HTC Legend, Salsa, Tide, Buzz, Bravo

Just when you thought you finally had tabs on the flurry of Android phones(MyTouch, HTC Hero, Motorola Droid), the Storm continues.  Below is a list of next years line up from HTC alone!!  


Design/Lifestyle

HTC Legend
Release: March 2010
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7227 600MHz
Memory: 512 Flash Memory, 256 RAM
Screen: 3.2-inch AMOLED touch screen
Camera: 5.0 mega-pixel with flash
Thickness: 11.4mm
New Sense widgets
Clickable Optical Mouse
Metallic Design
FM Radio
3.5mm headphone jack

HTC Salsa
Release: June 2010
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7225 528MHz
Memory: 512 Flash Memory, 256 RAM
Screen: 2.6-inch QVGA touch screen
Camera: 3.2 mega-pixel
4-row QWERTY
Thickness: 8.6mm
FM Radio
3.5mm headphone jack
Social

HTC Tide
Release: April 2010
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7225 528MHz
Memory: 512 Flash Memory, 256 RAM
Screen: 2.68-inch QVGA touch screen
Camera: 3.2 mega-pixel with autofocus
Thickness: 13mm
3.5mm headphone jack

HTC Buzz
Release: May 2010
Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7225 528MHz
Memory: 512 Flash Memory, 256 RAM
Screen: 3.2-inch touch screen
Camera: 5.0 mega-pixel with autofocus, flash, face tagging
Thickness: 11mm
FM radio
3.5mm headphone jack
Performance

HTC Bravo
Release: April 2010
Processor: Qualcomm QSD 8250 1GHz
Memory: 512 Flash Memory, 256 RAM w/ 16GB microSD card
Screen: 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED touch screen
Camera: 5.0 mega-pixel with flash, autofocus, and HD video capture
Thickness: 11.7mm
Optical Joystick
DivX, Dolby support
FM Radio
3.5mm headphone jack


more info on:


http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=595648

HTC Hero Android 2.1 Eclair preview

HTC Hero Android 2.1 Eclair preview





Some of what it includes:
On 26 October 2009 the 2.0 (Eclair) SDK was released.[36] Among the changes are:[37]
Optimized hardware speed
Support for more screen sizes and resolutions
Revamped UI
New browser UI and HTML5 support
New contact lists
Better white/black ratio for backgrounds
Improved Google Maps 3.1.2
Microsoft Exchange support
Built in flash support for Camera
Digital Zoom
Improved virtual keyboard
Bluetooth 2.1
more on Android:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)

HTC Hero Adobe Flash first Android

Adrian Ludwig from Adobe Systems, Inc. demos websites with Flash on the HTC Hero, the first Android smartphone with Flash.



http://www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/articles/htchero.html

e.g yahoo movies you can see the full movie site and trailers. E.g The Transformer movie
addictivegames.com e.g. Penguine Swings and thousands of other Flash Games

www.expedia.com content on upper right can only be used on Flash.

download HTC Hero 2.1 via XDA-developers & AllDroid

The HTC Hero now has the sweet Eclair(2.0) update leaked(not the official version). Only the Motorola Droid had the 2.0 and the good folks at HTC were left out. The new update includes the following below.

* Optimized hardware speed
* Support for more screen sizes and resolutions
* Revamped UI
* New browser UI and HTML5 support
* New contact lists
* Better white/black ratio for backgrounds
* Improved Google Maps 3.1.2
* Microsoft Exchange support
* Built in flash support for Camera
* Digital Zoom
* Improved virtual keyboard
* Bluetooth 2.1


The HTC Hero 2.1 ROM with SenseUI is apparently bow available. NEws from Androidguys.com

via XDA-developers and AllDroid!

Sprint Blackberry Phone as Modem tethering - what they don' want you to know

How to use your Sprint Blackberry as a Modem,

It's great to use the blackberry as a highspeed modem especially with a Blackberry Tour that's Rev. A(Rev. O. is fine for basic email n youtube). Times when your traveling or in areas with no wi-fi it can be one of the most usefull features the phone as.

The EV-DO feature of CDMA2000 networks provides access to mobile devices with forward link air interface speeds of up to 2.4 Mbit/s with Rev. 0 and up to 3.1 Mbit/s with Rev. A.

When you purchase the Tour, the Stores, Sprint etc... Will automatically put you on the "Simply Everything Plan" and quickly tell you that the phone isn't compatible with any other plans. For most phones like the HTC Hero and Instinct that is true and unless you find a work around your stuck.

What you do is ask the Customer care to move you to the talk 450 plan and add the blackberry $30 data pack and $15 phone as modem(It includes text messages and picture messages). A added bonus is you won't miss anything from the "Simply Everything Plan" as it will include the free calls to any mobile carrier.

We've tested the Blackberry Tour phone as a modem on the Sprint Network. It worked phenomenally well and we were able to watch a full length movie on Netflix and Hulu with no interruptions. That could be a great come back ad for Sprint/Verizon to Apple, "Can your phone/network do that?". But they most likely won't, they'd rather users use their own wi-fi or be stranded with out laptop connections than their networks to be congested.

More information:
http://evdoinfo.blogspot.com/2007/03/evdo-rev-vs-evdo-rev-0.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution-Data_Optimized
http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2706/63/

sprint blackberry phone as modem?

Sprint Phone as a Modem?

Recently Sprint has confused a lot long time savy customers with their new "Simply Everything Plan". A feature that was valuable to many users was the use their phone as a high speed modem. It was a add on or included with older 'grandfathered plans'. That feature has been removed from newly activated plans by Sprint fiercly giving new customers no option but to use the "Simply Everything Plan" to customers looking to upgrade to a Blackberry 9630, HTC Hero, Samsung Instinct, HTC Touch Pro 2 etc... They've trained their reps to use a meaningless word that "those phones aren't compatible with older plans or phone as modem features"??? All of those phones come with built in modems and are of course compatible with any data plans.

Well Sprint is struggling to stay afloat with the economy and every fleeting to the iPhone ship. They've mercilessly ripped a page out of ATT's iPhone playbook. That says, if you have a hot phone lock them into a plan whether they need the features or not. With ATT iphone are locked into the $30 data and voice plan. And Sprint their 'simply' locked into the "Simply Everything Plan" for $69.99. Regarless off wether or not the plans meet their needs. Sprint has non-verbally said "To Hell with being Fair and Flexible".

AS seen in this forum and similar sentiments throughout the web, customers aren't at all fair and flexible when the wool from the carpet is pulled http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/119480;jsessionid=5CCA6FB2DCA014E030C4349DEC1DDAAF.app1jive1



More info on Verizon, ATT, T-Mobile phone as modem

http://www.tetherberry.com/

Verizon Blackberry 8530 launches quietly

Research in Motion's Blackberry Curve goes for sale on Verizon Wireless online.

One of the quietest debuts for any RIM phones in a while, but will be a hard sell with the 8900, Bold and Storm on sale for a penny(all have a better camera and resolution). With the Motorola Droid, HTC Hero and iPhone GS released this summer some great RIM products are left in the storm(no pun). RIM should focus on ONE product or two and do it well then release it to the market. Some of the recent products didn't give customers a great reason to switch over and felt/were incomplete at launch.

1. The original bold went through complete plastic surgery(I believe in Germany).

2. They forgot to add the Trackpad and Wi-Fi on the Tour. %50 of people returned or exchanged the Tour due to faulty trackpads.

3. And due to outdated contract styles they released the blackberry 8530 on Verizon/Sprint, 6 months after they release the blackberry 8520 on T-Mobile.

Don't get me wrong RIM is a great company with a lot of great products and a proven history of innovation. But if they want to be the best in this game that's changed dramatically in the last two years. They will have to get their act together. The iPhone only release one phone and one upgrade this year. Their customers have little confusion over what is what. With RIM within the last 360 days we've seen, The Flip, 8900, 8520/8530, Tour, Storm 2 and Bold 2. Even more confusion on which has 3.2 mega pixel cam, 480/360 res, 3G and Wi-Fi. If the customers are confused that means the management and company are confused as well.

It's really funny how a lot of companies are copying the iPhone at every square inch. But in last two years they can't do the one thing the iPhone has done well. Make one solid product and then release it when it's ready with a bang, not quiet release.




more info on the blackberry
www.blackberry.com/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry
crackberry.com/
www.blackberryforums.com/

Software update(1.56.651.2) now available for Sprint HTC hero

A software update is available for the HTC Hero.



You can initiate the update from the Settings, About Phone, System updates, Firmware update.



Feature Updates and Enhancements

HTC Hero Software Enhancement SW 1.56.651.2 provides feature updates and enhancements to address the following:
• Improvement to camera picture quality
• DST (Daylight Savings Time) issue addressed
• Unable to receive SMS due to full memory
• Memory leak when Bluetooth is in connecting state
• 3.5mm mono when not using headset with mic
• Dialer application causing excess battery draw



Important note: Dedicated Mute/Speaker buttons have been added to the Talk screen



Verification of updates:
To verify the customer has the updated build after the update:
1. Press Menu, Tap Settings
2. Flick Up, Tap About Phone
3. Scroll up and check Software version: After update 1.56.651.2


From:
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/134290#134290

Suprise Storm has much less SAR levels than the Blackberry Curve

SURPRISINGLY The blackberry with the lowest SAR levels is surprisingly the Storm 2 at .78 and the highest is the Blackberry Curve 8300 at 1.51


6 of the highest-radiation cell phones in the United States are from RIM




http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6602_7-6258775-13.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx
Curve 1.54
Bold 1.510
Tour 1.46

iphone 3GS at 1.19
Motorola Droid 1.49
HTC Hero(sprint) 1.13


SURPRISING The blackberry with the lowest SAR levels is surprisingly the Storm 2 at .78 and the highest is the Blackberry Curve 8300 at 1.51

top 20 phones with the highest SAR Levels...

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6602_7-5020357-1.html?tag=rb_content;rb_mtx

More on Cell Phone Radiation on Howstuff Works
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-radiation2.htm

Hanging up BB Sneakers: Blackberry Tour 9630 is improved but not enough

I've owned and loved blackberry phones since the very first 950 pager but it's time to move on. The times it worked during 9/11 and NYC blackouts were priceless. The single double A battery that lasted a month was incredible. But technology and user demands have evolved into a new era where companies have to deliver more than reliable email. Real time email isn't the key it's real time data the Twitter Age.

I recently upgraded to the Blackberry 9630 from the previous 8830. While the 9630 has a improved 480/360 screen, 3.2MP Cam, 528Mhz chip and one of the best blackberry keyboards it's still not enough for today's "attention economy". The OS to be much slower and less snappy than older phones and battery drains a lot quicker. Steve Jobs in the iPhone presentation mentioned 3 simple things yet most phones today still can't do them well(Phone, Internet and Media Player(Youtube, Music, Video). While the blackberry browser is improved I still find my self using the Opera mini browser to cope. Also still have to get to a computer to watch a youtube link. Visiting simple online photo albums lacks clarity.

I know I'll spark debate with loyal blackberry owners. But thousands of blackberry hardcore fanatics have jumped ship. Simply because RIM hasn't done a good job at evolving to meet higher consumer expectations. For those that need a basic email, text and phone. The Blackberry is perfect and does that best. However those who expect more from the Facebook, Twitter, Applications, Youtube etc... Will have to start finding other phones that have stepped up to the plate.

The phone I will be switching to is the HTC Hero on Sprint. I've tested all available Android phones on the market(Motorola Droid, Samsung Moment etc...) HTC seems to get it, the OS, the design and hardware feel. The Samsung Moment for lack of a better description looked like a fisher price phone. It was done without care another phone of their thousands on their to do list to make. Google may have to do something to control the quality of phones that come out. Or they will wait for the market to tell Samsung that the Moment is another badly play game of 'BlackJack".

In short it may not be fair to compare the Blackberry to the iPhone or Android phones as they aren't cut from the same cloth. The Operating System is the heart of the issue and dictates mostly what's possible. Apples OS X and Googles Android are built ground up from a Unix base that gives it greater possibilities. Android the newest comer even at 2.0 is enough to make their competition take a hard long look. And consumers enough to take the leap to a new home for their PDA experience...

I welcome comments and feedback...

Sprint'sHTC Hero Android makes more Sense than iPhone

"
HTC Hero The most impressive widget is called People. It’s an address book in which each contact’s page features a scrolling bar at the bottom with icons that allow you to see that person’s most recent Facebook status, photos from Facebook and Flickr, plus emails and text messages she’s sent to you and recent calls between" Walt Mossberg - Wall Street Journal

HTC Hero Launch Event Video

This phone might be the only real competition to the iPhone... Combination of Google and HTC is a reputable adversary...


People first
SImplicity
Power and Value

HTC's CEO discuss's new products and strategy on CNN

CNN's Eunice Yoon sits down with HTC CEO Peter Chou to talk about the company's strategy for marketing its own brand.