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Mobile phone etiquette is a popular topic these days. Maybe it's because the rules of conduct are too rigid for the flexibility-seeking, always-on, always-connected cellular generation. So it's great to see an app that basically enables a phone to be used for courtesy.

AmericanGreetings.com has launched a new iPhone application that lets users send e-cards from their devices.

Okay, so you might look at this and wonder who the target customer is — some older lady with cat quilts? Or a young conservative who likes rainbows? Yeah, I did too. Who else would want to take up valuable real estate on their cell phones with this? But even if you're not the warm-and-fuzzy type, there's still a good reason not to write this off at first glance.

Picture it: You're hanging with your buds, watching the game, when you suddenly realize that it's your ______'s birthday. (Fill in the blank: Mother, father, girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, whatever... Okay, maybe not Fido.) Crap.

You're not going to rush out now and buy a birthday card, not at the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and two men on base. If you have the American Greetings app, you don't have to. Just grab your iPhone, launch the application, and send an e-card from your handset.

Seriously, this is a stroke of brilliance for the forgetful among us. There's nothing like building up some points with Mom/Pop/wifey, etc, especially when you want expensive baseball tickets (or that new droolworthy smartphone). And imagine the look on your loved ones' faces when they realize — awwww, you remembered!



There are more than 80 e-card designs (including animated e-cards, postcards and uploadable photo greetings), so you can browse, personalize and send e-cards to any e-mail address — all during a commercial break. The selection features popular choices from the AmericanGreetings.com website, as well as new ones developed specifically for the iPhone.

The app is available and free for a limited time. (AmericanGreetings.com also offers a downloadable toolbar for reminders and makes e-cards available for Facebook.)

An electronic greeting card may not really cut it for landmark events, like a 21st birthday or 10-year anniversary, but for regular occasions, it can definitely help. Sure, flowers or theater tickets are better, but at least with this you won't look like a jerk who simply forgot.

HTC have passed the mega-Magic mark, with CEO Peter Chou announcing that their Android-equipped 3G phone has sold over a million handsets.  He made this revelation in Taiwan where the Magic has just been made available (adding an “everyone else is getting them, you should too!” subtext)

This puts the Magic ahead of main rival, the Palm Pre, though still approximately one billion miles behind the all-dominating iPhone (warning: not accurate numbers, but pretty accurate sentiment). HTC is hoping to grow further by extending into the mid-range market, though how the high-end HTC models will make it to lower price points is not yet clear.

Post from Dial-a-Phone, UK's no. 1 for Mobile Phones.

The phrase "There's a phone out there for everyone," though somewhat corny, is true.  Smartphones are quickly becoming the device of choice for many cell phone users, but with the slew of new devices landing in the marketplace, it's challenging to decide which device is right for you.

I often get asked about my personal device preferences by friends, family, and various other people when I talk about my job description.  Usually, I respond with the "what's best for me isn't necessarily best for you" line, but most of them continue to press me about it.  So, in an attempt to be more open, I've made a list of what I believe to be the "Top Five Phones as of August 2009."  I've done these types of lists before, but it was especially tough this year, because of the great launches we've seen to date.  Lots of great devices, only five slots - which ones will make the cut?


1. Palm Pre (Sprint)



The first place spot is reserved for a device that is revamped inside and out, and Palm's move from last in the lunch line to the big leagues with a device that's functional and easy to use is nothing short of revolutionary.  The introduction of webOS ushered in another OS competitor, and it's certainly up for the challenge.  Offering things like the popular "cards" function for multitasking, Synergy, and the Palm Profile feature, the Pre sports a new slider design with a touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard.  Granted, the iPhone is a good media device, but the Pre one-ups the iPhone by offering an overall better experience when it comes to professional use.  With good usually comes bad, and the battery life is short of terrible.  Hopefully it will be fixed in future OS updates.

2. Apple iPhone 3GS (AT&T)


You just knew it was going to be in the list somewhere, didn't you?  Despite the fact that MMS and tethering are missing (AT&T's fault, not Apple's), the device has a great multitouch display, a large App Store, and of course, a built in iPod.  With the beef up to a faster processor, more storage space, and a revised OS, it's back in black.  Better yet, for those that don't want to spend the $199.99 to purchase the 16 GB iPhone 3GS, the 3G model is still available for $99.99 (and if you really want to go low, $49.99 for a refurbished model on AT&T's website).

3. BlackBerry Tour 9630 (Verizon/Sprint)



The challenge here really comes down to which BlackBerry is "better," and I would argue away from that and more to the tune that there is a BlackBerry device that fits everyone.  The Tour isn't right for everyone, but neither is the Bold, Curve 8900, or Pearl Flip.  It all depends on your wants and needs.  That being said, if I was forced to pick the BlackBerry with the best all around package, I would choose the Tour.  Combining a keyboard similar to that of the Bold in a Curve-like shell, the Tour is perfect for those that "love the keyboard on the Bold but hate the size," or those that "love the Curve but hate the keyboard."  Though Wi-Fi is notoriously absent, the Tour ships with a 3.2 megapixel camera and a newer OS build (4.7.1.40 at launch).

4. HTC Touch Pro2 (T-Mobile)



We're always talking about revisions when it comes to BlackBerry, Palm, and Apple, but rarely do Windows Mobile users get to share the same joy.  For some reason, manufacturers think that boxy, bland Windows Mobile devices with a basic screen and a simple keyboard will suffice, and as a result, we get an endless supply of similarly styled handsets (think Motorola Q9/Q9m, Palm Treo Pro, HTC Snap/Ozone, etc.).  What makes the Touch Pro2 so revolutionary is the shift back to an up-to-date, functional device, and more importantly, the first Windows Mobile phone that can really compete in the smartphone wars of 2009.  A vibrant 3.6-inch tilting touchscreen, 528 MHz processor, Wi-Fi, and a comfortable keyboard make this the Windows Mobile device to have.  Available on T-Mobile now, the Touch Pro2 is slated to land on Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint in the near future.

5. Nokia E71 (unlocked version, NOT E71x)



If you read my work, you know that I'm not a fan of Symbian (and have criticized it frequently), which is Nokia's OS of choice.  That being said, I do think the E71 offers two primary things that put it on the list: form factor and battery life.  Judging by form factor alone, the E71 deserves an award for its gorgeous, slim, metal design.  In my opinion, based on looks alone, the E71 is the best device on the market, bar none.  And the battery life is nothing short of phenomenal.  When I was using the device, I was able to make it 4 days without a charge (moderate use), and 10 days when leaving it on my desk.  In today's world of smartphones that require charging several times a day, the E71 is a shining star in the battery department.  Of course, S60 is slow, old, cumbersome, and lacks features that competing operating systems offer, thus moving it down to the fifth place slot.


Honorable Mention: HTC myTouch 3G, Nokia E75, HTC Hero, BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Curve 8900, LG enV Touch, LG enV3.

This one is gonna be tough. Smartphones are getting smarter. Dumbphones are as smart as last year's smartphones. And Internet rumors and leaks are so rampant, it's hard to talk about today when we (think we) know what's coming tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that my favorite phone may well be your worst nightmare.

That said, here's my stab at the five phones I would most likely recommend to anyone, in order of preference.  Note that I am only including phones that are actually shipping as of today, August 12, 2009.  US carriers noted in (parenthesis) as available:

1. Apple iPhone 3GS (AT&T)

 

iPhone is not the best choice for certain users, but it is still my overall most-recommendable phone. Yes it lacks in obvious features that other smartphones take for granted (MMS and tethering in the US, anyone?), and yes Apple's App Store practices are under a harsh spotlight more than ever.  But the multitouch display is still killer, the iPod and App Store are still the best in the biz, and the addition of video capture, voice control, and up to 32 GB of onboard storage makes the 3GS the slightly evolved phone to beat.

1a. Apple iPhone 3G (AT&T)
Really it's the same thing but a little cheaper. Most people won't miss 3GS' speed bump and voice control that much. They might miss the camcorder and extra storage space, though.

2. HTC Hero (Unlocked)

 

Despite the fact that my Hero review unit was a bit laggy, it represents the near-term future of the Android platform. Integrated contacts and messaging, widgets galore, and multitouch performance that rivals Pre and iPhone - this is what Android should be. HTC is already optimizing Hero's performance, and no doubt is working on some Sprint-ified goodies for Hero's US debut, rumored to be planned for CTIA Fall in October.

3. Palm Pre (Sprint)

 

Pre would have taken the Number Two spot if only the App Catalog was a bit more filled out. Pre's multitouch screen and WebOS are astoundingly good. I'm so-so on the hardware and don't really care much for that tiny keyboard. But so what? The WebOS experience is nothing short of phenomenal. And there's a great Homebrew community churning out jailbreak-style apps. Now if only Palm could get the App Catalog humming and release a few more WebOS devices, they might be onto something.

4. BlackBerry Bold (AT&T)

 

I was tempted to give the new CDMA Tour the nod over Bold, but then realized that's because I'm tired of AT&T's lousy 3G service where I live, and not because of the phone itself. While brave new BlackBerry devices like Magnum and Storm 2 have recently made appearances in leaked photos, until they launch Bold is still King of (Blue)Berry Hill. The new Tours and Curves have higher-res displays, but Bold's mix of 3G, WiFi, and that gloriously comfy keyboard give it the edge.  Barely.

5. LG enV Touch (Verizon)

 

While I still think the dual-full sized display thing is silly overkill, enV Touch is so packed with features that most people won't miss - or notice - the fact that it's not a "smartphone." enV Touch's Web browser does HTML, tabs, 800 x 480 widescreen browsing and inline Flash video playback. The phone has a 3,5mm headphone jack and can play music in the background while you surf or text. LG's new user interface rivals all but the very best in terms of usability and style. And that full QWERTY board on the inside of the "horizontal flip" is a texter's delight. If you can live without advanced PC syncing and all of the user-installable apps that true smartphones afford, enV Touch will put all of the calling, messaging, emailing, browsing, listening, watching, and gaming you can handle in your pocket ... for just a little less coin than a smartphone would cost you.

Honorable Mention: Toshiba TG01, Nokia E75, BlackBerry Tour, Blackberry Curve 8900, Samsung Omnia 2, Samsung Omnia HD, Samsung Jet, HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Touch Diamond2 .. and several more that have been launched but aren't yet shipping!

 

 

 

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery - and hey, even Palm admits it, in their letter to the "Palm Pre Android Theme" developer.  Borrowing icons and wallpaper from the webOS interface, it looks quite similar to the interface found on the Palm Pre - and Palm's not happy.  The company sent a "cease and desist" attorney-speak letter stating that the developer was infringing on the Palm name, interface, and other graphics and trademark infringements, and ordered them to remove said items by a date removed from the leaked letter.  We're guessing it's sooner rather than later.

"We request that you immediately cease distributing the Palm Pre Android Theme application and cease using the Palm Pre Android Theme name and any other Palm or Palm Pre-based product names. We also demand that you immediately remove the application and any advertisements regarding the application from any website on which they appear."

All of this legal drama begs the question - what does the creator of the "Palm Pre Android Theme" do without a "Palm Pre Android Theme?"


Source: Engadget and LeakDroid

You’re riding along on your bicycle in an effort to be kind to the earth. As you pedal, you begin to generate power. That power is connected to your mobile phone and charges the battery while you ride. It sounds a little bit like a story out of the eco-minded future but it’s something that you can do right now if you happen to live in Australia.

A company named PedalPower+ is responsible for creating the new green phone charging device. As you generate power from your pedaling that power gets stored in a battery. The battery can then be hooked up to your mobile phone to charge it without relying on any other electricity. If you ride for two hours then you should end up with a fully charged phone.

The green efforts of the new device don’t stop there, though. The battery also utilizes solar power so that it can charge your cell phone even when you’re taking a break from riding your bike. That’s about as green as you can get for a mobile phone charger today.

With all of the advancements that have been made in using renewable resources to generate power, you might think that creating a simple device like this was relatively easy. You would be wrong. There were a lot of safety issues that came up when the makers of this product tried to connect electricity to a moving bike pedal. In the end, it took PedalPower+ about three years to get the product working correctly.

Now that it’s working properly, the device has finally been released to the market. At the current time it’s only available to bicyclists in Australia. However, the company is working on expanding to reach green-minded mobile phone users in both the U.S. and the UK.

Post from Dial-a-Phone, UK's no. 1 for Mobile Phones.

$349 on contract? Dang! HTC Touch Pro2 for T-Mobile, full review from Noah.

Chalk it up to boredom at the Samsung headquarters.  Or maybe it was changed to compete against the Zune HD.  Better yet, maybe they just liked the way it sounded.  At any rate, a reliable tipster has sent information over to PhoneArena stating that Sprint's upcoming addition to the Instinct family will be called the "Instinct HD," and not the "S50," as originally reported.  Now, with a moniker like "HD," you would think that the device would, well, have features centering around HD. 

Unfortunately, no specifications have been announced as of yet, and it's important to keep in mind that the aforementioned device has gone through several rumored device names, including Instinct2, Instinct Deuce, Dash, M850, and Instinct S50.  So obviously, take it with a grain of salt - but it's certainly interesting nonetheless.


Source: PhoneArena (picture: Brighthand)

With the coming of Microsoft's Marketplace, Microsoft is pumping a free series of events aimed at educating developers called WinMoDevCamp.  The first will take place on August 19th in Seattle, with more to be announced in Austin, London, New York, San Francisco, and Singapore. The Seattle event will be at the Microsoft Campus in Redmond and will be followed by a party in the city.

Rather than opening the Market and tossing out an SDK, Microsoft is courting coders and showing them the ropes - hoping many will get going early and give the Marketplace a proper launch. With the Apple App Store blazing the trail and kicking up an impressive cloud of dust, MS has their work cut out for them. Still, one should never underestimate the mighty behemoth.

Check out the homepage of WinMoDevCamp and enter the Race to Market Challenge.