02Oct
If the ho-hum $300-ish Dell, HP, Compaq, or Acer netbooks aren't tickling your fancy, consider the Nokia Booklet 3G, launching exclusively with Best Buy later this year. The Nokia Booklet 3G will offer a 1.6 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, a 120 GB hard drive, 3G HSPA data connectivity, Wi-Fi, and an impressive 12 hours of battery life, all in a gorgeous aluminum chassis.
Though the device retails for €575 in Europe (approximately $822), official Best Buy pricing and a release date have not been announced as of yet. It is widely believed that the device will begin shipping after the launch of Windows 7 on October 22nd.
Source: MobileBurn
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
Video: Sprint Hero (HTC) - Full Review, Part 1
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
The humorous part about this industry (and more specifically, the rumor mill) is how predictable it is. I mean, from initial rumor to device launch, it's always the same story. Someone leaks a picture. Everyone goes wild. Speculation begins. Incorrect information spreads around the internet like wildfire. It's corrected. Leaked documents come out. It passes through the FCC. Leaked units are shown on YouTube. Then it launches. 99.999 percent of the time, the overall path of information flows the same from start to finish.
We've seen the Touch Pro2 (or Tilt II, pardon me) go through the whole procedure, and as of today, it and the Pure have been spotted on insurance documents from the nation's second largest wireless carrier. Looks like the Tilt II will ring up with a $125 deductible, whereas the Pure (Touch Diamond 2) will cost $50 to replace. Does this mean that it's launching tomorrow? Absolutely not. But it's a surefire sign that the devices will arrive soon.
Source: PhoneArena, Mobility Digest
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
Remember my report on the BlackBerry Atlas? Well, it looks like it was a bit off. You see, there was some debate about whether the device was CDMA or GSM based. Confusion ensued, people pulled out their hair, riots began, and RIM's Canadian offices were stormed (no pun intended). Just kidding.
Crackberry forums member Salomondrin, the same individual that leaked the pictures, has recorded a fantastic video showing off the capabilities of the device. Unfortunately, it's not a CDMA phone (and he proves it in the video) - rather, it's a GSM device offering EDGE and Wi-Fi connectivity. Otherwise, it's a good looking device, and shows the design evolution that is slowly beginning to take over RIM's product line. What's more, his device is running OS 5.0.0.239, has the new trackpad, appears to have a larger keyboard (though the keys are still separated like the Curve 8900's), and sports the "Bold" moniker on the back of the device. Initial reports are that the device is intended for Asian markets, but it's a bit surprising to see a device in the "Bold" family that doesn't offer 3G.
The Curve 8520 was originally rumored to be for other markets, but made its way to the US. Could we see the same thing happen with the Atlas? My guess is yes. Check out the video to see if it's worth getting excited over.
Source: PhoneArena
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
What happens when business and social media combine? Discounts! Yep, in an attempt to appeal to a demographic otherwise unreachable, many organizations are offering exclusive Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace discounts. Not to be left in the dark, Verizon is catching onto this and is offering $25 off of any device purchased today. Of course, there are stipulations - the device must be purchased online, the deal ends today, and you have to enter the promo code "TWITTER25" at checkout.
Considering that Verizon's online prices are after instant rebate instead of mail-in rebate, the prices are already cheaper out the door - an extra $25 is just icing on the cake. Is it enough to motivate you to pick up that shiny new BlackBerry Tour, HTC Touch Pro2, or LG enV3?
Check out Verizon's official twitter feed at @VZWOffers.
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
Did you know that our very own John Walton is launching his labor of love, the Android-only DroidDog.com?
Did you know that he just got a Sprint HTC Hero and, unlike mine, his didn't arrive with a smashed display?
And did you know that he unboxed the best Android phone ever on video?
Check it out over at DroidDog!
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
According to a screenshot provided by a tipster, AT&T may be picking up a white version of the BlackBerry Bold at some point in the near future. Given RIM's historical tradition of adding new colors to their lineup post-launch, it makes sense, but I'm surprised that it has taken this long. At any rate, it looks like the Bold (9000, that is) won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
I'm thinking that a white device would get exceptionally dirty after months of hard use, particularly the trackball - it would stand out like a sore thumb. What do you think? White BlackBerry Bold tickle your fancy, or would another color (or colors) have been better?
Source: IntoMobile, BGR
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
As if in response to Kathryn’s post concerning America’s adoption of in-flight mobile phone use, British Airways have confirmed they have added such a service on a London to New York flight. Connectivity will be offered by OnAir, a company dedicated to providing in-flight communication, but will only be available to those flying premier business class.
The flight in question is from London City airport aboard one of two special Airbus A318 aircraft flying to New York’s JFK. Interestingly, the service will not include voice calls and will be restricted to data, so you can send SMS, email and browse the Internet, but not chat to your friends or make a business call. British Airways say this decision is due to a ’strong divide in customer’s opinion’ regarding mobile calls on a plane.
This is all very well, but how much will it cost? Seeing as OnAir aren’t a provider, you’ll be charged according to your provider’s international data costs - that’s non-EU - so expect anything up to £6 per megabyte depending on your carrier and how they interpret ‘non-EU’. That’s quite a bit, but seeing as a return business class flight to New York will set you back around £4500, it probably won’t make all that much difference!
The move represents several firsts for both the airline and mobile industry. It’s the first UK flight to offer transatlantic mobile use, it’ll be aboard the first long-haul London City airport route and the first time since Concorde that BA will use the BA001 flight number. British Airways don’t intend to offer OnAir’s service on any existing aircraft.
Post from Dial-a-Phone, UK's no. 1 for Mobile Phones.
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
The T-mobile Pulse is now available and it’s a made an impression, being the first Android powered smartphone to be offered on a ‘pay as you go’ basis in the UK.
The mid-range Android handset will set you back about £176.16, so what exactly will you get for those crisp notes? The Pulse has a fairly impressive 3.5″ 320×180 resolution, capacitive touchscreen. Throw in an accelerometer for automatic screen rotation, multi-touch functionality and a handy trackball for smooth navigation and you’ve got yourself an attractive and efficient front piece.
Added features include integrated GPS and a 3.2megapixel camera with autofocus for those snap happy moments. There are also all the usual connectivity functions onboard such as 3G, GPRS, Bluetooth, HSDPA and e-mail. As with every Android device users will be able to access and download apps from the Android Market, and with 2GB of extra storage thrown in (aren’t they kind) users can download to their heart’s content, or until the memory fills up!
Post from Dial-a-Phone, UK's no. 1 for Mobile Phones.
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
02Oct
In an unexpected extension of their brand Red Bull have decided that their chemicals-in-a-can expertise can be converted into coverage. A
small site shows that they’re bringing their German “Red Bull Mobile” network to the UK.
Although the ads are all in German, so far the impression is clear: the Red Bull Mobile network will be extreme to the max, yo, dawg, etcetera. One ad features a hot blonde woman reclining by a bomber (as in “something that flies and drops explosives”) while watching people motorbike up giant ramps and leap off cliffs on her mobile. They’ve actually been at this for over a year, teaming up with Mobikom Austria to engineer their sporty-social network on the continent, and now they feel ready to expand their area.
How this applies to a communications infrastructure is unclear.
This is the center of their website. Not a phone or anything. This.
Their first mobile venture started in 2008,
It’s hard to see how they’re going to capture any market share in the UK. The idea is clear enough - their service seems to combine compact cost plans with an all-new social network focusing heavily on multimedia images of users doing extremely active things, because Red Bull drinkers tend to have phones and social networks. But that’s the problem - they already have them. It’s unlikely the average intended user will give up their existing phone just because a small mouthwash of taurine told them to, and the problem with setting up new social networks is everybody is still actually on the old ones. Don’t expect Red Bull to muscle Orange out of market share just yet.
Post from Dial-a-Phone, UK's no. 1 for Mobile Phones.
Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile
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