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Google Chrome OS event this Thursday: beta release to follow?

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Nov 18th 2009 No Comments

chrome logo Last Friday the rumor machine said Google Chrome OS, the open-source OS for netbooks, would drop in seven days time. That’s looking all the more likely today, with Google apparently sending out invitations to a Chrome OS event to be held on Thursday. According to GigaOm, Google are describing the event as “an update on our progress with Google Chrome OS” together with discussing “launch plans for next year”; that’s leading to speculation that a beta release is in the offing.

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HTC Dragon has been in testing at Google for weeks; release imminent?

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Nov 18th 2009 No Comments

Things have been quiet on HTC's Snapdragon Android plans since CEO Peter Chou squashed talk of an Android-based HD2, but that hasn't stopped "senior Android guys" from carrying around such a handset for at least the past few weeks. According to TechCrunch, the so-called HTC Dragon or HTC Passion is expected to hit shelves very soon, and will likely be thinner than the Motorola DROID or the Apple iPhone 3GS together with including Qualcomm's 1GHz Snapdragon chipset.

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Official Google Phone confirmed for early 2010?

By Chris Davies on Wednesday, Nov 18th 2009 No Comments

Ever since Android was first vaunted, people have been asking for an official Google Phone; however the search giant has always said it was only taking the lead in software, not hardware. Now, according to TechCrunch’s sources, that’s all going to change: they claim that an official, Google branded handset will drop in early 2010, with the company dictating every element of hardware and software to put together their own interpretation of today’s smartphone.

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Google Chrome OS release in next 7 days?

By Chris Davies on Friday, Nov 13th 2009 No Comments

Google Chrome OS, the search giant's web-centric platform for notebooks, netbooks and Smartbooks, is tipped to be arriving sometime within the next seven days. According to TechCrunch's sources, the release of the new OS - which was announced back in July - is imminent, though there's also talk of patchy driver support.

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Google offers free WiFi in select airports for all

By Shane McGlaun on Tuesday, Nov 10th 2009 No Comments

The holiday season is here and the biggest shopping day of the year known as Black Friday is only a few weeks away. The holiday season is also one of the busiest times for traveling with the airports around the nation packed with people going to see family.

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GSM Motorola MILESTONE lacks turn-by-turn in Android 2.0 Maps [Update: Confirmed]

By Chris Davies on Monday, Nov 2nd 2009 No Comments

US would-be DROID buyers now livid by the European version of the smartphone’s multitouch support can take heart in the fact that while the Motorola MILESTONE gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. Mobile-Review’s Eldar Murtazin has revealed that – on his pre-release Euro model at least – Android 2.0 lacks turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps Navigation.

Update: A Google spokesperson has told us that the reason turn-by-turn is absent from the MILESTONE is because currently the beta is US-only.

Motorola Milestone maps

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Motorola MILESTONE (aka GSM Verizon DROID) confirmed for O2 Germany

By Chris Davies on Sunday, Nov 1st 2009 1 Comment

We’re still playing avidly with our Verizon DROID by Motorola in preparation for the full review this coming week – check out some first-impressions and highlights in the meantime – but according to a leaked O2 Germany document the GSM European version may only be days away. The document lists the Motorola MILESTONE – with a shot of what’s definitely the Motorola DROID – as coming to the German carrier in the week beginning November 9th 2009; in fact there’s already a page for the MILESTONE on the O2 Germany site.

o2 germany motorola milestone 540x384

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Google “doing exactly what Microsoft did” says angry GPS app dev

By Chris Davies on Friday, Oct 30th 2009 5 Comments

google maps navigation trouble ahead 157x280 custom With Google Maps Navigation causing ripples not only among Android users but in the share prices of Garmin, TomTom and other mapping providers, it seems some location-based services providers are coming out fighting. LaptopMag have been talking to Networks in Motion’s (NIM) Steve Andler, VP of marketing at the company responsible for Verizon’s VZ Navigator and the Gokivo iPhone app, and he’s pulling no punches about his opinion of Google. Andler describes the idea of Android as being open as “a bunch of hooey”, and even goes so far as to suggest that “Google is doing exactly what Microsoft did, which is, they integrate stuff into the core, leaving no room for anyone to innovate.”

Of course, it’s not surprising that Andler – and NIM – are frustrated, given the particular corner of software development they chose to carve out. Andler’s core argument about PND software is that it requires more than a few voice prompts on top of a map.

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Verizon introduces the leader of the DROID army – First Take

By Michael Gartenberg on Thursday, Oct 29th 2009 3 Comments

Recently I asked, if a DROID could take on the Death Star? Now, Motorola and Verizon, along with some help from Google launched DROID. I’ve spent the day with a device and here’s what I think so far. First, Verizon was clear that DROID is going to be a family of devices running Android, Motorola’s device will be the only one called DROID, others will be known as the DROID-XXX. DROID is the first Android 2.0 device and the Google branding points to the fact that this is stock Android. And I do mean stock Android: there are zero Verizon services on this device (with the exception of a non-branded visual voicemail app). No VCast. No nothing. One wonders if Verizon were willing to go to this length a few years ago, would the iPhone have landed on Verizon? Android 2.0 is a great update and finally is starting to feel complete. Compared to V1 Android running HTC Sense, it’s a mixed bag. HTC’s UI is lightyears ahead of stock Android in my opinion but the DROID performs so much better than any Android V1 phone I’ve used and is nearly feature complete that it’s hard to recommend a V1x device at this point.

verizon droid 17 r3media 540x359

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Google Discover Music search launches: previews & MP3 downloads [Video]

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Oct 29th 2009 No Comments

Google’s rumored push into music has panned out into an new search function with integrated playback. Thanks to a deal with MySpace (who have acquired media playback firm iLike) and Lala, searches for songs, artists or albums will also produce links to audio previews and places you can actually buy the track. Meanwhile partnerships with Pandora, Rhapsody and imeem will offer suggestions of similar artists and music.