Google launches Android-powered Nexus One, opens up own Web store

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Google has finally blown the lid off of its worst-kept secret: the Android-powered Nexus One mobile phone, the first of many new smartphones that will be sold either through carriers or from Google itself, with its newly opened Web store accessible at google.com/phone.

Google's Nexus One reviewed in full

There's a new Android smartphone in town, and some people have gone so far as to call it, "The Messiah." This seemingly all-powerful new smartphone is called the Nexus One, and a newly established blog has just published a full review of it complete with photos and comparisons with other leading smartphones of this generation. I'll spare you the details, which you can go on and read for yourself, but I think this is the Android smartphone everyone has been waiting for.

Source: [NexusOneBlog]

Viliv to introduce N5 MID at CES 2010 with other portable devices

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Viliv has just sent out their CES 2010 invitation to journalists, and in it they reveal that they have a fancy new mobile Internet device ready for introduction. Pictured above, held in the sweet, soft hands on SNSD-member Yoona, is the Viliv N5 MID, featuring a 4.8-inch WSVGA (1024x600) screen, clamshell design, 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS. Viliv failed to mention the device's battery life and default operating system though, which we'll have to keep guessing for now. Viliv also plans to showcase the S10 Blade, P3 PMP and HD5 PMP.

Source: [Viliv]

First Mobile Firefox (Fennec) RC coming next week, exclusive on the Nokia N900

Mobile Firefox, a.k.a. Fennec, has been in the making for quite a long time now. I remember first writing about it nearly a year ago, saying that a version for Symbian was in the works and planned for completion before this year ends. Well, it looks like Fennec won't make it in this year after all, though Mozilla's VP of mobile Jay Sullivan promises that they will release the first release candidate of the much-awaited mobile browser in a week's time.

Acer netbook with Google's Chrome OS coming in 2010

Acer is reportedly planning to launch a Google Chrome OS-based netbook in the second half of 2010, as they are already developing one and have been since mid-2009. This is according to industry sources cited by the Chinese news site DigiTimes, which also mentions that Acer chairman JT Wang expressed confidence in the idea that they will launch the first Chrome OS-based netbook in the market. Hardware-wise, I don't think there's anything worth looking forward to about this upcoming netbook from Acer, since Chrome OS is design to run on low-powered devices. But you never know what the Taiwanese computer company is cooking up, so keep watching out for updates.

Source: [DigiTimes]

Acer TD-SCDMA smartphones heading to China, Nokia Maemo smartphones likely to show up soon

Not mentioned among the manufacturers expected to launch Android smartphones at the beginning of 2010, Acer has reportedly placed orders for TD-SCDMA smartphones on Foxconn. It is not specified what kind of smartphones Acer has ordered Foxconn to make for them, but it is likely that these will run the open-source Android operating system.

Nokia is also mentioned in the same report from which the above information is taken, and how Foxconn and Compal Communications are currently competing head to head for Maemo-based smartphones orders from them. So the Nokia N900 may arrive sooner than you think.

Source: [DigiTimes]

2010 will be the year of the Android smartphone

DigiTimes is reporting that come 2010, there will be a "flood" of Android-powered smartphones from nearly all current mobile phone manufacturers, which includes Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG Electronics, HTC and Motorola. The Garmin-Asustek combo is also expected to launch new Android smartphones. Here's a quick list of Android phones to expect in 2010.