Six months after the first Android phone was released, it remains the only phone that runs Google’s open-source operating system, although manufacturers and carriers say more Android products are coming in the weeks and months ahead. There was a lot of excitement before last October’s launch of the G1, or “the Google phone," as it’s also known, which is carried exclusively by T-Mobile. Google shepherded Android, which is based on Linux, and the online Android Market, which is based on Apple’s App Store for the iPhone. Is it Android itself or the lack of Android phones that’s resulted in a lukewarm response? “Maybe this highlights the problem of trying to hype an operating system rather than a phone,” said Allen Nogee, In-Stat’s wireless and infrastructure technology analyst. Story continues below ↓ advertisement your ad here dap('&PG=NBCSAT&AP=1089','300','250'); “As far as I know, Android was the only operating system where they attempted to sell an OS and not a device. I don’t think the results have been very compelling and neither have the reviews of the G1. I think that has been bad for Android.”
Monday, May 18, 2009
Android at six months: A one-phone pony
Six months after the first Android phone was released, it remains the only phone that runs Google’s open-source operating system, although manufacturers and carriers say more Android products are coming in the weeks and months ahead. There was a lot of excitement before last October’s launch of the G1, or “the Google phone," as it’s also known, which is carried exclusively by T-Mobile. Google shepherded Android, which is based on Linux, and the online Android Market, which is based on Apple’s App Store for the iPhone. Is it Android itself or the lack of Android phones that’s resulted in a lukewarm response? “Maybe this highlights the problem of trying to hype an operating system rather than a phone,” said Allen Nogee, In-Stat’s wireless and infrastructure technology analyst. Story continues below ↓ advertisement your ad here dap('&PG=NBCSAT&AP=1089','300','250'); “As far as I know, Android was the only operating system where they attempted to sell an OS and not a device. I don’t think the results have been very compelling and neither have the reviews of the G1. I think that has been bad for Android.”
BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium (T-Mobile)
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 for T-Mobile is the thinnest and lightest full-QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone yet. In addition to its stunning good looks--with titanium-colored finish accented by chrome highlights--the Curve 8900 is packed with communication and location features. The built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) supports both voice and data, making it easier to stay connected to family, friends and colleagues using T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling service, while the built-in GPS supports location-based services including turn-by-turn navigation.With a refined design, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone supports both your professional and personal mobile communication needs to help you enjoy a more organized, balanced life. In addition to a sleek, stylish design, the powerful new smartphone includes a large, vivid display--the highest resolution available on a BlackBerry smartphone--as well as a 512 MHz next-generation processor for fast and responsive performance.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Mobile Broadband
Get mobile
Mobile broadband has long been the lifeblood of road warriors, but new data plans on Hutchison's 3 network are so ridiculously cheap you no longer need a business case to justify the expense. We've put 3's USB High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) modem to the test in our cafes of choice around town.
The modem is simple to install: the Windows software is embedded in the device and auto-runs when you plug it in. Mac users need to dig the installation disc out of the box. After two minutes to install the software, you're presented with the mobile broadband dashboard, which shows you information such as signal strength and data usage.
The big Connect button gets you on your way. We clocked some impressive download speeds on the 3 network, peaking about 1.8 Mbps from Australian sites such as triplej.abc.net.au, easily keeping pace with our tests on Telstra's HSDPA network, Next G. We also saw steady 350 Kbps FTP uploads to Australian servers. Next, we tried a spot of Skype videoconferencing and the network performed flawlessly, downloading at 300 Kbps and uploading at 200 Kbps with no dropouts - again, keeping pace with Next G.
Telstra recently announced a Next G speed boost but for many users it requires new hardware. We'd have thought Next G customers were more in need of a price cut than a speed boost, considering the amazing plans on offer from 3. For $29 a month, plus $5 for the USB modem, 3 offers 1 GB of uploads and downloads. For the same money you get just 100 MB per month from Optus or Vodafone, or a measly 80 MB per month from Next G with oppressive charges for excess data. For $49, $69 or $99 a month, 3 offers 2, 3 or 5 GB respectively - and it throws in the USB modem free. You don't need a calculator to see where the better value lies.
Of course, Next G's trump card is network coverage. Hutchison's 3 network covers only metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. It is slowly growing, in Victoria stretching from Geelong to Frankston and as far north as Somerton.
In Sydney it reaches from Palm Beach to Cronulla and as far west as Penrith. Next G covers far more countryside in its attempt to match the outgoing CDMA network. If you travel widely, then Telstra has you captive, but if you're a city slicker then you'd be hard-pressed to justify handing over your money to anyone other than 3. Mobile broadband was once a luxury item. Now, for the price of two coffees a week, 3 offers the same network speeds and tenfold the data limits of the competition.3's mobile broadband packages start from $29 a month for 1 GB. For more details call 131 683 or visit http://www.three.com.au/