July 10, 2009

Engadget Mobile

Engadget Mobile

Rubin: Android getting more social features; Donut, Eclair, and Flan all in the oven

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 05:07 PM PDT

Filed under: ,


You don't have to look far past Palm's Synergy tech for webOS and smaller-scale operations like INQ to understand that social internetworking -- an intelligent aggregation of every corner of your life -- is the wave of the mobile future, and Google's going on record saying that it understands. At a T-Mobile- and Google-sponsored event in San Francisco earlier today, Andy Rubin (you know, the Android dude) discussed upcoming releases in Android's pipeline starting with Donut, which we've already heard mentioned, but then progressing to "Eclair" and "Flan" without mentioning specific timelines. He didn't bust out any comprehensive roadmaps, but he waxed poetic about some of the social-centric possibilities -- for example, being kept abreast of a contact's Facebook photo and latest update every time they call -- and mentioned that developers will soon have additional options for charging for apps (presently, Google Checkout is the only way to handle it, but carrier billing is coming soon).

He also reiterated that the hardware pipeline for Android is staggeringly massive, with 15 to 20 phones coming this year alone. One manufacturer actually had the stones to show him eighteen Android-powered devices in a recent meeting -- sounds like a very Samsung-esque thing to do, but whether it's Samsung, HTC, or someone else, we're happy to hear once again that the Magic, Hero, Dream, and Galaxy won't be the only games in town for long.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Rubin: Android getting more social features; Donut, Eclair, and Flan all in the oven originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC's redemption song: 3.5mm jacks coming to 'vast majority' of post-Hero devices

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 03:39 PM PDT

Filed under: ,

Better late than never, we suppose. Our friends at Mobile Crunch have it on word from a HTC spokesperson that a "vast majority of devices we launch after Hero" are gonna be including a 3.5mm headphone jack as a standard feature. The rep also added that devices already announced would "not necessarily be part of this change," which while not ruling it out entirely, doesn't get our hopes up. Still, it's refreshing to know the future generations won't be beholden to the adapter-laden shackles of its ancestors -- so Lancaster, where will you fall in all this mess?

[Via Smartphone Thoughts]

HTC's redemption song: 3.5mm jacks coming to 'vast majority' of post-Hero devices originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Editorial: Taking the iPhone 3GS off the job market

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 01:24 PM PDT

Filed under: , , ,


The other day, whilst sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office, awaiting the inevitable bad news to come down the pipeline (you're dead, you're dying, no that rash can't be treated), I attempted to do something daring with my iPhone 3GS. I attempted to work. I say attempted, because what dawned on me -- separated from my laptop, a netbook, or any viable computing system -- was that I couldn't really get much of my work done on Apple's bundle of joy. It wasn't the first time I tried to get work done on my phone, but it was one of the first times that I really thought about how frustrating the experience is. What follows is my heartbreaking tale of staggering lameness. Or staggering tale of heartbreaking lameness. Your pick.

Editorial: Taking the iPhone 3GS off the job market originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

In tomorrow's nightmarish hellscape, robots shoot craps and Samsung Galaxy is your only friend

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 12:25 PM PDT

Filed under: , ,


Hey, nice Samsung Galaxy you got there! Whoa, whoa, wait... you sure you want to turn that thing on? Are you physically and emotionally prepared for what happens next? See, in a world where space travel knows no boundaries, Facebook has its own planet, and Samsung makes Android-powered phones, cute robots ride (yes, ride) i7500s from heavenly body to heavenly body in search of entertainment and friendship. Follow the break for the whole video, and watch really closely for the part at the end where the Galaxy collides with Earth and accidentally causes an extinction-level event.

[Via HDblog.it]

Continue reading In tomorrow's nightmarish hellscape, robots shoot craps and Samsung Galaxy is your only friend

In tomorrow's nightmarish hellscape, robots shoot craps and Samsung Galaxy is your only friend originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BlackBerry Onyx with optical trackball leaks out

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 12:01 PM PDT

Filed under: ,


Looks like RIM's getting serious about optical trackballs -- first the Curve 8520 ditched the spinner and now it looks like the Onyx has been upgraded as well. That's pretty much just as we've all expected ever since we first laid eyes on this 3G mashup of the Bold and Curve 8900, and we're pretty stoked about it, since we find optical trackballs to be pretty great. Of course, there's no word on a ship date, but we're hoping it'll be soon.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

BlackBerry Onyx with optical trackball leaks out originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Cradlepoint firmware turns MiFi into -- wait for it -- a 3G WiFi router

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 11:34 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , ,


You might imagine that Cradlepoint's feeling a bit of heat since Novatel released its fantastic MiFi series, since the whole idea behind Cradlepoint's gear is to turn 3G modems into WiFi access points. It's cool, though, Cradlepoint managed to find a tricky angle: you can't charge the MiFi, use it as a USB modem, and have WiFi enabled at the same time! We still think we'd stare, point, and laugh if we were walking through an airport and saw some dude with these two cute little boxes tethered to one another, but we've got to admit that this is a pretty big Achilles' heel that Cradlepoint's managed to solve here; all it takes is a firmware update for your Cradlepoint, and voilà, you've now got MiFi compatibility.

New Cradlepoint firmware turns MiFi into -- wait for it -- a 3G WiFi router originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500 unboxed, "Google Experience" distinction now clear as mud

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 10:41 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,


The HTC Hero and T-Mobile myTouch 3G aren't the only Android phones making waves this week: the Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500 also launched on O2 Germany, and this is the first unboxing we've seen. Continuing the confusion over what handsets actually get the full Google blessing, this version of the I7500 runs pretty much bone-stock Android, but isn't a "Google Experience" phone, which in this case apparently means that firmware updates have to be loaded manually over USB instead of being pushed over the air. If you're keeping track, that's now a third axis of differentiation between Google-branded Android handsets and everything else, and we're starting to think no one really knows what all the rules and differences actually are -- hey, Eric, maybe you could set down that BlackBerry for a minute and sort all this out?

Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500 unboxed, "Google Experience" distinction now clear as mud originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Palm Pre hacked and running on Verizon

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 09:55 AM PDT

Filed under: ,


It's not the fabled GSM Pre, but PreCentral forum member Cleanser has apparently managed to unlock his Pre's CDMA radio and get voice and SMS service on Verizon -- data's still a no-go, but he's working on it. Other devices have been flashed between the networks for years, so we've no doubt that this is possible, but we doubt it'll ever be super-easy -- according to Cleanser, the hardest part was getting someone to add his device's MEID to the system, and that's always gonna be tough, regardless of VZW's big talk about open network access. Still, it's heartening to see a webOS device on another carrier -- Palm, you want to maybe do this up official sometime? Video after the break.

[Via PreCentral]

Continue reading Palm Pre hacked and running on Verizon

Palm Pre hacked and running on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile UK changes mind, dubs its Hero the G2 Touch

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 09:15 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , ,


T-Mobile's British division has had a last-minute change of heart, christening its latest Android set the "G2 Touch" instead of the G1 Touch moniker it had thrown around before. The news comes straight from T-Mobile UK's official Twitter account, which followed up shortly thereafter by announcing that the G2 Touch would be free (yes, free) on a £40 per month (about $65) contract of 18 months. Of course, that leads to the obvious question of what T-Mobile has planned for the G1 name -- is it dead, or is it considered a flagship badge that might see use on some future high-end Android model with a QWERTY keyboard? There are definitely some QWERTY loyalists in the mix here, so we can't imagine that T-Mobile plans on abandoning physical keyboards for Android altogether (and that goes for both sides of the pond, by the way).

[Via Talk Android]

T-Mobile UK changes mind, dubs its Hero the G2 Touch originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile's Touch Pro2 gets unboxed

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 07:43 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,


Most of us have a few weeks to wait yet before this thrilling moment arrives, but someone out there doesn't. Rather than sit here, turn bright green with envy and throw a fit, though, we're just going to do our best to enjoy a few shots of T-Mobile's version of the Touch Pro2 being unboxed on a lovely granite countertop. The shots aren't of the best quality, but they're almost certainly real -- everything checks out visually -- so at least it's of some comfort to know that these puppies are boxed up and ready to drop the moment corporate gives the word.

T-Mobile's Touch Pro2 gets unboxed originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Toshiba TG01 gets UK launch, we handle it again

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 06:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

It may have already been teased, poked and prodded, but the TG01 from Toshiba still insisted on making a big splash on its arrival to the UK and we were only too happy to oblige and join in on its launch event in London. As you should know by now, this is Toshiba's most significant attempt to date at penetrating the consumer smartphone market, and it's coming equipped with a battering ram named Snapdragon. Keep reading for the juicy details on the UI, construction and general feel, as well as a neat stash of images and videos of the phone in action.

Continue reading Video: Toshiba TG01 gets UK launch, we handle it again

Video: Toshiba TG01 gets UK launch, we handle it again originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rockchip plans on slashing Android phone prices with new RK2808 chipset

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 03:44 AM PDT

Filed under:


Rockchip, already a favorite among dirt cheap, feature-laden PMPs, has its sights set on Android and we couldn't be happier. The company sees Android's free nature being the perfect match for the Chinese market, and plans to release its low-cost RK2808 chipset in October to take advantage of that. In addition to Android, Rockchip claims the RK2808 enables additional multimedia capability over what's currently available in Android handsets. No matter how well the RK2808 pans out, it's obvious that the second half of this year will mark a real explosion in Android, and if we could get some $100 or $200 unlocked imports mixed in there somewhere, we certainly wouldn't be complaining.

[Via PMP Today]

Rockchip plans on slashing Android phone prices with new RK2808 chipset originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Adafruit's Citizen Engineer comic book / SIM card reader kit

Posted: 10 Jul 2009 02:16 AM PDT

Filed under:


The gang at Adafruit Industries are on a mission -- and they won't rest until every man, woman, and child on this planet has access to the DIY and open source electronics they crave. The most recent project of theirs, Citizen Engineer: SIM Card Hacking, is a comic book that both serves as a primer on GSM and SIM cards and tells you how to build a SIM card reader. And if that weren't awesome enough, if you purchase the title for $35 they'll throw in the reader kit -- either enabling your thirst for knowledge or jump-starting you on your path towards a new life as a hacker / fixer for the Russian Mafia. Video after the break.

Continue reading Adafruit's Citizen Engineer comic book / SIM card reader kit

Adafruit's Citizen Engineer comic book / SIM card reader kit originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint completes network maintenance deal with Ericsson

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 11:42 PM PDT

Filed under:

As rumored, Sprint has now announced that it's signed a blockbuster deal to outsource maintenance of its network to Ericsson. Spanning seven years and some $4.5 to $5 billion, the deal's actually so big that Sprint has come up with a catchy name to describe it -- "Network Advantage" -- with about 6,000 Sprint employees being transferred to a new Ericsson subsidiary headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas (conveniently close to Sprint's campus). In theory, the move won't have any noticeable effect on customers because everyone involved with the customer experience on Sprint's end (read: CS reps) will be retained by Sprint proper; Ericsson will simply be responsible for maintaining and provisioning the carrier's CDMA and iDEN infrastructure. The deal kicks off this quarter and will be renewable after the seven-year contract's up, so if you're on Sprint, you can definitely expect to feel progressively more Swedish as time goes on, probably ultimately culminating in the impulse purchase of a Saab.

Sprint completes network maintenance deal with Ericsson originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

webOS 1.1 rumored to be on the way to Pres shortly, sounds boring so far

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 08:44 PM PDT

Filed under: , ,


If you were hoping for more system sound configurability, better notification control, or an equalizer in the music player (heck, we'll settle for bass and treble), your wait might be nowhere close to over -- but the good news is that it appears there's some sort of update on the way for Pres in the field that's significant enough to justify a 0.1 bump in webOS' version number to 1.1. Corporate types will get all fired up over better managed Exchange policy integration with support for device wipe after failed PIN attempts, auto PIN lock, minimum password complexity, and a bunch of other things that your average Pre owner isn't going to give a flying iPhone about. Perhaps more interesting to everyone else is the claim that additional built-in apps are a possibility for 1.1, though there's no detail there -- it could be best-of-breed stuff culled from the App Catalog, new first-party apps, or a combination. PreCentral's hearing "within 30 days" for the release, so go ahead and get your firmware upgrade pants on now just in case.

webOS 1.1 rumored to be on the way to Pres shortly, sounds boring so far originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint mandating WiFi on future smartphones, WLAN-lovin' BlackBerry Tour coming next year

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 06:29 PM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

By the time Sprint gets around to releasing the 9630 Tour with WiFi, due out sometime early next year, we think most everyone'll have moved on to any one of the numerous BlackBerry devices likely to hit in the interim. What's more important in this FierceWireless report is that Sprint's requiring WiFi "in all its major devices going forward" -- which should mean pretty much every smartphone that lands in its CDMA-loving mitts. Verizon Wireless, who along with Sprint is also launching the WLAN-less Tour this Sunday, said that the company's working with RIM to get WiFi into future BlackBerry, but didn't oblige us with any hopeful descriptors that'd help us understand just how strong of a push was being made. Frankly, smartphones without WiFi at this point is downright criminal, and with CDMA phones trailing behind their GSM counterparts in this category, kudos to Sprint for taking the initiative.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sprint mandating WiFi on future smartphones, WLAN-lovin' BlackBerry Tour coming next year originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
at 5:35 PM