Android Smart phones

[Klaus]

I am sure HTC will figure out the power use issues that are present on the EVO. With 30% more battery power vs the iphone I can't believe that they can't get it to last at least a full day. i personally think it's all in the way you use your phone, what type of applications you install, and what programs are syncing etc. I know a couple iphone owners that don't get 6 hours out of their phones because of the way they use them If you just let your phone sit on your desk all day - it's gonna last all day. But if you have 20 programs running and 20 widgets syncing with the internet every minute you will be lucky to get 6 hours. I use my phone a ton so I am just used to plugging it in all the time. I just know if I go to a Twins game or out to dinner I better make sure my phone is over 70% charged.... or I am gonna be sad when it dies

[Ender]

Off the charger at 7:30 this morning. Currently at 80% battery. So over 4 hours using 20% with moderate internet use. That extends out to 20 hours over the battery's life with moderate use.

Definitely some improvement compared to pre-update.

[Naya]

My battery is at 20% and I charged it yesterday, once, to full power. I'm over 20 hours since last charged with moderate use: couple phone calls, some internet browsing, texting, and a couple games. NESdroid emulator is fun!

[Klaus]

Hook up your Wii controller for extra fun with the emulators.

[Klaus]

Very cool live wallpaper

[Klaus]

Check out this app on the Samsung Android phone for "walking" and texting.

[Klaus]

Interesting comparison of the Droid X to the Galaxy S. Looks like the Droid's processor is really fast.

http://androidandme.com/2010/07/news...-professional/



Note: The Nexus 1 is on Android 2.2

[Klaus]

Special Forces testing out Android Phones in Battle

Raytheon, the name synonymous with battlefield technology and warfare strategy, is now developing software that runs on the Android platform as a solution to issues in the battlefield. The application being developed utilizes maps and a “buddy list” to assist soldiers in detecting enemies. Someone call Liam Neeson and Mr. T, because this is freaking awesome.

According to an article over at Mobile Media, Raytheon has dubbed the app the “Raytheon Android Tactical System”, aka – RATS. To give you an idea of how it would be used, they give you a real-life example:

“…a soldier could tag an unmanned plane as a “buddy,” track its progress on a map using the phone and then access streaming video from the plane for a bird’s eye view of the area.”

They go on to state that military personnel could interact with each other as “buddies” and track the locations of other members of their group or squad, as well as help identify potential enemies. Mark Bigham, Raytheon’s VP of Business Developments, states, “we’re trying to take advantage of smartphone technology to tailor for what soldiers may need in the field. Google has helped us push the limits of the phone.” He also tells us that one of the main reasons Android was chosen was because of it’s open-source ways, which have made development easier on their thus-tested Motorola and HTC devices.

Raytheon is also looking at adding “lightweight encryption”, so as to assist in securing the reliability and untraceability of the app. They also mention that it will have recognition software so as to be rendered useless in enemy hands, and say that it could even be used as a biometric scanner to be used to gather and store fingerprints.

[Sylvester]

So is this going to be a free app?

[Eric]

Love the idea, and love that they're using biometric so the enemy can't easily take one and see the locations of all his "buddies". Why limit it to a handheld though? Look at all the video games & movies...where does the screen exist? On your helmet in some sort of transparent, interactive HUD that you manipulate with your eye & where you're looking. Apache pilots have been using this for years. I'm excited to see that we're one step closer to catching up with the technology of sci-fi movies & games, but to make it a handheld device...meh.

Anyway, would be interesting to see how they handle security of the network. I imagine that would be the target since hacking that network would give them precise locations of all "buddies" in the combat zone. Probably some pretty incredible tech used to secure that network...