The rumored BlackBerry Storm 2
(Credit: Engadget Mobile)
As if June wasn't packed enough with new smartphone launches, there are rumors that the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 may just hit Verizon Wireless stores in the same month.
BlackberryOS.com says it received a tip from an "insider" (a senior-level Verizon employee, apparently) who says Verizon has been training its tech support on the Storm 2 all week and that they've been told to be ready to support the smartphone by the end of May. Though the tipster could not give a specific release date, she said it would be out by the end of June at the latest.
The next-generation Storm was confirmed by RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie in early May, though he did not provide much information about the device. There's some speculation that the new Storm will forgo the SurePress touch screen and will have Wi-Fi.
Perhaps Verizon was feeling a little left out of the party with Sprint's Palm Pre launch and the imminent iPhone announcement. And while hope springs eternal that the BlackBerry Storm 2 will be better than the first, what does this mean for current BlackBerry Storm customers?
If you're a T-Mobile G1 owner who has been patiently waiting for your Android 1.5 update, we hate to be the ones to tell you that you're going to be waiting just a bit longer.
T-Mobile USA announced on Monday that it's still finalizing the build to "ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery" so it has delayed pushing out the over-the-air update by one week. The carrier said it expects all G1 owners to have the Cupcake update by early June.
You can check out T-Mobile's official statement here.
Editors' note:
The T-Mobile G1 is known as the HTC Dream in Asia. HTC has not revealed when it will be releasing Android 1.5 for the Dream in Asia.
Last week, we previewed the HTC Magic and revealed some of the enhancements the company made to Android, most significantly, the addition of Microsoft Exchange support. Well, it looks like the Taiwan manufacturer's R&D department is far from done when it comes to tweaking the default Android 1.5 firmware. A video has emerged with what is supposed to be the ROM for the upcoming HTC Hero--installed on a T-Mobile G1 device (known as the HTC Dream in Asia).
Some of the improvements include a new music player, a calendar that's somewhat similar to the one found on the Touch Diamond2 and changes to the browser interface comprising a new loading status bar and a jazzed-up screen for switching between windows. Read more »
Last week, HTC announced its second Android smartphone, the Magic, in Singapore. Aside from a sleeker design, some of the new features include a smart dialer, additional widgets, Chinese text input and native support for Microsoft Exchange.
If you didn't know, there are two flavors of Android devices. The ones that have "with Google" on the back, like the Magic in the UK, offer a pure Google experience, i.e, with no customizations introduced to the operating system. This also means Microsoft Exchange isn't supported. The Asian version of the Magic, however, includes native support for Microsoft Exchange. According to HTC, its license with Microsoft allows the Taiwan company to introduce the feature on Asia-bound Magics and that Microsoft Exchange will also be supported on the next few Android devices.
Sure, native support for Microsoft Exchange is a boon for the corporate environment, but would you turn away a smartphone because it doesn't support the feature?
For months, Mozilla's mobile version of its Firefox browser has been in first alpha, then beta modes on two Maemo-run Nokia Internet Tablets that few possessed. On Friday, Fennec (as it's been code-named) has arrived on a platform that many more testers will be able to sink their fingers into: Windows Mobile 6.
As with Fennec beta 1 for the Nokia N810 and N800, Fennec Alpha 1 for Windows Mobile 6 (download the CAB file) has been tailor-made for the HTC Touch Pro, with an intention to expand to more handsets in future releases. The flashiest feature to expect is support for add-ons. We got a glimpse of them at CTIA, and judging from Mozilla's video tour of Fennec on Windows Mobile, the module is now much more fleshed out. In addition to a list of recommended add-ons is a tab to start searching for more extensions. Read more »