Daily Tech Bits

Androids Due By End Of 2008

One day, you’ll be able to do anything on your phone. If you think you’re already there with mobile browsing, playing music and recording video, then think again. Google has been instrumental in the Open Handset Alliance, and has produced a new operating system, called Android for use on the next generation of mobile toys.

Developer Andy Rubin says the system will be open source, so that developers can produce a wide range of devices and applications. He showed the BBC a demo of an Android based handset which can successfully run Google Earth. Google expects that Android enabled handsets will make their first appearance by the end of 2008, signalling a change in the mobile marketplace. More on that story here.

US Shoppers Look Online, But Don’t Buy

The Pew Internet & American Life Project has revealed that many Americans look online rather than buying. Some 40 to 55 per cent of Americans use the internet for product research, but that does not translate into making a purchase. The study followed people who were buying music, cell phones and houses.

According to associate director John Horrigan, the internet is ‘used in a very technical way to help people eliminate options that aren’t useful for them.’ Once they’ve done that, most people end up in a brick and mortar store to make the purchase.

Those buying houses do a lot of preliminary research online, especially when considering moving to a new area, but finalise the purchase offline. The survey results make interesting reading.

In other shopping news, a shopping center in Portsmouth, UK is using consumers’ cell phones to track their behavior while in the mall. Using a receiver, which costs £20,000 (roughly $40,000) a month, they are able to see what route their customers follow through the mall, where they stop and look, and how long they spend in stores. More on that story here.

CSI Goes Mobile

Ready to do some digging? Then you need the Cell Seizure Investigator. With a handy adaptor, this little stick will let you leech the data from a variety of mobile phones. Yes, that’s right. You can copy the entire contents of a mobile phone onto the stick, and then examine it at leisure on your PC. Intended for anyone needing to do ‘forensic analysis’ on a mobile phone, the device will also be useful for suspicious boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives. At the moment, you will need a Samsung or Motorola cell phone to use it, but watch this space …

DIY Laptop Tutorial

What’s the best way to get the laptop of your dreams? It’s to build your own, of course. Apparently, it’s easier than we think. That’s alright for Denny Atkins to say. He’s the author of Computer Shopper’s guide to building your own laptop.

I must admit that Denny makes it look simple. If you have $1400 to spare and time on your hands, then that could be a project worth doing. You’ll get a high performance laptop, and you won’t have to call tech support. Of course, for someone as spatially challenged as I am, it may not be so simple. Let me know how you get on.

Skype To Go Mobile

Can Skype get any better? It seems that it can. Hot on the heels of the news about flat rate international call plans, comes more good news. Skype is going mobile.

It’s only in the beta stage, but some users will be able to use Skype on their cell phones. They will still be able to make free Skype to Skype calls or dial other numbers at SkypeOut rates. Whoopee!

Of course, it’s not all good news. Cell phone network carriers will probably charge something for using their networks, but I think it’s a positive step. It means that one day soon, you’ll be able to use Skype without having to be within 50 ft of your computer.

More on that news here.

Laptops Going Cheap

They’re light, they’re cheap and they’re small. Who says that a functioning laptop has to cost a bomb? Most of the major manufacturers have been releasing low cost laptops and there are several of them on the market. If you’re not sure where to look, a good place to start is with Liliputing’s comprehensive list of low cost laptops. Brad Linder highlights the specs of 23 models, and gives a pointer to a few new ones that might be coming out. If you’re looking to go portable on a budget, then this one’s for you, as some laptops cost as little as $200.