The Droid Gets Super Sized– Meet the All New Motorola Droid X June 24, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , add a comment
We had a feeling this was on the way, and now Motorola, Google, and Verizon have confirmed the rumors of this beast of a phone with their official announcement of the Motorola Droid X. And when I say beast of a phone, I MEAN beast of a phone.
First High-End Android Phone Coming Soon to AT&T June 18, 2010
Posted by Zev Rosenbaum in : Cell Phones , add a comment
So much for AT&T not having a high-end Android. AT&T announced has finally announced that they are officially entering the high-end Android game (meaning that they are finally launching an Android phone on par with Sprint’s EVO and Verizon’s Droid Incredible) by getting the Samsung Captivate on their side. And wow is the Captivate high end.
Running Android 2.1 with a custom Samsung interface (though one that is by far not as drastic as HTC Sense on the recently announced HTC Aria), the Captivate will also be the first AT&T Android phone to have a 1 GHZ processor (which Samsung calls “Hummingbird” and may be Samsung’s version of Apple’s A4 processor), which is a great particularly when you are running multiple apps. Among these AT&T firsts, the Captivate has a numerous amount of handy specs, such as:
- A 4-inch Super AMOLED multi-touch touchscreen– Remember those great AMOLED screens on phones like the Samsung Impression and Moment? You know, ones with insane clarity? Not only is this screen much bigger than those (it’s pretty much on par with the EVO’s minus .03 of an inch), this does all of that but in a much thinner design– which when you look at this phone you can tell it’s paid off, as well as fix one of the biggest problems facing AMOLED phones, the horrible quality they produce when in outdoor or bright light areas.
- 3G, WiFi and GPS– With the WiFi supporting the latest wireless N. Oh, and the Captivate also is loaded with Bluetooth 3.0, something we have yet to see a lot of (or pretty much at all) in phones (Bluetooth 3.0 should make for things like wireless transfer between say a computer and phone much quicker among other things, but we also have yet to see many devices take advantage of the new Bluetooth, so take that as you wish).
- 3D graphics with gyroscope for better gaming
- Support for Google Maps, YouTube, Android Market and other standard Android apps– Though we couldn’t tell if AT&T is allowing Google Maps Navigation to be put on the phone. Let’s hope they do.
- 5 Megapixel camera with autofocus and 720p HD video recording– On par with the iPhone 4
- 3.5mm headphone jack for listening to your favorite songs
- 16GB of built-in storage, with the ability to add another 16GB via a microSD
Wow is right. I personally am really excited for this over the upcoming HTC Aria because the captivate is AT&T’s first really good Android phone (just look at those specs!), and I plan to get it. Of course, we will have to wait until this phone comes out to see how the Hummingbird processor and Super AMOLED handles in real life and if this is more this just talk, but until then, my plans for the Aria have been shelved and I am waiting anxiously for this phone.
The Samsung Captivate will be coming out “in a couple of months, for an undisclosed price” according to AT&T. In the meantime, check out AT&T’s “Coming Soon” page for the Captivate here. So, anyone else planning on holding off on getting their AT&T Android fix Sunday with the Aria for this?
HTC Aria Landing in Stores June 20th June 15, 2010
Posted by Zev Rosenbaum in : Cell Phones , add a comment
Enough about video games, lets talk phones. AT&T announced yesterday the first not horrible Android phone for its’ customers. The HTC Aria is a 3.2 inch Android phone coming to stores June 20th. This phone will have a 3.2 inch multitouch screen and Android 2.1, unlike AT&T’s first Android phone the Motorola Backflip (which is still running 1.5). Like pretty much all new HTC phones such as the Droid Incredible and the EVO 4G, the Aria will come with HTC Sense which will allow you to keep in touch with your social life while on the go, with HTC’s FriendStream app making Twitter and Facebook just a swipe of the finger away– all while also offering a much nicer and cooler Android homescreen.
Personally, I am excited about this phone because it will stand out as a viable iPhone opponent. Sure it’s not crazy high spec’d and powerful like Verizon Droid Incredible or Sprint EVO 4G (phones designed as true iPhone competitors), but for those on AT&T not looking for an Apple phone, the Aria will be AT&T’s first good Android phone. The thin, sleek design and beautiful touchscreen will rival the iPhone, and when combined with HTC Sense and Android 2.1, offer a nice change and in my opinion a big step up from the Motorola Backflip. It really looks to me that the HTC Aria will blow the Backflip out of the water.
Other specs for the Aria include 3G, GPS (with Google Maps Navigation), and WiFi, a microSD card slot, and a 5 megapixel camera. The Aria will be available starting this Sunday (June 20th), for $129 after a $100 mail in rebate and new 2 year contract.
EVO 4G Coming to Sprint on June 4th! May 13, 2010
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Sprint users, mark your calenders. On June 4th, one of the hottest gadgets of the year will be released for you guys– the HTC EVO 4G, for $199.99 on 2 year contract.
Sprint released a whole bunch of other details on the EVO 4G particularly in terms of pricing. You will have to sign up for the traditional Sprint Everything Plan ($69.99 for unlimited text, calls and web) with an additional “Premium Data” cost of $10 a month (odd and annoying, I know). Using the mobile hotspot for up to 8 devices will also run you an additional $29.99 a month, though this is by far better than getting a smartphone and adding an Overdrive which runs $59.99 a month.
On a less expensive note, Sprint also said that video chatting will work over both 3G and 4G using the free Qik app for Android, and work whether it’s mobile to mobile video chatting or mobile to computer video chatting. Definitely nice.
For all the info on the EVO 4G, see our previous post here.
So there you have it. Now who else is excited for June 4th?
Sprint: The HTC EVO 4G is Our Nexus One May 11, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , add a comment
Waiting for Sprint to release their Nexus One? Wait no longer. Today, Sprint came out and said that they are not getting a standard Nexus One; instead that device is the coming-soon HTC EVO 4G. This makes sense, as the EVO 4G pretty much matches or beats the Nexus One in every category– both have Android 2.1, 1 GHZ Snapdragon processors, while the EVO 4G throws in a larger 4.3 inch screen, 1 GB of built in storage, an 8 megapixel camera with an additional front facing camera, HTC Sense on top of Android 2.1 and of course– 4G support. (And all this isn’t so shocking– Verizon also canned their plans for their Nexus One in favor of the Droid Incredible).
As to when the EVO 4G will come out, the latest rumors say that it will be on June 6th (a day before Apple kicks off their WWDC conference where they are expected to release that rumored 4th iPhone), for a not too bad $200. So Sprint users– excited?
T-Mobile’s myTouch 3G Slide–Keyboard Now Included May 4, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , 1 comment so far
Wanted a T-Mobile Android smartphone with a nice design and a keyboard but wasn’t feeling the almost 2 year-old G1 or the Motorola Cliq? Look no further: T-Mobile today has taken the wraps off their latest Android keyboard phone, the myTouch 3G Slide. As we mentioned in the title, think of this as a myTouch 3G with a keyboard, adding an important feature to a nice-looking phone with some pretty solid tech specs.
The 3.4 inch (up from the myTouch 3G’s 3.2 inch) touchscreen includes a full, slide-out QWERTY keyboard as well as the Swype keyboard, which enables touchscreen typing by dragging your finger across letters to form words, rather than just tapping each letter (according to Samsung, this type of texting even set a world record for quickest text on a touchscreen phone). It also boasts a 5 megapixel camera with flash and auto-focus, all running atop a customized Android 2.1. This is not an HTC Sense customization like on Verizon’s Droid Incredible (though the myTouch 3G and myTouch 3G Slide are both made by HTC), but rather a special T-Mobile version.
This T-Mobile customization is actually pretty interesting, offering three distinct social network focused apps called Faves Gallery, myModes, and Genius Button.
- Faves Gallery– This is kinda like HTC’s Friend Stream in HTC Sense (though here looking much cooler, as seen above), showing up to 20 of your favorite people and the different ways to communicate with them — calls, texts, e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates — all in an app easily accessible through that green button along the bottom of the screen. There also is a widget complete with photos, contact information and one-touch ability to respond to that friend. Also, anytime any of these “Faves” communicate with you or update their social network, you get a notification about it (and even if you’re phone is off, a custom green light will let you know you’ve got an update waiting from them).
- myModes– This gives you separate settings based on where and how your using your phone by creating different themes with home screen apps, widgets and wallpapers depending on what your doing (like when you’re in school and when you’re at home). myModes is customizable to switch at a designated time, by a location, or manually with the option to create and store up to 10 customized modes. For example, in a school mode you may have your phone set to vibrate and use different apps like Notes or Calculator, while at home your gonna want apps like games and a blaring ringtone. This basically will show what you want to show and hide the apps you don’t, allowing you to use your phone ideally without as many distractions. This is also like a feature seen on HTC Sense, called Scenes.
- Genius Button–This takes Android 2.1′s impressive voice commands even further. Not only can you use the voice commands make calls, compose and send texts and e-mails, or search the Web and your surroundings, but now it will even read text messages aloud, and lets you dictate replies naturally as if you were speaking directly to the person. Definitely very cool.
While still no Droid Incredible or Nexus One, the new myTouch 3G Slide looks to be a very solid Android phone for T-Mobile when it comes out sometime in June in your choice of either red, white or black colors (unfortunately T-Mobile hasn’t yet announced a price). So T-Mobile readers, you like?
Droid Incredible by HTC Out Now for Verizon– Already Sold Out Online! April 30, 2010
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So the latest and arguably greatest Android phone (or perhaps even just the best overall phone) for Verizon, the Droid Incredible by HTC, is finally out. And, while not a huge surprise (yet still very impressive), it’s already sold out online! Now don’t worry if you didn’t already order or pre-order your Incredible, as you can still try your luck at your local Verizon store (and if that doesn’t work out, you can still place your orders online, though new orders aren’t expected to ship until next Tuesday 5/4). Oh, and all Droid Incredible buyers between now (including those who pre-ordered) and May 31st get a free 2 GB microSD card, bringing the built in memory up to around 10 GB (it also has 8 GB built-in).
Now for those that we’re able to get an Incredible, what you think of it (is it Verizon’s best phone yet? Better than an iPhone?), and if you didn’t yet– do you plan to? Lets us know in the comments.
And for all the details on what is the Droid Incredible and why it’s so great, see our previous post here.
Pic and info from Verizon.
Android 2.1 Update for the Motorola Droid Released April 8, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , add a comment
It’s been a long time coming for all you Droid owners out there, but Verizon and Motorola have finally begun the roll out of the long awaited (and much delayed) Android 2.1 update. A source discovered the new software when purchasing the phone from Verizon just yesterday, and so it is only a matter of time till all current Droid owners get the update as well.
Just a recap of what to expect in this update– multi-touch support in the browser and Google Maps (about time! And works really well from the brief time I tried it out. Zooming in and out was fast and smooth just like it should be), the News and Weather widgets as seen on the Nexus One, active wallpapers, as well as support for Google Goggles visual search. Unfortunately, other features like the new 3D app tray introduced in 2.1 didn’t make it over here but hey, multi-touch!
Thanks Dani!