IM+ for Skype has a web-based version specifically designed for the iphone. The service is based on SkypeOut and it allows you to make and receive calls at Skype rates. You can also use IM+ to chat with other online Skype users and send text messages using Skype. The service also works with the iPod Touch of course.
>read more | digg story
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
IM+ Brings Skype to Your iPhone
10 Reasons To Hate Cellphone Carriers
A turd by any other name is still a turd, but there's no harm in counting the ways.
• They stifle progress
Cellular giants know they've hit on a winner and they don't want the landscape moving underfoot. Any change not under their own control is dangerous. To witness Sprint's $5bn investment in WiMax is to witness a future planned so far in advance no-one should be comfortable with it.
Such futures can't be relied upon if innovation is permitted, so the carriers will do anything to crush it. Verizon went as far as to sue the government to prevent it from auctioning the rights to radio spectra that aren't (yet) under carrier control. Though that effort gutterballed, it's a useful reminder of how these companies think the world should work.
• They're a cartel
Policies, practices and, of course, prices, are startlingly uniform across the board. By owning the framework of wireless telecommunications, the major carriers can deny market access to potential competitors, and few laws exist to effectively limit collaboration and trust.
A manufacturer of cellular technology told us recently that the carriers effectively control their access to the market: it's as simple as that. If you're in the business of making phones, you develop what the carriers — not the customers — want.
Google's big idea is, allegedly, to use its own software platform as a wedge to loosen carrier control of their own mobile networks. Ads, ads and more ads will pay for everything, and the big G will rule the world.
If you think at least one of the bullet points in that implied sequence of events seems to be followed by "??????," you wouldn't be alone.
• They're going to make you pay for Tetris
To paraphrase Slate's Justin Peters, "Why give you free Tetris when they can sell you $7 Tetris?" Seriously, screw those guys!
• They just can't behave themselves
The telecommunications industry has always loved the smell of fraud in the morning. Why change the habit of a century? T-Mobile can't even sponsor a damned cycling team without it being riven by corruption.
When California enacted its Telecommunications Bill of Rights, the industry fought tooth and nail to be allowed to apply at-whim contract changes, to add services without asking the customer, and to not have to tell customers about price increases. It's not that they're up to no good that's so frustrating, it's the fact they clearly don't care if you know it: they consider themselves absolutely untouchable.
It's relentless: AT&T would very much like to censor criticism of it, while Verizon would very much like to censor everything. The U.S. is markedly behind international rivals — socialists as they often are — even though our local heroes say similar regulation will kill enterprise.
In 2004, the Better Business Bureau identified billing errors, refusing to fix problems and lying as the three things which killed carriers' reputations. Nearly four years later, not a lot has changed.
• They illegally spy on you
O.K., so just one of them got caught. But it the biggest of them. AT&T is set up to route everything its customers write and say directly to the spooks, and is desperate for congress to retroactively legalize its behavior now that it's been caught. Given the secretive nature of such programs, who knows what the others might be up to?
AT&T even went as far as to develop a programming language to more efficiently sift through recorded conversations. This isn't case of doing what it's told to: this is the unbridled relish of enthusiastic fellow-travelers.
Irony time: when you call them with customer complains, the carriers typically warn you that you're being recorded, but agents will hang up on you if you do the same. Any company with a standing policy of refusing to speak to its customers, unless it's the only one with a record of it, is obviously up to no good.
• They have annoying commercials
First, we have Verizon's creepy, intense "Can you hear me now?" spokesman and the Giant instruction manual for his clone army. The best line? "Test Man will come across folks from various ethnicities in order to evoke VZWs sense of and respect for diversity."
Then there's Sprint's lineup of sneering suits who love to make a show of sitting down next to people to show off their ultra-fast EVDO cards.
Finally, we have Alltel's smug boy-next-door,"Chad," contrasted against the ugly troglodytes with which the firm represents its competitors. Why do we need to see someone pleasuring himself with a vibrating phone, Alltel? Why do you think that sells phones? It doesn't.
• They hate you
If it isn't clear from everything else here, the carriers loathe their own customers. This is a completely reasonable out-flowering of their business model. By subsidizing handsets and locking customers into lengthy contracts, cellular providers are, in effect, offering a kind of loan. Their relationship with you is the same as that of a payday shark or drug dealer: after the initial transaction, the only thing that matters is the fact that you owe something to them, a debt backed by obligation. Does a debt collector give you tech support? Of course not. So why should a company that gave you an expensive gadget at a huge discount?
Correspondingly, as your contract comes close to expiration, "upgrade" discount offers will be sent your way, as if the renewal option was some kind of gift. The possibility of freedom is the only thing that attracts the affections of a cellular operator.
And if you don't want an upgrade? Sometimes, they'll try and charge you extra to continue using an "old" phone on its network, on pain of having your service quality ruined. Talk about true love.
• Their contracts are nonsense
Even if you consider issues such as technological innovation and openness to be pointy-headed blather, it's hard to downplay the lunacy of the one-sided "agreements" customers must sign to play ball in the status quo. These are several pages long, packed with legal vagaries, and unilaterally editable at will (but not, of course, by you). It's this legal legerdemain that matters for most victims, and it's imperative that it be outlawed. And if the Cell Phone Consumer Empowerment Act act, sponsored by Amy Klobuchar (Democrat-Minnesota) and Jay Rockefeller (Democrat-West Virginia) passes, it will be.
The likes of Ted "series of tubes" Stevens (Republican—Alaska), a bought-and-paid-for shit if ever there was one, will be fighting it tooth and claw: it has little chance of becoming law. But this is where you, the ultimate lobbyists, come in. Tell your congresspersons to support it.
And what about the practices this regulation seeks to end? Moving swiftly on...
• They charge crazy fees (for services you didn't ask for)
Accurate coverage maps, a 30-day test period for service and the right to unlock phones are among the demands present in Klobuchar's legislation, but the hottest issues regard fees.
They're serious about that "you owe us" mindset: all of the major carriers except Verizon assess un-prorated early termination fees if you leave at any point before the end of the agreement. Verizon pledged a few weeks ago to start pro-rating ETFs.
And that's just the obvious target. PC World reported last year on undisclosed add-ons like "roadside assistance" services and "upgrade fees" charged for renewing contracts. Such acts of deception make cellular carriers the most hated service industry in America, with the Better Business Bureau confirming them as the most complained-about firms on their rolls.
In Canada, the carriers even charge a recurring fee to allow you to access your own phone.
• They lock handsets
There's no need to expand on this one: just ask an iPhone owner who upgraded to 1.1.1 after unlocking his handset. He'll tell you all about the evils of SIM locking. It is now legal to unlock your phone, of course, but not illegal to make that a technological nightmare to accomplish.
• They cripple their products
When we covered the release of the RAZR 2, we had to run a story explaining the differences between each carrier's "version" of Motorola's new machine. The internet is littered with forums where people complain about deliberately damaged handsets and hunt for unauthorized hacks to repair them.
This is an industry in which even Apple had to comply with another company's demands: a compromise that certainly involved hardware and service features. If Apple "bending" (AT&T's own gloating terminology) doesn't shock you, nothing will.
• They charge double for data
You'll notice that while your smartphone can access the internet just fine, if you want to hook up that access with your laptop or home computer, you'll have to pay extra for the privilege. This is often sold as a modem plan or broadband access plan. Even though the data is "already there" and there is no technical overhead — clever users can often figure out how to trick phones into providing it without further ado — the carriers are happy to eat their cake and have it too.
In essence, it's another arbitrary and artificial limitation of a capability inherent to modern, digital phone service. It is a limitation enacted solely to get you to pay extra to lift it.
• They own politicians
Sure, it's just phones. In a world where worse things happen all the time amid the muck and despair of human existence, having to pay for premium text is hardly worth worrying about, is it? You can (and should) opt out, and not sign on the dotted line to begin with. But today's cell towers might be tomorrow's Pony Express: they're TV stations, internet access, emergency 911 and news networks all rolled into one. WWAN could well end up supplanting copper sooner than anyone expects: do you want these companies in charge of it?
Nothing so close to government, and yet so far from the people, should be suffered to live.
• Their products suck
Yeah, you heard me. All of them. Even that one. Steve Jobs played Beck's "Cellphone's Dead" when demonstrating the iPod Touch, and you know what? He was damn right.
read more | digg story
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It’s time we hear from Google about its mobile phone plans
We’ve been waiting a long time to hear from Google about its mobile plans and the so-called Gphone or Google-powered phones. According to one report, that wait may be over soon.
The Wall Street Journal today said Google is expected to announce within the next two weeks advanced software and services that would allow handset makers to bring Google-powered phones to market by next summer. Google’s goal is to make applications and services as accessible on cellphones as they are on the Internet.
To compliment the WSJ’s story, Reuters noted that Google is in active talks with Verizon, the No. 2 carrier in the U.S., about putting Google applications on phones it offers.
And in early October, The New York Times posited that the Google phone may not be a phone at all but a mobile operating system.
Google Phone concepts
Obviously speculation abounds, which the tech community thrives on. The WSJ believes that Google-powered phones will wrap together several Google applications like the search engine, Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail — no surprise there. It makes sense.
The WSJ says the “most radical element” of Google’s plan is its push to make software for the phone(s) open “right down to the operating system” — again, no surprise. It makes sense.
If the Google phones are “open”, independent software developers would gain access to the tools they need to build additional phone features, something that Nokia is already experimenting with. Apple will also be opening up, to some degree at least, early next year.
Of course all of this — and what’s been written the past two months — is speculation. It’s time we hear from Google.
read more | digg story
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Live pics of Sony Ericsson W890
The SE-center.pl has posted more live pics of Sony Ericsson W890 phone, which is not yet officially introduced. This is a Walkman series product following the W880. According to the source, the W890 comes with a 2” QVGA display, a 3.2-megapixel camera and a frontal camera for video calls (3G support), Bluetooth (A2DP) wireless module and an FM-radio with RDS. There is the support of Memory Stick Micro (M2) cards. These are non-official details, not yet confirmed by the vendor.
read more | digg story
Monday, October 29, 2007
Apple and iPhone - dancing to a different beat again
Is Apple becoming a bully and wielding a big stick to get its customers into line?
read more | digg story
Glofiish M800 Official Specs released
John Chan from Cnet Asia has got the official specs for M800. It will have 64MB Ram and 256 MB Rom. And it also will have touch sensitive buttons under the display.
Hopefully it will be available soon! Here it is:
Physical design
Form factor Slider
Dimensions 113.8 x 57.8 x 18.4 mm
Weight w/battery 178 g
Primary display resolution 640 x 480 pixels
Phone
Phone type Quadband
Networks GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900
Connectivity options 3G, HSDPA, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPRS/GSM, USB, EDGE
Messaging features SMS, MMS, Predictive text input, Email, Instant message
Additional phone features SiRFstar III GPS chipset
Multimedia
Built-in digital camera? Yes
Maximum camera resolution 2 megapixels
Additional multimedia features Autofocus camera
PDA
Operating system Windows Mobile 6
Main processor type Samsung SC3 2442
Main processor speed 500 MHz
RAM 64 MB
ROM 256 MB
Expansion option(s) TransFlash/microSD
PC connectivity Windows
Removable battery? Yes
Display
Monochrome or color Color
Touch screen Yes
Backlit display Yes
Data Input
Method Keyboard, Pen
Audio
Built-in speakers? Yes
Built-in mic? Yes
Power supply
Batteries rechargeable? Yes
AC adaptor included? Yes
read more | digg story
Apple not just refusing cash, also refusing Apple Gift Cards for iPhones
You can chalk this one up to our bad in assuming best intentions, but when Apple said no cash for iPhones, they damn well meant it -- enough to extend the policy out to no cash for anything that could in turn purchase an iPhone. Turns out you can't even use your Apple bucks to buy an iPhone anymore, not even if someone bought you an Apple Gift Card with their credit card. Ok, for a lot of you this isn't a big deal, but who gets hit hardest? Try all those teenage Apple fanboys begging various family members for small denomination gift cards that will add up to the iPhone they've been after. We've never heard any company being so adamant about keeping non-paper trail for every single damned purchase, but now we're just left wondering how long until someone (or some state) sour from this bitter pill decides to challenge Apple on that whole US dollar bills being "legal tender for all debts, public and private" thing.
read more | digg story
Instant iPhone and iPod touch jailbreak! Just navigate to jailbreakme.com
A crew of hackers (including hdm/metasploit, rezn, dinopio, drudge, kroo, pumpkin, davidc, dunham, and NerveGas) have introduced a one-touch instant jailbreak for both iPhone and iPod touch. The jailbreak opens your iPhone for full disk access and installs Installer.app so you can add pretty much any third party application you like.
To use it, open Safari and point your browser to jailbreakme.com (which we aren't linking to so folks won't install this by accident, but you are prompted to confirm). Once there, read the directions, scroll to the bottom, and tap Install AppSnapp. If Safari disappears and you return to the main Home screen, you're good. Just wait a minute more for your unit to restart--don't touch anything until you see the slide to unlock screen. If Safari hangs, just quit out (press and hold Home for 4-8 seconds) and try again.
Once you get to slide-to-unlock, go ahead and unlock your iPhone or iPod touch. You'll return to your home screen which will contain a new Installer.app icon. If you'll want to ssh into your unit, install the BSD subsystem, Community Sources, and then install Open SSH--you may need to upgrade Installer.app (thanks Ste). With Open SSH and sshfs (part of Mac Fuse), you can open Finder windows that offer direct drag and drop access to your phone or touch.
The jailbreak really is as easy as it sounds. I restored my iPod touch and jailbroke it just a few minutes ago and it worked great.
read more | digg story
AT&T gives FREE Wi-Fi to Southern California
The offering began on October 27th, 2007 at all of the listed locations. The AT&T Vice President stated, “We want to help residents in Southern California in any way that we can and by enabling free Wi-Fi at hundreds of AT&T hot spot locations, we’re hoping to provide families and friends with another way to stay connected - and to reconnect - throughout this difficult time.”
Anything that uses a Wi-Fi connection is fair game so all iPhones, PDAs, Laptops and other gizmos can be found buzzing at rates that are hard to beat throughout Southern California. The free access is expected to last at least 3 weeks.
CBS8 San DiegoThe first place to announce AT&T would be giving away free Wi-Fi was CBS8.com and released the information in their minute by minute updates of the San Diego Wildfires here. CBS8 was also the same station that did a story on their nightly news about AT&T being very short and rude with a customer that had lost their Dish receiver in the San Diego Wildfires. AT&T had asked the couple if they had a chance to grab their receiver when leaving their burning home. when the couple said they did not, AT&T simply stated they would be receiving a bill for $300 and that it needed to be paid immediately. The couple asked AT&T if they could postpone the bill until their home insurance made a settlement and AT&T said that they wouldn’t make any exceptions and the bill would be just like any other.
Not long after this story broke on the news, landed on YouTube and hit the frontpage of Digg AT&T back peddled to state that there was a misunderstanding. AT&T stated that their disaster policy was not understood by the customer service representative and that the $300 fee would waived.This was definitely a smart move by AT&T to try and reverse all the bad publicity they generated by generously giving away their Wi-Fi at the Hot Spots in Southern California. AT&T is trying to prove that corporations aren’t always evil and greedy. Kudos to AT&T.What do you think about AT&T giving away free Wi-Fi? Do you think it’s too late? Do you think this was done to just cover up all the bad press AT&T received for being uncompassionate to Southern California fire victims?
read more | digg story
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Pay Per Post system for bloggers
This blog has recently joined the famous system Pay Per Post. This service gives you many products and opportunities that you can describe in a blog. Every blogger is free to choose what he is going to present according to his blog direction and niche.
The advertisers look for some kinds of content like feedbacks, reviews, buzz, creatives, photos, videos. So you can write about a product or just create a funny video.
It's a really great opportunity for bloggers to write their own original content on the themes that they're interested in and to earn money from their posts at the same time. You write honest thoughts and reviews about the products and Pay Per Post gives you money for it.
Both, advertisers and bloggers get their advantage here. Bloggers do what they can do very good - write posts. And advertisers get direct and targeted traffic to their site and get new customers for their services.
What do you need to register on Pay Per Post?
1. Create your own blog. You can use any free blogging platform including Blogspot, a very useful service with many customizing opportunities.
2. Write some initial posts in your blog. Attract users with bright headlines. Promote your posts using social networks like Digg and other.
3. Go to Pay Per Post. Enter your e-mail and blog information there in the registration form. Also you need to provide a link to your posts archives or to your first post. That's a very important part of registration process.
4. Wait till you get the confirmation e-mail from them.
5. Then you will wait again till the company approves your blog for posting.
Now that's all. You are free to use all the tools provided by the advertisers and to choose every opportunity they give.
So, good luck to you. Write interesting posts and earn your big money!
Samsung Serenata Challenges iPhone
The Serenata's 4GB of storage might be the least impressive thing about it, given the array of off-beat luxury features packed inside by Samsung's partner Bang & Olufsen.
Move over, iPhone. There’s a new high-capacity media phone in town and it's… downright ridiculous. Samsung and Danish design firm Bang & Olufsen revealed their latest collaboration on Tuesday, the Serenata phone. Featuring B&O’s trademark over-the-top design, 4GB of storage and a 2.26-inch LCD screen, the Sereneta might not quite be ready to oust Apple in the technical arena, but as a status symbol, it certainly stands a chance.
The Serenata distinguishes itself from similar devices in a number of ways. For one, it’s not all touch screen. A giant scroll wheel with a center selection button dominates the upper half of the unit. Everything the player does, from music selection to text messaging, can be controlled with the wheel or the integrated touch screen.
In a more significant departure, the Serenata actually has a built-in speaker system. A panel on the back of the unit folds out, allowing it to be propped up, and the front and back of the phone slide apart as they would in a traditional slider phone, revealing two integrated speakers. No word yet on sound quality, but the companies promise rich bass and zero distortion, despite the tiny size of the speakers.
Bang & Olufsen also include some unique features tailored to the busy executive, like its PureMusic mode that cuts off phone calls and text messages to allow a user to relax and listen to music without disruptions. And forget pop-music ringtones, all of the built-in ringtones on the Serenata derive their names from the materials that make them – like steel for wind chimes, aluminum for a triangle, and various woods represented by the sounds they make when hollow.
The phone’s price hasn’t yet been announced, but given Bang & Olufsen’s traditional premiums, it should be just as extravagant as the rest of the phone. The phones are scheduled for a European release by the end of October, a spokesperson told PC World.
>read more | digg story
Optimized Google Maps For Symbian
Google has integrated its Google Maps using Symbian C++, which means if you are using a Symbian smartphone, the Google Maps service will be significantly enhanced. Google Maps is the premier free map service. Now that is native to Symbian smartphones, there are several things users can expect: maps with step-by-step directions, search results for local locations are integrated in the maps, birds eye view from a satellite.
read more | digg story
Sprint To Unlock Its Phones, Allow Non-Sprint Phones
As part of a proposed class-action settlement in California, Sprint has agreed to unlock departing customers' phones so they can be used with other compatible networks, including Verizon and Alltel. Sprint said it will share the necessary unlocking code with all current and former subscribers once their phones are deactivated and their bills are paid.
The company will also train employees on how to activate non-Sprint phones on its network. The settlement covers customers who bought a Sprint phone between Aug. 28, 1999, and July 16, 2007. A final approval hearing for the California suit has yet to be scheduled. A similar lawsuit in Florida is covered by the proposed settlement.
read more | digg story
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Audi makes its own iPhone
Audi has created a new all-in-one device that can act as an authorization system for a car, mobile phone, navigation unit and audio and video player. It's equipped with both Wi-Fi and 3G UMTS technology and has debut in the new Audi A1 concept car.
read more | digg story
Monday, October 22, 2007
EU approves phone calls in the air
The EU has decided to allow cellphone calls to be made while you’re in the air, ten thousands of feet above the ground courtesy of a new technology that does not run the risk of interference with aircraft systems. This reservation of space for the required airwaves has already been recommended to the EU countries’ governments before the system can be fully rolled out. On-board phone calls will be redirected to a satellite, and subsequently transmitted to the carrier’s network, resulting in a sky-high price that is on par with your current lofty position. There are limitations to this system though as such phone calls are forbidden whenever the plane is less than 3,000 meters in height.
read more | digg story
Samsung Announces 5 Megapixel Slider, the SGH-G800
Samsung today introduced the SGH-G800, a new photography-centric slider. The G800 sports a 5 megapixel auto-focus camera and Xenon flash, similar to other high end camera phones. However the G800 also adds 3x optical zoom, face detection and wide dynamic range (WDR) to its photographic abilities. It also features Bluetooth and a microSD slot.
read more | digg story
Sony Ericsson gets official on the W910 and K850
For you Walkman / Cyber-shot buffs out there who’ve been dying to get your hands on some new phoneage — look no further. The Sony-Ericsson dreamteam have just announced the official release of two of its new mobile phones sure to have player haters… um, player hating. The W910, which we took a look at back in June, apparently has music-playin’ on its mind, though with HSDPA, a 1GB Memory Stick, and its “shake” feature (which allows you to jostle the device to switch songs or randomize playback), you might find other uses for it. If you’re more of an Ansel Adams-type, you can get your mitts on the K850, a camera-minded phone that’s got a considerable 5-megapixel camera (with a Xenon flash / video light), has more of that beloved HSDPA, and can do 30fps video — if that’s your thing. Both of these sweet babies will be available in “selected markets” this month, no word on price.
read more | digg story
Hundreds of hacked iPhones!
See what others are doing with their iPhones. Check out this huge Flickr screenshot pool for great hacks of all different kinds with themes, apps, icons and games all included. An interesting browse indeed.
read more | digg story
Out Of A Coma, Into The Apple Store
Geoff Evila miraculously recovered from a four month coma after a near fatal car accident and realized he'd missed the launch of the iPhone......
read more | digg story
Sunday, October 21, 2007
How to steal a cell phone
Don't put your phone on the table in a coffee shop.
See how they do it.
read more | digg story
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Nokia's S60 Touch Interface demonstrated
Nokia is showing off their new S60 Touch Interface at the Symbian Smartphone Show today. Unlike their last attempt, this effort was demonstrated on a more Nokia-like concept device. The touch-interface supports haptic feedback and accepts both finger and stylus inputs depending upon the display technology used.
read more | digg story
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Nokia's N810 makes first appearance, drops jaws
We're still waiting for the press release, but that's Nokia N810 Internet Tablet in the fo' realz. Yeah, sexy is an understatement. We peeped this model in a spyshot back in July and appears to be the same lovely recently revealed by the FCC. The obvious improvement to the N800? The full QWERTY.
read more | digg story
CONFIRMED: Real iPhone SDK in February 2008 - Third-party applications on iPhone
Steve Jobs: "Let me just say it: We want native third party applications on the iPhone, and we plan to have an SDK in developers’ hands in February. We are excited about creating a vibrant third party developer community around the iPhone and enabling hundreds of new applications for our users. With our revolutionary multi-touch interface, powerful hardware and advanced software architecture, we believe we have created the best mobile platform ever for developers."
read more | digg story
Gmail client for mobile phones works with Windows Mobile phones PERFECTLY
No matter what Windows Mobile phone you own, Pocket PC or smartphone, whatever brand, you can be certain that recently released Gmail for mobile phones works with it! We tested it (see images below), it works very well and we hereby show you how to get Gmail working in your Windows Mobile phone.
Here is how it looks like, where you can see that you can receive emails:
... and send them:
... and actually do everything in your Gmail account - very quickly and effectively.
read more | digg story
AT&T Mobility Dumps Flat Early Termination Fees
AT&T announced today that it will no longer charge a flat early termination fee for customers who choose to end their phone contracts before they expire. It will now charge a prorated amount based on the time remaining in the contract. AT&T also noted that customers will be able to make changes to their services without extending the contract.
read more | digg story
Monday, October 15, 2007
Unlocked, Open Source Phones for Weary iPhone Hackers
IPhone fans are finding there's a price to pay for refined design and an innovative user interface. Attempts to force open the iPhone to third-party development -- not to mention carriers other than AT&T -- have resulted in a tough battle for the hack-minded. But a slew of free, open-source and hacker-friendly alternatives are coming to the market or already available, including a few big boys. Here are nine of the best that let you do things the iPhone won't.
read more | digg story
Apple releases iPhone/iTouch WebApp Directory
Apple tries to make up for the lack of 3rd party development by giving us a list of all the web applications out there for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Here is the list of all available web applications for iPhone on Apple's official site.
read more | digg story
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Samsung i780 smartphone has GPS
Samsung seems to be working a little in reverse with its upcoming SGH-i780 Windows Mobile 6 handset, showing it first at GITEX, then providing shots to media a couple weeks later -- all without an official press release or announcement. Fortunately, we have pretty much all the information we want about it at this point, save for one key detail: will it come to AT&T as the rumored BlackJack 2?
Unlike the original BlackJack, the i780 runs the touchscreen-driven Professional variant of Windows Mobile, features an "optical mouse" on the d-pad that provides the user with an actual on-screen pointer, and features integrated WiFi and GPS. If we were the wagering sort, we'd guess that an AT&T variant of this sucker would lose the WiFi and trade Euro HSDPA radio hardware for its North American equivalent, but with integrated GPS, it still seems like it could be a worthwhile upgrade. Sweden apparently expects it in early 2008, though there's no official word on launches elsewhere just yet.
read more | digg story
Motorola makes PEBL-ish U9 official
It's real! Motorola has made official its latest PEBL-esque device -- though there's no actual PEBL branding to be found on this one -- the U9. Think of the U9 to the original PEBL what the V8 and V9 are to the original RAZR, rocking Motorola's "CrystalTalk" noise reduction tech, microSD expansion, and a 2 megapixel camera.
Media's the focus here with support for syncing with Windows Media Player 11; WMA, MP3, AAC, AAC+, and AAC+ enhanced files are all good to go, while the stereo Bluetooth support and "floating" external display with touch sensitive controls certainly don't hurt. Look for it to hit in the fourth quarter of the year in Asia, Latin America, and Europe. No North American release plans have been outed at this point, but it's a quadband GSM / EDGE phone, so we'd expect to find its way onto importers' shelves (and probably Motorola's own online store) right quick.
read more | digg story
Glofiish M800: A successor to the X800 with QWERTY-keyboard
We’ve got our hands on the specs of E-TEN Glofiish M800 communicator. This is an heir of the X800 with a slide-out QWERTY-keyboard. At the same time the specs are likely to be the same as in the original communicator. The Pocketinfo.nl says the new model will be launched in late November – early December. The recommended price is about €600.
According to the source the specs enlist the following:
* 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) support
* OS - Windows Mobile 6 Professional
* CPU - Samsung 500 MHz
* 256 MB ROM
* Wireless - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
* Display - touchscreen VGA
* Two built-in cameras
* GPS SiRFstar III
* Battery - 1530 mAh
read more | digg story
Apple Forced to Sell Unlocked iPhones in France
Apple may have a problem selling to the French even after finalizing a deal with Orange. Apple shares with the revenues of the wireless company that has won the right to sell the iPhone, but French law dictates consumers must have the choice of choosing to buy an unlocked version. Apple may choose to price unlocked iPhones exorbitantly...
read more | digg story
"Deep red" iPhone in the works for AT&T?
With iPod shuffles and nanos available in a variety of shades, it only makes sense to bring the love to the iPhone too, right? AT&T's internal inventory sheet is apparently now showing iPhones in "deep red" (we probably would've gone with something a little more neutral like black for the first new color, but whatevs) though we don't have any information beyond that. No release date, no picture, nothing. The presence of a 4GB variant of the deep red iPhone here has a little skeptical, considering how its silver sib just got the ax, but who knows -- maybe Apple figures a dirt cheap model colored to match Festivus decorations will sell like gangbusters.
read more | digg story
Friday, October 12, 2007
Samsung U900 coming to Verizon as the Flipshot
Samsung’s U900 Ultra Edition phone will be rechristened the Flipshot when it arrives in the US through Verizon, according to leaked details provided by Mobiledia. The device has had most of its American specifications revealed and will earn its name through its swiveling display: twisting the LCD horizontally helps turn the phone into an impromptu 3-megapixel camera or camcorder with a photo-friendly landscape view. An onboard flash and image editing software produce better-looking shots before they reach a computer or are sent to a friend.
In spite of its photography focus, the Flipshot will also have at least a partial focus on music, with MP3 support and a microSD slot to store both music and photos. EVDO Internet access and assisted GPS using Verizon’s VZ Navigator are also confirmed, the report says. Verizon has not solidified a release date for the Samsung flip phone but is known to be readying a release before the end of the year.
read more | digg story
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