android

Is the iPhone's screen too small?

Since I posted an article about the features I wanted to see in the next-generation iPhone, I've received several e-mails from readers calling me out for not including a larger screen as one of the 20 feature upgrades. Most readers were polite but mildly indignant. Here's what two Texans wrote me--Larry from Austin and Mike from Houston:

Larry: You didn't mention at all a larger display or screen! You may not want a bigger display, but I do and I am sure there are lots of others too. Why can't Apple come out at least w/a slightly larger screen, i.e. 3.7" or 4"? The HTC Google/Nexus Phone has a 3.7" screen but yet the phone is still basically the same size as the iPhone. The new Samsung Galaxy S phones that are hitting all four U.S. major networks this month and the next month have 4" screens but yet the phones themselves are pretty much the same size [as the iPhone 4]...

Mike: What, a bigger screen didn't make the top 20??!?!?!? That's the main reason I didn't buy the iPhone 4. Yes, my eyes are getting bad so I need the bigger screen...and every new phone coming out now has at least 4" screens...Droid X, Samsung Galaxy S, EVO. I tried out the EVO for 2 weeks and loved it...unfortunately I have 5 people on my AT&T account. Tough to switch.

Of course, they want everything bigger in Texas (or at least they say everything is bigger there), but I gotta say, I haven't experienced a desire to inflate my iPhone's screen size. That said, these e-mails got me thinking more about smartphone screens and I reread CNET editor Eric Franklin's article that tests and compares the screen performance of the iPhone 4, the HTC Evo, and the Motorola Droid. In his shootout, he gave the nod to the iPhone 4; the Evo came in a close second, and the Droid followed up in third. However, Franklin focused more on image quality and less with the actual size of the screen.

Personally, I really like the Evo, built-in kickstand and all, but I find that as a phone it's a tad bulky. I also think the same of the Droid and new Droid X. CNET's smartphone guru Bonnie Cha has a couple new Samsung Galaxy S models sitting on her desk--AT&T calls its Galaxy S phone the Captivate, and T-Mobile has the Vibrant--that I've played around with it a bit and like the design and agree with Larry's assessment that the phone is "basically the same size as the iPhone." In fact, it's a little scary how close the Vibrant resembles a slightly trimmer version of the iPhone 3GS.

As for specs, the Galaxy S "family" has a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen that's 800x480 pixels. The iPhone's 3.5-inch Retina Display offers a 960x640-pixel resolution. We measured the two screens and calculated that the Galaxy S's display offers 17 percent more overall screen area. Compare the 4.2-inch Evo's or 4.3-inch Droid X's screen with the iPhone's and you're looking at upwards of 20 percent.

So why are other smartphone manufacturers going bigger--and is it better?… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1272: Interests: being hot (podcast)

It's another Monday on BOL, which means breaking news interjections, stumbling analysis, and hilarious Brian Tong jokes that go RIGHT over Molly's head. Turns out you can not actually search for girlfriends on Facebook using the search term, "hot girls." Unless, of course, they self-identify. Plus, a pain ray update!

Motorola i1 available from Sprint July 25

Following in Boost Mobile's footsteps, Sprint announced on Monday that it, too, will offer the Motorola i1, starting July 25 for $149.99 with a two-year contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate through its business and Web channels. The phones will arrive in retail stores on August 8.

The i1 is the first Android device to support Nextel Direct Connect's push-to-talk service, and it also features a rugged design, a 3.1-inch HVGA touch screen, a 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.

For more information about the smartphone, please read our full review of the Motorola i1 for Boost Mobile.… Read more

Google to stop selling Nexus One

If you've ever wanted to get the Nexus One, you better grab one now because Google will stop selling the Android device once its current inventory runs out.

The company made the announcement on its Nexus One blog and said it received its last shipment of Nexus Ones this week. Once those devices are sold, you will no longer be able to buy them online from Google.

That said, the Nexus One will still be available through carrier partners, including Vodafone in Europe and KT in Korea. Registered developers will also be able to purchase the phone through a … Read more

Motorola Droid and Devour getting phased out

A leaked screen capture from Verizon's internal system indicates that the days are numbered for the Droid and Devour.

Both phones are listed as limited, with no remaining shipments from the vendor, Motorola. It is not known what the inventory levels are for either device or when they might be completely gone. This is not to say the phones won't be supported with future updates, just that they're nearing the end of their life cycle. Motorola has at least pledged Android 2.2 for the Droid, while the 2.1 update for the Devour is under evaluation. … Read more

Float your music to the clouds with MP3tunes

Music services geared toward untethered listening are enjoying increasing popularity thanks to the fact that cell phones are swiftly replacing standalone MP3 players for many people. MP3tunes is one of many solutions that has cropped up as a solution for on-the-go listening. The company offers a music cloud service that lets you upload up to 2GB of music for free and access it from any Internet-connected computer as well as a variety of handheld devices.

The first step to using MP3tunes is to download the teeny, tiny LockerSync uploader tool, which lets the service analyze your library and add it … Read more

HTC Desire HD rumored for October

Though demand is still high for HTC's Evo 4G, the rumor mill is already abuzz about HTC's next big Android phone.

According to a few recent leaks, the Taiwanese handset maker is working on a follow up to the HTC Desire dubbed the Desire HD. The phone is said to run Android 2.2 and have a 4.3-inch touch screen, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording HD video, 4GB internal memory, as well as the increasingly popular 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

Also according to the leaks, the phone will support XviD video playback, SRS surround sound, and … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1270: MP3: the gateway drug (podcast)

On today's show, Buzz Out Loud gets you a tiny bit high ... using a sine wave. Could it be!? Also, we continue our long slog through the Story that Wouldn't End: the iPhone 4 antenna issue. Press conference tomorrow! Also, will the Droid X self-destruct if you try to mod it? Maybe, maybe not. But it seems like the phone world is all about picking your poison these days.

HP shelving its Android tablet?

Hewlett-Packard is working on a variety of tablet PCs, running a variety of operating systems. Among them, an Android device that was supposed to arrive at market in the fourth quarter of 2010. But no longer. Sources in position to know tell me that HP's Android slate has been delayed and won't ship before the end of the year as planned.

Why? That's not entirely clear, but evidently the tablet has been tabled--at least for the time being.

Perhaps HP has decided to focus its resources on the future WebOS slate PC that its new Palm unit … Read more

Vlingo's SuperDialer aims to be an Android 411

If you own an Android phone, you already know how to use Vlingo's SuperDialer, a beta feature that expands the app's vocally triggered "call" command to search not just your personal phone book, but also a wider directory of businesses.

Tap Vlingo's home screen widget and speak out the name of the business or category of business you'd like to call, for example "Call Little Star Pizza" or "call pizza." (Omitting the "call" command will trigger the default Google search, but not the SuperDialer's business listings.)

Vlingo … Read more