Qualcomm Enters Netbook Market

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 13, 2009 05:15PM
Author: Nick Harezga

The Snapdragon ARM processor from Qualcomm is coming to Lenovo netbooks. The netbook will be available through AT&T, and is built around the 1GHz Cortex-A8 core. The system is being referred to as a smartbook due to the low power ARM chips that power them. The smartbook will run a custom Linux distribution and will have a long battery life. Several other manufacturers are rumored to be designing ARM smartbooks featuring both the Snapdragon and Nvidia Tegra. The smartbook will be launched at CES, so the OCC members in attendance may be able to get their hands on it.

Dell Working on Android Phone

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 13, 2009 05:14PM
Author: Nick Harezga

Dell is planning to throw its hat into the smartphone ring. The phone is called the Mini 3 and will be the latest to run the Android OS from Google. It will be available in China by the end of this month with Brazil to follow by the end of the year, and availability in unannounced markets at a later time. The phone will be available for China Mobile and Claro subscribers in the respective countries. Dell is hoping that the large number of cell users in these countries will prove advantageous. However, with several Android phones already released, Dell's phone has some tough competition.

Research in Motion Working With Developers

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 10, 2009 08:06AM
Author: Nick Harezga

Research in Motion, makers of the popular Blackberry devices, will be aiding developers of apps for its phones. The aid will come in the form of helping developers include ads in their apps, allowing them to increase their revenue. Additionally, RIM will assist developers in accepting payments for premium content through its app store. By helping developers, RIM hopes to attract more developers to create apps, hoping to compete with the popular App Store from Apple. Apple and other smartphone manufacturers have been taking a bite out of the market that the Blackberry has long dominated, and improved app offerings could help RIM gain some market share back.

Nokia Issues Recall on 14m Phone Chargers

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 9, 2009 03:16PM
Author: Ben Grantham

Nokia has issued a recall for several phone charger models manufactured by BYD, one of its Chinese third-party suppliers. The reason for the recall is that Nokia has determined that the plastic covers on the chargers could potetnially come loose and separate, exposing the electronics within. If a customer happened to touch certain components while the charger was plugged into a live socket, it could result in electrocution. The company is therefore offering an exchange program for the models affected, which were sold largely in North America and Europe. If you wish to check your own charger, then you can refer to Nokia's exchange program website, which shows that the model numbers affected are AC-3U and AC-3E (those manufactured by BYD between June 15th and August 9th, 2009), along with AC-4U (those manufactured by BYD between April 13th and October 25th, 2009). If you bought a charger before those dates, or it wasn't made by BYD, then there is no need to worry. Nokia also notes that no known cases of injury related to the problem have been reported.

Jailbroken iPhones Being Rick Rolled

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 9, 2009 09:38AM
Author: Nick Harezga

iPhone users that have jailbroken their iPhones have come under attack from a new worm. The worm seems to not have malicious intentions, and simply changes the background of the phone to a picture of Rick Astley. The affected phones all have something in common other than being jailbroken, default passwords. Neglecting to change the default password provides one of the easiest targets for hackers. The worm spreads between phones that have an SSH port open, and is able to spread itself from phone to phone. It appears that it is only a matter of time before someone decides to take advantage of this for personal gain instead of laughs.

New iPhone on the Horizon?

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 8, 2009 08:11AM
Author: Nick Harezga

On the heels of the launch of the Motorola Droid on the Verizon network, new iPhone rumors have sprung up. The rumored new iPhone will be a “world mode” phone, and would be compatible with both GSM/UMTS and CDMA. This would be important for several reasons, and Apple would be able to sell one phone to all carriers. The current iPhone is only compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States, while CDMA technology would allow Verizon and Sprint customers access to the phone. However, the phone would also feature a 2.8 inch touch screen, which is significantly smaller than the current model.

B&N Sued By Spring Design

Category: Mobile, Manufacturers
Posted: November 2, 2009 10:23PM
Author: Brentt Moore

In the large market for handheld eBook readers, it seems as if Amazon’s Kindle has always taken the most sales in the selective product lineup. The Nook, by Barnes & Noble, has been a new reader that has stolen the attention of many, with its two LCD display setup. Spring Designs however is filing a lawsuit dealing with the eBook product, stating that B&N were in the talks of a product like the Nook while under NDA agreements and that the company copied Spring Design’s product by offering two LCDs; though each screen has a different function in both of the products. It is not sure which way the lawsuit will go, but with the screens performing different functions in both cases, there does not seem to be too much of a debate, just similar design.

Motorola Droid Coming to Europe

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 2, 2009 08:28AM
Author: Nick Harezga

The Motorola Droid, which will be released for Verizon Wireless customers this week, will be coming to Europe in the near future. The phone will be known as the Milestone and will be available to users in Germany and Italy first. It will also make its break into South America in Argentina. The phone will be coming to the Vodafone and O2 networks in these areas. The Milestone will be almost identical to the Droid, except for the support for a maximum 8GB memory card and High Speed Packet Access. The Milestone will also feature the Motonav application for navigation, and not the new Google navigation application.

China Finally Gets iPhone

Category: Mobile
Posted: November 1, 2009 01:10PM
Author: Nick Harezga

The iPhone was officially launched in the most populated country on Friday. The phone is being sold through China Unicom, which is currently the second largest carrier in the country. It is likely hoping the iPhone will increase its market share in the coming years. However, the 8GB model will run consumers $732 without a contract. There are plenty of places in the country that sell gray-market models, which will be much cheaper. Another drawback of the Chinese iPhone is the lack of Wi-Fi due to government regulations.

Motorola Droid Will Be Available Next Week

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 28, 2009 07:23AM
Author: Nick Harezga

The Motorola Droid, which runs on the Android operating system, will be available for purchase starting November 6. The phone will be available for $199 with a $100 rebate, and the customary 2 year contract. In addition, users will need a voice and data plan with the phone, amounting to a minimum of $70 per month. The Droid will be the first available smartphone to feature Android 2.0, the latest incarnation of the operating system from Google. Verizon will be promoting the phone through its biggest marketing campaign to date.

Chad Ochocinco, There's an App For That

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 22, 2009 02:28PM
Author: Nick Harezga

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, who is known for his on and off field antics, is getting his own iPhone app. The app is being produced by Rock Software and will carry a price tag of $4.99. Numerous features will be available to help fans know exactly what Chad is up to. The app lists his current location, features a soundboard, and has his Twitter feed right there. More features are planned for the future, including an alarm clock that has Chad yell at users to wake up. This will surely help to get his name out there, and help him connect with his fans.

Second Verizon Android Phone Revealed?

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 21, 2009 04:35PM
Author: Nick Harezga

Pictures and details have surfaced of what is said to be the second Android phone coming to Verizon. The Droid was seen earlier this week and has already received a commercial, though it hasn't been confirmed to be the Motorola Sholes yet. The new phone is code named the Calgary, and also comes from Motorola. It will feature a similar design as the Droid, though it will feature a smaller screen and resolution. The Calgary will likely appeal to users who want a smartphone, but don't need the high end Droid. The phone will feature a fully functioning keyboard, GPS, camera, and Wi-Fi. The phone is speculated to be released in the fourth quarter of this year, meaning you could get your hands on it very soon.

Apple Continues To Defy Recession, Releases New Hardware

Category: Networking, Mobile, Input Devices, Prebuilts
Posted: October 21, 2009 02:35AM
Author: d3bruts1d

On Monday Apple announced their FY09 Q4 earnings which ended on September 30, 2009. Net profit for the company rose nearly 46-percent to $1.67 billion on sales of $9.87 billion. During the quarter, Apple sold:

• 4.7 million iPhones, a 7% growth over a year ago,
• 3.05 million Macintosh computers, a 17% increase over a year ago, and
• 10.2 million iPods, which while it appears to be a staggering number, is actually a decline of 8% from last year.

"We are thrilled to have sold more Macs and iPhones than in any previous quarter," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "We’ve got a very strong lineup for the holiday season and some really great new products in the pipeline for 2010."

Continuing on the momentum of the Q4 earnings, Apple on Tuesday released a slew of new hardware in a very un-Apple-like way. Rather than a big media event, Apple simply pushed out the new hardware with a press release and update splash page on the main Apple website.

Magic Mouse - Apple introduced multi-touch technology as a new way to interact with mobile devices on the iPhone and Mac Book, and now they are taking it to a new level with the "Magic Mouse". The low-profile seamless top is a multi-touch surface that allows you to scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos using two fingers, and click or double click anywhere on the device. Apple claims that the sensor inside the mouse can determine when you are simply resting your hand on the device, swiping, or clicking. It will be interesting to see how well the device works, as previous Apple mice have been less than stellar.

iMac - The iMac lineup comes in 21.5" and 27" varieties. While the 21.5" iMac uses the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the new 27" offers an Intel i5 or i7 quad core option. Both screens are LED-backlit, and the 21.5" supports a resolution of 1920x1080. Screen space on the 27" is increased by 78% more pixels and has a resolution of 2560x1440. Sony may use the slogan "Beyond High Definition" for Blu-ray, but it certainly applies to the 27" iMac. Speaking of Blu-ray, it would have been nice to see that as an option in the 27" iMac. Also used in the 27" iMac is a ATI HD 4850 video card. Apple is also really happy about the design of the new iMacs, check out the video (Quicktime) for more on that.

MacBook - The $999 MacBook now has a unibody design with rounded contours to make it easier to pick up and slide in or out of a bag. The rugged polycarbonate body makes it ideal for everyday usage by students and those on the go. It also has added a glass trackpad with, you guessed it, multi-touch support. The non-removable battery claims a 7 hour battery life, with 1000 charges. Some will be said to learn that along with the update, the MacBook lost its FireWire port. Interested in what the MacBook looks like on the inside? iFixit already has a teardown of the device.

Mac Mini & Mac Mini Server - The Mac Mini is a nice little system, though often feels neglected by Apple. It was nice to see it get an update in processing power and memory. What is interesting here is not the updated specs, but Apple has finally decided to embrace the little system as server worthy. For years now many people have taken the Mac Mini and used it as a cheap, entry level OS X server. Small business now have a more affordable server option, the Mac Mini Server. For $999 you get a nice little system than can easily be tucked away some place, but you also get OS X Server with unlimited users, no extra client access license fees required. Anyone who has ever spec’ed out a Windows Server will know that the CALs for the Server OS can end up costing more than double the hardware. TUAW goes into the other big possibilities of the Mac Mini Server.

Other Stuff - Apple's Mighty Mouse has been renamed to Apple Mouse due to the lawsuit by Man and Machine. An updated Apple Wireless Keyboard was release, the new version only requires 2 AA batteries whereas the previous used 3. A new 60W MagSafe power adapter has an aluminum connector to make it more durable. The Apple remote is now aluminum, looks goofy, and can control your iPhone or any iPod connected to the Universal Dock. The AirPort Extreme Base Station and Time Capsule devices now have a bigger and more powerful antenna which promises 50% better Wi-Fi performance and 25% better range, and are certified 802.11n.

Teaser Site Pops Up For Verizon Android Phone

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 18, 2009 09:00AM
Author: Nick Harezga

A new commercial from Verizon has revealed little about its upcoming Android phone, only referring to it as “Droid.” The commercial points out some of the capabilities that this phone has in comparison to the iPhone. The commercial is available on the teaser site, which currently reveals almost nothing about the phone. However, you can enter your e-mail to receive updates on the phone when available. A picture of the phone has also surfaced, identifying the phone as the Motorola Sholes. From what I've seen so far, all I know is that I want one. The Verizon marketing strategy appears to be working.

HP Unveils Spill-proof Laptops

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 15, 2009 01:09AM
Author: Daryn Govender

If you're one of the people who can't resist a hot coffee, ice-cold beer or other beverage at your PC, HP may have the perfect solution for you. HP's new Probook-b series of laptops will be able to withstand spills from drinks being poured on them thanks to a gutter-like system under the keyboard, which directs the liquid towards a drain hole in the bottom of the laptop, averting a technology crisis. This spill-preventing technology has been demonstrated before, but HP will be the first manufacturer to commercially distribute products incorporating the technology. The Probook-b series will feature AMD processors and graphics as well as 14" or 15.6" LED back-lit screens. The new laptops will be available from 22 October starting at US$799, depending on the model and configuration.

BFG Tech Launches 'Deimos X-10' SLI Gaming Notebook

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 14, 2009 01:33AM
Author: Daryn Govender

Illinois based hardware company BFG Tech has announced the launch of its first gaming notebook, the Deimos X-10. The Deimos X-10 is designed for gamers or media enthusiasts in mind, and comes with the option of dual NVIDIA GTX 280M 1GB graphics cards (2GB in total). Other specifications include Intel Core 2 Duo, Quad or Extreme CPUs, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a Blu-ray reader and up to 1.5TB of storage (using all three drive bays). The Deimos X-10 also features a Full HD (1920x1080) 18.4" LCD screen, 5 speakers with an integrated sub-woofer which support Dolby surround sound, 4 USB 2.0 ports and one HDMI and DVI output respectively. John Malley, senior director of marketing for BFG Technologies says "[The] Deimos X-10 comes fully locked and loaded to deliver the ultimate HD mobile gaming and multimedia experience." The BFG Deimos X-10 is currently available for pre-order from BFG starting from US$1859 and includes a free Case Logic notebook backpack, along with a 10% discount if ordered before October 30.

T-Mobile Offers Compensation for Sidekick Data Loss

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 13, 2009 03:16PM
Author: Ben Grantham

Users that have had their T-Mobile Sidekick data wiped are being offered compensation for the major error, though it depends on whether personal data gets recovered or not on what they will be eligible for. Sidekick data users are being offered being offered a free month of data service for a start. The other news is that T-Mobile now says it is having some joy getting data back for some of the accounts after all, but if it happens that it can't recover your data, it will be offering a $100 customer appreciation card that can be used towards products and services, or towards a bill should you wish. The word is that you will only qualify for that $100 gift card if T-Mobile can't restore your data after two weeks. Depending on what got wiped, you might see that as not much or quite generous.

There's a Remote Car Starter in My iPhone

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 13, 2009 02:32PM
Author: Nick Harezga

Living in the Northeast, I see plenty of people who have remote car starters. Gone are the days of scraping off your windows and freezing on the way to work. The Viper SmartStart will allow users to start their car using an iPhone or iPod Touch. The SmartStart has a hefty price tag of $499, but will only cost $299 if added to an existing remote starter. The cell plan required to be able to start the car from anywhere adds an additional $30 per year. The app has an easy to use interface and also enables the user to lock and unlock their doors.

T-Mobile Sidekick Users Lose Their Data

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 12, 2009 06:53AM
Author: Nick Harezga

Many users have been reporting that they lost their data from their Sidekick phones this weekend. Some of the losses include contacts and calendar entries. Microsoft subsidiary Danger has now confirmed the worst for Sidekick users, they won't be getting their data back. A massive server failure has resulted in all data stored on those servers being lost. Apparently there wasn't a good backup solution in place. Any data that wasn't stored locally on the users own phone has been lost. Microsoft has announced that it is continuing to work around the clock to try to find a way to recover the data.

Don't Like Your iPhone App? Too Bad

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 12, 2009 06:52AM
Author: Nick Harezga

With the release of some new GPS apps, which are more expensive than most apps, the Apple Store refund policy is being called into question. The refund policy is that users cannot get a refund no matter what. Users have no way of trying these expensive apps before purchasing them, and $70 to $100 is a lot to drop on blind faith. The Blackberry and Palm stores offer developers the ability to make apps available for a number of days on a trial basis, whereas Apple does not. Apple feels that the buying aids it offers will be sufficient to help users choose the app that is right for them.

Apple Updates iPhone and iPod Touch

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 11, 2009 11:55AM
Author: Brentt Moore

As one of the mainstream operating system creators, Apple has recently put out updates to both its iPhone and iPod Touch products. The new updates for the handheld devices fix some minor issues related with the two devices, mainly in the iPhone however, where the sleep function was fixed when the phone would not wake up. For the iPhone, other problems have also been solved in the update bringing the OS to version 3.1.2, such as an odd problem with the phone losing internet and network access randomly, as well as the Video Stream Crash Dance. The update for the iPhone, as well as the iPod Touch, can be downloaded from the Apple website.

Barnes & Noble Rumored to be Developing Android E-Reader

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 10, 2009 06:18AM
Author: Nick Harezga

Barnes & Noble is already involved in the e-reader game, supplying books to various devices following the ePub standard. Rumors are swirling that Barnes will soon begin selling its own e-reader, and it would be powered by the Android Operating System. Barnes hasn't confirmed the rumor, but is fully behind the goals taken on by the e-readers currently available. If the device was real, and was able to be a success, it would bring welcome competition to a market dominated by the Kindle.

Steve Ballmer Denies Microsoft E-Reader Rumor

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 8, 2009 02:56PM
Author: Nick Harezga

Steve Ballmer has announced that Microsoft has no plans to enter the portable e-reader market. Rumors had been swirling around a Microsoft device referred to as “Courier” which would have similar features as that of the Kindle from Amazon. Ballmer stated that Microsoft didn't need to create an e-reader as it already had the most popular e-reader available, the PC. Ballmer did however state the he would like it if Amazon and other companies released their content for the PC. By bringing its service to PCs, Amazon would be able to greatly expand its business, as roughly 90% of all computers run Windows.

Amazon Takes Kindle Internation, Drops Price

Category: Mobile, Gadgets
Posted: October 7, 2009 01:56AM
Author: d3bruts1d

Today Amazon dropped the price of the 6-inch Kindle eReader, while announcing a new international version. The Kindle International will allow you to download get books and other content wirelessly in over 100 countries, and cost $279. Unlike the original Kindle and Kindle DX which use Sprint, the Kindle International is tied to AT&T's 3G wireless network. The Kindle U.S. Wireless, as it is now called, dropped from $299 to $259 and aside from the price cut and name change saw no other modifications. The Kindle International is available for pre-ordering and ships in a couple of weeks. The Kindle DX remains unchanged at $489.

Verizon to Partner With Google to Bring Android to the Network

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 6, 2009 09:10AM
Author: Nick Harezga

You will soon be able to add Verizon to the list of carriers with Android based phones. Verizon will be partnering directly with Google to bring Android based handsets to the Verizon Wireless network. With more than 87 million customers, the potential for expanding the Android user base is tremendous. The two companies have announced that both Motorola and Samsung are likely to provide the phones for this venture. Verizon plans to release two phones by the end of the year. Verizon has also announced that its Android phones will have full support for Google Voice, the app which Apple and AT&T refused to let on its phones. This is honestly the Android announcement I have been waiting for all along. I can't wait to see what comes out of this.

Samsung Designs an Android Phone

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 5, 2009 06:56AM
Author: Nick Harezga

T-Mobile has announced the fourth Android phone in its catalog, the Samsung Behold II. The Behold will be the first Android based phone released by Samsung in the United States. The phone will be available later this year, though an official date hasn't been announced. The phone will feature the TouchWiz interface, allowing users to customize the home screen with one of three options. Notable features of the phone include a 3.2 inch touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a GPS.

New Windows Mobile Phone Coming to AT&T

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 5, 2009 06:55AM
Author: Nick Harezga

A new phone from handset maker HTC will soon be available for AT&T customers. The HTC Pure is a version of the HTC Touch Diamond2, and will feature Windows Mobile 6.5. The phone will retail for $149 and will feature a 3.2 inch touch screen. The 3G enabled phone will also feature Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a GPS. Media capabilities include a 5 megapixel camera, an FM radio, but the phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Pure will bring another touch screen competitor to the AT&T lineup, but how will it fare against the iPhone?

Wall Street Thinks Apple Should Dump Exclusivity

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 4, 2009 07:04AM
Author: Nick Harezga

Analysts from Morgan Stanley and Bernstein Research believe that Apple could more than double its market share in smartphones by moving to other carriers. There must be plenty of people who didn't want to switch to AT&T just to use the iPhone. Citing a 136% increase when Orange lost exclusivity in France, the analysts seem to be right on this one. Not mentioned in the article is the likely price drop that would accompany the increased competition. Not only would consumers be able to get the iPhone on different carriers, but they would also be able to get the iPhone at a lower price.

Deleting 1984 From Kindle Costs Amazon $150,000

Category: Mobile
Posted: October 2, 2009 01:39PM
Author: Nick Harezga

When Amazon removed the George Orwell books 1984 and Animal Farm from the Kindle on July 16 for Terms of Service violations, it probably didn't foresee such a backlash. Amazon has decided to settle a lawsuit brought against it by a Michigan student for $150,000. The student, Justin Gawronski, will be donating all the proceeds to charity and won't receive any of the settlement himself. The student initially filed the lawsuit when the text of the book went missing, leaving the notes he took useless.

There Is An App For That, And That, And That, And That...

Category: Mobile, Gaming, Music / Video Players, Software, Gadgets
Posted: September 29, 2009 05:43PM
Author: d3bruts1d

If you've seen any of Apple's commercials for the iPhone or iPod Touch, you've probably heard Apple's key phrases "there is an app for that" and "there is an app for just about anything". Now that Apple's App Store has passed two billion app downloads, they are out to prove that there really is an app for anything with the new "Apps for Everything" section on their website.

The new website is broken down into "Apps for..." categories, such as Cooks, Music, Fun and Games, managing money and more. Each section is then broken down into more specific areas, and a few apps are listed. Also available are the top 10 free and paid apps for the category.

While Apple says there is an app for just about everything, we know that there are certain things that there are not apps available for. Porn, downloading or managing torrents, Google Voice, Adobe Flash, wallpapers on the home screen or quickly switching system setting.