Motorola's Rumored Android Phone Focuses on Screen Size

nottheusualsuspect excerpts from this speculation-laden report at Brighthand that "Motorola is reportedly working on a device that will have one of the largest displays of any smartphone. Code-named the Shadow, it will sport a 4.3-inch WVGA+ touchscreen, Google's Android OS, and a range of other high-end features. When it comes to screen size, the Shadow will be equaled only by the Windows Mobile-based HTC HD2. The closest Android-powered model will be the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, which will sport a 4.0-inch display. Most other models, like the Motorola Droid and Google Nexus One, have 3.7-inch screens. The display on this upcoming Motorola smartphone will allegedly have a resolution of 850 by 484 pixels."

Comments

So...

[gregarican]

This is rumor article about a rumored mobile device. This fascinates me and I'd love to know more. While I'm waiting I'll page through my Star magazine to see about Lindsey Lohan's latest escapades...

Key words

[ianare]

Well, I might be the son of god, who allegedly created the universe.

Ugh.

[girlintraining]

First, it's never a good sign when you measure your package using a decimal point, Slashdot. Second this article makes you look like a whore. You should be ashamed! What would your mother think if she saw you dressed in those fishnets, a stolen wonderbra, and humping an android? This is not the way to get in touch with your feminine side, young man. When you've put some decent clothes on, come back down and I'm taking you down to the hex shop and we're going to find you something to play with that won't hurt as much.

About the resolution...

[Anonymous Coward]

Sounds really odd that it will be 850x484. I believe it will have 854x480 instead, which makes a lot more sense.

Wow, so yet another screen size

[ducomputergeek]

That we will have to test against to make sure our apps work right. Android is starting to get as bad as WinMo. We ported our iPhone apps over to Android, but testing and QA is starting to rack up on the Android side of the house.

Love of hate Apple, their basic configuration is the same across the various iPhone/iPod Touch models. Make it work well on one, it works well on all 30M or so devices out there. Even Blackberry is basically 2 configs, classic and storm.

But Windows Mobile is a nightmare as just about every handset has a different UI and hardware spec. And Google seems to be heading down the same road.

Re:Wow, so yet another screen size

[beakerMeep]

It's the same resolution as the Droid and Nexus One. There are really only 2 main screen resolutions out there.

If your QA is backing up for android, maybe you did a bad job porting. Or maybe you should have designed for android to begin with.

Re:Wow, so yet another screen size

[modmans2ndcoming]

perhaps people should start using units that do not rely on pixels to display their app? how about em?

Re:Wow, so yet another screen size

[UnknowingFool]

Sounds like a formula for long term retardation of progress. Having to stick within rigid standards makes it hard to innovate the device itself.

That sounds like a judgment from someone who has never had to develop on a device that doesn't have a rigid set of standards. Yes there may be less innovation, but there's also not the crapload of little issues that frustrate the hell out of a developer. Having developed on WinMobile, the fact that the every one of those devices might have a different screen size alone has stopped subsequent development. We may develop one version. It if doesn't fit the screen, it's a pain to make it fit, then there has to be a cost/benefit analysis. If there aren't enough customers to justify further development, we won't develop any further unless a customer pays for development. Then there's difference in capabilities from one device to another which is another large set of headaches.

Re:Wow, so yet another screen size

[Hurricane78]

WTF? Have you ever heard of dynamic layouting?

Yes, I can write one UI that scales from 128x128 to 1920*1080 without compromises. And so should you.

Re:Wow, so yet another screen size

[Threni]

I've seen that sort of thing on websites. It's easy - just make sure you only use the left 22% of the screen, and leave the rest blank. Or centre the 22% of content. Whatever.

I'm holding out.

[Beelzebud]

It's only a matter of time before I can get my hands on a 65 inch mobile phone, with Blu-Ray, a media center, and digital cable.

Re:GOOG employee rumored to take a shit

[Nikker]

The public demands an answer!!!

That's no phone...

[vandoravp]

...that's a tablet. Seriously, do they think cargo pockets are the predominant pocket variety?

Re:Basic Requirement

[leighklotz]

Until someone shows me something with a keyboard, I am sticking with my BlackBerry.

The G1 was a good first attempt but everything since has been an iPhone wannabe, all shiny and pretty but missing that important item.

Exactly. The danger series had good keyboards, as did the antediluvian Motorola T-900 series. I could clock nearly 30WPM on those. And as much as I like the folks at Palm, I couldn't use their chiclets at all.

The G1 keyboard is just barely tolerable. I've noticed the amount of actual work I get done on my G1 is a tenth of what I used to do. Sure, I can see web pages more clearly and get the info I need more quickly, but as far as acting on it, without an ergonomic keyboard, I can't do much typing.

I wish Android partners would give up on being what David Pogue calls an iPhone wannabe, and focus on the real promise of small mobile devices.

Or, else, stop agreeing with as the Onion's quote attributed to Steve Jobs, "People who use keyboards are standing in the way of progress."

WVGA+? WTF?

[JesseL]

Does anybody keep a mental table of what these obscure abbreviations actually mean anymore? I can remember that VGA is 640x480 and SVGA is 800x600, after that the letters get meaningless and I've got to go . So why not just save the trouble and tell me the damned resolution from the beginning?

Re:Basic Requirement

[natehoy]

And that's great, for you.

Personally, after trying out an iPod Touch for a few days (even in landscape mode) I just can't type worth felgercarb on it. Audible feedback is just, well, annoying to me. And for some bizarre and unexplained reason, annoying to those around me as well. Can't say why. "tick. tick. tick-tick-tick. tick-tick-tick-tick. tick-whoosh-tick. tick."

I can kludge along at a decent clip on my trusty old BlackBerry Curve, though, and could since the first day I got it. Nowhere near as fast as I can type on a desktop, but the feel of the actual physical buttons and the tactile feeling of pushing a button are huge advantages to me. I have to put a lot of text into my Blackberry, and I can't imagine NOT using a hardware keyboard.

Isn't it great that both companies make devices? ;)