Monthly Archives: November 2009

Camangi: Sexy? Yes! But Can It Do?

November 30, 2009   Android PR   No comments

Move over Archos 5! Hello Camangi!

I normally check out who my new followers are and then log into their profiles to see if they’re legit.

Camangi WebStation (CamangiWS) is now following your tweets on Twitter.

Camangi WebStation sounded legit enough, although I was expecting either a radio/tv station or a new video uploading  portal. But OMFG! I nearly freaked. I did not expect to see this:  ( I realize that this may be old news but hey, I’m a one person show and honestly can’t keep up with all the Android devices coming up, including my other projects)

Sexy is as sexy does and this piece of hardward definitely is that. But, can it measure up to all the other android devices on the market now and those coming out in 2010. After all, a tablet is a tablet, but smartphones take web browsing to a whole other level.

The current version runs Android 1.5. This may be a little disappointing for some Android Fans, especially since some have gotten use to the taste of Eclair. But this doesn’t mean you can’t upgrade to 2.0 (and lately, photos have leaked with HTC sporting 2.1), IF the tablet supports it.

I grabbed the specs (see below) from the Camangi site. Here’s the link to the original page. You can judge for yourself how their specs compare to the other android devices out there.

Size and weight

  • Height: 4.72 inches (120mm)
  • Width: 7.87 inches (200mm)
  • Dipth: 0.57 inches (14.5mm)
  • Weight:13.75 ounces
    (around 390 grams)

Color

  • Pearl White
  • Piano Black(Coming soon)
  • Light Pink(Coming soon)
  • My WISH LIST: Silver Please!

System

  • Google Android 1.5
  • CPU: Marvell PXA303 624MHz
  • System memory: 128MB Mobile DDR
  • Flash memory: 265MB NAND (system)
  • Input: Software keyboard; USB keyboard support

Display

  • 7-inch TFT LCD, 16M True Color
  • Single Resistive touch panel with hard glass
  • High-resolution screen, 800-by-480 pixels
  • G-sensor

Power and battery

  • Built-in rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery (3.7V 4000mAh)
  • Standby time: up to 4 days(without GPS & Wi-Fi connection); Internet and media use: up to 4-5 hours
  • Power charging: 5V 3A DC in

Communication

  • Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
  • USB dongle to 3G connectivity*
  • GPS module

*Note: Only applicable for some type of 3G dongle devices

Media

  • Audio playback: 3GP, MP3, MP4, OGG, MID, WAV
  • Video playback: 3GP, MP4
  • Photo viewer: JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP
  • eBook viewer: EPUB, TXT

Connectors and input/ output

  • Built-in speaker (80hm 2x 1W)
  • 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
  • AC Adaptor, 4mm DC in
  • Built-in omni-directional microphone
  • Micro SD card slot, supports 1G~16G
  • Type A & mini-B USB port

Other applications

  • Web browser, Email/Gmail Web, Digital Frame, eBook, Weather, Calculator, Alarm clock, Calendar, Lives…

Languages

  • Display: Japanese/ English/ Spanish/France/ German/ Simplified Chinese/ Traditional Chinese
  • Input: English/Japanese (Simeji) /Simplified Chinese

Package includes

  • Camangi WebStation (including Stylus)
  • AC adapter, Device cover, Earpiece , Stand, Wipes, Quick Start, Warranty Notice

Complimentary

  • Micro SD Card: 8G

Some good things to note:

  1. it can support  USB dongle to 3G connectivity* But the fine point is: *Note: Only applicable for some type of 3G dongle devices.
  2. it has a Micso SD card slot that support 1G – 16G (I’m guessing some people will be able to reach the 16G capacity in no time)
  3. it comes with a complimentary 8G Micro SD card :-)

Some things that I particularly am sad about:

  1. System memory: 128MB Mobile DDR   <—- more is always better
  2. Flash memory: 265MB NAND (system) <—- more is always better
  3. Standby time: up to 4 days (without GPS & Wi-Fi connection); Internet and media use: up to 4-5 hours

I’m wondering if that’s just a 1.5 limitation or? Specs are pretty much last years fashion. *sigh* Can’t someone come up with better hardware. Please!!!! I hate hardware limitations. Note the (without GPS & Wi-Fi connection) for battery life. That’s pretty much standard in all devices but come on! (And this is NOT directed at the team behind Camangi, it’s for EVERY mobile designer/manufacturer) Having wi-fi connection is like breathing. You need it, 24/7 (practically), or at least a good 12 to 16 hrs standby time. We can take the 6 to 8 hrs GPS and/or wifi.

System memory and flash memory is nothing to orgasm about either. What with all the cool apps coming out, the memory specs for both system and flash will never hold up and that’s NOT going to be enough to run the MiKandi.com apps, surely!

Okay, the Camangi Web Station also comes with its own MarketPlace. I looked through some of the apps that were already available for download and they had quite a few. What was missing were the more popular Social Media apps like, Twitter, Facebook, etc ..
They had a Skype (beta), MSN (beta) and Yahoo Online app but then again (how silly of me), this is an internet tablet so you wouldn’t really need those social media apps since all you would have to do is to open up their home pages! DOH!

I just wish they had a camera feature that also captured video so you could video chat with the world (like the Nokia N800). The Camangi Web Station is NOT the iPod Touch (although it has somewhat of an Apple white-sleek’ish look), it runs Android (1.5). Would I get it? Perhaps, but I’m in Germany and this Android Tablet is currently being made available in the U.S., Japan and Taiwan.

I’ll probably wait for their upgraded version (I hope they’ll come up with a Camangi Web Station No. 2). Maybe by then the hardware for our mobile devices will finally catch up with the software we want to run on them. But me, being the gadget gal that I am, I WOULD get it (if the price was reasonable). It’s sexy and it’s android.

I would’ve posted a price but I missed the Special Coupon Offer and a price tag was nowhere to be seen on their site. Gizmodo did state a price tag of $400.



Camangi Web Station

Read More

To Market To Market To Load Some Porn

November 28, 2009   Android PR   No comments

Porn Tweets have started to flood my Twitter stream today.

I’m not talking about the usual Porn Spam that’s been going around, like this one —> *click here* Oops! The Twitter account is now suspended. Whoa! another account has just been created! …. —> *click here*.

I’m talking about the New Adult Content Market that’s being created just for mobile phones (oh joy, oh bliss) – Android will be the first platform to host these apps.

Gotta love the team behind MiKandi.com. Imagine having access to all the porn you could ever want right in the palm of your hand?
(Just make sure you guys use the right hand to hold that thing. Wouldn’t want to get your mobiles all sticky now – whatever).

This gives a whole other meaning to “First Person Shooter” games!

This certainly is not a surprise to me. In fact, I would’ve assumed that there would be an “adult content” section in one of the app markets already but apparently not. *tsk* *tsk* *tsk* What was the hold up? ;-P

I have one word that expresses how I feel about the latest Android news – Brilliant.

Sex sells. Too bad. That’s just how it is. I find nothing wrong when a company such as Apple, decides to adhere to the *principles* they’ve set out at the onset of the Apple App Store launch. I’m just wondering how having an “Adult Content” Market that will deploy all their delicious iKandi apps on the Android Platform, affect Apple’s App store downloads.

My guess is that there’ll be *loads* of downloads from MiKandi.com and until they get their “4 the iPhone Portal” up, people just might consider switching to an Android, just because.

Now, when people stare down at their Android phones, the saying, “What’s up, Android?” gives me a really naughty *grin*.

Read More

Android Business Models

November 23, 2009   Android PR   No comments

Android Business Models

I’m usually quick on my toes and my brain synaptics usually work great, but lately I’ve been experiencing *brain farts* A brain fart I suppose, is nursing slang for *momentary loss of memory*. Well, we used it a lot in neuro.

I attended DroidCamp (Barcamp) in Berlin two weeks ago because I wanted to connect with Android Developers. If you’ve never been to a Barcamp, it’s an unconference. The people that attend dictate the topics or sessions that will be presented all on that same day.
It was my first Barcamp (DroidCamp) and I wasn’t planning on doing anything, other than attending the sessions and networking. But, people were going up writing down and announcing what sessions they wanted to present and I knew I should be doing the same thing. I knew I just had to take the opportunity to let people know about What’s up, Android and what my goals were.
My session took place in the third spot in one room. I had attended the session before mine to get a feel of what it would be like. The people ahead of  me prepared a powerpoint slide but the projector was not working so they basically had to do their presentation solo.
Gee, I didn’t have anything to present. I just wanted to attend DroidCamp. Well, I got out my EeePC and powered up Open Office and created 5 slides. 3 were graphics only and two had text (one sentence each). I figured, I’d have something on the screen while I was talking as a background.
I’m not a shy person. In fact, I’m use to talking to large numbers of people. But, this wasn’t a presentation in an industry that I was familiar with, and it wasn’t in a country whose native language was English. I was in Germany, speaking to a group of German tech, mobile advertising/marketing people.
The room filled up fast. I had 12 minutes to spare before my session started, and the projector was set up and the openoffice impress presentation I prepared in 10 minutes was ready to go.
So …. I decided to do an Android Cheer. You know.. the one where we say, “Give me an A” and the crowd is suppose to say, “A!”.
me: “Give me an N”
crowd: “N!”
me: “Give me a D”
crowd: “D!”  and so on.
Well, I simply got stares.
That’s okay. Techie guys aren’t use to being expressive vocally in public. I did get a few participants but … here’s where a small “brain fart” kicks in.
Culture difference. I realized later that Germans are not aware of that cheer. DOH!
I found this out when someone twitpic’d me and titled it, “Carmen spelling Android”.

At first I didn’t get it, but then later, I realized that to Germans, that was all I was doing .. spelling the word Android. LMAO!

Lost in translation?????
Anyway… towards the end of the session someone from Auto Scout 24 asked me bluntly, “By the way, what is your business model?”
“Huh?!” I didn’t say that, but my face must’ve looked like I said that.
My response: I don’t have a business model.
Auto Scout 24 dude: then how do you expect to make money?
me: I don’t ….
Auto Scout 24: then … (he was most confused at this point, as I am sure the crowd was as well)
me: I just want to make cartoons so that android developers can log on once a day, look at the cartoon and laugh.
Auto Scout 24: then what is this session about?
me: I want to connect with android developers, to introduce myself, tell them about What’s up, Android and to let them know that I can help them find niche markets for their apps.
Auto Scout 24: but surely you need to make money. You need to eat, you need to pay our rent. …
*sigh*

I won’t go into my personal situation here. But indeed, I DO need to eat. It was never about the money for me. While some girlfriends went after guys with a certain net worth, I always went for the guys that made me laugh.

It was never about the money and standing their being humilated for a few minutes by this German Auto Scout 24 guy that obviously wanted to assert his male ego and see me be put in a spot .. made me re-affirm my values, right in front of everyone in that room.
I stood confident when I said, “It’s not about the money. I’m just here to help out because I believe in the Android Movement and I believe in the empowering opportunity that open source services can give to people and the world … “
The session was not a disaster as it may seem. A marketing guy from Italy came to my aid and told the Auto Scout 24 dude, “I don’t think you understand what she represents. I don’t think you realize the value of what she wants to bring to android developers. Look at this room. There are all guys in this room, I see only 3 women. Men need to learn to listen to women and to learn to understand their ideas because men only think one way .. usually just money, money, money but women see things in another way….”
Wow.
Auto Scout 24 dude then asked me: Would you make me a cartoon?
me: Of course!
Auto Scout 24 dude: How much will you charge?
me: *huh?!* nothing.
Auto Scout 24 dude: Nothing?!
me: nothing.
Auto Scout 24 dude: But why?
me: If you were listening to what I was saying in the beginning, I already explained why I was here and how I got started creating android cartoons and what I wanted to so with them. Because I want to make people laugh. What’s wrong with wanting to make people laugh?
*sigh*
This was a great learning experience. It reminded me that there will always be men who want to put women down. It reminded me of what I really stood for. It gave people the opportunity to see my genuiness. Actually, people came up to me throughout the course of the afternoon and also the following day at DroidCon wanting to connect with me. That made me feel good.
When you’re in a country where you easily get lost in translation, it was nice to know that honesty, sincerity and laughter still meant the same thing.
Now … the major *brainfart* was this: I didn’t realize that Auto Scout 24 dude asked a stupid question. You know how they say that “no question is a stupid question?”. Well, in hindsight, his was.
1. How dare you ask someone what their business model is, in front of a crowd.
2. How dare you ask someone what their business model is, in an industry environment that everyone is still trying to grasp and figure out.
3. Twitter didn’t have a business model.
4. He clearly was not listening to me. I told the crowd that I make daily android cartoons to make android developers laugh – hmmm, laugh. Comedians make people laugh and they also make money. The good ones anyway.

The good news is, I now have a business model. Sorry Mr. Auto Scout 24 dude, I will not tell you what it is.

Read More

Gameloft: Patience is a Virtue

November 22, 2009   Android PR   No comments

After seeing tweet upon tweet of Gameloft cutting back on their budget for game development on Android (I guess that’s what I get when I have a dedicated column on tweetdeck for #android), I just had to write this post.

I’ve been reading most, if not all the comments on blogs regarding Gamelofts decision and I must say, “Can you blame them?”

In a society where people are so use to having things done *now* and where *faster is better* (just not in sex .. well, maybe at intervals) and what with the economy doing a number on the world and is still recovering in most places, I could certainly understand how the powers that be at Gameloft could come to such a rash decision.

*either that or someone has strong ties to Apple*

It has been in my observation over the past 15 years or so, that people are impatient. The more technology comes up with gadgets aimed at making our activities of daily living not only easier but speedier, not very many people have the patience  to wait and see how something will turn out. Our food is even genetically tampered with so that they grow in record time. Doctors prefer scheduling C-Sections instead of allowing something that women have been doing since the dawn of time – without any forceps or surgical intervention, in order to get in more deliveries a day. We have drive-thru-fastfood-take-out joints and even drive-thru pharmacies and motor banks. There’s even speed dating!

Yup, society’s expectations regarding the concept of time in relation to the natural cycle of things is all screwed up.

*sigh*

People need to remember that  change is fact. There is a cycle inherent in all things, including technology and economy. Why do people never learn from history?  The underdog rises from the gallows. The wind gathers strength, silently and  slowly picks up pace. What was once a power, falls. Children grow. The weak get stronger. UI’s improve. Apps get better.

Let’s not bash Gameloft for their rash judgement. Afterall, people need to make money and they need to make money NOW. We can’t fault them for being products of their society. I just wouldn’t want to be the one to say to them, “I told you so.”

Gameloft on Wikipedia.

Read More
« Older posts

  • Archives