AT&T HTC HD7S Hardware Tour & HD7 Comparison

The HTC HD7S on AT&T is very similar to the older HD7 on T-Mobile, however there are some significant differences and improvements. As with most Windows Phone 7 devices, the HTC HD7S is running a 1Ghz Snapdragon QSD8250 processor with 576Mb RAM, 512MB ROM, and 16Gb of storage. The 4.3" SuperLCD screen has a 480x800 pixel resolution and 4 point multi-touch. You've also got the usual WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, Assisted GPS, 5Mp camera with dual LED flash, 1230mAh battery, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, and a Micro-USB 2.0 port. The device dimensions are 68 x 122 x 11.2 millimeters, and it weighs 162 grams.

What's different about this device is its Super LCD screen that's supposed to be better than the older LCD screen on the HD7. The HD7S also has some improvements in the camera as well as the hardware buttons (thankfully!) The hardware buttons on the HD7S, and especially the camera button, are now actually usable. The camera button's half-press is easy to feel and the full press is much more distinguishable than the older HD7. The power button has a nice click to it as well. Unfortunately capacitive buttons are still capacitive buttons.

Now what about that screen? The brightness seems about the same as the older HD7, but the color reproduction definitely looks better on the HD7S. The blacks are a bit blacker as well, but the whites are more grey, and the older HD7 clearly has a better range of contrast as you'll notice in our display tests. The HD7S also does not handle continuous tones very well. Ugly lines (banding) show up in graphic blends and gradients. You'll see this in your photos occasionally as well. This is, in part, due to the number of colors that Windows Phone 7 is currently allowed to display. Which screen do you like better, the HD7S or the HD7?

Nokia's CEO Disappointed At His Engineers For Not Using iPhones?

Say What? You'd guess that the largest handset maker in the world would have better things to do than just drool at the competition, but I guess every management style is different. In a shocker report,Businessweek's recent article talks about Stephen Elop's sinking Nokia adventure, and how he once showed disappointment to his team of 11,600 engineers because very few of them showed any interest in the competition they face. 

After very few hands were raised as he asked his enormous team of engineers just how many of them had ever used an iPhone or an Android phone, his immediate response was: 

“That upsets me,” Elop said. “Not because some of you are using iPhones, but because only a small number of you are using iPhones.”

“I’d rather people have the intellectual curiosity to try to understand what we’re up against,” said Elop. 




Surely it's a smart route to know your enemy before planning your next strike, but history has proven that trying to copy the competition won't bring positive results in the long run. If any of you remember, Windows Mobile once evolved to a one handed, soft-key based UI trying to copy Nokia's footsteps when Windows Mobile 5 was released, and we all know how that story ended. Both iOS, Android and even the new Windows Phone 7 have proven to be a true evolution in how Smartphones should be, but at the expense of not copying any of their competitors. I guess this is just another reason why Nokia isn't floating back to the top any time soon under Elop's administration. 

Via: Cult Of Mac 
Source: Businessweek

T-Mobile Motorola Cliq 2 Gets 1.1.30 Software Update

Motorola has just released an official software update for the T-Mobile Motorola Cliq 2 which "includes several improvements to device performance and the addition of new security features".

The refresh brings speed improvements to the user interface, improved battery performance, new applications added (Lookout, Mobi TV, Family Room, and UNO), updated existing apps (Audio Postcard, AppPack, Wi-Fi Calling applications), new Exchange security features and more. You can download and install the update if you've received the notification of force-check for updates inside Settings, About phone.

Source: Motorola
Via: PhoneArena

HTC Debuts HTCdev, HTC OpenSense SDK to Support Developers

HTC has launched HTCdev in order to support developers and supply with the proper tools, resources and the community for feedback. The Taiwanese manufacturer also announced the HTC OpenSense SDK, "which will allow developers to harness software and hardware innovations on HTC phones to develop more richly integrated mobile applications and experiences".

The HTCdev program is aiming to support developers from all over the world, regardless if they're individuals or companies. The website will launch in summer 2011 and "will feature an extensive resource library of tutorials, best practices, documentation and support". HTC OpenSense SDK will allow developers for Android to take advantage of the codes and APIs in order to create and integrate their apps with the new HTC Sense 3.0. OpenSense SDK will be released together with HTCdev.com in summer of 2011.

HTC is a company of engineers excited about the possibilities of the mobile space with the goal of fostering choice through innovation. We believe in openness and the power of imagination to create that innovation and are excited that HTCdev will extend new tools to mobile developers, helping them create the next wave of mobile experiences", said Peter Chou, HTC's CEO.

Source: HTC (1),(2)
Via: PhoneScoop

The i'mWatch Bluetooth Watch Runs Its Own Android Build

We've seen wristwatches that connect to your smartphone over Bluetooth, giving you notifications of incoming calls, text messages, e-mail, and the like. Some of these offerings have been more complex than others, but they're ultimately accessories that leave your smartphone to do most of the heavy lifting. In the future, we could have full-featured smartphones in a watch-sized form factor, like the Tracy XL we came across in our recent Motorola exclusive. For now, though, a new product bridges the gap between those two worlds, the Android-powered i'mWatch.

The i'mWatch doesn't have a cellular radio of its own, so ultimately its feature set follows the same sort of restrictions we see for Bluetooth watches. For instance, it's not set up to give you full access to emails you receive, instead showing you just the sender's name and subject line. That doesn't have to always be the case, though, since its Android core enables i'mWatch's functionality to be expanded by downloading new apps (custom i'mWatch apps, not standard Android Market fare).

Of course, you shouldn't expect the i'mWatch to have the same kind of processing power as a full-fledged smartphone, but its ARM9-based CPU, 64MB of RAM, and 4GB of flash storage make it a whole lot more capable than anything you'd normally wear on your wrist. The company doesn't say just how the CPU is clocked, but the i.MX233 chip used supports speeds up to 454MHz. The 1.54-inch display has a 240 x 240 resolution for a pixel density of 220 ppi.

The i'mWatch will first support the iPhone and Android smartphones, with BlackBerry support planned for early next year. Pre-orders are open now, for the equivalent of about $360.

Source: i'mWatch
Via: Android Central