Thoughts On Upcoming Technological Goodies: Nexus One and iSlate

First Up, Google

Like most folks yearning for that new shiney tech gadget, I've been eagerly awaiting the release of the Google Android phone, the Nexus One.What's not to love? A beatifully designed body, large display, 5mp autofocus camera that takes awesome stills and video, very smooth operation, expandable memory, wifi and wireless network access, and running Google's Android OS, which is expandable.

Best of all, they will be available on the T-Mobile network or AT&T. Later in the year, they will even cover Verizon and Vodafone. Google is trying to make a change in the mobile phone market.

When the news broke, I found myself on Google's sales page and going... "Where do I pay?"

However, as much as I would like such a device, it lacks UMA, which my wife and I depend on for reliable cel phone coverage. For those who don't know, UMA allows you to recieve and make cellular phone calls by routing the traffic over a wifi connection. In many ways, it is VOIP/SIP for the mobile phone, but switches seamlessly between UMA and normal GSM/GPRS. Best of all, if you initiate your call via UMA and stick with it, your minutes don't count against your account.

To date, no android phone supports this feature. With Google having ownership of their Google Voice service, I doubt this is something that Google would support, as they are more likey to roll their own in the future. Add to that the cost of buying the phone unlocked, $529, it has made the phone a desirable, but ultimately unlikely addition to my family's list of tech tools and gadgets.

Next Up, Or Coming Soon, iSlate

Another device I'm really keeping my eye on, or rather, on the lookout for, is the upcoming highly rumoured Apple iSlate(tm). Given the rumours flying around about the device... all I can say is, it is something I would greatly desire.

*sigh*