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.
Posts Tagged ‘Dell-Streak’
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.
Understanding Mobile Platforms
Friday, June 25th, 2010
It is a commonly accepted fact that operating systems are part of what makes or breaks a smart phone, and more often than not, gear heads would put aside the hardware issues as long as they get the right operating system.
This is because a good operating system will have an average phone performing well. Whereas a badly designed OS would make even a high powered handset seem clumsy and jerky to use. Take the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2, this smart phone has plenty of good hardware features, but the Windows Mobile operating system tends to slow it down a lot, and the fact that it relies on a resistive touch screen display means that it requires a stylus to be operated properly.
At the same time, the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini is a very mid range smart phone in terms of today’s hardware standards, but the Android 1.6 Donut OS 
makes it a very well rounded device. Speaking of the Android OS, the HTC Desire and the Dell Streak push the limits in terms of both hardware with their high speed 1GHz CPUs and software (with the newer Android 2.1 Éclair).
Some manufacturers rely heavily on proprietary operating systems. Take the Palm WebOS, RIM BlackBerry OS and the Apple iPhone OS. Since the devices that make use of these platforms are specifically designed to maximize the capabilities of the OS, the user experience is not only uniform, but the all of a phone’s features are also fully utilized.
This is why it is important for buyers to know what kind of operating systems they want before they decide to purchase a mobile phone. Even if the hardware seems like a good fit, if the OS is not compatible with a user’s needs then choosing a different device would be the wiser option.
Samsung’s Tablet Device Set to Change the Mobile Industry
Friday, June 18th, 2010
It was only a while ago that Dell launched the Streak –a smart phone that practically pushed the limits of what size was acceptable for a modern day mobile handset. With the trend over the past few years moving towards smaller and lighter mobile phones, companies have been threading the fine line between having a small handset and retaining a big touch screen display.
The past few weeks have seen success and acceptance for the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, Samsung Galaxy S and several other handsets that have 4 inch touch screen displays. Bigger screens are indeed welcome –even at the cost of having a wider and taller mobile phone. The Dell Streak could already be called a non-conformist design, with the 5 inch touch screen display, but everyone still loved it.
Now, the possibility of a massive 7 inch screen has just been announced, and considering what Samsung has shown in their little teasers, the Galaxy Tape is definitely a mobile handset to look out for.
In many cases, calling the Tape a handset can be considered misleading as the most appropriate term for the device would be to call it as a tablet. With a large screen display, there is no doubt that the Tape has been designed to compete straight on with the Apple iPad.
Some fans might point out that the iPad’s screen is significantly larger at 9.7 inches. But that basic TFT display cannot hold a candle to the super AMOLED touch screen technology that the Galaxy Tape will bring to the table (the resolution will be 1024 x 600 pixels). Add in the planned 1.2 GHz CPU a front facing camera for video chat and the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and you have the best possible combination for a touch screen tablet ever made.
And it handles voice calls too.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab: Weird Tablet or Oversized Smart Phone
Monday, June 7th, 2010
While the Apple iPad and the Apple iPhone represent two very different and separate devices –one is a media access tablet device and the other is a smart phone, Samsung’s recently leaked tablet device is something that borders beyond the hybrid idea of bringing mobile phone technology for a large sized tablet.
In fact, if we are just looking for hybrid devices, then the Dell Streak is a good fit. The device is a functional smart phone and still qualifies for a mini tablet thanks to its 5 inch touch screen. The Samsung Galaxy Tab however, is a completely different story. According to reports, the new tablet device from Samsung has a massive 7 inch screen –about 2.7 inches smaller than the iPad. At that size, this tablet device is definitely beyond the typical smart phone range.
At the same time however, it does a couple of things that the iPad cannot. First off, as a Google Android device (it is a Samsung Galaxy after all) it will be able to play Flash content. Second –and more importantly, the Galaxy Tab can make and receive phone calls.
Yep, the Galaxy Tab is indeed an oversized smart phone device and not a just a tablet as one might assume. Of course, there is the logical question –would you be putting the device up to your ear just to make a phone call? Experts believe that making calls on the Galaxy Tab will require the use of a Bluetooth headset or a similar accessory as it would be uncomfortable to bring the whole device up to hear the person you are talking too. Also, the device features a front facing camera –which means that it is possible that video chat options will also be available.
In any case, it looks like Samsung just might be the first manufacturer to bring the Android operating system to such as large screen.
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.
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.
Dell Streak Android Unveiled
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Details of the new Dell Streak touch screen Mobile Internet Device (or MID) have just started to appear online, and we are seeing reports that it will be running under the highly anticipated Android 2.0 operating system.
We have yet to see the first Dell mobile phone running under the Android OS to land in the United Kingdom, but given this is the second handset to be released we imagine it could be happening any time now – possibly even in the lead up to Christmas in an attempt to boost fourth quarter revenue for the company.
The Dell Streak is a touch screen mobile phone, with a very impressive 5 inch WVGA display, with three different hardware function buttons located at the bottom of the device.
Besides the clear draw of the large screen, there are some other rumours floating around regarding the specs. If speculations are to be believed, the Dell Streak with sport a 5 mega pixel camera with dual LED flash, 3G, Bluetooth and Wi Fi connectivity, as well as a microSD card slot.
As I mentioned earlier despite being the second mobile phone from Dell to run under the Android operating system, it has currently not been made available for sale outside of China – although it has been officially announced that it will appear in the US soon, (speculated as the beginning of next year), this may or may not be with the Android OS.
While the details are slim we like what we know, and we look forward to hopefully seeing the Dell Streak phone on shelves around the UK in the future.