Recent reports have indicated that the new Android Froyo is about to be released. With the final build already set to go and thousands of Android users all over the world waiting for version 2.2, it is about time that Google showed some progress with the release of the OS.
At the Google I/O conference held several weeks earlier, it was revealed that the new 2.2 Froyo version will be showing off several new features –new features that will not only add more functionality to the operating system, but will also improve the device’s existing performance as well.
The nicest part of the new OS is that Google has confirmed that it runs about twice as fast as the original. This is reportedly thanks to some changes Google made with the way the code for the OS is handled by the phone. In any case, all users of the new OS will be able experience a much smoother, faster interface as compared to 2.1 Éclair regardless of their processor speed.
And the OS is not the only thing that has been sped up. Even web browsing has gotten a major update. Google reports that they have developed a new way to handle and load Java scripts on web pages which boosts the speed of browsing by up to three times faster than the original.
Speed is good, but so is stability. The new 2.2 version is reported to have less bugs and problems when handling apps, but users should still expect the various hardware configurations on smart phones to get in the way.
With the new Flash 10.1 Player being fitted for the new OS and support for Adobe AIR coming soon, it is only a matter of time before all Android users get to enjoy Flash on their smart phones. Google Nexus One owners can already try out this latest version, and HTC Desire owners are expected to get an update in the next few days.
Archive for June, 2010
Looking Forward to the New Froyo
Thursday, June 24th, 2010Flash Coming to Various OS, Apple Still Left Out
Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Not that Steve Jobs is complaining. According to the big man of Cupertino, people have chosen not to use Flash, and that is why an Apple touch screen device that does not support Flash gets sold every three seconds. Apparently, the man also forgets how powerful a marketing tool the Apple “iBrand” can be.
In any case, Adobe has given up on making Flash compatible with Apple platforms (including the latest iPhone) and Apple still prefers to do without supporting the web platform at all, citing lack of stability and that it causes the Mac OS to crash.
It is ironic that Jobs is citing the lack of Mac OS compatibility as an issue. Demonstrations of the Android OS 2.2 Froyo have shown the platform running Flash websites on smart phones that only have a limited degree of processing power –significantly much lower than the latest iMac. If the Mac OS is unable to run Flash properly, then the issue lies with the OS, not Flash.
Other mobile platforms are said to be getting the Flash update later on. Aside from the Google Android, it has been confirmed that the Flash Player will be parts of the first major update to Windows Phone 7 which will be launched shortly after the very first WP7 devices are made available.
RIM’s BlackBerry OS, the Palm WebOS, Symbian, LiMo (Linux Mobile) and MeeGo are all reported to be getting a Flash Player as well. While Adobe has yet to release the scheduled date of release, it will bring be big event for many smart phone owners when the updates are finally made available.
Considering how fast HTML5 loads and the number of things that front end designers can do with it, it is inevitable that the new web format would eventually overtake and replace Flash. But that time is not going to happen anytime now or in the immediate future, and as long as Flash is still a well used and famous platform, we can expect to see more of it for quite some time to come.
Up Close and Personal: the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Just recently, a new video demonstration of the XPERIA X8 was shown off by Sony. The device, previously known as the SE XPERIA Shakira is a cross between the very high end XPERIA X10 and its lite sized counterpart, the X10 Mini.
It did not take much thinking for Sony Ericsson to come up with this smart phone, but it was certainly a great decision. The X8 is the perfect match for anyone hoping for a decent Sony branded Android handset that was not as excessive as the high end X10, nor as small as the budget priced X10 Mini.
In terms of specs, the X8 is a very modest Android handset. With a 3 inch TFT capacitive touch screen, none of the Android smart phone experience is lost to users. With a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, you can view images, videos and web content with little trouble. The accelerometer allows users to view the screen in any orientation they want and scratch resistant surface provides an adequate degree of protection. Taking a cue from the XPERIA X10, the X8 also features the Timescape user interface which allows users to instantly see the latest posts and updates on their social network.
With only 128 MB of internal memory, users will X8 owners will certainly have to rely on the micro SD card slot. It supports up to 16GB and it is also hot swappable, which means that changing content is only limited by the number of cards one can bring.
The device also packs a 3.2 mega pixel camera equipped with video recording support and geo-tagging. No details has been given if users can upload content directly to the web, but the presence of an App for Facebook as well as other Google provided functions are expected to make the process easier.
Tweaking Your Android for More Battery Power
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
There are plenty of ways to keep a phone’s battery running longer and more importantly, keeping owners with a usable smart phone. But aside from the usual tips and tricks that apply to all smart phones in general, the Android operating system has some settings that can be adjusted to further improve the battery life. Google’s Android is the OS you’ll find on the new Samsung Galaxy 3, Galaxy 5, and Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini, among many other phones.
But first off, the basics. As is works with other mobile phones, it also works with the Google Android OS –switch to a low power mode. This means turning off the ringer and the vibrate function on the device (silent notifications) and also, turning the screen brightness down. These two settings alone should help save energy. It also helps leaving the handset in a location with a clear signal. Having a device constantly having to seek out a better reception will take a toll on the batteries.
GPS, WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth can also be shut down when not in use –these are very important as they tend to drain power constantly, most particularly WiFi and GPS.
Now that’s done with, the main focus is on shutting down some Android functions. The various features such as auto sync and auto update provide plenty of convenience to users, but unless they are really needed, it is recommended to turn these features off. Shutting down apps running in the background is also important, as these will naturally drain power. In fact, the “Battery Use” tab on the menu will give users a read-out of the different energy consumption rates of apps that were used –giving users a clear idea of what drains the batteries the most.
While apps should be shut down, there are some app worth running –such as the Airplane Autoswitch app which sets your device to shut down from all radio functions when not needed –like when users are asleep.
Facebook for iPhone Gets a Couple of Bug Fixes, Adds Video Streaming
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Facebook addicted iPhone owners will be glad to know that a new and improved build is now available for download at the Apple App Store. This bulk update carries a number of bug fixes as well as tweaks that are meant to improve the whole Facebook mobile experience.
Included in the update are photo comment bug fixes, photo upload improvements, fixed links and more:
- Photo comments are now allowed even when they are accessed from Notifications
- Smaller photos can now be uploaded without problems
- More than two Notifications can now be highlighted as unread
- Status updates are now in order in the News Feed
- Photo album links in the News Feed are now fixed
- Months are now in order in the birthday view
- Friends list now shows correctly even if you have less than 8 friends
- Non-ASCII text notes now show in full
Major fixes include things like larger image uploads (up to a 720 pixel resolution), the ability to write on, or simply view, event walls as well as HTTP video streaming via Wi-Fi or super fast 3G. This means that you will only need to tap on a video link on your feed in order to watch it through your iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4′s default media player. The implementation of the video streaming technology seems to be utilizing Apple’s favorite H.264 codec.
It is great news to see that the social networking giant is once again turning their attention to the Apple version of their site. Most especially after their qualms regarding Apple’s revised App screening system.
Overall, it is looking good for iPhone toting social networking fans everywhere. Aside from a few iPod Touch users having issues with their status posts (which have, apparently been fixed short after), there have been no other reported bugs.
Future Forecast: WP7 and Android
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Windows Phone 7 will soon be available by the holidays and this is something that smart phone fans cannot afford to miss. As impressive as the upcoming Apple iPhone 4 may be, experts are predicting that the two big giants of the mobile phone industry to battle it out will be the Android operating system and the Windows Phone 7.
First things first, the reason why Apple’s new iPhone is not expected to make it as big as the previous handset: the main reason lies in the fact that the iPhone 4 is not innovative. Sure, it looks great, the features and nice and overall, the device has improved greatly on the previous operating system. But sadly, that is where it ends. Apple’s lack of hardware upgrades will eventually limit the iPhone from competing with its more versatile opponents. And with its “closed” system, it limits itself from being able to match the new features offered by Microsoft and Google.
Critics may argue that Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is also closed, but that mere fact alone does not make for a bad OS (in the first place, the previous iPhone was a hit despite being closed). The issue here is that Microsoft is pushing WP7 to be more compatible with everything that is out there –an outlook that Apple does not share.
Google’s Android on the other hand, is at the forefront of cross platform technology. Once again, the future of the mobile tech industry looks like another open-source versus closed-system match, but this time, Microsoft will be taking over Apple’s previous role. The only question that remains to be seen is which new operating system will be getting more customer support.
Android’s new OS may already be out in the Nexus One and updates will be added in the months to come, but Microsoft is also preparing its own line of varied handsets that use WP7 and from their own hardware requirements, these devices are set to be on the higher end of the spectrum.
Motorola’s New Windows Mobile Handset is One Tough Cookie
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
Many businessmen rely on smart phones; these devices keep them in touch with the office, their colleagues, clients, suppliers and more. It helps them by providing a means to access the internet, email and other valuable resources. Smart phones are equipped with software that allows for document editing and even creation –providing workers with an instant way to work when they are on the move.
Of course, with this much features, smart phones are also brought to the mercy of the environment –and any gadget fan will tell you, mother nature (as well as the urban jungles we move around in) is not friendly to the intricate and delicate parts that smart phones have. This is why the new ES400 from Motorola is built not only to be useful; it is also built to be tough.
The new smart phone brings together an impressive new Windows Embedded Handheld platform for Windows Mobile 6.5.3 which combines many features from Windows 7 and Windows Compact 7. It also sports a housing that is built to protect your phone and your files.
The device looks like a Sonim redesign of a BlackBerry handset –and combining the aesthetics of both can be considered as a stroke of genius for the engineers of Motorola. The ES400 brings together a very tough, heavy, rugged look that still retains that subtle elegance and professionalism that one would expect of an enterprise smart phone.
The device sports a sweet 3 inch TFT resistive touch screen display, a Qualcomm MSM7627 600MHz CPU, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, support for WiFi, GPS, 2G, 3G, Bluetooth and all the features that one would expect from a modern smart phone.
Motorola is obviously thinking of the users when they strapped in a high 3080 mAh battery on this smart phone –providing with up to 250 hours worth of standby time and up to 6 hours straight of talk time on 3G networks.
A Closer Look at Acer’s Donut Androids
Monday, June 21st, 2010
The mid range market is where all the competition for sales is going to be and Acer is going to come out with guns blazing as they release the new beTouch series of Android smart phones. With stiff competition coming from more established mobile phone manufacturers such as LG, Nokia, Samsung and Motorola, Acer is taking a double pronged approach with two uniquely styled handsets.
The first is the beTouch E130, this Android smart phone looks a lot like a BlackBerry handset with the 2.6 inch TFT touch screen and the portrait oriented QWERTY keyboard.
The E130 is designed primarily for smart phone users who often type long messages, emails and other text heavy content that would be made easier by having a keyboard. While this form sacrifices a small degree of screen space, the amount of time and energy saved by having a physical keyboard evens out nicely. It also comes with a 3.2 mega pixel camera, support for YouTube, Google Talk, Picasa, and it will also have a Document viewer app for text files and PDFs.
The next smart phone is the beTouch E120. This is a full touch screen handset, as opposed to the keyboard toting E130. Packed with a 2.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display, this phone is geared more towards web browsing and multimedia functions.
Aside from having a fully dedicated touch screen, the E120 is slightly lighter than the E130 by a few grams (overall, both devices are small, compact and light). It also has a 3.2 mega pixel camera for taking images and videos, and the whole Pocket Office app which allows for viewing word files, spreadsheets and PDFs.
Both devices will be running on ST Ericsson PX6715 CPUs clocked at 416 MHz, which is a decent enough speed for handling basic apps and all the handset’s functions.
Up Close and Personal: Gigabyte’s Dual SIM WinMo Handset
Monday, June 21st, 2010
It seems that Windows Mobile 6.5 is far from dead. Just recently, it was announced that the operating system will be coming out in the new Samsung Omnia Pro 4 and Omnia Pro 5 handsets, and now, it will be used in one of the first few dual SIM smart phones available on the market, following on from Nokia’s recently announced C2 and C1-00 handsets.
Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional is an old operating system, with the new Windows Phone 7 mobile platform due to come out sometime later this year (estimates place the first WP7 device to launch by October), it was understandable that many believed that WinMo was about to scrapped.
Microsoft has other plans for the operating system. When they announced the coming of WP7 at the MWC in Barcelona Spain, they also started that they will continue to support and develop for the WinMo OS. In fact, they even hinted that the WinMo platform will be getting a name change to Windows Phone Classic once the newer WP7 becomes available. This will keep the older OS running as it is their key product for the business market.
As expected, the new WP7 OS is far too much for the business class user. The OS may have a lot to offer in terms of games, social networking and media functions, but it lacks the business solutions that are available in Windows Mobile.
Gigabyte’s new GSmart smart phone offers the Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional, decent hardware and of course, dual SIM support. This means that many business professionals (who tend to carry around two mobile phones) will really enjoy being able to have the convenience of having just one handset. The only drawback is that the device lacks 3G support which is crucial for many business users as WiFi access is not always accessible and many people find GPRS and EDGE too slow even for basic email.
Altek Leo Brings High End Camera Technology to Smart Phones
Monday, June 21st, 2010
When a digital camera maker starts making a smart phone, you star realizing how common the feature has become to mobile phones. Indeed, since the early days of the very first VGA cameras on mobile phones, newer, better quality cameras have been used in smart phone technology.
Sony Ericsson had their line of Cybershot capable smart phones (which combined the technology of their digital cameras with their mobile phones) and now, Taiwan based camera manufacturer Altek is adding their device into the upcoming list. The Altek Leo is not your ordinary smart phone.
While it will be running the familiar (and feature packed) Android 2.1 Éclair operating system, and users will get a nice big TFT capacitive touch screen to play with, this handset’s biggest feature is the 14 mega pixel camera. This camera uses a 1/2.3 inch CCD sensor, has 3x optical zoom and uses Xenon flash technology. It is the most impressive camera ever seen on a mobile phone yet –that or this is the first camera to run the Android operating system. Either way, the Altek Leo is certainly a phone that changes the way we see digital cameras.
Not to say that Kodak, Nikon or Minolta would also be producing smart phones anytime soon, but this latest development is a milestone for smart phone technology, and of course connectivity –that the concept of being able to communicate with one another is so ingrained in our society that even a digital camera would support the feature.
Altek has not disclosed any details on what other features are present in the device, but it is hoped that users will have a special app that allows them to easily upload and share images on the internet –a special Picasa or Flickr app would certainly be a welcome addition to this handset. While the camera features will doubtless be impressive, it remains to be seen how well the Altek Leo’s smart phone features will hold up against the other big phones on the market, such as the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S and Google Nexus One.