At this point in time, anything can be true –that is, in regards to the leaked images of what is allegedly the Samsung-made, Google-branded Nexus S. Getting down to the bottom of things is pretty hard when neither Google nor Samsung seems to have any intention of making an official statement regarding the issue.
One initial concern is whether this is really going to be a Google branded Nexus smart phone or simply a new Galaxy model. Considering that Samsung is already an Android manufacturer, it would be easy for anyone internally to leak images or details of what is actually a Samsung branded phone and have it labeled as a Google device (or quite literally, have the Google logo edited into the digital image). It is also important to remember that Google has specifically stated that there would be no sequels to the Nexus One.
Mincing words however, that alone will not disprove the Nexus S. In fact, Google did specifically say that there would be no Nexus “2”. But a Nexus S on the other hand, is a completely different thing.
Also, Google specified that the main purpose of the original Nexus One is that that device was not made for profit. Instead, Google wanted a smart phone that would be used as a new standard and benchmark for many other devices using the Android OS. Naturally, one device alone cannot serve that purpose forever. With technology moving forward constantly, Google will have to come up with new Nexus devices every now and then to keep up with the pace.
As one would expect, the specs from the Nexus S are closely similar to that of the Galaxy S (the same applied to the Nexus One and the HTC Desire). The device will come with a 5 mega pixel snapper, a 1GHz processor and most importantly, a 4 inch super AMOLED capacitive touch screen display.
Posts Tagged ‘Google-Android’
Nexus S Rumors Continue to Spread
Monday, November 15th, 2010Tech Highlights: the Latest Android Developments
Friday, November 12th, 2010
It is hard to not find the Google Android in mobile news each day. After all, the OS is growing at such a fast pace that it has managed to be everywhere almost instantly. It will not be long before the Android outmatch the Symbians and saturation of the open source platform is a definite inevitability.
According to some studies, Google’s hold on their users is not as strong as it sounds. The fanciness and popular charm of the iPhone is quite strong. With the hype, marketing and app library of the Apple gadget, it is not surprising that many Android users also consider owning an iPhone as well. For those who love games, there is no question; the vast amount of games on the iPhone library is staggering. Unless the rumors of the PSP Phone using an Android OS is true, then Google will not have the sufficient app support from third party developers to compete in that level.
But fantasies simply are, the actual financial figures however hum a different tune. Phone users may have options in their mind, but their wallets all give a single answer: the Android. Recent sales comparisons show that big ticket companies Nokia and Apple are slowly losing their grip on the market, with shares slowly decreasing. Google on the other hand has gone from a near insignificant fraction to over a fourth of the market.
And Google is far from done with their push towards dominating the industry. The latest Google branded handset, the Nexus S is being rumored to be an actual device and that it will be made by Samsung. Despite an initial statement from Samsung about the matter that is indirectly denying any such device exists or is in production. Still, the leaked images are hard to dispute –especially with most of the photographic evidence originally sourced from reputable sources from within Google.
Android Gingerbread is Coming
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
It looks like Google will be bringing out the newest version of the Android smart phone a little earlier than expected. According to reports, the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread will be out on November 11.
For those not keeping tabs on the news, here’s the quick summary:
Google originally announced the Gingerbread as Android 3.0 –a full update from version 2.0 Éclair. This was done at the Google I/O conference earlier this year. While the Android 2.2 Froyo was focused on stabilizing and improving the overall performance of the Android OS, the Gingerbread was slated to be a new standard for all devices running Google’s platform.
Currently, a large percent of all high end Android smart phones are being slowly updated to version 2.2 Froyo, but at the moment, the standard version is still 2.0 and 2.1 Éclair. Some mobile phones, such as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 have come out using only Android 1.6 Donut, leaving them two whole Android versions behind in terms of being updated. This level of fragmentation has always been a serious bane on Android developers as being able to deliver a uniform user experience is deemed to be close to impossible.
Recent announcements have confirmed that the Gingerbread will no longer sport the 3.0 number, but instead, it has been delegated to a lower scale update at version 2.3. This has now led to many believing that that update will not be about creating a new Android standard, but to simply bring more features and functions to the OS. In the meanwhile, the next version is going to take the 3.0 version number designation. At the moment, it is said that the Android OS to follow Gingerbread will be named Honeycomb.
There is no doubt that Google’s Android OS is growing very fast, but unless they are able to overcome fragmentation issues, it will be a while before the Android is able to fully dominate the market.
Mobile News: Android Gingerbread and STD Diagnosis on Phones
Monday, November 8th, 2010It may sound like a weird idea, but adding the ability to take in samples, analyze content and immediately provide users with a quick medical diagnosis is a function that is far more than just something convenient –it can actually change and save lives by the thousands.
According to research, many diseases, particularly STDs, tend to be ignored or completely unchecked due to fears and worries. This is particularly true among young adults who are too worried about going to a doctor for a preliminary diagnosis. By providing people with the technology and information necessary to provide early diagnosis –with complete privacy and convenience, it is believed that preventing the spread of STDs would be easier.
The technology proposed is simple: a small receiving chip on a phone would be used for samples. These would then be analyzed and the user would be able to know if they are in need of medical attention. Being able to know what their condition is and how serious the disease can be should be more than enough to convince a person to get treatment.
In other news, it is rumored that the Android Gingerbread OS update is expected to be released sometime this November.
While it is exciting to think that November 11 will see the launch of the latest mobile platform from Google, it is something that many of us find quite unlikely to happen. With the recent false start with the Samsung Nexus rumor and the fact that the 2.2 Froyo update has yet to be established as a staple, the launch of another OS version being done so soon simply does not seem to add up.
Of course, there is no denying the fact that Google has already been working on Gingerbread earlier this year –during the I/O conference it was confirmed that the Gingerbread update was already in the works.
Upcoming: Sharp 3D Android, LG Tablet
Friday, November 5th, 2010
LG is coming up with its own tablet. With the slow and steady increasing growth of the Galaxy Tab, Samsung has shown the world that despite the iPad’s early lead on the tablet market, there is still plenty of room for competition to grow.
The Optimus Pad is being promoted as the next big thing for LG, but once again, the Korean phone maker is up to its previous practice –planning devices way too far ahead of time. This was already noticeable when LG lost profits for the first half of 2010 when it focused on device that would launch until the latter half of the year (which is the Optimus Android and the Optimus 7 –this one specifically launched around October even).
The Optimus Pad is believed to be running Android Honeycomb, which is the next version to be released after Gingerbread –which is still in the works. With an OS that is two generations down the line of the current 2.2 Froyo, we will certainly not see the Optimus Pad anytime soon; unless Google suddenly decides to churn out OS updates one after another.
Sharp is cashing in on the 3D hype as it announces the new 005SH and 003SH handsets. The new phones will be sporting 1GHz CPUs and the Android Froyo platform (aside from the 3D capable touch screen displays). The 005 will have a slide out QWERTY keyboard while the 003 will have a 9.7 mega pixel camera.
Expect to see the 005 to be released before the end of the year and the 003 to come out sometime next February –our only gripe is that Sharp might not go for a global release so interested buyers should pray for a miracle that this gets outside Japan. In any case, expect the release of this phone to benchmark a new era of 3D touch screen technology all over the world.
New Android Tablet and More Tough Phones Headed Our Way
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
JCB has announced that four new handsets are already heading to store shelves pretty soon. The handsets have been developed in cooperation with Data Select and are all tough phones –meaning these handsets have been designed to withstand elements and environments that are not the place for typical mobile devices.
The need for tough phones have always been around and while one might think that they tend to be occupational devices –such as best made for field medics, firemen, law enforcement officers and similar lines of work, it is actually surprising to know that it will not even take a short hike to even find use for these phones.
Every single day, phones are dropped from the edges of coffee tables, spilled on with glasses of soda, rained on, bumped inside bags, and more. These are often more than enough to put certain devices out of commission –and not just the super delicate touch screen smart phones too. Even the most basic 2G candy bar handset has sensitive parts that are unable to withstand such factors.
Priced at 69.99 Pounds onwards, the JCB tough phones are expected to fill in that basic need for an all around phone. One has already been described as made for water –as in the phone floats. Aside from its water resistant features, the handset is also quite buoyant –which means less danger of being submerged (which is dangerous even for water proof handsets).
In other news, Creative Labs has just announced the ZiiO touch screen tablet. This new handheld device will be available in 7 inch and 10 inch display variations and is confirmed to be running the Android operating system. The devices will also have variations in the internal memory space so expect to see a lot of options with these. Aside from running Android 2.1 Éclair, the ZiiO is confirmed to have support for Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS as well.
The Long Road to Standardization: Google’s Android OS
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
One of Google’s biggest problems with the Android mobile platform is the fact that the system is very fragmented. For those unfamiliar with the concept, this is simply the fact that so many different versions of the Android OS are currently available.
This is because the Android operating system is used by a wide range of mobile phones and that there has been a lot of versions that have been released in the past couple of years. The other important factor here is that many manufacturers have come out with Android devices as well –which means that being able to provide a uniformity of user experience is completely out of the question.
The BlackBerry OS, Palm WebOS and the Apple iOS are not prone to this same issue –this is because the other mobile platforms are stuck with only one phone manufacturer. But since the strength of Google’s open source platform is its distribution, delegating it to only one phone maker would not be a good idea.
According to recent studies, the Android 2.2 Froyo has grown to reach a significant portion of Android users. Currently, the latest OS holds about 38% of the Android population. About 41% of users are still using 2.1 Éclair and the rest are split between 1.5 Cupcake and 1.6 Donut.
Many are expecting that the shift from Donut and Cupcake to the Éclair and Froyo platforms will be happening during this last quarter of the year (Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA series will be getting Éclair in the UK by early 2011 –or so many rumors say) until the start of 2011. In the meanwhile, the Android is quickly catching up with the Symbian mobile platform in terms of distribution –with many expecting total market saturation by the end of the year.
Android Happiness on T-Mobile UK
Monday, October 25th, 2010
The biggest problem with smart phones is that they never really fit a person’s active lifestyle. Sure, the devices are pretty much well rounded when it comes to features and functionality, but touch screen phones are simply not the kind of gadgets you would want to have in your pocket if you intend to go out and do some heavy lifting or other strenuous activities.
And considering how hard it is to be without a smart phone these days, it is easy to get stuck on deciding what to do. Fortunately, Motorola seems to have made the first step towards a real answer: the world’s first touch Android. Sure, we have all heard of tough phones (especially those from Sonim), but the Motorola Defy takes things one step further: this is an Android smart phone with a capacitive touch screen display. Add in the fact that the display is protected by Gorilla glass, and packs IP67 certification against minor shocks, liquids and dust.
If you already have an Android phone, then T-Mobile has something else to offer: the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab. The device might sound like another touch screen smart phone to you, but in reality, this is actually a 7 inch touch screen tablet. Loaded with plenty of Google’s best web features, camera and an impressive visual display, the Galaxy Tab is the perfect device when it comes to browsing and media playback in the home environment.
It is quick, stable and easy to use. Best of all, the web browser supports Flash –a feature that rival Apple iPad cannot handle. HTML5 is expected to be a supported feature when Android 3.0 Gingerbread comes out next year. In the meanwhile, the current Galaxy Tab makes use of the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system.
Interested buyers can now register on T-Mobile to avail of the devices when they launch in November.
OS Wars: A Situation Report
Thursday, October 21st, 2010
There is no doubt that a mobile platform can make or break a phone, while this is true there are also times when a platform is not considered –such as the case of the Samsung Wave which was a resounding success, not only for the phone itself but also for the Bada operating system.
Right now, the big players are still preparing for the big sales this coming holiday season. Google is still fixing up its mobile handsets by getting everyone updated to version 2.1 Éclair or 2.2 Froyo as soon as possible. But even with such diverse fragmentation, many believe that the platform would eventually surpass all other OS in terms of distributions.
Apple’s iOS has been on the quiet side of the news (though Steve Jobs has not). With no new innovations and hardly any ground breaking achievements, the Apple made OS is certainly taking it sweet time. Still, it is hard to argue that anything needs to be done about the platform right at this instant. The Apple iTunes store is still selling plenty of apps and the next iPhone 4 version seems to have fixed the antenna issue.
The big variable factor right now is Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 7 OS. From what we have seen so far, Steve Ballmer has delivered on his promise to change the way we use mobile phones. But as to whether WP7 will be the unstoppable winds of change or that one door of progress we are all loathe to cross still remains to be seen. Either way, WP7 is looking all set to change today’s mobile phone standards.
RIM’s BlackBerry OS is not to be left behind either. With the success of the OS 6 which focuses more on media, the use of the new QNX OS for the Playbook tablet seems to be opening up plenty of new possibilities for the Canadian phone maker.
Froyo Delayed on Galaxy S, XPERIA X10 Gets Éclair
Monday, October 18th, 2010
A bit of sad news for Samsung Galaxy S owners in the UK; apparently, the Android update for the system has been taken down and will not be launched until another week. But Samsung has officially stated that the firmware update is not due to be released in the first place. They are still in the middle of testing and next week is their intended launch date.
While it may seem like an over-reaction to a pre-mature posting of the Froyo on Samsung’s open source site, Galaxy S owners have to be forgiven for their fervor as the wait for an update has been pretty long.
Originally, when the Froyo was announced much earlier this year, the OS update was supposed to arrive for the Galaxy S within a month after the HTC Desire was updated. As it turned out, the Desire update has been available for quite some time –leaving Galaxy S owners wondering when their turn would actually come.
Simon Stanford, current director of Samsung Mobile UK has stated that “In the UK market, we are currently in final stages with our testing to ensure the upgrade is as smooth an experience as possible. Further information in relation to roll-out will be available early next week.”
In other Android related news, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 is getting an update to the Android 2.1 Éclair. While this news bit would have been much more impressive had it been a 2.2 Froyo update, SE owners are happy nonetheless. The X10 came out packed with 1.6 Donut, making the XPERIA series fall far behind its competitors when it comes to having an updated OS.
Despite this factor, Sony still managed to more than enough handset to make some of their devices –particularly the X10 Mini Pro and the X10 Mini become some of the most successful handsets in the UK.