Mobile | Technology Today

Nokia ships one millionth 5800 XpressMusic, does a little dance

24. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Symbian, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA Okay, so we're going on the assumption that the 500,000 figure uttered by Nokia CEO Olli Pekka Kallasvuo during this week's Q4 earnings call was a touch old -- you know, considering that the outfit is now trumpeting the shipment of a cool million. Following a (very!) successful UK launch, Nokia has just shipped its one millionth Tube, which is the handset maker's first mass market touchscreen device. And to think -- it hasn't even debuted in many corners of the globe yet.Nokia ships one millionth 5800 XpressMusic, does a little dance originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with ‘Footprints’ geotagging

23. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Windows Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA HTC's got an all-new version of its GPS-centric Touch Cruise handset, with a thinner, slicker design and a new HTC Footprints app for integrating that location data with photos and notes. Of course, the phone doubles as a traditional in-car navigation system, cradle included, with GPS and a-GPS, but there's plenty else to love here, including quad band GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a microSD slot and a 3.2 megapixel camera. The 2.8-inch QVGA screen betrays this phone's consumer-bent, but the truly notable functionality here is actually in the software: HTC Footprints takes geotagging a step further, allowing to to take notes and audio clips and embed them in a "postcard" of sorts, all still tied to that GPS location data -- the cards are even auto-named by their location. Footprints also works outdoors and indoors, which isn't quite explained, but we're guessing it just remembers where you were when you lost a signal. There's a world-friendly WCDMA / HSPA 900 / 2100MHz version, of course, but us North Americans will be getting the 850 / 1900MHz flavor as a unlocked handset for $500 to $600 in Q2. Check out the read links below for the full PR and some early hands-ons, and there's video after the break.Gallery: HTC's new Touch Cruise [Via Phone Scoop; thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - HTC PRRead - Touch Cruise hands-on (in Russian)Read - Touch Cruise hands-on (in English)Continue reading HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with 'Footprints' geotagging originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink

Unofficial copy / paste comes to the iPhone… again

22. January 2009

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Filed under: Software, Apple, OS X There have been several efforts to bring some semblance of a clipboard to the iPhone since Apple has stubbornly, steadfastly refused to do so. So far, they've been somewhat meaningless and unhelpful (though totally well intentioned) largely because they've only worked with apps specifically designed to take advantage of them, when in reality, probably 80 percent of the stuff you want to copy from (or paste to) is in the iPhone's built-in apps. Enter Clippy, which attaches to the standard keyboard and adds true copy / paste to the out-of-the-box apps plus a smattering of third-party ones. The catch? It only works on jailbroken handsets -- this is about as far from making it to the App Store as anything you can imagine. It's still under development and bugs are still being ironed out, but for those of you who've gone ahead and pwned your phones, check Cydia for the goods.[Thanks, Cody]Unofficial copy / paste comes to the iPhone... again originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Google’s Android Engineering Director leaves for… Coupons, Inc.

22. January 2009

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Filed under: Android While we're primed and ready for Android to take over the mobile marketplace, it looks like Steve Horowitz, Google's engineering director for the upstart OS, has other thoughts -- he's bailing out for Coupons, Inc. Yep, it's a coupons site. We have no idea why Horowitz thinks a company working on a "digital coupons and promotions platform" is more exciting that leading Android's development, but he's certainly jumped ship before -- he started his career in Apple's Macintosh group before a stint at Be, and prior to taking the reins at Google he was on the teams at Microsoft that shipped Windows Media Center Edition, UltimateTV, and WebTV. We'll be honest, those all sound infinitely more interesting than doling out coupons, but maybe dude just really loves typing in instant savings codes. As for Android, it doesn't sound like Andy Rubin's going anywhere, so we're certain work will continue with nary a hiccup -- or at least we're hoping it does, because we're getting pretty hungry for some Cupcake.[Via Electronista]Google's Android Engineering Director leaves for... Coupons, Inc. originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

O2 Xda Guide gets photographed extensively

21. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, O2, Windows Mobile O2's oh-so-sexy Xda Guide was announced just around a month ago, but until now, all we've had are press shots to drool over. Thanks to the::unwired, we're now being graced with a gallery of photographs showing off every angle, curve and accent. There's even a shot of the rear with the casing gone for those who don't mind the risque. Have a look in the read link -- it's all there.O2 Xda Guide gets photographed extensively originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Best Buy to get the Palm Pre exclusively?

21. January 2009

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If the latest Internet rumor is true, Best Buy Mobile is going to be the only place - besides Sprint stores - you will be able to pick up the hot Palm Pre. It seems that the boys in blue will have an exclusive for 60 days. While this is just a rumor, it isn’t [...] If the latest Internet rumor is true, Best Buy Mobile is going to be the only place - besides Sprint stores - you will be able to pick up the hot Palm Pre. It seems that the boys in blue will have an exclusive for 60 days. While this is just a rumor, it isn’t unrealalistic and might work in Sprint’s favor. The two worked together last summer on the Samsung Instinct launch so there is a history here. Plus, when Best Buy has an exclusive, the retailer will advertise as such which will nearly double the amount of ad spots consumers will see. Both Sprint and Palm needs this phone to be hot and a Best Buy exclusive launch would do nothing but help out the fledgling wireless carrier and manufacturer. Lets classify this as a credible rumor. Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0 Source[Mobilecrunch]

BlackBerry Storm to support Global VZ Navigator in Q1?

20. January 2009

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Filed under: Software, RIM, Verizon Wireless While Verizon Wireless isn't exactly following hot on the heels of AT&T with its purported Global VZ Navigator, phoneArena has it that the carrier's BlackBerry Storm will become VZW's first handset to support the software later this quarter. Not that such news is a big shock given the worldly capabilities of this here smartphone, but it's still good news for globetrotters who'd rather not carry a dedicated PND. We're told that the service will go for $20 per month, with Mexico, Canada, France, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom being supported right out of the gate.BlackBerry Storm to support Global VZ Navigator in Q1? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Verizon changing some plan names, gets Alltel in-network calling

19. January 2009

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Filed under: Alltel, Verizon WirelessWe've been able to independently verify Boy Genius Report's claim that Verizon will be changing the name of IN Calling to the simpler "Mobile to Mobile" (and we can also kick in that INpulse will become just "Prepaid") on February 15. That alone isn't terribly awesome, but more importantly, Alltel numbers are now included as in-network calls for Verizon customers. Alltel customers, meanwhile, have to wait for the merger to complete. Sorry, folks!And here's a little something for the data fiends: the venerable BroadbandAccess laptop plan becomes Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband (there's a mouthful for you) this coming Monday. That's an incredible upgrade from four to ten syllables, so we should all be thanking our lucky stars for that.Verizon changing some plan names, gets Alltel in-network calling originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink

App Store hits 500 million downloads: thanks, iFart

19. January 2009

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Filed under: Software, Apple, OS X Wowsers, that little App Store side project Apple has going on sure doesn't seem to be settling down. After launching in July of '08 and hitting 100 million downloads in September, the App Store has just crossed the 500 million download mark -- a mere six months after opening. Compare that to the iTunes Music Store, which took two whole years to cross the 500 million mark, though to be fair we have little idea of the paid to free ratio of app downloads. There are over 15,000 apps in the App Store currently, and sure, 14,500 of them are crap, with the rest being tip calculators, but we gotta hand it to Apple for pretty much unprecedented success in the mobile download space -- now let us download SNES emulators![Thanks, Richard]App Store hits 500 million downloads: thanks, iFart originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink

Why are most iPhone remote apps so janky?

17. January 2009

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Filed under: Software, Apple, OS X The iPhone has plenty of great applications but for whatever reason whenever one comes out -- like the new TiVoRemote pictured above -- that will help us control our home theater it looks as bad as you can imagine. Sure function is more important than form, but most of these are ridiculous. It's bad enough that the developers think you want to use a touch screen to control something like a directional pad -- imagine looking up to see the menu on the screen and then down to look at the remote 25 times -- but at least they could make it look cool. It's not that we hate all of 'em as the Apple Remote for the Apple TV and iTunes is really slick, but with all the possibilities when it comes to gestures and the iPhone's accelerometer, we'd think there'd be a decent solution by now.Why are most iPhone remote apps so janky? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Sony Ericsson C905 gets reviewed — all 8.1 megapixels of it

7. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS When you're reviewing a phone dominated by an unusually weighty image sensor that dominates the spec sheet, you can bet that cam is going to get an extra-thorough rundown. MobileBurn put Sony Ericsson's beastly C905 slider through its paces, and as you might expect, it produced some pretty awesome pictures -- as cellphones go, at least -- with a full-featured camera interface that seems to throw some validity behind the handset's Cyber-shot branding. There was some weirdness with vivid colors that seemed to be a fault of the review unit, and the geotagging functionality didn't really work, but if you just want to produce decent images that you can blow up and plaster to a dorm wall, this sucker should do the trick. A xenon flash, HSDPA, and serviceable signal and sound quality all conspire to make it a workable choice dubbed "Highly Recomended" by the site. Alright, yeah, count us in.Sony Ericsson C905 gets reviewed -- all 8.1 megapixels of it originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

HTC not done with non-touchscreens yet, brings S743 to US market

7. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Windows Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS We'd never pegged the S740 as the kind of phone HTC would be looking to bring to the New World; it's an oddball by modern Windows Mobile standards, shucking the touchy, feely trend for a traditional numeric keypad that reminds us of a simpler, more innocent time. Miracles can and do happen from time to time, though -- and on that note we give you the S743, a dead ringer for the S740 that's had its Euro-friendly 3G gutted and replaced with HSDPA 850 / 1900 for North American use. It's got WinMo 6.1 Standard, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, and faceted styling inspired by the Touch Diamond, but the S743's real claim to fame is its slide-out QWERTY keyboard for those moments when triple-tapping and predictive text just aren't going to cut it. Look for this sucker to invade US retailers some time this quarter.HTC not done with non-touchscreens yet, brings S743 to US market originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Apple moves to patent iPhone gloves

5. January 2009

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Nothing beats the smooth, silky glide of a capacitive touch screen - but nothing’s more annoying than trying to use one in the dead of winter. Unless you’re ultra-hardcore-extreme (or just too cool for school. or stupid.), you’ve got gloves on. Your phone rings; by the time you get your nice, snugly gloves off, you’ve [...] Nothing beats the smooth, silky glide of a capacitive touch screen - but nothing’s more annoying than trying to use one in the dead of winter. Unless you’re ultra-hardcore-extreme (or just too cool for school. or stupid.), you’ve got gloves on. Your phone rings; by the time you get your nice, snugly gloves off, you’ve missed your call. Apple feels your pain. At least, they realized that the whole situation sucks and patented a solution: iPhone gloves! They’ve got all the warming perks of standard gloves, with a secondary conductive layer which serves to pipe the stimulation provided by your finger to the outer layer of the glove. Now, if you’re thinking, “Hey, didn’t some other people already do that?” - yes, they did. Don’t fret, though - Apple isn’t ripping anybody off; though it’s only coming to light now, the patent first got pushed through the paces way back in June of 2007. Imagine if these make their way to the shelves! We could all wear Apple-brand gloves, and give each other Apple-branded high fives. Oh, the fun we would have! [The patent Via AppleInsider] Crunch Network: CrunchBoard because it’s time for you to find a new Job2.0 Source[Mobilecrunch]

Motorola’s Renew for T-Mobile is as boring as it is green

4. January 2009

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Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, T-Mobile, GSM, EDGE A quick glance at this positively anonymous Moto candybar isn't going to stir any emotion, but a closer look reveals something pretty important -- as its name implies, the W233 "Renew" is made from a lot of renewable stuff. Both the packaging and the phone itself are made of materials designed to reduce impact on our lovely planet, a trend picking up a nice head of steam in the mobile biz these past couple years. Rumor has it this low-spec (and hopefully low-cost) handset will be launching on February 4 -- much to Mother Nature's relief, we're sure. Good to see that whole environmental crisis is solved now, eh?Motorola's Renew for T-Mobile is as boring as it is green originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read

Innov8 with AT&T-friendly innards passes through the FCC

3. January 2009

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Even without any sort of US Carrier availability, the Samsung Innov8 managed to crack at least one of our Top Picks of 2008 lists. As usual, however, the fact that it’s superb doesn’t equate to it being easy to buy. Fortunately, it looks like that might be changing. Amazon just started peddling the International Version this [...] Even without any sort of US Carrier availability, the Samsung Innov8 managed to crack at least one of our Top Picks of 2008 lists. As usual, however, the fact that it’s superb doesn’t equate to it being easy to buy. Fortunately, it looks like that might be changing. Amazon just started peddling the International Version this morning, but with an oh-so-hefty $799 price tag. If that’s a bit rich for your blood, the FCC’s looselips have let on that a 850/1900Mhz model, perfectly suitable for 3G use on AT&T (or Rogers, though the Innov8 is nowhere to be seen on the 2009 Rogers Roadmap), is on the way. Go ahead, AT&T - Make it official. [Symbian Guru] Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies Source[Mobilecrunch]

Technology Today

Archive | Mobile RSS feed for this section

Nokia ships one millionth 5800 XpressMusic, does a little dance

HTC debuts new Touch Cruise phone with ‘Footprints’ geotagging

Unofficial copy / paste comes to the iPhone… again

Google’s Android Engineering Director leaves for… Coupons, Inc.

O2 Xda Guide gets photographed extensively

Best Buy to get the Palm Pre exclusively?

BlackBerry Storm to support Global VZ Navigator in Q1?

Verizon changing some plan names, gets Alltel in-network calling

App Store hits 500 million downloads: thanks, iFart

Why are most iPhone remote apps so janky?

Sony Ericsson C905 gets reviewed — all 8.1 megapixels of it

HTC not done with non-touchscreens yet, brings S743 to US market

Apple moves to patent iPhone gloves

Motorola’s Renew for T-Mobile is as boring as it is green

Innov8 with AT&T-friendly innards passes through the FCC

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