Motorola Droid
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)Shortly after we posted our Motorola Droid review, we received quite a few e-mails from CNET readers who were concerned about the phone's inability to support hands-free voice commands and dialing. Indeed, the readers were correct and Motorola's support forums continue to buzz with user complaints regarding the issue.
As part of our original Droid review we did not test whether the handset supported hands-free voice dialing. We apologize for that, but we've now updated the review to reflect our findings.
Below is the passage from the review:
Unfortunately, the Droid does not support Bluetooth voice dialing or commands. In order to use the Voice Dialer feature, you first must select the icon from the main menu (you can move on a shortcut to the home screen). After speaking your command, you then must confirm it via a prompt on the touch screen. Though we found the voice dialing feature to be quite accurate--it successfully picked up a command when we were a few feet away--it is not an ideal scenario for people who need to completely hands-free. We hope this omission is corrected in a future software update.
In the future, we will report on hands-free voice dialing in our smartphone reviews. As more state and local areas pass laws mandating hands-free driving, such capability will only grow more important.
Remember the rumor about Google working on its own Android phone? Well, it's back again, despite the fact that Google has said it's not interested in making hardware. On this week's episode of Dialed In, we discuss the possibility of an actual "Gphone" and its ramifications. Plus, Kent has a few things he would like to get off his chest about Sony Ericsson, and Nicole takes a look at a Bluetooth headset with a one-of-a-kind design.
Also, we're nominated for Best Mobile Phone Formatted Podcast at Podcast Awards, so feel free to head on over to the Web site and vote for our little old podcast. Voting takes place now until November 30 and you can vote once a day. Thanks for listening!
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Rumor(s) of the week
Rumors of GPhone refuse to die
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We have special guest Damian Koh from CNET Asia joining us on today's show. He answers our questions about the cell phone market in Asia, and surprisingly, he tells us he actually envies us for the phones that are available only in the U.S. We also discuss the Motorola Droid, Verizon's AT&T-bashing ads, Samsung's Bada, and more.
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News
Initial Motorola Droid sales look good
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Nokia 3711
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LG Chocolate Touch VX8575
Twitter Peek
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Motorola Droid vs. iPhone 3GS prizefight
Upcoming reviews
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Jabra Stone
The Android onslaught continues with the announcement of Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 and the rumors of Verizon's HTC Droid Eris. Though we will get to see the Droid Eris in our hot little hands--and for the bargain price of $99--the X10 may never see life in North America. We're not thrilled that the Moto Droid skimped on the finger-pinching multitouch. Also in the podcast, Nicole talks rips on the Twitter Peek.
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Xperia X10
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)
Rumor of the week
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Yes, we actually have the Motorola Droid in the house, and we couldn't be more excited about it. We dish about Verizon's new Android phone and what it means for the Android platform in general. We also talk about the latest Sony Ericsson phones and go over the week's reviews.
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Motorola Droid live review
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Reviews
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Doro PhoneEasy 410
Upcoming reviews
Motorola Droid
Sony Ericsson Equinox
Samsung Caliber
Samsung Freeform
(Credit:
gDial Pro)
Back in September, we tested out a Google Voice app for Palm WebOS phones called gDial Pro. The free gDial Pro just recently updated to version 0.8.9, and is available now in Palm's App Catalog. While gDial Pro still isn't quite as integrated into the Palm Pre as Google's native Google Voice app is for Google's own Android platform, it remains a good option for Google Voice users on Palm's comeback platform.
In addition to fixing some dialing bugs, the developer made a ton of other user interface adjustments, including changing the wording in the Preferences screen to make gDial Pro a little easier for new users to set up. Web dialing, the smoother dialing option of the two, is presented as the default in an expandable, advanced-features window.
Other notable additions include now being able to dial a number in the same U.S. area code without having to dial the area code. gDial Pro will also now alert you to new voicemails. Importantly, you can also listen to voicemail messages from within gDial Pro without first calling out to Google Voice.
You can find a full list of changes at Download.com.
The Droid is coming! The Droid is coming! In case you haven't heard, Verizon's first Google Android phone is on the way and the carrier isn't holding anything back, taking some not-so-subtle swipes at the beloved iPhone. We're not going to lie; it's pretty fun to watch. Also on this week's episode, we take a look at the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 and some new senior- and wallet-friendly cell phones from Consumer Cellular.
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Rumor of the week
Motorola Calgary to be Verizon's second Android phone?
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Motorola Cliq
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Pantech Reveal
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RIM BlackBerry Storm 2
Upcoming reviews
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Well, fancy us, it's Dialed In's 100th episode! It's taken us just over two years and countless cell phones to get here, but we've reached podcast legitimacy. This week, we round up CTIA news, rant about the Sidekick, and wonder who would pay $1,000 for a cell phone, even if it is made by Armani. And elsewhere in the podcast, Bonnie slams a cell phone, and Kent can't see the light of the Samsung Blue Earth.
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Bonnie don't play that.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
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Bonnie and Kent are in San Diego this week covering the CTIA wireless trade show, so Nicole roped in Jason Howell and Donald Bell to cover all the week's news. We talk about the new Android phones, Windows Mobile 6.5, new phones for AT&T and Verizon, and of course, this week's reviews.
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Two Verizon Android phones in 2009
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AT&T reveals two new Pantech handsets
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Verizon Wireless introduces HTC Imagio
Verizon Wireless dazzles with the Razzle
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A Moto Barrage for Verizon
Reviews
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Pantech Reveal
We get a sneak peek at Microsoft's Project Pink, with leaked photos of a phone that isn't pink at all. We then dish about the Motorola Cliq, the finally released Garmin Nuvifone, MMS coming to the iPhone, and more.
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Rumor of the week
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