Monday, 16 August 2010

Android Community

Android Community

HP Zeen Tablet Featuring Android to Launch This September

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 10:10 AM PDT

Despite the fact that HP acquired Palm (the house that built webOS), it looks like HP’s first tablet is actually going to be powered by our favorite little green android. The tablet is called the Zeen, and it’s not a self-sustaining machine like many of the other tablets out there. It’s meant, actually, to be a companion device to HP’s upcoming “Zeus” printer, and act more as an interface unit than anything else. But, it’s still running Android, so that’s got our interest.

According to DigiTimes, who are citing “upstream component makers,” the tablet will feature a 7-inch touchscreen display, an ARM-based processor, a 800×400 resolution, 512MB of RAM, and 4GB of NAND flash storage. This isn’t meant, by any means, to be a high-end device, and it probably won’t be on anyone’s radar for their next big tablet purchase, even come the holidays. Also according to the Chinese tech paper, HP expects to start selling this thing next month. So, it won’t be too long here before we get to see the little guy in action. No word on what version of Android it will be running, or what the price will be.

[via DigiTimes]

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Motorola Droid 2 Plagued by Signal Issues?

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 10:01 AM PDT

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about Apple’s flamboyant attempts to drag the entire mobile phone industry into its “antennagate” situation. In the mean time though, company’s have come out swinging, saying that their devices don’t fall into the same shoddy category as Apple’s iPhone 4. Motorola was one of those companies, releasing ad campaigns that did their best to deal the Cupertino-based company a blow to the gut, and show potential customers that their handsets don’t suffer from any kind of “death grip.”

Unfortunately, if the Verizon forums are to be believed, then it looks like the Droid 2 is indeed suffering from some kind of signal issues. People are reporting varying signal in “good signal areas,” and many others are saying they’ve dropped too many calls to count. At this point in time, Motorola hasn’t come forward to respond to the claims, which can hopefully be fixed with a software upgrade sooner than later. Of course, the reports aren’t consistent from every Droid 2 owner out there, but it does seem to be happening all across the country, so we can’t just blame it on one spot.

There’s also no kind of confirmation(s) that will give us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a clear picture on whether or not it’s the way owners are holding their devices, that’s causing the Droid 2 to lose signal. As of right now, it could just be the device itself, and something to do with the software inside. As soon as we hear more, we’ll pass it along. And, if you’ve got a Droid 2, let us know how you’re experiences are with it.

[via MobileCrunch]

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Firmware gives up new details on Samsung Galaxy Tab

Posted: 16 Aug 2010 04:50 AM PDT

We have already heard a bit about the coming Samsung Galaxy Tab that is powered by Android. A firmware has surfaced in Europe for the device that gives us hints at some of the hardware and other features that the Galaxy Tab will support.

The firmware shows that the screen will have a resolution of 480 x 800. The rear camera will support resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 and record video. The front camera has a resolution of 240 x 320.

The CPU inside the Galaxy Tab is an ARM 11 with S5PC110 core running at 1GHz. Other features the firmware hints at include GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and support for Swype and SyncML.

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Samsung Epic 4G for Sprint Reviewed by SlashGear

Posted: 15 Aug 2010 09:06 PM PDT

It’s only been a few days since we heard official word from Sprint and Samsung when customers would be able to get their hands on the newest 4G capable device coming to market. You should have already got your reserve down, or even your pre-order, with a release date of August 31st set in stone for Sprint. And considering that’s right around the corner, we figured you’d want a review of the device, so you could decide whether or not to pick it up come the end of the month.

As far as Android devices go, there’s plenty to choose from. And while the Epic has plenty of distinguishing features, it’s still just another device in a maelstrom of already released, or soon to be released handsets. So, does it have what it takes to reach the top of the Android pack? Or is it just another superphone? Well, right from the start you’ll notice that 4-inch Super AMOLED display. As with many of the other Samsung Galaxy S variants out there, it’s one of the stand-out features of the device. And with the Epic, that’s certainly the case. Viewing angles are great, and thanks to that Super tag, you can even use it outside with relative ease. Plus, colors and contrast are top-notch, as we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s proprietary displays.

There’s also that 1GHz Hummingbird processor, which coincidentally enough doesn’t seem to lag as bad as the original Samsung Galaxy S. And that’s just a huge bonus in this regard, as it basically means that there’s not much bringing this phone down from its high perch.

What also puts the Epic in a class of its own, as long as we are comparing it to its Galaxy S brethren, is the slide-out physical QWERTY keyboard. It’s a full ‘board in every sense of the word, as it’s a five-row monster. It has great feedback, and works quite well for itself. There’s a dedicated emoticon key, though, that we wish Samsung had discarded entirely. Meanwhile the space bar on the physical keyboard may not be perfect, it’s still usable.

Software wise, there’s Android 2.1 on board at launch. Samsung says that other Galaxy S devices are getting Android 2.2 (Froyo) sometime in September, so we can hope that that’s the case with the other (American) variants. Along with 2.1, you also get Samsung’s TouchWiz 3.0. It’s one of those User Interface skins, and it’s been used by Samsung for way too long. In this case, it brings News, Weather, and Social Networking widgets to the foray (as with so many other skins do). But, it’s in your face, and that’s not going to be to everyone’s liking.

And lastly, features wise, if you’re a movie fan — you’re in luck. Samsung’s Media Hub will bring you plenty of downloadable content with time, which you can put right on your device, and watch whenever you want. The handset is also DLNA supported, which means you’ll be able to stream all of that goodness from your phone, to your TV (which must also be DLNA supported, obviously). You can also use a third device, which can be connected to your TV (like an Xbox 360, for example). It’s a great way to make sure that your handset is always at the center of attention, and one of the reasons that these new batches of handsets are standing out in the crowded market.

If you’re interested in the full review, with all of the nitty gritty, and plenty more pictures, then just head on through the source link. If the Epic 4G is one device you’ve been waiting to get your hands on, then this is one review that you’ll want to check out.

[via SlashGear]

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