2011: Year of the iPad 2!

[roundcorners]

Some random Android news on a Wednesday...


Continuing on the topic of Android on the cheap...  just ran into this app, Smozzy...

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jeffdonahue.smozzy&feature=search_result

Smozzy lets you use your T-Mobile unlimited messaging plan to browse the web. No data plan required!

It works just like your Android phone's built-in browser, but the content is requested and delivered entirely via the text messages..

So I didn't know you can activate a T-Mobile smartphone without a data plan, just a regular phone line with txt plan...  I imagine if this thing takes off, the loophole would be closed pretty quickly...




At&t is now offering a $29 phone with $15 monthly data plan... the huawei phone is coming...http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=8778

HTC is now seen as more hip on collage campuses than iPhone..http://m.bgr.com/2011/09/13/htc-exe...es-because-iphones-are-not-that-cool-anymore/

Here is the proof... take a look at these pictures...!

I did see that HTC was considering buying WebOS, but I don't think that is going to happen... Chinese phone maker MiUi
http://miuiandroid.com/

And Baidu are most likely going to come out with something first...
http://www.mobiadda.com/chinas-baidu-is-now-closer-to-making-mobile-os.html

They both don't have the critical mass of followers to shift to a proprietary OS; whereas people already think of HTC as mainly a Android then Microsoft phone...

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Hehe... I was going to link you to that "HTC is cooler" article but I figured you would post it here eventually (that grandma iPhone pic looks fake by the way).

But while you are being selective and since you read BGR, why didn't you post about anticipation for the iPhone 5 being higher than the iPhone 4?
http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/13/apples-iphone-5-even-more-highly-anticipated-than-iphone-4/

And while I love my Android phone, there is a huge problem with it regarding muting calls and it's been a month since Moto has recognized the issue and they have not dealt with it yet. I have to manually reboot daily to fix it... they must be too busy trying to make sure Google follows through on purchasing them. At least with each generation iPhone that runs on a single OS, updates/fixes happen more frequently... I'm still running 2.2 and there is no word if I'll ever get 2.3 Gingerbread.

Microsoft had their BUILD developer's conference in Anaheim this week and Windows 8 looks very promising:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/13/windows-8-for-tablets-hands-on-preview/

Android has more to worry about than just iOS.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Like I said... Android has other things to worry about:
http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/14/idc-t...pad-dominates-with-68-3-share-android-slides/

 

[roundcorners]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q_B3PBO1cI&feature=player_embedded
[/youtube]

It's always funny to see how manufacturers "unveil" new devices at these shows...  So this morning, we learned... the Galaxy Tab 8.9 will begin pre-orders...

Looks thin & slick just like the 10.1...  humm... let me see if I have time to swing by BB today... the Sony S1 & S2 should also be out for display...

 

[jvna]

I think they have to be more aggressive with the prices.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Those 8.9 Tabs need to be at least $150 less than the iPad 2, $350 and $450... if they were $299 and $399... they would probably sell quickly.

I'm still hoping the 7.7 Tab makes it to the US.

 

[roundcorners]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

I am officially inspired for the weekend...  I love vision of the future from technology companies... and this video from Corning sure did the job...  can the device in the video be the Iphone 5?  Wouldn't that be something!

In case you didn't know what Gorilla Glass is...  U probably touch it everyday... and don't know what it's called...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0MhSIFgW9U&NR=1[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUQEFL45Iko&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Now... if only they make a smudge-prof glass...

Here is another one...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7_mOdi3O5E&feature=related[/youtube]

Great... we get to... email, video-conference & chat while trying to brush our teeth & make breakfast...



Need more inspiration to get the creative juices going on a Friday... Was really hooked on...  http://mycolorscreen.com/  this week... looked thru hundreds of home screens and really cool, functional wallpapers...

My top screens... came down to these...  Looks like I'll be busy rearranging profiles on the phone this weekend...  Gotta love the customization on Android... fonts, widgets, colors... versus boring IOS screen shots...

Marvel VS Capcomhttp://mycolorscreen.com/2011/06/16/marvel-vs-capcom/

Sketchy Pencil Crumply Paperhttp://mycolorscreen.com/2011/02/21/sketchy-pencil-crumply-paper/

Retro-Comichttp://mycolorscreen.com/2011/09/08/retro-comic-home-screens/

On the Gohttp://mycolorscreen.com/2011/07/30/on-the-go/

Connectedhttp://mycolorscreen.com/2011/08/08/connected/

 

[irvinerealtor]

Christmas Card suggestion: 

 

[roundcorners]

Did you feel it this morning?  No not another earthquake, but the turn in the weather.  It's that slight chill that wakes you up in bed as you desperately try to snuggle and curl up tightly to squeeze another few minutes in bed.  It's that bite in the air and chill in your bones that only goes away after the second cup of coffee.

There is a gloom in the sky, a overhang that is not going away again, and every last glimmer of summer is quickly fading away.  What's that sound as you start your day; could it be rain drops?  The window looks dry, the sound is coming from you phone, oh it just rain drops on your phone, it's going to be fall soon...

htc Sense 3.0 weather...  can you see why I miss Sense?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpTxdLcy7fY[/youtube]

on my old phone...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9qavGqYnAE&feature=related[/youtube]

for those of you non htc users... BeWeather is the closest weather app to Sense...

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.bellshare.beweather&feature=search_result

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2EY2K-XkSI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

 

[roundcorners]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEbKuYlHVA[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq9ajymnF3g&feature=related
[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=husc2meluSs&feature=grec_index
[/youtube]

The Sony S1 has been out for a couple of weeks now... I have the chance to played with it a few times, here and there.  No signs of the S2 at all... but it's all good.  Like I've said before, I'm not a huge fan of Sony so I didn't have much expectations going into it...

Overall the hardware is non-impressive, I kinda get the whole tapered, wedge idea, for more comfortable viewing but it didn't do much for me.  Again, if you're a huge Sony person, then the tablet might integrate well with your TV, surround sound, playstation and such, but I don't see much more of a selling point than that.

Overall the thing feels pretty light but plasticy, rigid but flimsy at the same time; yeah it feels like holding a magazine, but I don't carry around magazines.  Honeycomb is lightly skinned, but pretty stock; there are some nice changes such as the icon automatically stretch as you scroll; it is fairly fast but nothing we have not seen before.  The G-Tab & Jetstream are still my fav Honeycomb tablets.

I had a nice game of Crash Bandicoot the graphics, play & feel reminded me of the game more than ten years ago on my PS1, somethings change and somethings stay the same...

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I've also seen the Sony S1... I don't like the lazy engineering. We all know the reason the wedge exists is to put the stuff in there they couldn't shrink.

It does feel light, but like RC says, also cheap. I don't like the door for the USB port, I can understand it for the SD card but the USB port is something that should not have a door. If the Toshiba Excite has good battery life, it can give the GTab a run because it has more expansion ports.

I also saw the Sprint Epic Touch 4G (Samsung's Galaxy S 2) last Saturday... very nice phone but that 4.52" form factor is HUGE. It's light, thin and the screen is amazing but it's really more like a mini-tablet than a phone. I wouldn't need a 7.7" Galaxy Tab if I got this phone.  It's very similar to the AT&T Infuse if any of you have seen that phone (it's the commercial with the tarantula and the guy is trying to kill it with his shoe).

 

[Irvinecommuter]

And then there's this:

"The specifications for the SGSIII are of course subject to change, but are Samsung-developed 2.0GHz quad-core CPU (no codename given), 1.5gb RAM, 32gb internal memory (with sd card slot), and a 4.65 inch screen. A new display called Super AMOLED III is being developed specifically for the phone (SGS had Super AMOLED, SGS II had Super AMOLED Plus, SGS III has Super AMOLED III) with 1280x1024 resolution, giving the phone a ppi of 352, which they emphasized that a 352ppi will make it the highest ppi mobile phone."

http://www.gizmocrunch.com/rumors/8368-samsung-galaxy-s3-iphone

 

[roundcorners]

We've been reading about the htc Bliss for a while now... now it is official, it is being release as the Rhyme and it is coming to Verizon.  It is a dedicated phone designed for WOMEN!  It is the smartphone for people who don't want smartphones...!  Check out the videos below... yes, designed by women for women...

This might be my last chance to get the wife on a smartphone... let's see if we can sneak a test drive by the Verizon store on the way to Whole Foods or Trader Joes...

how are these lines to use:  Need your help ladies...

--Hey.. hon, how about we get some Coffee Bean, and have a nice romantic date at the... Verizon store...

--Hey hon, remember how you were complaining about Verizon phones being too masculine, I heard they just came out with a cool purple phone...!

--Hey hon, check out this phone... it will practically make you 5 years younger, 10 pounds lighter; you'll be able to know where your friends are and know their thoughts constantly; you'll be able to take better pictures of the kid; be a better wife & mom, never be lost driving again..


I can totally work at htc... I'll be the Chief Moral Officer... I'll go about all day, just getting everyone coffee, and telling anyone I see, how stylish and handsome they are, and how creative and cool the things they do are...  I'll won't mind at all being paid with R&D phones...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWTJvjLbPEc
[/youtube]


wow, I love that "instant makeover"!!!  This is great!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJrs-uNwDNI[/youtube]



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq72OlLKw58[/youtube]


I actually love that "Charm" idea... I don't think purple is too feminine...  I'll use that charm as a glowing necklace...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03U_AF1vVho[/youtube]


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcNokt97O6Q[/youtube]


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=A5N4mr0c5Sg[/youtube]


You know EVERYBODY and their brother is going to try and capture as much iphone 5 business as possible this month...  People who are waiting for the Prime isn't a iphone person anyways...  so that's why it is coming out after...

 

[roundcorners]

Some Odds & Ends robot news on a Thursday...

The MegaPad!  Its a homemade custom touch monitor running Gingerbread...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8lHdgHQmvc&feature=player_profilepage#t=0s[/youtube]

This is a nice development... I see some people are comparing this to the minority report interface...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwVBzx0LMNQ
[/youtube]




The Archos 101G9...http://www.androidcentral.com/first-look-archos-g9-tablets
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xz30IQ09b00
[/youtube]




The Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus - not the G-Tab 7.7 but it's chubbier brother...http://www.androidcentral.com/t-mobile-bound-galaxy-tab-plus-poses-unofficial-photoshoot

Possible Motorola 7 inch Tabhttp://www.androidcentral.com/possible-7-inch-motorola-tablet-shows-blurrycam

Meizu MX - First Quad Core Android...http://www.slashgear.com/meizu-mx-may-be-first-quad-core-android-phone-19180904/

Android Coffee Maker...http://www.slipperybrick.com/2010/06/android-powered-coffee-maker/

Hasbro Nexus Bot
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAxaEIL2UI[/youtube]




Casio G'sOne Commando...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX4iRJViuHs[/youtube]




HP Photosmart eStation Printer Tablet -anybody else see this at BB..
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYN6zERWkwA[/youtube]




Android Microwave - Touch Revolution...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSMerma7nBY[/youtube]




Android controlled house
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glzPlXnHUqE[/youtube]




Motorola HS1001 Android Cordless Phone
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP05aA5QRaE[/youtube]




Asus Slider - Finally HERE!! Amazon...http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/12/asus-eee-pad-slider-up-for-pre-order-at-amazon-starting-at-480/
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXu6iem1kg4[/youtube]

 

[irvinehomeowner]

So, we've seen the competition... and there still is no real challenger to the iPad's domination, as the Gartner research firm puts it:

?We expect Apple to maintain a market share lead throughout our forecast period by commanding more than 50 percent of the market until 2014,? Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. ?This is because Apple delivers a superior and unified user experience across its hardware, software and services. Unless competitors can respond with a similar approach, challenges to Apple?s position will be minimal. Apple had the foresight to create this market and in doing that planned for it as far as component supplies such as memory and screen. This allowed Apple to bring the iPad out at a very competitive price and no compromise in experience among the different models that offer storage and connectivity options.?

Android needs to get its act together:

?So far, Android?s appeal in the tablet market has been constrained by high prices, weak user interface and limited tablet applications? Ms. Milanesi said.

Hopefully, Ice Cream Sandwich will do just that.

Projections for 2011, iPad will sell 47 million units, Android will sell 11 million... like I said... Year of the iPad 2.

Here's the article from BGR for the Gartner content:
http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/22/gartner-apples-ipad-still-has-no-competition-this-holiday-season/

 

[roundcorners]

Thanks IHO for letting me crash your thread for so long... I was beginning to wonder when you would say something.  The hijack is sort of a metaphors for Androids success being piggybacked on Apple's legacy.  People who intend on reading about ipad news is getting Android instead.  BTW, I'm not an Apple hater one bit; I love playing around with the iphone every chance I get; I can always count on striking a few conversations throughout the day with an iphone/ipad user; and yes, I secretly envy the iphone's silky smooth display/animation over the Androids any day.

So yes, I plan on hanging out here as long as I can or until Prime comes out or simply starting my own Android thread someday.

And I do want to thank those 50+ who read everyday and entertaining me.  It's not hard to write about Android but its not easy either.  I, well we ALL used to be so concerned about our post counts, then it was how many Thanks we got... now all I see is just one number which is the thread read count.

I really wouldn't know what to do with myself if I couldn't write, I get the words Gadgets or Smart... (phone) and the wife gets this glazed look in her eyes... the same look I give her while cloths shopping I guess...

Well there ARE so many other things going on living here in LA... I'm just glad I can squeeze about 15 minutes each day to jot some thought down & put a post together; Android isn't just a hobby or an interest, the little guy has kept me out of trouble and my nose clean these past few months.

So with that... not much Android news this week but a lot of Google news... so may as well... show some Google videos to kick off the weekend...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKGptWtzeaU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V70ruRzEGOI&feature=player_profilepage#t=0s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JagF4t0tJk&feature=player_detailpage#t=2s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjOxdxsLds8&feature=player_profilepage#t=1s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbkjGe7Re6k&feature=player_profilepage#t=1s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pbo-d62ivY&feature=player_profilepage#t=6s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG190LlSmrg&feature=player_profilepage#t=12s[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu-YsZNpkZs&feature=player_detailpage#t=1s[/youtube]

We all have Faith in something, I trust my wife, I trust that the stairs in our house would hold up my weight and I trust that most things work according to what they are designed for... Google welds great power & until there is a abuse of that power I don't see why we can't put our faith in the company.  I know they are a for profit corporation and they will do what is in their best interests; but they have also shown that their best interest is our best interests...

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I don't mind your posts... we probably frequent the same gadget sites so it's basically a summary of my morning surfing.

I was thinking about starting a Galaxy S II thread to talk about the 3 different models but you cover enough Android stuff here.

And although it may not seem like it... I'm all for Android. I prefer the customizeability but I'm a gadget nerd so it's more my style. I think Apple has it right when it comes to what consumers want... and that's the tough part... the natural requirement for that is simplicity... which is opposite of the flexibility Android has (and with it, fragmentation).

There is also going to be some stiff competition next year once Windows 8 comes out and people want to continue that experience on their mobile phone.

I like how Android is pushing the limits when it comes to screen resolution (an upcoming LG phone has a 1280x720 screen) but they keep making the screens bigger (4.7")... I would prefer them to use high resolution but on 4" or smaller screens so that the phone is still portable. While the S2 is nice... I still haven't seen a killer Android phone that's not overly huge.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

2011: Year of the Amazon tablet

They 3 months to sell 50 million... yeah... maybe next year.

 

[roundcorners]

Good Monday morning everyone...  What great news out of BGR this morning...  if you just happened to dump your Blackberry over the weekend for an Android well, this is a special welcome to your here and I hope you enjoy your world now that you see it through the lenses of a green robot...
http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/26/android-adoption-doubled-ios-over-past-three-months-nielsen-finds/

Every week... it's been a secret pleasure of mine to watch friends and acquaintances switch from BB to Android.  I try not to appear overly excited or overly eager to show new users how to do certain things; but the pleasure has been in watching you figure things out on your own.  And after another few weeks, you got fancy widgets and shortcuts and in an another week, you're multi-tasking, texting, google+'ing, & emailing at the same time.  Everywhere I go; I see people bonding with their Droids, and it's is almost a shame to bother them when they are so engaged...

And... if you happened to picked up any of the Samsung Galaxy S IIs recently... than you certainly will see this weird geeky Asian dude trying to start a conversation about your phone.  I haven't seen the GII yet, but I've been reading more about it over the weekend... here are some full reviews...


Bell's Samsung Galaxy S II looks sexy in white; and it's coming in time for the holidayshttp://www.androidcentral.com/bells...looks-sexy-white-and-its-coming-time-holidays

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II vs. Sprint Epic 4G Touchhttp://www.androidcentral.com/att-samsung-galaxy-s-ii-vs-sprint-epic-4g-touch
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=c8gHHn64RVI[/youtube]


http://www.bgr.com/2011/09/23/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-att-hands-on/

Samsung announces 10 million Galaxy S II moved so far, beats previous record by one month
http://www.androidcentral.com/samsu...-announces-10-million-galaxy-s-ii-sold-so-far

Samsung announces the Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II LTE HD (with a 720p display) for Korea

Android is catching up on the Iphone's HD display...! yeah...!http://www.androidcentral.com/samsu...lte-and-galaxy-s-ii-lte-hd-720p-display-korea

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Hehe... RC might find this chart interesting:

JD Powers rates Apple as top in customer satisfaction:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/apple-tops-j-d-power-customer-satisfaction-survey-grim-reading/

And... also best at customer retention, 89% vs the next one which is HTC at 39%:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/09/22/apple.samsung.htc.pulling.in.new.buyers/

I love watching people swipe the retinal display screens of their fruit phones... they may notice a huge gorilla drooling at them as he watches them launch their Angry Birds app.*

*Neh... I don't fawn over people and their tech choices... I just know I see more iPhones than any other. I might actually end the contract on my iPhone because I use it more for games/apps/internet than actually calling. I can do that on an iTouch (which is lighter and has more memory) and when I need data on the go... I'll just tether to my Android phone.