Android Devices and Carrier Selection
Android Devices (SmartPhones and Tablets)
These are sorted by date of introduction. Use this to define
AVDs
,
| Mfg. | Model | AVD | Carrier | DevID | Intro Date | Target Platform | API | CPU /ABI | SD | Diag. | Skin Pixels | Den- sity | RAM | VM Heap | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | iPhone 4 | - | Verizon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 320x480 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/7D11 |
| Apple | iPhone 3GS | - | Verizon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 320x480 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16 |
| Samsung | Galaxy Nexus
| - | Verizon | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.65" | 1280x720 | 316 | - | - | - |
| Samsung | Galaxy SII | - | AT&T | SGH-1777 | - | - | - | - | - | 4.5" | - | - | - | - | - |
| Samsung | Galaxy S / GT-19000 | - | AT&T | SGH-1777 | - | - | - | - | - | 4.5" | 480x800 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (Linux U Android 2.1-update1 en-au S7 Build/ERE27) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17 S7V100R001C13B021 |
| Samsung | Infuse 4G | - | AT&T | SGH-1997 | - | - | - | - | - | 4.5" | WVGA 800x480 | 207 | - | - | - |
| Motorola | Xoom | MotorolaXoom | AT&T | - | - | 3.1 | 12 | - | 2GB | 10.1" | WXGA 1280×800 | 150 | 1024 | 48 | - |
| HTC | Evo 4G | Evo4G | Sprint | - | 06/04/10 | 2.1 | 7 | ARM | 8GB | - | WVGA800 800x480 | 217 | - | 24 | - |
| Samsung | Galaxy Tab 10.1 | GalaxyTab | - | GT-P7510 | - | 2.2 | 8 | ARM | 2GB | 10.1" | WXGA 1280×800 | 149 | 1024 | 24 | - |
| HTC | Desire HD7 (T9292) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 480x800 | - | - | - | Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows Phone OS 7.0; Trident/3.1; IEMobile/7.0; HTC; HD7) |
| HTC | HD2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 480x800 | - | - | - | HTC_HD2_T8585 Opera/9.7 (Windows NT 5.1; U; en) |
| HTC | Desire HD | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 480x800 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2; en-us; Desire HD Build/FRF91) AppleWebKit/525.10+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0.4 Mobile Safari/523.12.2 |
| Amazon | Kindle Fire Barnes & Noble Nook Color | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7" | 600x1024 | 169 | - | - | - |
| HTC | Aria | - | AT&T | - | 06/20/10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Motorola | Devour | - | Verizon | - | 02/25/10 | 2.2 | 8 | ARM | 4GB | - | WVGA800 800x480 | 252 | - | 24 | - |
| HTC/Google | Nexus One | Nexus One | T-Mobile | - | 01/05/10 | 2.2 | 8 | ARM | 4GB | - | WVGA800 800x480 | 252 | - | 24 | Track-ball |
| Archos | 5 Internet Tablet | Archos5 | ? | - | - | 1.6 | 5 | ARM | 2GB | - | WVGA800 800x480 | 194 | - | 24 | Track-ball |
| Samsung | Behold II | - | TMobile | - | 11/18/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| HTC | Droid Eris | - | Verizon | - | 11/06/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Motorola | Droid | MotoDroid | Verizon | - | 11/06/09 | 2.1 | 7 | ARM | 16GB | 3.7" | FWVGA854 854x480 | 265 | - | 24 | - |
| Motorola | Cliq | - | T-Mobile | - | 11/02/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Samsung | Moment | - | Sprint | - | 11/01/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| HTC | Hero | HTCHero | Sprint | - | 10/11/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| HTC | MyTouch 3G | - | T-Mobile | - | 08/05/09 | 1.6 | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| HTC | G1 | TMobileG1 | T-Mobile | - | 10/22/08 | 1.6 | 5 | ARM | 64M | 3" | HVGA 480x320 | 180 | - | - | - |
| RIM Blackberry | 9800 (Torch) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 360x480 | - | - | - | BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9800; en) AppleWebKit/534.1+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.135 Mobile Safari/534.1+ |
| RIM Blackberry | 9650 (Bold) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 360x480 | - | - | - | BlackBerry9650/5.0.0.699 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104 |
| Nokia | N8-00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 360x640 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (Symbian/3; Series60/5.2 NokiaN8-00/010.021; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/525 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 BrowserNG/7.2.6 3gpp-gba |
| Nokia | 5800d (XpressMusic) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 360x640 | - | - | - | Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.4; U; Series60/5.0 Nokia5800d-1/52.50.2008.24; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413 |
Lists of Devices
- androidcentral.com
- Cnet.com Reviews of "Cell Phones" provides price history
LIB: pdadb.net describes itself as "the World's largest online mobile device database" offers tools to search and browse devices, compare devices, etc..
LIB: WURFL (Wireless Universal Resource FiLe) is a large Device Description Repository (DDR) in XML describing the capabilities of mobile devices and the browsers running on them. It began to be compiled by volunteers in the era of 2G devices. The company owning it has begun putting limitations on its use and requiring licenses associated with its server programming APIs used to recognize devices. So it is no longer an attractive option for use.
Reviews of Android phones:
Why Android (and not Apple iPhone4)?
- Removeable battery. With enough extra batteries, I can talk and surf all day, plus use GPS with a bright screen, all without hunting for electric plugs. The $29.95 extra battery for AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II delivers 1650mAh of power.
- Removeable micro SD card means I can carry multiple cards (up to 32GB) and never worry about running out of room. This is a major hassle with most tablets (other than the Nook, which has a removeable SD slot).
- Micro-USB connector. But the Apple connect does have its advantages.
- Customizable
Home Screen. (not just groups) - Adobe Flash support. Enough with the drama, Apple!
- Larger screen for great
movie watching on some devices.
- 1080p 7.1 HDTV HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output via MHL (Mobile High-definition Link) adapter via micro-USB power/accessory port (bundled with Samsung Infuse 4G phones)
- Specially trained people and proprietary tools are needed to open Apple devices. Most Android devices come apart with common tools such as a fingernail.
- 8 Megapixel camera vs. 5 on the iPhone4.
- 4G LTE data network support
- Multi-tasking services working in background
Where Apple Still Shines
90+% of web pages served to tables are to Apple's iPads. This may be because Apple has an agreement with AT&T for consumers to pay $20 per month, on a month-by-month basis, when Android devices are subjected to 2-year agreements at $60+ each month.
Rooted
Android tablets on wi-fi can
tether to a cell phone.
But that's a hassle.
Developers who want payback from their apps may favor Apple more than Android.
65% of iOS apps are paid (albeit $1).
15% of Android apps downloaded are paid.
3G/4G Wireless Phone Carrier Cheers and Jeers
Google first introduced Android on the US T-Mobile and AT&T GSM networks (with SIM cards).
Since Sep 2011, Walmart sells a $150 Samsung Galaxy Precedent SCH-M828C 3.2" Andriod 2.2.2 device for Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) StraightTalk's $45/month unlimited talk/text/data plan piggybacking on Sprint's 3G network limited to urban areas. BLAH: One annoyance is that incoming calls require you to "click 1 to accept" the call. Since this phone also locks the screen automatically on calls, do not set the PWR/LOCK key to end phone calls (in Settings > Accessibility > Cancel).
Verizon (on frequency 1.9 ghz ), and Sprint use CDMA techonology.
Verizon's LTE (Long Term Evolution) 4G network uses GSM technology.
Sprint's is rolling out its LTE in 2012 initially in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Unlike other carriers, AT&T does NOT allow phones from different areas to be in the same family plan.
One way around this is to give out your number held by
WEBSITE:
Google Voice, then forward calls to whatever number is associated with a cell phone.
BLAH: Google Voice only works with cell phone numbers, not numbers from land-line phones.
BLAH: AT&T deactives the SIM card on a device when it is deactivated from a plan. New SIM chips are $25 each ($30 from Best Buy).
You can now port (for a $20 one-time fee) an existing cell number to Google Voice.
CAUTION: Since porting immediately cancels your phone service with the carrier,
to avoid early termination fees (of $350 or more), port after when your contract ends with a carrier, and you'd like to switch carriers anyway.
TIP: While signing up, check for employer discounts of up to 27%.
BLAH: Sprint doesn't honor such discounts for its unlimited plans, which is pretty much all they sell.
Pluses for AT&T's - rollover minutes are (supposedly) kept for 12 months.
Only phones on AT&T can simultaneously access phone and web traffic. Sprint phones can text and talk simultaneously.
Minus: AT&T's insurance (Assurion 888.562-8662, open M-F 8-10ET, 11-8 Sat-Sun) has a $125 deductible to ship via FedEx.
Sprint's insurance has only a $50 deductible.
TIP: Carrier web pages often offer significantly discounted reburbished phones not available at retail stores. So check the site before going to a store.
TIP: If you travel internationally, call/email the carrier in the other country to check if your phone will accept the SIM card offered with pay-as-you-go plans. In Canada, it's Telus.
T-Mobile, AOTW, does not block (free) SIP calls over wi-fi using
-
APP:
SIP Droid uses registration at
gtalk2voip.com/ to reach users on
Google Voice, for FREE calls (both voice and video) via Wi-Fi networks.
Voice quality can be quite poor with
APP:
Google Voice but
APP:
Skype is a little better.
No 3G/4G Plan? Stand-Alone Operation
TIP: You don't have to buy a phone line from a
carrier to use Android devices,
especially if you're always near wi-fi signals at home, in the office, or near some wi-fi hotspot.
You can buy an unlocked phone from Amazon, eBay, etc. and still get apps onto the device
via a USB cable to your laptop, such as Skype to make phone calls.
BLAH: Google Voice does not make calls like on the PC.
WARNING: Even if you purchase a phone on eBay completely off of Sprint and use it only on wi-fi, Sprint can still monitor your device with metrics because CarrierIQ aggressively reports on wi-fi as well as wireless channels.
Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions by (since 2007) the Open Handset Alliance which developed Android and maintain Android.com
Lava, a Swedish company, has developed an Android-based TV called the Scandinavia Android TV.
Google co-developed its proprietary smart TV platform with Intel, Sony, and Logitech.
Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook Color
Sales of the Kindle Fire was reportedly brisk over Christmas 2011.
The Nook's artificial self-serving limitation on memory for outside apps make it a poor choice and makes single purpose e-reader devices face extinction even faster in the face of multi-purpose iPads.
Any 7 inch tablet is too small to type on.
The Fire feels like the RIM BlackBerry PlayBook, with the same textures and thickness.
The Nook Tablet is grippier all around.
Its strip at the bottom makes it it easier to hold onto.
Those who use the hook on the nook better have good insurance on it.
The sleep button on the Kindle Fire is poorly positioned.
The home button on the Nook Tablets is on the front.
Even though its insides use some of the same parts,
at retail, the Nook is priced $50 more than the Fire.
Spotty discounting made people more reluctant to buy.
The Amazon Fire use Torx T5 screws that are more attractive but require a special tool.
Alternatives
Openmobile.co created an Application Compatibility Layer (ACL) which emulates the Android runtime environment, thus enabling Android apps to run on Windows, Linux, WebOS, MeeGo, and other hardware.
Watches on Arms
- Does the watchband make my arms look fat? ;)
- Will I remember to charge it so they won't become useless?
- Is it waterproof?
- Is Bluetooth© Serial Port Profile (SPP) communication with mobile phones reliable enough?
- Does one have to push a button to activate the screen? Can the accelerometer be used?
- The menu landing page are 96x96 pixel app icons
- Single finger swipe down pages down one screen or returns to menu or the watchface.
- Two finger down swipe within an app gets the watchface. At the watchface goes into standby.
- 15 seconds of inactivity enters standby passive mode with greyscale screen
- Double tap on watchface to swiitch to night mode (white number on black background).
- Long press on watchface for watchface selection.
- Single finger swipe down on watchface reveals the alarm level.
- Single finger swipe up on watchface returns to apps menu
- Single finger swipe left or right on app menu pans among list of apps.
- Double tap on app icon launches app.
- Single finger swipe left to go back (no hardware button for this)
- Single finger swipe right pages to a different category column or back to menu
- Tap buttons need to be at least 40x40 pixels
- Horizontal spinner is used to enter text, but is not recommended
- Single finger swipe down in app exits app to the apps menu
Those who grew up with cell phones don't wear watches to tell time.
But those who miss calls because they need to keep their phone on vibrate but can't feel the vibrations
may appreciate skin-contact vibrations and hands-free, always-on glanceable notifications of incoming caller IDs.
Early in 1946, Chester Gould's cartoons had detective Dick Tracy use a "2-way wrist radio" watch to communicate with police.
In 2008 an Apple iPod Nano held by a LunaTik watch band became iWatch.
The Android watches have many more features.
Here's a detailed comparison of specs among the offerings:
| Product | Price | Comm. | Thickness | Resolution | dpi | Control | SDK API |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Watch | $100 | Bluetooth | 15mm | ? | ? | 3 buttons | ? |
| MetaWatch | $200 | Bluetooth | 15mm | 96x96 | ? | 6 buttons | ? |
| Wimm One | $299 | Bluetooth & Wi-Fi | 12.5mm | 160x160 | 160 | Swipe | 7:5 Eclair OS 2.1 |
| I'm Watch | Euro 299 to 15,000 | Bluetooth | ? 15mm | 240x240 | 220 | Touch | 1.6 |
But here are the doubts about these gadgets:
OpenWatch
First launched in 2008, the $100 Sony Ericsson MBW-100, MBW-150, and MBW-200 (Evening Classic) 15mm thick Bluetooth watch (created with Fossil) claims a 7-day charge. its 3-buttons can pause and play music, skip songs forward and backward, control volumes using Bluethooth Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP).
-
APP:
Openwatch Manager from
smartmadsoft.com
It broadcasts these intents:
-
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.command.BUTTON_FF
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.command.BUTTON_RW
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.command.BUTTON_PLAYPAUSE
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.command.BUTTON_VOLUME_UP
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.command.BUTTON_VOLUME_DOWN
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.action.ENVELOPE
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.action.TEXT
com.smartmadsoft.openwatch.action.VIBRATE
MetaWatch
The $200 watch
MetaWatch platform
made and sold by Texas Instruments
has a 96x96 monochrome Dot Matrix OLED display controlled by 6 buttons and
has a three-axis accelerometer and 4 day charge.
Currently available only for US developers who create embedded and Android apps.
-
APP:
Cicada framework and sample Android apps by
Joe Hughes.
APP SOURCE: MetaWatch Manager for Android fork by Chris Boyle
WiMM
The $299 WIMM One launched Nov 2011 from the Silicon Valley has a 22g 12.5mm thick 1.4 inch 160 dpi 160x160 pixel 16-bit color swipe-sensitive screen (showing 8 lines of 13 lower case x's at Arial 12-point proportional font) plus a magnetometer and up to 32GB of storage for 30fps videos. Its wi-fi connection (to full Android handsets) may avoid the Bluetooth connection plaguing previous attempts. It charges via a paddle with micro-USB plug and a 14-pin accessory connector accessed by their hardware SDK. WIMM plans both a validated and Alpha Test Lab stores for micro apps.
-
APP:
WIMM Companion
enables forwarding of incoming SMS texts and Caller ID to the module (watch) and
provides mobile access WIMM's module owner website and Micro App stores.
Unified Remote Preview on the WiMM is a port of
APP:
Unified Remote Full $4 from
Unified Intents (in Sweden) controls a server program controlling a PC with programs such as
PowerPoint and Spotify, iTunes, etc.
APP:
Unified Remote FREE controls just Windows Media Player and YouTube.
WARNING: Uninstalling micro apps requires the ADB uninstall command.
The WIMM framework SDK installs in the Eclipse add-on folder to leverage Android SDK 7:5 (Eclair OS 2.1) but their emulator is created for dev. by the emu.cmd script in the tools folder.
Below is a demo script of their UI rules:
I'm Watch
WEBSITE:
I'm watch from Italy and Santa Clara
is powered by Android 1.6.
i'm Watch - Enjoy The Future
The watch has more dense 220 ppi on its 1.54-inch 240×240 pixel colour TFT display.
Like the Nano, it has a 3.5 mm headphone connection, Microphone, Built-in speaker. 64MB of memory, 4GB flash storage Its Li-Po 350 mA battery powers a Freescale IMX233 CPU up to 48 continuous hours and 30 hours with Bluetooth use.
But it's limited to Bluetooth networking (no wi-fi).
Prices range from 299 Euros for a silicone band to 15,000 Euros for a band with White Gold and Diamonds.