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Rumor: Eric Schmidt chewed out by Jobs, gave iPhone to mistress
While Google CEO Eric Schmidt may wield enough power to influence search results in China, this power apparently isn't strong enough to develop and maintain good friendships -- this is according to a post at Valleywag. The piece examines the persona that is Schmidt, the head of one of the most well-known companies in the world, through the lens of the events at Burning Man 2007. While Schmidt longed to connect with his peers, Valleywag claims that he didn't exactly go out of his way to establish those connections. Rather than camp out in the desert at Burning Man, Schmidt chose, instead, to drive two and a half-hours back and forth from his Reno, Nevada hotel room in order to sleep on his cozy bed. During one of these treks, Schmidt received a phone call from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The rest, as they say, is history. At the time, rumors had begun swirling about the Google "G-Phone" and, while Schmidt was on the road, word of the phone leaked from HTC. Feeling a sense of betrayal, Jobs allegedly berated Schmidt during the call. "Steve was very, very upset," Schmidt is said to have told his companion Kate Bohner (more on her in a bit). "My God, he was so angry." Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/ CC BY-SA 2.0
Guitar Hero to invade the Google Android Market
Those trendy enough to own T-Mobile's G1 "Google phone" will have the opportunity to mash their touchscreen and rock out to an Android version of Guitar Hero.This edition of Guitar Hero will feature music from Deep Purple and Guns N' Roses among others, and will be one of a few paid applications for purchase off the Android Market. It'll be playable on any Android OS phone, which is currently just the G1.Guitar Hero "Android Edition" (not the official name, but we think it sounds nice) will join EA's catalog of games in the surprisingly empty gaming section of the Google phone marketplace. We can, however, be certain that if Guitar Hero becomes a sales hit, Activision will continue to churn out sequel after sequel for the Google OS. It's the Acti way.[Via Guitar Hero News]
Sony Ericsson, HTC say new Android-powered handsets due next year
According to two reports, Sony Ericsson and HTC are both semi-confirming Android handsets for 2009. An SE spokesman by the name of Garfield Brusewitz was quoted as saying that the company would introduce higher-end models of the Google-powered devices to start with, then supplement those handsets with cheaper versions aimed at a broader market. In another article, HTC says that it will launch one "or more" Android phones in the new year, aiming to have them on shelves by Summer. This hardly comes as a surprise from either of these companies, as HTC has been on-board since day one of the OHA and, you know, already has an Android handset out, and Sony Ericsson's announcement of participation was naturally going to lead to some actual hardware. Now it's just a matter of getting these out the door, and... sneak peaks at CES, anyone?[Via Phandroid]Read - Sony Ericsson chooses AndroidRead - Google phone to Denmark this Summer
T-Mobile G1 launch day roundup
Sure, our front page got stacked with news on the launch of the world's first Android phone -- the G1 -- but if you missed any of the action (and there was quite a bit), we've put together this helpful roundup. Below you'll find an easy-to-use guide to all the goings-on about the T-Mobile device, complete with galleries and videos that will delight and enthrall any healthy viewer. Keep an eye on this post as we'll be updating with a few other bits and pieces today that you'll most definitely want a look at.Update: We've added a link to our initial impressions, a more detailed look at the device and software.The liveblog:Live from T-Mobile's Android event in New York CityHands-on coverage:T-Mobile G1 first hands-on (updated)Video: Android walkthrough on T-Mobile G1Product announcement:The T-Mobile G1In-depth / details:T-Mobile's CTO on G1 unlocking and tethering -- plus a few details you might have missedT-Mobile soft capping 3G data at 1GB per monthConfirmed: T-Mobile G1 has no 3.5mm headphone jackT-Mobile G1 site goes live for real, first ad appearsT-Mobile G1 has push Gmail with Google Talk presenceT-Mobile G1 impressions: what we love, what we don't
T-Mobile's CTO on G1 unlocking and tethering -- plus a few details you might have missed
While there was a flurry (actually, a full on snowstorm) of news today about the G1, there's a few bits of info you might not have heard, largely because no one is reporting them. We had a chance to speak with T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman after the event today, and he had some illuminating -- and frankly refreshing -- takes on some of our more pressing questions. When asked about what T-Mobile's reaction would be to users creating tethering or unlocking apps for the phone, he was surprisingly even-keeled, noting that while the company didn't encourage the practice, they wouldn't lock down the OS or update the software to break those applications. Our impression was that as long as their use was relegated to a small percentage of owners, T-Mobile likely wouldn't take action, though he did voice concerns over tethering apps and their effect on the network, with a clearly guarded eye to letting users have free reign. More interestingly, buyers would be able to have access to a "contract free" G1 (with a price point of $399), and could unlock the device with T-Mobile's blessing after 90 days. Brodman also said that the company's policy of unlocking phones for customers in good standing wouldn't change for this phone.
T-Mobile G1 first hands-on (updated)
Yep -- there it is. We finally, finally got our mitts all over the very first Android device, the T-Mobile G1 -- hanging out in the crowd, waiting for the official announce, naturally -- and so far we like what we see. The phone is surprisingly thinner than we thought it would be, and it feels pretty solid in your hand (though they've opted for an almost all plastic device, no metal here). The keyboard seems usable and reasonably well thought-out, and the slider action is like butter, with a nice little swoop for good effect. But really, the pictures tell the whole story, so check out the gallery below!%Gallery-32488%Update: We're adding another gallery as we speak. Here's some initial observations: the browser is much choppier than the iPhone's, there seem to be two separate mail apps, one for Gmail and a separate IMAP app, and there seems to be no multitouch functionality. Check out the gallery below for a lot more views, and we'll be updating this as necessary!%Gallery-32498%
T-Mobile's September 23rd Android event: we'll be there live
If you're feeling those butterflies-in-the-stomach over next Tuesday's Android and T-Mobile announcement, hold tight. We're going to be there live, blogging away like you know we do and hopefully handling (or at least seriously photographing) the first official Android phones. We wanted to give you a heads up so you'll know where to be, so join us at 10:30AM EDT for all the good news!
HTC's Android-driven Dream revealed in glorious spy photos
Sure, we've seen some blurry videos and managed a few stolen glimpses when Andy Rubin demonstrated this beast, but now we've gotten our hands on a slew of pictures showing off a very real T-Mobile-branded Dream in all its Android-running glory. Not only does this confirm the design spied in those FCC docs as well as show off that nearly-done version of Android, but it seems to confirm the fact that this will be headed to T-Mobile, and sooner rather than later judging from the looks of the above device. Needless to say, our inner-geeks are completely geeking out right now. Hit the gallery below for a handful of other views of the phone. [Warning: read link is a forum, requires registration, and is in Chinese] [Thanks, Michael] %Gallery-30837%
Video: Android SDK v0.9 hits the internet looking almost ready for primetime
It's an interesting day for the folks at Google. Not only do we see the supposed GPhone (AKA, the HTC Dream) get trotted out to the FCC, and hear new rumors about the device's release date, but now there's a brand-spanking-new release of the Android SDK available. The version? 0.9 -- a number which puts this dangerously close to a number that most would consider non-beta. Meanwhile, the new version of the mobile OS has been significantly changed, adding a new widgetified (big old clock: present!) and flickable homescreen, a handy (and speedy) tab to pull up your apps, plus a media player, camera, and handful of other noticeable design tweaks. Don't believe us? Check out the video after the break showing it all in action.Update: We've included a gallery of screenshots as well. Check out the sync contacts option. Sweet! Also, you may note that it asks you to "open keyboard to compose message" in the SMS screen -- almost like it's made for a device with a slide-out keyboard.
False alarm: Android-powered phones are coming in 2008
Phew. Not the closest call we've seen, but close enough to get us sweating ever-so-slightly. We had a strange feeling some wires were crossed when a report surfaced stating that the "Gphone" wouldn't be shipping until 2009, but for whatever it's worth, Google has now addressed the issue and affirmed that it is "still on track to announce Android-powered phones this year." The spokesperson continued by proclaiming that "some of [its] partners were publicly stating that they plan to ship Android phones in the fourth quarter," which leads us to say: crisis averted, carry on.[Via CNET]
Krakow says Gphone is delayed to 2009. Wait, what?
Seasoned tech pundit Gary Krakow has a real puzzler here. He's claiming that while the Android OS should be ready for launch through a couple manufacturers by the end of the year, an unnamed source has told him that the actual "Gphone" from Google has been delayed into next year. That's great and all, but we thought the whole Gphone buzz was pretty much killed dead when Android got real. Sure, there was that one-off Samsung rumor about a couple Google-branded handsets supposedly due for September, but there was never much followup there. Google itself has never done much hinting at a Google-branded handset, instead choosing to work with Open Handset Alliance in building an OS for everybody. We'll be keeping an eye on this rumor, but obviously if it proves true we won't be seeing anything out of Google until next year -- which basically puts us right where we started. Thanks, Gary.
Samsung-built, Google-branded Android phones due later this year?
According to man-about-town, Robert X. Cringely, Samsung is readying not one, but two separate Android-based phones, one of which is due in September, with another model following around Christmas. If you believe what you read (and what his tipster says), these phones will not be labeled Samsung, rather they will be released as Google-branded gPhones. The model released in the Fall will be a "higher-end" model which apparently looks "somewhat like a Blackberry Pearl" but with a screen that flips and "a keyboard for texting" (though to be honest, that description makes little sense, as the Pearl has a keyboard). The second device will be a cheaper model (under $100), and will likely be released after the holidays. Of course, right now this is just speculation -- given the large gap of time between now and September, these plans could be completely rearranged or nixed altogether... even if they are accurate.[Via IntoMobile]
Dell unsurprisingly denies rumors of Google phone
As is the custom in these matters, Dell has flatly denied the existence of any product to announce at MWC, and went further on to state that the company doesn't even plan on attending the show. Rumors of a "Gphone" were probably greatly exaggerated to begin with, and now at least the venue has been firmly shot down. That said, there was no explicit denial of an Android-related product (there never is), so the optimistic ones out there can go on hoping for a Dell phone to solve all their problems. Hey, if Garmin can do it, what's stopping them? [Via Electronista]
Dell's building an Android phone to be unveiled next month? We're not holding our breath.
Stick this one firmly in the rumor category, since all the verbiage that's been thrown around about this story still traces back to one single source: a slightly ill-informed article done up in MarketingWeek in the UK. The article cites unspecified "senior industry sources," and goes on about how this is Dell and Google working closely together on what is more or less the "Gphone." Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer, the primary weight we can give to this rumor is that fact that Dell picked up a former Motorola executive, Ron Garriques, to run its Global Consumer Group early last year. Other rumors have cropped up over the years about Dell moving in this direction, so it certainly wouldn't signal the apocalypse if a Dell-branded Android phone does show up at this rumored unveiling at 3GSM, but giving how early on Android is at the moment, we'll believe it when we see it.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T in talks with Google over the Open Handset Alliance?
According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple-BFF and mobile-telecom-extroidinaire AT&T is in talks with Google about joining the Open Handset Alliance. In an interview today, Ralph de la Vega -- chief executive officer of the company's wireless unit -- said that the provider is, "Analyzing the situation," concerning the use of Google's Android operating system for some of its handsets. Although Mr. de la Vega hasn't personally met with the search-engine giant, the fact that AT&T is even considering joining the Alliance could have a palpable impact on the industry's perception of the forthcoming mobile OS contender. As you'll recall, T-Mobile and Sprint have already jumped on the OHA bandwagon (though to what extent no one knows), and adding the de facto US leader to the mix might really get this stew boiling over. [Warning: read link requires subscription][Via Information Week]
All the Android coverage you want is at Engadget right now
If you're not keeping up on the news, you may want to know that Google released its Android early look SDK to the waiting public today. Not only that, but we've got videos and pics of the prototype phones in action, doing all kinds of nasty OS activities, like browsing, Google-mapping, and most importantly: playing Quake. Confused? Excited? Freestyle-breakdance your way over to Engadget, where you'll find the breaking news and videos of Android at work, as well as a charming visual tour of the UI that we've put together for you.Read -- Google's Android OS early look SDK now availableRead -- A visual tour of Android's UI
A visual tour of Android's UI
Thanks to the helpful Android OS emulator included with the SDK, we've been able to take a magical journey through Google's new mobile phone platform. We'll just tell you now... the ride was a bit familiar -- but hey, that's what the open source community is there for. Take a look at the gallery and feel the OHA vibes.%Gallery-10132%
Google's Android OS early look SDK now available
Just like the good folks promised, the early look software development kit for Google's soon-to-be huge phone OS has hit the streets... er, internet. From what we can tell, the OS is as comfortable on larger, VGA devices as it is on more traditional smartphone layouts. Oh yeah... and it plays Quake. Here's what we know the software will support out of the box: Touchscreen 3G Webkit-based browser Optimized Java runtime layer (known as Dalvik Virtual Machine) Threaded text messaging MPEG-4, h.264, MP3, and AAC file formats Accelerated 3D graphics Below you can see an alternate fullscreen version of the phone (a hardware reference model, not a device you can expect to buy anytime soon) up and running its browser app. If you really want to get serious, pedal your steam-engine over to the Open Handset Alliance site where you can download the SDK for a variety of platforms. You might want to get cracking on that code, too, as Google has created the Android Developer Challege, a contest meant to spur production on the devices, with a sweet $10 million pot that will be divided amongst winners. If you're not ready to jump into that game just yet, check out the gallery and view some videos after the break -- you'll see and hear more info about Android than you can shake a stick at. %Gallery-10126%
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part L: Ballmer says Android "just some words on paper"
You can't help but love Steve Ballmer. Besides being the ultra-rich, ultra-faithful CEO of Microsoft, you can always count on him to deliver some choice words -- especially if the competition is in the news. His latest efforts come in the wake of Google's Android announcement, a project which clearly stands to compete with Redmond's ubiquitous Windows Mobile platform. When asked what he thought of the forthcoming phone OS at a news conference in Tokyo, Ballmer noted that, "Their efforts are just some words on paper right now." Okay, let's be perfectly honest: that statement is true -- but don't you think that when a monolithic company like Google aligns itself with other giants such as Intel, T-Mobile, Samsung, and LG (amongst others), Microsoft might take it a little more seriously? Ballmer went on to say that, "They have a press release, we have many, many millions of customers, great software, many hardware devices and they're welcome in our world." Thanks for allowing Google into "your world" Steve, we're sure your subjects will appreciate it.
Mobile developer talks Google Android gaming possibilities
Here at Joystiq, when we hear about cool technology like Bluetooth or the iPhone, our minds jump to one thing -- how can this make gaming better? So you can imagine our thought process when Google announced its Android mobile operating system yesterday. Problem is, we don't know enough about cell phone game development to say for sure what, if anything, Android will do for cell phone gaming.Luckily, Jon over at the Zen and Games has "done [his] share of time in the cell phone game development trenches," as he puts it, and is excited by the possibilities of Google's standardized OS. Among them: Google's OS will hopefully provide a stable, standard platform that isn't as buggy as the current Java Virtual Machine (like what Nokia's trying to do, but better because it's Google) Android might force cell phone makers to create phones with hardware specs. that match their stylish case designs (instead of today's crop of flashy-looking phones that can barely handle text messaging) The open software development kit means anyone can develop games for Android (possibly leading to a resurgence in indie mobile gaming) While we're generally skeptical about mobile gaming, the Google name is enough to give us hope for something better than The O.C. Mobile.