Get ready for the next bout of xPhone madness. A HTC insider sent us a tip this weekend about an upcoming gPhone coming out of Taiwan that should launch Q1 2008. Google is currently assessing over twenty HTC models and refining its final handset design and will create a special version of Google Maps, compatible with built-in GPS, and compatibility with Gmail and the calendar app. There is also some talk that Samsung will be releasing gPhone handsets as well, but that has not been confirmed.
One extremely interesting point? Google Talk will become a part of the phone, adding VoIP capability to the hardware.
The software should be like Yahoo! Mobile, a similar application that leverage’s Yahoo’s mail and search solutions for handsets. However, that Google is going ahead with an actual hardware launch and may be using its own OS — the tipster mentioned WinMo 6 but there is a better chance that they will be using a Linux-based OS — and hardware is quite a shocker. More as this develops.
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Man, I’d sell my sister in a second to get out of my contract with the DeathStar if the Don’t be Evil people had their own network.
Lem…a few things:
1.) I don’t know how much it costs to break a contract, but I can’t imagine it could possibly cost more than a few hundred dollars at most… you’d really rather sell your sister than dish out a couple hundred bucks?
2.) Are you saying only if Google comes out with its own network would you sell your sister… or are you already taking offers?
3.) Does your sister know how to do laundry, cook, and clean? Is she high maintenance and require 3 meals a day? Most importantly, is she of legal age and hot?
4.) Pending #2 comes through, and you answer yes to all questions in #3, I’d like to pre-order at your earliest convenience. Thanks!
oh wait… let me clarify… – answer yes to all questions in #3 except the part about being high maintenance and requiring 3 meals a day.
Will our phone conversations also be stored in MP3 format in our Gmail accounts? Or, will they be converted to text and then stored in our Gmail accounts? :P
Hipefully they will go with a mini sd expansion slot for memory upgrade. I would hate to be limited to on board memory. HTC makes some fine products and I really enjoy my mda.
Will Google monitor your phone conversations so that they can push “high value information” to you? Because that’s neither ads nor wiretapping – no wires after all…
If she’s legal and hot, might end up being a bidding war for your sister, then you can use the proceeds to buy your G-Phone.
I hope it’s GSM/UMTS compatible (at&t)
It’s all about Mobile 2.0, baby!
I wonder if they are going to make this like a MyLO for the web so skype could be used or if its just gonna be run through the service. Also before i bid i wanna see some pics of her ive been trickd on ebay with similar situations :-P
Lem – I wish I could agree with you about Google not being evil but I think they are just a more subversive and crafty evil. What’s a good synonym for evil? ;)
(This of course does not change the fact that I love their products and use them all the time)
Sprint and Google are partnering on the Xohm (WiMAX/4G) effort. It’s my opinion that this new device sporting the Google OS will be utilizing the Xohm network. What I’m not clear on is the supposed use of VoIP from the device, and if Sprint is going to allow Xohm devices to utilize VoIP instead of utilizing the Sprint wireless (CDMA) voice network. If the Xohm devices are allowed to utilize VoIP then I think we are seeing an evolution of the wireless industry and Xohm really could be as revolutionary as Sprint is saying it will be. Q4 2007 and 2008 should be a lot of fun to see how Xohm and the gPhone are accepted and utilized.
Here’s an excerpt from the Sprint press release: (http://www2.sprint.com/mr/news_dtl.do?id=17560)
“Sprint network bandwidth, location detection and presence capabilities will be matched with Google’s popular communications suite – Google Apps™ – that combines the Gmail™, Google Calendar™ and Google Talk™ services. Customers will be able to experience a new form of interactive communications, high speed Internet browsing, local and location-centric services, and multimedia services including music, video, TV and on-demand products.”
“Sprint and Google are partnering on the Xohm (WiMAX/4G) effort…
What I’m not clear on is the supposed use of VoIP from the device, and if Sprint is going to allow Xohm devices to utilize VoIP instead of utilizing the Sprint wireless (CDMA) voice network. ”
I have gotten information from more than one Sprint employee that suggests that Sprint has full intention of rolling out wVoIP [over WiMAX] along w/ CDMA, though not in the manner any of us would hope. The idea is that it may be included as apart of the Unlimited Wireless and/or Pivot service where subscribers would literally have one number to be reach at, always. You arive home [or within a certain distance of the home] , and you device switches to wVoIP from CDMA when it detects the home network.
While extremely beneficial, the real user that stands to benefit would be the home -business owner.
Let’s just say simply that Sprint’s recent announcement of “Airave” is their answer to CDMA VoIP. As DRJ stated, it will generally only really benefit the home business user.
Essentially, the phone will only detect the VoIP network if it isn’t already engaged in a phone call. Now, mind you, adding Airave will also cost the user $15/month ON TOP OF any contract plan that they currently have (and it can’t be an iDEN only phone either).
So, basically, you’re looking at one majorly expensive venture from Sprint if you want to do CDMA VoIP. And knowing Sprint as well as I do (since I’m a reluctant customer of theirs), Sprint will cause Xohm users to pay through the nose as well.
Now, the alternative is for Google to pay Sprint a monthly leasing fee (essentially becoming an MVNO for Sprint), and then using their advertising to pay for the users to use their gPhones. I would expect you’d see advertising plastered all over your phone screen, but at least you’d be able to make free calls, internet searches, etc.
In the end, Sprint and Google would be the companies making all the money, either way. Why? Well, Verizon and AT&T don’t want to allow Google to own any wireless spectrum in any fashion, while Sprint doesn’t really care (to a point). Add to that the heated battles between AT&T and Google recently, and you have a virtual guarantee that AT&T won’t get a gPhone anytime in the near (or even distant) future. The same would go for Verizon. So, essentially, Google has the choice of Sprint (with a CDMA EVDO rev A network, and a soon to be WiMAX network) or T-Mobile’s GSM network (along with wifi VoIP).
LFFG
не плохая штучка!
и сколько она будет у нас стоить? =)
Sorry to disappoint all of you guys, but Sergey Brin denied the gPhone in a recently released video. The thing that was talked about was Google Android.