Rex from Ascender Corporation pointed us in comments to the new born by Ascender DroidFonts.com. The Droid family of fonts designed by Ascender’s Steve Matteson beginning in the fall of 2006, and made available for the Android platform. DroidFonts.com have been launched to provide more fonts support for Professionals working on the Android platform.

Ascender can ensure that any custom work maintains the quality and consistency of the original designs, custom work include additional styles and weights, Character set extensions, Enhanced language support, and Advanced OpenType typographic features…

In addition to the latest localization capabilities offered in the Android platform,  Ascender can help making android speak all languages of the world, and will definitely open the door to many new markets worldwide like the Middle East.

Below the press release :

Enhanced versions of the Droid fonts with are now available for software & hardware developers, and for creative professionals from Ascender Corp. The http://www.DroidFonts.com website also features information about the Droid fonts which are part of Android, a complete, open mobile phone software stack.

Elk Grove Village, IL — February 12, 2009 — Ascender Corporation, a leading provider of advanced font products and innovative applications for mobile devices, today announced the DroidFonts.com website and the availability of enhanced versions of the Droid family of fonts. Ascender worked closely with Google and the Open Handset Alliance to develop the Droid system fonts for Android, a free, open source, and fully customizable mobile platform. The Ascender team has continued to develop custom proprietary versions and enhanced proprietary versions of the Droid fonts for OHA members. The Droid fonts are now also available in “Pro” versions with advanced typographic features for designers and creative professionals.

Steve Matteson, Ascender’s Type Director designed the original Droid fonts. They are optimized for rendering on various screen displays including user interfaces, application menus and web browsers. There are a variety of styles and weights in the Droid font family, and each font provides an extensive range of language support.

“The Droidfonts.com website reflects our commitment to build the Droid font family into a complete and vibrant font collection. We are very proud that the Droid fonts have received such a positive reception” said Ira Mirochnick, president of Ascender Corp. “We will continue to work as closely as possible with the Android team and with fellow OHA members to further the development of these important UI fonts. Based on the outstanding feedback we’ve received from creative professionals, we are also happy to now offer OpenType featured “Pro” versions of the Droid fonts.”

Ascender is working with Open Handset Alliance members and other partners to modify and customize many of the Droid fonts. Ascender is also working on new weights, new styles, and enhanced language support (more language & script coverage). The newer Droid fonts are offered by Ascender under a commercial license.

The www.DroidFonts.com website was created by Ascender to provide a comprehensive source of information about the Droid font collection. Included on the site are downloadable type specimens and an article by Steve Matteson on the making of the Droid fonts.

The Droid Pro fonts consist of:

• Droid Sans Pro Regular and Bold
• Droid Sans Pro Condensed Regular and Bold (coming soon)
• Droid Sans Pro Mono Regular and Bold (coming soon)
• Droid Serif Pro Family: Regular, Italic, Bold and Bold Italic
• Droid Sans Fallback (a font with CJK support – Coming Soon)

Today Ascender is announcing “Pro” versions of these fonts in both OpenType and TrueType font format. These versions include Old Style Figures, which require an OpenType-saavy application such as InDesign. The Droid Pro fonts are available for purchase and instant download from either the www.DroidFonts.com website, or the www.AscenderFonts.com website.

About Ascender
Ascender Corporation is a leading provider of advanced font products and innovative applications for mobile devices. Ascender’s founders are font industry experts and have been involved in developing many of the most important and influential fonts used in computers and mobile devices. Ascender provides multilingual, custom font development and mobile phone applications for a wide range of customers including creative professionals, enterprises and hardware & software developers. Ascender also provides fonts for download to graphic designers through the www.AscenderFonts.com website and to consumers through the www.FontMarketplace.com website.

Garmin and Asus have just announced a new strategic partnership to design, manufacture, and distribute co-branded location-centric mobile phones. During a press conference in Taiwan, Garmin and Asus announced that the first model in the Garmin-Asus nüvifone™ series will be shown during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spainn, February 16-19, 2009. The re-branded nüvifone G60 that will be shown will  include a modified version of linux for mobile, but not Android.

“In keeping with the Open Handset Alliance requirements, Garmin-Asus will bring to market a product with Android OS.  However, we haven’t announced a phone with an Android OS yet, and as is our practice, we will not release any details about the product or its availability prior to the product’s launch.” A Garmin-Asus spokesperson told Open Handset Magazine.

Below the press release :

Garmin® and ASUS® to Create Garmin-Asus Line of Co–branded LBS-centric Mobile Phones

Cayman Islands and Taipei, Taiwan/February 4, 2009/Business Wire — Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) and ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (TAIEX: 2357) today announced a strategic alliance that will leverage the companies’ navigation and mobile telephony expertise to design, manufacture and distribute co-branded location-centric mobile phones. Garmin and ASUS have already begun joint development on a diverse mobile phone product line, which will be known as the Garmin-Asus nüvifone™ series. The companies expect to bring to market several Garmin-Asus nüvifone models in 2009, and a new Garmin-Asus nüvifone model will be announced at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, February 16-19, 2009.

“We believe that converged devices are an emerging opportunity,” said Dr. Min Kao, chairman and CEO of Garmin Ltd. “This alliance is advantageous to both companies because it allows us to combine our resources and establish a strong foundation from which we will innovate and introduce the world to the benefits of LBS-centric mobile phones. We’ve been working with ASUS for over one year on the initial nüvifone that was announced in 2008 on the basis of an ODM relationship. Learning from this experience, we concluded that by leveraging and combining our respective industry-leading areas of expertise at a higher level, we will be able not only to significantly expand our product line, but also to shorten our product development time. We believe that through this strategic alliance we are uniquely positioned to deliver the world’s best integrated and most compelling GPS-enabled mobile devices.”

“This alliance allows ASUS and Garmin to seamlessly combine the strengths of both companies to offer market leading mobile phone solutions that are of the best design and highest quality. ASUS and Garmin both believe strongly in the continuous investment of R&D resources to unfailingly provide leading-edge innovations to people and businesses,” said Jonney Shih, CEO of ASUSTeK Computer Inc. “Through this alliance, our companies will continue to develop innovations that simplify life. Our technologies should accommodate our customers, not the other way around. We believe all devices should perform and communicate seamlessly not just anytime and anyplace, but in real time, in real places, and we’re confident the nüvifone series will meet this objective.”

All Garmin-Asus nüvifone devices will continue the product vision of the original nüvifone and will be LBS-centric devices that seamlessly connect, communicate and navigate. The original Garmin nüvifone that was announced in 2008 will be re-branded as the Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60. The Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60 is expected to be delivered in the first half of 2009, and additional information about the Garmin-Asus nüvifone G60 will be released at the Mobile World Congress trade show.

LBS functionality is core to the Garmin-Asus nüvifone series, which will offer the same turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation features found on high-end Garmin portable navigation devices (PND). It has preloaded maps and millions of points of interest that allow drivers to quickly find a specific street address, establishment’s name or search for a destination by category. In addition, the nüvifone includes quick access to online points of interest through internet enabled local search. The nüvifone harnesses the power of the worldwide web and information about local merchants and attractions is continually updated. The nüvifone also features Ciao!™, a social networking application that bridges the gap between multiple location based social networks and integrates them seamlessly into one device.

The Garmin-Asus alliance was disclosed during a press conference in Taiwan on February 4, 2009. Analysts or journalists unable to attend the Garmin-Asus announcement in Taiwan are invited to participate in a webcast or via phone on February 4, 2009, at 11:00 am EST (10:00 am CST). Webcast details are available at www.GarminAsus.com/pressroom.

Garmin-Asus nüvifone models will be on display at the Garmin-Asus booth at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, Spain, February 16-19, 2009 (7C37, hall 7). Journalists should contact the Garmin or Asus media contacts to arrange a live demonstration or interviews. Additional information is available at www.GarminAsus.com.

About Garmin and ASUS

Garmin is the global leader in satellite navigation, and has sold more than 43 million devices. Currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, Garmin has pioneered navigation and communication devices that enrich people’s lives. Garmin’s market breadth in the GPS industry is second to none having developed innovative products and established market leadership position in each of the markets it serves, including automotive, aviation, marine, fitness, outdoor recreation and wireless applications. Garmin achieved the worldwide number one spot for mobile navigation devices in 2007 by more than doubling its shipments on 2006 and increasing its market share. According to research conducted by Canalys, a leading independent technology market analyst firm, in the third quarter of 2008 Garmin held 35 percent of the worldwide PND market with an approximately 50 percent share in the U.S. and a 20 percent share in Europe.

Garmin has been on the leading edge of mobile phone navigation having launched several products into the mobile market including Garmin Mobile off-board navigation and Garmin Mobile XT, an on-board navigation solution. First announced in 2005, Garmin Mobile off-board navigation was the first server-based navigation application to visually depict and constantly update the user’s position on a detailed moving map. These navigation applications include access to dynamic, location-relevant content like traffic reports, fuel prices, flight status and weather information. Garmin’s on-board and off-board navigation solutions have been adopted by numerous mobile phone manufacturers and network operators, and are currently available on over 500 different phone models.

ASUS is a technology leader in the IT industry and offers everything from PC components to complete solutions including notebooks, desktops, smart phones, PDAs, broadband communications products, LCD monitors and wireless applications. ASUS is recognized worldwide for the Eee PC™, an ultramobile PC noted for its combination of light weight and ease of use. In 2007, one in three desktop PCs sold was powered by an ASUS motherboard; and ASUS has been the fastest growing notebook brand for the past eight consecutive quarters, ranking fifth in the world in Q3 2008. The company’s 2008 revenues reached $8.2 billion (U.S. dollars). Through its unyielding commitment to innovation and quality, ASUS has won numerous international awards. ASUS has been ranked amongst BusinessWeek’s InfoTech 100 for 11 consecutive years, placing ninth in 2008. ASUS has also achieved the number one title in the annual league table of Taiwan Top 10 Global Brands IT Hardware category with a brand value of $1.324 billion (U.S. dollars).

ASUS is a rising contender in the design, manufacture and distribution of mobile phones, and has exclusive intellectual property rights in 3G core technologies. These 3G technologies are paving the way for 4G in the near future. With over 800 employees devoted to R&D and business development for smart phones, ASUS has successfully launched phones in 20 countries with major operators such as Vodafone, O2, Orange and TIM. ASUS’ telecom industry footprint has grown significantly since the company introduced its first PDA in 2001 and mobile phone in 2004. Today, ASUS is recognized as one of the top three Windows Mobile brands in Russia and Eastern Europe. With stylish facades and excellent user interfaces, ASUS phones have passed strict design criteria to win the Japanese G-Mark Design and German iF Awards — accolades that position ASUS as a leader in mobile phone design.

Garmin is a registered trademark, and Ciao! and nüvifone are trademarks, of Garmin Ltd. ASUS is a registered trademark and Eee PC is a trademark of ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

After a Digitimes report today, clarifications came from Garmin to explain the company position and disputes the claims made in the DigiTimes.  You can read below Garmin press release, but the most interesting to know for the community is that Garmin have currently Android-based phone under development however there is no additional information about that product at this time.

“Although the press release doesn’t refer to the nüvifone specifically, you should also be aware that the information DigiTimes reported about the nüvifone was also inaccurate.” A  Garmin Spokesperson told OHM, ” The nüvifone we announced in January 2008 does not have an Android OS. The nüvifone OS is based on a modified version of Linux. “

Garmin is one of the 14 new members who joined recently the OHA. Stay updated with OHM, there is more coming in 2009 !

Below the press release :

CAYMAN ISLANDS/December 22, 2008/Business Wire – Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, is disputing a Monday, December 22 report in the DigiTimes trade  publication entitled, “Garmin expects to ship 18 million GPS PNDs in 2008.” The story contains a number of inaccuracies in both sales figures and product rollout schedules.

“Black Friday sales from our customers were what we expected and gross margins remain relatively strong,” said Kevin Rauckman, Garmin’s CFO and treasurer. “However, the December sales environment is weaker, which we attribute to our retail customers’ desire to exit the year with lower levels of inventory.”

As is customary, Garmin will update investors during its fourth quarter 2008 earnings call, scheduled for February 25, 2009.

About Garmin

The global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin Ltd. and its subsidiaries have designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications since 1989 – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd.

This week the open handset alliance announced 14 new members : AKM Semiconductor Inc., ARM, ASUSTek Computer Inc., Atheros Communications, Borqs, Ericsson, Garmin International Inc., Huawei Technologies, Omron Software Co. Ltd, Softbank Mobile Corporation, Sony Ericsson, Teleca AB, Toshiba Corporation and Vodafone. From the press release :

New members will either deploy compatible Android devices, contribute significant code to the Android Open Source Project, or support the ecosystem through products and services that will accelerate the availability of Android-based devices. With these commitments, the Open Handset Alliance will continue to drive greater and faster innovation for the benefit of mobile users and everyone in the industry.

In 2008 we had the first Android-based device which is the G1 from HTC, but a highest number of Android devices will be registered certainly in 2009 with  the new members Asus, Garmin, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, in addition to the previous Handset Manufacturers Members such as HTC, Samsung, and others.

Probably the first Android handset coming in 2009 is the KOGAN AGORA, the aussie Android-based smartphone which will be available in two edition the first $299 (high-speed 3G, 2.5″ touchscreen, web browsing), and the second $399 (extra : wi-fi, GPS, 2.0MP camera).

In 2009 also at OHM you will read more coverage on Android-based handsets, interviews with many members of the OHA, in addition to Android software providers. So what do you think, will 2009 be the year of Android ?

Monday December 10th, the Linux Phone Standards (LiPS) completed the release of 1.0 specifications, to targets interoperability and marketability of Linux-based mobile phones through shared open standards and implementations. LiPS forum have been founded in 2005 and include operators and services providers from France, Italy and UK, in addition equipment and Chip manufacturers, and software vendors.

With Android release, LiPS published an FAQ on the differences between their standardization effort and OHA :

LiPS and Android both seek to reduce fragmentation among Linux-based mobile platforms. LiPS seeks unity through open standards, while Android/OHA does so through shared code.

Effort for Mobile linux stardization isn’t new at all, and beside the LiPS we count also the ELC Mobile Linux Initiative (MLI), Linux Mobile Foundation (LiMo), the embedded linux consortium, and the Gnome embedded initiative. There are also many others individual efforts by companies acting in the linux mobile business. According to ABI research, by 2012 there will be approximately 127 million Linux smartphones shipped each year.

It’s true that OHA and Android are boosted by Google, so should the LiPS profit from Android or should Android learn from the LiPS ?