Hailed by some as being the successor to the original Android handset that spawned the Android army, the T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide has been officially announced. We’ve seen plenty of shots with this upcoming device, but now we can say for sure that this thing is looking to greet T-Mobile’s lineup with a decent offering. Some of its key features include a 3.4” HVGA touchscreen, Android 2.1, QWERTY keyboard, 5-megapixel auto-focusing camera with flash, 8GB microSD card, and preloaded with the Swype keyboard to supplement its physical one. In addition, the Genius Button will be on board which enables voice command features that are powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance Communication. Not only can you make simple phone calls with your voice, but you can even compose messages, emails, and surf the web with it. Those who are really digging this device can sign up on T-Mobile’s web site to get the latest information regarding the smartphone – but it’s worth noting that it is expected to land some time in June. Now only does it make its entrance during the perfect summer month of June, but it’ll surely slide right on in and get comfy with some of the competition thanks to the variety of colors it’ll be showing off – which include red, black, and white.
source: T-Mobile

AT&T customers in the US got the first crack at checking out the unorthodox looking Motorola BACKFLIP, but TELUS customers are now getting their chance at experiencing all of the features we’ve seen with the Android powered device. There’s a slight modification that can be seen with TELUS’s version of the BACKFLIP as the original silver bezel has been replaced with a slightly darker colored one. As for everything else, it remains intact with its 3.1” HVGA touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera with flash, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3.5mm headset jack. All of those features are packed into its unique backflip like motion that’s required in getting the QWERTY keyboard into its usable position. Pricing on the other hand remains to be one of the biggest differentiators between the one AT&T customers are subjected to. Interested customers can grab it for $99 on a three year contract – which could make some consider getting it for the no-contract price of $399.99.
source: TELUS via Engadget

Rendering of the Samsung M910 that has appeared at FCC

Do you remember that exhaustive list of cell phones for Sprint that was leaked on the Internet? Yes? Cool. And what about that piece of news that had it the Samsung Moment2 resembled the original? You do? Hm… well, done!

You must be wondering what these two have in common, right? Well, the yet to be announced Samsung SPH-M910 has surfaced at FCC and we already suspected (that’s one of the things that got mentioned in said list of handsets for Sprint) the cell phone is none other but the Moment2. The rendering found in one of the documents resembles the shape and overall design of the device we saw in the leaked picture. Unfortunately, there is still no information on the hardware specifications of the M910. Supposedly, it will be based on Android 2.1 and TouchWiz 3.0. Now that it has received FCC’s blessing, we can expect to see the Samsung SPH-M910 hit the shelves soon, although not until the manufacturer has announced it officially, of course.
source: FCC

More than year ago, with the Motorola name becoming obsolete in the cellphone business, Motorola made the decision to focus on Android powered handsets and things are starting to pay off. Thanks to better than expected sales of higher margin smartphones, and fewer sales of lower margin feature phones, not only did Motorola beat analysts estimates for the past quarter, the company is now saying that it appears likely that they will beat second quarter estimates as well. As for the first quarter, sales in the mobile devices unit dropped 9% to $1.6 billion from the prior year’s Q1. The unit did showed a major improvement in the bottom line although it was still written in red ink. The loss for the first three months of the year was $192 million for mobile devices, a sharp improvement from the $545 million lost in the first quarter of the year 2009. Motorola’s Co-CEO  Sanjay Jha gives credit for the rebound to the Android OS which he calls “fastest-innovating ecosystem” in the world of wireless. As a whole, Motorola earned $69 million for the opening three month period of the year vs. a loss of $231 million the prior year.

Returning to the world of cellphones, the Schaumburg based company shipped 8.5 million handsets in Q1. 2.3 million of those were smartphones, a niche that Motorola had largely not been present in until Android powered models started shipping last November. Jha says that his company will launch at least 20 new smartphone models this year with shipments expected to be in the range of  12-14 million units. A previous estimate had placed the figure for the low end at 11 million which means that momentum continues to push in the company’s favor. Jha says to expect more Motorola devices using the “Droid” name at Verizon. One drawback for Motorola could have occurred just the other day with the launch at Big Red of the HTC Droid Incredible. With a faster Snapdragon processor, this zippy new model has already sold out online inventory and has leapfrogged over the Motorola DROID to become the carrier’s new flagship model. Some of the new Motorola Android models being worked on for the U.S. could include the same 1GHz Snapdragon chip, and also increase the size of the display to 4.3 inches from the company’s largest screen which is currently 3.7 inches.
source: ChicagoTribune

Since launching Google Maps Navigation with the Motorola DROID back in the fall, Android users around the world have been enjoying the free turn-by-turn navigational service from Google. However, the company frowns upon using a good chunk of their Google Mobile products while operating a motor vehicle – so that means no Google Maps to aid you while driving. Apparently the Google Maps team is spreading the awareness about the dangers of distracted driving with the Oprah Winfrey Show and other organizations across the country. Conversely, Google quickly points to the exception of Google Maps Navigation which is designed for hands-free use with a car dock – but some argue that it still doesn’t quite complete the true hands-free experience. Still, it’s the preferred method over using strictly the Google Maps app on a handset which only provides on-screen text directions that can cause drivers to become distracted from what’s in front of them.
source: Google

As more consumers pickup Android phones, it’s speculated there would be more nasty viruses, spyware, and malware being created to cause havoc for growing platform. That’s where McAfee comes in with its VirusScan Mobile app that’s set to launch for SK Telecom Android customers in South Korea. Not only will they offer it to the Android platform, but they’re releasing the same product for Windows Mobile. As its name implies, it features technology that protect SK Telecom’s mobile devices from baddies like malware and secures personal information so that the core communication functions are intact as owners use their devices. There is also an automatic protection update feature that performs real-time scanning and secures the mobile handset in the event a threat is found. Interested users can pick up the mobile app from SK Telecom’s app store for free while the app for the first Android phone available in Korea, the Motorola XT720, is currently available with more support to others down the road.
source: Business Wire via IntoMobile

It so happens that the HTC Droid Incredible is doing its thing as it’s being hailed as the best Android phone to be currently available on the market. We’ve already checked out a teaser video advertisement that attempts to intrigue those individuals that aren’t aware of the handset by showcasing in words some of the highlights about the phone. Now we’re starting to see a promotional video for the Samsung Galaxy S I9000 that’s a bit more colorful in respect to the daily functions it offers in our lives. The short video clip doesn’t attempt to win over people by touting its impressive specs, instead it offers you the sense of how this power house Android smartphone can help you out from the time you wake up until the time you fall asleep. In fact, the video is basically a shorter version of the one seen during its unveiling at CTIA – the only difference obviously is that it’s approximately 30 seconds in length; an ample amount of time for a potential commercial.
via AndroidGuys

With the bada powered Samsung Wave making a splash during MWC, some were curious to see how the Korean based manufacturer plans to simultaneously support a range of mobile platforms. Sure they’re crowned as the second largest cell phone maker in the world, but now it looks as though they’re placing their focus and attention on Android. The open platform surely has its advantages as we’ve seen consumers openly embrace the bevy of smartphones featuring Google’s mobile operating system. Samsung executives recently told analysts that 50 percent of their smartphones would be running Android while bada would only compromise a mere 33 percent. It’s still yet unknown how their bada platform will be adopted by consumers worldwide, especially when the sole device confirmed to run the platform is the Samsung Wave with others rumored coming down the road. Finally it’ll be interesting to see how Microsoft’s platforms, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7, will be divided among the remaining 17 percent of their handsets. Naturally things can always change down the road depending on what trends occur – maybe bada might somehow prove itself enough to garner a larger share.
source: Reuters

Just a bit over 2 weeks ago, we reported that a Twitter app for Android was in the works. We are happy to report that now, the official Twitter app for Android is here. Available now at the Android Market, the official Twitter app brings you everything you need except support for multiple Twitter accounts which we believe will be supported somewhere down the road. Still, there is some more Android  “Fragmentation” going on with this app because it will work only on those models running the Android 2.1 OS or higher, which is still not a large number of handsets at this point.

Among the features of the “official” Twitter for Android app is full support for widgets, using the Quick Contact bar to see  user’s tweets and the ability to upload images and videos straight from the Gallery. The home screen widget lets you access your timeline and you can view the location of a tweet on a map. Twitter for Android is a free download and can be scanned into your phone via the QR code on the source link. Or, as we mentioned, you can roll your shopping cart in the Android Market over to the application and install it on your Motorola DROID, Nexus One or HTC Droid Incredible. If your Android phone is not of those three models, you will still have to use other apps like Twidroid until your handset gets upgraded to the newer build.
source: Twitter

With smartphones like the HTC Droid Incredible, EVO 4G, and Dell’s eclectic mix of rumored Android phones arriving on the scene, Motorola’s camp has been relatively quiet in the high-end department as they’ve released mid-range handsets like the DEVOUR and CLIQ XT of late. When we first heard about the Motorola Shadow, it quickly gained attention with its sleek looking exterior that seemed to follow the design elements evident from the Motorola DROID. Now it storms back onto the scene as a Motorola device with the code name MB810 passed through the Wi-Fi Alliance – which is speculated to be none other than the Motorola Shadow itself. After we were treated to the high-end specs of the HTC EVO 4G during CTIA, the rumored specs for the Motorola Shadow now reveals a 4.3” capacitive touch screen, full QWERTY keyboard, 8-megapixel auto-focus camera, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Android 2.2. In the past, it was also speculated to be the Nexus Two, but we’re sure that it could stand its own ground going the usual handset route. Some speculate it to be a GSM based handset, while other reports hint that Verizon may get the handset – which should make for a decent successor to the Motorola DROID seeing that it’s been on the market for close to 6 months now. As we get closer to the official start of summer, we’re sure that Motorola’s camp is looking to get the spotlight pointed back on them with this power packed Android phone.
source: WFA via Android Community