Guys Upstairs - Tech

Google touted the Android would be the most open mobile platform and they are finally keeping their word. The Mountain View, California based company released the Android platform source code via the Android Open Source Project. Google’s adherence to open-source ideals has resulted in the release of the code a day before consumers can get their hands on the T-Mobile G1.

There is hope from Google that Android can develop a large community similar to Linux. They even cited Linux to alleviate concerns that making Android open source could lead to potential security risks. While Google will be concentrating on developing Android for mobile phones, they hope that people will also be able to apply it to other devices. The ultimate hope from the Android team is that it will be so widespread that it could affect the future of mobile devices and not just phones.

[Forbes]

The Apple iPhone 3G shows it’s dominance as the top selling smartphone, with the RIM Blackberry Curve taking second. The iPhone is second only to Motorola’s RAZR 3 for best selling mobile phone. According to NPD, between June and August 2008 one in four customers switched carriers. Almost half of the customers that switched to AT&T made the move from Verizon Wireless. The prices of smartphones have been declining in the last few years, with the average price between June and August 2008 being $174 compared to the average of $236 during the same months during 2007.

[9to5Mac]

Nokia rounds out the big three (Apple iPhone, T-Mobile G1, and now Nokia 5800) in the battle for supremacy of the touchscreen phones. The 5800 XPressMusic (aka the Tube) sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 3.2-megapixel camera with AutoFocus, A-GPS, HDSPA, and up to 16GB of storage via microSD. TechCrunch reports that the loud speakers were clear and crisp, but they were disappointed with the cluttered and clunky navigational menus.

The 5800 XPressMusic will feature Nokia’s new “Comes with Music” (seriously? they couldn’t come up with a more witty name than that?), which will allow users unlimited over the air downloads for the first year of owning the phone. The songs can be kept even after the 12 to 18 month contract ends. Qik will also come preloaded on the phone and is an application that allows users to record video which will be streamed live.

The Nokia 5800 XPressMusic will be available in Europe by the end of the year and will go for 279 Euro/129 UK Pounds/$227 USD.

[TechCrunch]

Today was the start of CEATEC 2008, an expo on information technology and electronics technologies. This 5 day event takes place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from Tuesday, September 30th to Saturday, October 4th. The theme for the event is “Digital Convergence — Onward to a New Stage.”

This Fujitsu concept phone certainly highlights that theme. The modular design allows the user to configure the phone for a variety of uses such as video recording and games. The screen and the touchscreen keypad can each be used separately or attached magnetically. The placement of the two parts determines the function of the phone. Source: AkihabaraNews

T-Mobile is stepping into the arena with AT&T with the G1 (aka HTC Dream). The G1 is the first phone to be powered by Google’s Android operating system. The design of the G1 is unique and combines elements from various existing phones such as the slider to reveal the keyboard (similar to the Helios) and the trackball for one handed navigation (similar to Blackberry). Unlike the Apple iPhone, the operating system behind the G1 is the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. This should allow for adding apps to the phone even easier and more importantly, free.

A quick rundown of the list of features the G1 offers:

• Touch screen
• QWERTY keyboard
• 3G and wireless
• 3 MP Camera
• Music player
• Customizable home screen
• Access to Google apps
• IM/text/e-mail
• Video playback
• Android Market

From this list you can see that it shares many of the same features that the iPhone does. One of the cool apps is ShopSavvy, an application that lets you scan the UPC code of a product with the phone’s camera and compare prices with other stores. The Google Street View works with the phone’s built in compass so that the Street View will update based on the direction the phone is facing.

T-Mobile has already been taking pre-orders from existing customers. The caveat is that only pre-existing customers who are 11 months into a 12 month plan or 22 months into a 24 month plan are eligible to pre-order. It will be available in retail stores starting October 22 for $179 with a two year voice and data agreement.