Tech Peek Base

Well here you have it folks, honest-to-goodness pics of the Google Phone… AKA, the Nexus One. As you can see by the photos, the design of the device is largely similar to those we’ve seen, but the graphic on back is slightly different, and that piece of tape is covering a QR code (how very Google of them). Just like we’ve heard before, the updated OS features new 3D elements to the app tray, as well as an extended amount of homescreens, though it looks like the lock screen / mute is the same as in Android 2.0.1. Additionally, there’s now a new grid icon at the bottom of the homescreen, which when pressed brings up a webOS card-style preview of all homescreen pages — which raises some interesting possibilities. Apparently there’s been a new software update for the device pushed tonight, and sure enough the phone is identified as the Nexus One on the system info page. Quite clearly this device is running on T-Mobile, and is also using WiFi, so there’s two other questions you’ve got answers to. The phone also appears to come loaded up with Google Navigation (a bit of a no-brainer) and the brand-spanking-new Google Goggles. Hardware wise, the Nexus does look incredibly thin and sleek, and while there’s not a slew of buttons (those four up front are clearly touch sensitive), there is a dedicated volume rocker along the side. Oh, and note this… no HTC logo anywhere to be found. We’ll update the post as / if we get more info, but for now, feast your eyes on the gallery below!

[Thanks, RD]

Barnes & Noble might be pitching the Nook to the literary set, but it turns out the Android-based dual-screen reader is pretty hacker-friendly as well: both the OS and filesystem are stored on a microSD card. That means the newly-formed crew at nookdevs has already managed to root what they describe as the “generic” Android 1.5 build that’s hidden under the Nook’s navigation UI, and they say the device can do “everything a rooted Android phone can do.” That’s certainly intriguing, especially since the Nook has a data-only AT&T 3G modem and WiFi to go along with that capacitive touchscreen and E Ink display — can you say “potential”?

[Thanks, Andy]

Not wanting to feel left out of the festival of updates for GPS apps, AT&T has given AT&T Navigator [iTunes link] some new features that are sure to please people who use the app.

Here’s what’s new:

Maybe they’re feeling a bit of pricing pressure? Whatever the reason, TomTom just released a stripped down version of its Navigation app that leaves out Canada. Oh my.

This USA-only version sells for US $49.99, [iTunes link] which is half the price of the version that includes our good neighbor to the north. Like the big brother version, this app includes turn by turn directions and lane guidance, and 2D and 3D driving views.

Discount travel site Kayak has launched a new version of its popular, free iPhone app. The new app, which is already in App Store, includes a trips management tool, an upgraded user interface and faster search.

New features and upgrades include a two-dimensional desktop-style navigation system, an enhanced flight, hotel and car search design including a new scrolling calendar, faster search and additional search options and filters. It basically comes one step closer to bringing the web experience of searching Kayak to the iPhone. The app also serves as an itinerary management service that consolidates flight, hotel, car rental, maps and other events into a single itinerary. Kayak’s paid app ($3.99) for flights on business or first class has also been updated with the trip management feature and improved search and UI.

We were sort of hoping Google would turn a blind eye to the Android hackers who’d enabled Google Maps Navigation for use internationally, but it appears we’re just hopelessly optimistic: El Goog’s shut Navigation down outside the States. The changes are apparently “anticipated,” and the hackers in charge are hard at work getting around it, so there’s hope yet — and at some point Mountain View is going to have to actually launch Navigation abroad for real, so this all just seems a bit petty.

[Thanks, Ace of Spades]

Whenever TUAW reports on personal finance applications for Mac, particularly if we’re reporting about Quicken for Mac, we get a flurry of comments from readers who recommend one solution or another. Lately, many of those comments have been about Moneydance, a Java-based cross-platform personal finance manager from The Infinite Kind, LLC.

Available in Windows, Linux, and Mac flavors, with an iPhone client on the way, Moneydance 2010 is the latest version of this US$39.99 application. This newest update, available now from the Moneydance website, includes these features:

We know it’s the N900 you’re jonesing for, but if you’re looking to let those “other guys” put Maemo 5 through the ringer while you continue to use an OS that’s been around the block, Nokia’s got two more for you to choose from starting today. Both the QWERTY-packin’ E72 ($407) and eager-to-route 5800 Navigation Edition have started to ship to America (according to the company, anyway), with the former listed as “coming soon” on Nokia’s webstore and as “in stock on December 10th” over at Amazon. The latter is available to order now for $299 sans contract, so good luck holding off for Google Maps Navigation to make this thing look dated.

Gallery: Nokia ships E72 and 5800 Navigation Edition to the US of A

Remember The Club? Sure you do. We can’t say that Who-Rae’s Maplock is destined to become just as goofy in the pop culture scene, but it’s certainly one of the more absurd peripherals that we’ve seen this year. Put simply, this contraption provides a locking mount for your navigation unit and a presumably snip-proof cable that locks around one’s steering wheel. We suppose the point here is to easily show pondering thieves that they should probably select another vehicle to jack, but the easier solution is to figure out a mounting setup that doesn’t involve suction cup residue. For those who’d rather be safe than sorry, the Maplock can be procured for right around $50 — just be prepared for all sorts of jeering from your car club mates. Vid’s after the break, vaquero.

HTC has pulled no punches about the fact that it intends to bring Heros up to Android 2.0 (or is that 2.1?) spec at some point, though neither Sprint nor Verizon had quickly followed on to assure customers that there’d be upgrades ready and waiting for their versions (sure, technically, the Droid Eris is a different internal HTC codename than the Heros of the world, but they’re basically brothers from the same mother). Well, good news: Verizon has just announced that it’ll be bringing the phone to a “newer” build of Android with integrated Google Maps Navigation for release in the first quarter of 2010. Since Google’s nav app works on 1.6 now, that really doesn’t give us much of a clue which version the Droid Eris can expect to see — but seeing how we have leaked Hero firmwares running on 2.1 at this point, that’d seem like a probable target. With the Droid taking a baby step to 2.0.1 in the next few weeks, it seems at least possible that the shadow-dwelling Eris could end out ahead in the never-ending Android version game — crazy how the world works, isn’t it?