Rumors

Google Android fans have long been waiting for official multitouch support on Android devices, but Google has yet to offer any confirmation. Even at this year's Google I/O developers conference where multitouch was a hot topic, I only heard that "we don't know when it is coming." But after doing some digging and speaking to several sources with knowledge of the situation, it looks like Android users may finally get their wish this holiday season.

When is it coming? Allow me to start with the rumor of the day. From what I understand, Android 2.0 will ship this year and will include multitouch support similar to what's found on the iPhone and the Palm Pre.This might sound far-fetched to some readers, but there is mounting evidence to back it up.

Several blogs have reported that Android will receive two more updates this year. I believe the first will be a minor update based on the Donut branch of Android. The second update, however, is likely to be a major refresh based off the Eclair branch.

The release schedule was recently echoed in a Reuters interview with Andy Rubin, director of mobile platforms at Google. Reuters reported that Donut will become Android 1.6 and Eclair will ship as Android 2.0.

So if Android 2.0 is coming this year, when exactly will it be released?… Read more

Juicy screenshots purporting to show new features in the next version of iTunes popped up online Tuesday morning and are generating a lot of excitement. But here's the thing: they're probably fake.

The three images, which show Facebook, Last.fm, and Twitter integrated directly into iTunes, came from a Chinese discussion forum, conveniently after several days of rumors bouncing around about everything from Blu-ray to Twitter making an appearance in iTunes 9 later this year. The images mainly show what it would look like if Last.fm's online music streaming and recommendation service were built into Apple'… Read more

The HTC Hero is one of the most sought-after phones among hard-core Google Android fans. It went on sale last month with several European carriers, but it has yet to receive an official U.S. launch date. That lack of confirmation has led many to speculate which North American carrier will land the phone first.

AT&T

AT&T should offer a Google Android phone this year, but the carrier's plans remain unclear. Several months ago, we got a first look at the HTC Lancaster, but there has been no news since. The phone had a target availability of August 3, but AT&T may be fine-tuning the software.

Last month, the HTC Hero was spotted on the FCC site with the WCDMA 850/1900 bands that AT&T uses. We've seen other Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy get the FCC's approval, but still fail to materialize. If you're an AT&T customer who is hoping for an Android phone, you might have much longer to wait.

Sprint

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has taken the wait and see approach for an Android phone. After recent upgrades to the operating system, Hesse said Android was ready for prime time and Sprint would offer at least one Android device this year.

One week after Hesse's announcement, Engadget posted a leak of upcoming Sprint phones that included the HTC Hero and the Samsung Q.

As with any Internet rumor, I wouldn't hold my breath, but this tip came from a mobile software developer who has been making the same claim since April.… Read more

Apple and Google are said to have had an unofficial agreement not to poach each other's employees--or at least they did while Google CEO Eric Schmidt served on Apple's board, according to TechCrunch.

Unnamed sources told TechCrunch that no formal, written agreement exists, and that employees of one company were welcome to apply for jobs at the other, but that the two companies said they would not actively pursue hiring away each other's workers.

It is unclear whether any such agreement would still be in effect now that Eric Schmidt has stepped down from Apple's board of directors. … Read more

If you've been following the Apple Netbook gossip along with us the last few months, here's the latest tidbit, courtesy of Barron's:

A "veteran analyst," albeit a very anonymous one, has allegedly seen and touched Apple's rumored "slate-style" PC, which we like to call the jumbo iPod Touch. According to Barron's source, the new product will be announced in September, released in November, and carry a price tag of between $699 and $799. As previously reported, the tablet (or whatever Apple plans on calling) is ready to go but has been … Read more

Despite reports to the contrary, the latest from Acer is that their long-promised Android Netbook is still on its way for Q3 2009, not 2010. This also seems to blow a significant hole in the "no new Netbooks" report given by Digitimes. Then again, maybe not: Acer claims they'll put Android into a 10-inch Aspire One with an Atom processor. Will it be a machine already on sale?

Regardless, if we can try to glean a bit of truth behind this game of PR chess, it's still this: Netbooks haven't been upgrading their basic specs … Read more

Update, July 30, 10:28 a.m. PDT: The Wall Street Journal has now added a correction to its story: "Correction: It is not clear whether Apple will attend the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show. This post previously stated that Apple would attend."

We've heard lots of speculation about the possibility of Apple attending the massive CES trade show in January, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting straight out that Apple plans to attend.

If true, this would seem a bit of a schizophrenic move. After all, Apple explained its decision to leave Macworld (which takes place … Read more

The Apple tablet has been rumored for years, but bits of information leaking here and there over the last few months indicate it could be for real. A new report from AppleInsider now says the device is on track to be introduced early next year.

The report on Friday said that the last few important hurdles in bringing the tablet to fruition have been cleared. As the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year, AppleInsider says CEO Steve Jobs has personally been overseeing the project, and is on schedule for a launch sometime between January and March 2010. AppleInsider says … Read more

More details are beginning to leak surrounding Sony Ericsson's upcoming Xperia X3 smartphone. Sony Ericsson joined the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) in 2008 but has yet to make any official announcement on upcoming Android phones. Looking at the initial specs of the X3, it appears it has decided to aim for the high end with its first Google Android device.

A recent pre-order listing posted by UK online retailer Expansys has confirmed rumored specs that appeared last month. The Xperia X3, which is built around the Snapdragon platform, contains a 4-inch display and snaps photos with a 8-megapixel camera. … Read more