Acer Bringing Gingerbread, New Colors to Liquid Mini

Acer's Liquid Mini is a lower-end Android released in the UK, a shrunk-down version of the company's earlier Liquid. The Liquid Mini is about to receive an update, with Acer revealing the smartphone will soon be available in a new assortment of colors and running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. 

The new case options for the Liquid Mini will now include cherry, lagoon, pearl and steel. All together, that makes nine shades for you to choose from; if at least one of those doesn't suit you, we don't know what to tell you. 

The most significant part of this refresh is the new inclusion of Gingerbread; just because the Liquid Mini is running a 600MHz CPU that's on the slower side of things and has a relatively tiny 3.2-inch screen doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to enjoy the latest Android release. 

We haven't heard exactly when Acer plans to get this new Liquid Mini out to retailers, or about its plans for Gingerbread upgrades for existing owners. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon. 

Source: Cnet UK 
Via: MobileBurn

Google Shutting Down Translator APIs, iPhones To Suffer?

Here's an interesting "that's my toy" bit: Google has announced that it will shut down the Google Translate API as of December 1, 2011 after deprecating it as of May 26, 2011. The move is likely to affect iPhoneusers relying on translator applications that use the Google Translate API.

The official wording states that the move is "due to the substantial economic burden caused by extensive abuse". With active APIs application developers could use the service in their web apps or native apps to offer Google's free translator services to users. With initially limiting the APIs and then shutting them down completely, Google might think of protecting its own Android platform.

Either too many non-Google (read Apple) smartphones kept the services busy or just maybe El Goog is trying to make it all available for its own family members. For what it's worth, Microsoft's Bing APIs are still free for the moment so developers can slowly turn to Redmond's offering in their apps.

Source: Google Code
Via: TiPb

Android Ice Cream Sandwich To Be Optimized For Texas Instruments?

Google's Android platform was well known for not setting out any hardware requirements throughout the years and versions and not taking sides. This was part of their policy for openness as well as to combat fragmentation. According to the recent rumors, this might change once Google Android Ice Cream Sandwich comes out. 

Texas Instruments SOCs are rumored to be the ones favored by Google's next generation Android platform. It will be allegedly optimized for TI-OMAP chips, more in the way Gingerbread and Honeycomb went hand in hand with nVidia's Tegra2 SOC. Going one step further, you can even hear Qualcomm being whispered as the choice for the letter J iteration of Android. 

An anonymous source close to the manufacturing industry in Taiwan told RCR Wireless that "TI are just so reliable. If they say they’ll have something done by Tuesday, it’s done on Tuesday, and it’s done right". Another source is trying to explain how things really are: "Google isn’t doing this to give each chip firm a turn, it is being purely utilitarian in choosing which platforms to optimize for, going for the ones it thinks are best at any given time". 

If you think of it a bit, it could be applied to Google flagship smartphones too. First there was the Nexus One made by HTC, then the Nexus S made by Samsung and apparently Google things the moment's best would be LG for the upcoming Nexus 3, as birds are recently chirping. 

Source: RCR Wireless 
Via: The Droid Guy

Apple iPhone 4S Coming Q3 2011 Without a SIM Slot? File under: News

Continuing the next Apple iPhone rumor series, here's one for today according to which the iPhone 4S might be shipping in the third quarter of 2011 -- as early as July-August according to some reports and September according to others. 

Besides all the rumored specs we'll not go through once again, last minute reports talk about a single iPhone 4S for both AT&T and Verizon, that is GSM and CDMA. Apple might achieve this with the addition of several antennas built inside the smartphone to reduce both costs and fragmentation. 

On an interesting note, rumor has it Apple could release the iPhone 4S without a SIM card -- that is with an on-chip SIM, and e-SIM (we incline to not believing this part). Bits like the new A9 chip, larger screen and eight-megapixel camera are nothing new if you follow iPhone rumors but in case Apple really wants a to make the iPhone 4S available in Q3 then all the Apple iPhone UK PR invites to the media might have a meaning after all! 

Luckily for everyone, both iPhone lovers and haters, we have less than one week to wait for Apple's WWDC event where hopefully all (or at least some of) the rumors will be clarified. 

Source: Macotakara 
Via: Redmond Pie

AT&T Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Gets Android 2.1 Update

If you're on AT&T and have a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 smartphone you should be able to upgrade the system to Android 2.1 (Eclair) and get one step closer to Froyo and Gingerbread. 

THe platform refresh give you the ability to download more apps and gain better functionality on your smartphone. In a world dominated bt Froyo, Gingerbread and excitement about Ice Cream Sandwich, theXperia X10 finally gets its Eclair update. It will not bring you Google's latest by far but you'll get 720p HD Video capture, multi-touch support, continuous autofocus in still and video capture, face detection in video capture and expanded homescreens increased from three to five. 

Source: Sony Ericsson 
Via: Sony Ericsson Product Blog