Tag Archives: Android

Sony unveils the PSP successor, brings PS games to Android devices with PlayStation Suite

January 27, 2011Images, News, TechnologyAndroid, cell phones, developers, games, handheld, hardware, Next Generation Portable, NGP, PlayStation, PlayStation Meeting, PlayStation Suite, portable, PSP2, software, Sony, specifications, specs, Video gamesScott Meisner

Today Sony hosted PlayStation Meeting 2011 in Japan, and there they announced the successor to the PSP (codenamed NGP) and provided details on how they plan to expand the PlayStation brand to Android devices.

Let’s start with what you’ve been waiting oh-so-long for. The oft-rumored PSP2 has finally been unveiled. But don’t call it that; Sony has branded the new device “Next Generation Portable” or NGP for short. Though at first glance the NGP aesthetically appears similar to its predecessor, additional control options and the spec sheet will blow your mind. The NGP packs a 5-inch 960×544 OLED capacitive multitouch display (OLED screen technology allows for great viewing angles, and the screen resolution is 4x greater than the PSP’s), a powerful quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, a quad-core Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU, dual analog sticks (as opposed to the PSP’s single analog nub), front and rear-facing cameras, built-in GPS, WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, microphone, stereo speakers, the same Six-axis motion sensing system that’s featured in the PlayStation Move controller (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), and there’s a three-axis electronic compass. Buttons-wise, you’ll find the usual suspects: the D-Pad, action buttons (triangle, circle, cross, square), left and right shoulder buttons, start, select, volume, power and PS buttons. And I’ve managed to save the coolest new input implementation for last. The NGP packs a rear-mounted multitouch pad; it’s the same size as the front-facing OLED display, so the location of your finger is mapped directly to the game screen. This new kind of input allows for “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” finger gestures and will open up a whole new world of gaming opportunities for developers. All of this is stuffed inside a “Super Oval Design” form factor that is, again, similar to the PSP (there is no slide-up mechanism as featured in the PSP Go). Continue reading Sony unveils the PSP successor, brings PS games to Android devices with PlayStation Suite →

Motorola invites Bionic into the Droid family

January 9, 2011Images, News, Technology, Video4G, 4G LTE, Android, Android phone, cell phones, CES, CES 2011, Consumer Electronics Show, Consumer Electronics Show 2011, Droid, Droid Bionic, Droid Bionic by Motorola, dual-core smartphone, EA, Electronic Arts, Motorola, Motorola Droid Bionic, Rock Band, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZWScott Meisner

The Droid Bionic from Motorola is one helluva smartphone. It’s super fast, both in processing and network speeds. It’s one of the first mobile phones to pack a dual-core processor, with each core running at 1GHz, delivering up to 2GHz of processing power, and it’s Moto’s very first 4G LTE enabled phone. More specs: 4.3-inch qHD display, 512 MB of RAM, rear-facing 8-megapixel camera, front-facing VGA camera, HDMI out. It will ship with Android 2.2 (Froyo) on board. Moto’s also pushing Mirror Mode, a function that enables simultaneous streaming of video to the TV and on the device. All in all, this is a pretty solid device. 2011 is going to see a big push towards faster phones with larger, higher quality displays and right now the Bionic is the clear leader of the pack. Precise price point and release date have not been specified yet, but you can expect it the Bionic to land on Verizon Wireless in Q2 2011.

At CES 2011 Verizon kept reiterating the blazing speeds of 4G LTE. They claim the next-gen cell service is up to 10 times faster than current 3G speeds and they used a fun example on stage at their press event to show how these incredible speeds can be utilized. They invited Electronic Arts to show off Rock Band Mobile‘s multiplayer capabilities. Owners of select 4G LTE devices will be able to “jam together” with up to four friends over the network. Verizon is hopeful Android apps will take advantage of 4G LTE’s fast speeds with wireless connectivity functionality as featured in the upcoming Rock Band game. Look after the break for the PR which lists the 20 songs in the game; there you’ll also find a video demonstration. If you didn’t know, Verizon plans to expand its 4G network to blanket its entire 3G coverage area within the next three years.

[Via Engadget, here & here]

Continue reading Motorola invites Bionic into the Droid family →

Motorola Xoom & T-Mobile G-Slate will run Android Honeycomb

January 9, 2011Images, News, Technology, VideoAndroid, Android 3.0, CES, CES 2011, G-Slate, Google, hardware, Honeycomb, LG, Motorola, Motorola Xoom, specifications, specs, T-Mobile, T-Mobile G-Slate, tablet, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZW, XoomScott Meisner

Motorola and T-Mobile were downright giddy to announce their upcoming tablet devices at CES 2011. That’s because they are excited to bring Honeycomb, Google’s latest iteration of Android built entirely for tablets, to salivating consumers. Since I already detailed Honeycomb, I think it’d be best to simply jump into specs talk. Let’s start with the Motorola Xoom since there’s far more information about this product out there. The Xoom features a 10.1 inch (1280×800) screen and packs NVIDIA’s latest Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of DDR2 RAM. There’s a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with dual LED flash and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera; support for 720p video recording and 1080p video playback; 32GB of onboard storage that’s expandable with SD card support; 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth; and ports include HDMI out, micro USB 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting. It will ship with 3G support and eventually gain 4G LTE support on Verizon’s network. As far as battery life is concerned, Moto’s only saying that it supports up to 10 hours of video playback. Note that the Xoom does not pack physical buttons. With Honeycomb, Google no longer requires hardware manufacturers to include buttons along the rim of their devices. What used to be buttons are now illuminated icons that can be made visible on the device in landscape or portrait modes. Motorola says they’ll ship the sexy Xoom tablet as a 3G/Wi-Fi-enabled device in Q1 2011 (we’re in that quarter now, so soon!) and they promise these devices will be upgradeable 4G LTE in Q2. Also in Q2 Moto will introduce an all-out 4G LTE/Wi-Fi- enabled Xoom. According to recent reports, a strictly WiFi-enabled version will also debut in the Spring. The Xoom looks like it’s going to be a hot item when it ships; a speedy Tegra 2 processor and the tablet-optimized Honeycomb OS marriage will surely make for an enjoyable mobile experience.

An honorable mention goes to the T-Mobile G-Slate because it is just one of the few tablets announced at CES 2011 that promises to run Honeycomb when it releases. T-Mobile has partnered with LG to make the hardware. Aside for it being the “first 4G Android 3.0 powered tablet” from T-Mobile, we know nothing else about it really. At the press event T-Mobile and LG execs held up the mystery tablet, and it look like standard fare–a black slate. We’ll have to wait for a more detailed announcement in the coming weeks.

Look in the gallery below for close-ups of the Motorola Xoom, and hop after the break to read some PR and watch a couple introductory product videos.

[Via Engadget, here & here]

Continue reading Motorola Xoom & T-Mobile G-Slate will run Android Honeycomb →

Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) revealed at long last

January 9, 2011Technology, VideoAndroid, Android 3.0, apps, Google, Honeycomb, mobile OS, tablet OSScott Meisner

This week at CES 2011 tablets were all the rage. Sure, we’ve already seen the Samsung Galaxy Tab running Android 2.2 (aka Froyo) and that’s cool. But it simply doesn’t compare to what Google has in store for us next. Android 3.0, internally referred to as Honeycomb, is “built entirely for tablet.” It was designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes, unlike Froyo which is a smartphone OS that gets ported to tablet form factors. Surprisingly Google did not formally unveil the next generation of Android at CES; instead they insisted that other companies (such as Motorola and T-Mobile) highlight the upcoming mobile OS next to their new tablet devices. Since Google has yet to detail Honeycomb in their own words, we can only glean new information about it by watching and dissecting what we see in the “first look” videos uploaded to YouTube by T-Mobile. Embedded above is a video that focuses on the OS as a whole; after the break you’ll find videos that hone in on features including Google Books, the browser, GTalk, Gmail, YouTube, and Maps.

Let’s break it down a bit here. The Honeycomb homescreen (and overall aesthetic) definitely takes design cues from the Tron universe, what with its blue hues and swift animations. Google Search and Voice Search are located at the top left, an app drawer and widget adder are at the top right, favorite applications are lined up at the bottom, bottom left there’s back, home, and app switch icons, and bottom right shows you the time, WiFi signal strength, and battery life. The bulk of the screen houses widgets (Gmail, Calendar, Browser bookmarks, etc.). Featured apps: (1) Books: Your collection of books can be browsed in carousel fashion or bunched together on a homescreen. Reading a book is as easy as tapping the cover and flipping through the pages. Landscape mode makes you read in the two-page format. (2) Browser: It functions like the Chrome browser, really. Tabbed browsing is present, as is incognito mode, bookmarking, and a large on-screen keyboard. (3) GTalk: Obviously Honeycomb will support devices that pack front and back-facing cameras. GTalk integration will allow you to browse through your contact list and initiate video chat sessions. (4) Gmail: The dedicated Gmail app uses the two-column format to display your inbox and other folders on the left pane and your list of expandable messages on the right. (5) YouTube: The newly designed YouTube app features a slick 3D interface and videos are searchable in a carousel-like mode. (6) Maps: Honeycomb packs the latest version of Maps (v 5.0) that is currently available on Android smartphones today; 3D modeling of streets and buildings are present.

And that about does it for now. Until Google decides to announce Honeycomb in a more formal manner, all we can do is feast our eyes on the delectable UI enhancements featured in the uploaded videos from T-Mobile’s camp. Again, they are all posted after the break for your viewing pleasure. Continue reading Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) revealed at long last →

Lenovo injects life back into the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid

January 9, 2011Images, TechnologyAndroid, computers, hybrid, IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, laptop, Lenovo, Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid, Lenovo LePad, Lenovo U1 Base, LeOS, LePad, tablet, U1 Base, WindowsScott Meisner

Remember way back when (about one year ago)… Lenovo revealed a funky and intriguing laptop/tablet hybrid design called the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. Much like the Dell Inspiron Duo, it promised to double as a tablet running Lenovo’s custom Linux OS called Skylight and a standard notebook running Windows 7 when the tablet’s docked as a display. Since then, Lenovo has dumped Skylight for Android and beefed up the processing power. The detachable tablet is now called LePad and it’s powered by a 1.3GHz Snapdragon processor and runs a custom Lenovo skin called LeOS that’s build on top of Android 2.2. The LePad features a 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) capacitive multitouch display and it works in both landscape and portrait modes. An eight hour battery life is promised. Adobe Flash Player 10.1 is expected to play nice when the product ships. The notebook, or U1 Base, packs a 1.2GHz Intel Core and runs Windows 7. Switching from Android to Windows is a snap, literally. Once the tablet is locked into place in the notebook base, a couples seconds later Windows is fully loaded. When you detach the screen the switch to Android is instantaneous.

Unfortunately for those living in the U.S. the LePad and U1 Base will not ship until Google releases Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb). The first market Lenovo will hit is China this quarter. The IdeaPad U1 with LePad will go for $1300 and the LePad will be available as a standalone product with an asking price of $520.

With a refreshed look and Android integration the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid is leaps and bounds superior to its original incarnation unveiled one year ago. Here’s to hoping that Gingerbread arrives sooner rather than later so that Lenovo can work on an updated tablet skin and ship this puppy Stateside stat! Product images below, PR after the break.

[Via Engadget]

Continue reading →

Motorola teases Android tablet, bills it as the next big thing in ‘Tablet Evolution’ video

December 22, 2010Technology, VideoAndroid, Android Honeycomb, Android OS, Google, Honeycomb, Moto, Motorola, Motorola tablet, tablet, teaserScott Meisner

Check out this slick animated teaser from Motorola. In it the tech company takes us on a journey through the evolution of tablets, from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic tablets to the modern ones like the iPad. Speaking of the iPad, Motorola made it their mission to slam the Apple tablet in the video: “It’s like a giant iPhone… but it’s like a giant iPhone.” Burn! And if you’re of the speculating kind, let’s dig deeper into the teaser. Though Moto does not unveil the final product, their shiny new red Motorola logo attracts a buzzing bee at the end of the clip. A bee, hm? That matches up quite nicely with the name of Android’s next mobile OS: Honeycomb. Google’s Andy Rubin recently previewed a Motorola tablet running a new version of Android and he boasted that Honeycomb will include features made from the ground up specifically for the touchy tablet form factor. One more thing: Verizon teased via Twitter that they plan on showing off a whole bunch of LTE Android-based devices at CES in January; and this lines up perfectly with the CES 2011 tease at the end of this clip. Will we see a Motorola tablet running Android’s next-gen Honeycomb OS with Verizon LTE support next month? Only time will tell, but I’d put money on it.

[Via Engadget, here & here]

Google Maps 5.0 available for Android devices now

December 22, 2010News, Technology, VideoAndroid, Android app, cell phones, Google Maps, Google Maps 5.0, Google Maps for Mobile 5Scott Meisner

The next version of Google Maps for Android-powered mobile devices is now available as a free download in the Android Market. Google’s Andy Rubin previewed it (and I provided you with details) a little over two weeks ago. In a nutshell, the new Maps uses vector graphics to provide 3D modeling of streets and buildings with a skyline; there are new multitouch inputs like tilting, rotating and smooth zooming; in compass mode the map will start rotating to match your perspective; offline caching will proactively save large mapped areas on your device based on where you use Maps the most; and with offline rerouting you no longer need to rely on a network connection once you’ve started a route and find yourself lost. In fact, Google claims that viewing maps now requires almost 70% less mobile network data overall than before; you should notice considerably faster speeds in Maps. Android 1.6+ devices can run version 5, but 3D and offline features require Android 2.0+ devices. If you’re reading this on your phone, click here to access the Maps download page.

[Via GoogleMobileBlog]

Google news: Nexus S, Android 2.3, Maps for Mobile, eBooks

December 6, 2010Images, News, Technology, VideoAndroid, Android 2.3, Android Gingerbread, Android OS, Cell phone, cell phones, eBooks, eBookstore, Galaxy S, Galaxy S device, Gingerbread, Google, Google eBooks, Google eBookstore, Google Maps for Mobile, Google Maps for Mobile 5, Google news, Google Nexus S, Google roundup, Googlenews1211, mobile OS, Nexus S, price, release date, release date & price, Roundup, Samsung, Samsung Nexus SScott Meisner

Today turned out to be an announcement-filled day for the hardworking team at Google. The next true “Google phone” was formally unveiled, the next version of Android dubbed Gingerbread was detailed, Google Maps Navigation received a major upgrade, and now the search giant is the latest company to offer a vast eBooks store and ecosystem. Let’s jump right to the facts, shall we?

Nexus S: The Nexus S, a collaborative effort between Google and hardware manufacturer Samsung, is the follow-up device to the Nexus One. In similar fashion to its predecessor, the Nexus S promotes a “pure Google” experience, meaning that it runs the pure vanilla version of Android; you wouldn’t dare find an inkling of customized UI overlays like HTC’s Sense, Motorola’s Motoblur, or even Samsung’s own TouchWiz. Unfortunately the specifications do not push conventional boundaries, although there are some new welcome additions that complement the new Android platform: 4-inch WVGA (480×800) Super AMOLED display (Samsung is touting the new “Contour Display” that’s “designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand and along the side of your face”), 1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto-focus, flash, and HD 720p video recording, front-facing VGA camera (640×480), Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g, Bluetooth 2.1, A-GPS, Near Field Communication (NFC), accelerometer, proximity sensor, three-axis gyroscope. Ports-wise there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB 2.0 port. The 1500 mAH Lithum Ion battery boasts the following life support: Talk time up to 6.7 hours on 3G (14 hours on 2G), Standby time up to 17.8 days on 3G (29.7 days on 2G). Interestingly the phone only supports tri-band HSPA, so there’s no 4G support here. Of all the tech specs listed, you may be pondering about NFC. Essentially NFC works like QR codes but better; companies can place NFC chips into objects like movie posters and the user can hold up their phone to the tagged object to extract information from it (there’s no need to open an app or bring up the camera).

So the spec sheet isn’t all that impressive, but there are two things that save this phone from being just another Android device: it’s sexy Galaxy S looks (good job Samsung) and it’s the very first device to run Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread (more on that in a bit). Let’s talk release date and pricing. The Nexus S ships December 17 for $199 with a new 2-year contract with T-Mobile (or $529 unlocked) and it’ll be available for purchase online and in-store from all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores in the U.S. It lands in the UK on December 20 at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy retailers.

Continue reading Google news: Nexus S, Android 2.3, Maps for Mobile, eBooks →

Samsung Galaxy Tab release date and price roundup

November 15, 2010News, TechnologyAndroid, Android tablet, AT&T, carriers, Galaxy Tab, mobile carriers, price, release date, release date & price, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Sprint, T-Mobile, tablet, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZWScott Meisner

About one month ago Samsung and mobile operator partners detailed Galaxy Tab offerings. Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile put their cards on the table, while U.S. Cellular said it it was coming soon and AT&T remained silent. Today the latter two carriers shared their respective release dates and pricing schemes, so I thought it’d be helpful if I charted out each carrier’s Tab information. So without further ado:

Verizon: $599.99 (no contract required); optional 3G plan- $20/month for 1GB of data; released 11/11

Sprint: $399.99 (new 2-year contract required); $29.99/month for 2GB or $59.99 for 5GB; releases 11/14

T-Mobile: $399.99 (new 2-year contract required); $24.99/month for 200MB or $39.99/month for 5GB released 11/10

AT&T: $649.99 (no contract required); $14.99/month for 250GB pay-as-you-go plan or $25/month for 2GB pay-as-you-go plan; $50 Media Hub Movie Rental credit with purchase for a limited time; releases 11/21

U.S. Cellular: $599 (no contract required) or $399 (contract required); $14.99/month for 200MB or $54.99/month for 5GB with tethering enabled; releases 11/19

Been looking for an iPad alternative? This Android (Froyo) based tablet is it. That is, until iPad 2 comes out.

Droid 2 Global finds its way to Verizon

November 11, 2010News, TechnologyAndroid, Android device, cell phones, Droid, Droid 2 Global, price, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZW, world phoneScott Meisner

Two new Droid phones in one week!? Hot damn! OK, it’s not that exciting since this latest iteration is essentially identical to the Droid 2. What differentiates it from its slightly older sibling is three-fold: it is “global ready”, meaning its got CDMA/GSM dual-mode functionality, it packs a faster 1.2GHz processor, and it comes dressed in a white coat. The rest of the specs are standard: 3.7″ WVGA multitouch display, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 5 megapixel camera with auto focus, WiFi, Bluetooth, DLNA Wireless, 8GB internal memory (expandable up to 32GB), Android 2.2. It’s available for purchase today at Verizon Wireless for $199.99 on a new two-year contract. If you travel ’round the world and need a dual-mode world phone and enjoy the Android experience, check the ‘ol BlackBerry and pick up the Droid 2 Global.

Note: Neither Motorola nor Verizon has officially announced the introduction of this device; it just happened to show up on the VZW website for sale. If/when either of these companies feels like pushing out an official press release regarding the Droid 2 Global, check back at this space for those details.

[Via Verizon]

Droid Pro lands on Verizon Wireless November 18 for $179.99

November 8, 2010News, TechnologyAndroid, Android phone, cell phones, Droid, Droid Pro, price, release date, release date & price, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, VZWScott Meisner

Right on target, Verizon Wireless has spilled the deets regarding the release of “the first Android-based smartphone optimized for business use.” Droid Pro will be made available for Verizon Wireless customers November 18 for $179.99 after signing a new 2-year contract and sending in a $100 mail-in rebate. Been salivating at the sight of this Android/Blackberry hybrid handset of sorts since Moto announced it in early October? Better your odds of picking up the device on launch day by filling out a preorder form at VZW’s website starting tomorrow (11/9). Full PR after the break.

[Via Engadget] Continue reading Droid Pro lands on Verizon Wireless November 18 for $179.99 →

Google Instant makes its way to mobile devices

November 5, 2010News, Technology, VideoAndroid, cell phones, Google, Google Instant, iPhone, mobile, mobile search, search, search engineScott Meisner

Today Google made good on their promise bringing the power of Google Instant search to the mobile space. When you access Google.com and begin to type your query, the search bar snaps to the top of the screen and Instant does its thing. The new functionality works over 3G and WiFi connections, but Google gives you the option to turn it off during those slow surfing times. There’s a turn on/turn off button located beneath the search bar on the home page for easy access.

Instant for mobile is currently in beta, and it’s available for iPhone and iPod (running iOS4) and Android (running 2.2 Froyo) users in the U.S. Additional country, language, and device support is in the works. Look after the break to watch a brief demonstration.

[Via GoogleBlog] Continue reading Google Instant makes its way to mobile devices →