Google Phone In Spring 2008?

Google, apparently has taken substantial amount of floor space at the upcoming Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, leading some to speculate that the company might actually be ready to launch its Android based phones

While there is certainly an outside chance of the Google Phone launch, the more realistic and plausible scenario will be Google showing off a few prototype handsets. HTC, is the only handset maker that has publicly said that a device will be available in late 2008.

So why the big presence in Barcelona? Well Google has to win the hearts and minds of the mobile world, find partners and show the seriousness of its mobile efforts.

Via GigaOm

Best "iPhone Killer". Who?

So, there are many iPhone competitors at the market of mobile phones. Thus, we wish to ask the Internet users " iPhone Killer " in your opinion, can make a real competition at the market of mobile phones? Express your opinion!

# Samsung F700

First iPhone Killer - Samsung F700 is an ultra smart HSDPA capable 3.5G mobile phone. The Samsung F700 phone is an elegantly designed mobile phone which includes best range of multimedia features with download speeds of up to 7.2Mbps. The handset supports GPRS, UMTS (3G) and EDGE minus WiFi. The Samsung F700 mobile phone is built with a touch screen with Drag and drop facility and QWERTY key pad. Samsung F700 handset comes with a 5 MP digital camera with auto focus and flash. It also includes a secondary camera to make video calls. You can watch videos, listen to songs, share your photographs and send and receive email with a Samsung F700 handset.

Samsung F700 Hands-On Video:

# LG PRADA

Second iPhone Killer - LG Prada. LG teams up with the fashion house Prada to bring you a beautiful mobile gizmo, the LG Prada KE850. The LG KE850 Prada is a glamorous creation meant to carve a niche for itself with its sensuous black looks. You will be enamored with the exclusive Prada- style 3 inch touch screen display of the LG KE850. The LG Prada is a luxuriously designed handset with a smooth and glossy leather casing. The LG Prada is a perfect gizmo for the music-lovers with its multi-formatted audio player and a decent memory size. The LG Prada KE 850 also packs up different features like a 2 megapixel camera, an MPEG4 video recorder and a document viewer.

LG Prada Phone Video Test:

# Nokia Aeon

Third iPhone Killer - Nokia Aeon. The concept phone will feature a full surface touch screen display that replaces the traditional keypad. Its unique design gives this concept phone an extremely sleek and sexy look. Nokia should use some perfected material that doesn't leave fingerprints on Aeon's touch screen display; otherwise, you will probably spend half your time wiping it.

Nokia Aeon Video:

# Neonode N2

Fourth iPhone Killer - Neonode N2. It's the patented screen technology that enables the unique design of Neonode N2 and makes it so easy to use. You do everything on-screen simple and convenient. Neonode N2 is also an open platform, which means that you can download all the additional applications and features you want your device to have. With Neonode WRR you can also record and fill your Neonode N2 with music from radio channels on the web. It's the patented screen technology that enables the unique design of Neonode N2 and makes it so easy to use. You do everything on-screen simple and convenient. Neonode N2 is also an open platform, which means that you can download all the additional applications and features you want your device to have. With Neonode WRR you can also record and fill your Neonode N2 with music from radio channels on the web.

Neonode N2 Hands-On Video:

# Neo1973

Fifth iPhone Killer - Neo1973. The device, getting thrown together courtesy of the OpenMoko project with the goal of open-sourcing both the phone and the platform, will drop first in $200 "Hacker's Lunchbox" trim (for the aforementioned hackers) late this month featuring a seemingly bombproof plastic box to hold your GPLed bundle of joy and its dev tools.

Neo1973 Video:

# Asus Aura

Sixth iPhone Killer - Asus Aura. The Asus Aura phone will be featured a sliding QWERTY keyboard, a movable navigation module with navigation buttons, a 3.9 touchscreen display, a 2MP camera, GSM, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity. It has some things that the Apple iPhone doesn't, such as HSDPA and UMTS. Sadly, the Asus Aura is just a concept.

# FIC-GTA001

Seventh iPhone Killer - FIC-GTA001. Linux-based, GPS-equipped, quad-band GSM/GPRS phone direct, worldwide, for 350USD or less, in Q1, 2007. First International Computing's (FIC's) "Neo1973" or FIC-GTA001, is the first phone based on the open-source "OpenMoKo" platform.

# BenQ-Siemens Black Box

Eighth iPhone Killer - BenQ-Siemens Black Box. The interesting concept phone from BenQ Siemens. Similar to a concept phone call BenQ Siemens Ruby , the Black Box uses a touch screen as its keypad. Depends on the functions you are using, the touch screen change the control layout immediately.

# Meizu M8

Ninth iPhone Killer - Meizu M8. In terms of raw specs, the M8 is said to sport standard GSM, TD-SCDMA for 3G data, a 3.3-inch widescreen (720x480) display, Bluetooth, and an ARM11 CPU. What's more, they've upped the ante in the camera department, beating Apple's picture-taker by one whole megapixel. The 3MP cam on board is also capable of recording video at 30fps (at the device's full 720 x 480 resolution).

Meizu M8 Video from CeBit 2007:

What your choice?

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The Google Phone: The Story So Far and What's Next

The Wall Street Journal has been reporting on Google’s mobile phone efforts and how it is beginning to draw some interest from carriers, especially in the United States. Sprint (S) and Verizon (VZ) are in talks with Google (GOOG), according to the Journal, and an announcement by the company is expected sometime in November. Here is what I have been able to gather from my sources:

* An announcement will likely be made Nov. 13th or Nov. 18th.
* Handset makers will use a Google Mobile OS platform.
* Google Mobile OS uses a highly optimized Mobile Linux; developers will be able to use a Java Development Kit. Google is said to have developed a highly optimized Java running on top of the OS. (Read our previous post, Five Facts about Google Phone.)
* Most major handset makers, with the exception of Nokia (NOK), have devices with Google Mobile OS under development; Samsung and Motorola (MOT) are being linked to it as well. (as are HTC and LG Electronics, according to the Journal.)
* The operators who are likely to be part of the big announcement will be T-Mobile’s USA division and Bharti Airtel, one of India’s largest cellular carriers.

The increased interest on the part of mobile carriers is summed up best by Hamid Akhavan, CEO of T-Mobile International and CTO of Deutsche Telecom (DT). In a chat with Russell Reynolds Associates he said:

These companies have recognized that it is not an easy game to penetrate the wireless market without the help of the operators, which has led to collaborative relationships…The biggest challenge is to adapt our market perspective and business model to one based on partnerships, content and applications. Historically, wireless carriers had a relatively simple business model — end-to-end voice service — with correspondingly simple billing. That is no longer the case.

Carriers are grappling with this question, and this business model conflict is something that needs to be resolved quickly by Google. Akhavan points out…

When AT&T and Apple partner on the iPhone or T-Mobile partners with Google on mobile advertising, these new arrangements force the question: “Who pays whom and when?” Billing, payment and content management for broadcast, advertising, search and music all are significantly different. Carriers are having to develop new business models that are compatible with the changing business models of the other key players in the ecosystem. The business models have to be as interoperable as the technologies.

After talking extensively to the mobile industry insiders, I believe Google Mobile OS is going to become part of the new mobile ecosystem. More on that later tonight, once I get a chance to sit and write.

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It’s time we hear from Google about its mobile phone plans

We’ve been waiting a long time to hear from Google about its mobile plans and the so-called Gphone or Google-powered phones. According to one report, that wait may be over soon.

The Wall Street Journal today said Google is expected to announce within the next two weeks advanced software and services that would allow handset makers to bring Google-powered phones to market by next summer. Google’s goal is to make applications and services as accessible on cellphones as they are on the Internet.

To compliment the WSJ’s story, Reuters noted that Google is in active talks with Verizon, the No. 2 carrier in the U.S., about putting Google applications on phones it offers.



And in early October, The New York Times posited that the Google phone may not be a phone at all but a mobile operating system.

Google Phone concepts

Obviously speculation abounds, which the tech community thrives on. The WSJ believes that Google-powered phones will wrap together several Google applications like the search engine, Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail — no surprise there. It makes sense.

The WSJ says the “most radical element” of Google’s plan is its push to make software for the phone(s) open “right down to the operating system” — again, no surprise. It makes sense.

If the Google phones are “open”, independent software developers would gain access to the tools they need to build additional phone features, something that Nokia is already experimenting with. Apple will also be opening up, to some degree at least, early next year.

Of course all of this — and what’s been written the past two months — is speculation. It’s time we hear from Google.

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Rumors: new Sony Ericsson products in 2008

Some pics and info on new SE phones in 2008 have leaked to the Internet from an insider source. According to the Mobile Close Up these are W970, K830 and K860. Sony Ericsson W970 belongs to the Walkman music series. It is equipped with an iPod-like navigation wheel, a 5-megapixel camera and a storage card slot.



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Sprint Rumor Phone Details

After a short teaser, Sprint has released the details of the Sprint Rumor messaging phone. Designed by LG, this phone aims to be an affordable texting phone. It will be available for $80 (with a 2yr service contract and...



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Will Google Turn to HTC for GPhone Production?

Forbes is keeping the Google GPhone speculation going with the suggestion that Google could turn to little-known cell phone manufacturer, HTC.As we’ve already speculated ourselves, it makes sense for Google to focus on the phone software and let someone else take care of the actual phone hardware. Google, doesn’t want to be a manufacturer.


What will Google choose?



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