So, why the buy? The purchase is certainly an “acq-hire”, the acquisition of a company primarily for its employee talent. (Google did something similar with Digg founder Kevin Rose and his team.) But what does Google need with industrial design? They’re a web and software company, and have always said so! Well, that’s being called in to question.

Beyond the obvious addition of Motorola, and in spite of Google’s assurances that the two companies will be kept at arm’s length, it’s impossible to deny that Google is getting further and further into the hardware space. Google is intimately involved with the development of each Nexus and developer device, even down to the shape of the hardware. Google is investing in next-generation form factors in Project Glass, and will need some talented hardware designers on the team to make it a reality.

The Occam’s Razor (RAZR?) conclusion is that Google wants Maaike Evers and Mike Simonian to beef up Motorola’s design department. There’s no way of verifying that, but we can certainly hope.

[via TalkAndroid]

In 2006 that would have been a pretty great phone with its candy-bar shape and QWERTY style hardware keyboard. Clearly you can see multiple buttons from ALT, to actual hardware menu buttons similar to what the original G1 had when it was released. It appears that originally Google had no plans for touch screen phones, but not many did until LG and Apple revealed them later in 2007.

What this all means to the case for Oracle and Google remains to be seen, but Oracle is clearly showing Google’s original plans, that later changed as Android progressed and required more Java code.

The specs of the phones weren’t details, but apparently the minimal requirements were and they are: An ARMv9 processor of at least 200MHz, GSM (preferably 3G), 64MB of RAM and ROM, miniSD external storage, a 2 megapixel camera, USB support, Bluetooth 1.2, and a QVGA display. Additionally they could add a secondary display, QWERTY keyboard like the G1 ended up with, hardware acceleration and WiFi.

According to the details from The Verge Google had a fairly functioning OS back in 2006 with three prototypes all capable of Google Talk, Gmail, Calendar, MMS, POP mail (Yahoo) and more all in Q3 of 2006. Sadly we didn’t see this arrive until late 2008 with the original HTC Google G1 – 2 years later. Why everything took so long is still a mystery and I’m sure we’ll be hearing more as the lawsuit continues. Pretty interesting stuff and looks a lot like a Blackberry if you ask me.

[Images via Oracle vs Google trial exhibit]

To forestall confusion, let’s point out that the HTC Dream and the Google G1 are technically separate devices: as the original developer phone, the G1 could be unlocked fairly easily with a series of fastboot commands. The Dream, however, was a more consumer-oriented version of the same hardware with technically locked software. That didn’t stop enthusiastic modders from finding a root exploit and unlocking the bootloader anyway, running all sorts of mods and custom ROMs even today. But now it’s official, and the significance of the gesture is not lost: HTC is telling its customers that if they want an open platform for modding, they can have it.

With high-end Android phones now entering their fourth generation and Android tablets on the rise, the G1/Dream has become something of a dinosaur. Even the cheapest of Android phones released in the last few months can run circles around its 528Mhz processor and 256MB of RAM. But it’ll always have a place in our hearts as the one that started it all: a platform that now makes up half of the worldwide smartphone market. Cheers, HTC – Google couldn’t have done it without you.

[via Ubergizmo]

I think that you new Honeycomb users will find that the non-working nature of everything save for touchscreen, all buttons but home, network, and root, [this setup on the HTC Wildfire] are the least of your problems once you’re rolling hard in the tablet OS. As we’ve been searching through the ranks of everyday Android Marketplace apps in Honeycomb, we’ve found that it’s a hit and miss sort of situation, with barcode scanner not functioning at all and Angry Birds working basically perfectly.

Take a peek at the Honeyfire Alpha 2 thread for instructions on that port.

As for the G1 and Magic, well, they’re just as much “proof of concept” as they’re saying as they are functional setups. Of course you will be table to take a sweeping look at how Honeycomb basically works if you like, boot.imging your way into Honeycomb as fast as you can say CLU! Head over to the G1 port thread or the Magic port thread depending on which you want.

[via XDA Developers]

Judging from the picture above I would say that every version of the myTouch 3G is getting some Froyo love. So whether you have a version 1.2, Fender or the original, you can expect to get the update to 2.2 soon. This update not only includes all the goodies that Froyo has to offer, there will be a few extra incentives. The genius button will make its way to every myTouch as well as full exchange support and the new Faves gallery. These features are already included in the new myTouch Slide. I guess the anticipation can now begin. Congratulations my Touch owners you’re now the third phone to officially have 2.2 on the way.

[via tmonews]

This phone can be yours for only $149 on an Even More plan, this choice will give you the lowest upfront price but you have to sign a new 2 year contract. If being bound by contracts isn’t your thing, you can buy it outright for $399 on the Even More Plus plan. Or you can have your Even More Plus plan broken down to $23 a month if you qualify.

Those are some pretty good pricing option for this handset, it features a new take on HTC’s Sense UI dubbed Expresso. From all the leaked videos of this handset the 600MHZ doesn’t slow this device down at all. June 2nd was the initial rumored release date of this device4. The new rumored release date is 16th. We’ll keep an eye out for more solid information on a release date.

T-Mobile will be testing this UMA Android device Q3 this year. That’s right around the corner, Q2 is coming to a swift end. This is welcome news for all of us T-Mobile customers, I thought UMA was getting phased out, it’s nice to see they haven’t given up on the service.

For those of you that don’t know, UMA is service by T-Mobile that essentially turns your house into a mobile hotspot. In addition to that, it allows certain phones to effortless switch between Wi-Fi and regular mobile signal. While your phone is connected to the hotspot no matter how weak your signal is your area your phone will have excellent service. And the best thing about UMA is, while you’re connected you can make as many calls as you want without using a single minute on your plan. An Android phone with this feature would be a great addition.

[via BGR]

These Cellbots was controlled via the Bluetooth protocol XMPP that is included in these Android handsets. Some of the robots ran off the phones battery. There’s even a neat Cellbot icon that you can place on your home screen and when the program is active there’s another icon in the notification pull down bar.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXPT3V8MG4g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

If you get something similar working, share it in the Cellbots support & discussion group . Bonus points if you hook your robot up to a wireless charging station! Bonus points if you hook up your robot to a wireless charging station!

If you like you can try this yourself. There’s a tutorial on how to make your own robots here. There are also more pictures and a few videos of these robots in action.

[via cellbots]

This won’t be an update to plain ole vanilla Android, it will include Sense UI. The original myTouch will receive the same version of Sense that is on the upcoming myTouch Slide. The “genius” feature will also be included in the update. This is great news for all myTouch users, you are not forgotten. There is still no official word on when or if the G1 will be updated.

[via tmonews]

Market description:

If it’s on your computer, it’s in the palm of your hand. Ignition lets you remotely access one or more computers anywhere, anytime, directly from your Android device. So you never have to worry about leaving anything behind. Directly control your Mac or PC, all your apps and all your files – with a simple click.

In the past few weeks we’ve seen controllers added to Android devices as an overlay on the keys and even an Atari controller hacked to work with a G1. This involves less effort than those, all you need is an emulator, an Android handset, a Wii remote and an app called Wiimote and you’re in business. Checkout the video below then gets started on your device.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnVZgLPcq8U&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Wiimote Market Description:

This demo allows you to interact with a Wii Controller using a Bluetooth enabled device.

New features:
- Connect to multiple controllers simultaneously
- Toggle LEDs and rumble
- New UI
- Extension controllers

[via engadget]

These videos not only introduce a new Android tablet but it also shows the potential of having Flash on your device. They were taken was at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco. We all are aware that Flash has been in development for over a year. It was first demoed on a G1 where it was running seemingly flawless. It’s rumored to be integrated in Android 2.2 will is could hit later this month or next month.

Oddly enough, there isn’t much information on this tablet other than it has a 10 inch multi touch screen.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttn1G0Kw62o&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4s4MyX8vqo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[via zedomax]

Ever since the G1 was released ages ago, the biggest complaint about Android was the lack of app storage. Many users think low app storage will limit the installation and availability of good apps (the best ones are usually huge). For the longest you could nullify this weakness by rooting and gaining the ability to store your apps to your SD card. Rooting isn’t for everyone so this official method is probably the biggest upgrade to Android.

[via extorian,engadget]

Unlike the gamepad that we have seen for the Droid, not much is known about this mod. There’s no information around the web that shows you how to do this yourself. But if your tech savvy enough you should be able to pull this off as well. All you need is a G1, a European Atari 7800 Joypad and a whole lot of skill.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdqXCh5ElY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[via makezineblog]

Head over to the site and enter your email for updates from Verizon on this device. Pricing is not listed or a released date isn’t on the site. The only bit of information to be found is in the fine print on the page which reads:

Activation fee/line:$35 ($25 for secondary Family Shareplan lines w/2-yr Agmts).
IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agreement, Calling Plan & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee ($350 on Advanced Devices) & other charges.
Device capabilities: add’l charges & conditions apply. Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. Some applications not available at this time.

By submitting the form, I agree that Verizon Wireless may contact me via email about the information I’ve selected above. I also agree that I am at least 13 years of age.

[via Verizon}

And that brings us to the something new. Apparently T-Mobile has added the “G” button which has its own Android app. T-Mobile trademarked this G button back in March. The folks over at AndroidGuys have uncovered a picture of the trademark; nobody knows what this app will do. Hopefully it does something really cool unlike most carrier specific apps. Will this button an app be included in future Android offerings from T-Mobile? Only time will tell, more information on this “Genius Button” will hopefully leak out soon, I’m interested in knowing what it does.

[via cellphone signal]

Engadget has gotten their hands on a spy shot of Radio Shack’s inventory. In the picture the device is listed as coming soon. Initial rumors peg this device for an early May release and looks like it’s on track to meet or beat that. Some are calling this the true successor of the G1 but I’m keeping my hopes up for a real G2 with a full 5 row QWERTY, 1.5 CPU 1GB of ROM and Ram and an AMOLED 3.7 or better screen. I can “Dream” cant I?

Market Description:

“Hear your old favorites or listen to the newest releases. The Rhapsody App makes it easy to tap into over 9 million songs from wherever you are. With a subscription, you can listen to anything and everything in the catalog–and offline playback coming soon. Download the beta today and try it FREE*.”

For some reason it’s still listed as beta in the market. Maybe sometime today it will be updated. Check it out and see if it’s for you or not.

When it was first leaked around the end of October, this was arguably the hottest Android around the web. Everyone including me couldn’t wait to get our hands on it. Even the fact that it would have an outdated version of Android didn’t sway us from wanting it bad. But, after months of delays and a few lackluster reviews this phone has quickly fell from being a must have.

“I don’t have any technical details around the screen to share, sorry! – However I have now gotten confirmation on the question of multi touch. As said earlier there’s no multitouch in X10 – and I also can confirm that it’s not only related to SW but also to HW. Despite this, for future updates of X10 we are of course working on other solutions for e.g. zooming, which has been requested frequently on this blog, such has the solution demoed on X10 mini” Rikard Skogberg, Sony Ericsson

Granted, multi-touch isn’t the best or most accurate way to zoom. You would expect it to be included in a new device with a suggested retail price up to and exceeding $1000. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, besides having an awesome camera and an impressive UI (depends on who you ask). This phone really has nothing to offer. How do you feel about this? Do you think you can overlook this and shell out the big bucks for it?

[via slashgear]

This is a free app and it offers a welcome change to the included Android keyboard. There are a few other keyboards in the market but none are like this one. It’s the ideal keyboard for small screens, I have it on my G1 and it drastically improved my typing experience. Scan the qr code and see how you like it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itIPS3U2bf8[/youtube]

[via yahoo]