iphone

With U.S. elections just around the corner, political parties and non-partisan groups are sending out volunteers to encourage citizens to vote on November 4. To assist these volunteers, Google launched a mobile voting locator tool to help them find home addresses of registered voters and their voting locations. The tool is made so that a volunteer can use it in different instances — whether they're in an office making phone calls, are working from a booth set up outdoors, or are going door to door. While on the go, Google wants them [volunteers] to rely on Google Maps to find address and display directions to voting locations.

Finally, between talking to potential voters, volunteers (and anyone else for that matter) can check out the "Elections" section in Google News for mobile for the latest updates…

The Nokia N85 with US 3G has been caught on the FCC's website. We've no doubts the stylish OLED screen-equipped slider will sell like hot cupcakes in Europe and some parts of Asia, but when it comes to the North America, it seems Nokia still struggles to get enough people excited about its products. I can maybe help by adding that the N85 is probably the best NSeries smartphone released to date. Sure, N96 has a larger screen, but in terms of value for money, it's the N85 that wins, big time. In addition, it has all the gizmos the N96 has, excluding the DVB-H mobile TV receiver, which you can't use in the U.S. anyway. I would expect to see this baby hitting Nokia Flagship Stores in Chicago and New York anytime soon, and who knows, maybe it even gets announced by AT&T. We can hope, at least…

A month ago, we've heard Samsung Delve is coming to U.S. Cellular. Alltel also joined the party, allowing its customers to experience the "blessing of an all-touchscreen device."

Specs wise, the Delve sports a 3-inch 240×400 pixels screen, EV-DO support, GPS (works with Alltel Navigation), 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, media player, full HTML browser, microSD card slot and standard 3.5mm headset jack. Although it's not a smartphone, the device relies on Samsung's widget-friendly TouchWiz user interface, which we've already seen on such models as i900 Omnia and F480. As for the size, the Delve measures 3.89×1.93×0.55 inches and has a weight of 3.35 ounces.

Alltel will start selling the Samsung Delve on November 6th, when interested users will be able to grab it for $199 with a 2-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. The price also includes an 8GB microSDHC memory card…

I've been wanting to get into stereo Bluetooth headsets ever since seeing the Motorokr S9s getting launched last year. That was the first time that I could picture myself actually wearing Bluetooth headphones without looking like one of those technophytes on the bus who were too cool for wires, but not cool enough to realize how bulky most stereo Bluetooth headsets looked at the time. I was a little wary of these S-2s initially, since they seemed to fall into that category, but was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality after putting them on - almost enough to ignore the pinching behind my ears.

The Short Version

Man, I hope I don't end up looking like this guy if I put these things on…

S-2 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones
By Cardo ($99.99)

Overall -

Specifications

• Bluetooth® specification v.1.2, Class 2
• Range: 33 ft. / 10m
• Supports Bluetooth® headset and handsfree profiles (A2DP and AVRCP supported)
• Talk Time: up to 8 hours
• Music Time: Up to 8 hours
• Standby Time: up to 250 hours
• Nominal Charging Time: 3 hours
• Rechargeable Li-Po battery
• Weight: 2.8 oz. (79 grams)

Pros

• Solid bass
• Same charger as BlackBerry
• Easy controls

Cons

• Pinches ears
• Track forward/back doesn't grip easily
• Sound slightly muffled

Verdict

If it didn't physically hurt the outside of my ears, I'd be happy to wear these more than a half-hour at a time. The sound and connection quality is generally solid, and the controls are easy to access.

Mobile Safari on the iPhone is great. You can pinch-out/double click to zoom in, pinch-in/double click to zoom out, you can open up to 8 tabs and it also works as a local Word/Excel document and PDF reader. It doesn't hurt that it's one of the fastest mobile browsers available out there, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to try an alternative mobile browsing experience on my iPhone. You know? There should be another browser, at least one, that can be used on the iPhone other than Mobile Safari.

Opera Mini is one of the most popular mobile browsers on handhelds, and it's available for smartphones all over the world, regardless of whether they run on Symbian, Windows Mobile, or even low-end operating systems only capable of running Java-based apps. It's fast, intuitive, and is very easy to install. It easily becomes one of the top contenders for an alternative browser on the iPhone.

Unfortunately, Apple doesn't agree with the many people who say Opera Mini should be on the iPhone. In fact, even though there's already a full-working Opera Mini app for the iPhone, as per Opera CEO Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner's NYTimes interview, Apple won't let it into the app store:

Mr. von Tetzchner said that Opera's engineers have developed a version of Opera Mini that can run on an Apple iPhone, but Apple won't let the company release it because it competes with Apple's own Safari browser.

One could argue that Apple is just protecting its right to successfully milk the cash cow they have built on the iPhone platform, but taking a user's options away before asking them is like playing God (which strangely, is very Apple-like, anyway.) There's no promise that Apple will ever change its mind regarding Opera Mini on the iPhone, but really, the decision is entirely up to them. I used to look forward to using Mobile Firefox on the iPhone, but it looks like it will be a very long time coming if Apple doesn't change its ways.

Regular Samsung i900 Omnia is cool, but the Japanese version is even cooler. Instead of sporting a 240×400 pixels screen, the Omnia which will be sold in the "Land of the rising Sun," SoftBank 930SC Omnia, will come with an inch larger (3.3 as apposed to the original 3.2 inches) touchscreen which displays WVGA resolution - 480×800 pixels. But the news don't stop there. The Omnia that will be offered by Japan's SoftBank also sports a one-seg mobile TV receiver, allowing its users to enjoy TV on-the-go. Finally, the SoftBank 930SC Omnia will be available in three colors - black, white and red. The last mentioned looks super cool, as I'm sure you can tell from the image above.

Ok, we don't need that mobile TV receiver. We can also live with standard silver color, but we do want is the WVGA screen. C'mon Samsung, HTC already has that with its Touch HD model. Can you make an Omnia version with such a screen for the rest of the world. Will "please" help.

If you still don't believe that the best products come from Japan, maybe the Aquos FullTouch 931SH will make you change your mind.

This slider sports a 3.8-inch display with a ridiculous 1024×480 resolution, 5.2-megapixel camera with image stabilizer, 1-seg TV tuner, Bluetooth with A2DP, and 3G connectivity. Sure, the HTC Touch HD also comes with a 3.8-inch display, but the max resolution on that phone is only 480×800. This new offering from Softbank, exclusive to Japan, definitely burns the competition with its stellar 1024×480. If not for anything else, watching movies on the Aquos FullTouch 931SH will surely be a blast.

Not impressed? Japan also has the Casio W63CA Exilim-equipped camera phone to brag about. If these two don't impress you, I don't what in the world will.

For you T-mobile UK subscriber now you can get Google G1 Android phone for free with £40 monthly. The phone will offer in two color black and white.Google G1 Android phone will available in T-mobile UK on 30 October that mean yesterday.

For more specification detail you can read below:
* GPS and compass;
* Rich HTML email client which seamlessly synchs email with POP3 or IMAP services;
* 3.5G (HSDPA/HSUPA) and Wi-Fi connectivity;
* 3Mpix camera;
* Music player;
* Pre-installed 2GB MicroSD card (up to 8GB supported);
* Bluetooth;
* Up to 130 hours standby and up to 5 hours talk time;
* Dimensions: 117.7 x 55.7 x 26.5 mm;
* Weight: 158g

Want a phone that,s loaded with style? One that,s not weighed down with frivolous functionality, but does give you easy access to fun features It puts instant entertainment right at your fingertips with dedicated controls for FM radio, music, and a camera on the top edge. If you care about style¡Xnot long laundry lists of obscure capabilities that clutter up the interface¡Xand want to put fun a button press away, the C30 is simply made for you.

Show your stuff
The C30 is designed to grab your attention and keep you riveted. The lively color scheme gives the C30 a vibrant visual appeal that is built upon by the cleanly laid-out translucent gel-like keys that magnify their text for easier viewing. And the smoothly contoured C30 is just the right size to easily grip and manipulate. All the sophisticated styling adds to the superior value of this phone, which has the hip looks and lively feel of a fashion accessory.

On the radio
The C30 build-in radio is another fun stuff to share with your crowd. You can use it as a radio and amazed all with its fabulous dual speaker performance. Furthermore, you can set your pre-recording function to record your favorite FM radio program.

Easy top easy fun
The quick access on the top for photo shooting, MP3, and FM radio takes you to the fun journey in just a button away. Just use your thumb to press the buttons pushed then you are ready to go.

Fun entertainment
When you want to hear your favorite tune, just press the MP3 player button and you¡¦re good to go. You can even share with your friends by using the integrated dual speakers. And when there¡¦s an interesting scene you want to capture, just press another button to snap a photo with the integrated camera. On the C30, the fun is easy to start and never has to stop.

The device is a candybar with player buttons placed on the phone’s top side. Besides, the device is provided with FM-radio, and VGA-camera. In general BenQ C30 is closer to low-end phones.

* Class: musical, middle
* Position in the line: starts
* Rivals: Bird MP300, Sony Ericsson W200, BBK K101
* Description based on official information

* General features
o Announced in 2007, September
o GSM 900/1800
o 1,8″ display, TFT, has the resolution of 128 x 160 pixels and shows up to 262000 colours
o Battery type Li-Ion 650 mAh
o Battery life:
+ talk mode - up to 4 hours
+ standby mode - up to 250 hours
o Weight: 77
o Dimensions: 108 x 47.3 x 14.43 mm

* Memory
o Expansion connector for microSD (up to 1 GB)

* Call management, ringing tones
o Vibracall
o Polyphonic call melodies, 64 tones polyphony
o MP3, AAC, WAV, AMR, MIDI files as a call melody

* SMS
o Predictive text input Т9
o SMS, MMS, EMS

* Camera
o Integrated VGA-camera
o Records video as AVI

* Multimedia
o Games
o Screen headbands, wall-papers, themes
o Java MIDP 2.0 CLDC 1.1
o Supported audio formats: MP3, AAC, WAV
o FM-radio

* Connectivity
o WAP 2.0
o GPRS calss 12
o USB 1.1

* Organizer and extras
o Health Management
o E-book reader

LG is one of the fastest growing mobile companies in the world today. All the products that are being produced by this house have a wide range of attributes bestowed in them to provide a good variety of things to the consumers.

With the launch of “LG KP260” the company is surely going to present a new cell phone that’s actually unlike the others in the race- with the 90g, 1.77 inch screen and Black colored body making the mobile very pleasing to the eyes, but, in addition to this the gizmo only deals with those features that are required in the day today life.

Every quality that can make you happy is placed inside KP260 like MP3 player, 1.3 MP Camera, MPEG4 player, Bluetooth and a 2.0 WAP browser. Different properties if placed in the simplest way compliment each other in a very decent manner, but, to get this zest in your life you’ll have to wait until the release of this gadget which is accepted to take place any time now.

Features:
* GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900.
* Weight :90 g.
* Dimensions :96 x 46 x 16 mm.
* Display :Type Graphical Coloured :Yes, TFT, 262K colors , Size :128 x 160 pixels.
* Memory.
* Shared memory 5 MB.
* microSD (TransFlash) up to 2GB.
* Ringtones :Polyphonic ringtones Yes, 40.
* GPRS :Yes, Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps.
* USB :Yes, 2.0.
* Bluetooth: Yes, 2.0 with A2DP.
* WAP :Yes.
* Browser :Yes.
* WAP 2.0/xHTML.
* Vibration :Yes.
* SMS , MMS.
* Camera: Builtin, 1.3 MP, 1280x1024 pixels, video.
* Java :Yes, MIDP 2.0.
* Games: Yes.
* Clock :Yes.
* Alarm :Yes.
* Calculator :Yes.
* Calendar :Yes.
* Voice memo :Yes.
* T9 :Yes.
* Handsfree :Yes.
* MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV playe.
* MPEG4/3gp player.
* Standard Battery :Type Li-Ion.
* Standby time GSM: 250h.
* Talk time GSM: 3h.

Wow! Finally Sony Ericsson is ready to show the whole world that what exactly a “Perfect combo of style and functionality” must have in it. Expected to start shipping by the end of this year, “Sony Ericsson C905” will retail at a good price.

A “capable photo camera can do wonders for a professional photographer” in many ways and this cell phone will truly display it. So, for a photographer who wants to spot out every spontaneous moment in life there’s placed a 8 MP camera along with Xenon flash, Auto focus, Image stabilizer and Image Geo-tagging facilities to act as a bonus for the users.

Besides all these merits there are also present some other stupendous features like Music recognition, TV outlet, Picture editor, GPS functionality and there’s available all the Networks to enable data transfer in a flexible manner. With this mobile the company has packed up the distinctive blend of class, design and compatible features in one marvelous gadget.

In an effort to draw some needed sales in their ailing mobile phone biz, Motorola is said to be making changes that will hopefully translate into a better showing in the years to come.

Based on what was revealed, there will be a major change in the mobile OS that their phones will be using. It seems that they’ve developed a love affair with the Google Android OS since this will be the major platform for Motorola phones. The P2K platform will be used for the low end phones while Windows Mobile will take charge of the business-centric phones (read: Q series).

With this bold move, it looks like Symbian is out the door and Motorola is content on taking a gamble with a completely new OS spearheading their brand new campaign. As a result, we could expect some delays in the release of affected handsets scheduled to roll out in early 2009, but I guess the benefits of these changes will bear fruit (hopefully) in the long run. Anyway, if the HTC G1 pre-sales are any indication of what lies ahead for Android-based phones, then Motorola may have just made the right decision. Let’s just hope the hardware will be as good as the software.

Keep your eye on the storm.TELUS is about to take Canada by storm with the launch of the world's first touchscreen BlackBerry® smartphone. The revolutionary BlackBerry® StormTM smartphone will be available in time for the holiday season. Join the storm watch by signing up to receive the latest news, regular updates and be the first to know when the storm rolls into Canada.

We’ve already mentioned that Telus has a dedicated site for the BlackBerry Storm wherein you can sign-up to be part of their mailing list. Well, they’ve just updated said BlackBerry Storm microsite. It now comes with a photos section that features a bevy of images you can drool on for the time being, and a specs section for the technical aspects of the Storm. There’s even a Media Centre page where you can get the latest news and download various media content so you can torture yourself even further when not connected to the internet. Unfortunately two of the most bits of information are still missing; the price and the release date.

Anyway, we’ve heard it’ll be out it in time for the holidays so that should mean any day now as the holidays are fast approaching. As for the cost, that’s the unanswered question we’re dying to find out.

Halfway around the world, there’s another telecom aside from Rogers who is reaping the rewards of being an exclusive distributor of the 3G iPhone.Softbank Mobile in Japan has experienced improved data usage from their subscribers which can, in part, be associated to Apple’s mobile phone. Despite net profit sliding 11.5%, operating profit rose to ¥180 billion or $1.85 billion.

Thanks to the iPhone, the company managed to pull in more mobile subscribers and because of its dependence on data connectivity, revenue from such services helped in achieving record-high levels in operating profit.

This is a prime example of what the iPhone can bring to a telecom firm. Telecoms should treat the iPhone as a way to lure in more customers by offering it at reasonable price so that they can get more income from data service usage.

Profit from the device itself is only secondary to the added revenue the company will receive from data services that the iPhone greatly relies on. This is what telecom companies should realize if and when they decide to offer the 3G iPhone.

Gmail has just introduced support for Gadgets which you can enable by going in Settings>Labs. This development implies two things, one that Google is now planning to do with Gmail what it couldn’t with iGoogle and the other thing being Google’s permissiveness to accept outsider gadgets into its one of the most used and loved web service. Either way, its great for users like us. You can now do whole lot of things by adding gadgets and make Gmail more.

Google has put a cap of five gadgets at the time so you need to be picky about what gadget really solves your purpose. There is not much information out there on web on how to add these gadgets. Let me kick start on how to add these gadgets.

You can add gadgets once you enable the Gadget Labs feature which you can find at Settings>Labs. After enabling it, you will have a new tab called “Gadgets” in the “Settings” besides ‘Labs.” You just have to put in the URL of the gadget and if it’s valid then this gadget will start appearing on the sidebar of Gmail.

The interesting part starts now because finding the URL of gadgets is not very easy for the majority of users. So here I put in the link of certain Gadgets which will help you to transcend your Gmail quite a few inches above in the Productivity or just Fun Index.

Twitter Gadget: It could not have started with any other but Twitter, You can have Twitter feeds and post tweets right from your Gmail with this gadget.

Well that didn't take long at all. The T-Mobile G1 has barely been officially on market for a week and we're already seeing some of T-Mobile's HTC-made G1 being liberated from T-Mobile's GSM network.

The enterprising folks over at Unlock T-Mobile G1 have managed to figure out how to generate that magical 8-digit unlock code that will free your T-Mobile G1 from T-Mobile's network. The SIM unlock solution requires that you supply Unlock T-Mobile G1 with your G1's IMEI number along with a $22.99 fee. In return, they'll send you an unlock code that will have your T-Mobile G1 surfing any GSM network in the world.

Buyer beware, the T-Mobile G1 features a dual-band (1700/2100Mhz) UMTS radio to hook up to T-Mobile's nascent 1700Mhz AWS 3G network. That means you'll be surfing the wireless web at EDGE-only data speeds should you unlock your G1 and use it with AT&T. 3G networks in Europe, on the other hand, will work just fine on the 2100Mhz band.

Worse yet, an unlocked T-Mobile G1 on AT&T's network won't log-on to Gmail - which pretty much kills the T-Mobile G1's Google integration and Android Market features.

Still, if a T-Mobile G1 running on a non-sanctioned GSM network is the kind of thing that gets your blood flowing, the T-Mobile G1 unlock solution will probably be just the thing for you.

Shipping delays have pushed the T-Mobile G1's Wally World debut back a few days to Nov. 3. (Maybe they were using the G1's GPS to get there?) Since only 550 of their 4,300 stores getting the G1 makes it kind of a crapshoot if you're driving around looking for one, Walmart's site should have a definitive list of Google-y locations in the next day or two. And hey, $148.88.

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to lose track of the really important things in your life. Your social calendar is just a bit out of synch and friends are just a bit too far out of reach. Until now… The T-Mobile G1 redefines what it means to be kept in the loop. The G1 is an internet and communication monster, boasting all of Google's hugely popular online applications in the palm of your hand. Mobile Internet services are at your disposal with quick one-touch access to Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk and Google Calendar. You can also explore more of the world with detailed street, traffic and satellite views via integrated Google Maps.

The G1 has a crisp 3.2" 65K colour HVGA display. The touch screen navigation is finger friendly and super intuitive but you can also swing it out of the way to use the full five-row QWERTY keyboard if you like. There is plenty of room to respond to emails, messages and even chat which again is made to be so simple with the use of the keyboard. It also features an MP3 player, Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate, handwriting recognition and an original little extra in a digital compass.

The G1 delivers an extraordinary browsing experience. Its browser comes with a clever multi-page window pane; which allows you to surf multiple websites at the same time. Drag the page around with your finger to pan, or move from one link or textbox to another with the handy trackball positioned perfectly at the bottom of the handset. The G1 is equipped with HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, which means internet speed, should always be running at full potential with the best possible connection.

The G1, not only excels in the internet department but also in its revolutionary operating system. It runs on the Android platform which is an operating system for mobile devices including an operating system, middleware and key applications. Developers can create applications for the platform using the Android SDK. You can develop Android applications with the same high-quality tools you use to develop Java applications. The Android core libraries provide the functionality needed to build some amazingly rich mobile applications, and the Android development tools make running, debugging, and testing your applications a snap.

Applications are written using the Java programming language and run on Dalvik, a custom virtual machine designed for embedded use, which runs on top of a Linux kernel. If you, like me find the thought of trying to write your own application a tad on the impossible side then don't worry, the G1 has instant access to 'Android Market'. The market is constantly updated with exciting new applications for your T-Mobile G1 whereby you can download and install your favourite software, music, games and much more. The fully customizable home screen on the G1 lets you put all the tools and gadgets acquired within your finger tips.

As the phone hasn't been released yet the amount of applications available is on the limited side however the final possibilities are endless and given the nature of people and their unique imaginations, Google feel that there will be thousands of applications cooked up within the first month of release! One that I have already found and am still a little in awe of is the G1's "barcode scanner", which simply scans a barcode using it's camera and then not only gives a price list of local shops that are registered sellers of that product but also anywhere online that may sell it cheaper. It is basically a handheld comparison machine for online and offline merchants which sounds simple enough yet when you take a step back and think about it, it's actually pretty amazing. Click on the link below if you want to see the barcode scanner being used. The video clip was made by the people over at informationweek.com who were lucky enough to get some hands on experience.

Android Barcode Scanner At Work

Now obviously the phone isn't perfect, as with everything it has to have the minor weak link, its Achilles heel if you like and the G1's is its slightly low end camera capabilities. Don't get me wrong, it's still a respectable 3.2 megapixels but just as with the iPhone these application power houses seem to focus on so much more, with the camera side of operations seemingly taking a back seat, further cementing this theory is the fact that again similarly to the iPhone it is lacking video recording capabilities which is slightly annoying but forgivable given all the features you are getting. Taking everything into consideration, I think it's safe to say that HTC's innovative G1 delivers the next generation in mobile technology with its groundbreaking Android powered operating system.

The software relationship between RIM and Apple is growing more and more passionate, with third-party companies stoking the the fire that RIM started with its iTunes pairing program, BlackBerry Media Sync. Like Simplify Media for the iPhone, Didiom is an app for virtually any recent BlackBerry that allows for full streaming of a user's iTunes music library over the phone's data connection. The streaming feature looks like it is at least in part a promotional ploy for a built-in upstart music store, but that looks easy enough to ignore. For interface details check out the video above, featuring the same honeyed, suicide-inducing voice as every retail job training video of the last 25 years.

A few weeks out now from the official launch of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220, T-Mobile has a new color up for offer. A new RED version of the new BlackBerry Flip phone is now available. Pricing and other details remain the same: $150 on a 2-year contract after rebates. So if you'd prefer a red flipper then this is the device for you.

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip packs in these main features:

• 240 x 320 internal display, 128 x 160 external display
• Quad-band EDGE (no 3G, boo)
• Wi-Fi (still waiting on the BlackBerry 8210 for GPS)
• Four hours talk time, 14 days standby
• External microSDHC slot
• 3.5mm headphone jack

As I read this news I was reminded of a report I happened to see last night on CNN. Turns out that wearing the color red helps boost your sex appeal. I wonder if toting around a red BlackBerry will do the same thing?

One of my favourite apps on BlackBerry is Vlingo, which allows users to issue a variety of voice-activated commands, like Google searches, text messages, and since their latest beta, Twitter and Facebook updates. I was actually hurting a little bit once I got the Bold, since they didn't have full support at the time, but it looks like things are running pretty smoothly on it now. The freeness helps, of course, but Vlingo is actually really great quality transcription, with only a few corrections typically needed. They're also tacking on application launch support for Viigo, Google Maps, Facebook and Opera, which are easily some of the most frequently used bits of BlackBerry software out there. The downside is that the voice recognition is done server-side, so if you don't have a signal, you're in a bit a of trouble. Head over to www.vlingo.com/v2 to get started.

Samsung Omnia has been only today announced for Japan, several months after the handset went on sale in Europe.

However, Japanese mobile users seem to be a bit luckier than the European ones, as Omnia will be launched by SoftBank with some upgraded features.

The officiall name of the Japanese Omnia is SoftBank 930SC Omnia. The phone has a 3.3 inch TFT touchscreen display that supports a resolution of  800 x 480 pixels. Now compare that with the 240 x 400 pixels, 3.2 inch display of the regular Omnia…

The Japanese Omnia also has a built-in 1-Seg TV tuner, which is, of course, not included in the handset's versions for other countries.

   

SoftBank will release the phone in three color versions: black, white and red. Unfortunately, the red Omnia might not be found anywhere else except Japan. 

 

Apart from the bigger display and the TV tuner, the features of SoftBank 930SC Omnia are the same with the ones we can find in the original handset, including Windows Mobile 6.1, a 5 MP autofocus camera and 8GB of internal memory. 

Samsung Omnia will be commercially available from SoftBank starting November, for a price that is not known yet.

We have all been talking about the Google G1 now the last few months, and at first we knew the G1 as the HTC Dream, we knew that Google was behind it, but the rest was rumours and whispers, then finally Google announced after much anticipation its first move into the mobile phone market with the Google G1. High Tech Computers (HTC) manufactured the G1, hence the original code name the HTC Dream, and the smartphone works on Google's open source android platform.

So the wait was finally over today for people who have been dying to get their hands on the Google G1, as the phone finally hit the shops London. The guys over at intomobile managed to take delivery of the Google phone this morning, stripped it out of its packaging and took some great first born pictures of it.

So here are some pictures for you to Google over. Let's watch this baby grow, with a powerful operating system like android things can only get better for the G1, we believe this is the start of something very special as we can see so much potential in the Google G1. Scroll down to check out the photo's.

There has been much talk and posting of late centred around the RIM BlackBerry Storm with Verizon and Vodafone, so it is somewhat easy to overlook the carriers up in Canada such as Bell and Telus who will be gaining the BlackBerry Storm in the near future.

Unfortunately there is no word on when Telus will sell the BlackBerry Storm or even at what price, but the whisper is Canada will be seeing the BlackBerry Storm before Christmas. So just to keep everyone happy we have posted a few BlackBerry Storm images for you to fawn over.

Furthermore, we can now inform you that the BlackBerry Storm microsite has now gone live, which you can find here.

We don't hear much about Alcatel mobile phones, but the latest handset to come out under this brand surely deserves a bit of our attention. 

Called Alcatel OT-I650, the new phone is an entry-level one that comes with a G-sensor (accelerometer). This apparently allows users to switch between applications – like music player, games, alarm – just by shaking the phone. So the handset has some sort of Shake Control function, similar to lots of Sony Ericsson phones.  

Alcatel OT-I650 is a candybar manufactured by TCL Communication Technology, a Chinese company that produces Alcatel cell phones instead of the French-based Alcatel, which is now part of the Alcatel-Lucent joint venture.     

The OT-I650 is a sporty device, not only by design, but also because it offers several sport applications, like a pedometer that should help you when jogging. 

Other specs of the new Alcatel phone include:

• Music player
• FM radio
• Bluetooth
• 1.3 Mp camera
• Flashlight
• Talk time: up to 12 hours 
• Stand-by time: up to 30 days (!)

Alcatel OT-I650 will first be available in Russia, in two colors (black and orange) for the price of 3,190 Russian rubles. That's about $120, so the phone is quite cheap. 

Pantech Slate C530, first announced by AT&T together with three other new QWERTY phones, is now available for purchase from the largest North American mobile carrier.

Presented as the world's thinnest handset to feature a full QWERTY keyboard, Pantech Slate can be bought for $49.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate and the signing of a 2-yr contract agreement. Its no commitment price is of $249.99.    

The Slate measures 4.2 x 2.5 x 0.39 inches (107 x 63.5 x 9.9 millimeters), so it is, indeed, very slim. Unfortunately, apart from its QWERTY keyboard, the handset doesn't offer too many features, being an entry-level device.       

 

The full specs of Pantech Slate include:

• Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
• 2.2 inch TFT display with 176 x 220 pixels and 260K colors
• Email, IM
• Web browser, MEdia Net
• Stereo Bluetooth, but only the 1.2 version
• 20MB of internal memory and no MicroSD card slot  
• 1.3 MP camera
• USB (a USB cable is not included in the package, though)
• Talk time: up to 3 hours
• Standby time: up to 10 days

You can buy a Pantech Slate C530 either from AT&T's stores, or online, if you hit the carrier's official website.

The T-Mobile G1 might be the world's first open-source Android handset, but it's definitely not the last. Rumor has it that OpenMoko, another open-source handset maker, is going to hop in on the Android bandwagon as early as November, when it releases its first Android-based product called the GTA02.

Details about the Android-powered OpenMoko GTA02 are still sketchy at the moment, but from what we've gathered, it could feature a 2.8-inch 480 x 640 pixel touchscreen display, 400/500 MHz Samsung 2442B Processor, built-in Wi-Fi, GPS, and 3 axis motion sensing accelerometer. And like the G1, it should still employ the use of "hard" buttons, as well as a so-called 4-in-1 laser pen.

Here are other details rounded up by the Android Guys:

• 128 MB SDRAM total, 64 MB CPU internal, 64 MB external
• 256MB NAND Flash MCP package.
• GSM/GPRS
• Touch screen over LCD is primary data entry mechanism
• Internal Li-Ion or Li-Polymer battery included.
• Indicators: an LED indicator visible from the side of the unit will illuminate when charging or have missing incoming call
• 850/1800/1900 and 900/1800/1900 MHz bands must be supported
• Bluetooth (CSR BC4 or later solutions)
• Weight: ~133 grams with battery
• 512MB microSD Card (SanDisk/Transcend)
• 1x USB cable Standard A to mini-B connector
• 120.7 x 62.0 x 18.5 mm (4.752 x 2.441 x 0.728 inch)
• Four-ring 2.5mm stereo jack

Since OpenMoko has not yet made an official announcement regarding this, there's still no official release date. But it is said that this certain Android phone could come as early as November. And that means very soon.

Nokia N96, the smartphone that might be the best thing from the Nseries family (for the moment, at least), is now on sale in the US, via Best Buy's website.      

The handset is available unlocked, for a price that won't please too many of you: $899.99 – that's with $240 more than the Best Buy price of RIM's BlackBerry Bold.   

Although announced by Nokia quite a long time ago, in February 2008, the Nseries flagship handset is only now available in North America. Even so, and even with this hefty price tag, the N96 is still bound for success.

 

When it comes to design, Nokia N96 is by no means a "spectacular phone", but that's somehow compensated by the smartphone's features.      

These include:

• Quad band GSM and dual band HSDPA connectivity
• 2.8 inch TFT QVGA display, 16 million colors
• Symbian 9.3, S60 3.2 Edition
• Accelerometer
• GPS
• Wi-Fi
• 5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, flash and video 
• DVB-H receiver
• Media player
• 3.5mm headset jack

According to Boy Genius Report, the N96 might also be found in Best Buy's stores, hence not only online, for a lower price: $799.99.

Well, we wish you luck in case you're going out to buy it. Just don't forget those 800 or 900 bucks!