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Google's Android-for-all program comes to Europe
Google's bid to democratize Android just reached Europe. The internet giant has announced that Turkey will get its first Android One smartphone, the General Mobile 4G, on May 15th. The device is strictly middling given its 5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 410 processor, 13-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front cam, but it will be the first Android One device to offer LTE. It's fairly affordable, too, at about $263 contract-free. There's no mention of where Google's initiative will go next, but the company hints that Turkey might not be the last European nation to get an Android One phone -- you may eventually find one sitting in a shop near you.
General Mobile's Touch Stone: how can something so wrong be so right?
General Mobile -- maker of the DSTL1 dual-SIM Android phone -- has always walked a fine line between KIRF and originality with its phones, and its latest batch is no different. Normally it's easy to resist a device widely regarded as a knockoff (for most of us, anyhow), but in the case of the newest model here, General Mobile's actually managed to answer a question HTC's failed to so far: where the hell is the HD2 with Android? The so-called "Touch Stone" (deep breaths, Palm) rings true to many of the actual HD2's specs, from the 5 megapixel camera to the 4.3-inch capacitive WVGA display, but this sucker adds an "optional" analog TV tuner (which won't do countries with digital transitions any good) and Android 2.0 atop an ARM9-based PXA935 core. Sadly, this phone doesn't quite exist yet -- we were shown a dummy model today with the promise of retail toward the end of the year, at which point HTC and others will undoubtedly have phones like the Supersonic on the shelf. If you'll excuse us, we need a cold shower, but you'll find more shots of the Touch Stone along with the Cosmos (launching soon) and Cosmos 2 dummy (launching... well, eventually) in the gallery. %Gallery-85846%
General Mobile's DSTL1 with Android and two SIMs coming next month
We briefly toyed with the DSTL1 at MWC a few months ago, coming away pleased with the Android-powered handset's design, its high-spec autofocus camera, and... well, the simple fact that it ran Android, given what a depressingly rare trait that was at the time (and still is, sadly). It looks like we'll all finally be able to pony up some cash for units of our own starting next month, with sales expected in the US and Turkey (odd combo, but whatevs) for somewhere between $550 and $750. For that princely sum, you'll get Android 1.5, WiFi, and a pair of EDGE-only SIMs -- not a killer feature in the US, granted, but in Asia, it's a pretty big deal. Curiously, it seems General Mobile has decided to call the DSTL1 the "Imaginary" -- which doesn't bode well for its vaporware status -- so we'll hold off on planning the launch party until after we see some of these bad boys for sale.[Via MobileBurn and Android Authority]
General Mobile: "Mini And Sweat In My Hands"
The big news out of General Mobile at MWC was that Touch Diamond-alike DSTL1 running Android and a pair of SIM slots, but to think that's all they brought to the table would be... well, downright foolhardy. For one, they brought along the pictured DST 250, a "Slider" and "Double SIM" mobile phone of the world, which may or may not cause your palms to sweat depending on how you hold it. They also brought along a couple Nokia Supernova knockoffs, an 8800 rip, and a few anonymous bars and sliders (or rather, "Sliders") that look ready to do battle in the tricky low-end market. Fortunately, they were located several halls away from Espoo's outpost, so the odds of a tussle were kept to a minimum.%Gallery-45576%
MWC day three: return of the Jedi
Okay, an Android RAZR would have been amazing, but sadly Motorola didn't announce anything at all at MWC, so our dreams are on hold for the moment. In fact, day three was bereft of any major announcements, but there was some action: Telstra boss Sol Trujillo's prototype HTC handset running Windows Mobile 6.5 was pickpocketed, we played with a few real Android prototypes, and we even saw Windows Mobile hacked into compatibility with a capacitive touchscreen. What else did we learn?
General Mobile's DSTL1 Android phone eyes-on
Never mind the Magic -- we've run across another Android device lurking in the midst at MWC, and if you squint, you might just see some HTC influence in this one, too. We'd heard General Mobile's dual-SIM DSTL1 would launch here, granted, but given its reasonably high-end look and the fact that we'd only seen renders ahead of the show, you have to appreciate our skepticism. Of course, we're delighted to be proven wrong in these sorts of situations, and we had a chance to play around with a DSTL1 today; WQVGA feels weak and there might be just a little too much Touch Diamond influence, but you have to respect the 5 megapixel AF cam, 4GB of internal storage plus microSD expansion, dual SIM slots, and on-board FM radio. Ultimately, the fact that this thing'll only be available in two tri-band EDGE flavors kills the dream, but goodness, these guys are getting close, aren't they? Follow the break for video!%Gallery-45202%
General Mobile Android-based dual SIM DSTL1 to hit Barcelona
As anyone could have guessed, Android is going to be all over MWC in Barcelona this February, and it certainly looks like General Mobile, known for its dual-SIM handsets (at least in those parts of the world where that sort of thing gets any play) will be getting in on the action with a little something they like to call the DSTL1. Aside from the chilled out demeanor and all-around dual SIMiness, this device packs in a 3-inch TFT touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash (made by Sharp), 4GB storage, WiFi, and a 624MHz Marvell processor. Also worth noting is the hardware's display, which, apparently at 400 x 240 could run into the same grief as Kogan's failed effort. Also missing -- and rightly pointed out by Android Authority -- are Android's required 5 hardware keys, but, it is a render, right? Due out in Q3 of this year, there's no price yet -- but you'll know as soon as we do. Promise.[Via Android Authority]%Gallery-43259%
General Mobile's DST3G does two SIMs the 3G way
It's not the prettiest thing we've ever seen, but like several of mysterious manufacturer General Mobile's models, the DST3G candybar supports exactly twice as many SIM cards as your average handset. The whole dual SIM thing is kinda played out at this point, though, so what other ace can you pull out of your sleeve to separate yourself from the crowd? For the DST3G, that ace just happens to be support for UMTS 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 (in addition to GSM with EDGE on 900 / 1800 / 1900), making it a world 3G traveler. Quadband 3G phones are rare enough as it is, but the dual SIM capability on top of that is just about unprecedented. Other goodies include a 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, and QVGA display; look for it next month for a to-be-announced price.
General Mobile's DSTW1: two SIMs, WinMo style
Dual (and triple) SIM phones are a source of endless amusement for us, simply because they continue to be a rare, exotic breed of device that we rarely get to talk about -- much less handle. Add Windows Mobile 6 into the mix, then, and you pretty much have an instant superstar on your hands. That's where General Mobile's DSTW1 comes into play, featuring support for one quadband and one triband SIM, both of which clip along at EDGE speeds. The QVGA display comes in at 2.8 inches, while a 2 megapixel shooter holds down the back end. Memory wise, 64MB is all the RAM you get to play with, but ROM's a decent 256MB with the typical microSD slot available for expansion. Look for it to hit European shelves (and, presumably, the pockets of folks with two wireless accounts) next month.[Via MobileBurn]
