Mobility Site » Marilyn Torres

Acer Liquid With AT&T Bands

Marilyn Torres — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:25:04 +0000

I’m still a little incredulous about an Android handset finally arriving subsidized on AT&T. As we’ve seen before, just because handsets go through the FCC doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re guaranteed to show up on a specific carrier. Although, this past week’s news that an Acer Liquid with the AT&T 3G bands of 850/1900 MHz has been approved by the FCC has offered a little hope that AT&T will ring in 2010 with at least one new Android handset on their network. Below are a few highlights about this promising handset:

1GHz Snapdragon Processor
WVGA Screen (800 x 480 resolution)
3.5 inch Capacitive Touch Screen
5MP Camera with Auto Focus and Geo-tagging
HSPA Connectivity
Wifi Synching
Android 1.6 Donut
GPS
Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for Wireless Stereo Headsets
3.5 mm Audio Jack
Memory: ROM: 512 MB / RAM: 256 MB ROM
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz Quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

If this phone with a formidable processor and camera makes it onto AT&T, I would gladly buy one on its yet unannounced release date.

Source: Unwired View

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Swype Replaces Type On Verzion Samsung Omnia II

Marilyn Torres — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:22:34 +0000

A little over a year ago Chris posted a piece about the Swype software, and yet here is Swype again attempting to change consumers’ perspectives on typing using software keyboards. Since my introduction to software keyboards came in the form of the near-microscopic keys in Windows Mobile 6.0, I was slow to adopt the prediction-correction-ridden virtual-boards. The correction software on even the iPhone still throws me for a loop, and yet Samsung decides to turn convention on its head to welcome the 2009 holiday season with Swype on the Samsung Omnia II for Verizon.

(...) Read the rest of Swype Replaces Type On Verzion Samsung Omnia II (125 words)

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Android’s Motus Operandi or X10

Marilyn Torres — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:25:05 +0000

During the gaping silence from AT&T regarding all things Android, there has been a small admittance to the end of the iPhone exclusivity to AT&T, yet Android seems to be overtaking market. Sprint has launched the HTC Hero, T-Mobile currently has the myTouch 3G, and Verizon debuted the Motorola Droid and Eris, so I’m wondering if with Sony Ericsson X10 will grace AT&T before the rumored Motorola Motus. Sony Style stores started offering AT&T service with their handsets on November 19th, so it wouldn’t be a huge leap for both Sony and AT&T to follow the same path for the X10. And then Motus makes the scene again this week for the first time since it passed through the FCC in late October with a blurry photo op and interesting AT&T-compatible specs:

(...) Read the rest of Android’s Motus Operandi or X10 (238 words)

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Promo

Marilyn Torres — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:14:33 +0000

Here’s another video from Sony Ericsson of the Xperia X10’s interface, which could possibly rival the HTC Hero’s Sense UI if it isn’t overcome by its own flashiness. The columns of scrolling contacts, cover art, and and applications are interesting but busy. Thank goodness the X10 is powered by the Snapdragon 1GHz processor to handle all the pretty flash of Sony’s Rachel UI. The large four-inch display, 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash, and expandable memory definitely make this an Android device to almost rival the Motorola Droid, despite the Droid’s impressive 16 GB internal storage.

One of the features I liked best on the HTC Hero, and what looks to be apart of the Sony Ericsson X10, was the selective connectivity between contacts and their social networking accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Unlike a handset such as the INQ Mini 3G, where the phone experience almost completely disappears leaving just an extension, the X10 doesn’t seem to forget it’s a phone while confidently stepping into the digital camera, MP3 player realm, and social networking realm. February 2010 cannot get here fast enough. Check out the ad and a link to more photos of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 after the cut.

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NetFront Expanding Into US

Marilyn Torres — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:39:59 +0000

Recently I spoke with representatives from Access Company, an international corporation headquartered in Japan that is well-known for working closely with the largest Japanese mobile carrier, Docomo. Access is a leader of software for mobile and other devices such as Sony’s PSP and Sony’s newest WiFi ready Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3 camera announced earlier this year at CES 2009, which allows for photos to be wirelessly transferred to computers and televisions that are DLNA-capable. The company’s mobile software, which has concentrated mainly on a business-to-business level with electronics companies, has facilitated messaging, email, digital mobile television, digital radio, and widgets on devices from clamshell handsets from Motorola and Samsung to phones like the Palm Centro, and Treo 600 Series for years. Now they are excited to announced that their NetFront line of software, such as the NetFront Mobile Browser, is poised for major expansion into the United States.

(...) Read the rest of NetFront Expanding Into US (176 words)

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Acer Liquid A1 Specs in Motion

Marilyn Torres — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:49:13 +0000

While the Acer A1, the first in the Android line of handsets from Acer with the Liquid interface, comes in shy on the on-board storage front at 512 MB, as Zealot pointed out, additional storage could be remedied via microSD expansion. Since apps from the Android Market install themselves onto the handset itself, I don’t know if a sizable microSD expansion will be enough. The hardware specs are a plus with the 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 3.5 mm headphone input, dedicated camera button, and a dedicated search button, which I know maximized the browsing experience on the HTC Hero. I’m also pretty glad to see that Acer decided against the trackball. Alongside the 5-megapixel auto focus camera I expected some kind of flash, but maybe photo editing features and various widgets won’t fall short with the Snapdragon processor giving the handset. The Liquid has a slim form facture, and in the video from GPSandGo.com below showcases that detail as well as the finger-friendly multi-panel interface:

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Android Google Search Over Bing

Marilyn Torres — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:08:45 +0000

Again I’m looking apologetically at my AT&T Tilt, but Android has boiled down searching the internet or a handset into one button push. On the HTC Hero there is a dedicated Search button on the front of the handset that brings up the Google Search field on the home screen or any panel. After a search term is entered, the number of hits auto-populate in a pull-down menu. Then, the browser goes straight to the full web browser Google search results. The search button also searches trending topics through HTC’s Twitter app, Peep, the Android Market, and anything else on the handset depending on what application is open.

Now I wonder why Microsoft wants to introduce an upgrade to Bing Mobile, an app that for all intents and purposes searches the internet like Google Maps. Whatever happened to polishing Pocket Internet Explorer to the point where it’s used for more than just downloading another browser like Skyfire, Fennec, or NetFront? Bing is a quick and easy search provider to use on a desktop, and the Internet Explorer Bing search add-on is handy for a quick spell or grammar check, but if Bing continues on it’s current mobile path as an app it’s doomed redundancy. I’m hoping those other “exciting announcements” regarding Bing will aim higher than Google Maps at least. Until then, I’ll continue to search through Google Maps or a mobile browser.

Source: Windows Mobile Training

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HTC Hero: A Review

Marilyn Torres — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:05:48 +0000

After a thorough software walkthrough by Chris Leckness, it’s time to see how the HTC Hero fairs on the daily basis. Expect a solid run-through of this handset as I happily set aside my AT&T Tilt for a week, sorry WinMo, in favor of seeing how the Android half lives. I tried the Android Google Voice app on for size, read feeds, streamed media for hours, and put one of HTC’s solid Android offerings through its paces.

(...) Read the rest of HTC Hero: A Review (1,828 words)

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Windows Mobile 6.5 Near, Just Not Near Me

Marilyn Torres — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:17:31 +0000

Most of the major carriers are ramping up for the October 6, 2009, release of Windows Mobile 6.5 with new mobile offerings featuring the new version of the OS. There has been an outpouring of reviews and coverage for the OS, but the more I see about WinMo 6.5 the more I want to throttle my AT&T Tilt running WinMo 6.1 Professional. The OS has proven itself to be bulky and consistently laggy, which is especially frustrating even after several hard resets and application bonfires when all I want to do is possibly use the on-screen keyboard with one other background app. Maybe all I need is a new handset with an upgraded WinMo OS, although I’m hesitate to leap back into WinMo’s arms when Android, Palm Pre, and Apple look much more welcoming.

Cue my dismayed groan when the GCR Mobile Team for Microsoft China let loose that there will be at least 30 mobile handsets running Windows Mobile 6.5 by the end of 2009. HTC is filling more than enough of their WinMo quota by skinning WinMo into something more palatable, as has Samsung with TouchWiz. I love HTC’s handsets but wish more of their smartphones would ship with other operating systems.

Carriers in on the WinMo 6.5 action are AT&T, SprintNextel, Verizon, T-Mobile, Orange, and a several others worldwide. I may have yearned for the HTC TouchPro2 and HTC Leo once upon a time, but experience has made a WinMo skeptic out of me. If your heart flutters at the mention of WinMo, WMPoweruser.com has a good list of upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 as well as upgradable handsets. I’ll just sit over here and mutter about the Palm Pre’s exclusivity contract with Sprint and the unfair number of Android phones on T-Mobile.

Source: Digitimes

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Motorola CLIQs Into Widgets

Marilyn Torres — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:54:31 +0000

As a fan of the of the almighty live-updating widgets of the Nokia N97, I’m excited about Motorola’s latest addition to the mobile interface genre, MOTOBLUR. Their latest QWERTY handset, the Motorola CLIQ, runs Android OS skinned with the MOTOBLUR interface. The slide-out keyboard mechanism looks as solid as my HTC Kaiser’s and the keys appear evenly spaced for easy typing. Aggregating several different social networks together into an RSS-style on the home screen simplifies multiple services and can easily translate into a timesaver. I’ll be looking forward to more downloadable widgets and the Motorola CLIQ’s home network after going to T-Mobile this fall, which hopefully means an eventual leap to AT&T for the iPhone disinclined. Check out the MOTOBLUR simulator online or a hands-on video at Boy Genius Report.

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Panoramic moTweets Twitter App

Marilyn Torres — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:59:22 +0000

One of the features I love best of my Windows Mobile smartphone is that there is no shortage of different free apps, even though they’re not neatly consolidated into an app store. Since I avidly tweet almost everyday, I have no problem with leaving Tiny Twitter, ceTwit, and Twikini behind for a Twitter client that enables me to smoothly scroll, tweet, delete, follow, unfollow, et cetera, through my Twitter timeline.

The only Twitter app that enables me to smoothly scroll through my timeline on my touchscreen phone and delete my accidental tweets is moTweets. One of my biggest Twitter pet peeves is accidentally sending an unfinished tweet, and before I had to actually log into Twitter through my mobile browser to delete a tweet, but now with moTweets I can just tap on my tweet and delete it from my timeline.

(...) Read the rest of Panoramic moTweets Twitter App (190 words)

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Samsung Applications Get New Digs

Marilyn Torres — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:14:15 +0000

Coming up on September 4th, Samsung will be opening their new app store! The value of the TouchWiz UI just skyrocketed. At first the only devices that will be able to support the app store will be the Omnia and I8910 HD, but the selection of devices able to download from the store will later expand. Customers will be able to download over air from a compatible selections of apps specific to their devices.

Over 300 native applications meeting Samsung’s content guidelines will be available at launch, expected to grow to over 2,000 by the end of 2009. Users can browse the website, www.samsungapps.com, for details, see featured applications and participate in online events.

Companies like Capcom, Diotek, Electronic Arts, Handmark, and Paragon SW are among the first providers of applications in the app store so this whole app marketplace looks like it will offer variety without sacrificing quality. As long as internal storage and other specs for Samsung devices’ specs keep improving, the only way is up. The UK, France, and Italy will be able to reap the appy goodness at www.samsungapps.com while 30 other countries will have to wait a little longer.

Source: NewsWire

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Scosche Enables Us To SolCHAT

Marilyn Torres — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:34:09 +0000

One of the most annoying things is trying to answer a call while driving, and fumbling with a Bluetooth headset that decides to pop off or out of my ear just gets old fast. Scosche has come up with a solution that I could see myself using; a solar-powered Bluetooth enabled speaker with suction cups!

One of the best ideas the Department of Transportation has come up with is the toll transponder with suction cups that adhere to a car’s windshield, so to incorporate a Bluetooth speaker that enables a person to answer calls safely and easily with the added advantage of voice caller identification. It can’t read text messages aloud, but for the not-too-painful $89.99 Best Buy price point I can wait to read my text messages when I get home.

Source: SlashGear

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N97 is Mini, Keyboard and All

Marilyn Torres — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:33:09 +0000

Even with seeking to deliver a more accessible smartphone, Nokia still imbued the N97 Mini (144 USD) with the tiny-buttoned keyboard of its cousin, N97. The specs for this version of the N97 are also lackluster; smaller storage from 32 GB to 8 GB. At least the navigation button has disappeared from the slide-out keyboard, but I’ll never understand the off-center space bar. At least the slice-of-life widgets are still in play, which are my main attraction to this series of handsets. Being able to check Twitter, Facebook, emails, et cetera, without fully opening a program is a time and moderate system resources saver. On the other hand, if the rest of the N97 Mini’s specs go the way of its internal storage, then widgets constantly updating could be a problem. According to Electronista, “The N97 Mini is expected to be formally introduced at the Nokia World 2009 expo on September 2 in Germany.”

Source: Electronista

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Palm Eos GSM/HSPA Still On Track

Marilyn Torres — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:04:28 +0000

While the CDMA/EV-DO version of the Palm Eos will have to wait until 2010, AT&T users can expect the GSM version of this webOS handset in October of this year.

Taiwan-based handset maker Compal Communications is expected to start volume shipments of Palm’s entry-level smartphones, the Eos, in October 2009, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report.

As an AT&T user dying for smartphone alternatives to the iPhone and Windows Mobile devices, I’m excited for the Palm Eos’ debut! The front-facing QWERTY keyboard is not one of my favorite form factors, I would have rather seen Palm Eos sport the slide-out keyboard like its cousin, Palm Pre, but the touchscreen is encouraging. Because of the iPhone’s competitive price point, my only other hope is that the Palm Eos’ price will be just as competitive. There are big webOS and Android-shaped holes in AT&T’s line-up, so I hope the Palm Eos will be the first of many smartphone alternatives for those of us who don’t want an iPhone. Yes, we exist.

Source: DigiTimes

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