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Apple iPad vs. Dell Mini 5 / Streak... fight! (Bonus: smartphone pile-on!)
Occasionally we've had strangers -- very likely non-Engadget readers -- coming up to us and ask, "Sorry mate, but is that the iPad?" To which we reply, "No, it's the Dell Mini 5." This may sound like a silly boo-boo to make, but there is this common misconception of the iPad being just "a bigger iPhone" while not knowing how much bigger it is (despite our best effort). To clear this up once and for all, we've brought the two devices in question together -- the Mini 5 / Streak smartphone on the left, and the iPad on the right. Now it's up to you guys to spread the love. As a bonus, we also threw in various phones -- HTC HD mini, Nexus One, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, and HTC HD2 -- to pile on top of Apple's latest toy, just to kill the Sunday afternoon. No magical and revolutionary devices were harmed in the making of this article. [Thanks for the toys, Chris and Andy]%Gallery-90236%
Keepin' it real fake: Nexus One clone spotted running iPhoney OS
Well, here's a bit of an extra special KIRF to start the week on the right note. Not only one of the first Nexus One clones we've seen (HTC Desire aside), but a Nexus One clone running some sort of reasonably faithful imitation of iPhone OS (or the iPhone OS home screen, at least). Of course, considering the 550 yuan price tag (or about $80), you likely won't find a Snapdragon at the heart of this one, and you'll have to make do with a slightly smaller 3.2-inch screen compared to the real deal, along with an actual trackball instead of an optical trackpad. Not much more than that go on at the moment, unfortunately, but there are more blurry pictures where this one came from at the link below.
Nexus One complaints mount, no firmware update in sight
We've had a Nexus One in daily use for a couple months now with relatively little drama, but Google's official support forums for the so-called superphone appear to be piling up a good head of steam on a handful of issues troubling owners. Perhaps the highest profile among them is the 3G signal strength issue -- a problem that predates the Nexus One's first and only firmware update -- but users are complaining about everything from unresponsive touchscreens, to failed text messages, to problems with the ambient light sensor, and there are enough "me too" responses in the support threads to warrant some serious attention. We know Google hasn't been sitting on its hands behind the scenes, so this is probably more of a timing issue than anything else -- could it be that they're waiting for Flash 10.1 before pushing the next release? [Thanks, Ramon]
Behold, the Nexus One car dock... and no, you still can't buy it (update: oh, yes you can!)
Mind you, this isn't the first time we've gotten a glimpse at Google's first-party car dock for the Nexus One; it got teased briefly back in February in the course of the phone's video docu-mercial series, yet we're well into the Spring months here and you still won't find any mounted on windshields. We're honestly not so sure how it can take four solid months for two corporate heavyweights -- Google and HTC, with a combined market cap of around $200 billion -- to put something like this together, but considering how prominently free Google Maps Navigation plays into Android's strategy these days, we'd argue there should be some serious pressure behind the scenes to get this thing launched. There's no launch date just yet, but the pretty picture comes courtesy of some new official documentation on the dock in Google's Nexus One website, touting its built-in speakers and charging capability -- so we're figuring (or at least hoping) that publishing this stuff is one of the last steps before these guys start taking orders. The dude who dredged up the help page says that he briefly saw the dock listed on Google's Nexus One order page for $55, $10 more than you'll pay for the desktop dock; that sounds about in line with what we'd expect, and it's still a hell of a value considering the additional street cred it affords your '77 Gremlin. Update: And wouldn't you know, the dock just went on sale for $55. Enjoy!
T-Mobile warming up to Nexus One in retail stores, starts offering covers
So far, T-Mobile USA's been supporting the Nexus One at an arm's length -- Google exclusively manages sales, even if you want a new contract -- but the carrier's taking one small step this week toward fully embracing HTC's Snapdragon-powered beast. No, they're not exactly stocking phones in the store, but at least you'll be able to protect your existing investment with a new stock of plastic protective covers that are designed specifically for the phone. It seems kind of odd to think that you'd go to the trouble of ordering the phone through the mail then head into the local T-Mobile shop to accessorize it -- but hey, T-Mobile, don't let us stop you from supporting bad-ass Android gear. Seriously. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Nexus One losing finish, innocence?
There'd been stories dating back a couple months about removable black splotches appearing along the bottom of the Nexus One when used in the included neoprene case, but this looks like a different situation here. Basically, a gentleman has noticed peeling finish on the side and around the dock connectors on the phone's darker finish at the bottom -- the same area affected by the splotching, coincidentally -- after about one weeks' use. We're hoping this can be chalked up to a single defective unit or unusually rough use, but it's kind of interesting that this is the second issue we've seen with that troublesome dark finish, isn't it? [Thanks, Damien]
Seidio's 3200mAh battery for Nexus One: the results are in
So we topped off the charge on our Seidio 3200mAh battery for the Nexus One shortly after we posted our hands-on and started the long (and we do mean long) process of letting it discharge. Basically, we got right around 30:15 (that's 30 hours, 15 minutes) of what we would consider to be normal use coming off a full charge from a wall outlet -- we had to connect it to our PC a couple times to pull screen shots which automatically starts charging, but it was only connected for perhaps 20 minutes total. Breaking it down, that included about 7:30 of solid, uninterrupted standby while we got some shut-eye and roughly 45 minutes of intense Tower Raiders game play, all on a relatively weak T-Mobile 3G connection. Blueooth, WiFi, and Google Sync were all enabled for the entire time. Granted, we don't do a ton of voice calling, but the display is the real killer on the Nexus One -- and rest assured, we had it on plenty. By comparison, we typically get around 11 hours on the Nexus One's standard 1400mAh pack with the same usage pattern, so the 30:15 figure falls actually outdoes the 2.3x capacity boost the Seidio cell should offer by a bit. Obviously, your results will vary depending on how you use your phone, but regardless, we can definitely verify that you'll see significantly more life out of a charge using this kit than you will with the phone's OEM battery and we think you'd be able to eke a full day's use out of it no matter how hard you pushed it -- it's really just a question of whether you can tolerate the $70 asking price and the huge soft-touch hump.
Seidio 3200mAh Nexus One battery hands-on
We just took delivery of a 3200mAh powerplant for the Nexus One from the extended battery specialists over at Seidio, and if we had to sum the kit up in a single phrase, we'd say this: it's not for the faint of heart. Gone are the Nexus One's gentle sloping curves around back, replaced with a giant soft-touch shell designed specifically to accommodate the hulking cell within. We haven't had a chance to stress-test it and see exactly how much more real-world life it gives us against the OEM battery's comparatively meager 1400mAh, but we know already that only the hardest-core users -- road warriors who can't be tied down long enough to slip in some extra juice here and there -- should be considering this behemoth of a kit, especially considering the $70 asking price and the fact that it'll preclude you from using Google's dock. Follow the break for some introductory video. %Gallery-89251%
Verizon's Nexus One could be arriving 'by the end of next week' (updated)
Let's start with the obvious proviso here, the above image is so painfully easy to fake that even our computer illiterate grandparents could mock one up within a few minutes. That said, it's purportedly a screenshot of a little oopsie by Google's online store, which is said to have briefly displayed the Verizon option for Nexus One handsets as available to buy for $199 plus the relevant contractual shackles. We wouldn't normally credit such unverifiable information, but then we're also hearing from Soft Sailor that a highly trusted "inside" source of theirs is reporting that Verizon-carried, Sense-less Nexus Ones will be out and about "by the end of next week." Given that the earlier mooted date of March 23 has now come and gone, we're apprehensive about investing too much of ourselves in these rumors, but those supposed CDMA Nexus One shipments from HTC have to come out and play at some point, right? [Thanks, Carson] Update: jkOnTheRun has more insider info to share with us on this topic. James Kendrick's people "in positions to know" tell him that the Verizon Nexus One will definitely show up in April, which meshes with the Spring timeframe we've already been given, but there's also word about a "surprise" that other US carriers lack. Whether that refers to Sense-related enhancements or some other software optimizations, we'll have to wait and see.
Shocker: HTC plans Windows Phone 7 Series device by year's end
In news apt to surprise absolutely no one, HTC CEO Peter Chou told Forbes this week that his company would make a Windows Phone 7 Series handset by the end of the year. For the sake of argument, we suppose there are a couple reasons he wouldn't want to. Historically, HTC has pledged loyalty to Microsoft time and again, even making the premium HD2 a Windows Mobile exclusive, but conspiracy theorists might suggest Microsoft returned the favor by denying the HD2 entry to Windows Phone 7 Series. Also, HTC has been rocking the bejeezus out of Android as of late -- the news that the company's planning a WP7S phone comes alongside HTC's claim that the Nexus One was a success. Regardless, we never questioned if HTC would build a WP7S handset, only when; there's no way they're going to let a lucrative new smartphone market get mopped up by the likes of Samsung and LG.
MOTO touchscreen comparison recruits robotic implements for heightened precision (video)
So you saw that the first MOTO smartphone touchscreen comparison was done with a fleshy humanoid controlling the testing finger and discounted it as scientifically flawed? Well, MOTO's back and this time the arm of judgment is operated by a coldly mechanical and ruthlessly precise robot -- a machine in itself, we'll assume the robot is intrinsically immune to developing fanboy tendencies. Joining the iPhone, Droid Eris, Droid, and Nexus One of the earlier test are Palm's Pre and RIM's BlackBerry Storm 2, whose results you can see at the source link below. The full test methodology is also explained there, including a list of the drawing apps used, which were selected with a view to minimizing smoothing algorithms that may prejudice the outcome. We're not gonna tell you who won, you have eyes of your own after all, and will just direct you after the break for the full robot-on-smartphone video action.
HTC EVO 4G, Nexus One, and Droid face off on the charted field of battle
HTC EVO 4G Google Nexus One Motorola Droid Android OS 2.1 with Sense UI 2.1 2.01 Carrier Sprint All2 Verizon Wireless Network technology 1x / EV-DO Rev. A / WiMAX Various (including 3G) 1x / EV-DO Rev. A Processor 1GHz Snapdragon 1GHz Snapdragon 550MHz TI OMAP 3430 RAM 512MB 512MB 256MB Screen size 4.3-inch 3.7-inch 3.7-inch Resolution 800 x 480 800 x 480 854 x 480 Touch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Physical keyboard -- -- Slide-out landscape QWERTY Internal storage 1GB 512MB 512MB Expandable storage microSD microSD microSD Rear camera 8MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash Video recording 1280 x 720 720 x 480 720 x 480 Front camera 1.3MP -- -- Battery 1500mAh 1400mAh 1400mAh WiFi 802.11b/g 802.11b/g 802.11b/g HDMI out Yes -- -- Kickstand Yes -- -- As you've probably noticed, we have something of a propensity for charts -- hey, organization is key to a well-balanced life, right? Since we last tackled an Android device faceoff, the sheer number of competitors has branched out far and wide, but despite the propagation / fragmentation, including today's unveiling of the HTC EVO 4G, three clear frontrunners have taken most of the spotlight for being the pinnacle of the Android experience: the aforementioned, HTC / Google's Nexus One, and the Motorola Droid. Here, the latter device is looking a bit long in the tooth, but that physical QWERTY keyboard and its volcanic rise to prominence gives it some strong staying power. Cold, hard data isn't going to tell the full story, but until you can get to try each of these yourself -- all at the same time, if you're lucky -- it's a great place to start. Notes: 1 A purported 2.1 upgrade has been promised and delayed more times than we care to count anymore. 2 The Nexus One is currently available unlocked for T-Mobile's and AT&T's 3G networks, separately, and on track to hit Verizon, Sprint in the near future.
Make it four: Google's Nexus One coming to Sprint
Making the rounds, are we Google? Just over 24 hours after we saw an AT&T-friendly Nexus One go on sale, along come Sprint yelling "me too!" at the top of its lungs. Today marks the day that Google's first-ever smartphone now has at least a holding place on all four of the major US carriers, with T-Mobile nabbing it first and Verizon users still waiting for that vague "spring release." Unfortunately, Sprint's making us wait when it comes to finding out an exact price and release date, but at least we're assured that both are coming "soon."
Google issues statement on Nexus One sales, touts Android Market's 30,000 apps
Numbers released by Flurry Analytics yesterday suggested that Google's Nexus One had sold around 135,000 units in 74 days (the same amount of time it took the iPhone to hit a million) -- not a staggering number by any measure. Now, we don't really have any way to assess the accuracy of Flurry's data, but we spoke with Google's team about a few things, and here's what they had to say. For starters, Google wanted to assert the idea that selling lots of a single handset isn't the company's primary goal, an idea which makes sense considering how many handsets are currently available with Android. In our conversation, Google actually called out the sales figures for the Droid and seemed eager to make the point that their game is more of a war of attrition fought on a variety of fronts. Read their statement -- and lots more -- after the break...
Nexus One hits for AT&T and Rogers 3G bands
That's it folks -- the heat is on. Today Google's Nexus One has hit the virtual shelves equipped for 3G action on AT&T and Rogers networks... free of any contracts or nasty carrier locks. The device can be purchased from Google's phone store right now for $529, and if your pocketbook is hurting later today -- don't say we didn't warn you. This is the moment you've been waiting for, right? Full PR after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nexus One shipments headed to Verizon, Vodafone soon?
Not much here in the way of verifiable detail but we're hearing that a CDMAified Nexus One is en route to Verizon (or Google's warehouses, anyway) from HTC's factories. The Economic Daily News (EDN) adds that Verizon will begin to "market" Google's superphone this month or in April at the earliest which lends some credibility to that March 23rd date tossed about previously. As for the Vodafone branded handset; EDN says HTC will ship it "soon" -- something we've been hearing since January.
Verizon's Nexus One to be sold only through Google, have Sense UI (or not)
This doesn't come as much of a surprise, but Android Central seems to have obtained a screen shot from a deep, dark, top-secret Verizon system that indicated that the upcoming CDMA version of the Nexus One will be "available only through www.Google.com/Phones." That, of course, matches T-Mobile's strategy of quietly letting Google do its thing -- and Verizon's strategy of keeping its network "open" -- so you'll just have to remember to not line up at your local store at 8PM the night before the launch, otherwise you're going to come away very, very disappointed. What's a whole lot stranger, though, is a mention that it runs HTC's Sense UI, which means one of a few things: Google's allowing carriers and manufacturers to have their way with the Android builds sold directly through its own store, the Verizon-branded Nexus One is the Incredible, or the document is just sorely confused. The way we see it, there'd simply not be enough differentiation between the Nexus One and the Incredible for them to come to market as separate products if they were both running Sense -- and besides, isn't variety the spice of life? Update: That was quick -- it seems Verizon has already updated its specs to remove the reference to Sense and change the URL from google.com/phones to google.com/phone -- no plural. Thanks, ninjalex76!
A lava lamp and a Nexus One tested under 3 Gs of force (video)
Neil Fraser, a true pioneer of science, wasn't satisfied with just wondering whether a lava lamp will work on Jupiter. He opted instead to build a freaking centrifuge in the middle of his living room, strap an innocent lava lamp and a Nexus One to one end with counterbalancing weights on the other, and spin that monster up to find out for himself. His instrument was able to generate 3 Gs of lateral force (despite the Nexus One's G-Force reporting 2.0 Gs due to a bug, now reported to Google), which is comfortably above the 2.5 G gravitational pull that one might experience on the solar system's biggest planet. So, did the goo keep its mojo under pressure? Did the Nexus One survive the ordeal intact? Click past the break to find out.
Bad news: HTC says the Nexus One doesn't 'go in pockets'
One of the biggest mysteries in the blogosphere right now is probably Crave's Nexus One, which somehow developed a cracked screen while simply charging on the desk (sounds familiar, right?). Not even HTC could unearth the cause from its forensic inspection, but it didn't rule out the possibility of a small crack growing over time due to, for example, "getting knocked around by keys" and repetitive squeezes in tight pockets. That's fine, but saying "people sometimes forget that they don't go in pockets" is surely stretching a bit, no? What happened to the awesomeness in the compression test and bend test that we once witnessed? More importantly, has anyone here had the same baffling screen problem and been charged £180 ($273) for the repair? If so, do share your pain with us -- we've got a shoulder for you.
Nexus One's multitouch confused more easily than Droid's?
Thought all multitouch-capable displays were created equal? Think again -- Android and Me has posted a rather fascinating (if not somewhat depressing) video showing a demo multitouch app created by a game developer who'd grown suspicious after running into all sorts of trouble getting the feature to work the way he wanted on the Nexus One. First up, the Droid handles the demo with aplomb -- two thumbs are recognized smoothly and consistently. Next, though, the Nexus One gets confused after a while and starts registering presses at the wrong corners of the on-screen box formed by the placement of the thumbs. There's always hope that this could be fixed with a firmware bump, but that hope looks to be in jeopardy from language posted by a Google engineer in the official Android dev forums: "...this is how the touch screen hardware on the Nexus One works (which is essentially the same screen as on the G1 and myTouch). The Droid has a sensor from a different manufacturer, with different behavior. Other phones will likewise have different sensors." In other words, Google seems to think that HTC's just using a lower-quality sensor than Motorola is. That's good news for Droid owners, we suppose -- but with game development on Android still something of a non-starter, hardware issues like this keep fragmenting the user base and preventing big-name developers from jumping in and betting on the platform. Follow the break for video proof of the wackiness.