HTC Hero

The HTC Hero is comparable to the iPhone, sharing a similar keyboard-less design. Again, it’s with the software that the HTC Hero shines, with Android living up to the title some have given it, that of ‘game changer’. Its completely open source nature makes adapting the OS very easy, and the interface itself is once again a finger-friendly, sleek, and polished affair, with gesture controls the order of the day. The tight integration of the full Google suite (including Apps and Gmail), makes it a real force to be reckoned with, and it has to be said that the HTC Hero is a truly stunning phone.

Toshiba TG01

Next up is a phone that really gives Windows Mobile the grunt it needs to run properly: the Toshiba TG01. In terms of outstanding new technologies, what the Toshiba TG01 brings to the party isn’t the 4.1 inch display (although that’s noteworthy in itself), but what’s inside it. The Toshiba TG01 uses a next-gen, dual-core Snapdragon processor, which runs at 1GHz, and that means the Toshiba TG01 is the most powerful phone in existence… which is good, because in terms of other features, a lot of other phones leave the Toshiba TG01 in the dust…

Palm Pre

So, the HTC Hero is the open source contender. And the Toshiba TG01 is the only one with a super-fast 1GHz processor. What does the Palm Pre offer that’s different? Well, one could talk about the WebOS interface it uses, as it’s unique in the annals of phone history. And indeed, there’s one feature of WebOS, directly related to the keyboard, that makes the Palm Pre so cool. Universal search. Now, many phones do that, but the Palm Pre does it so much more cleverly. Just start typing what you want to know about, from the front screen, and the Palm Pre will search your contacts, apps, music, pictures, and even the internet, to interpret and find what you’re looking for. That really is a cool feature, and it may well make the Palm Pre the coolest QWERTY phone out there.

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This post was originally published on The Android Phone at Android Vs Windows Mobile Vs WebOS – the OS Showdown Of The Century.

There are still no concrete details with regards to the device but some sources say that Dell’s MID might be introduced to the market later this year.

Development of the device started when Dell scrapped their plan of making a music player that would compete against the Apple iPod.

Dell is said to offer the mobile internet device through cellular carriers, as in the case of their netbooks. Not too long ago, Dell was rumored to be working on an Android phone, but even their investors are not enthused with it. Their track record when it comes to devices other than PCs is not that impressive.

Speaking of smartphones, is it the right time to switch off the laptop and get a smartphone instead, such as a T-Mobile G1? Mobile phones these days can allow you to do tasks such as check your emails and browse the internet.

A Google Android phone has various apps that can help you do your job. It can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi network or through cellular data network. One such example is the Firethorn’s Mobile Banking app, which supports most of the major banks like Citibank and Chase. If you need to edit some Word or Excel files then you can use the DataViz Documents to Go. The downside of this app is that you can only view PDF and PowerPoint files with it. DataViz does promise that future updates will allow you to edit these files.

Other disadvantage that mobile internet devices have, compared to a laptops, is that the screen is quite small. You can strain your eyes with prolonged use of such devices. If you need to send an email or surf the internet to kill some time, then you can use a smartphone. But if you need to do some real work, it is still recommended to use a laptop.

Dell’s plan of making a mobile internet device might stir some hype from techies but it is neither a mobile phone, nor a laptop. It sits in the middle of the gap. Practical consumers might want to go for a netbook if they’re on the market for a highly internet device which they can still get some work done on.

This post was originally published on The Android Phone at Dell Developing a Pocket Android Device.

The company is set to launch the HTC Lancaster this August.  The carrier’s first Google Android device will feature a full QWERTY keyboard and an AT&T-branded user interface.  They have announced August 3 to be the release date.

The mobile phone known as HTC Lancaster for now looks like a typical handset from the Taiwanese company.  When it is closed, the phone looks like HTC Magic, and when the keyboard is out, you can see its resemblance to the T-Mobile G1.

HTC Lancaster has a 3 megapixel camera, 2.8 inch QVGA display with a 240×320 pixel resolution, and AGPS.  Its specifications are much like any average Smartphone out in the market these days.  There’s no data yet on its storage capacity, but it features a microSD card slot.

The handset also includes Bluetooth 2.0, 1,350mAh battery, USB 2.0, 850/1900MHz HSPA, and EDGE.  It measures 109 x 54 x 17.1 mm and weights 110 grams.  HTC Lancaster is said to be exclusive for the AT&T Wireless for six months after the initial release of the mobile phone set.

In other Android news, Canonical announced that it successfully placed Android apps in a netbook.  An Ubuntu-powered PC of the future will be able to run Google Android applications that are made to fit the screen, hardware, and power of an Android phone.

With the execution environment, apps can use the mouse for input instead of touch. Multiple windows can be opened simultaneously, and the app can run while the CPU is idle.  These are some features that are in development, to be used in any Unbuntu PC.

Cupcake, the latest Android version that’s release in the US this week, will power these Ubuntu machines.  Dell showed a Mini 10v netbook, that’s running the Cupcake but there’s no formal announcement yet as to its commitment to the product.

The Ubuntu execution environment compiles the Android code to Ubuntu libc instead of Google’s libc.  In layman’s terms, Android libraries are incorporated to the Ubuntu libraries when they are appropriate.  Other features are masked and are made to think that they are running on a phone instead of a PC.

This post was originally published on The Android Phone at AT&T’s HTC Lancaster and Cupcake on a Netbook.

Android users are excited about this software update. T-Mobile stated in their community forums that they are working hard to get Android 1.5 out as soon as it is ready. They are just finalizing the release build, to ensure that the users experience smooth delivery of the upgrade.

Android enthusiasts are waiting impatiently for the Cupcakes release. The upgrade features a number of new features. Android 1.5 improves all the core user interface elements. Accelerometer-based applications can now run with the G1 Android. UI polish was done with in-call experience, SMS, MMS, browser, contacts, call logs, calendar, email, camera, gallery, and application management.

The Cupcake enables faster camera start-up and image capture. GPS locations are acquired faster in the Android 1.5.  It will be powered by SUPL AGPS. Users will also feel smoother page-scrolling with the Browser. Browsing the web with your G1 will be faster than ever before.

Android 1.5 will also feature a video recorder, and users can easily share it with the whole world, via the built-in YouTube uploader. Video playback is also made available.  Supported file formats are 3GP and MPEG4. If you have photos, you can also upload them with Google’s Picasa. Other features include home screen widgets, and stereo Bluetooth capabilities.

Probably the most hyped feature of the Cupcake is the virtual keyboard. The G1 already has a physical keyboard, but future Android devices will be touch phones, such as the Samsung I7500 and the HTC Magic. Samsung is one of the earliest members of the Open Handset Alliance, and the I7500 will be their first ever Android handset. It will be a multimedia phone that is capable of playing various audio and video formats. It is planned to have 8 GB internal memory with a microSD slot that allows the memory to be expanded up to 32 GB.

According to the company’s official statement, T-Mobile’s decision to delay the Cupcake’s release has nothing to do with the pending lawsuit with regards to the Android trademark. If you want to flash your G1 with the Cupcake, there are web sites in which you can download the software upgrade. Once you upgrade to Android 1.5, you will have to upgrade your apps as well. Some might not work with the new firmware.

This post was originally published on The Android Phone at T-Mobile to Release Android Cupcake Update in June.

Quickpedia – This is a free app that lets the user browse Wikipedia on the Google Android phone. Viewing Wikipedia pages with this app is easier than attempting to view them without it, as the app optimizes the pages for the Android phone’s small display screen. You can also use the Quickpedia to search for articles that might interest you. With its easy-to-navigate user interface, browsing Wikipedia becomes a breeze. The app also lets the user save the text of the Wiki to the phone’s SD(secure digital card, or memory card). You can use its “nearby” feature to find Wikipedia articles about places near you. You can also find out what other Quickpedia users are looking for, by using the “popular” tab.

Ringdroid – This was one of the first batch of apps to be released for T-Mobile G1 phone. It lets users create ring tones from songs they already have in their phones. Or, a user can choose to record his own sounds. Although it’s one of the first-generation apps, it still is one of the most downloaded. It works like a simplified Audacity. There’s a time line on the screen, and users can zoom in to place start and end marks on it. Once they are sure of the segment, they can save it, to create a ringtone, a notification, an alarm, or an edited tune. It is very user-friendly, and can turn anyone into a sound technician.

Fbook – This is the unofficial Facebook app for the Android phone. Just about everyone I know has a Facebook account. The fact is, if you must choose from all the social networking web sites around, Facebook is probably one of your first choices. Fbook optimizes Facebook’s iPhone website for the Android Phone. It also allows users to upload their photos directly from their phones to their Facebook accounts. Even when the app is closed, users receive notifications when new updates are made by their friends.

These are just three Google Android phone apps that have been found to be quite helpful for daily use. There are a lot more apps out there. Maybe you have your own favorites that are not in this list. What are your favorite apps? Let us know about them.

This post was originally published on The Android Phone at Top Three G1 Android Apps.