The mobile phone industry has been invaded by new type of device: touch screen tablets. Oddly enough, these devices do look a lot like oversized smart phones –but what is more important is how they function and many would have to admit, the significantly larger screen certainly helps. Here’s a quick round up of all the ones available and ones that we know are worth looking forward to.
First is the Apple iPad. No mention of tablets is complete with this one. Not only was Apple the first on the scene (for several months, they had monopoly of the industry), but they also set a pretty good bar. The touch controls are smooth and accurate, the battery life is impressively long (10 hours straight usage), and the weight is pretty light for its size. Expect your limbs to get a little sore holding this up for hours though; the 9.7 inch touch screen does get a little weighty.
We are certainly looking forward to seeing the iPad 2 when it finally comes out. Rumors are saying that it will be sporting a smaller screen (perhaps to compete with the new Android tablets). In any case, the device is confirmed to be packed with a digital camera. The only thing missing here is Flash support.
Flash however, is present in both the BlackBerry Playbook with its QNX operating system and of course, the Android operating system. While it is not confirmed if the QNX Flash support still needs a patch, we do know that the Android 2.2 Froyo is made Flash-ready.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Motorola Stingray are current the front line tablets for the Android, with the still unveiled Stingray promising to give the iPad 2 a serious competition. While the Android lacks the massive game library of iTunes, the device shines in all other functions –especially with eBook reading as the smaller 7 inch touch screen is proving to be optimum ergonomic size for tablets.
Archive for December, 2010
Tablets: the Running Score
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010Updated: Sony’s 16 Mega Pixel Camera Phone Now with FCC
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010It is official (well, it already was, but this makes it even more official than ever), the FCC listing already has the Sony Ericsson Japan exclusive handset on the listing which mean that this is going to the first super camera phone of 2011.
So why should we care? After all, the device is a Japanese exclusive right? –well, not entirely. While the handset itself was designed to be used with Japan’s local networks, the technology is developed by Sony’s Cybershot team and it will be used in other phones as well. This means that we are certainly going to expect Sony Ericsson to pony up and give us all a smart phone that would easily the wipe the floor even with the Altek Leo.
The handset for Japan is not all that tasty either. It uses a proprietary Java based operating system, has a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and a 3.3 inch capacitive touch screen display –pretty much your average 2010 smart phone. But as we said, the camera comes with a massively intimidating 16 mega pixels. That number alone is enough to have us forget about Carl Zeiss optics & Xenon flash and thinking that it will be appearing in new devices is certainly exciting to know.
Of course, it is an eventuality that phones would hit the higher mega pixel marks (with 8-12 mega pixels camera popping up here and there for the past few months). The only real question is when. So far, Sony has decided to skip all the awkward numbers past 8 and have jumped through with twice the power. We must admit, the pace is unbelievable, though the price may also be the same. It will not be long before professional level camera hardware will be available for smart phones, and it would not surprise us if Sony sets that milestone first.
Mobile Phone News: Today’s Top Headlines
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
The HTC Wildfire handset is getting the Froyo update. Users under Vodafone and T-Mobile will be getting the update a little earlier with the expected update to launch by the end of this week. For those Wildfire users under other networks, the wait might take as long as until February of next year. Version 2.2 Froyo brings Flash support, better performance and of course, is a step closer to the Gingerbread OS.
Speaking of the Gingerbread, the Google branded Nexus One smart phone will be receiving the update in a matter of weeks, though it has yet to be confirmed when the exact release date would be. As the first Google branded device (and the one that Google has handed directly to developers), the Nexus One is one of the first Androids that we should expect to receive standalone updates first.
Android smart phone owners will be happy to know that the touch screen typing aid Swype is finally coming. The tool that makes typing on the virtual keyboard a lot easier and more intuitive is finally here; this allows users to send messages and updates faster than ever, without the need for a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Location based service app Foursquare has now updated their servers to take on not only the light load of user login details, but also for longer comments and more importantly, images. Users of the app can now choose to upload images of the locations of various Foursquare locations.
Lastly, Microsoft is enjoying a quiet success with the Windows Phone 7. While the overall public reaction seems lukewarm, the sales show a different scenario with over 1.5 million devices sold in a span of six weeks. While this does place the new OS only slightly over the Samsung Bada, it is still a good start –and only time will tell if the platform can live up to Andy Rubin’s earlier visions for it.
Sony Ericsson Takes on Mobile Accessibility, Photos and Gaming
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
Mobile gaming is the number one agenda for the folks who made the XPERIA series of smart phones. Their latest device, XPERIA Play (or possibly the Zeus Z1 gaming handset, also nicknamed erroneously as the Playstation phone) is focused on Android gaming more than anything else. The device looks like a typical touch screen smart phone with a slide out panel.
But instead of the physical QWERTY keyboard, the panel reveals a directional control pad and four buttons. Behind the controls are two hidden shoulder buttons. This means that the Android device is geared for precision gaming controls.
While this may not seem like a big deal, providing Android developers with a device with precision controls opens up a whole new area of development for games. While the number of devices that the game app will support is limited, the fact that users now have the proper gaming controls (as opposed to playing the clumsily programmed platforme on a touch screen) means that hardcore gaming is now possible with the XPERIA Play.
Aside from Android gaming, Sony Ericsson has a couple of other priorities to bring into the spotlight. The first is the ever interesting LiveView touch screen device. While we have never been fond of wrist worn smart phones (though the coolness of a James Bond reference is hard to deny), the LiveView is a device of a different sort –it is an accessory; both to the user and the Android phone.
If you have an Android phone with version 2.0 Éclair or higher, then this is a great device to have. The LV brings up messages, alerts and other important phone functions without the need to bring the device out of your pocket –perfect when you need to be discreet.
Lastly, a new 16 mega pixel camera toting Cybershot smart phone has been released in Japan. While this Sony Ericsson made device may not be brought over to the UK, the camera will most certainly will. Expect to see 16 mega pixel (or higher) cameras from Sony Ericsson this coming 2011.
Mobile Phones and Radiation: Should We Really Worry?
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
There are a great number of reports that are both proving and disproving the concept that mobile phone signals are able to affect health. For the most part, no one can prove that the iPhone 4 will give you cancer if you use it too often. At the same time, there is no harm in keeping the Dell Streak away from the baby carrier.
The end game here is that most people are actually addicted to a good urban myth –or worse, a good tech related scare. But while warnings about viruses that fish out credit card details and the need to keep one’s social networking account private are all exciting and practical, the warnings about mobile phones are not as scientifically sound.
Just because a so-called doctor is quoted as saying that the next breed of Android smart phones could raise the number of cancer victims (HTC Desire HD, Desire Z anyone?) the fact is that there is no solid scientific proof –in both controlled and open environments that would help justify the conclusion.
For the most part, mobile phone users should simply stick to what works –if encouraging “phone radiation safety” protocols are cramping the way you live your life, stop it. There is no point in having to twist around that iPhone on the desk so that the ‘radiation does not head towards you’ if it means that you and your spouse will have to argue about it in the morning. On the other hand, if it gives everyone a real peace of mind, then you should do so by all means.
There have been too many recent studies that contradict each other’s results, -but for the most part, since nothing can be proven by any one study alone, it is generally accepted that mobile phone radiation is safe and will not cause harmful side effects –but worrying too much will.
Networks in the Eurotunnel and More Mobile News
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
Mobile networks, through Ofcom, are going to be working together to get commuters on the Eurotunnel connected more easily –the team up will see both local UK network operators with their French counterparts as the tunnel will be covered from end to end with full network coverage. The result is that those of us travelling from the UK to France will be using local network signals for the first half of the tunnel, while the second half in France will require the use of roaming connectivity. The result is practically the same as getting the same signal as travelling overland –but only with the convenience of the Eurotunnel.
Retailer Tesco has confirmed that it will be opening a series of mobile phone stores across the high streets as the first one at Broadmead, Bristol showed very promising results. So far, there are no confirmed locations on where Tesco’s new stores will be opening, but the supposed ‘carpet-bombing’ pattern suggests that a high saturation of small stores in key areas will be the most likely pattern. In any case, expect to have the task of shopping for a brand new phone made easier than ever.
Apple is acknowledging Google’s Goggles app by coming up with their own: the Word Lens. While not exactly an app by the Cupertino based company, this little tool provides the Google Translate with a little AR competition. Developed by Quest Visual, Word Lens for the Apple iPhone has functions that are very similar to the Goggles app except for two limiting factors: first off, the lens calibration is not perfected so expect that any shaky-cam shots will result in errors.
Second, the number of language packs available in the app are not as varied as the one offered by Google. Of course, the biggest clincher is the fact that QV’s app is priced, not free like the Goggles app.
WP7 Update Coming, Android Honeycomb Designated to 2.4
Monday, December 20th, 2010
It seems that the Windows Phone 7 update will not be arriving as early as we thought –that and there is a possibility that smaller updates might be released along the way. According to the latest reports, the WP7 Mango update (yes, Microsoft is calling it the Mango), will be released sometime during summer of 2011. This tags the release date of the patch to be sometime around August to September.
Originally, it was believed that the first major update of the Windows Phone 7 mobile platform will be out by the first quarter of 2011; however it seems that there are certain add-ons that are proving to be so massive that it will take a while before the update gets released. At this point, many are calling the Mango as “7.5” and from the initial reports, it appears that HTML5 support, and more Silverlight will be added in the update. There are also rumors that the Windows Phone 8 mobile platform will be released by 2012.
Google’s new Android version has finally gotten a designation, and we are not talking about the recently launched Gingerbread operating system. Indeed, the search engine giant is churning out one massive Android update after the other, starting with the Éclair at the end of last year, to the flash capable Froyo that came out mid-year and just a couple of days back, the 2.3 Gingerbread. Google has not made it a secret that the next OS to follow the big G is the Honeycomb, but no designation has been confirmed.
It appears that the Honeycomb might be taking on the 2.4 designation, though there are questions as to whether the update is really not that far from the 2 series. It has been confirmed that the Honeycomb is designed specifically for touch screen tablet devices –which the original Android is not all that good for (or so Google says).
Research in Motion: Always in the Game
Monday, December 20th, 2010
Research in Motion is a very solid smart phone maker. Sure, the company has been deemed as losing to both Google and Apple in terms of being able to make the BlackBerry OS successful (considering that both the Android and the iOS are practically dominating the industry right now). But regardless of what appears to be a general perception, there is actually plenty of market demand for BlackBerry devices.
According to the financial reports for Q3 of 2010, RIM has made a solid 40% increase in profit –which is a pretty massive amount for a company that is often placed third in ranking against its competitors.
The BlackBerry brand originally made a reputation in the business market (where it still holds the top spot), by providing users with smart phones designed for many business related functions such as typing emails, document publishing and of course, database access. RIM continues the tradition by constantly updating the security and stability of their handsets.
Many felt that the transition of the smart phone from business users to the general public was going to be a tough move for BlackBerry, but the introduction of the BB OS6 which focused heavily on touch screen functions and media playback proved otherwise.
Speaking of hitting the mainstream market, RIM is poised to release a new product: a touch screen tablet. The only recently confirmed BlackBerry Playbook is a 7 inch touch screen wonder that showcases the QNX operating system designed specifically for the larger screen of the gadget. From what we have been shown, there is plenty of promise in the QNX platform –and many experts agree. Indeed, RIM’s stock value saw a significant growth after their acquisition of QNX. The Canada based company has also confirmed that the tablet will definitely be released in the UK this week.
Today’s Top Mobile News Stories
Friday, December 17th, 2010
LG is launching the Optimus 2X Android smart phone in the UK. The big announcement just came in recently but has confirmed that LG is indeed on the top place for the speed race. This is officially the first smart phone in the market that is packed with a CPU clocked at a speed of 1.2 GHz. Thanks to NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 core, the Optimus 2X is able to provide users with superior performance –enough to handle the smoothest 1080p HD video recording. The device also comes with a 4 inch capacitive touch screen display.
Speaking of the Tegra 2 CPU, there is one major phone maker that firmly believes in the new NVIDIA technology: Samsung. The Korean phone maker has been confirmed as having ordered a generous amount of the new hardware and according to the most recent reports, the value of the order is about 223 million GBP.
And that is a lot of CPUs. As for what devices Samsung is planning is still not yet known. These processors could be used to run a myriad of tech gadgets aside from smart phones –which means that notebooks and tablets are also possible beneficiaries.
Apple’s embedded SIM card technology is not supported by local network operators, and plenty of folks are calling the idea a serious step backwards (after all, the first mobile handsets did not make use of SIM card technology). On the other hand, Apple believes that with our society’s current use of smart phones –these devices are becoming so personal that we might as well be tied down to just one device.
While many experts doubt that Apple will be able to standardize the feature, it does serve as a wakeup call for network operators to expand their services in order to earn more revenue outside of their usual means.
2010: the Big Year for the Smart Phone Industry
Friday, December 17th, 2010
To say that this year saw plenty of big changes for the mobile industry would be an understatement. January opened up with what we can consider as a foreshadowing of how the year was going to be –the Nexus One launched within the first 5 days of the new year.
Indeed, this year, we witnessed the 1GHz Snapdragon CPU set a new standard for processor speeds. While there are still plenty of great new devices running with slower processors, there are now many apps and features that required the high speed CPU in order to run smoothly. Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10 –the first announced 1GHz Android phone, launched alongside other devices using the QSD CPU.
HD also became a new standard for video recording. The advent of HDTVs in homes has increased public awareness and acknowledgement of high resolution videos and thus, video recording in 720p is now pretty common. Even better is the fact that mini HDMI ports, such as the ones found in the Nseries Nokia N8 Symbian^3 smart phone, are also becoming a commonly found feature among the high end devices.
But it was not all hardware for smart phones, there are also many important events in 2010 that helped change the way we experience smart phones today.
The big Apple versus Adobe argument led to the near standardization of the Flash support in a wide variety of platforms except for the iOS. In the meanwhile, BlackBerry has taken a major change as RIM shifted the focus of BlackBerry OS 6 to multimedia playback and social networking.
Nokia’s MeeGo is now slowly going to take the main stage as the Symbian OS seems to be stepping out of the picture. Of course, Microsoft also unveiled (last February) and released (last October) the Windows Phone 7 platform this year as well.