Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Android Community

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AT&T raid Motorola for BRAVO, FLIPSIDE and FLIPOUT

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 07:54 AM PDT

AT&T has picked up three Motorola smartphones, including the Motorola FLIPOUT which has already been available for some time in Europe, and two new devices, the full-touchscreen Motorola BRAVO and the QWERTY-blessed Motorola FLIPSIDE.  The BRAVO has a 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen and a 3-megapixel autofocus camera, together with an 800MHz processor and DLNA support.

All three have Android 2.1 and MOTOBLUR.  Meanwhile the FLIPSIDE has a 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen, a trackpad for navigation, and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.  The FLIPOUT will drop on October 17 from $79.99, while the AT&T Motorola BRAVO will be $129.99 and the AT&T Motorola FLIPSIDE will be $99.99 when they arrive in time for the holidays.  No rebates are required, but you will need a new two-year agreement including a data plan.

Bravo_1 Bravo_2 Bravo_3 Bravo_4 Bravo_5 Bravo_6 Flipout_1 Flipout_2 Flipout_3 Flipout_4 Flipout_5 Flipside_1 Flipside_2 Flipside_3 Flipside_4 Flipside_5 Flipside_6

Press Release:

AT&T Expands Android Portfolio with Three New Motorola Smartphones

Motorola BRAVO(TM), FLIPOUT(TM) and FLIPSIDE(TM) Smartphones Powered by Android Coming Soon to the Nation’s Fastest Mobile Broadband Network

Key Facts

AT&T* today announced it is significantly expanding its portfolio of Android devices by introducing three new smartphones powered by Android™, the Motorola BRAVO, FLIPOUT and FLIPSIDE, from Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT).
All three smartphones pack the power of the Android 2.1 platform and the latest version of MOTOBLUR, Motorola’s exclusive smartphone experience.
MOTOROLA FLIPOUT™ will be available for $79.99 with a two service agreement and 2 year smartphone data plan beginning October 17 in AT&T stores, online and in business channels. (No rebate required)
MOTOROLA BRAVO™ will be available for $129.99 with a two service agreement and 2 year smartphone data plan in AT&T stores, online and in business channels by this holiday period. (No rebate required)
MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE™ will be available for $99.99 with a two service agreement and 2 year smartphone data plan in AT&T stores, online and in business channels by this holiday period. (No rebate required)
In a move that further strengthens its industry-leading smartphone line-up, AT&T today introduced three new Android-based smartphones from Motorola. The powerful new devices give AT&T customers even more choice when selecting a mobile computing device to use on the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network. AT&T will have eight Android devices available to customers once these smartphones arrive in stores.

All three new smartphones feature Wi-Fi® connectivity, and qualifying AT&T customers receive access to the entire AT&T national Wi-Fi network included as part of their data plan. AT&T’s has the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network with more than 23,000 U.S. hotspots.

MOTOROLA BRAVO™

BRAVO offers the power of Android, an 800 MHz processor and a large screen all in a compact design. The device features a 3.7-inch full WVGA touch screen experience, enhanced Web-browsing and entertainment while on the go. With a 3-megapixel camera with digital zoom and auto focus, customers can catch memorable moments to share with one-touch social media uploads to Facebook®, MySpace, Picasa™ and PhotoBucket®. Motorola BRAVO is a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) enabled device, so customers can stream, store and share entertainment with multiple devices around the home—including PCs, TVs and other mobile devices using an existing home Wi-Fi network. Get all the MOTOROLA BRAVO™ details at http://att.com/bravo.

MOTOROLA FLIPOUT™

MOTOROLA FLIPOUT delivers an enhanced user experience, with a stylishly square, affordable and innovative pivot design. FLIPOUT whips open to reveal a full keyboard below its touch screen with a dedicated fifth row for numbers. Users can customize the color to match their mood with Dark Sapphire and Saffron battery covers included in the box for personalization. Additional colors will be available for purchase in AT&T stores and online. Get all the MOTOROLA FLIPOUT™ details at http://att.com/flipout.

MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE™

MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE enables users to seamlessly manage their work and personal life. With a full slide-out QWERTY keypad, FLIPSIDE’s 3.1"-inch high-res HVGA display supports pinch to zoom gesturing, while the laptop-like track pad provides an alternative way to navigate with one hand while keeping your fingers off the screen. Users can stay connected to work with full push corporate e-mail, support for Microsoft® Exchange, unified inbox and enhanced features for IT compliance like remote wipe and password enforcement. Get all the MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE™ details at http://att.com/flipside.

Enhanced MOTOBLUR

MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s exclusive experience that syncs contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more — from your favorite social media sites, work and personal e-mail, and last.fm — and automatically delivers them to the home screen. MOTOBLUR can locate or remotely wipe lost or stolen devices, MOTOBLUR can also automatically restore a user’s contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations and e-mail with one username and password.

The new and enhanced MOTOBLUR functionality and features include:

Filter social networking and Messages widgets – filter by social networking account, by contact(s) or by contact group to only see the information you want.
Screen customization – move and resize preloaded widgets on up to seven home screens
Battery Manager – manage battery consumption by operating in one of three performance modes
Personal and Corporate e-mail – pushed directly to the device
Improved social networking functionality – Retweet, like Facebook comments and more
Quotes

"We want nothing less than the best smartphone line-up on the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network," said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "These diverse new Android devices from Motorola add diversity to our Android platform and provide more options for our customers."

"Motorola is committed to offering consumers phones that work best for their lifestyle. These three new devices each have a new unique take on the typical smartphone," said Alain Mutricy, senior vice president, portfolio and device product management, Motorola Mobility, Inc. "Plus, the latest enhancements to MOTOBLUR not only allow users to easily stay connected with their networks but better filter so they can focus on the people and information that means the most to them."

1 Prices listed above require a 2-year service agreement and smartphone data plan.
2 Mobile Broadband/3G coverage not available in all areas.
3 Limited-time offer. Other conditions & restrictions apply. See contract & rate plan brochure for details. Subscriber must live & have a mailing addr. within AT&T’s owned wireless network coverage area. Up to $36 activ. fee applies. Equipment price & avail may vary by mrk & may not be available from independent retailers. Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in the first 30 days, but up to $35 restocking fee may apply to equipment returns; thereafter up to $325. Some agents impose add’l fees. Smartphone Data Plan Requirement: Smartphones require a DataPlus (200MB) or DataPro (2GB) plan. If you exceed your initial data allowance, you will automatically be charged an additional $10 for each additional 1GB provided on DataPro or an additional $15 for each additional 200MB provided on DataPlus. All data allowances, including overages, must be used in the billing period in which the allowance is provided or they will be forfeited. For more details on Data Plans, go to att.com/dataplans Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated equipment.
4 Largest Wi-Fi based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. Wi-Fi enabled device and qualifying data plan required. Other restrictions apply. See attwifi.com for details and locations.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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Initial thoughts on Sharp’s ISO3

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 06:24 AM PDT

CEATEC is currently in full swing over in Japan, we have seen quite a few new releases in all aspects of technology. One that is generating quite a bit of buzz mainly due to it's 960 x 640 (retina display without the branding) is the Sharp ISO3.

The phone is running Android 1.1 and according to Engadget, the Sharp UI feels very sluggish and unrefined. However, the screen does look amazing. Offering crisp colors at very high resolutions.

The device is really packing hardware wise. Including a 9.66 megapixel autofocus camera, one-seg TV tuner, and another feature is "Osaifu-Keitai" which allows the phone to be used for contacts payments. Also it is said that the device doesn't feel high end. It's full body is covered in "cheap feeling" plastic and it's weight isn't what you would expect with a phone of it's hardware capabilities.

The phone is coming to Japan only, but you may see one elsewhere thanks to it's Global Passport CDMA. It will launch in 3 colors starting next month.

iso3-ceatec-hands-ofjir-rm-eng iso3-ceatec-hands-dsc0063-rm-eng iso3-ceatec-hands-dsc0061-rm-eng iso3-ceatec-hands-dsc0060-rm-eng iso3-ceatec-hands-dsc0057-rm-eng iso3-ceatec-hands-dsc0053-rm-eng

[Via Engadget]

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Steve Ballmer says that Android isn’t free

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 06:09 AM PDT

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is well known for making some crazy statements and acting more than a bit strange on stage during speeches. Ballmer is now claiming that Android really isn’t free. Google lets handset makers use Android without licensing fees rather than the large fees Microsoft charges to license Windows Phone 7 software to makers.

There is some truth to Ballmer’s words. Microsoft recently filed suit against HTC over patents going after the handset makers rather than going directly after Google. We can also expect Microsoft to go after more handset makers that use Android in the future.

In fact, Microsoft went after Motorola last week for the same reasons it sued HTC. Ballmer told the WSJ, “Android has a patent fee. It’s not like Android’s free. You do have to license patents. HTC’s signed a license with us and you’re going to see license fees clearly for Android as well as for Windows.”

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Samsung Galaxy Tab gets Gorilla glass

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 06:01 AM PDT

We already know all we really need to know about the Galaxy Tab that is set to land in Europe soon. The little Android tablet has a lot of folks excited and ready to buy even if it is a bit expensive on some plans. We learned a new detail about the Tab and its screen today.

Samsung is using Coring Gorilla Glass on the screen. The Gorilla Glass is far from shatterproof, as more than one iPhone 4 owner has found. However, the high strength Gorilla Glass is much stronger than plain old glass and should resist scratches better as well.

Samsung has used the Gorilla Glass before on its Galaxy S so Samsung fans know the stuff works well. Corning is working hard to get Gorilla Glass into more and more mobile products and expects the growth rate over the next few years to skyrocket as more mobile devices come to market.

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fringOut for Android costs 1c per minute nationwide

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 05:53 AM PDT

Yesterday I mentioned that fring had landed for Android. What we didn’t know at the time was exactly how much those fringOut calls would cost you. Today fring has announced that the calls to anywhere in the world will set you back only a penny per minute.

That is some bargain talking right there. The 1c per minute rate is for placing calls to anyone using fring who is not a fring user already. This should be a nice alternative to Skype for Android that debuted today for Android users.

To use fringOut you have to download the free fring app and then signed up for fringOut. After that, you can call and chat all you want. If the pal happens to be a fring user, you can still use the free video calls and other services offered.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab gets priced by O2 Germany

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 05:52 AM PDT

O2 Germany has become one of the first carriers to announce a price for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.  The 7-inch Android 2.2 slate will be priced at €99 as part of the carrier’s My Handy payment plan scheme, with 24 monthly payments of €27.50.  That adds up to a total of €759 ($1,047) over the course of the contract.

It’s not entirely clear, but it does seem that those prices don’t actually include any sort of 3G mobile service, either for voice or data.  Instead you’ll have to sign up to some sort of monthly voice/data plan or slot in a pre-paid SIM.

According to the carrier’s product page, the Galaxy Tab will launch in October 2010.

[via Eee-PC.de]

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Vodafone HTC Desire HD free on preorder; due Oct 14th

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 03:17 AM PDT

Online, unlocked sales of the HTC Desire HD may be delayed until the end of this month, but that doesn’t appear to be affecting Vodafone UK.  The carrier has just announced it’s taking Desire HD pre-orders with delivery expected from October 14th 2010.

The Vodafone HTC Desire HD is priced from free with a new, £35 24-month agreement.  Buying online gets you 900 minutes (compared to 600 offline) unlimited texts and 750MB (500MB offline) of mobile data.  Buying online will also give you 5MB of European roaming data in your bundle.

More on the HTC Desire HD in our hands-on.

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HTC Desire HD unlocked sales delayed until late-October

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 03:12 AM PDT

The HTC Desire HD launch has apparently been delayed, with Google testing holding up the 4.3-inch Android 2.2 smartphone.  According to retailer Clove, the delay will push the release of the Desire HD back to late October 2010, and will affect not only them but all online retailers and resellers.

It’s unclear whether the testing delay will also affect carrier supplies of the Desire HD; we’re waiting for an official comment from HTC.  For more on the smartphone itself, check out our hands-on.

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Skype for Android arrives in Android Market

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 02:21 AM PDT

Skype has dropped into the Android Market, offering free Skype to Skype calls over GPRS/EDGE/3G or WiFi.  The app – which had previously been a Verizon exclusive – also allows users to make international calls at Skype’s reduced rates, together with holding instant messaging conversations.

There’s also phonebook integration, the ability to see online statuses and incoming calls support.

Unfortunately it’s not perfect quite yet; Skype says there are some handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy S, which are not currently supported. It’s a 8.56MB download available free through the Android Market.

Update: Skype has released the video you can find below, but also confirmed that Skype for Android will only work over WiFi in the US and requires an Android 2.1 device or higher.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Press Release:

Skype for Android™ Now Available

LUXEMBOURG, 5 October 2010 — Skype today announced the release of Skype for Android™, a client for mobile handsets, built for smartphones running Android OS version 2.1 or above. With this latest release, the majority of smart phone users globally will now be able to experience the benefits of Skype on the move using either a WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G). Skype for Android is downloadable for free from the Android Market or consumers can visit www.skype.com/m to find out more details about how to get the application.

Skype for Android enables users to:

Make free Skype-to-Skype calls over WiFi or mobile data connection (GPRS, EDGE, 3G)* to other Skype users anywhere in the world using Skype's SILK codec for CD-like audio quality.
Make low rate Skype calls to landline or mobile phones
Send and receive instant messages to one or a group of friends on Skype
Synchronize contacts between Skype and the native address book and after synchronization place Skype calls directly from the native address book.
See when Skype contacts are online and available to call or chat
Easily import names and numbers to the Skype application from the native address book
Receive calls on their Skype online number
Mark Douglas, Product Manager of Android said: "The Skype experience is ubiquitous today. More and more people are using Skype to do things together when apart. With the addition of Android, we are pleased that Skype is now available on three of the most popular mobile platforms today: Android, iOS and Symbian"

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Next tablet gets reviewed: appalling

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 01:48 AM PDT

The growing number of cheap Android tablets reaching the high-street is leaving reviewers cold, with UK retailer Next‘s £180 ($284) 10-inch slate the latest to get criticised.  PDA-247 bought one, and found it unbearably slow, that the battery lasted a mere 30 minutes of web browsing, and that the download application – not the Android Market – ended up hiding the software it had installed so you couldn’t actually run it.

Meanwhile the preloaded OfficeSuite app is in Chinese with no apparent settings to change that, and media loaded onto the bundled 8GB microSD card from a computer than couldn’t be recognized on the tablet itself.  In short, save your money.

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Android Market update brings local currency display

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 01:21 AM PDT

Google has apparently updated the Android Market so that all prices are now displayed in local currency.  Previously, prices could be a mixed bag of dollars, pounds and euros, but now the marketplace automatically converts the numbers into an indication of what the local cost would be.

It’s a smart move for Google, since it removes a potential barrier to users buying paid-apps: that they weren’t entirely sure what it would cost them.  What’s still unclear at this stage is whether apps are charged to your account in your local currency as well (thus potentially saving you a conversion fee by your card provider) or, perhaps more likely, if this is merely a display change and the apps are charged in their original currency.

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Samsung Tab and Galaxy S devices Coming to DOCOMO in Japan

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 08:17 PM PDT

The already popular, yet to be released, Samsung Galaxy Tab has finally been announced to be coming to Japan. DOCOMO is set to launch the Japanese-market version of both the Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab.

Both will be shipping with Android 2.2, DOCOMO's new e-book service – which will be launching on a trial basis in late October, and the sp-mode service that will allow users to access i-mode mail accounts on their devices.

DOCOMO Galaxy S

Full Press Release Below:

TOKYO, JAPAN, October 5, 2010 — NTT DOCOMO, INC. today unveiled its Japanese-market versions of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s GALAXY S smartphone and GALAXY Tab smart media device. The docomo Smartphone GALAXY S is scheduled to launch in late October and the docomo Smartphone GALAXY Tab in late November.

Both mobile devices are powered by the Android™ 2.2 operating system, enabling users to choose from a large variety of applications available at the mobile portals Android Market™, docomo market and Samsung Apps. The GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab also support DOCOMO's new e-book service, which will launch on a trial basis in late October, as well as the sp-mode™ service that allows DOCOMO users to access i-mode™ mail accounts with their smartphones.

The GALAXY S features a 4-inch, ultra-bright SUPER AMOLED screen and supports Flash® for PC-like access to diverse Web content. Its 5.0 megapixel camera shoots high-definition video that can be played back on the phone's vivid, high-resolution screen. Multi-touch functionality enables intuitive control of the screen.

The GALAXY Tab provides an all-new way to experience Internet browsing on the go. The large 7-inch screen allows full Flash-compatible browsing and displays images in PC-quality 600 x 1,024 -pixel resolution. It is an exceptionally portable tablet device that can be held easily in one hand, measuring just 12.1 mm in thickness and weighing only 382 grams.

The GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab will be exhibited at CEATEC Japan 2010 in Makuhari Messe, Japan from October 5 to 9.

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HTC EVO 4G gets Popular Mechanics Breakthrough award

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 11:55 AM PDT

The highly popular, insanely powerful HTC EVO 4G has been named one of the top products of 2010 by Popular Mechanics. We are not surprised, since it's launched in June it has been one of the most reliable, and fast phones on the market. Sprint's 4G, which is the only company who has a fully functional 4G network, is a wonderful addition to this device making it fast beyond the powers of software.

Some of the features that have made this a top pic are it's 4.3-inch screen, Snapdragon processor, and the ability for it to serve as a WiFi hotspot for up to 8 devices.


Even it's internals, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, received an award for one of the top products of 2010. Nothing surprising here, the processor is very fast offering phones up to 1 GHz of speed all while keeping the power drain to a minimum. Qualcomm has had no intentions at stopping or even slowing down on the development process, a 1.3 GHz processor is coming out by years end, and dual-core 1.5 GHz chips coming as well.

[Via Popular Mechanics]

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