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Posts Tagged ‘Android’

With advanced visuals and sound, and cutting edge smartphone technology, the new HTC Desire HD is considered to be the best smartphone on the market, but is it better than the Apple iPhone 4? HTC have loaded the phone with the latest version of Android and coated it in there intuitive HTC Sense interface. As you might have gathered from the name, the new phones is HD capable and with its HDMI cable, compatible with your HD ready TV at home.

The Desire HD is quite iconic in design; the humongous 4.3 inch display may give the phone a few extra millimetres here and there but with its super slim chassis it is still very pocket friendly and feels luxurious to handle as there is a little weight to it also. The screen makes the most of its 480 x 800 pixel resolution to bring you super crisp and very clean on-screen imagery. Utilising capacitive technology the interface can be interacted with via the multi-touch input method which supports the pinch and zoom action.

The new Desire HD is no different from the old Desire where the interface is concerned; the same seven page home screen system allows you to view all screens at once by pinching the screen. You also get FriendStream which enables users to view all of there communications in one application; live feeds from Facebook, Twitter and other networks can all be filtered into the one stream of information.

Accessing the internet can be performed via Wi Fi when access to local WLAN hotspots is possible, and 3G also allows the phone to communicate over the 3G network. The web browser is one of the most advanced browsers on the market, with the use of tabs; multiple sites can be accessed and interacted at once, while saving bookmarks and adding direct shortcuts to the home screen is also possible. Tethering can also be performed wirelessly via Wi Fi or by the USB connection.

The HTC Desire HD has been equipped with the facilities to enable full management of various e-mail accounts, social networks and SMS and MMS formats. A universal inbox can be used for a full overview of communications while Facebook and Twitter can interacted with via dedicated clients.

The digital camera is highly capable and one of the more advanced options on the market; at 8MP’s it can shoot HD video and capture beautiful still imagery, it is loaded with a range of settings and features and it comes complete with LED flash and Auto-Focus. Both the video and music players will handle pretty much any file you run while there are memory expansion options which allow up to 32GB via a microSD card.

Access to the Android Market allows users to fill there Desire HD with the apps they want while the A-GPS receiver supports the phones HTC Footprints and Google Maps application for navigation guidance.

HTC have made there intentions clear with this phone; the Desire HD is one of the most advanced smartphones on the market today, and coupled with the iPhone 4, gives us an insight into what the future holds for mobile technology.

It had to happen: the invasion of smartphone apps for mobile phones has finally arrived at a yard near you!

For decades keeping track of when to water or weed or mow your lawn was, at best, recorded with pencil and paper if lawn enthusiasts chose to record such things at all. In more recent years the advent of PCs brought some very good programs that, while not as portable, were certainly more convenient than pencil and paper. But, it’s hard to strap a laptop to your mower or fertilizer spreader.

Now comes the era of smart mobile computing, and this summer of 2010 has brought us not one but two mobile phone apps to unchain lawn care enthusiasts everywhere.

Launching just before Memorial Day was Lawn Notebook. This Android app is designed for individuals who want to record when they water, mow, fertilize and weed their yard.

A few days later lawn care industry giant Scotts introduced their “My Scotts Lawn” app for iPhone. This sophisticated app allows users to receive reminders when to feed their yard. My Scotts Lawn is also enabled for users to watch informative videos, as well as incorporating a handy photo-sharing function.

Both of these lawn care apps point out how the rapid adoption of mobile devices is changing the most mundane of tasks. In a press release earlier this week Scotts affirmed their intention to release an Android version of the lawn care app. Lawn Notebook’s website indicates they will release an iPhone version of their app, but no release date has been set.

Of course, any app is only as good as the community of users and the feedback that community supplies to the app’s creators. The good news for app users is that generally apps can be updated with subsequent releases that are improvements based upon user feedback.

One of the most eagerly anticipated Android smartphones of recent times, the Samsung Galaxy S has recently been released, and judging by the online reviews, has proven to be a hit thanks to its versatility and range of features.

Utilising features such as the Android OS, a 4 inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi internet connectivity and a 5 megapixel camera, it has something for everyone.

The handset measures 122.4x 64.2x 9.9mm which is similar in dimensions to a number of other smartphones, but actually slimmer than most. It is also lightweight at 119 grams, which is impressive for a phone with so many features built in.

The 4 inch screen utilises super AMOLED capacitive technology to provide a dynamic and engaging method of navigating the TouchWiz 3.0 UI. Multi-touch input, accelerometer and proximity sensors are all included, as well as the Swype test input function. The latter is a simple yet ingenious method of entering text quickly. It allows users to slide their fingertip from one letter to another on the onscreen QWERTY keyboard, without it leaving the screen. With a little practice, test entry speeds can be greatly reduced, making the Samsung Galaxy S a perfect companion for those who send a lot of text messages or emails.

Both vibration and ringing alert users to incoming calls and messages, with the added bonus of supporting MP3 and WAV ringtones. This feature allows users to assign tracks from their music collection to customise their ringtone, therefore hearing the song of their choice whenever the phone rings.

In order to connect to the appropriate cellular networks, the Samsung Galaxy S relies on class 12 version of both GPRS and EDGE. To surf the web, areas with 3G coverage allows speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps to be achieved. In order to gain a faster web browsing experience, Wi-Fi connectivity takes advantage of local wireless networks where available, i.e. when the handset is in proximity to a wireless internet router, in commercial, domestic or public locations.

A handy 5 megapixel camera is on hand to take great quality snapshots, in a pixel resolution of 2592x 1944. Autofocus, touch focus, face and smile detection are all included as standard, making the task of taking great photos as simple as possible. As you would expect from a smartphone of this calibre, the camera can also shoot video, and this is in 720p HD quality. Thanks to a TV-out port, the handset can be connected to an HD TV to enjoy the footage and pictures in all their HD glory.

The winning combination of Android OS (v2.1) and a 1GHz processor means the Samsung Galaxy S is both versatile and powerful. Demanding applications operate with ease thanks to the power of the processor, whilst the Android OS provides access to the Android Market, which similarly to the Apple AppStore, allows users to browse thousands of apps from numerous categories, and then download them to the UI. This gives the Samsung Galaxy S unlimited potential in terms of versatility and functionality.

Thanks to the above features, the Samsung Galaxy S provides a great option, whether you are looking for a smartphone to provide a portable web browser, entertainment device, or even a workplace productivity tool.

As a number of mobile phones enter the Android OS market nowadays, the LG GT540 Optimus surely does not want to be late. Featuring the operating system Android by Google, this smartphone is surely packed with features that people on the go would absolutely love to have.

Also known as the LG Swift, the LG Optimus features a 3″ TFT HVGA touchscreen which practically allows you to control the phone using your fingers. It also has an accelerometer which automatically switches the phone’s display from portrait to landscape whenever you wish to. With a weight of around 115g, this bar-shaped LG can easily be loved by both new touchscreen phone users and old ones.

The Optimus is loaded with a number of Google applications such as Gmail, Google Talk, Facebook and even YouTube. You can also download and purchase applications for the Android OS via the Android Market, which is also pre-installed in the phone. Check your emails on the go or catch a video clip wherever you may be. And because it has both HSDPA and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g connectivities, there are no reasons to be disconnected from your online life.

The LG GT540 Optimus has a rather generous internal memory of 130 MB, and offers unlimited storage for phone contacts. Moreover, you can still expand its memory via the microSD slot which supports up to 32GB of memory, allowing you to take more photos, take more files, install more applications and download more music. It also features a 3.5mm jack for earphones and headphones so you can enjoy videos and audio files in private.

The Optimus is available in black, white and pink so interested buyers can have great choices. It also supports GPS, making it a very useful mobile phone for those who always drives on their own. It comes with v2.1 of Bluetooth and can be attached to your computer using a microUSB port, so you’ve got no problems in connecting this baby to your laptop to transfer your own files to and from the Optimus.

Aside from Facebook, it also has Bebo and Twitter integration so you can easily update your social networking sites on the fly. It even has live updates so you know where everybody else as they update their profiles and statuses. Moreover, the HTML browser lets you surf other websites with ease. Pair that up with the most popular data connections and you’ve got a very handy smartphone with you.

The Optimus features a 3.15 megapixel camera at the back, allowing you to take photos and VGA videos at 15 frames per second. It also has a radio – just plug in your headphones or headset via the jack and you can listen to the radio wherever you are. You can also enjoy various video files as it supports MP4, Xvid, DivX, WMV, H. 264 and H. 263, as well as MP3, eAAC+, WAV, and WMA.

The LG GT540 Optimus makes everything easier for you. With a stylish seamless design packed with a number of features to survive, you always have a little bit of something in the palm of your hand.

At a media forum on Thursday July 8, 2010 at the Allen & Co’s Sun Valley conference, Google executives Larry Page and Sergey Brin informed Journalists that Steve Jobs was re-writing Android’s history to align with Apple’s interests. They argued that contrary to Steve Jobs claims Google had been working on Android long before the iPhone was launched in 2007.

According to Mr. Page: “We had been working on Android for a very long time, with the notion of producing phones that are internet enabled and have good browsers and all that because that did not exist in the market place. I think that the characterization of us as entering after the iPhone was introduced is not really reasonable. ” Google co-founder Larry Page opined that that Mr. Jobs claim that Google went into the phone business in order to challenge Apple iPhone was false.

However, a review of smartphone history will show that Google acquired Android in 2005 and began making phone prototypes soon afterward. Informed sources say the model of the Android phones that Mr. Jobs saw at that time looked more like the Blackberry. This suggests that Google’s initial idea may not have been to make phones that look like the iPhone.
Now the question most industry watchers are asking is if Google had been working on an Android powered phone why they did wait until September 2008 a year after the iPhone was launched to introduce the G1 phone? In addition, the facts suggest that it was because of tensions over Google’s entry into the phone business that may contributed to the exit of Mr. Eric Schmidt from the Apple board. Analysts believe that Google may have been working on an android powered phone before the iPhone was introduced but the iPhone seemed to have given them better insights as to how to perfect their own smartphone. This is especially true given the resemblance of the Nexus one to the iPhone.

A further confirmation of Google’s motive for launching the Android phones could be gleaned from comments they made at the Google I/O conference held last May. At the event, Google explained that they introduced Android to consumers so that Apple would not acquire enormous influence that could become draconian.

In addition, the facts seem to suggest that Google went into the phone business following the realization that future of computing would be in portable devices like phones and tablet computers. As a result, they went into the phone business with the goal of dominating web search on that platform just like they had done on the desktop. This notion is supported by Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google in published comments he made in an interview with the UK Guardian newspaper on June 25th 2010. In that interview Mr. Schmidt suggested that he wants Android to be the Windows of Mobile.

Also in that same interview Mr. Schmidt made critical comments about Microsoft Windows and said: “You have to ask how on earth Windows Phone – which will have a paid-for licence – is ever going to attract any handset makers, but it must be loudest for developers considering whether the shrinking, forwards-incompatible pool of Windows Mobile phones is really worth bothering with”.

In contrast, Apple appears to have gone into the phone business as a re-positioning strategy and with a goal to make huge revenue from the sale of the smart phone hardware itself. Also with the advent of the smart phones, Apple realized that there was a huge potential in the area of mobile Advertising. This was why they sought to acquire Admob. While Apple was negotiating to buy Admob which is a mobile Advertising company Google quickly stepped in and acquired Admob. As a result Apple went ahead to acquire Quatro wireless which is Admob’s biggest competitor. In reaction to Google’s acquisition of Admob Apple has re-written the rules of its mobile Advertising platform called the iAd therefore shutting out Admob, which had been acquired by Google.

As the smart phone war rages on Bloomberg, news reports that Apple has sold more than 50 million iPhones since its introduction. According to Apple CEO, Steve Jobs the latest version, iPhone 4 has sold more than 3 million units since its June 24, 2010 debut. Analysts believe iPhones account for nearly 35 percent of Apples $42. 9 billion revenue. Also, the iPhone has over 200, 000 applications with over 5 billion downloads till date.

The rapid growth of applications on Apple’s ecosystem could be traced to the initial incentive the company offered to developers. For example at the beginning, in order to encourage Applications that will run on the iPhone, Apple made an indirect investment by virtue of a $100 million venture-capital fund set up by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Today Apple has paid over one billion dollars to developers since inception.

Apple’s success has spurred other players in the smartphone market like HP, LG, RIM, Google, Palm, Nokia, and Microsoft to develop mobile stores where customers with mobile platforms can pay and download applications.

Just like Apple, Google has been, achieving success with its Android powered smartphones as sales have continued to rise dramatically. A confirmation of Android’s growth could be gleaned from the positive comments made by Google’s Senior VP of Product Management, Jonathan Rosenberg in July 2010. According to Mr. Rosenberg there are 160, 000 Android-based devices being activated daily. He stated that Android search grew by 300 percent in the first half of 2010, with strong growth expected to continue in the second half.

Mr. Rosenberg added that overall revenue jumped by 24 percent year-on-year and profit increased by 19 percent, as well. Informed reports show that as at May 2010, there were 50, 000 Android Apps but today they are over 70, 000 and by the end of the year they should reach 100, 000. In addition, Google has tried to encourage developers of applications for the Android operating system through a contest. Also according to data made available by Andro Lib, Android users have downloaded more than one billion application till date.

Interestingly, another measure of the success of Google Android phone could be seen from positive figures posted by HTC the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer in the second quarter of 2010. The company in July 2010 announced that its net income rose by 33 percent for the second quarter, and total revenue was 58 percent more than last years figures. According to the Wall Street Journal for the second quarter of 2010, HTC made a profit of $268 million.

The rise in the profit of HTC is a reflection of the success of Google because analysts believe that it is Android phones that are driving the company’s growth. The wide acceptance HTC’s Google Android powered phones like Evo 4G, the Droid Incredible, the Google Nexus One, and T-Mobile-My Touch 3 are helping to position HTC as a leading smartphone manufacturer.

A pointer to the rapid growth of Google’s Android could be discerned from the fact that Comscore reported on July 8 2010 that Google’s Android platform grew by 44 percent from February to May. According Comscore in the three three-month time frame from December to February, Android had a mean market share of about 9 percent of smartphone’s in the United States. However, in the following three-month time frame, from March to May, Android market share grew to about 13 percent.

Remarkably inspite of the increase in Android’s market share Comscore report showed that as at July, 2010 that RIM was number one with 41. 7 percent share of U. S. smartphone subscribers, followed by Apple with 24.4 percent share. Microsoft was 3rd with a 13.2 percent share; Google’s Android was 4th with 13 percent and Palm was 5th with 4.8 percent market share. Market analysts say a review of the totality of the Market will tend to suggest that Android is growing at a rate that will see it outpace all its competitors.

The Google -Apple face off in the smart phone market is turning out to be like Apple -Microsoft war of the 80′s and 90′s. In the Apple-Microsoft war of the 90′s Microsoft gained competitive advantage over Apple because while Microsoft was forming partnerships with PC vendors, Apple kept its operating system closed for use in only its own computer systems. In that kind of arrangement Microsoft Windows soared in market share while Apple stagnated.

In the present case Google’s Android platform is growing rapidly because it is free so many handset manufacturers are showing a preference for it. Also and is available on multiple-carriers like AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. However, the Apple iPhone Os runs only on a single device -the Apple iPhone and on one carrier ATT. Experts believe if this trend continues it that may lead to slow growth for the iPhone in future.

Industry sources say, it may only be fair to make comparisons between Apple iPhone and other smartphones running on Android on an individual basis to determine how well each one stacks up against the iPhone. Experts believe that collectively the smartphones running on Android may eventually have more market share than the Apple iPhone smartphone which is a single device, but individually none of the Android phones would likely outsell the iPhone which is regarded as the fastest selling smart phone in history.

A pointer to what the future of the smartphone market will look like is contained in recent report published by IDC, a Market intelligence company. According to IDC’s analysis by 2013 Symbian will be number one mobile OS worldwide, while Android will be the No. 2. IDC predicts that Android may likely achieve the fastest growth of any mobile operating system ever.

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When I first laid eyes on the sleek and sexy Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, the thought had graced my mind that maybe I would finally one day soon be able to declare a definite superior Android Device one day soon. Well fast forward almost a full year (eons in the smart phone world) and we’re just now seeing it’s first US carrier launch. Whether the fault lays on AT&T or SE’s, it’s currently unknown, but someone’s gonna pay the price in the super competitive Android handset market. The phone launches to the public on the 15th, and sports a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8.1 Megapixel Camera, 4-inch capacitive display, inbuilt GPS, 8GB on internal storage, a 2GB microSD card, and a couple of Sony Ericsson’s custom overlays. Both the Mediascape and Timescape custom overlays will help you manage your music and calender data more efficiently. And having played with them at CES, they’re actually a lot snapper than what I’ve seen from Motorola’s MotoBlur or Samsung’s S-Life.

If you’re really antsy to get the device, it’s $149.99 with a 2-year agreement via AT&T, but you can get it from your local Sony store for $20 cheaper. If you’re really looking to save some cash, a week later the device goes on sale for $49.99 on Amazon. Even without the price cut, the device is arguably the best Android handset on AT&T with specs comparable to that of the Samsung Captivate. However the Xperia boasts its 8.1 megapixel camera, LED flash, and $50 cheaper than that of the Captivate.