your unofficial guide to the google android
Rumors
Review: Google Phone
Sep 3rd
This morning I decided to install and agree to the terms for the Google Phone. I didn’t think it would be any different to MSN messenger or Skype. I was wrong. First of all, when I made calls to America and Canada they were completly FREE! What surprised me most is how fast the phone connected to the lines. I haven’t tried anywhere else in the world but here are
Huawei Bets on Google Brand, Low-End Smartphone in Europe Push
Sep 3rd
Source: Bloomberg By Matthew Campbell
Huawei Technologies Co., China’s largest phone-equipment maker, is betting Google Inc. branding and smartphones targeting the lower end of the market will build its sales in Europe.
Huawei’s unveiling yesterday of a 99 pound ($152) Google- branded smartphone will help the company grab market share in Europe, Tim Watkins, the company’s western Europe vice president, said in an interview in London. Huawei hasn’t yet named the operators who will first offer the Ideos phone, which carries a Google logo and doubles as a portable wireless Internet hotspot.
The Chinese phone-equipment maker is trying to build market share and revenue outside of its home region while overcoming security concerns. The Shenzhen-based company, founded by a former Chinese military official, failed in talks to buy two U.S. assets in July on sellers’ doubts about regulatory approval, two people familiar with the matter said in August.
“This kind of device brings the price down and increases the adoption of smartphones, especially in Europe,” Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst at IDC in London, said by phone. “Other companies like Samsung and LG will have to follow this price trend.”
Google’s Android operating system became the third-best- selling operating system in the second quarter, with 17.2 percent of sales compared with 1.8 percent a year earlier, according to researcher Gartner Inc. Apple’s iOS dropped to fourth place. Nokia Oyj’s Symbian and Research In Motion Ltd. ranked first and second.
Android Growth
“We think the big growth is going to be in the Android, affordable end of the smartphone market,” Watkins said. “Huawei has established a very good brand on the infrastructure side,” and is looking to extend that success to the device market, he added.
Apple, Taiwan’s HTC Corp., and Research in Motion Ltd. are competing for high-end customers with phones that cost as much as 599 pounds without a contract. Android phones will outnumber Apple units by 2012, according to researcher iSuppli Corp.
On the network infrastructure side of Huawei’s business, “there are various options available,” including setting up separate local subsidiaries, to allay government security concerns, Watkins said. “The political stuff is clearly a challenge, but actually in many countries we can point to success,” especially in emerging markets like Africa, he said.
In addition to fellow Chinese companies like China Unicom, Huawei has won contracts to supply equipment to operators including Telstra Corp. and Vodafone Group Plc.
Security Concerns
In 2008, Huawei dropped a bid for computer-equipment supplier 3Com Corp. after the U.S. began investigating whether the deal could give China access to anti-hacking technology used by the Defense Department.
In April, India’s government blocked Huawei and ZTE Corp. from selling network equipment to domestic phone carriers because of security concerns, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
“The situation in India is changing on a daily basis, and all of our competitors are struggling with that,” Watkins said. “Business is now flowing in India.”
Phone Friday: Google Places, a parent’s best friend
Sep 3rd
Google Places for Android (known on my phone only as Places) answers the simple question: what’s nearby. Right. This. Second.
I’m sure it’s useful for finding trendy cafes and hipster boutiques. But, I have to admit I’ve repeated found it useful for one key thing: finding the nearest park in an unknown area (say, Boston, for example). Because where there are parks, there’s often playgrounds. And where there’s a playground, there’s an instant fun activity for our little one.
Of course, as a parent, it’s useful for more than just park hunting. You’ve got other attractions, as well as restaurants and other local businesses you might need. It makes on the fly planning as convenient as possible.
In many ways, this app is one of those game changing uses for your phone. Like a GPS, suddenly a stream of information is available to you that tells you just what you need to know, at just the right time.
While I thought I installed the the app separately, apparently my memory is incorrect. It seems that Places is part of Google Maps. You’ll want to make sure you have the latest version of Google Maps, which should insure you have the Places app.
So tell me – as a parent – what resource is most important for you to be able to find in a hurry?
Skype and Google
Sep 1st
It’s been almost a year since I wrote about how I like Skype, and I noted some legal problems between the Skype founders and eBay, which bought Skype in 2005.
Shortly after I wrote that, eBay completed the sale of the majority share of Skype to a private investment group (eBay kept 30%), and shortly after that, the investment group settled with the Skype founders: the founders got a 14% share and two board seats, and they dropped their lawsuits. With those problems sorted out, Skype continued to do well.
Now they’re looking to go public: Skype filed for an IPO (Initial Public Offering) a few weeks ago (and see here). It takes a few months for that to go through, so we’ll have to see specifically what they propose, with regard to number of shares and offering price, some time in November, probably.
Meanwhile, Google has started offering free online calling directly from Gmail. You install a voice plug-in for the browser, you log into chat from the Gmail screen, and there’s now a Call phone
selection. You can call U.S. and Canadian numbers free, at least through the end of the year,
and International calls go at per-minute rates that compare with Skype’s. If you have Google Voice (also free, formerly Grand Central), your Google Voice number will allow free incoming calls as well.
During Google’s free period, they provide a bit of an advantage over Skype: it costs me about $5/month to have an incoming Skype phone number (SkypeIn
, in their parlance) plus a subscription for unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada (SkypeOut
). That’s minimal, but not as minimal as free
. Google is now a direct competitor to Skype. [And, by the way, Google had tried to buy Skype, back in 2005, as had Yahoo!; they both lost out to eBay, which came to regret its purchase.]
What will the new Google announcement do to the only-slightly-less-new Skype IPO filing? It might mean that Skype shouldn’t dawdle, and should get the actual IPO done as soon as they can, while there are still a few chinks in Google’s VoIP armour.[1] Alternatively, it might mean that it’s already too late for Skype, that few will be interested in Skype’s public offering, and that the Google juggernaut will soon run them over. We’ll have to see.
In any case, I’ve had a fresh chance to try both services, Skype and Google. I use Skype regularly, as my normal phone service, and have done for about a year and a half. For the same time, I’ve also used Google Voice as the phone number I give people, and calls to that number ring me on Skype and/or my mobile phone, depending upon how I have my settings at the time. It’s nicely flexible, and it means that folks don’t have to try chasing me around at a number of different phone numbers.
Well, now that I’m working for a Chinese company, I occasionally have conference calls with China. The way we call China from the U.S. is with pre-paid calling cards — I call a local number, give it some codes from the card and the number I’m calling, and it connects me. The face value of each card is $20, which gives me 520 minutes… that comes out to about 3.8 cents a minute. I think the company gets a discount on the cards, though, so I don’t know what rate they’re actually paying.
Skype, and now Google, offer calls to China at 2.1 cents a minute, a little more than half the calling-card rate. That sounds like a nice saving, doesn’t it? On the other hand, as I said, I don’t know what discount we’re getting on the cards, and even if we’re paying full price, if I’m on the phone with China for four hours in a month, we’re only talking about saving about $4 per month. That’s not a big deal.
More important, though, is the audio quality. On my first call with the calling card, I had trouble getting the conference code through, and it seemed to be due to poor quality, distorting the DTMF tones. When I finally did get on, it was hard to understand people, and I wasn’t sure how well they were hearing me. For yesterday’s call, I used Google instead, using the free $1 credit they provided.
What a difference! As with Skype, Google’s audio quality was perfect. The conference bridge accepted the codes on the first try, everyone on the call sounded crisp and clear, and I could also be heard clearly at the other end. I’ll be calling with Skype or Google in the future, for sure.
[1] Language note: a chink in one’s armour,
dates from the 16th century, and comes from a Middle English word meaning a crack or fissure
.
Microsoft with a new mobile OS, Windows Phone 7
Sep 1st
One of the most interesting news that comes out by this time is that the software giant Microsoft is now all set to launch their much buzzed platform – Windows Phone 7. Microsoft had also announced its official handset partners at the Windows Phone 7 mobile OS launch – Dell, Asus, LG, HTC, and Samsung.
This latest OS from Microsoft is expected to reach the market by the next month. Some of the main features of this OS is extremely attractive, smooth as well as slick. The company has added a lot of things that can be found on IOS and Android. Microsoft has also included a 3D-like effect specifically for Windows Phone 7.
Microsoft with their latest Windows Phone 7 devices are now all set to challenge the products from Apple. It should be said that the success of iPhone is seen in its user interface as well as App store that are easy to use. As for Windows Phone 7, it is enabled with a UI, which is straightforward as well as quick compared to Apple’s offering.
Windows Phone 7 comes with a smooth Office integration. Microsoft did the right thing, i.e. anything that is typed on a computer you can edit with Windows Phone 7. Almost all software and applications on Windows Phone 7 are cloud-connected with photos, contacts as well as home screens that are constantly updating.
The other interesting thing related with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is that the LG Mobile officials had confirmed that a cell phone, the Apollo may get launched as early as September in 2010. This means that LG may be the first manufacturer to introduce the first Windows Phone 7 Series handset in the market.
More details about this new handset featuring Windows Phone 7 awaited..
Tags :- LG, LG handsets, Mobile phones, LG mobile phones, new LG products, LG products, latest mobile phones, Microsoft, Microsoft products, Microsoft Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone 7, Apple v/s Microsoft, Microsoft OS for phones, Microsoft latest OS for phones, Windows Phone 7 for handsets, Windows Phone 7 mobile OS, Microsoft Windows Phone 7 mobile OS..
Maximize productivity with your Android phone
Sep 1st
When the issues of productivity, the system or you need to keep in place with your needs. work for the mobile professional performance of a laptop so rarely and not always the best way to maximize productivity. slow as the basis for the draft charter and task lists, mass and limited skills quickly, even the best plans.
Fortunately, the development of smart phones reached a critical point. Much more than a mobileCommunications, smart phones are an efficient and effective manner to maximize productivity. I studied and experimented with different smart phones and landed directly on android operating system. Not only on my handle communication needs but also help design and implementation of my organization and productivity of the system.
As a small business owner from undertaking part-time sales manager for a Fortune 250 International Corporation, an official in my town, a husband and father ortwo are necessary to maximize the time, become more productive and more organized. With the help of a couple of applications based on android on my phone, I can perform all tasks I have for my career and still have enough time to the quality of my personal life.
Here's what I do.
Google Apps
The android operating system integrates with many of the free Google Apps. Especially for productivity, Google Calendar, Google Mail, Docs, Tasks, and Voice. Each of these applications are free and require onlyCreate a Google Account.
Google Calendar integrates and automatically updates the calendar on my phone android, where I am. With the added ability to share my calendar, my business partners can view, edit and add events to my calendar. These changes are synchronized directly to my phone. Since I rarely in my office, with live updates from the Google Sync app on my phone, I can trust that I know always what it seems my days in constant evolution.
The integrated e-mailBox on Android is capable of handling many of my personal and business e-mail, including Gmail account. My split in box from my Gmail account to another, as I use this account for personal use only. Maintain separate personal and business productivity is wonderfully made easy with the Android operating system.
Google Docs allows me to store files for future review and file sharing for cooperation. His response to my clients in my area and criticalhas the capacity for cooperative file sent directly to my phone, gave me the opportunity to return to customers quickly and accurately.
Google Voice is by far my favorite Google App Google Voice Application, which is a free download from the Android Market works well with my voice account. I can not get copies of my voice mail via e-mail on my phone, but I can also set up multiple outgoing messages. I've got news for customers in particular, my companyPartners, family and friends, as well as unknown caller. The degree of customization is incredible and it can be used creatively to make a major customer feel as if they are the most important person in the world. The ability to manage and edit all my duties Google Voice of my phone is a powerful productivity gains which now depends on my activity.
For those who are timid, as well as all the free Google Apps, Astrid is a simple but effective application, which is a free download is available. Withits ability to sync with your account at “Remember The Milk.com” Astrid the application can be automatically synchronized and backed up directly to and from the Android phone. Astrid provides another measure of control over tasks,'s clean and simple interface and Google does the project management to-do lists or pleasant.
As I have already used or possessed a variety of smartphones, I am confident when I say that the Android operating system and the large number of Android applications efficiently and effectivelycombination of productivity available. Although there are many other applications for the Android operating system and other smartphones, this combination did wonders for me and my company. Also, all apps can be listed here 100% free!
Make Phone Calls From Google Gmail (Video)
Sep 1st
GOOG
Google Voice on GMail
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you could call people directly on their phones?”
You can call any phone right from Gmail.
You can call any phone right from Gmail.
Google has added voice to GMail and it is similar to Skype. Google is promoting as: “Free calls to the U.S. and Canada in 2010. Insanely low rates for international calls.” I tried a call and it was clear and easy to use.
Links
Call phones from Gmail (GMail Blog)
Say hello to Gmail voice and video chat (GMail Blog)
Follow GoogleInvestor on Twitter!
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