Google’s 10 Billion Promo for 12/9 Listed

It’s day four of Google’s 10 Billion Promo where they’re celebrating 10 Billion apps downloaded in the Android market. Every day for 10 days, they’re selling premium apps for just $.10 each. Some of the applications and games listed are great, and even the not-so-great apps might be worth your attention at just a dime. Today’s apps? Have a look below:

• Spirit HD
• Shazam Encore
• Sentinel 3: Homeworld
• Farm Frenzy
• Toddler Spanish
• Need for Speed Shift
• Jelly Defense
• Game Dev Story
• Baseball Superstars 2011
• My Beach HD

I already see a few in there that I’m going to be taking advantage of. Be sure to grab them up without delay. Considering you could get the whole bunch for a dollar it doesn’t really make sense to hesitate on pulling the trigger.

DROID Xyboard Tablets Will Be in Stores December 12th; Already Available Online

Verizon’s confirmed what we’ve all been hearing regarding the DROID Xyboard’s release date. As we saw yesterday, they became available for purchase online. Usually when Verizon does an online only release, an in-store launch follows just three days later. In a press release today, they have confirmed that the device will indeed be available for purchasein stores on December 12th, just as rumors have said.
While Verizon refers to the DROID Xyboard as if it’s just one tablet, there are actually several different configurations to choose from in both size and storage. You can get 8.2 inch models with either 16GB or 32GB of data, while 10.1 inch models will be available with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, bringing the total amount of configurations to five.

• The DROID XYBOARD 10.1 will be available in three models: 16 GB for $529.99 and 32 GB for $629.99. The 64 GB model will be available online for $729.99. All three with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 will be available in two models: 16 GB for $429.99 and 32 GB for $529.99, both with a new two-year customer agreement.

All models are equipped with Verizon’s 4G LTE radios alongside some other common specs. We’re looking at a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2 (Android 4.0 coming later) and more. Read on for more details and consider purchasing one online if you can’t wait until Monday to check one out in stores.

Panasonic’s 4.3 Inch OLED Smartphone AIMED for Europe

Panasonic has announced that it’s looking to introduce a 4.3 inch OLED smartphone for Europe. It’ll apparently be ultra-slim d-shaped and resistant to water and dust.With no other details beyond that and a look of the device in the photo you see above, it’s hard to get excited about a device that we know so little about.
Panasonic says they have high goals and ambitions, though, and want to get this thing out worldwide and ship 5 million units. While they’re highly regarded as a worldwide brand in general consumer electronics, that won’t guarantee support from the smartphone-buying sector of consumers.
LG is just one example of a firm who makes a lot of great consumer electronics and is a popular brand but can’t quite break into smartphones like they’d hoped. We hope they come with something truly captivating, otherwise it might turn out to be little more than a flash in the pan. For now, we’ll just wait to pass judgment. Read on for full press details.

Panasonic to Expand Smartphone Business to European Market
Panasonic will expand its mobile phone business into the global market, targeting at nine million units of overseas sales in fiscal year 2016.
Tokyo, Japan – Panasonic announced today that it will expand its smartphone business to the European market in March 2012. At the same time, it announced its aim to bring its overseas smartphone sales to nine million units in fiscal year 2016, ending March 31, 2016, using Europe as a stepping stone to the global market.
With the mobile phone market rapidly shifting to smartphone usage worldwide and a steady growth expected particularly overseas, Panasonic aims to tap into this growth with its first global model smartphone for the European market in March 2012.
The main characteristics of the global model are:
1. An ultra-slim D-shaped design for easy portability
2. Slim bezel with high viewing quality Quarter HD (QHD) 4.3-inch large organic light emitting diode (OLED) screen
3. Waterproof and dustproof for ease of handling
Using this as a reference model, Panasonic will expand its lineup, aiming at sales of 1.5 million smartphones in Europe next fiscal year. Furthermore, in fiscal year 2016, Panasonic targets global sales of 15 million units, including nine million in Europe, Asia, China, and the United States and six million in Japan (of which five million are smartphones).
The Panasonic Group created the Systems & Communications Company (SNC) in April this year in advance of its reorganization scheduled for January 2012 in order to handle products and services related to system, network and mobile communications. Within this company, Panasonic will maximize its internal resources, including making use of an existing factory in Malaysia. Currently, phones for the Japanese market are manufactured in this factory but now the same factory is also scheduled to manufacture the first global model as announced.
Panasonic will continue to expand its product lineup and increase sales in a speedy process by thoroughly utilizing the Group’s technological assets and development resources as well as its production and sales sites around the world, thereby strengthening development, production, and sales structure and product competitiveness.

Clove UK Begins Presales for Transformer Prime, Expected to Ship in January

While we are still a bit of ways away from an eventual ASUS Transformer Prime launch, UK users can stake their claim to one at online retailer Clove. They’re offering two different variants of the device – one with a keyboard (32GB) and one without a keyboard (64GB), both for £550.80 including VAT. Head to the previous links to check out this quad-core Tegra 3 beast.

How to Install Google Wallet on the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus

Google Wallet is an app that lets you pay for purchases using the NFC chip in your Android-powered smartphone on special "PayPass" credit card terminals -- but it is only "officially" available on the Sprint Nexus S 4G.

Nexus S 4G

If you want to run Google Wallet on your Sprint Nexus S 4G, simply download the Google Wallet app from the Android Market and you're all set!

If you want to run Google Wallet on another device you've got some work ahead of you.

In this video we'll show you the app working on a GSM Nexus S and GSM Galaxy Nexus. If you'd like to get Google Wallet on your "unsupported" Nexus S or Galaxy Nexus, we'll tell you how to do that after the break. Nexus S (GSM)

If you want to run Google Wallet on your GSM Nexus S you'll need to unlock it, root it, flash a custom recovery ROM, and load up supported custom ROM. Currently CyanogenMod nightly 212 and above should work.

That's where things get sticky.

Boot into recovery mode (by pressing the volume-up key and the power button) then select RECOVERY, then wipe everything (data/factory reset, and cache). Yes, this will erase everything on your device. Next, flash Cyanogenmod nightly 212 (or higher), which you can get here: download.cyanogenmod.com/?type=nightly&device=crespo.

After you've flashed the ROM you have to flash the Google Wallet package (before you flash GAPPS). Next, flash GAPPS, then reboot.

After you've booted, run through the initial setup, making sure you setup your Google Account, then launch Google Wallet. It will probably force-close -- don't panic! Open Google Wallet again, and start the setup. Once that's done you should be able to use Google Wallet on your Nexus S.

Galaxy Nexus (GSM)

If you want to run Google Wallet on your Galaxy Nexus you'll need to unlock, root, and install ClockworkMod Recovery. Luckily, we've got a tutorial that tells you just how to do all that: How to Unlock and Root Your Galaxy Nexus. (Remember, OEM unlocking will wipe your entire phone, data and system.)

Luckily, this version doesn't require a special,multi-package flashing process, but you will need to fix permissions if apps start misbehaving (which they probably will).

After you've unlocked and rooted your phone, set it up (including your Google Account) then reboot into recovery mode. Flash the Google Wallet package, reboot into Android (this will be slow), reboot into recovery mode, run Fix Permissions, then reboot into Android again.

Lastly, launch and setup Google Wallet.

If you want to try either of these, we'd love to hear your success stories, and reactions of people who see you paying for stuff with your phone!