Android phones
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HTC Status hands-on (video)
As you can imagine, AT&T was eager to show off its newly minted HTC Status at its holiday preview event, right up there along with a blue Xperia Play and the HP Touchpad 4G. If you'll recall, the Status is the HTC ChaCha that was announced a few months back, and what makes it stand apart from other Android handsets is a dedicated Facebook button for liking things on these very internets. In AT&T's case, it's also the carrier's first phone running Android 2.3. We're taking one home to review, but in the meantime we couldn't resist giving it the full hands-on treatment. You know the drill: photos below, video and early thoughts past the break. %Gallery-128231%
AT&T launches Sony Ericsson Xperia Play with Gingerbread, blue color option
Well, looky here. AT&T has very quietly revealed it's going to sell the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. No press release, no splashy press conference backed by a cheesy disco soundtrack. The thing just showed up at the carrier's holiday preview event here in New York City. We're told it runs Gingerbread, which would make it AT&T's second Android 2.3 handset behind the newly launched HTC Status. Alas, AT&T won't say just yet when the Play will be available or how much it will cost on contract, but we do know a couple things for sure. One, it'll run on the carrier's 21MBps-capable HSPA+ network. Two, it'll be available in a "Stealth Blue" color option, in addition to the stock black model we've handled before. Other than that, the specs -- namely, the 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon chip and 4-inch (854 x 480 display) -- remain the same. Hands-on shots with the sparkling navy number below. %Gallery-128226%
Fossil won't ship the Meta Watch until August, Dick Tracy wannabes get antsy
Some of you with a James Bond complex might have been waiting on Fossil's Meta Watches, a duo of wristpieces that use Texas Instrument's CC2560 Bluetooth radio to pull in emails, Facebook updates, weather forecasts, and more -- depending on what else developers cook up for it, that is. On top of that, the SDK allows Android smartphones and tablets to register button presses and receive sensor data from the watches, and then respond by sending text or triggering the vibration motor. If you already set aside $200 when they went up for pre-order two months back, you're going to have to twiddle your thumbs a bit longer. In response to a tweet from a curious customer, Bill Geiser, vice president of Fossil Watch Technology, said that thanks to some part delays, the two are now on track to ship in August, not July. If this is all new to you, that means you've got some time to ponder whether you'd rather have the analog / digital version or the fully digital one with a larger memory-in-pixel LCD. Decisions, decisions, folks. [Thanks, Alex]
Samsung Galaxy S II headed to Bell on July 14
We've already heard an earful about which US carriers will likely score the Samsung Galaxy S II (and its rumored cousin), and now we're also getting some fuller details about its availability in Canada. Just days after SaskTel confirmed it'll sell the skinny, Gingerbread-packing phone next month, Tech F.I.B.E. is reporting that handset is headed to Bell's 21Mbps-capable network on July 14. If you remember, the dual-core phone won us over in our review with its svelte chassis, vibrant Super AMOLED Plus display, zippy performance, and impressive 8 megapixel camera. No word yet on how much Bell will charge for that superb chunk of hardware, but it looks like we'll find out in a matter of weeks.
Samsung Captivate gets Gingerbread through leaked software update
It's been about four months since the Samsung Captivate got a software update, and that was merely to step up from Eclair to Froyo. And while AT&T still hasn't pushed out an upgrade to Gingerbread, leaked versions of the official software are said to be floating around the big, wide Internet. So far, we're not seeing much feedback, good or bad, but it should go without saying that you install this at your own risk. If you're feeling daring or just dubious that AT&T will release this update anytime soon, hit the source links for instructions on how to install the software... and what to do should something go terribly awry. And, as always, do tell us how it goes.
Samsung Prevail review
In the years since the first Android device debuted, we've seen dozens of forgettable handsets running Google's now-ubiquitous software. The Samsung Prevail would fall into that category, too – were it not for some tempting pricing. It costs $180 with no contract – a steal compared to other unsubsidized smartphones – and Boost Mobile is charging just $50 a month for unlimited data. Oh, and that plan doesn't include throttling, so you won't see your data speeds slow down after you chug one megabyte too many. So, is this generous data plan worth settling for a decidedly ho-hum device? You'll have to head on past the break to find out. %Gallery-121965%
Android is taking the smartphone market, but don't panic just yet
To read all the latest internet posts, the iPhone is all but dead, succumbing to the onslaught of Android phones being bought by customers in massive numbers. ComScore, who watches mobile use very carefully, pretty much says Android is rapidly eating away at the iPhone market share. It's enough to make an Apple stockholder or fan weep, or at least get a bit nervous. The problem is, it's all a bit over-hyped. In a Fortune column today, the numbers get a bit of welcome perspective. While Android phones are doing very well, with market share up 5% in the three month period ending July 31 from the previous three months. Meanwhile Apple is down 1.3%, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. First, the iPhone sold out on the U.S. launch day on June 24, and has been in short supply ever since. Of course that means that the iPhone wasn't even on sale for all of May and most of June. Further, since everyone and their cousin Clem knew a that a fresh iPhone model was coming out, it also likely suppressed sales. Will Android eventually be the number one smartphone? Good chance. Suppliers and carriers get the OS for free, it's a good phone with a vibrant app store and an increasing loyal user base. It's not such good news for RIM and Microsoft, but who knows what the future might bring. It's just that the shovels are getting deployed just a bit early to bury the iPhone, and Apple continues to be innovative and responsive to the competition, which is good for all smartphone users.
