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The Week That Was
Techtree News Staff, Feb 21, 2010 1515 hrs ISTA quick look at the tech week gone by!
It's time for yet another edition of Techtree's weekly news roundup, where we take a look at the tech headlines of the week gone by. This week was a particularly busy one, thanks to the Mobile World Congress at Barcelona. Without further ado, let's begin the proceedings.
PS3 to get 3D Video in 3.20 Firmware
Last week, SCEA director of hardware marketing John Koller stated that a firmware update for PlayStation 3 would bring 3D-stereoscopic gaming and 3D Blu-ray movies. Surprisingly, few images of PlayStation 3.20 debug firmware grabbed by VG247 show '3D Video Output' as an option. Apparently, this 3.20 firmware update is now with the PlayStation 3 developers and no official confirmation date of firmware's arrival has been flagged.
Sony Ericsson Announces Three New Phones
Sony Ericsson started off the proceedings at the Mobile World Congress in style with the announcement of one known and two "unleaked" handsets. The phones in question are the Xperia X10 Mini, the X10 Mini Pro and the Vivaz Pro - the last one being the only handset whose existence was known prior to the announcement. The Xperia Mini series will complement the flagship Android handset, the Xperia 10 that is set to be released in the next few weeks. Click the link above for details on each of the phones.
First Phone With Samsung's Bada Unveiled
Samsung has officially unveiled the S8500 "Wave", the first handset to be based on Samsung's own smartphone platform Bada on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2010 held at Barcelona. The phone boasts of a "Super" AMOLED 3.3-inch touchscreen display that can display stuff at 800 x 480 pixels, a Social Hub for staying in touch with friends, and Samsung's new TouchWiz 3.0 user interface. The "Wave" comes with Samsung's own 1GHz processor and will be available in two avatars - a 2GB and an 8GB version. The phone is quite compact (for a touchscreen) and will be the first device to support Bluetooth 3.0 as well as to offer 802.11n Connectivity.
Microsoft Claws Back with Windows Phone 7
In what has to be one of the most significant announcements that Microsoft has made in recent times, it has made the next generation Mobile OS public with the unraveling of Windows Phone Series 7. At the recently concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft, for the first time, displayed what might well be the iPhone Killer you were eagerly waiting for.
Intel, Nokia Announce Hybrid OS MeeGo
MeeGo - a new Linux based platform that would be backed by erstwhile unrealistic partners Intel and Nokia was announced at the Mobile World Congress. To tell the truth, the MeeGo (whoever thought of that name, we wonder) is nothing but a hybrid version of Nokia's Maemo OS and Intel's Moblin. This platform will be used to power smartphones of tomorrow and will also be powerful enough to be used on Netbooks. Like the parent Operating Systems, MeeGo too will be open source and obviously, Linux based. MeeGo will support ARM architecture and Intel's own Atom processors. MeeGo is an advanced OS that would be comfortable in various avatars. It can be full fledged desktop OS - if needed, can be scaled down to be an advanced Smartphone OS and can also be used on Tablets.
HTC Announces Three New Phones
After the likes of Samsung and Sony Ericsson announced their new phones, it was HTC's turn to showcase some of its own at the MWC. It went on to launch three new phones the HTC Desire, the HD Mini and the HTC Legend. The Legend and the Desire are Android based devices with the Desie beng HTC's version of the Nexus One. The Legend is an entire new phone and a replacement for the HTC Hero. The Mini HD is nothing but a mini version of the HTC HD2. Hit the respective links for more about each of these phones.
World's Cheapest Mobile Phones Announced
Say hello to the Vodafone 150 and the 250, the former being described by Vodafone as the world's cheapest handset. The phone unveiled at the on going MWC will be sold for $15 (Rs. 700) and is aimed at developing markets. It is expected to see an Indian launch in the not too distant future. The Vodafone 150 and Vodafone 250 offer expected voice and SMS services and packs in quite a few features you wouldn't expect in such low priced phones. For example, the 150 supports mobile payment services, has a miniUSB connector, alarm clock, a torch, calculator a currency converter; 2 embedded games; and memory for up to100 entries in phonebook plus SMS storage. The battery is rated at 500mAh and offers standby time up to 400hrs and talk time up to 5hrs.
Will Opera Mini Enter Apple App Store?
Last week, we reported that Opera was planning to showcase the Opera Mini browser for the iPhone at the Mobile World Congress. At the MWC, Opera has indeed showcased the Opera Mini working successfully on the iPhone and according to initial reports, it is fast. While Opera did not allow members of the press to take pictures or capture videos of Opera at work on the iPhone, almost everyone who used it, came out impressed. It was way faster than the default browser on the iPhone and will no doubt be a great product for the iPhone. Great product - Yes, but that sure doesn't seem to be a criteria to get in to the walled garden that is the Apple App Store.
Microsoft Eyeing Own Phone in 2011
Microsoft - who so far has toed the line of staying away from the hardware part of mobile phones might just reverse its stand. According to new reports we're hearing, Microsoft is partnering with Asus to make a Microsoft phone aka the Google Nexus One. Microsoft, whose hardware venture was limited to the Zune, the Xbox'es and the Mouse and Keyboards of the world, will now expand its horizon in to the big bad world of mobile phones. However, the company won't venture alone. Like Google partnered with HTC for Android smartphone, Microsoft is likely to partner with Taiwanese hardware major Asus for this venture. Incidentally, the prototype device displayed at the Windows Phone 7 Series launch during Mobile World Congress 2010 was made by Asus. Hopefully, the device that Asus and Microsoft end up making turns out to be as good as the one on display.
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