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Google has teamed up with Dish Network to offer a set-top box based on the Android operating system, the Wall Street Journal reports. The box is said to be operated via a keyboard and will serve YouTube videos straight to a TV set.

The partnership between Google and Dish Networks will allow users of the set-top box to search through video content from Dish and YouTube, and also personalize video playlists, sources close to the matter told WSJ.

Google has been testing the set-top box service since last year, the report says, but only a very small number of the company's employees had access to it. The WSJ notes that the project might not see the light of day and could be scrapped at any time.

Working with Dish -- and its 14 million subscribers -- Google has a chance to leverage its TV ad-brokering business, as well as push YouTube videos into our living-rooms. But the WSJ report says Google has even more ambitious plans than that.

Google is reportedly asking several other unnamed TV service providers and hardware manufactures to use its Android operating system, in order to offer a broader range of programming and personalized ads, though it is unknown whether any other company other than Dish accepted the deal so far.

It's also unclear how the Google ads would be displayed on-screen or whether this advertising model would subsidise the price of the set-top box.

Notably, Google tech rivals Microsoft and Apple have been making forays into the TV market for years with their own Internet-linked products such as the Windows Media Center and Apple TV. TiVo has also introduced last week a Web-enabled set-top box, which will bring cable programming and streaming content from Internet to TV screens.

[pcworld]

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An anonymous person on CrackBerry today released OS 5.0.0.545 to the public as a leaked OS. According to some websites the OS had actually been floating around for some time now, so now everyone else can check it out for themselves. It seems that the BOld 9700 gets a lot of leaks, but that could just be in my head. I just wanted a new leakd for the 9550 already lol. But I want the leak to actually be different from the previous OS I was running. I remember the days just when OS 5 started leaking, there was always something different in each build, now it's becoming so much harder to spot the changes because they seem to be changes slightly altering speed and other invisible properties that would be really hard for us to identify. Either way if your feeling like a trooper go ahead and download this leak and let us all know at DroidBerry what you thought!  Enjoy.

*Disclaimer. Please be aware that this is a leak, meaning not an official Operating System from a carrier. Therefore any issues that result from loading this operating system onto your smartphone will be the responsibility of the device owner. Tech support from your carrier may not assist you with this operating system loaded onto your device. Neither RIM, Vodaphone, any other carrier, nor DroidBerry.net will hold liability for any issues that did or didn't result.

Download OS 5.0.0.545 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 here.

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Lewis Carroll’s classic tale has for sure captured the hearts of all. Pretty interestingly, Tim Burton’s Alice down the rabbit hole has now turned up for Blackberry users. The newly released application ‘Alice and the White Rabbit’ is populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures.

The app brings a memorable journey through the whimsical world of wonderland with Alice and the White Rabbit. Inspired from Tim Burton and Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, the app’s themes allow for the customization of users’ mobile device.

Depending upon users’ mobile device, a theme will include a wallpaper, background, custom menus/pop ups, and icons in one downloadable package. Explore a world filled with whimsical settings, optical illusions, challenging puzzles, and formidable adversaries.

Players can master unique abilities with the help of Alice friends – freeze time with the White Rabbit. Filled to the brim with excitement, the Blackberry app for sure topples unlimited fun and adventure.

Alice and the White Rabbit can now be downloaded for $5.99 from the Blackberry App World.

[mobiletor]

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Hey! Hope everyone is having a great day. Or had a great day. Today RIM released a new up date for the BlackBerry App world. Better known as version 1.1.0.33. There is no change log available, so we don't know exactly what has changed. You can actually pick it up from the app world website or download directly from app world on your device. Enjoy and please do leave feedback so we can try and spot all the changes. Thanks!

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BlackBerry has 10 Apps to help you stay in shape!

Take your health and wellness apps on the road

Reach your fitness and nutrition goals with the help of your BlackBerry® smartphone. Count calories, get more out of your workout, learn to eat healthy and more. BlackBerry App World™ includes hundreds of apps to help you succeed.
1. Pocket Trainer by iTookThisOnMyPhone.com Inc.
2. AllSport GPS by Trimble Navigation Limited
3. FitDeck Bodyweight by mobileXware LLC
4. Gym Technik NextGen by TSR Gym Technik Ltd. FREE
5. Ascendo Fitness Diet and Exercise by Ascendo Inc.
6. Calorie Tracker by LIVESTRONG
7. Anywhere Abs by Nickel Buddy LLC
8. Healthy Recipes by SmartPeople Inc. FREE
9. Fast Food Calorie Counter by Mobigloo LLC
10. Total Fitness by MOBITEQ
So go ahead if you just updated you App World, turn your BlackBerry into your own personal trainer!!!

[BBpatriotStorm]

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Wow last version i remember downloading was 11.0.24, which was a while back. So this update was not announced in any way but people did notice it was available for download. Now i could not find a way to update through App World itself. Just point you BB browser to: http://blackberry.com/appworld and download that way to replace any older versions or to download it for the 1st time. So here is the low down on BB App World:

BlackBerry App World™ is available for free! Simply download it from your BlackBerry® smartphone or computer and get started. To purchase a paid application, you will also require a PayPal® account. Visit PayPal to get an account.

System Requirements
To ensure that your BlackBerry smartphone will support BlackBerry App World, it must have the following:

BlackBerry® Device Software v4.2 or higher. (Click "options", then "about" from your smartphone to check your version). Learn how to update your device software
A trackpad, trackball or SurePress™ touch screen
A service plan that includes access to the BlackBerry® Browser

[BBpatriotStorm!!]

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Some lucky guy put together a quick first look at the upcoming HTC Supersonic. If you are not familiar with this Android device, it is slated to be the first WiMaxx/4G Android device to hit the US.
This phone is set for a late spring or summer release this year for Sprint’s 4G network. It joins the HTC HD2 in the 4.3 inch screen family but it stands alone with its WiMaxx capabilities.

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Well we are DroidBerry, but we aren't limited to just Android and BlackBerry posts. Any of our regulars know that often we will dip into  other cellular situations that are relevant to our interests.

I made a  prediction from the DroidBerry Predictions that "-Talks of wirelessly charged cell phones will grow stronger.". Notice I didn't restrict that statement to BlackBerry or Android, because any such technological advancements would trickle around to other similar manufacturing companies.

It seems that Nokia is now looking at patents to create wirelessly charged cell phones. More specifically a "piezoelectric kinetic energy harvester." type of technology. As said on Engadget:

"Nokia's idea is to capture the energy generated by the phone's movements and to refashion it into beautiful, clean-as-a-whistle electric power. By allowing the heavier internal components to move on rails within the phone as part of a "force-transferring assembly," the Espoo think tank has figured out a way to capitalize on all the small forces of acceleration and rotation that we subject our phones to on a daily basis. "

We all know that the BlackBerry storm 2 9550 is using piezo electrics for the clicking in the screen, however I don't doubt that Research In Motion hasn't already begun looking at similar technologies. I posted about this stuff not too long ago on CrackBerry, but it all seemed like a fairy tale. However I think within the next year and a half we might see our first self charging touchscreen phones. Maybe even sooner.

I applaud Nokia for the gesture, and I am actually not too surprised. They are one of the top cellular manufacturers, and I am sure they have the funds to invest in such a technology. It's also interesting to bring up the fact that Motorola has also invested in piezo electric multi-touch 3d systems here. I like to see these companies jumping on their stuff and investing in the technology of the future. Piezo electrics is the next step to technological evolution and I will continue to follow it until we receive those breakthroughs. Check out the photos below of the plans and let us know how you perceive them. Are you as excited as I am about the introductions of such technologies to the phone world? I'm not a fan of Nokia, but at least we know what is really going on with these companies behind doors and what they are interested in.

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Reports are hitting the web saying that the new WebKit browser that most BlackBerry users are waiting impatiently for won't hit until the end of this year! Now this is news I really didn't want to hear considering how good the other reports have been sounding. The end of this month, or June is what was previously known as a possible release period. We all know that things like this drag along, and usually never release when they are anticipated, however the concern many people are having is will a WebKit browser release at the end of the year be too late for RIM hold tight to the market share they worked so hard to gain? It seems that waiting a whole year in the BlackBerry world only to end it off with a browser is kind of sketchy and lackluster, however I doubt this will be the case. Although I'm clinging to the possibility that the browser could still hit early, it's release date isn't the only thing I feel RIM has up their sleeve for 2010.


We also have to remember that we are also waiting for the rumored 6.0 to drop. Considering the browser is going to be a native app, it would most likely come with an OS update. Could that update be 6.0? 6.0 is suppose to have a revamped user interface to complement that brand new browser which is said to be faster than that of the iPhones. Now I do believe that even if RIM got their browser out by the end of 2010, it won't seriously damage them considering the browser isn't the only thing making sales for the BlackBerry. I can understand if that were the case, but as of late it seems BlackBerry is hitting a nice trend in the consumer market. Not everyone out there want's a cool flashy OS. Not saying we won't ever get one, but there is a great population that like the simplicity of the BlackBerry and it's style. With the release of their top secret slider keyboard/touchscreen phone, I don't doubt that it will pick up some heat in the consumer market as well.

So here's to waiting for more news on this WebKit browser and hoping that it will hit sooner than later, as well as other goody surprises that we can't foresee at the moment.

  www.twitter.com/elevencards

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Last month, our UK counterpart's Nexus One committed seppuku and the AMOLED panel cracked under the glass. It could have been an office prank or a low-flying bird which managed to break the screen beneath while leaving the top glass untouched. Totally bizarre, right? HTC's support team in the UK couldn't figure out how it happened, either, assuming no one/nothing touched the phone while it was left alone on the desk to charge.

HTC did suggest that a small crack could grow over time, and "putting [the phone] in handbags and getting knocked around by keys" when the device isn't in the pouch could make matters worse. Even more baffling was when HTC said "people sometimes forget that [handsets] don't go in pockets". Where should a phone go then?

We did a quick check with HTC in Singapore regarding this issue and the company said cracked LCD screens are not covered under warranty as these are possibly the result of mishandling. Replacement charges are estimated to be S$360 (US$257.22). HTC added that it will "assess the crack and evaluate" on a case-by-case basis, but also pointed out that there is still a replacement fee depending on the severity of the crack. We were told to contact the call center if we wanted more specifics.

So, Nexus One owners, have you encountered something similar?

[cnet]

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DroidBerry Bot feels that it is necessary for you guys to know how he came about dedicating his life to delivering quality Android and BlackBerry news. It was kind of his, destiny. Check out the video below and let DroidBerry bot and staff know what you thought of his birth . Or should I say re-birth.   Enjoy.


Update: I know the video moves kind of slow, but as you watch it just enjoy the music, and think of it more as a live story book, that is more the intention rather than a fast paced action type of thing. It's just fun and story book-ish I guess. Lol.

www.twitter.com/elevencards

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Rumor has it that Google will be giving Moto Droid's and HTC Nexus One's for free to Android app developers, that create an app that meets certain requirements:
- Score 3.5 Stars or better
- Have over 5,000 unique downloads

The plan to upgrade all Android handsets (in the U.S.) to 2.1 is one step to addressing the problem. Making sure the top designers have access to an Android handset with the full power of 2.1 is one more. The perks are invite-only.

- Selected designers in the U.S. may get either a Droid or Nexus One, elected arbitrarily.
- Selected designers outside the U.S. (in restricted areas) would get a Nexus One.

Google's Android 2.1 is being dressed as the big relaunch of the system after a year of testing the waters, and Google is pushing hard to bring everybody together under the same umbrella. Well, virtually everyone. There’s no sign the numerous tablets and other non-phones out there running Android will essentially get the 2.1 treatment, and I don’t think they should worry trying. The form issues are also different, so better to let them run free. I wonder however if that’s where Chrome OS is meant to come in.

Let me know what you guys think!

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An application called Fancy Characters is now available which makes it easier for you to post different symbols and characters within text messages, BBM chats, and other Instant Messengers. Now they have updated to version 2.0, and with it comes a whole new batch of characters. Now you can have even more to choose from. At this point you cannot use the app for BBM Groups, only person to person contact.

You can pick it up here for only $0.99 cents!

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A free trial of an application called Swoosh is now available in the BlackBerry App world. Basically this application arranges all of your contacts in the order of most used to less used so that you can more conveniently contact the ones you most frequently call. The application features:

    * Tracks contact activity
    * Automatically ranks contacts
    * Sort by activity, date, rank, name or company
    * Shows contact photos
    * Quickly filter contacts
    * Quickly send emails
    * Quickly send SMSs
    * Quickly place calls
    * Quickly show maps
    * Award stars to valuable contacts
    * Award hearts to your absolute favorites

It is only $4.99 in the app store and like I said earlier there is a FREE trial available for the skeptics  You can pick up the application here.

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 Wow, just when we think that the Android platform is restricted to house phones, wireless phones, microwaves, and car gps devices, it seems that it will now be available as a brain to run robots!!!. Now in a way, we shouldn't be too surprised considering the fact that an Android is a robot, but it kind of makes you wonder, can you Moto Droid take over the world?  Lol anyways read more below as posted on gizmodo.com:

"We've come across plenty of robots that were controlled by phones before, but usually those phones were being controlled by human hands. Some California hackers, however, are building bots that harness Android for their robo-brainpower.

Their first creation, the TruckBot, uses a HTC G1 as a brain and has a chassis that they made for $30 in parts. It's not too advanced yet—it can use the phone's compass to head in a particular direction—but they're working on incorporating the bot more fully with the phone and the Android software. Some ideas they're kicking around that wouldn't be possible with a dinky Arduino brain: face and voice recognition and location awareness.

[The Body of a Tank, the Brain of an Android]

If you're interested in putting together a Cellbot of your own—can you even conceive of a cooler dock for your Android phone? Or a better use for your G1?—the team's development blog has some more information. The possibilities here are manifold; mad scientists, feel free to share your Android-bot schemes in the comments."