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Google has just made an updated version of the Android SDK Tools available for download, along with a new version of the Eclipse plugin.

The updated tools should help developers come up with applications for the Android platform even easier than before, by fixing many of the bugs previously reported with them.

Google announces fixes in areas such as Lint or the build system, as well as enhancements brought to the Android emulator.

For those out of the loop, we should note that Lint was designed as a static checker capable of analyzing Android projects for a variety of issues, including correctness, security, performance, usability and accessibility, and more. Lint can be run either from within Eclipse or from the command line.

Some of the enhancements that were packed inside the new release include:

Added check for Android API calls that require a version of Android higher than the minimum supported version. You can use the new @TargetApi annotation to specify local overrides for conditionally loaded code.

Added over 40 new Lint rules for a total of over 80, including checks for performance, XML layouts, manifest and file handling.

Added ability to suppress Lint warnings in Java code with the new @SuppressLint annotation, and in XML files with the new tools: namespace prefix and ignore attribute..
Improved HTML and XML reporting and Eclipse integration.

A series of enhancements to the build systems for Eclipse and Ant was also delivered in the new release, such as strict dependency support for 3rd party Jar files, or support for custom views with custom attributes in libraries.

A new feature included in this release offers developers the possibility to run some code only in debug mode.

Some of the changes brought to the emulator include support for running x86 system images in virtualization mode on Windows and Mac OS X.

Additionally, there is an updated Support Library included in the release, with improvements such as ShareCompat, NavUtils and TaskStackBuilder, NotificationCompat.Builder and a new Library Project.

Download the updated Android SDK and Android Development Tools from Softpedia. 

Videotron is trying to improve its portfolio with lots of 4G devices. The Canadian carrier recently launched the HTC Radar 4G, and today it has debuted the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G tablet.

Regional operator’s customers can purchase the slate starting today for up to $ 550 CAD outright. In addition, the carrier also offers a reduced $ 400 CAD price for the tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with 4G has been available in Canada for quite some time via multiple major carriers.

TELUS, Rogers and Bell already sell the tablet for prices ranging between $ 650 CAD and $ 680 CAD, which makes Videotron’s no term price tag quite decent to say the least.

Although Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G comes with Android 3.2 Honeycomb on board, the tablet is scheduled for an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade sometime by the end of the year.

The slate offers lots of customization options thanks to Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz UX user interface. With access to more than 450,000 apps via Google Play Store, Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G users will be able to take advantage of additional personalization features.

Not among the most powerful Android tablets available on the market, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G performs quite well with its dual core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor clocked at 1 GHz, ULP GeForce graphics processing unit and 1 GB of RAM.

The tablet offers 16GB of internal memory, which is the only storage space users will get as the device does not come with microSD card slot for memory expansion.

As the name suggests, the tablet sports a large 10.1-inch PLS capacitive touchscreen display that supports 800 x 1280 pixels resolution, and features Corning Gorilla Glass coating.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G also packs dual cameras (3-megapixel rear photo snapper and 2-megapixel front facing camera for video calls), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 support, as well as built-in GPS receiver.

Rumors on a maintenance update for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus have come and gone, but the carrier has yet to confirm it.

A certain Android 4.0.4 update that was supposed to fix lots of the phone’s problems was reportedly in the works back in January, but nothing has been heard since then.

Today, new details surface on an unannounced Android 4.0.5 update for Verizon Galaxy Nexus, which is expected to go live within the next few weeks.

Although this isn’t the first time we heard about an Android 4.0.5 update, it was only leaked for the Nexus S last month. The update was said to be under development with rumors pointing to a possible April release.

However, the folks at AndroidCommunity have just learned from Black_man_X, the source of most info leaked about Android platform, that an Android 4.0.5 update for Samsung Galaxy Nexus is now in beta testing at Verizon Wireless.

Rumor has it that this update won’t include new features, instead it will fix lots of more or less critical issues of the smartphone.

Black_man_X claims that the update is running without any problems on the Galaxy Nexus, which means Verizon will start deploying it sooner than expected.

Android 4.0.5 update is said to address several internal bugs and reboot issues, such as audio reboot issue. In addition, a certain “data falling asleep” bug will be corrected as well, along with battery life problems.

Aside from the fact that it does not come with any new features, the source of the information also confirmed that no changes had been done to the user interface and launcher.

It’s likely that the upcoming update will feature new radios, but there’s no word on any improvements of the 4G LTE reception for the moment. Stay tuned for more updates on the matter.

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion is getting ready for the launch of the devices in its popular BlackBerry lineup, including affordable smartphones that would reach more users around the world.

Among these new devices we can count the BlackBerry Curve 9320, a smartphone that was spotted online before in a leaked RIM roadmap, and which has just made another appearance on the web.

The new smartphone will pack low-end hardware when made available for purchase, just as previously rumored.

One of the interesting new features it will sport is a dedicated BBM button, which can be seen right below the screen in the photo to the left.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone is expected to arrive on shelves with a 2.44-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a qVGA resolution, complemented by the popular QWERTY keyboard many of RIM’s devices feature, and an optical trackpad.

The handset is also expected to pack 512MB of internal memory, along with 512MB of RAM and a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additional storage space.

RIM is also expected to pack this mobile phone with a 3.2-megapixel EDOF photo snapper on the back, with flash and video recording capabilities.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 should also include WiFi 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth connectivity capabilities, as well as a FM radio, GPS. Digital Compass (Magnetometer), Accelerometer and Proximity Sensors will also be included in this device.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 specifications list also includes HSDPA 7.2; HSUPA 5.76; UMTS Tri-band variants (bands 1,2,5/6 or bands 1,4,8); Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900). The phone measures 109 x 60 x 12.7mm.

It should not be too long before RIM decides to make the new device official. Until that happens, however, you can have a look at it in the photos attached to this article, courtesy of CrackBerry.

Japanese company Sony has just announced the upcoming availability of its first smartphone to be launched with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich platform out of the box, the Xperia neo L MT25i.

Unfortunately, the smartphone is aimed at the Chinese market, and there’s little to no hope to see this one available outside the country. No word on exact release date or price tag for the moment.

Sony Xperia neo L MT25i is just a software-updated variant of the Xperia neo and Xperia neo V, which were launched on the market last year.

However, while the older handsets will receive an Android 4.0 update later this year, the Xperia neo L will be shipped with Ice Cream Sandwich platform at launch.

The rest of the spec sheet seems to be similar to the Xperia neo and neo V smartphones, so expect the Chinese version to be equipped with a single core Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor clocked at 1 GHz and an old Adreno 205 graphics processing unit.

Aside from Ice Cream Sandwich platform, the only other improvement that we could find is the slightly larger 4.0-inch FWVGA capacitive touchscreen display that supports 480 x 854 pixels resolution.

On the inside, Xperia neo L MT25i packs 1 GB of internal memory, 512 MB of RAM and microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB). The handset seems to have been gifted with the same camera module as well.

The 5-megapixel rear photo snapper features LED flash, autofocus and HD (720p) video recording. There’s also a secondary VGA front facing camera for self-portraits and video calls.

In the connectivity front, Sony Xperia neo L MT25i offer users Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, along with HSPA and microUSB. The phone is about the same size as its predecessors at 120.0 x 61.0 x 12.8 mm.