Google press event on January 5th featuring 'Android'

The amount of buzz Google as generated by giving out the Nexus One to their employees has been explosive. So explosive that Google seems to feel confident enough to have a head start on the CES event that is scheduled just days after Google’s event.  Google sent invitations to a lucky some of tech sites and press organizations for an event on January 5th in their home town.

Google wants the press to gather around for an Android event in Mountain View, which is super exciting news because Android is already riding a huge buzz wave with the Motorola Droid and Droid Eris. For Google to keep up such hype even months after the launch of a flagship device is pretty impressive. Something that Palm, with WebOS, and Microsoft, with Windows Phone 6.5, seem to be struggling to do. So place your bets folks, Nexus One? Google Phone? A super Android Tablet? Whatever it is, we know it has to do with Android and that means we are talking about the mobile segment of tech, so we will let you know exactly what they will be showing at said event. Stay tuned folks, our guts tell us it is something big.

[Via Engadget Mobile]

[Via http://fonefrenzy.com]

Google's 'Nexus One' smartphone - Biting the hand that feeds?

As I discussed HERE last week, the Nexus One has surfaced and in the excitement of this pure Google Android smartphone hitting the market in the near future, some questions need to be asked.

The Nexus One is reportedly an ‘unlocked’ GSM phone that will be able to put on any U.S. GSM carrier’s network; T-Mobile is first in line for the new device but could potentially be put on AT&T’s network as well.  It’s not clear how wide-ranging Google’s ambitions are for the phone. Unless Google is willing to sell the phone at a loss, the Nexus One is likely to be much more expensive than Apple’s iPhone and similar devices, which receive subsidies from wireless carriers.

Will Google bet on generating enough ad revenue shown on mobile web sites to and applications downloaded to offset the subsidies?  If they don’t subsidize the Nexus One, industry analysts don’t expect it to have much impact on the smartphone market.

The iPhone has been the biggest source of mobile traffic to Google’s mobile services during the past two years, according to Google executives.  If Google decides to sell its own handset, it would intensify its budding rivalry with Apple.  So, since this is a direct competitor to the iPhone, will Google’s attempt at taking a bite out of Apple’s smartphone market share be akin to biting the hand that feeds?

[Via http://davidrscott.wordpress.com]

Google Mail with HTC Hero: a perfect match

I’ve had my Hero almost four weeks.  I was so impressed by it that I posted here after just two days of use.  I’m pleased to say I still view my HTC Hero as a marvel of design and function.  HTC’s motto, “quietly brilliant”, is an apt one.

Many of the Hero’s good features are standard among Android phones.

Google integration

Foremost among these is the effortless access to Google mail, contacts and calendar.  Updates to email status are reflected on the Hero within a few seconds.  All my contacts are there and available…  since getting my Hero I have tidied these, and the recently released Gmail feature “Find duplicates” has been very helpful.

Part of the ease with which email is handled is due to the notification bar at the top of the Hero’s screen, a simple yet effective feature: emails, messages, software install status, connection options.  Drag the notification bar down the screen and the full list is displayed.  For example, if the Hero has just been connected by USB to a computer, the notification list includes a button to enable the phone’s SD card as a flash drive and another to run HTC Sync.

Google Talk is handled equally seamlessly.  The notification bar tells me someone has started a chat with me.  Drag down the bar and tap the link to open the Talk app.  Easy.  I use Google Talk from my Windows PC, but on the Hero it’s so much more useful.

Twitter and the Web

I use Twitter daily and started out using the HTC’s Peep app, finding it met most of my needs.  I’ve since switched to Twidroid Pro for improved usability and customization.  Both Peep and Twidroid will indicate arrival of new tweets via the notification bar and these are easily accessed from the drag down list.

The Hero’s web browser works well, and the multi-touch zoom is smooth and controlled.  Visual bookmarks are a nice feature, as is “share this page” with options for SMS, email and Twitter (Peep or Twidroid).  The browser supports multiple windows, selected via a nice mini display of the each  window’s content.

Customization

Customization of the Hero is one of its strengths.  The phone comes with an array of high quality HTC widgets including browser bookmarks, calendar, clock, mail, messages, music, photos, stocks and Twitter.  HTC recently published four additional widgets specifically for Hero and Eris users: battery status, dice, “today in history” and a tip calculator.

HTC’s Sense desktop has seven panels, so there’s lots of room for your chosen apps and widgets.  HTC have extended this further with what they call “scenes”, which are custom saved desktops.  You could have one for general use, another for socializing and others for commuting, business, sports events, etc.  Each scene can provide easy access to the apps and widgets that you need for those activities.

Summing up

The Hero is a quality product.  Everything about it says “quietly brilliant”.

[Via http://blog.3dbloke.com]

HTC Sense UI for iPhone

Here’s a screenshot  of HTC Sense UI running on my iPhone. It’s a great mod but as UI mods go for me, they’re more novelty than replacement. But that’s just me. Regardless, a job well done and instructions can found here (complete with a demo video as well): http://www.redmondpie.com/htc-hero-sense-ui-on-iphone/.

I know that there are different versions of this mod (like the one in MacThemes) but I’m just linking to the one I used. Also, my screenshot features the mod further modded by me! Safari on the left of Phone and Games on the right. If you would like these buttons, just comment and attach your email.

[Via http://ipodmac.wordpress.com]

HTC Snap

HTC is the superior brand that designed various gadgets for the people. The HTC Snap is one of them that has been packed with number of innovative features and functionalities. It has an ultimate 2 mega pixels camera that efficiently gives beautiful pictures and videos. You can store huge amount of data in its 192 mega bytes of RAM and 256 mega bytes of ROM memory. Numerous polyphonic and MP3 ringtones has been equipped in this model through which you can change your earlier and boring tones into new one. Apart from making calls to your friends and relatives, you can interact with them through its messaging options like SMS, MMS, Email and Instant Messaging. For Internet accessing, it has a provision of WAP 2.0/xHTML browser. It will help you to do your searching work and checking of emails simply by sitting at your home. The HTC Snap has also been enriched with a standard Li-ion battery that gives an massive backup of 380 hours in standby mode and 8 hours 30 minutes in talk time mode.

[Via http://greatmobile.wordpress.com]

Which cell phone should my wife get? HTC Moment, HTC Hero. BlackBerry Tour, or Palm Pixie?

Question:
I just need help weighing out the Pros and cons.
Answer:
Here's what I got from all of them and I know alot about phones:

Samsung Moment

Pros:
Fastest processor (800 mhz) for Sprint phones
Physical Keyboard
AMOLED is amazing
Visual Voicemail

Cons:
Battery is the worst out of them all
Bulky and heavy
Slider build quality can come into question with lots of uses
Android 1.5

HTC Hero

Pros:
Sense UI
Visual Voicemail
5.0 MP camera
Solid hardware and amazing trackball but screen is problem

Cons:
No physical keyboard
Pull E-Mail
No flash
Get's laggy
Can get dust under touchscreen
LED display
No proximity sensor, you have to lock it manually

Tour

Pros:
Amazing keyboard
Push Email
Texting is amazing
Personally I had better service on Tour than any of these
Solid hardware built
Best battery out of all the phones
International

Cons:
Freezes
No Wi-Fi
Not a touch screen
Web browser sucks

Palm Pixi (go for the Palm Pre it's essentially a Pixi thats faster and have Wi-Fi, but i'll give you the pros and cons based on Pixi)

Pros:
WebOS -> MULTITASK
Synergy
Small and thin
Keyboard is decent
Solid Build
AMAZING Browser

Cons:
No enough apps
No Wi-Fi
Slower than Pre

It comes down to what you want to use your phone for. If you are a person who sents lots of emails and texts Blackberry Tour is for you, it's battery lasts forever and nothing can beat a Blackberry when it comes to emailing and texting. If you are also thinking of traveling overseas this is the only phone that can work overseas on GSM networks.

If you are a person who like to customize your phone and like apps like the iPhone, go for the Hero or Moment (you can choose between them, basically you'll know once you feel it). Android is amazing and Android 2.0 will be the best. It's open source, there's tons of apps and if you are going to be having this phone for 2 years then Android is the way to go, by 2012 Android will have most of the market in smart phones.

If you like to multitask and like web surfing get the Palm Pixi or Pre. This phone will make your life so much simpler, it syncs up contacts like no others. WebOS hasn't become popular but once the other wireless carriers gets WebOS the app store will be flooded.

Personally I have a Pre, however I am going to switch it for a Tour or Hero, the Moment has the worst battery, even compared to my Pre (my Pre doesn't last a day, I have to carry a charger around, and I text, email, and web surf alot). The only thing that is holding me back from getting a Tour is it doesn't have Wi-Fi. I am at school so I basically have Wi-Fi everywhere I go. If Moment's battery was better I would going for it since I am a big fan of physical keyboards (I had a touch pro before). I am however a big fan of Google. If you do alot of stuff on Google then I would go for Moment or Hero, plus Android 2.0 is going to be amazing. I hope this helps, if you need more info just email me. Source(s): Interned with consulting company that consults with VZW and Sprint, not to mention I am a phone FREAK!

How do you backup a htc magic?

Question:

Answer:
You can get an app from the Market called MyBackup Pro which will do this for you