Oppo Multitouch Android Smartphone

OPPO is known as a portable media player manufacturer in its early years in China. The company will launch their first Android-powered smartphone in the first quarter of 2010. The phone will comes with a 3.5-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen, a side slide QWERTY keyboard and a Wi-Fi connectivity. The name of the model is still unavailable at this time. Stay tuned for more updates.

[Cloned In China]

Verizon’s Droid Update Improves Some Features

Though it’s only been available for a few weeks, Verizon Wireless already has released an update package for the Motorola Droid, an Android-based smartphone. A Verizon spokesperson said the update started Monday and will continue for about a week.

Verizon’s web site says the update offers 14 improvements or corrections, including stabilization of the operating system, three-way calling enhancements, improved camera autofocus, longer battery life, and better audio.

Tinkering Needed

The update, which is being done at low usage times to avoid inconveniencing users, is a good move, said William Stofega, program manager for mobile device technology and trends for IDC. "Like a lot of new devices, the Droid needs some tinkering," he said. "For instance, focusing the camera is an issue and voice quality is an issue. At lot of these things can be done in software rather than hardware."

Stofega said the update touches on key functions which, if left uncorrected, could hurt the Droid’s popularity.

"They’re really important. There were some flaws. The camera was the most advertised. There always are some software bugs that get into [the product] that happen out of the box. It is very important and significant that they confront it and do it fairly quickly," Stofega said. "I think its good Verizon is listening to customers and making sure they get the code updates to them before the real complaints start, and especially before they are faced with considering whether or not to get it for a gift."

First Impressions Last

Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for the NPD Group, agreed that the update is a good step. "The Droid update that Verizon is reported to be rolling out is a minor update, albeit one that can create a meaningful improvement to its users’ experience," he wrote in an e-mail. "In an age of advanced smartphones, it…

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HTC Droid Eris Shows Off 5MP Camera

Hey, HTC — we’re onto you. We know you’re a little upset that the lower-end Droid Eris isn’t getting much attention now that the DROID is all over Verizon’s marketing agenda, but it’s not like we don’t feel your pain.

For those interested in spending a full Benjamin less on their next Android handset (on Big Red, anyway), the Droid Eris looks to offer that very solution, and now a few more sneak peeks have shown that a 5 megapixel camera (with a video record mode) is gracing the rear. We’re also told that WiFi will be onboard (right, VZW?), and a bundle of joy will also be thrown in after mail-in rebate. Whatever that means.

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T-Mobile Will Launch HTC Touch Pro2 This August

T-Mobile will be lining up HTC’s Touch Pro2 when August 12 rolls around later next month. This powerful yet stylish business-class device is pretty much similar to many other high end smartphones in the market, where it boasts an intuitive touchscreen display and a user interface that makes it a snap for customers to simplify their communication and mobile Internet experience while staying connected and informed at all times - subject to battery life, of course, as these kinds of high end devices tend to sap battery power like nobody’s business. Folks who want to pick up the HTC Touch Pro2 in mocha finish from T-Mobile can do so from August 12 onwards.

Easily making room for T-Mobile’s 3G network and helping you remain connected in most public places using built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) connectivity, one can definitely tell that the HTC Touch Pro2 is not meant for casual users who check their email accounts only once a week. The HTC Touch Pro2 boasts superior data delivery and an enhanced Web-browsing experience, where you will also be able to use this as an impromptu GPS navigation device as well as location-based services. The 3.6? color WVGA touchscreen display can slide back and tilt upwards to reveal a full-QWERTY keyboard that would definitely go some ways in helping one decide whether you like to type messages using a virtual or actual keyboard. The screen’s position and size is good enough for reading and composing email, surfing the Internet, running applications and playing games on-the-go.

Other features include a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus capability, Straight Talk technology that integrates e-mail, voice and speakerphone experience into a simple manner that responds to e-mail via a call, making it a snap to organize conference calls from group e-mail.

There is no word on pricing, so we’ll just have to keep a keen eye out on this. Rest assured, the next 12 days ought to see more details revealed for the HTC Touch Pro2.

Press Release

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Vonage Will Release Apps For Smartphones

Google Voice Released For BlackBerry, Android Devices

Google released Google Voice for BlackBerry and Android-powered smartphones on Wednesday.

Last month, Google sent invitations to people who signed up to test the service that is based on technology from GrandCentral, which Google acquired in 2007. Google Voice gives users a single phone number that will ring his or her home, work and mobile-phone numbers. Users can control the service to have specific callers ring a particular phone. Callers can also be sent to voice mail, with messages transcribed and e-mailed to the user.

Writing on The Official Google Blog, Vincent Paquet of Google’s voice team and Marcus Foster of Google’s mobile team said the application can be downloaded from a Google site and the Android Market. They also said Google is responding to requests to make outgoing calls easier.

“Previously, to place a call using Google Voice, you had to dial your own Google Voice number from your cell phone or use the Quick Call button online,” they wrote. “With this new mobile app, you can make calls and send SMS messages with your Google Voice number directly from your mobile phone. The app is fully integrated with each phone’s contacts, so you can call via Google Voice straight from your address book.”

They also wrote that Google Voice users will be able to access SMS messages sent to the Google Voice number even if a user’s cell phone doesn’t receive SMS. The app also displays the user’s Google Voice number on outgoing calls and SMS messages.

For people who don’t have a BlackBerry or Android device, a mobile Web version of the Google Voice site can be accessed through a mobile browser, Paquet and Foster wrote. A Google Voice account is required, and the service is only available in the U.S.

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Skype 3.0 For Win Mobile Leaves Beta Testing Phase

Skype 3.0 for Windows Mobile has left beta testing and has added SMS capabilities and file transfer. The two new features, which require Skype Out credits, can be accessed through the contact menu on the Skype client.

Additional upgrades to the 3.0 release include a contact list wizard and a new interface for the status, chat and history tabs, according to CNET. The new Skype client was downloaded more than 250,000 times from CNET’s site by 10 a.m. EST, showing the high demand for the full release of the product.

For more:
- see the CNET article here 

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Palm Sells 300,000 Palm Pres In June Alone

We’ll see plenty of "Pre sells X units in Y amount of time; not as many as iPhone" stories in the next year—in fact, we already have. That may be the wrong way to look at it.

Charter Equity Research is now saying that Palm has pushed over 300k Pres into sales channels in June alone, setting them on a pace to sell a million units in the first quarter. Set in the context of the iPhone 3G and 3GS’s million-in-a-weekend sales pace, this doesn’t sound like a ton. Set in the more meaningful context of Palm’s sales last quarter, it’s huge. As John Paczkowski points out, the company sold just 351,000 phones total in the quarter preceding the launch of the Pre.

Palm may be waiting to release official numbers until supply issues are sorted out and they can claim a more flattering number, but this right here? Pretty impressive. If there was any lingering doubt that a single phone could salvage this ailing company (and assuming these numbers are right), it’s gone now.

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Palm App Catalog - One million Downloads To 150,000 Palm Pre Owners

A million downloads, impressive. Even more so when you consider that fewer than 30 applications were available for download from the App Catalog to a single device (the Pre) available only on the number 3 carrier (Sprint) in the US. Unfortunately, Palm’s not offering any official numbers.

The figure comes via industry analysts who suggest 150,000 Pre devices shipped since the June 6th retail introduction for an average of about seven apps downloaded per phone.

Imagine the numbers had Palm’s SDK been ready prior to launch.

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Sprint And Palm Pre Share Successful Launch

Sprint sings its 3G network praises following launch of the Pre.

Overland Park, Kan — It’s one thing to sell Palm® Pre™ – the most anticipated consumer electronics device of the year – but according to customers and industry observers, it’s a much bigger thing to be able to unlock its complete potential thanks to Sprint’s nationwide 3G network.

After the fanfare of the Pre launch – breaking sales records and glowing headlines – customers are now taking advantage of the device – and something much less heralded – America’s most dependable 3G network.

Since 2006, Sprint has invested almost $17 billion in capital to continue improving and expanding network performance. Today, according to customers and third-party reports, Sprint’s networks have never been better. In its latest quarterly report, the company reported that both its CDMA and iDEN networks are performing at best-ever levels.

“Better network performance has been a major priority and a key part of the improvements we’ve made over the past year that have materially changed the customer experience with Sprint,” said Dan Hesse, president and chief executive officer of Sprint. “Palm Pre is the coming out party for the new Sprint – the perfect device to show how far our networks have come.”

The investment has paid dividends for Sprint. Today, Sprint operates America’s most dependable 3G network.

The Sprint 3G Network is faster in more places than AT&T’s 3G network, 2 and Sprint has more than 20 times the coverage of T-Mobile’s current 3G network, based on square miles.

No one has a larger voice calling area than Sprint. The Nationwide Sprint Network (inclusive of roaming) reaches more than 304 million people in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a Sprint national calling plan that includes roaming.

And, continuing to lead the way in network performance, Sprint is the first and only national carrier to offer wireless 4G. Sprint 4G is available in Baltimore today and markets expected to launch in 2009 include Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia and Seattle. In 2010 Sprint 4G launch cities are expected to include New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area.

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