Video Calling: The Future of Android?

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Since at least the days of the Jetsons, we've expected that video phones would someday be the standard method of communication. While several videophones have launched over the last decade-and-change, none of them have managed to gain any popularity. Skype allows video chatting, and for the last few years webcam equipped notebooks have acted as a sort of poor man's overly-bulky video phone.

Now Saygus has launched an Android smartphone that claims to be the first mobile in America with 2-way video calling. On its own, the Saygus is fairly easy to dismiss as a gimmick. It's got a middling processor and nothing else to set it apart as 'special'. After reading this Android & Me report about Google's Gizmo 5 acquisition, however, things were thrown into stark relief.

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:12:50 CST | by Robert Evans

Saygus Android Phone is First with 2-way Video Calling

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Saygus has announced a new Android-powered smartphone called the Saygus VPhone that claims to be the first device in America with 2-way video calling capability. The handset is expected to be offered as a CDMA handset on Verizon's Open Development Initiative.

The two cameras on the device include a 5MP main camera with autofocus and flash and a VGA forward facing camera for video calling. The handset also has WiFi, USB, and Bluetooth tethering that allows up to eight devices to connect as an access point. Read more

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Dell Android MID on AT&T in 2010?

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AT&T customers are in an odd position. Their carrier has a host of issues in actually delivering the coverage it promises. But, at the same time, ATT users have access to some of the hottest mobile gadgets in the world. And, if Digitimes is correct, they're about to get one more.

A Chinese-language newspaper, the Commercial Times reported that Dell has outsourced all Mini 3 smartphone production to Foxconn. They've also decided to rely on Quisda for the production of their new MID line-up. We've heard rumors before of a Dell Android MID, and now it appears that the company is actually working on a series of such devices.

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:47:31 CST | by Robert Evans

ICD To Unveil Android Tablet At CES 2010

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While all the analysts and bloggers speculate over the iTablet and the Courier, ICD has a tablet PC heading for CES 2010 that actually exists. And it runs Android 2.0, which adds about 15 extra points to its Geek Cred. While CNet says that full details won't emerge until CES 2010, the company has already put out a thorough PDF about the product.

The tablet, named Vega, will come in 7", 11", and 15.6" versions. The resistive touchscreen will be capable of displaying 262,000 colors, and the whole tablet will be powered by an Nvidia Tegra processor. It'll have 512 MB of RAM and 512 MB of NAND Flash memory. Video conferencing will be possible with this tablet, thanks to its front-facing 1.3 MP camera. While the internal memory on this thing is going to suck, you will be able to use a 32 GB micro SD card to store your media.

Posted on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:33:40 CST | by Robert Evans

Holiday Deal: Cheap Sprint Android Phones At Best Buy

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If you're a Sprint customer with a hankering for an Android smartphone, you need to roll on down to your local Best Buy while the holiday season is still in full swing. We reported yesterday that the retailer was offering the HTC Hero for only $99. Now we've learned that this deal didn't extend only to the Hero. Best Buy is doing a special holiday discount for all Sprint Android phones.

To be fair, that only includes two devices right now. The HTC Hero and the Samsung Moment both cost just $99 now with a 2-year contract. Since this is Best Buy we're talking about, you don't even need to worry about rebates. $99 is all you pay out of pocket. Since both phones were priced at $179, this is one hell of a deal for Sprint customers.

Posted on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:45:20 CST | by Robert Evans

ZiiLabs To Make 1 GHz Android Smartphone?

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Ah, ZiiLabs, makers of the ill-fated but sexy ZiiEgg. Their first big Android device flopped, because no OEM was willing to buy and brand it. The company isn't going to quit there, though. At the Zii Summit 2009 the company is set to unveil a tablet PC, netbook, portable e-reader, and a "phone with fully featured Android platform".

Android and Me states that this new Android smartphone is likely to pack Zii's latest invention, the ZMS-08 CPU. The ZMS-08 is fair competition for NVIDIA's Tegra processor, as well as the Snapdragon processor.

Posted on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:28:43 CST | by Robert Evans

Samsung Galaxy Spica I5700 Android Smartphone Now Official

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Samsung officially introduced its new Galaxy Spica I5700 smartphone. The handset offers powerful Android features with lots of connectivity and access to Google mobile services. The Spica can access Facebook and MySpace.

The Spica has an 800MHz processor and operates on the HSDPA 3.6Mbps networks and on EDGE/GPRS networks. The handset runs Android 1.5 and has a 3.2-inch HVGA 320 x 480 screen and a 3MP camera. Read more

Posted on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Android 2.0 Source Is Available And Runs Already On The G1

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The source code of Android 2.0 that the Droid is running has been released and apparently one Android developer already got the new Android OS to run on the T-Mobile G1.
There was some discussion of the new Android 2.0 release could run on the old G1, but it can. Apparently it took only a couple hours to get Android 2.0 to work on the G1, only video/audio playback is not working yet. Read more

Posted on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:00:00 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Samsung Behold II OLED Android Phone Launches Nov. 18th on T-Mobile

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Samsung and T-Mobile unveiled the Behold II OLED Android phone in early October. Today T-Mobile announced that the Samsung Behold II will be available on November 18th in U.S. T-Mobile retail stores.

Available exclusively from T-Mobile USA, the Behold II SGH-t939 is the first phone from T-Mobile to feature a 3.2-inch AMOLED screen for crisper colors and wider viewing angles, which is paired with a 5MP camera with autofocus, zoom, flash, five shooting modes and video capabilities. The Behold II features Samsung's 3D cube menu providing access to six multimedia features: music, photos, videos, the Web, YouTube and Amazon MP3 for music downloads.
Read more

Posted on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:30:45 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Official: Flash Comes To Android In First Half Of 2010

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Alright, so we pretty much knew this already. Flash has been expected to hit at some point in early 2010 for a while now. Now, however, we've got official word from Adobe on the Flash download site. TmoNews has found that, if you now attempt to download flash player on the T-Mobile G1, you will be prompted by a screen that contains this text;

Posted on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:50:17 CST | by Robert Evans

Secure Mobile Payment App for Android Unveiled

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Charge Anywhere has announced the first secure mobile payment application for the Android platform. The payment solution and payment gateway service Charge Anywhere for Android is now available. Android mobile phones can now be used as payment acceptance devices and the app is available through the Android Market.

The app has a touch screen interface and allows merchants to quickly accept credit and debit card transactions at the point of sale via the smartphone. The software also supports an optional Bluetooth printer for printing receipts. Read more

Posted on Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Slacker Radio Launches For Android

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Just in case Pandora wasn't good enough for you, Slacker, Inc. (one of the best names for a company ever) has just announced the launch of their Slacker Radio app for Android. Users with Android smartphones can now download the app from the App Market. Like most other custom radio apps, Slacker is 100% free to download and use.

Slacker Radio sets itself apart from the herd by offering several cool features not seen on similar applications. Artist biographies, album reviews, and song lyrics are available to users at a glance, and the app also contains the ability to 'peek ahead' and preview music. The app also lets users totally ban artists and songs from their station.

Posted on Fri, 6 Nov 2009 08:14:11 CST | by Robert Evans

Android 1.6 for Zii Plaszma And Zii Egg Is Available

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Creative's ZiiLabs released an optimized version of Android 1.6 for their Zii Plaszma devices.
Based on the Donut branch of Android Open Source Project, Android 1.6 takes full advantage of the flexible media processing capabilities of the ZMS-05 media processing array. Developers and OEMs can now leverage on the advanced graphics and media acceleration to deliver media-rich mobile and embedded platforms. Read more

Posted on Tue, 3 Nov 2009 07:14:19 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Xperia X10 Android Phone Unveiled

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Motorola is on the upswing with its new Android phones. Will Android be the savior for Sony Ericsson also? Sony Ericsson just unveiled the Xperia X10, formerly known as Xperia X3 or Rachel.
Features of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 include Android 1.6, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 CPU, 4-inch WVGA screen, 8.1MP camera, 8GB microSD card bundled, and Wifi. See all specifications and a video below. The X10 sounds hot and looks hot (see hi-res photos), but we have to wait for it until Q1 2010.

The XPERIA X10 introduces a new UX platform that Sony Ericsson will expand across the product portfolio and expand over time continuously introducing new features and capabilities. Read more

Posted on Tue, 3 Nov 2009 03:29:27 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Android 2.0 Already Ported Onto T-Mobile G1

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The whole discussion on whether or not the G1 can run the new Android 2.0 release can end now, as the first rough ports from developers appeared enabling Android 2.0 to be loaded on the T-Mobile G1. The Android 2.0 port does not offer full functionality yet, it is more of a proof of concept.

Of course it still remains to be seen if T-Mobile is releasing an official Android 2.0 update for the G1. Read more

Posted on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 05:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Android Smartbook Acer's Secret Weapon

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Asus has delayed their Android-running Eee PC several times, but it now looks like they are getting ready to follow through with a launch early in 2010. This Android device will run with a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, and is being marketed as a smartbook. Asus has high hopes for the gadget, and called it their “secret weapon” in a statement to Shanzai (via Gizmodo).

The itty-bitty smartbook could be a breakthrough in the development of netbooks. With the introduction of CULVs and other ultra-portable notebooks, netbooks have shifted towards smaller, lower-priced machines. When consumers buy a netbook, they want a device that is good for browsing, word processing, and social networking. A netbook needs to boot fast and have great battery life. That is pretty much it.

Posted on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:55:40 CDT | by Robert Evans

Android LG Eve Videos, Pictures Leak

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Before the year is out, LG will join the swelling ranks of Android smartphone manufacturers. Their first Android phone will be a low-budget number called the Eve. It'll be out sometime in Q4 and, according to Phandroid it will be available in Canada on Rogers Wireless, in addition to several European carriers. The folks at Android and Me have managed to dredge up some new images and bizarre commercials for the Eve.

Both commercials heavily emphasize the Eve's social networking capabilies, which seem to revolve around integrating a contact's phone number, facebook status, twitter updates, and other social media information together in a single phonebook entry. The UI looks fine, but there doesn't appear to be anything that distinguishes it from the herd. This is certainly no MotoBlur or Sense.

Posted on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:42:55 CDT | by Robert Evans

HTC Hero Gets Android 2.0, G1 Can Get It Too

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HTC is working on an Android 2.0 update for the HTC Hero according to Engadget. Hero owners can lean back and not be too disappointed when a Droid owner shows them Android 2.0. The only open question is how long Hero owners will have to wait until the Android 2.0 update is available.

Yesterday we reported that the Android 2.0 (Eclair) release could be too big for the G1. Read more

Posted on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:19:48 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Android 2.0: Too Big For The G1?

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Android 2.0 is right around the corner, and that's got some people wondering if the T-Mobile G1 will be able to handle it. (Android and Me) You might remember when, a few months back, we had the same worry about Android 1.6. Thankfully, our concerns ended up being unfounded and the Donut update came out for the G1 on time and in full form.

But the fact remains that, eventually, the Android base code will grow too large for the G1's tiny amount of system memory to handle. The G1's system partition is just 69120 kb in size, while Android 1.6 is 68800 kb in size. It's clear that the G1 barely had enough space to handle Donut, which makes the question of whether or not it will have enough space for 2.0 very valid.

Posted on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:52:19 CDT | by Robert Evans

Android 2.0 Is Official, See The New Features

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Google officially unveiled Android 2.0. Android 2.0, also known as Eclair, was exposed earlier and got even more attention recently as it will be powering the new Verizon Wireless Droid smartphone.

For end users Android 2.0 has new features for contact and account management, Exchange support, improved Messaging, flash support and digital zoom for cameras, new Android virtual keyboard, refreshed browser UI and HTML5 support. Read more

Posted on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:43:43 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Ericsson Android Smartphone Coming Soon

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Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh. I'm sorry folks, but journalistic detachment is going to take a holiday for this article. All of the tech blogs have been geeking out over the upcoming Ericsson Rachel smartphone since the first news of it leaked a few months back. Now Android and Me brings news of a promo on Sony's website that hints at a November 3 announcement concerning 'Project Rachel'. We don't know yet who will carry the X3, but current rumors hint at T-Mobile.

AndroidGuys has some more detailed information about the new Xperia smartphone. It will run Android 2.0 (d'uh), pack a 1 GHz snapdragon processor, and come with a beastly 8.1 MP camera. It's also set to have 32 GB of internal storage and a 4.1" OLED touchscreen. That's right a 4.1" OLED touchscreen. Are you drooling yet? Because I am.

Posted on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:34:46 CDT | by Robert Evans