Author: PhoneDog.com – Latest videos, reviews, articles, news and posts

If you’re an iPad fan and were hoping to pick up one of the popular units when they arrived in your country, you’ll have to wait a bit longer to get your hands on one.  According to Apple, the “iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far,” so international shipments won’t begin until the end of May.

From Apple:

“Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad™. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.

Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May. We will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders on Monday, May 10. We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.”

For those that live in other countries, pre-orders begin on May 10th.  InternationalDogs, I’d love to hear from you – does the delay affect your plans for a shiny new iPad?  Sound off in the comments!

Via BGR

After months of speculation, the HTC Incredible is official, and will be coming to Verizon on April 29th.  Billed as the “Droid Incredible,” the unit looks similar to the renders we’ve seen on the internet.  Expect to see Android 2.1, a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor (still unsure as to whether it’s underclocked or not), 8 GB of internal storage, and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.

Be sure to sign up to receive more details on the “next chapter of the Droid saga.”  Android fans, does the Droid Incredible tickle your fancy?

Via Engadget, Verizon

In an event that comes as a surprise to many, Opera Software’s submission of Opera Mini to the App Store has been given the green light by Apple, and is now available to download via iTunes.  For those of you who may not know, Opera Mini is a third party web browser that claims to be exponentially faster than Apple’s native browser, Safari.  “Opera Software claims Opera Mini for iPhone is up to 6 times faster than the native browser thanks to its compression and server-side rendering technology,” according to TechCrunch.

The app was submitted to the App Store back in late March after being showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.  Many questioned whether it would ever receive approval due to the increasingly stringent policies created by Apple, and the fact that many apps have been rejected for reasons which are seemingly unpredictable.  Apparently, Opera Software took this under consideration when determining whether to submit the browser to the App store.  They told TechCrunch “they had analyzed the App Store policies in great detail, and that they were completely certain of being 100% compliant,” and there’s no arguing that they were right.

I’ve not tried Opera Mini myself, but many reports claim that it’s blazingly fast.  So, who’s gonna download Opera Mini on their iPhone today?  Let us know how it goes in the comments.

Via TechCrunch

Press Release:
Approved

The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

Technology: CDMA
Announced Carrier: Verizon Wireless
Announced Release Date: April 29, 2010

UPDATE: Verizon Wireless confirmed today that they will be getting the HTC Droid Incredible on April 29, 2010.  After weeks of calling it just the Incredible, an official release names the device the Droid Incredible.

The HTC Incredible comes equipped with Android 2.1 (Eclair) with HTC Sense, 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor, 8GB internal memory, plus 512MB of ROM and 512MB DDR of RAM memory.  Other key features include an 8MP camera with video captures, easy access to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as a 3.5mm headset jack.  

Technology: GSM
Possible U.S. Carrier: AT&T 
Rumored Release Date: Available Globally in Q2 2010

The Nokia C6 offers a full QWERTY keyboard underneath a 3.2″ touchscreen.  Other features include instant access to your favorite social networks, a 5MP camera, customizable homescreen, Ovi Maps, and Nokia messaging.  We will update the complete specifications when they become available.

Improve Integration of Google Productivity Services

I’m absolutely baffled as to why Google hasn’t better leveraged their productivity services to gain even more marketshare, especially from the Windows Mobile holdouts (what few of them there are left) and Blackberry users who are looking for that one extra business-related feature to pull them out of their Blackberry fanboy stupor.

Don’t get me wrong, Google has done a great job making sure services like Google Reader, Google Docs, Google Tasks, and Google Photos (Picasa) look good and are easy to use (mostly to read, not create) via Android’s web browser in their ‘mobile’ view.  In fact, Google Reader and Google Tasks are two of the services/apps I use most frequently on my HTC Droid Eris.  I’ve placed a shortcut to both mobile websites on my Eris’ homescreen because I haven’t found apps in the marketplace that integrate and sync as well with my activities on my desktop computer.

The opportunity that I think Google has not taken advantage of in in creating great quality apps for these services or otherwise integrating them into the operating system.  Think for a moment of Gmail.  The Gmail app comes standard as a part of the Android OS.  It’s simple, straightforward, and ultra-useful.  The calendar app that comes on any variation of the Android OS always allows the user to view and add events to the Google calendar, in addition to any other calendars the device may be capable of syncing with (e.g. MS Exchange or Outlook).  There is also an app for Google Talk (or GTalk), which is simple and works very well.  I love using the apps that Google creates and maintains because for the most part, they are very stable, quick to access, and very easy to learn and use.  The one exception to this is Google Voice which has been a bit ‘buggy’ for me, but I can forgive that to a point because the service is still evolving and isn’t even available to the general public yet. 

Congratulations to Ronald B. of NY who won a brand new BlackBerry Curve for Sprint at 10:08PM on Tuesday April 13, 2010.  Stay tuned for an image an quote from our latest winner!

If you opted for a Motorola Backflip because (a) it’s the only AT&T-subsidized Android device available at the moment, or (b) you liked the form factor, you should be prepared for a longer wait for Android 2.1.  According to Motorola’s timeline, Backflip users can expect to see the update in the third quarter of this year.  Given that we’re already well into April, the third quarter isn’t too far away.

As a recap, the DROID has received the update, the CLIQ and CLIQ XT are expected to receive it in the second quarter, and the Devour is currently “under evaluation.”  Backflip users, can you make it to the third quarter, or will you be looking for a new device (running Android 2.1 out of the box)?

Via Engadget

Part Two of a five-part series, “Top 5 ways for Android to close the gap.” See also:

1. Get Another Killer Phone to Market

2. Serve Up Some FroYo

Fragmentation is an issue on the Android platform. While some (many?) consumers don’t know and don’t care if their device runs version 1.6 or 2.1 of the operating system, they are starting to care about features like HTML 5 support that only run on Android 2.0 and higher. The more savvy/conscious Android owners out there, on the other hand, are keenly aware of the waiting game involved with Android OS upgrades. Droid users and Motorola Android fans in general have been following with great interest the official Moto Web page, which was just revised again with status updates ranging from “Upgrade under evaluation” to “Rolling out in stages,” depending on your device and carrier.

The madness has to stop, and I keep hearing that OS 2.2 (Codename: FroYo) is going to “take a serious shot”* at putting an end to it at last. I sure hope so. 

It’s one thing to offer different phones with different specs and features at different price points. It’s entirely another to sell “Android” phones marketed as “Android” phones that actually run four different versions of the OS (1.5, 1.6, 2.0 or 2.1), each of which may or may not be upgradable to the current iteration of the platform at some unspecified point in the future. Note the word “current” in the sentence above. We all know that consumer technology is a game of planned obsolescence, but it’s still rare to buy a “Version 1.0” form of a gadget that’s also available in “Version 2.0” without first knowing whether or not you’ll be able to upgrade to 2.0, and roughly when. Sure, we all know our phones will be “obsolete” at some point, but if the next version OS is already out on other phones, I think consumers deserve to know what their upgrade path will be before signing a two-year service contract.

And yet, that’s more or less been the deal with Android phones: Buyers have been playing a guessing game as to which phones will see a clear 2.1 upgrade path, and when. It’s too unclear and sales are suffering for it. Heck, Apple may have teed a lot of iPhone 3G owners off last week in stating that they’ll miss out on some features in the coming OS 4.0, but at least Apple said it. I get that upgrades are more complicated for Google since they’re dealing with one operating system that’s tweaked and customized to run on dozens of different pieces of hardware and carriers. But still, enough with the fragmentation and consumer guessing games: Bring on the FroYo and, with it, at least a clearer idea of which phones will and won’t be compatible with which features and versions already in the marketplace.

*For more, see Chris Ziegler’s post-CTIA report on FroYo and the possible end to fragmentation over at Engadget.

Overview

What’s Good: Great entry-level smartphone; fantastic battery life; free Ovi Maps.

What’s Bad: Resistive touchscreen can be a bit frustrating to use at times.

Introduction

Every now and then, I’ll receive a call from a family member, asking about the newest smartphone on the market.  Typically, the calls are what I call “curiosity calls” – it’s something they’ve seen on television, but they’re not interested in owning one.  Smartphones have long been regarded as a tool for the tech-savvy youngster, the traveling businessman, and the busy prosumer.  The Nokia Nuron 5230, on the other hand, joins mainstream devices like the Apple iPad and Palm Pixi Plus in that it appeals to the first-time smartphone buyer, or someone who doesn’t require the latest and the greatest.  The Nuron is a no-frills smartphone that’s designed to deliver a solid bang for the buck, and it accomplishes that goal quite well.

Design & Features

Coming in at 4.37 inches long by 2.03 inches wide by 0.61 inch thick, the device weighs 3.98 ounces, making it perfect for a tight pocket or a purse.  The Nuron offers a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen with 360 x 640 pixels and 16.7 million colors.  It’s not a 3.7-inch screen by any means, but it’s perfect for a casual phone user.  When conducting a long phone call, I found the unit to be quite comfortable against my ear.

The Nuron sports a nice, polished form factor with white and grey accents.  The top of the unit contains the power button, 3.5mm headphone jack, and microUSB and charging ports.  The left side of the unit houses the SIM card slot and microSD card slot (with support for up to 16 GB), while the right side of the unit contains the volume rocker, unlock button, and camera shortcut key.  The front of the device offers a send key, menu button, and end key.  The decision to make the SIM card and microSD card slots accessible from the left side of the device versus placing them behind the battery was a smart one, in my opinion.

Usability & Performance

The Nokia Nuron ships with Symbian 3.  Though relatively tired design-wise, Symbian is decent for day-to-day tasks, and is a good OS given the target demographic of the device.  The downside to Symbian is that many find it relatively challenging to use (versus other smartphone operating systems on the market), leading to a somewhat longer learning curve versus other devices.  The Nuron offers a number of shortcut icons on the main screen that make it easy for the user to navigate to popular services.  Adding to the benefits, device also offers Nokia’s free Ovi Maps service – a nice savings over competitors like VZ Navigator and AT&T Navigator (both of which are $9.99 monthly).  The maps are downloaded onto the device prior to use, so you can navigate with or without active service.  On the topic of Ovi services, the Nuron 5230 offers access to Nokia’s Ovi Store.  With distributors contributing content from over 65 countries, the app store is quickly growing.

The keyboard on the Nokia Nuron offers an ample amount of tactile feedback, though it’s arranged a bit differently than the traditional QWERTY.  Consolidated into four rows, the space bar is centered to the right, and the keyboard letters are centered to the left side of the screen.  After a few days, I was able to get used to it and type with a reasonable amount of speed, but it may be frustrating for those that send e-mails or text messages on a regular basis.  Part of the keyboard learning curve could be attributed to the resistive touchscreen.  Though it performed decently in most tasks, it was frustrating to use, as it was rather unresponsive at times.

The device ships with a 2.0-megapixel camera, and in my testing, image quality was mediocre, given the lack of a flash. Editing options include image quality, scene modes (automatic, user defined, portrait, landscape, sports, night), along with other editing options (show grid, color tone, self-timer, white balance, exposure, light sensitivity, contrast, sharpness, and sequence).  Video quality was medicore as well, though it should be fine for a casual video on the go.

The Nuron was tested in the Charlotte area using T-Mobile, and call quality was very good.  Callers were able to hear me well, and I had no problems hearing them on my end.  When visiting a known T-Mobile trouble spot in the Charlotte metropolitan area, I had trouble initiating calls.  When testing the speakerphone in a bustling restaurant, I was able to hear my callers without issue.  I successfully paired my Plantronics Voyager Pro Bluetooth headset to the device without a problem, and callers said that I sounded equally clear.

The Nokia Nuron offers 3G HSDPA connectivity on T-Mobile, so browsing speeds were very strong. The mobile CNN webpage loaded in about nine seconds, and the PhoneDog homepage loaded in 27 seconds. Other data-intensive tasks such as the Ovi Store and Telenav performed admirably.

The device offers a 1320mAh battery with a rated talk time of 7 hours with HSDPA (3G) connectivity, and about 18 days of standby time.  With moderate to heavy use including calling, text messaging, browsing the internet, and use of the Ovi Store, I was able to get just under three days out of it before it powered down.  When it comes to battery life, the Nuron is absolutely fantastic.

Conclusion

The Nokia Nuron 5230 is a fantastic device for newcomers to the smartphone market.  Sure, it’s not the device for a power-hungry smartphone aficionado, but Mom could find a lot to like in this device.  With stellar battery life and a plethora of PIM applications, the Nuron could make for a great companion to the frequent traveler.  At present, it is free when purchased online (new, two-year agreement required), making it a fantastic option.  While T-Mobile offers a 14-day return policy, be sure to check the device out in-store prior to purchasing.

According to a tip received by Engadget, that mythical Verizon iPhone that we keep hearing about could be a reality.  The data, obtained by Flurry Analytics, show the carriers that a particular app is being tested on.  Though “Wi-Fi” clearly dominates the list with 1,771 “sessions,” the fact that even a few Verizon devices are out there is worth thinking about.

Before you get all excited, it’s important to note that the chart above likely refers to iPhone users connecting via Verizon DSL or FiOS.  At any rate, it’s food for thought, and goes along quite nicely with the other Verizon iPhone rumors we’ve heard as of late.  Does the prospect of a Verizon iPhone excite you, or are you perfectly happy with AT&T?

Via Engadget

The upshot of all of the Apple news/hype/chatter last week was that I heard from a lot of Android fans. A LOT of you. Some of you wanted to know if I thought iPad was any good. Others of you wanted me to know how much you hate Apple – the company, the products, and the users. Most of you fell somewhere in between.

You all got me thinking about Android. Not about whether it’s “better” or “worse” than iPhone or any other mobile OS, but about its future. 

We’re Number Four!

According to the most recent comScore reports, BlackBerry still leads the US smartphone market with 42.1% of the subscribers. Apple is second with 25.4%, and Google is fourth (behind Microsoft) with 9.0%. The thing about Google’s share, though, is that it more than doubled over the past three months while BlackBerry and Apple more or less held steady (and Microsoft lost 4%). Google rose from a 3.8% share in November 2009 to 9% as of February 2010, thanks in large part to the success of Verizon’s Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris.

So what does Google do now to close the gap on BlackBerry and Apple (Microsoft is going to lose more ground at least until Windows Phone 7 ships this Fall)?

1. Get another Killer Phone to Market

Google got a healthy boost this past Fall and Winter when the first Android devices came to Verizon. But with Droid’s marketing campaign (thankfully) fading out and Droid Eris officially marked End of Life, Google needs another high-profile Android phone on US retail shelves. And, frankly, they need it on AT&T and/or Verizon shelves – T-Mobile and Sprint just don’t have the subscriber base right now to really push the needle when it comes to Android’s market share. 

Nexus One ain’t gonna do it, at least not so long as Google remains hell-bent on self-sabotaging the device by marketing, selling and supporting it themselves. Between mounting hardware and service complaints and the sheer fact that you never, ever see an N1 when you walk into a cell phone, this thing just isn’t selling like a “superphone” should. And Motorola’s Backflip won’t do it either, at least not so long as AT&T remains hell-bent on removing every trace of Google from the thing before putting it in the same room as their iPhone lineup.

Enter the HTC Incredible, all but certain to launch on Verizon by the end of this month. Incredible will be a super-er version of Nexus One, complete with a user interface that will actually catch shoppers’ eyes in stores (HTC Sense is flashier than stock Android), a new optical trackball, and bumped up camera specs. Assuming it works as it should and is priced decently, Incredible should have the looks, specs, and flair to add some new subscribers to Verizon and Google’s head count.

One phone can’t do it all by itself (apologies to Apple/AT&T, of course), but it’s incredibly important for Google’s momentum to have at least one new(ish), eye-catching, high-profile device on retail shelves at all times. Droid’s been out long enough – and Sprint and T-Mo are small enough – that Google needs Verizon to get a sexy new Android phone to market now. Incredible is it, and it can’t come soon enough.

Next Up

#2: Serve Up Some FroYo

Gone are the days of cell phone use at work being taboo. If you’ve ever worked in the service industry or still do, you know what I’m talking about. That “aww, man” feeling when your restaurant manager catches you in the kitchen texting your friends about how epic last night was. “That’s strike 2,” she says.  Or maybe you work at an office where Facebook, YouTube and other social networking sites are blocked. You think your boss is out to lunch but he comes around the corner right at the moment you are laughing hysterically at a YouTube video on your iPhone. D’oh! And now he wants to see it too. Double d’oh! Why couldn’t I have just favorited that tweet and watched the video it when I got home? was just too tempting. It’s like your seventh grade teacher catching you passing notes and reading it aloud to the class. “Do you like me? Check yes or no.” Death from embarrassment. You can never look him in the eye after that. 

Times, they are a-changing and it’s a good thing. When I’m not writing for the internets, I am working at a hotel desk in midtown Manhattan, attempting to be some semblance of a concierge. As a native New Yorker, the job comes somewhat naturally but don’t get me wrong – it’s no piece of cake. We can’t tell guests that “hey, it’s meatloaf night at Applebee’s and I can get you a nice table by the fishtank!” That may sound like a cut at small town, USA but I’m mostly just jealous of their spacious living quarters. NYC boasts a staggering 20,000 restaurants in our five boroughs and while that is one of the many reasons our little island of Manhattan is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, it proves a daunting task for me to stay up to date with the constant flux of ever-changing bars and eateries. In my fantasy world, I’d go to different venues every night, sample the fare, take in the ambience, chat up the manager, and expense it all to research. Somewhere, my boss just laughed. 

As knowledgeable as we pretend to be, websites like Menupages and Shecky’s are tremendously helpful in our concierge quest to send guests to a place that will make them feel like locals. But I’ve found out recently that many times the iPhone app is faster and more focused on a final decision rather than narrowed-down results of a web-based search. Certain apps like Yelp, UrbanSpoon, and Metromix try to do just that, but my favorite as of late is The Next Move by UrbanDaddy. The app design is ubercool with a sexy interface, pinpointing your day, time and location, then asking the question: What do you want? The options are: Brunch, Lunch, Drinks, Dinner, Dessert, Dancing, etc. Then it asks: Who are you with? There are some amusing answers mixed in here, such as: Boyfriend, Parents, Friends, Ex, Mistress, Boss. The subcategories then get even funnier and a bit racy asking if you are wild, more low-brow or perhaps desire to be surrounded by cougars. Believe me, these questions (and ones I can’t mention but may one day become a coffee table book) get asked at my desk. Instead of staring blankly at the guest or politely explaining that I can’t help them, I can use my handy “automated concierge” UrbanDaddy app without my boss giving me the side-eye for using my cell at work. Now, if only someone could create an app to help the poor soul calling from his room upstairs asking, “how do I get to Manhattan?” 

It’s another day in the Palm buyout rumor mill.  According to Bloomberg, HTC and Huawei Technologies have emerged as the frontrunners in the offer process.  According to individuals familiar with the talks, Palm contacted Huawei in February to begin “preliminary discussions.”  HTC also remains as a a viable player, with company CFO Cheng Hui-ming stating that the company is analyzing the possibility of operating their own software platform.  “We continue to assess, but that requires a few conditions to justify” (refering to operaing their own software).

“If you look at the successful smartphone players, like Apple and Research in Motion, a reason for their success is that they have their own platform,” said Steven Tseng at RBS Asia Ltd.  “The negative is the amount of resources they’d need to allocate.”

Bloomberg points out that Palm’s operating system accounted for 0.7 percent of the smartphone marketshare in 2009.  In comparison, Symbian (used on most Nokia devices) commanded 46.9 percent, RIM’s BlackBerry OS held 19.9 percent, and Apple’s iPhone OS accounted for 19.9 percent.  According to analysts, Palm could receive as much as $1.3 billion for the company, based on the company’s $1 billion market capitalization and a “30 percent premium recently paid in tech deals.”

Additional contenders include Lenovo, ZTE, Microsoft, Nokia, and Motorola.  If you had the power, what company would you like to see purchase Palm (or would you keep it as a separate entity)?

Via Bloomberg, The Washington Post

Noah goes hands on with Kin One, one of Microsoft’s two new social networking phones. Hits Verizon in May.

Great news! Vonage has expanded their compatibility to Android phones. As it stands, only customers of AT&T and T-Mobile will be able to use the VoIP service, as Vonage has Sprint and Verizon listed as incompatible with their service at this time (GSM only).  Senior vice president of product management, Michael Tempora, gave us all this piece of information about Vonage’s plans to expand their services:

“We are focused on ensuring that our customers can enjoy all the benefits of their Vonage service from any location using any device that can access the Internet. We will continue to expand our offerings in 2010 to include a robust set of voice and messaging services that utilize Wi-Fi and 3G wireless networks.”

Since Verizon has exclusivity on Skype, a lot of people are searching for an alternative. Vonage is definitely a service to consider. While Vonage is a paid service, you will get unlimited international calling to over 60 countries using Wi-Fi and cell signal for $24.99 per month, which is an incredible deal if you make international calls frequently. Another great deal from Vonage is available if you get the Vonage World Mobile for $24.99 per month, you are eligible to save $10 per month on Vonage World Home.

Vonage for Android is compatible with phones running Android OS 1.5 or higher on the GSM side only. If you are interested in picking up the application, it can be found in the Android Market.  If you already have Vonage World Mobile, let us know what you think of it so far in the comments below!

Via: Phandroid

Remember the LG Aloha that originally surfaced a few weeks ago with model number LG C710?  What about the LG LU2300 (aka Eclipse) that is reportedly heading to SK Telekom this May as the supposed South Korean variant of the Aloha?  Well, if that wasn’t enough, let me throw another model number at you.

According to PhoneArena, the LG VS740 has made its way into Verizon’s inventory system, though there’s not much more to go on aside from the picture above.  We know we’ll be seeing a nifty Android-powered LG device in the future, but other than that your guess is as good as mine.  So, let’s have a little fun, shall we?  I’ve compiled the rumored specs of the C710 and the LU2300, and this is what you get (a respectable device by all accounts):

• 3.5-inch AMOLED 800×480 touchscreen
• 65,000 color display
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
• GPRS, UMTS, HSDPA and HSUPA
• Android 2.1
• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• Sliding 4-row QWERTY keyboard
• 5 megapixel camera
• 720p HD DivX compatible playback
• Wi-Fi, GPS, DMB tuner

I have no clue what Verizon’s plan is with upcoming Android phones, but I know several people who have been doubling up on their anxiety medication as of late.  Perhaps they’ll just pick a day and launch all of the highly anticipated devices at once, causing a mad dash where the most difficult decision will be which Android device to pick.

Got your running shoes ready?  Sound off in the comments! 

Via AndroidandMe

Ain’t no party like an Espoo party ’cause an Espoo party don’t stop!  Except it did.  And new phones came out of it.

From left to right, the Nokia C3-00, C6-00, and E5-00.  The C3-00 (magenta) offers a QWERTY keyboard, Symbian Series 40, a 2.4-inch display, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, 55 MB of internal memory, and a microSD card slot (with support for up to 8 GB).  The C3-00 will be available in Q2 for €90.  The Nokia C6-00 (white) offers quad-band GSM/EDGE and HSDPA/UMTS on the 850/900/1900/2100 MHz frequencies.  The device offers a full QWERTY keyboard, S60 5th Edition, a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, and a 5.0-megapixel camera.  The C6-00 will be available in Q2 for €220.  Last but not least, the E5-00 (brown) offers S60 3rd Edition, tri-band UMTS, Wi-Fi, and A-GPS.  It will be available in Q3 for €180.

Now that the countdown is over and the secrets are out of the box, do any of the above devices interest you?  Hit the comments section and let me know!

Via Engadget

There’s been rumor of a Google branded tablet for some time now.  In fact, I believe the expected time frame for said device was purportedly the end of this year.  But with Apple’s huge success in making the tablet market a reality, it’s beginning to look like Google wants to turn up the heat, in the appropriate e-war fashion.  The original Google tablet concept came from the chromium project, so logically we assumed it would be sporting the highly anticipated Chrome OS.  Perhaps we thought wrong?

According to The New York Times, Google CEO Eric Schmidt told friends recently about a new tablet device that would be running Android OS.  NYT tipsters also said that “the company had been experimenting in “stealth mode” with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet.”  So, it appears that the first Google tablet will be running Android, not Chrome OS – which in all reality makes sense considering the amount of apps already in place.

There’s no specs, release date, or pricing available as of yet.  Basically we’re just going on good ‘ole Schmidty’s word and the reliability of the NYT.  Whether it’s running Android or Chrome doesn’t make too much a difference to me either, I just hope it looks like this.  And don’t forget, with the vast improvements recently made to Google Docs, a Google tablet supported by the cloud looks mighty enticing.

Anyone saving up for a gPad?  Leave your comments below!

Via Engadget

Today I got two invites – one via Email and one express mailed from the UK (that must have cost a bunch) – to a Nokia “virtual event” that starts at 4am Eastern Time on Tuesday. What’s it all about? The Web’s best collective guess is a new version of Nokia Messaging, though some are holding onto a thin, thin strand of hope for new hardware like the N8-00.

I’ll be fast asleep when the party starts, but if you’re up and online then, go ahead and attend over at the Nokia Events site. And be sure to report back in the comments on what you find out, okay? Okay, then. Nighty night.