GadgetNutz

Palm Pre adds even more games!

Kermit — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:19:33 +0000

Verizon Wireless customers with the Palm® Pre™ Plus can experience the most popular console games on the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network.

Pre Plus smartphones operating on the Palm webOS™ platform offer customers exciting gaming functionality, including 3D graphics. The games range from action and strategy to mobile versions of popular console games, all from the leading content providers in the mobile gaming industry.

Some of the games available to Verizon Wireless customers with Pre Plus smartphones include:

“Asphalt 5”
“Brain Challenge^®”
“Glyder 2”
“Let’s Golf”
“Assassin’s Creed™ – Altair’s Chronicles”
“Brothers In Arms^®: Hour of Heroes”
“Gangstar: West Coast Hustle”
“Hero of Sparta”
“Dungeon Hunter”
“Monopoly”
“Need for Speed Undercover™”
“SCRABBLE”
“Sudoku”
“Tetris^®”
“The Oregon Trail”
“The Sims™ 3”
“Apollo”
“X-Plane”

Palm Pre Plus is available exclusively from Verizon Wireless for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers can find these games, along with many more apps, in the Palm App Catalog located on Palm webOS smartphones. More information on great apps for Palm webOS is also available at www.palm.com/applications.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 91 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NASDAQ and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Palm, Pixi, Pre and webOS are trademarks of Palm, Inc.

Verizon Announces Casio G’Zone Brigade Phone

Kermit — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:12:15 +0000

First Verizon Wireless Push To Talk Clamshell Handset with Full QWERTY Keypad Lets Customers Text In Rain or Shine

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless and CASIO today announced that the water, dust and shock resistant CASIO^® G’zOne Brigade™ is available today. The CASIO Brigade is the perfect device for business customers in industries such as construction, public safety and utilities who need devices that stand up to tough work conditions while still delivering high-performance mobile technology. This rugged device also sports a QWERTY keyboard; an HTML browser; and Document Viewer for reviewing Microsoft^® Word^® documents, Microsoft^® Excel^® spreadsheets, Microsoft^® PowerPoint^® presentations, and PDFs; plus Push to Talk capabilities that leverage Verizon Wireless’ 3G network for fast two-way communication.

Available colors: Matte Black with a unique crocodile texture exterior for enhanced grip

Key features:

Tough Technology Design – Horizontal clamshell with QWERTY keypad
3.2 megapixel camera with flash, video capture and LED light
Clear Talk for superior sound quality
Water, shock, dust, immersion, vibration, humidity, salt fog, altitude, high and low temperature storage, and solar radiation resistant conforming to MIL-STD-810F
Field Force Manager capable – A resource management tool that provides businesses with the ability to locate and communicate with their mobile field workers

Lifestyle features:

Document Viewer – Makes reviewing Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and PDFs a breeze
Dedicated message keys – Provide one-touch access to messaging
Text to Speech – Allows customers to listen to their text messages, multimedia messages and e-mails
Best Shot™ – Has six presets for a perfect photo finish and automatically changes the setup of the camera based on the background
Auto Focus – Offers single point, nine point and multi point and face detection, perfect for group shots
V CAST Music with Rhapsody – Choose from millions of songs to download over the air
V CAST Video on Demand – Watch favorite television shows while on the go, including live college football, college basketball and NHL hockey games, local and national news and weather, and family programming
VZ Navigator^® capable – Receive audible turn-by-turn directions to more than 15 million points of interest and share the directions with others
microSD™ storage for high-quality photos and music
Speakerphone with front-facing stereo speaker

Price and availability:

The CASIO G’zOne Brigade is available today online at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
To get the most out of the CASIO G’zOne Brigade, customers will need to purchase a data package beginning at $9.99 per month for 25 megabytes with Mobile Email, or add Push to Talk for $5 per month per line on top of a qualifying voice plan. Customers who activate Push to Talk service will also be eligible to receive a $30 discount on Push to Talk phones.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers can contact their Business Sales Representatives at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.

Apple and HTC, the dog that didn’t bark.

Mike — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:15:09 +0000

The interesting thing about Apple’s suit against HTC isn’t who they sued; it’s who they didn’t sue.

Apple didn’t sue Palm

Apple didn’t sue Motorola

Apple didn’t sue Sony

Apple didn’t sue Google

Why? My guess is that this isn’t about Apple enforcing its iPhone patents; it’s about Apple pulling an old trick from Microsoft’s bag, a trick called FUD; Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. I believe this suit is nothing less than Apple’s attempt to slow down adoption of the Android OS by sowing Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt into a certain subset of Android device manufacturers. Trying to slow them or scare them from the market.

The focus of this scare tactic is clearly those Asian companies that make the least costly Android devices and companies that make (or plan to make) a whole lot of Android devices for other companies. Unfortunately for these companies, they tend not to hold very large US patent portfolios and so are somewhat vulnerable to this sort of attack.

For those defending Apple’s litigiousness, Apple isn’t exactly walking the patent high road. I and many others believe that Apple is just as guilty as HTC in the violation of patents. For instance, it’s been widely reported that Apple is violating a very large number of Palm’s patents, core patents, patents to do with basic interaction of touch screen devices. Patents that if enforced, could significantly inhibit the functionality of the iPhone or iPad as we know them. Given those realities, it’s not hard to understand why Apple didn’t sue Palm, didn’t sue Motorola, didn’t sue Sony, didn’t sue Google.

I believe the reason Apple sued HTC is because Apple is terrified of Android, and with darned good reason. Android seems to be on a faster development curve than all other smart phone OS’s combined. Android is growing by leaps and bounds, both in number of devices and the quality of the OS. Android version 2.1 put forth a very serious threat to Apple’s latest OS, while upcoming versions of Android could very likely best Apple’s product. Android is free and it can be better than free to the phone companies who also get paid by Google to embed their search.

We’ve talked about who Apple didn’t sue, what about who Apple did sue, HTC. HTC is a company with a very thin patent portfolio, a company that makes phones for other companies, a company that enables Google’s Android to grow, and a company that is the weakest, yet highly visible, link in the Android chain. While certainly the weak link, HTC is not a core link of Android’s chain. Even if Apple completely prevented HTC from selling Android products, they wouldn’t stop Sony, Motorola, or Google. They wouldn’t stop Android phones and devices from hitting the market. At best, they’ll slow down the introduction of low cost Android devices. At Best.

As for the industry’s response to this suit, I strongly disagree with reports in the media that this has sent Apple’s competitors back to the drawing board to change their software. I don’t think Motorola’s, Google’s, Sony’s or Palm’s software engineers blinked an eye at this lawsuit. Those companies are safe as houses, billeted behind their own extensive patent portfolios. Apple won’t get into it with them, because Apple is very likely violating any number of those company’s patents.

As for HTC, I think their response could be something so small as to go almost completely unnoticed by the general public. For instance, they could attempt to indemnify themselves by no longer actually loading software onto their devices. Google could take over that portion of the business. It might seem as though this could create a horrible manufacturing bottleneck, but probably not. Most Android phones aren’t assembled by the companies that brand them; they’re assembled by rather anonymous Chinese companies. I suspect no actual HTC employees do the loading of software onto HTC devices. Google to pay the Chinese manufacturing company to do the actual loading of software, it could put a serious dent into Apple’s attempts to solely attack HTC. Were Apple to want to continue the action, they’d probably have to add Google to the suit.

Which gets us to the heart of the matter, this isn’t really about HTC, this is a battle between Apple and Google. So what will Google do? Google has to be very seriously studying the legal ramifications of indemnifying all of its Android customers, agreeing to back them, to hold all Android device manufacturers (or a subset of them) harmless of any patent violations. Google is very likely weighing whether they have enough patents to go up against Apple’s patent portfolio. The moment Google indemnifies Android manufacturers, Apple and Google will officially be at war. Wars like this typically take years to find a winner, during those years, neither company will slow down the development of their mobile operating systems.

If Google takes up the fight and indemnifies HTC and all Android manufacturers, Apple’s lawsuit gambit will have utterly failed; Apple wouldn’t have slowed down Android a day. With Google at their back, the Asian companies with thin patent portfolios will no longer have any reason to fear Apple, they’ll have the confidence to flood the market with Android devices, exactly what Apple is seemingly trying to prevent.

Now it’s Google’s move, it will be fascinating to see which way they’ll go.

BlackBerry® Bold 9700 Boldly steps up.

Cecilia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:21:39 +0000

BlackBerry Bold 9700

By now everyone has to know what a Big Fan I am of BlackBerry’s so it’s no surprise I am enjoying this BlackBerry® Bold 9700 on the T-Mobile Network (3G, EDGE, GPRS, WiFi). The Bold feels Slightly heavier than the Curve and has a nice leathery texture on the rear cover. The main external differences is the buttons at the top of the devices. On the Curve these are the audio controls: play, pause, forward….works great. On the Bold this is where the Lock Key (left side) and the Mute/Standby or Play/Pause media (right side) buttons are. I have to say this is Ubber convenient. I don’t have to look at the device to make sure it’s been locked. I can just feel it.

When I received the Bold I noticed I was having a bit of trouble with the SD card not being read by the phone. SO I took it out of the phone and inserted in my computer. It looked fine. There were the usual BB directories with nothing in them, but otherwise OK. I then reinserted the card in the phone. And it said there was some problem with the card and asked if I wanted to “fix” it. I figure, sure, why not? It did Something and voila, SD card was readable by the phone. well, that was easy! It has worked just fine ever since. Which is a good thing as it’s not easy removing the SD card. sure it’s right there at the top of the device when you remove the cover. But for some reason I had a bit of trouble sliding that little bugger out. But as I can access the files on the Bold via the USB cable there’s never any need to remove the card. Unless I want to insert a large one.

As with the Curve there’s Set-up Wizards to help with whatever feature you need. Easy as Pie.
Of course I added a couple of my email accounts and naturally this feature works great. There’s an amazing amount of flexibility with regard to having sounds alert you to emails/messages, and adding lights – creating Profiles to your needs, etc. I like being able to delete an email on the server AND the phone with the same click. (That seems to be something Robin Quivers doesn’t understand and unless you listen to Sirius radio you aren’t going to understand that reference.) It really is amazing. As I mentioned in my article for the Curve, trying to sync the Contacts and the Calendar is a bit tricky. I still can’t quite get the Contacts to be as exact as I would like. And as you Have to let the BlackBerry® “duplicate” entries in order to sync I often end up with several duplicates to some of my Contacts. Google Sync doesn’t work on the Bold – I’m not sure why it seems to work on the Curve. However, when I established a email setup with my gmail, wireless Syncing began. Not perfectly, but at least I got Something!
Now, synicing your calendar is easier. But only if you use Google Calendar. If you do then go here http://www.google.com/calendar/render and log into your account. Go to your Calendar Settings/Mobile Setup. After inserting your mobile phone number you are sent a verification code to your phone which is a number you place back on the web page in the correct field. It appears that the data goes in one direction. From the Google Calendar to the BlackBerry® and not the other way. I am assuming right now that this is on purpose. It sort of makes sense. I keep repeated dates like birthdays on the Calendar, or important dates like when my brother’s band is performing. Those sorts of things get established when I am on a computer. Although it would be nice to sync particular items individually right from the phone.

One of the cool things with having two BlackBerry’s® is the opportunity to communicate between them. Of course I tried to transfer contacts between them and there just isn’t an easy way to do that. I could send messages or emails, but that’s not what I consider “easy”. I can transfer ring tones from one phone to another. I have to tell it where I want the tones saved to for every single ringtone which is slightly annoying if I have a bunch I want transferred. But it does work.
And the way it works is via Bluetooth.

It’s easy to pair any phone to any Bluetooth device but can get tricky when you have to set one phone to Search while you set the other phone to Listen. It’s kind of a twohanded operation. But I have done it, so it IS possible. And pictures can be sent the same way.
Normally Bluetooth is used for talking and that operation works very well. I have to drive various members of my family around and having a Bluetooth enabled phone is wonderful. The phone rings although I usually hear a click in the Bluetooth device just before the ringtone sounds off.

Like the Curve the Bold has WiFi and using it is also a Piece O Pie. I accessed my home WiFi and even tried other signals like the ones you find in those free WiFi cafes. One question some people have is does the phone use WiFi when receiving emails and sending emails even if the phone has a strong 3G signal. Well, sure. Just change your settings. The phone can be WiFi only, WiFi preferred, Mobile Connection Only, Mobile Connection preferred. The included browser will still use the mobile data connection unless you go into the options and change it Hotspot Browser.
The phone automatically connects to WiFi if it’s near a T-Mobile HotSpot Location.

The BlackBerry® browser is fine but those of us who use Opera having that on ones phone is a huge plus. You can download OperaMini 4 or try out OperaMini 5 Beta2. It starts out with the Opera SpeedDial and you can add whatever favorite sites right there. I added FaceBook and easily made FB comments from the phone. It’s generally fast. I then tried out viewing a YouTube video. It asked permission to stream then started the media player. Compared to the way phones tended to play UTube vids this is a vast improvement. Very very smooth. Me Likie.

Stuff I just like Because

There’’s those things I use everyday and I appreciate when they work just nicely. The Calendar is one of those features that just LOOKS way better now. I generally prefer the Weekly View because as I scroll over each day whatever appointment I happen across is detailed at the bottom of the page. It’s much easier to look over the Agenda view. I can set it so it only shows the existing appointments and not empty days. I can switch between more than one calendar or combine them. I can pick the appointment colors.

The clock and the stopwatch and the timer each have a variety of faces to choose from. And choose I DO! I get bored with the same old thing. And I like having a stopwatch on a cell phone. It’s one of those things you rarely use, but when you NEED it, it’s just wonderful the have it.

When I had the privilege of using the BlackBerry® Pearl some years ago playing music and Avi’s was sometimes a bit of a struggle for the device. That is all a thing of the past.

If there is one thing I use often it’s the calculator. And this one is a beauty. And I mean it’s beautiful to look at. The colors make it very easy to read. I can navigate the numbers with the trackpad or with the keypad. And the menu has a list of conversions. Wow. I love this calculator.

Next time we look at the software for tethering and moving file and whatnot. More Bold Coolness coming!

Nokia 5230 Nuron Delivers Apps, Maps and Free Navigation to T-Mobile

Kermit — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:29:47 +0000

Affordable 3G Touch-Screen Smartphone Offers Rich Mobile Experiences,
Ovi Maps and Ovi Store

White Plains, NY and Bellevue, WA — March 3, 2010 – Nokia and T-Mobile
USA today announced the upcoming availability of the Nokia 5230 Nuron,
a smartphone solution for the masses packed with applications, maps
with turn-by-turn directions, and more. Operating on T-Mobile’s
blazing-fast 3G network, the Nokia Nuron offers dynamic Web browsing
and rich experiences on a 3.2” touch screen. The device is also the
first pre-loaded with Ovi Maps, a free turn-by-turn navigation
solution from Nokia, and the first to have the Ovi Store pre-loaded,
giving consumers access to thousands of compelling applications and
games. The Nokia Nuron is expected to be available in the coming weeks
exclusively from T-Mobile.

“The Nokia 5230 Nuron is a great product of our collaboration with
T-Mobile USA and provides consumers with more compelling mobile
experiences as they navigate, watch video, play games and social
network,” said Mark Slater, Vice President, Sales, Nokia. “The Nokia
Nuron offers U.S. consumers a unique and compelling mobile experience
that caters to their everyday needs and enables them to connect to
their passions with an affordable 3G touch smartphone.”

The Nokia Nuron is a mobile solution that allows consumers to easily
make their way around town, download content and applications to keep
them entertained, or help to manage their busy lives. Consumers can
keep up with friends and family via IM, text, personal or work e-mail,
and offers the ability to easily surf the Web with a full HTML
browser.

“Many of our customers are looking for smartphones that deliver a
great mobile Web experience with access to games and applications, all
at an affordable price,” said Travis Warren, director, product
marketing, T-Mobile USA. “We are excited to partner with Nokia to
offer our customers the Nokia 5230 Nuron, a 3G smartphone for the
masses that delivers features like a full touch screen, free
turn-by-turn navigation and a premium storefront for applications.”

The Nokia Nuron is the first U.S. carrier -supported Nokia smartphone
to pre-load Ovi Maps, a solution from Nokia that offers consumers free
turn-by-turn directions and navigation. Additionally, Ovi Maps makes
it easy to discover great places to eat, concerts, movies and more
with Lonely Planet guides. Other features include the ability to check
the weather forecast and even share one’s current location on
Facebook. With pedestrian navigation, Ovi Maps delivers the best
routes through pedestrian zones and shortcuts as well as pathways
through parks and buildings. Exploring the world or rediscovering your
own city has never been easier or more fun with Ovi Maps. Nokia Nuron
also comes preloaded with maps for the USA, Canada and Mexico – with
the ability to access to over 180 country maps at

http://www.nokiausa.com/maps.

The Nokia Nuron will be the first device from a national U.S. carrier
to come pre-loaded with Ovi Store by Nokia – giving consumers access
to thousands of applications and other exciting content.
T-Mobile also plans to simplify the purchase experience for its
customers and expects to enable them to pay for this great content by
having it billed to their monthly bill or via a credit card.
To learn more about Ovi by Nokia, or for more information on how to
develop for Ovi Store, please visit http://www.ovi.com and
http://publish.ovi.com, respectively.

Availability
The Nokia 5230 Nuron is expected to be available on in the coming
weeks in select T-Mobile retail stores and online at
http://www.t-mobile.com. For more information, please visit
http://www.nokiausa.com/NokiaNuron or http://www.t-mobile.com.

Use of some features or services may incur separate, additional
charges and/or require a qualifying data plan. 3G coverage is
available in locations nationwide, but may not be available
everywhere. For more details on where T-Mobile network coverage is
available, please visit www.t-mobile.com/coverage.

Samsung TL350’s takes 10MP Stills While Simultaneously Recording

Kermit — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:48:16 +0000

TL350’s New Dual Capture Mode Allows Users To Take 10 Mega-Pixel
Stills While Simultaneously Recording Full-HD Video

Anaheim, CA (February 20, 2010) – Samsung Electronics America,
Inc., a market leader and award winning innovator in consumer
electronics, today unveiled the TL350 – a high-speed, 10 mega pixel
compact camera with 1080P, full-HD video recording. With a maximum
video recording speed of 1,000 frames-per-second (fps) and a burst
mode capable of capturing 10 full-size digital stills per second, the
TL350 takes high-speed imaging to a new level for today’s consumer.
Additionally, the TL350 enhances the digital imaging experience with
Samsung’s Advanced Panorama Shot with Object Tracking as well as an
innovative Dual Capture mode, which allows users to simultaneously
take 10 mega-pixel still images while recording full-HD videos. The
TL350 will be on display during PMA 2010, February 21-23, in the
Samsung booth, #2227, in the Anaheim Convention Center.
“The TL350 is representative of Samsung’s strategy to lead the
digital imaging industry through product innovation,” said Mr. SJ
Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging Company. “Consumers have
expressed frustration with having to choose between shooting video or
taking digital stills with their camera. With the TL350, Samsung has
addressed this unmet consumer need, and now gives consumers the
ability to do both simultaneously.”

High-Speed Digital Stills and Video
The TL350 allows users to capture high-quality images no matter
how fast the action may be. Its advanced CMOS sensor and re-engineered
DRIMeIII processor yield impressive low light performance and most
notably, speed, giving users the ability to capture up to 10
pictures-per-second (pps) at the resolution of 10 mega-pixels.
Additionally, the TL350 features a 1,000 fps (138×78), high-speed
video recording mode which today’s creative consumer can use to reveal
details of a fast moving event in super slow motion. Whether it’s used
to capture an everyday moment in an astonishing new light or to
analyze a golf swing, the capabilities of the TL350’s super-slow
motion playback are endless.

Impressive Optics and Display
In addition to its impressive speed, the TL350 also features a
high-performance 24mm ultra wide angle Schneider KREUZNACH lens
complete with a generous 5x optical zoom. Much wider than traditional
compact cameras, the TL350’s 24mm ultra-wide angle lens allows
photographers to capture more of a desired scene, such as large groups
of friends or family, while the 5x optical zoom will allow them to get
in close when shooting from a distance. Samsung’s Advanced Panorama
shot with Object Tracking will further enhance the camera’s wide-angle
capabilities, ideal for the better capture of scenes such as vast
landscapes. For blur free images, the TL350’s lens is also paired with
Samsung’s Dual Image Stabilization technology.
The TL350 is equipped with a three-inch AMOLED screen providing
users with a higher contrast ratio, deeper blacks and more accurate,
vivid colors, even when viewed from an angle or in direct sunlight.
The AMOLED display is also more efficient when it comes to power
consumption, allowing photographers to maximize battery life and shoot
longer on a single charge.

Features for the Advanced and Novice Shooter
The TL350 will appeal to both novice and more experienced users
thanks to the combination of Smart and Manual controls. The camera’s
intuitive Smart Auto 2.0 (Still & Movie) scene recognition technology
will take the guess work out of taking a perfect photo or video every
time; however, for those users who want to have more control over
image capture, the TL350 supports RAW and offers Manual control. When
set to Manual, consumers can experiment with features such as slower
shutter speeds, depth-of-field and even focus.
Specifications:
Video Resolution / Frames-Per-Second
Aspect Ratio Speed Max. Resolution
WIDE (16:9) 30 fps 1920×1080
60 fps 1280×720
240 fps 608×342
420 fps 316×178
1000 fps 138×78
STD (4:3) 60 fps 640×480
240 fps 320×240

TL350
Mega-Pixels 10.2 mega-pixels
Optical Zoom 5x optical zoom / Schneider lens
LCD Size 3.0″ VGA AMOLED
Lens Schneider KREUZNACH
Movie Mode 1080P HD Resolution With HDMI Connectivity
Size 3.91 x 2.32 x 0.85 inches
Special Features – 24mm Ultra-Wide-Angle Schneider Lens
– 5x Optical Zoom
– 3.0″ VGA AMOLED (614K dots)
– Full-size Dual Capture Feature
– Advanced Panorama Shot with Object Tracking
– High speed CMOS sensor
– 10fps continuous still shot at 10M pixel
– High-Definition 1080p Video With HDMI Connectivity
– High speed Movie recording at up to 1,000fps
– Dual Image Stabilization (Optical + Digital)
– RAW Support
– Full Manual Control
– Advanced Picture Mode (manually adjust color tones)
– Smart Auto 2.0: Still & Movie
– Smart Album
– Smart Face Recognition (up to 20 faces)
– Perfect Portrait System: Beauty Shot / Face Detection / Self
Portrait / Smile Shot / Blink Detection/Red-eye Fix
– Photo Style Selector
– Built-in software for playback, management, and editing on a PC
(no CD-Rom installation required)
Availability Spring 2010
Pricing $349.99
* Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Samsung Electronics America’s PMA 2010 press releases, video
content and product images are available at www.samsung.com/newsroom.

Microsoft Introduces Windows Mobile 7 Series at Mobile World Congress

Kermit — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:19:31 +0000

If you want an exhaustively complete overview of the new operating system for mobile phones that Microsoft introduced in Barcelona this week at Mobile World Congress, I recommend you head over to Engadget’s writeup at this link.

I wasn’t there, we lack the travel budget of Engadget – or any budget at all, but I was highly curious and formed a few impressions. After all, I used to be a huge fan of Windows Smartphone Standard. Especially the interface that first appeared on the T-Mobile Shadow.

I completely agree that Microsoft did take a big step for a monolithic company and created something very new for their partner’s mobile phones. Unlike a lot of the press, I didn’t drink of the Microsoft kool-aide, but I will agree that it is visually very nice. It’s not new as it’s primarily a big brother to the Zune HD interface, but they’ve done a really good job. Although after years and years of Pocket PC almost anything would look good. It’s like the old joke about why the guy was hitting himself with a hammer. Because it felt so good when he stopped.

Much of the interface design (which I understand is called Metro) is based on the idea that your phone’s screen is a window into a larger view. Like Android’s home screen or Palm’s WebOS home screen. Microsoft takes it further and applies this to most of the main areas of the phone. This is where I’m not on board with the fans of this. I think that people want their information right in front of them. All the negative space in Metro is attractive but often at the expense of simply having the information you want right in front of you.

The more I see of the new Metro interface the more it reminds me of glossy fashion magazine covers. Except for the start/home screen – more on that later. There is a focus on a large title area and then subtitles…or should I say large menu titles and menu options. It really reminds me of glossy magazines. It’s not a bad metaphor, but magazines usually don’t hide large amounts of their graphics and text just off the front page.

Now, as to that start/home screen. Ergh. It’s awful. I mean, it’s really poor looking. It’s like the mole on a fashion model’s face that is added to accent their beauty. Except in this case the mole is the size of a thumb, multicolored, and has some manky looking hairs sticking out of it. I don’t care that you can arrange the tiles to suit yourself. They’re fugly and worst of all they don’t match the rest of the interface. And of course not everything is visible at once.

Oddly enough I never once saw any photos or videos of actual phone features. No basic dialing, SMS, etc. No settings screens either. This started me thinking about how designing a really great smartphone these days can often be made or lost in the details. The iPhone, even today, still lacks in some very basic areas but they were years ahead of everyone else in just getting it right. Palm/WebOS had a lot of strong history in smartphones and they did very well in the details area – and are catching up in major areas. We don’t really see these details in the demos of 7 series. It reminds me of seeing really great concept presentations. We got the big picture out of Barcelona and that was about it.

We can hope that the details are there. At some level they are there even if Microsoft goes Apple one better and doesn’t even let you at a minor level of customizing. Beyond that, we’ll see. Ultimately competition is good but that is going to also be one of the big problems Microsoft will face. Competition. iPhone is great. WebOS is possibly the slickest thing out there. Android is good, and powerful, and it’s free.

That could the Waterloo of all of them. Android is free. It’s mostly open source and getting more open all the time. The hardest road it’s facing is version fragmentation in it’s market – but it’s doing reasonably well with that already and looks to be getting better.

Huawei to Launch World’s First HSPA+ Android Smartphone

Kermit — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:19:50 +0000

Huawei, a leader in providing next-generation telecommunications network solutions for operators around the world, today showcased the world’s first HSPA+ smartphone powered by Android at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The U8800 smartphone will be commercially available in the third quarter of 2010, and able to support high-speed Internet access, which is faster than existing 3G smartphones.
The U8800 uses the Android 2.1 operating system, and integrates HSPA+ capabilities to support downlink speeds of up to 14 Mb/s. This speed allows users to download a 400Mb feature-length movie within thirty seconds. The smartphone will feature a 3.8-inch wide screen, providing users with a broader field of vision and allowing them to take full advantage of a multitude of features and Internet applications.
Kevin Tao, CEO, Huawei Device, said: “The customized Android smartphones reflect our long-term investment to develop high-end devices which enable operators to deliver enhanced and differentiated mobile services. Android being open to third party programs means that operators can add a number of various applications to the phone. The U8800 enables operators to provide tailor-made, stylish and affordable smartphones to their subscribers.”

Figure 1 Huawei’s U8800 Android smartphone

Huawei also showcased three additional Android-powered devices at the conference.
U8300
Aimed at the youth market, it incorporates popular social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter, a Qwerty keypad, and is ergonomically designed to ensure that hours of chatting online can be done in comfort. The U8300 is available in three bright colors: green, yellow and purple.

Figure 2 Huawei’s U8300 Android smartphone

U8100/U8110
Entry-level smartphones, these two handsets have 2.8-inch wide QVGA touchscreens and a dual camera with 0.3 mega pixels in the front and 3.2 mega pixels in the back. Through WiFi and bluetooth, users can easily access the Internet and transmit data to each other. These two smartphones will be launched in Europe in the second quarter of 2010.

Figure 3 Huawei’s U8100 Android smartphone

Figure 4 Huawei’s U8110 Android smartphone

SmaKit S7
The SmaKit S7 has a 7-inch wide screen with a resolution of 800 x 480. It supports information-sharing across screens to present the same content simultaneously on computers, mobile phones and TV screens. The SmaKit S7 tablet allows users to easily access local information, visit social networking websites and shop from online application stores. To provide end-users with an integrated home solution, Smakit S7 can be connected to home gateway, TV or Android handsets.

Figure 5 Huawei’s Android-based HID

T-Mobile USA Announces HTC HD2 3G Phone

Kermit — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:41:14 +0000

BARCELONA, Spain, and BELLEVUE, Wash – During a press conference at
Mobile World Congress today, T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced the creation
of a comprehensive mobile entertainment experience for the upcoming
HTC HD2, available exclusively in the U.S. from T-Mobile this spring.
Offering the largest touch screen on a smartphone in the U.S., the new
HTC HD2 will come ready with access to millions of eBooks, movies,
television programs and more.
The slim and sleek HTC HD2 comes equipped with an industry-leading,
high-resolution 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, a blazing-fast 1GHz
Snapdragon™ by Qualcomm processor, and support for T-Mobile’s
high-speed 3G network for a fast mobile data experience. Designed by
HTC, the HTC HD2 is also the first Windows phone with HTC Sense™.
“T-Mobile is committed to offering innovative solutions to connect,
inspire and entertain our customers through the power of mobile
technology,” said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product
innovation, T-Mobile USA. “By combining leading innovation in the
world of entertainment with the large screen and processing power of
the HTC HD2, we’ve created a unique and powerful mobile entertainment
experience.”
Consumers will have access to a complete entertainment package
consisting of pre-loaded content and new pre-installed applications.
In addition to the device’s array of built-in multimedia applications,
the HTC HD2’s top entertainment features include the following:

* Barnes & Noble eReader application puts the world’s largest
eBookstore in your hand with access to more than a million eBooks,
newspapers, magazines and your Barnes & Noble digital library
everywhere you go. Enjoy reading on the largest screen available for
eReader smartphone software.
* BLOCKBUSTER on Demand® application is for discovering and
downloading the hottest new releases on the go. Blockbuster’s
first-ever video download application on a smartphone allows consumers
to buy a movie on one device and watch on another connected device
through Blockbuster’s library.
* MobiTV mobile application offers consumers access to live and
on-demand TV on their phone — including news, sports and
entertainment. Favorite channels such as MTV, NBC, COMEDY CENTRAL,
ESPN and more are available for HTC HD2 consumers to watch at home or
away. Plus, when HTC HD2 consumers subscribe to MobiTV, their first 30
days of service are free.
* Paramount Pictures’ popular films “Transformers” and
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” come pre-loaded on the device’s
memory card and optimized for viewing on the HTC HD2’s high-resolution
screen.
* Gogo® Inflight Internet service offers consumers who purchase
the HTC HD2 an added bonus: up to six months of free in-flight Wi-Fi
access on their device, with Internet access on 2,500 daily flights in
the continental U.S. and growing.

“With an ultrafast 1GHz processor, crisp, vivid 4.3-inch screen and
the hallmark HTC Sense user experience, the HTC HD2 represents the
ultimate fusion of power and usability,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice
president of HTC America. “By building on this highly capable platform
with a wide range of mobile entertainment options, HTC is helping
deliver a multimedia powerhouse to people looking to enhance their
on-the-go lifestyle.”
“Windows phones offer flexibility for people who want to get the most
out of life — work and play — with no compromises,” said Andy Lees,
senior vice president, Mobile Communication Business, Microsoft Corp.
“The HTC HD2 is an ideal phone for people who are always on the go as
it gives access to the things they care about most. Whether it’s
music, TV, Internet or e-mail, they have what they want, when they
want it.”
In addition to the comprehensive entertainment features of the device,
the HTC HD2 delivers advanced phone features including Windows Mobile
6.5 operating system, GPS functionality with access to turn-by-turn
navigation from TeleNav GPS Navigator™, a Web browser, a pre-installed
16 GB microSD card, and an advanced 5 megapixel autofocus camera with
dual LED flash for capturing images, even in dim conditions.
Availability
The HTC HD2 is expected to be available in the U.S. exclusively to
T-Mobile customers this spring. More details will be available at

http://www.sticktogether.com/htchd2.

3G coverage is not available everywhere. For information about
T-Mobile’s 3G service, device features, or the offers and services
mentioned, see T-Mobile.com.

Nokia BH-904 Review

Devin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:56:02 +0000

When we covered the Nokia BH-804 , we proclaimed it “Nokia’s most complete Bluetooth headset to date,” and still consider it one of the best headsets out there. Such a status isn’t easily achieved, of course. Most of it can be attributed to the high-quality materials, design-centric styling and considering it’s diminutive size, good wireless performance and battery life. Audio performance was also rated it as “above average.” An impressive feat for such a small piece of gadgetry. One would think that these elements are the only key for the success of such a Bluetooth headset, but as the Nokia BH-904 proves, there are different ways to reach one goal. In fact, the story of the BH-904 is one that contradicts with what is considered the current norm and completely defies current trends. This especially becomes evident when it’s compared to it’s smaller sibling, the BH-804, a Bluetooth headset that prioritizes style. As this review will show, some of these contradictions are actually in the BH-904’s favor.

(...)
Read the rest of Nokia BH-904 Review (3,219 words)

Notion Ink’s Adam shown at Mobile World Congress

Kermit — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:08:25 +0000

Out of all the upcoming new concept tablet computers – this is the one that promises to be a real contender to the Apple iPad. While Apple still has the most integrated user experience across the board – Notion’s ADAM has it beat with better hardware and with better design. They’re innovating and doing things that Apple was known for with the original iPhone compared to it’s competition then. ADAM uses a new display technology, Pixel QI, that promises a better overall display. Better connectivity. With a $375 base price, they’ll also have a better price.

10 inch transflective LCD
180 degree Swivel Camera
3 USB ports
SD Card slot
HDMI output
Touchscreen
Rear trackpad
Dual-Core ARM® CORTEX
-A9 MPCORE™ Processor
Full High Definition Multimedia
Longer Battery Life
Dual Display
Ebook Client
3G and WiFi Connectivity
Multi-touch Support

See the video of the ADAM from Technoholics site.

Motorola Announces Quench at Mobile World Congress

Kermit — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:10:51 +0000

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – Feb. 15, 2010 – Today Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced QUENCH with MOTOBLUR, Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service, which organizes messages and synchronizes contacts to keep conversations in constant motion. QUENCH’s sleek touch-screen design, combined with great navigational features such as pinch and zoom and a touch pad, as well as the inclusion of Adobe Flash Lite, make browsing the web on its 3.1″ high-resolution display a breeze. Motorola QUENCH™ will be available beginning in the first quarter of 2010. In the U.S., it will be called CLIQ XT™ and be available next month exclusively through T-Mobile USA. This is the eighth Android-powered device launched by Motorola around the globe.

“As we continue to expand Motorola’s portfolio of Android-powered devices, we remain committed to delivering more of what people want from their handheld devices in easier ways,” said Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home business. “QUENCH with MOTOBLUR showcases Motorola’s design heritage by offering a compelling differentiation from the traditional Android experience, giving people an easier way to have more messaging, more Web and more music.”

MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service created to make phones more personal and socially smart. It is the first solution to sync contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more – from sources such as Facebook®, MySpace, Twitter®, Gmail™, work and personal e-mail and Last.FM – and automatically deliver them to the home screen. Content is fed into easy-to-manage streams allowing you to spend less time managing your life and more time living it.

Messaging is made easier on QUENCH with the combination of MOTOBLUR features, a palm and pocket-friendly design and Swype, a new feature that makes responding to messages and entering text easier than ever. MOTOBLUR keeps happenings, messages, news feeds and more readily available for browsing and responding on the customizable home screen. Contact information, such as email addresses, profile pictures and phone numbers, is automatically synced whenever the details change online, so there’s no need to manually update.

QUENCH delivers a complete Web experience on a full touch-screen device with pinch and zoom capabilities. Navigation is enhanced with a front-facing, centrally-located touch pad, so it’s easier and more intuitive to flick through the Web. Adobe Flash Lite enables rich media content such as banners and videos to be displayed and fully enjoyed on the 3.1″ high-resolution display.

The innovative new connected media player on QUENCH is not only connected to the Internet but your social networks as well. QUENCH connects you to your music with a new style of media player that lets you buy and instantly download music
from an MP3 store while integrating third-party apps such as TuneWiki, SoundHound, GoTV, and YouTube™. The music search feature makes finding your songs easy while synchronized lyrics in any language you choose make learning songs easier than before. Share your favorite tracks, discover new ones2, find lyrics, watch videos, and stream FM radio.

QUENCH enables clear calls using dual microphones and noise cancellation technology, while crystal clear pictures are enabled by a 5.0 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash. Finding information online or within the device is made even easier with voice-activated search (English only). Simply say what you are looking for and QUENCH will find contacts, serve up Google™ Web search results based on location, or launch applications. Android Market™ provides fast access to more than 20,000 apps and widgets for limitless customizations and enhancements to QUENCH. Extras such as 3G and Wi-Fi® access, aGPS and stereo Bluetooth®1 make QUENCH a solid Android-powered device.

Finally, MOTOBLUR provides end-users with convenience and peace of mind, as lost devices can be located from a secure personal information portal and even remotely erased if necessary. Then, one user name and password brings back your contacts, messages and connectivity to your previously configured networks and email providers. Plus, with over-the-air updates, Motorola has the ability to improve current features and add new ones to QUENCH, ensuring the overall experience is continually enhanced.

Availability
QUENCH with MOTOBLUR will be available in multiple regions around the globe beginning in Q1 2010. In the U.S., the device will be called CLIQ XT with MOTOBLUR and will be available exclusively through T-Mobile USA beginning next month. For specific regional availability and pricing, contact your local Motorola representative. For more information, product specifications and images of QUENCH, please visit Media Center Fact Sheets. For multimedia assets from Mobile World Congress, visit MWC 2010 Press Kit. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.