Posts Tagged ‘Google-Android’

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Your Social Mobile: The HTC Desire

July 2nd, 2010

Nowadays, more and more manufacturers seem to be bombarding their mobiles with all sorts of unique features just to be able to get a competitive advantage. Some of these said features are truly technological marvels that definitely make life a bit easier, but some are just downright excessive.

Despite all these, what still remains at the heart of an exceptional mobile (or at least what ought to remain) is still its ability to connect its users to the world. The HTC Desire definitely does more than just that as it keeps its users in touch with the rest of the world in more ways than one.

Basic Connectivity

The HTC Desire is a quad band 2G device that is compatible in the GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 networks and also functions as a dual band device (HSDPA 900 / 2100) over the 3G network. All these numbers simply mean that it is likely that the Desire will work regardless of where in the world you may be.

Top of the line GPRS, EDGE, and HSDPA data connectivity features guarantee high speed mobile internet speeds which is complemented by the Desire’s Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g WLAN capability.

Applications

The HTC Desire is also loaded with awesome applications that’ll make sure that you stay connected. One such application is the new People widget which allows you to group your contacts as you wish, giving you one-touch access to your most important contacts. There’s also the Friend Stream app which is a social networking program that provides users real-time updates from the most popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

More than a Mobile

However, don’t let all these connectivity features throw you off and make you think that the HTC Desire is nothing more than a “socially-inclined” type of mobile. In fact, it has one of the most impressive spec sheets in the business and the likes of its 1 GHz processor, 3.7-inch high-res display, 5-Megapixel camera, and Android operating system, are just some of the many features and functions of this truly remarkable Smartphone.

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Q3 Launch for HTC Desire’s Android 2.2 Update

July 1st, 2010

A general wave of disappointment has just washed over the many Android smart phone owners. These are the first series of announcements regarding delays in update releases. The first mobile phone to take the brunt of the wave is the HTC Desire. Despite the fact that many expected a Froyo patch for the Desire to be available by now, it seems that Google is still delaying the launch and has announced that the update for the Android device will not appear until later this Q3.

The Desire is not the only smart phone affected. Other HTC Android 2.1 smart phones are expected to get updates around August this year.

The reason why there is so much fuss about the Desire’s delayed update is that many consider it the benchmark for other non-Google branded Android smart phones; that is if the Desire is getting an update, then updates for other devices will surely follow soon.

For now, only the Google Nexus One has the update for the new Android Froyo. The reason for the delays has not been explained by either HTC or Google, but many believe that they are simply biding their time. Google has had no qualms releasing updates with compatibility issues (a constant problem for the Android as there is a wide variety of phones that use the OS), so there really is no reason to hold back on the launch date.

Another reason why the Desire is a very important phone for many is because it practically serves as a non-Google substitute to the Nexus One. And considering that HTC manufactured both devices, the Desire is a pretty good choice too. The specs are even the same. Both phones have 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen displays, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor and a 5 mega pixel snapper.

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1.7 Million iPhones with Bad Receptions and Yellow Screens Sold

July 1st, 2010

Well, to be technically correct, not all of the 1.7 million iPhones have the issue with the touch screen having an ugly yellow smear. But yes, all these phones are affected by the bad reception bug. The 1.7 million sales all over the world may seem impressive when the initial numbers are mentioned and from the looks of it, it will be quite some time before a handset is able to meet and even beat this new record.

The issue stems from the fact that Apple has designed the handset’s antenna receiver in an open spot that is often a position that people would be pressing their fingers towards. In fact, anyone with a small understanding of ergonomics would not have made such a clumsy mistake, but as it is, Apple is still managing to sell millions.

Taking a couple of steps away from the iPhone 4’s issues, it is pretty impressive that the Apple handset managed to sell so many in such a short amount of time. More phones would have been sold had Apple been able to keep up with the production demand –but it is already a good thing that they stopped when they did as the quality of the devices is certainly underwhelming.

The first main issue is the yellow splotches on the screen. This is caused by a chemical solution that is present in the middle of two layers in the TFT capacitive touch screen. While some state that the issue should fix itself eventually, the fact stands that the rush in production might has also been a cause of this issue.

The bottom line here is that people buy the iPhone 4 not because of the specs or features; it is because people have come to know and want the Apple brand. Despite the iPhone 4 not being any better that most of the current Android smart phones, no other devices have as much visual and name recall as the Apple handset.

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Posted in Apple

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Flash Available but No Devices are Compatible

June 25th, 2010

It seems that in all of Adobe’s excitement in releasing the new mobile version of the Flash Player, they have forgotten that there is only one smart phone that makes use of the new feature –and as it is, the number of Google Nexus One owners is just a very small fraction of the Android community.

Still, it is a big step for the web format developer in their quest to show critics and the market that Flash is still a widely used web format. And they are right. While Adobe also recognizes the need for HTML5 development and they also support the new media (Adobe has confirmed that they are currently working on HTML5 development software), Flash is still a well accepted medium.

Anyway, the launch of the Flash Player 10.1 is still big news. So far, none of the existing mobile phones are compatible with it simply because Google’s launch of Android 2.2 Froyo is still not applicable for a vast majority of Android devices.

And that is an issue that Google needs to fix as soon as possible. While it has been confirmed that the HTC Desire will be getting a 2.2 update in the next few days, there are plenty of other impressive Android handsets that have yet to taste the power and versatility of the new Android version.

According to the original announcements, Android 2.2 features a whole host of new features such as tethering and support for turning a handset into a WiFi router. Froyo also improves existing Android performance by boosting the performance speed up to two times faster and the browsing speed up to three times faster.

Naturally, the new Flash Player support is considered to be the main attraction of the new OS, and once it is available for other smart phones; many mobile users will be able to enjoy Flash content on the go.

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New Altek Leo Phone Sports 14 MP Camera

June 21st, 2010

Taiwan based electronics manufacturer Altek is known for their camera technology. The company is well known for making cameras to be used for assembling mobile phones as well as their standalone digital camera series. Aside from this, the company has also produced a small series of electronic driving assistance devices as well.

At the CommunicAsia event in Singapore, many expected Altek Corporation to show off their latest cameras made for mobile phones –in order to attract phone manufacturers. But they instead surprised everyone when they went up onstage to show off the new Altek Leo. With the device’s 14 mega pixel camera, Xenon flash, 1/2.3 inch CCD sensor and 3x optical zoom, the device seemed like a handy little camera –until they announced that it was also a mobile phone.

And not just any mobile phone; aside from the fact that the Leo allowed users to make and receive phone calls, the real clincher is the fact that this smart phone is an Android handset. Yes, right behind that spectacular 14 MP lens is a large capacitive touch screen display with Google’s ever familiar mobile platform user interface.

It brings apps, plenty of Google features such as Maps, Goggles, Mail, Chat and more, a really powerful camera and what we can only assume would be a decent CPU and a sufficient degree of internal storage (or at least some microSD card support). Overall, this is one smart phone that you people should not pass up –if they get a chance. It seems that there are no confirmed plans to release this handset in any European territory at the moment.

So far, Altek has only confirmed an Asian release for this impressive piece of technology but considering the amount of interest there is in the device, it would a great idea for the Taiwanese camera maker to consider bringing this smart phone to the west.

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Acer’s New Handset Brings Budget Android with QWERTY

June 9th, 2010

As fun as it is to gander at the latest hardware and specs of the new high end smart phones that are being released, the real deal is when it comes to the low to mid range devices –after all, not everyone is willing to invest so much in a smart phone, and that is why cheap alternatives are always very important.

Acer recognizes the need to address the mid to low range smart phone market, and that is why they have come out with the beTouch series. While Acer’s Liquid line focuses more on the high end range, the Acer beTouch E130 juggles the tight balance between providing good hardware with keeping a low price tag.

The device’s 416MHz processor is undoubtedly slow by today’s standards, but it still gets the job done. Running the Android 1.6 Donut OS also means that the handset is able to access many of the Android’s newer features such as Map navigation and Google Goggles. So far, it has not been stated if the device would ever be updated to a later version of the OS.

The phone’s biggest charm is its front facing QWERTY keyboard. It may seem a little cramped for people who are not used to the layout, but anyone who has used a BlackBerry or a Palm would feel right at home. The keys are layered flat and are indistinguishable from each other; this means that users should expect the occasional typo when doing fast repetitive keystrokes. Aside from that, learning to use the beTouch E130’s keyboard takes only a short while. Users will be able to type long messages

Overall, the beTouch E130 is a great handset for anyone in a budget. With the Android operating system and the phone’s impressive keyboard, it’s a successful combination that is hard to beat.

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More Details on Next Generation iPhone Revealed

June 9th, 2010

With only a short while before the full details on Steve Jobs’ WWDC speech comes out, here are a few last minute rumors, presumptions and confirmed facts about the upcoming Apple iPhone 4G which is going to be revealed at the major Apple event.

First off, Apple really hates Google now. In fact, it has just been confirmed that Bing will be the primary search engine for the new Apple phone. While it is expected that other search engines will also be available, Apple’s decision to support Microsoft is a direct attack on Google –who is now the major competitor for the iPhone thanks to Google’s Android OS.

Another revelation about the new iPhone is that it will not have a touch sensitive casing. While the initial reports were full of rumors of this innovative new input system, it appears that Apple might have scrapped the idea entirely. Without any actual application of the technology on smart phones, it is hard to determine as to why the idea has been scrapped.

At long last, the new iPhone will be coming with a high resolution OLED capacitive touch screen display. This will provide the iPhone with better graphical capabilities. And with the announcement that the new phone’s display being the same size as the original iPhone’s, having better resolution is a logical next step. Still, with the large touch screen on new smart phones and many uses going for high resolution screens, the decision to keep the iPhone at 3.3 inches will help keep its appeal to the mid range market.

The front facing camera is now official. With all the leaked images of the handset and the many close ups of the device’s front face, it is hard to deny that the little hole on the top is a front facing camera for video chatting.

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Vlingo Now Available for the Android

June 7th, 2010

Fans of the old BlackBerry Vlingo app will be happy to know that the software is now heading to the Android Market. This impressive little gadget will give you full hands free operation –well mostly, by reading out content to you as you handle more important things such as paying attention to the road while driving.

The Vlingo app’s function is quite simple; it will give you text-to-speech capability in plenty of functions. This is most useful when you need to check that latest email or text message but cannot afford to spend the time looking at your phone the whole time. As long as you are wearing a headset (or simply in a location where you can hear your phone well), you will not have any problems.

Not that Vlingo will not function when used with the speaker phone (most handsets have one anyway), but this is certainly not recommended if you are in a public location where other people may be able to overhear the contents of the messages that are being sent. After all, the last thing you want your colleagues in the office to hear is what the latest insider tips you are receiving. And this is why it is recommended to make use of a headset.

Privacy issues aside (which can be easily remedied anyway), the Vlingo app is immensely useful if not somewhat of a novelty function for some. It is pretty much expected that not everyone will need to have map data being read out to them (and Google already provides free voice guided sat nav), but there are certainly plenty of people who will find good use for Vlingo –many BlackBerry users did after all.

This paid app is already available for download at the Android market and is a well recommended download for people who are often on the go.

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Posted in BlackBerry, General, Google

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OS Selection: Comparing the Google Android with the Apple iPhone

June 4th, 2010

The choice of OS between the Apple iPhone and the Google Android is as much as selection about which mobile phone to purchase as it is about which operating systems fits your needs best. This is mostly because Apple fully controls the use of the iPhone operating system whereas the Android is used in a wide variety of smart phones from different developers. This is why choosing between the two is not quite the same as choosing between the Android and the Symbian OS.

First off, the Apple iPhone promises users a consistent degree of performance. While the Android is known to suffer from varying compatibility issues (mostly due to the hardware differences of the various handsets that use the OS), the Apple iPhone is consistent and reliable. While the hardware of the iPhone is lower than the average modern day Android device, this level uniformity in performance means that Apple’s OS is still able to deliver speed and system stability that is comparable with newer and faster devices.

In terms of Apps, Apple has the larger library. The Android Market is still relatively new and is still growing. In terms of actual content however, the Android brings more to the table. While the iTunes App store is full of redundant applications, the Android market delivers more in terms of actual diversity of functions. This is expected to increase as more and more developers create apps for the Android OS.

Also, the Android supports Flash (well, as of version 2.2 that is), and pretty soon, most smart phones will be updated to the new OS. Google has also confirmed that version 3.0 Gingerbread will also have support for HTML5 –leaving the Apple iPhone behind in terms of web format compatibility.

Overall, the Apple iPhone is a good choice for anyone who is not too picky about additional functions and simply needs a basic reliable smart phone. But for those who want full functionality and support for web formats, as well as tolerate the occasional app instability problems, then the Android makes for the perfect OS.

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Adobe’s Flash Arrives on Android

May 25th, 2010

The new Android Froyo update finally brings the much awaited Flash support. It has already been announced early on that the update will bring native Flash and AIR support, but Adobe has one other surprise in store, a dedicated Flash player for the new OS.

According to reports, the Flash Player 10.1 is exclusively available to Froyo and the beta is already available for download. At the time of writing, only the Nexus One is the only smart phone that supports the new Android update though it is expected that other devices such as the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S and the HTC Desire will also be getting updates for the new OS in a matter of weeks.

The addition of Flash to the Android is not the only thing that Google and Adobe have been working on. They also recently unveiled VP8, a new web format for video encoding that is going to be used in YouTube. According to Adobe, the new Flash player will support standard Flash content, VP8, VP6 and H.264 encoded video content. VP8 is slated to be open sourced which means that anyone will be able to use it soon.

In many ways, the big scuffle between Adobe and Apple has proven to be beneficial for the Flash developer. With Apple, they always found themselves on the receiving end of complaints and lacked support from the platform that they were supporting. This is ultimately what made the Adobe’s previous efforts unfruitful. As seen with their team up with Google, Adobe has a lot to offer on the table –more than just Flash.

The ironic thing is that Apple’ was forcing a sudden shift to HTML5 –which is why they never wanted Flash at all (since HTML5 is stable under Apple’s operating systems). Right now, Adobe’s Dreamweaver update is the most impressive integration of instant HTML5 on the internet –making it the most viable development tool for the platform.

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