Sure, the Android is cool because it is open source and the OS is from Google.  Or something like that.  But the device isn’t perfect and users have been hoping for something better to come along.

Looks like you might not have to wait for new hardware – just a quick software hack – to meet your needs.  There are reports circulating of a hack to the OS and the browser software that now enables multi-touch on the screen.  Such capability has long been reported to be present in the hardware but software limited thanks to patent claims by Apple.  Looks like the hackes don’t seem to care too much about that.

This doesn’t make it perfect, but it is a nice improvement to the platform.

Happy hacking.

Not getting the cell phone reception that you need?  Maybe you should bring your own femtocell repeater on your next trip.  Sprint has been selling them under the Airave brand name since late last year.  Now Verizon Wireless is joining the fray, offering their Verizon Wireless Network Extender for a one-time charge of $250.

You’ll need to hook it up to a broadband connection in your home (or hotel) and the ability to get a GPS fix on the device but once connected the Network Extender will provide both voice and 1xRTT data speeds to mobile devices in the vicinity.  Verizon claims coverage of up to 5000 square feet, which should cover a pretty decent sized house, or most of my apartment building here in NYC. 

Verizon claims that it uses about 40Kbps of bandwidth per call, which isn’t too bad.  You can even lock it down so only you and your friends can use the device.

AT&T has their own femtocell product in development with an expected release later this year.  Theirs will support 3G data services, though I’d imagine that will put a much bigger hit on the bandwidth requirements.

So if your travels find you on the road in locations where your Verizon Wireless phone isn’t working so well, just bring your own cell tower with you.

CES 2009 had a ton of news come out of it, but nothing truly groundbreaking that I read.  Still, there were a few interesting nuggets worth looking at a bit more for their suitability to travel technology.

One such bit was a report coming out from Freescale suggesting that $400 is too much to pay for a NetBook device and that they had found a solution to drive the prices down even further.  They’ve got a new chipset that will sell at volume discount prices such that OEMs will be able to see units at $199 or $299.

There is a review (and a bunch of photos) of some prototypes at notebooks.com that suggests it is a pretty good physical design.  The pictures look an awfully lot like the Asus AspireOne shell, with the mouse buttons on the sides of the touchpad.

There is mention of the operating system – a stripped down Linux build – and also the limited application set supported – a web browser and video player, but nothing else and no ability to install more.  That’s a HUGE problem.  There have been many “internet appliances” before, and they all sucked because they were too limited.  The concept of the $199 NetBook seems destined to follow in that path, with their different/weaker chipset and limited OS.

Don’t get me wrong – I understand the value of pricing pressure on the products.  But manufacturers need to balance price against having something that is actually functional as more than just a web browser.  Sony is nuts thinking that a $900 NetBook is competitive, but at the same time, a $199 model that doesn’t do very much is a losing proposition.  Besides, paying $400 for one isn’t such a horrible price point, and there are plenty in the $300-350 range that are pretty functional.