Posts by: Kent German

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LG Expo with optional snap-on pico projector

Kent German | Dec 01, 2009

(Credit: LG)

And you think your smartphone is powerful. Announced Monday, LG's new Expo offers a couple of "firsts" for AT&T, and we don't quite know which excites us the most. Not only does the Expo have a 1GHz processor, but it also supports an optional pico projector for sharing videos, photos, and presentations stored on the phone.

On the outside the Expo sports a standard candy bar design with a 3.2-inch, 16 million-color touchscreen. You'll also find a QWERTY keyboard behind the sliding face. As you can imagine, the features set is rather high end, with a 5-megapixel camera with a flash, a microSD card slot, Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional, a personal organizer, email and messaging, and a media player.

The Expo will be available December 7 for US$199 with a two-year contract (a minimum US$69 per month service plan is required) and after a US$100 mail-in rebate. The LG Mobile Projector, which snaps on to the back of the handset, will cost you an additional US$179. According to AT&T it will be available in the coming weeks.

Originally posted on Dialed In

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Google releases Android 2.0 SDK

Kent German | Oct 28, 2009

We love the unified in-box.
(Credit: Google)

As Verizon Wireless prepares to unveil its new Motorola Droid smartphone, Google released the SDK for the much-anticipated 2.0 update to the operating system. Code-named Eclair, Android 2.0 offers a number of feature improvements and interface tweaks. As expected, we will get multitouch support (yay!), but Google has some surprises up its sleeve. Here are the highlights that users should see.

Syncing for multiple email accounts, including Exchange accounts and contacts. According to the small print, however, "handset manufacturers can choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices." Ick.
Developers can create sync adapters for additional data sources.
The capability to e-mail, text, or call a contact by tapping their photo. What's more, this "Quick Contact widget" can reside in multiple apps such as such as e-mail, Messaging, and the calendar.
A combined email in-box
Improved camera controls with digital zoom, a scene mode, white balance controls, color effects, and a macro focus
A revamped Android virtual keyboard layout for faster, more accurate typing. Also, as Google puts it, "the multitouch support ensures that key presses aren't missed while typing rapidly with two fingers".
A smarter dictionary that will include contact names
Bluetooth 2.1 with object push and phone book access profiles
Refurbished browser user interface with improved search and navigation, bookmarks with Web page thumbnail support for HTML5, and support for double-tap zoom
Text and multimedia message search
In the calendar app, the agenda view has infinite scrolling. Events indicate the attending status for each invitee and you can invite new guests to events.

Verizon's Droid will offer the new OS, but it's unknown at this time when, and if, it will push out to existing Google Android devices. Once we get a Droid review model, we'll consume Eclair and report back on how good it tastes.

Via CNET News

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Google to release Android handset?

Kent German | Oct 22, 2009

Just when you thought the Google Android news couldn't get any stranger, Ashok Kumar, an analyst at Northeast securities, told InternetNews.com and TheStreet.com today that Google itself is planning to release a handset with the operating system.

Details are sketchy, but according to Kumar the device will be unlocked and will be available directly through retailers. Though unlocked phones typically are more expensive than carrier-branded phones, they are also free of any carrier restrictions. Google hasn't commented on the rumor, but I'm taking this one with a healthy dose of speculation.
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Kyocera to launch Android handset in 2010

Kent German | Oct 08, 2009

Kyocera is no stranger to the US market, but the company has long kept a low profile by producing low to midtier handsets for minor carriers. But at the fall CTIA show, Kyocera announced several new initiatives that could change its stateside image.

The company will launch a Google Android phone next year. Details on the device are unknown, but like other Android devices it should offer a touchscreen and multimedia features.
The Google handset will be part of the company's shift to high-end devices.
Kyocera also will launch LTE devices by 2011. The company didn't discuss specs or carriers for the handsets, but we know that they will will support Android and other operating systems.

We'll report more details as Kyocera announces them.

Originally posted at CTIA Fall show

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Nokia 7705 Twist does the swivel

Kent German | Sep 11, 2009

The Twist's swivel design is something that we haven't seen in years.

With numerous new cell phones in the past few days, it's been a busy week in the mobile world. But even with the new Palm Pixi and the Samsung Rogue, Nokia has managed to grab the spotlight with one of the strangest-looking handsets we've seen in a while.

The Nokia 7705 Twist for Verizon Wireless is not only square, it also features a blast-from-the-past swivel design. Front and center is the 2.4-inch, 262-color display above a few navigation controls. There's also a ring around the swivel point that lights when you get a call or have missed messages. To find the full QWERTY keyboard, just rotate the swivel out from behind. The front of the Twist is black, but it comes with black and purple battery covers.
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