Archive for the ‘smartphone’ Category

Nokia’s Android flirtations revealed

We don’t know if this device is “super confidential” or not, but we’ve just come across yet another Nokia N9 lookalike with a non-MeeGo operating system on board. Well, it looks that way, anyhow. There’s no way to verify that the Android homescreen we see above is a legitimate Gingerbread installation and not a mere screenshot (the resolution looks all wrong, for one thing), but the source of this image is the same Chinese fellow that posted a picture of Nokia’s Windows Phone prototype, the Sea Ray, way back in May, so we’re inclined to believe he’s got an inside line on these things. Additionally, the undersized Android UI elements on the screen actually encourage us to believe that this is indeed a Nokia testing device — if we were going to fake something like this, we’d use a regular screen grab for our tomfoolery — and Stephen Elop has openly admitted that Nokia spent a couple of wild seconds contemplating a switch to Android. Well, folks, here’s what that alternate future might have looked like.

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Nokia’s Android flirtations revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 03:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted: June 24th, 2011
at 7:58am by Vlad Savov

Topics: Android, china, chinese, leak, nb72, nokia, smartphone, speculation

Report: T-Mobile to Offer Upgraded Samsung Vibrant 4G

A picture of Samsung's first generation Vibrant, released during the Summer of 2010

Pictures of what look to be leaked press promotional materials of a new Samsung Android-based smartphone have been circulating the web this morning. If they’re the real deal, it could mean that last year’s Samsung Vibrant will soon have a 4G brother.

The mystery device highlighted in the leaked materials is aptly named the Samsung Vibrant 4G, according to pictures acquired by mobile blog TmoNews. From the looks of it, the hardware specs line up with the first-generation, 3G Vibrant (shown above): 1GHz processor, 4-inch super AMOLED screen, 16GB SD card storage (upgradable to 32GB), all the bells and whistles of the non-4G predecessor.

To keep it from being a complete rehash of last year’s model with 4G tacked on to the end, the new Vibrant does seem to have a few new upgrades. First, there’s the addition of a front-facing camera (pixel resolution not yet specified), a feature that seems to be about par for the course in the coming generation of smartphones we saw at CES last week. While it’s playing catch-up with the iPhone 4, we think it’ll soon be a standard for higher-end smartphones in the industry.

Another perk: The new Vibrant will supposedly run an upgraded version of Android, version 2.2 ‘Froyo,’ rather than the 2.1 ‘Eclair’ of last year’s model. (Though it’s still no version 2.3 ‘Gingerbread,’ the most recent release.)

What T-Mobile really seems to be hyping, according to TmoNews’ photos, is the phone’s claimed increase in speed. The Vibram 4G would run on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network, which T-Mobile spokesperson Erica Gordon says is capable of “theoretical peak download speeds of up to 21 Mbps.” Depending on the city you live in, what you’ll probably get is something closer to what independent test groups have found, somewhere in the area of 4 to 5.5 Mbps down and 1 to 2Mbps up.

T-Mobile offered no comment to specific questions about the rumored device, and Samsung followed suit.

If the phone does indeed exist, T-Mobile and Samsung are most likely betting it will do as well as its predecessors in the Galaxy S series of smartphones. We’ll continue to report on news of the Vibrant 4G as it breaks.

Transparent Translator

The following object is a Universal Translator designed for interpreting languages, objects, concepts, and customs. Through its window mode, text mode, and speech mode, it allows the user to have a better understanding of the world around them. Designed for a world where not only have we become globalized, initiating communication between people of ALL nations, we’re also in an age of progress, where people WANT to work with each-other, talking over all lines. Highly intuitive, modeled on early-learning concepts of language development, relating closely with the highly popular Rosetta Stone application.

Translate!

In Window Mode you look through the screen out onto the world, identifying objects which are then relayed to the user. A Wiki of information is available as provided by people living in the areas the translator is attempting to navigate.

In Text Mode you simply translate text phrases. Translate signs, papers, or any other lettered material. Again a Wiki of information is used, and like Wikipedia, a staff of moderators ensures non-vandalized, true info.

In Speech Mode you can translate spoken word as it happens, between multiple people. Mic and speaker are located at the top of the device. Speak into the device and it’s played back in the language of your choice.

Designer: Rachel Ilan Simpson

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Yanko Design Store – We are about more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the YD Store!

Posted: August 20th, 2010
at 7:10am by Chris Burns

Topics: Lifestyle, Smart, Technology, handheld, smartphone, smartphone technology

Nokia’s N97 mini gets its shipping papers

Right on cue, the smaller-but-just-barely N97 mini is now ready for public consumption over in Europe. Granted, we’re certainly at the tail end of October, but we can’t say that we caught Nokia in a lie or anything based on what was said last month in Stuttgart. You’ve already committed the specifications to memory and read all about firmware 2.0, so now all that’s left to do is run along, fork out €450 ($667) and wonder forever if this decision will positively or negatively change the course of your life.

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia’s N97 mini gets its shipping papers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted: October 28th, 2009
at 3:31pm by Darren Murph

Topics: N97Mini, NokiaN97, NokiaN97Mini, NowAvailable, NowShipping, SymbianS60, cellphone, n97, n97 mini, nokia, nokia n97, nokia n97 mini, now available, now shipping, qwerty, s60, ship, shipping, ships, smartphone, symbian, symbian s60

Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)

We knew good and well this thing was coming sometime in November, and now Verizon Wireless has made it official: the Motorola DROID will hit Big Red on November 6th for $199 on contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate). Naturally, the DROID itself is just the first of what could be many Android-laced phones coming to the carrier, and Verizon Wireless CMO John Stratton even stated that the phone “is wide open” — pretty big words from a company like VZW. Android 2.0 will be front and center, along with Visual Voicemail, a 3.7-inch display (854 x 480 resolution), 5 megapixel camera (with dual-LED flash), a bundled 16GB memory card and a beta version of Google Maps Navigation(!). For those wondering, yeah — the DROID is the first phone to offer that, which transforms Google Maps into a turn-by-turn routing system that’ll have your dedicated TomTom / Garmin trembling in fear. There’s also a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3G, WiFi, voice-activated search and over-the-air Amazon MP3 downloads. With all that, who needs the iPhone, right Ivan?

Gallery: Verizon Wireless’ DROID by Motorola