Honeycomb Solidifies Android As The Future At Google, Not Chrome OS

I am going based on what I've heard and seen and since I don't own an Android-based tablet, specifically Honeycomb, I can only go with what's out there.  And so far, I've not seen much about it on this matter.  Nevertheless, all the focus at Google must be on Honeycomb and tablets, which is where the media and blogs have pegged as the current front in the mobile war.

And with the iPad 2 just released and Xoom as the sole Tegra 2 based Honeycomb tablets, RIM's Playbook out in April, and a few more Android tablets and the Touchpad from HP out after that, I get the feeling that Chrome OS will get a proper introduction and dominate the headlines for like a week before all eyes are back on Honeycomb.

Then let's not forget that development on Android for smartphones are likely happening at a furious pace.  Just as the tablet market is getting very crowded, iPhone 5, the next Web OS device, RIM's typical updates will mean that Google and its partners have to some of their resources in this part of the mobile market as well.

I reckon that Google might leverage its position as the sole guardian of Android and convince a few of its smartphone and tablet partners to come out with a Chome OS netbook or two.

I'm not sure where that will go but I am not optimistic at all.  It's clear that the iPad, Galaxy Tab, and other tablets have greatly impacted netbook and low-end laptop sales in 2010.  And I think the growing tablet market in 2011 will further crowd out the netbooks.

It'll only be a matter of a couple more tablet revisions from Motorola, LG, and Samsung to evolve the tablet into a more robust device for mobile computing.  With each passing quarter, Honeycomb will improve along with the hardware.

I think I'm gonna call it now and say that Chrome OS is dead, killed off, not by Apple or Microsoft, but Google's focus on Honeycomb.  And I'm not sad to see it go.

T-Mobile Has Been Quiet With High End Android

T-Mobile just revived the Sidekick brand with Android as the basis. But since G2, there have not been any high end Android device that enticed me to sign up. I am eagerly waiting for the LG Optimus 2X. Due to my lack of familiarity with LG's track record in mobile and providing timely Android update, I am still waiting to see if HTC has something coming to T-Mobile.

Why T-Mobile? Well, it was the first US wireless network to introduce the first ever Android device, the G1. I was one of the first to rush to the website to order it. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm partial to T-Mobile.

This is what I hope to see from our favorite wireless provider here at On Android. I like to see the following three Android devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S II - this is the next upgrade from the Galaxy update.  It is a natural fit.  As one of the two networks without Apple's iPhone, I see Samsung and T-Mobile as a perfect fit to highlight non-Apple phones and devices, particularly Android.  And having it run on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network would be a plus.
• Because of Verizon's size and Google's eagerness to act as a check-and-balance to the Apple-ATT alliance, most people think Verizon And Droid when they think about Android.  Well, now that Verizon has the iPhone, I like to see Motorola bring the devices that are branded "Droid" to T-Mobile.  Yeah, give me a dual-core Droid-like device, and I'll sign up right this second.  Don't give me that Cliq or the Charm is the best Motorola can bring to the game here.  The Defy is okay but it's so 2009.  Give me Droid X2 or Droid 3 GSM version any day.  
• HTC - we need you.  The G2, while is a HTC-made phone, it is not branded so.  Regardless, HTC has been kind of MIA in my opinion.  Heck, give me the ChaCha which looks like the original Android prototypes.  Oh, but just don't call it the ChaCha on T-Mobile.  There's talk and rumblings about a high end device coming.  I hope so.  The G2 just isn't it.  

My hope is that T-Mobile will have a very active second quarter in Android.  After the Optimus 2X, maybe that'll be when we'll see a couple more high end devices for loyal T-Mobile fans. And yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Sony's Play in here somewhere too.

Sony Brings Gaming To Android - Competition To Marketplace

Sony is all in with mobile gaming. Not only will it release it own mobile gaming device based on Android OS, Xperia Play "Playstation Phone", it is offering a coding environment for developers to create games for this Sony app. And it will require devices running the latest Android OS, 2.3.

How will this change things?

We're not exactly sure at this moment but this is very exciting news. Sony also introduced their next generation PSP, NGP "next-generation portable", that promises PS3 like graphics and gaming, we have to assume that this Android app will be a very different thing all together.

Still, having access to a library of PSP games is great news for Android gamers. These are games from top tier developers that have yet to commit to Android, or for that matter, Apple's iOS devices.

Sony only would commit to 2011 but would not say when that would be. This is likely a good move for Sony but for Android gaming, we might see a shift away from Marketplace if developers believe they can deliver quality gamings through Sony's setup than through Google.

Here are some key points from Sony's press release:

• Gaming and gamers have diversified. This explains why Sony is deliver a Playstation gaming environment on Android while developing PSP2 in tangent.
• Will offer a “PlayStation®Certified” license program for hardware manufacturers.
• Classic Playstation games will be offered - Woohoo!
• There will be a Playstation Store
• Will have SDK for developers to create games and sell through the PS Store
• Will require Android 2.3 and beyond.

On a level of a mobile warrior, this news from Sony is great. We're talking about increased competition for our wallets. It'll be interesting to see Sony's device competitors like Motorola, Samsung, LG, and HTC open up and install Sony's Playstation app.

Furthermore, this really has Nintendo, and maybe Apple, scramble back to the drawing board to come up with an answer. So stay tuned. I get the feeling well get more answers at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June.

More at Android Community.

Motorola May Have A Future After All

Meet XOOM, Motorola's 10" tablet running Google-sanctioned Android, Honeycomb, on Nvidia's Tegra 2. And boy, this is the tablet that Samsung should have delivered for the Tab but jumped the gun on.

Here are some of the promo videos that I have managed to track down from the Web.

Aside from the pictures, videos, and specs, we don't know a lot about the user experience that it'll deliver. And I think Google will need to share more of those details. But I have to say Google has once again outdone itself.

The graphics I see are amazing and using a dual-core CPU doesn't disappoint. And let's just say this. The battery life is amazing, 10 hours of video playback. As far as I know, this even ties the iPad in battery life, albeit, last year's iPad.

Here are some questions that I like answered however.

1. How is the ZOOM different from other Tegra 2 and Honeycomb tablets?  They all appear to have to same specs.
2. Will this be stock Android or will Verizon Wireless, the exclusive carrier for the XOOM, think it can do better by "coloring" it with a skin and apps that we don't need or want?  This was a reference tablet of sort (though not called the Nexus tablet) when Google demo'd Android 3 back in December.
3. How is the app market?  Will we see an iPad-like translation in apps between the iPhone version and the iPad version?
4. The XOOM will initially come in a 3G version but will be upgradable to LTE.  Will this cost more?

Anyway, this is the Android tablet to get.  Well, we'll need to know what the prices are but from what I can, it's a good start for now.

Engadget has a nice little table with the specs for the ZOOM.  I encourage you to head over and check it out.  It looks like there will be only one version initially.  Listed is only a 32GB version.  I have a 32GB iPad model.  I would have like to see a 64GB version.  Trust me.  Apps for tablets take up a heck of lot more space than phone apps.

I think this not only sends a message to Apple, but also for RIM, Samsung, and everyone else competing in this market.  I also love to see what HTC has in store.  God, I love competition!

More at Engadget.

Samsung Galaxy Player - Android For The Rest Of Us

Over at Onxo, I have blogged about my experience using and iSpot, basically a mifi dedicated to Apple's iOS device. In my case, I've been using the iSpot with the iPod touch and not the iPhone. Why? Because I don't think I like to pay the wireless providers, gatekeepers who only want to hand-cuff its users without innovation, and I believe the future of mobile computing and communication is through VOIP and video and telephony will go the way of the dodo.

For Android fans, there is finally an answer. Samsung will be unveiling a version of the Galaxy S without the telephone function and 3G antenna and rely exclusively on WiFi for wireless Internet access.

At CES next week, Samsung will introduce the Galaxy Player.

And of all the Android device makers, we really should have seen Samsung as the one to provide provide this mobile solution. Like Apple, Samsung with the Galaxy has a brand that is respected and known.

Maybe one day, we'll see a Droid without the 3G antenna and just a Wi-Fi only version but we don't know when that day will come or if it will come. Until then, there will be the Player.

I really like to see what Samsung has to offer and how it will be marketed to the end-users. I gather that many kids will snatch it up just like they do the iPod touch. And the timing is brilliant since the iPod touch will be out on the market for 4-6 months already and folks looking for something new will definitely consider the Player as their mobile device.

What's not to like? Near identical specs as the Galaxy S, great screen, 3MP rear camera and VGA frontal camera for video chats, 4" screen coming with 800x480 resolution, and comes in 8 to 32 GB of internal storage.

Source: Samsung Hub

Note: I spoke at length last last night with a friend about just such a device and I e-mailed him about it this morning when I learned about Samsung's plans for the Player. He's looking for something with a physical keyboard. And I'm looking for one with today's tech like Nvidia's Tegra 2. Hey, Motorola or LG, listen up. We're waiting for you to wow us with your own WiFi-only Android device.

A Droid that sells for $200 without 3G or Verizon will sell itself. A LG Optimus 2X san two-year contracts is just as enticing.

Samsung Tab Sighted In Public

I saw my first Samsung Tab. And in public. Not at a store but I really should go see one. No, I saw one at Borders in Pasadena where I was trying to get some work done.

And this is how it went down.

I did not notice it at first as I was busy hacking away on my Macbook, trying to promise myself that I would finish my nanowrimo project. For those who know what it is, I know, I know, it's already December 22nd. But better late than never.

But I felt someone staring in my direction. I looked up and saw a father standing in line with her daughter for their drinks. When the little girl walked away from her dad so she can get a better look at desserts, in the father's hand was a tablet.

I noticed that he was staring at the iPad that was on my table. I stared back. What was that thing? It was no iPad because the size of the thing was much smaller. The man was able to hold it like a big-sized paperback. And it had a wider-screen than the iPad.

And I know there is no iPad mini. Steve Jobs said so. No 7" iPad!

The staring ended when it was the father and daughter's turn to order. But after they got their drink, they walked towards my direction. I made a point to burn the image of the device into my mind.

Then there was a bit more staring. And I noticed the 3G signal on the screen as he walked by.

After they had walked behind me and I could no longer see the device, I googled the Tab. Then a couple of the other more well known Android tablets. It was the Tab!

So what do I think? I can't say much about it since I did not get to play with it or have it lay next to my iPad. I don't think the man would have agreed to anyway. Believe me when I tell you that his stares were icy.

But I noticed that he would tap on the screen with one hand. Specifically, with one finger. I tried to imagine myself doing that on the iPad. Easily done. I probably would type on the on-screen keyboard than tap at the keys in landscape model.

Then I imagine trying to type on the 7" screen of the Tab. I could probably do it by using my index fingers just like I already do now on the iPad in portrait model. But whenever I try that, I quickly tire and go back to the landscape model.

That's all for now. Oh, and the man was mostly reading from it. I think it was through the browser and not an ebook reader app or another reading app.

Again, just reporting on what I saw. I really should go into a Best Buy or visit one of the carriers to check it out. Anyway, I just thought I share my first Tab sighting. I'm not saying whether the 7" screen is adequate or not or whether Samsung jumped the gun by using Android 2.2.

Over all, it was pretty cool to see someone else using a tablet that did not have the Apple logo on it.

NYT"s David Pogue Reviews The Tab...Sort Of

Here's a video of the video pushing the issue a bit about the Samsung Tab running the Android.

Honestly, I don't know what to to make of it. I went away thinking David Pogue might be Bill Nye's long lost...ah...something...son, younger brother?

Android 2.2 Not Ready For Tablet Primetime Says Google

I don't want to get into a pissing contest with Steve Jobs about what is the perfect screen for the tablet. iPads have done will but Android's day under the tablet sky will come.

Right now there are a few unsanctioned Android tablets on the market if you're willing to chance it. Yeah, I thought so. So then therefor Samsung's Tab which will cost close to $1K unsubsidized, $400-600 depending on carrier subsidy.

But even then, Google has publicly said that Android 2.2 is not optimized for tablet use and we'll have to wait for Android 3.0 at the end of the year.

What's clear though is that Android tablets will flood the market early 2011. And if you thought waiting until then is hard, just wait until we have to chose between different versions, screen sizes, and which works best for us.

Tablet: Android Today, Chrome OS in 2011

I like to say go ahead and get the Samsung Tab or any other Android-based tablets if you can't wait. Why wait?

Well, Google has indicate that the latest version of Android 2.2 isn't tablet-friendly. And in fact, Samsung has said that some apps may not look good because they are not optimized for tablet use.

So what are we to do? A few year ago, being younger and more adventurous, I think I would get it no matter what warnings may come my way. Today, it's a little different.

But if I were to get one today, I would want to make sure that it is future-proof. By that, I mean the following two things.

First, I want to make sure that any tablet I get are free from carrier meddling. By that, I mean no crapware and I would not be at the mercy of the carrier for upgrades. Let face it, they are dar more interested in us buying new gears and signing multiple-year contracts than extending the life of our mobile gadgets, and that includes tablets.

Second, I want to make sure it is compatible with Android 3.0, which should be more suitable for tablet deployment. More importantly, I want to be sure the tablet is also Chrome OS ready. Google doesn't want to come out and say it but we get the feeling that Google believes the future of mobile should be Chrome OS and webapps, movin further away from Android and apps.

Ultimately, the best thing that can happen is for Google to launch and showcase what they think the ultimate tablet should be based on their philosophy much like they did with Nexus One. In fact, the tablet would be the perfect device for Google to try and get away from carriers.

We will know more in the next few weeks what the four major carriers in the US has planned for the Samsung Tab. We should learn more how upgradable it is and what upgrade path Samsung and Google plotted out.

Android Device Makers That Also Make TV May Have Advantage Over Others That Just Make Tablets And Phones

Android device makers, Toshiba, Sharp, Samsung, and Sony, all have one thing in common that Android makers do not have. They made TV. Specifically, HDTV. And that potentially mean their Android tablets may have greater living integration than anything from HTC, Dell or Motorola.

Sure, Google TV is suppose to be on the TV only and Android is Android. Then again, HTC’s Sense or Moto Blur are all device specific skins that work to the strengths of individual device makers.

I look for for incumbent TV makers to leverage this advantage over the traditional device makers. What better way to distinguish their tablets from others in the field than to offer a tighter integration with their other hardware? It’s what Apple do in creating their second-to-none ecosystem.

For instance, Sony may marry its PSP with Android. So potentially, specific apps can be written for closer integration with the Bravia TVs and PS3. This is even a step further than what Toshiba, Sharp, or Samsung can do.

We’ll see in the next 12 months when what all this means and if what I predict pans out. Let’s just say, if this doesn’t happen, HTC and Samsung will take everyone else to school with their tablets.

Skins Makes Android Popular But Also Fragmentation

One of the things I try to talk about here is on how folks use Android and what changes and developments in the Android realm that impact users. Well, skins developed by various Android developers are having a positive effect on Android adoption.

These skins like Blur and Sense are aggregating pertinent updates for users and provide an UI that Google did not include with Android. And in the next update cycle or two, these skins will become more intricate. However, there could potentially be a risk for Android as a whole.

The skins allow Samsung, HTC, and Motorola to differentiate themselves from other Android developers and each other. After all, Android is just competing with the iPhone, Blackberry, and Nokia but also with each other. These companies that make Android devices (soon, tablets as well) will need to stand out. After all, Android hardware developers are also compete with each other as well.

However, the fear is that even as Android market suffers from partial fragmentation, skin developments may further create rifts in the platform. And I fear this may potentially become an issue for app developers as hardware makers modify their flavor of Android further based on the skin they created.

We'll know if this is truly going to be a problem. Right now most skins are mostly widgets to update Twitter, text, and Facebook feeds. But look for the skins to improve and become more sophisticated. Perhaps, it would be good for Google and its Android partners to come to some sort of agreement on skin development as well.

The Chips Inside Android

I never thought we would be getting into discussions about CPUs on the mobile devices like the way we did in the PC realm. AMD versus Intel. Ghz versus Ghz or quad-core versus octo-core. But I decided to dig a bit into the CPUs that run the Android devices on the market.

Why would I hope up this can of worms? Because I'm interested in the G2, T-Mobile's next generation Android device and the first to support the upgraded HSPA+ network.

So this will be brief.

What I Learned At T-Mobile Store: Vibrant And HSPA+

I went to the T-Mobile store today to check out the Samsung Vibrant.  I'm still kind of on the fence about it.  But while I was there I thought I'd share a few things the employees there shared with me regarding HSPA+ and what T-Mobile has planned for it.

Right now, the HSPA+ network is still being built out and my neighborhood just got upgraded in the last month (which of course means nothing to you).  T-Mobile hopes to capitalize on the new network by offering data cards first for laptops where they can charge more for it.

Currently, there are no HSPA+ ready mobile devices.  As you probably know, the Vibrant isn't HSPA+ ready and the T-Mobile folks at the store aren't sure when the devices will be out to support it.  Well, as disappointed as I was, I really appreciate the  honesty.

Then I came across this Boy Genius Report post updating T-Mobile's HSPA+ plan for the rest of the year:

• New "4G-like speed" network will cover 185 million users by the end of the year.
• webConnect Rocket USB stick will get a broader roll out soon.
• Dell Inspiron Mini 10 will be available in store so you can use it with the webConnect.  I'm not sure why this is a big deal.  Can't you use it with other laptops or netbooks?
• Provided a list of cities that are currently HSPA+ ready.

As for myself, I really liked what I saw in the Vibrant and features and capabilities that I had the opportunity to play with.  I also asked the folks there about the battery life.  Now, they're there to make a sale so you'll have to take what they say with a grain of salt.  But they charge the Vibrant's battery overnight and it gets used and abused through the business hours by customers and it never needed an afternoon nap or anything like that.

If true, I'm impressed given what every is saying about Sprint's HTC EVO.  Oh, and the Vibrant took great pics and videos for a handset.  And playing "Avatar" on the 4" screen was absolutely incredible.  

I'm on a budget so I'm not going to go back in there until later in August at the very earliest.  Plus, I'm considering experiment going without wireless for a few months just to see how I adjust to a "normal" life.  But from ten to fifteen minutes I spent with the Vibrant, you can't go wrong with it.

Also, if you go on the Web to read reviews and hand-ons, you'll notice a lot of folks company about the lack of an LED flash for the camera and a frontal facing camera for video conferencing.  First, the vid chat.  There is no official Android protocol from Google for this feature.  Only Facetime from Apple works well from my experience.  Fring does not come close.  Vid chat is not going to take off for another year or two anyway.

But I can see the deal breaker being the lack of LED flash for the camera.  I don't understand the omission.  Other than that, the Vibrant lives up to its name.

More at BGR on the HSPA+ update.

Android App Market - Users Will Pay For Quality Apps

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a post compared to other mobile users, Android users are downloading apps but not really buy them, meaning that Android users like free apps rather than paid ones.

I did not react well to it but then I took a look at the guy in the mirror and shut up. I’ve yet to buy one single app for my G1 while I’ve spent quite a bit for my iOS devices. Why?

I think the two platforms are going after different types of users and it isn’t to say that we Android folks are cheap. This is evident in that I do buy apps from the iTunes app store, just not from Marketplace. There are a couple of reasons.

What The G1 Should Have Been

I game across these two pictures.  This is what the G1 should have been.  For those who are on the fence or were turned off by T-Mobile and Google's "open" phone, these phones are likely what we have to look forward if Android does well.

This first one was actually a college humor Photoshop work, the white one.  It looks familiar to those who have been following Android since the beginning.

The second is the Samsung Pixon, an 8-MP phone.  Right.  8-MP.  But forget about that for the moment.  We'll see that when Samsung, like Sony is comtemplating (it's not a negotiation ruse to get Microsoft to alter Windows Mobile terms), switches over to Android.

For now, let's just pretend it runs Android.