Otaku Gadgets

As everyone waits for the Éclair release of the Android OS (Éclair is the codename for version 2.0), the web is rife with talks of even more new Android phones and devices. A lot of things have changed since I reported about it the last time. When I say a lot of things have changed, what I really mean is that the lovable green robot has gotten itself another smattering of delectable new phones and devices. I am slavering just by looking at the array. Could it be, that this loyal Apple fan is actually considering something other than an iPhone? Oh, how the world has changed!

Anyway, a little competition is always good for companies like Apple. ‘Don’t let ‘em get too complacent’ is what I always say. But we, the users, have it the best actually. Companies are tripping over each other to bring out the best just for us!

Anyway, the latest on the Android awaits you on the other side.

Acer Liquid A1 Android Phone

Acer has announced a new (Qualcomm) Snapdragon-based smartphone that will be running on the Android OS. They are calling it the Liquid A1. The phone seems to be following the usual form factor that has be become common post the iPhone. It has a large touchscreen and there is no keyboard. Acer of course did not say anything about the hardware when they announced the phone.

But the hardware specs have finally been leaked and it only serves to confirm that the phone indeed runs on a 1GHz Qualcomm processor (i.e. the Snapdragon) like the HTC HD2 and the rumored HTC Dragon. There is now a video that shows the custom UI that the Liquid will be sporting. No words on whether the phone would be able to change shape like the T1000 in Terminator, thus living up to its name. DARPA already has one by the way. Stay tuned for Judgment Day news.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X3 Android Phone Spotted (Again)

We have more live shots of the Sony XPERIA X3 and its looks every bit the looker high-end SE phones usually are. On the surface we see a 4inch touchscreen, which is huge for a touchscreen phone and the resolution is 852×480. More good news is that the touchscreen is capacitive.

The phone’s running Android and it definitely looks like it is almost ready for the market. So we won’t be very surprised it comes out right after the Éclair release. Besides, the specifications were gained from an Expansys product page that was accidentally put up ahead of schedule. That is enough reason to believe that it is right around the corner. I’m just glad that Sony Ericsson too is going the Android way. I have always loved their high-end phones but the first XPERIA’s UI was just too drab. [read]

More Pics Of the Motorla Sholes/Droid

In case you have not been keeping up with rumors, there is a new Motorola phone that is doing its rounds around rumorsville. It started getting passed around as the Motorola Sholes but newer evidence suggests that the official name would be Motorola Droid.

It is an Android phone and before you start thinking back to the CLIQ debacle, let me tell you that this is a ‘Google Experience’ phone. So it will have no UI customization and hence no MOTOBLUR madness. It has the same form factor as the CLIQ but it looks far better. There is the QWERTY keyboard in place too. Boy Genius Report seems to have struck a gold mine of a source from which they are digging up live shots of the device and its UI. I just made a Sholes/Droid round up yesterday for gHacks.net, check it out here. The video above is the boot video, complete with the robot voice even.

Giant Éclair Delivery Heralds 2.0 Release?

A giant (foam) Éclair was delivered to the Google front lawn recently and it is currently sitting pretty beside the Green robot, the Cupcake (1.5) and the Donut (1.6). Now this is no news on its own but combined with the fact that the Donut was delivered only days before 1.6 was released, it gives us hope that the 2.0 is on its way. Although, we already know what to expect thanks to the detailed UI walkthrough on the Motorola Droid.

Dell Mini 3i Android Phone

Micheal Dell, the CEO of Dell, has been quite vocal about the Mini 3i. This being very new grounds for companies like Dell and Acer, it is understandable that he would be slightly anxious about it. He has recently announced, yet again, that the Android loading Dell smartphone will be arriving next year. But this time, he had something new to say.

He said that Android is not the only OS that Dell is looking at. Whatever he means by that, I hope he doesn’t mean that he is going for LiMo or something similar.  The Dell Mini 3i is probably going to AT&T, there hasn’t been any official word on it yet.

Acer’s Android-Windows 7 Dual Booting Netbook Is Now Up for Sale

Acer will soon be releasing a dual booting version of its D250 netbook. This news comes from us from all over the web and it looks like they will have Windows 7 dual booting with the more exciting bit – Android. Android will replace the usual Linux OS that graces the usual instant start up options. Android will let you view your photos, surf the Internet and do all the light stuff. When you want to do serious work, you have to switch to Windows 7.

Archos 5 Android MID Is Holding Steady

Archos 5 has attracted a lot of attention for using Android with its latest MID. But it hasn’t gotten amazing reviews mainly because of the lack of apps for it. But the Donut (1.6) using device is holding pretty steady in the market.  Fears of its firmware being unstable have been allayed and it looks like it is pretty stable for the time being. It has a 5inch capacitive touchscreen and comes from the long line of MIDs from the same named company.

“Android Adoption Is About To Explode”, Says Schmidt

Eric Schmidt was heard saying this when he was at the Q3 earnings conference recently. And he is quite right. With more and more heavyweight companies pulling their weight behind the OS, the green juggernaut is about to become very big indeed.

In case you are wondering, Google earns from the Android Os from all the mobile searches that it generates. Eric said that quarter on quarter growth for Q3 2009 in mobile searches was 30%, although he didn’t reveal absolute numbers. Still, looks like the party is going to be pretty good for Google this next quarter too.