mwc 2011
Latest
A closer look at the HTC Flyer's screen, stylus, and Scribe
This morning HTC announced its 7-inch Flyer tablet, and unlike the hoards of Android tablets we've seen in the last couple of months, it's got something that frankly reminds us a bit of Microsoft's original tablet push... a stylus! The Flyer doesn't come with just any old capacitive stylus, however -- HTC has worked with N-Trig, the company that has made digitizers for convertible PCs like the Dell Latitude XT, to implement a much more accurate writing or doodling experience. And well, it basically makes it unlike any other Android tablet on the market right now. We spent some time with N-Trig and the Flyer today, focusing quite a bit on the new stylus and "Scribe" software, as HTC calls it -- hit the break for some details on both the software and hardware and a short video of how that pen actually works when put to the screen. %Gallery-116783%
Zuckerberg: Expect 'dozens' of Facebook phones this year (update)
He's said it before: there will be no Facebook phone. And now it's clear what he meant -- Zuck's strategy is to integrate Facebook into every phone telling us today at the HTC launch event in Barcelona that we're only seeing the first wave of Facebook-enabled phones hitting the market, with dozens of phones featuring deep social integration coming this year. See Mark (or is it?) lay down the law after the break. Update: Facebook's official blog just chimed in with some factual heat -- some of those "dozens" of new Facebook phones will have the social network "as an element of the device hardware itself." If you ask us, it sounds like the physical Facebook button is going to be a thing.
Debunk: Elop never said Microsoft is paying Nokia billions of dollars to use Windows Phone
In our sitdown with Nokia CEO Stephen Elop out at Mobile World Congress today, we brought up something that had come up during his press conference and Q&A session last Sunday evening -- that the company's partnership with Microsoft would generate "billions, not millions" of dollars' worth of value. This quickly morphed into an internet-wide story that Microsoft would basically be cutting a ten-figure check to Espoo in exchange for launching devices running its platform, but the reality is that Elop never said anything close to that: in fact, when we specifically asked how the money was flowing and who would be seeing black ink upfront, Elop said on no certain terms that they're not talking specifics of the deal. He goes on to say that it's a "very balanced relationship," which would indicate to us that there wasn't any massive cash transfer to kick this thing off. Regardless, the fact remains: at no time did he say Microsoft was paying to make it happen -- and considering Nokia's needs, we wouldn't be surprised if this was nearly a zero-sum transaction: Microsoft gets a huge boost in the platform's profile along with some services it needs, while Nokia gets a platform that it wasn't able to make itself. Makes sense to us.
The Engadget Interview: Nokia CEO Stephen Elop talks Microsoft, Symbian, MeeGo, and Windows Phone
We had a chance to sit down for a few minutes with the man who's arguably stolen the show here at Mobile World Congress this year -- Nokia CEO Stephen Elop -- to talk about everything from his time at Microsoft to the potential for a multi-billion dollar platform partnership with his former employer that he's hoping to foster over the coming years. Elop's emerged in the past week as an outspoken character who doesn't seem to shy away from a question, to speak his mind, or to tell it like it is, which makes this ten-odd minute segment a must-see. Check it out after the break.
Sprint evaluating switch to LTE over the next four to six months
Sprint has had an on again / off again relationship with LTE for some time now, but it looks it may finally be nearing a commitment one way or the other. Speaking in a roundtable discussion at Mobile World Congress this week, Sprint's Senior Vice President of Networks, Bob Azzi, said that the carrier would be studying the rate at which its customers migrate from EV-DO to mobile WiMAX over the next four to six months, and that it would evaluate the best way to use its existing spectrum before it reaches a firm decision on a possible switch to LTE. As we've heard previously, that switch would be a fairly straightforward one from a technical standpoint due to the carrier's recent upgrades to its network, which allow it to upgrade its gear to LTE simply by swapping in a new baseband card and issuing a software patch.
Motorola exec nearly rules out Windows Phone completely, laments 'closed platform'
Motorola may have once said that it was "open" to developing Windows Phone 7 devices, but it looks like that possibility is now a whole lot less likely than it already was. Speaking at Mobile World Congress this week, Motorola's corporate vice president of software and services product management, Christy Wyatt, said that while she would never say never, she doesn't envision Motorola using Microsoft's OS, and added that "it's not something we're entertaining now." Wyatt went on to say that "there were a bunch of things that we believed about Microsoft that ended up not being true, mostly about what functionality it would have in what period of time," and further explained that Motorola is looking for "an opportunity to create unique value," and it doesn't feel it can do that on a "closed platform" like Windows Phone 7. Obviously, it does feel like it can create unique value with Android, and Wyatt dismissed concerns about a potential duopoly between Android and Apple, saying that "It could be a duopoly on platforms but I'm not sure why having another OS is a good or bad thing." Incidentally, she also said that the upgrade process for Motorola's Android phones has "humbled" the company a bit, and she promises improvements in the future, noting that "we were better with Froyo then with Éclair and we'll be even better with Gingerbread."
Twitter CEO shoots down talk of a Twitter-branded smartphone before it starts
Think Twitter's going to follow Facebook and lend its brand to a smartphone? Think again. Twitter CEO Dick Costello said during his Mobile World Congress keynote yesterday that while he does see a need to better integrate Twitter into existing platforms for phones, he sees no need for a Twitter-branded smartphone. Costello cited the ability to take a picture on an Android phone and automatically tweet it as an example of that integration he'd like to see, and further added that he would like to see "more single sign-on experiences," and "more apps that can tweet without having to go to another app." Interestingly, Costello also revealed that 40 percent of all tweets come from mobile devices, and that fully half of all active Twitter users are active on more than one platform. P.S. We should note that Costello seems to have overlooked the trailblazing TwitterPeek, along with everyone else.
Verizon CTO: we don't 'need' the Nokia-Microsoft partnership; Android, iOS, and BlackBerry are the big three platforms
Courting the largest carrier in the United States is probably at the top of any phone manufacturer's to-do list, and it's starting to sound like Nokia -- on the strength of its just-announced Windows Phone gamble -- has an uphill battle ahead of it. Verizon CTO Tony Melone has gone on record out at Mobile World Congress this week saying that he's skeptical Micosoft has the capability to meet its lofty volume goals for Windows Phone -- a little odd, considering that Verizon is on the verge of launching its first Windows Phone 7 model -- and that he doesn't think "Verizon needs the Nokia and Microsoft relationship." Referring seemingly directly to Nokia CEO Stephen Elop's desire to make the smartphone war a "three-horse race" between Android, iOS, and Windows Phone, Melone says he thinks that "right now the three OS players we see for our network are Android, Apple, and RIM." Of course, just like the iPhone, we're sure Melone's attitude could change in a snap if Windows Phone picks up enough steam -- but even in the best case, that's going to take a while.
Eric Schmidt: 'We certainly tried' to get Nokia to use Android
No big surprise here, but Eric Schmidt just told the crowd at Mobile World Congress that Google "certainly tried" to convince Nokia to pick Android as its future platform over Windows Phone 7. Schmidt said Google "would've loved" having Nokia on board, and that although they'd been rebuffed this time around, the offer to adopt Android later "is still open." Look like Vic Gundotra might have to get down with a turkey after all.
Next version of Android will combine Gingerbread and Honeycomb, arrive on a six-month cycle
Eric Schmidt didn't give a ton of details about the future of Android during his MWC 2011 keynote, but he did drop one interesting tidbit: the next version of Android will "start with an I, be named after a dessert" and combine Gingerbread for phones and Honeycomb for tablets into a cohesive whole. We'll just go out on a limb and say that he's talking about Ice Cream, and that we'll see that Fragments UI construct used to bridge the phone / tablet display size gap. Unfortunately, Eric didn't say anything about timing -- just that updates have been happening on a "six month cycle." Considering that Honeycomb has yet to officially launch on any devices, we'd say that's not so long to wait -- but of course we're also dying to know more as soon as possible. We'll let you know if we hear anything good.
BlackBerry PlayBook to ship with full versions of Tetris and Need For Speed: Undercover (video)
EA Sports isn't one to give things away, but that's exactly what it's doing on RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook. We still haven't heard a concrete ship date for this thing, but EA swears up and down that these two titles will be finalized by the time it goes to market. Both Tetris and Need For Speed: Undercover will come pre-loaded on the device, with both being full, unabridged versions; in fact, NFS will feature a new mode specifically designed for getting into the game quickly on this very tablet. Smartly, there's even a "slo mo" mode which slows everything down to enable accurate control even during hectic rides on the subway. We've lauded the PlayBook before, but we were duly impressed with just how well this thing handled multitasking. Even with NFS running in the background, we were able to play back a video in the foreground with nary a bit of lag during the transition. Tetris was predictably Tetris, and it only works when holding the slate vertically. We've got to confess that the inclusion of these two titles is quite the gesture, and considering the first four letters of this product's name, we'd say it's more than fitting. Hop on down to see a demonstration video of both, showcased here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. %Gallery-116754%
Google demos Android Movie Studio for Honeycomb
Google won't let anyone take pictures during its MWC 2011 keynote, so you'll just have to trust us when we say Eric Schmidt just demoed a new video editing application called Movie Studio for Honeycomb tablets. The app was built from the ground up for tablet devices, and it features everything you'd expect: a timeline-style editor, picture effects, soundtrack and audio support, and of course, HD support with uploads to YouTube. Unfortunately we don't know much else about it, but we'll be digging for more details, so stay tuned. Update: We snuck a picture! You can see the timeline and the playback controls -- it looks really nice, don't you think?
ZTE Amigo, Blade, and Skate hands-on
ZTE outed several new sets -- and a tablet -- at MWC 2011, so we went to grab some specs and pics of the Blade, Skate, and the Amigo (from left to right). The ZTE Skate is the top of the line product in this group with Android 2.3 -- though, the placard at the stand has been blanked out -- triple-band GSM, HSPA in 1900 / 2100Mhz range, a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive display, 5 megapixel cam, and likely the smallest keyboard we've ever seen, seriously, have a peek at the gallery. The Blade, which as our favorite in the group, runs Android 2.2, is downgraded to a 3 megapixel camera, a 3.5-inch display, quad-band GSM and 900 / 2100Mhz HSPA. The Amigo -- what may be the lowliest as far as numbers are concerned -- still has decent specs such as a 3.2-inch display, triple band GSM, 1900 / 2100 HSPA, and a side-sliding QWERTY keypad. The Blade and Skate both have great build quality, the screens are really bright and easily seen, the Amigo appears a bit more washed out and the housing build quality feels very cheap. The Skate is definitely the winner in the bells and whistles category, but unless you can swap out the onscreen keyboard it would definitely get a pass -- and again, check out Joanna's finger modeling in the gallery for proof. Enjoy the giant glossy gallery. %Gallery-116756%
See the new Windows Phone 7 features in motion (video)
Sure, you clung to every word we typed yesterday at Steve Ballmer's MWC keynote, where a suite of new Windows Phone 7 features were announced. But sometimes seeing is believing, sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words, and sometimes just watching a video is simply more fun. Microsoft has you covered, revealing a number of clips detailing the new Kinect "experience," multitasking, and IE9. They're all embedded below, so click on through, won't you?
Live from Eric Schmidt's MWC 2011 keynote
Ballmer and Elop were quite the pair during the Microsoft keynote yesterday, so let's say the bar's been set pretty high for Eric Schmidt. But that's fine, the now-former CEO of Google has a knack for lively (if not downright controversial at times) speeches. This is the first time we've seen him talk since he stepped away from Babysitter (his words) to Executive Chairman, and the Android of today is a few flavors improved from the 2.1 Eclair that had launched a little before his MWC 2010 keynote -- so needless to say, we're excited for what he has to say today. We'll be reporting live from Fira, so stay tuned -- the fun should start around 11:45AM ET!
Qualcomm's ultrasonic pen demo transcribes from paper to device (video)
LG's Netflix-lovin' Revolution wasn't the only standout demonstration at Qualcomm's MWC booth -- the company also cut out a bit of space to showcase a wild new ultrasonic pen that's able to transcribe writing on paper directly into one's phone, tablet or laptop. The gist of it is simple: the pen can be equipped with an actual ink pen or a simple nub, and there's a battery-powered transceiver inside. Using standard, off-the-shelf microphones on a mobile device, your future phone or tablet could pick up vibrations from the pen with a radius of around 30 centimeters. Underlying Epos software is used to convert vibration and coordinate information into text, and from there, any 'ole text app can be used to field the results. We were even shown a brief demo of a prototype language translation app that enabled the demonstrator to write a sentence on paper beside the phone, and have the phone itself take in the English phrase, convert it to text, and then translate into a foreign tongue. It's a fairly impressive feat, and there's some pretty obvious usage case scenarios here -- this could easily reinvent the art of note taking in class, where those who prefer to jot down reminders on paper will be able to log those same bullet points on their laptop as they scribble. Vid's after the break, per usual. %Gallery-116712%
HTC Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S video hands-on
Okay, by now you've likely seen most if not all of HTC's monstrous MWC 2011 launch (HTC Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S), but we'd be remiss in our duties if we didn't complete the video tours. Sadly the HTC Salsa and ChaCha weren't ready to play just yet -- the software isn't quite ready for primetime -- so they had to remain behind a safe layer of glass. We did, however, get a quick overview of each of the S devices mentioned above and have some pretty galleries of them, too. So enjoy the show. %Gallery-116704% %Gallery-116698% %Gallery-116703%
Samsung Galaxy Ace, Gio, Fit, and mini gather for a mega hands-on
You didn't think Samsung just brought its new high-end Galaxy S II to Barcelona, did you? Nope, it also packed a few of those new budget Android 2.2 smartphones -- the Galaxy Gio, Galaxy Fit, Galaxy Ace, and Galaxy mini -- in its luggage. We're aware that's a lot of Galaxy, but there are, of course, a couple of key features that differentiate the low-end phones. Hit the break for our short impressions of the four and a brief video of our favorite. %Gallery-116710% %Gallery-116711%
Android-powered LG Revolution caught streaming Netflix at MWC (video)
Well, well -- what have we here? That up above is LG's Revolution, a Snapdragon-powered Android superphone. What's inside is no normal Snapdragon, though. It's actually a newfangled chip that isn't shipping to consumers just yet, which includes DRM libraries at a hardware level that serve to satisfy paranoid movie execs. The good news is that Qualcomm has actually whipped up a solution that'll finally bring Watch Instantly to Android; the bad news is that existing smartphones -- even existing Snapdragon devices -- will not be able to utilize the app. Without new hardware, the Android version of the Netflix app simply won't function, and no one at Qualcomm was willing to tell us when these Netflix-friendly Snapdragon chips would begin to ship out. Whenever that fateful day arrives, though, Snapdragon devices with HDMI sockets will be able to beam that content right to their HDTV -- the company's hardware is HDCP-approved, so there's no sweat when it comes to watching content on the big screen. On-site representatives made clear that both the phone and the app were for demonstration purposes only, but we'd be shocked if LG's handset shipped without this compatibility. The demo we saw was smooth as butter, and the app itself looked glorious on the Revolution's 4.3-inch touchscreen. See for yourself in the video just past the break. %Gallery-116706%
HTC CEO Peter Chou on Microsoft / Nokia partnership: 'it'll make the ecosystem stronger'
Here's a nugget to chew on as you roll out of bed this morning. During "The Power of Applications" keynote today at Mobile World Congress, HTC CEO Peter Chou was just asked what his take was on the Microsoft / Nokia partnership. Of course, we've heard before that the company loves Android and WP7 equally, and it was certainly onboard from the get-to with the launch of the 7 Mozart, but it's not often that one handset manufacturer comments on another. Contrary to popular belief, Peter seemed fairly positive on the deal, though he made sure to focus more on the software side rather than touching on Elop's decision making skills. Here's the quote in full: "They're doing what they have to do. It won't be easy, but they're doing what they have to do. We are very committed to Windows Mobile, and we are one of their lead partners for Windows Phone 7. So we are positive, because this combination will surely make that ecosystem stronger. As a strong player [in this ecosystem], HTC will be a beneficiary from [their decision]." In other words, HTC's pumped that WP7 now has more backing, which will in turn (hopefully) make its own Windows Phone 7 devices more marketable, attractive and desirable as the ecosystem grows stronger. Talk about looking on the bright side of things.
