Apple MacBook MB403LL/A 13.3-inch Laptop/Notebook Review

Stylishly and intelligently designed for your on-the-go digital lifestyle, Apple’s MacBook is the perfect confluence of affordability, innovation, and powerful computing. This latest iteration of the MacBook line (model MB403LL/A) gets a boost of speed from Intel’s latest 45-nanometer Penryn series processors, which also helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. You’ll enjoy quick and nimble multitasking thanks to the 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, and this MacBook also features a 160 GB hard drive and 2 GB of installed RAM (which can be upgraded to 4 GB). The 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display provides the perfect combination of pixels and portability, and the integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi LAN enables computing freedom from wires and compatibility with older 802.11b/g routers as well as the faster throughput of Apple’s Airport Extreme.

Apple Macbook reviews

Sony VAIO VGN-CR320E/R 14.1-inch Laptop Review

This notebook is powered by the 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7250 processor, which offers a top-of-the-line 800 MHz front-side bus speed and 2 MB L2 cache. The Core 2 Duo processor provides an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved gaming and multitasking performance, as well as excellent battery management. It also includes Intel’s 4965 AGN wireless LAN, which will connect to draft 802.11n routers and offers compatibility with 802.11a/b/g networks as well. A built-in 1.3 megapixel digital web camera lets you quickly snap photos and participate in live video chats. Other features include a 14.1-inch XBRITE-ECO screen, extra-large 250 GB hard drive, 2 GB of installed RAM (4 GB maximum capacity), dual-layer DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), Bluetooth connectivity, ExpressCard 34 slot, Intel GMA X3100 graphics (with up to 358 MB of total available video memory), and both Memory Stick and SD memory cart slots.
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center. In addition to easily playing your DVD movies and managing your digital audio library, you’ll be able to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV). Vista also integrates new search tools throughout the operating system, includes new parental control features, and offers new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures.

Read Full Here: Sony VAIO VGN-CR320E/R 14.1-inch Laptop Review

HP IQ506 TouchSmart Desktop PC Review

Redesigned with a next-generation, touch-enabled 22-inch high-definition LCD screen, the HP TouchSmart IQ506 all-in-one desktop PC is designed to fit wherever life happens: in the kitchen, family room, or living room. With one touch you can check the weather, download your e-mail, or watch your favorite TV show. It’s also designed to maximize energy, with a power-saving Intel Core 2 Duo processor and advanced power management technology, as well as material efficiency–right down to the packaging. It has a sleek piano black design with elegant espresso side-panel highlights, and the HP Ambient Light lets you set a mood–or see your keyboard in the dark.
The built-in TV tuner (providing both standard NTSC and high-def ATSC transmission) and personal video recorder (PVR) let you watch, pause, rewind, and record live television–perfect for watching cooking shows in the kitchen or keeping up with your favorite series. Use the included remote control or touch screen to quickly and easily access music, movies, photos, TV shows, or radio programs. The TouchSmart IQ506 comes with a bevy of special software features to make your computing life a breeze, including TouchSmart Video and Photo for quickly sharing your snapshots and videos to the web, TouchSmart Calendar for helping your family manage its busy, overlapping schedule, and TouchSmart Notes for both text and voice notes right at your fingertips. And it comes with a wireless keyboard and wireless optical mouse to help you keep clutter to a minimum.

You can read full reviews: HP IQ506 TouchSmart Desktop PC Review

Great HP Compaq 6820s Laptop Products

Supporting this powermachine is an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5470 running at 1.6GHz. For your multimedia needs, you’ll enjoy watching your movies on the DVD Super-Multi optical drive, and your ears will also thank you for hi-definition audio. With other great features such as ATI Mobility Radeon X1350 dedicated graphics and Windows Vista Business, working on this laptop will be a breeze.
Stay connected on the goThe HP Compaq 6820s helps you stay connected where you need to work by offering Wi-Fi Certified WLAN options, so you can access your e-mails or the Internet – at work, at home and at your favorite hotspots. Read Full REVIEWS: HP Compaq 6820s Laptop/Notebook PC Review - $799.99

Acer Aspire One AOA150-1126 Netbook

Empower yourself with the incredibly light yet remarkably productive Acer Aspire One AOA150-1126 Netbook. Great for getting things done - whether checking email, managing online accounts or chatting with friends - the Aspire One offers a familiar Windows XP Home operating system that clearly organizes everything needed to surf the Internet, work or simply have fun.

This small but smart netbook comes with built-in 802.11b/g WiFi for easy access to available wireless networks. The Acer Aspire One AOA150-1126 Netbook has an 8.9-inch CrystalBrite display with a resolution of 1024×600 pixels and features the unique Acer CrystalEye webcam for live video streaming, video chats and conferences. Other great features include a 1.60GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB (512MB onboard/512MB SODIMM slot) DDR2 533MHz memory, a 160GB hard drive, a SD Card reader, Multi-in-one card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, and a variety of pre-loaded software. Travel light, but smart, with the new Acer Aspire One AOA150-1126 Netbook.
Read Full Reviews here: Acer Aspire One AOA150-1126 Netbook

Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Notebook PC Review

Our new Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Laptop Computer is ideal for mobile professionals looking for performance, connectivity, independence and security. Building on the growing demand for larger screen sizes, the Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Laptop Computer offers a panoramic a 17-inch color TFT LCD display that boasts a brilliant WXGA+ (1440 x 900) resolution. This 8.06-pound powerhouse comes loaded with a 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 processor with Centrino Duo technology, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of DDR2 memory, and a DVD-Super Multi dual layer optical drive. The Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Laptop Computer also features splendid graphics performance with its NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 7300 graphics controller. And business pros who need to seamlessly switch from different connectivity options, will find the new Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Laptop Computer a welcome work partner, as it offers a complete range of flexible connectivity solutions including, Gigabit LAN and 802.11a/b/g wireless, along with a built-in web camera. Read More: Acer TravelMate 5620-6285 Laptop/Notebook PC Review

iPhone 3G finally unlocked, to debut at New Years

The iPhone dev team announced yesterday that they had finally achieved an iPhone 3G unlock. Until now, you could jailbreak 3G iPhones but not unlock them for use with alternative carriers. This new unlock allows the 3G to join the first-generation iPhone in providing service outside of those carriers that Apple has locked to the units.

In order to take advantage of this unlock, you'll need to make sure that you did not upgrade your iPhone's baseband past 2.11.07. The team warned about this baseband issue as firmware 2.2 was about to debut. At this time, you can upgrade to 2.2 by using QuickPwn or Pwnage to disable the baseband component.

If you're looking to unlock, however, prepare to wait a few weeks. The new unlock will be released around New Year's Eve, said the team. When released, the unlock, which is codenamed yellowsn0w, will let you use third-party GSM SIMs in your iPhone and both send and receive calls. In the US, AT&T and T-Mobile are the only two major carriers who use this technology. Because of technology differences, if you use a T-Mobile data plan with your unlocked 3G iPhone, you'll be able to use EDGE data but not 3G data (AT&T uses different HSPA/WCDMA frequencies).
Source : arstechnica.com

How Apple Could Survive Without Steve Jobs

Apple Inc. set off shock waves Tuesday by announcing Steve Jobs will not speak at what the company said would be its final appearance at the Macworld trade show. The news sent the company's stock downward, and raised questions about whether Mr. Jobs had new health problems or some new products were not ready.

But another question is likely to persist after the debate dies down: How well could Apple keep up the pace of new products without its iconic chief executive?

Speculation about the continued reign of Mr. Jobs -- which has popped up from time to time since his 2004 treatment for cancer -- underscore how closely Apple's fashion-setting products are identified with its co-founder. There is no sign of any change in his status; an Apple spokesman won't address the issue of his health, but said, "If Steve or the board decides that Steve is no longer capable of doing his job as CEO of Apple, I am sure they will let you know."

What if that situation does change? There is reason for optimism, based on the evolution of the team that develops Apple's hardware, software and services, some people familiar with the company's internal workings say. Some of them believe the group is now strong enough that, barring an exodus of top talent, the company could keep churning out innovative products without Mr. Jobs.

Mr. Jobs did not respond to a request for comment.

In one possible sign of confidence in the management team, an unprecedented number of executives presented during the company's press event to unveil its new MacBook lineup in October, though Mr. Jobs still dominated the event.

Mr. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997— he had left in 1985— and has since overseen the introduction of such ground-breaking products as the iMac, iPod and iPhone. He plays an unusually important role for a CEO in the gestation of such gadgets, agonizing over details that could impact users' experience.

Not that Mr. Jobs actually designs products himself. He serves more like an "editor in chief" in refining and improving ideas for Apple gadgets, according to former Apple executives.

"He didn't come up with the ideas, he just filtered them," says Bill Bull, a retired Apple engineer who worked for Mr. Jobs at Apple in the 1980s and again after Mr. Jobs returned.

The hands-on work of Apple's innovations depend more directly on subordinates such as Jonathan Ive, an Apple senior vice president who oversees the company's industrial design team. His group is primarily associated with the physical look and feel of products, such as the unusually slender Macbook Air.

Scott Forstall, another senior vice president, leads the team responsible for the iPhone's operating system and other software. In a sign of his growing importance at the company, Mr. Forstall was twice given the chance to speak at media and technical events earlier this year--and has shown some of the same showmanship that is Mr. Jobs' trademark.

Other crucial figures at Apple now include Ron Johnson, senior vice president of Apple retail, who has masterminded the success of Apple's stores, the hip electronics emporiums that have played a crucial role in the growth of the iPod and Macintosh in recent years.

One change to the team was the announcement in early November that Tony Fadell was stepping down as senior vice president of Apple's iPod division, which makes the innards of those popular gadgets carry out their products' slick features. He first conceived of the iPod, and convinced Mr. Jobs to support the idea despite skepticism from others in the company. Mr. Fadell said he will remain an adviser to Mr. Jobs; Mark Papermaster, a former International Business Machines Corp. executive, has been named to assume the iPod post.

For every design project in the pipeline, Mr. Jobs will hold meetings of two or three hours every week or two with key members of the product team. At those meetings, Mr. Jobs will critique the work in progress and also suggest adding or cutting features.

Read more wsj.com

iPhone apps round-up: Wine reviews, Hanukkah apps, and the inauguration

You could follow my lead and just pick the bottle that has the most eye-catching label. Or you could consult an expert in the form of WineReviews . The recently released application from Steve Saxon lets you look up reviews of wines on your iPhone. The $4 application also features a Favorites screen and lets you write your own reviews.

Speaking of the holidays, festive apps continue to jam the shelves of the App Store; today, we’ll highlight a pair that have a Hanukkah bent. The $2 iMenorah from Jutanabet joins the ranks of virtual menorah apps from RustyBrick and LilBros. iMenorah lights candles with the touch of a finger, features sung blessings, and promises to donate a percentage of its proceeds to charity. Meanwhile, iDreidle for Chanukah is not made out of clay, but rather is a $1 mobile dreidel game from Gp Imp. just in time for the festival of lights.

Finally, we’re a little more than a month out from another significant event—this January’s presidential inauguration. And 2009 Presidential Inauguration Guide figures to help visitors heading to Washington D.C. for the big event. The free app from PointAbout features a countdown screen to Inauguration Day as well as a distance calculator that tells you how far away you are from the steps of the Capitol Building. More important, the app offers info on local restaurants, parking, transit info, and nearby Wi-Fi hotspots.

Other apps of interest that recently debuted at the App Store include:

* LogMeIn Ignition , from LogMeIn: This $30 app lets mobile users connect to a Mac or PC and control it remotely.
* Snowdome , from Yotta Digital: The $1 virtual snow globe takes advantage of the built-in accelerometer for the iPhone and iPod touch to cause snowflakes to fly whenever you shake your mobile device.
* iBreviary , from Dimitri Giani: The $1 app comes in Spanish, French, English, Latin, and Italian offers mobile worshipers the prayer of the Breviary, readings of the Mass of the Day, and other principal Catholic prayers.
* FriendCast , from CallFire.com: The free application lets you record a message and send it to many contacts simultaneously.
source: macworld

Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Frogger get iPhone treatment

Last week, a teaser page on the English-language page of Konami's Japanese Web site led many to believe the Japanese publisher was working on bringing the Metal Gear Solid franchise to the Xbox 360, reviving the Metal Gear Acid brand, or even porting the long-running series to the Wii. However shortly after information leaked via scans of gaming magazine Famitsu, Konami has confirmed a different mission for Solid Snake.

In an official press release today, Konami of Europe revealed that Metal Gear Solid Touch would be heading to the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch early in the New Year. According to the release, "Metal Gear Solid Touch focuses on action elements of Hideo Kojima’s classic stealth series, and will see series veteran Solid Snake embark on an all-new mission." It won't be a completely new experience for MGS fans however, with players "using locations and characters introduced in Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots [including] eight action-packed stages, with more to be added at a later date."

In addition to the feted stealth-action series, Konami also confirmed Frogger for the iPhone, reportedly "a pixel-perfect conversion of the classic arcade game," and Silent Hill: The Escape. It looks like these releases may only be the start, with Konami's Head of Mobile Business Department quoted as saying, "We welcome the iPhone and iPod Touch to our product line-up and look forward to these initial games." (Emphasis added).

The teaser page on Konami's Web site now links to what appears to be a placeholder page with the Metal Gear Solid Touch logo.

Source from gamespot.com

Sun company still not give up JAVA on iphone.

Sun is not going to end their tireless pursuit of getting Java to the iPhone. Sun is still in talks with Apple over the goal. Sun has been very vigorous in their attempts at getting Java to run on the iPhone via a JVM, or Java Virtual Machine. Java is a functionality that Apple would have to approve, as it is very unlikely that Sun could get Java to the iPhone without Apple’s blessing.
“We’ve expressed our intent to do this and our desire, really, to work with Apple to build a JVM (Java Virtual Machine) for the iPhone and we’re sort of moving forward with that” -Eric Klein, Vice President of Java marketing
Although Java functionality would be a very big hit for the iPhone, especially if the many current Java applications could run on it, Apple has not said too much about it. They have had not clear approval or disapproval over bringing Java to the iPhone. The benefit of Java for the iPhone is not only the end user, but for the developer as well. The more phones your application can run on, the more successful it will be.
A Java Virtual Machine is not the only approach to Java for the iPhone. Innaworks is looking to provide a solution to bring Java to the iPhone as well. The Innaworks Java solution would create an application to translate Java application to the native iPhone programming environment. In conjunction with an actual JVM, this solution could provide an easy way for developers to bring their applications to the iPhone.
[Via Info World]

South Korea finally making progress with the iPhone 3G

After much delay, the iPhone is finally coming to South Korea. Based on the mobile industry as a whole we expected South Korea to be one of the first to get this handset. The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) had been requiring handsets to use the locally built WIPI mobile platform, but that has changed.
“…considering global industry trends toward the use of general-purpose mobile operating systems, we concluded that there was a need to allow carriers the freedom to decide whether to use WIPI or not,” said Shin Yong-sub, the director of KCC’s policy bureau.
Restrictions such as this have kept many foreign manufacturers, like Apple, from bringing their handsets to South Korea. Carriers KTF and SK Telecom will be testing the iPhone out in South Korea for the next few months. People in South Korea who have been patiently (or impatiently) waiting to get their hands on one will still have to wait because as the rule requiring WIPI will be effective until April of 2009.
[Via MacDailyNews]

Google’s Voice Search Finally Hits The iPhone

Google’s search-by-voice application is finally available on the App Store. To grab it, visit this link (the page still shows the old version, but you’ll download the new one). The application was originally announced on Friday, leading to widespread excitement that quickly turned to unrest as the application failed to make its debut on the App Store. The delay led to criticism of Apple’s App Store approval process, which apparently leaves all developers in the dark - even Google.

The app allows users to speak into their iPhones to submit queries to Google’s search engine, which can serve up both standard search results as well as movie showtimes, addresses, and other handy information. Voice detection seems to work pretty well, though it sometimes takes a few tries with long phrases and names (I was able to correctly search for the “answer to life, the universe, and everything” after only two tries). And when it works, it’s really cool - I’ll probably be using it on a daily basis.

My biggest issue with the app is that there is apparently no way to use the voice detection feature to call a contact, despite the fact that you can search through contacts using manual text entry. One of my biggest gripes about the iPhone is that there’s no way to make a hands-free call, and while this would still require at least one buttonpress, it would be an improvement. A free application called Say Who offers voice dialing on the iPhone, but it would have been nice to see the functionality integrated into the Google app.

source: techcrunch.com

National Geographic launches Games division

National Geographic Global Media on Tuesday announced the launch of National Geographic Games (NGG), a new business unit that is creating games for multiple platforms, including the Mac and iPhone.

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NGG will work with game publishers and developers to create games based on National Geographic’s core themes and media properties, the company announced. As part of that effort, NGG announced that it has partnered with Namco Bandai Games America and Sony Computer Entertainment to bring new titles to market. Namco Bandai has brought several of its own game properties to the iPhone and iPod platforms.

The first title to be released is “Herod’s Lost Tomb,” a downloadable game for the Mac, iPhone and Windows that can also be played online through the National Geographic Channel’s Web site. The game, featuring content from the December 2008 issue of National Geographic magazine, features information about the biblical figure King Herod.

Other titles coming in November include “National Geographic: Panda” and “National Geographic: Africa.” December will bring “Sudoku Traveler: China.” And releases planned for 2009 include “Rain Forests,” “Greencity” and “From the Bottom Up.”

source: macworld.com

China Mobile eyes buyouts at attractive valuations

MACAU (MarketWatch) -- China Mobile's chairman and chief executive said Tuesday that the company was looking for acquisitions in emerging countries as the slump in global financial markets over the past year has opened up opportunities at attractive valuations.

"Telecom assets have become very inexpensive and some people say there's a good opportunity for buyers. I agree with them, but it's not so simple. There is no reason for sellers to sell at such a low price," said Wang Jianzhou, speaking at the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress in Macau.

"We have to find some opportunities ... when someone needs the money. [Meanwhile], we will do our best for our Pakistani company," he said. 

 "We have [non-]disclosure agreements with Apple, so I can't disclose many details. All I can say is that China is still interested in [bringing the] iPhone into China Mobile markets," he said.

"China Mobile is open to all operators, all vendors, content providers and service providers," he said.

China, the world's largest mobile-services market with more than 600 million subscribers, is one of the few big markets in Asia where the iPhone is still not formally launched.

Apple and China Mobile started talks more than a year ago, but differences over Apple's demand for sharing revenue delayed an agreement. The companies reportedly resumed talks earlier this year after Apple abandoned its demand for splitting revenue.

source: marketwatch.com

When Will Apple Add Copy/Paste To The iPhone?

Apple is set to release version 2.2 of the iPhone operating system on Nov. 21, according to a Greek language post in enthusiast blog iPhone Hellas.

In addition to a redesigned MobileSafari interface, the iPhone 2.2 update will reportedly add Google Street View, transit route information, walking directions and over-the-air podcast downloads, according to Gizmodo, which described iPhone Hellas as "consistently reliable."

Gizmodo noted that because the 2.2 feature list hasn't changed from previous beta versions, it's possible that Apple could decide to sneak copy/paste into the 2.2 update, a development that could lead to a collective outcry of joy from iPhone users who've long been clamoring for this basic functionality.

Although third-party copy/paste software is available from the AppStore, Apple has yet to provide a road map for adding it natively. This omission is ironic in light of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recent claim that the iPhone is basically the same thing as a netbook.

Chris Carlton, a systems engineer with Mac Business Solutions, doesn't think the lack of copy/paste is a big deal for some iPhone users, given the broad range of other iPhone features. But for users who treat the iPhone as a laptop replacement, the lack of copy/paste is "glaringly obvious," he said.

"As more iPhone applications come out, and people want to do more editing and e-mail, copy/paste is really becoming more of an issue than when the iPhone first came out," Carlton said. "Even lesser devices have that basic functionality."

But despite some users' anxiety over copy/paste, November has been full of positive industry reactions to the iPhone.

Earlier this week, NPD Group reported that the iPhone has overtaken the Motorola RAZR for the top spot in handset sales to U.S. adult consumers. SquareTrade, which sells extended mobile device warranties, published data that shows the iPhone is twice as reliable as the BlackBerry and three times more reliable than the Palm Treo.

And earlier this month, J.D. Power and Associates said the iPhone ranked highest among business users in terms of customer satisfaction, beating out smartphones from Research In Motion, Samsung, HTC, and Motorola.

source:crn.com 

Web-based Office to work on Macs, iPhone

 A Microsoft blog reiterated this week that the Web-based version of Office won't be tied to either Windows or Internet Explorer.

In a blog posting on its Channel 10 site, a Microsoft blogger noted that, owing to support of Firefox and Safari, the forthcoming Office Web Applications will run on Linux and the iPhone.

The blogger, Microsoft's Sarah Perez, also noted that Microsoft won't be mandating use of Silverlight, its rival to Adobe's Flash.

"Silverlight is not required," Perez said in the Q-and-A posting. "Using Silverlight will enhance the user experience, resulting in sharper images and improved rendering. Also, the Office Live Workspace has integrated Silverlight technology into the multi-file upload function for a better experience."

Microsoft has said a technical preview of the Web-based Office apps will come later this year. Microsoft hasn't explicitly said there will be a free version, though executives have said the apps will be part of Office Live, which comes in both free and subscription flavors. Perez takes that to mean--as do I--that there will be both free and paid options.

On the corporate side, Microsoft has said the Office Web Applications will be tied to SharePoint.

The forthcoming Web-based version of Microsoft Word, like online versions of Excel and PowerPoint, won't be limited to the PC, Microsoft says.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Apple bans iPhone app for changing version number

Apple has banned version 1.3 of return7's CastCatcher internet radio service from the iPhone App Store, complaining that it's "transferring excessive volumes of data over the cellular network."

But you can still buy version 1.2, which transfers exactly the same amount of data over the network.

In fact, when Apple complains about 1.3 hogging its network, it's really talking about 1.2. Version 1.3 hasn't even used the network. It never actually made it into the iPhone App Store.

Plus, you can still buy all sorts of other internet radio apps from the iPhone App store, including Pandora, AOL Radio, Tuner, FStream, WunderRadio, and the list goes on.

We say all this only to show that even logic is powerless in the face of Apple's iPhone app censorship.

CastCatcher version 1.3 differs from version 1.2 in four small ways:

• Adjustable buffer size (see Preferences on your iPhone)

• Experimental AAC+ support (works w/ 2.0.2 but not 2.1 - bug report filed w/ Apple for assistance - this feature is NOT supported)

• Minor fix around Icecast metadata

• Fixed crash on downloading invalid playlist files

But when it was submitted for review, Apple replied like this: "CastCatcher Internet Radio cannot be posted to the App Store because it is transferring excessive volumes of data over the cellular network, which as outlined in the iPhone SDK Agreement section 3.3.15, is prohibited."

return7 CEO Amro Mousa is not pleased. "Our disappointment stems from the inconsistency of the decision and not the decision itself," he tells The Reg. "Three other versions of CastCatcher plus many other music applications were already approved. We understand the concern of burdening cell networks but believe it should be left to the carriers to control via their mobile plans. If a mobile plan allows up to 5GB of data, we believe the user should be able to use their 5GB of data."

Since the initial rejection, he has resubmitted version 1.3. But he's not holding his breath.

source:theregister.co.uk

BlackBerry Storm Coming Nov. 21 For $199, iPhone Not Toast

(alleyinsider.com) -- It's official: Verizon Wireless will start selling RIM's (RIMM) new touchscreen BlackBerry Storm on Nov. 21. The iPhone-ish smartphone will sell for $199.99 after subsidy and a $50 mail-in rebate, assuming you are eligible and sign a two-year contract.

This is an important launch for both companies, as Apple (AAPL) beat RIM in unit shipments last quarter, and Verizon (VZ) hasn't yet had a credible answer to the iPhone.

However, this is hardly an aggressive play. We think Apple still has the upper hand.

We had read rumors that Verizon Wireless was considering selling the Storm for free after subsidy, as its part-owner Vodafone (VOD) is doing abroad. That would definitely give the iPhone a run for its money.

But at $199, the Storm is the same price as Apple's 8-gigabyte iPhone, while offering fewer features. The iPhone, for example, has a better app platform, more built-in memory, multi-touch controls, better music/video platform, and wi-fi.

Meanwhile, the Storm's only potential advantages that we can think of so far: Better 3G Internet service -- the iPhone's has ranged from average to terrible in our experience; better mobile email; and maybe a better on-screen keyboard, if RIM's "click-screen" is any good.

So it seems that most people who'd buy it are people who are tied to/prefer Verizon Wireless/BlackBerry email -- or people who hate Apple. (We'll reserve judgment until after we've had time to play with it.)

It's also possible one or both companies will cut prices again before Christmas sales ramp up, which could help sell more phones. Especially if this quarter is really as terrible as everyone says it's been.

One thing we don't know yet: How much Verizon will charge for monthly service. Our bet is $70 per month, the cheapest plan AT&T (T) offers for the iPhone.

source: money.cnn.com

IBC Bank Launches iPhone Mobile Banking Application from mFoundry on Apple App Store

LAREDO, Texas & SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 12, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Mobile financial services leader, mFoundry, today announced that IBC Bank's mobile banking application for iPhone and iPod touch is available on the Apple App Store.IBC Bank is the Laredo-based flagship bank of International Bancshares Corporation, one of the largest bank holding companies in Texas.IBC's mobile banking application for iPhone gives customers on-demand, secure access to IBC checking, savings and loan accounts and also provides access to account balances, search and retrieval of account transaction histories, money transfers, bill pay, and location search for IBC branches and ATMs.
"The iPhone has quickly taken a large share of the smartphone market and its users have shown a great propensity for downloading applications so we're excited to now offer a mobile banking app for iPhone and iPod touch users," said Dennis E. Nixon, chairman of International Bancshares Corporation. "mFoundry's ability to quickly support new platforms and devices separates them from competitors and we're proud of the application we've created together for these important customers."
"iPhone and iPod touch users are unmatched in terms of mobile content consumption. We're pleased to be able to work with IBC Bank to serve this important audience," said Drew Sievers, CEO and cofounder of mFoundry. "IBC Bank is a very forward-thinking regional leader who has made great strides this year in offering a variety of mobile banking options. We look forward to our continued partnership."
The mFoundry platform supports full mobile banking and mobile payments and serves as an ideal foundation for mobile wallets. Adopted by some of the largest banks and mobile operators in the U.S., the mFoundry platform has become the leading mobility platform for financial services.
About IBC Bank
IBC Bank is a subsidiary of International Bancshares Corporation (IBOC:
international bancshares cor com
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IBOC 24.45, 0.00, 0.0%) , a $11 billion multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with more than 265 facilities and 425 ATMs serving more than 100 communities in Texas and Oklahoma.
About mFoundry
mFoundry provides a comprehensive mobile banking and payments solution for banks, credit unions, processors and operators. With specific programs for financial institutions of all sizes, the out-of-the-box platform supports full service mobile banking and mobile payments and serves as an ideal foundation for mobile wallets. The platform has been adopted by some of the largest banks, mobile operators and bank technology providers in the U.S.
mFoundry is based in the San Francisco Bay Area andhas been recognized as one of "10 Emerging Wireless Players to Watch" by IDC as well as the top "Tech Company to Watch" by Bank Technology News. For more information on mFoundry, please visitwww.mfoundry.com.

Merge Healthcare Announces New Merge Mobile(TM) for the iPhone(TM)

a leading medical imaging solutions provider, announced mobile technology that enables patients and healthcare professionals to view digital medical images such as CT, MRI, X-ray and other images on an Apple iPhone(TM) or iPod(R) touch. A demonstration of Merge Mobile(TM) for the iPhone(TM) is available free of charge from the iPhone App Store.
Merge Mobile is breakthrough technology intended to help health organizations and clinicians improve quality of care, reduce costs and improve responsiveness to patients. Today, radiologists and physicians have access to patient medical images from computers connected to their practice management or PAC (picture archiving and communications) systems. Applications(a) built upon Merge Mobile technology will enable radiologists to view emergency cases directly from their iPhone or iPod touch, consult with colleagues and, when necessary, forward critical findings directly and securely to a patient's referring physician.
"Merge Healthcare will usher in a new era of mobile healthcare by bringing advanced medical imaging information to the fingertips of physicians," said Justin Dearborn, Merge Healthcare Chief Executive Officer. "Merge Mobile leverages the rapid convergence of mobile and medical technology development to empower new approaches in healthcare delivery and coordination."
Merge Mobile technology will enable the development of applications to retrieve CT, MRI, X-ray and other images wirelessly, and to perform standard radiologic manipulations to guide decision-making, much like computer-based solutions such as PACS. Few solutions of this kind exist today, and most experience download delays associated with medical imaging's large data sets. Merge Mobile incorporates advanced remote rendering techniques, including multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), which eliminate downloading of large data quantities to the mobile device and enable near-immediate access to images. Features include remote stack viewing using the iPhone multi-touch interface, scroll, contrast adjustment, zoom and pan. A secure communication protocol addresses privacy.
Merge Healthcare provides sample images and data via a demonstration server with the free Merge Mobile download at www.apple.com/iphone/appstore.
Apple, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
Merge Healthcare's solutions solve mission-critical issues for radiology practices, outpatient imaging centers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers worldwide. For additional information, visit www.merge.com.
The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words "will," "believes," "intends," "anticipates," "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.
(a)Note that as to Works In Progress, Merge Healthcare is not legally obligated to develop or continue to develop such Works in Progress that may include the features and functionality described herein.
SOURCE: Merge Healthcare

Screenshots: iPhone OS 2.2 Adds App Store Sorting

Fresh off the heels of rumors that iPhone OS 2.2 will be landing within ten days, Boy Genius Report posts a few screen shots of Apple’s unreleased iPhone OS 2.2 Firmware. The new images show new App Store “sorting” functionality not present in any iPhone Firmware build to date.

…you can sort the categories themselves by “Top Paid”, “Top Free” and “Release Date”. In addition to that, each category gets a cute little icon instead of just text-based lists, and you can finally browse through all the application screen shots, BGR explains.

What this means is that instead of looking at just text-based lists, you can now browse through the applications screenshots, just like in iTunes. As previously mentioned, rumors that came in today point to November 21st as a release date for iPhone OS 2.2, though it is still unconfirmed.

source:macblogz.com

`BlackBerry less reliable vs iPhone’

  NEW DELHI: Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, says a study carried out by a mobile-phone war

ranty firm.

The SquareTrade study, which analysed cell phone failure rates for more than 15,000 new phones, found iPhones had a malfunction rate of 5.6 per cent in the first year, compared to 11.9 per cent for BlackBerry smartphones. Palm's Treos fared worse, with 16.2 per cent having some sort of malfunction in the first 12 months of use.

The study noted that the most prominent malfunctions for iPhone users appear to be touchscreen-related, accounting for a third of all reported issues with the handset. However, 12 per cent of iPhone users reported accidental damage to their handsets within the first year of use -- the average for other handsets is nine percent.

"It's likely that any iPhone owner can guess the reason iPhone accidents are so common," the authors wrote. "After two minutes of handling an iPhone, it's impossible to escape noticing that the handsets are incredibly slippery. The form doesn't help, either. The dimensions make for a difficult grip, especially for those with small hands. These two factors conspire to make the iPhone more accident prone than just about any other handset model we've seen."

The report's authors also noted that fewer than half-a-percent of iPhone owners reported battery problems after a year of use, compared with around one percent for BlackBerry and Treo users.

SquareTrade's study did not take into account software issues handled directly by the retailer or fixed by firmware updates. 

source:indiatimes.com

Billing Revolution Brings One-Click Payments To iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android Apps

When it comes to charging for mobile apps, payments usually have to go through either the carriers or one of the emerging mobile app platforms such as Apple or Google’s Android. The problem with charging for an iPhone app through iTunes is that Apple takes 30 percent. A startup called Billing Revolution wants to charge about one tenth as much for a seamless, mobile one-click shopping experience. Already available on other phones, Billing Revolution is announcing availability today for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android apps.

Once a consumer signs up to pay for things through Billing Revolution, he is presented with an Amazon-like one-click payment option no matter what app is using it. (Didn’t Amazon patent that?). Billing Revolution charges a 3.5 percent transaction fee plus 50 cents per transaction.

That pretty much kills any app developer using it for micro-transactions. Nobody is going to sell a digital song for $1.00 if they need to pay Billing Revolution 53.5 cents. But it could become an option for larger purchases, and as a way to charge for premium subscriptions for apps that build adoption with a lighter-weight free version.

source:mobilecrunch.com

Debian Deviously Ported to Android, G1

If increased functionality, more usability, and greater geekiness have any place in your mobile heart, this post is for you. Jay Freeman (a.k.a. Saurik)  has successfully ported Debian onto Android and the G1. Saurik is the guy that brought you (not us) Winterboard, Cydia, and Cycorder to the iPhone, so we know this is a fully legit claim.

Instructions are not for the faint of heart, although we’d suspect the faint of heart aren’t salivating over the notion of accessing the G1’s root file system.

Some readers may be questioning the usefulness of such a mod to an already open source operating system; however, at the moment the G1 and Android does not allow developers the right to access the down ‘n’ dirty of Android on the G1.

So, if you’re up for the challenge (which might be the only real benefit of this mod), use your deductive reasoning to find, and subsequently click, the read link.

[via ModMyGPhone]

iPhone steals Razr's throne

That may seem an obvious statement, but consider this: The best-selling mobile phone among U.S. adults the past three years has been Motorola's Razr V3, which at 4 years old is ancient in the gadget world.

Now, the crown has passed from the Razr to the iPhone 3G in the latest quarter, according to new data from market research firm NPD Group.

It has taken the iPhone less than a year to topple the once-trendsetting Razr, as consumers gravitate toward handsets that not only look cool, but can handle advanced Internet tasks. The Razr achieved its stardom with its fashion-forward look. The iPhone and the other handsets in NPD's Top 5 rankings, including Research In Motion's BlackBerry Curve and the Rumor by LG, combine external design with other popular features.

source:chicagotribune.com

Where to Shop iPhone Application Gives Holiday Shoppers More Choice to Find the Best Price

             MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov 11, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Find Products at Nearby Stores, and Compare Online and Local Pricing While on the Go

TheFind, Inc. ( www.TheFind.com), the leading shopping search engine for discovering lifestyle goods, is making it easier for consumers to complete their shopping lists this holiday season with TheFind: Where to Shop, a new application that gives consumers the ability to leverage TheFind's powerful shopping search capabilities and comprehensive local store data from anywhere, via the Apple(R) iPhone(TM).

"The economic challenges that the U.S. and global markets have experienced over the last couple of months are expected to impact retail sales this holiday season, with price likely to become the defining factor in product purchases, followed by breadth of product selection," said Siva Kumar, co-founder and CEO of TheFind. "In introducing TheFind: Where to Shop, we hope to ease some of the 'pocketbook' pain consumers are feeling, by helping them find products in their local neighborhoods and compare online prices while on the go. With TheFind's Where to Shop, consumers can find the best deals on their holiday purchases, without running all over town or having to sit at their computer to conduct their online research. Our comprehensive approach to finding products also ensures that those consumers will find even the most unique items in a snap."

Last month, the National Retail Federation (NRF) issued its 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, which projects that U.S. consumers will "spend an average of $832.36 on holiday-related shopping, up a paltry 1.9 percent over last year's $816.6, and representing the lowest increase in planned consumer spending since the survey began in 2002." The report went on to state that "consumers say one factor will play the biggest role in buying decisions this year: price." According to the survey, 40.0 percent of shoppers cite sales or promotions as the largest factor when determining where to shop, while another 12.6 percent claim that everyday low prices sway their decision. Other consumers rated selection (21.5%) as the primary factor.

TheFind: Where to Shop bridges the gap between online research and offline purchases, enabling shoppers to compare products and pricing -- while out and about -- and ensuring that they find exactly what they're searching for, quickly and easily within reach. With a comprehensive index of more than 250 million products covering 200,000 store locations, TheFind's iPhone application aims to be the best resource for savvy shoppers.

With TheFind: Where to Shop consumers are able to:

-- "Carry" online shopping research -- product searches, prices, store locations and sales information -- with them anywhere they go. Consumers no longer have to sit at their desks in front of the computer before leaving home to do their Holiday Shopping -- they can have it all with them wherever they go.

-- Quickly and easily determine which retail outlets selling the desired items are closest in proximity. For every search, TheFind: Where to Shop graphically maps the locations of local brick-and-mortar stores whose websites have the item, and also gives phone numbers and directions to those stores. Consumers can use the map to determine which location is the closest to them, or call ahead to get more information or reserve the product - saving time, money and gas.

-- Check in-store availability. Through integration with inventory look up capabilities offered by NearbyNow and Krillion, TheFind's iPhone application enables shoppers to actually check the inventories of participating, nearby stores to see if a particular item is in stock. Additionally, all listings for local retailers have phone numbers listed so the busy shopper can call to check in-stock status before venturing out.

-- Compare online and local pricing and obtain the very best deal. TheFind: Where to Shop puts a wealth of information at one's fingertips, enabling a shopper at a store to assess prices from other retailers, to make sure they are getting the best deal. TheFind's application alerts shoppers to various considerations such as items on sale and driving distance of retail outlets, so they can make purchasing decisions based on their individual preferences and criteria.

Local search is one of the fastest-growing areas of search engine technology, and integration with brick and mortar stores, and location-specific data to facilitate in-store purchases is viewed as the "last mile" in search. An October 2008 report by Nielsen Research entitled "Research Now...Buy Later? How consumers balance an online and offline multi-channel world" found that "shoppers who browsed for products both on- and off-line at Wal-Mart, for example, spent 38% more than the store's average customers." The study goes further to show that "nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers who purchased electronics in brick-and-mortar stores first researched the products they bought online."

"Mobile represents a real opportunity for retailers in the near term, as well as a bridge between the Internet and local stores," said Greg Sterling, analyst, Sterling Market Intelligence and Local Mobile Search. "As the audiences grow and the technology matures, mobile promises targeting, tracking and consumer loyalty opportunities not even available on online."

Availability

TheFind: Where to Shop is available now from the iTunes App Store. TheFind plans to release TheFind: Where to Shop for other popular mobile platforms with standard browsers, 3G and location services.

About TheFind Inc.

TheFind.com offers the leading search engine for shopping that delivers comprehensive, authentic and visually compelling results, especially in the lifestyle goods categories. From the most popular e-commerce sites to the most unique, hard-to-find brands, TheFind uniquely crawls the entire Web to find more than 250 million products from over 500,000 e-commerce sites. By using patented technology, TheFind.com displays the best-selling products, styles, brands and stores for any shopping search right on the first page of results -- saving consumers time and money. TheFind Inc. family includes leading fashion shopping website Glimpse ( www.Glimpse.com), which specifically caters to fashion-savvy shoppers searching for the latest trends and hottest apparel products, and TheFindGreen ( www.TheFindGreen.com) which finds organic brands, green stores and environmentally friendly products all in one place. TheFind Inc. promotes shopping that gives back to the community through its Color For A Cause campaigns, which have included charitable beneficiaries such as The Susan G. Komen Foundation, Doctors Without Borders and Global Green USA.

TheFind Inc., headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is backed by leading investors Bain Capital Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.

Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE: TheFind Inc.

source: marketwatch.com          

Apple's iPhone is the number one phone in the land in the world

Not just smart phone mind you.  Phone.  Apple's iconic gadget phone which can only be had for $200-$300 with two year data plan outsold every mobile (and land line too, whynot?) phone.  From the $25 dollar pay as you go phones to Blackberries and Sidekicks and all of the fallen iPhone killers in between. The Motorola Razr which you can get for less than free with a plan had been the best seller for the better part of the last three years.  Not any more.

NPD has the news today..specifically that iPhone is the number one phone amongst adult consumer shoppers.   The business market is smaller than consumer and the children's market is nuch less significant than the adult market so can't we just say overall?  Or perhaps more Blackberries sold in the enterprise.  Anyway, the point is clear.  iPhone is on top.

That means in a few months, you'll probably be more likely to see an iPhone in someone's hands than a Razr.  It also means that iPhone has reached critical mass.  Non-techies can confidently pick one up as well. They'll of course have heard it is a best seller.  This is of course fantastic news for the iPhone development community who now have millions more potential customers.

If this all sounds familiar for an Apple product, it really looks like Apple's iPhone is hitting the trajectory that the iPod line had hit.  It is really the market leader in the smartphone space. 

And things are only looking up.  JD Power's annual survey of phone satisfaction came out recently with the iPhone on top.

Oh and don't forget it is twice as reliable as a blackberry and three times as reliable as the Treo.  That, and really cool new apps are coming out for the App Store that are pushing the limits of what a gadget has been traditionally able to do.

Finally, there have even been a few rumors of price drops happening should keep iPhone up there with the leaders. 

source:computerworld.com

Use an iPhone or iPod Touch in disk mode with DiskAid

One of the first things that iPhone and iPod Touch users noticed was the lack of a built-in "disk mode," where your device would appear on the desktop as a drive that you could use for file storage. Other iPod models even had a setting to specify how much of their storage space should be used for music, and how much should be used for disk mode, but the latest and greatest ones didn't. But thanks to an app called DiskAid, you can still transfer files between your iPhone and your Mac or PC without jailbreaking or using iTunes.

Sure, you may already know how to access a jailbroken iPhone's hard drive via SFTP, but that's a pain in the butt compared to DiskAid. You can just plug your device in, start it up, and start transferring files in a straightforward interface that anybody who's ever used Windows Explorer or the OS X Finder can figure out. As a brief disclaimer, realize that storing files on your iPhone doesn't mean your iPhone can interact with them. It's like putting music on an old iPod in disk mode: you can store it there, but you can't play it.

Source: downloadsquad.com

iPhone and 360 Chatpad hacked into a wireless mess of need

This hack isn't for the faint of heart. In fact, it's more a demonstration of Dr. Ralf Ackermann's technical badassery than anything practical. But its as good as it gets until Apple achieves a state of sanity and flips the switch on its Bluetooth stack to finally allow us the option of pairing a Bluetooth keyboard to the iPhone. The setup starts with a cobbled together Xbox 360 Chatpad and XBee wireless module. The good doctor then takes a Jailbroken phone (naturally) and attaches another wireless XBee module to the iPhone's jury-rigged serial port housed in an Akku enclosure. A work in progress, it will ultimately rely upon a VNC server running on the iPhone to feed keyboard input to any application of your choosing. See Apple, this is the corner of desperation that you've backed us into.

engadget.com

Surprise, an iPhone Failure? Dev Event Canceled

While introducing himself to a packed hall of iPhone developers and entrepreneurs last week, Raven Zachary briefly mentioned one piece of bad news; an upcoming developer event he was supposed to co-chair later this month, had been canceled.

Zachary moderated a session on "The iPhone Market Opportunity" at O'Reilly's Web 2.0 Summit and was set to co-chair O'Reilly's iPhoneLive Conference, but it was quietly cancelled last month with this note:

"We're sorry to announce that we've made the difficult business decision to postpone the O'Reilly iPhoneLive conference, which was to take place November 18 in San Jose.

We are grateful for the support of those who had agreed to participate in the event, particularly program co-chairs Raven Zachary and Bill Dudney, and sponsor Catapulley.

Read more: internetnews.com     

Devs Dish Some iPhone App Tips

SAN FRANCISCO -- Is Apple the next Google? When it comes to mobile innovation, at least one developer sees parallels. "Apple has shown, as Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) did before, that it can reinvent an entire market," said Raven Zachary, a consultant to iPhone developers and founder of a developer conference called iPhoneDevCamp.

Zachary was joined by a panel of iPhone application developers and publishers here at the start of the Web 2.0 Summit Wednesday. Recalling his days at once high-flying Internet portal Excite, Zachary recalled how Google "out innovated" more established Web players to become an Internet giant.

One of those innovations has been the phenomenal success of the App Store, which has attracted over 200 million downloads of mostly free software since its launch earlier this year. There are no over 6,000 applications in the App Store, about a third of which are games.
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iPhone developer Bill Dundy of Gala Factory Software made a surprising connection between developing for the iPhone and the NeXT computer, an innovative workstation created by a company formed by Steve Jobs after he left Apple in the late 1980s.

"The NeXT computer was the coolest and most fun to develop for because I felt very productive," said Dundy. "Back then, NeXT was a niche opportunity. Today it feels the same way with the iPhone, but it's so much huger. Everyone talks about the iPhone and it's the thing kids want for Christmas."

Enterprise apps a disappointment

Most of the panelists were uniformly enthusiastic about the iPhone, and even dismissed complaints that Apple has been unfair in rejecting some applications for App Store distribution.
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One mildly negative note was sounded by Matt Murphy, who heads the $100 million "iFund" for new iPhone software. Murphy noted the dearth of new enterprise applications, despite Apple's efforts to embrace Microsoft's Exchange and work with enterprise customers. "An area we haven't seen as much activity as we expected is in the enterprise," said Murphy. "I expect that's because these kind of applications take longer to build." Murphy also noted estimates that about 40 percent of enterprise companies have started some sort of trial engagement or testing of iPhones.

The panel also acknowledged the iPhone has given competitors a kick in the pants, spurring them to add features like touch screen interfaces and online application store fronts. Tom Conrad, Chief Technology Officer for the Pandora Internet radio service, noted his company has developed for several different mobile platforms and nothing matches the iPhone.

"Apple has a pretty substantial head start, not only in the fit and finish of the device, but also with its developer tools …. They have a profound lead in the developer experience," said Conrad.

He said Apple seems to also benefit from its control of the device as the designer of the both the hardware and the operating system. "Devices like RIM BlackBerry, Palm and Danger, that are also integrated hardware and software, are where you see the really passionate users," he said. "On Windows Mobile devices, users aren't as passionate. We'll have to see how that plays out for Android."

Keys to success

Murphy ticked off some tips for iPhone developer success. These included keeping applications simple so users see the utility right away. "We've seen some companies overcomplicate things and while they may get a lot of downloads, there's a big drop off in actual use," he said.

The application should have a "natural business model." Murphy said it's a mistake to try and follow old Web models that launch without a real revenue plan. He also emphasized developers should gain a deep understanding of what the iPhone is capable of. "Understand everything you can do with the platform so you can take advantage of it," he said.

Source: internetnews.com

RIM hopes Storm will blow iPhone away

Research in Motion has announced that its first ever touch-screen BlackBerry smartphone will be available in the UK from November 14.

Oh Thank Goodness, Someone Made an Antivirus App For Android

Ask an avid desktop Linux user if he or she (ok, he) uses an antivirus solution, and he won't give you an answer, he'll give you a sermon. And while his zeal might be inappropriate, his sentiment will be largely correct: Linux really doesn't need antivirus software. Android, with a smaller market share and simpler guts than most common Linux distros, has even less to worry about — which is why it's completely absurd for SMobile systems to release VirusGuard, the first antivirus software for the mobile platform.

The software claims to be able to scan devices and their memory cards for over 400 types of known malware, none of which, as far as I can tell, are harmful to Android phones. Now, it's not impossible that dangerous malware could find its way to you G1 in the future — in fact,Android has already experienced one security scare — but installing a piece of software that scans your device for Windows Mobile virii won't do anything to stop minor exploits like that, which can be quickly and effectively patched anyway.

Of course, all this security talk could just be there to provide parents with excuse fodder to install this on their child's G1 — it also monitors voice and text communications. Anyway, VirusGuard is already available on Handango, but will make its Marketplace debut when Google finally enables its payment system in Q1 of 2009. You misguided peace of mind will cost a whole $10, by the way. [Android Community via Slashphone]

T-Mobile G1 hacked: follows Apple iPhone

A gaping loophole in Android operating system on the T-Mobile G1 has been exploited by hackers who managed to jailbreak the Google phone. Although they do say that this jailbreak isn’t as impressive as the one that took place on Apple’s iPhone, which took several weeks for the hackers to get though the locks that was placed on the iPhone, the T-Mobile G1 open-source operating system only took the hackers one minute to gain root access, although you would reckon you would have to be a Linux geek to do it this fast.

You can see the hack for the G1 on the XDA-Developers forum, basically you use the PTerminal application to telnet to the device’s IP address and just like magic you how have the root, you can full steps on this hack here.

With this jailbreak it will allow to run your T-Mobile G1 like it was never intended to be. Google have said they are planning a patch that will be distributed to close the loophole.

Source: theregister

HTC Touch HD SlashGear Review: Part 1

 Relevant Entries on SlashGearUnboxing - Apple iPod TouchLenovo X60 Uber-Tablet video reviewsSprint HTC Touch Diamond: Video UnboxingOQO Model 2 is ready for its close-upiPod Touch to iPod Video hack makes your old iPod look new again

[Read original...]

Macsimum iPhone Video: Historic Apple Lisa demo from 1984

Today’s Macsimum iPhone video is a demo of the Apple Lisa computer—presented by Alfred DiBlasi—from way back in 1984. The Lisa project was started at Apple in 1978 and evolved into a project to design a powerful personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI) that would be targeted toward business customers.

Around 1982, Steve Jobs was forced out of the Lisa project, so he joined the Macintosh project instead. Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh is not a direct descendant of Lisa, although there are obvious similarities between the systems and the final revision, the Lisa 2/10, was modified and sold as the Macintosh XL.

The Lisa was a more advanced (and far more expensive) system than the Macintosh of that time in many respects, such as its inclusion of protected memory, cooperative multitasking, a generally more sophisticated hard disk based operating system, a built-in screensaver, an advanced calculator with a paper tape and RPN, support for up to 2 megabytes of RAM, expansion slots, and a larger higher resolution display. It would be many years before many of those features were implemented on the Macintosh platform. Protected memory, for instance, did not arrive until the Mac OS X operating system was released in 2001. The Macintosh, however, featured a faster 68000 processor (7.89 MHz) and sound. The complexity of the Lisa operating system and its programs taxed the 5 MHz Motorola 68000 microprocessor so that the system felt sluggish, particularly when scrolling in documents.

The Lisa was first introduced in January 19, 1983 at a cost of $9,995 US ($21,482.26 in 2008 dollars). It is one of the first commercial personal computers to have a GUI and a mouse. It used a Motorola 68000 CPU at a 5 MHz clock rate and had 1 MB RAM.

Read more: macsimumnews.com

UPDATE 2-Swisscom core profit down on iPhone costs

 * Swisscom Q3 EBITDA 1.19 bln Sfr vs forecast of 1.24 bln Sfr * iPhone introduction costs, lower telephony prices weighed * Confirms 2008 EBITDA forecast, cautions on revenue outlook (Adds shares, comment, iPhone details)

By Sven Egenter

ZURICH, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Swisscom AG's (SCMN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) core profit fell 3.6 percent in the third quarter, missing expectations and weighed down by launch costs of the iPhone and falling prices. Its shares fell 3.2 percent in early trade.

The former monopoly confirmed its targets for 2008 on Wednesday, forecasting revenue of around 12.3 billion francs and operating income (EBITDA) of around 4.8 billion francs.

But the prevailing currency trend may cause net revenue to fall slightly short of its target, the group said.

By 0855GMT, Swisscom shares were 3.2 percent lower at 355.50 Swiss francs, against a 1.2 percent fall in the Swiss European telecoms index .

"In general, Swisscom maintained good cost control to compensate for revenue declines in some of the domestic businesses," said Vontobel analyst Panagiotis Spiliopouolos.

The launch of the iPhone led to above-average growth in clients in the third quarter, with over 100,000 handsets sold, but the launch had 45 million Swiss francs one-off costs.

Swisscom's core profit, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), fell to 1.19 billion Swiss francs ($1.03 billion), the group said. Analysts had on average expected a largely stable EBITDA of 1.24 billion francs, according to a Reuters poll.

The group's net profit declined to 473 million francs, down 31.5 percent compared with the third quarter 2007, when an extraordinary gain from the sale of two business units boosted Swisscom's bottom line.

Swisscom bought Italian broadband operator Fastweb (FWB.MI: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) in 2007, returning to a more aggressive strategy to counter lacklustre growth at home where, like other former monopolies, it faces price pressures and increasing competition.

Swisscom shares have fallen around 17 percent this year but outperformed the European peers as the stock is seen a defensive pick given relatively benign regulation in its home market and the government's majority stake.

Swisscom is trading at around 9.8 times forecast 2009 earnings, an 11 percent premium over the sector. (Additional reporting by Jason Rhodes; Editing by David Cowell)   

Source: reuters.com

Appiphilia: reviews of iPhone applications that make fake calls, inventory your closet, navigate L.A. and record voice

Those of us with appiphilia -- an irresistible urge to download iPhone applications -- need some help sorting through what's worthwhile in Apple's App Store. Because iPhone apps seem to multiply with every click, we're starting this new weekly series, Appiphilia, to highlight and review a few that catch our fancy. We'll tell you which are the must-haves or the must-be-kiddings or those that fall somewhere in between.

In this first installment, we're looking at four apps that help with getting dressed, getting around, getting out of a sticky situation and getting it on the record.

SATC Carrie's Closet (free)

What it is: This is one of the few apps pegged to a movie  -- in this case a DVD debut. (The Dark Knight app launched when the newest Batman film hit theaters and let you adorn photos in true Joker style.) Carrie's Closet launched shortly after the recent release of the girls' guilty pleasure "Sex and the City" in take-home version. 

What sizzles: First of all, the ability to photograph, categorize and catalog what's in your closet. Are you kidding me? That's a dream. It's a bit like what Cher had in "Clueless," except in your hand. I added all of my shoes, purses and glasses. The ability to send that list of potential outfits to friends before a big date makes getting feedback from numerous trusted fashion sources a bit more civilized. Of course, it's wrapped inside a promotion for the movie. But most of us have learned to look beyond product placements.

You do need good lighting to snap photos of the items that are of much use. Remember, you're doing it with your iPhone camera. (My snapshots looked a bit fuzzy and the color was a tad drab.)

What fizzles: I get that this is a marketing tool that happens to do something for users. But really, the theme music that blasted every time I launched the app initially is not cute. (You can turn it off by going into the Settings for your iPhone and finding the app. But that shuts off all music, including the music clips from the movie that come with the app.) Man, was that annoying. Every time I opened the closet, I was outed as tapping something not related to work and specifically something "Sex and the City" related. Again, maybe great in theory for marketing purposes, but, free or not, it could cause a person to delete the app just to get the music to stop. 

Read more: latimes.com

AT&T and Firethorn Bring Mobile Banking to iPhone Customers

AT&T Inc. and Firethorn Holdings, LLC, a Qualcomm company, announced the availability of their market-leading mobile banking application for iPhone.

Mobile Banking on AT&T lets users securely and efficiently manage their finances, including checking balances and transaction history, transferring funds, receiving offers, viewing and paying bills, and tracking rewards points. 

The service is now available for all Firethorn financial institution partners, including America First Credit Union, Arvest Bank, BancorpSouth, Carolina First, FirstBank, Mercantile Bank, SunTrust, Synovus, USAA and Wachovia.

Additionally, iPhone customers will have access to any new financial institution added in the future. 

“Our customers are increasingly using their mobile phones as a hub from which they can manage nearly all aspects of their lives, and in addressing that trend, we’ve made it a priority to give them flexibility and control in managing their finances,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets.

“The extension of this convenience and functionality to iPhone customers is further delivery on our commitment to this space.”

AT&T and Firethorn have collaborated since 2006 to provide best-in-class usability and reliability in mobile banking.

“ Mobile Banking on AT&T with iPhone embodies the exciting evolution that mobile financial services must undertake to keep pace with consumers’ busy lifestyles. ” - Tripp Rackley, Chief executive officer, Firethorn.

"Mobile Banking on AT&T with iPhone embodies the exciting evolution that mobile financial services must undertake to keep pace with consumers’ busy lifestyles" said Tripp Rackley, chief executive officer, Firethorn.

“Our partners expect us to offer them the best technology available to help their users manage their finances. The Mobile Banking application promises ease of use, security and high visibility - all strategically designed to achieve mass market adoption - and we are proud to help make it a reality.” 

source:designtaxi.com

Apple iPod, iPhone wonk: iQuit?

A senior Apple veep who oversaw the development of the iPod is reportedly leaving the company.

Key iPod brainbox shuffles away from Apple?

According to the Wall Street Journal, Tony Fadell, who was also involved in the development of the iPhone and reports directly to Steve Jobs, is understood to be stepping down from his role at Apple for personal reasons.

The paper cites people familiar with the matter on Fadell’s decision to walk, although Apple, which was not immediately available for comment at time of writing, is yet to release any official statement.

Fadell will be replaced by IBM veteran Mark Papermaster, said the WSJ.

Big Blue, which last week threw a sueball at Papermaster in the hope of halting any switch to its rival, hasn’t confirmed the Apple move, however.

Papermaster worked at IBM for 26 years, most recently on the firm’s “elite Integration & Values Team”. He has also been a key designer of Power processors and blade servers.

IBM filed a lawsuit against him on 22 October in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in which it alleged that Papermaster was “privy to a whole host of trade secrets and confidences” used by Big Blue to design products.

source: theregister.co.uk

Ziphone author demos iPhone crash to Forbes

Ziphone creator Piergiorgio Zambrini has discovered a bug with the iPhone that causes the phone to crash when it starts to play a specially-created video. Forbes.com recorded a demonstration.

The bug apparently affects the audio track of the video, which takes down the iPhone operating system. I could not independently verify the bug, because the links to the movie (and the movie file itself) shown to Forbes were no longer available online.

The bug does not permanently damage devices, according to Zambrini. He said he hasn't yet contacted Apple's security response team. Forbes.com informed an Apple spokesman about the flaw and is still awaiting an official comment.

Zambrini claims he emailed Steve Jobs personally about the bug; around the same time, he applied for employment at Apple. Apple has not yet responded to his resume. It strikes me that Zambrini is trying to appeal to Apple in the same way that your ex-girlfriend tries to appeal to you by spray painting the front of your house.

In the Forbes.com article, Zambrini now claims his goal "...is not to work for Apple."

Zambrini created Ziphone, a popular iPhone unlocking tool.

source: tuaw.com

iPhone Buzz Week in Review - Week 44 2008

Apple has managed to squeeze out a “Game Changer” ad that shows a baseball application. For now this is the only app for baseball fans, the drawback is it is only for this current season. Apple is now selling the Scosche PassPORT in retail stores. The PassPORT is the first car adapter that allows you to charge your iPhone with the same car charger you use for you iPod.

The iPhone Dev Team is now much closer to unlocking the iPhone 3G. The Dev Team is now able to modify the baseban but are still not sure how close they are to an actual unlock. iPhone and iPod integration is now supported in the majority of US cars. Apples music devices have become so common that now 58% of US cars support them. Even though our economy is down for the moment, Apple has managed to sell 6.9 million handsets in Q4. In other numbers, Apple’s App Store reached the 200 million downloads mark, which is a big landmark for Apple.

Reports came in that iPhone firmware 2.2 has even more goodies for us. One thing that is very impressive is Google Street View. Speaking of Google, the App Store has just recently received another gem, Google Earth. The iPhone may finally be getting a documents application capable of allowing users to edit Excel, Word and PowerPoint documents. Among all of the other features that have been added to the new firmware version 2.2 is a new ratings system. Now when you delete an application you get the option to rate it before it is deleted. This appears to be another attempt by Apple to fix a broken rating system. Apple also managed to squeeze in over-the-air podcast downloads in the new firmware version, this decision has made a lot of people happy. This may explain why Apple denied the podcast application a while back.

OrangeGadgets have brought GPS functionality to iPhone 2G and original iPod Touch owners. With all of these techniques there is som sort of catch, in order to use this device you must be jailbroken. AT&T has finally decided to give iPhone owners free Wi-Fi at participating locations. They have made it really easy to get started. Lower income customers are tuning the iPhone 3G to consolidate entertainment costs with all that the iPhone has to offer.

It appears that iPhone owners will never get to partake in the Opera’s forbidden fruit. The browser has been denied from the App Store, more than likely for duplication a primart function that Apple already offers. A very interesting hockey game will soon hit the App Store, Archade Hockey is a very useful game that is worth the time to look into. EA Mobile has finally decided to give iPhone owners a taste of their very popular game Spore Origins. They have released a lite edition of the game because Apple still has not put a demo option in the App Store. We had a chance to try out the iPWR backup battery by Eznex. This device is a perfect solution to the short battery life of the iPhone. This battery pack is also compatible with any iPod that Apple has released.

source: topiphonenews.com

AT&T Hotspots Now Free for iPhone Owners

That's right folks! After months of speculation and rumors, iPhone owners can now use the Wi-Fi available at their local AT&T Hotspot at no additional charge. We thought it was ridiculous that this didn't come pre-packaged with the iPhone considering that most iPhone owners are using the web more than their minutes. If you haven't received this golden text message on your iPhone yet, we've got the scoop on how you can get access to free AT&T Wi-Fi on your iPhone.

Accessing AT&T Wi-Fi From Your iPhone

On Wednesday I received a text message from AT&T. This isn't unusual if you're an iPhone owner and still on the AT&T network. However the following text message probably made just about every iPhone owner run to the nearest coffee shop with an AT&T hotspot:

"AT&T Free Msg: Your Apple iPhone now has free AT&T Wi-Fi access at thousands of hotspots nationwide, including Starbucks*. "

AT&T hotspots can be found at thousands of locations. A huge emphasis is being placed on hotspots at Starbucks due to their new partnership that converted thousands of T-Mobile hotspots into AT&T hotspots. We all know that a Starbucks can be found on just about every corner and if not, there's always Barnes and Nobles.

Can I Use it on my Laptop Too?

In my personal tests at my local Barnes and Nobles I was able to connect my iPhone without a hitch. All it took was selecting the correct Wi-Fi network and my phone number to get things going. From there, a text message was sent to my iPhone with a secure link to access the hotspot. According to AT&T the link is only valid for 24 hours. Also, if you relocate to another hotspot you'll have to request a new link. Unfortunately, copying the link into the address bar of my laptop did not allow me to access the Wi-Fi from my laptop instead of my iPhone. Will we see a work around for this in the future?

source: readwriteweb.com

Marware's Game Grip Will Aesthetically Ruin Your iPhone

Gaming on the iPhone and iPod touch could be great with the addition of a gamepad handle: the promise of the iControlPad comes to mind. But the iPhone platform doesn't deserve two giant foam handles that do nothing but ruin the sleek lines of the device, providing no buttons, no extra battery life, and no added functionality. Hell, the thing doesn't even look comfortable to hold. It's available for pre-order now and costs a whopping $50.

source: gizmodo.com

Apple Doesn’t Want Opera Browser on the iPhone

Although Opera’s engineers have already developed Opera Mini, a version of the browser that can work on Apple Incorporated’s iPhone, the latter company has stated they wouldn’t launch it on their gadget, since it would go head-to-head with their Safari browser. Safari was released as a public beta on January 7, 2003, first on Apple’s Mac OS X operating system, followed by the browser’s launch on the iPhone and the iPod. Over the years, its marketshare has increased, reaching a percentage of 6.65 this September.

Another reason behind the refusal to use Opera Mini on the iPhone is the browser’s duplicate functionality, which entails that the software can interpret downloaded from the Web JavaScript. Still, the rules Apple has drawn for their AppStore do not allow that the core functionality of neither the iPhone nor the iPod be replicated.

Consequently, despite the Opera Mini’s features, which include faster browsing than the Safari one, enhanced security and small screen rendering technology, which better fits the web pages to handheld gadgets’ displays, iPhone users will have to make peace with the fact that they would be stuck with only the Safari browser for a while longer.

The Opera browser was developed by the Opera Software company to handle tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, IRC online chatting, downloading files via BitTorrent and reading web feeds. The browser is offered free of any charge for personal computers and mobile phones.

Currently, it is the forth most widely used web browser for PCs, following Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.

source: efluxmedia.com

Things: Elegant task management on the Mac and iPhone

Before I get into reviewing this app (or rather, apps), a bit of background is in order. I’m a big fan of David Allen’s Getting Things Done system, which I have been using on and off over the years with my trusty combo of my iMac with iCal, a Palm Tungsten T2, and Missing Sync to glue everything together. It’s worked well enough, though I find it can get a bit overwhelming once you start having lots of actions and projects.
We don’t need no stinkin’ To Dos

Being a bit of an Apple convert, I’ve obviously been interested in this thing called an iPhone for a while. If you’re a keen follower of this blog, you’ll remember that I was put off buying an iPhone by its inexplicable lack of a To Do list system, which makes it kind of tricky to replace my Palm with an iPhone. (Mind you, it’s hardly the only feature missing from the iPhone.)

So before rushing out to buy an iPhone that would have less functionality than my 4-year-old Palm (ha ha), I started researching third-party To Do apps for the iPhone to see if I could close the gap that way. That’s when I came across Things. Not only is it a To Do app, but it even follows the GTD methodology of projects, contexts, Someday/Maybe actions and areas of focus. What’s more, it’s available for both the Mac and the iPhone, and the two apps sync together over wi-fi.

In fact, the whole setup sounded so impressive that Things ended up being the catalyst that led to me finally buying an iPhone. So was it worth it?
The review

The Mac version of Things is currently free, though it’s going to be $49 when it comes out of beta in January ($39 if you sign up for their newsletter now). The iPhone version is on the App Store at $9.99.

I’ve been using the iPhone and Things in earnest for a couple of weeks, and on the whole I’d say I’m now more productive than I was with iCal and the Palm. The fact that Things lets you organize tasks into projects a la GTD is a godsend. And the wi-fi syncing is great; it’s reassuring to know that my tasks and projects on my iPhone are always up-to-date with those on the Mac.
Things on iPhone…

Here’s an overview of how Things works on the iPhone. The home screen shows you various lists of tasks and projects:

* Inbox is unsorted “stuff” - whenever you have something you want to do or remember, you create a new item here. Then when you review the list, you’ll probably move most of these items into Next (if they’re single actions) or Projects (if they have more than one action).
* Today is all the tasks that you want to get done today. You can move tasks in and out of Today as you please.
* Next is simply all your next actions, to do ASAP. It includes all the tasks in Today.
* Scheduled holds tasks that you don’t want to do ASAP, but on specified dates. When the dates are reached, the tasks automatically become active and move into Today. (Nice.)
* Someday is the GTD “Someday/Maybe” idea - tasks or projects that you don’t want to move on now, but might at some point in the future.
* Projects holds all your, well, projects. In GTD, a project is defined as anything that requires more than 1 physical action to complete. You can organize your actions into projects in Things (this is one of the key advantages over simple To Do systems like iCal).
* Logbook is the task graveyard. At the end of the day, any completed tasks are moved here for reference.

…and Things on Desktop

The desktop version has all the same features as the iPhone version, and it also has tags (which you can use for GTD contexts: At Home, At Computer etc), and Areas of Responsibility, which are a level above projects (for example, “family activities” might be an Area of Responsibility):

Things on the desktop is superb. It has lots of nice UI touches, such as keyboard shortcuts for adding tags to tasks and projects, that make it super-quick and easy to use. The whole app’s very nicely laid out and intuitive. The only slightly annoying thing is that, when adding new tasks to a project, you can’t see the project’s note field (which in my case often contains the very tasks I want to add!).

In fact, the lack of tags in the iPhone version is a fairly major problem, especially if you have a sizeable Next Actions list. However, tags are supposed to be “coming soon” to the iPhone app.
The bug (there’s always one isn’t there)

I have come across a rather frustrating bug on the iPhone version. Occasionally I’ve added a task, only to find out later that it hadn’t been added after all. I can’t pin down exactly when it happens - it seems pretty random - but it’s understandably annoying, and undermines my trust in the app to a degree. It sounds a bit like this bug here, except that for me it also happens when creating a task outside a project.
But it’s still great

Despite this bug and other niggles with the iPhone version, Things is a very nice combo of apps. It’s simple and elegant, providing just enough organization to help you stay on top of your GTD system, but without overwhelming you with unnecessary features, or frustrating you with rigid workflows. If you’re looking for a GTD-style app that’s intuitive and works across both the Mac and iPhone, Things is well worth checking out.