• charger,  google,  nexus,  pre,  touchstone

    Google Nexus 4 Wireless Charger

    Google has launched a wireless, inductive charger for the Nexus 4 smartphone.

    “Charge your Nexus 4 wirelessly with this Qi inductive charger. Its angled surface provides easy visibility of your phone while charging. This elegant device was designed specifically for your Nexus 4 — no clunky add-ons or accessories needed.”

    The Nexus 4 Wireless Charger can be purchased now, directly from Google at the Play Store.  As indicated by the name, the charger will only work with the Nexus 4 smartphone, which can also be purchased directly from the Google Play store.  The 8GB Nexus 4 will cost you $299, while the 16GB version goes for $349.  Neither phone requires a new service contract.

    I’m glad to see Google releasing this charger for the Nexus 4.  It was one of my favorite features of my Palm Pre back in 2009 and one of the features I long for as a built in option on my Apple iPhone.

    Available in black, the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger looks very similar to Palm’s Touchstone charger for the Palm Pre an other webOS smartphones.

    [Via BGR.com…]

  • blackberry,  blackberry os,  blackberry tablet os,  ipad mini,  nexus,  rim

    BlackBerry Confirms OS Upgrade for BlackBerry PlayBook

    Well, well, well…isn’t this an interesting turn of events?  The BlackBerry PlayBook has the potential to become an iPad mini and a Nexus 7 competitor.

    The OS upgrade, from PlayBook OS 1.x and/or 2.0 to BlackBerry OS 10 was announced during the BlackBerry 10 launch event last week.  (It was also mentioned as far back as March, 2012.)

    The BlackBerry PlayBook, originally released in 2011, was suppose to be an iPad “killer.”  The market disagreed.  You can still purchase PlayBooks online and in retail outlets, but it is running it’s original OS which, evolutionally speaking, is stuck between BlackBerry OS 7 and the new BlackBerry OS 10.  The PlayBook OS was built on the technology acquired from QNX.

    I think it’s amazing that another company besides Apple is going to reward their customers with a software update that will refresh previous generation hardware.  Heck, this might even be the excuse I’ve been looking for to purchase a refurbished BlackBerry PlayBook and then upgrade it to BlackBerry 10 later on.

    You can read more about the BlackBerry PlayBook on the BlackBerry website.

    [Via GadgesOnTheGo.net…]

  • android,  google,  nexus

    Skyfire Can Save You Money As Carriers Push for Tiered Data Plans

    The huge success of the iPhone helped to not only change the shape of smartphones for ever, but the growing numbers of iPhones and Android devices is causing carriers to take action to protect their data networks – or reap huge profits; you can call it anyway you like.  With unlimited all you can eat data plans giving way to tiered/capped plans, look for more mobile applications to start to become more efficient with data use.

    “Skyfire came out with a set of numbers today showing that smartphone users can save up to $120 a year by using data efficient apps like their browser. If you recall our post showing Verizon’s data calculator, you can see that streaming video is what’s going to be really eating up your data on a month to month basis, but with Skyfire’s “Instant Optimization” video process, which compresses data by 75%, they can save you a ton on your monthly bill.”

    [Via Droid-Life…]

  • android,  best buy,  google,  nexus,  samsung,  tmobile

    Samsung Nexus S Unveiled

    The new Nexus smartphone is being launched by Samsung and is headed for T-Mobile here in the United States.

    Samsung and Google deliver Nexus S, the world’s first handset to feature the latest version of Google’s Android™ platform. Powered by Android 2.3, Gingerbread, this smartphone is packed with powerful technology and the latest in hardware features.

    Form Meets Functionality

    Featuring both superior functionality and a stunning user-experience, the Nexus S has a brilliant Super AMOLED touch screen that provides a premium viewing experience. The 4-inch Contour Display has a curved design for a more ergonomic style and feel when held to the user’s face.

    Powered by a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, Nexus S produces rich 3D graphics, faster upload and download times and supports HD-like multimedia content. In addition, Nexus S features a gyroscope sensor to provide a smooth, fluid gaming experience when the user is tilting the device up or down or panning the phone to the left or right. It also comes with 16 GB of internal memory.

    Impressive Features

    Nexus S features Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows users to read information off of everyday objects like stickers and posters that are embedded with NFC chips. It’s also equipped with a 5 megapixel rear facing camera and camcorder, as well as a VGA front facing camera, and features a new and improved keyboard with multi-touch support, Internet calling (VoIP/SIP support) and a clean new user interface.

    Get Access to Apps

    This powerful smartphone also includes popular Android features such as portable Wi-Fi hotspot, true multitasking and access to Google mobile services such as Google Search™, Gmail™, Google Maps™ with Navigation, Voice Actions, Google Voice™ and YouTube™, and access to over 100,000 apps and widgets on Android Market™.

    Pricing and Availability

    The Samsung Nexus S will be going on sale at T-Mobile on December 16 for $199 with a new 2-year service agreement.  You can also purchase the Nexus S from Best Buy as an unlocked phone for $529 according to AndroidCentral.com.

    To learn more about the Nexus S, visit the Samsung or Google Nexus S websites.