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CES 2012 has had some big surprises but one of the biggest came from Google yesterday and it dealt with Android ICS. Google has released a statement and has created a specific website to “help” developers develop “better” for ICS:

…To help you in that mission, we’re introducing Android Design: the place to learn about principles, building blocks, and patterns for creating world-class Android user interfaces. Whether you’re a UI professional or a developer playing that role, these docs show you how to make good design decisions, big and small.

The Android User Experience Team is committed to helping you design amazing apps that people love, and this is just the beginning. In the coming months, we’ll expand Android Design with more in-depth content. And watch this blog for a series of posts about design, and invitations to Google+ hangouts on the topics you care about most…

Essentially, all the crap apps in Android Market (70%) – Google wants to help devs make them look/act better for Ice Cream Sandwich. This has been a very serious issue for Google and the Android Platform. It’s open source nature makes it susceptible to poor coding and ugly design and this can be easily seen in the Android market. Think of this as cliff-notes for Android devs. While Google hasn’t set theses guidelines in stone (you don’t have to follow them as a dev) it seems like they are once again trying to restrain Android – In my opinion, they sound close it down completely and have a professional / secure / safe / design friendly ecosystem like Apple. After all, android isn’t that “open”.

Source: Google

The Sony Xperia S is a much anticipated return to classic Sony Design and with the lack of “Ericsson”  on the branding, it looks like Sony has turned over a new leaf. While the European Xperia S is the step brother to the American Xperia Ion, their similarities stop there and it looks like the Xperia S sports some breathtaking design – including the transparent stripe at the botton, revealing the radio antenna.

But let’s put beauty aside and talk about specs and how the Xperia S stacks up against other Android handsets – specifically if it is running ICS – Specs: 720p Zero-Air-Gap Display, 4.3-inch Chassis, 1.5GHz Dual-Core CPU, 12-Megapixel Rear Camera, Android 2.3 Gingerbread-Update To Ice Cream Sandwich, PlayStation certification – Full Specs Here. All in all, this phone is a strong showing for a Post-Ericsson Sony and a welcomed return to a company that has brought us so many great consumer electronic devices. Check out the hipster video below for more fun:

Source: Sony

It’s that time of year again. The holidays are over and it’s 2012, so that can only mean two things: 1)We are getting close to the end of the world – 2) CES 2012 is here again. For those that don’t know about CES, it’s essentially the largest consumer products convention in the world (maybe) and it takes place every year in Las Vegas. This year, the show runs from January 10-13th and all the big players will be there: Microsoft, Samsung, LG, Sony, Intel, Google and on and on.

TechedOn will be bringing you news and new product details as they roll out – but only the god stuff. Keep checking back for goodies…

Source: CES

Boy Genius Report has a great write up on all the tablets of CES 2011……all 100+ of them. CES was like an all you can eat buffet for tablet lovers with all shapes,sizes and OS’s  - even windows made an appearance. We all had an idea, ever since last years CES, that we would see an incredible range of slates but the question still remains: How many do you remember? The only real Tablet that comes to mind for me and that captured the hearts of many was Moto’s Xoom but the verdict is still out as it has not been released yet. If you want to see the complete list, check out BGR amazing work here. NEXT!!

Source: BGR.com

CES 2011 just ended and while many have said this was the best CES in years, the devices I saw were somewhat lackluster but let’s see which of my predictions came out true.

1) Steve Jobs will not be there nor will he show off the iPhone 4 for Verizon. The iPhone will come to Verizon and it will happen soon after the new year but it’ll all happen under Apple’s watch and under Apple’s rules. I was kind of right here, it happened after the new year but it was a Verizon event. 1-Point.

2) The tsunami of tablets will be unleashed – with vendors far and wide showing off their unfinished/underwhelming devices to the masses. There will be tons of tegra powered slates (as they were once called for a brief time) but nothing that will come close to “touching” the ipad or Galaxy Tab. There was a Tabalanche and there were plenty of crappy Tabs but the Motorola Xoom seemed to captivate the hearts of nerds everywhere 1/2-Point

3) Steve Balmer, whom gives the Keynote speech at 5p.m. Jan. 5th will take most of his speaking time to rage about the kinect and how great it’s done (which it has) and how the future is “hands off” interfacing. While his speech won’t be anything wonderful, his loud voice and wild arm movements will be better than a Pink Floyd laser show. 100000% right!!! 1-Point

4) Google and its hand full of partners will show off new (unfinished) Google TV devices that will promise (maybe rightly so) really cool new features but once again remind us all that we can’t even watch network TV on them. Samsung and Vizio will have stunning looking internet connected TV sets that will amount to nothing but higher prices because Google TV is involved. P.S. just work out a deal with the networks, Google. There were many great looking TV’s but not a lot of Google TV devices. 1/2-Point

5) Intel will puff its chest and try to convince us that it’s getting into mobile devices (phones, tablets) and Nvidia will bark back after announcing more multicore mobile chips for phone/tablets. Right next door, Monster Cable will be showing off stupidly expensive hdmi cables and lie to us about why we need them. Intel and Nvidia did me one better and made up: hugs % Kisses. 1/2-Point.

6) Cisco will show off some kind of new industrial servers, which will be able to transfer all the movies Hollywood has made in the last 80 years from LA to Bombay in 5 minutes. Everyone takes a big breath and then realizes it will take 80 years for ISP’s to implement the technology. No mention:( Zero Points

7) Skype, Motorola, GM and Audi will have really cool/interesting/real life applicable tech to show off. Oh yes:) 1-Point

8) For me, the biggest news will come before CES in the form of Apple announcing iPhone 4 for Verizon (90million potential customers). Thus giving everyone in the US a chance to get a properly working iPhone 4 that can call people. Then a little after CES, Apple will release info about the Ipad 2. Everyone else plays catchup again, with the exception of Samsung, who just kind of plays catchup. I‘m close and I’m counting this as a WIN!!!!! 1-Point

Not bad for 2011;) NEXT!!

CES 2011 has ended and that means only one thing – let the “Best Of” lists come out! At the top of many lists so far, is the motorola Atrix and from what you can see above, it’s a smart phone with a twist. Essentially, the phone acts as a smart phone but also has the ability to dock into an ultra thin notebook and act as the boot drive, firing up a version of linux OS. The break down is that the heart of all your work is done, stored and transfered within your smart phone and when productivity comes calling, you dock the phone and start typing away.

I guess I don’t see the greatness here. “Docking” isn’t what I picture when I consider where mobile tech is going. Also, the Moto ultra thin notebook is just an added cost and once the phone is replaced, what are you left with – an under powered ultra light. All this just seems like a turn away from the future so many jumped on – the “Cloud.” Why dock? Why is it beneficial to dock your phone when you could just as well, stream or connect a single cable to the phone, allowing connectivity to a cloud based data base and work on a stand alone computer, which you already have. Why would connecting a underpowered smart phone to an under powered ultra thin be the solution?

So many in the tech world got had! They fell for the gimmick - shame shame. Oh and if this ever makes it to market – fail!

NEXT!!

CES 2011 is just around the corner, specifically January 6th-9th in Las Vegas. Leaks and bits of info have been spilling out about what’s going to be released and what the coolest new gadget will be – but arguably, the next week or so will have the highest level of rumors about what the show might expose. Here is my take:

1) Steve Jobs will not be there nor will he show off the iPhone 4 for Verizon. The iPhone will come to Verizon and it will happen soon after the new year but it’ll all happen under Apple’s watch and under Apple’s rules.

2) The tsunami of tablets will be unleashed – with vendors far and wide showing off their unfinished/underwhelming devices to the masses. There will be tons of tegra powered slates (as they were once called for a brief time) but nothing that will come close to “touching” the ipad or Galaxy Tab.

3) Steve Balmer, whom gives the Keynote speech at 5p.m. Jan. 5th will take most of his speaking time to rage about the kinect and how great it’s done (which it has) and how the future is “hands off” interfacing. While his speech won’t be anything wonderful, his loud voice and wild arm movements will be better than a Pink Floyd laser show.