Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Android Community

Android Community


HTC bypassing Android 2.3 … sort of

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 11:44 AM PST

The net is all abuzz over HTC’s quiet mentioning that both the HTC Salsa and ChaCha phones will be bypassing Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) in favor of it’s successor, vs. 2.4. But is the change a lack of confidence in Gingerbread or is it just moving on to a version that fixes bugs that have popped up? Or is it just a typo? Nonetheless, confusion is brewing.

HTC has since corrected their online press release to reflect the phones will be running Gingerbread 2.3.3, which would support the bug fix theory. But many people are wondering if HTC is just hoping for the hybrid version of Honeycomb that Eric Schmidt mentioned in his keynote today which would offer phones many tablet features but can run on a more mobile solution.

If that’s the case, then maybe we’ll just have to wait and see.

[via C'net]

)


VMWare announces mobile viritualization for Android

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 11:00 AM PST

Today at MWC, viritualization developer VMWare showed off a mobile virtualization option for Android Phones. Mobile Virtualization would allow users to have both a private profile and a business profile operating on a single Android headset with the ability to switch between the two. The advantage is that employees can use the phone they prefer and keep a “chinese wall” between personal apps and enterprise based apps for security reasons. Initially, the virtualization option will be available through LG phones as the software must be pre-installed. There is no aftermarket application download capability. But that will change as more handset makers come on board.

“The goal for this product is a bring-your-own-PC type of world,” Herrod said. “So we want to move to a world where the company is not buying you a phone. Buy what you like and bring it to work and we’ll give you a way to use it in an enterprise-safe way.”

Users can then use the same phone for their corporate and private life without being bogged down by two different phones. Check out the video below:

Once the employee chooses a VMWare supported phone, the company IT department can activate the virtualization features through their network management console. This gives companies the ability to set policies and allow various access levels for different employee grades.

This will also allow companies to disable the phone’s video and still cameras while in company mode and to remotely wipe any data on the corporate side should an employee be terminated or quit to go work for the competition.

VMWare hopes to begin field trials on the new virtualization option by summertime.

[via PCWorld]

)


Blu-ray digital copies coming to Android

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 10:34 AM PST

Hollywood seems to be embracing the Android as a media consumption device as Blu-ray titles have started to come with digital copies of movies optimized for playback on the Android. For awhile now, iPhone users have been able to purchase their favorite movies and have a digital copy code that allows them to download an mp4 through the Internet for viewing on their mobile device. But starting today, with the purchase of a Blu-ray copy of the movie Unstoppable, users can get an Android copy as well.

In addition, Android users can unlock special extra features including a behind the scenes shorts, director commentaries, and even a break down of script development for the film.

To access the Android centric video download, users must have the UNSTOPPABLE Blu-ray disc, a wi-fi connected Blu-ray player, Android 1.6 or higher, and the PocketBLU app.

Industry First for Blu-ray from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment as Blu-ray Digital Copy of UNSTOPPABLE available for Android

With tomorrow’s Blu-ray launch of UNSTOPPABLE, the action-thriller starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, Blu-ray Digital Copy will be available for the Android platform for the first time ever. This functionality is an added feature on the UNSTOPPABLE Digital Copy thru BD Live, marking the first time fans with an Android-enabled device will be able to transfer a sell-through movie to their handheld device.

UNSTOPPABLE is an electrifying action-thriller that follows Oscar-winner Denzel Washington* and Chris Pine (Star Trek) as they try to derail an unmanned, half-mile-long runaway freight train transporting deadly toxic material. Only two men can stop the train that is barreling towards Scranton, Pennsylvania: a veteran engineer (Washington) and a young conductor (Pine.) Thousands of lives hang in the balance as these ordinary heroes attempt to chase down one million tons of hurtling steel and prevent an epic disaster. Helmed by visionary director Tony Scott (Man On Fire), this story inspired by actual events delivers excitement and suspense that are…UNSTOPPABLE!

Android users will be able to unlock the feature presentation, as well as UNSTOPPABLE Blu-ray extras (Disc One):
• Derailed: Anatomy of a Scene
• Hanging Off the Train: Stunt Work
• On the Rails with the Director and Cast
• The Fastest Track: Unleashing Unstoppable
• Director Commentary Track
• Tracking the Story: Unstoppable Script Development

To access Blu-ray Digital Copy on Android, users must have the UNSTOPPABLE Blu-ray disc, a wi-fi connected Blu-ray player, Android 1.6 or higher, and the PocketBLU app, which can be downloaded free from the Android Market. UNSTOPPABLE Blu-ray and DVD will be available this Tues., Feb. 15.

[via USA Today]

)


Google announces cloud based video editor for Android Tablets

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 09:52 AM PST

Today at their Mobile World Congress keynote address, Google’s outgoing CEO Eric Schmidt announced the creation of Google Movie Studio, a cloud based movie editor which will allow users to harnass the power of the cloud to edit video, stills, music and effects and then upload it to YouTube with a near instant push of a button. Last year, when Apple announced an iMovie app for iOS 4 devices, the room gave a collective “ooh and aah” of the potential for shooting and editing video on a mobile device. But to do it all in the cloud is brilliant.

Some quick features of Google Movie Studio include a timeline editor, effects and video transitions, audio soundtrack support and the ability to edit and upload HD video.

Check out this video of the Movie Studio in action on Motorola Xoom:

Now granted, smartphone users won’t be “cutting film” on Froyo any time soon, as it’s been built from the ground up to run on Android tablets running 3.0 (Honeycomb). But since more tablets are pointed in the direction, and with smartphones rapidly expanding into dual-core processors, the ability to edit video online is fantastic. The only thing missing was the software architecture, and the ability to do it from the cloud, means that users can start on one device and finish on another. Perfect for those living a mobile lifestyle. And since users have already uploaded all the content, presumably to Google servers, logging into and uploaded to YouTube will no doubt be seamless and fast.

1188436262_su8TN-XL 1188447112_2wv5Z-M 1188447134_2so3V-M 1188447493_e5DcN-XL 1188447557_atp2A-XL 1188447597_MgtvJ-XL

[via SlashGear]

)


App retailer GetJar scores venture funds

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 09:22 AM PST

Thanks to skyrocketing sales of the Android platform amongst smart-phone users, independent mobile app retailer GetJar has scored $25 million in venture capital from such angels as Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners.  With previous investments, the total amount that GetJar has raised to create a serious Android market outlet has surpassed over $40 million.  The venture funds will enable GetJar to expand sales, marketing and engineering in order to create a leading Android app portal in a rapidly growing retail market of Android based app stores.

GetJar already has a head start on the competition, however, with over 1.5 billion app downloads reported. Competitors to GetJar’s dominance in the Android marketplace include Amazon, Wholesale Application Community (an alliance of dozens of smaller app concerns) and app suggestion sites like AppBrain.

And while the retailer plans to ride the Android wave to retail dominance, they are also expanding out to both Blackberry and iOS platforms, seeking to bleed off some of the success tha Apple has enjoyed with well over 10 billion app downloads since 2008.

And the venture capital that GetJar has secured has put them well on the way to accomplishing both goals.

[via Gigaom]

)


Motorola XOOM [Silver Euro Edition] [Hands On and Demo]

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 08:36 AM PST

We’re at Mobile World Congress 2011 at the Motorola presentation and we’ve been given a very basic rundown of some of the features you’ll see with the out-of-box build of Motorola XOOM’s user interface. This tablet is of course the one Google worked most closely with as far as Android 3.0 Honeycomb goes, so what you see will for the most part be the most pure version of everything Honeycomb has to offer. NOTE: the tablet this presenter is showing us has clearly been on display for a couple of days, as the screens are filled with videos, widgets, and a ton of instances of the same Honeycomb clock. Very messy!

The interesting thing about the clock being in several places is how it IS there several times, and on one screen. In the video you’ll hear me ask if multiple instances of a single app widget are allowed on the same page – she says yes.

[VIDEO COMING SOON]

The other thing that’s interesting is of course the silver metal case, a version of this tablet we’ve not yet seen in the USA. Very lovely – definitely’d be out choice if we’d have to choose. What a boggling experience that’d be. Have a look below and above at the lovely batch of photos we’ve shot, and once we get these internets to go faster than a snail’s pace, we’ll have the presentation video for you here too.

DSC00876 DSC00875 DSC00874 DSC00873 DSC00872 DSC00871 DSC00870 DSC00869 DSC00868 DSC00867 DSC00866 DSC00865 DSC00864 DSC00863 DSC00862 DSC00861 DSC00860 DSC00859 DSC00858 DSC00857 DSC00856 DSC00855 DSC00854 DSC00853 DSC00852 DSC00851 DSC00850 DSC00849 DSC00848 DSC00847 DSC00846 DSC00845 DSC00844 DSC00843 DSC00839 DSC00838 )


Meet the Android Community at Mobile World Congress 2011

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 07:04 AM PST

What’s that in the distance? It was extremely difficult and costly, and we did have to pull more than a few strings here and there, but we got what we wanted. A gigantic billboard-sized banner at Mobile World Congress 2011 – right near the entrance, too! We’ve been gladly doing our diligent coverage of MWC 2011 as our friendly Android friend looms overhead. Would you like to know more?


While the banner you see above and below does say Android Community, we do like to note that SlashGear is part of that community as well, thusly here are the two portals you must click if you’re to receive a healthy dose of Mobile World Congress in all its glory, and I must I remind you that it’s not even close to over yet –

[Mobile World Congress 2011 via SlashGear]
[Mobile World Congress 2011 via Android Community]

)


HTC Desire S [Hands On] [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 05:37 AM PST

We’re here in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress 2011 and we’ve just been to the gigantic, historic, meteoric HTC event whereupon we experienced several brand new devices. One of these devices was the HTC Desire S, an Android handset which we did henceforth grab a hands on of for you. You’ll recognize this phone as a Desire instantly, but note the unibody style, the single milled piece of aluminum that makes up the body. Really hot.

While it wasn’t exactly possible to hold the phone for very long outside the locked-down version, we did get a tiny taste with the hands, if you know what I mean, and this phone does feel rather natural, or at least as comfortable as we’d expect a phone of this size to be. Inside the phone, everything’s moving quick, essentially the same as the first Desire since it’s also a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon. On that note, we did hear during the press conference that Qualcomm and HTC are working together on multi-core models, but they did not give a date for any hardware.

Also inside you’ll see that the VGA cam isn’t the best thing in the world, but it’s certainly alright for what you’ll be using it for, there’s a Mirror app running that shows you what the camera can see pointing at you, and there’s a built-in video chat app for all your ever-loving talk-to-face conversations.

One of the more interesting points made during the presentation was that this phone will be running Gingerbread, but not Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Instead it will be running Android 2.4 Gingerbread, a version of the OS that fixes bugs and makes application tweaks in order for single-core Gingerbread phones to work with apps written for multi-core without a problem. This handset is exactly what HTC tells us it is: Evolutionary, not Revolutionary.

DSC00925 DSC00924 DSC00923 DSC00922 htc_desire_s_live_sg_0 htc_desire_s_live_sg_1 htc_desire_s_live_sg_2 htc_desire_s_live_sg_3 htc_desire_s_live_sg_4 htc_desire_s_live_sg_6 htc_desire_s_live_sg_10 )


HTC ChaCha [Hands-On] [VIDEO]

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:28 AM PST

Essentially just a moment ago we revealed some rather intimate pics of the HTC ChaCha, under a glass case because they’re not floor-ready, only hardware ready – and we’re not entirely sure of that either. Now we’ve got a hands-on of both the HTC ChaCha and the HCS Salsa. You may notice that the title of this post only includes the HTC ChaCha – this is because we’re not nearly as enthusiastic about the HTC Salsa. That’s not to say that there’s no value in the Salsa, however, as you’re about to see, it’s just that the ChaCha has such a nice looking keyboard!

The first thing we noticed when placing the item in our hands was the lovely bend which will make working with the device utterly comfortable – or not full of the usual pain of typing 1,000 words a minute on a smartphone. The display is HVGA and has a relatively low resolution (480 x 320 pixels) but when you consider the size of the screen, it ends up looking fantastic. The metal cover over white and light blue buttons looks and feels very ergonomically designed, with everything in place for a one or two-handed typer.

The Salsa is relatively blah. Looks essentially like every other phone that’s come out over the past year, especially the HTC Legend, for example, and feels sort of cheap in the hand. Also, unlike the ChaCha which has a full keyboard, the Salsa only has a single physical button on the front – the Facebook button. This looks rather odd in the context.

Both phones are not running the software they’re going to end up with. What we’ve seen here is essentially a screenshot displayed on the screen, this becoming obvious when we accidentally bump the image while filming the hands-on. Have a look above at the video, and below at some additional images:

HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-01-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-02-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-03-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-04-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-05-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-06-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-07-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-14-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-15-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-16-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-17-slashgear HTC-ChaCha-and-HTC-Salsa-Facebook-phone-hands-on-18-slashgear )


SanDisk supplies microSD cards for MetroPCS android smartphones with Iron Man 2 loaded

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:27 AM PST

SanDisk and MetroPCS have announced that they are working together to get the buyers of Android devices on the no contract MetroPCS network a little something extra with their devices. SanDisk is providing microSD cads with 4GB of storage space that are loaded with the full Iron Man 2 flick.

Right now, the only Android device that MetroPCS is offering is the Samsung Galaxy Indulge that operates on the LTE network for fast speed. The cool part is that MetroPCS is buying a quality name brand card not a cheap knock off that might have performance or longevity issues.

The microSD card is also intelligent according to SanDisk and connects to the MetroPCS network in real time to help the carrier know what sort of digital content the user is interested in and allows MetroPCS to provide customized content. The two companies say that the usage information will be anonymous, but many folks won’t like that the microSD card spies on their content use.

)


Sports Illustrated 2011 Swimsuit issue heads to Android with Microsoft Tag support

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 04:04 AM PST

Even if you aren’t a sports fan, the name Sports Illustrated holds some appeal. The swimsuit issue with the hoards of hot models is a big draw for guys all around the world. Sports Illustrated has announced that the 2011 Swimsuit issue will be coming to Android smartphones and other platforms as well.

The mobile version of the swimsuit issue is coming to smartphones thanks to Nellymoser and will use Microsoft Tags to allow readers of the print issue to access interactive content on their smartphones. Microsoft Tag will allow the mobile user to vote for eight models to give them a chance to be a SI Swimsuit rookie in the 2012 issue and the app allows viewing of each models photos.

Access to video from behind the scenes of the issue will be offered and the videos can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, or via email. The app will also allow a Model vs. Model comparison that puts the girls with a Nissan car. This may be the best use for Tag ever.

)


HTC ChaCha [Up Close and Personal]

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 03:57 AM PST

Both the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa were announced today at the HTC event here at Mobile World Congress 2011. These devices were two of many devices announced at the event, but certainly they’re about the be the most talked about. The one we’ve got here is the HTC ChaCha, with both its physical Facebook button and nicely spaced QWERTY keyboard it’s sure to be a sweet contender in the upcoming 2011 higher-mid-tier smartphone wars of English speaking world.

The HTC ChaCha is running a small but decent 600MHz processor running Android 2.4 (yes, Android 2.4,) with the HTC Sense overlay. Inside you’ll find both 512 MB of internal storage as well as 512 MB of RAM, a rechargeable 1250 mAh battery (with up to what they’re saying is 420 minutes for WCDMA and up to 450 minutes for GSM – and that’s talk time. The phone itself is 114.4 x 64.6 x 10.7 mm, it’s got a 2.6-inch touchscreen display at 480 x 320 pixel resolution, has a G-Sensor, digital compass, proximity sensor, and ambient light sensor(!), plus Bluetooth 3.0 with FTP/OPP, A2DP, PBAB for wireless car kits, Wifi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n, 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, and a standard micro-USB (that’s 5-pin micro-USB 2.0.)

On the back you’ll find a 5 megapixel camera, while the front has an unknown capability VGA camera. For audio playback you’ve got .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9,) and it records in .amr format. For video, the supported formats are .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv, .avi (MP4, ASP, and MP3,) xvid (MP4, ASP, and MP3,) and it records in .3gp.

The odd thing about this phone today is that while we were introduced to it, we don’t get to put our hands on it quite yet. We’ve been allowed to get approximately a foot from it, close enough to get some relatively detailed shots of it though, so we’ve got a presentation for you anyway.

UPDATE: we got it:

Check out further coverage in the images above and below:

001 002 003 004 005 006 Screen shot 2011-02-15 at 12.51.15 PM Screen shot 2011-02-15 at 12.50.55 PM Screen shot 2011-02-15 at 12.50.31 PM Screen shot 2011-02-15 at 12.49.59 PM Screen shot 2011-02-15 at 12.49.48 PM HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -03-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -02-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -01-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -09-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -08-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -07-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -06-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -05-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -04-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -14-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -13-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -12-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -11-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -10-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -18-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -17-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -16-AndroidCommunity HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook phone hands on -15-AndroidCommunity )


.tel Superbook app now available for Android

Posted: 15 Feb 2011 03:02 AM PST

Telnic Limited announced at MWC 2011 today that it has now launched the .tel Superbook app for Android smartphones. The app is on the Android Market now and can be downloaded. The app allows the user to integrate their Android device address book with the .tel domain to get real-time access to live contact info.

The app has location records and all sorts of other information and all of the information can be imported into the Android address book on your device. The app offers details about the person you want to contact like what time zone they are in and more.

Using the new app the user can search for and access all live publically available .tel data. Once a contact is located using the app they can be contacted by phone, SMS, or other communication types that your device supports. The data can be looked up quickly on slower networks as well and the information can be saved for access when no web connection is available.

)


HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa Facebook Phones prioritize easy sharing

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

Facebook may have denied an “official” Facebook Phone was in the works, but they also hinted that HTC was looking at boosting social network support in upcoming devices. Those devices have been revealed at MWC 2011, the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa, which each feature prominent, dedicated Facebook buttons on their fascias.

The HTC ChaCha has a hardware QWERTY keyboard and a 2.6-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen in a candybar form-factor; there’s a chin-style kink in the chassis that pushes the keyboard forward slightly. As for the HTC Salsa, that ditches the keyboard in favor of a larger, 3.4-inch HVGA display and a design that HTC tells us is targeted at the “playful youth market”. With its harlequin blue boxing around the camera, it’ll certainly be an acquired taste.

Both devices offer the same Facebook integration. If you’re looking at a picture or listening to a music track you want to share, hitting the Facebook button automatically prompts an upload to your Facebook account. Pictures can be added to existing or new galleries, tagged with the people in them, be labelled and have different privacy settings added, while music is listed as “now playing” with a link to the track on Amazon.

A long press, meanwhile, opens up Facebook Places, with a streamlined way to log your current position. Facebook calendar events are automatically added to the Android calendar, but they also bring with them the event’s wall, any photos, comments, and a list of people attending. Facebook messages are added to the universal inbox, while Facebook Chat is supported, with user-presence shown in the address book.

Most importantly, HTC is targeting an affordable price point with both the ChaCha and Salsa. While the company wouldn’t tell us actual figures during a pre-briefing last week, it did say that it expected the two phones to slot in-between the new Wildfire S and Desire S. They’ve been able to achieve that by opting for a relatively inexpensive 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, though you still get front and rear cameras, 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS.

Both the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa will go on sale at the end of Q2 2011, with HTC claiming “global interest” in the handsets; we already know Vodafone UK will be offering the ChaCha. Facebook won’t be endorsing either device, but HTC was at pains to point out how closely the social network’s engineers had worked with their own.

htc_chacha_salsa ChaCha_3views ChaCha Salsa_3 Salsa_2 Salsa 3 views htc_chacha_specs_ac htc_salsa_specs_ac

Press Release:

HTC UNVEILS TWO SOCIAL PHONES WITH ONE-TOUCH FACEBOOK® ACCESS

HTC raises the bar for mobile social phones with HTC ChaChaTM and HTC SalsaTM

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today announced two new phones built entirely to be social, combining the simplicity, ease-of-use and depth of HTC SenseTM with the power and connectivity of Facebook®. As part of an extended portfolio of six new HTC Sense-based devices being unveiled at Mobile World Congress, HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa feature a dedicated Facebook® button for one-touch access to the key functions of the Facebook service that are integrated throughout the HTC Sense experience.

"HTC has always understood that different people want different things and the new HTC ChaCha and Salsa offer special new ways to experience Facebook on a mobile device," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "With more than 500 million active users worldwide, Facebook has become synonymous with the social web and we wanted to create the ultimate socially connected phones with mass market appeal."

"We have worked closely with HTC for several years on bringing Facebook to their devices and HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa are the next stage," said Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile Business for Facebook. "HTC has brought Facebook to these two new devices in an innovative way enabling people to connect and share easily whenever they want, wherever they are."

The Facebook button on HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa is context-aware, gently pulsing with light whenever there is an opportunity to share content or updates through Facebook. With a single press of the button, you can update your status, upload a photo, share a Website, post what song you are listening to, 'check in' to a location and more. For example, you can take a photograph of friends on your phone and upload it instantly to Facebook by simply pressing the button. Or let your friends know what song you're listening to by pressing the button while listening to music on the phone. The track is automatically identified and shared on Facebook.

The new devices feature Android 2.4, the latest version, and use the latest iteration of HTC Sense to integrate Facebook throughout the HTC Sense experience. When you make a phone call, the dialer screen displays your friend's latest status and photos, and even tells you if their birthday is approaching. The same updates are also displayed when you receive a call from a Facebook friend. You can also use your phone's existing contacts to help you connect with them on Facebook or personalize your handset further with a number of new, Facebook-branded widgets.

The HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa smartphones make it simple to stay in touch with your friends using Facebook Chat and Messages on your phone. Your Facebook messages and conversations are integrated within your phone and appear within your text and email inboxes alongside your regular conversations.

Stay connected with the smartphone for the Facebook generation – HTC ChaCha
The HTC ChaCha smartphone is designed to provide a seamless, social experience by enabling you to stay in touch with your friends anytime, anywhere. The unique tilt design shapes the display and physical QWERTY keyboard so it is easy to view and comfortable to type. Capture special moments in crisp, High-Definition detail or video chat with your friends using the dual cameras, including a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus and LED flash and a VGA front-facing camera. The ChaCha smartphone also brings the Internet to your fingertips with a 2.6-inch, 480 x 320 resolution landscape touch screen.

Your Facebook friends never felt closer – HTC Salsa
Boasting the same deep Facebook integration as the HTC ChaCha smartphone, the HTC Salsa smartphone provides a fast, high-performance smartphone experience. Capture the moment in high-resolution stills or video with the 5-megapixel camera and immediately share it with friends on the generous 3.4-inch, 480 x 320 resolution touch display. Upload your photos to Facebook at the touch of a button. For face-to-face conversations on the move, the VGA forward-facing camera enables high-quality video calling.

Availability
The HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa smartphones will be available to customers globally starting in Q2 2011.

)


HTC Desire S adds front-facing camera, unibody style

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

HTC has officially announced the successor to the wildly popular Desire, the HTC Desire S. Still packing a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon processor, now Qualcomm’s MSM8255, the Desire S adds a front-facing camera for video calls, together with Android 2.4 Gingerbread.

There’s also a refresh in terms of physical style, with the Desire S getting a unibody makeover leaving the whole handset a whole lot more purposeful. HTC Sense has gained a few new apps, such as Mirror which, as the name suggests, repurposes the front-facing camera for checking your appearance.

The HTC Desire S will launch in mid Q2 2011, pricing to be announced. Vodafone UK has already confirmed to us that they will be ranging the smartphone.

Press Release:

HTC LAUNCHES THREE NEW SMARTPHONES WITH HTC SENSE

HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S deliver premium style, power and speed

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled three new versions of its most popular and advanced smartphones – HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S. The new smartphones continue HTC's commitment to expanding the market for advanced smartphones while providing distinct choices in design, power and value. Each phone also includes HTC Sense, HTC's unique customer-focused user experience that puts people at the center by making phones work in a more simple and natural way.
"HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S represent best," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "These new phones offer an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extend people's mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original."

HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone's aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm's new 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon™ processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.

HTC Wildfire S
Building on the popularity of the HTC Wildfire™ smartphone, the HTC Wildfire S smartphone is an affordable, compact and playful device that packs a powerful smartphone experience. It enables people to maintain and build connections and friendships through popular sites like Facebook®, as well as through voice and text messaging. You can instantly tag your friends in photos before posting them on Facebook, or share your latest discoveries from the Android™ Market at the touch of a button.

HTC Wildfire S is one of HTC's smallest phones ever – measuring just 10.13cm long and 5.94cm wide – and boasts a distinctive 3.2 inch, HVGA display.

Celebrate your individuality and choose from a wide variety of colors including black, purple and white. The phone's home screen is fully customizable with your favorite apps, widgets and content, while a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus, expandable microSD™ memory and support for a variety of audio and video formats make a great all-around multimedia device that slips easily into any pocket.

HTC Incredible S
The alluring HTC Incredible S smartphone combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different. Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device. Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand.

HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology. Thanks to the HTC Incredible S's front facing camera and video call functionality, users will constantly be able to chat with their friends face-to-face.

Availability
The HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S smartphones, will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

)


HTC Flyer tablet: Active stylus, Evernote sync, HSPA+ and OnLive gaming

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

HTC has officially announced its new tablet, the HTC Flyer, at MWC 2011 this week. After the rumors of the past few weeks, the Flyer’s existence hardly comes as a surprise; however, some of the technology decisions HTC has made – including supplying it with an active stylus – are pretty surprising.

Hardware is a slick combination of a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm CPU with data-only HSPA+, a 4,000 mAh battery, 7-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen and dual cameras, wrapped up in a unibody-style white plastic and brushed aluminum chassis. A WiFi-only version will follow “pretty soon” after the original HSPA+ model, and both have a custom microUSB port which, as well as working with regular accessories, will also support HTC’s new high-power rapid charger.

On top there’s Android 2.4 Gingerbread with a heavily modified version of HTC Sense to suit the bigger display: a 3D homescreen with floating widgets, a carousel layout in landscape orientation, and a 3D grid in portrait orientation. HTC promises a Honeycomb OTA updated “soon after” the Flyer’s launch which, they insisted to us, shouldn’t be impacted by what’s expected to be minimal carrier modification. Even before then, though, there’ll be split-screen apps of HTC’s own making, with a multi-pane browser, calendar, email, address book and other software to make the most of the resolution.

It’s the stylus that really makes the HTC Flyer stand apart, however. HTC has used an unspecified active stylus technology with a battery-powered pen (that has a pressure-sensitive nib and two buttons, defaulting to erase and text-select) and loaded a new app called Notes that supports sketching, handwritten text and annotation of imported photos and clippings. Notes will also record audio, indexing points in the recording with the notes you’re taking at the time, for easier later recall.

Content stored in Notes can be wirelessly synchronized with Evernote, and HTC expects to release a special touch driver allowing third-party developers to add support to their own apps. HTC user experience manager Drew Bamford told Android Community that the company already has a list of developers who it thinks could do “interesting things” with the Flyer’s hybrid touchscreen technology.

The Flyer will also debut HTC’s new streaming content drive, building on its recent investments in Saffron Digital and OnLive. A new “Watch” app will offer streaming movies and TV shows, while an OnLive app will allow streamed 3D gameplay on the Flyer; using DLNA over WiFi, the Flyer will be able to put OnLive gaming on a nearby compatible TV. Both services are expected to offer pay-per-use and subscription options, and HTC says the same systems are likely to spread to its phones in future.

“We’ve pretty serious about this category,” HTC told us last week, “we’re not just dipping our toe into the water.” The company wouldn’t say exactly what was next, but the message is clear – this is definitely not the last tablet we’ll be seeing from them in the coming months. The HTC Flyer will launch in early Q2 2011, pricing tba (though HTC says it’s aiming for the “high end” to rival the iPad). As for accessories, there’ll be a bundled slip-case with a slot for the included stylus, as well as an optional case which converts into a stand, a desktop dock, and a Bluetooth keyboard.

HTC Flyer hands-on demo:

HTC Flyer 3 views Flyer_FrontPen Flyer_2 Flyer_1 htc_flyer_specs_ac

Press Release:

HTC UNVEILS HTC FLYER, THE FIRST TABLET WITH HTC SENSE

Aluminum unibody design with touch and pen interaction make HTC Flyer unique

First tablet with HTC Watch video service, HTC Scribe Technology
and OnLive gaming

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced its first tablet, the HTC FlyerTM. HTC Flyer blends HTC's trademark design language with an all-new HTC Sense user experience that has been reimagined for the tablets. Using an intuitive and innovative approach to tablets, HTC Flyer combines natural touch and pen interaction. HTC also announced HTC Watch, a new connected video service that will debut on HTC Flyer tablet, and will collaborate with OnLive Inc. to launch the first cloud-based mobile gaming service on a tablet.

"Clearly, smartphones have transformed our lives but as we observed how people use smartphones, computers and other technologies, we saw an opportunity to create a tablet experience that is different, more personal and productive," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "We are progressing down a path as an industry when people will no longer be in a single device paradigm, but have multiple wireless devices for different needs; this is the direction we are moving."

Encased in a sleek aluminum unibody, the HTC Flyer tablet exudes the iconic style and build quality HTC is known for. It is also ultra-light, weighing as little as a paperback book, and compact enough to fit in a jacket pocket only. With a seven-inch display, lightning fast 1.5Ghz processor and high-speed HSPA+ wireless capabilities, the HTC Flyer tablet is perfect for those who have been waiting for a tablet that is both compact and powerful.

HTC Sense for Tablet
HTC Sense revolutionized smartphones by placing the person at the center of the experience. HTC Flyer's tablet-focused HTC Sense experience focuses on surprising and delighting people with its gorgeous 3D home screen. A unique carousel of widgets puts a user's most important content and information at the visual center of the experience. The HTC Flyer tablet also offers uncompromised Web browsing with Flash 10 and HTML 5.

HTC Scribe Technology
Touch interaction lights up the HTC Flyer tablet experience, but it also offers a groundbreaking pen experience. With the new HTC Scribe Technology on the HTC Flyer tablet, people can rediscover the natural act of writing. HTC Scribe Technology introduces a wave of integrated digital ink innovations that make it easy and natural to take notes, sign contracts, draw pictures, or even write on a web page or photo.

HTC Scribe Technology on the HTC Flyer tablet transforms traditional note-taking into smart note-taking by integrating natural onscreen writing with thoughtful and integrated innovations. A feature called Timemark enables you to capture the audio of a meeting in line with your written notes, so tapping on a word in your notes instantly takes you to that exact place in time in the audio recording of the meeting. Notes are also integrated with the calendar so when there is an appointment reminder you are automatically prompted with an opportunity to begin a new note or in the case of recurring meetings, to continue where the last meeting left off. In an industry first, the HTC Flyer tablet also features built-in synchronization with Evernote, the world-leading notes application and service.

Streaming Mobile Movies with HTC Watch
The HTC Flyer tablet premieres HTC Watch, HTC's new video download service. The HTC Watch service enables low-cost on-demand progressive downloading of hundreds of High-Definition movies from major studios. The intuitive, natural design of the HTC Watch service makes it easy to find the latest movie and video content, while advanced technology on the back-end enables instant playback over the HTC Flyer tablet's high-speed wireless connection.

Mobile Gaming with OnLive
HTC takes mobile gaming to an entirely new level by being the first mobile device in the world to integrate OnLive Inc.'s revolutionary cloud-based gaming service. OnLive is leading in the home gaming market by letting people play top video games on their televisions without the need to buy expensive gaming hardware or software. When integrated fully, the OnLive service will enable customers to pipe the OnLive service through the HTC Flyer tablet's broadband wireless to their television sets, or let them play directly on the tablet. When integrated on the HTC Flyer tablet, people can play a variety of games, including hits like Assassin's Creed II, NBA 2K11 and Lego Batman.

Availability
HTC Flyer will be available to customers globally during Q2 2011.

)


HTC Incredible S brings “Inside Out” design to Europe

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

Until now, Verizon has been the only way to get the HTC Incredible, but all that changes with the HTC Incredible S. HTC’s third “evolutionary” device launched at MWC 2011 this week, the Incredible S keeps the angular “Inside Out” styling but switches the CDMA radio for Euro-friendly GSM.

There’s still a 4-inch display, 8-megapixel autofocus camera and dual-LED flash, but now they’re joined by a front-facing webcam. Under the hood is Qualcomm’s 1GHz single-core MSM8225, just like in the HTC Desire S, though at launch it will be running Android 2.2 Froyo with HTC Sense; the company says it plans an update to Android 2.4 Gingerbread “early on.”

Release is expected in early Q2 2011, with pricing tba.

Incredible S_1 htc_incredible_s_specs_ac

Press Release:

HTC LAUNCHES THREE NEW SMARTPHONES WITH HTC SENSE

HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S deliver premium style, power and speed

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled three new versions of its most popular and advanced smartphones – HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S. The new smartphones continue HTC's commitment to expanding the market for advanced smartphones while providing distinct choices in design, power and value. Each phone also includes HTC Sense, HTC's unique customer-focused user experience that puts people at the center by making phones work in a more simple and natural way.
"HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S represent best," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "These new phones offer an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extend people's mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original."

HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone's aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm's new 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon™ processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.

HTC Wildfire S
Building on the popularity of the HTC Wildfire™ smartphone, the HTC Wildfire S smartphone is an affordable, compact and playful device that packs a powerful smartphone experience. It enables people to maintain and build connections and friendships through popular sites like Facebook®, as well as through voice and text messaging. You can instantly tag your friends in photos before posting them on Facebook, or share your latest discoveries from the Android™ Market at the touch of a button.

HTC Wildfire S is one of HTC's smallest phones ever – measuring just 10.13cm long and 5.94cm wide – and boasts a distinctive 3.2 inch, HVGA display.

Celebrate your individuality and choose from a wide variety of colors including black, purple and white. The phone's home screen is fully customizable with your favorite apps, widgets and content, while a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus, expandable microSD™ memory and support for a variety of audio and video formats make a great all-around multimedia device that slips easily into any pocket.

HTC Incredible S
The alluring HTC Incredible S smartphone combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different. Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device. Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand.

HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology. Thanks to the HTC Incredible S's front facing camera and video call functionality, users will constantly be able to chat with their friends face-to-face.

Availability
The HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S smartphones, will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

)


HTC Wildfire S revealed: HVGA screen and Gingerbread

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

The Wildfire may be younger than the Desire, but it’s still come in for a refresh at MWC 2011. The HTC Desire S tweaks the original’s styling, with some eye-catching piping running around the edge of the plastic shell, but more importantly upgrades the display to an HVGA panel that should ensure broader compatibility with titles from the Android Market.

There’s also Android 2.4 Gingerbread, though no front-facing camera, unlike the new HTC Desire S. That helps HTC keep the price down, since the Wildfire S is still expected to be the company’s entry-level device. It should arrive in late Q2 2011, pricing tba; Vodafone UK has already confirmed to us they will be offering the Wildfire S.

Wildifre S_grey Wildfire S_purple Wildfire S_white htc_wildfire_s_specs_ac

Press Release:

HTC LAUNCHES THREE NEW SMARTPHONES WITH HTC SENSE

HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S deliver premium style, power and speed

BARCELONA, SPAIN – Mobile World Congress – February 15, 2011 – HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today unveiled three new versions of its most popular and advanced smartphones – HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S. The new smartphones continue HTC's commitment to expanding the market for advanced smartphones while providing distinct choices in design, power and value. Each phone also includes HTC Sense, HTC's unique customer-focused user experience that puts people at the center by making phones work in a more simple and natural way.
"HTC developed the HTC Sense experience to bring cutting-edge innovation to our customers in simple and natural ways that just make sense – this is what HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S represent best," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "These new phones offer an exhilarating mix of style, innovation and features that extend people's mobile experience in ways that feel personal and completely original."

HTC Desire S
As a successor to the popular and award-winning HTC Desire, the new HTC Desire S blends stunning design with power and speed. Inspired by the HTC Legend™ smartphone's aluminium design, the HTC Desire S is sculpted out of a single block of aluminum making it feel solid and natural in your hand. With Qualcomm's new 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon™ processor, the HTC Desire S offers snappy performance and power. It offers dual front and back cameras, High-Definition video recording and the 3.7-inch WVGA display presents multimedia content brilliantly.

HTC Wildfire S
Building on the popularity of the HTC Wildfire™ smartphone, the HTC Wildfire S smartphone is an affordable, compact and playful device that packs a powerful smartphone experience. It enables people to maintain and build connections and friendships through popular sites like Facebook®, as well as through voice and text messaging. You can instantly tag your friends in photos before posting them on Facebook, or share your latest discoveries from the Android™ Market at the touch of a button.

HTC Wildfire S is one of HTC's smallest phones ever – measuring just 10.13cm long and 5.94cm wide – and boasts a distinctive 3.2 inch, HVGA display.

Celebrate your individuality and choose from a wide variety of colors including black, purple and white. The phone's home screen is fully customizable with your favorite apps, widgets and content, while a 5-megapixel color camera with auto focus, expandable microSD™ memory and support for a variety of audio and video formats make a great all-around multimedia device that slips easily into any pocket.

HTC Incredible S
The alluring HTC Incredible S smartphone combines cutting-edge design with a premium mobile experience for those who dare to be different. Showing what can be achieved when engineers and designers work together to raise the bar for mobile phone design, the HTC Incredible S smartphone features a stunning, contoured body that highlights the internal hardware components of the device. Capturing and viewing video in crystal clear High-Definition has never been so easy and a bright 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display and stereo surround sound bring a vibrant cinematic experience to the palm of your hand.

HTC Incredible S also takes high quality pictures with its 8-megapixel camera with dual flash, and it easily enables videos, photos and music to be shared from the handset direct to a TV using DLNA® technology. Thanks to the HTC Incredible S's front facing camera and video call functionality, users will constantly be able to chat with their friends face-to-face.

Availability
The HTC Desire S, HTC Wildfire S and HTC Incredible S smartphones, will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets during Q2 2011.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

)


LG Revolution to have inductive charging plate (optional)

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 05:34 PM PST

LG is very busy at Mobile World Congress this year and it’s new LG Revolution is not only going to be running Android 2.2 (Froyo), but will also come with an optional inductive charging plate for wireless charging.  The plate takes advantage of Fulton Innovation’s “eCoupled inductive coupling technology.

Users will have to have a separate inductive charger, but the advantage is that it can wirelessly charge a wide array of devices at the same time.  No word on the how much the optional plate will be, but will be made available as an accessory after the Revolution launches in March.

In addition, it looks like the Revolution is powering the latest flavor of Froyo, Android 2.2.2.  That means major bug fixes before the handset is even launched.  A very good thing.

[via Unwired View]

)


ViewPad 4 Tablet/Smartphone Hybrid [Hands On]

Posted: 14 Feb 2011 05:11 PM PST

Today ViewSonic revealed to us the ViewPad 4, a device which they’re adamant in not classifying as a tablet or a smartphone. Asking the small press conference we were a part of several times what we thought the difference between a tablet and a smartphone was, they’ve made it clear that they’d like to blur the line singlehandedly with this device. This device has a 4-inch screen, which ViewSonic says is the ideal place to blur the line between devices at, and it’ll be running whatever the newest version of Android Gingerbread is when it’s released.

The ViewPad 4 will be shown to carriers in late April 2011 and ready for release in early May. This device runs a Qualcomm 1 GHz processor of some sort (they weren’t clear at the meeting), runs a capacitive 4-inch touchscreen that they remind us is NOT AMOLED, and has a whole slew of connections you can make to other devices. It’s got Bluetooth 3.0, Wireless on b/g/n, HDMI out, and audio out, amongst others.

This device is lovely, fits in the hand, and although there’s not much to the design, it works well with the image ViewSonic has put forth for itself as a display-based company. Where there’s little but a few details, those details count for a lot. This phone/tablet device feels fabulous, and from what they’re saying, it’s got both a bigger screen and a smaller physical footprint than most of its competitors. Proof? Take a peek at this image photographed in the press room, the ViewPad 4 surrounded by popular phones laid down by the press people in the room. Look like a lot smaller item to you?

Any way you look at it, this is a solid device. If it ends up being a hit is entirely up to the hype people shooting it out to the average customer and the hackers to see what they can do with it. If you’d like all the rest of the details on this item head back to the original press release and have yourself a good time. Otherwise look above and below for some photos taken at Mobile World Congress 2011.

DSC00664 DSC00663 DSC00660 DSC00659 DSC00658 DSC00657 DSC00656 DSC00655 DSC00654 DSC00653 )


No comments:

Post a Comment