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Sailfish to invade Android devices first by launcher, then full firmware assault
There's a certain glamor to new mobile platforms that offer something different from established players, but nobody wants to spend hundreds on a new device just for a dabble. For those intrigued by the MeeGo-derived Sailfish OS specifically, Jolla hopes to lead you into temptation soon with a launcher for Android that mimics the Sailfish UI. Also during the first half of this year, Jolla plans to offer full firmware downloads for your handsets if you want to end it with Android altogether. The community around open-source Sailfish has successfully ported the OS to a number of devices, but we believe a formal and user-friendly method of distribution is what's being suggested here. We can picture the Jerry Springer episode already. The launcher was just a "friend," you see, until the firmware moved in and Android became but a homeless ROM. But... who's the father?
Jolla's intelligent phone covers are now on sale, and you can make your own
One of the signature features of Jolla's first smartphone is The Other Half -- an intelligent phone back that uses NFC to automatically customize the phone's software. Early owners haven't really had a chance to try the feature for themselves, but that's changing now that Jolla is selling The Other Half covers through its website. Paying €29 ($40) will get you an Aloe- or Keira Black-colored shell, either of which changes the system sounds and wallpaper to reflect a cohesive theme. And if you're not happy with Jolla's designs, you can make your own -- the company has released a developer kit that includes the 3D printer file, software instructions and tech specs that you'll need to get cracking. It currently takes two to three weeks for The Other Half units to ship to European customers, but anyone who's unwilling to wait can grab the do-it-yourself tools right away.
A closer look at the Jolla phone: good intentions, bad delivery (video)
Jolla's self-titled and first smartphone launched in partnership with Finnish carrier DNA this week, with a few hundred handsets finding their way to early pre-orderers. Today, a couple of familiar faces from the company stopped off in London to let us play with the final hardware and get to grips with Jolla's Sailfish OS, which is based somewhat on Nokia's old MeeGo platform. If you caught our tour of the Jolla prototype earlier this year then you've got a good idea of what the handset looks like. In fact, the only differences we can see aesthetically are slightly smaller bezels above and below the screen, and that the rear camera has moved from right flank to center stage. Internally, the core specs are: A 1.4GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8930), 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage space (expandable), a 4.5-inch, 960x540 (qHD) IPS LCD display, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel shooter on the front. We only had a few hours to probe Jolla's first device, but head past the break for our initial impressions.
First Jolla phone will launch November 27th on Finnish carrier DNA: available unlocked, on or off contract
We knew Finnish carrier DNA would be the first to launch the Sailfish-powered Jolla phone, and thanks to a tweet from Jolla HQ we now know that it will launch in Helsinki on November 27th. Unfortunately, that's about all we have to work with in terms of availability info -- the company hasn't said when the device will make its way to other markets. It has, however, shared that the first Jolla phone will be available both on and off contract and with "no SIM lock." Judging by Jolla's responses to fans on Twitter, it looks like those who placed pre-orders could also be getting the handset soon. Any other questions? The Finnish company is dutifully responding to tweets at the moment, so have at it.
Jolla phone will use Nokia Here map data, get Android apps through Yandex
Those who pick up Jolla's first smartphone won't be hurting for content. The mobile startup has just struck a deal to use Nokia's Here services for map data in Sailfish OS; early adopters will have detailed location info in 190 countries. They'll have an easy time finding software, too, since the company has also unveiled plans to include Yandex's Android app store. The Russian web giant will give Sailfish users access to about 85,000 apps, including major titles like Skype and Twitter. Between these two agreements, Jolla is practically ready for prime time -- about all it has left to do is ship its inaugural device to carriers.
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 16th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought additional details of the upcoming Jolla smartphone, along with an unusual showing of cooperation between Verizon and T-Mobile. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of September 16th, 2013.
Finnish carrier DNA confirms it will be the first to launch Jolla phones running Sailfish
Jolla recently revealed its first phone, and now Finland-based carrier DNA has confirmed it will be the first operator in the world to offer the self-titled handset. Running the Sailfish operating system, these devices continue on a path blazed by Meego while also promising Android app compatibility out of the box. The Jolla phone features 4.5-inch "HD" display, dual-core CPU, 16GB storage with microSD expansion slot, LTE and an 8MP rear camera. Our hands-on demo should reveal a bit more about what it's bringing to the table (including an interesting split design that could allow future hardware augmentation), interested local residents can hit the source link to pre-order one now.
The Weekly Roundup for 05.20.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The Daily Roundup for 05.20.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Visualized: The Jolla phone's 'other half' kaleidoscope
Following some important pricing details, preorder launches and some concrete hardware specs, we've just got to play with the new Jolla phone. Sure, we've already toyed with the software, but today's event is all about the new physical home for the Sailfish OS. It could be a difficult sell in the cutthroat world of smartphones, there's certainly something compelling in Jolla's split design and all those of color options, regardless of what functionality they might add in the future. %Gallery-188868%
A tour of the Jolla phone with company co-founder Marc Dillon (video)
Say hello to the Jolla Phone. Pre-orders for the world's first Sailfish OS device started today and we've called into Helsinki to get the whole story from Jolla's co-founder and software head Marc Dillon. While we know there's a 4.5-inch "high definition" screen (resolution TBC), dual-core processor and 8-megapixel camera, we were kept at arms length during our meeting with an early prototype. So, unfortunately, our full hands-on treatment will have to wait until later today. For now, Marc takes us through the thinking behind the hardware -- and what the notion of the "other half" really means -- right after the break. %Gallery-188826%
The first Jolla phone: 4.5-inch display, Android app compliant, 399 euros
Jolla's heavily teased launch day in Finland has already spilled some major news: pricing and specs for the first Sailfish OS handset. The phone seems to be called "The Other Half" -- or at least that's the working title for now -- and judging from Jolla's Facebook page it consists of a colorful plastic case, available in various shades including orange or green, which hooks onto the main chassis containing a 4.5-inch display (of unknown resolution), dual-core processor, microSD expansion with 16GB onboard, a "4G" modem, user replaceable battery and an 8MP rear camera. The chassis recognizes which case is attached and adapts the visual theme of the OS to match, creating "your other half, exactly as you want it to be." Perhaps more usefully, the Sailfish operating system will also be Android app compliant out of the box, and we're currently on the ground in Helsinki trying to discover exactly how developers and users will be able to put that feature to work (while also chasing down the rest of the specs). Meanwhile, there's an emphatic video message from Jolla co-founder Marc Dillon after the break, seeking the world's assistance in taking the heritage of MeeGo into a new era. Update: We now hear that the phone will simply be called the "Jolla." Update #2: Jolla has just clarified that 4G means LTE. The display resolution has been vaguely described as "HD," which to our minds suggests 720p. Furthermore, it sounds like the way the "other half" interfaces with the main body of the device allows for much deeper functionality beyond just personalization. We've just added our own video tour with more information. [Thanks, Toni]%Gallery-188822%
Jolla's Marc Dillon teases world's first Sailfish device, confirms launch in a couple of weeks
So the rumor is true: the world's first Jolla Sailfish device will be launching this month. In fact, Marc Dillon, the ex-CEO and now Head of Software Development at Jolla, was kind enough to flash the back of the product at the GMIC Beijing conference earlier today -- mainly to emphasize his love for the booming Chinese market. It was very brief -- no more than two seconds -- but the orange device appeared to be no smaller than five inches in screen size. Dillon only added that the official launch is "coming in a couple of weeks," so we'll be keeping an eye out for an invitation in our mailbox.
Jolla names Tomi Pienimäki as new CEO, Marc Dillon to become Head of Software Development
As Jolla gears up for the imminent unveiling of its first smartphone packing the MeeGo-inspired Sailfish OS, there's been another shake-up at the highest level of the company. Marc Dillion will no longer be CEO as of May 6th, with a man by the name of Tomi Pienimäki taking over leadership of the company. He's no stranger to Jolla -- he's an investor and his brother Sami is one of the company's founders. Using nearly the same wording as when previous CEO Jussi Hurmola changed roles, Dillon will now be able to "fully concentrate on the development of Sailfish operating system" under his new title of Head of Software Development. Pienimäki's record shows he's all business, with experience in management, logistics, supply chains and driving growth -- you know, all the fun stuff that keeps a company ticking. Following the handset reveal in May, Jolla expects to start a "pre-sales campaign" in the same month and have devices available for purchase during the second half of this year.
Jolla's reportedly launching a handset with 'Scandinavian design' next month
This year's Mobile World Congress was a rather meaningful one for Jolla, what with the launch of its Sailfish OS SDK. But what's an operating system without a proper fixture, right? To wit, DigiToday is reporting that the team of ex-MeeGo engineers is getting ready to debut its first hardware early next month -- a handset emblematic of a "modern Scandinavian design," according to Jolla Chairman Antti Saarnio. Further, the Finnish news site says Jolla's taking a cue from the recent crowd-funded craze: it's prepping limited edition versions of the device for early adopters. Naturally, we'll have to wait for something more concrete, but with May just around the corner, it shouldn't be too long before we can finally see what Jolla has in store for us.
Sailfish OS SDK released for Linux, Windows and Mac
Software builders with a can-do attitude should be delighted to learn that the SDK for Sailfish OS has arrived just a few days late of its pencilled-in due date. Jolla, the company behind the open-source MeeGo revival, has crafted versions for developers using Windows and OS X as well as 32- and 64-bit Linux machines. It's available for free at the source link, with the aquatic caveat that the SDK is just a minnow, but the company hopes you won't toss it back straight away.
The Engadget Interview: Jolla CEO Marc Dillon at MWC 2013
Jolla launched its Sailfish SDK at MWC 2013 and we got the chance to chat with CEO Marc Dillon about the company's history and find out how things have been coming along with Sailfish OS since our hands-on late last year. We also discussed the time frame for Jolla handsets (still on track for H2 2013) and what the Sailfish SDK brings to the table for developers today. You'll find a full transcript of the interview along with our video after the break.
Hands-on with Jolla's Sailfish OS (video)
We recently had the chance to spend time with David Greaves and Vesa-Matti Hartikainen of Jolla and take Sailfish OS for a spin. As you might recall, this open source mobile OS builds upon Mer (a fork of MeeGo that includes Qt) and uses the Nemo framework with a custom UI. Like any decent Linux-based OS, it supports both ARM and x86 devices. The company is also behind the Sailfish SDK which is in the process of being finalized but is still open to developer feedback (the source code is available). After seeing Jolla's various demo videos and noting some UI similarities with MeeGo (swipes) and, strangely, with BB10 (peek gestures), we were eager to experience Sailfish OS for ourselves. If you're wondering why the mobile OS is usually shown running on Nokia's N950 developer handset, that's because Jolla employs many ex-MeeGo engineers, so the OMAP-based phone was a natural fit. We were first given a walkthrough of Sailfish OS, then allowed to play with it. Many apps are still being worked on and some are still off-limits (we got in trouble for launching the camera), but what we saw was pretty solid. Take a look at the gallery below, then hit the break for our hands-on video and first impressions.
Jolla expects Sailfish SDK to reach developers in early Q1 2013
Developers looking to carry on part of the MeeGo legacy have been wondering when Jolla would publish a usable SDK for Sailfish OS. It hasn't taken long to find out: the company has updated its wiki to tell us that the programming kit arrives early into the first quarter of 2013. Although that's not immediate satisfaction, it's close enough that development will start relatively soon after we receive hardware details. After that, it's just a question of whether or not the mobile app community is willing to dive in.
Jolla won't officially support Sailfish on the Nokia N9, suggests the community tries it anyway
Nokia N9 champions may be looking hopefully at Sailfish to revive their beloved MeeGo, but Jolla has reigned in those expectations by saying it won't be officially supporting the device. Although the company won't be responsible for updates or providing technical help, it claims there's nothing but a voided warranty stopping the community from porting Sailfish to the abandoned handset. So, N9 owners, it's up to you -- if you want the MeeGo-based OS on your phone, you'll need to do a bit of work for it.
