Hasta La Gadget!

Is Motorola grabbing Apple’s coattails – or hoping to overshadow them? Motorola just sent out a ‘save the date’ card for the official introduction of their first phone running the Google Android operating system, apparently coming at an event in San Francisco on Sept. 10.

September 9th, of course, is when Apple is expected to announce the next iPod, also in San Francisco.

Motorola has increasingly focused on Android over the past several months, although they haven’t yet put out any Android phones. According to Motorola chief executive Sanjay Jha, the company will have two Android phones in stores for the holiday season, launching with two different U.S. wireless carriers. Motorola’s consumer division has abandoned Windows Mobile and Motorola’s own in-house Linux OS, and Jha has said that all the company’s upcoming smartphones will run Android.

Back at the Computex show in June, Asus was seemingly eager to show off its Android smartbook. Soon after, however, the company more or less stopped talking about the product. A few months later, we haven’t heard so much as a peep.

The company, it seems, has largely shifted away from any kind of an interest in such devices. “Currently, I still don’t see a clear market for smartbooks,” said the company’s CEO Jerry Shen during a recent conference.

Few, it seems, are focused on Android-based netbooks, including Google itself. The company was quick to promote the concept, but has since shifted a good deal of its focus toward the development of a Chrome OS. Until we hear more about Chrome however, it’ll be tough to say whether that new operating system will re-ignite companies’ interests.

We still don’t know what to make of Creative’s Zii EGG and “stem cell computing” but it looks like we’ll be getting our first answers relatively soon — pre-order customers are being charged and told units will ship by the end of the month. As an added bonus, Creative is apparently including a free HD-out cable in these early deliveries, but we don’t know if these are being pre-loaded with Android or that Plazma OS. Anyone else join the early adopter club?

[Thanks, Joe]

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Creative Zii EGG orders being processed, will ship by the end of the month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve heard about a good number of these phones were bound for Verizon Wireless already, but if this leaked doc via Boy Genius Report is to be believed, we now have a much better idea when they should be within reach of consumer hands. First up is Samsung Rogue for sometime this month (we previously heard today, but that’s looking very doubtful at this point) for an estimated $370 subsidized. Next on the calendar is the “female centric” Nokia Twist 7705 in late September for $230, which more likely than not is the swiveling device we’ve seen on two prior occasions. Also due out next month is the Samsung Intensity for $130 (screenshot after the break). LG Chocolate Touch was rumored by Best Buy for today, but here it’s listed for an October debut, along with Storm 2, a “low cost QWERTY” HTC Razzle / Blitz 2 (XV6175, perhaps?), and the Motorola Sholes “Google Phone,” red D-pad likely in tow, all with TBD price tags. Rounding out the list in late November is the BlackBerry Curve 2, which we wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be the 8530. The first one expected for public is the Rogue, replacing the Alias 2 that just launched back in May. What gives Verizon, no love for e-ink textpads?

Continue reading Storm 2, Motorola Sholes, Nokia Twist dated for Verizon, according to leaked doc

Filed under: Cellphones

Storm 2, Motorola Sholes, Nokia Twist dated for Verizon, according to leaked doc originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like Vietnam is the new place to be for early device leaks. A place where gadget-nerds are rapidly evolving extra digits to master their surplus of hi-tech gear — lucky bastages. As followup to its GSM-flavored Palm Pre scoop, site Tinh Te is once again showing off the HTC Click only this time, it’s a full-on video. The device sports some interesting graphics (likely customized by the owner) on the back, a microSD slot, 1100mAh battery, standard 3.5-mm headphone jack up top, camera (no flash), and of course, Android, “Donut” build 1.50.999.0 according to the device’s about page. Clearly, it lacks that swank SenseUI and the LCD is much smaller than the HTC Magic — indicators that the Click is very much HTC’s cheapo Android phone as previously rumored. See it in action just past the break.

Update: A few high-res pics of the Click posted at Tinh Te. Sample after the break.

Continue reading Video: HTC Click gets a 6-finger ‘Donut’ salute

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: HTC Click gets a 6-finger ‘Donut’ salute originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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