LG Optimus 3D review

Cilantro might be the most polarizing thing on this planet. Some people can't eat a fish taco without it, others cry frothy tears of dishsoap at its mere mention. The same may well be true of the LG Optimus 3D (known as the Thrill 4G in the US). We already felt a little torn about the device when we first got our hands on it back in February. Sure, it packed some extra heft and, ahem, Android 2.2.2. But its stupor-inducing, 3D display (combined with some truly poignant marketing) was just enough to whet our appetites. Plus, after having already scarfed down a bowl of HTC's EVO 3D, we were more than a little keen on tasting LG's take on the glasses-free 3D recipe – a young and intriguing smartphone genre. Now that we finally have, we're ready to tackle a question for the ages: dishsoap or delicacy?

LG Optimus 3D review

Hardware

There's no way to say this without hurting someone's feelings, so we'll just get it out there: the Optimus 3D is pretty... porky. At 128mm (about five inches) long and 68mm (2.67 inches) wide, it's not exactly the most pocket-friendly phone we've toted and, at 11.9mm (almost half an inch) thick, it's even a bit chunkier than the Optimus Black. The handset and its nearly six ounces of bulk could also benefit from a few extra hours on the treadmill. If you're looking for a larger device or don't mind carrying a little extra weight, it won't pose a problem. If, on the other hand, you expect your phone to do things like fit in your pocket, you may be disappointed.

From a design standpoint, the device sports a streamlined look. Its rather ample, 4.3-inch LCD makes good use of the Optimus 3D's girth, spanning almost the entire storefront. Just above the screen is a silver LG logo, centered next to a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera. Looming large over both of them is a trapezoidal earpiece that peeks out from the bottom of the upper bezel. Straddling the bezel's southern regions are four, understated Android buttons, backlit and waiting to illuminate upon command.

Around back, you'll find a pair of stereoscopic 3D, five megapixel cameras, with an LED flash nestled in between. Both cameras sit on a stainless steel strip that runs left-of center down the phone's back side. They're also submerged slightly below the phone's back surface, providing some extra (and appreciated) protection. As on the front, LG kept its branding to a minimum, leaving as corporate droppings only a light gray logo and stereoscopic 3D engraving. These are both placed around a loudspeaker, which sits in the southwest quadrant. The speaker delivers clear sound, but it's far from a main attraction.

The device is all curved edges and rounded corners, though the back side, strangely enough, is split into two levels, with the cameras sitting on the higher end of the ridge. This architectural curiosity didn't pose any significant ergonomic challenges, but it's not the prettiest design, either. It's worth noting that the entire back shell can be lifted with remarkable ease, requiring barely a fingernail. Inside, you'll find SIM storage and a slot for a microSD card, which can be easily removed without disturbing the 1500 mAh battery lodged within.

Along the left side sits a micro-USB port, stacked atop an HDMI socket. Either can be accessed by opening its respective hinged cover, but because both flaps are so close together (and unfold in opposite directions), it can be a little cumbersome to open both at the same time. These are positioned just below a thin silver layer that lazes along the phone's perimeter, providing a sleek border between the capacitive touchscreen up front and rubbery matte plastic covering its derriere. On the opposite side, you'll spot a volume toggle and a dedicated hot-key that takes you directly to LG's 3D Zone (more on that later). Up top is the power button and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

At the center of all this, of course, is that skating rink of a capacitive touchscreen. It's large and in charge, but its ho-hum 480 x 800 resolution left us somewhat disappointed. Don't get us wrong – the display is sufficiently responsive, handles direct sunlight with grace and can muster some decent brightness of its own. But for a phone that promises such a dazzling visual experience, a more state-of-the-art panel could've paid serious dividends.

Camera

We couldn't find much of a reason to complain about the Optimus 3D's camera setup, but we couldn't find a lot to praise, either -- it's just there. It won't produce the same detail you'd get from the eight-megapixel lens on the Galaxy S II, but the Optimus' five megapixel sensor delivered a satisfactory performance, responsively adjusting to both low and high light. 3D shots turned out surprisingly well, with the phone's cameras delivering some pretty gnarly visuals. Images don't exactly jump out of the screen and into your face, but the relief is still sharp enough to invite intense gazing. Once you've captured your 3D pics, you can save them in either MPO or JPS formats, depending upon whom you're sharing them with. It's also worth mentioning that any 2D image can be converted into an extra dimensional shot, and vice versa.

LG Optimus 3D review

The phone's video capabilities, on the other hand, are much more compelling. Moving 2D images are captured in 1080p, at 24 fps, with 3D video in 720p, at 30 fps. We may have been over-caffeinated, but we had a difficult time keeping a steady shot in 2D, while the Optimus' stabilizing feature helped right the ship during 3D tests. Shooting in the third dimension, however, posed quite different challenges. When filming a person slowly walking toward the lens, the effect came out quite well. But as soon as faster-moving subjects unexpectedly entered the frame, video quality quickly deteriorated into patchiness and doubled images.

However challenging they were to harness, the phone's 3D capabilities were ultimately more compelling than they were discouraging. We spent hours experimenting with various angles and mise-en-scenes, though it didn't take long for us to recognize the cinematic potential for more creative users to harvest.

3D

The question, however, is whether the medium is stunning enough to warrant a purchase, which brings us to the Optimus 3D's most cilantro-like quality: the glasses-less 3D experience. It's not for everyone. To be fair, it's definitely cool (in the "let me whip out my phone at a bar and make conversation" sort of way), and the novelty can be genuinely intriguing... for about five minutes. After that, spectators may either get bored with it, or end up feeling like their eyes were just juggled through a meat grinder (our experience skewed heavily toward the latter).

You could attribute this evanescence to the relative lack of glasses-free 3D content, but LG's tech still has a ways to go before achieving universality. Whether we were playing games or watching video, we consistently noticed severe shifts in image quality with even the slightest of movements. When holding the device in landscape mode, the most innocuous of turns resulted in unsettling flickers. The same went for any vertical shifts toward and away from the display. Of course, LG carefully specifies all this in its pre-installed 3D guide, warning you about spending too much time in front of the display, but that doesn't make it any less jarring. And, while it doesn't take a Herculean effort to hold a phone still, our optic nerves shudder at the thought of trying to play a 3D game on a crowded, rush-hour subway.

If you're planning to watch a ton of 3D content on your smartphone, you should probably look elsewhere – especially considering the aforementioned implications for battery life. For content creators, on the other hand, the experience would be slightly different, largely because of the filming capabilities mentioned above, along with the Optimus' content sharing features. The HDMI port enables direct connections to any 3D TV, which could be a cool perk for amateur filmmakers looking to add some spice to their home video collection.

LG Optimus 3D sample shots (3D)

Performance

One of the Optimus 3D's most commendable qualities is its speed. Lurking within its bowels is an OMAP 4430 from Texas Instruments – you know, the 1GHz dual-core ARM A9 SOC that (briefly) ruled the benchmarking roost. Graphics come courtesy of a PowerVR SGX540 GPU, and there's 8GB of onboard memory, along with 512MB of dual-channel RAM.

The device also performed impressively on benchmark tests, racking up over 2200 on Quadrant, 57.1 fps on Nenamark, 58 fps on Neocore and hovering between 35 and 40 MFLOPS on Linpack. Transitions between screens were about as seamless as we could've hoped, and the native browser performed admirably, smoothly and swiftly handling Flash and other online demands. We did notice some glitches and slow-downs when closing 3D applications and quickly executing a function on the homescreen, and there was some occasional freezing during app transitions. But they certainly weren't deal-breakers.

Much of LG's marketing has centered around the Optimus 3D's "Tri-Dual" architecture – a configuration combining dual-core, dual memory and dual-channel. This design effectively doubles the number of conduits through which data can travel, theoretically allowing for faster performance and more efficient power usage. We noticed speedy processing on web pages and apps, though the configuration certainly didn't do much for battery life.

Endurance, in fact, may be the Optimus 3D's most glaring weakness. Though our everyday use consisted of nothing more than checking e-mail, updating Twitter and occasional 3D gameplay, we still found ourselves recharging the device every ten to 12 hours. As you'd expect, depletion rapidly accelerated when we used the 3D features more heavily. After conducting formal tests, we found that it takes about seven hours to completely drain the phone's battery, when put under slightly more strain. Keep in mind, however, that we conducted these battery tests without even touching any of the phone's power-sucking 3D content – which isn't a good sign, considering that 3D is the device's signature feature.

Reception over an HSPA network in France was refreshingly stellar, even in our Bermuda Triangle of an apartment. On average, the device received about one to two bars more than what an iPhone 4 picked up on the same network. At 75 percent volume, the earpiece carefully toed the line between loud and tinny and no one reported connection issues on the other end.

Software

The Optimus 3D already entered the software game at a serious disadvantage, by virtue of the fact that it ships with Froyo. Who knows if that'll change by the time it hits the US, but for the moment, the lack of Gingerbread is pretty unfortunate. The layout is depressingly sterile, and its limited functionality made the overall experience seem unremarkable.

That said, it's an entirely functional OS – everything does what you'd expect, without too many bells and whistles. To unlock the phone, you just have to slide the screen upward. It's a simple enough gesture, but we noticed persistent chops in the animation, making the icon unfold more like a creaky garage door than a crisp can of sardines. Arriving at the home screen, you'll find the second generation of LG's Optimus UI on full display, with weather and clock widgets bannered across the top of the screen, and a smattering of standard apps growing along the bottom. Scrolling one panel to the right, you'll find the browser, music app, photo gallery and dedicated 3D games app, while the easternmost panel houses a clean, large calendar, which you can sync with your Google account. On the far left lives a social media widget, which aggregates feeds from your various accounts, right next to a panel of your "favorite contacts" – the illuminati from your phonebook with whom you want umbilically instant contact.

It's all very simple. Very... plain. But LG has gone the extra mile to emphasize the ostensible crown jewel of its new headset: 3D. As we mentioned above, there's a dedicated hot-key that will whisk you away to LG's "3D Space" – a pleasant little carousel full of games, videos and epilepsy. The pre-loaded content provides a relatively smooth introduction to glasses-less 3D, and there's a widget devoted exclusively to 3D clips on YouTube. The 3D Store, meanwhile, connects you to LG's browser-based marketplace, where you can purchase more games or multimedia.

It's clear that software isn't the Optimus 3D's best side, though we'd be eager to see how a Gingerbread update would influence its complexion. It's also clear that LG put almost all of its Froyo muscle behind its 3D features – which says a lot about the Optimus 3D.

Wrap-up

All told, the Optimus 3D is a perfectly serviceable, largely inoffensive smartphone that just so happens to possess 3D capabilities. Like the idiot savant math whiz, or the high school phenom with a poisonous crossover, LG's latest creation occasionally shows flashes of brilliance, but still lacks some fundamental qualities -- in this case, sophisticated software and a grittier battery.

To LG's credit, the Optimus 3D isn't trying to be something it's not. It's certainly not reaching for the Samsung Galaxy SII's heights, nor is it looking to out-duel its Gingerbread-less brethren, like the Droid X2. Instead, the device seems to realize that it's a one-trick pony, and devotes all of its energies to harvesting that comparative advantage. For most people, that one trick probably won't be enough to justify buying an otherwise vanilla (and large) handset. 3D pioneers, on the other hand, may be more willing to shell out the £500 (about $820), as long as they're not expecting much more than extra-dimensional eye candy. At this point, it's hard for us to call LG's 3D technology anything other than a gimmick, but it's still a fun gimmick -- even if it leaves a somewhat soapy aftertaste.

New Car Security App by Intel

What it does is sync with the security system of your car and save images in the cloud. When something suspicious, which transmits data on your phone. Simple, right? Not really because the technology is still in testing stage. At least the tests and compensation results.In positive this time that hackers are demonstrating how the safety car is vulnerable, it might be wise for owners to have instant access when away from their vehicles.

Such is the value of Intel’s latest proof of concept, which has yet to make an impression in the automotive industry in general. It has been tested by Intel researchers in charge of their development too. What it does is replace the functionality of the electronic lock on a smart phone and more. So far, so good. When will the market? I have no idea.

However, Intel could well churn out a game-changer. Car safety is a concern most intransigent of the owners, so having a built-in feature in future cars would be a brilliant idea that no one has grasped yet.

GIGABYTE Launches New External Hard Drive – A2

GIGABYTE External Hard Drive, GIGABYTE A2

GIGABYTE is thrilled to introduce its new 2.5-inch external hard drive, A2. With the eye-catching dual colored design with the ultra fast USB3.0 interface that comes in two eye-catching colors: charcoal grey and pearl white and availablein four capacities, 320GB, 500GB, 640GB, and 750GB.

A2 measures 113 x 76 x 14mm, weighs 136grams, and only 1.4cm in depth, so that you can easily slip in any pockets and carry all your important data and files with you wherever you go.The unique dual colored casing is varnished with a finish that helps to prevent transferring embarrassing fingerprints onto the chic surface; the latest USB 3.0 interface offers super fast transfer speed up to 4.8 gigabits per second, which is 10 times faster than the conventional USB 2.0 interface and is backward compatible. It is internal shock-proof, which means that if you accidentally drop your disk drive, the internal mechanism will absorb the vibration and leaving all your files unharmed and safe as ever!

 

Special Features:

                 Unique Dual Colored Design

                 Fingerprint Proof Finish

                 Ultra Fast USB 3.0 Interface

                 LED Power/HDD Lighting

 

Specifications:Model GP-A2

                 Dimensions (D x W x H)           113 x 76 x 14 mm

                 Capacity           320 / 500 / 640 / 750 GB

                 Weight 136g

                 Color(s)           Charcoal Grey /Pearl White

                 Serial transfer rate         USB 3.0 4.8Gb/s (MAX)

                 OS support      Mac OS 9.x / Linux 2.4.1.0 / Windows ME above

                 Accessory        Portable HDD / Carrier bag / USB cable/Quick user guide

Warranty           Three-Year

 

Dell Streak 10 Pro Android Honeycomb tablet launches in China

Dell Streak 10 Pro, Android Honeycomb, Android tablet, Honeycomb tablet

Today Dell is pleased to announce the launch of the Dell Streak 10 Pro tablet in China, Dell’s first 10-inch Android Honeycomb 3.1 tablet that delivers on the promise of “Work Smart. Play Hard.” Dell is committed to delivering not just products but robust experiences that enable and empower people to grow and thrive and do more of what they love. And the Streak 10 Pro tablet does just that: It is designed for people who want to work and play all on one tablet – so you can be connected at home, at work and on the go – and yet rest assured that your personal and professional information are kept safe, secure and separate from one another.

The Streak 10 Pro enables work and play on the same device through an innovative, differentiated application called “Dell Divide,” which delivers what its name suggests: A clear balance between your personal and professional information – the ultimate in yin and yang.

 

In work mode, you can have access to the corporate network, applications, without worrying that the IT department can see their family photos and personal email. In personal mode, you can stay connected with friends and family, store all your family photos on it and your entire music collection – all without compromising access to any sensitive work data. And, of course, it is the ultimate expression of “Consumerization of IT.”

 

The Dell Streak 10 Pro is as elegant as it is useful. At barely an inch think and with full Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, it sports a blazingly fast dual-core nVidia Tegra 2 mobile processor, an expansion storage slot, and a 16GB storage option, making it easy to store all the critical work files you need or the movies, photos and more that you love.

 

It’s robust enough for corporate-grade applications and use, and with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can take it out with you in the morning, and expect it to last nearly all day. And, as we all know, battery life is a big deal.

 

 

The 10-inch Android (Honeycomb 3.1) tablet is making its debut in China, and it will be available on Dell.com.cn and at Dell-authorized retail channels across the country in the next couple of weeks.

 

The fact that Dell is launching it in China first underscores the importance of China to Dell overall. More people are online in China than anywhere else in the world, and IDC estimates that more than 900 million people are expected to come online in China alone in the next 10 years.

 

Dell also have a significant retail presence in China, with thousands of Dell-authorized retailers in more than 2,000 cities – a footprint that helps us get even closer to people, understand what they are looking for, and to design experiences that help them pursue their passions.

 

Dell is committed to bringing new experiences to everyone – from consumers to small and medium businesses, to large enterprise customers. And Dell is bringing our conversations and insights with those customers – individual, large and small; public and private – to build the best mobile experiences that help people here in China – and eventually elsewhere – bridge work and life. In other words, Dell is committed to delivering “More You” in our products and services – and the Streak 10 Pro is just the latest example.

 

IDC: Nokia, LG see significant Q2 shipping decline, Apple continues to grow

Well, the numbers are in and Q2's proved to be a mixed bag for the mobile market. According to IDC, cellphone makers shipped a total of 365.4 million units last quarter, a year-over-year increase of 11.3 percent. Nokia, while still the world's largest handset maker, suffered a significant blow, with shipments dropping from 111.1 million in Q2 2010 to 88.5 million; the company's market share was similarly down, hitting 24.2 percent, compared to last year's 33.8 percent. LG Electronics was the only other manufacturer to see a loss, with shipments dropping to 24.8 million from 30.6 million in 2010. Apple managed to maintain its recently acquired number four spot, with iPhone shipments hitting 20.3 million, up year-over-year from 8.4 million. RIM was conspicuously missing from the top five lineup, while ZTE landed the number five position. In news that shouldn't surprise anyone with a pulse, the feature phone market saw a decline this year, surprisingly its first since Q3 2009. If you're jonesing for more market share and shipping stats, hop on past the break for the full PR.

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Worldwide Mobile Phone Market Grew More Than 11% in the Second Quarter; Feature Phones Decline for First Time in Almost 2 Years, According to IDC

28 Jul 2011

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. July 28, 2011 – The worldwide mobile phone market grew 11.3% year over year in the second quarter of 2011 (2Q11), despite a weaker feature phone market, which declined for the first time since 3Q09. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped 365.4 million units in 2Q11 compared to 328.4 million units in the second quarter of 2010. The 11.3% growth was lower than IDC's forecast of 13.3% for the quarter and was also below the 16.8% growth in 1Q11.

The feature phone market shrank 4% in 2Q11 when compared to 2Q10. The decline in shipments was most prominent in economically mature regions, such as the United States, Japan, and Western Europe, as users rapidly transition to smartphones. This was the first decline since Q3 2009 and reflected a combination of conservative spending and continued shift to smartphones.

"The shrinking feature phone market is having the greatest impact on some of the world's largest suppliers of mobile phones," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker. "Stalwarts such as Nokia are losing share in the feature phone category to low-cost suppliers such as Micromax, TCL-Alcatel, and Huawei."

"For the overall market to grow by double digits year over year, despite the decline in feature phones, is testament to the strength of the global smartphone market," noted Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends team. "While this is not a new trend – smartphones have been the primary engine of growth for the last several quarters – it does mark something of a transition point, as demonstrated by the growing number and variety of smartphones featured in the vendors' portfolios."

Market Outlook
The feature phone forecast isn't expected to be any rosier in the quarters and years to come. Shipment growth of the device type won't exceed 1.1% in any year forecasted by IDC.

Regional Analysis
The traditionally slow second quarter in Asia/Pacific was exacerbated by Nokia's channel inventory corrections in China. Apple thrived in China thanks to strong iPhone 4 demand. As well, a number of domestic brands in Southeast Asia like CSL, Nexian, Q-Mobile, and Wellcom grew sales of Android-powered smartphones. China-based vendors gained share in India and Southeast Asia at the low end. In Japan, the impact of the earthquake continued into April and May as component shortages forced manufacturers to release new models in June while customer demand was harder to fulfill.

In Western Europe, the market declined sequentially compared to the first quarter. The feature phone market declined while smartphone shipment growth slowed as phone makers and carriers reduced inventories in advance of expected third-quarter product launches. Feature phone dependent suppliers were not able to offset feature phone weakness completely with higher smartphone sales. The CEMA markets performed well on a year-over-year basis despite civil unrest in Egypt and other Arab countries, where sales were negatively impacted as a result. Samsung gained share while Chinese brands continued to make inroads in the region.

In North America, smartphones once again took center stage, propelled by lower prices, key device launches, and enhanced channel marketing. In particular, Android-based devices extended their lead in the United States and took leadership in Canada thanks to Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and LG. Meanwhile, demand for feature phones continued to slide, but there still existed pockets of interest for voice-centric and quick-messaging devices. Still, as the region heads towards a smartphone-centric future, IDC expects feature phones to represent an increasingly smaller portion of the market.

The Latin America market growth was driven by low-cost smartphones, specifically those with social networking features. Lower smartphone prices, including those of the Android variety, are driving smartphone penetration in several Latin American countries. Price is expected to be a point of differentiation – as well as applications and device features – between Android players in future.

Top Five Mobile Phone Vendors

Nokia's hold on the top global mobile phone spot weakened last quarter as inventory buildups in traditional strongholds, namely China and Europe, led to sharp year-over-year shipment declines. Nokia's global feature phone and smartphone businesses suffered a similar fate. One positive sign for Nokia last quarter were dual-SIM devices; the company shipped over 2.6 million of these in the second quarter. Over the long term, Nokia's smartphone fortunes will be dictated by its ability to sell Windows Phone 7 smartphone devices, which are expected to hit the market this year. It is Nokia's primary smartphone platform of the future. In the meantime, Nokia is trying to sustain shipment volume with low-cost mobile phones and devices powered by the aging Symbian smartphone platform.

Samsung posted double-digit growth from the same quarter a year ago, and just slightly slower growth than the overall pace of the market. Like other vendors it realized a decrease in demand for its feature phones, but made up the difference with continued success for its Android-based Galaxy smartphones. The difference between Samsung and market leader Nokia continued to shrink, with less than 20 million units separating the two vendors, mostly resulting from Nokia's struggles in the market. Still, Samsung expects continued growth into the second half, which could put it in closer contention with Nokia.

LG Electronics held on to its number three position during the quarter, thanks in part to its Optimus smartphone sales worldwide. However, a combination of factors – including soft demand for its feature phones, slow pace of smartphone releases, and competitive pressures, led the company to downgrade its outlook for the year by 24%. Originally, LG had anticipated flat growth in 2011 from 2010 levels, even as it expected the overall market to increase by 8%. Should LG's volumes decrease as much as it anticipates, other vendors may jockey for position ahead of LG.

Apple maintained its number four position overall but closed the gap on Top 5 competitors thanks to another record unit shipment quarter. The company easily posted the highest growth rate of the worldwide leaders despite the fact that its flagship iPhone 4 is now more than a year old. The triple-digit shipment volume growth allowed Apple to more than double its share when compared to the same quarter last year. Apple's ability to bring its smartphone momentum to developing economies, where it's less successful, will help dictate the company's smartphone fortunes in future.

ZTE likewise improved volumes and picked up market share during the quarter, enough to maintain the number five position. Long known as a purveyor of simple, voice-centric mobile phones, ZTE has stepped up its smartphone game with the continued success of its Android-powered Blade and Racer smartphones while announcing Libra, Skate, and Amigo smartphones for release in the second half of this year. Feature phones continued to be popular for ZTE, with the release of its 547i, a social networking-centric device in Europe.

U.S. Wireless Carriers Ask Obama to Clear Gov. Spectrum Bands Below 3 GHz

CTIA-The Wireless Association and carrier members serving more than 92 percent of U.S. wireless customers sent a letter to President Obama today asking for his leadership to direct the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to clear unused and underutilized government spectrum bands below 3 gigahertz (GHz). Even though the U.S. wireless industry offers Americans the most innovative products and services in the world, additional spectrum is vital to fueling its ecosystem’s “virtuous cycle.”

The letter was signed by some of CTIA’s carrier members, who represent more than 92 percent of U.S. wireless customers. They are: AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets President and CEO Ralph de la Vega; Cellcom President and CEO Patrick Riordan; Sprint President and CEO Dan Hesse; T-Mobile USA President and CEO Philipp Humm; U.S. Cellular President and CEO Mary Dillon; and Verizon Wireless President and CEO Dan Mead.

5GB Of Cloud Storage For Free by Ubuntu One

In celebration of reaching 1 million users of Ubuntu One announced this week that it has increased the capacity of his free Ubuntu One cloud storage online from 2 GB to 5 GB. One basic Ubuntu is Ubuntu One free users will get 5 GB of free storage when you set up an account, and existing users of Ubuntu One Basic automatically increase to the new 5GB limit.

You can claim your 5GB of storage One Ubuntu a free website, by signing up for an account. consider other options are also available as detailed in the above image, with a maximum of 20 GB of storage included. If you’re using Ubuntu, you can sync your notes Tomboy and Firefox bookmarks, too.

As well as extra storage Ubuntu One also announced the launch of its Ubuntu Developer Program One of the application, which is now open to everyone, on any platform.

Alibaba announces 'cloud-powered' Aliyun OS, K-Touch W700 phone

Ready for another mobile operating system? Alibaba certainly is, having just unveiled its Aliyun OS. The new entrant will apparently be "fully compatible" with apps from Android through a proprietary Waterloo-style emulation layer. We don't know exactly how that'll work, but come September we'll find out when the new OS ships on a rebranded Tian Hua K-Touch, the W700, for ¥2,680 (or around $416). We're also interested in the firm's tightly-knit cloud services, with users receiving 100GB to store their "contact information, call logs, text messages, notes and photos" -- accessible from both PCs and Aliyun-toting handsets. With future plans for tablets and "other devices" in the works, coupled with incessant hinting from Baidu, those of you hellbent on fierce OS competition might want to consider relocating to China.

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Alibaba Cloud Computing Unveils Mobile Cloud Operating System

Alibaba Cloud Computing ("AliCloud"), developer of advanced data-centric cloud computing services and a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, has unveiled its internally developed cloud-based mobile device operating system, "Aliyun OS." The K-Touch Cloud-Smart Phone W700, the first mobile phone powered by the cloud OS, was also unveiled here today and will be introduced to the Chinese market at the end of July. AliCloud also plans to integrate the OS with other devices including mobile phones with larger screens and tablet computers in the coming months.

"Mobile users want a more open and convenient mobile OS, one that allows them to truly enjoy all that the Internet has to offer right in the palm of their hand, and the cloud OS, with its use of cloud-based applications, will provide that," said Wang Jian, president of Alibaba Cloud Computing. "Introducing cloud apps to mobile devices not only brings a whole new user experience, but also greater ease for third-party mobile software developers who will be able to use Internet technology such as HTML5 and JavaScript to reduce the complexity in the app development process."

The cloud OS will feature cloud services including e-mail, Internet search, weather updates and mapping & GPS navigation tools. A distinguishing feature of the cloud OS is its support for web-based apps. These offer users an Internet-like experience and do not require the user to download or install application software on their mobile devices. Cloud OS users can seamlessly synchronize, store and back-up data such as contact information, call logs, text messages, notes and photos to AliCloud's remote data center, and can also access and update this data across all their PC and mobile devices. AliCloud will provide each cloud OS user with a total of 100 gigabytes of data storage initially, with plans to expand according to user needs.

Third-party developers can opt to either develop cloud apps over their own servers or choose to use AliCloud's infrastructure and open platform services at a low cost and quickly develop their businesses. The cloud OS is the result of three years of development and uses AliCloud's self-developed distributed file system and virtual machine; the cloud OS is also fully compatible with Android-based applications.

According to latest statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the number of 3G mobile users in China now exceeds 80 million, or 9.5 percent of all mobile users nationwide. Sales of smartphones reached 62 million in 2010 and 19.07 million handsets were sold in Q1 2011; sales of smartphones accounted for approximately 30 percent of all mobile phone sales, up from 19.2 percent in Q1 2010 according to research firm Analysys International.

About Alibaba Cloud Computing

Alibaba Cloud Computing was established in September 2009 with the mission of building an advanced data-centric cloud computing service platform. The company is committed to supporting the growth of Alibaba Group and the whole e-commerce ecosystem by providing a comprehensive suite of Internet-based computing services, which include e-commerce data mining, high-speed massive e-commerce data processing, and data customization. Alibaba Cloud Computing is wholly owned by Alibaba Group.

About Alibaba Group

Alibaba Group is a global e-commerce leader and the largest e-commerce company in China. Since it was founded in 1999, Alibaba Group has grown to include the following core businesses: Alibaba.com (HKSE:1688; 1688.HK), Alibaba Group's flagship company and the world's leading B2B e-commerce company; Taobao Marketplace, China's primary C2C online shopping destination; Taobao Mall, China's leading B2C online marketplace for quality, brand name goods; eTao, China's most comprehensive shopping search engine; Alibaba Cloud Computing, a developer of advanced data-centric cloud computing services; and China Yahoo!, one of China's leading Internet portals. Alipay, China's largest third-party online payment service, is an affiliate of Alibaba Group.

Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: little tykes under the spotlight

In the rough and tumble debate surrounding the mobile phone's ability to cause cancer, both sides agree that our young ones -- indeed, some of the heaviest users -- could be at an increased risk for cellular-induced tumors. According to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the radio emissions from mobile devices penetrate much deeper into the brains of children, and in the case of little tykes ages five to eight, their noggins will absorb twice the energy of the average adult. This, combined with their developing nervous systems, has brought concern for the welfare of our youngest mobile-savvy citizens, and led to a European study of nearly 1,000 (informed?) participants. Data was gathered over a four-year period, which relied upon self-reporting methods, where youngsters were found to not talk very often, and typically sent text messages instead -- big surprise, right?

While long-term risks remain unknown, the researchers conclude that "a large and immediate risk of cellphones causing brain tumors in children can be excluded." In other words: little Suzy won't begin sprouting cancer cells overnight. While you doting parents may find comfort in the latest research, you might consider stopping short of giving the mischievous rascal an unlimited voice plan. After all, gossip still spreads best at the school yard.

[Image courtesy Derek Olson (flickr)]

Mango quietly enables music streaming from SkyDrive, hides amongst your spreadsheets

Here's a little feature that Microsoft quietly sneaked into Mango -- you can stream music straight from your SkyDrive account. With the latest WP7 update comes some nice integration with Redmond's cloud storage service, but it's not just for pulling up spreadsheets. You can navigate to any folder and, if you tap on an compatible sound file, it'll start playing the tune in the music app. It's not a full fledged streaming and syncing service like Google Music or a tightly integrated ecosystem such as iTunes and iCloud, but it is a pretty neat trick. And, lets be honest, no matter how cumbersome, sometimes those unofficial solutions are much more gratifying. Check out the video of it in action after the break.

OLYMPUS VG-145 with 5x wide zoom, HD Movies, and a large LCD monitor

OLYMPUS VG-145, Olympus Imaging, compact digital camera

Olympus Imaging Corporation  is pleased to announce the OLYMPUS VG-145, a compact digital camera equipped with advanced shooting functions, such as HD movies and full array of Auto functions. It also features 5X optical zoom lens from wide angle of 26mm in a slim, stylish body. It is scheduled to go on sale at the middle of August, 2011.

Main Features

14-megapixel CCD, 5X optical zoom from wide angle of 26mm and DIS that reduces picture blur using faster shutter speed

Featuring High-definition movies (AVI Motion JPEG), Magic Filters, and a large 3-inch LCD monitor to enjoy viewing photos you just took

Stylish and slim full metal body

 

The VG-145 is equipped with 5x zoom lens from wide angle of 26mm and image stabilization in a slim, stylish body. Equipped with an abundant array of easy-to-use automatic functions like iAUTO which enables any user to easily take beautiful pictures, and automatic tracking AF for face detection, it is simple to use even for novices. Also HD movies with AVI Motion JPEG format are available by just pressing the dedicated Movie REC button without selecting Movie mode from the menu.

 

DIS

Using higher ISO sensitivities allows the use of faster shutter speeds, reducing camera movement and subject blur. Images shot in this mode will have less noise and better color reproduction than images shot just using a high ISO.

 

HD movie (AVI Motion JPEG) recording

HD movie recording is available with the slim, stylish VG-145. Movie recording can be manipulated by a dedicated movie REC button When using any of SD/SDHC memory card, it is selectable to record to which card.

 

Magic Filters

The VG-145 features an expanded range of 7 Magic Filters, Pop, Pin Hole, Fisheye, Drawing, Soft Focus, Punk and Sparkle. With Sparkle filter, you can enjoy photos with the luxurious feel created by the added twinkling lights.

 

 

Other Features

Shadow Adjustment Technology that detects faces of subjects and optimizes focus and exposure accordingly

Scene Modes for one-touch shooting adjustment in difficult environments as well as in standard conditions

Face Detection AF with which the camera detects and focuses on human faces automatically

iAUTO function that analyzes the current composition and optimizes camera settings automatically

USB battery charging enables the camera battery to be recharged from a PC

AF Tracking to keep a moving subject in focus by tracking it automatically

Compatible medias: SD / SDHC memory cards

 

Motorola considering Nike+ SportWatch contender?

It looks like Motorola might be prepping to give the Nike+ SportWatch a run for its money. An intrepid tipster sent along a screenshot from a recent survey showing off what looks like a tricked out nano watch. Described as an "all-in-one fitness and music personal fitness device" (redundant much?) that packs a GPS for "accurate performance tracking," the as of yet unnamed gadget also sports a "smart music player" that compiles a list of songs based on the tunes that help you sweat your best. It also lets you wirelessly sync to your PC for workout analysis, and apparently does the same for Android devices. Among the possible names listed in the survey is the MotoActive, hinting at, but certainly not pinning down, Motorola branding. Of course this is just an online survey, so we wouldn't get too excited about your new running mate just yet.

[Thanks, Anon]

T-Mobile Teams Up With Los Angeles Angels Offering Fans Unique Tablet Rental Program

T-Mobile USA tablet rental program

T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that the company has partnered with the Los Angeles Angels to provide fans with a unique tablet rental program, giving fans customized content designed to enhance their experience while watching their favorite team at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

“T-Mobile’s Android tablets, combined with America’s Largest 4G Network, give Angels fans customized content for an affordable price when they rent a tablet during Angels games,” said Darrin Silveria, vice president general manager, Southern California, T-Mobile USA. “We’re always excited to bring T-Mobile customers unique offerings that they can’t find elsewhere, and that’s exactly what we’re doing for Angels fans who rent a tablet.”

 

T-Mobile began partnering with the Angels near the beginning of the season, and has been fine tuning the company’s network inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim, running a beta program with fans providing feedback on their experience, and building partnerships with content providers, including Zinio and MobiTV, the provider of T-Mobile TV.

 

“There’s no question that baseball fans love stats, replays, MLB news and more,” said Angels chairman Dennis Kuhl. “We wanted to enhance the fan experience while viewing home games, and we’re excited to bring this partnership with T-Mobile to life. We see lots of possibilities and are really just at the beginning of this new offering for our fans.”

 

Fans who rent either a T-Mobile G-Slate or Samsung Galaxy Tab for $10 get the following unprecedented value:

Free game-day program, optimized for viewing on the tablet — an instant $3 added value.

 

Free content from the Zinio magazine app, with the ability to read from a sampling of magazines during the game, including ESPN and many other popular magazines, drawing from Zinio’s library of more than 4,500 magazine titles.

Free T-Mobile TV (on the T-Mobile G-Slate only), providing content from popular TV shows. All regular free content, plus the “Select” package, regularly $4.99, is available as part of the game-day tablet rental.

Access to T-Mobile’s blazing-fast network, powering fast video chat sessions with friends and family at home, and blazing downloads of rich media content.

 

“This is the kind of unique combination of hardware, fast mobile network speeds and rich content that has the potential to be transformative, not only for Angels fans, but for fans of all sports,” said Jeanniey Mullen, global executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Zinio. “We see great possibilities for the future and are looking forward to bringing even more unique offerings to Angels fans as we develop our partnership with T-Mobile over time.”

 

Angels fans can choose to rent either a Samsung Galaxy Tab or the 4G T-Mobile G-Slate. Rentals come equipped with a “quick start” guide and a simplified content experience as a result of T-Mobile’s partnership with Zinio and MobiTV.

 

ARM alchemy turns ubiquity into gold, profits up 25 percent

A 25 percent rise in profits might look modest compared to the 167 percent explosion announced at the end of Q2 last year, but we doubt anyone at ARM's UK HQ will be moaning. A typically understated earnings report highlighted 1.1 billion ARM-based chips shipped into mobiles and tablets, plus another 800 million chips into other types of devices in Q2. Other tidbits included two new signings for next-gen Cortex-A15 chips, plus two more for Mali graphics chips, which ought to help the mobile chip king maintain its dominance into next year. If you had an extra sausage with your fry-up this morning, ARM, then you deserved it.

New Samsung Galaxy Android Phone Projected for AT&T

On the outbreak of the Samsung Galaxy SII in the worldwide market, US Carriers AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint had obtained selling rights for the world’s fastest smartphone to date. However, all of this may just be one thing for AT&T as there has been information that it plans to release its own Galaxy phone, with a sliding full QWERTY keypad on the side. This is even claimed to be one of the newest flagship devices of the company.

There are no deeper details yet, such as specs or software information, but the handset will feature on-board, four Android keypad functions on base, which is quite similar with the Infuse 4G and the Samsung Captivate. The same keypads are also found on the QWERTY keypad for ease and convenience. It also has a front face camera. On projection, it could also be running on Gingerbread, most likely with a 2.3.5 update.

Source: BGR

AT&T confirms Gingerbread coming to entire 2011 Android lineup (and Samsung Captivate)

The HTC Status was the only device with Gingerbread on AT&T's lineup for a small slice of time, but that's quickly coming to an end. The carrier has confirmed that Android 2.3 will be pushed to its entire 2011 postpaid lineup, beginning with an OTA rollout of the Motorola Atrix 4G today (though and the HTC Inspire 4G "in the coming weeks." In addition to the phones released this year, Samsung Captivate users will be able to enjoy the upgrade as well. There's no hard details on the timing for everyone else, but at least anyone with a 2011 model can breath a sigh of relief. Full press release can be found after the break.

Show full PR text

Android 2.3 Debuted in the AT&T Portfolio with HTC Status, All Post-paid Android Smartphones Released in 2011 Planned to Receive 2.3 Upgrade

DALLAS, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Key Facts

AT&T* confirmed that upgrades to the Android™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) platform are planned for all post-paid Android smartphones already introduced this year.
Motorola ATRIX™ 4G users will receive an update to Android 2.3 beginning today and HTC Inspire™ 4G users will receive the update in the coming weeks.
Motorola ATRIX 4G update will also provide the ability to download applications from third-party stores.
HTC Status™ arrived in stores July 17, the first AT&T smartphone running Android 2.3.

Upgrade Details

Customers who purchased an Android smartphone from AT&T introduced in 2011 can expect to receive an update to Android 2.3. All of these devices are planned to be upgraded from Android 2.2 to Android 2.3, also referred to as Gingerbread. In addition, Samsung Captivate™ owners will be able to upgrade to Gingerbread.

Delivery methods will vary by device. Whenever possible, upgrades are delivered over-the-air (OTA), however in some cases the size of the file needed to install the update will require the user to connect via Wi-Fi or connect the phone to a PC to install the update. Factors such as manufacturer-defined software and other device performance improvements result in each device requiring a separate update which will vary in timing.

Beginning today and continuing over the next few weeks, Motorola ATRIX 4G users will be prompted to install the update. To download the update, users must be connected via Wi-Fi. In August, HTC Inspire 4G users will be notified that the update is available and can be downloaded when connected to a Wi-Fi network. AT&T smartphone users can access at any one of the company's more than 26,000 Wi-Fi hotspots at no cost.

The AT&T smartphones planned for a Gingerbread update are:

HTC Inspire™ 4G
LG Phoenix™
Motorola ATRIX™ 4G
Pantech Crossover™
Samsung Captivate™ 4G
Samsung Infuse™ 4G

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)

Gingerbread delivers a number of improvements, such as user interface refinements, refined copy/paste functionality and speed enhancements. The upgrade offers improved power management that offers a more active role in managing applications in addition to an improved on-screen keyboard with multi-touch support that makes typing faster and more accurate

HTC Wildfire S Arrives T-Mobile

U.S. mobile operator T-Mobile has announced that the HTC Wildfire S will be available in your network since August 3, and S Wildfire will be available for $ 79.99 when you sign a new two-year contract with the company.

The HTC Wildfire S has a 3.2 inch touch screen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels and comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the latest version of Sense HTC HTC Wildfire UI.The S is powered by a 600MHz processor, and comes with 512 MB of RAM and 512 MB of OM, which also has a microSD card slot and a five megapixel camera with autofocus and flash.

Other specifications include a HTC S Wildifre 1230mAh Battery, 802.11 b / g / n WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0.

Apple expands iOS and Mac App Store into 33 new territories, Tuvalu strangely absent

Brought that shiny new unlocked iPhone 4 home to Tanzania, only have your first App Store experience end in tears? We certainly sympathize, and apparently Apple's heard your plea. Interested developers can now head on over to the iTunes Connect portal, where they'll tick some new checkboxes and soon be on their way, peddling their wares to an additional 33 locales -- but not the home of .tv, unfortunately. Curious if your nation made the cut? Hop on past the break and see if Cupertino thinks you're worthy.

Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, Montserrat, Nigeria, Oman, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Suriname, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uzbekistan, Yemen

RAR & ZIP Files in Google Docs

If you are a user of Google Docs will be pleased to know that Google has added support for RAR and ZIP files. Support new compression now allows you to receive RAR and ZIP in your Gmail account and view the contents in your browser, without downloading all the files to your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet device.ZIP and RAR archives to be embedded within other files also works.

For example, if you have a RAR file in a ZIP file so only you can click that file to access the embedded file.

Trapster 3.0 helps you avoid speed traps, encourages safety first

Speed limits, highway patrol, other drivers, it can all be such a bummer -- especially, if you're sitting back in one of these. With a little crowdsourced aid, however, and a free Android app, you can still fulfill that need for excessive speed. Recently released on the Android market, Trapster's v3.0 update refreshes the look of its checkpoint alerting mobile app and throws in some new features for good measure. In addition to the cleaner UI, there's also a new homescreen widget that lets you vote on upcoming traps and terrain maps to complement the existing standard and satellite versions. But the real standout feature here is the inclusion of a real-time speedometer that should have the heavy-footed reaching for that brake more often. The new function alerts drivers with color-coded warnings should their speed demon ways get the best of the road's limit. Alright, so the app may discourage your burnt rubber predilections, but that shouldn't stop you from hitting the source link to download this ticket-avoiding application.

HTC Status review

For many smartphone users, a quality keyboard is the only feature that truly matters. These passionate devotees will proudly live and die with their thumbs blazing, and for of all RIM's recent troubles, it's currently floating on a life preserver: a compelling handset with a portrait QWERTY keyboard doesn't exist for Android. The HTC Status ($50 on contract) attempts to succeed where others have failed, and -- if it's any good -- could entice many BlackBerry-toting teens that want a new handheld fixation. They rarely bother with email, as text messages and Facebook reign supreme for communication. To that end, the Status promotes itself as the perfect phone for Facebook users, but is the integration truly useful, or simply a chintzy add-on? More so, can HTC successfully marry Gingerbread with an upright keyboard? Join us after the break to learn whether we "Like" the HTC Status.

HTC Status review

Hardware

The HTC Status has a form factor you know well. Measuring 4.5 inches (114.4mm) tall and 2.54 inches (64.6mm) wide, it's a touch larger than your run-of-the-mill 9700 or E73, but at 0.42 inches (10.7mm) narrow, it's thin where it counts. Like the Nexus S, it has a gentle curve -- or bend, depending on how you look at it -- a design quirk that tilts the screen ever-so-slightly toward the user. At 4.37 ounces (124g), it's relatively light, although we immediately noticed that the weight isn't well-balanced, as the top half is appreciably heavier. Fortunately, it felt very comfortable when held securely.

On the inside, the Status packs a Qualcomm MSM7227 Turbo SoC with an 800MHz CPU and an Adreno 200 GPU. It supports quadband GSM and features HSPA connectivity over the 850 / 1900MHz bands. There's a wide assortment of goodies here, including 512MB of memory, WiFi (up to 802.11n), mobile hotspot functionality, Bluetooth 3.0, AGPS, and FM radio, along with a compass, accelerometer, and proximity and ambient light sensors. Users will find a 2GB microSD card pre-installed, but much to our frustration, the expansion slot is buried beneath the anemic 1250mAh battery.

The first thing you'll notice is the full QWERTY keyboard stretching across the bottom half of the handset -- that and the dedicated Facebook button, which we'll talk about more in a bit. In many ways, the Status takes its design cues from the HTC Flyer. The face of the phone is largely blanketed in a metallic silver coating, save for the chrome speaker grille up top, a curved white strip along the bottom, and a thick black bezel surrounding the display, which contains four haptic navigation buttons. The silvery finish extends around the back to form a broad strip that showcases an engraved HTC logo and separates the camera pod from the battery cover.

Oddly, these upper and lower sections are composed of two distinct white plastics. While the upper portion has an outstanding look and feel that's reminiscent of ceramic, the lower part is woefully thin, which cheapens its attractive satin appearance. To make matters worse, the battery cover is very, very difficult to remove. While the user's manual suggests it can be popped free with two thumbs, we tried this method for ten minutes without success. Instead, HTC should have written the instructions as such:

Sandwich the phone face-down between your palms, squeeze tightly, then push forward without abandon -- the cacophony of key tones is normal, so don't be scared -- just keep forcing it until that damn securely-engineered cover pops free.

Aside from the poorly designed battery door, the Status is well-assembled. It even survived an (unintentional) drop on the hardwood floor completely unscathed. Maybe next time...

Hidden within the chrome speaker grille, you'll discover a green / amber notification light that indicates new messages or a low battery, and there's also a front-facing VGA camera nestled in the bezel. Along the left side of the phone is a short, narrow volume rocker that runs nearly flush with the phone, and while you can press nearly any part of the button to adjust the volume, the rocker feels stiff, with poor tactile feedback. Below that you'll find an exposed micro-USB port. A 3.5mm stereo mini-jack is located up top, positioned to the left of the power / lock button. Around back, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera is paired with an LED flash and a dedicated loudspeaker.

Display

The 2.6-inch (480 x 320) Gorilla Glass touchscreen features approximately 221 pixels per inch. While this is a step below the norm, we still found all but the smallest of text to be quite readable (albeit, marginally blurry). The TFT LCD screen is decently bright, which allowed us to comfortably view the display in direct sunlight. Granted, it wasn't ideal, but we didn't need to run for shade either. While the color saturation diminishes when angled beyond 20 degrees to the left or right, it's significantly better than the EVO Shift 4G we used for comparison.

Keyboard

As for the all-important keyboard, it's quite good. Unlike the never-ending sea of buttons you'll find on the BlackBerry, the Status' island layout allows each domed key to stand separately, and the typing experience is both comfortable and accurate. The buttons are reminiscent of small pebbles, and each key press feels firm and tactile, resulting in a rewarding click. Unfortunately, the underlying panel creates a mushy sound that detracts from an otherwise ideal typing experience. The keyboard integrates a numerical keypad for dialing, along with a dedicated ".com" button and four directional keys that help position the cursor.

Performance and Call Quality

Provided you're not looking to play graphically demanding games, you'll be pleasantly satisfied with the Status' performance. Seriously, you weren't really planning to on honing your Fruit Ninja skills on the little screen, were you? Sure, its 800MHz CPU is no speed demon, but it's doubtful you'll start begging for an upgrade, either. When it comes to the things this phone was meant to do -- browse the internet, play music, poke through galleries, and yes, update Facebook -- you're likely to have a satisfying experience. Unfortunately, the Quadrant benchmark software wasn't able to complete the requisite CPU test, but we've got a host of other benchmarks for your careful scrutiny.

Benchmark

HTC Status

HTC EVO Shift 4G

Samsung Nexus S

Linpack

9.6

33.7

17.4

Nenamark

36.3

41.3

51.6

Nenamark2

7.4

10.6

n / a

Neocore

55.6

57.1

55.6

Sunspider

10,013

4,109

5,879

After enjoying outstanding call quality on the Wildfire S -- also on AT&T's network -- we had high hopes for the Status. Unfortunately, those hopes went unfulfilled. While voices sounded clear, an inescapable hiss emanated from the phone as soon as we started a call. Even during calls to landlines, our friends' voices seemed distant, hollow, and muffled. Worse yet, calls would frequently cut out, forcing friends to repeat what was said. Fortunately, no calls were dropped, and our friends perceived us very clearly and seemed quite satisfied with the depth of our voice.

Battery Life

Given the small display and relatively pedestrian CPU, we'd hoped the 1250 mAh battery would provide sufficient longevity for web browsing, chatting, check-ins and status updates. Unfortunately, any social-savvy user is likely to overwhelm the lithium-ion cells. One day, we enjoyed an hour of music, and three half-hour blocks of web browsing, Facebook messaging, and good ol' voice chat. During this time, we took approximately a dozen pictures, checked into three establishments via Facebook, and sent a smattering of emails, Facebook status updates, and picture uploads. Ten hours later, we were scrambling for a wall outlet. While the battery will certainly carry you through the day, don't expect it to deliver you through the evening, too.

In our standard battery rundown test, we started with a full charge and fresh boot, enabled GPS and WiFi (without connecting to an access point), set the display to 50 percent brightness, configured one push email account, and set Twitter and Facebook to poll every 15 minutes and one hour, respectively. When playing a movie on a continual loop, the handset kept pace for just three hours and thirty minutes, while average runtimes for Android smartphones are nearly twice that

Camera

The five megapixel AF camera is an admirable performer under ideal lighting conditions, and is able to capture a respectable amount of detail, especially when coupled with HTC's tap-to-focus feature. Overall, we were quite pleased with the picture quality, but the camera isn't without setbacks. Unfortunately, if you shoot in direct sunlight, even vivid colors will appear somewhat muted, and bright areas will be frequently overexposed. Meanwhile, pictures taken under artificial lighting appear overly saturated, and proper white balance is often difficult to achieve. The camera also produces an appreciable amount of noise indoors, even at low ISO settings.

As you might expect, the sensor performs poorly in low light situations, and creates an unnatural (though vaguely artistic) effect of overexposing lit areas while underexposing dark patches. There's no macro shooting mode either, and we found that you'll need at least four inches of distance between the lens and your intended object for the shot to be halfway usable. The LED flash is certainly capable of illuminating an indoor scene, but you'll need to be cautious of reflective surfaces, as the built-in bulb can easily overwhelm the sensor. Video resolution goes up to 720 x 480, and while the frame rate can't properly convey fluid motion at this setting, it should be adequate for capturing embarrassing situations that are bound for Facebook.

HTC Status sample shots

Software

HTC Status screenshots

Much to our delight, the Status comes loaded with Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). It also features a customized version of HTC's user environment known as Sense 2.1 for Messenger, which retools the familiar UI for the smaller display. While the main screen is quite crowded, many users will likely appreciate the amount of information and content that's immediately accessible from this panel. Rather than the standard weather widget, you'll find a bubble underneath the clock that displays status updates for Facebook and Twitter. Granted, the usefulness here is debatable, but it's certainly cute given the social nature of the phone. There's only five home screens (rather than HTC's standard seven), and the default panel now occupies the leftmost position. The four remaining spaces include widgets for Google search, FriendStream (which aggregates Facebook and Twitter activity), Facebook chat, and an empty panel with a solitary plus icon that's intended to encourage customization. The lock screen is modeled after Sense 3.0, which offers quick access to the dialer, email, camera, and messages by simply dragging the appropriate application onto a ring that's located at the bottom of the display. These icons are also customizable, should you care to replace any with apps of your choosing. Sadly, the notification panel doesn't include the handy Quick Settings menu, which means you must dig through Android's settings to select which radios are enabled.

Seeing that the Status is, after all, a social phone, we were consistently frustrated with the typing experience. Mind you, the hardware is excellent -- we're just griping about software here. As writers, we take pride in our words, and unless something is on fire, it's unlikely you'll find us spelling you're as "youre", or who's as "whos." Since smartphones are supposed to be, you know, smart, we shouldn't ever have to type an apostrophe to form a proper contraction. Sure, this can be resolved by enabling prediction, but then we must contend with astonishing "corrections" such as "Boise" being changed to "noise." We have better things to do than keep tabs on word prediction. With a keyboard this good, our typing is deliberate, intentional, and most of all, accurate. Hence, we need a distinct "Auto Correct" mode that's separate from "Auto Predict." All we're asking for is properly formed contractions. Bonus points for capitalized proper nouns. Just don't make us babysit the prediction engine any longer.

Our pains didn't end with the keyboard software, either. The camera application routinely quit while taking pictures, and while it brought little fanfare -- returning us straight to the HTC Sense home screen -- it desperately needs a remedy. We also noticed there's a dedicated shortcut to the settings menu that should activate by pressing Alt + Space. Unfortunately, unlike the quick access camera button, this link is broken. Worst of all, third-party applications that don't support rotation will force you to hold the phone sideways to read the content. Initially, this was only a minor annoyance, but it turned out to be a huge inconvenience whenever we needed to enter text. Your only option will be typing sideways or viewing your input in an equally awkward manner. Granted, this isn't necessarily HTC's fault, and should serve as a wake-up call to developers, but it doesn't change the fact that all Status owners will be forced to tolerate this inhumane experience.

Facebook

Of course, no review of the HTC Status would be complete without examining its Facebook integration. Intuitively, many assume that this solitary blue square is merely a dedicated shortcut to the Facebook application. In reality, it's a context-sensitive button that's primarily geared toward sharing status updates and links. By default, a single press opens a dialog for updating your status. (We're sure the pun isn't lost on you). Alternatively, you can write on friend's walls or upload pictures. A long-press on the Facebook button reveals a dialog for checking into nearby establishments, along with the ability to create check-in points for previously unlisted destinations. Tapping the Facebook icon from the web browser allows you to share the article you're viewing -- and provide a thoughtful description, such as: "zomg! LAME!! kthxbai." Sharing pictures directly from the photo gallery works in the same manner, and you can tag friends or provide captions before choosing an album destination. If you're currently a social butterfly who posts updates throughout the day, you might find true value in the Facebook button -- if not, it's unlikely to change your habits.

Facebook chat is another primary element of the Status, where a full-screen widget allows you to quickly communicate with other online acquaintances. The instant messaging is incredibly enjoyable to use, and inbound replies were nearly instantaneous. Unless you deliberately sign off, however, you'll appear online and available for chat with friends -- even while you sleep. In other words, even though you'll likely rekindle a few friendships with your new-found availability, you'll probably end up apologizing to just as many contacts that you inadvertently ignored.

Wrap-up

By now it should be obvious that the HTC Status fails to achieve its full potential. Given that it's a device for communication, typing should be flawless, but the software makes it a consistent pain. We hated the battery cover, the battery life is borderline insulting, and there's room for a larger display with greater pixel density, but -- believe it or not -- we'd be willing to forgive these elements if the phone's software felt more polished. We believe HTC will go a long way by simply improving the typing experience, but in order for this form factor to thrive on Android, developers must also rally to support landscape displays in a portrait enclosure. If you're considering the Status as the perfect complement to your Facebook lifestyle, at just $50 on contract, there's still a lot to appreciate. For our part, we're hoping that a better phone is just a software update away.