Around here, we see enough carefully-timed press releases and slowly trickling droplets of information that it’s worth a laugh when a company’s spot gets blown up. So here we have a Dell netbook that runs on Google’s Android operating sytem, being announced by a company responsible for the porting of Flash Lite onto the computer. That Bsquare then tried to pull the press release in hopes that people wouldn’t notice (they did) makes the situation more comical. Being an announcement related to Adobe Flash, there’s really no other substantial information except that the netbook will be called the Mini Inspiron 910, but hey, now you know. [Yahoo! Business via Gizmodo]
There’s money in the smartphone business, especially if your company’s name becomes coveted by cell phone OS makers. Erich Sprecht, who runs Illinois-based Android Data Corp., has sued Google and 46 other companies including T-Mobile, Samsung and Motorola for stealing the Android name. He’s seeking $96 million, and it’s believed the parties will settle because of how many companies are involved. Alternatively, a restraining order could require a massive rebranding effort. This may seem like a simple money grab, but the case has some meat on it: The US Patent and Trademark Office has rejected Google’s application for the Android trademark several times due to Android Data’s presence, despite the Google’s claim that the name sat unused for many years before being reactivated. See also: Apple and Cisco’s tussle over the iPhone brand. It’s easy to cash in with just a little foresight. [Forbes via Electronista]
In the war for smartphone operating system supremacy, Google’s Android has earned another recruit. Samsung’s I7500 will be the first smartphone from a major worldwide cell phone manufacturer. The 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen is good for viewing all sorts of Google services, such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps, along with apps from the Android Market. Other features include HSDPA and Wi-Fi support, a 5-megapixel camera, GPS and 8 GB of storage, plus a Micro SD slot for up to 32 GB more space. The I7500 is coming to major European markets in June, with no official word on a US release. However, Crave notes that the smartphone’s supported bands are compatible with T-Mobile’s 3G network. Perhaps a US announcement isn’t far behind. [via Akihabara News]
The headline says it all. Good job T-Mobile, for selling a million G1 smartphones, or 66 percent of your total US 3G sales. Android will be so proud. We’re not talking Apple or Blackberry levels of market share here, but it’s a great start considering the smartphone only launched in October of last year, and with no 3G coverage at that. Deutsche Telekom, which reported the statistics, says 3G smartphones will be a major selling point in the year ahead. Accordingly, T-Mobile will expand its US “points of presence” under the 3G network from 107 million to 205 million. It’s going to be a bloodbath as telecoms try to sell you their fancy handsets. [Deutsche Telekom via Engadget]
This morning at the MWC 2009 event, HTC has officially revealed its latest phone for Google Android, the HTC Magic. The HTC Magic features a 3.2″ touchscreen, a 3.2 MP digital camera, GPS, HDSPA, and a bottom-center trackball. The HTC magic will be available for Vodaphone contracts and priced between 99 and 199 Euro in Spain, Germany, UK, France and Italy. The hard stats are available after the jump! More to come… [via engadget]
General Mobile is showing off a new Android handset called the DSTL1. The company is known for its dual-SIM handsets. The DSTL1 can take two different SIM cards, has a 3-inch touch screen, 5 megapixel camera, 4GB of storage, WiFi, and a 624MHz Marvell processor. The picture above is a render of what they expect the final product to look like, not an actual picture. The phone is expected to be released however in the third quarter of this year. It’s nice to see another manufacturer stepping up to the plate and making an Android handset, and the dual-SIM feature of this one definitely makes it lust worthy. What other features would you like to see on Android handsets? [via Engadget]
There have been rumors for months that Android and the T-Mobile g1 hardware have low-level support for multi-touch. Some developers got to work and have created a demo of you can in fact use multi-touch on your G1. The app is available to download now (at your own risk) and does a multi-touch version of the Android browser. Installing the app will require you to gain root access to your phone, so it’s not exactly for the faint at heart. Check it out in action in the video above. [via Engadget]
With nary a spec, price point or firm release date, this photo of HTC’s “Sapphire 2.0,” suspected to be the company’s G2 Android phone, is circulating the Internet. This will apparently be the latest touchscreen for T-Mobile, with a 3.2-megapixel camera to boot. A photo of the “Tungsten,” a possible candidate for the Wing II phone with full keyboard, has been leaked as well. Engadget says the G2 is expected in May. [TmoNews via Engadget]
Bar codes aren’t just for the grocery store anymore. The advent of personal bar code readers, like ScanLife’s latest for Android phones, allows you to quickly jump to Web sites, phone numbers or videos. This is basically a shortcut for typing on your smartphone’s keypad or browsing through menus. It’s even possible to create your own bar code on ScanLife’s Web site for quick access to oft-used functions. The software has been available as a free iPhone app since August, and can be downloaded now for Android phones as well. Head to ScanLife’s Web site and start checking yourself out, aisle three. [ScanLife via CNet]
