ULTRAVIAS - Notebook, Laptop and mobile device reviews

You might be lucky enough to have pre-ordered the G1 in time. Or you might be just like the rest of us, waiting for October 22nd to buy it in store. In any case you probably want a taste of that Android OS mounted on the HTC Dream as soon as possible.

T-Mobile has a G1 emulator for you to play with. Sure it doesn’t have all the functions of the real thing but you can still get a general idea of how stuff works. Don’t bother complaining about various issues and bugs you might spot along the way. It’s just an emulator for now. You’ll get the chance to complain later on about the real thing.

The FCC has just approved Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 but hold on to your hats. You might not see it arrive that soon in your country. The FCC has approved a version X1i which is going to be released in Europe probably. The device they played with lacked 3G support which doesn’t sound that good, does it.

But since the X1i was already approve we assume it’s only a matter of time until a North American version will be given the OK. Hopefully the X1 will arrive in most markets by the end of the year. Waiting for carriers to announce it.

Sony Ericsson had some problems with the full integration of Windows Mobile in their first Xperia phone. People noticed it but the Xperia wasn’t delayed to 2009. Now after the official release of G1, the world first handset wearing an Android OS, it’s reported that Sony Ericsson officials are considering the open-source OS for their future generation of Xperia smartphones.

Sony Ericsson president, Dick Komiyama said that his company is interestd in Android but they aren’t ready to adopt it yet. But they will be ready won’t they? Is Microsoft ready to see its Windows Mobile replaced with Android?

I’ll give most phones a chance if they’re not made by Sagem. Is it only me with this problem? Should I have it looked at and properly medicated?

In the mean time I’ll show you the Sagem P9522. If you have the same problem like me you can always pretend you haven’t seen it anywhere. The P9522 is a candybar handset, and here’s what it will get you:

• 2.8 inch display
• 5 megapixel camera
• GPS navigation
• WiFi connectivity
• Fingerprint reader
• microSD memory card slot.

How much would anyone pay for it? $399? $499? Well how about $875? The guys over at Sagem have been sleeping for the last couple of days. I’ll take 4 G1s in the mean time. I’ll have them with plans, to go please. And forget about the medication. I am dead fine!

Analysts expect Android sales to go up in the fourth quarter of this year. Strategy Analytics estimates about 10.5 million smartphones to be sold in the U.S. during that period. From those, 400,000 are expected to be G1 handsets from T-Mobile.

Chris Ambrosia, Executive Director of Strategy Analytics says:

Google has the brand power in the USA to make a big impact at launch. The main issue will be operator subsidies. As seen with the iPhone and smart devices in general, retail prices need to be well below $200 to be competitive. Longer-term success will, of course, rest on Android vendor ability to create designs with wow factor and an intuitive user-interface.

Android’s market share might go even higher. T-Mobile announced earlier it will have from 600,000 to 700,000 ready to be sold once the G1 starts selling. And let’s not forget the Christmas season will pump all sales up.

Analysts expect Android sales to go up in the fourth quarter of this year. Strategy Analytics estimates about 10.5 million smartphones to be sold in the U.S. during that period. From those, 400,000 are expected to be G1 handsets from T-Mobile.

Chris Ambrosia, Executive Director of Strategy Analytics says:

Google has the brand power in the USA to make a big impact at launch. The main issue will be operator subsidies. As seen with the iPhone and smart devices in general, retail prices need to be well below $200 to be competitive. Longer-term success will, of course, rest on Android vendor ability to create designs with wow factor and an intuitive user-interface.

Android’s market share might go even higher. T-Mobile announced earlier it will have from 600,000 to 700,000 ready to be sold once the G1 starts selling. And let’s not forget the Christmas season will pump all sales up.

Does Apple have a surprise for us? According to word on the street future Apple customers will be able to purchase an iPhone without a contract and activate it at home. Does this mean Americans will get the option of finally buying a contract free device? According to Apple Store retail employees a new option appeared on their EasyPay system. When making a sale they can choose Home now besides the previous four options which were: upgrade/swap existing iphone, new to AT&T starting a single line, new to AT&T starting a family line and add a line to existing account. But the Home option isn’t working for now.

Let’s go back in time to September 2007. That’s when Apple dropped the 4GB iPhone and added then added the 16GB version in February 2008. It looks like right now 8GB iPhones 3G are reported to be missing form certain retailers. Does this mean a 32GB iPhone 3G model is coming up?

Does Apple have a surprise for us? According to word on the street future Apple customers will be able to purchase an iPhone without a contract and activate it at home. Does this mean Americans will get the option of finally buying a contract free device? According to Apple Store retail employees a new option appeared on their EasyPay system. When making a sale they can choose Home now besides the previous four options which were: upgrade/swap existing iphone, new to AT&T starting a single line, new to AT&T starting a family line and add a line to existing account. But the Home option isn’t working for now.

Let’s go back in time to September 2007. That’s when Apple dropped the 4GB iPhone and added then added the 16GB version in February 2008. It looks like right now 8GB iPhones 3G are reported to be missing form certain retailers. Does this mean a 32GB iPhone 3G model is coming up?

I wondered where the catch is from the minute I saw free WiFi at McDonald’s. At first it sounded awfully familiar. It’s like I’ve seen the same scenario with slightly different characters. It was AT&T instead of Microsoft to offer free WiFi in Starbucks instead of McDonald’s for iPhone instead of Zune users. But AT&T wanted to prove they can’t do a thing right from the beginning and played around with free WiFi’s switch for a couple of days.

Is Microsoft going to do the same? I mean I understand its effort to keep its 2.5% share of the MP3 players’ market happy. And with such a move they’re guaranteed to get at least a 0.01% more of that market. Imagine chewing on a burger and enjoying a vanilla shake while downloading Zune 3.0, which by the way is out, via free Mickey D’s WiFi on your newest Zune player. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? It does if you haven’t seen Super Size Me and you don’t know anything about Microsoft.

Oh, and the Zune doesn’t have a web browser right? Well you will be able to get a few more songs instead of surfing the web. Nice one Microsoft!

Sony has big plans for Japan. Their latest PSP 3000 is expected to be launched on October 16th.

The new gaming device will have ready a 4.3 inch high resolution wide screen, anti-reflection technology, a built-in microphone, Skype and other communication tools. There’s a video port which will let you take the game to your closest TV through the separately sold cables.

The new PSP 3000 will come in pearl white and mystic silver and it will retail for 19,800 yen or about $183.