android

In open source or in product development generally, one of the biggest mistakes is to take on a deeply entrenched incumbent on its own turf. Almost inevitably, if you play someone else's game, even if you're a little cheaper/faster/better, you're going to lose. Inertia favors the incumbent, and there's a whole lot of inertia involved in switching vendors.

For this reason, I agree wholeheartedly with Bill Weinberg's suggestion that Linux's opportunity in Netbooks is to focus on the mobile side of the market, rather than bringing a traditional, personal computer bent to … Read more

If you're a T-Mobile G1 owner who has been patiently waiting for your Android 1.5 update, we hate to be the ones to tell you that you're going to be waiting just a bit longer.

T-Mobile USA announced on Monday that it's still finalizing the build to "ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery" so it has delayed pushing out the over-the-air update by one week. The carrier said it expects all G1 owners to have the Cupcake update by early June.

You can check out T-Mobile's official statement here.

(Source: Phonescoop)

While many cell phone fans are awaiting the launch of the Palm Pre and details of a new iPhone, there's another segment of the community that's waiting for something else: more Google Android phones.

Their arrival seems imminent with a T-Mobile-branded HTC Magic passing through the FCC and now the Samsung I7500 getting the official stamp of approval. Also, there are rumors of a Motorola-manufactured T-Mobile G1 v2 slated for October. And let's not forget that Sony Ericsson, HTC, and Samsung have more than one Android device slated for 2009.

While the prospect of new hardware is … Read more

This post was last updated on May 15 at 11:28 a.m., PT.

Earlier on Thursday, we reported on the Singapore HTC Magic launch and learned from our friends at CNET Asia that HTC has two more Google Android devices planned for the year. Great to hear, but was there more immediate good news that flew under the radar?

In Damian Koh's hands-on report of the Magic, right there in the sixth picture, plain as day, is Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support on the HTC Magic (kudos to CNET News reporter Stephen Shankland for noticing).

Koh also writes, "… Read more

In the tech world, if you can't beat 'em, you can always join 'em, or at least integrate their service into yours. This is the approach that mobile phone manager Skydeck is taking with Google Voice, and it's a good one.

When we demoed Skydeck in April, it struck us as a useful service for managing your contacts, calls, and voicemail online as you would your e-mail. Never mind that its online interface isn't as slick or easy to use as competitors' services (like RocketVox or Dashwire). And like its technological cohort, we figured Skydeck was surely … Read more

Here's some news straight from the horse's mouth. At Thursday's launch of the HTC Magic in Singapore, Executive Vice President Jason Juang told CNET Asia in an aside that the company will be releasing at least two more Android smartphones by the end of this year. He remained coy when pressed for more details.

HTC's no longer alone in the Android party as Samsung has recently announced its first Android offering, the I7500. We'll continue to keep you updated. Meanwhile, check out our hands-on pictures of the Magic, or if motion images are your kind … Read more

After a rocky start, online streaming service Imeem has raced to the head of the pack, thanks in large part to an effective search engine and the variety and large selection of music that users upload and share via the site.

It also helps that Imeem has deals with the major labels, so it's in no imminent danger of facing a Seeqpod-style shutdown. (However, Warner Music recently wrote down its investment in Imeem and rival Lala.)

Imeem launched an app for Android last year, but iPhone users were out of luck--until now.

I just downloaded the free Imeem app … Read more

It may not be Google Earth, but Google's latest application for its Android operating system is headed in the direction of at least one Earth's layers--up.

Google Sky Map uses your exact whereabouts, including the direction you're facing and the tilt of your handset, to show you the stars and planets all around. Because the Android phone is an extremely portable device, unlike your desktop or even laptop, Sky Map can heavily lean on the phone's built-in GPS and its accelerometer. This lets you point the phone like a remote to see the sky above. Yet … Read more

The other day, as I sat waiting for Jeff Bezos to appear in an auditorium to announce the new Kindle DX, I was surrounded by iPhones. Literally. Two people to my right, two people in front of me, and three people in back of me were all tapping out IMs or e-mails on their iPhones. What struck me was how awkward most of these people looked, tapping away with a single finger, laboring to type sentences just a few lines long.

Now I know some people can type quickly using the iPhone's virtual keyboard. A week earlier I'd … Read more