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Verizon dumps Nexus One for Droid Incredible?

April 26, 2010
Filed under: Tech News — Cole @ 3:58 pm

Verizon Wireless customers waiting for the Nexus One should probably make other plans, as it looks like Big Red’s version of the Google “superphone” will never see the light of day.

When the Nexus One was first announced in January, Google revealed that a Verizon model would be made available later this year. However, on Monday, Google posted an entry on its official Nexus One blog site recommending that users head over to Verizon’s site and preorder the HTC Droid Incredible instead. The official checkout page for the N1 shows a similar message.

While Google has not responded to our request for comment, the Boy Genius Report has published an official statement from the company:


We won’t be selling a Nexus One with Verizon, and this is a reflection of the amazing innovation happening across the open Android ecosystem. Verizon Wireless customers who want an Android phone with the power of the Nexus One can get the Droid Incredible by HTC, which can be preordered now and which will be available in Verizon Wireless stores on Thursday, April 29.


For the record, Verizon’s official statement to us was “It’s Google’s phone and Google’s decision.”

We can understand the move, given that the Droid Incredible offers a number advantages (more memory, better camera, HTC Sense) over the Nexus One and seems like the better smartphone, but what does this mean for Google’s strategy of selling unlocked devices through its own Web store? With Vodafone UK also announcing that it will begin selling the Nexus One in its U.K. stores and online, it seems Google’s plans to change the way the mobile industry operates may need some reworking after all.


HOT! Blackberry OS 6.0 Leaked!

April 20, 2010
Filed under: Software — Cole @ 1:20 pm

The BoyGenius just struck solid gold with some awesome screenshots of BlackBerry OS 6.0 that really wet my appetite. It looks like RIM is trying to hit OS 6.0 out of the park though it is not a huge change from previous builds. The odd thing was that the BoyGenius saw the device from an AT&T source which does not have a touchscreen device yet the screenshots are of a touchscreen device…


Some things I saw that stood out in their sneak peak:

  • Tabbed browsing with WebKit
  • Messages built in with RSS feeds and Facebook/Twitter
  • Customizable homescreen with pages you can scroll left and right to browse
  • Popups with gesture support
  • New media player
  • Possibly coming this summer in June/July. May be announced at WES?


Check out the BoyGenius’s quick walkthrough at this link


Microsoft adds repair shop to Windows

April 18, 2010
Filed under: Tech News — Cole @ 9:43 pm

Microsoft is testing a new “Fix it Center”–an online and PC-based tool for helping users solve their Windows technical problems.


While a fair amount of diagnostics are built into Windows 7, the free Fix it Center aims to expand on these and also bring similar capabilities to Windows XP and Windows Vista.


The service, which went into beta on Thursday, consists of both a Windows download and an online service.


“Fix it Center finds and fixes many common PC and device problems automatically,” Microsoft said on its Web site. “It also helps prevent new problems by proactively checking for known issues and installing updates. Fix it Center helps to consolidate the many steps of diagnosing and repairing a problem into an automated tool that does the work for you.”


While the service has around 300 fixes built-in, Microsoft said it can also be useful even if it can’t solve an issue on its own.


“If Fix it Center cannot solve a specific issue, customers can still access phone, email or chat support with a Microsoft Support professional who can access their Fix it Center account and get details about the hardware, the problem, and the solutions they have already tried, to ensure faster problem resolution,” Microsoft said.


The service works with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, although for XP it requires customers to be using at least Service Pack 3 (or Service Pack 2 of the 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional). It also works with Windows Server 2003 (with Service Pack 2) and Windows Server 2008.


Microsoft is also aiming to make it attractive for small businesses, by allowing a single account to be used for multiple PCs.


The service builds on the “Fix it” brand that Microsoft established as a means for automating Windows problem-solving tasks. Starting in December 2008, Microsoft launched an option on some of its help desk articles that allowed a user to click on a button and have a series of problem-solving steps taken automatically.