Hasta La Gadget!

Dell today posted a video of its 10-inch sub-$300 Mini 10v netbook today running three OSes–most interesting was the fact that one of the systems was running the Cupcake version of Google’s open Android OS. Of course, just because Dell’s technology strategist Doug Anson was showing off the configuration in an officially sanctioned video doesn’t mean that the company is going to release it to market, right?

Dell hasn’t made any official statements to that effect, but if that’s not part of the game plan, it sort of begs the question why the company would release such a video. Barring an announcement in the next few days, the answer here seems to be, you know, because they can.

Japanese telecom carrier NTT DoCoMo has introduced the first cellphone  in Japan to run Google’s Android mobile operating system. The phone called HT-03A is expected to be introduced in June or July, said the company. It is part of NTT DoCoMo’s summer line-up of 18 new devices.

The Japanese cellphone running Android OS comes nearly seven months after T-Mobile introduced the G1 cellphone in America, also the first in the world.

Like the G1, the HT-03A has also been produced by Taiwanese company HTC.  Not surprisingly, the two are near-identical in terms of their form factor. Both devices sport a large touchscreen and the familiar button configuration at the bottom.

The HT-03A has a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, 3.2 inch touchscreen, microSD card slot, Bluetooth and GPS. It will also have access to Android’s app store, the Android Market.  And will support Japanese characters through additional software. The device is available in white and black.

More pics of the phone.

Photos: HT-03A/NTT DoCoMo

The verdict is still out on whether what we’ve been seeing is indeed some precursor to Android 2.0 “Donut,” or (more likely) some elaborate HTC skin designed bring HTC’s Android home screen experience up to par with its extensive Windows Mobile reskinning. Either way, things are shaping up quite nicely for the HTC Hero, with another leaked build showing widget functionality galore, including weather widgets that actually show the weather. Interestingly, this isn’t a complete replacement for the existing home screen, since in the add widget dialogue you can pick an HTC Gadget, a Google Gadget, or other regular things like Shortcuts, and most everything seems to cohabitate well in the example video. With the rate these leaks are coming, we’re guessing we’ll be hearing more about the HTC Hero before too long, and if not we’ve always got the nouveau cocktail jazz electro crossover stylings of Air to keep us calm. Video is after the break.

[Via Android Guys]

Continue reading New video of HTC Hero’s Android build offers Frenchy vision of widget utopia

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

New video of HTC Hero’s Android build offers Frenchy vision of widget utopia originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 May 2009 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netbooks and digital picture frames aren’t the only new territory Google’s Android can be found exploring. ISB Corp is tinkering with the platform as a way of powering a set-top box. A reference board powered by TI’s OMAP 3530 processor was on display last week, strutting its video playback and web browsing capabilities at the 12th Embedded Systems Expo in Tokyo, and there the company said it was in the process of optimizing the software for a smooth HD video experience. It’s also reportedly demonstrating support for wireless keyboards and Bluetooth. Frankly, we haven’t been 100 percent sold on a lot of these Android implementations, but there’s definitely potential here. Hopefully we can get some more glimpses of it in the not too distant future.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

ISB Corp assimilates Android into STB originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We knew it was too good to be true, eternal curmudgeonly pessimists that we are — and sure enough, T-Mobile USA has put the kibosh on the start of its Android 1.5 rollout to G1 users. It seems that the build is still being “optimized” to “ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery,” which doesn’t necessarily explain why T-Mobile UK users are already enjoying this stuff — but then again, we’re not the engineers and tech support folks that have to put up with the fallout from a failed launch. The carrier thinks everything will be delayed by about a week, which means that we’re now looking at early June before everyone gets it.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

T-Mobile USA delays Android 1.5 rollout by a few days originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 May 2009 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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