6 Android Apps to Manage Fantasy Football

Use Your League Site’s App

If you use NFL.com or Yahoo’s Fantasy Football site to manage your league, then you should definitely get that site’s app.

NFL.com produced an Android app that you can use to join a league already set up or start your own. Once you set up or join the league use it to rank your players for the draft and then change your lineup each week. As the teams play Sunday, keep track of your player stats in real-time.

If you use Yahoo Fantasy Football, then get their app. It handles all that the NFL.com app does. ESPN has a league as well. All three of them are free to download from the Android Market. Lesser known online leagues might also have an app so search for your site’s name in the Android Market.

Apps for Finding Great Players

Once you snag your site’s app, then get one of these apps or all of them for keeping track of which players to play, who to pick up as a free agent or who to drop from your team.

Aside from having a terrible app icon (see right) My Fantasy Football Guru helps you learn about player news as it happens with live, in-game alerts sent to your Android phone. If you play in a league that allows in-game player changes, this can really help.

Aside from that, it alerts you to injury news and gives general advice for putting the best team together to play so well in your league that you will start “Battles between friends, in-laws, roommates, co-workers, co-coaches, and strangers” (taken from their app description).

NFL Fantasy Cheat Sheet gives you information about various players and recommends the best picks for your fantasy league. Some leagues ask you to pick an individual defensive player and this app provides info on defensive players, something not all apps do.

The app projects which players will be the best at the end of the year, which helps you decide between players to possibly pick up in your draft or free agency during the season. The app will cost you $2.99, but it is highly rated on the Android Market and on the iOS App Store.

Watching Games on the Go Via NFL Sunday Ticket To Go

Of course you will be watching your players and the best way to watch a lot of NFL games on Sunday comes from DirecTV. You will have to pay through the nose for the privilege since it costs nearly $400, but having all those games available makes Sunday awesome for the hard-core football fan. The Red Zone channel shows no commercials and cuts live to games when one team is in scoring position or shows highlights of turnovers right after they happen.

Too bad you find yourself away from the TV on some Sundays. NFL Sunday Ticket To Go takes care of this problem by providing mobile apps that stream the games. You used to need an iOS device to enjoy it, but this year DirecTV added Android support. The app gives live game scoring and streams the games to your Android phone or tablet so long as you are not also watching a game at home.

FIFA 12 releases exclusively for Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

It seems that Sony Ericsson has finally done what everybody was waiting for - getting exclusive rights to a popular game title for its new Xperia PLAY . And if that game title is the upcoming FIFA 12 , surely most sport gamers wouldn’t be complaining. 

Football this weekend? Anyone?

EA Mobile and Sony Ericsson have reached an exclusive agreement that will give Xperia PLAY owners a chance to be the first ones to play FIFA 12 on their Android handset. Football enthusiasts who own an Xperia PLAY can now get the game before it hits the Android market later this year. Complete details are a bit sketchy; however, it’s certain that Sony Ericsson will have exclusive rights to the game for the time being. EA Sports' new FIFA 12 will incorporate an all new gameplay engine with authenticated teams and the Xperia PLAY’s dedicated GPU might just offer an enhanced gaming experience that previous Android games haven’t exactly provided.

The agreement between Sony and EA mobile will exist for an undisclosed limited time. So, if you’re one of those FIFA fans owning an Xperia PLAY, you might just have to rush to grab a copy of FIFA 12.

Sony Ericsson Xperia phones will get an Android upgrade

Sony Ericsson has announced that it will upgrade its Xperia line of smartphones to Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread in October.

The upgrade will be limited to 2011 Xperia handsets such as the Play, Arc and Neo, and will bring various new features. The update arrival timing will differ between mobile operators.

Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread will enable a 3D sweep panorama camera mode on Xperia handsets. This means you can view 3D images taken with the phone on a 3D capable TV or monitor. Sony Ericsson's phones don't have dual cameras so we assume that this process is a conversion from 2D to 3D.

Other features include the second version of the firm's Facebook Inside software, Google Talk with video chat, screenshot capture, Swype text input and the ability to use USB peripherals via the Sony Ericsson Live Dock.

Sony Ericsson has also announced another handset called the Xperia Neo V, a sort of combined upgrade and downgrade from the Xperia Neo.

When it's launched in the fourth quarter, the Neo V smartphone will come with Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and will have all these new features, but the old Neo will gain these when it gets the update.

What's strange is that the Neo V has the same 3.7in TFT touchscreen, Qualcomm 1GHz processor and casing as the Neo. The downgrade is the camera, which on the Neo is one of its main features, an 8.1MP with Sony's Exmor R sensor. The Neo V will have only a 5MP camera.

The Neo V will have an HDMI port but the Neo has that too. Oh, but we almost forgot to mention that the Neo V handset will come in white instead of red along with blue and silver.

We haven't had a price quoted by Sony Ericsson for the Neo V but unless it is dramatically cheaper than the Neo we recommend opting for the latter and waiting for the Android 2.3.4 upgrade. µ

New Skype 2.1 for Android brings video calls to more phones

The latest version of Skype for Android brings video calling to 17 new handsets - and many more users may be able to simply turn it on in the app settings.

VoIP leader Skype—in the process of being acquired by tech giant Microsoft—has rolled outversion 2.1 of its Skype application for Android phones, substantially expanding the number of handsets that can handle video calls. Initial versions of the video calling feature—just launched in June—supported video calling on just a handful of smartphones. Version 2.1 adds explicit support for 17 new handsets—and Skype notes that even if a users’ handset isn’t specifically listed, they might be able to turn on video calling in the app preferences anyway.

“For those of you using Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above, you should still be able to enable video calling in your Skype settings. Just go to ‘Skype settings’ after launching the app and select ‘enable video calling,’” wrote Mark Douglas in the company’s blog. “Unfortunately, if you cannot see the video calling settings, it means your Android phone does not meet the minimum requirements.”

According to Skype, users of Android 2.2 “Froyo” phones that aren’t certified for use with Skype may only find that the back camera on their device works with the service—front camera support will eventually be rolled out for devices running Android 2.3 or newer.

Skype 2.1 explicitly supports video calling on devices like the Acer A5, a swath of HTC devices (the Sensation, Flyer, Evo 3D and 4G, Desire HD, and original Desire), along with the Samsung Galaxy S series and Galaxy Tab, the LG Revolution, and Sony Xperia mini pro, Play, and ray devices.

Skype’s strong support for Android may soon be another source of Android-derived revenue for Microsoft, which has been pressuring companies to execute patent licenses to protect them from potential infringement litigation against Android. Microsoft is reportedly pressuring Samsung to pay $15 for every Android handset it sells. In the meantime, every penny Skype earns will eventually trickle into Microsoft’s coffers: its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype is expected to be approved by the end of the year.

Trainz for Android

N3V Games has released Trainz for Android and announced its involvement with the charity Buy1Give1.

Trainz, the best selling PC train simulation series, makes its way on to the Android with Trainz Simulator Android. NVidia will be featuring the game in TegraZone, and the app is on sale now for AUD$4.99.

Paul Olsen, Studio head of N3V games, said: "Tegra 2 has given us more power for advanced features like weather effects, fog, more advanced lighting, beautiful water, higher detailed locos and addition Trainz content."

N3V has also sent word that it has joined the Buy1Give1 charity, where each game purchased from a selected few each month will feed a child a meal, and Vitality For Gamers, where the gamer who can create the most vitality in their lives are given N3V Games online store credits.

Graham Edelsten, CEO of N3V Games, told MCV: "N3V Games wants to create good will and support causes around the world with the assistance of our gaming community. We are proud to be part of this initiative and hope this act of giving will spread."

Virgin Mobile Canada’s HTC Sensation getting an OTA update today and Samsung Galaxy S in August

Virgin Mobile Canada is issuing an over-the-air update for the HTC Sensation. As far as we know, HTC’s superphone is shipping with the Gingerbread on board, so this gotta be some bug fixing update. It’s not clear what exactly is included in the package, but it’s safe to bet the latest software will make your Sensation run more smoothly than before.

In related news, the carrier also said that the update for its Samsung Galaxy S is on the way, too. However, they haven’t mentioned the exact launch day, only saying it will come “in august.”

Software Update Available For Sidekick 4G Owners, Bug Fixes Within

Read Magazines on Android Tablets with Zinio

One of the benefits of tablets such as the iPad and the Android Honeycomb devices (think of the Motorola Xoom or HTC Flyer, for instance) is that they are perfectly positioned in terms of size and the quality of the displays to replace magazines and books.

Of course, without the right software apps to provide these types of content no reading can take place. Ebook software such as Kindle makes it possible to enjoy free and premium books, ComiXology is great for buying and reading comics, but what is available for buying and reading magazines?

The app you should probably check out first is ZInio, a free tool from the AndroidMarket that is also suitable for Android mobiles. Using this app you can quickly signup, browse, purchase and download magazines to read at your leisure on your Android tab!

Installing and Signing Up

You should find ZInio in the Android Market, listed as free to download. If you’re using search, the term “zinio” should be enough to find it; the full title is Zinio Magazine Reader. The download is just 5.72 MB and the app will take up 8 MB of space; currently App2SD isn’t an option so you may need to check if you have enough space and free this up.

Once installed and running, you have the option of signing up or logging in. If you already have an account then of course you will choose the existing users option, but newcomers will need to sign-up, providing a name, email account and password.

After you have joined Zinio, a list of magazines will be displayed, which can be sorted by date or title thanks to a selection of buttons at the top of the screen.

Browsing and Buying Magazines with Zinio

When ZInio opens you will be presented with a selection of free magazines that can be instantly downloaded to your device and read. There is a nice spread of options here, from craft to computer with plenty of outdoor and sports related options thrown in. These are all provided to demonstrate the strength of the Zinio platform.

Reading a magazine on Zinio is made extremely easy, and you can use these free demo titles to try it out. Basically, you can scroll left and right through the pages, and use the contents page to jump through the magazine to the item you wish to read!

To view the full list of available titles, however, you will need to tap the shopping basket icon, then expand the list as required; for instance, Android Magazine is listed in Science & tech > Electronics.

(By default, Zinio will display magazines that are available in your territory, and this can be altered via the International Stores button in the menu.)

When you tap on the magazine that interests you, you will have two options: subscribe or purchase. Different pricing choices might sway your choice here, but there is no compulsion to purchase more than one title.

New Dolphin Browser for Android

The Dolphin Browser got a major update today, bringing gesture commands to the popular third-party browser. Users of the Dolphin Browser can now draw symbols on their screen to navigate around the web. For instance you could draw an "F" and have your phone load Facebook, or draw a circle to reload a page.

Much like Firefox, the Dolphin Browser will also support add-ons such as ad blockers or Google Translate. You can also customize the browser with different themes in case you get bored of the default look.

Webzine version of PCWorld

But, probably the coolest feature that the new update brings is the Dolphin Webzine. If you've ever used the Google Reader app for Android, you will feel right at home with the Dolphin Webzine. You can create "webzines" using a website's RSS feed. Dolphin Webzine will simplify the website down so that it is easier to read on mobile devices. It's a much cleaner way of staying up to date with your favorite websites, rather than fussing about with a mobile webpage (which are often not very well done).

The Dolphin Browser is free in the Android Market and makes a pretty good alternative to the stock Android Browser. It's worth giving it a try, if only for the ability to make "webzines" out of your favorite websites.

Zaarly a new kind of market for Android

Zaarly, Craigslist's bizarro twin, yesterday released it's native app for Android. If you're unfamiliar with the strangely-named service, it's a bit like a digital bulletin board where you can post requests for goods or services (that you're willing to pay for) in hopes of finding a nearby user to oblige. It launched to the public this past May, and it's backed by some big name tech investors including Twitter-darling Ashton Kutcher.

Here's how the app works. Log into Zaarly, post something you want, how much you're willing to pay for it, and when you need it by. Nearby users will see your posting, and if they've got the goods, or they're willing to provide the services, they can ask the app to connect the two of you straight away. The app conceals your phone number with an anonymous one, so you don't have to worry about getting any creepy calls in the future.

We think Zaarly is a rather brilliantly-conceived idea for meeting what can only be described as "very specific" needs. Just to give you an idea, Zaarly users are looking for everything from used furniture to yard work to burgers hand-delivered to a downtown office building by 7 PM. Once you start to consider what people are actually willing to pay for, the possibilities seem endless. Imagine camping out for some new gadget being released and thinking to yourself, "I'd pay money to get in the front of the line." Well, with Zaarly, you can actually post a request and see if anyone in your immediate vicinity will take you up on your offer.

The new Zaarly app is now available for free download in the Android Market. It's also available for iPhone and on the web at Zaarly.com.