A post by Scott Main, lead tech writer for developer.android.com, went up yesterday to remind developers that in Google’s eyes, the Menu button is dead. When Google introduced Android 3.0, developers got their first taste of what Google was planning for the future of its UI. Gone was the Menu button, along with the constraints of hardware buttons period. Introduced was the future of Android: software based action buttons. The ActionBar class is now the new standard and Google wants to remind those moving forward to forget about the menu button and focus on the action bar. This is another step towards an overall unified experience on Android, and one that Google hopes developers will adopt, in order to create a consistent experience from here on out.

Owners of the HTC Rezound will be getting an update for their device real soon. But before you get too excited, there’s no Ice Cream Sandwich. Well, if it doesn’t have the one thing every Rezound owner is waiting for, what does it have? A few bugfixes and improvements such as:

Sprint continues its Carrier IQ eradication, with the Samsung Epic 4G Touch being the latest to receive a security update. Update EL29 has begun rolling out today and will go out in stages, with 100% of phones being updated within 10 days. The update will bring you to software version S:D710.0.5S.EL29 and includes:

When the first quad-core tablet hit the market, Android fans were ecstatic. That excitement quickly turned into disapointment for some, when it was discovered that ASUS had locked the Prime’s bootloader. After an outcry from modders, developers and general consumers, ASUS soon realized the importance of having an unlock option for those that seek the freedom to customize their devices as they see fit, regardless of the risks. ASUS soon announced that they would be working on an unlock tool for the Prime, and today, they have announced that the “root tool” will be available in February.

When Sprint updated the HTC EVO 3D, they slyly removed the infamous Carrier IQ, and called it a “security update.” We soon got wind that Sprint was planning to remove Carrier IQ from all its handsets, and not soon after, HTC chimed in and confirmed Sprint’s plans. It appears they are continuing with these “security updates,” as they have now released them to three more devices: the HTC EVO 4G, EVO Design 4G, and the Samsung Epic 4G.