Communications

In a world populated with devices that are "Made for iPod" and that "Work with iPhone," the uninformed Android phone owner might mistakenly feel neglected and confused by the lack of Android-specific solutions for using their handsets in their vehicles--specifically for listening to music on the road. Fret not, ye Android loyal. Thanks to the magic of standards, there is no need for a "Made for Android" badge, because chances are that the technology is already there for you to utilize.

In this How-To Guide, we'll be outlining three ways to play music stored on your Android handset (and in some cases, on the cloud) through your car stereo. We'll be using the Motorola Droid running Android OS 2.0.1 and a variety of aftermarket and OEM car stereos, but these instructions should work with any Android phone and any stereo that meets the requirements listed below.… Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--It's no secret that we weren't huge fans of the Garmin Nuvifone G60. How could we be when half of the product (the smartphone half) barely worked? So when we heard that Garmin-Asus would be showing off its latest Nuvifone models, the Android-powered Nuvifone A10 and Windows Mobile-based Nuvifone M10, at Mobile World Congress 2010, we didn't have the highest of hopes. However, after getting some hands-on time with the devices, we may just be changing our mind.

To start, the hardware is much improved. Both the Nuvifone A50 and M10 have sexier, slimmer designs that … Read more

As speculation over an Apple tablet reaches a crescendo before the January 27 event, analysts offer their insights into what will power the device--or devices, as the case may be.

Richard Doherty, director of technology consulting firm Envisioneering Group, believes that multiple tablets and/or a Macbook with touch-screen features will emerge. So, what's inside depends on the device. "Anything that's not a Mac touchscreen, will be an ARM processor," according to Doherty, who said he believes that Apple, sooner or later, will also bring out a MacBook that has tablet-like features, in addition to tablets. … Read more

Apple aluminum MacBooks are definitely cool--until you want 3G in a laptop. Then they're not.

I've said this before. But I'll say it again. There are consumers--including those potentially opting for laptops from Hewlett-Packard or Dell--who would like to buy a MacBook with 3G built in. Let's hope Apple sees the light with the expected upgrade to the MacBook Pro line.

Yes, there are ways to bootstrap a MacBook to get 3G. I've done tethering with my BlackBerry Storm. And then there's Verizon's tiny MiFi portable hotspot--which I use now.

But it would be nice if Apple offered one laptop in its MacBook lineup with a built-in 3G option. Like Wi-Fi and Ethernet, 3G should be part of the standard connectivity mix on a laptop.

And it wouldn't have to be an AT&T-only deal, like the iPhone. HP offers, across its consumer and business laptop lines, the Qualcomm Gobi 3G modem, which works on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint networks. Dell, too, offers plenty of 3G options on its notebooks, including an AT&T wireless option on its new ultrathin Vostro v13 laptop.

And visit a Verizon or AT&T store and you'll see a growing collection of Netbooks (including a couple from HP), all with built-in 3G.

Those very big PC and carrier companies offer 3G because customers demand it. I don't see Apple meeting this market need. HP ad copy is accurate when it states that "mobile broadband is typically more protected than Wi-Fi hotspots...Because of its popularity, most HP laptops now offer a built-in HP mobile broadband card or it can be added as an option."

It's--let me put it gently--strange that in 2010 when everyone is using an iPhone 3GS that Apple doesn't offer the MacBook Air (which I use everyday) with a 3G option. After all, the Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro are both take-with-you-anywhere laptops that cry out for 3G.

Let me repeat: yes, technically inclined consumers can go with tethering or a mobile hotspot. But--and I don't think I'm going out on a limb here--more than a few consumers would prefer it built into the laptop.

A couple of additional thoughts. Though the credit card-size MIFi portable hotspot is definitely handy, in my experience it's not as reliable… Read more

An analyst at AVI Securities said Friday morning that the Apple tablet is "in full production" and a research note stated that Apple "NAND" flash chip requirements may be increasing because of the tablet.

The Apple tablet information comes from "a maker of components going into the Apple tablet," according to analyst Matt Thornton. "It's been in the supply chain for a while and entered full production this month. A couple of suppliers actually had weaker Decembers than they would have expected because production was pushed back a little bit," he … Read more

DETROIT--At CES 2010, Ford announced a whole new cabin tech interface for its cars, dubbed MyFord, MyMercury, and MyLincoln, depending on which model brand it is installed. At the 2010 Detroit auto show, we got a hands-on look at the MyLincoln interface in the updated 2011 Lincoln MKX, and a voice-on demonstration of Sync's new smartphone application integration.

In Ford models, MyFord is divided into two variants, MyFord and MyFord Touch, the latter featuring two 4.2-inch LCDs and one 8-inch touch-screen LCD. In Lincoln models, starting with the launch of the 2011 MKX, MyLincoln Touch is standard, with the two 4.2-inch LCDs flanking the speedometer and the 8-inch touch screen mounted in the center stack.

We started our demonstration by trying out the user configurable screens in the instrument cluster. Lincoln mounted five-way button clusters on each steering wheel spoke, which let you manipulate the look of the screens and make selections. These buttons are patterned after those found on cell phones and MP3 players, and we found them immediately intuitive to use.

On the left side screen, we went through menu options, changing the look of the engine speed gauge and opting for which kind of trip information we wanted to view. The system responded quickly, and seemed no more distracting than choosing trip information from current vehicles. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Ford CEO Alan Mulally says tech geeks will feel right at home in Ford cars.

Mulally delivered the Thursday morning keynote at the 2010 International CES, where he said "smart technology" such as access to smartphones and fuel efficiency are core to Ford's strategy.

"Green technology and smart innovation are helping us serve our customers and differentiate Ford," Mulally said.

He started his talk noting the surge in usage of online applications like Twitter and Facebook in the past year. Ford's Sync software allows … Read more

Certain Kia car owners will soon be able to play music and make phone calls, all by just the sound of their voice.

Kia Motors' new infotainment system "Uvo powered by Microsoft" will let car owners access its key features by voice as well as by touch. With an assist from Microsoft speech technology and an embedded version of Windows, Uvo will help drivers and passengers make and answer phone calls, respond to text messages, and play music from different sources, said Kia.

Using Microsoft's voice recognition, car owners will be able to direct the system by issuing short voice commands rather searching through complex menus, said Kia. Drivers and passengers can scroll through their music lists and phone books by voice or via the touch screen.

For greater accuracy, speech recognition profiles can be created and trained for two different voices from among a variety of languages. The system can even respond to questions, such as "What's playing?" so that drivers don't have to fumble or take their eyes off the road.… Read more

Google has asked the Federal Communications Commission to designate it as one of the administrators of a database for "white space" devices.

For several years, Google has been among the companies urging the FCC to open up the "white spaces"--small amounts of spectrum between broadcast television channels--to unlicensed use. Google joined the White Spaces Database Group in February to help move the project along, since one of the requirements of the white spaces plan is a database that devices can use to figure out which channels are available for use.

At that time, Google's … Read more