Phandroid has obtained what it believes to be Verizon’s roadmap for the release of phones and other devices (MiFi, USB modems) this Spring. I want to replace my MiFi and my phone. So what’s on my shopping list?
Archive for the ‘Android’ Category
Verizon Spring roadmap is my shopping list
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011Samsung Galaxy S II
Sunday, March 27th, 2011I’m keeping a watchful eye on the Samsung Galaxy S II. This Android powerhouse has a 4.3” Super AMOLED screen and a dual-core processor, and looks very thin for its screen size. Not a lot of details are known, including if or when it is coming to North America, and if so, to which carrier (my guess is AT&T based on the bands). Slashgear has a brief discussion and video to whet your appetite while you wait.
Motorola Droid Bionic vs HTC Pyramid
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011I want a phone with a screen that is large ((4” to 4.3”) and vibrant (Super AMOLED, Super LCD or qHD) and has a big motor (dual-core processor, 512+ MB of RAM). Two Android phones that fit this ambitious bill are the Motorola Droid Bionic and the HTC Pyramid. The Bionic is official and is coming to Verizon, perhaps next month. The Pyramid is not yet official but likely will be by the end of CTIA this week, and likely is coming to T-Mobile (AT&T?), release date yet known. Motorola Droid Bionic vs HTC Pyramid: On What We Know So Far compares these two phones. To me, the Pyramid looks like the better choice, but I’m not a T-Mobile customer. And who knows if CTIA will unveil any competitors to these two.
Sprint HTC EVO 3D
Monday, March 21st, 2011
BGR (picture source) has outed the HTC EVO 3D which Sprint will be announcing at CTIA later this week. Dream specs. 4.3-inch qHD 960 x 450-pixel 3D display, 4GB ROM, 1GB RAM, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm 8660 Snapdragon CPU. Media – Dual rear 5-megapixel cameras with dedicated camera button, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and output 1080p video via HDMI and 720p 3D content. All running on Android Gingerbread 2.3 with HTC Sense UI and powered by a 1730mAh battery. Wow!
No mention in the BGR article of 4G – presumably WiMAX. Also no word yet on availability. We’ll learn that later this week at CTIA.
Passing on the ThunderBolt
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
I’m going to be replacing my venerable HTC Droid Incredible. Verizon finally is selling the HTC ThunderBolt. I like HTC phones and 4.3” screens, and the ThunderBolt is 4G LTE. But I’m going to pass on the ThunderBolt. First, its screen is not qHD or Super AMOLED or Super LCD, like competitors. My Dinc has an AMOLED screen, and it does make a difference. Second, the ThunderBolt has a single-core processor. I’ll wait for dual-core, which is becoming available.
Don’t get me wrong. The ThunderBolt is a nice phone. But given how long Verizon requires you to wait before a discounted upgrade, it doesn’t make sense to buy a phone whose specs in the critical processor and screen categories, are, in the words of one of my students, soon to be “so yesterday.”
A mobile morning
Saturday, March 19th, 2011Friday morning I accompanied my wife on a couple of doctor’s appointments. Fortunately, the appointments themselves were routine. Unfortunately, so was the waiting time. Additionally, Friday is a work day, and the world doesn’t come to a stop while we’re on these medical errands. So here’s my brief story of how I used a tablet to stay connected and why I found it superior to a phone.
Handling devices before you buy: iPad 2 and Xoom
Sunday, March 13th, 2011My wife and I had to go to our local Beast Buy today because we could not get through to the Geek Squad installers by telephone after several tries during several days totaling several hours 
But that’s another story. While there, I got to handle, for the first time, the Motorola Xoom (lots in stock) and the iPad 2 (none in stock).
Here are the specs you can look up online relating to the respective form factors of the iPad2 and Xoom:
| iPad 2 | Xoom | |
| Screen size | 9.7” | 10.1” |
| Height | 9.5” (241.2 mm) | 9.8” (249 mm) |
| Width | 7.31” (185.7 mm) | 6.61” (167.8 mm) |
| Thickness | 0.34” (8.8 mm) | 0.51” (12.9 mm) |
| Weight | 1.35 lbs (613 g) | 1.61 lbs (730 g) |
But the cold specs only tell part of the story. Handling the devices, the iPad 2 seemed light and thin, the Xoom heavy and … bulky would be too strong a word, but definitely not thin. My wife told me the same thing, before I told her my impression. She also told me I was a good husband to order her the iPad 2 
I need all the husband points I can get. Thanks, Steve Jobs 
Of the course, the form factor is only part of the story. These devices have a different OS as well as different hardware. And the Xoom will have 4G while the iPad 2 will be stuck in the 3G slow lane. But when it comes to the look and feel of the device, it was no contest. I’m not sure if a non-tech geek would look farther. Even for a tech geek, the siren song of the iPad 2 was strong. Especially with my wife telling me if I got one, we could use them for Face Time calls between us Lucky for me, Beast Buy was out of stock.
Why my wife prefers the iPad to the Galaxy Tab
Saturday, March 12th, 2011I asked my wife last night if she would prefer to Galaxy Tab to the iPad 2. I asked because she had complained that the iPad was a bit heavy and large to hold while using it to read in bed (via the iPad’s Kindle app). The Tab is significantly lighter and smaller, but its 7” screen size is still ample for reading, and indeed is larger than the screen on her Kindle.
She warned me that if I was planning on switching her forthcoming iPad 2 with my Galaxy Tab, it would be over my dead body. Being into self-preservation, I assured her that wasn’t my intent. Rather, as a writer of this blog, I was curious about her reasons. Still suspicious, she explained. You may find her explanation of some interest.
Notion Ink Adam–Out of Eden
Monday, March 7th, 2011
Like Adam and Eve, I’m out of Eden. But in my case, I’ve been kicked out of better places.
Eden is the custom UI on the Notion Ink Adam. Eden has some unique and neat features. Panels would be one. However, it also has many limitations. One is you can’t add shortcuts to the home screen.
If I wanted to be limited, I’d get an Apple device! But I have Android, so I want to be free. So what did I do?
Motorola Xoom LTE Upgrade
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
GottaBeMobile’s Xavier Lanier has concerns about the Motorola Xoom’s LTE upgrade: Motorola Xoom Review: 4G LTE Upgrade Is Going to Be a Hassle (part 4). His concerns echo mine. I’ve also been burned before, and recently, by manufacturer’s promises of an upgrade “soon” if you buy “now.” Exhibit A – The Froyo upgrade to the Dell Streak 5 was literally months late, only becoming available days ago when Gingerbread is already being released. Unfortunately, the old adage “let the buyer beware” still applies.
Update: It gets better. Motorola to Deny 4G LTE Upgrade for Rooted Xooms.