[GUEST BLOGGER - MARLY]

Brace yourselves. The world is about to be overtaken by androids. Android phones, that is. A new mobile has been brought to my attention, it’s called the ‘Google Phone’, using Google’s Android mobile software platform.

It is a new smart phone set to rival Apple’s newly released iPhone. Google Australia spokespeople are yet to confirm a release date, but the Android Phone was developed by manufacturer HTC and released with telecommunications group T-Mobile. The phone is said to retail at US$179, so a little cheaper than Apple’s iPhone, but whether or not it can match the iPhone’s applications is another question altogether.

Google’s Android phone, The G1, will be available in three colours. Like most smart phone’s that have been emerging, it will feature a slide-out qwerty keyboard, however it will come equipped with Google software applications, including Google Maps and g-mail. But that’s not all, the Android phone is rumoured to have GPS capabilities, WiFi, a touchscreen, an accelerometer, a camera – which is better than the iPhone’s but still doesn’t outclass camera’s on certain Nokia’s, and an app market – much like that of the iPhone. One of the main benefits for Google is that the more manufactures that build the Android Phone, then the more opportunities there are for Google to roll out applications like Google Maps – complete with Street View, Google Reader, and Google Chrome.

The big question, however, is ‘how will the Google Phone stand up against competitors such as the iPhone?’. It’s not enough to just have a suave name – you’ve got to admit ‘Android Phone’ is pretty damn suave. Whilst the G1 will challenge Apple’s iPhone as a new device that is able to download digital music from amazon.com, the G1 cannot compete with Apple’s sleek design. Users have already commented that the G1 looks and feels ‘plastic and clunky’ by comparison. Some even going as far to call it plain ugly.

The G1 is not ground breaking, as such. Much of what it is offering has been offered by phones before it; however, it is the Android platform it uses that can open all kinds of software opportunities. So what is the verdict? According to most, Google’s Android Phone is good, but the iPhone is better. The Google phone is not doing any dramatically new and different to blow it competitors out of the water, however, it is coming close.

All these smart phones worry me just a tiny bit; I mean can a phone be too smart? Who knows, if we keep building smarter phones they might outsmart us all one day. They might band together and take over the world – don’t scoff, I mean, they are called Android’s after all!

- Marly

[GUEST BLOGGER - MARLY]

Is on show over at T-Mobile:

http://www.t-mobileg1.com/default.aspx

So go check it out cause it’s freakin’ awesome!

Behold, the new Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. This slick piece of equipment comes packed with:

• Windows 6.1 Mobile
• Touchscreen
• Handwriting Recognition
• Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB 2.0 and aGPS
• Quad-Band
• 3.2 megapixel camera
• 400mb internal memory, expandable to 32gig using microsd slots
• Secondary camera for video conferencing
• Optical Joystick

The X1 will be available in ‘Steel Silver’ and ‘Solid Black’ and will hit shelves on September 30.

In light of recent rumours circulating that Michael Jackson has been hooking up with the busty Pamela Anderson, I thought I would take a little peek at the upcoming “Michael Jackson Mobile Phone”. It’s all coming out of Japan (of course) via this website: http://www.coraboruta.co.jp/

As much as I love the new logo they’ve created for MJ, I can’t see myself picking this bad boy up. Firstly, because I live in the great land of Australia, where we only get ‘real’ phones and secondly because rocking a MJ phone seems a little retarded.

You can get this ‘Bad Boy’ in, you guessed it, BLACK or WHITE models. Actually, I take it all back, that is pretty awesome. Maybe Pamela Anderson is hanging around Wacko Jacko because she wants her own phone as well; I’m sure it’d be busting with special features…

If you are racing out to get the Teddy Bear Phone, hold your horses, because the ‘Watercube’ phone is about to splash into a store near you. Didn’t get enough Olympics garbage slammed down your throat? Don’t worry, the ‘Watercube’ phone lets you remember all the good times and relive each golden memory. Every single time you reach into your pocket and give this little baby a breastroke, you instantly get visions of Michael Phelps ripping off his shirt like an extra in that 300 movie.

Like the Teddy Bear Phone, I kinda wish this phone was a joke, but it’s as real Eamon Sullivan’s sorry silver medal. On top of having a slick Watercubed-bubble design, this GSM cool-as-ice phone comes in 6 different colours. Somehow I don’t think you’ll see Stephanie Rice holding one of these anytime soon!

For full specifications just head over to our friends at The Earth Times.

Not even with my creative imagination running at full throttle could I have come up with a crazy idea like the Teddy Bear Phone. I actually wish this was a joke, because it would be a pretty funny joke, but alas it’s just another wild Japan concept phone.

This wireless teddy bear can store up to four speed dial numbers, has a nifty built-in vibration function and even allows users to answer / terminate calls by “pressing the tail.” Yes, you read that correctly. All this furry goodness can be yours for only $500, should it ever actually hit production (fingers crossed it doesn’t).

Condurro’s new rugged LM801 comes with a laser pointer. Nuff’ said really.

But that’s not all folks, it also comes witha magnetic compass, FM radio, thermometer, barometer / altimeter and an integrated flashlight. On top of all that manly goodness is a tough-as-nails waterproof and dustproof shell that will probably the LM801 survives nuclear fallout.

Did I mention the laser pointer?

For more information, just click here.

Projection appears to be the latest buzz word in the mobile industry, hence our post yesterday! Technology magazine T3 has unveiled a photo featuring a new touch-screen phone from a mystery company that reportedly comes with a 5 megapixel camera, 3G compatibility, 32GB of internal memory and a projector device that projects an infrared keyboard onto any surface. The almost too-good-to-be-true handset is being labelled the 01 and is apparently supposed to be launching late September 2008.

If you trust T3, then you are looking at the future in mobile, if not, then you’re probably looking at a creative hoax thought up by T3 to get them global media attention. Interestingly enough, the infrared projection keyboard was actually conceptualised back in 2002 and procured by Siemens, but nothing ever stemmed from it.

So, do you believe?

Just when we were getting used to the new ‘Bold‘, along comes the BlackBerry Javelin to stir things up. It seems the boys over at RIM were a little too excited about the Olympics when they named it. Here’s some sexy new pics:

Specifications:

• 512 MHz Processor
• 256 MB onboard flash memory
• Hot-swappable microSD slot
• 480 by 360 high-res HVGA+ display
• 3.2MP camera
• Micro USB charging/syncing port, w/ high speed data

Despite the apparent lack of 3G support , I still hope RIM kick some ass with this phone and price it reasonably, so the average mobile consumer can afford it. The BlackBerry Javelin, or BlackBerry Bold for that matter, represent good choices for mobile users who don’t want to look like another one of those ‘iPhone sheep’ who follow whatever phone is deemed ‘cool’ by the media.

When I think of the typical iPhone user I see that annoying party guest who arrives early and then spends the whole time running up to people, iPhone in-hand, screaming ‘Check out my new iPhone! Watch this, it looks like I’m really drinking water, but I’m not’. I hate those people. The typical BlackBerry user, on the other hand, sits back at the party, quietly puts their BlackBerry Bold on the table and waits for people to go ‘Wow Chris! Is that the new BlackBerry Bold? I’ve heard a lot about that’. I love those people.

The Sony Ericsson T700 looks like it’s lost some weight! This ’sleek and shiny’ handset sure looks the part and is destined to be a hit with anyone who hates semi-bulky phones like the Nokia N95. Overall, it’s cheap, slick and would be ideal for students and business-types who can’t afford to be rocking a Samsung Instinct or Blackberry Bold. The camera is nothing special either, it only comes in at 3.2 megapixels, lacks auto-focus, but does have a cool self-portrait mirror option!

T700 Specifications:

Screen

Networks

Radio

Memory

Battery