Sharp Launching 3D Android Handsets in Japan
3D is all the rage in the entertainment industry. It follows that the mobile devices we have started carrying around all the time would head in the same direction. Sharp will be launching two 3D handsets in Japan based on the Android operating system. The biggest drawback, of course, is the fact that 3D requires goofy glasses. Don’t worry, no glasses required to get the full effect here.
Bearing the names Galapagos 003SH and 005SH, both handsets sport 1GHz Snapdragon CPUs, Android 2.2, and a 3.8-inch 3D-capable display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution. The main difference between the two phones is the full QWERTY keyboard on the 005SH, but 003SH makes up for it with a slightly better camera, a 9.6 megapixel model capable of recording 720p video, while 005SH sports a (still formidable) 8-megapixel camera.
via Mashable
Big Changes at Amplify
Amplify, the creative blogging/discussion platform, has made a few updates to refine the service and make it more interesting for publishers and folks just looking for a place to discuss stuff. The first feature addition lets you schedule posts for a later time.
For example, if you’re doing a lot of reading in the morning and want to sprinkle your clips throughout the day, you can easily do so. Or, if you come across something you want to post on Amplify but want it to coincide with a certain event in the future, you can easily schedule it for later.
An important point to note about this feature is that, combined with Amplify’s ability to broadcast your posts across all your social networks, they have become a general tool for scheduling posts and updates across the web. This is very powerful for those trying to build or maintain a brand and is also important for keeping your followers informed.
The default feed no longer shows comments, just the latest posts from those you follow. This is actually an effort to increase discussion and simplify the interface for new users. More posts will be visible because of the extra space. Amplify has also turned off email notifications on comments for all users. They believe this “can be annoying and overwhelming” while “the needs of the service provider over those of users.” Check you @Mentions tab to see relevant comments.
The Power of Google Instant in Your Pocket
If you’ve been enjoying Google Instant on your desktop, get ready to feel the power right in your pants, purse, or palm. The next time you visit Google.com on your mobile device, click the “Turn on” link under the search box to activate the Google Instant beta. It works pretty good, but there are some drawbacks. Primarily, the fact that your onscreen keyboard will hide half of the search page. Google Instant beta for mobile currently supports iOS4 and Android 2.2 (“Froyo”).
With Google Instant on mobile, we’re pushing the limits of mobile browsers and wireless networks. You will probably notice a big improvement in speed when you search thanks to a new AJAX and HTML5 implementation for mobile that dynamically updates the page with new results and eliminates the need to load a new page for each query.
Google Takes Its Toys and Goes Home
We have entered a new age where user data is becoming more and more important. Your social graph is a valuable commodity. Primary players in this identity trade include email providers like Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo as well as social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Up until now, everyone has allowed data import and export and played nice together…except Facebook. While they gobble up all the contact info they can get, Facebook doesn’t allow any entity, not even the user, to export their contacts. Google has finally said “Enough!” and will no longer give Facebook a free ride to import contact data without a reciprocal agreement.
So what does Google want from Facebook? Their definition of reciprocity requires that any service accessing its Contacts API offer an API of its own with similar functionality. This means it wants an API that it can access programmatically, without requiring the user to download and then re-upload a spreadsheet of contact data.
The age of data protectionism has begun and it’s not going to be pretty. Not only will innovation and technology suffer, but users will be affected as well. At this point, it doesn’t look like there is any way to turn things around unless everyone, especially Facebook, decides to play nice. I don’t see that happening, though.
via TechCrunch
Twitter for Android: Faster and More Polished
The new official Twitter client for Android is faster, snappier, and packs some interface tweaks that put it on par with its cousin on the iPhone. It includes features like Pull to Refresh, Swipe to Reveal, and Hi-Res Avatar photos. You can optionally quote a tweet (old-style retweets) instead of using the newer retweet feature. They paid special attention to how the interface is drawn to improve scrolling speed.
via Twitter
T-Mobile Goes In on AT&T
When a beef starts, you always have to look at who is naming names. That will usually tell you which party is either desperate, looking for some shine, or both. In this case, T-Mobile has launched a hilarious campaign against AT&T. They portray themselves as a pretty lady while AT&T is an old balding guy riding the iPhone’s…uh…back. An obvious spoof of the PC-Mac ads. T-Mobile is now calling themselves the “Largest 4G Network.”
via TechFlash