Google Nexus One Available on AT&T 3G

With the Google Nexus One launch and the gadget show CES both taking place next week, it’s shaping up to be a weekend of hardware rumors. The latest requires the usual cautions: It’s a single anonymous source, and the parties involved have not commented publicly.

Nonetheless, BoyGeniusReport (which has a decent hit rate on its rumor reportage) claims that the Google Nexus One (aka “Google Phone“) will be made in an unlocked version compatible with AT&T’s 3G network:

“…we’ve heard from a source that there will be an AT&T 3G-compatible version of the Google Nexus One. Our connect described it as being a ’second’ unlocked model, with the T-Mobile-subsidized unit being locked to T-Mobile. Our tipster was so impressed by a Nexus One in person, they said they would 100% give up their T-Mobile BlackBerry 9700 for one when it’s available.”

So little is known about Google’s() deals with carriers that we’d urge caution on this until the Nexus One launch on Tuesday.

The HTC Hero / T-Mobile G2 Touch Android smartphone review

T-Mobile G2 Touch:
Physical Aspects:
The HTC Hero is a rather striking handset, currently available in either white or graphite color schemes in the UK, with a characteristic ‘kink’ in its body, giving it a distinctive chin at the bottom. In the UK, the color you get depends on the network you choose. Orange UK are exclusively offering the graphite version, whereas T-Mobile UK are offering the white/silver version that we have, but are calling it the ‘G2 Touch’.

Being the white version, our handset has the matte white finish that is coated with Teflon to help keep it clean. However, ours had pink marks on it straight out of the box, and ones at the HTC release event were tarnished as well, so it clearly doesn’t make the phone dirt-proof, just dirt resistant. The graphite version doesn’t have this coating, but due to the back and bottom area being black, it doesn’t actually need it. One curious side-effect of the finish on our white device is that the phone feels as if it’s made of a ceramic material.

The Hero is, by today’s touchscreen handset standards, a pretty average-sized phone, and measures in at 112mm x 56.2mm x 14.35mm (4.41in x 2.21in x 0.57in). It appears slimmer than it actually is, due to heavily sloped edges that also make it feel nicer in the hand. It’s not exactly a lightweight, at 135g (4.76oz), but it feels quite robust. The first thing you’ll notice about the HTC Hero, aside from the chin, is its 3.2″ capacitive touchscreen display that has a HVGA resolution (320 x 480 pixels). Bright sunlight legibility is pretty average with this display. Above the display is the earpiece grille, which has an ambient light sensor on one side and a notification LED on the other.

The are only six hardware buttons on the device, not including the clickable trackball or the volume rocker. The call send, home, menu, and call end buttons are all lined-up below the display on the silver fascia of the phone. The search key and back key are both contained within one larger button that resides on the chin of the phone, next to the trackball. The trackball itself is located dead centre in the chin and has the ability to illuminate for notifications, usually unleashing a barrage of flashes for a new message or incoming call.

The rear of the Hero features the lens for the device’s 5 megapixel autofocus camera, although it’s still missing any sort of flash, which is a shame. The rear is otherwise pretty spartan, with only a couple of holes for the loudspeaker and the lanyard fixing. At the bottom of the handset is HTC’s ExtUSB/mini-USB port for charging and data, plus a microphone pinhole. Atop the device is just the 3.5mm headphone port and a small slit for removing the rear cover with a fingernail. The rear cover will need to be removed for access to the microSDHC slot that is hidden beneath. The left side of the phone features a large volume rocker that is pretty much flush with the side of the phone, and the right side is completely bare.

Android 1.1 update available

Google has issued an update for the unlocked version of the Android phone. The version is specifically made for developers.

Several bug fixes for issues that involve the alarm clock, device sleep, POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) email, and email notification are among the updates. Added to this includes the ability to save MMS attachments and voice search. As for matters of accessibility to applications, Google will only block those applications, regardless of whether they are free or paid, that use Google’s copy protection. Different from the consumer version which allows users to copy applications which are sold exclusively through T-Mobile’s Network. With this however, Google is blocking access to all copy protected applications, even for copy protected applications on the open device.

Dan Morrill, Developer Advocate for Android says “many developers are concerned about the unauthorized redistribution of their applications, developer phones like the ADP1 allow for unrestricted access to the device’s contents, making it impossible to enforce copy protection. If you choose to add copy protection when you upload your application to the Android Market, then you won’t be able to test it on the ADP1’s Android market client.”                 [via CNET]

Sony Ericsson Ruriko Project, 1 GHz CPU and 12.1 Megapixel Camera, Perfect?

We’ve shown you the Sony Ericsson Ruriko concept teaser before and finally we’ve got images of the “real” device, designed by the famous Esato board user Razec. This superb concept handset packs a 3.5 inch external AMOLED display with capacitive touchscreen surface, a Qualcomm QSD8250 1GHz CPU, 256MB RAM and 16GB Flash Memory.

There’s also a unique slide hinge included in its design, a brushed metal back finish, 1080p HD video support, a 12.1 megapixel camera (Exmor CMOS, 28mm wide Carl-Zeiss Sonnar, Xenon Flash, HD 720p video recording) and the Android OS v2.0 with Sony Ericsson GUI.

Ruriko also incorporates a second camera (1.3 megapixels), used for videocall and live chat, a 3.5 inch internal WVGA AMOLED display, touch sensitive multimedia keys, a QWERTY keyboard, a 4 way DPAD plus a 2.1 stereo subwoofer. Isn’t this Sony Ericsson concept a bit better than your Eee PC?

Next time we’ll have have a look at Razec’s concept interfaces for the Android OS.

TeleNav GPS Navigation Service for T-Mobile G1 Android phone

T-Mobile G1 owners will soon be able to use the feature-rich TeleNav GPS Navigator.  TeleNav made the official announcement this morning that their award winning software will be released on February 24th via their website, and will be available in the Android Marketplace later this year.  Android Community was given the opportunity to test out the program in advance of its release.

While the G1 comes preloaded with Google Maps, that app certainly falls short if you’re looking for the full PND experience on your phone.  Street View and directions are useful, but they’re no substitute for spoken instructions and dynamically-tracking maps.

The GPS Navigator displays directions in full color 2D and 3D maps with voice and on-screen turn-by turn directions in both landscape and portrait orientations.  I decided to literally take the program on a test-drive.  The database has a large, easy to search listing of businesses, restaurants, gas stations (which you can sort by price), shopping, entertainment, lodging, hospitals, services, etc.  You can do your search by entering a specific address, by voice or by text.  I found the voice recognition to be a bit buggy, so I opted to use the text entry method.

I decided to do a search for local restaurants.  It immediately brought up a list of nearby restaurants, indicating their distance from my current position and rating.  Once I chose one, I had the option to call the restaurant, rate it, drive to it, map it or save it to favorites.  I chose to drive to it and within a matter of seconds I had on screen directions to get me where I was going.  I found the GPS to be accurate to within about thirty to forty feet.  At one point, I purposefully made a wrong turn, and the program quickly recalculated my route for me.

One of my favorite aspects is the ability to go into the “My Stuff” file and create commute alerts.  You can enter specific routes, indicate the days and times during which you travel them and it will send you a traffic alert via email to warn you of congestion.  If you are already in route, and a traffic situation occurs, you will receive both a verbal and on-screen notification, with an option to find another route.

TeleNav offers current weather conditions and a five-day forecast for your present location, or any other location that you choose.  Another nice feature is the ability to sync your phone with your online account at www.telenav.com.  There you can add contacts, addresses and even spots to share with friends.  You can also pre-plan your trip online and then send it to your phone, bypassing the on-device text or voice entry altogether.  There are additional plug-ins available for download, including a TeleNav button with which you can highlight an address on the web, click the button and have it send that address to your phone.

Overall, I found the program to be very responsive, accurate and useful.  It is one that I can see myself using frequently, being a commuter in a large city, as well as a frequent traveler.  It can provide users with traffic information, maps, where to dine and lodge, movies, weather reports, and more all in one package with a very friendly user interface.

TeleNav is available for a free 30-day trial at http://www.telenav.com/gps-navigator/t-mobile-g1-phone.  After the trial period is over, you can continue the service for a subscription fee of $9.99 per month.

Dell Planning To Launch Android Powered Handset?

According to sources quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Dell are “preparing a move into cellphones as early as next month.”

The news comes just weeks before the Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, where many cell phone manufacturers are expected to make their big announcements.

The Round Rock, Texas, company has had a group of engineers working on the phones for more than a year from an office in the Chicago area, these people said. They produced prototypes built on Google Inc.’s Android operating system and Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Mobile software, these people said.

Sources claim that smartphone protypes included a QWERTY-less touchscreen model and another with a sliding keyboard.

Android App Breaking T-Mobile G1?

A new app called MemoryUp Personal is getting a lot of attention from the G1 community at the moment, for all the wrong reasons.

It seems that the app is ‘ a handy memory optimiser tool to keep your Android smartphone running faster and efficiently,’ yet does its job a bit too well and has the potential to wipe your entire handset’s memory.

With over 1,000 ratings, some G1 owners’ experiences with the app has made for pretty damning reviews! Users like “kr33p1n” reported, “Doesn’t work at all erased my phone numbers and froze my phone,” whilst others have said it works fine but the problem is with the phone’s own hardware.

Either way, this issue raises the problem of a lack of restrictions or testing process in the Android Market. For every 10 developers allowed to exercise their freedom and create great applications, there may be one who makes an app that wipes all my data and contacts.

That is one app too many.

I haven’t decided whether or not to check this app for myself, as I have grown quite attached to the personal data on my SD card, but judging by those reviews MemoryUp is more trouble than it’s worth.

Android Market offerings remain dwarfed by App Store

Although the Android Market has been open for just three months, the number of available apps still remains dwarfed by the plethora of titles offered by the App Store. iPhone owners can now choose from over 15,000 apps, a number that has leaped upward from 10,000 listings in December, while Google has yet to reach the 1,000 mark. Apple clearly has an advantage, starting the race an entire year earlier and distributing over 15 million handsets.
The Android platform still has an opportunity to establish itself, although it will have to compete against RIM and Palm in the fight to become the dominant underdog in the realm of handset apps.

Developers could be waiting until they can charge for apps before jumping into the Android Market, although Google appears ready to allow the option sometime in the near future. The adoption of Android by additional device manufacturers could also provide a competitive edge. Samsung is set to launch an Android-based phone sometime this spring.

Android G2 Outed

Oops–looks like someone from smartphone makers HTC leaked its 2009 handset lineup. Included in the details is what appears to be the second Android phone, which may or may not end up being called the G2.

Look at the shape of the phone: Codenamed the Sapphire 2.0, there’s the same tilted chin and in the image there’s what looks like the “my faves” button on the bottom row. It looks pretty much like an uprated Google/T-Mobile G1 from a design point of view–and it also seems to have taken a leaf out of the iPhone 3G’s design book with black and white options, and a curvier form-factor than generation one.

There’s no technical data in the leak, but it’s easy to speculate the phone will incorporate more memory and a faster CPU/GPU. While the image doesn’t show a keypad, from the phone’s general shape it looks like there’s enough bulk to conceal a sliding QWERTY–unless it’s deceiving and the G2 will be touchscreen-only.

In the same leak there’s a handset that appears to be the Wing 2–it’s codenamed Tungsten, has similar design elements to the Sapphire 2, minus the chin, and with this time a sliding QWERTY keypad showing.

Both are apparently destined for T-Mobile, which makes sense given how much fuss and excitement the G1 caused. Expect more leaks with technical data over the coming months.

Six Android Tips for the T-Mobile G1

1. Replace the Bundled Music Player With TuneWiki
Android’s bundled Music program is fairly weak and clunky. Our suggestion: Ditch it and pick up TuneWiki off the Android Market. It’s easier to use than the bundled Music program, and has a lot more features (such as a fun karaoke function that searches for lyrics online and runs them with your song as it plays). Of course, you can download TuneWiki to any iPhone, but only if it is jailbroken and unlocked (which would void its warranty). This difference is emblematic of one of the key distinctions between Android and the iPhone—Android doesn’t ban applications that compete with or replace its own programs.

2. Use “Any Cut” To Put a Shortcut to Goog-411 On Your Home Screen
One of our favorite downloadable Android applications is a little program called Any Cut, which allows you to litter your home screen with shortcuts to any program, phone number, text-message recipient or menu setting. Use this program to create a home-screen speed dial to Goog-411—Google’s free directory assistance number—to cut the number of clicks it takes to get your digits-on-demand down to one. Bonus tip: Create a shortcut to text message GOOGLE (466453) for when calling’s just not convenient.

3. Play VIdeos in MPEG-4 H.264
The G1 has no built-in video player. That’s what the Android Market is for. When we were testing the phone, there was only one true video playback program available: Video Player. And while this program can only play MPEG-4 movie files, we should soon see other video-playing programs that will be able to handle all sorts of codecs. However, even when these options become available, you’ll still want to play your movies in MPEG-4 H.264 compression whenever possible. This is because the G1 has built-in hardware acceleration that makes this specific video format run extra smooth. Future programs will probably run Divx and Xvid and all those great files you’ve collected from Bittorrent, but the programs’ on-the-fly decryption and viewing will be far more taxing on the software, which could mean lags.

4. Search Google Maps From Front Page Widget
The G1’s default home screen features a Google search widget. While this obviously makes Google Web searches quicker, it is also is a quick way to tap into Google Maps. When you type the name of a place or location, you are given a typical Google search results page, with a map location at the top. Click this result, and the phone asks you whether you want to switch out of the browser and into the Maps program to finish your query.

5. Use the Hard Search Key
If there’s one company that understands the value of search, it’s Google. And one of the best parts of the G1’s physical keyboard is its hard search key (the one that looks like a little magnifying glass.) Pressing it from the home screen brings up the Google search bar. This is great, but what’s more interesting is its use within individual Google-made programs like YouTube and Maps, where pressing it brings up a search bar specific to that program, allowing you to find what you’re looking for in an app easily and quickly.

6. Focus Before Shooting
Camera phones are notorious for their blurry shots. The G1’s autofocus tries to change this: When you half-press the camera button on the side of the phone, it engages the autofocus (anybody who has autofocused with a stand-alone camera will find this familiar). When it’s done focusing, a green circle pops up in the corner of the screen, letting you know it’s time to take the shot by completely depressing the button. So remember when shooting to wait for the green circle for better, Facebook-worthy results.

Android cash market still on track for Q1 2009

Google’s Android Market team wanted to finish off the year by reminding developers that the “apps for pay” market will still be launching in Q1 of 2009. An e-mail was sent out to the registered developers of the Android Market, stating that the service will soon be going live. Due to payment support systems for multiple countries, staggered roll-out will go to (1) United States and UK; (2) Germany, Austria and Netherlands; (3) France, Italy and Spain with additional countries to be announced at the end of Q1 09. The e-mail also lets developers know that they will now be able to tailor their apps for different markets. When launching an app, developers will chose which countries it will launch in. This should help keep the market clean for users. There have already bee a handful of apps that are country of language specific that should not be visible to the entire market.

If you want to read the entire e-mail, be sure to hit the read more link. Thanks to TalkAndroid for the news.

Hello,

Thank you for your participation in Android Market!

Since we launched a couple months ago, the team has been working on
several significant updates to Android Market. I’d like to let you know
about these upcoming changes and what they will mean to you and other
members of our developer community.

Many of you have asked about international expansion plans. I’m happy to
inform you that Android Market will become available to users to download
apps in additional European countries starting early Q1 2009. Some of the
countries we will initially support are Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
and the Netherlands. As we add support for additional countries in Europe
and Asia, we will send out subsequent notifications to you. In
mid-January, we will update the Android Market publisher website to enable
country targeting. Please start thinking about which countries you want to
target and begin preparing your products accordingly (e.g.,
localization). Note that your apps will not become available in these new
countries unless you specifically select them in the publisher website,
after we update it.

Additionally, I would like to confirm that Android Market will support
priced applications starting early Q1 2009, as we’d originally stated last
fall. Given the country-by-country work required to set up payment support
for developers in different countries, we will enable priced app support
in Q1 for developers operating in these countries in the following order:
(1) United States and UK; (2) Germany, Austria and Netherlands; (3)
France, Italy and Spain. By the end of Q1 2009, we will announce support
for developers operating in additional countries. Developers operating in
the above listed countries should begin finalizing their priced
applications, including determining the appropriate pricing strategy.

Finally, please note that our team may need to occasionally contact you
via email or the publisher website to collect necessary product
information (such as screenshots and descriptions). This information would
be used for the Android Market website, found at
http://market.android.com, which gives applications a second channel of
exposure via the web in addition to the normal on-device access.

We will send out additional details on all these items in the coming
weeks. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to continue working
with you on Android Market.

Eric Chu,
Android Market

Google, Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

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