tcm55
3 years ago
I bet managers and developers enjoyed their criminally connived positions at GOOG that they sold us out for.
Keys to the Video internet CODEC sold for $.75 and jobs @goog for management, created hundreds of billion$ with Youtube/etc...
Goog is still fighting against some shareholder compensation in courts, re. ON2shareholdersettlement.com...
"""
Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:36ET
Aug 05, 2009 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) -- 8/5/2009 - On2 Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:ONT) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced Wednesday that they have entered an agreement under which Google will acquire On2. Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of On2 common stock will be converted to 60 cents worth of Google class A common stock in a stock-for-stock transaction, representing a 57% premium over On2's last close. The total transaction is valued at about $106.5 million. Vice president of Product Management with Google, Sundar Pichai, said, "Today video is an essential part of the web experience, and we believe high-quality video compression technology should be a part of the web platform. We are committed to innovation in video quality on the web, and we believe that On2's team and technology will help us further that goal." Interim CEO of On2, Matt Frost, said, "We're thrilled that On2 is joining one of the world's most innovative companies. After intensive review of On2 products, Google confirmed our long-held beliefs as to the quality of our video technologies. This transaction is a testament to the hard work of every On2 employee and the strongest possible endorsement of our products and people. On2 will continue to improve, support and sell our products throughout the transition. We believe that Google shares our ambitions and know that our products and expertise, combined with Google's globally recognized brand, ingenuity and resources, will create an incredible team."
Fuck ONT shareholders, long live GOOG...GLTA...Some where else...
gym gravity
15 years ago
Headlinges:Google and On2 Agree to Amend Merger Agreement
Better than before, but good enough? We'll see. I fully intend to hang on for the GOOG shares but I am curious to see what the big boys feel about it, and if the story makes any headlines. It is the first publicly traded acquisition for GOOG and it might not be easy for GOOG to lose. Now that competitors are aware of GOOGs intentions they might offer more.
cut from:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Google-and-On2-Agree-to-Amend-prnews-575027646.html?x=0&.v=1
Google and On2 Agree to Amend Merger Agreement
Source: On2 Technologies, Inc. On Thursday January 7, 2010, 8:00 am
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On2 Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex: ONT) and Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) announced today that they have agreed to amend the merger agreement under which Google will acquire On2. Under the revised terms, each outstanding share of On2 common stock will receive 0.0010 of a share of Google Class A Common Stock for each share of On2 common stock, as previously announced by On2 and Google, plus an additional $0.15 per share in cash consideration.
The revisions to the terms of the merger agreement serve, in part, to address the fact that, since the acquisition was first announced in August 2009, the market value of Google's Class A Common Stock has increased significantly while the value of the acquisition has remained fixed for On2's stockholders. By increasing the consideration offered to On2's stockholders by an additional $0.15 per share in cash, On2's stockholders will receive additional value for their On2 common stock that Google and On2 believe better reflects the value that On2's stockholders would have received had the acquisition closed closer to the time of its announcement in August 2009.
This increase in the consideration that Google is offering to On2's stockholders constitutes Google's final offer.
Google will file with the SEC a supplement to the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, dated November 3, 2009, that will describe the revisions to the merger agreement, including, among other things, the increase in the consideration, and will mail the same to all holders of record of On2 common stock as of the close of business on January 15, 2010, the new record date for the further adjourned Special Meeting of On2's stockholders.
On2's further adjourned Special Meeting will be reconvened at the Comfort Suites in Venetian Room II at 7 Northside Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065, at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17, 2010. At the reconvened Special Meeting, holders of On2 common stock as of the new record will be asked to consider and vote upon the merger proposal and, if necessary, the adjournment proposal, as set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus filed by Google.
On2's board of directors approved the amendment to the merger agreement and recommends that On2's stockholders approve the amended merger agreement and the merger proposal.
Stockholders who have questions about the merger, need assistance in submitting their proxy or voting their shares (or changing a prior vote of their shares) should contact On2's proxy solicitor, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, toll-free at (877) 456-3488, or internationally at +1 (412) 232-3565.
About On2 Technologies, Inc.
On2 (NYSE Amex: ONT) creates advanced video compression technologies that power the video in today's leading desktop and mobile applications and devices. On2 customers include Adobe, Skype, Nokia, Infineon, Sun Microsystems, Mediatek, Sony, Brightcove, and Move Networks. On2 Technologies is headquartered in Clifton Park, NY USA. For more information, visit http://www.on2.com/ or http://www.on2.cn/.
About Google Inc.
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top Web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.google.com/.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
Google filed a Registration Statement with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger, which includes a Proxy Statement of On2 and also constitutes a Prospectus of Google. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus, dated November 3, 2009, was mailed to holders of On2 Common Stock identified as of October 20, 2009, which was the notice record date for the December 18, 2009 special meeting, and as of December 3, 2009, which was the voting record date for the December 18, 2009 special meeting. In addition, Google plans to file a prospectus supplement to the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, dated November 3, 2009, which will also be mailed to all holders of On2 Common Stock as of January 15, 2010, the new record date for the adjourned Special Meeting or, if applicable, will file a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement. Â The Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and the prospectus supplement or, if applicable, the post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement contain important information about Google, On2, the proposed merger and related matters. Investors and security holders are urged to read the Registration Statement, as amended, the proxy statement/prospectus (including any amendments to it), and/or the prospectus supplement (if filed) carefully. Investors and security holders may also obtain free copies of the Registration Statement, as amended the proxy statement/prospectus, and/or the prospectus supplement (if filed) and other documents filed with the SEC by Google and On2 through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov/ and by contacting Google Investor Relations at +1-650-253-7663 or On2 Investor Relations at +1-518-881-4299. In addition, investors and security holders can obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC on Google's website at investor.google.com and on On2's website at http://www.on2.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding Google's and On2's ability to close the acquisition. These statements are based on the current expectations or beliefs of managements of Google Inc. and On2 Technologies, Inc., and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to (1) changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, (2) failure to receive the required stockholder approval for the acquisition, (3) failure to compete successfully in this highly competitive and rapidly changing marketplace, (4) failure to retain key employees, and (5) other factors affecting the operation of the respective businesses of Google and On2. More detailed information about these and other factors that may affect current expectations may be found in filings by Google or On2, as applicable, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including their respective most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Google and On2 are under no obligation to, and expressly disclaim any such obligation to, update or alter their respective forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Google is a trademark of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
Copyright © 2009 PR Newswire. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PRNewswire content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of PRNewswire. PRNewswire shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
eastunder
15 years ago
Google Acquiring On2 Technologies (GOOG,ONT)
Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:36ET
Aug 05, 2009 (SmarTrend(R) News Watch via COMTEX) -- 8/5/2009 - On2 Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:ONT) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) announced Wednesday that they have entered an agreement under which Google will acquire On2. Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of On2 common stock will be converted to 60 cents worth of Google class A common stock in a stock-for-stock transaction, representing a 57% premium over On2's last close. The total transaction is valued at about $106.5 million. Vice president of Product Management with Google, Sundar Pichai, said, "Today video is an essential part of the web experience, and we believe high-quality video compression technology should be a part of the web platform. We are committed to innovation in video quality on the web, and we believe that On2's team and technology will help us further that goal." Interim CEO of On2, Matt Frost, said, "We're thrilled that On2 is joining one of the world's most innovative companies. After intensive review of On2 products, Google confirmed our long-held beliefs as to the quality of our video technologies. This transaction is a testament to the hard work of every On2 employee and the strongest possible endorsement of our products and people. On2 will continue to improve, support and sell our products throughout the transition. We believe that Google shares our ambitions and know that our products and expertise, combined with Google's globally recognized brand, ingenuity and resources, will create an incredible team." The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2009 and is subject to On2 shareholder approval.
Wheeeeee
15 years ago
NEWS!:July 9, 2009 Adobe and HTC Bring Flash Platform to Android
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/07/09/technology/technology_30106947.php
Adobe and HTC Bring Flash Platform to Android
Published on July 9, 2009
New HTC Hero Delivers More Complete Web Browsing Experience with Adobe Flash Technology
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Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) and HTC, a global designer of mobile phones, announced that the new HTC Hero is the first Android phone to ship with support for Adobe Flash Platform technology. The new phone delivers a more complete Web browsing experience and provides access to a broad variety of Flash technology based content available on the Web today.
"As the first Android device with Flash, the new HTC Hero represents a key milestone for Android and the Flash Platform. With close to 80 percent of all videos online delivered with Adobe Flash technology, consumers want to access rich Web content on-the-go." said David Wadhwani, vice president and general manager, Platform Business Unit at Adobe. "The collaboration with HTC offers people a more complete Flash based Web browsing experience today and presents an important step towards full Web browsing with Flash Player 10 on mobile phones in the future."
The new HTC Hero is a key element of the HTC experience and a new generation of HTC mobile phones and devices. Users can browse and discover a broad set of Web content and applications not supported by mobile phones in the past. People can also view YouTube videos using Flash technology, and enable full screen viewing mode by simply double tapping the screen.
"Adobe Flash is an important core technology for people interacting and experiencing the Web, it is only natural to be offering it on the new HTC Hero first," said John Wang, chief marketing officer, HTC Corporation. "We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with Adobe and to bringing Flash Player 10 support to our phones in the future."
The HTC Hero delivers powerful, compatible video playback performance using Flash technology, and interactive content enabled by ActionScript 2.0. Users can enjoy and navigate through Web videos using intuitive video controls. With progressive streaming of large MP3 audio files from a Web server and the local file storage, the HTC Hero provides a seamless audio experience. Support for Sorenson and On2 VP6 codecs enables higher quality video and playback of existing Web content. A demo of the user experience enabled by the Flash Platform on the HTC Hero and the Android operating system can be viewed at www.adobe.com/go/htchero.
HTC Participates in Open Screen Project
HTC also announced its participation in the Open Screen Project, a broad industry effort to deliver a consistent runtime across screens and to provide access to all Flash technology based Web content in the future. As a contributor to the initiative, HTC is collaborating with Adobe and more than 25 other industry leaders to bring Flash Player 10 and full Web browsing to the next generation of Android based smartphones and other mobile computing platforms and devices. For more details on the Open Screen Project, visit www.openscreenproject.org.
JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
Flash Lite on Android( HTC Google Mobile)
Posted on September 24, 2008 by Nihal
T-Mobile unveiled yesterday G1 - the first phone ever to be powered by the new Google mobile operating system Android. This new mobile OS by Google is a threat to other mobile OSes such as Symbian, Windows Mobile, and even the iPhone as it is backed by the Open Handset Alliance (Includes HTC, Motorola, Samsun, LG, T-Mobile, and others), it is almost fully open source, it is integrated with many of the Google apps and services such as Gmail, Calendar, and Maps, and it features an online application store.
The question raised by many Flash developers is “what about Flash Lite?”. The Android SDK is available for anyone to develop applications for it for free, there are no restrictions whatsoever on what kind of application you can develop, and anyone can install any application they wish - This is unlike the iPhone SDK which prohibit developing any ‘runtime’ and applications can only be installed through iTunes.
Bill Parry, a developer at Adobe, made a post on his blog saying that Adobe is “closely working” with Android licensees and that in the future “Android based devices will ship with Adobe Flash support”. Bill also says that the movement of Flash into more mobile devices is part of Adobe’s Open Screen Project.
This is surely good news for Flash Lite developers, especially as no signs can be seen for releasing Flash Lite on the iPhone even after the recent release of second version of the OS and even though reports were published three months ago about Adobe successfully running Flash Lite on the iPhone through emulation.
Flash Lite is currently available on Symbian and Windows Mobile, and according to Adobe it is available on 800 million devices shipped worldwide.
As a heavy user of various Google apps, I am very excited about Android, and the inevitable release of Flash on it will surely improve the chances of me getting an Android powered phone in the near future.
http://engineersblackbook.wordpress.com/...
JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
On2 Technologies Announces Results of 2008 Annual Shareholder Meeting
Thursday September 25, 8:00 am ET
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- On2 Technologies, Inc. (Amex: ONT - News), a leader in video compression solutions, today announced that at its annual meeting held on September 24, 2008, shareholders voted with the Board of Directors' recommendations to approve both proposals that were under consideration.
Under the first proposal, shareholders voted to re-elect the existing Board of Directors, which consists of Chairman J. Allen Kosowsky, and Mike Alfant, Mike Kopetski, James Meyer, Afsaneh Naimollah, William A. Newman, Pekka Salonoja, and Thomas Weigman.
Under the second proposal, shareholders ratified the selection of Marcum & Kliegman, LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the company.
The results of the voting were as follows:
Election of Directors
Director For % For Withheld % Withheld
J. Allen Kosowsky 123,358,397 72.14% 16,327,458 9.55%
Mike Alfant 124,984,208 73.09% 14,701,647 8.60%
Mike Kopetski 123,810,911 72.41% 15,874,944 9.28%
James Meyer 124,954,802 73.08% 14,731,053 8.62%
Afsaneh Naimollah 124,860,615 73.02% 14,825,240 8.67%
William A. Newman 123,864,580 72.44% 15,821,275 9.25%
Pekka Solonoja 125,534,467 73.42% 14,151,388 8.28%
Thomas Weigman 124,545,905 72.84% 15,139,950 8.85%
Ratification of the Selection of Marcum & Kliegman as the Company's
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
For % For Against % Against Withheld % Withheld
134,203,531 78.49% 2,512,104 1.47% 2,970,222 1.74
Total shares represented at the meeting were 139,658,897, representing 81.69% of the total shares outstanding as of the record date, August 1, 2008.
About On2
On2 creates advanced video compression technologies for desktop and wireless. Powering the video in many of today's leading web and mobile applications and devices, On2's customers include: Nokia, Infineon, MediaTek, Sony, Facebook, Brightcove, Move Networks, Adobe and Skype. On2 Technologies is headquartered in Clifton, Park, NY USA. For more information please visit www.on2.com.
All trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: On2 Technologies, Inc.
JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
Google phone to cost $179, debut Oct. 22 By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer
2 hours, 1 minute ago
NEW YORK - The first phone that harnesses Google Inc.'s ambition to make the Internet easy to use on the go was revealed Tuesday, and it looks a lot like an iPhone.
T-Mobile USA showed off the G1, a phone that, like Apple Inc.'s iPhone, has a large touch screen. But it also packs a trackball, a slide-out keyboard and easy access to Google's e-mail and mapping programs.
T-Mobile said it will begin selling the G1 for $179 with a two-year contract. The device hits U.S. stores Oct. 22 and heads to Britain in November and other European countries early next year.
The phone will be sold in T-Mobile stores only in the U.S. cities where the company has rolled out its faster, third-generation wireless data network. By launch, that will be 21 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Miami.
In other areas, people will be able to buy the phone from T-Mobile's Web site. The phone does work on T-Mobile's slower data network, but it's optimized for the faster networks. It can also connect at Wi-Fi hotspots.
The data plan for the phone will cost $25 per month on top of the calling service, at the low end of the range for data plans at U.S. wireless carriers. And at $179, the G1 is $20 less than the least expensive iPhone in the U.S.
Android, the free software powering the G1, is a crucial building block in Google's efforts to make its search engine and other services as accessible on cell phones as they already are on personal computers. The company believes it eventually might make more money selling ads that get shown on mobile devices than on PCs, a channel that will generate about $20 billion in revenue this year.
Both Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft Corp. also are investing heavily in the mobile market in hopes of preventing Google from extending the dominance it enjoys in searches initiated on PCs.
In an interview, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said Google's aims are broader than mobile advertising.
"Generally, we think if there are great (operating systems) out there that let people have great devices and great applications, people use the Internet on their phones much more," Brin said at the launch event in New York. "And whenever people use the Internet more, they end up using our services,
JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
Hands-on impressions: T-Mobile's G1, the first Google phone
Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:34PM EDT
See Comments (6)
Buzz up!on Yahoo!Watch out, Apple. The G1 may not be as sleek and sexy as the iPhone, but its peppy, easy-to-use touchscreen interface makes mincemeat of all the other iPhone wanna-bes, and it packs in some killer features—like 360-degree Street View—that the iPhone has yet to match.
Granted, I've only had a few minutes of hands-on time with the T-Mobile G1, so this doesn't count as a review—we're just talking first impressions here. But first impressions count, and the G1 ($179, available October 22) scored big during my brief test drive. (Click here for full specs and details on Tuesday's announcement.)
So, let's talk about the hardware first. As I mentioned in my initial post, the G1 is slightly bulkier and heavier and—well, let's just say it—a little uglier than the slim, sexy iPhone. Weighing in at 5.6 ounces, I could definitely feel the G1's extra bulk in my hand, although at just 0.6 inches thick, the G1 should fit relatively easily in a jeans pocket.
The G1's 3.17-inch screen is slightly smaller than the iPhone's 3.5-inch display, and at first glance, its interface looks a bit dull compared to Apple's red-hot handset (and unfortunately, my shaky photography skills don't help). But beneath the G1's sliding display, we get a surprise—a full, Sidekick-sized QWERTY keypad, perfect for those who don't want to deal with a touchscreen keyboard. There's also a trackball, a Home key, and physical Call and End buttons.
While the G1's main screen isn't quite as eye-popping as the iPhone's, the Android-powered display was surprisingly responsive—a quick flick of my fingertip opened a windowshade of applications, while tapping the status bar at the top of the screen instantly revealed e-mail, SMS, and voice-mail alerts. Indeed, tapping and scrolling around the G1's various menus was a seamless pleasure, akin to what you'd expect from an iPhone. And while leading iPhone competitors like the Samsung Instinct always felt a bit sluggish to me, the G1's peppy interface responded quickly to my every touch.
Of course, you'll get the most out of the G1 if you're using Google's suite of online applications, all of which sync automatically the moment you sign in. The push Gmail client features threaded messaging, just like you'd expect online, and you can star messages, organize them with filters, and even conduct Google searches within the e-mail client itself. You can also use the client to check your POP and IMAP accounts—no full-on Exchange syncing, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, third-party developers are free to create their own Exchange syncing apps for Android.
The G1's dialer and contact list immediately grabs all your online Google calendar info and contacts—and for those with IM accounts, the G1 will indicate which of your contacts happen to be signed in for chat, an "online presence" feature familiar to anyone with a Helio phone. As with the iPhone, you can flick your contact list with a finger, spinning it roulette-style. Nice.
The Android Web browser on the G1 immediately takes its place as one of the top mobile browsers I've seen, right next to those on the iPhone and Nokia Nseries handsets. Pages rendered quickly (over Wi-Fi, at least) and perfectly; a tap brings up zoom in/out controls, while a touch-enabled magnifying glass lets you quickly scan lengthy Web pages. (No multitouch-enabled "pinching," however.) See a picture you want to save? Just touch and hold; a contextual menu pops up with a variety of options, including saving the image to the phone.
Coolest of all, though, is Google Maps on the G1, complete with GPS and Street View. In the demo I saw (over Wi-Fi), maps loaded quickly, as did Street View images, and they refreshed almost instantly as I dragged maps and images around with my finger.
The best part? Using Street View with the G1's built-in compass. Say you're facing north; you hold the G1 in front of you, select Street View, and you'll see your street from a north-facing vantage point. Turn east—with the phone still in front of you—and the Street View image follows. Angle the phone skyward, and Street View moves likewise. Way, way cool (and impressively fast and responsive, to boot).
Disappointments? Well, the G1's music player is no great shakes; it'll play your standard MP3/WMA/AAC/Ogg Vobis files, but the bare-bones player interface can't hold a candle to the iPhone's. (At least you can buy MP3s wirelessly using the bundled Amazon application.) Also, there's no video player—then again, as T-Mobile reps kept repeating, there's nothing stopping third-party developers from building one (or many).
And while the G1's three-megapixel camera tops the iPhone's 2MP shooter, the G1 doesn't come with built-in video recording—although (yep, you guessed it), third-party developers should feel free to fill the void.
Indeed, the T-Mobile reps I spoke to said that any and all of the G1's main features are open to third-party development—the dialer, the e-mail client, the music player, you name it. Again, that's the beauty of the open-source Android OS (versus Apple's we-must-control-everything approach).
Of course, the G1's biggest drawback may end up lying squarely with T-Mobile—or, more specifically, its nascent 3G network. When the G1 goes on sale next month, only about 21 markets will be covered by T-Mobile's new HSDPA network—so if you're outside those cities, you'll have to make do with poky EDGE data or Wi-Fi.
Overall, however, I'm pretty impressed. I wasn't that wowed by the G1's uninspiring design, but Android shows a lot of promise, and its peppy performance on the G1 is a huge plus.
So, who's thinking about snapping up a G1? Have any questions you'd like answered? Post 'em below.
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JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
Google's Android phone to go on sale in September?
August 12, 2008 2:05 PM PDT
Google's Android phone to go on sale in September?
Posted by Marguerite Reardon 16 commentsShare
Digg Del.icio.us Reddit Facebook Email Print T-Mobile USA could put the new HTC Android phone on sale for select customers as early as the middle of September, according to the blog TmoNews.
The news comes as other rumors circulate that Android phones could be delayed into 2009. But TmoNews says it has a reliable source that says the Android device made by smartphone manufacturer HTC will go on sale through T-Mobile USA on September 17.
The price tag will be $399 full retail or about $150 for a subsized phone with a two-year contract. The site also said that only existing T-Mobile customers will be able to buy the phone during the presale timeframe with other customers able to buy the phone a few weeks later in early October.
The new phone, which is being called the HTC Dream in blogs, will support 3G services. A recent video that is posted on YouTube shows that the phone has a touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a 3-megapixel camera. Google software and services like Gmail will be tightly integrated into the device. And TmoNews reports that a Gmail account will be required to set up service for the new device.
T-Mobile will also likely require a more expensive 3G data plan to be used with the device, the blog reported. But details on the cost of the plan haven't been released.
T-Mobile declined to comment on the rumors of the device release, but the carrier has previously said it will offer an Android phone by the end of the year.
Even though the new Android phone is supposed to be 3G capable, subscribers may be disappointed in the 3G experience. T-Mobile is far behind its competitors in rolling out 3G service, with the faster-speed service available only in two markets, New York and Las Vegas. That said, T-Mobile is working to get the service up and running in at least 20 to 25 cities by the end of the year. And it will continue deploying it through 2009. But rolling out a new network is time consuming. So don't expect great coverage anytime soon.
Still, T-Mobile has some other innovative offerings that could appeal to customers. Its HotSpot @Home service allows subscribers to switch between its cell network and a Wi-Fi network for faster speeds and better coverage indoors. It also offers a $10-a-month voice over IP service for subscribers of this service, which is a nice bonus.
The wireless operator is also supposedly planning to launch an open development platform for all of its phone technologies. This platform will ditch T-Mobile's traditional deck, or menu of services, and replace it with one that is open to any developer. In a way, it's T-Mobile's answer to the Apple App store.
But even with the new Android phone and all these other cool services, T-Mobile has a long way to go in catching up to competitors. The company ended the second quarter of 2008 with 31.5 million customers, putting it in a distant fourth place. Meanwhile, AT&T had 72.9 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter. Verizon Wireless finished the quarter with a total of 68.7 million subscribers. And Sprint Nextel, which lost 901,000 subscribers, still has about 51.9 million subscribers.
Topics: Personal communicationsTags: Google,Android,T-Mobile,HTC,HTC DreamBookmark: Digg Del.icio.us Reddit Yahoo! Buzz
Posted by Marguerite Reardon 16 commentsShare
Digg Del.icio.us Reddit Facebook Email Print T-Mobile USA could put the new HTC Android phone on sale for select customers as early as the middle of September, according to the blog TmoNews.
The news comes as other rumors circulate that Android phones could be delayed into 2009. But TmoNews says it has a reliable source that says the Android device made by smartphone manufacturer HTC will go on sale through T-Mobile USA on September 17.
The price tag will be $399 full retail or about $150 for a subsized phone with a two-year contract. The site also said that only existing T-Mobile customers will be able to buy the phone during the presale timeframe with other customers able to buy the phone a few weeks later in early October.
The new phone, which is being called the HTC Dream in blogs, will support 3G services. A recent video that is posted on YouTube shows that the phone has a touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and a 3-megapixel camera. Google software and services like Gmail will be tightly integrated into the device. And TmoNews reports that a Gmail account will be required to set up service for the new device.
T-Mobile will also likely require a more expensive 3G data plan to be used with the device, the blog reported. But details on the cost of the plan haven't been released.
T-Mobile declined to comment on the rumors of the device release, but the carrier has previously said it will offer an Android phone by the end of the year.
Even though the new Android phone is supposed to be 3G capable, subscribers may be disappointed in the 3G experience. T-Mobile is far behind its competitors in rolling out 3G service, with the faster-speed service available only in two markets, New York and Las Vegas. That said, T-Mobile is working to get the service up and running in at least 20 to 25 cities by the end of the year. And it will continue deploying it through 2009. But rolling out a new network is time consuming. So don't expect great coverage anytime soon.
Still, T-Mobile has some other innovative offerings that could appeal to customers. Its HotSpot @Home service allows subscribers to switch between its cell network and a Wi-Fi network for faster speeds and better coverage indoors. It also offers a $10-a-month voice over IP service for subscribers of this service, which is a nice bonus.
The wireless operator is also supposedly planning to launch an open development platform for all of its phone technologies. This platform will ditch T-Mobile's traditional deck, or menu of services, and replace it with one that is open to any developer. In a way, it's T-Mobile's answer to the Apple App store.
But even with the new Android phone and all these other cool services, T-Mobile has a long way to go in catching up to competitors. The company ended the second quarter of 2008 with 31.5 million customers, putting it in a distant fourth place. Meanwhile, AT&T had 72.9 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter. Verizon Wireless finished the quarter with a total of 68.7 million subscribers. And Sprint Nextel, which lost 901,000 subscribers, still has about 51.9 million subscribers.
Topics: Personal communicationsTags: Google,Android,T-Mobile,HTC,HTC DreamBookmark: Digg Del.icio.us Reddit Yahoo! Buzz
JamaicaBaby
16 years ago
Nice find, Kujo.
I saw this on another board, and thought it was pretty cool, coming up in October.
First Adobe was supposed to buy out ont, per rumor of course, then possibly Google (went to DivX) remember the google guy and the google bomb from the other ONT message board?
Then Sun (java)my personal favorite because it is named after my favorite drink.
Yahoo, who knows about them anymore, but what about a big piece of Apple Pie??? Apples are ripe in the fall. Coincidence?
That would be sweet, imho....GOOG vs. Big Mac
Good luck, gotta run for now.
Maybe I'll see ya in chat, later....hasta kujo.
This is all my humble opinion, based on nothing but years of lurking on boards, lol
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Friday, August 15, 2008
First Google Android phone sighting reveals awkward iPhone rival
By Kasper Jade
Published: 12:00 PM EST
The first smartphone based on Google's Android mobile platform could hit the U.S. market as early as October, according to new reports, but a video of the handset leaked on the Internet reveals a device which lacks the elegance that's already drawn millions to Apple's iPhone.
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People briefed on the search giant's plans tell the New York Times that the HTC-manufacturered handset, know amongst Internet circles as the "Dream," will go on sale by the holidays -- possibly even earlier depending on how long it takes the Federal Communications Commission to weigh in with approval.
It's expected to be the only Android phone available in the U.S. this year and will be sold exclusively through T-Mobile, the nation’s No. 4 wireless carrier. A video (below) of the supposed device making the rounds on the Internet is said to match the one seen by the Times' sources, confirming its authenticity.
Like the iPhone, the Dream has a full touch-screen and will be able to run a slew of applications written by third-party developers for the open-source Android operating system. Conversely, it will also feature a physical "full five-row keyboard" that's exposed by sliding the display component upwards, mimicking the functionality of T-Mobile's Sidekick handset.
While the Dream is "apparently a hot item to show off in Google's cafeterias these days," those familiar with the device describe it as "big and bulky," and nowhere near as sleek as iPhone that's forever altered the landscape of the mobile industry. The Android software itself is similarly not up to par with standards set by Apple, leaving it feeling "less-elegant, less-user-friendly" just months before its slated to be unleashed into the wild.
Still, the Dream is just one of "several devices" Google is testing with its new mobile software, offering hope that other smartphone makers will be able to compensate for the inadequacies of the initial HTC handset when they begin rolling out their Android phones sometime next year. The more pressing issue appears to be whether Google is adequately prepared to provide its ring of developers with the support and expertise they need to go head-to-head with an already thriving fleet of software makers that have hitched onto Apple's mobile platform.
Some early Android supporters have already expressed frustration with the company for favoring a small subset of developers with advance releases of Android's Software Developer Kit, exposing them to newer features and bug fixes ahead of the general community. Meanwhile, those carriers and hardware manufacturers that do have access to the latest Android codebase haven't experienced a clear path to success either.
Among their complaints have been language translation problems with software and an overall lack of support from Google, whose emphasis on the anticipated launch of the Dream through T-Mobile has crowded out other carrier's attempts to get help launching their own array of Android devices.
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HoosierHoagie
16 years ago
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