Google Android 2.0 OS now available for developers



Google Android 2.0 OS now available for developers with new features of Android 2.0 OS include multiple email accounts (Google and Exchange), improved virtual keyboard, camera enhancements, and improved browser.

Contacts and accounts

* Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact synchronization, including Exchange accounts. (Handset manufacturers can choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices.)
* Developers can create sync adapters that provide synchronization with additional data sources.
* Quick Contact for Android provides instant access to a contact’s information and communication modes. For example, a user can tap a contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Other applications such as Email, Messaging, and Calendar can also reveal the Quick Contact widget when you touch a contact photo or status icon.

Email

* Exchange support.
* Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page.

Messaging

* Search functionality for all saved SMS and MMS messages.
* Auto delete the oldest messages in a conversation when a defined limit is reached.

Camera

* Built-in flash support
* Digital zoom
* Scene mode
* White balance
* Color effect
* Macro focus

Android virtual keyboard

* An improved keyboard layout to makes it easier to hit the correct characters and improve typing speed.
* The framework’s multi-touch support ensures that key presses aren’t missed while typing rapidly with two fingers.
* A smarter dictionary learns from word usage and automatically includes contact names as suggestions.

Browser

* Refreshed UI with actionable browser URL bar enables users to directly tap the address bar for instant searches and navigation.
* Bookmarks with web page thumbnails.
* Support for double-tap zoom.
* Support for HTML5:
o Database API support, for client-side databases using SQL.
o Application cache support, for offline applications.
o Geolocation API support, to provide location information about the device.
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BlackBerry inPulse Watch



BlackBerry inPulse Watch now available for pre-order from Allerta Inc for $149.99 you can pre-order the device in the US or Canada and you should have your shiny new toy by February 2010. As for specs, you’re looking at a 1.3-inch OLED display, glass lens, full metal body, vibrating motor, microUSB port and a rechargeable battery that can deliver up to four days of usage on a single charge.

.” inPulse users will have to install a special BlackBerry application in order to pass along information

From the “FAQ” page of the website, here’s some more concrete information:
*Under “normal” use, the battery should last for about four days
*The device can charge in 30 minutes (via micro-USB)
*It isn’t water resistant (it can withstand “mild splashes”)
*The device is read-only, meaning that you can’t write messages on the watch, etc.
*It supports any BlackBerry with OS 4.3 and up
Visit getinpulse.com for more product info and to pre-order, and check out the inpulse blog at inpulse.tumblr.com to stay on top of developments.

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Android SDK now supports Android 2.0



Android 2.0 brings new developer APIs for sync, Bluetooth, and a few other areas. Using the new sync, account manager and contacts APIs, you can write applications to enable users to sync their devices to various contact sources. You can also give users a faster way to communicate with others by embedding Quick Contact within your application. With the new Bluetooth API, you can now easily add peer-to-peer connectivity or gaming to your applications.

Current developers can use the SDK Manager to add Android 2.0 support to their SDK as well as update their SDK Tools to revision 3. New developers can download the Android SDK from the download site. After the download, Android platforms must be added using the SDK Manager

Android SDK Tools, revision 3 is required to develop for Android 2.0. It includes support for code coverage through the Ant build system, as well as Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) support for the SDK and related tools. For those of you who develop using Eclipse, we are releasing ADT version 0.9.4 through the usual Eclipse update mechanism.

Over the next few months, we expect to see more and more Android devices being released. These devices will be running Android 1.5, 1.6, or 2.0. We are also planning a minor version update of Android 2.0 towards the end of the year, and that will be the last update for 2009. Below are some of the things you can do to be better prepared:

*

Download the Android 2.0 platform and make sure your existing apps continue to work on new devices running Android 2.0.
*

Make sure that your apps work when using the WVGA (800x480) & FWVGA (854x480) emulator skins. We expect devices with these types of screen, running Android 2.0 to be launched soon.

more complete list of the new capabilities you can add to your applications; here
download the Android SDK; here

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Equinox mobile phone from Sony Ericsson and T-Mobile



Equinox mobile phone from Sony Ericsson and T-Mobile is sports an elegant and look that would certainly appeal to female mobile phone users. According to Sony Ericsson, the Equinox provides “exciting features that encourage individualism through unique pulsating night effects that enable users to never miss a call or text message.”

Sony Ericsson Equinox will be available through T-Mobile starting October 28, 2009.The Sony Ericsson Equinox is a 3G phone loaded with features and eye-catching night effects that you can use to identify who is sending you text messages or calling you by the pulsating light effects that the phone does whenever there are incoming calls or SMS. The light comes in Amber, Sapphire, Beryl, Diamond and Amethyst colors. The phone also features a slew of wall paper themes to match users’ style.

Othe features of the Sony Ericsson Equinox include a 3.2 megapixel camera, A-GPS, direct video sharing and uploading to YouTube, FM Radio, and Bluetooth wireless. The phone also features gesture control for rejecting incoming calls or for putting the phone in silent mode through the wave of a hand.

Sony Ericsson Equinox sports a 2.2-inch QVGA TFT screen with 240×320 pixel resolution. It runs on GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA 2100/1700 networks.

To celebrate the launch of the Equinox, Sony Ericsson is sponsoring a Maria Sharapova look-alike contest on October 31, 2009 at the T-Mobile Los Angeles store. Another promotional gig with Kim Kardashian will also be held beginning November 9.

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BlackBerry firmware update 5.0



RIM is expected to release the new BlackBerry firmware update 5.0 in the coming week on October 28th.Kevin from Crackberry was gracious enough to compile a list of Blackberry devices that will be updated. For those BlackBerry owners who were holding out hope of seeing OS 5.0 come to their handset, here is the list of the devices that will be the chosen lucky few.

The list goes:
*Bold 9000 series
*Storm 9500 series
*Tour 9630
*Pearl Flip 8200 series
*Curve 8330
*Curve 8350i
*Curve 8530

According to the official reasoning on the BlackBerry website;

“In order to optimize the BlackBerry smartphone user experience with BlackBerry Device Software 5.0, BlackBerry smartphones must have more than 64MB of memory to support this version of BlackBerry Device Software. BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 is targeted to be supported by Research In Motion on the above noted BlackBerry smartphones.”

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Blackberry Gemini 8520



Blackberry Gemini 8520 is an unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP camera, Bluetooth and Wi-fi International Version. A full QWERTY keyboard makes typing and sending messages easy,and comfortable. The bright screen displays over 65,000 colors, providing a great viewing experience.

Blackberry Gemini 8520 phone, you can access what’s important with trackpad navigation. Like a laptop, the trackpad lets you scroll through menus, icons and info by gliding your finger over it. Press and click to select an item and navigate to where you want to go. Control music and multimedia with dedicated media keys found atop the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone. Skip over songs, pause music to talk, or repeat your favorites over and over.. You can even mute phone calls with the easy-access mute button. Now you know how wonderful this phone is.

Blackberry Gemini 8520 Phone Features:

* This unlocked cell phone is compatible with GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Not all carrier features may be supported. It will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon Wireless, Alltel and Sprint.
* Unlocked Quad Band: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and GPRS capabilities
* 2.0MP Digital Camera, High-resolution display with 320 x 240 65.000 colors TFT and 2.46 inches, 35 key backlit QWERTY keyboard, Trackpad, Intuitive icons and menus, Bluetooth® enabled with Stereo Profile (A2DP), Wi-Fi® 802.11b/g enabled
* Video format support: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV3, Audio format support: AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, WMA9 (.wma/.asf), WMA9 PRO/WMA 10, AAC-LC with 3.5mm Headset Support
* Talk time up to 5 hours – Standby up to 17 days

These are just the main features this unlocked phone offers, you’ll find out more impressive features when you get the phone.

Price as Reviewed: $327.99

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Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch Unveiled



Kempler & Strauss is trying their luck with offering a new GSM cellphone wristwatch. The company announced today the launch of what they call the world's smallest full-function GSM quad-band cell phone watch. Kempler & Strauss also announced the Communicator, a Bluetooth-enabled hands-free device that works with e W PhoneWatch at International CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2009.
The W PhoneWatch features a touchscreen with an micro-touch interface that enables users to operate the phone by fingertip, eliminating the need for a stylus to dial phone numbers or create text messages. The W PhoneWatch allows users to store up to 4GB of music, voice recordings, photos, or video via the integrated micro SD slot, and supports playback of all multimedia files. Other features of the W PhoneWatch include: calendar, address book, voicemail, SMS, call log, speed dial, ring tones with vibration mode, calculator, stopwatch, and various games and utilities.

The Bluetooth-enabled W PhoneWatch, which works seamlessly with existing in-car and in-ear Bluetooth devices, comes with the Kempler & Strauss Communicator, an innovative Bluetooth headset that allows users to control the W PhoneWatch from distances up to 16 feet, enabling them to receive and place phone calls and listen to their MP3 files. Wearable over the ear or carried conveniently in a pocket, the Communicator weighs only 48 grams and includes a noise-cancelling microphone with wind screen for clear conversations outdoors or in noisy environments.

The W PhoneWatch, which at first glance appears to be an attractive digital wristwatch, is a full-function integrated advanced communications device. The W PhoneWatch incorporates a GSM phone that supports the 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz, and 1900MHz bands. The 1.5-inch TFT LCD micro-touch touchscreen features a screen resolution of 128 x 128 and displays 260,000 colors. The watch measures a mere 57 x 45 x 18mm and weighs only 2.5 ounces.

Fully compatible with Bluetooth v2.0 headset and hands-free devices, the W PhoneWatch incorporates a still camera that captures JPEG images at resolutions up to 640 x 480. The integrated video camera captures video in MPEG 4 (AVI) format at a resolution of 128 x 104. The W PhoneWatch supports video playback of MPEG4 files and music files including MP3, WMA, WAV, and AMR.

The Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch is backed by a one-year warranty and is available at a list price of $199 USD via authorized Kempler & Strauss distributors and value-added resellers worldwide.
The Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch sounds like a great attempt on a wristphone. The price is actually quite affordable as you do not have to sign a contract with a carrier. Below you can see a video of the Kempler & Strauss W PhoneWatch.