PhoneDog.com - The latest about Google

ARTICLE: The Google phone theory, pt 2: A data-only device?

11/18/2009 3:19:00 PM

When I wrote up the post about Google possibly launching its own phone, some PD readers found it a little hard to believe. Why would the Android creator risk alienating the manufacturers and carriers who’ve been supporting the platform?, they asked.

TechCrunch posits that the company will get around this by offering a handset that’s not technically a cellular phone, but a data-only device. Now that’s an interesting idea. Here’s more:

If it were data-only with VoIP, it wouldn’t compete with current Android offerings. So calls and texts would still be possible, but it would work over data service. To support this idea, TC says this is what Google had in mind in 2007, when it bid for the 700MHz spectrum in the FCC auctions.

With the Google Voice service, issuing phone numbers would be a no-brainer. In fact, GV could handle a VOIP phone’s whole calling feature. So theoretically, this should be possible. The question is, though, how would the carriers respond?

Well, the blog cites an unknown source who says AT&T is already bidding for this. The source says that AT&T is already planning to offer data-only subscriptions for BlackBerry and Windows devices, so it’s open to the idea of this type of service model. (No, the iPhone won’t get this treatment. Voice is still required, along with data.)

This, for me, is where it started to fall apart. This might go on AT&T’s data network? Yikes. But luckily, this doesn’t seem like it’s going exclusive, so if this kind of Google phone is in the works, it could show up on other carriers. As for manufacturer, HTC was first singled out as a candidate, but pundits are starting to take a harder look at LG. (The buzz is that the manufacturer will be a Korean company, and Samsung has parts in the iPhone, so that proposition would be sticky. LG, however, might be free and clear for this kind of arrangement.)

It’s important to bear in mind that this is conjecture, and it’s far from confirmed. But what do you think? If a Google handset does make it to market in early 2010, as rumored, without packing cellular, are you buying?

Via: TechCrunch

ARTICLE: Google wishes you a happy travel season (with free airport wifi)

11/10/2009 6:58:00 PM

Nothing like hanging out at the airport, while your minor flight delay ticks over into its 2nd hour. And for what? A red-eye that plunks you down at Aunt Martha’s table, in front of a plate of dry turkey? Ugh. The indignity of sitting in one of those stiff, immovable multi-seats is only matched by the discomfort. All the while, you’re just waiting there, wondering how you got hoodwinked into yet another extended family get-together.

Well buck up, weary flyer. Google knows. Google cares. And it has something to make your holiday travel a little less annoying: Free Wifi. The search (voice, nav, cell, everything) giant is opening its massive wallet to spring for hotspots in 47 different airports now through January 15, 2010. And if you’re taking Virgin America, it gets even better. Google’s providing free in-flight Wifi between now and January 15, as well.

In the spirit of giving, Wifi users will be asked if they want to donate to one of three charities: Engineers Without Borders, the One Economy Corporation or the Climate Savers Computing Initiative. Google will match all donations up to $250,000 (though I’m pretty sure if you have that much money to give away, you’re probably not sitting around in an airport, but waiting on a heli-pad for your private copter.) The airport that raises the most funds will get an extra $15,000 to give to a local charity.

The only real bummer here is that the list of participating airports doesn’t include such biggies as LAX, JFK, ORD or LGA. To find out if your hub is offering free Wifi, click here.

Via: IntoMobile

ARTICLE: Google Voice messages winding up on Internet

10/19/2009 3:42:00 PM

Leaving a voice mail for a Google Voice user? Be careful what you say… it might wind up all over the Interwebs.

According to Boy Genius Report, GV’s service seems to have a few cracks in the gates, with some users’ voice mails ending up in online search results. According to the tipster, inputting “site:https://www.google.com/voice/fm/*” into Google yields 31 linked results to random voice mail messages from different accounts. Each one displays the transcript of the call, plus audio, so the names, numbers and messages are as clear as if it were your own vm box.

Google says this isn’t a security flaw. Basically, the company doesn’t restrict users’ ability to share voice mails with others, so those who post their own messages online will naturally see their messages crawled and indexed by the search engine. But it also acknowledged that, even though some are making them public on their own sites, they may not want to see Google pull them into broader results. A change has been made now so site owners can allow or block that.

But be warned: If you have a penchant for drunk dialing or other embarrassing phone message behavior, you may want to think twice before talking after the beep.

[via Boy Genius Report]

ARTICLE: MIPS: take Android home to Mother

8/5/2009 11:10:00 PM

Android's public profile is growing rapidly, and as its previously-overlooked power and flexibility become more apparent to the masses, companies are finding ways to maximize the operating system's potential. Last month, I wrote about the direction Google is taking in terms of social networking in Android and how they are gearing it towards devices other than phones and computers - devices like home security systems.

Today, the New York Times published a piece on a microprocessor design firm called MIPS technologies. And they are tweaking Android for Hi-Def video applications. They expect Android to be found in set-top boxes, digital picture frames, and home media players - a catch-all term for frames that go beyond photos, with audio and video.

NYT interviewed MIPS VP of marketing, and he provided some interesting bites regarding Android's impact and potential:

"In my 25 years in the electronics industry, I have never seen a new technology take off as quickly as this one. It is moving very rapidly out the of mobile handset space."

"It works on a variety of platforms. It's easy to customize. It's really a beautifully architected system. Once people saw how straightforward it was to move from a handset to a netbook, then it began to be an ‘aha' moment: ‘What if I migrate this to a DTV or set-top box?' "

While I'm unlikely to be able to afford any of this stuff soon, I'm excited at the prospect of availability. MIPS passes their technology on to OEMs, who, in turn, create concept gear, test it out, and eventually bring something to market. So it'll be a little while before we see these gadgets. My primary question now is, "When will Google enter the video game console arena?!" Guess I should buy an EVO before complaining.

Via NYT Technology Blog

ARTICLE: AT&T, Apple, Google, on FCC's to-do

7/31/2009 10:45:00 PM

The Wall Street Journal published an article today detailing the contents of letters sent by the Federal Communications Commission to Apple, AT&T, and Google regarding the pulling of an application that facilitates the use of Google Voice services on the iPhone.

I don't subscribe to WSJ, so I can't read the whole thing. Thankfully, CNN Money has given us the low down. One letter requests information from Apple about the nature of the application and whether or not AT&T was consulted on the matter. The inquest is part of a broader investigation into the exclusivity agreements manufacturers have with carriers.

FCC Chairman, Julius Genachowski, said Friday that the FCC "has a mission to foster a competitive wireless marketplace, protect and empower consumers, and promote innovation and investment." He also said that they are looking into the rural markets where customers avoid high-end devices due to carrier exclusivity.

ARTICLE: What is up with Google & Apple?

7/30/2009 9:00:00 AM

No sooner do I tout Sean Kovac's GV Mobile — a third-party app for Google Voice — than Apple yanks it, along with a similar one called VoiceCentral. In addition, the company has barred a Google Latitude app, and now the long-awaited official app for Google Voice has also been rejected.

It's like the Prom Queen suddenly snubbing the Quarterback at the dance. She won't talk to him, won't even look at him — or his friends. It's kind of weird, and feels a bit sudden.

So what the heck is going on between those two?

A Love/Hate Triangle
On the heels of John Walton's excellent post on the matter, The New York Times ran an article titled "Even Google Is Blocked With Apps for iPhone." According to the NYT, Apple says it pulled the GV apps because they were redundant with current iPhone features, but analysts cited in the story disagree. They think there's a third player responsible for the drama: AT&T.

The theory is that Apple was responding to its carrier's concerns, as AT&T was feeling threatened by the GV service (which is now out of beta) and worrying about revenue losses.

"... contractually, Apple has agreed to keep apps that would hurt AT&T's business out of the App Store," says Gene Munster, a senior research analyst at investment firm Piper Jaffray. AT&T, which (predictably) had no comment, certainly seems to be all-consumed with the thought of revenue losses. (The carrier has even started charging fees to customers who dare to actually benefit from discounts.)

Meanwhile in Google-land, the developers went to work retooling the Google Latitude app into a web app, per Apple's request. The official line was that, as an onboard app, GL — which allows users to share location info with friends — would cause confusion with Maps, iPhone's built-in application. Since this at least allowed some way for iPhone users to access GL, Google complied.

So the two popular kids still seem to be at the dance together, at least for now.

The Drama of "As the Cell Turns"
It's an uncomfortable alliance, to be sure. Though Google's chief executive, Eric E. Schmidt, is on Apple's board, and the two companies cooperate on certain projects, the fact remains that they are still competitors.

Google's Android OS may have yet to be widely adopted, but the potential is massive. In fact, as an open-source juggernaut, it could one day do serious battle with the iPhone. (I know one PhoneDog editor who is anxiously waiting for this day to arrive.)

Sometimes, covering the cellular industry feels like watching a daytime drama. There are uneasy partnerships, with affiliations between friends who are also foes, and strategic plotting by powerful empires. There are also separate storylines, like the long-lost brother whose arrival could change everything (Pre?), and the wacky goings-on of the illegitimate kid (Storm?) of the established patron of the family (BlackBerry?).

When it comes to this episode of the Google/Apple soap opera, it looks like it's ending on a cliff hanger: How long can the good will between the two companies continue? Will Android someday knock the iPhone off its pedestal? For this to happen, will an Android handset (perhaps the Hero) need to sit on AT&T shelves to seduce iPhone customers, as PD editor John Walton suggests? And would AT&T — or Apple — ever allow that?

Stay tuned as the story unfolds.

UPDATE:
Though the GV app by Sean Kovacs has been pulled out of Apple's App Store, the developer will be creating versions for the Palm Pre and other iPhone competitors. He's also decided to offer it to jailbroken phones via Cydia. "I'd rather just make it available for free," he says, "instead of just not having it available to anyone." Good on him. At least someone's not just out for number one.

Looks like, due to these recent developments, the App Store will be doing without the talents of Mr. Kovacs from now on. "My days of developing for the iPhone are probably done," he says. As an iPhone user, I'm kind of sad about this. But I don't blame him one bit.

[via PCWorld, The New York Times]

ARTICLE: Apple's ban of GV = WIN for Android

7/28/2009 6:45:00 PM

Likely attributable to Apple's snuggly relationship with AT&T, iPhone just suffered a serious blow in the form of non-competitive practices. For those who missed the news yesterday, Apple removed Sean Kovacs' Google Voice application, GV Mobile, from the App Store, vaguely citing duplicate features as the reason.

Google Voice allows users to establish a phone number other than that associated with their mobile account and make calls, send texts, etc., via that number. It also provides rich contact grouping and call routing functions, as well as email transcriptions of voice mail. Applications have been developed for various platforms that effectively inject access to a user's Google Voice account into the applications the phone natively uses for dialing, sending messages, and reaching voice mail. It's like having an alternate carrier at your fingertips.

VoiceCentral, an iPhone app similar to GV Mobile, was also banned, indicating a call has been sent down from the upper echelon to target such code. So effectively, Apple is saying we can't use third-party Google Voice apps on their phones. So what? Who cares? Why is AT&T suspected of unfair play? Because Google Voice offers cheaper SMS and international calling. And Apple's exclusivity agreement probably doesn't contain a provisio allowing other carriers to jump in through the back door.

Google has an official Google Voice program for iPhone on the way, but there has been no clarification of whether the pulling of VoiceCentral and Google Voice was a preemptive strike to make way for a sanctioned program, or if Apple is taking a stand against Google Voice altogether. Considering the recent tossing of a native iPhone app for Google's Latitude in favor of a web version, it doesn't seem the two are holding hands.

So there's a brief summary of what's going on. My contribution here is that I'm going to play down the possibility that Apple's tactics are a crushing tragedy for the future of Google Voice, and highlight the opportunity this turn of events presents for Android. (Did you expect anything less?)

Google Voice is huge. Android is huge. I think both represent significant changes (and advancement, in my case) in the way we use and perceive our mobile phones. iPhone may be the only game in town in the eyes of the average smartphone consumer right now, but the display of fireworks I hope and expect to see from Android and Google Voice in the coming year could change that. And the big G, who should not be underestimated, is just the giant to parade the benefits of open software through the suburban malls of America. It doesn't matter if consumers know what open means.

iPhone is the embodiment of a closed product line, and Google is quickly becoming the high-profile champion of FLOSS. While I don't think Android is currently capable of making a dent in the existing iPhone user base, I can see an attention grabbing phone like Hero (and soon, hopefully, a super beefed-up HTC Sense successor) causing an iPhone-bound shopper to think twice.

Everyone and their grandmother has an iPhone, and what kid wants the same phone as their dad? Adults, on the other hand, will be seduced by the benefits of Google Voice, I think. I won't complain any more about the lack of Hero in T-Mo USA's line up, even though I totally want one and am sticking with magenta. I really want to see that thing sitting next to the iPhone in AT&T stores. That's the best place in the world for it, really. Consideration for App Store maturity, iTunes integration, and a killer fit for folks who like other Apple products, could fall by the wayside in the face of a sexy new interface and hip, bold design.

I suppose at this point I should acknowledge the observations of seasoned bloggers who have tested the Hero, and admit that lag is the Achillies' heel of the device. iPhone's non-multitasking swiftness would probably be the most apparent score for Apple if the two were being compared side-by-side. Still, I hope a grand and noble battle is about to begin. If not Hero, then the next one. Arm it to the teeth, HTC. And give it a name worthy of a merciless warrior. Ares? Mars, perhaps? No, screw the lower gods. Go for Zeus!

ARTICLE: Google Search For My Location (iPhone 3.0)

7/20/2009 3:50:00 PM

Got iPhone 3.0? Then check out Google's search function using its new My Location feature. It's available via Safari, which zeros in on a user's area to deliver relevant local results, like nearby bars, restaurants or weather data.

Though it works practically anywhere, the searches seem to offer more value if you're in a major metropolitan area. Small towns without a lot of business presence online may not yield a lot of website results — just contact listings. (That's certainly not Google's fault. It just takes awhile for some regional mom-and-pop shops to step into the 21st century.) Even so, when all you need is an address and phone number, it's still a handy tool to have in your pocket.

To give it a go, launch Safari and go to Google. Once there, you can turn on My Location, which will send up screen nags asking you if the app can use your location. Click "Allow", and you're good to go. When you need to change your location, just hit the "Update" link on the main Google page.

Not interested in My Location? That's cool. Shutting it off is pretty easy. On Google.com, hit the "Preferences" link and click on the "No" radio button under "Allow use of device location?" (If you'd rather spare your battery and don't need location-aware services on your phone at all, you can set your location prefs to "OFF" under "Settings," then "General.")

For now, Google Search with My Location for iPhone 3.0 is available only in the US and the UK.

[Google Mobile Blog via UnwiredView.com]

ARTICLE: In-Depth Review: Google Voice

7/20/2009 3:45:00 PM

OVERVIEW
What's good: One phone number for all phones, online access to received voice mails and SMS texts, ability to switch between lines during a call, one-button recording of incoming calls, vm transcription, ability to receive vm notification via email/SMS, vm transcripts/mp3s can be forwarded via email, ability to send SMS out via browser, customizable outgoing messages for different callers, auto-scheduling to ring different phones depending on time or day, call screening, totally free service.

What's bad: Cumbersome to get Google Voice number to show up in recipients' caller IDs or SMS texts, transcription of voice mails is less-than-great, online or cellular hiccups means calls sometimes don't connect to the handset (going straight to vm instead), 25-second delay before vm picks up can't be changed.

INTRODUCTION
Google Voice was born out of Google's 2007 acquisition of an Internet telephony company called GrandCentral. Like the old service, the crux of the new service is to combine all of a user's modes of phone communication into a single number/account. When callers dial a GV number, the user's predetermined set of phones ring — whether that's home, office, cell or vacation bungalow.

Now that Google Voice has opened up for public invitations, it looks like the company is prepping for a flood of interest. Not only did it just add the ability for users to change their GV phone number, which will no doubt please plenty of users, but I also heard stories that the company acquired over a million new phone numbers. And there are rumors that number portability is on the way, which will really help the service take off. Being able to move an existing phone number to GV would be really sweet, and tempt more fence sitters to at least give the service a try.

A little over a month ago, the PR team at Google hooked me up with a Google Voice account, so I could take it for a test spin. So I set it up with my cell and my home phone, and sat back to enjoy the cellular Google-osity. The resulting experience has caused alternating feelings of joy and frustration ever since.

DESIGN & FEATURES
The user interface of GV's online account is consistent with the rest of the Google infrastructure, so it's easy to use and very search-centric.

The service is powerful, simple to use, and loaded with features, like:

•Voice mail transcription
•Free SMS: send outgoing texts via web and have incoming messages delivered to GV account
•Free outbound calls via GV online account
•Free conference calling (and cheap international calls)
•Unified vm and SMS messages via online account access (also allows making outbound calls or texts online)
•Message notifications to email or SMS
•Support for switching phones in the middle of a call
•Recording calls (incoming only)
•Playback of recorded calls and voicemails directly in the browser or via MP3 download
•Simple scheduling process to control when calls are routed to specific numbers. (For example, it could be configured to direct calls to a work phone during the day, to a home phone in the evenings and cell phone on weekends.)
•Google address book integration and import feature, to sync other major contact formats, like CSV or vCards.
•Customizable greetings or forwarding phone destinations based on contact group.
•Call screening via its ListenIn feature. (Users can hear a incoming voicemail in progress and pick up the call by pressing a key.)

Voicemail transcription is a useful feature to have. The accuracy does need a lot of work, though, but given the fact that it's free (and that it often gets at least the important parts right, like phone numbers), it's better to have it than not. The transcripts are also searchable, which will definitely have more of a WOW factor when the quality improves. GV can also forward voicemail transcripts to e-mail, and notify you of new vm or SMS messages via e-mail or text.

GV also integrates with Google address book and supports vCards and CSV files (for Apple Mail, Outlook, Yahoo! Mail and others), so loading up contacts is a snap. Even better, once you have contacts in there, you can customize outgoing vm messages by group. Everyone in your "work" group can hear a professional "Please leave a message" recording, while the "friends" group can still enjoy your rendition of "Pokerface."

And, as you would expect of a calling service, voicemails are accessible from any phone or online. The account interface is familiar — threaded and easy on the eyes, just like the GMail interface we all know and love.

USABILITY & PERFORMANCE
When it comes to Google Voice, the magic really happens when people contact you. That's when the voice mail options, notification features, call screening, etc, can really knock your socks off. I also love the ability to set different outgoing messages for friends vs. work colleagues.

I don't have an unlimited texting plan, so being able to send free SMS texts from the web was pretty neat.

Placing phone calls online from the GV account was also fast, simple and free. (Basically, you plug in your contact's info and the number where you can be reached — home, work, Aunt Stella's, wherever — and it rings you there, then connects the call to the other person.)

Call routing worked well; generally, although I sometimes experienced dropped calls and the random, unexpected GV voice mail (despite the fact that my phone was on when the call came in, but didn't ring). Also, there was less-than-spectacular call quality on occasion. It wasn't consistent enough to make me drop the service altogether, but it did get frustrating at times.

Incoming SMS messages were also an issue. Texters' contact info showed up as 101010000x, instead of the friend's name or number. Thankfully, the number was pretty consistent for each individual, so adding those numbers to friends' entries in my address book helped. Yeah, it's a bit of a hassle, but at least their names show up now.

As for using the service to call out from your cell or landline phone — so friends' caller IDs display your GV number — well, that's also tricky. To make the caller ID consistent, you have to dial your GV number, press 2, and then punch in the number of the contact you want to call.

It wouldn't have been any big deal if I'd memorized my friends' digits, but I didn't, and there's no option to directly use my phone's built-in addressbook with this service. So I had to look up their info, write it down, dial GV, go through the prompt, and then manually input the number. Needless to say, thanks to the klunkiness of this process, I didn't make many outgoing calls through the service initially.

Thankfully, there's a third-party iPhone app for GV. This makes the process A LOT easier. Now I can just use my phone's addressbook, and the app just automates the dialing-out process. That's pretty sweet. (Google is launching its own new apps for Android and BlackBerry, with a Google-created iPhone app on the way. More on that below.**) If you're using GV with a cell phone, having one of these apps is crucial.

What also got complicated was routing callers to different voice mailboxes — my iPhone's or the GV account — as needed. (I like having immediate and direct access to urgent messages from family or important business contacts, so I wanted the visual voice mails right on my phone. But friends calling to chit chat? Telemarketing calls? Courtesy calls from my bank? These can all go to my GV account, for me to peruse at my leisure.) Here's the issue, though: You can't change the time or number of rings before GV voice mail picks up, so if it's set earlier than your phone's allotted time, then callers will always go to GV's mailbox. (The set time is 25 seconds.)

With no option to change that, I wound up having to call AT&T and asking them make its voice mail kick in earlier than 25 seconds. (Later, I found out that there's a hack for this that's configurable directly on the iPhone.)

As for advanced features, it's kind of disappointing that call recording — an extremely desired feature for many users — doesn't work on outgoing calls, at least for the time being. I guess the fact that it's offered at all is terrific, but it seems strange that this limitation exists. (If you can record inbound calls, you should be able to record in the other direction, right? Even old-fashioned answering machines were able to do that.)

In truth, there is so much packed into this service, I'd need several posts' worth of space (or a small book deal) to cover it all. But these were the major issues that came up over the course of a month and a half.

CONCLUSION
Google Voice — which is now finally out of beta is off to a great start. It's not perfect, obviously, but all in all, what worked well actually worked really well. And what didn't, in most cases, was somewhat "tweakable," (except for vm transcription accuracy, which the company will hopefully improve on its own over time).

As good as it is, the service has the potential to get a lot more interesting if Google integrates it directly into its Android OS (without having to rely on add-on apps). But even if you're not an Android fan, it's still a pretty decent service to check out.

Be warned, however, that it's not quite operating at "set it and forget it" levels yet. For that reason, I'll probably stick to personal use for my GV number. When it comes to the all-important business communications — well, I'm not sure it's quite ready for prime time yet.

**A WORD ABOUT MOBILE PHONE APPS FOR GV:
A couple of people have asked me about the Google cell phone apps for GV. The iPhone app I use, GV Mobile ($2.99), is a third-party program created by Sean Kovacs, and it has worked really well so far. Google also plans to release its own free dialer app for the iPhone.

In addition, the company released official GV dialer apps for BlackBerry and Android devices. David Pogue, from The New York Times, recently summed them up thusly:

"If I call you from this little free app, then you see my Google Voice number on your Caller ID, not my phone's birth number.

On the BlackBerry, this is a slight hassle, since you can't use the built-in dialing methods (like dialing from your address book). You have to open the Google Voice app first.

On the Android version, life is much better. Your Google Voice number is transmitted no matter how you place a call. (No wonder it's so much better integrated: Google is also the creator of the Android cell phone software)...

...These new Google Voice dialers work by contacting a local Google Voice access number, which relays your dialed number from there. In fact, you see the local access number ("now calling") on your screen when you place a call."

Pogue also makes some good points about friends-and-family circles and free in-network calling: T-mobile subscribers could designate their own GV numbers as one of the Fave Five, thereby making all those calls free without limit. But if you have free in-network calling with, say, Verizon, then dialing your (out-of-network) GV number to call people isn't free — even if the recipient is in your network.

But the apps do offer a well-designed UI for everything from transcriptions, logs and texts, to direct access for making cheap international calls. And again, it makes the dialing-out process so much simpler.

For more, hit up Aaron's post here or stay tuned for an upcoming vid from John on the Android app.

ARTICLE: I got my Google Voice invite. Did you?

7/17/2009 11:40:00 PM

The eagle has landed. I finally got my Google Voice invitation on Wednesday and boy, was I happy. Within twenty seconds I was searching for numbers containing favorable words in my area code. Yeah, I know it's actually more difficult to dial by letter on many mobiles these days, but I wanted something cool and memorable. Wouldn't you?

I figure many readers have been anticipating their own invites or signed up when it was GC. But for those who not aware of Google Voice, I'll offer up a quick run-down of the history and features.

GV started as GrandCentral and did pretty well with the Android community before Google snatched it up and and put the kibosh on new registrations. Since then people have been lining up in droves on the GV waiting list, and just now the velvet rope is being lifted for a few thousand at a time. Google recently purchased over one million numbers for the service, which indicates readiness (and leads to the vanity number search).

So why the excitement? because Google Voice could represent the last time you switch to a new phone number for all of eternity. O.K., maybe not, but if you want to keep the same number and just update the forwarding numbers over the years, you can. And better yet you can assign contacts to groups, each of which can hear their own greeting, be sent to different forwarding numbers, or ignored.

One missing feature that I'd really like to see is an Unknown Caller group, or even in/out of area code groups, so I could make a funny message for new friends without putting off the electric company or someone else that deserves the straight treatment. I'd also like to be able to use my number publicly without having some kid wake me up with fart sounds at 3 a.m., following up every three minutes thereafter.

I did get a great number, after all. And I think that outside of having transcribed voice mails sent to my email address, the ability to screen calls via the caller's self identification message, and a software interface for my vm inbox, the vanity number is my favorite feature...so far. I'll get a video together once I really know the ins and outs of the service and software. So far, it's all good.

I wish I could post the recent visual voice mail videos, but they have been yanked.

ARTICLE: Android to get more social, hook up with anything

7/11/2009 12:50:00 PM

At the Google/T-Mobile gathering in San Francisco on July 10th, Andy Rubin clarified Google's intentions for Android and the Chrome OS, saying that neither excludes the other and that each addresses a different set of challenges. While Android is focused on telephony, Chrome OS is all about the web.

Rubin went on to say that Android will become much more socially integrated, offering the example of an incoming call notification window that displays an image of the caller, their name, and their latest Facebook status update. "Social is a big push for now." Additional options for Market payments, including bill to carrier, are in the works. With these changes will come a growing momentum in product availability.

Rubin made a point to state that one manufacturer had shown him 18 devices running the OS--not all of them necessarily ready for the streets. This could perhaps explain the specific number, 18, we all read earlier regarding the Android devices we should see by year's end. He mentioned again that there are 15 to 20 gadgets he expects to come to market this year so there's really no practical difference, but it was apparently significant enough a misunderstanding that he wanted to set things straight.

Not only are there tons of phones ready to drop with The Droid, there are all kinds of gadgets running the OS. And that doesn't just mean laptops. Rubin said that Android is already rocking GPS units and even does refrigerators. The end-goal is that all of these things will connect with one another. Anything and everything is the name of the game. Getting social is right. That is one flexible Android. One dirty, dirty Android.

Andy Rubin, Android visionary

Via WSJ

ARTICLE: Geektech: how to run Android apps under Ubuntu

7/1/2009 8:40:00 AM

So you want to see what the Android fuss is about but don't want to ditch your contract or can't afford a new phone? Well you can try out an Android emulator on your Ubuntu computer, and it's really not too difficult. Marius Nestor has put together a super-easy tutorial for setting up an Android virtual device.

It's basically a list if copy/paste commands, though you'll need to change your username and the directory if you prefer a simpler name like the one I used; ~/androidsdk. The SDK is useful for Android phone owners as well. For example, when performing processes that require adb.

If you are new to Ubuntu and/or run into any problems on the way, I strongly suggest hitting up the Ubuntu Forums. The friendly and helpful folks over there are responsible for literally hundreds of thousands of converts to the Linux fold. I already had the SDK, so the process literally took less than five minutes for me. The Cupcake Emulator isn't nearly as quick (on my box) as an actual Android phone, so patience is required--especially during boot time.

ARTICLE: Google Voice now more widely available

6/26/2009 1:25:00 PM

Can't wait to get your hands on Google Voice? If you're on the waiting list, you may not have to wait much longer. Looks like the service has (finally) opened up.

Correspondent Janet Shamlian broke the news on The Today Show, and according to Google Voice's Twitter account, "Invites to people on reservations list [are] starting to go out." Note the word "starting." Basically, Google admitted that its waiting list is huge, and it may a little time to get down the whole list. So if you signed up, but haven't gotten yours yet, don't worry if it doesn't arrive immediately. It will happen.

Of course, if you were a customer of Grand Central, the previous name for the unified calling service, then you're probably already enjoying the beta release. I got a chance to test drive the service as well, so I'll post some thoughts on it later today.

The news has run on multiple blogs, including Lifehacker. If you saw that post, you may have noticed the following item:

"Update 3: In a related, but far more disappointing, development, Google seems to have pulled the ability to send SMS through Gmail's chat box, at least from our view and many Twitter users'. If you still have SMS available through your chat box, let us know in the comments."

If this is a deal-breaker for you (or even just a desired feature), take heart — This is not true, at least in my case. I can definitely still send SMS messages through my account, so this might just be a glitch for some users.

[via BoyGenius Report, Lifehacker, PCWorld]

ARTICLE: Google Voice: never change your # again

6/17/2009 12:35:00 PM

There are telephony management services currently available from various companies. The ability to automatically redirect one caller to your cell cell phone and to send all calls from another number straight to voice mail are not ground-breaking at this point - although still very cool.

However, the benefits of these features are often offset by the hassle of getting a new phone number; that means new business cards, changes to the website, contacting everyone you know, etc. And with some services, if you're not careful, the number you jumped through hoops to publicize could be snatched up by another unsuspecting customer. I recently snagged a Skype number from a computer systems security firm. Woops.

Enter Google Voice. This product was formerly GrandCentral, and had quite a following among Android enthusiasts. Several numbers to one voice mail, advanced redirection options... It sounded pretty great. I signed up to be notified of the availability of more Grand Central accounts, but never heard back - new sign-ups were apparently frozen after GC was taken over by Google. Now, it's not uncommon to see people hawking Google Voice invites for as much as $500 online. I want GV, but I think I'll wait.

Back to the part about how Google solves this changing numbers problem. It's possible to switch an existing number over to Google Voice. This feature is currently offered to a small group of testers, but should roll out to all later. And the best part: Google Voice is free (though you may have to pay your carrier to take your number with you). Check out the review over at Tech Crunch for an idea of what to expect.

Transcribed voice mail, the ability to listen to voice mails from a browser, and the sending of SMS are a few of the tantalizing perks. A screen grab from Tech Crunch is below. I'll return with a review as soon as I get an account. Until then, check out Google's GV about page.

ARTICLE: Do you prefer a hard kb for Android?

6/13/2009 4:50:00 PM

In a recent article at Tech Crunch about hardware keyboard shortcuts for GMail, MG Siegler rips pretty hard into the G1's QWERTY - having much higher hopes for an Android phone with a software-only option. I'm ready to try something different as well, but I have a feeling I'm going to miss the hard keys now and then. Then again, I'm coming from a brand new black G1. Does that make a difference? Yes.

Not only are the silver keyboards of the bronze and white G1s more difficult to see in the light, the material used for the keys is different. Black G1s have a friendlier finish than the silver keys. They feel softer, more tactile. I had a bad exchange experience with T-Mobile ( I went through several damaged devices) and found that refurbished G1s have horrible keyboards. Horrible. At least the bronze ones did.

I finally got a brand new black G1, and with it, the centered, unsquashed keyboard I had known from my first G1. On top of that, I no longer had the light issues. I know the subtle differences in a G1's keyboard that can make one great and another unusable. I also know that you roll the dice when you buy a G1 - the QWERTY build quality you'll get is not guaranteed.

So is a software QWERTY the answer to uniform quality of Android keyboards? That's one solution. But if everyone had the same typing experience I had on my most recent device, I think more folks would be reluctant to let it go.

VIDEO: Google Wave in a nutshell

5/31/2009 2:40:00 AM

Google's forthcoming Wave system is definitely interesting. And the presentation is too - it's just very long. So here's the recap in ten minutes. Email, Twitter, blogging, social sites, office collaboration... Everything is one. That's the concept. Check out wave.google.com to sign up for a mailing list and get notifications about updates and availability.

VIDEO: Android update to RC33 and my first app purchase

3/3/2009 12:05:00 AM

I finally got the RC33 update, which means I can purchase items from the Android Market now. I think waiting for something slows down time. In this video, I run through the entire update process, set up a Google Checkout account (off-screen), and make my first Market purchase... well, donation.

ARTICLE: Android app review: ixMAT Scanner

3/2/2009 11:05:00 AM

Did you ever speak with your friends in a secret language as a kid? Me neither. I wasn't bright enough to keep that stuff straight. But now, thanks to modern technology, I too have the ability to alienate outsiders and trade information on the down-low.

There are a lot of ways to do this, like encoding a jpeg with an entire song or using some arcane hexadecimal gobbledygook to ask a girl out on a date (reliable sources say it works every time). Or if you're a total show-off you can learn to read a binary clock. I don't know how to do any of that, but check out what I can do:

Who cares, right? It's a two-dimensional bar code. Well, people who like to move fast and keep their contacts organized, that's who. Not only does that contain all of my (fake) contact info, it's arranged for easy importing. Scan this with ixMAT from the Android Market, and you can instantly add me to your contacts - all of the information will go where it belongs; name, email, website, etc.

Tane Piper, the coder writing Brightroid - an Android client based on the location-aware social network, Brightkite - turned me on to ixMAT Scanner. (I'll be reviewing his program later - it's in the early stages now.) He sent out his contact info in the form of a QR image, and I had to know how he did it. There are plenty of sites that can make one of these for you, but the link he offered has the most consistent, standardized formatting of the five-or-so I tested.

You can render in three different sizes, making them perfect for the sidebar of a blog, the signature at the bottom of an email, or as the wallpaper on the homescreen of your G1. Now that's a practical application. And you'll WIN at any gathering of geeks.

VIDEO: Android app two-fer, part 1 - Shazam

2/25/2009 8:25:00 PM

The Android community already knows about Shazam, thanks to free advertising from Apple. Hear a track on the radio and can't remember who recorded it? Shazam's what you need. Currently free in the Android Market.

VIDEO: Android app two-fer, part 2 - Snaptell

2/25/2009 8:20:00 PM

Snaptell does with visual data what Shazam does with audio information. See a great flick at your buddy's house and want your own copy? Take a photo. Later on, open that photo up with Snaptell and find a store online or nearby to purchase it. Another freebie - for now.

VIDEO: Android app review - Air Hockey

2/23/2009 11:45:00 PM

Air Hockey is always ready - there's no learning curve, no back-story, and no need to pause or save. It's the perfect distraction for those little periods of waiting that are scattered throughout your day. The two-player action is weak at the moment, but don't blame the developer. As soon as wireless gaming is supported, a pair can showdown from different Android devices. Air Hockey is 99 cents. Check out the dev's site: JJCgames

VIDEO: Android app review - TippoBilloSplitamus

2/18/2009 3:55:00 PM

Of all the Android programs available for calculating tips and splitting bills, this one is the silliest. I also think it's the most practical, functional, and fun to use. It definitely has the best name: TippoBilloSplitamus. Say that five times fast. It's not difficult, but it's fun! This program will be in the *new* Android Market as well as the Apple App Store very soon. The cost is $2.00.

ARTICLE: MWC News: Tegra-based Android device, the $99 HD MID, and the future of 'Google Phones'

2/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

That's right, folks. 2009 is a big year for NVIDIA's smaller-than-a-dime Tegra chips, and it's a big year for Android as well. For those who haven't followed Tegra news, the two system-on-a-chip products (the Tegra 600 series and Tegra APX) are together capable of full HD capture at 720p, and playback at 1080p. The results can be seen on an external Hi-Def display in Noah's video from the 2008 NVision Conference in San Jose. Check out the ultra-responsive 3D UI.

Today's announcement goes beyond introducing the killer combination of Android and Tegra. NVIDIA says that the world's first $99 HD MID is coming. It runs Windows CE and promises ten times the battery life of Atom-based Mobile Internet Devices. Not to mention that they're pushing this "product" as always on, always connected while promising days between charges. The $99 deal seems to be based on a theoretical device that the Tegra chips are likely to make possible - thanks to its cost and energy efficiency. Android phones with Tegra under the hood should see significantly improved battery life over say... the G1.

Along with the press release came projections for the growth of the Google-Phone market. I'm not entirely sure what kind of research the graphs I saw are based on. But if NVIDIA's call is correct, we'll find Android on half as many smartphones sold in 2010 as those running Windows Mobile. By 2012, Android-powered devices will outsell Win-Mo products by approximately ten million units.

You can see what looks to be a mock-up of an Android / Tegra device below. Two Windows CE models - with Tegra specs - can be seen here. I don't believe the phones to be actual products, but rather example platforms for conceptually selling the Tegra chips. As Noah points out, these industry announcements can be tricky to decipher. Hype makes the (business) world go 'round.

ARTICLE: TeleNav launching full-blown GPS navigation for Android

2/13/2009 11:30:00 AM

On February 24th, G1 owners can have full color, 3D, turn-by-turn TeleNav navigation in their hands. The software features voice recognition, traffic alerts, and one-touch re-routing. The first 30 days are free, but after that you've got to cough up $9.99 per month. Considering the massive database of maps and points of interest at your fingertips, that might be a pretty good deal. Sounds like a good way to drain your battery, though.

We'll have a video review as soon as possible, and I have a feeling I'll be using my windshield-mountable charging cradle from WirelessGround. There's a video review coming soon for that as well.

ARTICLE: CompuLab offers made-to-order enterprise handsets

2/11/2009 4:15:00 PM

This one has been talked about for a little while, but I never got around to writing a post. It won't be available until March, so I think it's still got some pre-release post-worthiness. CompuLab recently announced the Exeda - a squared-off embedded device intended for enterprise customization.

Not only can customers chose between quadband GSM / GPRS, CDMA, and 3G UMTS; they can choose between Windows Mobile, Windows CE, Android, and Linux. The company hasn't said which Tux flavor(s) is/are on the menu. If you like, you can skip telephony altogether and have the strangest PDA on the block.

Not only does it have a touchscreen that can be viewed in the sun, it features a capacitive touchpad that functions as a mouse. Did I mention the ethernet port? Weird. And cool. It's like a customizable, open source Slate. Check out the specs here.

ARTICLE: Getting social with Android, part 3: Twidroid

2/9/2009 12:20:00 PM

No social networking apparatus is complete without a few tweets. While there is a long list of apps in the Android Market that feature Twitter integration as a bonus, and a good handful of programs that are dedicated specifically to Twitter, one stands above the rest - Twidroid. It's got 4 stars in the Market, which isn't common. And considering that this one falls in the 10,000 to 50,000 downloads category, I'd say the star ratings are a good indicator of what to expect. That's not always the case.

With Twidroid, you can view the tweets of those you follow, post your own tweets, direct message, and reply. One of the coolest features is the ability to post photos. Well, kinda. Images are sent to phodroid.com and then linked in your tweet. Hint: attach the photo first, or the URL will over-write anything you've typed - same goes for the following paragraph.

There is some GPS functionality, but go to portrait mode too see all of your options on the non-scrolling menu (little bug there). They are: Insert Maplink, Insert Location Name, Insert Latitude/Longitude (seriously?), and Update Profile - for those who are just to lazy to type the full name of their city. Google Maps URLs are abbreviated via short.to, so none of the data should cramp your 140-character-limited micro-blogging style.

nanoTweeter, aTweeter, and a host of other dedicated programs may get the job done, but not as well as Twidroid. If you're looking for a more complete social networking solution, search the market for Twitter and you'll see which apps are compatible. BuddyMob comes to mind. But personally, I like dedicated apps. I don't want to carry any dead weight. Of course, what would go unused for me would be essential for others.

Twidroid's creators are called Zimmermann and Marban, which makes me think of an old-timey magic show. So I give it 5 stars.

VIDEO: Recording video with audio on a G1

2/9/2009 2:55:00 AM

Until now, Continuous Shoot by Mamoru Tokashiki was the closest G1 owners could get to recording video. The app does what it says; takes a stream of photographs, one almost immediately after the other. That makes for a cool effect, but a poor substitute for video.

This new solution - dotphone.org's Video Recorder with Voice Client - is far from perfect. But it indicates independent progress. I'm sure Google will render all of this moot in a short time. But for now, it is fun stuff. And it demonstrates what a great venue the Android Market is for experienced and budding programmers alike.

This was an impromptu video, and I didn't think anyone would see it at first. I promise to shower after exercising, and to clean the kitchen table for future videos.

ARTICLE: Getting social with Android, part 2: fBook

2/8/2009 3:10:00 PM

fBook wraps the iPhone Facebook application, and as the developer states, "fixes it." I am not an iPhone owner, but I've seen the Facebook app for iPhone. Without getting into detailed comparisons based on videos and my foggy memory, I can say that the Android version is a bit less polished. But it functions well and looks nice in both portrait and landscape modes.

fBook is the most full-featured Facebook app available for Android, and the most stable. This is the Market's FB flagship, and since all available functions work correctly, I don't expect many changes outside of some little code tweaks, and perhaps a bit more sheen. I don't see the need for any more Facebook apps in the Market, either. But if you just want to update your status, check out Statusinator by Joe LaPenna.

fBook's main screen has two buttons that allow you to update your own status and search. Beneath the buttons are five tabs; each with categorized features. Tapping one initiates an animation - your destination screen slides into place. The tabs and their options are:

Home - news feed, events, requests
Profile - info, wall, photos
Friends - status, online, photos
Inbox - compose, sent, edit

The menu button allows for uploading photos and enabling what the Market description calls "the push notification of messages - an Android-only feature." That's not an accurate choice of words, though. The notification settings allow you to adjust the frequency at which the app will check for new messages. That means spent battery life and kilobytes, for some - not push-messaging. Still, it's useful and user-definable. I just don't like the misleading description. Vibrate message alerts and notification bar display are the other options.

fBook has 3.5 stars in the market, but I'd bump it up at least half a star, in my own rating.

ARTICLE: Android's personal task list apps

2/4/2009 8:10:00 AM

If you read this site regularly, you may have seen a post of mine referring to Astrid or Remember the Milk. I'm not going to rehash anything that's already been said - just follow the links if you're interested. But I thought it might be helpful to make a list of the available to-do lists, or personal task managers, and point out some of their strengths and weaknesses - as well as the changes they've seen since I last wrote about them.

Astrid is Google's official personal task manager for Android, and it shows. This app won me over with its rich features and navigable design a few weeks ago. It is the highest rated in the Market of all such apps, with 4.5 stars.

TooDo is a powerful organizer that has read/write synchronization with Remember the Milk and ToodleDo. My primary complaint with the program the last time I looked at it was unnecessary weight - I only wanted the RTM functionality. While there isn't an RTM-only functionality, significant changes have been made. The app now has a "lite mode" - where categories and context are disabled. It makes for a simple, light checklist. However, the "non-light" mode has become even more robust. With notification bar and color-coded LED integration, TooDo is looking better than ever. There's a bit of a learning curve, but if you are looking for an all-in-one solution, this is one is worth some of your time. TooDo has 3 stars in the market.

Tasks, by VNSN has 3 stars in the Market. The app's description points out its small size as a selling point (Tasks is free). It uses a two-level hierarchical system: lists and notes. You create a list, say "Homework," and you put notes within that list. It is simple, solid, and conforms to the user; rather than the other way around. I like this program.

Tag ToDo List by Teo stands out in the market. Not only can you tag your tasks as the name implies, you can record voice notes to your SD Card, draw graphical notes, and look at statistics. This is also a good one for people who love keyboard shortcuts. It comes with a task list for learning how to use the app, and has a polished, clean interface. Tag ToDo has 3 stars in the Market, but probably deserves more.

RTM ToDo Viewer has 2.5 stars in the Market, which would normally cause me to pass it by. But I am a supporter of Remember the Milk on all platforms and am happy to see someone is working on a dedicated Android client. It is currently read-only. The programmer, Marcel, started it for fun and learning. He did say he hopes to implement write functionality in the future. That would increase the ratings, for sure. RTM clients are available for your computer, and having them all sync up is great.

Doogle is another exception to my 3-stars-and-above-only rule, with 2.5. Here's why. Tasks include contact integration and hardware functions, like making a call at a certain time. It needs some time to mature, but I like the idea. I'll be looking for updates. Maybe we'll take a look back at this one later.

ToDo List Free is a demo with shoddy graphics and 3 stars. I wouldn't recommend this program. It is the only one on this list (that I know of) with a price. It is also the least deserving of your cash. Sorry, creators. I'm not sure what you're up to here.

ARTICLE: Android radio round-up: 8, 7

2/3/2009 3:15:00 PM

Despite the disclaimer in the following paragraph, I'll be sticking with the apps that have achieved three-plus star ratings in the Android Market for this round-up - which is why I'm counting down from eight instead of ten. If I've missed a program that deserves mention, please speak up in the comments. I don't want to leave anyone out. Not all of the programs listed actually stream radio broadcasts, but rather, other kinds of pre-recorded content. But I think it's appropriate to group them together in this manner. Come on, whaddaya want from me?

Streaming apps generally get a bad rap in the Market ratings - or at least fewer stars than they deserve, thanks to buffering issues. These rarely have anything to do with the app itself. And most of the programs listed in this series access various servers that belong to media outlets, not their own. I'm on Wi-Fi and have pretty decent 3G access, so buffering is rarely an issue for me. My primary complaint is... Why is the speaker on the BACK of my G1? Here we go.

#8 Android Radio (Listed in the market as Web Radio) offers over 800 stations from around the world. A catalog of this magnitude may be appealing for some, but to me, it's intimidating. How am I supposed to navigate through this ocean of off-shoots of branches of forks of sub-genres of genres? The user can rate and favorite stations, but the app does nothing to take your listening habits into account for the purpose of recommending other content.

Considering that's the direction the big dogs are headed, I'm not sure Android Radio has much of a chance. The interface is decent, and there are some nice features. But I can't see many folks forking over $1.99 to unlock the app when superior programs are freely available. This program includes the ability to access lyrics and record music to your own media library, which may be worth the Paypal purchase to some. Not me, though. My apologies to the creator; you deserve something for your work. I hope you get enough support to continue developing the program, and to implement new features.

Android Radio buffers a lot of material at startup. This probably minimizes problems later on in the stream, but it might be a bit excessive.

#7 Nagare is the ultimate DIY radio streamer. Enter an address that contains Shoutcast or Icecast streaming audio, and Nagare will play it and remember the address. That's it. Light, functional. There isn't much there, so there isn't much to say. But that's just what many of you are looking for.

Click here for part 2

ARTICLE: Android radio round-up: 6, 5, 4

2/3/2009 3:10:00 PM

#6 StreamFurious is a Shoutcast/Icecast streamer that can handle PLS/M3U from the G1 stock or Steel browsers. It's pretty basic, but gets the job done. The problem I have with this app is organization. The user is presented with a long list of stations, and there's really no way to categorize or sort them. Still, for those who want a quick, nimble app, and don't want to mess with a bunch of options, SF works great. This is my default client for talk radio. It runs in the notification bar.

#5 Jinzora... Jinzora. Oh, you evil seductress. How, at once, I love and loathe thee. This app is supposed to stream media from your home library to your phone. I got pretty excited about this one because I'm already a Linux user. Properly setting up the LAMP server for Jinzora is a matter of following some fairly simple cut-and-paste instructions. However, dealing with the way Comcast handles IP assignment and the way my router forwards ports, are different matters. It's been a long time since I messed with this stuff.

I experimented, but my cable modem upload speeds are so bad that each change of a setting required me to wait for five minutes while Jinzora client tried to get the media. When it couldn't, I wasn't given any errors or other information, so it was too frustrating to continue. If I had more free time, you can bet I'd have Jinzora running trouble-free... or I'd die trying to make it happen.

There are Windows and Mac servers available, but I did not test either. They may or may not simplify the server set-up process. Unless you have some killer upstream flow, it isn't worth your time. This one is here for the tinkerers. Some of you will fall in love. Some will go mad. When you do, please let me know. I'll give this one another shot when my Mac Mini arrives. If things work out, I'll write a post dedicated to Jinzora. (And possibly switch to FiOS.) I rated this one on concept.

#4 AntPlayer accesses Shoutcast streams. You can search and bookmark your favorite stations, as well as add your own. This is a bare-bones program, which is exactly what some people want. I use it to listen to archived episodes of Coast to Coast A.M., which gives a voice to UFO witnesses and abductees, witches, people who are trapped in the future, the possessed, the haunted, the psychic, the keepers of ancient secrets, victims of government brainwashing, those who travel outside of their bodies, conspiracy theorists, grand conspirators, and people who have been to heaven, hell and Bigfoot's stinky cottage. Search for George Noory or Art Bell. It's a real kick in the pants.

Click here for part 3

ARTICLE: Android radio round-up: 3, 2

2/3/2009 3:05:00 PM

#3 FlyCast is a full-featured, ad-driven radio solution that offers options you aren't going to find in any other Android app. Over 1500 "channels" are available - featuring live radio and podcast streams. Stations are organized by city, genre, and even bandwidth. For example, when I browsed by city and selected Los Angeles, I found three high-quality streams for those on W-Fi 3G and EVDO, and one standard quality stream for EDGE. FlyCast also offers dedicated access to Weather and Traffic.

There are five buttons at the bottom of the screen: Guide, Search, Favorites, History, and Settings. There is a bar at the top that usually has a back button, and always a quick press to the now playing screen. I like the feel of the window, but I'd prefer some slicker graphics in the content area. Still, FlyCast is a cool app, and can be integrated with your Facebook account.

The version available at the time of this writing is a public beta. Check out Noah's video review here.

#2 imeem. The Android imeem client has been around longer than most (all?) of the programs on this list. And it was excellent from the get-go. The interface the sexiest of all the radio apps, with last.fm coming in a close second for that category. Like Last.fm, imeem also has love/hate buttons so it can learn about your tastes and deliver personalized content.

The main screen has four tabs: Featured, Saved, Recent, and Search. Extremely subtle ads grace the screen in such a way that I almost thought "KIA" was a function of the program. The Now Playing screen has Hate, Love, Pause and Next controls, not unlike Last.fm. Clicking the info button will tell you about the band, allow you to add them as a favorite, and find similar stations.

imeem also directs you to purchase from Amazon, should you want to download a song. Oh, did I mention how sexy the interface is?

Click here for the super, ultra, mega-grand finale!

VIDEO: CES 2008: Android Phone? Wistron NeWeb GW4

1/11/2008 12:00:00 AM

Wistron NeWeb of Taiwan was showing a very impressive Linux-based smartphone at CES in Las Vegas. The GW4 is ready for Google's Android OS and features a responsive Linux OS, touchscreen and QWERTY board, and is one of the lightest smartphones out there.