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The jury is still out on whether Google will be successful marketing the Nexus One to the average consumer but when your product is endorsed by a giant in the Open Source community, you know you are on the right track.

Linux Torvalds, best known for developing the Linux Kernel, acknowledged that “the Nexus One is a winner” and has replaced his rarely used G1 phone.

What is his view of cellphones in general?  His direct quote,  “I generally hate phones–they are irritating and disturb you as you work or read or whatever–and a cell phone to me is just an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are”.

What changed Torvalds’s mind about this horrid device called a cellphone, “I no longer feel like I’m dragging a phone with me ‘just in case’ I would need to get in touch with somebody – now I’m having a useful (and admittedly pretty good-looking) gadget instead. The fact that you can use it as a phone too is kind of secondary.  I’ve wanted to have a GPS unit for my car anyway, and I thought that google navigation might finally make a phone useful.”

The Android OS is an open source mobile platform that is fully customizable which allows developers total control and ease of application development.  There are currently 20,000 plus applications available and that number is expected to skyrocket.

Sources: http://torvalds-family.blogspot.com/2010/02/happy-camper.html

After weeks of anticipation from techies the world over, Google has unveiled to members of the press the Nexus One, its first consumer electronics device previously known as the Google Phone.  Set to compete with Apple’s iPhone and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, the HTC-made Nexus One runs an updated tweak of the Google Android OS.

Apart from what are expected from smartphones developed post-iPhone-touchscreen display, 5-megapixel camera, and stereo Bluetooth for headphones-the Nexus One pulls off features that impress us.  The phone includes a Global Positioning System, two microphones (one for noise cancellation), and a speech dictation technology, which transcribes what you speak on the Nexus One as you compose e-mails, tweets, and Facebook status updates.

Reactions, however, were not as mind-blowing as Google might have expected.  “The Nexus One has attractive features, but many of them were already available on other phones that use Google’s Android operating system,” wrote Jessica Guynn of Los Angeles Times.

Michael Gartenberg, an analyst from Interpret research firm, says that the new phone provides a perception that not all Android phones are created equal.  “If I was a (Motorola Droid) customer who just bought the phone a month ago, I might not feel so good.”

The Nexus One is now available on Google’s online store for US$529 if you want it unlocked or $179 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile.  Similar offers will be available from Verizon Wireless and United Kingdom’s Vodafone within this year.  It is also expected to be shipped in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Image source:  Google

Name:  Exchange by TouchDownPublisher: NitrodeskPrice: 5 day free demo, $19.99 for the key

Description:With TouchDown™, your office email, calendar and contacts are available right at your fingertips. You can choose how long to retain your email on your phone. You can choose to download ALL your exchange contacts to TouchDown™ any time you want, but get all changes automatically every time you check your email.

You get quick access to your day’s agenda, optimized for viewing on your phone. You can choose to dismiss past events to simplify the view. (Taken directly from the TouchDown website)

Introduction:While Android’s integrated corporate E-mail and calendar functions will be sufficient for most users, in our organization we found them to be lacking in a few areas. First, there was no task syncing with the Exchange server. Second, E-mail attachments were unable to be downloaded to our handset. This led to some searching for alternatives. That’s when we came across Exchange by TouchDown.

After installing from Android Market, and starting the application, just click the gear button to access the setup wizard. If you’re your own IT department, you should know all of the answers right away. If not, contact your IT department.  Once setup, Exchange by TouchDown will handle all of your corporate E-mail, calendaring, contacts, and tasks.  If you’ve had E-mail and calendar setup on your handset previously, you’ll either want to disable them or remove them completely.

Pros:E-mail, task, contact, and calendar syncingSupports syncing by Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007, ActiveSync, and USB to OutlookDownloads E-mail attachmentsEasy to use once setupFour widgets (universal, E-mail, calendar, tasks)

Cons:Price (while most companies that can afford an Exchange server won’t notice the hit, users purchasing the software themselves will)Setup can be difficult if you’re not aware of the settingsWould like more widgets with more size options (I find 3×2 annoying)

Features Rating: 4 out of 5 starsUsability Rating: 4 out of 5 starsSetup Rating: 3 out of 5 starsWidgets Rating: 3 out of 5 starsOverall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Final Thoughts:While this application was nice while I tested it, I found that I personally didn’t need the extra features.  I’ve uninstalled it.  Out of the four users in our organization, only one runs TouchDown.  That being said, for 25% of the DROID users in our organization, there was a need, and TouchDown met it with flying colors

Beijing time December 30 morning news, according to the overseas media reported today, sources revealed T – Mobile has confirmed that it will operate Google proprietary brand cellphone Nexus One through its internal system.

T – Mobile expressed in the internal system that it will take a kind of Android phone operation. But, it will only be responsible for billing, network covering, function and inclusive price etc. it will not provide some other technology support. Google and HTC will take charge of solving the mobile phone malfunction and change.

News sources also said this phone will be publicly sold on next January 5; maybe, Google may adopt Gmail marketing strategy again, which only sell its own independent development cellphone Nexus One for the consumers getting invitation. It means that users may only order the mobile phone by Google.

Furthermore, Google may display this style of cellphones on the American consumer electronics show to attract many industries. Nevertheless, the price of the cell phone is not clear currently.

As an online cellphone retailer, cellphone-china.com keeps its keen eyes on its leading company. Although the Nexus One has not been on the market yet, cellphone-china.com also launches a wide selection of cheap and fine Android mobile phones as well as compatible cellphone accessories. All the Android celluar phones come with high quality. No matter which design or mode customers prefer, they will find a satisfied one.

Besides, consumers can enjoy the first-class sell and after services from cellphone-china.com. Customers can also enjoy excellent dropshipping service. Cellphone-china.com will be consumers’ preferred reliable long-time dropshipping partner. 

News from Sina science and technology on December 26, this afternoon, according to the overseas media, news sources revealed Google may adopt Gmail marketing strategy again, which only sell Nexus One, its own independent development cellphones, for the consumers getting invitation.

It was not clear how Google will send out the invitation of buying Nexus One currently. When Google launched Gmail before, at the very start, it only support some testing users to invite 50 friends to register Gmail account, and then after the registering scope expanding gradually, Gmail has opened for all users for free.

News source said Android platform development personnel will take the lead in obtaining Nexus One mobile phones; perhaps they have the rights to send purchase invitation of Nexus One.

Earlier reports said Google will sell Nexus One phone in the online dropshipping way without including the contract with carrier, users can choose operators according to their own interests. But later news said, Google may have an operation with T-Mobile U.S., and T-Mobile would provide subsidies sales to Nexus One. The U.S. T-Mobile phone is also the first American carrier to sell Google Android mobile phones.

The sources said Google and T – Mobile will start sell Nexus One on next January 5th. Google may display this style of cellphones on the American consumer electronics show to attract many industries.

As a professional electronics dropshipping company, epathchina.com often pays attention to the movements of leading Google. Certainly, epathchina.com usually keeps a keen eye on the Android phones. As epathchina.com is also a dropshipper of Android phones.

Besides, if consumers want to buy some other multi-shaped and multi-functional cell phones, they can hunt a satisfied one in epathchina.com online shop, too. Furthermore, epathchina.com also releases all kinds of cellphone accessories. All the cellphones come with high quality and a discount price. Consumers will find it right to cooperate with epathchina.com.

Recently, every day there is lots of new information about Google mobile phones. epathchina.com is one of the company that keeps a keen eye on its movement. There is a piece of latest news again.

1. Google phone price exposure

Google Nexus One will be officially released on January 5th in 2010; this message has been confirmed by many sides, at the same time, the price of Nexus One has also been exposed on the Google Nexus One page. According to the exposed price, if the user choose T-Mobile package, he can buy the Gphone with the signing price of $179.99, however, the non-signing unlocked Nexus One will be sold at $530.

Google Nexus One is so anticipating mainly because the mobile phone is considered as the most sterling Android system by Google; besides, it carries the latest version of the Android 2.1 operating system, and the user interface specially developed for the phone will also make the Nexus One appear with a brand-new image.

2. Release time

Another piece of news, using one Google account can purchase only 5 Nexus One cell phones at most. In addition, Nexus One may sell to overseas markets. And this kind of mobile phones will be for sale on www.google.com/phone.

In addition to this, if users buy a Nexus One with subsidies, and they use the phone less than 120 days; then users need to pay $350 price difference or turn the mobile phone back to Google. It can not get the answer of the question that whether the Nexus One will be sold by entity shop until next January 5.

As a dropshipping company focusing on electronics, epathchina.com likes to pay attention to the leading companies which has similar business. Epathchina.com also has a broad selection of mobile phones with Android system. Consumers can also buy quality android phones from epathchina.com online shop. Moreover, a large number of other multi-functional and multi-shaped mobile phones will be good choices for customers.

Widgets: Bluetooth OnOff, GPS OnOff, WiFi OnOff, LockPattern OnOff, AutoRotate OnOff, Brightness LevelPublisher: CurveFish

IntroductionThe CurveFish OnOff widgets were the first widgets I downloaded when I got my new Motorola DROID. I needed to have complete control over my connections to save on battery life, and found a few little fun widgets along the way. And to have found a publisher that has released multiple widgets of the same theme excite the OCD inside me.

Bluetooth OnOff, WiFi OnOffThe Bluetooth OnOff and WiFi OnOff are just that, great widgets for controlling the state of your Bluetooth and WiFi connections. Straight forward and usable.Bluetooth OnOff Rating: 4.5 out of 5 starsWiFi OnOff Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

GPS OnOffThe GPS OnOff widget is very much like the Bluetooth OnOff and WiFi OnOff widgets, with the exception that it must be linked to another service. I originally linked it to the Bluetooth service, but the GPS froze and never turned on. I linked it to the WiFi, and seems to work, but I hate losing my WiFi connection just to turn my GPS on or off.GPS OnOff Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

LockPattern OnOffLockPattern OnOff is nice for configuring whether, once your phone locks, it unlocks using the slider or lock pattern. I use it to switch between being home, and away from home, as I don’t need anyone having that easy of access to all of my data.LockPattern OnOff Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

AutoRotate OnOffI honestly don’t enjoy my phone rotating from landscape to portrait without me explicitly telling it to. This is where AutoRotate OnOff comes into play. If your keyboard is retracted, your phone’s display is set to portrait. If your keyboard is extracted, your phone’s display is set to portrait. And putting your DROID in the car dock in portrait mode overrides the widget, which is perfect.

AutoRotate OnOff Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Brightness LevelWhile not specifically an OnOff widget, it works with with the battery saving features of the OnOff widgets by allowing you to EASILY change the screen brightness, saving you battery when you don’t need the screen on, or don’t need it bright.Brightness Level Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Final ThoughtsOverall, very satisfied with these widgets. So much so that I have a desktop devoted to geek tweaks, and they occupy the first six positions.Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Game:  Crystallight DefensePublisher: Smartpix GamesPrice: Demo available, full version $2.99

Description:Crystallight is a game of “tower defence” genre with extensive online rating system and hours of exciting gameplay. (taken from the Crystallight Defense website)

Introduction:While searching for another defense game in the Android Market that I’d been told about, I came across Crystallight Defense. It looked pretty good (I liked the graphics, honestly) so I opted to download it. After installing, I went through the tutorial and had a rather difficult time grasping the game. I started playing through individual battles, and to be quite honest, I struggled. It took me a couple days to beat the first battle (I left it on the default 40 waves). After beating it once, I started through the story mode, and found it rather easy. I’ve been hooked on the gameplay, and found myself enjoying it for hours when I have better things to do, like sleep.

Pros:Addicting gameplayMultiple levels of play in demo, and 40 levels in the paid versionOnline rating system

Cons:Tutorial leaves a bit to be desiredGame should have an “Additional Help” option that opens the website up in a browser

Graphics Rating: 3.5 out of 5 starsGameplay Rating: 4 out of 5 starsTutorial Rating: 2 out of 5 starsOverall Rating: 3.17 out of 5 stars

Final Thoughts: What started as a time killer to “play one before bed” turned into a bit of an addiction.  So much so that now, when I’ve found myself at a level that I’m unable to beat, I find myself frustrated and playing three or four times before giving in for the night.  It’s quickly become my favorite game to play on my phone, and the only game I’ve been addicted to more than this one was StarCraft.

Google is sometimes misled with the term “search,” which is the center of our day-to-day computing. The company has achieved a market cap of $183 billion, which is about 71% of the total value of much more established archrival Microsoft.However, Google has enlarged its domain beyond stellar search, and keeps increasing its bundle of free tools or applications that enable users to communicate, manage multimedia, map trips and even create virtual worlds. With such huge resources in hand, the company had released about fifty new products in last two months. Recently, the company has acquired various companies like AdMob, Gizmo5, Teracent and AppJet to increase its revenue outside search-based ads business.Search ShareIn the recent market share for November, Google remained the dominant leader with 65.6% share, whereas Yahoo and Bing reported 17.5% and 10.3% share in the November. Microsoft and Yahoo had joined hands in the search to thrash Google’s monopoly in the search. Now, the company has moved from its search fort and is trying in various fields like apps, programming language, mobile phones, operating systems, cloud apps and many more. Here, the feature discusses some of the products recently launched by Google. However, the question is; Whether Google succeeds outside of search?Google Phone: Nexus OneThe company has been planning for an all-out assault on the mobile-phone market via its own branded handset, called “Nexus One.” According to various analysts, it will be one of the most advanced Smartphones present in the market with Android OS and will directly challenge Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s Blackberry in the sector. Recently, Google gave employees an Android handset for testing that can search the Web by speaking search terms.Google Android OSAndroid is a mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel. It was launched back in 2007 especially for mobile devices, but now many PC vendors are planning to introduce Android based netbooks.

In the recent data for November month, Android claimed 27% share in the market, whereas iPhone OS reported 55% share in the Smartphone market in US.Google Chrome OSGoogle has released the source code for its browser based operating system, called Chromium OS, which will target the small and low power PCs like netbooks that have shown positive growth during the recession. Further, the new systems based on the OS are strictly for cloud computing and they will be connected to the web via Wi-Fi and will play only web-based applications such as Google Docs. Also, all the data will be stored in cloud not in users’ netbook. Hence, users do not require much storage in their PC.Google AppsIt features several Web applications with similar functionality to traditional office suites that includes Gmail, Google Calendar, Talk, Docs, Picasa, Google Earth and Sites. Google redefined the concept of Cloud Computing and developed applications that made migration easier for users from pre installed applications to cloud based services.Google DashboardGoogle Inc, the search giant has announced that it will provide a window called Google Dashboard to its users so that they can view what data Google is capturing from their activities on 20 products and services like YouTube, Gmail, Google Reader etc.Google Social SearchIn contrast to Microsoft’s Bing-based Twitter search, the new Google search tool will make use of users’ contacts from more than 20 services and other information from your contacts to build up a network, for example Twitter, FriendFeed, Flickr, data from Google readers and other web based social content.Google WaveIt is a web-based service, which will merge e-mail, IM, wiki and social networking. Further, it also provides robust spelling/grammar checking, automated translation between 40 languages and numerous other extensions. Currently, it is available in a developer preview for sandbox access. Sources suggest that the platform is designed to provide the next generation of Internet communication.

As smartphones further paved their place in the enterprises, Apple, RIM Blackberry, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and Google Android are eying for the spotlight. In the last quarter, Gartner said that Smartphone sales had surpassed 41 million units, a 12.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year.Today, Smartphones have become a compulsory gadget for corporate users. They are not only revolutionizing the mobile handset market, but also changing the way we use PCs. The reason behind the success of the Smartphones is increased interest in social networking with Facebook and Twitter, which demand high speed internet and connectivity features.In 2009, all the major mobile vendors update its range to increase their revenue and market share. Here, the feature discusses the biggest stories in the Smartphone industry.1.    Google Android platform and Google Phone

Google Android is an open source mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel launched back in 2007. The platform targets mobile devices in large, but now it seems that various PC vendors are working on Android based netbooks and tablets. Recently, it is reported that the Android OS claimed 27% share in the market, whereas iPhone OS reported 55% share in the Smartphone market in US for November month.Various Smartphones based on the platform is already available in the market like HTC G1, HTC Droid Eris, Motorola Droid, Samsung Galaxy, GW620 Eve, etc. Meanwhile, Google has been working on Android based Smartphone, called “Nexus One”, which will be available in January and will pose challenge Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s Blackberry.2.    Apple updates its iPhone

In June, Apple launched the iPhone 3GS, with a boosted processor, better camera, more storage space, and a digital compass. The new Smartphone is more evolutionary up gradation than the revolutionary improvement to the hardware. The new iPhone 3GS has a number of new features which will certainly impress the corporate world like hardware encryption and support for ActiveSync policies. The new device fixed various anomalies of its predecessors and incorporated features like copy and paste, universal search, voice memos, and remote wiping. 3. Microsoft Windows mobile 6.5 OSMicrosoft launched a minor upgrade of its Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system in October for next generation of Smartphones, called Windows Mobile 6.5. The new software features a new UI and a richer browsing experience having new services like My Phone, which allows to synchronization of text messages, photos, video, contacts and more to the Web; and Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Meanwhile, the company has been working on its new platform called Windows Mobile 7, codenamed “Photon”, which is a major upgrade planned for release in June 2010.4. PC vendors join the Smartphone race

After the recent success of Smartphones and the take part in the pie, major PC vendors like Dell, Acer, HP, etc join the race with their handsets. In November, HP had announced its new iPAQ Glisten, a feature-rich 3G world Smartphone that meets the increasing demands of modern mobile professionals. In the same month, Dell Computers launched its Android-based Dell Mini 3 smartphone. Acer had introduced neoTouch, which is a new addition to its growing line of Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets, based on 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU. 5. Mobile App Market

According to latest research, mobile applications market will reach $9 billion by 2011. Apple has dominated the space with over 2 billion download and therefore other vendors are also entering in the field. However, the new apps will pose increased difficulty for developers.