This is rather big news – the BBC has finally put up an official BBC News Android app on the Android Market, promising a full news feed with accompanying video for all stories.
There’s social network integration for pinging links out to people, plus full customisation options so you can only read the light-hearted stuff if you want to blinker yourself from serious world events. It also lets you “swipe” to scroll through stories individually.
About time. Read the full explanation over on the BBC Internet Blog, which rather interestingly tells us that the app’s video playback doesn’t require Flash support – unlike the iPlayer app. But if you want to watch the news channel live, you’ll need the traditional Android 2.2/Flash combination.
HTC’s 4.3″ dual-core Android model, powered by Qualcomm’s all-new S4 processor. It’s smaller than the enormous One X, but is it as nice as its bigger brother? (SPOILER: Yes it is).
HTC is very much B-A-C-K at the top of the Android world with this, its quad-core flagship for 2012. Great camera, huge 4.7″ display and Android 4.0 running beautifully well.
Sony returns with an all-new mobile design for 2012, pairing a dual-core processor with a 720p display. It’s a lovely phone, but is it enough to end our Samsung and HTC obsession?
LG’s updated Prada phone comes with an absolutely crazy black & white theme, but is it just for fashionable suit wearers who want to make themselves look a bit more interesting?
Juhani
/ May 25, 2011Why, oh why ins’t it available outside UK?!
googly
/ May 25, 2011Yeah, wtf.
BBC Dev
/ May 26, 2011It will be …. v soon.
hecatae
/ May 25, 2011because you have to hold a tv licence in the uk to watch bbc uk content, same reason bbc iplayer is not available outside uk
mnyoka
/ May 29, 2011its foolish ur right
k0zmic
/ May 25, 2011About time.
Rik Hemsley
/ May 25, 2011Uninstalled Flash player. Installed BBC News app.
Found an article with video.
It said ‘Cannot play this video as you don’t have the correct version of the Flash player installed’.
Also, it’s just a front end to the mobile site. Most of the links ‘within’ the app just open a browser.
Useless and broken. Thanks BBC.
hecatae
/ May 25, 2011which article, my zte blade is armv6 so no flashplayer support.
wordord
/ May 25, 2011Juhani & co: it seems we just have to wait for a while:
“BBC Worldwide will soon be launching an international version of the app for audiences around the world.”
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2011/05/bbc_news_app_comes_to_android.html
HTC Android
/ May 25, 2011Great another service we will have to pay for lol
Matt C
/ May 25, 2011Yep, isn’t the license fee great. Imagine how crap the BBC would be without it, it’s an absoloute bargin compared to Sky. Quality channels with no ads, iPlayer, pretty much the best new website in the world, radio channels to appeal to young, middle aged and old, non bias news reports with mostly balanced reporting and no political agenda.
Denzil
/ May 25, 2011My sarcasm sensor seems to be faulty today and I cannot tell if you’re joking or not…I am amazed we are forced to pay this bbc tax….give me the option to get this “premium” service if I want to or give me the option to opt out…because thats what it is…yet I am forced to pay for it as though it is standard…given the chance I would take the ads…I hardly ever watch any of their services….oh oh…turning into a rant…better stop now
Gary C
/ May 25, 2011Well I like BBC4 for its documentaries about caravans, service stations, coaches and generally mad enthusiasts.
Denzil
/ May 25, 2011My comment isn’t a reflection on my judgements on the quality of their content…(pretty good nature programs!) rather it is to do with how we are forced into a subscription as opposed to having an option. Made sense back in the old days…not anymore when there are so many digital services…let me pay for it if I want it…don’t assume I want to watch it and in turn force me to do so is all Im trying to say
Rik Hemsley
/ May 25, 2011Is there still a BBC channel other than 4? Not that I care.
Gary C
/ May 25, 2011Occasionally I have to leave the room when the wife puts on BBC3.
Rik Hemsley
/ May 25, 2011You had me until “non bias news reports with mostly balanced reporting and no political agenda.”
brypie
/ May 25, 2011no ticker-style widget!! :-(
BBC Dev
/ May 26, 2011soon soon…
Mark G
/ May 26, 2011Nice App, very slick works great on my HTC legend. the only problem is the shite news reporting lately..
Sang
/ May 26, 2011Searched for the Big Bee App before from here in France, found all the third-party crap, now the official one is out, but can’t see my mobile phone? Just my luck? Oh well!
hecatae
/ June 7, 2011video plays on my zte blade.