Have Windows Mobile, Use Android

Do you have Samsung Omnia, pretty nice touch screen mobile phone running Windows Mobile 6.1? Want to upgrade? For Free? Without risk?

Group of experienced experts have managed to dual boot Samsung Omnia with Android OS, from a memory card! They are getting closer to real port, but the results are impressive already:

• Boots up from SD memory card
• Android OS kernel is loaded
• Clock works on home screen
• Touch screen support
  

True, you cannot make a phone call, use camera or any Android application - but it's a great start from a small group of freetime volunteers! Follow Andromnia for progress - and look for bargain Omnia devices (i900, i908, i910)!

[MobileCrunch via Patrick Soon via Android Community]

Symbian OS Fragmentation Has Started

There are two recent phone specific SDK releases: Nokia N97 SDK and Samsung i8910 HD SDK (aka Omnia HD). While it's good to see quick SDK releases and updates, this can be the start of Symbian OS fragmentation.

Nokia N97 SDK release note is reassuring, making it look like their SDK add-on is pretty backwards, forwards and device compatible. Wouldn't expect anything less, considering Nokia used to own S60 platform. However Samsung release note especially says:

NaviSensor provides an alternative to the S60 5.0 Sensor Framework API.

The very first non-Nokia S60 SDK extension is fragmenting the Symbian OS platform. Even thought Samsung i8910 is a delicious device, I think this is the beginning of a troublesome developer friendship (walking into fog).

Android Cupcake, Officially

After a long wait the latest mobile phone OS challenger Android is gathering up more speed: new version, more hardware, lots of rumours.

Android 1.5 SDK is released, containing what was reported already in Android 1.5 SDK preview. Might add that one SDK contains several OS versions, supports add-ons and allows running several emulators side by side. Great for developers!

This release contains SDK and Android Dev Phone (ADP1) images for developers, but it shouldn't take long till normal users can enjoy their Cupcake, too. T-Mobile Germany has already promised updates in May. Sure the others will follow soon!

Second Android phone, HTC Magic, has been released. According to Androinica, HTC Magic is already available in Spain (see Vodafone) and soon in Italy, Austria and Finland (Saunalahti). O2 Germany is planning to release Samsung’s first Android phone Samsung I7500 in May. Latest rumours also mention that Tatung is planning a set of Android phones? On the other hand nobody knows what Dell is doing: Android, Windows Mobile or Symbian S60.