• 08Mar

    HD2 launch party

    It's a regular occurence - prior to a major phone launch, manufacturers (and/or carriers) will often hold launch parties promoting the product.  To that end, T-Mobile USA is sending out invitations to an HD2 launch party on March 16th in New York City.  The date of the party lends major credence to the rumored March 24th retail launch date as well.  The company had alluded to a March launch in prior statements anyway, so the timing of everything makes sense.

    With the device (presumably) so close to the retail shelves, will you splurge and pick one up?  Sound off in the comments!

    Via Engadget


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  • 08Mar

    Pink Pure Microsoft

    The leaks continue about Microsoft's Pink phones hitting the marketplace, with the latest suggesting that two models will land at Verizon Wireless (with an exlusivity agreement) on April 20th.  The Pure and the Turtle - the two models shown in the pictures here - will be the first two devices in the lineup, and will indeed be targeted toward the 13-17 and 18-29 demographics.  The device is said to be a featurephone instead of a full smartphone, and the ad campaign will center around "truly, madly, deeply" campaign found in recent Twitter updates (wonder if they'll use the Savage Garden song to go along with it?).

    The question remains - in a smartphone world (one where you can get an iPhone 3G for $99), will the Pink devices really take off?

    Pink Turtle Microsoft

    Via Engadget
    Powered by Sprint 4G


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  • 08Mar

    Did you see the Academy Awards? If so, then maybe you noticed someone familiar hitting the red carpet:



    Hey, that’s Steve Jobs! Was he there to stuff iPhone 4Gs and iPads into the Oscar goody bags? Well, no, probably not. But he did have a different surprise up his sleeve last night. Amid the heartfelt speeches and surprise wins (Sandra Bullock? Really?), the Apple iPad had its public coming out party. For a glimpse of the commercial, click to play it below.

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    The spot features The Blue Van's "There Goes My Love" as the background track, and shows the tablet being put to use watching movies, reading ebooks, viewing pics, editing iWork docs and checking email. Looks like a slick ad, but I wonder if it's enough to pique the mainstream masses’ interest.

    What about you? Does this make you want the tablet any more than before? (Or at all, for some of you who were firmly in the “no” camp prior to this?)

    Even if you think the iPad is a laughable item, then you still ain’t seen nuthin’ yet: Last week, IntoMobile passed on a funny poke at the Apple tablet, courtesy of neo-fight.tv. This is what an Apple commercial might look like if it was created by the ad team behind the Old Spice brand. (That’s right, the men’s cologne.) Frankly, I’m having a tough time deciding which commercial I like better.

    Via: TodaysiPhone.com, TUAW, IntoMobile

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  • 08Mar

    Palm Elan

    All kinds of strange is surrounding this rumor, so we'll try our best to thumb through the mounds of information on the internet.

    TopTongueBarry, a PreCentral forums user and an AT&T IT employee, claims that while the nation's second largest wireless carrier has completed testing for the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus, a third device codenamed "Elan" is slated for testing in the coming weeks.  As you can see in the picture above, several accessory manufacturers had listed things compatible with "Elan," but after the codename was unearthed, quickly removed the name from their respective pages.  Some are speculating that this device is nothing more than a GSM version of the Pre Plus or Pixi Plus, while others are thinking that this could be an entirely new device in the Palm lineup.  A tablet, perhaps?

    So, who knows?  It could be the rumored C40 that was rumored for Sprint, or it could be the US GSM version of the Palm Pre Plus or Pixi Plus.  Personally, I'd love to see the mockup shown in Palm's forums hit retail shelves.  Either way, we'll be digging for more information, and will post as soon as we know anything.

    Via PreCentral
    Powered by Sprint 4G


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  • 08Mar

    Jon Quach rounds up all of the big cellular news PhoneDog highlighted last week in an exciting fast paced video format.


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  • 08Mar

    There is a new mobile phone charger entering the market which just might resolve a significant percentage of the problems that people have traditionally faced when it comes to recharging their mobile phones. This device is a handheld charger that uses fuel cell technology to power phones when outlets and other traditional forms of electricity are not available. It is a convenient easy-to-use green technology and it’s one that is almost ready for release.

    The charger, called the H3 charger, has been developed by a company in Stockholm called myFC. It works as follows:

    • Take the charger with you when you’re on the go. It is approximately the size of a sandwich and is lightweight enough to easily be carried around regardless of where you might be going.
    • Carry a few extra hydrogen packets around with you. The company calls these “tea bags” which gives you an idea of what to expect them to look and feel like.
    • Open up the charger. Add a hydrogen packet tea bag. Add water. Close the compartment.
    • A reaction takes places within the charger. The purpose of this reaction is to create electricity in the fuel cells of the charger.
    • Use a mini-USB charger to plug your phone into the fuel cell charger and start to charge your phone. Alternatively, allow the charger to fill up using its Lithium Ion battery so that you can use the charger whenever you are ready to do so.

    This is an innovative design that takes its cues from other portable phone chargers, solving some of the problems of those other devices. Examples of those problems / solutions include:

    • No outlet needed. The most obvious problem with chargers to date has been that they required outlets to gather electricity. This solves that problem.
    • Just add water. Unlike other green chargers that have to have the right solar or wind power conditions, all that you need to make this device work is water.
    • Small. There have been other charging devices created using this design however they have all been too bulky to date. The unique organization of the fuel cells in this device makes it highly convenient.

    The product is being released to the market at the end of the year starting in Scandinavia and is expected to be widely available in 2011.

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  • 08Mar

    Remember the Opus One, the rumored iDEN Android device?  It looks like the name of the device will be the i1.  In all actuality, it makes sense, given Motorola's use of the "i" branding (especially with the i9).  Features look to be about the same - Android 1.5 (because who needs 2.1 when you can have an antiquated version), MOTOBLUR, a 3.0-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

    From what Engadget is hearing, an announcement can be expected in a few weeks.  That lines up well with CTIA at the end of March, now doesn't it?  Nextel users, does the i1 interest you?

    Via Engadget
    Powered by Sprint 4G


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  • 08Mar

    I don't know about you, but ever since I laid my hands on a QWERTY device, there was no looking back.  Others, however, prefer a smaller form factor and will therefore sacrifice QWERTY for something lighter that consumes less pocket space.  But what if you could have your cake and eat it too?

    According to BGR, you can.  Truesupplier, a reputable company that sells OEM parts and accessories for BlackBerry and other devices, is advertising a full QWERTY keyboard for the BlackBerry Pearl 9100 - the device that is expected to replace the 8100 series, and isn't available as of yet.  Additionally, there's a rumor via CrackBerry suggesting that consumers will have an option between a full QWERTY keyboard and SureType on the new 9100.

    Keep in mind that it's not entirely common to have a phone with two different keyboard options (though it has been done before), and that one possibility could be the SureType version going to one carrier and the QWERTY version going to another.  So what's it going to be Pearl fans - SureType or QWERTY? Leave your comments below!

    Via BGR, Engadget, BBerryDog


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  • 08Mar

    There are many wonderful things about all of the different versions of the Samsung Omnia. However, this phone has its drawbacks as well. One thing that users start to notice after they’ve checked out all of the handsets bells and whistles is, well, it’s rather hard to hear those bells and whistles. Samsung Omnia handsets are often set at a lower audio level than their users would like. This is true both for the ringtone of the phone as well as for the audio level of the headset. So what do you do if you like your Omnia but don’t like the fact that you can’t hear it? You learn how to turn it up, of course.

    That’s right, you can actually make your Omnia handset louder than it seems like it will go. Even when you’ve turned the volume up all the way, it’s not as loud as it could be. This guide teaches you what you need to know to increase the volume of the Omnia as much as it is able to go.

    Find your Windows Mobile Control Utility Screen

    In order to alter your Omnia’s audio settings, you need to get into the control utility screen on your Windows Mobile device. There are a couple of different ways to do this:

    • Enter this code into your phone: *#0002*28346#. When you do this, the Windows Mobile Control Utility Screen should pop up on your handset.
    • Alternatively, you can go to your Windows directory and go to soundtester.exe and you should end up in the same place with access to your control utility screen.

    Increase your Loudspeaker Volume

    The thing that most people want to change on their Omnia device is the sound coming out of their loudspeaker. If you are having trouble hearing movies or mp3s on your handset or you find that your ringtones are too quiet then this is what you’re going to want to change.

    Here’s how to do that once you’ve already gotten into your Windows Mobile Control Utility Screen:

    • Go to the Menu.
    • Select the “normal” option.
    • Choose “handset”.
    • Change two of the settings as follows.
      • DAC (0c). This is your digital-to-analog setting. It should be set at -4.5 when you first go into the phone. Change this to 0.
      • SPL (02). This is your speaker volume. It should be at -3 when you first see it. Change this to 0.
      • Leave the following three settings the same: MPBST, RBST, RVOL. (These should be +12, 0, 21 respectively when you look at them).
      • Go to Menu.
      • Choose “Apply”.
      • Approve by selecting “OK”.

    Increase your Headset Volume

    Although most people want to increase the loudspeaker volume on their Omnia handset, some people also want to increase their headset volume.

    Here’s how to do that once you’ve already gotten into your Windows Mobile Control Utility Screen:

    • Go to the Menu.
    • Select the “normal” option.
    • This time choose “headset”.
    • Change three of the settings as follows.
      • DAC (0c). This is your digital-to-analog setting. It should be set at -1.5 when you first go into the phone. Change this to 0.
      • HP (04) This is your headset volume. It should be at -12 db when you first see it. Change this to 0.
      • RVOL(12). This is your radio volume. It will be set at -1.5; change it to 0
      • Leave the following t1o settings the same: MPBST and RBST, RVOL. (These should be +24 and +20 respectively when you look at them).
      • Go to Menu.
      • Choose “Apply”.
      • Approve by selecting “OK”.

    Altering These Settings

    Note that you may discover that you don’t like these new settings. For example, some people find that when they set the speaker volume on the handset to 0, it’s actually a bit too loud for them. They may then go back in to the device using the same process and change it to something else (such as -1 or -1.5). Another example would be if you noticed that your headset was still too quiet; you might change the DAC(0c) level to 5 or 6 or increase the HP (04) level. It’s perfectly fine to play around with your settings until you find an audio level that’s perfect for you.

    Note on Sound Quality

    Making these alterations shouldn’t affect the sound quality on your Omnia handset. However, in some cases, drastic changes in the loudness of the phone will indeed affect how easy it is to hear the sounds on the device. If you discover a major change to your sound quality then you will want to go back into the settings and tweak them until you have a nice balance between loudness and sound quality.

    A Couple of Risks to Consider

    There are two major risks that you want to take into consideration before you go ahead and increase your Omnia’s volume. The first is that prolonged exposure to very loud noise could be damaging to your hearing. The second is that making your phone louder than it’s supposed to be has the potential to blow out the speakers on the phone. Make sure that you make changes to the phone slowly and pay attention to the effect on your hearing so that neither of these things becomes a problem for you when you increase the volume of your Samsung Omnia.

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  • 08Mar

    If you've been following the tech scene for the last three years, you've more than likely heard rumors of the elusive Sony PSP phone.  What you may not have heard is proof that such a project has made any strides beyond conception.

    According to the Wall Street Journal, Sony may be in the process of developing a lineup of devices geared towards combating the iPhone and iPad.  The PSP phone is reported to (surprise, surprise) "download and play PlayStation games."  However, the real way in which Sony plans to attack Apple is through an online service which is said to contain content similar to that of iTunes in addition to an "extensive (and exclusive) catalog of PlayStation games."

    There's no specs or pricing, or anything concrete at this point, other then what the WSJ is reporting.  However, according to Gizmodo, "we can expect to see both the PSP phone and the PSPad sometime this year."  I'm probably not going to be holding my breath.

    So, do you think the PSP Phone and PSPad will make it to your arsenal in 2010?  Leave your comments below.

    Via BGR, Engadget, Gizmodo


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