George Hall Online

Exploring Social Media, Tech And Gadgets

And So To Android...

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This week I'm catching up on what's happening in the tech world after my three-week social media detox.

Today's topic is the Android OS and what's currently going on with it.

So let's start with the Alex e-Reader and its dual screen.  Pre-ordering has begun for this device and it should be available in America by mid-April.  This is an interesting little device, competing against the Amazon Kindle, with a large screen for e-books, combined with a smaller, Android-powered smaller screen.

Meantime, Google is expecting the Google Nexus One phone to do well in China, regardless of the kerfuffle there over search.

Conversely, though, on the trademarking side of things, Google has been knocked back by the US Patent and Trademarking Office for the Nexus One name.  Integra Telecom wins out there.

It seems more open-source developers are favouring Android over the iPhone OS, but that was to be expected anyway.  It is good to see a healthy batch of open-source apps available to Android and quite a few of these are workable, good-quality apps.  Of course you find a few duds too, but that happens even over at the iPhone app store.

Finally, AT&T in the States and Rogers Wireless in Canada are now retailing the Nexus One.

Gee, if you blink in tech, you miss a bit.  That's a lot happening in three weeks.

Birthdays and Android Phones...

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Today is my birthday. 

I've finally reached the half-century mark, though I still consider myself 50 years YOUNG, not 50 years old.  Considering I keep up on my tech enough to show youngsters how to use an iPhone, perhaps that's a good way of describing it.

So what did I get for my birthday?

A HTC Dream, otherwise known as a Google G1.

I've been an iPhone man the past year, but I feel good also having an Android OS phone to compare it with.  There's nothing like hands-on experience.

Of course, the day before my birthday, Google announced their Nexus One phone, so you might say I have a little Nexus One envy right now.  Looking at the Nexus One specs and UI, I can imagine somewhere down the line I'll get one.  Just not right now.

Meantime, I'm paying way more attention to Android-related news now and noted an article this morning about an Android-powered phone that will have a digital TV chip in it.

Now there's a 2010 trend I'd really like.  Free-to-air digital TV on your mobile/cell phone.  Heck, as long as reception was great, I'd actually budget for an Android phone capable of that.

In the meantime, I'm still praying that Vodafone Australia bring out an update to the HTC Dream to bring it up to Android 2.0 and/or the Sense interface.

Oh well.  Back to the birthday boy playing with his new toy...