Finnish phone maker Nokia has been in a bit of a bind this year. They have been affected by delays, bad reviews and of course, a growing degree of consumer disinterest. Indeed, this year has not been good for the world’s largest phone maker.
But despite the fact that the Symbian OS is losing ground (especially now that the Symbian Foundation has become a licensing organization), Nokia still intends to break new grounds in the smart phone industry. During the 2010 International Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing, Gunther Kottzieper (Senior Manager) has confirmed that the company has plenty of new and exciting plans for the coming year.
The user interface of the Symbian OS will certainly be a prime target of updates, providing users with better accessibility and controls. Of course, new phones are also part of the big plans. Right now, with all the focus on the NVIDIA Tegra, there is little surprise that Nokia plans to launch new dual core handsets to take advantage of the new technology. A new camera phone with actual zoom lens is also in the works as well.
In other news, Froyo updates will be coming to a couple of Android smart phones. The first is for the Dell Streak, which is due to come out later this week. According to owners of the handset with a massive touch screen, this is going to be a major plus for the device that has not been updated to Android 2.1 Éclair at all despite being launched as a 1.6 Donut handset.
Another Android device will be getting the Froyo: the HTC Magic. Vodafone UK owners will be happy to know that the HTC Magic has not been forgotten and an update to the OS for the longest time –it is one of the oldest Androids around next to the Dream.
Archive for the ‘Dell Phones’ Category
Nokia’s Big 2011 Plans and Other News
Thursday, December 16th, 2010Androids: Dell Skips Éclair, Froyo on Desire and Gingerbread SDK
Friday, October 15th, 2010
The Dell Streak is an interesting smart phone –in terms of overall specs, 1GHz CPU, 5 mega pixel camera; the device is basically your typical high end smart phone. The phone’s biggest feature however, is truly big, a 5 inch capacitive touch screen display. Dell’s Android was basically a mini tablet and people loved it.
However, if there was one catch about the handset –it was because of the Android 1.6 Donut operating system. Sure, Google’s Android OS is one of the most stable platforms around, but with the Android Éclair already out and most devices simply waiting for an update to version 2.2 Froyo, the delayed launch of the Éclair update for the Streak has been a disappointment.
Now, Dell has announced that the Éclair is no longer coming to the Dell Streak. Instead, the OS will skip version 2.1 and go straight for version 2.2. While going straight to Froyo sounds exciting, it also means that Streak owners will have to wait a little bit longer.
Google has also announced that the SDK for the Android 3.0 Gingerbread is due to be released by next week. This big new announcement means that the official OS update might not be too far away. The Gingerbread update is expected to bring plenty of new features such as support for HTML5 and the use of Google Talk Video (which would be a solid rival for Apple’s less than successful FaceTime).
Lastly, 3 UK has confirmed that they are now releasing the update to Android 2.2 for owners of the HTC Desire. The Desire has long been compatible with an update to 2.2 Froyo but due to issues with the update when it was released by other networks, 3 UK has decided to run their own tests and security measures to ensure that devices will not be affected negatively by the patch.
New Devices for Vodafone, Dell and HTC
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Well, HTC is not exactly getting new devices per se. According to reports, the white versions of the Android toting HTC Desire and the HTC Wildfire are already available on pre-order though there is no confirmation as to when the devices will be ready for shipping. At the very least, interested buyers could probably expect to see the devices in the next few weeks.
Dell is coming up with entirely new devices to follow up on the success of the Dell Streak. While it may have seemed awkward to have a really huge 5 inch touch screen display, the Streak managed to charm and win the hearts of many Android fans –proving that big screens really do have a following.
The only question now is whether the new devices are going to take voice calls like the Streak. For all practical reasons, the new devices are basically touch screen tablets with screens at 7 and 10 inches large.
Vodafone is coming out with three new devices just for this holiday season, one Android and a couple of rather interesting 2G phones.
First up is the Miss Sixty edition of the Vodafone 543. While not remarkable in terms of specs, the Miss Sixty version is certainly very edgy and the design has been made to appeal to a much younger crowd.
The Vodafone 553 on the other hand, has been designed for those who love to text and type on their mobile phones. The slide out QWERTY keyboard is accented by the 2.8 inch resistive touch screen display. It even has a 2 mega pixel snapper for taking images too.
Lastly, the network operator will be launching a follow up to the Vodafone 85 with the new Vodafone 945 handset. This new device brings a 5 mega pixel camera, a 3.2 inch touch screen display and supports Android 2.1 Éclair.
Now in Red: Dell Streak
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
While Dell has a pretty bad reputation for some folks in the tech industry –particularly when it comes to the computer manufacturing division; it seems that the public is far more forgiving and accepting of the company when it comes to mobile phones. Looking at the Dell Streak Android smart phone, it is easy to see why.
The Streak is actually one of the more impressive devices to come out during this era of high end Android smart phones. With the Nexus One smart phone already being outed as early as January of this year, it did not take long before other great smart phones such as the HTC Desire, Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 and the Samsung GT i9000 Galaxy S smart phones also became available.
The Dell Streak has a nice big extra feature to its name that makes it stand out: the fact that it is loaded with what is possibly the largest touch screen for an Android device. At 5 inches, the Streak is basically a mini tablet. But this still makes the handset small enough to be a categorized as a smart phone. In short, the Dell Streak just found that perfect spot between the two types and many folks are certainly interested in it.
It has been recently announced that a red version of the Dell Streak is coming and from the initial images of the handset, this is going to be one color variant that is worth looking out for.
Considering how much fuss people are making over a “white” iPhone 4, it is surprising how many seem to forget that black and white are actually basic phone colors and that Apple is trying to pass of the White version as something special.
In the recent months, the industry seems to have forgotten that there are plenty more colors in the spectrum, and it is nice to see that Dell seems intent on reminding everyone just that.
A Look at the Latest Androids
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Android smart phones are taking the headlines recently. After all, Google has been forging partnerships and alliances with more companies than one could imagine –and Apple’s standoffish approach with dealing with people certainly is not earning them any friends in the industry. The recent fuss between Adobe and Apple predictably led to the team up of the Flash developer and Google, who welcomed Adobe with the openness that Apple denied them for so long.
Of course, all that inter-company drama was not just for show. The latest line of Android smart phones are poised to be updated with the latest version of the OS –which brings plenty of new features, better performance and native Flash support for the smart phone. So far, the only update available is for the Nexus One and later on June 23 for the Desire, but it is expected that Froyo updates for other devices will be launched in the following weeks. In the meanwhile, here is a sneak peek at some upcoming Androids.
HTC’s Wildfire smart phone might not be the high end handset that the Taiwanese company is often known, for, but it brings to users plenty of functionality and social networking features that people might just want to pass up the Legend and the Desire to get this handset. Sleek looking, highly functional and cheaper than other HTC handsets, the Wildfire is certainly something to check out when buying a phone.
Dell’s Streak (also known as the Mini 5) has been confirmed by O2 UK and it will be on shelves this Friday. It is going to be expensive, but with the 5 inch touch screen display, it is well worth the cost. Why bother with a big clunky tablet when Dell provides the same experience with a smaller device and phone features?
Motorola’s Flipout is also coming out this June. This impressive little compact phone brings users a QWERTY keyboard -which is a pretty rare commodity among Android smart phones. With a 700MHz CPU and a 3.15 MP snapper, it is an excellent mid range model for Android fans on a budget.
Dell Streak Gets June 4th Release Data
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Fans of the Android smart phone are certainly happy. While Google is keeping the possible launch date of the NVIDIA powered Android tablet a secret (the one that was shown off at the Web 2.0 Expo), there will now be a large screen device on the market that will feature the famous open source mobile platform.
The Dell Streak (Not to be confused with the Acer Stream) is an Android smart phone with a massive display which ranks the device as borderline tablet. The 5 inch capacitive touch screen display places it at around half the size of the Apple iPad’s screen (which is 9.7 inches). This means that the Streak currently holds the largest touch screen for an Android smart phone.
As expected, the touch screen display is excellent. While not quite on the same quality as the super AMOLED screen seen on the Galaxy S, having 5 inches of space to play around is certainly fun. Technically, there is not that much space, the resolution is still at 480 x 800 pixels, but the larger view certainly helps a lot –especially when watching videos with subtitles.
The device also comes packed with a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, the Android 1.6 Donut operating system, a 5 mega pixel camera, and all the usual trimmings to be expected from an Android smart phone. So far, it has not been indicated when the 2.2 Froyo for the Streak will be released, but many believe that the update will be around later this July.
The Streak (also known as the Dell Mini 5) is the latest attempt by the computer manufacturer in their bid to gain a foothold in the mobile phone industry. While their previous devices may have not had much of an impact, the Streak certainly shows plenty of potential in the industry.
O2 Confirms Dell Streak for June
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
It may seem a little early, but the Dell Streak is already heading to the UK thanks to O2. The mobile network operator has gotten first dibs on Dell’s upcoming half-phone half-tablet gadget and we are all very excited to actually being able to test the large 5 inch screen on the Android handset.
Of course, the fact that it actually makes phone calls makes the Streak one of the most intriguing devices that are set to come out on June (and of course, there is always the possibility that the next gen iPhone will also be coming out that same month). The Apple iPad primarily lacks phone capabilities as it is a dedicated tablet, whereas the Streak aims to streamline the outdoors experience by eliminating the need to have a separate tablet and mobile phone –a situation that is hardly a problem when inside the office or in the comfort of one’s home.
The Streak is much more like a hybrid tablet than it is a mobile phone for its sheer size alone. At 5 inches, it is already breaking several rules of ergonomics, but it still manages to be easy to hold and handle. Though carrying around the device in the pocket is something that is not recommended. Still, the Streak fits easily into almost any small bag.
Running the Android OS, we can expect Dell’s little new gadget to be updated to the latest version of the Google mobile platform in the next few months. This will give the device native support for Flash and AIR –in addition to the already present Google Goggles, Google Maps (and voice guided sat nav), and integration of other Google based web services. The device has been confirmed to have a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, expandable memory and also comes with a 5 mega pixel snapper.
Samsung OLED Technology on Dell’s new Phone
Monday, April 26th, 2010
Though we certainly doubt that Samsung will be using the new super AMOLED touch screen technology on the new Dell smart phone, we cannot help but still have that small glimmer of hope that the Lightning will be coming with a 4.1 inch super AMOLED touch screen.
Anyway, the official announcement is that Dell’s new Windows Phone 7 device will have a 4.1 inch OLED touch screen from Samsung, and that is as far as they are going with the announcement. From a more rational point of view, Dell would have been eager to actually detail the super AMOLED technology if that was what they were using.
Aside from the big screen display, this WP7 device will also be running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (the Microsoft tie up with Qualcomm pretty much has the new OS locked into this CPU), a 5 mega pixel camera and a slide out QWERTY keyboard –in portrait mode.
Well, it is still hard to judge for now how this device would feel like if you had to slide it open in portrait mode, but the initial images certainly look uncomfortable to hold –certainly not something you would want for long periods.
This device is the second smart phone using the new Microsoft platform that has been shown in images. The first WP7 device to be seen in photos is the LG Panther. Despite the images being slightly on the small scale, we could not help but be impressed with how sleek the device looked and how we would want to get our hands on the landscape QWERTY slider.
The new OS is still currently under development and is expected to come out by the end of the year –alongside the release of devices using the platform.
Read more about the new Dell WP7 handset at the GSM Arena.
Dell Announces Intended Entry Into Smart Phone Market
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Dell has today officially made known its intention to enter into the smart phone market by releasing the Dell Mini 3. This range of smart phones collectively known as the Mini 3 has been scheduled for release with China Mobile and Brazilian Mobile network Claro.
Dell further discloses that full details of the mobile phones will be revealed when devices becomes available in store and outlets and so gives us a rather vague information about the product.
It also announced that the range will be built around the Google Android Operating System which will hitherto be “a logical extension of Dell’s consumer product evolution over the past two years” possibly because it was in the forefront of 3G embedding connectivity in net books.
Dell’s own OPhone Operating System will be shipped with the China Mobile version and provides an in-house specialized UI on a largely Android Operating System.
Reports have been circulating for a couple of devices which already have the Dell logo but there’s really no reason to disclose the full details on behalf of the people in charge.
From the Information reaching us, I can conveniently state that the 5-inch WVGA equipped streaks seems to be the most thrilling of the bunch set for release. It brandishes a 5-MegaPixel flash camera and Wi-Fi. It also possesses Bluetooth capabilities and 3G connectivity.
It is also certain that the Streak will launch in the US as well, although there seems to be no inclination as to which Operating System it will carry.
Since Dell is unwilling to give any more concrete details, I guess we just have to sit back and await the release of the much awaited smart phone.
Dell’s Mini 3 will be Out in China and Brazil
Monday, November 16th, 2009
Dell was once active in the mobile device industry, until newer smart phones made the pocket PC a redundant device. Dell now follows Asus and Acer as major computer companies returning to put their stake into the mobile phone industry –an exact opposite of what Nokia is doing by debuting in the laptop industry with the Booklet 3G (on the other hand, Apple and Toshiba have long been in the mobile industry to count).
The new Dell Mini 3 is –presumably, sporting a 3 inch screen (should this device be following the old Dell naming conventions). The bottom line is still the fact that the Mini 3 has not been announced for a release in the UK or the US.
China mobile, the largest 2G mobile carrier (and it might also be the largest mobile carrier in the world) will be launching Dell’s mobile phone in main land China. The device will not have 3G capabilities, a feature present in the upcoming Brazil release of the same device. According to Dell, the Mini 3 will have hardware according to the region where it is released.
While no final specifications have been given, initial pictures confirm touch screen capabilities. Aside from that, it is anyone’s guess. A close look at the phone’s Chinese interface will reveal that it has icons –and therefore, features for video, images, and web browsing. The Brazilian release will be under the carrier Claro (which is under the America Movil), and this version will have 3G capabilities. The Mini 3 is slated for its China release this month while Claro will be launching the device at the end of the year.
Dell currently has an infamous reputation within its native United States and it is predicted that its public image will heavily influence the sales of its devices.