• 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Tidbit Tuesday: Google Voice with your own number; HTC Droid Eris specifications

    Industry, News No Comments

    Since we can’t actively cover every news article that breaks (as much as we would love to), PhoneDog compiles various news announcements and press releases that have been published throughout the week and places them in one easy to read article known as "Tidbit Tuesday."  Enjoy!

    Google Voice

    Use Google Voice with your own number
    I'm prone to change my number quite often, so I find Google Voice to be incredibly helpful in giving me solidarity when it comes to a telephone number.  That being said, if you prefer to use your own number with the program, you can.  Effective today, Google Voice users can sign up and use the program's included voicemail inbox instead of their wireless carrier's solution.  Features include customizable voicemail prompts (i.e. one for Mom, one for friends, one for business) and voicemail transcription.  Google Voice is available by invitation only at this time.  Via Google

    HTC Droid Eris Verizon Wireless

    HTC Droid Eris to run Android 1.5, have a 528 MHz processor
    Though the concept of a lower-end and high-end device makes sense, the idea of launching them on the same day makes me wonder how sales will go.  According to rumors, the HTC Droid Eris will sport a 528 MHz processor and Android 1.5, noticeably less powerful than the Motorola Droid.  Via Engadget Mobile

    RIM publishes interview with BlackBerry Storm 2 Product Manager
    Though the original BlackBerry Storm quickly earned a love or hate rating, the Storm 2 has received quite a bit of praise.  In lieu of the device launching tomorrow, RIM posted an interview with BlackBerry Storm 2 Product Manager Yasser Mirza on their Inside BlackBerry blog.  The keyboard has been an area of concern, and Mirza addresses it in the interview:

    Question: What was the biggest challenge you faced while developing the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone? How did you overcome it?

    Answer: The biggest challenge was ensuring the enhanced SurePress™ technology worked and worked well.  It's the SurePress technology that makes the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone touch screen 'clickable' and unique in the market for touch screen smartphones. There were two primary issues of focus for us:

    1. Getting the touch screen click to feel 'just right'.
    2. Integrating the navigation keys as part of the screen to function with the new SurePress technology. This provided a host of new challenges!

    How did we overcome these issues? Iterate. Test. Repeat. =D

    The full interview can be found on Inside BlackBerry.


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: iPhone: App Store has approved 100K plus entries

    Industry, News No Comments

    According to the latest tallies, Apple's App Store has approved a finger-numbing, phone-clogging, mind-melting 100,000+ apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch.

    AppShopper, a third-party metrics site, pegs the actual approval figure at 101,561 (with 92,872 currently available in the store). AppShopper’s competitor, Mobclix, counters that the number of apps released in the store is actually 103,295.

    Now settle down, boys. There’s still plenty of analytics to be done here — like say counting up how big a chunk of that mountain is comprised of fart apps, stand-alone ebooks and programs regurgitating online info. Basically, I’d love to know how many of those programs are actually unique and worthwhile as individual apps. My guess is, it’s nowhere near 100,000.

    [via Phone Arena]


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Text messaging outages plague HTC Hero?

    Industry, News No Comments

    Sprint HTC Hero

    Billed as one of the best Android devices to date, it appears that the HTC Hero may be experiencing a few text messaging issues.  Reported by several on the Sprint Community forums, the troubles range from occasional text messaging problems to not being able to receive any at all.  Users have reset the devices, exchanged, removed applications, and come up with various solutions, only to have the issue return after a certain period of time.  Some seem to be pinpointing the issue to task manager applications.

    The text messaging bug seems to be affecting both the US and the UK, so it doesn't appear to be a Sprint-specific issue.  If we receive an official press release regarding the outages, we'll certainly let you know.  In the meantime, those using the Sprint-branded device can find the full thread here.

    Source: Engadget Mobile



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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Pre demoed on AT&T, nabs high rankings with PC World

    Industry, News No Comments

    At this point, the news of Pre arriving on Verizon’s network early next year has been well-circulated. Now, some WebOS fans are holding out hope for a U.S. GSM version for an American carrier — namely AT&T.

    AT&T? Since when has it been interested in WebOS?
    That’s a good question. All we know is that someone tipped off PreCentral that, at the Sprint Open Developers Conference today, Palm did a demo with a GSM handset running on AT&T's network. We’re not sure if it was the QWERTZ handset from Germany (the layout of which swaps the Y and Z keys), but somehow, it’s doubtful that Palm itself couldn’t get a hold of a proper US QWERTY version of the GSM handset.

    To recap, that’s a GSM Pre running on AT&T that was demoed live at (Sprint's) developers’ conference. Take that to mean what you will, guys, but just note that it’s not confirmation of the device coming to Big Blue. For now, it’s just a (really) interesting set of circumstances.

    Pre ranks high, according to PC World and Popular Mechanics
    But if the carrier really is interested in the handset, who could blame it? PC World just ranked the Pre at number 14 out of 100 products in its annual “PC World 100: Best Products of 2009.” The round-up evaluates items against criteria including design, functionality, performance and impact:

    Palm Pre (smartphone, $150 with two-year Sprint contract): The Pre wowed us with its engaging (and fun to use) WebOS software and eye-catching hardware. Thanks to the Pre's responsive multitouch screen, its intuitive gesture-based controls, and WebOS's beautiful way of organizing information, this smartphone is a pleasure to use. The keyboard may not be perfect, but that's a minor trade-off for everything else the Pre offers.

    This news came just after Popular Mechanics named it among the Top 10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009. Normally, I’m skeptical of anyone’s yearly Top 10 lists (particularly when said year isn’t even over yet). But in this case, I’m kind of happy for Palm, especially after getting a less-than-spectacular rating from JD Power’s consumer satisfaction study. (It placed #5 out of 7 — behind Apple, HTC, LG and Motorola, but ahead of BlackBerry and Samsung.)

    So Pre users: Based on your own experience, does the handset deserve a top ranking, or do you side with JD Power, and consider it a mediocre device? And if it comes to AT&T, would you sign on the dotted line?  Let us know what you think in the comments!


    [via PreCentral]


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Motorola Droid and Droid Eris to launch on November 6th?

    Industry, News No Comments

    Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris

    We're all aware of the media event taking place tomorrow (October 28th) to promote the Motorola Droid device and DroidDoes campaign, but new rumors lend credence to both the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris launching on November 6th.  If you remember, Verizon is positioning the "Droid" moniker as a brand name, rather than an actual device itself (though the initial phone is called the "Motorold Droid").

    Definitely to be taken with a grain of salt (as are all rumors), but it would be nice to pick up a new Verizon Android device next Friday, and beat the holiday rush (though I imagine it will be replaced by the "geek rush").  Sound off in the comments section if you're anxiously waiting to drop cold, hard cash for one of these devices!

    Source: BGR
    (Images via BGR and Android Guys)


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: BlackBerry Curve 2 (8530) makes an appearance in Verizon employee booklet

    Industry, News No Comments

    BlackBerry Curve 2 8530 VZW

    Though the BlackBerry 8520 is out on T-Mobile, the 8530 (which we've previously written about here) looks to be en-route to Verizon as the Curve 2.  Despite the 8520 shipping with EDGE, the Curve 2 (8530) is slated to offer 3G connectivity, along with OS 5.0, Wi-Fi, and RIM's new trackpad.  If you're seeking a Wi-Fi equipped CDMA BlackBerry and either can't stand the Storm 2 or don't want to wait for the upgrade to the Tour, the 8530 may be your answer.

    The phone is expected to launch at some point in November.  Who's interested?  As the company's first trackpad-equipped and Wi-Fi enabled QWERTY BlackBerry, it might be worth a go.

    Source: BGR

    Verizon Wireless BlackBerry lineup







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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Android 2.0 (Eclair) officially announced today

    Industry, News No Comments

    I love eclairs. Chocolate topping, gooey cream-filled center, what’s not to love?

    And now that Android 2.0 (“Eclair”) has been unveiled today, in advance of Big Red’s Droid event tomorrow, it’s like getting a tempting taste of dessert before the entree.

    The announcement features two big things: SDK support (to let devs loose on the newness), and a laundry list of enhancements, including:

    • Unified email inbox
    • Support for multiple Google and Exchange accounts
    • SMS and MMS search
    • Third-party "sync adapters" that let apps tie in to the phone's sync services
    • Revamped contact menus (for speedy access to specific contact info)
    • Text message auto-delete (which is user configurable)
    • Beefed up camera controls (white balance, macro, effects, etc)
    • Revised keyboard layout, dictionary, and algorithm based on multi-touch
    • Double-tap zoom in browser, support for HTML5
    • Bluetooth 2.1 (with OPP and PBAP profiles)
    • Enhanced hardware acceleration for graphics


    Wow. That’s a nice set of improvements, and it should all be present there on the Moto Droid. As for older handsets, we’re not sure when this will be available for them (and how it will all play there), but take heart — it shouldn’t be long now before all will be revealed.

    [via Engadget Mobile]


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  • 27Oct

    VIDEO: TMo’s Moto Cliq Ad Debuts

    Industry, News No Comments

    T-mobile has unveiled its latest Android offering to the ad-watching masses, via video for the Moto Cliq. Why it chose to use a render instead of the actual handset is a little baffling to me, but otherwise, it’s a decent intro to the handset for the average consumer. (If you’re an existing customer and interested in picking this up, the Cliq’s still available for pre-order. New customers, however, will have to wait until Nov 2).

    Are you on the fence with this, or have you decided for/against it? And does this vid tempt you toward one way or the other? Sound off below.


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10 (X3) to be announced Nov 3

    Industry, News No Comments

    Gotta love early announcements. Sony Ericsson’s first foray into Android — the XPERIA X10 (aka X3 or “Rachael”), which was once thought to be slated for 2010 — is having its coming out party on November 3.

    Leaks of the official brochure sort of indicated this might be the case, and now there’s confirmation, á la the company’s own event page. (As evidence, the HTML source includes several references to the codename “Rachael.”)

    While many industry watchers were keeping their eyes on the HTC Dragon and the Moto Sholes/Droid, Rachael comes out of nowhere and sashays up to the front of the line. Is she the marrying kind, or just a tease? Well, if she meets expectations, then it could be love for many an Android fankid. Check it out:

    • If rumors pan out, this will be the first Android phone with an 8 MP camera and 4-inch screen.
    • XPERIA X10 is expected to have a 1GHz Snadragon CPU, which would make it wicked fast.
    • The storage — good golly, the storage, man! 32 GB in addition to an expansion slot.
    • A very pretty and slick UI, whose early version sent bloggers hearts a flutter last summer.


    Crystal clear pics haven't surfaced yet, but you can hop over here to see some leaked images that were floating around recently. And while some bloggers are guessing Tmo will pick this up, there hasn't been any official word on the carrier to date. We'll hopefully know for sure soon, though.




    [se-blog.com via Engadget Mobile]

     

    CORRECTION: The original post said it would be launched on November 3. As you all know, when manufacturers send out event dates, it usually means that an announcement will be made. So Sony Ericsson will likely introduce the phone on Nov 3, when it will publicize an upcoming date for launch. The text has been fixed now. Sorry if this got your hopes up.


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  • 27Oct

    ARTICLE: Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10 (X3) to launch Nov 3

    Industry, News No Comments

    Gotta love early releases. Sony Ericsson’s first foray into Android — the XPERIA X10 (aka X3 or “Rachael”), which was once thought to be slated for 2010 — is having its coming out party on November 3.

    Leaks of the official brochure sort of indicated this might be the case, and now there’s confirmation, á la the company’s own website. (As evidence, the HTML source on the event page includes several references to the codename “Rachael.”)

    While many industry watchers were keeping their eyes on the HTC Dragon and the Moto Sholes/Droid, Rachael comes out of nowhere and sashays up to the front of the line. Is she the marrying kind, or just a tease? Well, if she meets expectations, then it could be love for many an Android fankid. Check it out:

    • If rumors pan out, this will be the first Android phone with an 8 MP camera and 4-inch screen.
    • XPERIA X10 is expected to have a 1GHz Snadragon CPU, which would make it wicked fast.
    • The storage — good golly, the storage, man! 32 GB in addition to an expansion slot.
    • A very pretty and slick UI, whose early version sent bloggers hearts a flutter last summer.


    Crystal clear pics haven't surfaced yet, but you can hop over here to see some leaked images that were floating around recently. And while some bloggers are guessing Tmo will pick this up, there hasn't been any official word on the carrier to date. We'll hopefully know for sure soon, though.




    [se-blog.com via Engadget Mobile]


    Tags: , , ,

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