Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 was launched just recently and as such, there are issues and problems that need to be addressed –which is always the case with most new operating systems that launch.
However, as much as we would like to say that problems are normal, the current issue for most WP7 owners is jarring: the microSD card used in the device cannot be easily replaced without risking the loss of important data. While some might say that simply taking out the card and making a backup is a good idea; that is where the second problem lies: the card will be formatted in a unique way that renders it directly unreadable –even by the Microsoft run Windows desktop OS.
In short, those who are used to hot swapping SD cards will now be stuck with just one –so better be sure to insert a high capacity card the first time you use it.
In better WP7 news, it has been confirmed that sat nav assistance will now be provided to users via the device’s own maps feature. So far, no specific date on the GPS launch has been given.
HTC has confirmed two things just this week. First off, the Legend will indeed be getting an update and Vodafone users get first dibs over all other Legend users under other operators. According to the latest reports, the update is already online and ready to download.
HTC has also confirmed that it will be venturing to the business market with possibly a new device. While the Taiwan based manufacturer has previously concentrated on devices for the general public, a new wave of phones has been made to cater specifically to the messaging based and high security world of the business market.
Lastly, retailer Dixons has announced that the Android tablet, Toshiba Folio, will no longer be available unless an issue with the device has been fixed.
Posts Tagged ‘HTC-Legend’
Mobile Headlines: Android and WP7 in Focus
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010Upcoming: NFC Activation for C7 and Updates for Legend and Streak
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
The 5 inch Dell Streak handset is one of the most intriguing smart phones around. After all, with the massive 5 inch touch screen display on the device, it is easy to mistake the overall face of the phone for one of the older, bulkier mobile devices of yesteryear.
Of course, the super slim case makes it known that this is simply a high end phone with a really big screen –much like a touch screen tablet. In fact, many are referring to the Streak as a mini tablet and the terminology is quite fitting. With the smallest tablets ranging around 7 inches, a smart phone with a 5 inch screen certainly has plenty of similarities. Anyway, the much anticipated upgrade to Android 2.2 Froyo for this intriguing device is available now.
HTC’s Legend handset is finally getting an update to the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, as well. With initial plans to leave the device at 2.1 Éclair now scrapped, owners of this impressive high end smart phone have something new to look forward to. The Legend is basically a watered down version of the HTC Desire. Both devices use AMOLED touch screen technology, though the Legend’s screen is smaller at 3.7 inches. The device also comes with a 5 mega pixel camera.
Finally, Nokia has confirmed that the C7’s near field communications chip will be activated in an upcoming update. Though no specific date has been announced, this has excited many in the tech industry. NFC technology can be used in a very wide range of applications, making this handset something that users will certainly want to play around. Interfacing with a wide range of gadgets is expected to be one of the primary new functions that NFC will serve.
Apple is also heavily investing in NFC technology as well, having recently bought a specialist company earlier this year. Expect to see NFC to appear in more devices in the coming months.
HTC: Launching WP7 App Store, Legend Update Coming
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010It seems that HTC has special plans for Windows Phone 7. While Microsoft has announced pretty early on that the new mobile platform will certainly be getting its own custom app store category in the Microsoft Marketplace, it seems that they have not made any restrictions regarding where the platform may obtain new apps.
Several details has been announced by Microsoft early on regarding Windows Phone 7, this announcements included details such as what kinds of hardware was required and the fact that manufacturers were limited in the use of custom user interface –which was practically saying that it was not allowed in the first place. But as for the app store, there were no rules stating that WP7 was limited to Microsoft’s domain, and this is where HTC has come up with something special.
At the moment, no specific details has been given as to what HTC has in store for WP7 owners, but one thing is for certain, they will need to get the support of many developers for the new app store to be successful.
In other HTC related news, the Legend will finally be getting an Android 2.2 Froyo update as well. The phone was launched along with the HTC Desire earlier this year, but has met very little success in terms of popularity –despite the device’s pretty impressive hardware features. Though while this handset has been lingering in the shadow of the Desire, there has been enough attention to the device to finally get it a much needed software update.
The Legend’s 2.2 Froyo update is expected to come out before the start of December, though no specific date has been confirmed. For those wondering about their HTC handset, the Legend comes packed with a 3.7 inch AMOLED touch screen and a 5 mega pixel camera.
Delays Announced for Froyo, HTC Handsets Affected
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
With the Android Froyo now having launch delays, the first handsets to be affected are the HTC Desire, HTC Legend and the HTC Wildfire. The original plan was that the Froyo would launch for the Nexus One and then for the HTC Desire just a week later. But with the 2.2 version seemingly getting some issues that are causing delays (issues that neither Google nor HTC are stating), it is possible that the launch of the update might take as long as September.
It is going to be a long wait till September, and HTC owners will not be the only ones awaiting the update. All other Android smart phones are also affected by the delay. Most significantly, handsets that have been just released are among those in the waiting list. The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S and the Dell Mini 5 (Dell Streak) are among these mobile phones. Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10, X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro are also waiting for September –but for an Android 2.1 Éclair update instead, the phones currently use 1.6 Donut.
The reason why HTC’s handsets matter is because they are as close to Google as any manufacturer can get. The Taiwan based phone maker already made the very first Android handset as well as the Google Nexus One. They are also among the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance as well. The HTC Desire also serves as the basis for the Nexus One –this is why the two phones are quite similar in terms of hardware specs.
Also, the fact that the iPhone 4 has just launched is all the more reason for Google to make the new OS version available as early as possible. Despite the many issues in the new Apple smart phone, it still brings plenty of new features that make it a good rival for the current Android 2.1 Éclair.
Motorola’s Flipout: Not Quite a Budget Device
Monday, June 21st, 2010
At 350 Euros, the Motorola Flipout still manages to keep a price tag with a decent enough distance from the exorbitant prices of today’s modern high end smart phones but with other devices such as the HTC Legend, Sony Ericsson X10 Mini, Acer Liquid Stream and the Samsung i5500 Galaxy Corby, the Flipout needs more than a fancy looking form factor to get users. The ‘Flipout’ mechanism for the physical keyboard is certainly a novelty, but at least it also has the Motoblur UI with live widgets that gives it an extra level of functionality.
As an Android smart phone, the Flipout is one of the most well balanced devices. The Texas Instruments OMAP3410 CPU gives the mobile phone about 600MHz of processing power, that’s sufficient for handling most apps, videos and other functions, though do not expect to be as smooth as the better 700 to 800MHz processors on other devices.
With 150 MB of internal storage, the device provides reasonably well –though this factor is rarely an issue because even if a phone has low internal memory, support for microSD cards helps solve the issue (and it makes transferring data a lot easier).
Google’s Android 2.1 Éclair brings the Flipout a wide range of functions and features. Google Maps provides the users with voice guided turn by turn navigation and coupled with Street View, it will help you from getting lost no matter where you are. The Google Goggles augmented reality app provides location and visual specific information on the spot –it was also recently updated with a scanning and translation function as well.
Aside from these, the handset also comes with a 3.2 mega pixel camera (with geo tagging, face detection and video recording), a 2.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, a 1170 mAh battery and social networking integration for Facebook, Twitter and more.
Orange Mobile’s Samsung Apollo Might not be Exclusive
Thursday, June 17th, 2010
With the recently uploaded teaser page for the Samsung i5801 Galaxy Apollo on the Orange Mobile UK website, there have been rumors that the device might be an exclusive handset for the mobile network operator. While there is nothing that specifically stands out with the handset, it still makes for a good cheap alternative to the HTC Legend and the more expensive Sony Ericsson X10 Mini smart phones.
Now, it seems that the Apollo might just end up as a special version of the handset which will be exclusive to Orange UK. Samsung has announced that they will be releasing the i5800 Galaxy 3 smart phone pretty soon. The demonstration or prototype unit that they showed off closely resembled the Apollo in both form and size; features and specs wise, the two handsets are quite similar to each other.
In particular, the Galaxy 3 comes with support for both 2G and 3G networks, a 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display, the Samsung touch bar, 170MB of internal memory, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and all the usual features that one would expect from an Android smart phone.
Overall, it is a good, cheap, practical handset that many will not do wrong in choosing. Users can also expect to get some pretty useful built in apps such as the Layar augmented reality app, the Samsung TouchWiz user interface and of course, full support for Google tools such as maps, chat, mail, Goggles and more.
In other Samsung Galaxy news, several other handsets will be joining the Korean Android line up this year. Most eyes are now focused on the upcoming Galaxy Tape tablet smart phone, the keyboard toting Galaxy S Pro, and the media handset Galaxy Beam. Expect to see more details about these exciting new devices in the days to come.
Orange Website Gives Sneak Peek at Apollo
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010It looks like the Samsung Galaxy series of Android handsets is getting more new additions every time. Just last week, we all saw the big 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab mobile handset being shown off at Taiwan. Now, Orange Mobile UK’s official website is giving the world a nice first look at the newest Android handset from Samsung, the i5801 Galaxy Apollo.
Now, for those of you who still have not gotten over the excitement of the i9000 Galaxy S, do not worry, the Apollo is not a high end handset, though it borders pretty close. So far, details on the mobile phone’s CPU and other spec details still remain in the rumors bin, though it has been confirmed that the handset will indeed have a 3.2 inch TFT touch screen display, a 3.15 mega pixel camera and the Google Android 2.1 Éclair operating system.
Looks wise, the Apollo looks a lot more like a super polished Corby handset than as part of the Galaxy series, though it retains some of the form factor elements as well as the border around the touch screen display. The screen is announced to be a capacitive touch screen so there will not be any AMOLED or super AMOLED tech mentioned here (which is pretty disappointing).
Overall, it’s a decent handset that makes for a very good option if the Galaxy S is too expensive. Though compared to the HTC Legend, we would be hard pressed to give this handset a second look.
Speaking of upcoming Android handsets from Samsung, the 7 inch Galaxy Tab still counts as a mobile phone because the device is both portable and of course, allows for the receiving and making of calls. Samsung also stated that the particular model shown off onstage was 7 inches –hinting at the possibility that there will be other models with other size screens.
Android Smart Phone Wrap Up: Q2 2010
Saturday, June 12th, 2010
With the first half of 2010 coming to pass, here is a quick look back at all the big Android smart phone releases with a bit of looking forward as well.
The year started with the launch of the Google Nexus One. There was plenty of hype and excitement over the handset since late last year and until the very end, there were even speculations that Google might not be making a device at all. The folks at Mountain View protected their secret till the very end and when the Nexus One finally came out, everyone was awestruck with the amazing device.
However, Google’s announcement about the Nexus One’s distribution saw a gloom fall over the crowd as everyone knew that being sold exclusively on the Google Online Store is a death sentence for the mobile phone. They were right; Google only sold 20,000 units during the first week.
Despite the rough start, Google was able to pick up the pace by April with the back to back release of the HTC Desire (which is very much similar to the Nexus One) and the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 (SE’s very first Android smart phone). The HTC Legend also came out in the same week as the two other devices providing the world with several new Android devices to choose from.
Just a while back, the HTC Wildfire and SE X10 Mini smart phones also came out –providing the mid range Android market with two extremely good choices for mobile phones.
The launch of the new Android 2.2 Froyo operating system also paved the way for the global re-launch of the Nexus One. The Google phone, now equipped with the new OS (with Flash support) is now becoming one of the top Android devices. In the meanwhile, manufacturers Samsung, HTC, SE and others are currently working on new Android handsets that will be released later this year.
More HTC Devices this 2010
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Anyone keeping a close eye on the news for the past few months would have certainly notice the large volume of HTC handsets that have been released one after another this year. What makes HTC’s prolific distribution of the Android operating system is not simply notable for the sheer volume –which other phone manufacturers are technically matching, but because of the fact that HTC is making one high end smart phone after another.
The year already started with the launch of the Nexus One. Despite the fact that this phone is Google branded, it was actually manufactured by HTC. The decision by Google to team up with HTC is no longer surprising, as the Taiwanese company has been a strong supporter of the open source mobile platform and was the first to make a device that used the Android OS, the HTC Dream.
Breaking a little off from the Android route, HTC also came out with the HTC Smart. This low range smart phone made use of the Brew operating system. While this device lacks many key features –such as WiFi support, it still makes for a decent handset.
April and May saw the launch of the HTC Desire and the HTC Legend –two major Android smart phones that have been leaked as early as October last year. The devices first showed up in the HTC 2010 Roadmap with the Desire still carrying the older Bravo name. HTC gave the handset a name change at the Mobile World Congress. The Desire is considered to be the basis for the Nexus One while the Legend is a successor to the HTC Hero.
HTC’s Wildfire (also considered as the Desire Mini) is already available on many local stores. It has also been announced that the Taiwanese manufacturer is working on a new high end Android handset, the HTC Scorpion.
Android Device Lineup: Streak, Flip Out and Shadow
Friday, June 4th, 2010
There are three impressive Android smart phones coming out soon and if you are not already overwhelmed with the Nexus One, Desire, X10 and Legend, then get ready for another salvo from the Google mobile platform.
Dell is right on top of our list, partially because the release date is just around the corner. According to O2, the Dell Streak Android smart phone is heading to store shelves by the end of this week (or more precisely, this Friday, June 4). But the real reason the streak is on top of the list is because of its massive touch screen display.
At 5 inches, the Streak is more than just a smart phone; it is practically a tablet hybrid. In fact, some people are already calling it a tablet with mobile phone functions. Either way, this impressive Android is going to hit the market and interested buyers should start lining up.
Motorola is offering two new Android smart phones to the tech community. First up is the Flipout, a square-ish Android smart phone with a unique form but still familiar features. The name might suggest a typical flip or clamshell device, but in fact, the device actually twists around Texas Instruments OMAP CPU and 3.15 mega pixel camera, it makes for a great mid range smart phone. Of course, Google’s Android OS keeps the device’s overall functionality pretty high.
The second device from Motorola is the much rumored Shadow. So far, precise details on what the specs on the Shadow will be are scarce. But if we are to believe the initial rumors; the device will have a 4.1 inch capacitive touch screen, an 8 mega pixel camera, a 720 MHz CPU and a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Initial images of the handset show that it closely resembles the Milestone (known as DRIOD in the US).