Australia - Android Community

Another Android 55″ LCD TV

By David Junior
on 14 Apr, 2010

One of the best things about Android is its ability to power a variety of different things. We have seen it on everything from kitchen appliances , watches and now there televisions. This is the second Android powered television that we have seen, Google has plans of introducing their own Android-based television.

Huawei will release Android-powered handset in 2009

By Staff Editor
on 19 Dec, 2008

Huawei said that Australian telecommunications companies would be able to start selling their Chinese based Android-powered handsets by the third quarter of 2009 if they would like to. Huawei was one of the companies to enter the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) earlier this month announcing plans to bring an Android-powered handset to market in 2009. Australia was excluded from the launch of the T-Mobile G1, but now Telcos has the choice not Huawei. "Huawei can confirm that their first Android smartphone is scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2009. Huawei's smartphones can be ordered and developed for Australian operators based on any such requests," the spokesperson said. Kogan Technologies' Agora, which will hit Australia on January 29th, is still going to be the first to legally make it to Australia. We are also expecting several Android-powered handsets out of China throughout 2009. We certainly hope to see much growth with Android in the coming year, especially in the Android Market, which has seemed to slow to a crawl. [Via CNET]

Kogan announces the second Android-powered handset, the Agora

By Staff Editor
on 4 Dec, 2008

We are very surprised to see that the latest Android-powered handset to come to market is not coming from China, but in fact from Australia. We are very excited to hear that the Kogan Agora Pro is available for international pre-order. More details after the jump. For $399 you will be getting a business-like Android smartphone fully equipped with a 2.5-inch resistive touchscreen, 3G data network and full QWERTY keyboard. Taking a good long look at what customers want at a price they can afford, Kogan has managed to deliver a very beautiful handset. This smartphone has GPS, 624 MHz processor, 128 MB RAM, 2-megapixel camera and Wi-Fi. If $399 is a little bit more than you would like to spend you can go with the cheaper $299 version. This cheaper version lacks some big features such as Wi-Fi, GPS and the 2-megapixel camera. The Agora is available to anyone without a contract no matter where they are located. Hurry and pre-order yours now and your Agora will be shipped January 29th.

MELBOURNE, Thursday 4th December 2008 – Kogan Technologies today unveiled the Kogan Agora, the first Australian mobile phone powered by the Android™ operating system. Kogan Technologies will sell the Agora for AU$299 and the Agora Pro for AU$399. Both models are available for sale today on www.kogan.com.au. The phones are sold outright – with no contract – and will work on any network. The Kogan Agora (AU$299) features a full QWERTY keyboard, central navigation key, 2.5” touchscreen, microSD slot, and 3G connectivity. The Kogan Agora Pro (AU$399) adds a 2 MP camera, Wi-Fi, and GPS to the Agora’s impressive specifications. Both models will ship to customers – in Australia and internationally – on January 29th 2009. Kogan Technologies founder, Ruslan Kogan, said the Agora is proof that his company is achieving its goal of offering the latest technology at the best value prices. “The Kogan team have been working very hard to bring out the exciting new phones powered by Google’s Android operating system at the right mix of price and specifications,” Kogan said. “We’ve been listening to customers through our blog, and crammed in all the features we possibly could. The end result is the best value, fully-featured phone in the Australian market. “We worked closely with manufacturers and vendors to develop drivers, software, and tweaks to make the Agora an intuitive and exciting experience for everyone. “The design and features of the Kogan Agora makes the phone appeal to both consumers and business users. “The Android operating system means the handset can capture and play music, photos and video, surf the web, play games, navigate, and organise your life with extremely powerful applications." Kogan has been a long time supporter of open source and Android™ provides a real alternative to Apple’s proprietary operating system for the iPhone. “Google is a key player in developing efficient and innovative online solutions for customers around the world. The open source nature of Android means the operating system will continually improve over time,” Kogan said. Some of the applications pre-loaded on the Kogan Agora are: · Gmail™ · Google Search™ · Google Calender™ · Google Maps™ · Google Talk™ · YouTube™ HIGHLIGHTS: · 2.5-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen · Integrated QWERTY keyboard · High-speed 3G network connection · One-Touch Google Search ™ · Easy Web Browsing · Easy-to-use email with attachment support for images, videos, music and documents · Customisable Home Screen with instant Email, text message and IM notifications · Instant access to mobile Internet services (Gmail ™, YouTube ™, Google Talk ™, Google Calendar ™, Google Maps ™) · Music Player · microSD™ expansion slot for all your storage needs · Wi-Fi network access (included with Kogan Agora Pro) · GPS navigation capability (included with Kogan Agora Pro) · 2.0 megapixel camera (included with Kogan Agora Pro) SPECIFICATIONS: Operating System Android™ Google Mobile Functions Google Search™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Google Calendar™. Display 2.5-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 262K QVGA (320 X 240 pixel) resolution Device Control Central Navigation Key Keyboard QWERTY keyboard Keyboard backlighting GPS GPS navigation capability (included with Kogan Agora Pro) Connectivity Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11b/g (included with Kogan Agora Pro) Camera 2.0 megapixel colour camera (included with Kogan Agora Pro) Audio Built-in microphone and speaker Headphone jack Ring tone formats: · MIDI, MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, PCM Video Video formats supported: · MPEG2 H263, H264, MPEG4, AVI Mail attachment support Viewable document types: · JPEG, GIF, WBMP, MIDI, AMR, MP3, WAV Dimensions (HxWxD) 108 mm x 64 mm x 14.8 mm Weight 130g Battery Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 1300 mAh Talk Time Up to approximately 400 minutes Standby Time Up to approximately 300 hours Processor MHz 624 MHz Memory ROM: 256 MB RAM: 128 MB microSD™ card expansion slot Network UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz) GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) Other than as described in this release, Kogan and its products, are not affiliated with Google Inc or its products. Google™, Android™, Google Search™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Maps™, Google Talk™, Google Calendar™ are trademarks of Google Inc. Use of these trademarks is subject to Google Permissions. About Kogan Technologies Kogan Technologies is a wholly-owned Australian company established in 2006 by entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan. Kogan sells a wide range of consumer electronics in Australia, New Zealand, and around the world. The Kogan promise is based on a unique business model that passes the savings of dealing direct with the manufacturers onto Australian consumers. Bypassing middlemen, Kogan is able to offer the latest technology at the most affordable prices. Kogan’s unique blend of quality technology and value for money offers price-conscious Australian technology consumers a real choice.

Young Aussie first to announce Android-powered handset in Australia

By Staff Editor
on 4 Nov, 2008

A small consumer electronics maker in Melbourne Australia, who’s specialty is undercutting big brands, has become the first to announce that they will be selling an Android-powered handset in Australia. While the idea doesn’t sound like the most appealing idea to many customers, his track record proves that he knows what he is doing. Ruslan Kogan, 25 – has been selling cut-priced Kogan-branded TV sets, GPS devices as well as many other electronics on the internet for the past two and a half years. He claims to be offering his Android-powered handset by December 5th for a mere $199. Currently Aussies are purchasing the G1 on Ebay for $1,000, so this is a welcome alternative to many. No mobile phone manufacturer has yet announced plans to release an Android-powered handset in Australia. Kogan claims his Android-powered handset will be similar to the iPhone including a touch-screen. The phone will have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and like the T-Mobile G1 a trackball for easy navigation. Kogan said, "We've got a few designs that we can easily choose from. We know the components that's going to go into the phone. The private company, Kogan Technologies has made about $8 million last year alone. The company is on track to increase sales by between $15 and $20 million this year. With such substantial growth and Android being quiet till next year, we would not be surprised if Kogan’s Android phone is a hit in Australia. For those of you located in Australia, would you buy a phone from a manufacturer such as this, or spend $1000 on an imported G1? [Via SMH]