April 2010 Archives

Apr

More Details On Dell's "Streak 7" Tablet Emerge - Official Name: "Looking Glass"

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Dell, Looking Glass, News

Dell has completely stolen the news spotlight today with a flood of PR, carefully leaked (so I think) to Engadget.

We now have more details about a device that used to be named "Streak 7" - Dell's 7" Android tablet leaked to Engadget a week ago. The previous leak mentioned that Dell's tablet line with an already announced 5" version called Streak 5 would be augmented by 2 more devices - a 7" and a 10" Streaks.

In light of this new information, we now know, for starters, the name Streak seems to only apply to the 5" version, ...

Apr

The Leaks Continue – Meet The Dell Flash And The Dell Smoke

Posted by Chris Dehghanpoor in AT&T, Carriers, Dell, Flash, News, Smoke

Engadget’s leaked a few more Dell phones that just might steal the just announced Thunder’s… well, thunder (that’s the last one, I swear). This time we’re focusing on two handsets that are confirmed to run Froyo and mix things up bit when it comes to form factor.

Dell’s Smoke is a qwerty candybar with an 800MHz CPU, a 5MP autofocus camera, 14.4Mbps HSPA and dual-mic noise cancelling technology. It also packs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR, much to the surprise of no one. You can count on a 2.8 inch QVGA display atop what looks to me like an especially ...

Apr

iPhone Now Runs Android Too. Wait. WHAT? Is "Flash Coming To iPhone" Going To Be Our Next Headline?

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in News, Videos

Today has been absolutely nuts - first 3 new Android phones leaked from Dell. Then, another tablet, also from Dell.

And now we have this: a Canadian Linux hacker by the name of Planetbeing posted a 9 minute video of an iPhone 2G running Android. Yes, that is an Android 1.5 or 1.6 dual booted on an iPhone running the iPhone OS.

Planetbeing, being a smart cookie that he is, has ported Linux to run on iPhone hardware over a year ago. Since Android is a custom Linux distribution on its own, it was only a matter of time ...

Apr

Dell Sets The Stage With Their New Android UI – Will Include Flash... And Run Froyo?

Posted by Chris Dehghanpoor in AT&T, Carriers, Devices By Manufacturer, Flash, News, Smoke, Thunder

Finally, a decent Android skin that isn’t HTC’s Sense UI. Along with a few details about Dell’s newest superphones, we’ve been treated with plenty of information about their custom Android skin, dubbed Stage UI.

It seems that, initially at least, this new UI will be exclusive to Dell’s newly leaked trio of high-end Android phones, the Thunder, the Flash, and the Smoke. At this point there’s a bit of confusion as to which version of Android the Stage UI will be based on, with Engadget reporting that the Thunder will run Flash and Android 2.1 and the ...

Apr

Break Out Those Drool Buckets: Dell Brings The Thunder

Posted by Chris Dehghanpoor in AT&T, Carriers, Dell, News

Holy Android sexiness Batman. Engadget has just busted out some glorious details and renders of the upcoming Dell Thunder – an Android superphone that certainly lives up to the title.

I was a bit taken aback by the announcement – as far as we knew, the only Android phones in Dell’s pipeline were the previously announced Streak and Aero, both of which are interesting, but not nearly as appealing as the Thunder. By the way, I really hope that’s a codename, if for no other reason than to avoid puns like “Hey, did you bring the thunder?”. Ba dum, TSH....

Apr

Android 2.1 Update For The European HTC Hero Delayed. Again. To June. Of 2011 (OK, Not That Last Part)

Posted by John Thompson in Devices By Manufacturer, Hero, Hero (Sprint, HeroC), HTC, News

Earlier today, TechRadar broke the unfortunate news that HTC Hero owners in Europe will have to wait even longer to get their hands on Android 2.1 than was expected. Despite originally being expected within the next week or so, it has been confirmed by HTC that the update has been delayed yet again, this time until June. In a statement HTC said:

"HTC will be providing a free update to Éclair for European HTC Hero variants. Starting in June, anyone owning an HTC Hero will receive an initial preparatory update, shortly followed by the full Éclair update.
For the full

...

Apr

Google’s Turn By Turn Navigation Finally Comes To The UK

Posted by John Thompson in Applications, News

Being in the UK myself, one thing I’ve continuously struggled with when using Android is Google’s navigation on Maps. I’ve tried the hacked version of Maps in the past giving people in the UK navigation features, but it’s always been slightly unstable and troublesome for me. You can, therefore, imagine my delight when I woke up this morning to find a ‘Navigate’ option under a search result on Maps.

Although there’s some confusion as to when navigation was enabled for UK users, most suggestions point to the feature being enabled overnight, and no update was required. I’m using the latest ...

Apr

Android 2.2 Froyo On Its Way Soon

Posted by Andrew Huff in News

Taylor over at AndroidandMe released some Google Analytics findings yesterday showing a couple of hits from Android 2.2 devices, leading us to believe that Froyo is being tested as we speak. Taylor says this information was later confirmed by additional undisclosed sources at Google.

As you may have heard, Google has given each attendee of its fast approaching Google IO conference (happening May 19-20th) a choice of a free Droid or a Nexus One (us included). The conference, as Taylor points out, could very well be the perfect time to launch Froyo. Whether that is the case or not, we ...

Apr

Android Powered Italian Beauty AlessiTAB Wants To Be Your Tablet… errr… Ultimate Kitchen Device

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Devices By Manufacturer, News

Another day, another Android tablet that aims to compete with Apple's iPad in one way or another.

Today we got word of a new Android device, designed by a famous Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni and manufactured by Promelit, which shows some of the finest curves we've so far seen on an Android tablet.

Don't be fooled by this photo-frame look-alike, dubbed AlessiTAB because it offers a lot more. Alessi can:

act as a regular TV, using its digital TV tuner
play videos off the Internet using its WiFi capabilities
access digital pictures (photo frame ftw!)
let you quickly see

...

Apr

Garmin-Asus Announce Garminfone, Exclusive To T-Mobile USA

Posted by John Thompson in Devices By Manufacturer, Garmin, Garminfone, News

Garmin-Asus have announced their first Android powered smartphone with the Garmin navigation experience fully integrated. Called the Garminfone (original, I know), it comes with a 3MP camera on board, a MicroSD slot supporting up to 32GB of storage and of course a custom version of Android.

Although the key selling point of the Garminfone is the turn by turn navigation, it offers a compelling set of features for any smartphone lover. The turn by turn navigation promises to use multiple positioning technologies to find your location no matter where you are, and you can use Garmin’s voice studio to record ...

Apr

Verizon Shipping Bug – A Few HTC Incredibles Shipped Early

Posted by Andrew Huff in Droid Incredible, HTC, News, Verizon Wireless

The date 4/20 is usually associated with things of mellow nature, and apparently some of Verizon’s employees or the shipping system itself seems to have been affected by it - a few lucky people who pre-ordered their HTC Incredibles got notices saying it would be delivered 4/20, and sure enough there are reports of these units being received.

What Is Going On?

It is a bit confusing as to what is actually happening right now in regards to the HTC Incredible. While some people put in their preorder and the actual release date is not until the 29th of April, ...

Apr

Surprise! No Multitouch For The Xperia X10 And That’s Final!

Posted by Andrew Huff in News, Sony Ericsson, Xperia X10 (es209ra)

As the title states, it has just come to light that the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 will not be getting multitouch as was previously mentioned. In fact at first it was stated it would not be getting multitouch, then it was and now, yet again, it is not and that is the final word on it.

It seems that some companies are really having trouble relaying information these days.

Final Word On Multitouch

Sony Ericsson's Communications Manager Harold de Kort gives the final word about multitouch and the Xperia X10:

Multi-touch will not be a feature in future updates

...

Apr

HTC Gives T-Mobile myTouch Slide's Sense UI An Espresso Boost

Posted by Chris Dehghanpoor in Carriers, Devices By Manufacturer, HTC, myTouch Slide (Espresso), News, T-Mobile

The T-Mobile MyTouch Slide just can’t get enough of the camera. We’ve already seen it in three color configurations, and now the good gents at TmoNews have let loose some screenshots of the [sexy?] new HTC Sense revamp, dubbed Espresso.

I’m not sure I’m exactly thrilled with the new ‘bubbly’ icons that they’re using – in my opinion it gives them a cheap, and quite literally, plastic look. They seem to be pushing wood grain and warmer, natural colors in this version over the more industrial/streamlined/modern look of the current HTC Sense UI.

I’m particularly curious about the almost ...

Apr

Guy From HTC Showcases Droid Incredible In A Video At Wirefly's HQ - This Is Hands Down The Best Video To Send To Your Friends New To Android

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Droid Incredible, HTC, News, Verizon Wireless, Videos

The HTC Droid Incredible hasn't even come out yet but we've already seen plenty of videos of it in action.

This video shot at Wirefly.com's headquarters, however, shows a 14 minute walkthrough by a man by the name of Manny who knows how to showcase the phone best. Why? Because he actually works for HTC and tells the story the way HTC itself wanted you to hear it.

In the video, Manny doesn't just jump around all over the place but instead starts the way a completely new customer would - by logging in. He then goes over the ...

Apr

Samsung Galaxy S To Hit The Four Major US Carriers?

Posted by Chris Dehghanpoor in AT&T, Carriers, Devices By Manufacturer, Galaxy S, News, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless

In a surprising turn of events, it’s beginning to look like Samsung’s latest Android superphone, the Galaxy S, may be headed to a carrier near you.

Forbes is reporting that an analyst for Broadpoint.AmTech, Mark McKechnie, ‘expects the Galaxy S to be sold at AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint before the end of June and to be picked up at Verizon "sometime later in the year"’. Those are certainly promising words, and Forbes seems to have enough faith in this prediction to run with it, but it should be noted that Samsung has declined to comment on carrier availability.