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Anyone want to talk about Xanadux at HB Mobile meeting?

Hey everyone...
I'm trying to put together a program for some fall meetings of the Homebrew Mobile Phone Club in the SF Bay Area. (We have a pretty bad page at http://www.hbmobile.org/ for more info.) We're basically a face-to-face group that gets together to support people building their own mobile phones.
I was wondering if anyone out there familiar with the Xanadux project would like to give a presentation to our members. About 80% of the people who come to our meetings are technical, so you're *mostly* among friends. You won't have to explain why Linux is good, Open Source is good, or even why mobile phones are cool. We already know that stuff. We even understand why people would want to put non-carrier-blessed bits on their mobile phones.
To date we've been focusing on DIY hardware and software. Now that we're starting to deliver hardware designs and some application software to provide UIs and control GSM modems, I figured it would be fun to see what everyone else out there in the world is doing.
We can't offer too much more than a slice of pizza, a cola drink and an interested audience. So... if you're interested in explaining what Xanadux is all about to a bunch of SiliValley geeks, please get ahold of me at msh[at]hbmobile[dot]og
-Cheers!
-Matt H.

[BUSINESS EXPERTISE, Mobile Industry] Does anyone here meet that description? If so..

I've been planning, and information-designing, for the past year a business venture which I will describe very vaguely at this point as:
A portal site & directory for all touchscreen platforms, devices, apps and carriers, targeted primarily at mainstream consumers ... and secondarily at app developer individuals and companies seeking clients for custom development. This directory cuts across the Apple iPhone platform, Android OS, WindowsMobile, Blackberry, Palm OS, (and whatever Nokia ends up with). And manufacturers including HTC, Motorola, SonyEricsson, Nokia, Samsung.
I'm a UX/ Usability Designer who's participated here for 4 years, first as a clueless new consumer with a T-Mobile MDA, to solid participant, with both broad and deep underdstandings of the touchscreen marketplace. My HTC Hero arrives tomorrow and I embark on my own personal exploration of and investment in the Android OS.
I'm now interviewing business/operational candidates who are experienced in leading and driving startup operations, and who absolutely love the full spectrum of this mobile industry.
If you are such a person, or have recommendations about such a person, please PM me. I live and work in San Francisco, CA, USA. Thank you

Do Not Move, Read First [MINI REVIEW] Xperia x8

Note:
Deftone said:
Dear Papa Smurf151,
I am writing just to offer a polite reminder about the message I sent to you a day ago.
If you do not have it it is requesting permission to duplicate a thread into the General discussion > General forum.
It is a review on a phone. I think it would be more appreciated by the general public that the people already with an x8.
Please reply as I am at an inconvenience without permission.
Thank-you once again.
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Click to collapse
Yeah go ahead sorry I've been extremely busy with work
XDA Moderator
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BEFORE A MOD CLOSES OR MOVES THIS THREAD - The thread was originally posted here but moved to the x8 forums. I have obtained permission to duplicate it back here as shown by the above message quote.
This thread has been created to review the Xperia x8 device. As I say in all my reviews, although there may be other threads reviewing the device, I think it is valid that I give tips based on my experience. This is a Mini guide which means that I will only highlight key information about the phone.
Suggestions are like gold to me and I just want to make my service better. All reasonable comments are welcome. Please PM me if you have any urgent problems. I am sorry if my service is uninvited.​-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Xperia x8 burst into stores around September 2010 worldwide. After using the phone for nearly a year, I can confirm that it is a great phone for both advanced android users and basic ones. I hope to elaborate on the ultimate phone formula used in the device. I will cover a few specific areas.
The device is renowned for its 3G capabilities was developed by the late Sony Ericsson shipped with the Android 1.6 architecture and officially upgradable to the newer 2.1 version. XDA has enabled many ways of surpassing this firmware limit and expanding your experience.
Physical Hardware
You can probably guess that the phone will not have the latest hardware if it was created two years ago and this is why I thought I would highlight the now weakest point first.
The phone has a 76 mm powerfully capacitive touch screen LCD. It has a small yet firm resolution of 320 by 480 pixels. On the back of the device is a 3.2 megapixel camera with fixed focus and no flash and there is no front facing camera. Photos can be geotagged although this feature is not necessarily useful. Fortunately camera can be accessed using the touchscreen menu, or via the dedicated camera button on the side of the phone. The Xperia X8 uses a 600 MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, as well as 3-axis accelerometers and built-in Global Positioning System. It also has a an ambient light sensor and a digital compass. The Xperia also sports a 1200mAh which was quite an improvement to its predecessor the x10 mini.
Although not initially available, Multi-touch support was also added to several aftermarket firmware versions (ROMS) cough* nAa* cough MiniCM9 cough* .
Like nearly every device, in its day, the x8 attracted many people simply because of its specs. The S3 of its day
Physical Appearance
The Xperia line of mobile phones has always amazed critics with its design being second to none. This fact is what led many to believe the next Nexus phone/s will be designed by the same art team. The phone has a curved back with quite a boxed like front. Combining the generic phone look with a rather futuristic design gives the cellular device an original overall look. On purchasing the phone you are provided with two different coloured backs (varies depending on carrier and country).
User Friendliness
As mentioned previously, the mobile comes shipped with android 1.6 upgradable to 2.1. I can only comment on the 2.1 software seeing as this is the only one I have used.
Sony Ericson paid large amounts of attention to detail and although many users are against developers overhauling android, I believe this was a necessary step as the stock firmware runs flawlessly on the device and SE adds many feature that will make tasks which many believe common easier. I did feel that this generation of phones marked the death of Pay as you Go as many features are internet reliant and internet is impossible on P&G. In addition to this, the raw support for the phone gives advanced users satisfaction too. Not only does XDA support customization but SE does too! More phone developers should take a leaf out of Sony Ericson's book and offer support like they do.
Cost Efficiency
Nowadays, the price of android products seems to depreciate considerably faster than other rivals. This is to be expected seeing as the mobile phone market itself is considerably saturated and with more android variants entering each day cost/unit depreciation will be far greater than the iPhone branding. The phone has become a mid range low cost phone. I would say for a price as low as £80 in the UK, nearly all users will be appeased. The phone teaches users who were not particularly advanced, many things about android. Something the spoon feeding of iOS will never do.
Conclusion
The Xperia x8 is a great low cost phone for beginners to android as well as advanced users. The hardware is acceptable however people will become thirsty for more in this current day and age. Stunning visuals means that you will not be embarrassed in front of your friends and firmware is never an issue. Pay as you go may have been abandoned for the time being but seems to be getting adopted by Google with their latest jelly bean. With the Sony Ericson department no closed, phones like this just won't be produced anymore. Sony are still finding their feet but I think they are going in the HTC direction producing too many phones at once. If phone manufacturers worked upon the fundamentals like SE did, we would have the new breed of ultimate phones.
RATING: I give this phone a 7 jelly beans out of 10. I would nominate this phone as LCTOTY. (Low cost thing of the year) Actually it is a tie between this and toilet paper.
Thankyou for reading my review.
NOTE: Sometimes I find myself on XDA in the early hours of the morning providing the best possible. I sometimes do not pay attention and will get angry quickly. I never mean any disrespect to anyone. If I do cross the line I am sorry in advance. Please PM me and bring my comment to my attention. I will issue an apology ASAP. Even though many advanced XDA users have disappointed me I will always offer XDA the best. I am always trying to be as nice as possible regardless of what people do to anger me so feel free to ask for help with anything.
Sources
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Ericsson_Xperia_X8
Special Thanks to my good friend KidCarter93. Structural duplication rights are shared with him.
Special Thanks also to mf2112 for all his support.
Special Mention to IAmNice, lucastan96, SpyderX and RohinZaraki. Without them the x8 community would be a darker place.

3D holographic phones in the works?

are 3D holographic phones in the works?

I wouldnt keep my hopes to high...
dnitro said:
are 3D holographic phones in the works?
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Well first of all, holographic in general just havnt been a priority. Why start on a cell phone? I believe that the people will first put holographics on something else rather than a cell phone first. Also, it just havnt been sparked yet. Everythings good with cell phones, then just bigger cell phones. Companies have no interest in those, just money; sadly. All companies are doing right now are just making things faster, bigger, or thinner. :highfive:

i see wat u mean.. in other words its abt economics rather than innovation.. but co.s do invest millions in r&d depts to fuel innovative devices that will generate more profit. i think that 3d holographic tech is one of these capital projects that co.s are secretly investing in to secure greater profit margins. r&d is just a way of helping to secure (but not necessarily guarantee) an expected future profit trend.

Microsoft Concept
dnitro said:
i see wat u mean.. in other words its abt economics rather than innovation.. but co.s do invest millions in r&d depts to fuel innovative devices that will generate more profit. i think that 3d holographic tech is one of these capital projects that co.s are secretly investing in to secure greater profit margins. r&d is just a way of helping to secure (but not necessarily guarantee) an expected future profit trend.
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Click to collapse
Microsoft is believed to be working on such concept but that doesn't necessarily come to mobile devices in the initial phases.
I think the innovation levels in Technology space are going to sky rocket in next 2-3 years with devices doing things which we thought were unimaginable.

WaveII_Jil said:
I think the innovation levels in Technology space are going to sky rocket in next 2-3 years with devices doing things which we thought were unimaginable.
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can u give exs of how tech will do things on devices that we thought were imposs?

Programming help needed: questions for the XDA Community

I’m looking for an Android programmer to help with crafting & tuning our UI / UX and writing client code to test out our authentication and application specific API’s (JSON/REST), that are currently in development. Java proficiency and a willingness to learn Xamarin.
Q1. What’s a reasonable $$/hr. should I offer?
Q2. Is it reasonable to think I can find someone with these skills that’s comfortable to work with loose specifications and contribute their own creativity, or will most people want a formal detailed specification?
Q3. If we work well together I’d like to ask them to join our start-up where their contributions to the company would be treated as capital in exchange for ownership (stock). Can I expect that talent like I’m looking for will generally want to run their own show?
Q4. Where can I find this person?
Thanks !!

Re:
It depends on deadline time, complexity of your application and experience of the developer. Your question does not explain about any of those specifications.

Fair Enough
GenieKnudson said:
It depends on deadline time, complexity of your application and experience of the developer. Your question does not explain about any of those specifications.
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Thanks for the response GenieKnudson. In a perfect world I'd like the work to start right away. Initial work is on the user interface / experience. Next would be code to exercise & test the API's we're currently working on in Microsoft Azure, (REST/JSON API's for authentication, permissions, picture processing and proprietary). Then work on the application itself. So I could pay a code monkey to do what I say then go away, but the nature of the work requires collaboration and creative input. Instead of a mercenary I'd like to find someone interested in joining the team. As for experience I'd trade years of coding experience for good knowledge of contemporary tools, architectures & design.
Our startup is too young to afford a full time employee, but we have money to pay for services, and the potential of employment and partial ownership in the business. I’m very confident in our business prospects as my partners and I are seasoned, each with a long track record of success and reward.
As I read what I’ve written I think we need to find someone physically local to me or one of our developers.