Google has obviously tired of waiting for handset manufacturers to push out Android 2.0 to existing handsets before users can play with the Google Maps Navigation beta, and as such has released the turn-by-turn software for Android 1.6 devices. Available now in the Android Market, Google Maps Navigation for Android 1.6 delivers the same topographical layers, voice guidance and automatic rerouting as we found so useful on the Motorola DROID.
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Back in July, Google's execs were grudgingly agreeing that Google Chrome OS and Android have "a great deal of commonality" and "may merge even closer." Now co-founder Sergey Brin has further stoked that speculation, telling reporters after last week's Chrome OS reveal that "Android and Chrome will likely converge over time". Brin pointed to the common Linux and Webkit browser code as existing points of convergence in the two open-source platforms.
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One of our more frustrated complaints in our review of the GSM Palm Pre released in Europe a few months back was that it ran webOS 1.1.3, whereas at point of launch the US version on Sprint was already a few OS iterations beyond that. At the time all O2 and Palm Europe would say was that "parity" would come later in 2009; happily that time is now upon us, and Palm have pushed out webOS 1.3.1 to European Palm Pre devices.
Like the look of Google Chrome OS but don’t want to wait until late next year to buy a system running the new, web-centric platform? It’s only been a matter of hours since Google announced details of their new OS, but already there are a number of options for playing with the software. gdgt have put out a full VMWare image of Chrome OS to play with on an existing system, or alternatively you can go the whole hog for a proper install.
Video demo after the cut
As expected, Google have released launch details about the Google Chrome OS platform, though there is no beta release today nor any netbooks actually running the OS to announce. The company intend Chrome OS to boot almost instantaneously, similar to a TV experience, and in fact it currently loads in just seven seconds; system stability and security is also paramount, with an encrypted user-data section, self-healing OS and complete cloud storage for files. While there’s no beta available today, Google is making the source code available for developers to download, compile and install.
Video overviews after the cut
One of Qualcomm’s more low-key demonstrations from today is actually the one thing you can try most readily yourself. Skifta aims to make media shifting more straightforward, using a single client PC or Mac that can then be accessed by any DLNA and UPnP client in your home or remotely. The system works using a simple web-based interface which will work on your desktop or cellphone browser (the Skifta team had an HTC Hero on hand to do just that), and then that content from pretty much any DLNA device gets funnelled around.
Video demo after the cut
Having promised an app store for their Pulse pen last month, Livescribe have pushed the first beta out of the door. There are currently over thirty applications – some free, some paid – to be downloaded, just in case you want to automatically translate text between languages, play games or even learn Hebrew chanting.
We may be giving Sony Ericsson a darn good scolding on the one hand for their XPERIA X10 hijinks, but we’re a little more interested by their new WebSDK for Android and Symbian Foundation devices. The Sony Ericsson WebSDK promises a metaphorical hand-holding for developers hoping to have their wares nestle up against the company’s own apps, whether that be on the XPERIA X10 or the SE Satio. It’s called Nexus, seemingly the official title for the UX platform Sony Ericsson were talking about with regards the X10.
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Sony Ericsson have confirmed that there will be no update to Windows Mobile 6.5 offered to owners of the XPERIA X1 smartphone, at least not officially through the company. The news follows speculation about Sony Ericsson's intent, after at least one developer got hold of a ROM that seemingly indicated an official update was planned.
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With Snow Leopard happily padding around hundreds of thousands of Macs around the world, it comes as little surprise to hear that Apple are already a few weeks into development of OS X 10.7. Sign of the upcoming OS refresh has been spotted in the change log of the open source "launchd" framework: a new entry for Mac OS build number "11A47" has turned up, and going by Apple's general nomenclature for build codes, that points squarely at OS X 10.7.
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