Rumors - Android Community

Tagged: Rumors

The Saygus VPhone V1 clears FCC, Will this be Verizon’s next Android device?

By Juventino Quinones
on 5 Nov, 2009

A recent FCC filing has revealed what could be the third Android offering from Verizon wireless network. Rumors back in October about a small company bringing another Android phone through the Open Development program to Big Red seem to be in the right track. We all have been so excited with the latest news on the DROID devices from Motorola and HTC, that we forgotten about what could be the next Android on Verizon. Apparently that device could be the Saygus VPhone V1, which also has a sliding form-factor with a 3.5-inch 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen. The camera, as you can see on the images, will be a 5-megapixel with autofocus. It will sport a 624MHz Marvell PXA310 processor and 512MB of ROM with 256MB of RAM, there will be a microSD slot, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS too. And for those who love to do video calls, there’s also a front-facing camera. There's no arrival date or price just yet, but the way Verizon is going, I'll say early 2010? [Via SlashGear]

Sony Ericsson’s Rachel UI gets leaked [video]

By Juventino Quinones
on 2 Nov, 2009

It would seem as if November is the Android month, with the new Motorola Droid coming to Verizon on November 6th. And the rumors pointing towards November 3rd to the date that Sony Ericsson will be launching a new Android device. I have to say this, when I watched this video the first time, I couldn't help to feel the anxiety of getting this Sony smartphone. And I'm willing to bet, that most of you will feel the same way. I don't have anything against Android, but lets be honest, media playback on an Android phone just doesn't cut it, until now it would seem. Sony Ericsson's new device is expected to be named either the Xperia X3 or X10. And this new UI demo focuses on Rachael’s new media playback interface, with far improved album management, photo browsing and video playback than any other Android phone, in my opinion. It also seems to borrowed from the Zune HD, check the homescreen, which has a layout very similar to the Zune HD's QuickPlay menu. Well, I won't go into more details, just check the video below and judge for yourself. But I tell you this, when this New Sony device comes out, I will be tempted to either drop my current phone, or get the Sony and carry two smartphones with me all the time, although some people already do that, so I might end up doing just that. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvsl5IBSZh0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube] [Via SlashGear]

Google: We don’t Make Hardware, so don’t expect a GPhone anytime soon

By Juventino Quinones
on 31 Oct, 2009

As we know, or at least most of us anyway, there have been rumors of a Gphone for a long time. And there has been actually no Gphone so far, just phones and other devices running Google's Android OS. Google has confirmed that they don't make hardware. According to Tom Krazit from CNET, "Google's Andy Rubin, head of the company's Android development, would like to clear something up: Google is not in the phone-making business." So there you have it folks, apparently, Google will not compete with its customers by releasing its own phone. Which many believe is the right path for the company. Rubin, besides making clear that Google doesn't make hardware, also said; "We're enabling other people to build hardware." The vice president of engineering for Android at Google also joked at why Google should not be making its own hardware. He gave the example of Google advocating for the infamous hinge design on the G1. He said that specific design wasn't popular with reviewers. Rubin also said that at this moment, the company does not seem prepared to make a shift in Google's business model.

T-Mobile Project Dark Plans Confirmed: “Even More” & “Even More Plus”

By Juventino Quinones
on 27 Oct, 2009

You might remember those rumors about T-Mobile's "Project Black" or "Project Dark", from early this month. Now those rumors are, the next big news from T-Mo, according to many followers of the magenta cellphone carrier. Project Dark plans have been confirmed. These new contract and non-contract packages, which are curiously named; T-Mobile Even More and Even More Plus plans, will start at $59 and $49 respectively. So, on the contract plan expect the traditional device subsidy with a two-year agreement. In the non-contract plans you won't have to deal with the two-year agreement, but you'll end up paying full price for your device, therefore the cheaper price of the monthly plan. And for those who want to save money by having a family plan, have no fear, each new plan comes with a family variant as well. T-Mo is also introducing a new "Equipment Installment Plan" for qualified customers. The way this works is simple; you can pay for your phone over time with interest-free payments. Your first payment will be due at the time you purchase your phone, and the remaining payments will be charged to your monthly bill. The Even More option is for $19.99 minimum qualifying equipment purchase, and 4 interest-free monthly installments, this option is available to current customers. On the Even More Plus option you pay for your phone in 20 interest-free installments and the minimum qualifying equipment purchase starts also at $19.99. According to T-Mobile the Even More unlimited plan is half the price of comparable AT&T and Verizon plans, and if you think about it, is similar to what Sprint is offering. Now lets hope T-Mo starts to offer a bigger coverage area for its subscribers. What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments.

White Samsung Galaxy I7500 spotted in wild

By Chris Davies
on 5 Aug, 2009

It's been a while since we've heard much news about the Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500, so it's a pleasure to see these live photos of the white version of the handset. Rumored for some time, but until now unsighted in the wild, the images landed in the grateful hands of Arne over at the::unwired. According to his tipster, the white Galaxy you see here will be identical, feature-wise, to its black counterpart. That means Android OS 1.5 Cupcake, quadband GSM, triband UMTS/HSPA, WiFi b/g, Bluetooth and GPS, together with a 3.2-inch HVGA AMOLED touchscreen and 5-megapixel camera. The Galaxy's 3.5mm headphone socket isn't such a big deal now that the Hero has arrived with the same thing, but it's still something we're glad to see. Worth noting is that, no matter how much we might like it to be, this isn't a leak of the Samsung GT-I5700 Galaxy Lite, just a white version of the original Android smartphone. Nothing definite regarding launch, but it's tipped to hit O2 Germany first before spreading to other European carriers.

iriver developing Android rival to iPod touch?

By Chris Davies
on 31 Jul, 2009

iriver are reportedly considering using Android as the basis for an iPod touch rival, the iriver K2, which would use a 3.5-inch touchscreen, WiFi, Bluetooth and integrated digital TV tuner. The news comes from an Australian distributor, C.R. Kennedy, whose iriver product manager Danny Bejanoff has been discussing the Korean company's upcoming product range. While the device has not been signed off by iriver, leaving open the possibility that it could be shelved before making it to retail, the expectation is that the K2 would include an accelerometer and a web-browser. Although it would lack the iPod touch's Apple App Store, it would presumably have access to the Android Market for third-party software. The talkative product manager also revealed that iriver is developing an ebook reader and internet tablet. However there's no word on whether either device runs Android, nor when they might launch. [via Engadget]

Sony Ericsson Android-powered XPERIA called “Rachael”

By Staff Editor
on 4 Jul, 2009

Website called mobile.nu discovered what appears to be "internal documents" on what looks to be Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Android-powered phone, an XPERIA codenamed Rachael. Rachael is rumored to sport a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, HSPA & 8MPcamera. The screen size is uknown - but looks like it could be anywhere from 3.5 to 4.1-inch and yes there's a there is a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Rachael looks like it's an all-touch device without a physical QWERTY-keyboard.

[Via egether]

Dell’s Android MID plans: still experimenting

By Chris Davies
on 30 Jun, 2009

According to the Wall Street Journal, Dell is sitting on a number of Android prototype devices that offer MID-style internet access. Described as being "slightly larger" than Apple's iPod touch, the touchscreen prototypes are said to be ARM-based and, from the sound of things, very much in the experimental stage. Dell have made no secret of the fact that they've been experimenting with Android. Back in May the company demonstrated a netbook running the open-source OS, though they were clear that it was only a prototype and not confirmation of an upcoming production model. This latest leak appears to be more of the same; another source, who claims to have been briefed on Dell's plans, suggests that the Android MID could be put into production for a release later in 2009, or alternatively "the plan could be delayed or scrapped entirely." Dell are apparently considering distributing the MID via carriers, similar to the manner in which their 3G-enabled netbooks are sold; there's also talk of a separate line of Android-based smartphones still in the works. [via SlashGear]

Sprint planning HTC Hero & combo CDMA/WiMAX Android phone?

By Chris Davies
on 29 Jun, 2009

No official confirmation as yet, but according to PhoneNews Sprint is internally testing a CDMA version of the HTC Hero with a release planned for the end of 2009. HTC themselves have only confirmed that the Hero will reach the US "later in 2009", after its European and Asian debut. The Sprint Hero would also be accompanied, their sources suggest, by a multi-mode CDMA and WiMAX Android phone, made by Samsung. This would take advantage of the WiMAX network Sprint have developed in partnership with Clear. Sprint have already confirmed that they intend to launch a tri-mode CDMA/WiMAX handset sometime in 2009 or 2010; however they've not publicly suggested which OS the smartphone might use. Samsung have previously created a small number of WiMAX handsets, usually for use in Asia; it's unclear whether this new Android model would be a version of one of those, or a completely new device.

T-Mobile Samsung Bigfoot launching “very soon”?

By Chris Davies
on 12 Jun, 2009

A new picture of Samsung's Bigfoot Android phone for T-Mobile USA has emerged, the smartphone that was initially tipped to replace the G1 in Q3 2009. The Bigfoot is expected to have a 3-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, presumably similar to that the company has used in the Samsung I7500 aka Galaxy. There's also believed to be UMTS/HSDPA connectivity, taking advantage of T-Mobile USA's 3G network, and it seems sensible to assume that it will have WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth. A 3-megapixel camera is also expected, and of course there's that full QWERTY keyboard and what look to be some well-placed stereo speakers. According to the BGR's sources, the Samsung Bigfoot is actually set to launch in the very near future. No word on pricing or specific launch dates, however, but if that "really soon" prediction pans out, we shouldn't have too long to wait.