mwc 2011
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ZTE Monte Carlo arrives a month early, now available on Orange UK
Okay, we'll just come out and say it: in the hierarchy of classy names, Skate doesn't hold a candle to Monte Carlo. As the flagship of ZTE's lineup at Mobile World Congress last February, it feels much more appropriately titled with Orange UK's branding. No matter what you want to call it, however, the handset's now available on the carrier's online store -- no doubt a surprise, since we weren't expecting the phone to show up on sale for at least another month. For a device aimed at the budget-conscious, it's got some worthy specs: it's adorned with a 4.3-inch WVGA display, an 800MHz CPU, Android 2.3 and a five megapixel shooter. Will it whisk you away to a luxurious city lined with beaches and gorgeous views? No, but the phone can pull up some pretty pictures of it on Wikipedia.
Brad Molen08.09.2011
HTC Status for AT&T finally gets its profile picture
Hello, meet the HTC Status. You may know it from such previous names as the ChaCha, ChaChaCha, or our personal favorite, "the Facebook phone that's not a Facebook phone." None of these titles made it through AT&T's gauntlet, however, and that's a-okay with us -- in fact, given its emphasis on social networking, the new name actually makes much more sense. The pictures above and below (the break) display the phone's AT&T branding, new Facebook button, and rearranged keyboard in the same fashion as the leaked press shot we saw earlier. If there was any doubt that you'll be seeing this device "in a relationship" with store shelves anytime soon, let this assuage your skepticism.
Brad Molen06.29.2011
PlayBook Android app support mentioned during demo at MWC, old BlackBerrys show up in ShopSavvy's Android logs
As far-fetched as it may seem, rumors that RIM is working on some sort of Android app support for its QNX-based PlayBook tablet have persisted in various forms for months now -- and they've turned up once again in a video posted by development community MobileMonday's Rio chapter taken at MWC earlier this month, where a RIM rep seemingly says "we will also support Android apps" after talking about Java-based offerings. Of course, this could've been staged by some rabble rousers or a rep could've simply been echoing back the rumors he's seen on the interwebs -- but regardless, it adds fuel to the fire. Follow the break to see the video of that. But it gets weirder. ShopSavvy -- which makes versions of its app for iOS and Android -- has started turning up a couple of older BlackBerry devices in its Android build's usage statistics on Flurry: the Curve 8300 and 8520, to be specific, along with an 8600 model that doesn't exist (at least, not yet). The 8300, in particular, is pretty ancient at this point and we're having a hard time wrapping our brain around RIM's game plan in porting Dalvik (or a Dalvik-like) VM and associated libraries over to it; if anything, Flurry could be confused. Then again, a next-generation full-touch BlackBerry that just happens to run a full suite of Android apps in a sandbox could be a pretty compelling product, indeed. [Thanks to everyone who sent these in]
Chris Ziegler02.27.2011
Samsung Galaxy S II first with MHL port for dual-purpose USB or HDMI out (video)
There's a small but important fact about Samsung's newest Android flagship that slipped under our radar last week at Mobile World Congress. The Galaxy S II is the first smartphone to feature an MHL port. MHL, as you'll recall, was first announced in 2008 as the Mobile High-Definition video Link "standard" for mobile devices promoted by a consortium that includes Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, and Silicon Image. So yeah, another mobile interconnect standard just like DisplayPort, mini-HDMI, or Light Peak. Essentially, the micro-USB shaped MHL jack at the base of the Galaxy S II features internal circuitry that recognizes USB or MHL impedance and then automatically switches the phone into USB data / charging or MHL audio / video / charging modes. A special 5-wire micro-USB to HDMI cable lets you send video and audio to existing HDMI-equipped displays. Unfortunately, the TV won't charge the Galaxy S II during playback unless you insert a phone charger adapter between the GSII and TV or wait for MHL-enabled TVs to begin shipping later this year. Once connected, you can then use your TV's HDMI-CEC compatible remote to navigate and control the Galaxy S II's media interface. The GSII is just the first MHL device with a half-dozen phones, at least one tablet, and a few TVs coming this summer. More details are available in the video interview after the break.
Thomas Ricker02.23.2011
Ixonos shows off windowed UI for Android
When your tablet needs a windowed UI, has it crossed some undrawn, implied boundary that makes it too complex for the kinds of casual tasks you'd want to accomplish on a tablet? Hard to say, but the mobile developers at Ixonos took to MWC last week to showcase a windowed build of Android on top of a tablet developed by Aava -- so at the very least, we know it's possible. The system is built atop Froyo and allows apps to continue running in the background -- they don't suspend, which means you can, say, play a video while you're off composing messages. The company also demonstrated the software on a dual-screen 7-inch tablet, allowing apps to be launched on either screen and transferred between them -- all seemingly without any customizations needed to individual apps, which is going to be key for a system like this to gain any market traction. Follow the break for Ixonos' press release and demo video.
Chris Ziegler02.20.2011
Intel CEO Paul Otellini flip-flops, says he 'would've gone Android' if he were Elop
It's hard to say if Intel CEO Paul Otellini was simply misquoted the first go 'round, or if he really had a change of heart in the course of 48 hours. Either way, the most recent quotes coming from the highest of highs at Chipzilla paints a very different story than the one we first heard, and it's beginning to look like Intel and Microsoft may eventually wage some sort of war -- even if it's one that remains strictly at the software level. Reuters is reporting that Otellini had this to say when questioned about Stephen Elop's decision to select Windows Phone 7 as the future of Nokia's handset business: "I wouldn't have made the decision he made, I would probably have gone to Android if I were him. MeeGo would have been the best strategy but he concluded he couldn't afford it." That contrasts starkly with comments made just days ago, where he was quoted as saying that he would've made "the same or a similar call" if found in Elop's shoes. Continuing on the topic of differentiation, Otellini noted that "it would have been less hard on Android, [but] on MeeGo he could have done it." That said, he's confident that Intel "will find another partner," noting that carriers "still want a third ecosystem and the carriers want an open ecosystem, and that's the thing that drives our motivation." Now, the real question: which Paul can be believed?
Darren Murph02.19.2011
HTC Incredible S auto-rotating buttons explained? (video)
We were quite bedazzled by the HTC Incredible S after our hands-on at MWC, but it's the auto-rotating icons for the capacitive buttons that left us most intrigued. So we went back to the HTC booth to try to make sense of it all. From what we were able to observe, there's some optical trickery happening here: the icons appear to be glittering and shimmering depending on viewing angle as if lit through a prism, half-mirror or grate of some kind. We think that a pair of LEDs are used to project the intended icon onto the glass surface via either a combination of prisms and half-mirrors, or via horizontally and vertically polarized grates. Watch our video after the break, and let us know in the comments how you think this actually works.
Myriam Joire02.18.2011
The Engadget Show - 018: GM's Micky Bly, Watson researcher David Gondek, EN-V demo, Atrix 4G
Humans, allow us to present the latest episode of The Engadget Show -- you won't want to miss it. First up, Josh and Tim Stevens sit down with GM's chief electrical engineer Micky Bly for a frank conversation on the future of automotive technology, chatting about everything from networked vehicles (with a surprise visit from the unmistakable EN-V prototype), electric cars, advancing smartphone integration, and a world without stoplights. Then, Micky announces and demos Chevy's new MyLink infotainment system, in a world-first, Engadget Show-exclusive look at the new technology. Fresh off a resounding victory over mankind, IBM's Watson researcher David Gondek joins Josh and Paul for a breakdown of Watson's Jeopardy domination and an in-depth conversation about machine-learning, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and the meaning of love. Last up, Josh, Paul, and Nilay bust out the Motorola Atrix 4G and break down the week in news, including Nokia's Windows Phone announcement, the rise of Honeycomb tablets, and everything worth talking about from Mobile World Congress. This is one you absolutely should not miss. What are you waiting for? Watch it now! Hit up the video stream after the break or download the show in HD below! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Special guests: Micky Bly, David Gondek Produced and Directed by: Chad Mumm Executive Producer: Joshua Fruhlinger Edited by: Danny Madden Music by: Note! Visuals by: Batsly Adams Opening titles by: Julien Nantiec Taped live at SIR Stage37 Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 018 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 018 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 018 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
Chad Mumm02.18.2011
CE-Oh no he didn't!: INQ chief says Android is too geeky for 'pretty girls'
Take one dose of improper generalization, mix it in with a heaping of condescension, and then add a pinch of good old sexism. What do you get? This quote, coming from Frank Meehan, CEO of the Android handset-making INQ: "If you go to a nightclub in any city in the world, the pretty girl has an iPhone or a BlackBerry. She doesn't have an Android phone. She has no emotional attachment to an Android phone. It's too complicated. It's a geek device, it's all wrong." Now, before you go emailing him photos of the Android tattoo girl, there is undeniably some smidgen of truth to the man's words. Android is a geek's dream ecosystem and it's not necessarily the most accessible platform in the world, but to completely write it off for the nightclub-going lady demographic doesn't strike us -- or Justin Timberlake, or Chad Ochocinco -- as the most astute idea in the world. [Thanks, AC]
Vlad Savov02.18.2011
Myriad Alien Dalvik hands-on (video)
What if you could run Android apps on other platforms? That's exactly the question Benoit Shillings and his team at Myriad asked themselves before setting out to create Alien Dalvik. The resulting software provides a host environment for the (mostly Java-based) Android apps to run pretty much anywhere. Alien Dalvik behaves a lot like Wine on Linux, which allows Windows programs to run inside Linux without installing Windows or using a virtual machine. We stopped by the Myriad booth at MWC this week where Benoit was kind enough to give us a demo of Alien Dalvik running on a Nokia N900. Despite being in the early stages of development and still un-optimized, the software worked as expected. Benoit showed us Google Maps, a chess game, and the IMDb app all running as separate processes inside Maemo. This version of Alien Dalvik was written using Qt and should also be able to run on Symbian devices. You can't buy the product as an end user, but Myriad wants to make the technology available to carriers and device manufacturers to help streamline the deployment of apps across platforms. Watch our video after the break.
Myriam Joire02.18.2011
Acer's Aspire One D257 attempts to send ripples through MWC
Despite its variety of new tablets, Acer's already told us of its plans to continue on with its Aspire One netbooks, and the new D257 is all the proof we need of that. At this point, we don't know much about the latest 10.1-inch laptop, except that it does have one funky lid. It looks like a stone was dropped smack in the middle of the O in the Aspire One logo to create a ripple-like effect, and it's more than just an interesting paint job -- the plastic has actually been molded. It's a noteworthy design move, but we've never really been big fans of the huge logo in the first place. We were actually hoping Acer would nix it after the AO521. Spec-wise, Notebook Italia is reporting it will be powered by Intel's dual-core Atom N570 or N550 processors and the placard on display at MWC said that it will dual-boot Windows 7 Starter and Android. Ironically, the model on hand wouldn't boot at all, but we'll be listening out for an official announcement on this one. %Gallery-117119%
Joanna Stern02.18.2011
Huawei IDEOS X3 hands-on (video)
Yesterday at MWC we got our hands on the Huawei IDEOS X3, an Android 2.3 phone slotted right between the IDEOS / Comet we reviewed recently and the X5 we saw at CES. While the original IDEOS took Android significantly downmarket, and the X5 is looking to bring high-end features to the mid-end, the X3 is aimed squarely at bread-and-butter devices like the LG Optimus T. Spec-wise, you'll find a 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, Qualcomm MSM7227 CPU (likely 600 MHz), 256MB of RAM, 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing camera, WiFi b / g / n, and dualband HSPA plus quadband EDGE radios, all powered by a 1200mAh battery. Contrary to its siblings, the X3 is not a Google Experience device, and runs a custom skin on top of Gingerbread. See our pictures in the gallery below and jump the break for our first impressions and hands-on video. %Gallery-116895%
Myriam Joire02.18.2011
Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour
It'd be no exaggeration to say that Google's Android booth here at MWC 2011 has been the most popular of them all. The Mountain View secret to this preeminence has been some combination of putting cutesy costumes on its now iconic robot logo, installing a slide for weary geeks to reconnect to their childhood with, and operating a fully fledged smoothie bar that offered up free Honeycomb elixirs. In short, Ye Olde Google has aimed to be fun first and foremost and the crowds have responded by keeping its booth constantly busy. Heck, we even saw our buddy Stephen Elop walking by, though his panther-like quickness was too much for our cameras to document the moment. Never mind, we've still got a ton of photos and video for you below, so why not dig into those while they're still hot? %Gallery-116994%
Vlad Savov02.18.2011
Adéu, Barcelona: Mobile World Congress 2011 is over
We've still got a handful of posts in the pipeline, but with the gates closed and everyone in the air heading back to their respective homes, our adventures at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona have come to a close. The good news is we can return to our regular four of hours of sleep each night (a figure that was cut in half this week). The bad news is the heartache of leaving behind gorgeous scenery and delicious paella. Take a look at some of our highlights below! Microsoft Microsoft shows off WP7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year Windows Phone 7's multitasking uses zoomed-out cards to check on your apps Microsoft Rally Ball demo shows Windows Phone 7, Kinect, Xbox Live living in perfect harmony (video) Windows Phone 7 update with copy and paste, CDMA support coming in 'early March' See the new Windows Phone 7 features in motion (video) Live from Steve Ballmer's MWC 2011 keynote! Nokia The Engadget Interview: Nokia CEO Stephen Elop talks Microsoft, Symbian, MeeGo, and Windows Phone Debunk: Elop never said Microsoft is paying Nokia billions of dollars to use Windows Phone The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia Nokia: 'Our first priority is beating Android' Nokia hints we'll see first Windows Phone 7 device this year Live from 'An Evening With Nokia' at MWC 2011! HTC HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Android 2.4 Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!) HTC Flyer vs. Galaxy Tab vs. iPad... fight! A closer look at the HTC Flyer's screen, stylus, and Scribe HTC refreshes Android lineup with Incredible S, Desire S and Wildfire S (update: hands-on) HTC Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S video hands-on HTC Salsa and Chacha bring the dedicated Facebook button to Android (update: eyes-on) Samsung Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus, coming this month (hands-on with video) Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 official: Tegra 2, Honeycomb, dual cameras (hands-on with video) T-Mobile Galaxy S 4G hands-on Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video) Samsung Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit, and mini gather for a mega hands-on Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets Google Eric Schmidt: 'We certainly tried' to get Nokia to use Android Next version of Android will combine Gingerbread and Honeycomb, arrive on a six-month cycle Google demos Android Movie Studio for Honeycomb Live from Eric Schmidt's MWC 2011 keynote Google's MWC 2011 Android booth tour LG LG Optimus Pad first hands-on! (video) LG Optimus 3D hands-on Android-powered LG Revolution caught streaming Netflix at MWC (video) Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets Sony Ericsson Sony Ericsson Xperia family portrait at MWC 2011 Sony Ericsson Xperia Play MWC 2011 hands-on! (updated with video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro first hands-on! (updated with video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc preview (video) Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo first hands-on! (updated with video) Live from Sony Ericsson's MWC 2011 press event!
Ross Miller02.18.2011
RIM shows off TAT-developed BlackBerry PlayBook apps
We've been eager to see what The Astonishing Tribe (otherwise known as TAT) would come up with for the PlayBook since RIM acquired the design firm back in December, and we're now finally getting our first glimpse at a few of the things they've been working on. Those include a scrapbook app that takes advantage of four-fingered multitouch, and a weather app dubbed "Aura" that was built with the WebWorks platform and makes use of the PlayBook's accelerometer -- both of which are relatively simple, but are intended to demonstrate how easy and quickly developers can build applications for the PlayBook. Also on display at Mobile World Congress this week was fairly impressive media player that can be used when the tablet's connected to a TV via its HDMI port -- it will not only let you view videos, but play games (albeit just a Rubik's Cube in the demo) and even view 3D content as well. Head on past the break to check them out on video.
Donald Melanson02.17.2011
Samsung's Galaxy S II to have a Tegra 2 version?
Just as we lay to rest the ghost of a phantom Tegra 2 chip inside the LG Revolution, here comes the specter of another unconfirmed appearance for NVIDIA's dual-core application processor, this time inside Samsung's Galaxy S II. If you'll recall, we were initially informed by Samsung's PR crew that their new Android flagship would run on NVIDIA's hardware, however a subsequent correction informed us that the processor inside would in fact be Samsung's own Exynos. Now, it turns out, both might be true. AnandTech have come across some benchmark results showing a GT-i9103 with Tegra 2 listed as its grunt provider, while Pocket-lint and others have noted that Samsung's own spec sheet for the Galaxy S II states that the dual-core Exynos "may not be applicable in some regions." The likeliest scenario here is that Samsung hasn't yet reached sufficient volumes with its own processor production and will rely on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 for handsets outside its critical markets -- much in the same vein as it replaced Super AMOLED with Super Clear LCD screens in Russia and some other territories. Don't fret too much, though, performance disparities between the two aren't likely to be overly significant.
Vlad Savov02.17.2011
Skype hints at video calling for Android users on AT&T, promises improvements to Qik
We haven't heard a ton out of Skype since its acquisition of Qik last month, but executives from the two companies have finally done a bit of talking at Mobile World Congress this week. As you might expect, any actual merger of the two applications is still a ways off, but Skype has revealed that it plans to share some of its technical expertise to improve the quality of Qik video calls on Sprint and T-Mobile devices, and Skype exec Rick Osterloh also said that we should "watch out for some announcements" when it comes to AT&T. Considering Skype for iPhone already does video calls on AT&T, we assume that means we should look for video calling to come to Android phones on the carrier as well. In the longer term, PC Magazine reports that the "new vision" for Skype and Qik involves Skype's video call technology being used alongside Qik's video mail, video sharing and live streaming abilities, although the companies aren't providing any timeline for when any of that might happen. Update: It looks like there may have been a slight misunderstanding on that AT&T tidbit. According to a Skype spokesperson: Skype never stated to PC Magazine to expect that Skype is coming to AT&T. Skype has nothing to discuss or announce regarding future developments with carriers in the US and globally. We make a deliberate point to avoid any forward looking statement.
Donald Melanson02.17.2011
Sony Ericsson CTO: first LTE device coming 'pretty soon,' also considering Android tablets
Back in late 2008, Ericsson boldly predicted that 2012 will be the year of LTE; and fast forward to today, one year shy of the big one-two, said company's joint venture with Sony is already teasing its first LTE device. In a recent interview with Fierce Wireless, Sony Ericsson CTO Jan Uddenfeldt talked about SE's renewed focus on the US market, and how its relationship with Google helped securing its first-ever deal with Verizon. While emphasizing that SE's been in the CDMA business for years in Japan, Uddenfeldt also referred to the TD-LTE demonstration with ST-Ericsson and China Mobile at MWC, which featured a prototype LTE device developed by his own gang. Looks like SE's all set to enter the game, but the question is when will we see its first LTE device on the market? Uddenfeldt said "pretty soon," and he further fuels speculation by mentioning a potential collaboration with Sony on some Android tablets (maybe the S1?). Oh, such a teaser this man is. Update: Swapped in an image of the prototype looking a bit too much like a 2007 UMPC above.
Richard Lai02.17.2011
Sprint talks seriously about LTE, suggests it could complement WiMAX
We've already heard Sprint do some talking about LTE at Mobile World Congress this week, but the company's Senior Vice President of Networks, Bob Azzi, has now gone even further in an interview with PC World, where he seems to have suggested that a switch to LTE is all but inevitable. In fact, Azzi is reported to have said that "with the spectrum holdings we have, WiMAX is not an option," and he further went on to note that even with Sprint's majority stake in Clearwire, it still only has "indirect ownership" of Clearwire's spectrum holdings. So what's it going to do? Azzi suggested that an LTE network which complements its current WiMAX network might be the answer, and he even suggested that we could see tri-band LTE phones with a WiMAX radio "velcroed on." He did, of course, point out that no decision has been made just yet, simply stating that "the question is how to keep growing," and that "it's about having a plan."
Donald Melanson02.17.2011
Morpho's NFC / WiFi-enabled keyfob brings wireless payments, card management to the everyman (video)
Not interested in picking up an NFC-enabled smartphone? No matter -- Morpho's got you covered. The outfit was demonstrating a newly finished Simlink NFC keyfob here at Mobile World Congress, intended to provide contactless payment capability for those who lack it in their existing mobile. Rather than stopping at just payments, this dongle also supports frequent flier cards, membership accounts and pretty much any other members-only situation that may ever use NFC check-ins and registration. There's even a WiFi module here and an onboard web server, enabling any WiFi-enabled phone to immediately see your most recent transactions as well as what data / cards you have stored on the device. We're told that the onboard battery can last around a week if you don't use it continuously, and a simple micro-USB connector is responsible for charging. The only unfortunate part is the size -- it's hardly inconspicuous, but we're guessing revision two will lose quite a bit of weight. This particular model should go on sale by the end of Q4, with pricing to be determined. Head on past the break for a brief demonstration, you big spender, you. %Gallery-116875%
Darren Murph02.17.2011