YOU INSTALL and not after. Although, I’ve also heard that apps don’t necessarily need to display all permissions they require if a developer doesn’t want it to.

Lookout Mobile Security QR Code

Scan to Download Lookout Mobile Security


Hopefully Google can start scanning the apps themselves as they are uploaded and require some sort of approval process. I’m not saying that they need to decide who can and cannot place their apps in the market, more of a quick check that the app doesn’t already exist and that there isn’t a flipping virus in it. I download apps from all over the place but those that only use the Google Market should be safe even those without common sense.

According to Google, rooted devices are not supported by the New Android Markets movie rental service, “due to requirements related to copyright protection”.  There is even a nice little error for those of us with rooted phones.  It goes a little like this … “Failed to fetch license for [movie title] (error 49)”.

People now that pay for their devices and root them (the primary word here PAY) and make improvements to them so that we don’t have all the junk and restrictions that the manufacturers and service carriers put on them are now considered pirates.  Honestly if you want to steal a movie and are willing to pay the rental fee why wouldn’t we just rent the real copy and rip it there.  If we are a smart enough community to root our devices why would we be dumb enough to steal a subpar version of a movie?

This is probably the hack that I will or have ever anticipated just dispute the reasons behind the block.  Keep in mind that we love Google and all the great things they have done but this is by far an “Apple move”.

 

After playing with my phone a bit and installing / uninstalling apps and games I noticed that the Google Android Market started force closing every time I opened it.  This is a common issue with android devices in general but the fix is very easy.  Follow the steps below and everything should be fine again.

1. Open Settings.

2. Select Applications.

3. Select Manage Applications.

4. Select Market

5. Select Clear cache.

6. Back out of the screen and select Download Manager.

7. Select Clear data.

8. If your market still isn’t working clear data for Google Apps, Google Talk, and Checkin Service. These generally aren’t the issue but in some cases they can be as they are associated with the market as well.

The Android Market should now work again (you will have to re enter your credentials so be sure you know what they are.