The good news with the HTC Desire Android 2.2 update is that it works very well according to those at XDA Developers with only a small amount of bugs. These bugs include no wallpapers, geolocalization not always working well and sometimes a reboot for unknown reasons. Although the last could be a problem, it seems like it isn't that often to cause worry and it would get you Android 2.2 on your Desire now.
Details of the Desire Android update include...
* Android 2.2 Froyo (FRF-85B)
* Kernel 2.6.32.15
* New Radio 32.41.00.32U_5.08.00.04
* New Base v2.04
* 720p Video recorder
* Native APP2SD
* App Sharing
* Car Panel
* Plurk
* Torcia
* Wi-Fi Hotspot
* ..and much more!
If you plan on installing the update then make sure you follow the instructions found over here that give a warning on occasion to watch out for certain things such as not touching the phone during part of the update even though the phone reboots several times.
Let us know if you manage to install the update and if it works better than Android 2.1.
Numbers indicated that the Android platform grew 44 percent between February and May. The three months prior to that saw Android taking about 9 percent share of the US smartphone market. With the Android OS growing 44 percent the three months after that, the market share jumped up to 13 percent.
Thirteen percent isn't a huge number, but at the same time the four percent increase over a quarter shows the rate at which Android is moving. If the growth rate keeps up, which it can due to the sheer number of high end handsets being launched, then this time next year will show Android with a larger market share.
The main reason the iPhone isn't growing at the same rate is due to the restrictions in the US. Right now it's only available on AT&T [T] and is likely to stay on that network for another two years or so which gets rid of a potential 10 million or more users that Verizon [VZ] for example could bring. Also the iPhone is just a single handset (well, four in the series) whereas Android gets installed on many varieties of handsets from various manufacturers.
PCWorld has a more comprehensive look at how Android is growing and the iPhone staying the same. But one thing to remember is that Apple is by no means doing poor in the smartphone area.
We also hear that the Galaxy S2 will have 1GB of RAM and 4GB of ROM along with 32GB of storage space built in. More can be added by using a microSD if needed.
On the back is rumoured to be an 8 megapixel camera. Back on to the 2GHz processor. It is unclear at the moment if it will be two 1GHz chips or a single 2GHz processor. Either way, it sounds powerful and should add more kick to the already fast Galaxy S.
For connectivity the rumoured smartphone is said to have Bluetooth 3.0 and Wifi b/g/n. Sensors include a GPS, accelerometer and a gyroscope.
When launched it is said to run the next version of Android believed to be 3.0 and codenamed Gingerbread.
I'm not fully convinced the rumours are true at the moment as the retina display style PPI seems to be just an estimate based on the phone rendering above. Also the 2GHz CPU seems like a bit of a step up from the 1GHz devices we are seeing at the moment. Perhaps a 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz early next year, but 2GHz seems to be pushing it at the moment.
What are your thoughts? Will Samsung launch the Galaxy S2 with the above specs?
The concept was created by Pranav Mistry along with Patti Maes and Liyan Chang and basically gets rid of the mouse completely.
By using an IR sensor with some custom software, the movements of a hand on a desk can be interpreted in to mouse and finger movement allowing users to simple glide their hand on a desk and tap the desk with their finger.
The IR sensor sits on the back of a laptop and detects movement to the side of the laptop. By skimming the IR beam across the desk the software can pick up where the signal is cut off and calculate where your hand is and move the mouse pointer appropriately.
The system costs just $20 to build which is interesting and would allow laptop users to more comfortably work as well as carry less around when out and about.
The video below shows a demonstration of how the software works and how accurate it is. It's fairly impressive stuff and would be good for companies to adopt in the future.
Full details haven't been provided just yet on how exactly it will work, but from what we hear the camera, when put in 3D panorama mode, can be used to sweep around a scene with Sony's firmware converting those captured images to 3D.
The cameras themselves were only just recently launched and are about the size of a Cybershot point and shoot camera with a large DSLR lens attached on the front. Inside a 14.2 megapixel sensor can be found and each camera uses the Sony E-Mount lens system. To use other Alpha lenses you can buy an adapter to convert them over.
When we get some samples or details of exactly how 3D panoramas will work on the Sony NEX-X cameras, we'll provide an update.
The Vapor4 is exactly the same in that it covers the edges of the iPhone 4 and protects it... but the difference here is that the Vapor4 actually looks amazingly nice.
As well as looking good, it will also fix the antenna issues with the iPhone 4 when in bad signal areas. It achieves this by lining the insides of the aluminium casing with a material that prevents the antenna from touching the casing, thus your hand cant break the signal. In tests the company found no interference.
The case has all the right sections cut out allowing you to attach the dock connector, power it on and off and access volume etc... Overall it's very impressive.
The downside is that the Vapor4 isn't the cheapest case around. It actually makes the expensive iPhone 4 bumper from Apple [AAPL] look cheap in that this model costs $80 for the enclosure and for an extra $20 you get the V4Carbon back to insert on the back of your iPhone 4 to give it a different look and protect the back glass.
HP has launched the TouchSmart 600 multi-touch tablet PC. The HP TouchSmart 600 runs Windows 7 Home Premium, has a 23 inch 1080p Full HD display and runs Intel Core 2 Duo Processors (or Core i3 and i5).
For connectivity it has WiFi built in as well as a BlueTooth connection.
To make use of the large screen as a TV, an optional TV card can be purchased with the TouchSmart 600 allowing you to tune in to TV channels as well as record them if needed.
Overall it appears to be quite an impressive package. With the added touchscreen it allows (in some cases) easier navigation around the PC and adds an extra layer of control.
Prices for the HP TouchSmart 600 start at £1000 for the basic model with the lowest RAM and processor and go up higher when you add the optional extras on. Full details can be found on the HP site.
The device costs $100 and provides enough power to keep devices charged. The unit accepts fuel cells and once inserted in to the charging unit, power is instant. The power generated it output through a standard USB port built in to the device and this USB port is used to connect devices such as an iPhone, BlackBerry and other devices including tablet.
With the device using fuel-cell technology the device can generate power as soon as the fuel cartridge is topped up or replaced. There is no need to wait around to use the charger as power is instant the moment fuel is inserted in the cartridge.
The MiniPak is capable of providing 1.5 to 2W of continuous power and the fuel cell's used can produce 12Wh of energy.
The MiniPak uses a combination of Horizon’s mass-produced PEM fuel cells and a new low-cost metal hydride storage solution, which is able to store hydrogen safely as a dry, non-toxic and non-pressurized material. The fuel cartridge contains a metallic sponge that is able to absorb hydrogen and turn it into a solid hydride. It is then able to release it back to the fuel cell when needed. The PEM fuel cell combines oxygen from the air with the stored hydrogen - electricity via its USB port and trace amounts of water vapor.
The Horizon MiniPak is available now with full details available over here on the official site.
The video shows a few examples of how to browse through photos and although not the most exciting of things to watch, it does move on to the video editing functions of the phone where transitions can be made between clips that have been combined together. The application actually looks very good and seems that with the mix of a high resolution camera and some nice transition features it could be a good selling point for the Nokia N8.
Check out the video to see how video editing works and what can be done with it...
However, recent rumours indicated that we might not actually see the Notion Ink Adam till almost the end of this year in November. Reasons cited for the delays this time around revolve around the investors who want the Notion Ink Adam to hit the market near Thanksgiving rather than earlier. The quote spotted on a few websites was actually quoted with a bit missing. SlashGear managed to get some details from the guys at Notion Ink to see what they had to say about it.
The November launch date is for a few countries rather than all countries although Notion Ink didn't indicate what regions would launch in November and which ones wouldn't. However, they did indicate that an update about a launch was coming soon. It does seem that a Q3 launch is still likely which SlashGear point out, gives Apple [AAPL] another quarter to get even further ahead in the game.
Hopefully we get information soon about the Notion Ink Adam as when things drag on so long, it's easy to move on and find something else newer.
* Ape Escape: On the Loose
* Buzz! Master Quiz
* Hot Shots Golf Open Tee
* LocoRoco 2
* Patapon 2
* PixelJunk Monster Deluxe
* SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo
* Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow
* Twisted Metal: Head On
As well as the Favourite line of games another range has been created called the "Greatest Hits" collection. Games in this section include the following which are priced at $19.99.
* Gran Turismo
* LittleBigPlanet (PSP system)
* Resistance: Retribution
* Secret Agent Clank
Also a deal on the PSPgo is being made that will go on till next March 31 2011. When purchasing the PSPgo you'll get an email where you can use a voucher to get three games for free.
The full details of all the offers as well as a few other games coming soon to each new category can be found over at the PlayStation Blog.
The latest I came across today are USB Flash Drive Cufflinks that allow you to hold a shirt cuff together as well as easily carry your data around with you.
Now introducing the perfect pair of cufflinks for work. 2GB USB Flash Drive Cufflinks (2 GB each, total 4 GB) are not only engravable, but feature functional USB drives making it possible for you to keep all of your must-have presentations and important documents with you wherever you go. Never be without functional fashion again.
The cufflink flash drives cost $195 for the pair and each cuff link in the set has 2GB allowing for 4GB of storage to be carried around with you.
Silicon Valley startup Anybots sees robots in the future of your workplace. It’s debuting a two-wheeled mobile robot named “QB” that is equipped with a camera and interactive touch display in an effort to one-up the concept of static teleconferencing.
The website promises “one-click commuting” thanks to a web browser interface that allows a remote user to control QB’s movements. The premise is to get much closer to “real” virtual telepresence by allowing the user to roam around and initiate spontaneous conversations as if actually there in the flesh. The QB bot also features a speaker, laser pointer and a telescoping neck that lends it an appearance not unlike your friendly living room halogen floor lamp.
Slated to be released this fall for a $15,000 sticker price, the bot actually compares favorably to the cost of high-end teleconferencing systems from HP, Cisco and other manufacturers. With the still-lagging economy finding businesses wanting to cut down on travel costs, telepresence could be an attractive “next best thing” type of option. Yet it remains to be seen if the marketplace will value the mobility afforded by something like a QB bot over a more traditional conference room setup — so it may be too early to proclaim an imminent takeover from our robotic overlords just yet.
Check out a demo video of the QB bot below as well as an interview with Anybots COO Bob Christopher, featuring more video of QB tooling around. Let us know what you think of robotic telepresence: Could it be the next big thing for distributed workforces or perhaps a novel trend in office entertainment?
When purchasing the Inspiron M301z there are two options available for the processor which include an AMD Nile Dual Core Athlon II Neo K325 running at 1.3GHz and the Neo K625 running slightly faster at 1.5GHz. Memory wise the laptop can hold up to 4GB of DDR3 running at 1333Mhz. For storage the M301z comes standard with a 320GB hard drive spinning at 7200RPM.
The screen on the M301z measures 13.3 inches and is in a widescreen aspect ratio capable of HD.
There are two choices for the operating system which are both Windows 7 with a choice between the 64-bit Home Premium or the 64-bit Home Basic.
Other features include an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, wireless connectivity for 802.11b/g networks and Bluetooth 2.1. Connectivity for physical ports includes two USB 2.0, 1 X E-SATA/USB 2.0, HDMI and an integrated 10/100 LAN. Also a mic in / line out and a 7 in 1 card reader is also included.
Various models are available now from Dell with the cheapest model starting at $999. Full details can be found over at Dell.
“Today’s social networks provide an essential forum for friendship with more than 400 million users – many of whom are young adults – actively sharing their lives with their friends through Facebook,” said Florian Seiche, Vice President, HTC EMEA. “HTC Wildfire makes the HTC Sense experience available to young mobile users for the first time. It brings all your communications into one place, whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, text messages, images or email, ensuring that you are never far away from the conversation and always close to your friends.”
The HTC Wildfire has a 3.2 inch QVGA screen. The screen is capacitive touch as we normally expect on this class of smartphone. A 5 megapixel camera is found on the back and all the usual connectivity is thrown in there such as WiFi, Bluetooth as well as GPS for tracking your current location.
The OS running on the HTC Wildfire is Android 2.1 from Google [GOOG] and HTC has installed Sense UI on this device. The processor running on the smartphone is the Qualcomm MSM7225 running at 525MHz.
It is expected that the HTC Wildfire will launch in Q3 2010 across European and Asian markets.
The Fit-U Mouse has a name that describes it quite well in that it is designed to Fit-U. What this means it that it comes with a selection of two mouse covers with one being larger than the other. These mouse covers can snap on and off to fit a larger or smaller size as needed. As well as the two supplied black covers you can also change the look of your mouse by purchasing extra covers as pictured below
The mouse it’s self is wireless and comes with a tiny USB adapter that you plug in to your computer. When inserted the adapter only sticks out a few mm making it small and out of the way.
The mouse is powered by two supplied AAA batteries which are easily inserted by sliding the bottom of the mouse out and lifting it up. Once inserted the power switch found underneath can be flicked on ready for use.
I tested the Fit-U mouse on a Windows 7 laptop and after inserting the USB adapter the mouse started to function within seconds with no software installation. This made set up very quick and simple. With the USB adapter being so small it is also safe to leave it in your laptop when your laptop is stored in a case as it is small enough to not get in the way.
The mouse I found was comfortable to use both in medium and large modes although the larger version was a little more comfortable due to it being slightly larger under the palm providing support to the hand and wrist. Reasons other than comfort also include the ability to pack the smaller cover away should you be travelling with the mouse and using the larger cover at home on the desktop computer.
Accuracy of the mouse was also good and although I didn’t particularly do any scientific tests, it worked just as I needed allowing me to navigate around Windows and various software without any problems. I have however read some reports of people having issues with their mouse with stutter from the mouse pointer and clicks. I didn’t experience any of that my self on the wireless laser version that I used though.
The mouse comes with 6 programmable buttons allowing you to control various aspects of the operating system. With them being programmable you can set it to fit the functions you use most such as double clicks, change tabs and other various options.
The laser accuracy can also be modified from 800dpi to 1600dpi with the push of a button making it also another handy feature.
The mouse we reviewed was the wireless laser version. Other versions of the Fit-U include a laser wired, optical wirless and a laser bluetooth version.
Although it’s just another mouse, it does work very well, is comfortable to hold, seems accurate for daily usage and is customisable.
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