Posts tagged with Android
Etisalat to launch HTC Magic in UAE
UAE’s first Android-powered phone to be available in all Etisalat Business Centers in the country
Etisalat, in collaboration with HTC Corporation has announced the launch of the eagerly awaited “HTC Magic” in the UAE, the Emirates’ first Android™-powered smartphone, providing a whole new range of mobile capabilities. The launch of the region’s first Android phone is the result of a successful collaboration between Etisalat and HTC, which aims to offer innovative and superior mobile solutions to the UAE’s rapidly growing consumer base.
A device with a sleek and unprecedented compactness for a smartphone featuring the Android platform, the HTC Magic enables a superior mobile Internet experience, providing broad flexibility for personalisation.
HTC Magic is pre-installed with top-notch applications from Google, including Google Search™, and Gmail™ creating multiple layers of advanced mobile internet capabilities for users who are frequently on the road. Furthermore, HTC Magic is equipped with a 3.2-inch HVGA touch screen display, a trackball and optimised navigational buttons, a 3.2 mega-pixel camera and GPS.
Essa Al Hadad Chief Marketing officer, Etisalat, said, “Etisalat has a history of launching pioneering initiatives that provide the best value and technology experience to our customers and we are delighted to now bring the first ever Android-powered mobile device in the UAE. HTC Magic will provide unparalleled technology experience to our customers with its innovative, advanced and intuitive internet connectivity features. The launch of this new smartphone is in accordance with our goal to remain highly responsive to the emerging and evolving needs of our customers. HTC Magic perfectly complements our diverse range of connectivity solutions with its superior mobile internet capability and advanced applications.”
Kevin Chen, General Manager, Middle East and Africa said, “Taking advantage of the revolutionary capabilities of the Android platform, HTC Magic is equipped to satisfy the most challenging demands of smartphone users, particularly in the UAE where mobile connectivity has become an integral part of everyday life. HTC Magic’s cutting-edge technology and user-friendly interface are significant value-added features that enable users to enjoy mobile and internet applications practically anywhere and in any situation.”
“We are excited to be partnering with Etisalat to launch this powerful phone within one of the most important mobile markets in the region. Furthermore, this partnership is a testament to HTC’s continued commitment to innovate and develop new solutions, as well as leveraging strategic partnerships to enhance our value proposition to our consumers,” added Chen.
HTC Magic features the Android-optimised Web Kit browser, while it is also equipped with a variety of email options such as POP3, IMAP and Google Talk™ for instant messaging, aside from regular SMS and MMS messaging. The feature-packed HTC Magic also comes with Outlook® synchronization, Smart Dialer, and has an onscreen QWERTY keyboard with predictive text. The onboard SlideME Application Manager (SAM) provides access to variety of software and games for download.
HTC Magic, which comes in the colour black, will be available in the market late October at a retail price of AED 2199 for the prepaid customers with one month free 5GB data package. Attractive offers will be available for post paid customers as well. The device will be available from all the Etisalat Business centres.
Motorola may dump Windows Mobile for Android
Like Sony Ericsson, who made it more or less clear that it’s no longer interested in Windows Mobile (or rather, the Windows Phone) platform, Motorola, once big time partner of Microsoft, too seems to have given up on the Mobile Operating System.
The beleaguered manufacturer, which is limping back to normalcy after a torrid year seems to be looking forward to its Android based devices to bail them out of the quagmire it was once in. While Sony Ericsson does have at least one Windows Mobile 6.5 device, the Xperia X2, in its arsenal, Motorola seems to have ditched the OS completely with no Windows Mobile 6.5 based devices in sight at least in the near future.
There is no word if this abstinence will continue once Windows Mobile 7 arrives later this year. Sony Ericsson, on the other hand, seems to have given up on Windows Mobile 7 already with the company not really interested in the platform any more.
As of now, Motorola seems to be very interested in devoting its resources to develop its MOTOBLUR based UI running atop Android on the recently released Cliq. Apart from the Cliq, Motorola is expected to announce quite a few Android based handsets very soon with the high-end Sholes being one of them.
Verizon, Google team up to make Android topper
Verizon Wireless and Google Inc. say they are teaming up to speed development of new mobile devices based on Google’s Android software that will run on Verizon’s cell phone network.
Verizon and Google also plan to co-develop several Android-based devices that will be pre-loaded with innovative applications from both parties as well as third-party developers.
The family of Android phones on the Verizon Wireless network will come from leading handset manufacturers.
Financial details were not disclosed.
The companies say they expect the deal to produce its first new handsets in the next few weeks. They say the new phones will be available at Verizon Wireless retail and online stores.
Best Free Twitter applications in Android Market
Twitter is the latest fad in virtual world and no one can deny that Twitter has changed the social networking on Internet. It has taken Micro-Blogging to a whole new level.
There are several Twitter applications which are currently available in Android Market today. Some are free, while few are paid and provide additional services. Normally, a Twitter user needs only a few features which are the basic necessity for a good Twitter application.
Twidroid seems to have won above the rest in Android application war on Android platform.
I am today writing down about the two best free Android Twitter clients.
Best Free Twitter Clients:
twidroid [Free Version]:
Publisher Description:
Twidroid is the first full-featured twitter client application on the android platform with features like native photo posting, location support, auto-completion, a fully integrated notification system and the latest news from twitter buzz.
Download: To download twidroid to your device, simply launch the android market in the application menu, search for “twidroid”, select the free version, install and you’re good to go.
Twitterride:
Description: 
TwitterRide is a simple and fast Twitter client. It can Post Tweets, Reply, Direct Reply , Search, Upload Pics, URL Shortener, Trending Topics, Update Profile Image, mark as Favorite and much more.
View your friends timeline with avatar and links to their profiles, favorite the Tweet, Retweet, Reply and Direct Reply (Delete if the Tweet is your own). Profiles show all information such as bio, website, Following/Followers/Updates count, quick actions Follow/Unfollow and even load their Timeline of Tweets. View all @Replies that address your Twitter account, as well as read/write Direct Replies.
Best Augmented Reality Browsers for Android
Augmented or the virtual over reality is the new buzz word in mobile world nowadays and Android became the first Mobile OS to get an Augmented reality browser in the form of Layar. With the much anticipated public launch of ‘Layar 3.0′ which bring 3D support to Augmented reality, its now the time to compile various augmented browsers which are currently available in Android Market today. Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are merged with virtual computer-generated imagery – creating a mixed reality. Currently there are two Augmented reality browsers which are available for Android users. 1. Layar Reality Browser: Together with selected partners Layar will update their API to support 3D objects for new and existing layers. Layar will launch 3D to the public in November together with the launch of version 3.0 of the Layar Reality Browser for Android. 2. Wikitude World Browser: Publisher Description:
What is Augmented Reality?
The augmentation is conventionally in real-time and in semantic context with environmental elements, like for example sports scores on TV during a match. With the help of advanced AR technology the information about the surrounding real world of the user becomes interactive and digitally usable.
Artificial information about the environment and the objects in it can be stored and retrieved as an information layer on top of the real world view. The term augmented reality is believed to have been coined in 1990 by Thomas Caudell, an employee of Boeing at the time.
Publisher Description:
The Layar Reality Browser displays real time digital information on top of reality in the camera screen of the mobile phone. While looking through the phone’s camera lens, a user can see houses for sale, popular bars and shops, tourist information, play a live game, etcetera. Layar first launched on June 16th, 2009 and announced its global launch and version 2.0 on August 17th, 2009. The Layar platform serves as an enabler for mobile location services – any database with geo-location information can easily be turned in a content layer.
Wikitude World Browser presents the user with data about their surroundings, nearby landmarks, and other points of interest by overlaying information on the real-time camera view of a smart-phone. It makes Wikipedia a location based service. The actual camera view is mixed with information from Wikipedia. The application was developed by the Austrian-based company Mobilizy.
Acer ditches WM to go Android way
Android Powered Acer A1 to come in Nov 2009.
Acer is marking a big shift in its development policy to switch over to Android for its cell phones. Digitimes posted a news item saying this by quoting industry sources.
It also says that half of the Acer phones in 2010 will be powered by Android OS. However, Acer’s first Android-powered smartphone, the A1, will be available in November 2009.
Video: Android powered LG GW620 Preview
We have the Video preview of Android powered LG GW620 courtesy French Website “Journal Du Geek”. LG GW620 is the first Android phone which was announced by LG.
Android powered "Samsung Behold II" announced; Coming on T-Mobile
On Sunday, T Mobile introduced its fourth Android phone, the Samsung Behold II. Samsung Behold II is the successor of Original Behold, which was a mere featurephone.
Samsung Behold II comes with a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, and video recording, a 3.2-inch AMOLED display, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and microSD expansion up to 16GB.
What is important to see is “Behold II” features an adaptation of the company’s “TouchWiz UI” and has a 3D “cube menu.” Samsung Behold II is also called Samsung T939.
Behold II will be available exclusively from T-Mobile and is currently scheduled to launch before the start of the holidays.
The Wi-Fi-enabled Behold II also supports personal email and corporate email with Exchange ActiveSync.
Press Release:
Samsung’s First Joint Android™-Powered Mobile Phone from Samsung and T-Mobile Offers Rich Internet, Multimedia Experience
DALLAS, and BELLEVUE, WASH. — Oct. 5, 2009 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile)1, the No. 1 phone provider in the U.S. 2, and T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming availability of the Samsung Behold® II powered by Android. The Behold II is a full touch-screen phone integrating the open and innovative Android platform from Open Handset Alliance™ with Samsung’s next generation TouchWiz™ user interface and T-Mobile’s high-speed 3G network for a rich mobile experience.
Following the success of its predecessor, the Samsung Behold®, the Behold II will be available exclusively from T-Mobile and is currently scheduled to launch before the start of the holidays. The sleek touch-screen phone is the first from T-Mobile USA to feature a 3.2-inch AMOLED screen, which provides crisper colors and wider viewing angles. In addition, the Behold II is equipped with Samsung’s innovative TouchWiz user interface, allowing easy customization with widgets located in a slide out tray on the left side of the home screen and providing one-touch access to a customer’s favorite and most commonly used features and applications. The Behold II offers three different home screens to drag and drop widgets onto the screen and organize the different workspaces with favorite widgets and application shortcuts. Samsung’s intuitive cube menu also provides quick access to six top multimedia features, including music, photos, videos, the Web, YouTube™ and Amazon MP3 for music downloads.
“We’re excited to announce Samsung’s first Android-powered device with T-Mobile in the U.S.,” said Omar Khan, senior vice president of strategy and product management for Samsung Mobile. “The Behold II follows the success of the Behold that launched last year taking the device and user experience to the next level with the Android platform, a large 3.2-inch AMOLED screen, next generation TouchWiz user interface and customization capabilities and premium features.”
“T-Mobile continues to expand our line-up of Android-powered phones in time for the holiday season with the addition of the Samsung Behold II,” said Travis Warren, director, product marketing, T-Mobile USA. “The premium screen and quality camera coupled with Samsung’s innovative cube menu makes the Behold II a multimedia powerhouse that’s made even stronger by T-Mobile’s high-speed 3G network.”
The Behold II will keep customers organized and entertained with access to built-in Google™ mobile services, including Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™, YouTube and Google Talk™ as well as thousands of applications and games available for download from Android Market™. The Wi-Fi-enabled Behold II also supports personal email and corporate email with Exchange ActiveSync, as well as instant messaging, and text, picture and video messaging. Additional features include a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, flash, five shooting modes and video capabilities, visual voicemail which allows customers to listen to voicemails in order of preference, MP3 player, up to 16GB of external memory, assisted GPS and Bluetooth® 2.1.
Top Free Task Managers for Android
Best Free To-Do list managers for your Android Phones
Remember The Milk:
Need a everyday task manager for your Android Phone, look no further than Remember The Milk but there is a glitch you need to be the pro subsciber of RTM to Download free application from Android Market.
Publisher’s Descritpion: Take your tasks anywhere with this feature-packed application. See tasks located nearby, add and complete tasks on the go, organize upcoming tasks, and sync it all seamlessly with Remember The Milk.
Astrid:
If you are not Remember The Milk desktop version Pro subscriber, No reason to worry. For you, there is another everyday task manager that can do everything which you might do with your RTM Android application. And there you are: Astrid can even sync with your RTM.
Description:
Astrid is an elegant to-do list application for Android that helps people become more effective at getting things done. Simple enough to not get in your way but powerful enough to actually help you get stuff done! It does tagging, timers, annoying reminders, smart task sorting, hiding tasks & partial progress!
Alpha 680 Android Netbook pictures revealed
After rumors of several Android Netbooks, we finally got the glimpse of one real Andriod Netbook in flesh. Although Google is coming with Chrome OS exclusive for Netbooks for the time being before hitting the real PC market but various manufacturers are still sticking to Android for their Netbook plans.
According to French website “Le Journal du Geek”
Translated Text from French:
Netbooks as Android starting to get seriously … Airis Yesterday we presented the first model entirely in the Google OS! Appointed Alpha680 (code name), it is a netbook for the Chinese brand Skytone, which can become as touch pad is equipped with a rotary resistive touch screen 7 “, and two ports USB and SD slot. Unfortunately no information on its processor or its capacity. Still in beta, the device was not really stable, but Android got off pretty well.
