This Week in Mobile - August 18th-24th 2008

HTC Dream FCC approved, Android clear for launch?
from Engadget Mobile by Thomas Ricker

The long rumored HTC Dream handset -- once referred to as "The Googlephone" -- just received FCC approval. The handset is listed as type, "Dream' with a model of "DREA100." The same model also appears with a WiFi Interoperability Certificate touting 802.11b/g WiFi. If indeed this is the long awaited Android phone, then T-Mobile, HTC, and Google are free to announce in September with an October launch as originally planned. FCC label with that DREA100 moniker pictured after the break.

Update: Further investigation reveals mention of a "jogball" like that seen on the handset from the videos. The Dream is said to be in compliance with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR with this round of testing conducted only on the GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/1900 and WCDMA 1700 bands -- the latter being T-Mobile's preferred 3G frequency.

Read -- HTC Dream WiFi Certification [Warning: PDF]
Read -- FCC Cell Radios
Read -- FCC WiFi Bluetooth

Video: Android SDK v0.9 hits the internet looking almost ready for primetime
from Engadget Mobile by Joshua Topolsky

It's an interesting day for the folks at Google. Not only do we see the supposed GPhone (AKA, the HTC Dream) get trotted out to the FCC, and hear new rumors about the device's release date, but now there's a brand-spanking-new release of the Android SDK available. The version? 0.9 -- a number which puts this dangerously close to a number that most would consider non-beta. Meanwhile, the new version of the mobile OS has been significantly changed, adding a new widgetified (big old clock: present!) and flickable homescreen, a handy (and speedy) tab to pull up your apps, plus a media player, camera, and handful of other noticeable design tweaks. Don't believe us? Check out the video after the break showing it all in action.

Update: We've included a gallery of screenshots as well. Check out the sync contacts option. Sweet! Also, you may note that it asks you to "open keyboard to compose message" in the SMS screen -- almost like it's made for a device with a slide-out keyboard.Continue reading Video: Android SDK v0.9 hits the internet looking almost ready for primetime

Video: HTC's Touch Diamond / Pro are multi-touch gods, just not how you'd think
from Engadget Mobile by Thomas Ricker

While multi-touch input might be all the rage in handhelds and laptop trackpads at the moment, alas, it's not on the feature list for HTC's latest Touch Diamond and Touch Pro. However, the capability is indeed present and exploited on video by HTC's own debug application. Even more interesting is the way that the handsets' entire front, capacitive surface (not just the 2.8-inch, 640 x 480 pixel display) can be used for multi-finger input. So like Dell's Latitude XT Tablet which launched multi-touch ready, expect to see future, multi-touch capabilities come to HTC's latest... someday. Click through for the vid.

Continue reading Video: HTC's Touch Diamond / Pro are multi-touch gods, just not how you'd think

	3 and Skype announce newer Skypephone from MobileCrunch by Teresa von Fuchs UK carrier 3 and Skype have announced a next generation Skypephone. The S2 update seems to be about mobile surfing and multimedia functions as the Skype connectivity seems unchanged. Updated features include a bigger 320 x 240 screen, (improved from 176 x 220), a 3.2-megapixel camera (better than the older models 2-megapixels) and 50MBs of internal memory, as well as compatibility with up to a 4GB micro SD card. The latest model also comes HSDPA-capable, and Web applications like Facebook, Windows Live Messenger and Google are now highlighted with the S2’s “revolutionary carousel interface” or a key on the side of the phone that lets users easily switch between applications. The Skypephone S2 is set to be available from 3’s Web site beginning August 27 for 70 pounds ($130) or free with a contract of at least 15 pounds a month. Via Reg Hardware

Peek: the handheld that does e-mail, and only e-mail from Engadget Mobile by Darren Murph Ready for some excitement in the form of watching a startup squirm as it waits for its product to gain traction? Take a glance at Peek, which is churning out a dedicated handheld that handles e-mail, a few chain forwards, and more e-mails when you're done with that. At first glance, one may consider such a one-trick-pony quite ridiculous, but it's hard to say what will end up catching on these days. The biggest problem facing Peek is the pricing: it'll be $99.95 up front when it lands in Target next month, plus $19.95 per month to send unlimited e-mails over T-Mobile's network. Of course, if anyone figures out how to load Opera Mini up here, the Bulls-eye Shop won't be able to keep the shelves stocked.

WeFi: Freeware Wi-Fi WLAN Scanner & Manager for Symbian S60 devices!
from News From Symbian Smart Phones World...

After the shorter period of the beta testing, the WeFi Inc, creator of the first open community-based global Wi-Fi network, announced today the official launch of its freeware software for the Symbian S60 devices, offering users automatic access to the best Wi-Fi connection available.
WeFi's software launch on Symbian, the largest operating system in the global market with over 60% of mobile phones, is further proof of WeFi leading the way in providing quick and easy Wi-Fi access to users around the world.
WeFi is effectively making mobile Internet connection fast and easy-to-use for Symbian users. After downloading and installing the free software fromWeFi's website, www.wefi.com, when asked to choose an access point, users can simply sele... ..
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Free Wi-Fi WLAN Scanner & Manager - full story

MasterCard fires up mobile payment trial in Canada
from Engadget Mobile by Chris Ziegler

Hey, here's an idea: let's trial phone-based NFC payment systems. Then, let's trial them again. Then let's trial them a few more times -- but let's not actually launch them on a wide scale so that they're usable, and let's certainly make sure they're not marketed heavily enough to garner widespread consumer interest. That seems to be the attitude financial institutions, manufacturers, and carriers are taking in North America, where countless tiny trials have popped up and died across the US over the past couple years; now, Canada gets in on the action thanks to MasterCard with an adaptation of its PayPass system. The trial, which only (and inexplicably) runs from now until November, loops in Bell Mobility will allow users to pay for $1.29 red blobs sold in sterile, all-blue convenience stores where ghastly silhouettes roam in the background simply by tapping their issued handsets against MasterCard's already installed PayPass terminals. Can we please just get a trial that turns into a commercial product this time, or is that too much to ask?

Discover Yahoo! oneSearch in One Click on S60 Devices!
from News From Symbian Smart Phones World...

The Yahoo! Mobile team has continued to develop new enhancements to make Yahoo! oneSearch easier and more effective for our users on the go.
The mobile search experience is now further enhanced by rolling out a Yahoo! oneSearch shortcut for Symbian S60 devices.
This new shortcut provides users with one-click access to Yahoo! oneSearch through our downloadable client. Once installed, it only takes one click on your phone screen to initiate a search. Simply click on the pencil key or right short... .. .
Read more:
Search that works faster than you can type - full story

New Gears Geolocation API powers mobile web sites
from Google Mobile Blog by Lawrence Chang

Imagine if web sites could provide you with customized information based on your current location, even if you don't have GPS. Today we're launching the Gears Geolocation API for mobile and desktop browsers, while two third-party developers are launching the first location-enabled web apps using this API on Windows Mobile.

One of the most popular travel sites in the Europe, lastminute.com, has now location-enabled their new mobile restaurant finder to help you find restaurants near you without requiring you to type in where you are. If you're in the UK, just go to fonefood at m.lastminute.com, click the "Find your location" link on the home page, select the type of restaurant you want, and lastminute.com will automatically work out which neighbourhood and city you are in and find matching restaurants. This is great for both UK residents and the millions of tourists who visit each year.

Rummble is a new social discovery tool where you can recommend places to visit and see personalised recommendations from friends. Just go to m.rummble.com and click on the "Update location with Gears" link on the home page to see the "Rummbles" near you.

These two apps make use of the Gears Geolocation API. The API can determine your location using nearby cell-towers or GPS for your mobile device or your computer's IP address for your laptop. Google provides this service for free to both developers and users.

Gears is available on IE Mobile on mobile and Internet Explorer and Firefox on desktop. To use the location-enabled lastminute.com and Rummble web apps you will need a Windows Mobile device that supports GPS or cell-id lookup (for example the Samsung Blackjack II and HTC Touch Dual, see supported devices FAQ). We are working hard to bring Gears to more mobile platforms, such as Android and others.

Google takes your privacy very seriously. Although Gears and the Geolocation API do not record your location, you should only allow web sites that you trust to access your location. Gears will always tell you when a site wants to access your location for the first time and you can either allow or deny that site permission. Always check the privacy policy of the web site if you are in doubt as to how they may use your location information.

If you are in the UK and have a supported Windows Mobile device visit m.lastminute.com and m.rummble.com today. The first time you use the location feature you will be prompted to download and install Gears.

Posted by Charles Wiles, Product Manager, Google mobile team

The 'Asus Eee PC killer' - from Asus
from Mobile Computer

Not content with churning out endless numbers of Eee PC variants, Asus has now come up with a second UMPC brand - the Asus N-Series.
Freshly leaked images show the 10.2in model, the N10, looking very much like a madeover Eee, and also sporting Altec Lansing speakers and an HDMI port, suggesting a multimedia-friendly hardware boost. More details and pictures after the jump.

BlackBerry Bold 9000 unboxed on video
from Engadget Mobile by Paul Miller

We can't help but feel the BlackBerry Bold 9000's much-anticipated launch ended up being just a tad bit anti-climactic. Maybe it's a Canada thing, or maybe we're just haters. Or maybe we hate Canada. While we mull that over, you might as well have a look at CrackBerry.com's video unboxing of the new phone, complete with some comparison shots and, um, unboxing. Oh, there's an iPhone versus near the end, so don't go anywhere! Video is after the break.

Continue reading BlackBerry Bold 9000 unboxed on video