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• 14Jan

  ARTICLE: US wireless carriers receive $5 million in aid for Haiti victims

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  Update: Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are waiving text message fees for those that text message 90999 from their device.

  Incredible news today by way of donating: As of 4 PM EST, US wireless carriers had received $5 million in donations from customers. 

  To break the data down, that's $5 million in 48 hours, based on $10 increments.  In comparison, contributions for all of last year (2009) totaled just less than $4 million.  All proceeds go to the Red Cross for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

  To donate $10 to the Red Cross, text "HAITI" to 90999 from your mobile device.  The numbers will be revised as I receive them.  $5 million and counting - let's keep up the good work!

  Via Twitter

  
  

  

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  ARTICLE: HTC myTouch 3G Fender Edition landing January 20th

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  Music lovers, your device is here.  Featuring a customized battery back, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 16 GB microSD card slot, and new media sync software.  What's more, the unit offers preloaded content from Eric Clapton, Avril Lavigne, Brad Paisley, and Wyclef Jean.  The myTouch 3G Fender Edition will launch with Android 1.6, but will be eligible for Android 2.1 later in the year.  Sporting a $180 price tag with a new two-year agreement, the limited edition device will be available on January 20th at select T-Mobile stores.

  Another myTouch 3G, another color - though I will admit, there are some neat features.  Keep in mind that the phone is a limited edition device, so when they're gone, they're gone for good.  Anyone planning to ditch their existing myTouch 3G (or any other device, for that matter) to get their hands on the Fender Edition?

  Via PhoneScoop, Fender

  
  

  

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  ARTICLE: Second software update launches for Nokia N900

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  Thought that the N900 software update would be released earlier in the week would be the only one?  Think again.

  In the second release this week, Nokia included full support for Swiss keyboard layouts, improved compatibility with 3-branded SIM cards, tweaks to Ovi Maps, and support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.  The software update will be available over-the-air and via PC over the next day or so, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.  Two updates, Ovi Store enabled - all necessary improvements to make the N900 functional on the consumer end.

  I think the Nokia N900 and Maemo both hold a great deal of potential, but they need to work out a few kinks before it hits the marketplace.  With these little tweaks, could the N900 be inching towards a potential carrier release (T-Mobile)?  Hit the comments section with your thoughts.

  Via Engadget Mobile

  
  

  

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  Samsung Tells a Shark’s Tale

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  Samsung have announced three new mobile phones under the general name of the Shark series.  The three described here are the first entrants into the range, with more to follow in the future.  Samsung describe them as being multimedia and social networking phones, with plenty of power but without the high price of a smartphone.

  The first is the Shark, or S5350, a bar-shaped phone with a metal casing.  This is the S5350’s feature list:

  • 2.2″ screen.
  • 3.2 megapixel camera with video.
  •  3G
  • Bluetooth and MicroSD card slot.

  The second phone in the range is the Shark 2, or S5550.  This time the phone is a slider and a considerable higher spec than the other two new Shark phones:

  •  2.2″ AMOLED screen.
  • 5 megapixel camera with LED flash.
  • 3G
  • Bluetooth and MicroSD card slot.

  Finally, the Shark 3 is also known as the S3550 and has a similar design to the Shark 2, but without the extra features:

  • 2″ screen.
  • 2 megapixel camera.
  • MicroSD card slot.

  All three phones have social networking widgets for Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and others, IM clients supporting services such as Gtalk and AIM, plus access to the main photo sharing sites.  Two new features are also included across the range, Mobile Tracker and SOS Message.  The tracker helps you locate a lost phone by sending an alert when the SIM is changed, while SOS Message can send an emergency message to a preset number.

  All three phones will be released at the end of January, however Samsung have not stated where they will be on sale.  They should do well though, as the designs are very attractive, recalling Samsung’s previous efforts but with a modern flair.  More news when we get it.

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

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  ARTICLE: Sprint lowers price of mobile WiMAX to $59.99

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  In an aggressive approach to promote mobile WiMAX, Sprint lowered the price of its 3G/4G mobile broadband service to $59.99 monthly.  The price cut was intended to "make it a no brainer for our customers to choose 4G," spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge told FierceWireless.  She went on to say that the price cut reflects increasing economies of scale as Clearwire launches additional markets across the United States.

  With Sprint's 3G/4G service lowered to $59.99 (thus matching everyone else's standard 3G mobile broadband plan), it makes sense to consider them for mobile broadband needs.  Sounds like I'll consider switching my 3G-only Verizon Wireless mobile broadband plan over to Sprint.  With a solid 3G footprint and 4G as an added benefit, it's quite the deal.  What about you - worth switching, or are you going to wait for the others to roll out LTE?

  Via FierceWireless

  
  

  

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  BlackBerry Curve 8910 on the Loose!

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  In every mobile phone’s life, there comes a time to move over and make room for a younger, trendier model. It looks as though that time is nearing for the BlackBerry Curve 8900. Images of the supposed successor, the BlackBerry Curve 8910 have been spotted in the wild!

  Berry Review believes to have uncovered a rogue image of the next Curve which, in the revamp has lost the trackball making room for a new navigation tool - the trackpad. The only scrap of information that has made its way out is that the 8910 will support the latest Blackberry OS (5.0.4+).

  But as GSM Arena pointed out, the only feature missing from the 8900 was 3G support, so whack that into the new Curve and you’ve got yourself a replica BlackBerry Bold 9700… We’re sure RIM will give the Curve a standout feature, separating it from the rest of the heard, but we can’t quite put our finger on what. Let’s hope we get answers soon!

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

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  10 Weird and Uncommon Ways to Power a Mobile Phone

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  How do you power your mobile phone? If you’re a normal cell phone user then you plug your phone into a charger which is plugged into an outlet and you collect electricity to power the battery on your phone. But of course you must already know that there are other, more creative, more energy-efficient ways to power a mobile phone. Some of these, like solar power, are uncommon methods that we’re likely to see becomingly increasingly common as time goes on. Others are wacky concept ideas that we’re probably not ever going to see in the major mobile phone market. Let’s take a look at ten of the weird and uncommon ways that people might power their mobile phones:

  Coca-Cola. One of the most recent concept phones to make headlines in terms of unusual power solutions is the phone that is powered by Coke. This odd cylindrical-shaped phone relies on a form of fuel cell technology that utilizes sugary water to generate power. There is a ton of sugar in the carbonated water that makes up a can of Coke so that’s why this is the drink of choice for the thirsty phone. At the end of its long life span, the Coke-powered battery can be tossed away because it’s fully biodegradable. What a weird green way to power a phone. And what a great marketing tool for Coke to get in on!

  Fuel Cells. The Coke phone might get some creativity points in terms of its marketing gimmick but it’s actually not the first mobile phone power solution to rely on fuel cell technology. One of the best examples of a phone product that uses fuel cells for power is the Dynario by Toshiba. This is a phone charger that attaches to your phone. It comes with a liquid made up of ambient oxygen and methane which you pour into the phone charger to power the handset. It’s not quite as easy to get your hands on this as to buy a can of Coke but it’s based on the same basic idea and promotes a kind of green energy that is becoming increasingly popular.

  Alcohol Cells. For those of you who aren’t up on your green technology, there are several different types of fuel cells. One specific type of fuel cell is the alcohol fuel cell. This refers to fuels that are generated from biological sources rather than from petroleum-based sources. And there is one top of phone out there, the Cheers phone, that uses eco-friendly alcohol cells for power. They also do a cool play on words by making the phone a flask-shaped phone. Anyone got alcohol on the brain?! (more…)

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

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  ARTICLE: Woman rescued after Haiti quake by sending text

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  We hear a lot of buzz about how technology is responsible for anti-social behavior or ADD, or that mobile phones cause cancer, etc. With so much negative press out there, it’s actually heartening to see cellular tech actually do some good.
  
  Case in point: After the devastating earthquake hit Haiti, a Canadian woman stuck under a pile of rubble hailed her own rescue by texting the Foreign Affairs Department in Ottawa. The agency - which was roughly 3,000 miles away! — immediately contacted Canadian diplomats in Haiti, who launched a search for the trapped earthquake victim. Luckily, when they finally managed to locate her, she was still alive.
  
  As for why she chose to text instead of call — well, that’s kind of a mystery. But if I’m ever trapped under rubble, with a voice probably silenced by a throat full of dust and dirt, I’d definitely want multiple ways of sending for help too.
  
  This makes me wonder about touchscreen-only devices. In a calamity, how rugged are they? (It’s not likely she could’ve texted on a virtual keyboard with a shattered display, right?) While I’m not ready to give up my iPhone yet, having a secondary little clamshell with a hardware QWERTY is starting to sound like a good idea. (LG Lotus Elite, anyone?)
  
  Via: ABC, PhoneArena, Gizmodo
  

  
  

  

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  Sony Ericsson Kurara Gets Potential April Launch Date

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  Rumour has reached TechRadar that the Sony Ericsson Kurara will be out in the UK during April, making an official announcement at Mobile World Congress highly likely.  The Kurara was spotted back in November 2009, however very few specification details were available alongside the picture, but since then we have had a trickle of new information to share.

  The phone is a follow-up to the Satio, however it’s possible that it will wear a U5 or U5i name tag rather than the developmental Kurara moniker.   The Satio’s 12 megapixel camera was the feature which garnered attention, but the Kurara will likely have an 8 megapixel item with the emphasis on HD 720p video recording instead.  Speculation on the inclusion of an HDMI-out port is also rife.

  Features such as Wi-Fi, HSDPA and HSUPA, GPS, a MicroSD card slot and v2.1 Bluetooth are all still unofficial, however it would be strange if they all weren’t included.  Symbian S60 5th Edition will be the Kurara’s OS, while the screen has been sized at 3.2″ with a 360×480 resolution, but as to whether it will be a capacitive OLED is unknown.

  The Kurara’s HD video recording ability will put it against that other Symbian-powered high definition monster on the market, the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD, but as the above spec currently falls a little short of the Samsung’s, it will come down to any surprises Sony Ericsson spring on us and the overall quality of the HD video recording itself.  MWC should reveal more.

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

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

• 14Jan

  Sony Ericsson Faith joins the Green Line-Up

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  Sony Ericsson’s Greenheart series is venturing into the business world. The latest handset to leak into the public eye is the Sony Ericsson Faith, sporting a rather professional Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system and 2.4″ resistive touchscreen. Adding yet more business-like strings to its bow is the QWERTY keyboard and 600MHz Qualcomm Processor.

  Supporting it’s professional image is the vast array of connectivity options, the Faith comes fully loaded with quad-band GSM /EDGE and dual band 3G with HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 and a microSD card. There’s also a built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support.

  Things have been pretty quiet on the feature front, what we do know is that there’s a 3.2megapixel camera without a flash and possibly fixed focus. The choice of two different colour varients has been leaked, black or white, and the back of the handset follows Sony Ericsson’s ‘Human Curvature’ design, which means it’s curved for a better fit in the human hand -  as seen on the Kurara and X10.

  Being the latest phone in the GreenHeart series, naturally the Sony Ericsson Faith follows the eco-friendly trail left by its predecessors. The packaging is environmentally friendly and made from recycled materials, the charger is energy efficient, and the handset guide’s electronic rather than paper based. As if that wasn’t enough, Sony Ericsson now have a load of eco-apps available as well as the Global Take Back Program, the companies venture to get one million old mobile phones recycled a year.

  Source: GSM Arena

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

  Tags: blog, cell phone news, discussion, mobile

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