• 30Mar

    iPad customs clearance papers being deliberately withheld by Apple?

    Industry, News No Comments

    Apple iPad

    As we all know, the iPad is set to launch this Saturday, April 3rd.  The 3rd is also the day that online pre-orders are to be shipped out.  Apple is notorious for placing shipping blocks on their products to avoid users receiving things early (in other words, the shipper won't deliver the product until after the block has passed).  Sometimes it works, and other times a few mistakenly get delivered to eager customers (who, in turn, post YouTube unboxing videos).  Looks like Apple might have a new plan this time around.

    According to BGR, the iPad is slated to land in the United States tomorrow and Thursday, and if they were under a normal shipping schedule, the first shipments would go out sometime around April 1st (Thursday).  But the devices haven't passed through customs clearance yet, as US Customs hasn't received the necessary clearance papers.  The prevailing thought here is that Apple deliberately withheld the papers to control the shipments until the delivery date.

    Sneaky, Apple.  Very sneaky.

    Via BGR


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    US Airways joins the 21st century, plans to outfit jets with Wi-Fi

    Industry, News No Comments

    US Airways hub

    If you travel on a regular basis, you've likely heard frustrations with US Airways.  While other airlines are offering DIRECTV, Wi-Fi, and other in-flight goodies, US Airways offers no entertainment (my last 5,000 mile roundtrip was on US Airways, and I can attest to how boring the flights are).  On that note, travelers can rejoice - US Airways is finally joining the 21st century and outfitting its fleet with Wi-Fi connectivity.

    In the coming months, US Airways will be outfitting its fleet of Airbus A321's with Aircell's Gogo in-flight Wi-Fi systems.  When the process is complete in June, all 51 A321's will be outfitted with an exterior Wi-Fi symbol, and users will be able to see which planes have connectivity at the time of booking.  Pricing is expected to be $4.95 for up to one and a half hours of internet, $9.95 for three hours, and $12.95 for any session longer than three hours.  Smartphones will be charged $4.95 for one and a half hours, and $7.95 for unlimited use.

    As it stands, there are five A321 planes that offer the in-flight Wi-Fi (news to me, as I fly US Air regularly and have never been on one).  It's nice to see the airline (finally) offer Wi-Fi.  Now, how about some DIRECTV?

    Via IntoMobile


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    EVO 4G won’t do simultaneous voice and data, says HTC

    Industry, News No Comments

    HTC EVO 4G

    As excited as I am about the launch of the HTC EVO 4G, it hurt my heart a bit when I heard the news - according to HTC, the WiMAX-powered device won't support simultaneous voice and data.  The original quote from HTC, as reported by AndroidCentral, is as follows:

    "If you're using 4G for data, you can't use CDMA for voice. Currently the only way to do simultaneous voice and data would be through a third-party VOIP solution. However, this is not due to strict hardware limitations, so it's possible this could change with future updates."

    Note the "this is not due to strict hardware limitations" part of the quote.  In other words, the issue is on Sprint's end.  I'll admit - this is normal operating procedure for CDMA phones (unless you're using CDMA and Wi-Fi), but it shocks me that it won't be available on the nation's first WiMAX phone.  Who knows - maybe we'll see the functionality at some point in the near future?

    Update: It's important to note that WiMAX data + voice is still being tested (WiMAX data and 3G voice is what's being referred to above), so it's possible that we'll be able to make simultaneous WiMAX voice and data calls.  We'll see.

    Via AndroidCentral

     


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus en-route to Europe

    Industry, News No Comments

    Pre Plus and Pixi Plus Europe

    While the US Pre Plus and Pixi Plus devices gear up for their grand debut on AT&T, Palm's flagship devices are getting ready to appeal to a new audience: Europeans.  The GCF (Global Certification Forum) has officially approved the P101UEU (Pre Plus) and the P121UEU (Pixi Plus), and they pack GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA in the 900 MHz and 2100 MHz space.  Additional details aren't provided (how convenient), but as far as I know, the models are identical with their American counterparts (save for regional keyboard layouts).

    Positive news for those Europeans craving the latest iteration of the two devices, and a good step towards increasing Palm's marketshare overseas.  EuroDogs, are you interested?

    Via the::unwired


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Verizon BlackBerry Tour 9630 graced with official OS 5.0 (finally)

    Industry, News No Comments

    OS 5.0.0.591

    All I can say is it's about time.  While most BlackBerrys on the market have either launched with OS 5.0 or been upgradeable for some time, the Verizon BlackBerry Tour 9630 was stuck on OS 4.7.  Not that it's a bad OS by any means, but many in the BlackBerry community felt as if the Tour 9630 (and more specifically, the Verizon version) was being thrown under the bus by Verizon and/or RIM.

    Improvements include:

    • Camera - Smoother operation in both camera and video applications.
    • Calling - Improved Bluetooth functionality for last number dialed, enhanced functionality for Voice Activated Dialing in both French and English, improved missed call log showing missed Call Waiting calls, and upgraded Call Waiting caller ID and call timer.
    • Messaging - Improved functionality for reading, sending, forwarding, and deleting SMS messages as well as corrected in-box display when in holster.
    • Bluetooth - Improvements in operation when using VZ Navigator
    • Push To Talk - Push To Talk capability Software Availability

    There were rumblings in the community that the .591 build was less than perfect, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out as an official release.  Go get your download on, and let us know how it performs! 

    Via CrackBerry


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Snapfinger: When an app is much more than an app

    Industry, News No Comments
    We don't do a ton of app and business coverage on the site, as our primary focus (and readership) is on phones, other devices/gear and industry news and services with direct appeal to consumers. Sometimes we break the mold when a particular app catches an editor's eye or a story is too big - or interesting - to pass up.Snapfinger is one of those stories. On the surface it's an app that lets you order take-out meals from chain restaurants. But really, the story is about a small but very well-connected company trying to revolutionize the food service industry in the United States.I had the pleasure of eating lunch with Snapfinger CEO Jim Garrett last week at CTIA in Las Vegas. Garrett's a businessman and techie from Atlanta, and counts the very high-ups at Coke amongst his allies in the business world. Garrett was involved with the Web when "The Internet" meant "ARPANET," and his other company, Kudzu Interactive, has, in their own words, "become the restaurant industry’s de-facto standard for POS integrated online ordering, text messaging and call center remote ordering applications. "  Snapfinger kicked off a consumer-facing PR campaign at the show, marking the launch of their Android app that lets users order food to go from over 28.000 restaurants across the United States. Snapfinger already has more than two million users of their iPhone OS apps and Websites, and has plans to release a dozen more mobile apps in the next 30 days (including individually branded apps for national restaurant chains). While the company currently serves big-name chains like Outback, Subway and California Pizza Kitchen, and not the cool little local shops that you might prefer, they are looking to reach independent restaurants in due time. It only makes business sense to start with the big volume customers to get some revenue churning, right? The thing about Snapfinger that impressed me - beyond the fact that their app actually works on both iPhone and Android (Jim had both an iPhone 3GS and a Moto Droid on him throughout CTIA) - is that the app is achieving results for the copmany's clients. Garrett cited all sorts of stats during our meeting, but these three stood out most to me: - The U.S. Casual/Fast Casual restaurant business does 4 Billion transactions each year - Snapfinger clients have seen a minimum 25% uptick in take-out business since going live with the service - Customer orders are 27% larger when placed via Snapfinger as compared to traditional orders (phone or in-person) Remember, this data reflects 28,000+ national chain restaurants. So a 25% bump in take-out business represents a nice pile of cash on a major corporation scale. So how does Snapfinger do it? They're doing what the restaurant business has by and large failed to do thus far: Snapfinger captures user data, remembers customers' preferences, and provides an efficient, professional ordering experience complete with "Would you like some dessert with that? Perhaps a rich, delicious Chocolate Thunder from Down Under?" upsells at the end.  Suprisingly - to me and to Jim, actually - people bite on those upsells. And I'll be the first to tell you that I'd much rather order delivery from my smartphone than place a call that too-often winds up in my waiting on hold only to then have to say and spell my name and address over and over again while the person on the other end of the line struggles to write it down correctly. You've been there, right? On the phone with a part-time, perhaps teenaged, employee who couldn't care less if it takes them nine tries to spell your address correctly so long as the clock counts down to the end of their shift? So while I'm not about to start ordering from Outback for the sake of using Snapfinger, if my favorite local Pizza and Indian delivery shops ever signed on, I'd download the app in a heartbeat.  In the meantime, Snapfinger is humming along quite nicely, and in addition to boosting their client's take-out revenues, they're also doing something potentially far more important: They're capturing user data in an industry incredibly devoid of such valuable information. Think about it - when you order something from a Website, your name, address, email address and order history is captured and stored. Marketers can later mine that data and use it to email you all sorts of targeted offers and promotions based on your shopping preferences. But when you eat or order take-out at a restaurant? No data gets captured. Unless you're a regular at a place with particularly attentive staff, nobody at the restaurants know your name or favorite meals, let alone your personal info. Snapfinger's apps and Website capture that info when you register and add to it each time you place an order. They don't store your credit card info, but they do keep track of what you like to order, when you order it, and which location you order it from. That sort of data is like gold to marketers, and nobody in the restaurant industry is capturing it. But now Snapfinger is. Keep an eye on these guys, even if you never order take-out or can't stomach the thought of a Bloomin' Onion. With industry connections, deep pockets, and a big head-start on the competition, Jim Garrett and Snapfinger might just be on to something here when it comes to bringing 21st Century technology to the American restaurant business. Their apps are just the beginning of the story.


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Android 2.1 comes to DROID users

    Industry, News No Comments

    Motorola DROID

    Good news, DROID users - Android 2.1 is finally rolling out (no, for real this time).  At noon today (March 30th), 1,000 users were slated to get the update OTA, with another 9,000 receiving it by midnight.  If all goes well, 200,000 will receive the update on April 1st (yep, no updates on March 31st), with 200,000 people receiving it each day until everyone is upgraded.

    The official Verizon memo is below.  Will you get the update today?  Tonight?  April 1st?  Later in the week?  Will Batman finally reveal his true identity?  Time will tell, but be sure to hit the comments section and let us know when you have 2.1 installed!

    Starting 03/30/2010, Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update for the DROID by Motorola. Users will be able to upgrade their software to version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P to receive new improvements and enhancements.

    *Key Advantages:*

    o Email - Yahoo Mail is now supported - customers can simply
    sign in with their Yahoo! Email address and password. Note:
    Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi
    o Pinch to Zoom now available in the Browser, Maps, and Gallery
    o Speech-to-Text - Customers can now use their voice instead
    of typing whenever a text-entry box appears
    o Google Goggles is now preloaded
    o The new Gallery application uses 3D layout and shows both
    pictures taken with the customer's Android device and images
    from Picasa Web Albums account online

    *Software Schedule:*
    Below is the software-upgrade notification schedule (All times listed are Eastern Time):

    o At noon on 03/30, 1,000 users will receive notification of
    the update.
    o At 11:59 PM on 03/30, 9,000 more users will receive the
    update notification.
    o After the first 10,000 users receive the update on 03/30,
    there will be a 24-hour period when no additional upgrades
    will be delivered.
    o On Day 3 (04/01), 200,000 users will receive the update
    notification at 11:59 PM. This schedule will continue each
    day thereafter until the update has been delivered to all users.

    *Download & Install Conditions:*

    o An OTA download requires 40% or more power availability if
    the device is not connected to an external power source or
    20% or more power if it is connected to an external source
    o If roaming, the customer will not receive the update. The
    only option in this scenario is for the subscriber to enable
    Wi-Fi and wait for a mandatory OTA. The wait period in this
    case will not be more than 12 hours
    o User must wait to receive the upgrade via OTA
    o User is unable to make or receive calls, including emergency
    calls during this time
    o Users will see the following information when they select*
    More info* on the update screen:/ This software update
    includes new enhancements to support Yahoo! Email,
    pinch-to-zoom, and many other improvements for your DROID by
    Motorola. You will be unable to use your device or make
    emergency calls for the duration of the install. The
    software updates automatically, and your DROID will power
    off and on as part of this software upgrade.


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    HTC Legend (Unlocked GSM) - Hands-On Impressions

    Industry, News No Comments

     

    Thanks to the folks at HTC, I've had an unlocked Legend in my pocket for the past three days. Legend is the spiritual successor to Hero, bringing Android 2.1 and the latest version of HTC Sense to a relatively compact, all-touch form factor. While Legend lacks the processing power and larger screen of Desire, the other new Android phone launched by HTC at this year's Mobile World Congress, this phone packs plenty of punch and does so in an oh-so-sexy aluminum unibody enclosure.

    Some thoughts on a few days with Legend:

    - Call quality has been good on AT&T's network in the San Francisco Bay Area. The device doesn't support North American 3G bands, so I've been relegated to GSM/EDGE/GPRS only. I missed one call earlier this morning, but I was working in a noisy cafe at the time, and the call showed up as missed in the phone's log, so I think it was my fault.

    - A few very minor software glitches notwithstanding, Legend has been smooth as butter. The combination of software and hardware is excellent, and the device's 3.2" multitouch capacitive AMOLED display is bright and responsive. 

    - Said glitches have included a few graphic snags when transitioning between one screen and another, and some odd formatting in the Web browser - mainly on mobile-formatted sites, actually.

    - HTC + Android = A Killer Combo. The day after Legend arrived on my doorstep, I received the new T-Mobile HTC HD2. I'll write up my thoughts on HD2 separately, but let's just say that Android 2.1 backed by Legend's 600 MHz processor is a far nicer experience than Windows Mobile 6.5 powered by HD2's mighty 1GHz Snapdragon chipset.

    - GPS has been strong, Bluetooth works easily, and the camera is good. HTC's new software adds some additional color settings on the camera that I haven't yet messed around with. But the 5MP shooter is definitely average or above average straight out of  the box.

    - The new optical trackball works very well. HTC told me to use it as I would a mechanical trackball, and so far it's been great for me. The addition of a trackball to the touchscreen is handy for selecting HTML text links and other small buttons.

    - Sense just keeps getting better. Friendstream is a nice feature in the vein of MotoBlur's "Happenings" and Sony Ericsson's "Timescape," but what I really like is the integration of social networks within the "People" app (contacts). I never, ever go to the Facebook website, but I'm finding that I like seeing Facebook data pulled into my phone's native apps. Many of my contacts post photos and birthday info to FB, and Sense gives me the option of keeping tabs on such things from within my phonebook.

    - Legend's aluminum unibody construction is sexy. The phone is light but strong, and iconic in a world full of black plastic mobile phones. Ironic that Legend's aluminum-and-black design perfectly matches the MacBook Pro line, given Apple's legal feud with HTC, no?

    - Personally, I might opt for the HTC Desire or Nexus One over Legend for the sake of a larger display. But Legend's 3.2", HVGA screen is plenty big enough for most anything you'll need it for - the choice to go bigger would be one of personal preference, and not because of any glaring deficiency found here.

    - Legend's Web browser supports Flash. It works, but Flash content has been loading pretty slowly for me thus far, even over WiFi.

    More on Legend in the coming days. For now, a few more photos below. And, no, there's no word on any potential US release of this device. Yet.

     


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Kyocera Zio spotted on Cricket, gets a July launch date

    Industry, News No Comments

    Kyocera Zio

    On display at CTIA in Las Vegas last week, we knew the Kyocera Zio was coming to Cricket (by process of deduction), but we didn't know the price point or official release month.  PhoneArena was able to snag Cricket's 2010 product roadmap, and in addition to some neat mid-range devices landing on the carrier at various points throughout the year, the document highlights a July 2010 launch and a $299.99 price tag for the Android-powered Zio.  To recap, features include a 3.5-inch WVGA screen, 3G (EVDO) connectivity, Android 1.5, Stereo Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a 3.2-megapixel camera. 

    Cricket users (or those contemplating a switch, for that matter), do you plan on picking one up at launch?  Let us know!

    Via PhoneArena


    Tags: , , ,

  • 30Mar

    Despite lack of WP7S, HTC HD2 sells out for five days

    Industry, News No Comments

    HD2 sold out

    According to several sources, the HTC HD2 sold out after a mere four hours on the market!  Though the phone's specs make it a powerhouse, and it received many positive reviews, the fact that it's running Windows Mobile 6.5 had many wondering (myself included) if the launch of Windows Phone 7 Series would leave the HD2 in a less than desirable state.  Clearly this wasn't the case, as if you were one of the 20K+ people attempting to purchase one on March 24th, you may have been hard pressed to succeed.

    Rumors from a TmoNews tipster suggest that "first day sales [were] at 21,700 units between retail and employee sales only.  Our tipster says these numbers do not include phone sales and we are not sure if that includes online orders as well. If those are missing, we are sure to see this number spike north."  As of this morning, the device has returned to the website - five days after it sold out.

    This is great news for both T-Mobile and HTC.  After the HSPA+ event at CTIA this week, and all the tricks HTC has up its sleeve, I hope to see many more good things coming from both companies this year.  So who's putting their HTC HD2 on reserve today?  Leave your thoughts in the comments!

    Via TmoNews, BGR


    Tags: , , ,

« Previous Entries   

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

  • Olechka-persik
    Thanks for post. Nice to see such good ideas....
  • RYErnest
    Nice post u have here :D Added to my RSS reader...
  • Eric Lee
    Hi there, I looked over your blog and it looks really goo...