Google shocked the tech world last year when they announced that they would acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. Shareholders already approved the deal and many in the industry assume it will go through, but there are still a few hurdles left to clear before it becomes official. Motorola provided an update on the progress in yesterday’s earnings report.

In order to be approved antitrust clearances, or waiting period expirations, are required by the U.S. Department of Justice, European Commission, Canada, China, Israel, Russia, Taiwan and Turkey.

So far, clearances have only been received from Turkey and Russia. The waiting period has expired in the United States and Canada, but Motorola has been informed that the reviewing agencies have not finished their investigations. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced in December that they have moved on to phase two of its investigation.

Motorola “expects the transaction to close in early 2012″ but notes that “factors outside the company’s control” could “delay or prevent completion of the transaction altogether.”

The biggest obstacle to completing the transaction could come from Europe where consumer groups are urging the European Union to block the merger. Consumer Watchdog, a US-based advocacy group, has written a letter [.pdf] to the EU asking them to stop the deal.

Parts of the letter read, “Allowing the Motorola Mobility deal would provide Google with unprecedented dominance in virtually all aspects of the mobile world – manufacturing, operating systems, search and advertising. It would be a virtually unstoppable juggernaut. We urge the Commission to block the proposed $12.5 billion deal.”

Not only does the letter ask the EU to block the merger, but it also calls for an investigation into the Google’s alleged anti-competitive practices.

If you are not familiar with Consumer Watchdog, they have accused Google of engaging in “close relationships” with the U.S. governement and produced several videos attacking former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt.

The EU Commission was originally supposed to make a decision on the merger by January 10th, but that deadline was extended to February 13th after Google submitted additional documents to support its case.

At this point I doubt the deal will get killed, but anything is possible. There was a time when we thought that AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile was certain, and look how that turned out.

When it comes to weather applications on Android there is no shortage of options, and quite honestly that is a good thing. 1Weather by OneLouder is one of the latest weather applications to enter the Android market and it has done so with some serious style of its own. So what's it all about?

1Weather provides you with ready access to a full suite of accurate, up-to-the-minute weather information, including animated maps and radar, daily weather alarms and severe condition alerts so that you can proactively prepare for changing conditions.

When looking for new applications to download most of us tend to look for something that is unique, clean, and very functional, and OneLouder has nailed all of this and more with this application. Let's hit the break together to check out some more information about the application and additional screen shots.

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We've rolled through this week like there was no tomorrow and we've finally reached the weekend. We packed a lot of coverage into this week so be sure to get yourself caught up by skipping a few pages back. Looking for more? Head on into the Android Central forums and dig in:

• HTC Rezound Forums - What's the final result of your OTA update?
• Galaxy Nexus Forums - Galaxy Nexus Wallpaper Thread (Some NSFW)
• Droid RAZR MAXX - RAZR to RAZR MAXX upgrade?
• Droid 4 Forums - Droid 4 launch date?
• Motorola XYBOARD Forums - Anyone else pick up a XYBOARD?

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

I'm not exactly sure how many folks out there use apps from Yahoo but if you're among those that do, you'll want to check the list below. Reason being - Yahoo is laying some of their mobile apps to rest to focus on a whole new set of apps that more so meet users needs. So what apps got the cut?

• Yahoo! Meme (iPad and iPhone)
• Yahoo! Mim (iPad)
• Yahoo! Answers (Android)
• Yahoo! AppSpot (Android and iPhone)
• Yahoo! Deals (iPhone)
• Yahoo! Finance (BlackBerry)
• Yahoo! Movies (Android)
• Yahoo! News (Android)
• Yahoo! Shopping (iPhone)
• Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search (iPad and iPhone)

That quite a few apps to kill off but from looking at the list, it's looks as though those apps are smaller on the chain and may have a minimal amount of users.

Source: Yahoo; via: Phonescoop

Well if you are wanting a XYBOARD, the sequel to Motorola‘s first tablet the Xoom, but didn’t want to give your hard earned dollar monthly to Verizon to own one, today is your lucky day. Motorola is releasing the wifi version of the Xoom 2… er… XYBOARD and it’s available on their web site as you read this. You can purchase either the 10.1-inch or 8.2″-inch tablet in either 16GB or 32GB versions. The 8.2-inch 16GB model will run you $399 and the 10.1-inch starts at $499. So if you’re wanting the “RAZR” of tablets (form factor) with the freedom of no carriers, head on over to the links below to check them out and while they don’t have ICS just yet, they will be getting it down the road. Also if you haven’t heard much on these tablets you can check out both the initial hands-on review and a full review of the XYBOARD 8.2. Enjoy!

10.1-Inch XYBOARD – Link 8.2-Inch XYBOARD – Link

Jailbreaking or rooting your smartphone is currently "legal" under Digital Millennium Copyright Act, but that exemption is set to expire in 2012.  The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) is looking for help and support to keep it that way, and they would like people to contact the US Copyright office and express their opinion.  They are offering up a handy set of questions and concerns readers can use in their appeal to the copyright office, and have done as much as they can to streamline the process and make it painless, with direct links and a petition.  

The idea behind it all is that once we pay our hard-earned money for our expensive electronic toys, they are ours to do with as we please.  As long as safety regulations are met, and we don't do anything to adversely affect our cellular carrier, we should be able to do anything we wish.  It's a great idea, and it's a shame that this even requires an exemption in the DMCA.

The DMCA has been used against people who hack game consoles, and used against people trafficking cell phones, but has anyone ever been prosecuted for rooting their smartphone?  I've searched the net for a few days, and every time I find something that sounds promising, it ends up being more than just someone jailbreaking their iPad or rooting their Bionic.  Yeah, carriers and manufacturers probably hate it, and we can't blame them, but I don't see a case like HTC vs. Jerry Hildenbrand for rooting his Wildfire S getting much traction in a court of law.  Unfortunately, we can't trust things will stay this way in a world full of companies like Microsoft and Apple.

It's absolutely ridiculous that we would require some sort of waiver to be allowed to mess up our own hardware.  It's even more ridiculous that carriers and device makers have acted in ways to put the fear of prosecution in us so we want an exemption in the first place.  It's mine.  If you want to tell me what to do with it, you need to pay me for it.  Until then, leave me the hell alone and let me enjoy my toys.

Hit the link below, and do your part to make sure the Copyright Office does the right thing.

EFF: Jailbreaking is not a crime

Earlier this week we saw reports that LG is preparing a successor to its Optimus 3D smartphone, to be unveiled at next month's Mobile World Congress. The LG CX2, as it's apparently codenamed, was to ship with a 1.2GHz CPU, 4.3-inch 3D WVGA NOVA display and dual 5MP cameras. Leaked renders also appeared, showing a device much thinner than the veritable brick that was the original Optimus 3D.

Today GSM Israel says it's learned from a "very reliable source" that the CX2's official branding will be the "Optimus 3D MAX" (spelled the old-fashioned way, with just one X). If true, the new name would fit a device which appears to be more a refinement of last year's Optimus 3D rather than anything revolutionary.

It's likely we'll see more of the Optimus 3D MAX, or whatever it's called, in just a few weeks time at Mobile World Congress, so stay tuned.

Source: GSM Israel (translated); via: UnwiredView

The European Commission has given Sony the OK to take full control of Sony Ericsson, three months after Sony paid €1.05 billion for Ericsson's share of the partnership.  Along with the entire company, the hefty sum also earned Sony an IP cross-licensing agreement, as well as ownership of five patent families. If you'll recall, upon announcement of the buyout, Sony said that the acquisition was fueled by the need to integrate SE smartphones into its existing network-connected devices, including TVs and tablets. The European Commission's approval is a major stepping stone in the acquisition process, which will likely be finalized in the coming weeks. 

What does the buyout mean for consumers? As Sony said, it will likely begin focusing on how its smartphones can mingle with its current line of products. Back at CES, Sony showed off its idea of a "connected home", an environment in which its line of smartphones will almost certainly thrive. Who knows, is a smartphone that acts as a Playstation controller too much to ask for? 

Source: Reuters; via Xperia Blog

Symantec: Android.Counterclank has infected 1-5 million Android users originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Toyota introduces fuel efficiency app for forklift fleet managers originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Our LG Spectrum review comes at an interesting time for both the smartphone manufacturer as well the carrier on which it resides, Verizon. On one hand you have LG, which has brought us some excellent high-end Android smartphones as well as a surprising low-ender in the Optimus line. And then you have Verizon, whose 4G LTE network is starting to mature at the ripe old age of 1 but at the same time can appear to have a glass jaw.

And now, we have the LG Spectrum. It's the U.S. version of the LG Optimus LTE -- the Korean manufacturer's second foray in to the latest in high-speed mobile data -- and cousin to the LG Nitro HD on AT&T. (The LG Revolution was one of Verizon's fledgling LTE smartphones.)

Join us after the break as we put the phone through its paces and see if it has what it takes to help carry Verizon deep into 2012.

Fast processor, fast data and a lot of customizations to make things easy for new(ish) users. Has a bright, high-resolution display.	The level of tweaks and customizations may turn some off. Battery life isn't stellar, slight UI lag in places.
The Spectrum is a solid phone for Verizon, but the highly skinned user interface is starting to look a bit cartoonish. The display is a strong positive, but yet again we're left waiting for the promised upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

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At the beginning of the week we told you about the leaked LG CX2, the successor to the LG Optimus 3D, and that it’s believed to make an appearance at MWC in February. According to new reports, the new CX2 will soon sport the 3D Max market name, and will be dubbed the LG 3D MAX, or Optimus 3D Max.

For those who missed out on the leaked specs, the 3D Max is said to have a 1.2GHz dual-core processor (TI OMAP) and sport a glasses-free, 4.3-inch WVGA NOVA auto-stereoscopic display capable of improved 2D-3D conversion. The device will manage to stay at 10mm thin even though it packs dual 5MP cameras for shooting 3D pictures. The real question remains, will those cameras be able to shoot 3D 1080p videos? Among other goodies, you can expect DNLA and NFC capabilities as well.

Hopefully we will see the LG 3D Max at the end of February alongside the quad-core LG X3 flagship phone. My only concern with the 3D Max is that it’s reportedly running Android Gingerbread. What gives?

source: GSM-Israel via: Pocketnow

January’s almost over and this is the first Android Apps Alert of 2012. Madness, I know, but things kept moving even while we were away dealing with CES and other things. App makers must have had their fingers hovering over the publish button because there have been plenty of apps and games released recently, so here’s a tidy little round-up of a few that you may want to grab.

1Weather

Limited to high-end Android devices (support varies) Radar weather works on in United States

As far as weather apps go, it would be easier for me to list how many options aren’t available than to write down which ones can be on your screen at the moment. If you previously yearned for a minimalist widget that showed the date, weather highs and lows for the day, you’ve got another style to scratch off the list. 1Weather has an understated 2×2 widget that works well because of the simplicity, and the main section of the app is just as easy on the eyes. Users get details reports on humidity, precipitation/chance of rain, wind speed, 7-day forecasts, radar look of the weather, the time of day the sun or moon rises and sets, and information on the lunar phase.

Just for good measure, the app can also send alerts to the notification window when severe weather warnings are issued for your area. To put it simply: this is an awesome app for anyone who lives in an area that doesn’t have the same weather practically every day (I’m looking at you California and Seattle!). Download the ad-supported app from the Android Market and home it works for you.

Steam

Android 2.1+ required Closed beta

Androinica previously covered an unofficial app that provided limited access to Valve’s Steam, the go-to gaming storefront for digital downloads and connecting with other gamers. But like the song says, ain’t nothing like the real thing. The official Steam Android app is available now, though that matters only to a select few group of people since the app is in closed beta. You cannot use the app unless you are already in the beta, but here’s a quick look at what users can expect once it opens:

- See which friends are online and what game they are currently playing - Chat with other Steam users on iOS or Android - Browse the Steam store to see what games are available and what new sales are on. - It will look spiffy and work with your account.

Circuitry live wallpaper

Android 2.1+ required $0.99 USD

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of live wallpapers, but my attraction to the format has gotten stale in recent months.  Circuitry Live Wallpaper might taste and look a little fresher on your home screen. The wallpaper shows a slowly moving set of lines that eventually form different circuit design each time the user browsers the home screen. And to break-up the monotony, there are six different color themes – ranging from dark black and grey to Google-tastic red, blue, green, and yellow – that alter the way the circuit looks. At only $0.99, it’s the cheapest circuit art you’ll ever see.

Producteev

Android 2.2+ required

Productivity bigwigs Producteev have an Android app. Correction: productivity bigwigs Producteev have an awesome Android app. Producteev is a task management app that supports Android and a web/desktop app to sync across devices. The app creates workspaces – like Freelance Work, Job Assignments, or Personal Projects – and then creates tasks to track how those things get done. Users can set deadlines or reminders, add labels, and add stars to note which tasks should take priority.

And because Producteev has a collaborative element, you can actually assign tasks to others. So if you’re working on a group project with 4 people, you can create a task and assign it to another person. Collaboration is confusing at the moment, and a few other aspects are a little shaky because Producteev is still a beta app. However, the app is off to a really nice start with smooth, search-friendly and easy-to-manage task system.

BBC News

Android 3.0+ required UK only, international version coming soon

People often say that there aren’t many apps for Android tablets, but that’s not the case when it comes to news apps. The BBC is one of the latest (and many) news sources to release an app built specifically for Honeycomb and higher, allowing news hounds to see more content on the larger screen. The BBC News app now features a tablet-specific app for readers in the UK, with plans to release an international version shortly. The app shows thumbnail and headline tiles similar to Pulse, scrolls through topics, and then loads the article on the right side of the screen. It’s the same BBC News app users have seen with breaking news, multimedia content, news, and analysis. The only difference is now that screens higher than 7 inches see it in a new format.

ESPN Scorecenter

Android 2.1+ required

ESPN calls itself the worldwide leader in sports, but for a long time, the WWLIS’s Scorecenter app was missing something that practically all of tits “followers” had – notifications. A recent update to ESPN Scorecenter now includes the option to get live game updates pushed to the notification window, allowing sports fans to always know the score of the game without having to launch the app and search for it. The app can be set to update on each play or at the end of a quarter/period/half/game. As an added bonus, Scorecenter recently got treated to:

- Breaking news updates for a user’s favorite teams - Fixes for widgets and displays on Android 4.0 devices - Fixes to look better on Android tablets

TurboTax Snap Tax

Android 2.1+ required Use only for simple tax returns

Just a friendly reminder that tax season is officially under way starting next week. Employers in the U.S. are required to have delivered your W-2 by January 31, so you can start preparing your 2011 filing then. TurboTax has an option for people doing a simple filing to prepare their taxes on a phone. Users simply snap a photo of their W-2 and the app begins the preparation process. Answer a few questions about expenditures and profile data, review the information, and then e-file on your phone. There’s a cost of $19.99, which might be useful if you self-prepare. Keep in mind that this is only for federal and state returns if you:

- Don’t have children or dependents - Don’t own a home or real estate - Have income only from a W-2, interest, or unemployment - Have income of $100,000 or less ($120,000 if married)

App Reviews & News of the Week

• Dolphin, meet Evernote and Skitch for Web Clipping and Image Annotation
• SEGA Sonic 4 Episode 1 available now in Android Market
• Chevy Game Time gives Android users a chance to win a new car during Super Bowl XLVI
• PlayPhone to debut four new Android games in the next month
• WatchESPN adds full-screen streaming on tablets, support for Ice Cream Sandwich
• Shadowgun:Leftover for Android to come this week
• Android Apps for Experimenting with Measurement and Physics
• Seven launches Ping, the ”ultimate” free push-based social messaging app for Android
• Look it up on Official Wikipedia for Android [App Review]
• Need to Focus on Writing on Your Tablet? Try Jotterpad HD Minimalist Word Processor
• Angry Birds Seasons: Year of the Dragon now available for download on Android Market
• Airbnb finds short-term homes & room rentals – all from your Android [App Reviews]

 

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Motorola shipped a whopping 1 million tablets in 2011 originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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We had a chance to get our hands on the upcoming Xperia S at CES, the first Xperia phone to be branded by Sony (without Ericsson in its name). They showed off all the wonderful specs, but for whatever reason they didn’t bother to tell us about a couple of interesting features.

The first is that it will come with an anti-stain coating. It will be a special nano coating that is not only a dirt repellent, but also UV active. The second is that will have the ability to charge quicker than normal. It will supposedly charge in half the time, and word is a 10-minute charge can keep the phone going for an hour.

source: pocketpc via: briefmobile

Gameloft announces pair of Sprint ID Packs originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Since Google is transitioning to a buttonless style OS with Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich, it isn’t a shock they are telling developers to move their menu functions to the action bar. All phones up to this point have a dedicated menu button, but that won’t be the case moving forward. Google has instituted an action bar that includes the three dots that work as the new Menu.

The problem with some apps is they’re still pointing towards a physical menu button and since Ice Cream Sandwich, and particularly the Galaxy Nexus, doesn’t have a dedicated menu button, the system shifts the three dot action overflow button beside the system navigation. Normally this is on top.

According to Google, this is doesn’t provide an ideal user experience. I will say that for me personally, I have noticed the action button moving from top to bottom (and vice versa) between apps, and it’s a little annoying. Google recently posted instructions for developers on how to migrate to the action bar or remove it all together. Hit the source link to find out more.

Madfinger Games has just released an expansion pack to their hit game Shadowgun. The new update, dubbed The Leftover, picks right up where the original left off and adds four new levels in addition to a lot of other goodies.

Shadowgun was first released as a Tegra Zone exclusive, but was later released as a separate download that supported more devices. Confusingly, Madfinger games has only released the The Leftover update for the non-Tegra version while the THD version has yet to receive it.

Expansion pack details include:

• The story directly follows the events of original Shadowgun
• 4 new levels
• New enemy creature
• New gun
• New type of gaming interaction
• New collectibles
• New soundtrack
• Lot of new graphics, animations and cutscenes

I loved the original Shadowgun when I first reviewed it, but I complained it was too short and there was no replay value since the game lacked a multiplayer mode. It’s nice to see Madfinger games release this add-on and they already announced a free multiplayer mode that is coming soon called Deadzone. The multiplayer pack will be released as a separate download when it’s ready and best of all it will be free of charge.

If you don’t hear from me for the next couple hours, I’ll be gaming on my ASUS Transformer Prime as I try to complete this add-on pack.

It looks to be another great week for buying discounted phones from Amazon. Hot on the heels of the freshly marked down Galaxy Nexus, Amazon just listed the DROID RAZR MAXX at only $199.99 for new customers, and $229.99 for existing. As always, to get this deal you must sign a two-year agreement but I’m sure your used to that by now.

In case you need a refresher, the RAZR MAXX has the same specs as the OG DROID RAZR only it has a much larger 3300mAh battery. The device is only 8.9mm thin and still manages to maintain a reported 21 hour talk time. To see this device in action, check out our hands on from this years CES.

This is a great deal for a great phone considering you could buy it right now from Verizon for $100 more. I mean who wants to pay retail, right? Although, as you can tell from the image above, there will be a slight wait for delivery because the device is on backorder and will ship within 1-2 weeks. Hit up the link below to get your discounted MAXX on!

Thanks, Trent!

Source: Amazon

What is open source? Open-source software is software that makes the source code freely available, for anyone to see and use. There are different open-source licenses that have different use conditions, from the GPL (GNU General Public License) -- which allows "free distribution under the condition that further developments and applications are put under the same license" -- to more liberal licenses like the Apache License, which doesn't require modifications to be open and have the source code available.  Android uses both of these licenses, and we'll have a look at them in turn.

The Linux kernel that is used in the OS is covered under the GPL.  This means that any changes made to the source code must be made available when a binary (geek-speak for a compiled, executable piece of software) is released to the public.  This means manufacturers like HTC, Samsung, Motorola and the rest must release the kernel source-code for any devices they sell at the same time they begin selling them.  For the most part, hardware manufacturers are pretty good about doing so, but they often miss the time frame and release the source code a little later than we would like.  These are the code releases you see us mention -- the kernel and other open-source "bits" that are covered under the GPL.

The Android OS source code is released mostly under the Apache License.  Anybody is allowed to download the source code and change it however they like, but they are not required to make their changes available in source code form to the public.  This is why we can't change and recompile things like HTC Sense or MotoBlur -- the changes to the base Android source code aren't available to us.  While many folks (myself included) don't like this situation very much, it does make sense from a business standpoint.  If manufacturers had to share all of their secrets, there wouldn't be as much monetary incentive to innovate, so the source was offered with a far more liberal license.  It certainly worked, as we see devices from many major players in the electronics world.

Previously on Android A to Z: What is NFC?; Find more in the Android Dictionary

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