DroidDog Android Blog » Phones

Garminfone price drop for existing customers

Dustin Earley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:03:02 +0000

You know, I hate to admit it, but the Garminfone was a flop. Not quite a Kin flop, but none-the-less, the device sold horribly. It’s a shame too, the Garminfone feels wonderful; Quite possibly one of the most solid devices on T-Mobile. A lot of people, myself included, just couldn’t get past that wonky UI.

In a last ditch effort to push a few more units out the door, T-Mobile is sending out an e-mail letting existing customers know they can buy the Garminfone now for $30 less than new customers. Of course, there are rules and stipulations: 2 year contract renewals, qualifying voice/data plan, and a $50 mail in rebate. While I don’t see a ton of people going out and grabbing a Garminfone just because the price was lowered $30, it’s nice to see an offer that rewards customers that already have active accounts with a carrier. For more information on how to grab the discount, check out the T-Mobile Scoop here. And hey, if you’re feeling link clicky (trust me, I don’t know either) check out John’s unboxing on the Garminfone here.

This post shares tags with:

New Samsung Vibrant commercial

Dustin Earley — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:16:40 +0000

If you’ve been reading DroidDog for awhile now, you may know that I am some what of an advertising fan. And if you don’t… well you do now. The most recent Galaxy S series commercial was for the Captivate on AT&T. The commercial featured an epic battle, just for your entertainment, in the palm of your hand. This new Vibrant commercial sticks with the same theme, but instead of knights and barbarians in your palm, it’s an entire movie theater. That’s the feeling you’ll get when you watch the Avatar (pre-loaded on the device) on the Vibrant’s one-and-only Super AMOLED screen. I could go on… but I’ll just let you watch.

Via TmoNews

This post shares tags with:

HTC comes clean about SLCD

Dustin Earley — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:35:59 +0000

Just about one month ago, it was publicly noted that HTC made a deal with Sony to obtain an undisclosed amount of Sony Super LCD screens. HTC’s sales have been suffering lately due to the fact that Samsung can’t possibly make enough AMOLED screen to go around. The plan was to use supplement low AMOLED supplies with Sony’s SLCD screens because, as HTC says, “The SLCD displays provide consumers with a comparable visual experience to HTC’s current 3.7 inch displays…”

HTC is claiming several “additional benefits” that make SLCDs a good choice compared next to AMOLED technology including: Battery performance, (the new SLCD screens are claimed to use 5 times less power than a regular LCD screen; Something AMOLED screens have been boasting since their inception into wide world of mobile technology), and “an enhanced viewing experience with wider viewing angles that are enabled by Sony’s new VSPEC III™ technology.”

HTC will start introducing SLCD into the Nexus One and Desire “later this summer” (uhh, you’re cutting it close here guys), with more devices to follow. As soon as that day hits, there’s really only one thing to do, let the comparisons begin!

Via Slash Gear

Press release below.

HTC INTRODUCES SLCD DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY TO ITS PORTFOLIO

New Displays to be integrated into HTC Desire and Nexus One

Taoyuan, TAIWAN – July 26, 2010 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced Super LCD display (SLCD) technology into a variety of HTC phones including the HTC Desire and global Nexus One later this summer. The SLCD display offers an exceptional natural balanced colour, clear contrast, broad viewing angles and improved power efficiency.

“HTC is experiencing high-demand for many of our phones, specifically our phones with 3.7 inch displays. The new SLCD display technology enables us to ramp up our production capabilities quickly to meet the high-demand,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. “The SLCD displays provide consumers with a comparable visual experience to HTC’s current 3.7 inch displays with some additional benefits including battery performance.”

SLCD is the latest generation of LCD technology that offers improved performance from earlier LCD panels including approximately five times better power management. SLCDs also offer an enhanced viewing experience with wider viewing angles that are enabled by Sony’s new VSPEC III™ technology.

About HTC

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

This post shares tags with:

Dual review: Sony Ericsson X10 Mini & X10 Mini Pro

John Walton — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:24:39 +0000

In an era of growing specs and expanding screens, it seems like the “bigger is better” mentality has taken the mobile public by storm. Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G, with it’s 4.3″ display, measures 4.8″ tall and 2.6″ wide. The Motorola DROID X on Verizon also packs a 4.3″ display. AT&T is about to launch the monstrous Dell Streak, which features a full 5 diagonal inches of screen real estate.

These enormously popular and buzzed about (in the case of the Streak) flagships represent the cutting edge of Android progress, and very likely the near future for a multitude of follow-ups and direct competitors on the mobile stage. The line between tablet and cell phone has been blurred – nearly into non-existence.

As obvious and readily accepted as this trend towards tall and wide but thin mobile gadgets is, those giant glowing slabs aren’t for everyone. When I first got an EVO 4G, I thought the thing was just too big; partly because I would prefer a higher resolution and a smaller rendering of pretty much everything on the display. However, I have adjusted and the old Android standard of 3.2″ screens feels absolutely tiny. Not tiny enough for some folks, I should add, who will be absolutely delighted with the smallest Androids to date: Sony Ericsson’s X10 Mini (unboxing) and X10 Mini Pro (unboxing). (cont.)

As much as I love giant touch screens, there is something to be said for the cute little gadget that can sit virtually unnoticed in your breast pocket or unobtrusively in a change purse. I think there is a large market for products like this, and while the Minis aren’t right for me as full-time daily drivers, I have enjoyed using them. I received the Mini a couple of weeks ahead of the Mini Pro and I was disappointed with my text input options. While SE has done well with the space they have to work with, I simply can’t – at this stage of mobile evolution – revert to T9 text input; even with the Mini’s nifty sliding panels for special characters and emoticons (cont.):

The compromised typing situation was enough to leave me avoiding the X10 Mini in favor of some other devices I had on hand for testing. I decided to wait on my review until SE could get me the hardware keyboard enhanced micro-droid, the X10 Mini Pro (cont.):

Those keys made all the difference in the world for me. In fact, having a hardware keyboard on a device with such a diminutive screen has me viewing the Mini as a feature phone and the Pro as a smart phone. Now this isn’t a fair or accurate classification of the devices, which are virtually identical in terms of their capabilities, outside of the QWERTY. It’s more a matter of practical usage. I simply don’t bother with the features I consider characterizing of a smart phone with such limiting text input options. That isn’t to say that the Mini is unusable; just that I have a strong aversion to digging into the OS and typing emails, calendar events, and even text messages via the tedious ten key the Mini offers up. (cont.)

The X10 Mini Pro, on the other hand, invites you to type. It takes a bit of practice to become proficient with those four little rows, but I have to say that SE’s engineers put together a very usable keyboard considering the area they had to work with. I wouldn’t type out an entire post on one for fear of cramps, and that manifesto you’ve been churning around in your mind could result in wrist surgery. But for text messages and quick emails, the X10 Mini Pro’s keyboard is just right. And it’s enough to fill that input gap left by the Mini standard.

But enough about keyboards. The Mini and the Mini Pro have plenty more to offer, not the least of which is a sleek, functional media player. And if there’s one role these gadgets fit perfectly into, it’s “cutest music player ever.” O.K., maybe not the cutest ever, but the cutest that I would be caught dead with.

In line with the Mini & Mini Pro’s home screens, as seen at the top of this page, the music player features shortcuts in the corners of the screen, which, again, is an efficient use of limited space. Nearly every aspect of these devices is an example of space economics. There was only one realm where I felt the management of space could have been handled better: widgets (cont.):

Only one widget per screen leaves a lot of empty room on the display, but this is a minor complaint. The interface – once referred to by SE as “The Nexus UX” and now encapsulated by the Timescape launcher – lets you swipe left and right for widgets, up for applications, and presents handy buttons in the corners of the screen. The animations are snappy, and I found the software much more responsive than the early, full-sized X10’s I was able to test when the product was sent out running not-ready-for-primetime software.

The cameras on the X10 Mini and Mini Pro are acceptable. Considering the size, I feel comfortable saying that they perform very well…sometimes. After testing, testing, and testing some more, I discovered that results were a bit unpredictable. Below are some still and video samples that are representative of my overall experience. Stills were scaled from 2592 X 1936, and like the videos, were shot at the highest quality settings. Pay special attention the video shot in complete darkness with the LED acting as a torch. Stylistically, I find the noise pleasing, and could envision shooting one perspective of a horror movie character with the Mini Pro, but that’s probably not what you’re looking for. Nevertheless, it’s good enough for casual snaps and clips. (cont.)

Inside at dusk:

Dusk before automatic adjustment:

Dusk after automatic adjustment:

Pitch dark, with flash:

Orientation assignment problem:

Video samples:

As for call quality, I found incoming audio to be sharper than outgoing. Despite testing on numerous devices in various locations, I’m reluctant to say the phone has a bad mic or any kind of reception issues. Overall, call quality was acceptable.

Conclusion:

With Android 1.6 on board, the X10 Mini & Mini Pro are in the same boat as T-Mobile’s Garminfone. Android fanatics just don’t seem to be interested. And I can’t say I blame them. WIth the exciting new features and killer optimizations found in Android 2.2, Foroyo, The ol’ Donut feels outdated. But what the X10s and Garminfone have going for them are cool custom interfaces that the average consumer is likely to find aesthetically and technically appealing.

With 2.55″ screens at 320 X 240 resolution, the target audience here, again, is not the hardcore tech geek, but the mainstream public. Both devices feature the prerequisite specs to compete in the mind of the average consumer in today’s market: WiFi, A-GPS, 3G, 5MP cams with auto-focus and flash, and a 3.5mm audio jack. But tomorrow’s market is another story. The 600MHz processor keeps this phone snappy enough to sit next to the other Androids currently selling, but not for long; Sony Ericsson will have to revamp their Android line very soon because by the time Gingerbread (Android 3.0) is released, very few people will be excited for 2.1 – the upgrade we’re expecting for the X10 family by the end of the quarter. And with many Androids seeing 2.2’s performance boosts in 2010, 2.1 and lower devices are bound to appear progressively more sluggish in the very near future.

See the specs for Sony Ericsson’s X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro.

While the original X10 could be launching on AT&T in the next few weeks, no plans have been announced for launching the Mini and Mini Pro on a carrier in the States. The Mini just dropped on Rogers wireless in Canada, available in several colors.

For information on the original X10, see my unboxing, my Q&R (1, 2, 3, 4), and the root announcement. Also see this post on the X8.

This post shares tags with:

Samsung Captivate commercial

Dustin Earley — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:51:32 +0000

It’s not exactly DROID X material, but this new commercial from Samsung on the Galaxy S Captivate is just as epic. Knights and barbarians both battling for your entertainment literally in the palm of your hand… It doesn’t get any better than this. The commercial is set to start airing tonight, and of course, the Captivate is available now from AT&T for $199 on a new two year contract, or on qualifying upgrades.

Via Samsung Mobile US

This post shares tags with:

Nexus One via Google direct gone

Dustin Earley — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:11:58 +0000

We all knew this was coming when last week Google announced they would be receiving their last shipments of the Nexus for sale on Google.com/phone, it just happened so fast. Last time this came up, I was sure to mention that the device will still be available through a few other outlets, and it looks like those are your only options now. Vodafone will still carry the device in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Devs, you can also still grab the device from market.Android.com as well. As for the rest of us, this is it guys. It’s truly sad to see the device go, but it’s for the best. There will be others, and they will be great. I promise.

Via TmoNews

This post shares tags with:

First Push-to-Talk Android device now available on Boost Mobile

Andrew Steffy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:22:58 +0000

Today Boost mobile made the Motorola i1 available for only $299.99 without a contract. This rugged little Android device sports a 3.1 inch LCD display, 5 MP camera, Android 1.5 (unfortunately) with Motoblur, and best of all it will be the first Android device to include the Push-to-Talk feature used by Boost mobile network. Right now the device will only be available in stores. And at only $300 for an Android device without locking yourself into a 2 year commitment I say this bad boy is well worth it if you are looking for a device that can last you a pretty good while.

via Boost Mobile

This post shares tags with:

Motorola Droid X: Secret Code and must have Apps

Chinmoy Kanjilal — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:53:34 +0000

Motorola has released Droid X and has succesfully created the hype around it with the controversial eFuse technology which many speculated, would have bricked the phone on attempted roots. However, Motorola later confirmed that this is not true though, Android fans do not really care and are buying the Droid X in spite of these rumors.

So much so, that the handset is out of stock at major shops and Verizon has had to assure customers that although stocks are low in certain counties, the phone is not completely sold out and will be available by the 23rd of this month.

Along with its giant screen size of 4.3″ and a powerful 1 GHz Snapdragon TI OMAP processor and 8 MP camera, the Droid X brings some fun along with it. It is a secret code which you can enter at this page. The code goes as JXYDA QWQYD and was deciphered at Droid Life.

Apparently, the code was found in a video commercial of the new Droid X. See the commercial for yourself.

However, if you already hold a Droid X in your hands, you must check this list of must have apps:

Alarm Clock Plus

Alarm clocks get pretty risky and boring if you can just put it to snooze, turn it off with a single tap, or click. To add to the quirk, Alarm Clock Plus features a math problem for you to solve before you can turn off the alarm. Any attempt to shut off the alarm without solving the sum changes the sum. If you were thinking of turning down the volume, that does not help at all. In short, this alarm will definitely get you out of bed.

App Brain app market with Fast Web installer

The app brain app market is an improved version of the app market with user ratings and reviews. It maintains lists of apps tried and tested by users. Lists can be shared with URLs and apps can be synced between the phone and the online list. With the latest Fast Web installer, now we can install apps remotely, from App brain to the phone as well.

Handcent SMS

Handcent SMS adds functionalities to messaging. SMS is displayed as threaded conversations and the app has a hell lot of options for you to explore. One feature I liked especially was changing the user agent of the phone for sending SMS. This app can also turn off notification area updates for SMS which displays the compete message content even if the screen is locked.

Juice Defender with Juice Plotter

Juice defender does exactly what it says. It saves the battery juice on your phone by managing APN, screen brightness, Wi-Fi and a lot more. It has considerable effects on the phone battery life and can claim improvements of the scale of 1.8X at time. It is a highly recommended app. Use Juice Defender with Juice plotter to analyze your battery charging and discharging pattern and track improvements.

MixZing media Player

MixZing is the fastest growing music player for Android. It is the first free media player to sport an equalizer and has support for album art, suggestions and last.fm scrobbling. It is the best replacement to the default music player and has a lock screen widget in the paid version.

Apart from this, apps like Astro File Manager, Opera web browser, Barcode scanner and Bluetooth File transfer are a necessity.

Come back to DroidDog.com for a detailed review of the Droid X.

This post shares tags with:

Google reaching end of web store Nexus sales

Dustin Earley — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:57:22 +0000

We all know this was coming guys, and hey, it’s definitely nothing personal. Google has stated before that they are very happy with how the Nexus helped propel Android into the next phase of it’s life-cycle, and they have now learned form their mistakes. When you look at the fact that Google barely advertised the device and never put it into a retail outlet (in the US), I would say it went pretty well.

Now, the sentiment online is that the Nexus One is dead. This could not be further from the truth. Google has just received their last shipment of Nexus Ones that they plan on selling through Google.com/phone. Check out exactly what Google had to say:

“Earlier this year, we announced that we will be closing the Nexus One web store. This week we received our last shipment of Nexus One phones. Once we sell these devices, the Nexus One will no longer be available online from Google. Customer support will still be available for current Nexus One customers. And Nexus One will continue to be sold by partners including Vodafone in Europe, KT in Korea, and possibly others based on local market conditions.

To ensure our developers have access to a phone with the latest Android OS, Google will be offering the Nexus One through a partner for sale to registered developers. Visit the Android Market Publisher site and log into your developer account to purchase a Nexus One.”

Key sentences to take away from that:

“Once we sell these devices, the Nexus One will no longer be available online from Google.”

“Nexus One will continue to be sold by partners including Vodafone in Europe, KT in Korea, and possibly others based on local market conditions.”

“Google will be offering the Nexus One through a partner for sale to registered developers.”

Another key blurb to take something away from in those sentences is “based on local market conditions.” To me, this means that there are still a ton of places in the world that need a device like the Nexus One. Here is the US, we don’t. There is already rumors of dual-core Android devices hitting this fall, and quite honestly, the Nexus can’t keep up with that. You still have time to order your Nexus if you wish to do so, and after the devices on Google.com/phone run out, you can always sign up to be a developer and buy one through market.android.com. Of course, there is also criagslist, eBay, bored friends… the list goes on. Don’t worry people, the Nexus isn’t dead yet. And when it is, there will be something else out so amazing, you’ll barely remember.

Via Engadget

This post shares tags with:

Telus confirms HTC Desire

Dustin Earley — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:15:31 +0000

Just one week ago, the HTC Desire PB99220 passed through the FCC with Telus 3G bands intact. Fast forward to one week later, and Telus has just officially announced the device. There is no pricing or exact release info yet, but you know it’s coming soon. There is one notable change to mention about the device; Instead of an AMOLED screen on the Desire, we may be seeing one of those new fancy Sony Super LCD screens. HTC claims you won’t know a difference, but we’ll be the judge of that. Of course, other than the 3G bands and screen, nothing else is changed… but I mean hey… bad thing? I think not. Check out the Telus coming soon page here.

Via Engadget