Android Gingerbread First details Tweet

Android Gingerbread, the most tasty version of Android to come out
yet. It's still in development, but the details are peeking through
the cracks. Let's take a taste! First of all, there's a very possible
graphical overhaul. Google's hired ex-Palm user interface expert
Matias Duarte, pointing directly at a lovely new look that'll blow
everyone else out of the water (not that this is going to be the
hardest thing to do in the world, you aesthetic sinners, you.)
Standard icons have a new simpler look, appearing now to have all come
from the same illustrator rather than a gaggle. And then there's
green, so much green!

This blurred as sin photo is all that's available to the world at the
moment, so I added a little gingerbread man there to brighten your
blurry blues away. The notification bar's turned from a milk color to
a gray, a color more and more prevalent on the internet in layouts
these days, have you noticed? After that, there's lots of greens, a
prominent logo for whichever carrier you've purchased this from. The
main homescreen is essentially the same, most of the colors moving
toward a more prominent green, especially the Browser and Dialer
buttons which are no longer gray but a wild lime.
Sources report that a lot of the change will come through the feel of
the apps, making them more a part of the OS than a plugged-in bonus.
YouTube, for example, will be displayed in a way unlike any other
place you're going to be able to access it, with a full-screen
continuous play mode called "Lean Back" which you can also use to view
the newly -launched Google TV.
Things are getting bouncy as they've been getting on iOS devices and
on TouchWiz 3.0 devices when walking up and down lists. Force-fields
hit your finger as you reach the end of the line in either direction.
Gingerbread overall seems to accelerated, slightly smoother, and in so
many tiny ways just a little nicer. Then there's video chat.
Using the same protocols that power video chat on the desktop version
of Google Talk. SIP support will be added so you can receive calls on
your Google Voice number over WiFi and cell. This means that even if
you don't have a voice plan, you can use your device as a phone for
free just so long as you're within range of the internet. This feature
seems to be Gingerbread-and-higher specific. So what a tasty treat
there shall be!

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Google Updates 'Car Home for Android' Tweet

Car Home for Android is an application that provides lots of the tools
drivers want at their fingertips when behind the wheel. Google on
Friday rolled out updates to the app, including new features like
shortcuts, icon colors, and a background wallpaper option.
"Car Home for Android turns your Android phone into a better driving
companion by providing you with quick access to key applications on
the go: GPS navigation, voice-activated commands, contacts, and more,"
Markus Mühlbauer, Google Automotive's manager of engineering and
product, said on the Google Mobile blog. "We're releasing a new
version of Car Home for Android which makes it easier to customize Car
Home to get the information you need faster."
The app can now be automatically launched when linked with a special
dock mounted on the windshield or when it's connected with Bluetooth.
You can also customize for one-touch access to certain apps and phone
information via "Add shortcut," as well as select personal wallpaper
settings.
The free app is available in Android Market for phones running Android 2.2.
The updated app debuts at an opportune time. This week, several
studies related to the dangers of distracted driving have been
released. A study released Thursday by Vlingo revealed that 35 percent
of drivers are using their phones to text while driving, and a study
by the Highway Loss Data Institute found that bans on texting behind
the wheel aren't decreasing collisions. As more data becomes
available, the need for hands-free solutions will likely increase.

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Android expanding around the world Tweet

According to Google, the Android Market is on its way to 18 more
countries--including Brazil, India, Mexico, Russia, and
Sweden--bringing the total to 32 countries. Google said that
developers who have already made their applications available to "All
Locations" will not need to change that status for their programs to
be available to the new customers.

Android Market users will likely also find more apps in the store,
thanks to Google's decision to allow developers in 20 more countries
to sell paid apps in the marketplace, raising the figure to 29 nations
altogether. The company said developers in Canada, Switzerland, and
Taiwan are among those who can now sell apps.

Developers can start selling apps on the Android Market immediately.
Customers looking to buy apps in the new countries can start doing so
"over the next two weeks," Google said. Android Market it's going to
additional countries in the coming months.

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Google Phone Gallery Offers Phone Comparisons Tweet

The Google Phone Gallery is a "showcase of Android-powered devices,"
Ben Serridge, product manager for Android, wrote in a blog post. It is
live now at google.com/phone, and includes phones that have the
Android Market, Google Search, and Google Mobile services.
"There are tools that make it easy to compare phones side by side: you
can filter phones by country, manufacturer, and carrier; view and
compare technical specifications and features; and find where each
phone is available for sale," Serridge wrote.
Users can sort by newest devices or alphabetically by phone name. The
gallery currently lists phones from HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung, as
well as all four of the top U.S. carriers and US Cellular.

The top five newest phones listed on the U.S. site are the Motorola
Charm, Samsung Epic 4G, the Droid 2, the Samsung Captivate, and the
Motorola i1. Next to each photo of the phone is a "buy from" link that
takes you to the phone's carrier Web site for purchase options. There
is also an "add to compare" button – add up to three phones to a
"side-by-side comparison" list on the right-hand side, and click
"compare selected" for a run-down of each device.

Ironically, the first time I tried to compare three phones, I got an
error page with the Nexus One logo running along the top bar. The
second time I tried, it behaved and gave me a run-down of the features
on the Droid 2 versus the Samsung Captivate, including OS version,
connectivity, battery, storage and memory, size and weight, hardware,
camera, and more.

Google unveiled its Nexus One – initially referred to as the "Google
Phone" – in early January. Users could purchase the device online at
google.com/phone for $529.99 unlocked or $179.99 with a two-year
contract from T-Mobile. Google announced in May that due to lack of
customer interest in the Nexus One, the company would no longer sell
it online and instead offer it for sale at brick-and-mortar locations.
In July, the company received its last shipment of Nexus One
smartphones, and the device is now only available overseas.

Google later made the Nexus One available to developers for $529, and
so many took the company up on its offer that Google sold out.

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Samsung's Galaxy Tab has Android apps display issues Tweet

Samsung has responded to claims that some Android Market apps won't scale up to the native resolution on its Galaxy Tab.

Samsung not only responded to the display issue but also confirmed that it does exist and is a problem. Most apps scale up to the 1024x600 resolution on the 7-inch Galaxy Tab screen. However, some apps designed for Google's Android Market aren't scalable and only display at 800x400.
There will be a perceptible difference on the screen and it will be an issue for other vendors thinking of building larger tablets running the Android OS.

The problem exists because Android was developed and designed from the ground up to work on smartphones. No one thought it would be scaled up to become the OS of choice for a range of much bigger tablets.

We reported a couple of weeks ago that Google point blank said Froyo tablets couldn't tap into its Android Market. Google's global product management director for mobiles, Hugo Barra told a media briefing at the company's London offices yesterday, "If you want Android market on that platform, the apps just wouldn't run, Froyo is not optimised for tablets."
Companies like Toshiba, Archos and Samsung will have to rely on their respective apps stores if they want to keep the great unwashed happy.

We also reported at the time that Samsung said that the Galaxy Tab would be able to access the Android Market without any problems.

"The Tab is marketed as a phone/handset so has all the same capabilities as the Android phones on the market - there aren't any apps you can't use," a Samsung spokesperson told The INQUIRER.
Now Samsung has been caught out and is on the back foot, having admitted that some Android apps don't work properly.

We contacted a Samsung UK spokesperson about all this but were given a "no comment" response until tomorrow. µ

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Samsung launches 4G-LTE Android smartphone Tweet

Samsung Mobile has announced the launch of what it claims is the world's first 4G LTE-enabled, multi-mode, CDMA handset, the Samsung Craft SCH-r900. Samsung Mobile also supplied the LTE infrastructure to MetroPCS Communications Inc. for the commercial launch of 4G LTE service in Las Vegas, the first in the United States.

The Samsung Craft 4G mobile phone is available for $299 plus tax and sports a 3.3-inch diagonal AMOLED display and sliding keyboard. A built-in 3.2 megapixel camera provides flash and camcorder image capture.

The Craft includes a Ceva DSP core according to a spokesperson for Ceva.

Samsung Mobile's commercial LTE network products offer flexible bandwidth support of from 1.4-MHz to 20-MHz. Samsung Mobile's network infrastructure solutions support a wide portfolio of Enhanced Node B (eNB) products, including rack types, remote radio heads, picocells, femtocells and distributed antenna system (DAS) hosts.

Samsung Mobile has participated in various working groups at 3GPP and LSTI (LTE/SAE Trial Initiative).

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Acer beTouch E110 Specifications (specs) details. (mobile.acer.com) Tweet

Features

Stylish, compact and slim design
2.8” (QVGA) resistive screen
5-way navi key
3G and Bluetooth connectivity
Nemo Player – a great way to enjoy music, video clips and pictures on the move.
Built-in Facebook® and Twidroid applications
Customizable User Interface
Available in Black and Dark Blue
Exclusive Spinlets™ application provides free streaming of worldwide music and video, that can be shared with friends and family via the web or e-mail.

Size and Weight

Height:103.5 mm / Width:54 mm / Depth:13.4 mm / Weight:105 g

Cool design

Stylish, compact and super slim, the beTouch E110 is designed to be both extremely comfortable to use and very easy to carry. Available in two colors: Black & Dark Blue.

Keep track of your friends

The beTouch E110 lets you keep track of the latest news from your friends, check your emails and follow your Twitter™ and Facebook® updates wherever you are.

Fast and easy mobile internet

With 3G+ connectivity, the beTouch E110 delivers instant, high-speed access to the web.

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