What’s After Gingerbread?

The launch of new Android OS versions have always been a sweet affair with the versions named after desserts. Eclair, Frozen Yogurt and Gingerbread are as much in the lexicon of a geek today as it used to be for a gourmet. With Android 3.0 – aka Gingerbread – launching later this year, there are already speculations over what the next version of Android OS could be called.

Now, in a fresh report, TechRadar has suggested that it could be Honeycomb after Gingerbread. According to sources the website spoke to, the new Android version could be an incremental update – more like Android 3.1 or Android 3.2 instead of a giant leap to Android 4.0.

Now, it’s impossible to speculate over the features that Honeycomb could come with since Gingerbread is not even out. But from what we learn, Honeycomb could be launched on tablet computers from Toshiba and Samsung early next year though that’s purely speculation.

Nevertheless, is it a disappointment that Google has moved away from naming Android versions based on desserts?

Are Your Android App Downloads Stuck On “Starting Download” Screen?

Over the past week or so, several Android handset users have been noticing issues with the app download process. Users have noticed that tapping the download link shows a “Starting Download” screen which for some reason just doesn’t move further. While it is not clear, some believe the bug appears soon after users attempt a factory reset. But it’s likely that users who have not attempted a factory reset too have been suffering from this issue.

If you are one of those users suffering from this, some good news here. Google has acknowledged this problem and say they have fixed this issue. That means you should not be seeing any problem.

Solution 1

However, in any case, you are still noticing this issue, you can try out the following steps. Do note this one’s for HTC phone users and is tested to work on HTC Desire

• Navigate to Googlemail and tap on Settings

• Change your account settings to include @gmail.com

• Download the GTalk app by clicking this APK file

• Perform a factory reset

• Switch it back on and tap SKIP the screens asking you to add accounts,etc.

• Plug to a computer and load HTC Sync

• Load GTalk via HTC Sync

• You will be prompted to sign into Gtalk. Use the same @gmail login credentials used in the Settings

• Reboot your handset

• Navigate to the market and try downloading apps.  It should ideally work.

Solution 2

Now, there is no guarantee this one will work. But there’s no harm in trying it out, right?

• On your phone, navigate to Menu -> Settings  -> Wireless & Networks -> Mobile Networks (not Mobile Network) -> Network Mode

• Pick WCDMA Only

Now finish and launch your Market app. Do check if the app downloads happen.

Ramos W9 Android Device Features Rockchip Processor

Ramos is not a name that you would expect to hear often in the western world a lot. But the company is quick churning out a number of mobile internet devices of late. Remember the Ramos W7 Android MID that we discussed earlier this week? Now word’s out that a successor to it is already on the way and that shall be known as the Ramos W9.

So how do the two devices compare? Well, there is not too many things that we know about the W9 as yet. What I do know is that it is rumored to come with a 7-inches display screen and that it will be powered by a Rockchip RK2818 processor. Besides this, only expect it to come with better specs over the Ramos W7 that comes with Android 1.5, 32GB storage and Wi-Fi/3G connectivity.

Price? It’s definitely going to be more than $146-$250 price tag that is pegged for the W7.

eLocity A7 Tablet Features Unveiled

Stream TV has announced its plans to launch a new 7-inches Android tablet that is expected to hit the market by next month. Pre-orders for the device shall begin on August 24. In a recent announcement, Stream TV has said that the tablet shall be known eLocity A7 and will feature an unnamed version of the Android OS and a 7-inches touchscreen display that will adorn the device with a 8.2″ x 4.8″ rectangular form factor.

The detailed specs for the tablet are not yet out at the moment though we do know that the eLocity A7 will come with HDMI ports, a front-facing webcam, stereo headset port, a docking station, a microSD card slot and a virtual keyboard.

Other than this, there is no word on the pricing or the exact launch date. But stay tuned here. An announcement could be coming soon.

Motorola Stingray Android Tablet Rumors – All You Need To Know

There have been an occasional murmur or two about the new Motorola Droid Tablet, as it was called, earlier. Now from what we know, this device could be called the Motorola Stingray. To be fair, this could as well be the codename inside the company and Motorola could come up with an entirely different name when it launches. But from documents that have been recently leaked, Motorola Stingray appears to be the name of the device modeled MOTOMZ600; which is the original model number for Motorola’s Android tablet.

There are a few rumors regarding the device’s tech specs as well. First of all, Motorola Stingray is expected to sport a 10-inches display and could come equipped with NVIDIA Tegra 2 and enabled with Verizon FIOS. Now regarding the version of Android OS that will make it to this device, there seems to be no consensus. Android 3.0 could make its way to the new Motorola Stingray though that is not confirmed as yet. The device might also include a front and rear facing camera.

Adobe Flash 10.1 For Android Available For Download In Batches

Adobe has pulled out the beta out of their Flash 10.1 for Mobile devices making the public version of the multimedia platform now available for download from the Android market. The new update will allow any user with a handset running Android 2.2 to upgrade to the latest version.

But before you get all excited, here’s the disclaimer. The update is at present being made visible only to Nexus One owners. But in all probability, users of other handsets must also start seeing the update option becoming available on their handsets.

If you are wondering where to go looking for it, Adobe Flash 10.1 is available in APK format – that’s the Android app format. You can install these apps from Android market using Apps Installer.

Archos A28 Android Phone Launching Soon

Hardly a week goes without us talking about an Archos device. This week, it’s an Android smartphone. The company is apparently launching a new Android powered mobile phone device named Archos A28 that is now currently with the FCC. That means, approvals should be done within two to twelve weeks before a launch could happen.

So what’s in the new phone? While there is not a lot of information to share, what we do know is that the phone is equipped with a 2.8-inches touchscreen phone – possibly with an accelerometer. The device supports Wi-Fi b/g/n and contains an 8GB flash memory from Sandisk iNAND.

Now that’s not a lot to make a decision on how this device will fare. But considering the extremely small display, I wonder if this device could exploit all the smartness that comes with the Android.

Android Apps Purchase Using Paypal Could Be Coming Soon

eBay and Google are reported to be in talks over a possible integration of the Android app marketplace with Paypal’s payment processing system. The rumor, which both companies have not confirmed so far, will allow Android phone users to make app purchases using Paypal. At present, this is only possible over a credit card or Google’s payment processing system – Google Checkout.

Paypal is one of the leading online payment gateway systems that is however often criticized for its extraordinarily high charges on transaction fee. While many users would any day prefer a Paypal payment over possible direct credit card checkout (which can lead to possible wireless thefts), it is not clear how customers will view Paypal vis-a-vis Checkout in a Google-controlled environment. Also, it is not clear if Google stands to make a commission on every transaction made via Paypal over the Android marketplace.

HP eStation Zeen Printer Tablet On Android – Launch In September

Hewlett Packard has been in the process of launching a new tablet computer that is bundled with a printer and this news has been doing the rounds for sometime now. The HP eStation Zeen Printer tablet is said to be a 7-inches touchscreen display device that comes packed with 800×600 pixels and is said to run on Android.

Skeptics have been questioning the authenticity of these rumors considering that the company is moving towards building webOS based tablet devices post the acquisition of Palm. However, we are now hearing that this Android tablet is actually in the works and the reason it’s on Android is because the project was concieved by the HP Printer department which finalized the project before the Palm acquisition.

The tablet PC is expected to launch in September at a price of $399. Not bad at all if you consider that this is actually a 2-in-1 device.

HTC Bee Features And Specifications Leaked

You may have not yet heard about this upcoming Android phone from HTC called the HTC Bee. But details about its specifications and features just got leaked. From what we know this is going to be an Android 2.2 FroYo handset that will feature the characteristic HTC Sense UI version 1.6.

Specs on the phone include a Qualcomm MSM7625 chipset, a 528MHz processor, a RAM with 384MB capacity and a ROM with 512MB capacity. The device will be equipped with a 3.2-inches QVGA display with resolution of 240×320 pixels. With a battery capacity of 1300mAh, you can’t really expect extraordinary power backup. Nevertheless, with other features like a 5-megapixel camera with flash, I’m sure a lot of customers are going to give this unit a second look.

Everything depends on the price though and once we get to hear about it, and the launch date, we can make an educated guess of how successful this one could turn out to be.