Being a little selfish, aren’t we Samsung? Shame on you for hoarding all of the AMOLED and Super AMOLED screens that you are producing. Sure, you might need to use the displays for all of the Galaxy S variants that are being made for Verizon (Fascinate), AT&T (Captivate), T-Mobile (Vibrant) and Sprint (Epic 4G). As we told you, the Korean based firm says that it expects to sell 10 million units of the Galaxy S (and Galaxy S Pro) this year.

As a result, HTC has said that it would be switching over to Sony’s Super TFT LCD display, as we reported. Now, Pantech-a Korean based firm just like Samsung-is following suit by announcing that they also will be switching over to LCD because of the scarcity of AMOLED screens. A Pantech executive told the Korean Herald that Samsung Mobile Display, the only company that supplies AMOLED screens, cannot even make enough of the displays for Samsung’s own consumption. As a result, he said, “We will not use AM-OLED displays in our new phones to be rolled out in the first half of next year because of supply issues.” The Pantech exec, who would not give his name due to anonymity, said that his company would consider using AMOLED technology again if the supply issues are sorted out.
source: KoreaHerald

Auction sites like eBay are your best portals if you’re trying to track down the original Google Phone since it has been discontinued for purchase through their online web store. However, Android developers will have the magical key required to obtain a highly regarded Nexus One which is already going down in history as a collector’s item. Google will allow registered Android developers to go ahead and purchase an unlocked Google Nexus One for $529 which will have Android 2.1 out of the box. However, Android 2.2 Froyo will commence to download as soon as you turn on the device and begin to get comfy with it. If you’re not registered and still ache for a handset, you’d probably want to find a friend who is one or simply try your luck bargaining with someone.
source: Google via MobileCrunch

Garmin’s first venture into the smartphone market didn’t go quite as planned, but when you look back at the reputation the Nuvifone G60 brought to the table for AT&T, it was undoubtedly surprising to say the least that they were coming back for seconds. Instead of relying on their own home brewed Linux based platform, the long time GPS maker decided to ride the wave of Android – seeing that a handful of other companies experienced strong sales by siding with the open platform. Granted though it brought the core elements of Android that we all know and love, it still fared below the level that other manufacturers brought along with their customized experience. Garmin recently reported their Q2 financial statement with some good numbers being backed by their tried & true business of dedicated GPS handheld devices, however, things weren’t so great in their continued smartphone venture.

CEO Dr. Min Kao said in their statement, “In the quarter, we also launched the GarminfoneA50 with T-Mobile and the nüvifone A10 with Optus in Australia. Sales of our smartphone product category contributed $27M in revenue during the quarter. While this was below our plan, we are working aggressively with T-Mobile and other carriers around the globe on the appropriate positioning and pricing of our devices in the competitive smartphone space.”

Now the key point you need to look at here is the fact that their smartphone sales only managed to generate $27 million in revenue – yes, just revenue and not profit. Additionally, Dr. Kao mentioned that its was “below our plan” and they’re doing what they can to stay competitive in this always emerging market. This summer alone showcased the vast high-end Android offering available to consumers which made the Garminfone look quaint by comparison. Despite flaunting some less than impressive figures from their most recent smartphone venture, this is one key business they will need to look at with a close eye because the mobile market is encroaching on their usual turf at a faster rate – so they will really need to bring something compelling to the table next time around.
source: Garmin via Unwired View

Thanks to the combination of new models launched with Android 2.1, and older handsets receiving upgrades to the build, the 2.1 iteration of Google’s open source OS now runs on nearly 60% of all Android handsets. In the last two weeks, Google says that Android 2.1 has gone from running 55.5% of Android phones, to 59.7%.  The rise comes at the expense of  Android 1.5 and 1.6. Those two builds have seen their combined share drop to 35.6% from 41% two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Android 2.2 has risen to owning 4.5% of the Android pie from 3.3% in the prior bi-weekly report. We should see a jump in that category in the next report as some big time Android devices like the Motorola DROID and the HTC Desire receive the 2.2 build. As we reported, owners of the EVO 4G have already been served their Froyo, but it came too late for inclusion in this latest report.

Speaking of Froyo, TCBY couldn’t pass up the chance to align itself with a hot consumer item like Android cellphones and decided to plant 300 palettes of sod in the 20 acres next to the Googleplex. The purveyor of frozen yogurt added a note that reads, “TCBY Frozen Yogurt…We Think the New Android 2.2 Fro-Yo Upgrade is Sweet!” We couldn’t agree more.
source: AndroidandMe (Android 2.1 marketshare), AndroidGuys (TCBY)

Back in June, we reported that Google VP Andy Rubin was claiming that 160,000 Android models a day were being activated. Since then, the figure has risen and continues to grow steadily higher. No less than the CEO of the Mountain View based firm, Eric Schmidt, has come forward to say that 200,000 activations are being made each and every day. That is a rate that works out to 73 million activations over a year. But even more impressive is the momentum behind the numbers. Back in May, the rate was 100,000 which means that Android sales have theoretically doubled over the last 3 months.

The strength of the platform has managed to overcome the launch of the iPhone 4 thanks to a number of strong releases like the Motorola DROID X (Verizon) and the EVO 4G (Sprint). Both models have been impossible to find at their respective carrier’s retail stores at one time or another. Both operators have some more high profile Android models on the way with Big Red’s launch of the Motorola DROID 2 expected sometime this month followed by the release of the Galaxy S derived Samsung Fascinate sometime in the near future. Sprint will soon be releasing its second 4G enabled handset, the Samsung Epic 4G which is a version of the QWERTY keyboard equipped Galaxy S Pro. AT&T and T-Mobile also have some tasty Android wares available with the recent launch of each carrier’s Galaxy S variant, the Samsung Captivate and Samsung Vibrant respectively.

Because Android is an open source operating system, manufacturers pay nothing to Google for its use. But CEO Schmidt says that mobile advertising more than covers the cost of developing the OS. So for those of you worrying about how long Google could continue to support an open platform, don’t fret. The guys at Mountain View have it all covered without requiring a bake sale.
source: GabeRivera via UnwiredView

Known mostly for their line of LCD monitors, although they did dabble with PocketPC powered PDAs early in the last decade, Viewsonic is rumored to be on the verge of releasing their Android powered tablet. Their version will feature a 7” display, Android 2.2 Froyo from the onset, GSM/UMTS connectivity, and either a 3 or 5-megapixel camera. Everyone is clearly getting on board quickly with their tablet offerings for this upcoming and always crucial holiday shopping season. Viewsonic falls into the same mix since it’s speculated to debut some time within the next two months with a price point believed to fall somewhere around £300 and £400 ($478 to $637). Android’s assault was clearly felt last year as the platform catapulted to the top of the charts thanks to some memorable smartphones released that time, however, it looks like the same will be happening in the tablet space come this fall.
via SlashGear

With summer winding down, there are plenty of companies already looking toward the busy fall period when holiday shopping will begin to ramp up. Left and right, everywhere you turn there are more companies making announcements that they are heading into the growing tablet computing market – which is captured heavily by Apple’s iPad. Much like how we witnessed Android’s full explosion into the market thanks to the ever popular Motorola DROID last fall, there are whispers that Moto is in the process of also making their mark in this reestablished competitive market by launching their own Android powered tablet. The speculations point to a 10.1” tablet running on Android and integrating with Verizon’s FiOS digital television system, but neither Motorola or Verizon have come out to officially confirm details or its development. What’s even more surprising is the notion that we might see it launch as early as this fall in the US. Other rumored features include two cameras for photos & video calls, built-in Mi-Fi ability to share its 3G connectivity over Wi-Fi, Flash support, and a body that’s believed to be thinner and lighter than Apple’s very own appealing iPad. If they’re intent on bringing this out to the market by this fall, one would only expect to hear some official word surface in the near future regarding this product.
via SlashGear

After webOS received its Facebook update, it is time now for a bit more popular mobile OS to do the same. The app has been greatly enhanced for multimedia with a photo reel at the bottom showing the latest albums and videos posted by your Facebook friends; video playback is already possible directly from the application as well. Other things you can do without exiting Facebook 1.3 for Android is responding to friends’ requests, and checking on Events and RSVP-ing.

From the comfort of your homescreen you can now search for friends and post status updates, or pull up your newfangled notifications bar to see if that “oh, how cute” comment on your girlfriend’s cat picture has gotten the response it deserves.
source: AndroidGuys

Sad news for owners of the Motorola DROID. Even after the Android 2.2 upgrade expected to come to the device this week, limitations with its hardware will prevent the phone from tethering capabilities and from functioning as a Wi-Fi mobile hot spot. Both of those features were considered to be part of the Android 2.2 upgrade, but a Verizon Spokesperson, Brenda Raney, sent a e-mail to Phonescoop that said, ” “The Droid by Motorola doesn’t have [the] hardware to support a Mobile Hotspot. With tethering there is no Connection on the PC side that will allow you to tether the device so the answer is that option isn’t part of this update.”

Raney also noted that the Android 2.2 upgrade will be first send out to a few DROID users to make sure it works correctly. Once it has been determined that everything is running smoothly, the rest of the OTA upgrade will be sent out in phases and Motorola DROID owners will get a bump up in speed thanks to the J-I-T compiler, Flash 10.1 support and other goodies.
source: Phonescoop

Pretty much all the good looking smartphones have jumped the trend as manufacturers are opting to release handsets with a fresh white paint job. The HTC EVO 4G might have been the latest Android handset to make the switch to a white exterior, but now it’s looking like the equally powerful Samsung Galaxy S will be following the same path. The Phone House’s Spanish web site is showing the pristine Samsung Galaxy S handset decked in an all new white paint job which they will be selling shortly for the price of €499 ($657) – unlocked! For those with the affinity for the white coating, it may prove to be a wise decision to start saving that cash now if you plan on grabbing one when it’s finally released. Although there is no specific date listed on the web site for its availability, it’s speculated to launch some time in September – which should also be in the nick of time for Froyo to make its presence on the handset.
source: The Phone House via GSMArena