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Google Labs Release Gesture Search App For Android

Google have released a new Google Labs application that enables Android users to search their phones by drawing letters on their screens.

The new app known as Gesture Search searches the phones contacts, audio tracks, apps and bookmarks based on what letter is drawn on the handsets touchscreen.

Today we're pleased to announce Gesture Search, a new Google Labs application for Android-powered devices running Android 2.0 or above in the US. Gesture Search lets you quickly find a contact, an installed application, a bookmark or a music track from hundreds or thousands of items, by simply drawing alphabet gestures on the touch screen.

The app is also capable of returning results for multiple interpretations should it be unsure if the letter drawn is a 'H' or an 'A' for example.

The application is available to download from the Android Market from today, just search for 'Gesture Search'.

Previous Google Labs app releases for Android include Listen, and Places Directory.

[via googlemobile.blogspot.com]

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AT&T Motorola Backflip To Include Yahoo! As Default Search Engine

AT&T's first Android powered handset, the Motorola Backflip, will use Yahoo! as its default search engine.

According to a report by BusinessWeek, the Motorola Backflip will feature Yahoo! as the default search engine, although users will be able to manually change the provider to Google if they wish.

Yahoo! Vice President David Katz commented, "We have a long-standing relationship with AT&T and more than 80 carrier partnerships around the world for our award- winning mobile-search experience. Mobile search continues to be a focus for investment and innovation".

The Backflip will be the first Android handset to not feature Google as the default search engine. Unlike the Nexus One, the Motorola Backflip is not a Google-branded device and therefore allows for deeper carrier customization.

The Motorola Backflip will be powered by Android 1.5 and will feature a 3.1-inch (320 x 480 pixels) TFT touchscreen display, 5 mega-pixel camera with LED flash and auto-focus, video capture, and 2GB of memory (upgradeable to 32GB). The handset also includes a 3.5mm audio jack, 3G connectivity, and Wi-Fi.

The Motorola Backflip will be available across the US from March 7th.

[via businessweek.com]

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Google Nexus One Launch Postponed In China

Google have today announced that the launch of their Nexus One handset in China has been postponed.

The search giant are currently in a dispute with the Chinese Government over censorship and e-mail hacking, that could see them leave the country entirely.

Google Inc. spokeswoman Marsha Wang confirmed that a planned launch event scheduled to take on Wednesday has now been canceled, but wouldn't elaborate on the decision to delay the launch other than to confirm that "It is postponed".

According to a source familiar with the situation, Google feel that currently due to the publicity surrounding them in China it would be difficult for their customers to have a "positive experiance" with the product.

Google revealed last week that they no longer want to censor the content on their Chinese Google.cn search and want to begin talks with Beijing about providing a legal, unfiltered search engine in the Country.

[via news.yahoo.com]

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Google Nexus One Sold Just 20,000 Units In Opening Week?

A report from mobile app analytics firm, Flurry, Google's Nexus One handset sold around 20,000 units in its first week sales.

According to the data compiled by Flurry that figure is 12 times less than the Motorola Droid (250,000 first week sales), and 80 times less than the iPhone 3GS at 1.6 million first week sales.

Flurry monitors usage of more than 10,000 developers' applications on iPhone and Android platforms. In total, Flurry tracks applications on approximately four out of every five iPhone and Android handsets in the market, generating over 25 million end user sessions per day. To estimate first week sales totals for the Nexus One, myTouch 3G, Droid and iPhone 3GS, Flurry detected new handsets within its system, and then made adjustments to account for varying levels of Flurry application penetration by handset. Flurry additionally crosschecked its estimates against Apple actual sales, released for iPhone 3GS, which totaled more than one million units over the three days, June 19 - 21, 2009.

Ofcourse the Nexus One didn't have the huge marketing push that saw the Motorola Droid gain huge mainstream coverage, factor that with Google's online only distribution and higher initial costs, and it's easy to see why sales were slow in comparison.

[via blog.flurry.com]

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Verizon OTA Update For Droid Eris – Sadly Not Android 2.1

Verizon Wireless has begun sending HTC Droid Eris owners a new OTA (over the air) update to fix a small bug with the signal indicator display.

The new update:  ROM: 1.17.605.1/ Radio: 2.32.40.11.09, will fix a bug with the display, which in some cases has rendered the display locked or in an out-of-service state when trying to wake the Eris from screensaver mode.

The install process is very simple, and Verizon have included a well detailed guide to the whole process.

Let us know how you get on in our Droid Eris Forum.

You can find more information on the Droid Eris update over at support.comvzw.com.

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Android 2.1 SDK Now Available

Less than a week after the launch of the Google Nexus One handset, Google have released the Android 2.1 SDK to developers.

The 2.1 SDK includes all the new features we've seen in the Nexus One, including new APIs for animated wallpapers, webkit browser geolocation support, and more.

Hopefully it won't be too long now before we start seeing the Android 2.1 update being pushed to the Droid, the Hero, and other Android handsets.

Just yesterday Motorola also confirmed that the 2.1 update would be made available for their European Motorola Milestone (Droid), and Motorola DEXT (CLIQ) handsets.

[via android-developers.blogspot.com]

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Motorola Europe Confirm Motorola Dext & Milestone Android 2.1 Upgrades

In a posting on their official Facebook page, Motorola Europe have confirmed that the Android 2.1 updates will be made available for their Motorola DEXT and Motorola Milestone handsets.

Motorola also confirmed that prior to receiving the 2.1 update, the Motorola Milestone will receive the 2.0 update bringing it in line with the Motorola Droid in the US.

"Attention Android lovers. The 2.01 update is on its way for all Milestone users. The Android 2.1 upgrade for Milestone is also on its way and will be ready in the next 2 months. We can confirm that Dext will get the Android 2.1 upgrade as well."

[via facebook.com]

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LG GT450 Android Phone Announced

LG have announced a new Android handset from the CES event in Las Vegas, the LG GT450 Android Phone.

Dubbed by LG as "a specialized social networking smartphone", the GT450 is aimed at first-time smartphone users who are looking for a quick and easy way to access their social networking profiles on the move.

Available in a wide range of colors, the GT450 is powered by Android 2.0 and features a 3 mega-pixel camera, support for up to 32GB microSD storage, along with the usual Google package including Google Maps, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, and the Android Market.

The LG GT450 is expected to launch worldwide in April 2010, currently there is no word on possible pricing for the handset.

[via pocket-lint.com]

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Motorola Droid Running Flash Player 10.1 Video

Last week Adobe released a demo video showing their Flash Player 10.1 software up and running on the Google Nexus One. Well this week it's the turn of the popular Motorola Droid to receive the same Flash treatment.

In newly released footage, Adobe's Adrian Ludwig showcases Flash Player 10.1 running well on the Droid with the Android 2.0 software.

When compared to the Nexus One and Android 2.1, the Droid's Flash video playback does seem to stutter a little bit more than the N1, whether this is down to the 2.0 software remains to be seen.

Flash Player 10.1 is expected to be released for the Google Nexus One in the first half of 2010

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T-Mobile UK and 3 In Talks To Offer The Google Nexus One

UK mobile phone networks T-Mobile and 3 have today confirmed that they are in discussions to offer Google's Nexus One handset in the UK.

"We are in talks with Google and hope to have something to announce soon," a T-Mobile spokesman told Total Telecom, while a 3 UK spokesman said the mobile operator was also "in talks with Google on ranging the Nexus One."

"It's a great Internet phone and we expect plenty of people to import it to the U.K.," commented David Kerrigan, head of Internet services at 3 UK, in an email to Total Telecom.

During Google's official unveiling of the Nexus One handset on Tuesday it was revealed that Vodafone would be the first European carrier to launch the Nexus One in the UK, followed by France, Germany, and Spain.

Popular UK network O2 have since revealed that they have no current plans to offer the Nexus One in the UK, "We have no current announcement to make about supporting the Google Nexus One in the U.K., but we will continue to review and refresh our product range to ensure we meet the demands of our customers".

The handset is currently available SIM-free from the Google Phone Store priced at $529 with the option of shipping to the UK.

[via totaltele.com]

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