Android 2.2 Begins to Show up on Google Charts

Every 14 days, Google [GOOG] runs a report showing what percentage of people run the various Android operating systems. Now that Android 2.2 (FroYo) is being pushed out to Nexus One devices, we are starting to see the new build of the OS show up on the charts.

Android 2.1 continues to take the lions share by being on 53.1% of Android smartphones. This is followed by 1.6 and 1.5 that command 23.5% and 21.3% respectively. Android 2.2 is next with just 1.8% although we need to take in to consideration that only in the last week or so that OS has been made available publicly.

It’s interesting to see the number of devices still running Android 1.5 or 1.6. The 1.5 update has been available a long time now which indicates there are still a lot of older devices around that are unable to update. [Read more…]

Three MiFi Review

A few weeks back I mentioned that 3MobileBuzz had sent over a Three MiFi for testing. My initial Three MiFi Review was overall positive although I needed to test further to get a better impression of how it worked whilst travelling. Well, I’m back and I’m glad to say it performed well.

The Three MiFi we tested is the Huawei E5830 version (now replaced with the 2nd gen model). The device is simple to set up and has just 3 buttons on the casing. One powers the device on and off, the second enables and disables the WiFi network and the third button enables and disables the mobile broadband connection (see image below). From powering up to being online takes around 30 seconds to 1 minute although it does require 3 button presses which could be just made to 1 press with firmware I believe. Not a major issue though.

The display on the device is very basic showing just 5 icons. The top right icon is the battery indicator. The top left shows signal. The bottom left shows if WiFi is enabled. The bottom right shows the mobile broadband connection and the middle light shows if you are roaming. Previously I had said I wanted more details to be displayed on the screen although when actually using the device I rarely looked at the screen unless it dropped my connection which happened maybe 2 or 3 times a day for whatever reason. Again, it wasn’t a major issue and mobile devices do lose signal occasionally. It’s just a 2 second hold of the data button and I was up and running again. [Read more…]

Google Voice Desktop Petition Started – Users Want it!

Last week, TechCrunch managed to get hold of a Google Voice Desktop client that allows users to log-in and make calls direct from their desktop in a similar way to how Skype and other services work. The downside of this is that Google [GOOG] apparently want to keep the software web-based rather than offering a downloadable software package.

Someone has created a petition over at GiveusGVDesktop.com that aims to collect half a million virtual signatures in an attempt to prove to Google that users want it. We are not sure if it will make any difference or not, but the software is certainly handy to have for those who use Google Voice and often work from a desk with a computer. [Read more…]

Magnetic Thinking Putty Swallows Magnets

Check out the Magnetic Thinking Putty. The putty is made of a viscous material that allows you to work with it, but also responds slowly to magnets nearby.

When putting the supplied metal cube near it, the putty will simply work towards the cube and swallow it whole.

The Magnetic Thinking Putty is available from an online store called Vat19 and costs $13.50. [Read more…]

Babylonian Twins iPhone Game Free Today

If you have an iPhone then it would be worth you checking out the Babylonian Twins game. The game is free today to download and features a number of levels and challenges for you to work through.

Think The Prince of Persia meets The Lost Vikings with a twist: You control two characters, the twin princes of Babylonian, one at a time and each with different skills, to solve challenging puzzles in a fast-paced action and smooth scrolling in a unique historic atmosphere derived from history texts.

[Read more…]

Huawei S7 Preview

The Huawei S7 is an Android based tablet that has a 7 inch screen and sits in-between the likes of the Apple iPad and the Dell Streak.

One of the main problems with the Huawei S7 is that it appears the nice capacitive touchscreen that we expected to see has been replaced with a resistive screen which just doesn’t work that well on Android based devices. Hopefully the review unit is just a one off and that the S7 will have capacitive screens.

Battery life is also a downer with tests showing that just over 1.5 hours of active use can be achieved which is way below the 10 hours that other devices set. [Read more…]

Audi Cam Lets you Watch Audi Fix Your Car

If you worry about your car being damaged and handled badly whilst in the garage then you should probably look at becoming a customer of Audi.

Audi is looking to introduce Audi Cam that puts a webcam on the technician who is working on your car so you can watch whilst they work away.

The system will work by using both a camera attached to the technicians head as well as a two-way radio system that allows you to be in contact with the mechanic. While you are in the waiting room having your car worked on the technician can easily ask you questions if he needs to know something about your car like some history for example. [Read more…]

2010 Manufacturer Mobile Phone Roadmap Leak for UK

Omio claim to have received details of a big number of mobile phone launches hitting the UK this year. They also claim that the leaked roadmap shows several of the large phone manufacturers and isn’t just limited to one like we have seen several times previously.

The list starts with this month with the Nokia E5-00, the Sony Ericsson W20 and Samsung i5500.

August brings some Blackberry devices as well as phones from LG and HTC. Also a new Nokia X6 is said to be launching with even less storage at 8GB which custs the price down a bit. [Read more…]

HTC Aria Pictured with 4G Connection – Best Buy Mistake

The image here is probably a little small for you to make out, but check out the full version below. What you see is the HTC Aria heading to the AT&T network with 4G enabled. The red arrow points to the icon indicating 4G is active.

However, the HTC Aria is not a 4G phone and AT&T’s [T] network doesn’t have any 4G devices which indicates Best Buy made a bit of a mistake here when creating the image.

The image sits on the front of the Best Buy Mobile Buyers guide. [Read more…]

Zlin iCub Plane gets an iPad Integrated in to Cockpit

Zlin are unveiling a new plane soon. The new plane is called the iCub and as the name suggests, it integrates Apple [AAPL] technology in to the cockpit.

The iCub has a space available to fit an iPad that can be used to navigate around. When normally choosing navigation equipment the costs can run in to the $1000’s due to the amount of equipment you need. However, the iCub is not designed for mundane tasks of flying from a to b. Instead, it’s supposed to be a fun plane to fly. The iPad has apps that make it versatile enough to be used in the plane so that weather charts and navigation details can be displayed with the iPad 3G’s built in GPS sensor. The iPad 3G is far cheaper than the regular GPS equipment you buy for a plane. [Read more…]

Windows Phone 7 Could Arrive Earlier According to AT&T POS

We’ve heard twice in the last couple of weeks that we will be seeing Microsoft [MSFT] launch Windows Phone 7 sometime in October. Prior to that it was expected the launch would be closer to the end of the year.

The first time we heard an October launch date was when the HTC Mozart WP7 device was spotted with a bad photoshop done on a slightly different handset. The second time was at a Microsoft Advertisers event where the company were discussing advertising options as well as how to sell apps etc… Early on in that presentation the October date was also mentioned.

We now see over on Engadget a picture posted that shows some AT&T retail materials relating to Windows Phone 7 which indicates the launch is sometime soon. [Read more…]

Microsoft Patent Reveals Six-Axis Remote Control Device

The regular remote control has stayed quite standard over the years other than dropping a wire, adding a screen, becoming radio controlled rather than infra-red as well as being able to store several remote controls in one.

You’d have probably thought by now that the remote control wasn’t really going to advance that much (not referring to iPhone and iPad integrations here). Well, Microsoft [MSFT] appears to be working on a new remote control that has a six-axis sensor capable of detecting what way you are holding the device. [Read more…]