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There are simply times when being content with today’s technology is not enough to fascinate the mind. Despite all the already impressive and innovative products and services that are already available, we all cannot help but look forward to what else may come in the future.

As interesting as the exercise may be, Google UK’s head, Matt Brittin, believe that there should be a line between fantasizing and predicting, because according to him, anyone who tries to predict the industry trend beyond the scope of a year is going to be “dramatically wrong”.

The man has a point, looking back on the past year alone, Apple has managed to come out with a tablet, a smart phone that sold over 1.7 million units despite having a major defect and have created an empire based on their iBrand alone. Google has also had its share of major milestones with the release of the new Google Android updates and of course, their very own phone. In between all of these are the birth of Street View, the adaptation of augmented reality by many phones and several other innovative achievements.

But one that Matt has not trouble predicting is the trend of using mobile phones to access the internet. They are small, compact, easy-to-use and are always available. Unlike the desktop computer or even a netbook that has to be set down before using, a smart phone is ready any time of the day –provided that the user is in a location with a good WiFi or 3G signal.

Each year, the number of people using desktop computers for accessing the web is decreasing. Even front end web designers are starting to see the trends and the need to establish new website layouts that fit in the smaller resolution screens of mobile phones (as well as sites that have smaller loading times and less bandwidth consumption) are becoming the next big thing.

Ever since the next little green robot was given a name (Gingerbread), rumor mongers have been quite active in spreading “news” about it. The Google Android 3.0 operating system was said to have been developed for next generation smart phones and, as such, will not be compatible with any of the ‘Droid devices available at present.

The rumors circulating stated that the Gingerbread had a screen resolution requirement (1280 x 760 to be exact) and will not be compatible with some screen sizes. It also entailed a mobile phone to have a next gen processor, which is at least 1 GHz, in order to run the resource heavy platform.

Due to the steep minimum specs rumored to be needed by the device, the 3.0 version would split the Google Android family of devices in half. Those who would run the 3.0 would be the high end devices while those that would be upgradeable to a 2.2 would be in the cheap or mass market mobile phone category. And from the rumors being circulated, it appeared that the HTC Desire and Google’s own Nexus One would fall into the latter category. Lastly, Gingerbread is due to be released mid-October this year.

As to why these were given to the public as news, nobody knows. Perhaps this was just a trend prediction gone awry, or maybe it is just an innocent comment that happened to reach the ears of Google execs. At any rate, Google lead for Android Open Source and Compatibility Technology, Dan Morrillhas, had to dispel the rumors through his Tweet:

“I love it when people just make stuff up and report it as news. In summary, please remember that rumors are not official announcements. .”

So if you currently own a Nexus One, you will probably be able to update your ‘Droid to version 3.0 without problems in the future. If you want to know what makes Gingerbread worth all the fuss, just feast your eyes on version 2.2.

If the HTC Desire looks and seems like a Smarpthone you’ve already seen before, it’s because it actually is. The newest Smartphone from HTC is actually a revamped model of the HTC Google Nexus One which saw its release in January of this year. The only difference between the two is that the Desire has been blessed with the immaculate Sense user interface. In this regard, the Desire definitely makes more sense than its Nexus counterpart. Forgive the play on words. We just couldn’t resist it.

Mirror Image

One of the reasons why the Nexus One was so impressive was because of its sizable high resolution touch screen display. At 3.7” and with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, it remains to be one of the baddest in the business. The same holds true for the HTC Desire which has the exact same AMOLED capacitive touch screen. The dimensions of the two are almost exactly the same as is their weight – a virtual mirror image.

More of the Same

In terms of their features, it’s more of the same for the HTC Desire and the Nexus One. Voice and data connectivity options are similar and so are their built-in cameras which are both at 5-Megapixels. An expandable external memory of 32GB, a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and an A-GPS-capable GPS receiver are some of the other prominent features shared by these two Smartphones, and they’re definitely impressive features, especially considering how reasonable the HTC Desire deals are.

Sensing a Difference

While both handsets have the famed Android OS on board (both have the Eclair), what allows the HTC Desire to stand out is its Sense UI. The proprietary HTC user interface enhances the already impressive Google mobile OS as it integrates a lot of new features on the Desire. One of the shortcomings of the Nexus One was its lack of widget and application power. With the Desire, all these criticism can be thrown out of the window.

It seems that there is a new trend that the Android operating system is starting; having larger screens. With no doubt, this all started with the release of the Dell Streak (also known as the Dell Mini 5); with its 5 inch capacitive touch screen display it further pushed the accepted limits on what size screen works with mobile phones and with the large interest in the device, it proved that people are willing to sacrifice having a larger phone if it meant having a bigger screen.

As if the 4 inch sized screen on the XPERIA X10 was not enough, Sony Ericsson took on the initiative that Dell started and pushed the envelope further –for about half an inch more.

There is a new Sony Ericsson Android handset that has appeared in a few leaked images just last week showcasing a device that used a 5.5 inch touch screen display. The device looks even more compelling and curious to see with the images which clearly showed the handset sporting a slide out QWERTY keyboard and a hinge that allowed users to set up the device like a small laptop.

Korean manufacturer Samsung has also been playing around with large touch screen displays and from the looks of their latest device, the Samsung Galaxy Tape, they have the largest and fanciest screen displays available. The new tablet-phone hybrid device sports a massive 7 inch super AMOLED touch screen display. With a faster CPU and specs that easily outmatch the Apple iPad, this tablet is poised to take command of the industry when it launches.

With all the new devices using the Android sporting giant touch screen displays, it would not be hard to imagine Google coming with a second variation of the open source operating system that brings more functionality for larger screen displays.

The new Android 2.2 Froyo update is now available for the Google Nexus One smart phone. Thankfully, since Vodafone is now directly selling the device, the Nexus One is easy to obtain –as opposed to having to order the handset at the Google Online Store.

Anyway, the Nexus One is touch screen smart phone with a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive display. The screen response time (and refresh rates) is excellent and the touch controls are accurate. Of course, it certainly helps having a 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU running inside this device. The phone also features advanced voice recognition capabilities as well as speech to text options (thanks mostly to the new voice filtering hardware on the device).

Of course, the big headline here is not the phone (most of us are already familiar with the very first Google branded handset by now), but rather, the new Froyo update. As expected, the Nexus One is first to get the update, though it is expected that other Android devices will also be updated in a matter of time.

Froyo stands for frozen yogurt –as goes Google’s naming trend for the Android OS since 1.5 Cupcake, which was followed by 1.6 Donut, then later 2.0 Éclair. The next OS update after Froyo is expected to be version 3.0 Gingerbread. The new update features plenty of new options such as the ability to view and read Flash content as well as AIR.

Version 2.2 Froyo also allows using the handset (well, some handsets anyway) as a tether for your laptop or other device. Another new function is the ability to just download content –especially media into your phone directly by going online. No need for a computer or Android software to transfer and sync the files –a major addition which iPhone users have been waiting for. Now Google has decided to sell through thirdy party retailers it is possible to pick up Nexus One deals through Vodafone without going through the Google store.

Why is cloud to device such a powerful new feature? Microsoft was actually the first to show off this function. They demonstrated playing a game on a Windows Phone 7 handset, assuming that a person playing the game comes home, one can instantly transfer the running game state from the handset to a Windows computer.

Now let us say that the person wants to sit in the living room, the game can then be transferred straight to an Xbox 360 console. Lastly, to form a whole circle, assume that the player now needs to go out, they can once again transfer the running game into their mobile device and be on their way.

After today’s I/O presentation, Google has shown that their Android can do the same. Of course, critics might say that Microsoft has Windows and more importantly, the Xbox 360. While it is arguable that Google is planning to match Windows for desktop with their Chrome operating system, Google has no console system of their own.

What people are missing is the fact that they are already working on a Google TV –and more importantly, they are working with Intel and Sony (yes, Sony, the same Japanese company that made the Playstation 3). It has already been shown that Linux can run on the PS3, and while the function may have been removed, it is not unlikely that the console would be given an Android or Chrome add-on in the future.

With Microsoft being a competitor for both Google and Sony, the possibility is always there.

The big question is not whether the technology is possible. The real concern is whether people really need this. Right now, the function sees use in eBook reading apps and games; it will be a while before this technology is adapted to support document editing and other computing functions.

It seems that the new NVIDIA Tegra might be the hardware of choice for the next Android smart phones. It has already been revealed that NVIDIA technology is being used in the Android tablet that was shown off at the Web 2.0 Expo. This is why it would not be surprising to know that the tablet was already packed with the Tegra.

The Tegra is more than just a CPU; it is an all in one system (or as NVIDIA calls it, a system on a chip). This hardware combines an ARM architecture CPU with a GPU, Southbridge, a memory controller and Northbridge.

This places the next generation Android smart phones with a technological advantage over many other handsets. With the competition between Google and Apple reaching new heights, it is not surprising that the Android developer has been heavily focusing on not only improving its mobile platform (with the recent new improvements to search, inclusion of Flash and more), but they are now also working on improving the hardware use in Android devices.

Speaking of Android add-ons, the Google Goggles augmented reality application has been improved recently to include the ability to scan foreign languages and translate the text into English content. This is very useful especially for reading languages that are written in special characters that cannot be written manually with a standard keyboard.

It has also been confirmed that the next Android OS, version 2.2 Froyo, will have native support for Flash. As recently announced, Google and Adobe have been teaming up after Apple forced developers to stop using the Adobe Flash Professional CS5 software for developing iPhone apps.

Back to the tablet at the Web 2.0 Expo, the device pretty much shows off what makes the Android the amazing OS that it is now and also, a preview into the new features that will be included –namely the NVIDIA hardware and the implementation of Flash support.

The all new HTC Wildfire is for those people who want great personalisation from the Android platform, but who’s budget doesn’t quite stretch to the £400+ that is required to get hold of a Desire. Yes the HTC Wildfire offers a more reasonably priced option and should be available for free on a contract priced between £15 and £20 per month. This is where we believe that HTC and Google can steal a march on their rivals, Apple. Apple has the premium marketplace all but sewn up, but we reckon that it is the budget handsets where the battle will be won and lost. You see there are an awful lot more users who can afford £100 on a handset that can afford £400+ and the more users that an operating system has, the more developers want to develop apps for it. I’m sure you can see where we are going with this, let’s just say that whoever wins the budget battle for OS supremacy, will win the overall APP battle and our reckoning is that Android may just take it in 2010.

The new OS from Google is the 2.2 Froyo (for frozen yogurt). If you have not guessed it by now, the naming convention of Google makes use of alphabetically arranged sweets starting with the 1.5 Cupcake, 1.6 Donut, and the 2.0/2.1 Éclair.

So what is new with the Frozen Yogurt version? This latest Google OS is the first that will come with native Flash support in the system. As many smart phone users already know, there is a lack of support for web Flash content on most of Apple’s devices. This has made Adobe a prime commodity after Apple outright banned the use Adobe’s Flash Professional CS5 for the development of apps. Steve Jobs also gave some scathing remarks in regards to Adobe and Flash –further widening the gap between the two companies.

After this, there have been many who has questioned the wisdom of using flash in this day and age where HTML5 is proving the be the next big thing of the internet. What many have failed to realize is that a large percentage of web content still uses Flash and plenty of owners and developers have little to no plans of converting to HTML5 anytime soon. And this is why the new Android’s Flash support is very important and impressive, site such as YouTube heavily make use of Flash elements.

Aside from getting access to Flash content, it appears that the new OS will also be getting another new feature –tethering. It may seem odd that Google would add in this feature, but being able to use a mobile phone as a USB dongle is a big convenience that many users would appreciate. While it has not been confirmed if network operators would be able to influence the way the tethering is used, many believe that it will be a completely independent function.

Google just loves April Fools. From the guys that came up with the Brain Search system which lets you place your mobile phone on your forehead to predict just what question you are thinking of to solving love problems with Google Romance.

The list just goes on and on about how many times Google has tried to make you laugh out loud. As it turns out, they have been preparing a surprise for Android fans worldwide with their April Fool’s Day app with a very live download link simply called the “Translate for Animals”.

Now what it does is pretty straightforward. You record your chosen animal’s voice, record it into your Android (version 1.6 and higher only though) mobile phone, click on the button to have it processed and checked against all the pre-translated noises and voices and the app will display a translation of what your animal pal said.

The application is able to recognize common phrases that are usually said by species such as cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, donkeys, chickens, sheep, tortoises, hamsters, birds and horses. As a tip, Google says it is better to translate animals that are higher in the food chain if you want a more stimulating conversation.

“Pro Tip: As a general rule the higher up in the food chain an animal is, the better a communicator it will be. So if you are after quick witted banter it’s best to select cats and dogs rather than rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs.”

According to the official webpage, Google had some help from experts on animal cognitive linguistics and the folks at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Well, of course, with results coming from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, how can you go wrong?

Download this insanely funny app for free today at the Android Market and you will never have to guess what your dog thinks of your sweater color.

See the demo video at Engadget.