It’s been some months since we first looked at the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream). We were lucky enough to be able to attend the G1 launch event and to get some hands-on time with the first Android phone.
I finally managed to get hold of a retail G1 handset which, following the unboxing video below, Steve will be reviewing for us. Steve and I are fairly firm Windows Mobile fans so we’ll be making comparisons between Android and WM.
The T-Mobile G1
I’ve only used the G1 for a short period but I have to say that I am fairly impressed. The clarity of the screen is good and the touchscreen is really sensitive and responsive which means that you can navigate and use the handset without needing a stylus. The menus are fairly logical and easy to find your way around. The web browser is also rather good and does a decent job of rendering webpages, almost as well as a desktop computer albeit on a smaller scale.
Have a look at our video and pop back soon to see the full review.
T-Mobile G1 specification:
- 55.7×117.7×17.1mm
- 158 grams
- Google Android 1.0
- 32bit Qualcomm MSM7201A 528MHz CPU
- 192MB RAM, 256MB ROM
- 3.2" 320×480 color transflective TFT LCD
- Proprietary audio jack
- GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900
- UMTS1700, UMTS2100
- microSDHC memory card slot
- mini-USB port
- Bluetooth 2.0
- WLAN – 802.11b/g
- GPS, A-GPS, QuickGPS
- Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
- Accelerometer
- 3.1MP camera with autofocus
- 1150mAh removable battery
If you like unboxing videos you can see hundreds more on unboxings.com!
Posted by: Matt
[ Post Tags: t-mobile G1,HTC Dream,press release,smartphone news,tracyandmatt.co.uk ]
Here’s something a little different for us, the Minoru 3D Webcam. I thought it was worth looking at the 3D webcam to see if we could record some of our unboxing videos in 3D!
In essence the Minoru 3D webcam is two webcams in one package and connected to the PC via one USB cable. The software on the PC then uses this stereoscopic image and applies a red filter to one channel and a blue filter to the other. The ‘channels’ are then combined in to one image and when you look at the image with the appropriate red/blue 3D glasses you see a 3D image.
The Minoru is east to setup, simply requiring driver installation and then a quick configuration process. Once set up you can take still photos or record 3D video to upload to YouTube etc.
We thought it would be fun to play with the Minoru 3D webcam and hope to have some sample 3D video for you. If you have some 3D glasses take a look at the sample images at the bottom of this post.
We have a quick unbox of the Minoru 3D webcam (not recorded in 3D) for you to have a look at and hope to follow this with some 3D footage later.
The Minoru 3D Webcam is the worlds’ first 3D Webcam. It connects to your PC just like any standard USB Webcam and once you install the supplied software it opens up the whole new world of 3D to you.
This webcam allows you to have 3D video calls using your favourite webcam software or chat program such as Skype, Windows Live Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, ooVoo and many other webcam compatible software packages that are already available.
Minoru 3D Webcam Specification:
- 3D Image when viewed with 3D glasses
- 2D Image when the viewer doesn’t have any 3D glasses
- Picture in Picture (PiP)
- Easy one click uploading of 3D videos to YouTube
- 3D snapshots can be sent by e-mail to your friends with a single click
- Works with other recording and messaging applications just like any standard webcam
- Multi-position stand – sits or stands on the user’s desk
- Perches on top of a flatscreen monitor
- Interface: USB 2.0 High Speed 3D Webcam
- Output Modes: 3D, 2D and Picture in Picture (PIP)
- 3D Mode: Optimised Red/Cyan Anaglyph viewed with Red/Cyan 3D glasses
- Output size: 800×600 / 640×480(VGA) / 352×288 / 320×240 pixels
- Frame rate: 30 Frames per second
Minoru 3D Wedcam sample image (3D Glasses Required)
If you like unboxing videos don’t forget to check out unboxings.com!
Posted by: Matt
If you cast your mind back to January, Macworld came and went with absolutely nothing for iPhone users to get excited about. The Apple keynote finished with Tony Bennett singing “The best is yet to come”, well hopefully on Tuesday 17th March 2009 we will, at last find out what that “Best” is.
There have been many posts over the last few days predicting what we can expect from the 3.0 Firmware and this picture above sums things up nicely. Apple have to start filling in the blanks of normal functionality, the Palm Pre which in my opinion has pushed Apple to do this, has all of these features out of the box with the exception of a changeable memory card which when you have 16 gigs of storage onboard is not really an issue anyway for iPhone users.
We’ve seen some double-sided phones before, there’s been the odd Samsung music that’s had phone controls on one side and phone controls on the other but I’m pretty sure I’d be right in saying that this is the first double-sided Windows Mobile.
So you’d probably be forgiven for thinking that the pictures below are of two different handsets but in fact the are of the front and the, erm, other front of the Acer DX650.
I suppose it’s an interesting idea but I’d have thought if you were going to the effort of making a two-sided phone it would be at least worth putting a compact QWERTY on one side?!
Acer DX650 Specification:
- Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
- 32bit Samsung S3C6410, 533MHz CPU
- 128MiB RAM, 256MiB ROM
- 2.8" 240×320 color transflective
- TFT LCD sec. display
- Audio jack
- GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900
- UMTS2100, CSD, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA
- microSD, microSDHC
- mini-USB port
- Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
- WLAN 802.11b/g
- GPS, A-GPS
- FM radio
- Built-in numeric phone keypad
- Scroll wheel
- 1.9MP camera
Posted by: Matt
[Image courtesy of MoDaCo]
HP have always been a big name in Windows Mobile Smartphone’s, the first Pocket PC Phone device I owned was an HP 6315 so they have plenty of knowledge in this area. This is the first review of the two new devices released by HP, the Voice Messenger here and soon Gareth will be doing a review of the Data Messenger. Read on for the review of this Windows Mobile Standard device.
Microsoft have a little ad knocking about at the moment that manages to actually generate a little excitement for it’s upcoming 6.5 update and the 7th incarnation due to be swinging in sometime before 2014. The video doesn’t reveal too much of the operating system (aside from the text being aligned to the left) but it’s punchy and fun, hopefully like the new OS will be. Video is after the break.
O2 is poised to tweak prices on the iPhone 3G in May, ahead of what is believed to be a new model iPhone in June or, most likely, July, Mobile Today are reporting.
The 3G iPhone will be free on its £35 and £45 per month tariffs from May. The 16GB version is currently only free on the £75 per month contract, while the 8GB handset is free only on the £75 and £45 per month deals.
Customers currently spend between £59 and £159 for an iPhone on the £35 and £45 monthly tariffs.
O2 is believed to be keen to clear its inventory of the iPhone 3G’s ahead of the new device which is similar to events last year leading up to the iPhone 3G announcement by Apple. Now all that remains to be seen is what device or devices Apple will bring us if any.
They have an event planned on the 17th March to show a preview of the 3.0 firmware for the iPhone and a new SDK(Software Development Kit) so it must be a reasonably big change a) for an official announcement and b) to require a new SDK.
Maybe Apple also plan to announce a new model or models at the same time and with competition growing especially from the Palm Pre the time is right for a refresh.
An advert has been posted by Microsoft for a Principal Development Manager on the Windows Mobile 7 team and this is what Microsoft are looking for:-
Do you have a passion for the mobile space? Enjoy big challenges, working with and learning from a high-performance team? Do you want to be part of driving the next big business for the company?
Windows Mobile 7 will change the way you view your phone. We aren’t just building a me-too iPhone or RIM competitor; we’re changing the way customers use and experience their device. In the OS Platform team we are responsible for the OS, file systems, security, hardware platforms and drivers, networking & connectivity, location framework and updateability. In other words, we build the foundation upon which the rest of Windows Mobile is built.
As Development Manager for the Core System, you will have both ICs and Leads reporting to you, with a team of approximately 20 developers. As part of a matrix style organization, you will work closely in a triad with your PM and test counterparts. Specific areas of ownership include the kernel, file systems, security, loader, and device management.
Certainly not the newest of handsets and based upon the HTC Touch Cruise (HTC Polaris), we originally reviewed the O2 XDA Orbit II last year. At the time we didn’t get our hands on the full retail package and the review unit came to us unboxed so we didn’t record an unboxing video.
Despite being fairly old device by Windows Mobile standards the Orbit II remains available on O2 and is still a popular handset which seems to be evident by the number of questions that we get about the handset. We’ve also been asked about the unboxing video so we thought it was time to get our hands on the full retail unit and record one for you.
When shipped the Orbit II comes with Windows Mobile 6 but there is a free upgrade to WM 6.1 that you can download and install yourself.
Here’s the video for you:
O2 XDA Orbit 2 specification:
Dont forget, if you like unboxing videos you can see hundreds more on unboxings.com!
Posted by: Matt
[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, O2, HTC Artemis, XDA Cosmo, XDA Orbit 2, HTC P3300]
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*Voucher codes do not apply with these deals. Limited to 2 units per customer, available while stocks last. Prices and availability subject to change, www.expansys.com website price and availability always applies.
Posted by: Matt
[ Post Tags: expansys, deals, special offers, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]
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