Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Tired of the blue on white theme you’ve been living with for years?  Finally, it looks like we are getting more themes than I ever expected from the fine folks at Google.  The themes are being propagated to users in a process that usually takes days to get to everyone.

The themes are controlled in Settings in their own tab.  If you don’t see a Themes tab, you’ll just have to wait.  Soon we’ll have over 30 different themes to play with.  Some themes mimic iGoogle in changing based on time of day and weather.

Google enterprise customers can stop looking for the Themes tab, it isn’t coming, at least not yet.  Themes have not been extended to these customers, which seems odd.

I’ve used Greasemonkey scripts to change themes of my Gmail and I feel these themes are long overdue to most users who don’ t want to take the time to tinker under the hood.

Check them out!  [Google]

• Gadgetell Review: TeleNav Shotgun
• T-Mobile G1 now in White and why it will sell like hotcakes
• Gamertell Review: Android games and apps roundup for the T-Mobile G1 phone

Sections: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Google

Yesterday,  Google let loose their video chat to the masses.  If your account doesn’t have the option yet, Google promises within a day or so you will.  The new option for video is very simple and many users are wondering, how does this differ from other online video services like Skype?

Skype is a full-featured video calling program.  It is easiest to think of Gmail voice and chat as augmenting their instant messaging chat rather than something completely new.  One of the biggest differences is Gmail’s version only allows video chatting with other Gmail users who have downloaded the plug in (about 2MB).  With Skype, users are allowed to contact both online and offline numbers, albeit for a fee.  There is not an option to go offline with Gmail voice and chat.

See what else Gmail voice and video users won’t be doing anytime soon.

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Sections: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Web 2.0, Google

They are going to sell bunches of these.  Debuting as the world’s thinnest QWERTY phone, the new Pantech Slate is available now on AT&T.  This phone is one of many AT&T is launching to address the heavy-messaging market segment.  Phones like the Pantech Matrix (a take on the Duo without Windows Mobile), Samsung Propel and now the Slate, AT&T is covering the bases with a variety of styles to fit, well, your style.

The Slate’s claim to fame is its less than 1-centimeter thickness.  That is super thin and AT&T claims it can fit into your skinny jeans; though, clearly, they’ve not tested my skinny jeans.  Continued after the break.

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As with any launch of an intricate smartphone, there are always some problems.  However, it is important that the manufacturers of the phone work quickly to solve the problems of their users.  Within a couple of days of the official T-Mobile G1 launch, there have been several problems, and now many users are posting on the T-Mobile forums saying they are having trouble accessing their e-mail.

Whenever a user tries to send an e-mail, it either doesn’t send or sends as null.  In addition, it is nearly impossible to receive e-mail and this isn’t just associated with one e-mail service, it’s practically tied to all of them, except for one - Gmail.  More after the break.

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Sections: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Web, Google

Today, T-Mobile proudly launches the G1 Android phone nationally in the US.  Although many customers received their G1 days ago, the super phone will be available in select retail stores starting today.  But how is it going?

A quick look over in the forums at T-Mobile and I am surprised to see what appears to be loads of bugs.  Keep reading to see what new owners of the G1 are saying.

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Google launched the redesign of its popular iGoogle portal last week and the complaints began almost immediately.  Users are upset with the new look and furious that the redesigned interface was sprung on them with no prior announcement. 

The interface allows users to collect web “gadgets” such as map and weather apps, organize RSS feeds and aggregate info such as news, sports and GMail.  The revamped interface includes a new “canvas” view that allows gadgets to be displayed full screen and new navigation bar.  Find out what else has changed after the break.

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Sections: Web, Web 2.0, Websites, Google

You know those late night e-mails you send out pleading for your girlfriend to take you back?  Then, you wake up the next morning and remember all the reasons you broke up with her in the first place and think oh my God what did I do?!? and wish there was a big old RETRACT button on your e-mail?  Well, until they come up with that e-mail retract button, they have something else.  Something that will at least sort of slow you down and make you think before you send that pleading missive of unrequited love.  Something that makes you solve math problems.

Yep.  You read that right.  Solve math problems.  See, GMail Engineer Jon Perlow over at Google Labs figured that if you are actually going to sit there and be able to think through solving some math problems, then just maybe you are in fact thinking clearly, and actually do want to send that email and the desire isn’t just an alcohol induced psychosis.  Find out more after the break.

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Sections: Computers, Gadgets / Other, Household, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Web, Downloads, Web Apps, Web Browsers, Websites, Google

It is very easy to get caught up in all the Android excitement and possibilities this T-Mobile device offers.  The gloss of this press event seems to dulling faster than a App store download.  Our man Iyaz got in Google’s grill and demand answers to questions Gadgetell has over the device and what Google hopes to achieve.  Last time we checked, Google is looking to make some money.

Google Maps, brought to you by Tide
So, the first question is how will Google present advertising on the phone?  Integration into street view and compass mode seems like a natural fit, right?  When Iyaz asked a Google rep: he said, “We cannot comment on future products.“  Iyaz said back “You’re not saying no?“  His response, “I cannot comment”

Will Iyaz press on?  Will security haul him away?  Will Google guy throw a punch?  Hit the jump and find out…

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Sections: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Google

Tomorrow, our Editor Iyaz will be on hand to witness T-Mobile’s debut of the first Android phone.  Android is the open source mobile phone OS from Google that we’ve been talking about for what seems like years.  Here on the eve of the preview, here is what we’ve collected on what we can expect.

Pretty?
With Google’s love for the iPhone, the UI will be good looking (surprisingly, not all UIs are—I’m looking at you, Windows Mobile).  From the image we’ve seen and what Google has shown, this is going to be a very appealing UI.  Google has their stuff together for their web properties; expect clean and simple from this phone as well.

What else can you expect?  Check out more after the break.

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Sections: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Google

Mystery has surrounded the whole HTC Dream G1 launch from T-Mobile since word broke about the Android-powered Dream. There has been speculation running rampant about what the first Android headset is going to look like. Websites had mock-ups showing different views of what people thought it might be. There was even a video. Well, apparently, there have been photos leaked “from a trusted source” of what the G1 is going to look like…and there are a few things people didn’t see coming.

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Sections: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Google