Posted: August 4th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: 9800, avaliable, Blackberry, OS6, RIM, smartphone, Torch | No Comments »
RIM have today announced their latest and greatest Blackberry, the 9800 AKA Torch. The device looks similar to the Palm Pre, but seems to feature a better build quality and keyboard (from early reports). The biggest change coming is the introduction of OS6, which will feature a better looking UI as well as a web browser that actually works.
Tech sites are on both sides of the fence, with BGR predicting underwhelming failure and Laptop Mag believe it is a worthy evolution but only for current Blackberry owners. I believe the new Torch will be impressive, with some hardware specs like camera and screen size getting a boost over the other keyboard focused Blackberry’s. I also like the idea of an OS that feels newer with a better web browser. In the end though, at least until a few final hardware reviews come out, I believe it’s an underwhelming release from RIM and with it priced along side other premium handsets it is going to be a hard sell.
If you are a fan of the new design you will should be able to get your hands on one on the 12 of August for $199USD 24 month contract.
For more info, click over to Engadget.
Posted: July 30th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: AMOLED, android, Android 2.2, Firmware, Froyo, Galaxy S, Linux, Samsung, smartphone | No Comments »
So, you went out and brought Samsung’s delicious Galaxy S on the day of release. You are sitting their contemplating your purchase, but feel slightly disenchanted. You have such a fast beautiful device, but all the cool kids with their HTC’s and Motorola’s are getting all this news of Android 2.2 while you are left without hope.
Today that changes my AMOLED loving friend, with Samsung saying September is the month that you get to really see if the humming in hummingbird is accurate. No exact day, but at least you will know that by October you will be all Flashed out and waiting eagerly for Gingerbread.
Via [BGR]
Posted: July 23rd, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: Bing, Microsoft, Search, smartphone, windows, windows mobile 7, WM7 | No Comments »
Microsoft may have made a largish mistake by making Bing the sole provider of search on the nextgen Windows Mobile platform. Apparently Greg Sullivan, senior product manager for Microsoft, has said “the search engine has been heavily integrated into the OS, so it would be hard to offer an alternative.” What this means is not only is Bing the default choice for search, it is also the only choice for search.
As long as Bing is up to the task, and from my experience it isn’t, then their shouldn’t be a problem. If you aren’t happy with Bing, give it a few months and every other search engine will sue them into submission.
Via [BGR]
Posted: July 16th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: android, Droid X, Hack, Linux, motorola, Self Destruct, smartphone, Stupid, Trap | No Comments »
Motorola has recently released the Droid X. The 4.3-inch behemoth has made a lot of reviewers wet and excited. The problem is, Motorola has a dirty little secret and it isn’t a good one.
Motorola have added a self destruct function that is activated when anyone attempts to tamper with the OS. When tampering is detected the phone instantly bricks itself, becoming unusable and a relatively expensive paper weight.
Motorola is basically taking a device, which hacker emthusiasts would have loved to ‘tamper’ with, and made it the least hacker friendly device released this year. What does Motorola gain by locking the phone down? Maybe stopping hackers from porting Motorola’s dead ugly MOTOBLUR UI additions to other hardware?
Did they forget that the OS they are using is Open Source? The same hackers that you are locking out, are also the same ones making Android better! It is a damn shame, as the Droid X is one impressive piece of hardware.
Via [MobileCrunch]
Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: android, benchmark, Desire, Galaxy S, HTC, Hummingbird, Quadcomm, Quake 2, Samsung, smartphone, snapdragon, VS | No Comments »
It seems that Samsungs flagship Hummingbird processor eats Quadcomm’s Snapdragon, at least at OpenGL. People over at Android Community got bored and pitted the HTC Desire in all its Snapdragon glory against the larger and more expensive Samsung Galaxy S. Hummingbird literally hums along, running it faster then my PC at the time ever did. The Snapdragon, on the other hand, ran horribly.
This is definitely an eye opener for anyone considering what the difference is between 1GHz and 1GHz. Jump over to Gizmodo for a bunch of video’s (including one of the Samsung running Quake 3).
Via [Gizmodo]
Posted: July 6th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: android, Android 2.2, Chic, Froyo, LG, Linux, one, Optimus, smartphone | No Comments »
It seems NVidia aren’t the only ones who like Transformers, with LG announcing 2 new handsets titled Optimus. If you are looking for an Evo 4 or Droid X style handset look elsewhere, with the LG ‘One’ and ‘Chic’ focused on the budget end of the market.
While they aren’t exceptional they will come with a vanilla Froyo (Android 2.2) install, meaning you will have Flash and no ugly custom interface to frustrate you. No release date or pricing is known at the moment, though I would expect them soon and for very well priced (Under $US400).
Via [Engadget]
Posted: July 2nd, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: AMOLED, HD3, HTC, Leak, Microsoft, smartphone, snapdragon, windows mobile 7, WM7 | 1 Comment »
The leaked spec’s for the rumoured HTC HD3 are so good that they are impossible for me to believe. Start with an almost borderless 4.5-inch AMOLED screen (800×1280), 1.5Ghz Snapdragon, 1 GB of memory, HDMI, 8mp dual flash camera, 3G/4G support and the ability to cure cancer/erectile dysfunction.
With spec’s like those it would be a massive leap over the current wish-wash of superphones. It looks like I will definitely be looking forward to the Windows Mobile 7 release after all.
Via [Mobility Site]
Posted: June 30th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: Cancelled, Else, Emblaze, smartphone | No Comments »
Emblaze, a newer player in the handset market, has announced the death of their first handset the Else. With it goes a huge amount of potential and $40mil in initial investments. The platform has been in development for a long time, and it is unfortunate to see a system with so much potential dying off.
Hopefully someone will see Emblaze going out and snatch them up. I am looking at you Sony Ericsson, you could use a little more pretty on your handsets.
Via [Engadget]
Posted: June 29th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: android, Google Docs, iOS, ipad, iPhone, smartphone | No Comments »
Google Docs, a free yet extremely powerful web based document editing suite, has now gone mobile friendly. Whether you use an iPad, iPhone or Android device you will be pleasantly surprised with a more seamless and less frustrating experience. Text docs are only readable at the time of writing, but spreadsheets are editable.
Via [Gizmodo]
Posted: June 28th, 2010 | Author: Daniel Georges | Filed under: Technology | Tags: Adult, Apple, FaceTime, iOS4, iPhone 4, Porn, smartphone, Video Chat | No Comments »
Recently there was an argument regarding the locked down nature of the Apple App Market. Steve Jobs, the man himself, talked about the virtues of the App Store, with the major selling point being no porn. Seems that the adult industry has listened and decided to make FaceTime (Apples new video chat) their new medium of delivery.
While it doesn’t look good for Apple, it will create much needed jobs in the struggling US job market. See Apple, you did something positive without even trying.
Via [Gizmodo]
RIM have today announced their latest and greatest Blackberry, the 9800 AKA Torch. The device looks similar to the Palm Pre, but seems to feature a better build quality and keyboard (from early reports). The biggest change coming is the introduction of OS6, which will feature a better looking UI as well as a web browser that actually works.
