Posts Tagged ‘rumor’
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Filed under: Software, Android
While Apple was busy batting away the FCC with its litany of reasons why its app approval process is totally hunky-dory, Google was apparently having it’s own VoIP-related firefight. It seems that an article in the USA Today which hit newsstands this morning alleges that the internet giant sought to block (dare we say reject) a full Skype application from making its way into the Android Market. The story claims that the application was neutered to become “a watered-down version of the original that routes calls over traditional phone networks” — which would obviously cast a decidedly malevolent slant to the benevolent company’s policies.
The story is surely fine fodder for a FUD enthusiast up to that point, but it appears (gasp) that USA Today may have gotten one minor fact wrong. Namely, that Google had any unsavory aim to clip the wings of the Skype app. According to company man Andy Rubin (on Google’s Public Policy Blog), the “lite” moniker was only attached due to technical limitations of the Android platform. In his words:
Here are the facts, clear and simple: While the first generation of our Android software did not support full-featured VoIP applications due to technology limitations, we have worked through those limitations in subsequent versions of Android, and developers are now able to build and upload VoIP services.
As we told USA Today earlier in the week Google did not reject an application from Skype or from any other company that provides VoIP services. To suggest otherwise is false. At this point no software developer — including Skype — has implemented a complete VoIP application for Android. But we’re excited to see — and use — these applications when they’re submitted, because they often provide more choice and options for users. We also look forward to the day when consumers can access any application, including VoIP apps, from any device, on any network.
Note the jab there at the end? Okay, swell. Of course, even if Google had rejected the app outright, users still could have installed the software through other avenues, as the Android Market is only a suggestion — not a mandate — for how consumers should acquire apps on Google’s platform.
[Via TechCrunch; Image courtesy eBoy]
Read – Google-AT&T-Apple fight over Net calls draws FCC interest
Read – Android and VoIP applications
Google refutes USA Today report on blocked Skype application originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: Apple, culture, engadget, messaging, network, Nokia, rumor, voiceoverip, VoIP
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Others, T-Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS, HSUPA, Android
Huawei’s been talking up its impending play for a share of the Android pie for most of this year, but where’s the beef? There’s nothing in the market just yet, but that might be about to change with details on a so-called “Pulse” for some of T-Mobile’s European networks in the coming months. The Chinese manufacturer specializes in the value segment — a side effect of its brand not really commanding any premium outside Asia — and the Pulse could be a big winner there thanks to an unlocked price said to be around €250 ($356). That’s an impressively low figure in light of the supposed 3.5-inch display, full HSPA, GPS (of course), WiFi, and an HVGA display like all proper Android sets of the moment. Dutch site tweakers.net says this is all confirmed by way of a retailer that pegs the device for T-Mobile Netherlands in early October, which means the Heros and Galaxys of the world have precious little time to capitalize before these guys swoop in and undercut ‘em all by a few bucks.
Huawei starting its Android march with T-Mobile ‘Pulse’ in Europe? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, browser, huawei, messaging, netherlands, network, News, rumor, u8220, u8230
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
The evidence that Windows Mobile 6.5 could soon be moving beyond the stylus to gather finger-friendly, multi-touch, capacitive screens into its long, loving arms has been mounting with the leak of the HTC Leo ROM and TouchFlo 3D 2.6. Such a move would quickly put Microsoft back on track to compete with the iPhone and Android devices like the HTC Hero. Now DigiTimes, based on sourced information from Taiwanese handset makers, is reporting a “touch interface” version of Windows Mobile 6.5 set for release in February 2010 — an upgrade to the initial Windows Mobile 6.5 launch expected on October 1st. However, instead of phasing out Windows Mobile 6.5 with the Q4 2010 launch of Windows Mobile 7, DigiTimes asserts that Microsoft will lower the price of WinMo 6.5 to compete against open-source Android devices while positioning WinMo 7 to go head-to-head with the iPhone. In other words, Microsoft appears to be adopting a dual-platform mobile strategy like we’ve heard before, regardless of Steve Ballmer’s recent grandstanding against Google’s dual-platform approach.
Windows Mobile 6.5 ‘touch interface’ update in February to coexist with WinMo 7? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, browser, culture, engadget, fcc fridays, iPhone, messaging, Microsoft, mobile, rumor, Windows Mobile, windowsmobile6.5, windowsmobile7, winmo 6.5, winmo7
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, August 14th, 2009
Filed under: Software
We’ve all been a bit up in arms about the apparent lack of a push for apps on the Zune HD given the platform’s obvious strengths, but news from Daring Fireball seems to suggest that may not be the whole story. According to John Gruber, after publishing a short story on the ZHD and Microsoft’s seeming lack of developer interest, he was contacted by an iPhone dev who claimed to have been pinged by Redmond to code for the new device. According to the source — a Twitter client-maker — he was asked to port his software to the Zune platform for “a bucket of money,” though he ultimately declined the offer. Details beyond that fact are scarce, though apparently this dev is “certain” the offer was for the Zune. We won’t argue for the benefits of having your application on two high-profile devices (clearly a personal decision), but it is extremely encouraging to hear that Microsoft sees the need to bring more than just basic functionality to a device like the Zune HD. Now, it’s just a question of how smartly they go about it.
[Via The iPhone Blog]
iPhone devs offered cash to code for the Zune HD? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, Apple, browser, developers, devs, fcc fridays, games, messaging, Microsoft, podcasts, rumor, zune, zunehd
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Symbian, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS
At a quick glance, you might think that you’re looking at the back of a 5530 here, but look closer — the camera’s a little different, and we don’t know what’s up with that grille or the slits underneath. Indeed, we could very well be looking at the back of a rumored 5900 XpressMusic, a phone allegedly set to bow at Nokia World in Stuttgart next month with a 5 megapixel camera, S60 5th Edition FP1 (first we’ve heard of an S60 5th Edition feature pack), and — get this — support for SDXC, which would give the phone truly insane expandability options. It’s also apparently a bit thinner than the 5800 it’d be replacing, though the SDXC rumor is truly off the wall — we’ll need to wait right up until Nokia World until we believe that particular tidbit.
[Via mobile-review]
Update: Looks like the photo’s been floating around for a while — hard to say whether it’s legit or not — but these spec details are new. Of course, time’ll tell whether they turn out to be legit — everyone got their German vacations booked? Thanks, Symbian Freak!
Nokia 5900 XpressMusic spotted from the back? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: 5900, accessories, browser, handsets, messaging, network, nokia 5900 xpressmusic, photo, podcasts, rumor, S60 5th Edition, Symbian, XpressMusic
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Filed under: Software, Nokia, Symbian
Poor
Symbian. Sony Ericsson’s been giving you some hot play with its
Satio smartphone, but lately it seems Nokia wants little to do with you, always throwing a cold shoulder and mentioning what a great guy that
Maemo dude is. Now, according to rumors from the (still pink) German Financial Times, Nokia is looking to drop Symbian OS altogether and move to Maemo wholesale, powering not just its internet tablets but also its smartphones, the first of which is due in “the next few weeks” — possibly referring to the
RX-51 Rover that’s been out and about lately. According to the report, the Symbian OS just can’t keep up with the younger players these days; “far too cumbersome to work with.” Nokia has issued a typical no comment, but interestingly last night’s mention of a “
alliance” between Microsoft and Nokia for the creation of Office for Nokia phones made no explicit mention of Office for Symbian. Intrigue; we love it.
Update: As Reggie has pointed out in the comments, Peter Schneider, Nokia’s Maemo marketing guru, has put the brakes on this rumor via Twitter. “No, Nokia is not replacing Symbian with Maemo. Symbian and Maemo will continue to coexist.” So much for intrigue, and romance.
[Via TechCrunch]
Nokia rumored to be kicking Symbian OS to the curb, moving in with Maemo originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: culture, games, Linux, mobile, Nokia, rumor, rumors, Symbian, symbianos, virgin-mobile
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, August 10th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Others, GSM, China Mobile
Alright, you know how Dell’s seemingly been going through hell and high water for years now to try to bring a smartphone or two to market? China’s been a special focus of this clandestine effort, and we’ve got some new information here — possibly. Chinese site NetEase is reporting on an email supposedly received by developers on China Mobile’s Mobile Market mailing list, discussing a handful of S60, WinMo, and Android-based Open Mobile System (OMS) devices that the carrier would really love devs to concentrate on as Mobile Market goes live and tries to gain some footing. Most of the content is mundane, but there’s a section for an OMS device called the Dell “mini 3i,” a name that would certainly fall right in line with Dell’s branding — but there are a couple issues here. First, the phone is said to operate on China Mobile’s legacy GSM network, not the homegrown TD-SCDMA 3G tech that the carrier is working diligently to deploy right now; it seems illogical at best for Dell to get into the game with a phone that’s immediately walloped by Lenovo with its 3G-capable O1 as the first volley of OMS phones comes to market over the coming weeks. Secondly there’s absolutely zero discussion about the supposed email on OMS’ official forums, which seems odd if the email’s real. To its credit, the claimed 640 x 360 — that’s a perfect 16:9, if you can’t be bothered to get out your graphing calculator — sounds about right to match the rumored shot we’ve seen floating around lately, but we’re still staying guarded on this one until we hear something official from the folks in Austin or Hong Kong.
[Via Cloned In China]
Dell’s China-bound smartphone possibly called ‘mini 3i,’ but questions abound originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, Apple, culture, engadget, mini 3i, oms, phone, rumor
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, August 10th, 2009
Filed under: Motorola, Accessories
We know the HX1 is good — possibly the best — but is it $160 worth of good? That’s a question that we’d frankly rather not have to answer — we’d be more comfortable with a “is it $120 worth of good” type of situation — but a poster on HTCPedia has showed up bearing pictures of a retail HX1 in the wild (obviously intended for Asian distribution) along with a hot rumor that it’ll be a Sprint exclusive launching within the next month for a whopping $159.99. We’re guessing the technology Moto licensed from Invisio wasn’t cheap (Invisio’s forerunner, Nextlink, was renowned for making excellent but exorbitantly expensive headsets in Bluetooth’s early days), but no matter how good the HX1 is, it’s tough for the average phone owner to justify spending more on their handsfree than they do on the phone itself. For now, we’re hoping this rumor doesn’t pan out, but just in case, you might want to start socking away twenties instead of buying 2,000 Nintendo DSi points every other day. Seriously, what are you using them on, anyway?
Motorola Endeavor HX1 shows up in retail packaging, rumored for $159.99 in Sprint stores originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, Bluetooth, endeavor, fcc fridays, hx1, Linux, mobile, Motorola, podcasts, rumor, stumbleupon
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Android
Hopefully Motorola’s cooking up a super-special custom UI for the Android-powered Morrison, because the purported spec list that just leaked out is looking pretty average — Moto’s newest slider will apparently sport a 528MHz Qualcomm processor with 256MB of RAM, or basically the same setup as the HTC G1, myTouch, and Hero. Yeah, we know this is supposed to be a lower-end set, but isn’t it high time we saw some fundamentally different Android hardware?
[Via I4U, image from Phandroid]
Motorola Morrison specs purportedly leak out originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: accessories, culture, engadget, morrison, Motorola, motorola morrison, rumor, virgin-mobile
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Saturday, August 8th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, LG, Samsung
If this screen capture to be believed, August 23rd is gearing up to be one helluva day for phone lovers. According to this snapshot from Best Buy’s computers, that’s when LG’s desirable
BL40 Chocolate Touch will be making its way into the consumer world, alongside a red Xenon and a bevy of Samsung phones including
Omnia 2, Rogue, and Solstice. No clue on what the
Tour is doing up there dated for the 23rd, since it’s already out on both Verizon and Sprint, but perhaps a major shipment is in the works. As for that M330 for September 8th? Yeah, we’re not sure. Surrounding that tantalizing list from the top and bottom, respectively, are Samsung’s eco-conscious
Reclaim — presumably listed
for August 16th, although the date is obscured — and a red and black “G2″ from august 5th, which would undoubtedly be referring to T-Mobile’s sophomore Android device, the
myTouch 3G. Two weeks seem awfully close, but if this pans out, we certainly won’t be arguing.
LG Chocolate Touch and Samsung Omnia 2 slated for August 23rd, according to supposed Best Buy leak originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Tags: Best Buy, bl40, chocolate, chocolatetouch, leak, mytouch 3g, omnia 2, omnia ii, rogue, rumor
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
