Techify Us

I began collecting the different versions of the Google Voice apk’s early on. I missed a couple over time but was lucky enough to either be able to pull them off of a device that had not updated or dl’d them of the net. Now that I have a bunch, I figured why not put together a Google Voice Android Versions List.  Best I can tell the list (with dl link) below is a complete list of Public versions. If you have one not on the list, feel free to contact me and I will put it up.

0.2.0 – 0.2.6 – 0.2.7 – 0.2.8 – 0.3.0 – 0.3.2 – 0.3.4 – 0.4.0.12 – 0.4.1.19

To download direct to your phone via a QR Code and a Bar-code Scanner app click here.

*UPDATE*

My source wasn’t able to get me a detailed list of the specs, but Engadget got them.  I am just using their pics (with their watermark in tact) so no these are not mine.  But I figured WTH since the are so good.

Engadget

My trusted source stated to me that the Nexus One runs a 1GHz Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon with 512 of Flash and 512 of RAM.  I hope to get more info later today so stay tuned.

*UPDATE* Confirmed 5 Megapixel Camera

I am writing this post after the wildfire that was the last few days.  I think it is safe to say that we all knew this phone was coming, though we didn’t know if that it would be “this” phone.  There are rumors abound as to how the phone will come to market and specs.  The FCC documents show a bevy of information regarding the questions around what network it will support, but nothing to appease our minds when it comes to processor, memory, screen size, etc.

Here’s what we do know.

1. IT WILL ONLY RUN ON T-MOBILES 3G NETWORK.  Why did I put that in all CAPS, well because it’s true.  Just read the FCC documents.  The phone supports Band I and Band IV, plain and simple that is T-Mobile.  And I happen to have it on good faith, from a trusted source, that this is absolutely true.  My source has one in hands and verified that it will only do GPRS\EDGE on AT+T and full 3G on T-Mobile.
2. It runs on Android 2.1.
3. It has a trackball.
4. It has touch sensitive buttons.
5. It has a microSD card slot.
6. It has Bluetooth and WiFi (DUH!)
7. It is thinner than the G1 (possibly thinner that the iPhone?)
8. It has a snazzy splash screen that reminds us all of some other major player in the biz.
9. It looks sweet, plain and simple.

Something else I know that is not being talked about is what this phone is internally(inside Google internally).  Everyone keeps saying it is another Dev phone like the Dev Phone 1 or the Ion.  Well, some inside Google may have a Dev phone based on the Nexus One, which I believe was called Phone99 at one point (but I am not 100% on that), but the phone we are all looking at right now is a Christmas Bonus to ALL Google employees.  Yes, you heard me right, A CHRISTMAS BONUS.  My trusted source, is to be very trusted and has in his hands one of the Christmas Bonuses he got yesterday.  Would that really be so hard to believe?  I don’t think it is, last year it was reported that Google stopped giving cash bonuses and in exchange handed out HTC Dreams (G1) so there you have it.

To sum it up, the Nexus One as we see it right now is not the Dev version, and is also probably not the retail version.  There will be a retail version and who knows, it may have an HTC logo on it.  It most definitely will be on T-Mobile, and in true HTC fashion it, will probably be on another carrier down the road looking a little different (i.e. the Hero).

Image Courtesy of TechCrunch

Does your theme not show Gravatars?  Do you not know what Gravatars are?  If you fall in to the later I suggest reading Lorelle’s post here.

So you’ve gone through the Discussion page under Settings and turned on all of the Gravatar features and still nothing.  Frustrating as all hell.  Here’s how you get it to work.  1, you can go in and download a plugin to add more advanced features and bloat, or 2 you can just add a line of code to the comments.php page.

1. Go in to the Appearance Editor (assuming you have the desired theme active – if not click Themes under Appearance and edit that particular theme).

2. Select the Comments.php page.

3. Look for this line of code:

<li class=”<?php echo $oddcomment; ?>” id=”comment-<?php comment_ID() ?>”>

4. Add the following coed directly below the one above:

<?php if(function_exists(’get_avatar’)) { echo get_avatar($comment, ‘50′); } ?>

5. Update file and you are done.

At the end of the line of code you added, you can modify the ‘50′ to change the size of the Gravatar that will be displayed.  50 is a good all around starting point, but personally I use ‘40′.  You can also add the following to the stlye.css to change the line placement of the Gravatars:

img.avatar {float:right; margin-right:5px;}

Just go into the style.css file and look for the first img. and place the code anywhere below.

There are a few plugins that claim to make adding Columns to pages, posts, etc, easier. Until someone creates a plugin with a button in the toolbar to add columns then really they are not making it all that much easier. All you need is the following:

<table border=”0″ width=”100%” cellpadding=”10″>

<tr>

<td width=”50%” valign=”top”>

<center>

Put Column 1 text here.

</center>

</td>

<td width=”50%” valign=”top”>

<center>

Put Column 2 text here.

</center>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

That will create two Columns that look like this:

To add a 3rd Column you will need to add this instead:

<table border=”0″ width=”100%” cellpadding=”3″>

<tr>

<td width=”33%” valign=”top”>

<center>

Put Column 1 text here.

</center>

</td>

<td width=”33%” valign=”top”>

<center>

Put Column 2 text here.

</center>

</td>

<td width=”33%” valign=”top”>

<center>

Put Column 3 text here.

</center>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

Which will look like this:

Obviously the overall width of each column will depend on the amount of text you add in place of “Put Column # text here.”.  With an average am ount of text you will probably want to stick with 3 Columns, but if you feel inclined to go to 4 you will want to change the “50%”s (or “33%”s in the case of the 3 Column) to “25%”s.  You may not that in my 3 Column example I changed the “cellpadding” to 3 from 10 in the 2 Column.  I did this for no other reason than I just like how it looks.  You can leave it as is or change it to fit the width of your theme if the Columns extend out a little to far.  You can also remove the “border=”0″” if you don’t like the borders around the text.  I left it in so you could see what it looks like.

Read a great article today over at Engadget.  It clearly points out the flaws in the AT+T network and even few on the Verizon network.  One commenter stated:

Good thing Editorials don’t have to post any empirical data huh?

I like you guys and all, but your bias is showing.

Now, I for one thought the editorial was nothing but fact based and looking back over the comments his\hers now has the lowest ranking possible, so I am not alone.  And as for as their bias, they clearly state they have tested on both sides and are stating the facts.

About the actual article.  I cannot comment directly on how good or bad either network is as I have never used either.  I am, and have always been happy with T-Mobile.  However, in my industry, I come across a lot of business users who have one or the other.  Almost every complaint about AT+T is regarding their network, whereas the complaint with Verizon is sheer cost.

What is AT+T so miffed about?  Yes the Verizon ads are a little harsh, but they point the flaws in AT+T’s network.  I can see why they would be miffed, they certainly don’t want potential customers knowing any of it.  But really, file a lawsuit?  Just like the title of the Engadget post says, drop lawsuits, not calls.  This means taking ALL of that money you were going to set aside for your legal team and use it to fix the issue at hand, your network.  You fall in to Verizon’s trap and ignore the problem ans pretty soon someone else is going to creep up on you and take over the number 2 spot (wishful thinking on my part – but you never know)!

Now that the dust has really settled with Project Dark (T-Mobile’s rate plan revamp) lets talk a little about it.  Are the plans perfect, by no means.  Are they what everyone was hoping for, absolutely not.  What they are is up to the individual.  For a new subscriber coming from one of the other Big 3 on a normal, non discounted rate plan, T-Mobile is now by far the cheapest of the 4.  See how I said “non-discounted”.  I read many a comment of a number of other sites were people said that their current AT+T, Verizon or Sprint plan was WAAAAY less.  Well that’s great, if that is really so, then stick with what you currently have.  If you are currently with Cricket, MetroPCS or another regional carrier your current plan is also probably less, so again stick with your current plan.  Now for an existing T-Mobile subscriber, are these plans any cheaper?  Depends on who you ask.  I for one (and I will never say that I am not) am a T-Mobile subscriber on the FamilyTime 1000 plan with Unlimited Messaging for Families at $9.99.  I also have a T-Mobile@Home line at $9.99 and since I have a G1 I also have the T-Mobile Android Unlimited for $24.99.  That comes out at $114.96 before taxes and fees.  Could I save on the Even More or Even More plus plans, a little, but I am holding out until a few of the speculated phones release.

Bottom line, these plans will not save everyone money, but they might save some people money.  Either you like or you don’t.  If you don’t, there are 3 other major and a handful of regional carriers who might suit you better.

For some cost comparisons here is a little something from the folks over at FierceWireless:

So when does all the talk about an iPhone killer actually end?  Honestly, what is it about the iPhone(3G, 3GS) that makes it so much better than any other high end feature phone?  It used to be the AT+T Network, but as anyone who has not been living under a rock for the last 4 months could tell you, they need to get their act together.  So it has multi touch, can act as an iPod, and is fully touchscreen.  Those are all great things, but there are a number of other feature phones that do these things too (maybe not the iPod part, but they still can act as a media player).  The iPhone does not have a removable battery, it does not have a hardware keyboard (for those that prefer one) and it’s 3G is limited to just AT+T.  I personally have a G1 and find the Android OS to be just as feature packed as the iPhone and it does almost everything the iPhone can do.  Granted, it too will only work on it’s designated carrier for 3G in the US.

The appeal of the iPhone fades only long enough for a new phone to come out and then that particular phone never seems to amount to enough to knock the iPhone off it’s pedestal.  Now, I by no means will ever hide the fact that I do not care for Apple devices, but the iPhone has always been the one device that I considered buying.  With the Verizon Droid coming out there are reviews that praise it up and down but always finish with “this is by no means the iPod killer”.  The G1 had the moniker but it too faded away.  The MyTouch 3G oddly enough did not get this title that I remember of.  Is this because no one cared, that other than available memory the MyTouch is still just a G1 without the keyboard?  Will an Android, Windows Mobile, Maemo, or Blackberry device ever take the crown, or will the next iteration of the iPhone finally take it’s own glory away?

Who knows, but really what is it going to take?