Android Overload: ARM’s Profits Jump 45%, Sonic 4 Now Ice Cream Sandwich Compatible and More

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. It’s back to the daily grind and all the Android news stories that come with it. Seeing how it’s impossible for us to write up everything that comes past our desks, we’ve got the Android Overload to gather these storied in a nice little pool for you. So, put your bathing suit on and let’s take a dip! My favorite story? How about the leaked benchmark showing off Qualcomm’s upcoming 8960 processor?

• Android users most likely to use phone while in the bathroom. [Mashable]
• ARM’s profits jump 45%. [Engadget]
• Upcoming Qualcomm MSM8960 GPU benchmarked. Kills Exynos. [GSMArena]
• Sonic 4 Episode 1 updated in the Android Market. Now ICS compatible. [Market Link]
• SlingPlayer app for the Kindle Fire now available for the low, low price of $30. [Amazon]
• India’s $47 Aakash tablet continues to sell well with over 1.4 million sales in its first two weeks. [ZDNet]
• The Sony (Ericsson) Xperia arco HD has followed the Xperia S to the halls of the FCC.
• Gameloft is introducing a set of Sprint ID packs. [AndroidGuys]
• Motorola has provided an update on the Google-Motorola acquisition. [Motorola]
• LG Optimus 2X on Fido gets Android 2.3.4. [MobileSyrup]
• Rogers LG Optimus 3D to receive Android 2.3.5 update Feb. 1st. [MobileSyrup]
• Samsung Galaxy S III to launch during July Olympics? Possible. [BriefMobile]

Nexus S 4G Gets Leaked Android 4.0.4 Build

Those looking for some Ice Cream Sandwich love on their Nexus S 4G should listen up. A new build of Android 4.0 – 4.0.4, to be exact – has leaked online for rooted users. The build for this particular device and release is IMM26. It appears that the build is quite stable but it’s not yet known if this is the final firmware ready to be pushed out to handsets. Download links and instructions can be had at the source link ahead. Remember that you, and only you, are responsible for anything that happens to your devices – no one’s putting a swordfish up to your neck and making you flash it.

RD Mute

RD Mute serves one purpose – to turn off all phone sounds when the Android accelerometer tells it you've picked it up and turned it over. It's a 'silent mode' shortcut for when you can't even be bothered to press a button. Put your phone on its front to shut it up – and add any very important numbers to the app's exceptions list, so people you don't mind talking to can get through.

Kongregate Arcade

Thanks to Android's Flash Player powers, casual gaming portal Kongregateis able to bring a huge number of its internet games to Android. They run in the browser so resolutions can be a bit all over the place, but with over 300 games to choose from there's bound to be something there for you.

Androidify

Let your hair down by creating a realistic interpretation of what you hair looks like with Androidify. It's an avatar creator that uses the Android mascot as its base, letting you swap trousers and hats with the swipe of a finger. Results are then sharable via Twitter and the usual social tools. There aren't enough types of beard, though. Please release a Beard Expansion Pack.

ES File Explorer

We're officially out-of-love with previous favourite file explorer ASTRO, thanks to it now coming plastered with ads. ES File Explorer is prettier, ad-free, and comes with a much more user-friendly and functional interface. And yes, Android users have favourite file explorers.

ES File Explorer

We're officially out-of-love with previous favourite file explorer ASTRO, thanks to it now coming plastered with ads. ES File Explorer is prettier, ad-free, and comes with a much more user-friendly and functional interface. And yes, Android users have favourite file explorers.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon's Kindle app is a great e-reader, which is seamlessly linked with your Amazon account. Support for magazines and newspapers is limited at the moment, with only a handful of niche publications in Android-friendly format. But for books it's great, with plenty of screen and text display options to get it looking a way that hurts your eyes the least. Another exciting new way to collect classic novels you'll probably never get around to reading because there's the internet now.

iPlayer

The BBC's iPlayer app has finally arrived, and a right weird old mixed bag it is, too. On the one hand, support for streaming radio and live TV channels (Wi-Fi only) elevates this over the Android 2.2 compatible mobile website, but the requirement for Android 2.2 and Flash Player 10.1 remains. And there's no 3G streaming, not even of radio feeds. And you can't download shows, unlike in the sadly departed Beebplayer. And the radio requires the screen to be on at all times. Strange app, this.

TweetDeck

The new star on the Twitter app scene, TweetDeck for Android is one amazing little tool. As well as presenting your timeline, DMs and replies in separate side-by-side panels that you swipe the screen to flip between, it can also pull in Facebook status updates. And mix it all in together. And it does Foursquare. And Buzz.

Meebo IM

If you like to pass the time exchanging smiley faces and abbreviations with your friends through instant messaging apps, you ought to get a copy ofMeebo IM. It's an instant messaging aggregator, incorporating AIM, MSN, Yahoo, MySpace, Facebook, good old ICQ and more, serving everything up in one convenient interface. Typing in all your logins and passwords for everything is the only, very temporary, inconvenience.

Amazon UK

Amazon recently launched an official Android app, replacing its reliance on a mobile web store. The app's very simple and fast to use, and even includes full shopping cart features with Amazon's one-click system once you've signed in with your usual account details.

Dropbox

The Android version of the insanely popular stuff-syncing app has arrived, and while Dropbox is a little lacking in the sort of fancy auto-syncing options many were hoping for, it still works as expected. Files have to be specifically downloaded to your phone to be edited or shared, which is not quite the automated dream offered by the desktop tools, but it's still Dropbox on Android. Six months ago that was a distant, crazy fantasy.

3banana Notes/ Catch Notes

A simple note-taking tool that lets you sync those disjointed, late night thoughts you have together into one huge, incoherent database. If you have a Snaptic account you're able to sync the Android app with that too - or you can simply log in with your Google details for instant mobile jotting. Once written, notes may also be pinned to the home screen, creating a little post-it note-style reminder icon.

UPDATE: 3banana has undergone a name change and is now known asCatch Notes.

beebPlayer

This does one thing - it lets you access the BBC's famed iPlayer on your Android phone. You need to be connected via Wi-Fi for the best performance, as our mobile networks can't really handle live streaming the new Doctor Who through the ether, but for in-bed TV it's a great solution.

UPDATE: The developer of beebPlayer has recently removed the app from Android Market and ceased further development. There's now an official BBC iPlayer app, which we take a look at on the next page.

Google Sky Map

A stunning app that renders Patrick Moore obsolete, by using your phone's orientation tools to give you an accurate representation of the stars and planets on your screen. Point your phone at the sky, then learn what constellations are visible and if that's a UFO or just Venus. Google Sky Mapeven works indoors, if you're not keen on getting cold.

Amazon Will Give You Up to $15 in Savings for Using Price Check App This Weekend

Amazon’s releasing a new promotion that could save you a tad bit of cash this weekend. If you price check an item using their app they will give you up to 5% off ($5 max) on items in electronics, sports, toys, music and DVDs.

You can get the offer a maximum of three different times for three different items, giving you potential savings of $15 on whatever you may end up buying on Amazon. The promotion begins this Friday at 12am Eastern time and will end early Monday morning. Grab the Price Check app

Google Goggles Updated with Continuous Scanning, Text Search

Google Goggles, the visual search app, has just received a rather major update. New features add more functionality to a service that may yet become a useful tool in the future. The addition of continuous scanning, users no longer need to snap a photo of the object or or text they want to base a search on. Simply focus on an item and Google Goggles will pull up relevant information. Snapshot mode is still available and is still the only way to translate  text or add a contact from a business card.

Speaking of text, Google Goggles 1.7 now features advanced text search. Scanning the contents of a magazine article will scour the web for a digital version, allowing you to bookmark, share, or access when you don’t have the actual magazine on hand. Searches have been improved with the addition of suggestions. If Goggles does not return a favorable result you can add your own, which will be contributed to you when others come across it in a search.

Google Goggles 1.7 is now available in the Android Market for all devices, but continuous mode is only functional for users of Android 2.3 or above.