Like the already-available Motorola Cliq, Motorola Motus should come with Android 1.5 and the Motoblur interface.

The Motus has quad-band GSM connectivity and – weird enough – it looks like it also supports the 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz WCDMA bands, which means that both AT&T and T-Mobile could launch it.

Other specs include:

• 3.1 inch touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 5MP camera with LED flash
• 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A processor
• 512 MB ROM and 256 MB RAM

The phone’s QWERTY keyboard is actually a reverse flip keyboard with a “rear directional pad.”

Motorola Motus should be announced in the first quarter of 2010.

Via Android and Me

• Motorola Sholes Tablet, Motus and Zeppelin coming soon?
• Motorola Morrison to be T-Mobile’s fifth Android smartphone?
• LG GW620 (Etna) with Android officially announced
• Motorola Evoke QA4 officially announced
• Motorola Tao (Sholes) live photos, Android obviously included

Available in 29 languages, the updated Google News for mobile features “the same richness and personalization” that Google News offers on your desktop PC. There are now more stories and images displayed on the homepage, and users can easily access their favorite sections, play videos, find articles and so on.

To try out the new Google News for Android, iPhone and WebOS, just point your mobile browser to http://news.google.com

Google News for Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 will also be updated in the near future.

Via the Google Mobile Blog

• Flash 10.1 to Offer Full Mobile Flash Support with HD Video
• Gmail and Google Calendar for iPhone and Android updated
• Google Search Options now available for mobile
• Google Voice apps available for Android, BlackBerry
• Google Fast Flip launched for Android, iPhone

The fring Android app will allow you to make free VoIP calls over Skype, Google Talk or MSN, as well as to chat via ICQ, AIM or Yahoo!

Twitter is also integrated, and it looks like the fring app works with any version of Android.

There are some bugs that should be fixed in the following releases: Motorola Droid can’t support SIP and SkypeOut calls, and it can’t display GSM contacts in fring’s buddy list; also, the call disconnection tone may be heard several times when you terminate a call.

Fring for Android can be downloaded via Android Market, or directly to your phone at m.fring.com

A video presentation of fring for Android can be watched below:

Via fring

• Fring 3.40 launched with new UI and several enhancements
• iPhone App review: fring
• Fring adds support for first Samsung Symbian device, Samsung 550W
• fring for S60, Windows Mobile get updates
• Twitter 2.0 add-on for fring now available

The WebSDK is created together with PhoneGap (an open source community) and enables devs to work with HTML, CSS and JavaScript programming for developing application.

The Sony Ericsson WebSDK beta can be downloaded here – where you’ll also find more info and documentation.

Sony Ericsson has also launched a Web App Challenge, which requires you to “download the WebSDK and make something fantastic for the XPERIA X10 by December 31.” The creator of the best app will receive $4000. More info here.

Via Press release

• Android 2.0 on Sony Ericsson’s first Android smartphone?
• Opera Mobile 10 launched for Symbian S60 (touch and non-touch)
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 to be launched by 3 on November for £30/month?
• Sony Ericsson to ditch Windows Mobile, prepare Android and Symbian smartphones for 2010
• Sony Ericsson’s first Android handset to come next summer with high-end features

The company, ZTE Corp., is a Chinese-based company that mainly deals with manufacturing base stations for wireless carriers but dabbles with devices on the side. And now it appears that ZTE is in talks with each one of the 4 major US carriers to bring its own Android handset to market sometime next year.

So where is ZTE’s handset division currently seeing success? You can find phones made by ZTE at UK’s Vodafone, Spain’s Telefonica, and China Mobile.

Dale Ying, ZTE’s managing director of handset business marketing, revealed in an interview that the company’s smartphone division is really starting to beef up and will continue to do so over the next few years. “We see big potential in the smartphone market. We are targeting to ship more smartphones in the coming few years which will help to improve our gross margin,” he said.

So now the question becomes if any of the big carriers will bite at the chance to sell ZTE Android handsets. I am curious to know if there is a reason the US doesn’t sell any ZTE phones.

via Total Telecom

• Android 2.0 on Sony Ericsson’s first Android smartphone?
• Motorola’s Handset Division Could Sell for as Little as $500 Mil
• Huawei Android handsets to be launched via T-Mobile, TIM Brazil
• Acer to release it’s first smartphone
• LG aims to sell 100,000 Secrets, capture 10% mobile phone market share in Malaysia

Running Android and using HTC’s Sense UI, the Hero and the Tattoo “are focused on personalization and accessibility.”

HTC Hero features a 3.2 inches capacitive touchscreen display with 320 x 480 pixels, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5m headset jack and a 5MP autofocus camera. The Hero will be available in Australia for AUD 799 ($745).

The HTC Tattoo has a smaller display (2.8 inches, resistive, with 240 x 320 pixels) and a 3.2MP camera, but it also features HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS.

The price of HTC Tattoo in Australia will be of AUD 599 ($559). Users can buy personalized covers for it here.

Via Press release

• HTC Tattoo (Click) announced, ships in October
• HTC Hero announced for India – the country’s second Android phone
• Pink HTC Hero to be available in the UK this month
• TattooMyHTC launched, obviously for the HTC Tattoo
• Orange UK launching the HTC Hero tomorrow

According to TechCrunch a “pure Google-branded phone” with Android is “absolutely confirmed” for early 2010 – although it should have been launched this year.

Reportedly, the handset will be manufactured by a major company – LG or Samsung, most probably – but only Google’s branding will be visible on it. There are no details about the smartphone’s design and features, but it’s said that Google is in charge of every little aspect regarding the device.

Rumors also have it that Google plans a big advertising push for its phone, and we could see this as early as January 2010.

OK, so if all this is true, wouldn’t it mean that Andy Rubin lied when he said that Google won’t have an Android phone of its own? I guess we’ll have to wait until next year to see what exactly is going on.

• Andy Rubin says Google won’t make an Android phone of its own
• Google’s own slider smartphone patent app
• Google buys mobile advertising company AdMob for $750 million
• $199 Australian Android phone out before Christmas
• Motorola to make Korea’s first Android phone

Samsung is just getting around to launching the Behold 2 on T-Mobile today, but it’s as if the device is already starting from behind. So how does it fare against some other Android strongholds now on the market?

Unwired View was honored to have an opportunity to try the Behold II before it was released, and there’s been plenty of good and bad to go with that. And we have pics and juicy details to share with you.

Android

Now that we’ve experienced the joys of version 2.0 in the Motorola Droid, it’s hard to go back to earlier versions. This doesn’t make it a terrible phone, but it has nowhere to go but up from this point on.

We won’t discuss the ins and outs of Android much in the review, but Samsung decided to add its proprietary TouchWiz UI to the Android OS, which could be a good or bad thing depending on your views of the UI itself. I found that the TouchWiz has been changed a bit, with a much larger widget box, in order to fit the needs of Android’s interface. The dial pad was also changed, as well as the SMS app, photo albums, and others. My opinion of TouchWiz on Android? Sluggish. It just seems to eat up processor capacity for breakfast. I have found faster performance on stock Android devices with roughly the same processor speeds.

In fact, my first impression of the TouchWiz was mistaking it for the stock Android app drawer. The difference was that this one was on the side instead of the bottom, and the performance was not all that great. It’s as if Samsung had been trying to add too much to a good thing.

Samsung has also added in its new 3D Cube feature to the interface, and even has its own dedicated button on the front. The idea of the cube is that each side is its own shortcut: YouTube, the Amazon MP3 store, music player, video player, web browser or picture gallery. It’s a clever little 3D graphic that you can spin around to find what you want to use. You can also shake the phone and the cube will spin until a random application is picked. While it’s an interesting premise, I don’t see much point to it since the home page has plenty of space to fit shortcuts.

Design

Samsung elected to throw in a 3.2″ AMOLED screen, which was definitely a good idea. At a 320 x 480 pixel resolution and complete with 16.7 million colors, the screen is gorgeous; it’s much brighter, crisper and easier to see as a result.

The Behold II itself is very well designed. It feels good in my hand and doesn’t feel bulky or awkward at all. The lack of physical keyboard helps keep the phone as thin as possible.

The buttons are the huge weakness in the whole design. There are a lot more on the front than I think is necessary. In addition to the usual call/end buttons, Samsung adds in a Menu (options) key, previous/go back, home and the Cube. Also present is the circular D-pad. My feeling is that there should be less buttons on the front and more screen to take up the critical real estate. But beyond that, I was very impressed by the look and feel of the device itself.

On the left side we find the volume keys and spot to put a lanyard.

Up top there’s a 3.5 mm headphone jack (which I was able to plug my stock iPhone headset into) and a MicroUSB charger port.

Over to the right there’s a lock key and camera button.

The plastic back features the camera lens and flash, next to a stylish (depending on your idea of style, I suppose) map of the world.

Underneath the hood there’s the battery, SIM card, and MicroSD card slot. The phone comes with a 2 GB card already installed, and fortunately you don’t have to take the battery out in order to access that memory card.

The Behold II weighs 4.2 oz, which in comparison is 0.5 oz lighter than the iPhone 3GS.

Features of the Samsung Behold II

Camera

One of the strengths of the Behold II is its camera app. It sure doesn’t hurt to throw in the 5 MP camera that the original Behold had, either. The camera app is the same as most other Samsung devices, with the left and right sidebars showing options like flash, timer, shooting mode, and other effects. When Samsung discovered the strength of the camera apps, the company decided to stick with what worked. Smart move.

Here are some pictures taken with the Behold II camera. I decided to take a couple pics of my house since there are plenty of different colors around to accentuate.

Voice Dial/Search

Both voice dial and Google voice search options are included in the phone, which are both very nice to have, and worked out beautifully. For instance, I did a voice search for “T-Mobile Behold 2″ and without any problem or delay it took me straight to the browser already pointed at google.com with the proper search results.

Memory

The Behold II comes with 153 MB of internal memory, so definitely make use of a MicroSD card. It supports as much as 16 GB.

Streaming

Both audio and video streaming are supported. I had no trouble using apps like YouTube and Pandora, and there didn’t seem to be any latency.

Google syncing

This was absolutely the simplest thing I did on the Behold II, though it’s more of an Android feature than the phone specifically; all I had to do was put in my Google login information and all of a sudden I had my Google Contacts, Gmail and Calendar all synced up on the phone. On top of that, any Google app I downloaded from the Market (including Voice) already assumed I wanted to use the same Google account, which made it that much easier.

Messaging

The Behold II supports threaded messaging, which is definitely crucial when doing a lot of texting.

Connectivity

There is support for WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. Much like the iPhone, GPS is usable in the Google Maps application as well as various Android apps that can be downloaded. For Bluetooth, A2DP and AVRC are present to offer the best possible experience with stereo bluetooth headsets. WiFi was much more bearable than T-Mobile’s 3G network, which will be discussed later.

Apps

Google’s Market for Android phones is very well built up; while it may not have 100,000 apps like iPhone’s App Store does, it still has a very healthy selection of pretty much anything you would ever need or want your smartphone to do. Downloading apps via WiFi was incredibly fast, and I never had to wait longer than 30 seconds for an app to fully download to the phone.

Quick List

On the phone’s home page, one can find shortcuts to the dial pad, contact list, web browser and “Quick List”. Quick List is essentially a menu with the look and feel of a non-smartphone, and offers a few lesser-used shortcuts that could come in handy.

Web browsing

The Behold II uses HSDPA but maxes out at 3.6 Mbps. The only concern I have here is that if T-Mobile follows through on its promise of upgrading the HSPA network to 21 Mbps next year, the Behold II will be left in the dust.

Browsing the web was okay with the stock browser, though there are plenty of other available third-party browsers that can be downloaded through Market.

Social Networking

While it doesn’t come with Facebook or Twitter clients pre-loaded, it does have Google Talk and IM clients already installed. It’s easy enough to download apps from the Market, but I was hoping to see a couple options like the Motorola CLIQ did.

One cool feature thrown into the Behold II was the ability to upload photos directly to an online cloud of your choice. Flickr is the most popular, but a few other services are compatible as well.

Performance of the Samsung Behold II

Let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the review.

Phone performance

Fortunately it’s a world phone, which should always be expected for a device at this price point. Beyond that, I was able to make clear calls without any hassle. I didn’t have any issues of static audio quality or fuzziness.

The Behold II has Visual Voicemail, and after a few attempts I was able to get mine to work. Sadly I was unsure whether it was user error or something going on with the phone. Once set up, the voicemail feature is a breeze and very convenient to have access to it.

T-Mobile 3G/WiFi

The Behold II includes compatibility with T-Mobile’s 3G 1700 frequency but also throws in 2100.

While I had a great experience using the WiFi at my house, I was incredibly disappointed by the performance of the T-Mobile 3G network in my local vicinity. Running a couple speed tests revealed that the upload was faster than download, with the 3G downloading 300 kbps and uploading 650 kbps; it was barely faster than EDGE.

Battery Life

With a 1500 mAh lithium ion battery, the Behold II is rated for 6 hours talk time and 100 hours standby. On a typical day, I used the phone moderately and the battery was down to one bar of service by 6 or 7 PM; in other words, it’s getting about the same battery life as my iPhone, so it’s nothing spectacular. Not great, but not terrible either.

Processor

Packing a 528 MHz ARM 11 processor, it has an average performance amidst all the other Android devices that are also out.

Touchscreen

I haven’t discussed the touchscreen at all yet, so this is a good opportunity to bring it up since it has a great deal to do with overall performance and first impressions. As most phones with touchscreens get compared to the iPhone, it’s natural to do so with the Behold II. The menus and capacitive screen are just about as intuitive and easy to use as the iPhone, though I did find times that I had to press more firmly on the screen in order to scroll effectively. That didn’t occur all the time though, just every once in a while.

The touch keyboard also was difficult to get used to. Using the keyboard in landscape is almost a must, as using it in portrait resulted in pressing the wrong key 8 times out of 10. This will likely be something I could get used to after time, but first impressions were not very good on the portrait on-screen keyboard. Fortunately the transition from portrait to landscape and vice versa were smooth enough, as it only took a second or two for the transition to take place.

Multimedia/Email

In short, the audio quality when playing music or YouTube videos was rather nice; at least, nice enough not to notice any little nuances that were lacking. The UI itself on the media player was okay, but not really inspired.

Setting up email seemed to be easy, especially when having multiple accounts. Once I finished setting up the first email, all I had to do was hit the menu key and choose to add a new account. I was able to put two email accounts on there just fine and was able to differentiate the two. Any business user will easily be able to set up Exchange, which rounds out every possible option for email on Android. The only thing that was a bit annoying to me was that since I had synced up my Google information to the Behold II, my Gmail was separated from the default email client. If there was a way to combine them, it is beyond me.

Overall Impressions of the Samsung Behold II

In a sea of brand-new Android handsets, it’s critical to find a way to stand out of the crowd. It’s difficult to come out with a standard stock Android device and expect to turn heads, so it’s natural for Samsung to have vested interest in using TouchWiz to see how it works out. Sadly, that was probably not a good choice, considering it was more sluggish and a processor-hog.

Strengths included the camera, beautiful OLED screen, and the overall weight and feel of the device.

Weaknesses were the Touchwiz UI, gratuitous use of buttons on the front, small and cramped portrait keyboard, and average (but still slow) processor.

The Behold II will be on sale at T-Mobile for $229 starting today. Overall it was a decent enough device that anyone would be relatively happy with, but my concern is that it didn’t have enough of a WOW factor to turn those heads that may be turned in the direction of the Droid. Frankly, for the same or even lower cost, the Droid seems to have nicer specs. If you are a happy T-Mobile customer that doesn’t want to switch, the Behold II is one of the better Android devices T-Mobile has carried thus far.

What do you think so far? Have you seen one at a local store? Let us know if you’re planning on getting one.

Check out the gallery below for all the other pics of the Behold II.

• Samsung Behold II Announced for T-Mobile, Android is Confirmed
• Review of Samsung Highlight for T-Mobile
• T-Mobile Release Date Rumors: Tap, Behold II
• Google launches Finance for Android
• Archos Android Tablet confirmed for September?

China Times is reporting that Dell will actually have a variety of MIDs produced by Taiwanese manufacturer Qisda.

While there are absolutely no details about the MID for AT&T, this might be the Dell Streak (pictured below), recently appeared in Vietnam and featuring Android 2.0, 3G, Wi-Fi and a 5MP camera.

Of course, we still have to wait for an official confirmation on all this.

• Dell reconfirms its smartphone plans, will work with top mobile carriers
• Dell Mini 3iX passes the FCC, AT&T 3G included
• Dell’s first Android smartphone looks like the Palm Pre?
• Dell Mini 3iX Android phone turns up in Brazil. With tri-band 3G/HSDPA and Wi-Fi
• Michael Dell confirms Android phone launch in the US

The features of Galaxy Spica include a 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display, HSDPA connectivity, Wi-Fi, GPS, Google mobile services, an 800 MHz processor, DNSe 2.0, 3.5mm headset jack, a 3.2MP camera, MicroSD card support and a 1500 mAh battery. Moreover, Samsung i5700 is the first Android smartphone to support DivX.

Samsung didn’t say how much the Galaxy Spica i5700 costs, but we previously heard that its price is of around €320 ($479).

Another new Samsung product announced today is the Samsung Go, a netbook that will be available via AT&T starting November 22 – at about the same time with the Nokia Booklet 3G.

The Samsung Go features Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition, 3G, a scratch-resistant display, Intel Atom processor and a battery that can last up to 4 hours. No word yet on the price of AT&T’s new netbook.

Via Press release and Press release

• Samsung Galaxy Spica officially announced in Russia
• Samsung Galaxy i5700 in press photos, has Android written all over it
• Samsung i5700 Spica (Galaxy Lite) in new video preview
• Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite in live photos, video
• Samsung Saturn i6500 to be a new Android smartphone

Now LG would like to do it again. The company announced Thursday that there would no doubt be more styles of the innovative watchphone coming out in 2010. While no other details were unsurprisingly announced, it was interesting to note that LG mentioned additional styles in the plural instead of singular.

So what does CES 2010 have in store for the mobile community? Perhaps not just one watchphone, but several.

LG also offered further confirmation on Thursday that there are several new Android touchscreen devices in the works and will be out in 2010, including a little brother to the GW620 (aka Etna). This particular handset is rumored to contain Snapdragon as well as be a touchscreen-only device.

via AndroidCommunity

• Samsung S9110 is a touchscreen watchphone priced at €450
• HTC to release Snapdragon based handsets in Q2 2009
• Orange UK launching the LG GD910 watchphone for £500 on August 27
• Samsung i900 5 mpx WM 6.1 smartphone confirmed (sort of). Available in September 2008
• More HTC Leo Images and Video Emerge; New Details Thrown In

Said handset is called Motorola MT710 and it’s an oPhone, meaning that it runs an Android OS customized for China Mobile.

The MT710 resembles the Droid, but it has no sliding QWERTY keyboard. Its features are similar as well, including a 3.7 inch touchscreen display with 845 x 480 pixels and Wi-Fi. The smartphone will also feature TD-SCDMA connectivity and CMMB (China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting) support.

Details about the exact release date and price of Motorola MT710 are missing.

Another Moto Android phone that should be released soon in China is the Motorola Zeppelin.

Via Tech.qq, Engadget

• Motorola Zeppelin with Android shows up in China
• Samsung Omnia II i8180 headed to China Mobile
• Beijing Olympics seen to boost sales of white-box handsets in China
• Motorola Dext hits Orange UK on October 7; Verizon’s Droid / Tao / Sholes may come on October 30
• Verizon’s HTC Desire shows up in the… dark

The carriers that will launch the Mini 3i are China Mobile and Claro (part of America Movil).

Dell says that its first Android smartphone will be available in China in late November, while Brazilian customers should be able to buy it before the year’s end. The handset’s price was not announced.

Apparently, China gets a 3G-less and Wi-Fi-less Dell Mini 3G, while Brazil will have a version that included both these features – a version probably called Dell Mini 3iX, which may also come to the US, via AT&T, in early 2010.

Via Press release

• Dell Mini 3iX passes the FCC, AT&T 3G included
• Dell Mini 3i smartphone finally launches in China
• Michael Dell confirms Android phone launch in the US
• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Dell Mini 3iX Android phone turns up in Brazil. With tri-band 3G/HSDPA and Wi-Fi

According to Korea Times, SK will launch Android 2.0 phones next year. Apparently, both Samsung and LG have confirmed the fact that they will introduce Android handsets through SK in the first half of 2010.

SK Telecom might market the rumored Android 2.0 phones as iPhone rivals. KT has already announced that it would launch the iPhone in South Korea, so SK needs to offer alternatives to its customers.

Although SK can, theoretically, sell Apple’s handset as well, it looks like it won’t do it too soon.

“We are maintaining a wait-and-see approach for the iPhone. But we don’t intend to be aggressive and push for an early release,” declared an SK Telecom official.

Motorola (which recently launched the Droid / Milestone) is also readying an Android phone for Korea – now let’s wait and see which company releases its Google OS-based handset there first.

• Motorola to make Korea’s first Android phone
• SK Telecom to make its own handsets?
• Apple allowed to sell the iPhone in South Korea
• LG Wine 3G phone to come in September
• Nokia sees poor handset sales in Korea

According to Bloomberg, analyst Mark McKechnie at Broadpoint AmTech Inc. says that Verizon’s stores across the US had about 200,000 Droids at launch and most of the stores sold “at least half of their stock”, so there actually may have been quite well over 100,000 units delivered.

Marketed as an iPhone rival, Motorola Droid is currently available at Verizon for $199.99 with a contract agreement for two years.

Motorola might sell about 1 million Android phones by the end of 2009 (including the Milestone and the Cliq / Dext), and about 9 to 10 million next year. At the same time, analysts expect Apple to ship about 28.5 iPhones in 2010.

• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate
• Motorola posts Q3 results, Mobile Devices unit loses $183 million
• Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris shows up in press and hands-on photos

The Milestone is the world’s first smartphone to use Android 2.0 and comes with many high-end features, including: 3.7 touchscreen display with 480 x 854 pixels, full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, digital compass, stereo speakers, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera and D1 video recording.

All in all, Motorola Milestone will be a very nice addition to Telus’ new line-up of GSM/HSDPA phones, which includes the iPhone, HTC Hero, Nokia E71 and LG New Chocolate BL40.

Update: Motorola has officially announced the Milestone for Telus. It will indeed be available in early 2010, although Moto didn’t say for what price.

Via Mobile Syrup

• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Motorola Zeppelin with Android shows up in China
• Motorola ZN200 slider surfaces
• Motorola Dext to bring Android to Orange UK in October
• HTC Hero and HTC Tattoo launched in Australia

According to HMC Investment Securities, Samsung intends to stop making Symbian handsets starting 2011, and reduce the number of WM devices to 20% (from the total number of smartphones) in 2012.

Next year, the South Korean company plans to launch about 10 Android devices (30% of its total number of smartphones), and several devices based on its own smartphone OS. In 2012, 50% of Samsung’s smartphones may run on its own OS.

Samsung reducing the number of WM phones may not be a surprise, but the fact that the company will no longer make Symbian devices is. After all, Samsung is among the Symbian Foundation’s founding members. But I guess that the HMC report might be wrong. We’ll see.

Via Telecoms Korea

• Samsung almost confirms an Android smartphone for the first half of this year
• Samsung’s first Android phone to come in Q3 2009
• Samsung to increase phone sales by 20% in 2010 (to 270 million units)
• Samsung confirms its Linux-based smartphone OS
• Android and Symbian smartphones to come from Huawei in 2009

Now the same company, Vobis Computer, has announced its next attempt at Android called the Highscreen Zeus, which will be launched in Russia at an unknown time for 13,990 rubles ($483 US). Needless to say, the Zeus has a much nicer ring to the name than PP5420 ever did.

Fortunately we were able to find a pic and some specs on this new device.

Some of the Zeus’ specs include:

• Operating System: Google Android OS
• Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) UMTS / HSDPA / HSUPA (2100 MHz)
• Display: TFT, 3.2 inches diagonal, with a resolution of 240 x 400 pixels (WQVGA)
• QWERTY-keyboard
• Camera: 3 megapixel CMOS, Auto Focus
• Navigation: GPS / AGPS
• Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7225 (528 MHz)
• RAM: 256 MB
• ROM: 512 MB
• Expansion Slot: microSD
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, WiFi 802.11 b/g, micro-USB, 3.5 mm headset jack
• Battery: Lithium-Ion 1010 mAh
• GSM Talk time: up to 480 minutes for GSM
• Standby: up to 400 hours for GSM
• Dimensions: 110 x 55 x 15, 1 mm
• Weight: 124.6 grams

Overall, it sounds like another average Android device, especially considering the inclusion of a 528 MHz processor. We also don’t know which version of the OS will be working on the Zeus.

Among the features of the Zeus will be a brand-new navigation service called iDA which will offer voice turn-by-turn navigation courtesy of a Canadian company by the name of Intrinsync. It will also offer detailed Russian city maps from Navteq.

We will keep you posted on any news of a launch date.

via Mobile-Review

• HighScreen PP5420 – Android phone for Russia
• General Mobile DSTL1 dual-SIM Android phone for the US, Turkey
• General Mobile DSTL1 Imaginary – the first dual-SIM Android smartphone?
• Motorola Sholes to Bring Android 2.0 to Verizon
• Acer A1 with Android 2.0 on pre-order

The FCC has just approved the Mini 3iX (850/1900 GSM and UMTS bands included), so now all AT&T and Dell have to do is announce the smartphone.

As mentioned earlier this week, the Dell Mini 3iX features Wi-Fi – unlike the China-bound Mini 3i. The handset could also come with a 3.5 inch touchscreen display with 640 x 360 pixels, A-GPS, Microsoft Exchange support and a 3MP autofocus camera.

No word yet on what Android version Dell Mini 3iX will run. Anyway, this might be the very first Android phone to be launched by AT&T, and if the price is right, there will probably be many customers to buy it.

Via FCC

• Dell Mini 3iX Android phone turns up in Brazil. With tri-band 3G/HSDPA and Wi-Fi
• Dell’s China-bound Android smartphone spec’d, new photos show up
• Dell Mini 3i smartphone finally launches in China
• Dell Mini 3i officially announced for Claro Brazil, China Mobile
• HTC makes the HD2 (Leo) official

There have been enough leaked pics and videos of the Behold II that its overall look and feel are no longer in question, and certainly no longer a mystery. And we’ve already heard nearly-confirmed rumors that the device will officially be on sale beginning November 18. So now all that’s left is an official proclamation that the Behold II exists and really is coming out when we all expect it to.

Behold II. Tell your friends.

Just in case you need a refresher on what it looks like, check this pic out below:

via IntoMobile

• T-Mobile’s Samsung Behold and Samsung Gravity now official
• Blackberry Storm 2 Official Video is Now Out
• HTC S522 approved by FCC with T-Mobile 3G support
• Nokia N900 delayed a bit, will start shipping in November
• T-Mobile Release Date Rumors: Tap, Behold II

This particular one is called the Saygus VPhone V1 and has already cleared the FCC for approval. Saygus is a relatively new player on the market, though this would certainly give immediate name-recognition to the brand.

Besides having EVDO Rev A, how can we be so sure the VPhone is coming to Verizon? Saygus’ own website is confirming it. They mention this to be not only the third Android phone to come to Verizon, but also the first to be approved via Verizon’s own Open Development Program.

We have specs and pics ready to throw at all of you. Specs first:

• 3.5-inch 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen
• 624 MHz Processor
• 5 MP autofocus camera
• 512 MB ROM, 256 MB RAM
• WiFi/Bluetooth/GPS/Possible MiFi
  
• MicroSD slot
• Front-facing camera (will this be omitted from Verizon’s final version?)
• FM Radio
• No 3.5 mm jack
• Accelerometer/compass

Not bad. The processor could always welcome a nice bump up in speed, though 624 is still quite respectable for current standards.

Here are a few pics from the FCC files.

Likely release timeframe is set to be early 2010 as of now, but is not confirmed and always subject to change.

Are you intrigued?

via FCC File; via Slashgear

• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate
• Motorola Tao Will be Droid on Verizon, to Offer Flash?
• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99
• Rumored HTC Passion Coming to Verizon, is a HD2 With Android?

What the heck’s happening with this Android stuff? All was peachy with the Android 1.0, Android 1.1, Android 1.5 Cupcake, and even Android 1.6 Donut releases.

Google will make OS available, cellphone vendors will take the package and make cool smartphones with it. Everyone gets the same version and releases handsets with it, accordingly.

Then came the announcement of Android 2.0 running Verizon/Motorola Droid, release of Android 2.0 SDK to developers, and things started getting really confusing.

With much more advanced and visually appealing Android 2.0 available, and already running on one phone, one would expect other vendors to jump on the bandwagon, and announce Eclair running handsets as soon as they can.

But no, all others, announcing their Android smartphones, for some mysterious reason, are using the old 1.6 Donut version of the OS.  Even for the high end models, that will ship only next year, like Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, or other Verizon Droid series handsets, like HTC Eris.

And I think,  I know what this reason is.

There simply is no 2.0 version of Android operating system yet. At least in a way, we usually consider a software package to be ready for a version X.0 number.

What we do have as an OS, Google, Motorola and Verizon call Android 2.0 for marketing purposes, is a pre-release/beta version of the software, optimized to run on a single device by a single vendor.

If you think it’s unlikely that Google will give one vendor such a strong preference, to launch a competing device, with a more advanced version of OS, think again.

This is exactly the same thing Google did last year, when they really wanted to get their OS into the market, before the year/holiday season was over. Google worked directly with HTC, optimizing the unfinished operating system to run on a single handset. Then they called it Android 1.0, and launched HTC G1/Dream handset running on it. With tons of unfinished/absent features, bugs and all.

Even Andy Rubin himself admitted, that Android 1.0 wasn’t really a software package worthy of 1.0 tag. Android reached that level only with the release of the Cupcake 1.5/Donut 1.6 updates. That’s when all other vendors felt that the software was actually ready for their phones, and got busy releasing them.

The launch of Motorola Droid, is sort of a deja vu of the things that happened last year.

Close integration work exclusively for a single handset, from a single vendor. Advanced version of the OS, not available to other vendors. The feeling of a rushed job, manifesting in illogically unfinished/absent features (see the dismal multimedia/sync experience, camera issues, universal search limitations, laginess of basic UI elements, etc;  that Gizmodo found on Droid).

All are the mirror thing of the problems the original G1 faced in November 2008.

So, to anyone waiting for another Android 2.0 handset to be released anytime soon, sorry. You won’t be seeing any of them this year. If ever.

My guess is, that Android 2.0 will remain exclusive to Motorola Droid/Milestone. Just like Android 1.0 was exclusive to HTC Dream/G1.

The rest of us, who will not pick up Droid, will have to wait for the release of Android 2.1/Flan, to get our hands on the next generation Android goodness. The handsets with which should be announced in February 2010, and start shipping sometime in March/April.

• Samsung Spica and BigFoot Android 2.0/ Donut phone details leaked
• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• Verizon and Google officially promise several Android phones
• Verizon’s HTC Desire shows up in the… dark
• GSM Motorola Droid caught on video

As rumored, Verizon will sell the Droid Eris for 99.99 on contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate) starting November 6, the same day when the more expensive Motorola Droid becomes available.

The features of HTC Droid Eris include a 3.2 inch HVGA touchscreen display, HTC Sense UI, Wi-Fi, GPS and digital compass, HTML browser with Flash Lite, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera, and an 8GB MicroSD card in the box.

Unlike the Motorola Droid which will come with Android 2.0, HTC Droid Eris runs Android 1.5 (but it might be upgraded to 2.0).

Verizon has also (silently) launched the LG Chocolate Touch VX8575.

Available starting today for $79.99 on contract, the LG Chocolate Touch features EV-DO Rev. 0 connectivity, a 3 inch touchscreen display with 400 x 240 pixels, VZ Navigator, HTML web browser, Dolby Mobile sound, 3.5mm headset jack, FM radio, 3.2MP camera, 1GB of internal memory, and MicroSD card support.

Via Gizmodo

• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99
• Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris shows up in press and hands-on photos
• Verizon’s LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 shows up again
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate
• Verizon’s Samsung Rogue and Samsung Intensity appear in official photos

In time for Thanksgiving, the company will be offering its own T-Mobile channel within the Android Market, which will offer recommendations on which content to download, in order to add ease to the customer’s experience in finding new apps and downloads.

But wait, there’s more. T-Mo will also be adding in support for billing the customer’s account as an alternative to using Google Checkout whenever downloading a purchased Android app.

Carrier billing is somewhat unusual in the States for App Stores. Purchases made on the iPhone App Store, for example, are billed to the customer’s iTunes account instead of AT&T directly. Venetia Espinoza, Director of Mobile Applications and Partner Programs explained that:

We are making it very easy to purchase apps. Historically, research has shown that with carrier billing, there’s a big uptick of 30 to 40 percent in app or content downloads….We’ve been working very closely with Google over the last several months to integrate the Android Market with our internal billing gateway.

Any interesting insights to the news? Do you believe the “research” that’s been done to prove carrier billing is more popular?

via MocoNews

• Google to add carrier billing to Android Market
• Paid Android apps confirmed for this month
• Google and Baidu to fight over China’s mobile search market
• Google Analytics now available for mobile apps (Android and iPhone)
• Google Mobile App for BlackBerry now available

If you’re in the UK, you should know that leading mobile operators O2 and T-Mobile will not offer the Milestone at all – or at least that’s what T3 is reporting.

Apparently, T-Mobile UK tested the Droid about six months ago; Nicola Shenton, the operator’s Head of Handset and Device Marketing, confirmed that they chose not to carry it. The exact reason for this is unknown, but it may have something to do with the fact that T-Mo already sells three Android phones in the UK: G1, Hero and Pulse.

So it looks like it’s up to Vodafone, Orange or 3 to bring the Milestone to UK consumers. Let’s hope that at least one of these operators will announce the new Android 2.0 smartphone soon.

• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• T-Mobile USA’s second Android phone to come this month, possibly not from HTC
• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Sony Ericsson to ditch Windows Mobile, prepare Android and Symbian smartphones for 2010
• Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris shows up in press and hands-on photos

While Motorola didn’t say anything about tethering being available for its latest and greatest smartphone – the Droid – it looks like Verizon will offer the feature, although not this year.

According to Gearlog, the largest US carrier will allow tethering for the Droid in early 2010, thanks to its Broadband Access Connect plan – this will probably add $15 to your Droid monthly plan.

As a reminder, Verizon will sell the Motorola Droid starting November 6, for $199.99 on contract – many of Verizon’s stores will open early in the morning.

• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• 100,000 Motorola Droids sold by Verizon in the first week-end?
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate
• Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris shows up in press and hands-on photos
• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch

Known as Motorola Droid in the US (where Verizon will release it on November 6), the Milestone is clearly one of Moto’s nicest handsets to date.

The highlight features of Milestone / Droid include: 3.7 inch TFT multi-touch display with 854 x 480 pixels, full QWERTY keyboard, HSDPA/HSUPA connectivity, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm headset jack, and a 1400 mAh battery.

Motorola Milestone will be available in Brazil before the year’s end, via TIM, the third largest Brazilian mobile carrier. The smartphone’s price was not unveiled (however, you should know that in the US it will cost $200 on contract).

Via Press release

• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99
• Telus officially launching Motorola Milestone (Droid) in early 2010
• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate

It really shouldn’t be a surprise to too many Android fans, considering the short turnaround time between 1.6 and 2.0. It’s natural to assume Google would already be hard at work getting the next available version ready for developers as soon as possible. This ability to quickly update definitely can be a sign of a healthy mobile OS with a load of potential.

Here’s how it was discovered: Android and Me’s webmasters were tracking the site’s analytics reports and found that 0.04% of its traffic was coming from Android 2.1, instead of any other OS. It seems like such an incredibly simple approach, yet it worked rather well.

There are no reports of any brand-new features in 2.1 as of yet; all that is known for sure is that 2.1 will be a minor update to fix bugs from 2.0 and will be ready by the end of 2009. Still, that’s a rather fast turnaround time for an OS to get all major bugs fixed that soon.

via Android and Me, via PhoneArena

• Google Analytics now available for mobile apps (Android and iPhone)
• Google Chrome for Android in the works?
• Bug in Android phone triggers reboot with 8 keystrokes
• Samsung Spica and BigFoot Android 2.0/ Donut phone details leaked
• WAT: Why there ain’t more phones with Android 2.0. And there won’t be soon, if ever

The data provided by Google Analytics helps app developers find out how users interact with their apps, what features they use more and so on.

To learn more about Google Analytics for Android and iPhone mobile apps, you should read the technical documentation and check out the SDK on Google’s website.

The video below shows how Redfin (an online brokerage for buying and selling homes) uses Google Analytics with their mobile app:

Via the Google Mobile Blog

• Google brings books to Android, iPhone. Boasts about its OCR tech
• Google Product Search now available for iPhone, Android
• Google launches Finance for Android
• Google Mobile products to feature flawless integration with online counterparts in T-Mobile G1
• Paid Android apps confirmed for this month

Those who are eagerly waiting to buy a Droid should visit local stores to check the exact opening hours (note that Verizon’s Mall stores will not open early).

In addition to launching the Motorola Droid, Verizon will “host demonstrations at select locations to help customers get the most” from the new Android smartphone.

Moreover, the largest US mobile carrier announced “Droid Does Times Square” – an interactive experience that will be set up in New York City, allowing callers to control two of Times Square’s largest digital billboards (from NASDAQ and Reuters) via voice commands. Participants will be able to call a toll-free number and search for any location they want – which will then be displayed on the giant boards thanks to Google Maps. “Droid Does Times Square” will take place from November 6 through November 20.

The Droid by Motorola (known as Motorola Milestone in Europe) is not only the world’s first device to come with Android 2.0, but also the first Android phone to have a touchscreen display of 854 x 480 pixels (Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is the second to have such a display). Other features include a full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, and a 5MP autofocus camera.

Verizon will sell the Motorola Droid for $199.99 with a 2-year contract agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. If you don’t want to wait for that rebate, you can buy the Droid from Best Buy.

Via email Press releae

• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99
• Verizon’s Motorola Droid to get tethering in early 2010
• Best Buy pre-selling Motorola Droid on October 29, no mail-in rebate
• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch
• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included

And they are indeed pretty cool.

But today’s announcement actually gives even more hints, about how Sony Ericsson plans to go bout making new devices that should get it out of the current slump.

One of the first steps in SE plans, is making this *scape user interface, into an open UI platform, across multiple lines of devices.

Sony Ericsson head of portfolio planning has confirmed to Electricpig.co.uk that they do plan to port the new UI to Symbian handsets. And I will not be at all surprised, if their  own high end feature phones will get the same UX  too.

The other thing, revealed in Sony Ericsson communication to developers today, is that they plan to open Mediascape and Timescpe UI apps to third party developers, by releasing SDK sometime in 2010. According to SE:

We are keen to open up the APIs for these applications, and we welcome a dialog with developers to get ideas and feedback, with a view to launching a Sony Ericsson SDK in early 2010.

This common UI across multiple platforms approach, is actually nothing new. All major handset vendors are already doing it, in one way or another. HTC has the Sense UI, LG created “S-Class”, Samsung uses TouchWiz, which even has an SDK for third party widgets, etc;

But it’s good to see Sony Ericsson finally getting in tune with the industry trends with their multi platform user interface initiative and pretty cool devices. Both,  Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and Timescape/Mediascape UX apps, look good, albeit extremely laggy, in presentation and limited demos.

Hope they will iron out the bugs in a couple of months remaining before launch.  Which  was pretty nice.

Now comes the “easy” part. Implementation

• First handsets running Symbian Foundation’s open-source OS out in 2010
• Nokia S60 Devices to get touch interface next year
• Android 0.9 SDK beta released
• Sony Ericsson Rachael’s Android UI demoed on video
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is official, comes with Android 1.6, new UX platform and more

Some of them turn out to be a complete BS, a few happen to be spot on, and quite a few are somewhere in the middle. I’d like to share them to get some input of whether I’m going completely bonkers, or not.

So I’m starting a new category of posts on UV – “Wild arsed theories” or WAT – just for this purpose. These will be a pure speculation on my part, based on some things I see happing in the market.

Today lets start with the Android stuff.  With the release of Motorola Milestone in Europe, two questions have been buggering me.

1. Why there’s no Google’s  free turn-by-turn navigation app in a European version of Droid (Motorola Milestone).

2. What’s happening with the frigging Android OS upgrades? First we get Android 1.6 Donut upgrade. Then, in a few weeks, a phone running Android 2.0/Eclair comes out. However none of the other Android handsets, coming out this year, mention anything about Android 2.0.  All of them, apparently, are still running Android 1.6. Even uber high end Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, announced today, but due only in Q1 2010.

Well, I think, I may have answers to both of these questions. Let’s start with the first today, and get to second tomorrow.

Why there is no free turn-by-turn navigation in Motorola Milestone? And it ain’t comig anytime soon

It all comes down to the mapping data. Take a look at these screenshots:

See the difference? The copyright notice for the area around Kansas City says that map data is owned by Google. The same notice for London says that map data is owned by Tele Atlas.

And it’s the same all over the world. Play a bit with Google maps yourself. What you will see is that the map data anywhere in the United States is owned by Google. Even in remote places like Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Just cross the border, to Canada or Mexico, and another company name springs up in the map data ownership field.  TeleAtlas, INEGO, Europa Technologies, etc;

What this tells us is, that, for now, Google has collected enough of it’s own mapping  data only for the United States. And since they own the data there, they are free to use it however they like. Including provision of a free turn-by-turn navigation services, that screws the business model for paid nav service and gadget providers like Garmin and TomTom.

But all the mapping data for Western Europe in Google maps, is provided by TeleAtlas, owned by Tom Tom. Do you think Tom Tom is eager to provide Google with the data that could destroy their paid service and the main income source? I am pretty sure, that somewhere in a contract between Tele Atlas and Google, there is a clause, explicitly forbidding Google to offer tbt navigation, using Tele Atlas data.

So now what? Tough luck for us, Europeans? No free navigation from Google here?

Yes. For now.

But don’t think Google is sitting still and won’t be able to collect all that European map data for itself. Those Google Street View  cars are not driving around just for fun.

We know that Google is able to collect it’s own mapping data and they are heavily investing in it. They already did so in the U.S, after all. And as soon as Google has enough of it for Western Europe, the navigation services will come here too.

Thank’s to OScarB and vowe for pointing me in the right derection

• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• New Google-Tele Atlas deal will give users improved maps, chance to change the world
• Apple patents iPhone Mobile Navigation / Mapping App
• Google intros free Maps Navigation for Android 2.0, Garmin and TomTom stocks plummet
• Motorola V9x RAZR2 Arriving in AT&T Stores

The X10 will run Android 1.6 Donut (why not Android 2.0?), coming with a new UX (user experience) platform that we’ve seen before. This UX platform should provide a unique user experience, as it’s “combining best-in-class entertainment features with signature applications, unrivalled integration of social media services and a rich graphical user interface.”

As previously rumored, the Xperia X10 is based on a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 processor – being the second Android phone to use a Snapdragon platform, after the Acer Liquid A1.

With the X10, users will have access to both Android Market and Play Now Arena. At the same time with the X10, Sony Ericsson will introduce two new features: Sony Ericsson Timescape, which “manages all your communication with one person in one place – you can browse through your conversations the bright way to check out your Facebook, Twitter, photos, emails, and texts all in one go”; and Sony Ericsson Mediascape, which “is the smart way to get all the music, photos and videos you want from your favorite friends and artists. It accesses content from everywhere – your phone, YouTube, PlayNow – and presents everything for you.”

Here are the phone’s main specs and features:

• GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• UMTS HSPA 900/1700/2100 or UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900/2100
• 4.0 inches scratch-resistant capacitive touchscreen display with 480 x 854 pixels
• Wi-Fi
• Gesture control
• GPS
• Google Maps with Street View
• Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation (free trial version)
• WebKit web browser
• Gmail
• Google Calendar
• Google Media Uploader
• Google phone-top search
• Google search widget
• Google Talk
• Google Voice Search
• 3.5mm headset jack
• Bluetooth
• MicroUSB
• 8.1MP autofocus camera with touch focus, intelligent face recognition, smile detection, image and video stabilizer, and geotagging (no flash, though)
• 1GB of internal memory
• 8GB MicroSD card included
• 119 x 63 x 13 mm
• 135 grams

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and X10a will be available starting the first quarter of 2010, in two color versions: Sensuous Black and Luster White. The smartphone’s price was not announced.

Sony Ericsson says about the X10 that it’s “the flagship phone in a family of phones coming to market during the first half of 2010”, so we should expect more Android handsets to be announced soon by the Swedish-Japanese company.

An Xperia X10 promo video can be watched below:

Via Press release

• First Sony Ericsson Xperia (X5?) Android phone “Rachael”, and strange “Kiki” with transparent display
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 finally official, ships with WM 6.5 in early Q4 2009
• Sony Ericsson Rachael’s Android UI demoed on video
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael teaser video shows up
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael already unboxed

We saw a Wi-Fi and 3G less Dell Mini 3i officially launch in China, and we’ve heard that it may soon come to the United States.

But the U.S may not be the first country in Americas to get the new Dell handset.

Dell Mini 3iX just turned up on a site of a telecoms regulatory authority in Brazil.

And the X branded version comes with those things we missed most  in it’s Chinese sibling – Wi-Fi and 3G UMTS/HSDPA connectivity. With no less then 3 bands of it – 850/1900/2100 MHz.

We are not sure about the rest of the specs,  but if they remain unchanged, Dell Mini 3iX should come equipped with:

• 3.5 inch touchscreen display with 640 x 360 pixels, 262K colors and handwriting recognition
• Multi touch User Interface
• Virtual QWERTY keyboard
• A-GPS
• Microsoft Exchange support
• Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, USB 2.0
• 3MP autofocus camera with flash and 30fps video recording
• MicroSD card support
• 122 x 58 x 11.7 mm
• 103 grams

• Dell’s China-bound Android smartphone spec’d, new photos show up
• Dell Mini 3iX passes the FCC, AT&T 3G included
• Dell Mini 3i smartphone finally launches in China
• DioTek’s DioPen 7 for Windows Mobile now available
• Samsung W599, a dual CDMA/GSM phone

There were enough trustworthy sources and hints, claiming that this hot Motorola Android 2.0 handset is headed for Europe too.

We just didn’t expect to get it across the pond quite so fast. Motorola Droid was just announced by Verizon last week, and today it already launches as Motorola Milestone in Europe.

Motorola Milestone is is not exactly the same phone as Verizon Droid. In one way it’s better – Motorola Milestone comes with multi-touch pinch&zoom gesture support, which, for some reason, was disabled in Droid.

But it loses free turn-by-turn navigation from Google, probably because this feature is not ready for primetime in Europe yet. Instead Motorola Milestone comes with a trial version of MOTONAV turn-by-turn navigation, which is free for the first 60 days, but then a license fee kicks-in.

Otherwise Motorola Milestone is the same old Droid with:

• WCDMA/900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA, GPRS connectivity
• Android 2.0 OS
• 3.7″; WVGA (480 x 854 pixels); 16:9 widescreen; PPI 267
• 5 megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi, GPS, Accelerometer
• 1400 mAh battery

And all other goodies original Droid had.

Italy and Germany will be the first markets to get Motorola Milestone,other markets will have to wait for it a bit.

Via: Motorola

• WAT: Why Europeans did not get Google’s free turn-by-turn navigation on Motorola Milestone
• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• Nokia offers one week free navigation on Maps
• Moto Droid / Milestone not coming to O2 and T-Mobile in the UK?

We knew the Moment was coming on November 1 – and it’s nice to see that Sprint kept its promise and actually released it the day it said it would.

Coming as Sprint’s second Android phone (after the HTC Hero), Samsung Moment features a full QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2 inch HVGA AMOLED touchscreen display, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 3.2MP autofocus camera with flash, and an 800MHz processor.

Sprint sells the Samsung Moment for $179.99 on contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate).

Sanyo 3810, the second new phone launched by Sprint today, is an entry-level clamshell with features like: 2.4 inch QVGA internal display, GPS, web browser, Bluetooth and a 1.3MP camera.

The Sanyo 3810 is free on contract, after a $50 mail-in rebate. You can get it in two color versions: Regal Red and Black Onyx.

• Sanyo SCP-2700 and LG Lotus in red announced by Sprint
• Samsung Moment (InstinctQ) with Android announced by Sprint
• Verizon’s Samsung Rogue and Samsung Intensity appear in official photos
• Verizon’s Samsung Rogue and Intensity now available
• Sprint launches Samsung M330, camera-less BlackBerry Tour 9630

The demo here is concentrated on Rachael’s media player, which looks quite different from what we’re used to see on other Android phones.

If we’re to believe the title of the video, the Rachael’s 4 inch touchscreen display has a resolution of 480 x 854 – just like the display of Motorola Droid (which seems to be one of this year’s nicest Android handsets).

November 3 is the date when Sony Ericsson plans to officially announce the Rachael Xperia X3 (or X10) – let’s hope the phone will meet the high expectations everyone has about it.

Via Engadget

• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael teaser video shows up
• Sony Ericsson Rachael’s Android UI demoed on video
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 confirmed by Skyhook CEO?
• First Sony Ericsson Xperia (X5?) Android phone “Rachael”, and strange “Kiki” with transparent display

The i6500 Saturn has recently received its Wi-Fi interoperability certification (PDF link), so it will surely feature Wi-Fi.

According to Tweakers.net, the rest of the phone’s features should be similar to the ones of Samsung Galaxy i7500, although its processor might be an 800MHz one rather than a 528MHz one. Reportedly, the i6500 runs Android 1.5, but it will probably be launched with Android 2.0.

Unfortunately, we can’t see what the Saturn i6500 looks like, since there are no available photos of it at the moment.

Samsung Saturn i6500 should be released sometime in 2010, for a retail price of around €300 ($442).

• Samsung Galaxy i5700 in press photos, has Android written all over it
• Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite in live photos, video
• The price of Samsung i7500 Galaxy unlocked: about $800
• Samsung Galaxy Lite i5700 coming soon?
• Samsung Galaxy i7500 in white – coming soon

About ten days ago, The Street quoted analyst Ashok Kumar, who has reportedly talked with unnamed Google partners and said that a Google-branded Android phone is in the making.

Well, according to CNET, Andy Rubin declared the following: “We’re not making hardware. We’re enabling other people to build hardware.” So it looks like, at least for the time being, Google has absolutely no plans to build its own phone.

Rubin also mentioned that such a phone would only compete with Google’s customers. And speaking of Google’s customers, I’ve counted 13 Android phones that were officially announced until now:

• HTC Dream / T-Mobile G1
• HTC Magic / T-Mobile myTouch 3G
• HTC Hero
• HTC Tattoo
• Samsung i7500 Galaxy
• Samsung i5700 Spica
• Samsung Moment
• Samsung Behold II
• Motorola Cliq / Dext
• Motorola Droid
• LG GW620
• Acer Liquid A1
• Huawei T-Mobile Pulse

Many more Android phones will come later this year and in 2010 (including the Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael), so Android is likely to become hugely popular without the existence of a Googlephone anyway.

• The Google Phone is reportedly “very real”. Wouldn’t that make Andy Rubin a liar?
• 18 to 20 new Android phones coming this year, says Google
• Motorola Dext / Cliq previewed. Low price apparently confirmed
• Orange UK confirms: Motorola Dext comes in October, free on contract
• INQ to release Android phones starting next year

Sony Ericsson posted a teaser video with what’s going to be unveiled on this date, and the phone we can see in the video is the white version of X3 / Rachael (spotted several times until now around the Web).

Sadly, the video doesn’t tell us much, so we still have to wait until November 3 to finally take a look at the official Rachael X3 (or X10, or whatever Sony Ericsson will name it in the end).

The Rachael will be Sony Ericsson’s first Android smartphone. Its features should include a 4 inch WVGA touchscreen display, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, 8MP autofocus camera and a 3.5mm headset jack.

Until all these features get to be confirmed, here’s the promised teaser video:

Via Engadget

• Sony Ericsson Rachael (X3) to be announced on November 3; SE Kurara coming soon too
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael already unboxed
• Sony Ericsson Rachael’s Android UI demoed on video
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael specs unveiled
• Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Rachael to be called X10?

Considering the general public’s concern on the drain the iPhone’s demand has been on AT&T’s 3G network, Verizon Director of data services for the Illinois-Wisconsin region Arvin Singh is attempting to put those concerns to rest.

He says Verizon expects heavy demand of the Motorola Droid, and it has long architected its EV-DO Revision A network to handle these kinds of capacities.

“We’re anticipating the Droid will be a blockbuster, but we’re not adding any new backhaul or new EV-DO carriers for the launch. We’re not anticipating the network will take a hit on this.”

Obviously Verizon is rather confident in its network. So the big test is coming. They expect a blockbuster phone, and there is a very good chance the Droid will live up to the expectations. Now we sit back and see how right or wrong Verizon was in making those claims.

We know it would be difficult to be any worse than the iPhone’s strain on AT&T’s current data network, but will Verizon be any better off? VZW is almost cocky about its network, but AT&T is usually just as confident about its data capabilities.

via TelephonyOnline

• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• SFR combines its HSPA and optical fiber networks
• Verizon to Launch Droid, Droid Eris on Nov 6
• Verizon-Motorola Droid event promises “the most desirable phone of 2009″
• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99

At first Sanjay mentioned the number of new smartphones would be in “multiple tens”, before clarifying that at least 20 would be released.

This seems to be a rather good indication that Motorola is back on the right track, and is ready to pull some hefty competition on everyone else.

So here’s the thing: given Motorola’s dumping of virtually every OS but Android, we’re wondering how many of these 20+ smartphones will be Android and how many will be WinMo. We know Moto isn’t interested in 6.5 but most likely is waiting for 7 to come out; will it be a 50/50 split between WM7 and Android?

As you know, I love to speculate and ask questions. Only time will be able to answer those questions, but my hope is to spark conversation in our comments about this. My brain tells me it’s too soon for Motorola to make such a large commitment before posting some good quarterly numbers, but it shows that Moto is very confident in its future, and that should be applauded.

via Gearlog

• Motorola Devour Arrives at the Party, Puts on Nametag
• HTC Confirms its Involvement With Android 2.0
• Motorola to ditch Symbian, bet on Android and outsource WinMo phone production
• Motorola Android phone confirmed for Verizon for Q4 2009?
• GSM Motorola Droid caught on video

Peter Chou conducted an interview with Forbes yesterday and talked about quite a few aspects of the smartphone industry. But what was most interesting to us was his declaration:

Technically, we could make the HD2 an Android phone, but I have to take care of Windows Mobile.

Blammo. Just like that, all hope has been lost. Or has it?

I personally got a couple things from that nugget. He mentioned the HD2 specifically won’t be an Android phone. There will only be one flavor of HD2, and that’s Windows Mobile. But the rumor I mentioned specifically about the HTC Passion, was supposed to be an “equivalent” of the HD2; not actually the HD2 itself.

So my opinion is that the HTC Passion could be very real still, and could easily be on its way to Verizon. Technically it’s not the HD2, just a heck of a lot like it.

I also found it interesting when he said “I have to take care of Windows Mobile”, as if he were in The Godfather. As if he owes Microsoft something. This statement hints at some sort of mandatory contract or agreement HTC has with Microsoft to carry a certain number or percentage of Windows phones in a given year. I wonder if there’s any validity to that.

Thoughts? Feel free to call me out if there are flaws in my logic.

via Forbes

• Rumored HTC Passion Coming to Verizon, is a HD2 With Android?
• Microsoft to limit number of Windows Mobile devices on the way to announcing something major at MWC 2009
• Nokia N73 Godfather Edition comes out
• Windows Mobile 7 will feature Social Networking integration
• T-Mobile moving from WM to Android worldwide?

Well, the third largest US carrier prepares even more surprises for 2010.

According to GearLog, Sprint executive David Owens has just unveiled some of the carrier’s plans for next year.

Reportedly, Sprint plans to launch WiMax phones, plus lots of HTC and BlackBerry smartphones in 2010 – with the mention that the HTC ones will run Android and some BlackBerries will feature Wi-Fi.

Speaking of Android, Sprint says that handsets using Google’s OS “will get less expensive” as soon as more such handsets are released. Next year, the carrier might launch hybrid CDMA/GSM Android phones, and even an “Android phone with a built-in MiFi-type router.”

Sprint has also confirmed that Android updates will come to Samsung Moment and HTC Hero, although it’s not clear yet if we’re talking about Android 2.0.

Despite all this Android talk, Sprint hasn’t forgotten about Windows Mobile. WM 6.5 updates should come in early 2010 to the HTC Touch Pro2 and other WM phones. Moreover, Sprint is eagerly waiting for Windows Mobile 7 devices, although their release obviously depends on Microsoft.

• Android Devices Being Brought in Q4
• HTC Hero with Android to be exclusively sold by Orange
• Andy Rubin says Google won’t make an Android phone of its own
• Sprint to launch WM 6.5 Samsung Intrepid (Ace II), Samsung Moment
• First Samsung Android smartphone to come in June; other two handsets promised for the US

The Droid Eris should be Verizon’s second Android smartphone, after the Motorola Droid – in fact, previous rumors have it that the Eris will actually be available at the same time with the Moto Droid, starting November 6 (but no one can officially confirm this at the moment).

Interestingly, the Eris will not come with Android 2.0 from the beginning, and BGR says that the smartphone is “overall the same as the Sprint Hero but for some reason it seems faster, slightly thinner and taller.”

Here are two hands-on photos of the Droid Eris:

And the handset’s official look (via PhoneArena):

Verizon should sell the HTC Droid Eris for $99.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement.

• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch
• Rumor: Droid Eris to sell at $99
• CDMA HTC Hero approved by FCC – Sprint launch imminent?
• HTC Hero (Predator?) apparently confirmed for Verizon
• Sprint intros the Android HTC Hero – available starting October 11

The giant American retailer announced that it would pre-sell Verizon’s Moto Droid starting October 29, offering a $100 instant saving instead of a mail-in rebate. This way, you can get the Droid for $199.99 right away (a 2-yr Verizon contract agreement is obviously required).

Of course, even if you pre-buy the Droid on October 29, you’ll still have to wait until November 6 to have it.

In case you don’t know yet, Motorola Droid is the world’s first smartphone to run Android 2.0 (Eclair). Its features include a 3.7 inch WVGA multi-touch display, full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera with flash, and an ARM Cortex A8 550 MHz processor.

Via Press release

• Brazil gets the Motorola Milestone too, multi-touch included
• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch
• Verizon announces HTC Imagio, Nokia 2705 Shade, Motorola Barrage and more
• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• Verizon Motorola Droid announced, comes on Nov. 6 for $199.99

Google Mobile App will be launched by Orange across many Orange Signature handsets, including phones running Symbian S60, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry OS. The app will include links to Google News, Google Mail, Google Maps, the Orange mobile portal, and other services.

Orange will also launch a Google Search widget for its Android Signature phones. Moreover, starting this month, Android phones like HTC Tattoo (UK, France, Spain), HTC Hero (France) and LG Eve (France, Spain) get to have specially created services like Orange Email Wizard.

Orange is the first global mobile operator to offer Google Search App on different mobile platform. The company said that internet search on phones increased by 120% over the last year.

Via Press Release

• HTC Hero costs €99 in Spain with an Orange contract
• HTC Hero with Android to be exclusively sold by Orange
• Nokia Messaging by Orange announced
• Orange Android blitz: Sony Ericsson, Motorola Android phones, HTC Hero, Cupcake updates and more
• HTC Tattoo (Click) announced, ships in October

Gdgt has a source on good authority that knows the Droid Eris will be available with contract for $99, compared to the $199 price point of the Droid.

This actually makes a lot of sense. For one, the Eris will be a hard sell if it’s offered at the same cost as its more popular Android cousin. Especially if it isn’t rocking Eclair right from the get-go.

We want to hear from anyone who is planning on buying one of the two new Droid-series handsets. Would the $99/199 pricing make a difference on your decision? Which one are you going to go with?

via Gdgt

• Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris shows up in press and hands-on photos
• Verizon to Launch Droid, Droid Eris on Nov 6
• Verizon announces the HTC Droid Eris, launches the LG Chocolate Touch
• Droid Will be an Entire Series; HTC Desire Becomes Droid Eris
• HTC Hero, Android 2.0 to Come Together

The rumors are true! Hero will be getting an Eclair update. We ask for your patience as we update Sense for the fancy new Android OS.

Less than 140 characters long, yet it tells so much more. We just recently learned that HTC has been using Android 2.0 in-house for some time now and would be putting it in models in the near future.

Up until now the only device known to have the Eclair update on it is the Motorola Droid, just announced yesterday. So as far as we know, this will be the second device to have Eclair. That is, unless some other phone comes out with it first.

How will Sense UI fit into Eclair?  And will we now see a huge flood of other Android devices following suit with 2.0 updates?

via HTC Twitter

• HTC Confirms its Involvement With Android 2.0
• Droid Will be an Entire Series; HTC Desire Becomes Droid Eris
• Rumor: Droid Eris to sell at $99
• Verizon’s HTC Desire shows up in the… dark
• Sense UI update for HTC Magic is here. Only in Taiwan for now

Designed from the ground to leverage on your handset’s Internet connection, Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 offer lots of nice features, including: the latest map and business data, search and search by voice (in English), traffic view, satellite view, Google street view, and car dock mode.

Unlike most of the GPS services offered by major companies (like Garmin and TomTom), Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 is free.

Probably that’s why, almost immediately after Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 was announced, the stocks of Garmin and TomTom have plummeted (as Engadget pointed out).

Here’s video presentation of Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 (and yes, that phone is Verizon’s Motorola Droid – which was also spotted in GSM flavor):

All in all, Android is really becoming a threat to almost all companies that are directly or indirectly related to the mobile industry. And that’s a good thing, since competition eventually means better products for us, the end users.

Via the Official Google Mobile Blog

• WAT: Why Europeans did not get Google’s free turn-by-turn navigation on Motorola Milestone
• Verizon opens stores early for the Motorola Droid
• Motorola Milestone (Droid) officially launched in Europe. Gets multi-touch, loses free navigation
• Google Maps Editor for Android released
• Google optimizes search results pages for iPhone and Android