The Google SmartPhone May Be Here: Google Releases Phone to Key Employees to Tinkle with

The release of the new phone may not be a secret any longer. It has been announced that Google released a new phone to some of its employees so they can mess around with the new technology.

Official Google Mobile Blog: An Android dogfood diet for the holidays

"Google has handed out a new mobile phone running its Android software to some employees, stirring another wave of speculation that the oft-rumored Google Phone is real" wrote a PCWorld writer. Google is moving on the main phone competitor, AT&T.

According to Google's Official mobile blog , Google may have something great on its hands. Its world-wide employees have been checking it out.

"We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe. This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it."

iPhones 3G and 3GS finally can send Multimedia

It appears that AT&T has survived the rush to add or download the new software in order to be able to send MMS. It has been a long wait, but it seems that everything has been working very well thus far.

Many critics are asking why it took ATT so long to equip their bread and butter with the feature that most people, users wanted all along. Even cheap cell phones had it. Just like the rest of iPhone users, I dutifully downloaded the new software in order to be able to send pictures, videos etc.

So far, it has been working very well. NO problems!

iPhone 3 G S Places Apple on top of the Pack: The Best micro Computer Yet to be Available on the Market

I was one of the early birds who went to hang out at the front door of a local ATT corporate store. After a week of great weather, I expected to have a great time waiting in line for my new phone. It was not the case. It was hot and people were complaining. Those who had pre-ordered the iphone 3G S were able to enter the store and claim their prize from 7 am to 9 am. Those of us who wanted to buy the new phone or trade in for a higher upgrade had to wait in the sun outside.

Many of us, apple product fans, did not complain much. The employees at the store were very happy to pass cups of water to us. However, there were a few guys who started complaining about the long wait. Tensions were mounting. It was like the opening of a new movie. Just like the release of any major action movie, the upgrade to the 3 G S was received with great enthusiasm. Many of us were talking about the great features of the new phone. That was a good reason for us to have.

So far, after using the phone the whole day, I have been pretty pleased with it.

Truely, the iphone is the leader of the pack. Many fellow reviewers only have the greatest things to say about the phone.
"The iPhone 3G S (the S stands for speed) is a more subtle upgrade compared with last year's launch of the 3G. The improvements don't quite blow your hair back on the first pass, but coupled with the new iPhone OS 3.0 software upgrade, they cement the iPhone's status as the best smart phone experience available.

The iPhone OS 3.0 improvements alone might be enough to satisfy many existing iPhone and iPhone 3G users. But if your contract is expiring or even if it's not, there are a lot of reasons to make the jump to the iPhone 3G S, which sells for $199 and $299 for 16-GB and 32-GB versions."

What are the Specs of Palm Pre vs. Apple iPhone and G1?

AppIphone3Gandmore: Palm Pre, Apple iPhone and G1

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What will make you want to buy an Apple iPhone vs. a Palm Pre or G1? Is it the wireless company that sells them or the phone itself or the service. In a lot of ways, the package had to do a lot with my decision. Over the weekend, that is what I had to decide. It was time for me to go from a low end phone which I carried for a few years and upgrade to a smartphone. I had to decide between the iPhone which I could buy online or at an AT&T retail store, the new Palm Pre which is injecting new blood into the Palm brand, and the Google phone, G1 which has made its spectacular entrance a few months ago.

For me, it was a matter of convenience. I wanted to go with something that has been around for a while. Besides, many of my colleagues have the phone. Yes, I was torn between the good package offered by Sprint which carries the new Palm Pre. I knew all three phones would be good for multimedia and multitasking. Among them, there were some similarities and differences.

Let's talk about Palm Pre. It is a great, elegant multitouch smartphone. It seems that Palm Pre is going to be the star of this Summer season. Already, there are a lot of buzz in the blogosphere and among techies about the new phone. It is the blockbuster square off between iphone and palm pre. In many ways, Palm Pre has come to mean a lot to a dying company. Palm relied heavily on this phone being accepted by the public.

To many industry insiders, the Pre is like the iPhone remix. It is a great phone that many customers are going to select. I saw a great demonstration at the local Sprint store this past weekend. People are wowed by it.

What are its main features, specs?

the Pre has the ordinary checklist: Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G (high speed Internet), Bluetooth (including wireless audio), very good camera with flash, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, tilt sensor, standard headphone jack, 3.1-inch touchscreen etc. Many other companies have been trying to copy the iphone, but they have always failed in putting everthing together and making it all work. In the case of the Pre, Palm has done a good job.

Hardware: Coming in a black plastic, flattened capsule, coated with a glossy, scratch-resistant finish, the Pre is an elegant phone. When it is turned off, the screen disappears. It is smaller than the iPhone, about a half-inch shorter and quarter-inch thicker. It is very easy to carry.

Price: The Pre costs $200 after rebate, with a two-year contract. It is much less than the standard iphone with more than 8Gigs. Sprint wants to get the customers. With a $70-a-month plan (450 talk-time minutes) that includes unlimited Internet and text messages, the Pre comes on top. The AT&T plan includes no text messages at all.

What does it look like typing? Unlike the iPhone, the Pre has a real keyboard. the screeen slides up, revelaing four rows of Thumbelina-size keys.

Camera: The Pre has an LED Flash for its 3MP camera, something both the iPhone and G1 lack. Flash cellphone photos are ugly, but for a lot of people, they're good enough.

Browser: All three use a browser based on WebKit, which has become the standard for the mobile web.

Phone: Just pop open the keyboard and stard dialing to make a call on the Pre. You can set up speed-dial keys.

Battery: While the iPhone does not allow you to remove the batteries, the Pre allows you to do so. Battery life the hiccup with the Pre. Depending on how often you use it, the battery will be dead in no time.

Music: Which other gadget can beat the iPod which the iPhone is? The Pre does a good job of coming close. When you connect it to your Mac or PC, the Pre appears in Apple's iTunes software. You can sync your music, photo and video collections.

App store: The iPhone surpasess the Pre which is building its inventory too.

No matter what, the Pre is a great effort in the right direction for Palm. It is quite an achievement.

Wal=Mart Starts Selling App iPhone 3G Phones this Sunday at Lower Prices: What Will You Get?

What's Included
Apple® iPhone 3G Cell Phone
Built-in, rechargeable battery
USB power adapter
Dock connector to USB cable
Stereo headset with microphone, cleaning cloth
SIM eject tool
Owner's manual
Product Features
Internet wireless access and browsing (802.11b/g)
Lets you access the Web via Safari web browser. Surf the Web while you're talking on the phone.
Multiple networks
Operates on GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900MHz and UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900/2100MHz networks so you can access the Web.
3.5" widescreen color display
Shows off your music, video, Podcast and more
8GB built-in memory
For storage of your music, photos and contacts.
Built-in 2.0MP digital camera
Lets you take still photos.
Bluetooth-enabled
For wireless communication.
Text messaging
Lets you communicate by typing.
Doubles as an iPod
So you can listen to your favorite tunes on the go.
Maps with GPS
Lets you find your location, get directions and search for nearby businesses on your phone.
Phonebook
Keeps your contact numbers where you need them.
Easily call your contacts
Allows you to tap a name or number in your address book, favorites list or call log.
Hands-free speakerphone
Lets you talk while driving.
PC synchronization of Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Tasks
Requires additional software and cable (not included).
Downloadable content
Includes applications, maps, e-mails and web sites.
Up to 5 hours talk time; up to 300 hours standby
With included battery.
* Phone activation required before use.

G1 is Already Sold: T-Mobile G1 Availability, $179 Price

G1 availability:


Given the great anticipation and the heavy pre-sale demand for the T-Mobile G1 with Google, we nearly tripled the number of phones initially available for delivery on our Oct. 22 launch date, and have sold through them all. However, to accommodate additional T-Mobile customers who want to pre-order a device, they now have the opportunity to place a pre-order through Oct. 21, for delivery at a later date.
Also, people can still pre-register on the T-Mobile G1 Web site to be notified prior to launch where they can purchase the device beginning Oct. 22. Details are available on the T-Mobile G1 Web site, www.T-MobileG1.com.

Google iPhone or Smartphone, G1

The true smartphone that is going to compete against Apple iPhone has arrived. G1 is knocking on iPhone G3 now.

T-Mobile, headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., will officially launch the G1 at its retail stores in 95 cities across the United States Wednesday, many of which will open early at 8 a.m. for the release of the $179 handset, and as many as 1.5 million existing T-Mobile customers have reportedly pre-ordered the devices. But for one night only, a couple hundred customers who lined up outside the telecom provider's store at Market and 3rd streets in downtown San Francisco had the 3G-enabled smartphone all to themselves.

What do you need to know about G1?

The T-Mobile G1 is available with a two-year voice and data agreement. Support for Web-based services from Mountain View, Calif.-based Google includes popular apps like Gmail and Google Maps, and the G1's full HTML Web browser is already winning rave reviews. In addition to T-Mobile's 3G network, the G1 has built-in support for the telecom's Edge network, as well as WiFi and GPS.

The new smartphone, 4.6 inches by 0.6 inches and weighing 5.6 ounces, has a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen but also sports a QWERTY keyboard, unlike the iPhone. It featurs a 3.2 megapixel camera and a microSD card slot.

The G1 lacks a video player, although there was already a free one in the Market by the time I tested the phone. The YouTube app works exactly as advertised, while the 3MP camera boasts auto-focus and takes decent (if not awe-inspiring) snapshots. There's no video recorder, but someone's bound to build one for the Market.

Use Your Computer Like a Pro: Easy Tips You Can Always Use or Pass to a Friend

Tech Tips for the Basic Computer User

...All of these are things that certain friends, family or coworkers, over the years, did *not* know. Clip, save and pass along to…well, you know who they are.

* You can double-click a word to highlight it in any document, e-mail or Web page.

* When you get an e-mail message from eBay or your bank, claiming that you have an account problem or a question from a buyer, it’s probably a “phishing scam” intended to trick you into typing your password. Don’t click the link in the message. If in doubt, go into your browser and type “www.ebay.com” (or whatever) manually.

* Nobody, but nobody, is going to give you half of $80 million to help them liberate the funds of a deceased millionaire…from Nigeria or anywhere else.

* You can hide all windows, revealing only what’s on the computer desktop, with one keystroke: hit the Windows key and “D” simultaneously in Windows, or press F11 on Macs (on recent Mac laptops, Command+F3; Command is the key with the cloverleaf logo). That’s great when you want examine or delete something you’ve just downloaded to the desktop, for example. Press the keystroke again to return to what you were doing.

* You can enlarge the text on any Web page. In Windows, press Ctrl and the plus or minus keys (for bigger or smaller fonts); on the Mac, it’s the Command key and plus or minus.

* You can also enlarge the entire Web page or document by pressing the Control key as you turn the wheel on top of your mouse. On the Mac, this enlarges the entire screen image.

* The number of megapixels does not determine a camera’s picture quality; that’s a marketing myth. The sensor size is far more important. (Use Google to find it. For example, search for “sensor size Nikon D90.”)

* On most cellphones, press the Send key to open up a list of recent calls. Instead of manually dialing, you can return a call by highlighting one of these calls and pressing Send again.

* When someone sends you some shocking e-mail and suggests that you pass it on, don’t. At least not until you’ve first confirmed its truth at snopes.com, the Internet’s authority on e-mailed myths. This includes get-rich schemes, Microsoft/AOL cash giveaways, and–especially lately–nutty scare-tactic messages about our Presidential candidates.

* You can tap the Space bar to scroll down on a Web page one screenful. Add the Shift key to scroll back up.

* When you’re filling in the boxes on a Web page (like City, State, Zip), you can press the Tab key to jump from box to box, rather than clicking. Add the Shift key to jump through the boxes backwards.

* You can adjust the size and position of any window on your computer. Drag the top strip to move it; drag the lower-right corner (Mac) or any edge (Windows) to resize it.

* Forcing the camera’s flash to go off prevents silhouetted, too-dark faces when you’re outdoors.

* When you’re searching for something on the Web using, say, Google, put quotes around phrases that must be searched together. For example, if you put quotes around “electric curtains,” Google won’t waste your time finding one set of Web pages containing the word “electric” and another set containing the word “curtains.”

* You can use Google to do math for you. Just type the equation, like 23*7+15/3=, and hit Enter.

* Oh, yeah: on the computer, * means “times” and / means “divided by.”

* If you can’t find some obvious command, like Delete in a photo program, try clicking using the right-side mouse button. (On the Mac, you can Control-click instead.)

* Google is also a units-of-measurement and currency converter. Type “teaspoons in 1.3 gallons,” for example, or “euros in 17 dollars.” Click Search to see the answer.

* You can open the Start menu by tapping the key with the Windows logo on it.

* You can switch from one open program to the next by pressing Alt+Tab (Windows) or Command-Tab (Mac).

* You generally can’t send someone more than a couple of full-size digital photos as an e-mail attachment; those files are too big, and they’ll bounce back to you. (Instead, use iPhoto or Picasa–photo-organizing programs that can automatically scale down photos in the process of e-mailing them.)

* Whatever technology you buy today will be obsolete soon, but you can avoid heartache by learning the cycles. New iPods come out every September. New digital cameras come out in February and October.

* Just putting something into the Trash or the Recycle Bin doesn’t actually delete it. You then have to *empty* the Trash or Recycle Bin. (Once a year, I hear about somebody whose hard drive is full, despite having practically no files. It’s because over the years, they’ve put 79 gigabytes’ worth of stuff in the Recycle Bin and never emptied it.)

* You don’t have to type “http://www” into your Web browser. Just type the remainder: “nytimes.com” or “dilbert.com,” for example. (In the Safari browser, you can even leave off the “.com” part.)

* On the iPhone, hit the Space bar twice at the end of a sentence. You get a period, a space, and a capitalized letter at the beginning of the next word.

* Come up with an automated backup system for your computer. There’s no misery quite like the sick feeling of having lost chunks of your life because you didn’t have a safety copy.

source: Nytimes.com