Google Android and the Dream Phone
Google's software for mobile communication, Android, is scheduled for release in November along with the Dream ''GPhone."
News about the software is based on official announcements on the developer's platform, and speculation about the hardware is based on test results published by the American testing body, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The mobile platform Engadget first called attention to the simultaneous timing of the software and hardware releases when the company discovered that the mobile telephone ''DREA100,'' from Korean manufacturer HTC, had been granted permission to sell in the U.S. after being tested by the FCC.
The Google handset, which the media nicknamed the GPhone, should reach American stores by November 10, just in time for the holiday rush.
Ironically, a secrecy clause in the FCC document drew attention to the product in the first place. The FCC should have kept the information under wraps until the release. Documents published by the FCC include construction plans that show a so-called "jogball" as the main operating device, similar to the Blackberry.
The German telephone giant T-Mobile, currently the fourth largest telecommunications provider in the American market, is partnered with HTC and Google.
Software intended for the handset has been released by the Google developers as a Beta version, Number 0.9 SDK, and the final version 1.0 is planned for the last quarter of this year.
Dan Morrill, one of the developers, lists some of the more important changes and additions on his blog. "First and most obviously, the new Home screen is included, along with a ton of UI changes for 1.0. Some new applications are included: an Alarm Clock, Calculator, Camera, Music player, Picture viewer, and Messaging (for SMS/MMS conversations.) Several new development tools were added, such as a graphical preview for XML layouts for users of Eclipse, and a tool for constructing 9-patch images," he writes.
A comprehensive list of changes and additions and the free software are available on the Android Developer website.
Issue 270/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
OpenMandriva Lx 23.03 Rolling Release is Now Available
OpenMandriva "ROME" is the latest point update for the rolling release Linux distribution and offers the latest updates for a number of important applications and tools.
-
CarbonOS: A New Linux Distro with a Focus on User Experience
CarbonOS is a brand new, built-from-scratch Linux distribution that uses the Gnome desktop and has a special feature that makes it appealing to all types of users.
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.