A lot of people have been reporting that donations made through text messages can take up to 90 days to register. For people trying to donate money to aid the people of Haiti, that’s just way too late. In today’s episode of The Rachel Maddow Show I learned that Verizon and Sprint have stepped things up to get the money to the people that need it now. Maddow reported that Verizon will make 100 percent of the funds available immediately, while Sprint will make 80 percent of the funds available. She mentioned that AT&T is examining ways to expedite things, but offered no word on T-Mobile.
Tag: Mobile Tech
People Comparing Nexus One Sales to iPhone Sales are Idiots
A lot of tech writers have been pointing to Flurry’s report on the “weak” sales of the Google Nexus One, saying that the phone is a failure because it didn’t sell as well as the iPhone, Droid, and MyTouch. That’s such an amazingly stupid comparison for several reasons.
First of all, the Nexus One is being sold by a company that’s new to consumer electronics. Secondly, the company is only selling the phone online. A newcomer that doesn’t have the advantage of physical stores? Of course the Nexus One wasn’t going to do iPhone numbers. Only a moron would have expected competitive sales figures.
More to the point, the Nexus One is a hero product that highlights the features of Android 2.1 and launched Google.com/phone. It’s not about a single product. It’s about the OS and an attempt to change the way consumers by mobile phones. It’s amazing that so many writers are being so shortsighted. The best they can come up with is “it didn’t sell as well as iPhone ergo fail!!!” That’s such a lazy and thoughtless conclusion.
It’s disappointing that so many tech writers went with the easy, knee-jerk reaction to Flurry’s findings. Too many of them are obsessed with mythical “iPhone killers” that they can’t see the bigger and/or more interesting picture.
Coffee Talk #65: I Hate Luke Wilson’s AT&T Commercials
Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the curse of the Los Angeles Clippers, what the hell was inside Chewbacca’s bandolier, or what you can do to help out Haiti, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
I’m tired of seeing Luke Wilson in those crappy AT&T commercials. Most of you know that I detest AT&T Wireless. Seeing Wilson in commercials for the company makes me think less of him. He’s annoying. The message he’s conveying isn’t accurate. And most importantly, his nose isn’t nearly as funny as his brother’s. Having said that, the commercials did get me thinking about the features AT&T users like to boast about and how little they matter to me.
The first one is the ability to talk and web surf at the same time. Due to the limitations of CDMA, this can’t be done on Sprint and Verizon. My phone is capable of this feature and I’ve never used it. Perhaps it’s my inability to multitask or maybe I’m being overly courteous (it’s rude to web browse while talking to someone!), but I really don’t care about this feature. The only time I can see it being handy is when talking to a friend and using Google Maps to help him or her with directions.
Iphone users love to talk about how multitouch is a huge feature that makes their phone superior to anything in the known universe. Again, I just don’t care. Pinch-to-zoom isn’t that useful to me. I’m perfectly happy to scroll to the area I want to see and double tap. Maybe, I’m just weird with how I use my (Sim-less) iPhone, but that’s how it is. One area where multitouch clearly helps is with the virtual keyboard, but I really rather have a physical keyboard so this isn’t a big deal to me.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me on the usefulness of the two aforementioned features, but I wanted to see if they’re important to you. Also, I wanted to see if you also think Luke Wilson is the inferior Wilson brother. Discuss!
Google Nexus One Unable to Hold 3G Signal?
By most accounts, Google’s Nexus One is a fantastic phone that’s clearly the best Android handset on the market, but several users have been complaining about its ability to hold 3G signal. Numerous users on the Google Mobile Help Forum have been reporting that the Nexus One keeps bouncing between 3G and Edge signals. This leads to lower data throughput and decreased battery life. Several users have noted that they’re getting much better 3G data speeds on older T-Mobile phones, so it appears to be a hardware issue and not a network issue.
The problem can likely be fixed through a firmware update. Still, it’s not good that Google’s debut “superphone” has been problematic. The company is trying to change the way mobile phones are sold in America and a flawless review would have helped the effort.
Anyone happen to pick up a Nexus One? Are you having issues? If you were considering the phone, are you going to wait for a firmware update before buying?
CES 2010: AT&T Set for Life After iPhone Exclusivity?
It looks like AT&T is preparing to lose its exclusivity deal with Apple for the insanely popular iPhone. Just take a look at what went down at CES 2010 — the company announced that it will soon be carrying at least five phones using Google Android and at least one using Palm WebOS. In 2009 AT&T could afford to ignore both operating systems, simply because the iPhone was far more mature and popular than either. As WebOS and Android have matured — and presumably because AT&T knows that Apple will not be renewing its exclusive contract — AT&T has decided to round out its catalog with other smartphones.
Most rumors indicate that Apple and Verizon will be partnering in the second half of 2010 for a new iPhone. Verizon is the largest network in America and far more reliable than AT&T. It seems like a win-win situation for Apple, Verizon, and iPhone customers that want better service. Should this happen, AT&T would still be an Apple partner, but you can bet that a large number of its customers would jump to Verizon.
If you’re a current AT&T customer with an iPhone, would you jump to Verizon for the better service? If you’re in the market for a new phone, are you willing to wait to see if Verizon and Apple will team up? As for me, I’m seriously considering the Google Nexus One, but an iPhone on Verizon seems brilliant.
Palm Pre and Pixi Head to Verizon, WebOS Gets 3D Gaming
Palm raised its WebOS game at CES 2010 through a hardware refresh and the introduction of 3D gaming. First up is the hardware; Verizon is getting the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus on January 25. These are enhanced versions of phones that were previously available on Sprint. Additions to the Pre Plus include an improved keyboard, a better slider mechanism, and an upgrade of memory to 16GB.
After dragging its feet on the WebOS SDK, Palm has finally released tools that allow game publishers to offer titles for the Pixi and Pre. The announced games include:
- Need for Speed Undercover (EA Mobile)
- The Sims 3 (EA Mobile)
- Monopoly (EA Mobile)
- Tetris (EA Mobile)
- Sudoku (EA Mobile)
- Scrabble (EA Mobile)
- Asphalt 5: Elite Racing (Gameloft)
- Let’s Golf! (Gameloft)
- The Oregon trail (Gameloft)
- Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
- Glyder 2 (Glu Mobile)
- X-Plane (Laminar Research)
It will be interesting to see how the mobile OS race turns out. Obviously Apple’s iPhone OS is the consumer leader and nobody is going to catch it. The business scene is dominated by RIM’s BlackBerry OS, but more and more consumers are turning to BlackBerry phones. Google’s Android is poised for huge growth in 2010. While Palm generated a ton of buzz at CES 2009, the execution has been middling. Perhaps getting on America’s largest network and offering better gaming options will give it a boost.
I know some of you use the Pre. Does 3D gaming on WebOS give you more faith in the platform? With the addition of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus to Verizon, are any of you interested going with WebOS?
Sony Electronics at CES 2010: Bravia, Vaio, Bloggie, and More!
Considering that it’s the biggest consumer electronics company in the world, CES is a huge show for Sony. Here are four videos on four of its upcoming products, including a new 3D Bravia television, the Dash Internet tablet, the woefully named Bloggie video camera, and the sexy refresh to the Vaio Z laptop line. Watch, learn, be dazzled, and — if you’re so inclined — comment.
Scattered Binary Thoughts on Google’s Android Presser
It’s almost 2AM in NY and I have to leave for JFK in a few hours…which makes this the perfect time to drop some random thoughts on Google’s big Android press conference. I’ll be using my friend Augustine’s binary system. He believes that everything can classified as good or bad — nothing else matters. Actually, he believes that there are only two types of women in the world — women you’d sleep with and women you wouldn’t sleep with. My adaptation of his system is easier to use for things like tech, games, etc. Anyway, let’s get to it!
Bad: So many people missed the big news coming from today’s Android press conference. The Nexus One wasn’t the story. Google.com/phone was a much bigger deal with loads of interesting implications for the future of the industry.
Good: In America, mobile carriers have controlled the business for far too long. Google’s new model obviously gives it — a mobile OS vendor and mobile advertising company — more power. It also gives phone manufacturers (HTC, Motorola, etc.) more power. Most importantly, it will (eventually) give consumers more choice when it comes to buying Android phones.
Bad: Google is trying to push the term “superphone” to describe handsets like the Nexus One and others that it will sell on Google.com/phone. It’s stupid. It’s annoying. If my phone could fly around the Earth and turn back time, then I’d be happy to call it superphone. Until then, it’s just the latest annoying marketing concoction.
Good: It seems like Google will only be selling “superphones” on its web site. The idea is that it will work closely with select partners to come up with phones that show Android at its best. For tech enthusiasts, this is all that really matters. Handset makers and mobile providers are more concerned with budget and mid-range phones, but tech geeks only care about the best. In terms of Android, it looks like Google.com/phone will only feature the best.
Bad: Talking with a bunch of people that are interested in the phone, but prefer AT&T over T-Mobile was pretty amusing. A lot of them said it was completely moronic for Google’s debut phone to support T-Mobile’s 3G bands and not AT&T’s. There are a few things to note here. T-Mobile deserves this exclusive window for being Google’s first major Android partner in America. More importantly, the Nexus One is an international product and the 3G bands it supports make much more sense from a global standpoint. The conversations reminded me that nerds think that America is the only market in the world.
Bad: The mainstream press just sucks at tech reporting. The local ABC News show ran a spot on the Nexus One. Some of the information was flat-out incorrect. A lot of it was just talking about the iPhone and how this is Google’s attempt at “beating” it. I’m pretty sure every other sentence had the word iPhone in it. It was just crap reporting. Sure, it’s a big deal that Google is selling the Nexus One, but its Android initiative and selling directly to consumers is even more noteworthy.
Bad: I was hoping for some interesting news on Google Voice and its role in Android phones. One of my sources told me that Google’s acquisition of Gizmo5 will lead to a huge Google Voice announcement later this year and Android handsets will be an important part of the announcement. Waiting…yuck.
Bad: The Nexus One is being dismissed by a lot of writers simply because it isn’t a revolutionary product. It’s still the best Android phone available today. Why is that not good enough?
Good: Google has a chance to be the disruptor I wrote about before, but not in the way I originally wrote about. As it gets more handset and carrier partners to participate in Google.com/phone, the bigger chance it has to truly change the way Americans by mobile products.
Google Nexus One Coming to Verizon, Pricing Confirmed
Customers that are down with the HTC Nexus One but aren’t cool with T-Mobile should be excited to know that this Android 2.1 phone is also coming to Verizon! Check out these screen grabs from the official Nexus One site:
Any of you interested in the phone now that it’s headed for Verizon?
T-Mobile Upgrades Entire 3G Network to HSPA 7.2Mbps
T-Mobile has announced that it has upgraded its entire 3G network to 7.2Mbps. The timing of the reveal is convenient since Google’s Nexus One — which uses T-Mobile’s 3G frequencies — is being officially announced at a press conference happening as I type. Here’s the full 411 from Phonescoop:
Today T-Mobile announced that it has upgraded its entire 3G network to HSPA 7.2Mbps (peak speeds). That’s an improvement from 3.6Mbps, and should allow for faster wireless downloads. T-Mobile also pointed out that its 3G footprint now covers some 200 million Americans. T-Mobile also said that it plans to be the first U.S. carrier to deploy HSPA+ across its network by mid 2010. T-Mobile currently has an HSPA+ trial under way in Philadelphia. Once fully enabled, HSPA+ will offer up to 21Mbps downloads.
I’m super-psyched for HSPA+. It should be a great transition technology that will serve customers well while LTE (4G technology) is being deployed.