Welcome to issue #3 of the Weekend Rumor Recap. This is something we do every weekend as a way of quickly recapping the various Android rumors that happened this past week. We don't want to cover every Android rumor here, but we want to share our thoughts on them, and that's what this post is for. For a great list of other Android blogs that do an excellent job covering each rumor in detail, check out the sidebar of HisAndHersAndroid.com. Now...on to the rumors:
This rumor hit late last night as Engadget was the first to discover pictures of the upcoming Verizon world phone, believed to be called the Droid Pro. It's reported to have a 4" screen, slideout keyboard, and a "fast" processor. It will work on international carriers, but will still require a Verizon contract.
Ryan says: I think this looks like an incredible device, but it's going to Verizon, will likely require an expensive contract, and it's huge. So it looks very awesome, but not for me.
Shelsy says: That's a cool looking phone! But, other than that, I don't really get what's so different about it.
The previously rumored Droid slider, also known as the Motorola XT300, was photographed again. This appears to be a smaller, cheaper phone with a vertical sliding keyboard, running Moto Blur, destined for Verizon. That's about all we know at this point.
Ryan says: I really want to see a vertical slider hit the Market. I'm just not sure a budget device running Blur is all that great. I'll reserve judgement until I see it in person.
Shelsy says: I actually like the look of this phone. But "Moto Blur" does not really make me want to run out and buy one.
The now-official Samsung Galaxy Tab was the subject of two rumors this week. The first rumor says it'll be available with contract from Verizon, and the second says from Sprint. The Sprint rumor even pegs it as a 4G tablet, which could be very interesting.
Ryan says: Carrier rumors are interesting, but I know a lot of people who don't want another contract. And if this tablet is only sold in the US as a contract device, it's going to turn away a lot of people.
Shelsy says: That would be me--I do not want another contract. If a tablet is marketed as a computer, it should be sold like a computer--not a cellphone.
In more speculation than rumors, The Droid Guy breaks down how the upcoming Android version numbers may not line up with what's been previously rumored. He speculates that Gingerbread may be 2.3 or 2.5, while Honeycomb is 3.0 and might debut at Google I/O 2011 early next year.
Ryan says: It's always fun to speculate about version numbers, but ultimately it doesn't affect much. If the new version comes with cool new stuff, who cares what number it is? :-)
Shelsy says: Um...seriously? Is this something people care about? It could be version 6.7825Y2K for all I care.
Finally, in a rumor only slightly related to Android, Reuters is reporting that Google's upcoming music service to compete with iTunes could be unveiled as early as Christmas. Google previously demoed a way to buy songs on the web and instantly push them to Android. Could this be it?
Ryan says: I'm not a big music listener myself, but this sounds interesting. Ultimately, I don't think it will dethrone iTunes anytime soon, but competition is always good.
Shelsy says: I think it's about time for an iTunes competitor, even if it's not as huge.
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