Takt Mobiles – Unlocking Mobiles

iPhoneSIMfree goes retail, let the unlocking begin
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhoneSIMfree_goes_retail’; After numerous delays and endless cries of “hoax!”, it looks like the iPhoneSIMfree iPhone unlocking software is finally available for purchase from four online retailers around the world. Wireless Imports in the US, iPhoneWorldwideUnlock in Australia, 1digitalphone in Germany, and iPhone4arab in Saudi Arabia (currently down) have all purchased bulk licenses from the iPhoneSIMfree team and are selling individual unlocks for around $100 (Update: that price is just from the US etailer, it seems; looks like the Aussies are letting it go for under 50 bucks American. Also, the Hackint0sh community is already busy at work trying to snatch these sites’ code as we speak). Go nuts, and let us know your initial experiences below…Update: The Hackint0sh guys claim they will not be reverse engineering the iPhoneSIMfree software. Ok, well, whatever. Scratch that. That crew definitely seems to be reverse engineering the IPSF solution, and frankly we can’t blame ‘em. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Don’t worry, iPhone hackers: Apple doesn’t hate you
Filed under: Cellphones It’s really an ethical dilemma for the ages. On one hand, you love your shiny new Apple toy so much, you just have to hack in new functionality, on the other hand you can’t bear to think that the mighty Steve Jobs thinks ill of you and your hacker ways. Well now you can finally put those fears to rest, because Apple’s Greg Joswiak has officially confirmed a “neutral” stance on the iPhone hacking issue. That is to say, Apple doesn’t plan to maliciously attempt to break native, third-party applications in forthcoming firmware updates, but at the same time Apple won’t go out of its way to ensure those updates don’t break third-party applications accidentally, and certainly isn’t offering support to the hackers of any kind. We’d say it’s a step above “frenemy,” but not quite to the point where Steve’ll be demoing Jailbreak at his next keynote. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone SIM unlock giveaway: round 2
Filed under: Announcements, CellphonesiPhoneSIMfree’s finally launched, and the crew that software unlocked the iPhone has hooked us up with five iPhone unlocks to give away to you, our faithful, iPhone obsessed readers. We’ll be giving one away each day of the week this week. Here’s how it works.Details about the unlock Bring your own iPhone. We’re not supplying the device, just the unlock. You must send us your iPhone’s IMEI; you can’t resell the unlock. If we don’t receive your IMEI in a timely manner, we may award the unlock to someone else. We will not be offering tech support on the unlock. Once you’ve got it, it’s out of our hands, ok? We do not make any guarantees about the unlock. We’re not guaranteeing that it will work when your phone gets the next Apple update later this month, that it will work with your SIM or your carrier, or even that it will work on your phone. We’re not even going to guarantee you won’t end up with a bricked phone. We’re just handing it off to the winner, the end. The other regular rules (yeah, there are always rules): Leave a comment below. That’s it! Who loves you, baby. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and if you submit more than once, only activate one comment, ok? If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Contest is open to anyone worldwide! Duh. Winner will be chosen randomly. Entries can be submitted for the next 24 hours. After that we’ll move on to the next iPhone unlock. Good luck!  Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iTunes now serving-up Ringtones
Filed under: Cellphones If paying for ringtone snippets of the songs you already own is your idea of a good time, then get on over to iTunes trust funders, Apple’s now serving up ringtones at $1.98 a pop. But they’re only $0.99 you say? Nope, remember, you have to buy the rights to the song too. Fun. Keep it safe, kids.[Thanks, Pinsleric, Michael F. and everyone who sent this in] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iUnlock released: the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock software
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iUnlock_released_the_first_free_open_source_iPhone_SIM_unlock_software’; It looks like the battle’s officially over between iPhoneSIMfree and the numerous unique groups of open source hackers trying to software SIM unlock the iPhone. As we’ve been following in our previous post on the topic, earlier this afternoon iUnlock, the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock app, was released to the underground just 74 days after the iPhone’s release. Developed by the iPhone Dev Team, it’s not (yet) for the faint of heart and it takes a little longer to do its magic than iPhoneSIMfree’s method, but it works. To pull this off you’ll need iUnlock + nor + the .fls file, which is available in ZIPs all over. We’ve got the app here, but this package doesn’t include all of the files necessary. Good list of links here, or try here, here, here, here, and here.For the how-to, just hit up one of those guides down below. Naturally, we offer zero guarantees that any of this will work. (Read: don’t whine to us if your iPhone gets bricked.) Big ups to the iphone.unlock crew, Draken, and, of course, the iPhone Dev Team. Let us know in comments if this technique works for you.Update: We’ve confirmed the hack! Yes, it’s fully restore-resistant, too, which is great news. We’ll get you all the juicy proof in a few, but we have indeed managed to software unlock an iPhone with iUnlock. Also, HaRRo says the app should be out “very soon” to make this easier on the noobs.Update 2: Depending on activation method, YouTube might not be working after the unlock — ours isn’t. This is, of course, expected behavior. There’s a Windows script here that should hopefully fix you up (again, we don’t make any guarantees), but Mac users will have to look elsewhere. Also, alongside the Mac GUI iUnlock app in the works, the iPhone Dev Team is prepping a Windows version, a simple bash script and an iPhone app — and eventually an all-in-one app that can do everything from the Jailbreak to the unlock.Update 3: We’ve posted our terminal output from using the hack after the break. Go ahead. Nerd out. Also, the graphical version isn’t out quiet yet, but we’ve got the first image of it above. Check it out.Update 5: Ok, the graphical unlock app still isn’t yet out, but we’ve tested an early build, and it definitely works! Check it out here.Read – Official unlock guideRead – Unofficial unlock guideContinue reading iUnlock released: the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock software Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhoneSIMfree’s end-user solution tested, it works!
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhoneSIMfree_s_End_user_solution_tested_It_works’; So last Friday we got two things from iPhoneSIMfree: the demo version of their software SIM unlock solution, and the promise that it would be available for purchase today. We can’t confirm that anyone’s actually received their iPhone unlock orders, but we did get to test the release version of the software unlock today — the very same thing people all over will be paying to unlock their devices with — and, not surprisingly, it works like a charm. In other words, while we can’t vouch for any of the vendors selling the software, we can vouch for the software itself working exactly as advertised. We’ve got the full unlock on video, which we’ll be posting shortly. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

More Palm Centro details leaked for Sprint
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds The cats at the Morning Paper claim to have a piece of marketing collateral which spills, or at least, reshuffles the beans on the Palm Centro for Sprint. EV-DO, check. Palm OS (Garnet), check. Touch-screen, check (obviously). Really, the only things we haven’t seen before is the list of Sprint services it’ll be packing: Sprint TV, On Demand, IM, Mobile Email, and Google maps in the slimmest Treo, er Palm OS device yet. But Garnet on a Q4 2007 Palm release? Puh-lease.[Thanks, Sheldon] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

HD video: iPhone unlocked on camera from start to finish
Filed under: Cellphones, Features digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_unlocked_on_camera_from_start_to_finish’; Ok, here it is, the first time on camera you’ve seen a real iPhone software SIM unlocked from start to finish (and not done with the demo app iPhoneSIMfree sent out last week). The last iPhoneSIMfree unlock video we had only showed of the end result of a successful iPhone unlock, which took place off-camera. This time we’re doing the entire process, which we confirmed earlier this morning, on video. For quick reference, here are the steps we took on camera: Started with AT&T SIM inserted Inserted T-Mobile SIM, showed that it produces invalid SIM error (expected behavior for a locked iPhone) Connected to iPhone over SSH Transferred iPhoneSIMfree unlock app over SCP Restarted SpringBoard (iPhone default application launcher) Ran iPhoneSIMfree app When complete, iPhone shows that T-Mobile SIM no longer produces invalid SIM error, instead asks for activation (expected behavior for an iPhone that has a valid SIM, but is not yet activated) Prep for re-activation off camera using iAsign (phone is now unlocked, but still activated with AT&T) Back on camera: activate iPhone with T-Mobile SIM using iAsign Make test call to another phone Activate iPhone once more with AT&T SIM using iAsign Granted, we don’t expect end-users to take all these steps when unlocking their iPhone — we just went a little overboard here so everyone can see the release software is functional, and unlocks iPhones as advertised. Embedded player after the break. [MP4] Download in 720p HD (187MB)[MP4] Download in wide VGA (61MB)[AVI] Download in 720p HD (187MB)[AVI] Download in wide VGA (61MB)Continue reading HD video: iPhone unlocked on camera from start to finish Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

NTP shows fall 2007 lawsuit fashions, sues AT&T, Sprint, Verizon
Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsRemember those crazy sons of guns at patent holding firm NTP that ended up working RIM for a shade over $612 million? They’re back at it, throwing lawsuits at AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon — that’s three of the States’ four national carriers, in case you’re keeping count — for alleged infringements of eight patents involving mobile email. The firm seems to be something of a one-trick pony seeing how mobile email was the issue at hand with RIM and later with Palm; for a company that does nothing but sue other companies, two-thirds of a billion dollars seems like a plenty healthy bank account, but heck, what do we know? At this point, we’re assuming that once they’re done suing every company that’s ever offered, used, or mentioned “mobile” and “email” in the same sentence, we’ll finally be able to put this issue to rest — but until that day comes, watch your back, folks, because NTP’s back on the prowl.Update: Silly us for thinking NTP wouldn’t just go ahead and make it a nice, round four! T-Mobile’s been caught up in the suit, too, with its Sidekick services specifically called out (among others) for infringement of NTP’s email patents.[Via Phone Scoop] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone SIM unlock giveaway: round 2
Filed under: Announcements, CellphonesiPhoneSIMfree’s finally launched, and the crew that software unlocked the iPhone has hooked us up with five iPhone unlocks to give away to you, our faithful, iPhone obsessed readers. We’ll be giving one away each day of the week this week. Here’s how it works.Details about the unlock Bring your own iPhone. We’re not supplying the device, just the unlock. You must send us your iPhone’s IMEI; you can’t resell the unlock. If we don’t receive your IMEI in a timely manner, we may award the unlock to someone else. We will not be offering tech support on the unlock. Once you’ve got it, it’s out of our hands, ok? We do not make any guarantees about the unlock. We’re not guaranteeing that it will work when your phone gets the next Apple update later this month, that it will work with your SIM or your carrier, or even that it will work on your phone. We’re not even going to guarantee you won’t end up with a bricked phone. We’re just handing it off to the winner, the end. The other regular rules (yeah, there are always rules): Leave a comment below. That’s it! Who loves you, baby. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and if you submit more than once, only activate one comment, ok? If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Contest is open to anyone worldwide! Duh. Winner will be chosen randomly. Entries can be submitted for the next 24 hours. After that we’ll move on to the next iPhone unlock. Good luck!  Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone SIM unlock open source code, application released!
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_SIM_unlock_open_source_code_released’; We’ve got it fresh from the people who engineered this piece, people; hacker Zappaz and his crew have released an early, dirty, uncompiled version of their proof of concept iPhone SIM unlock source code. Hit the link and check it out — we just suggest that unless you’re a serious hacker you not use it yourself (yet) until the kinks are worked out.Update: iPhone Dev Wiki is reporting that another compiled unlock solution has appeared, called iUnlock, developed by the iPhone Dev Team with credit to Zappaz. We’ve yet to verify that either solution works, but the iUnlock software appears to be in a more complete state. More up here. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Don’t worry, iPhone hackers: Apple doesn’t hate you
Filed under: Cellphones It’s really an ethical dilemma for the ages. On one hand, you love your shiny new Apple toy so much, you just have to hack in new functionality, on the other hand you can’t bear to think that the mighty Steve Jobs thinks ill of you and your hacker ways. Well now you can finally put those fears to rest, because Apple’s Greg Joswiak has officially confirmed a “neutral” stance on the iPhone hacking issue. That is to say, Apple doesn’t plan to maliciously attempt to break native, third-party applications in forthcoming firmware updates, but at the same time Apple won’t go out of its way to ensure those updates don’t break third-party applications accidentally, and certainly isn’t offering support to the hackers of any kind. We’d say it’s a step above “frenemy,” but not quite to the point where Steve’ll be demoing Jailbreak at his next keynote. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

First free, open, GUI iPhone unlock software tested: it works!
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/gadgets/First_free_open_GUI_iPhone_unlock_software_tested_it_works’; HaRRo over on the iPhone Dev Team has already upped the ante — just hours after releasing the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock software, he’s already got an early beta version of the graphical one-click iPhone-based software cooking. We tested out an early build (sorry folks, it’s not quite ready for release yet) and can confirm that despite the visual glitches you see above, it’s already a fully functional one-click unlock solution, not different from IPSF’s paid unlock software. Unfortunately, you still have to actually get the app onto the phone and go through the faux-activation process with your SIM afterward (and re-enable YouTube, if you so choose), but this is the first major step in automating the process of quickly and easily unlocking everybody’s iPhone. More information — including the final build of the GUI unlock — will be posted as it comes to HaRRo’s iPhone unlock site (hit the read link). Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

New Treo 500 pics surface showing off color schemes, back and side views
Filed under: Cellphones Sure, we know the actual event is only a few hours away, but can you ever really see too many pre-release photos of a new mobile phone… especially when it’s this much of a let-down? That’s right folks, feast your sparkling eye-socket-fillers on these new Treo 500 pictures, featuring both variations of the monochromatic, totally mediocre color-schemes that Palm has cooked up. We don’t know where our friends in the Netherlands got these pics, or why the white version’s keyboard is blurred out like a still from a Paris Hilton “video,” but we do know some things, namely: the camera and speaker placement on the backs have changed ever-so-slightly; these phones are thinner, but not that thin; and… these designs look straight out of 1999. Look, we know you’re trying guys, but you’re going to have to do better than a BlackJack-aping, Windows Mobile almost-ran to win our hardened hearts back.[Thanks, Lenny] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Vodafone signs Omnifone’s MusicStation service for UK
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable AudioSo Vodafone made another little announcement during the unveiling of their iPhone-less Christmas lineup: an exclusive Omnifone music service deal for our more cultured, special British friends. The all-you-can-eat, MusicStation subscription download service will cost punters a weekly tithe of £1.99 (about $4.03) — an investment which turns to dust once you cancel the subscription. Seems Vodafone, an early favorite for a pan-European iPhone exclusive, is now preparing to compete against a rival European iPhone launch with iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store in addition to Nokia’s imminent Music Store. Good luck Voda-Omni-fone, you’ll need it. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone SIM unlock giveaway: round 1
Filed under: Announcements, Cellphonesdigg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Engadget_is_giving_away_5_iPhoneSIMfree_unlocks_Try_and_get_yours’;So if you haven’t already heard, today is iPhoneSIMfree launch day, and the crew that software unlocked the iPhone has hooked us up with five iPhone unlocks to give away to you, our faithful, iPhone obsessed readers. We’ll be giving one away each day of the week this week, starting now! Here’s how it works.Details about the unlock Bring your own iPhone. We’re not supplying the device, just the unlock. You must send us your iPhone’s IMEI; you can’t resell the unlock. If we don’t receive your IMEI in a timely manner, we may award the unlock to someone else. We will not be offering tech support on the unlock. Once you’ve got it, it’s out of our hands, ok? We do not make any guarantees about the unlock. We’re not guaranteeing that it will work when your phone gets the next Apple update later this month, that it will work with your SIM or your carrier, or even that it will work on your phone. We’re not even going to guarantee you won’t end up with a bricked phone. We’re just handing it off to the winner, the end. The other regular rules (yeah, there are always rules): Leave a comment below. That’s it! Who loves you, baby. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and if you submit more than once, only activate one comment, ok? If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Contest is open to anyone worldwide! Duh. Winner will be chosen randomly. Entries can be submitted for the next 24 hours. After that we’ll move on to the next iPhone unlock. Good luck!  Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iUnlock released: the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock software
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iUnlock_released_the_first_free_open_source_iPhone_SIM_unlock_software’; It looks like the battle’s officially over between iPhoneSIMfree and the numerous unique groups of open source hackers trying to software SIM unlock the iPhone. As we’ve been following in our previous post on the topic, earlier this afternoon iUnlock, the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock app, was released to the underground just 74 days after the iPhone’s release. Developed by the iPhone Dev Team, it’s not (yet) for the faint of heart and it takes a little longer to do its magic than iPhoneSIMfree’s method, but it works. To pull this off you’ll need iUnlock + nor + the .fls file, which is available in ZIPs all over. We’ve got the app here, but this package doesn’t include all of the files necessary. Good list of links here, or try here, here, here, here, and here.For the how-to, just hit up one of those guides down below. Naturally, we offer zero guarantees that any of this will work. (Read: don’t whine to us if your iPhone gets bricked.) Big ups to the iphone.unlock crew, Draken, and, of course, the iPhone Dev Team. Let us know in comments if this technique works for you.Update: We’ve confirmed the hack! Yes, it’s fully restore-resistant, too, which is great news. We’ll get you all the juicy proof in a few, but we have indeed managed to software unlock an iPhone with iUnlock. Also, HaRRo says the app should be out “very soon” to make this easier on the noobs.Update 2: Depending on activation method, YouTube might not be working after the unlock — ours isn’t. This is, of course, expected behavior. There’s a Windows script here that should hopefully fix you up (again, we don’t make any guarantees), but Mac users will have to look elsewhere. Also, alongside the Mac GUI iUnlock app in the works, the iPhone Dev Team is prepping a Windows version, a simple bash script and an iPhone app — and eventually an all-in-one app that can do everything from the Jailbreak to the unlock.Update 3: We’ve posted our terminal output from using the hack after the break. Go ahead. Nerd out. Also, the graphical version isn’t out quiet yet, but we’ve got the first image of it above. Check it out.Update 5: Ok, the graphical unlock app still isn’t yet out, but we’ve tested an early build, and it definitely works! Check it out here.Read – Official unlock guideRead – Unofficial unlock guideContinue reading iUnlock released: the first free, open source iPhone SIM unlock software Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Developing: iPhone Dev Team one step away from free unlock?
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_Dev_Team_one_step_away_from_free_unlock’; Now that iPhoneSIMfree is in the wild, the iPhone Dev Team folks that started all this hackery have been looking to see how the iPhoneSIMfree hack works, and seem to have landed upon the solution. Apparently the thrust of what the iPhoneSIMfree folks figured out was that it’s possible to write / flash to the baseband of the iPhone — the chip that controls the main voice and system functions of the phone. Apparently Geohot resorted to his hardware hack because it was believed this couldn’t be done. Now that the Dev Team people have observed this flashing in action, they’ve launched into writing their very own unlocker using the same method, which will naturally be released free of charge as soon as it’s ready. All signs point to the free, standalone unlocker being ready soon. On a slightly shadier note, there seems to be a parallel effort to emulate the iPhoneSIMfree server that does the unlocking magic for those currently willing to pay for the privilege. If it’s to be believed, the fake server (and free network unlocking) should be ready to go in a matter of hours.Update 1: The iPhoneSIMfreefree folks have apparently tracked down a willing iPhoneSIMfree licensee to test out the new methods, so it seems we’re certainly getting closer to the server spoof method being ready to go.6:27PM EDT: Turns out that license they thought they’d scored fell through, so they’re still on the hunt for a working one to get the server spoof up and running. No real word yet on the standalone software from the Dev Team.6:35PM EDT: On the standalone front, word is “they are in the process of compiling tools that will make a software unlock possible.”7:32PM EDT: Purportedly the Dev Team has their new standalone unlock working and are making calls with a new SIM. At this point the code still needs a lot of cleanup — the unlock takes 20 minutes, much longer than iPhoneSIMfree — and certainly isn’t ready for end users yet, but it does appear to be working according to those in the know. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Palm confirms Bird, Plane, but no Centro for September 12th announcement
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds Hey, everyone getting amped about the Centro — all seven of you (and yes, there are at least a couple Engadget staffers in that tight group) — your wait might be a little longer than expected. Contrary to previous suggestions that Palm’s European announcement on the 12th of September would be for that bizarre little beast with the tiny keyboard, Palm’s Stephanie Richardson has posted a brief note on the official Palm blog to let everyone know that “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s not Centro.” If it’s any consolation, she specifically uses the phrase “new device,” so we’ll apparently see something new here — we’re just back to square one trying to figure out what the heck it is. Sure ain’t a Foleo!Update: As WMExperts speculates, the Windows Mobile-based Gandolf seems like the leading candidate here, largely on account of the Vodafone-branded pictures we’ve seen floating around. Same polarizing styling, different platform; pick your poison! [Thanks, Boy Genius] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Poll: iPhone price drop blues
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video It’s never a bad thing when you can get good gear for less money, but we totally feel the pain of all those that spent hours or days waiting in line to buy an iPhone for $600 only to have that price cut by a third within the first few months. Then again, we know it’s a little bit of a contradiction: c’mon, chances are if you bought an iPhone really early on you probably didn’t care too much about the price anyway. Or maybe you did — now’s your chance to sound off.P.S. -Apple offers a 10 day price guarantee — you knew that right? If you snagged an iPhone in the past ten days (we’ve also heard two weeks), get some of that money back! View Poll Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Apple adds iPhone ringtones to iTunes
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_adds_iPhone_ringtones_to_iTunes’; A new version of iTunes supporting custom ringtones for the iPhone ships this evening. They’ll run 99 cents on top of the cost of the song, but in trade, you’ll be able to make your own custom ringtone from the song. They can run up to 30 seconds in length, denoted by bells that appear next to “ringtoneable” songs — which’ll be 500,000 of ‘em at launch. Apple flips the switch to enable the feature “next week.” Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPod touch vs. HTC Touch: Apple trademark dispute, round 2?
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPod_touch_vs_HTC_Touch_Apple_trademark_dispute_round_2′;Remember that ridiculously public to-and-fro’ing between Apple and Cisco over the “iPhone” trademark? Ding, ding, ding… welcome to round two ladies and gentlemen. In this corner, we have a feisty Taiwan-national with Microsoft in its pocket: HTC, and their HTC Touch. In the other, a venerable California hippie on the comeback trail: Apple, and their iPod touch. Fight! Peter Chou, CEO and president of HTC, was just reminding the press that HTC has registered “Touch” as a worldwide trademark and is “proud to share the same vision as Apple over touch screen functions.” While he would not comment on whether HTC would take legal action against Apple, HTC’s Marketing Manager Ching-hung Wang was happy to talk around the issue by noting Apple’s and Cisco’s ability to “reach a mutually satisfactory agreement” before, while footnoting the need for “further observation” around the “Touch” trademark rights question. Translated: Hey Apple, we think HTC is waiting for your call. Maybe you should make it a party line too so that Creative can bring their Zen Touch? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone to get iTunes WiFi Music Store, too
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_to_get_iTunes_WiFi_music_store_too’;The iTunes WiFi Music Store is coming for iPhone too friends, as it’s only fair that the iPhone gets the same treatment as its newer — and less capable — sibling. From the keynote, it would seem that the iTunes update will arrive for iPhone sometime this month via a software update, though no specific date was mentioned. While we dig the idea of iTunes on the go, only having the option of using it over WiFi seems a bit weak, sure it’d be slow, but we’re all pretty used to EDGE by now Steve.%Gallery-6925% Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

RIM experiencing another BlackBerry outage?
Filed under: CellphonesRuh roh, did RIM have another widespread BlackBerry outage? Reports are popping up all across the internets that since as early as this morning BlackBerry users were unable to get their email on T-Mobile or AT&T, and possibly other carriers as well. From the sound of things though, Jim Basille’s prayers to the fair and equitable Gods of Push Email were answered, as RIM issued the following statement: “Some customers using BlackBerry Internet Service experienced a delay this afternoon in sending or receiving email. The issue has since been resolved and no messages were lost. RIM continues to investigate the matter. Service for BlackBerry Enterprise Server customers was not impacted. RIM apologizes to customers for any inconvenience.” Oh great, just put many a young, connected couples’ relationships in harm’s way — please RIM, won’t you think of the yet-unconcieved children? P.S. -If you’re (still) having problems, sound off in comments! Let us know where you’re at, who your carrier is, etc. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

GSM cellphone technology celebrates 20 years, aims for 20 more
Filed under: CellphonesJust this summer we saw text messaging party down after turning 15, and now its time to get your weekend started right by celebrating 20 whole years of GSM. Reportedly, “15 phone firms signed an agreement to build mobile networks based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communications” on this day in 1987, and while it took “12 years for the first billion mobile connections to be made,” things have pretty much taken off since then. So here’s to 20 incredibly fruitful years, GSM, you’ve earned it.[Thanks James; image courtesy of RetroBrick] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Poll: iPhone price drop blues
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video It’s never a bad thing when you can get good gear for less money, but we totally feel the pain of all those that spent hours or days waiting in line to buy an iPhone for $600 only to have that price cut by a third within the first few months. Then again, we know it’s a little bit of a contradiction: c’mon, chances are if you bought an iPhone really early on you probably didn’t care too much about the price anyway. Or maybe you did — now’s your chance to sound off.P.S. -Apple offers a 10 day price guarantee — you knew that right? If you snagged an iPhone in the past ten days (we’ve also heard two weeks), get some of that money back! View Poll Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Apple killing 4GB iPhone, $299 while supplies last
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video var digg_url = ‘http://www.digg.com/apple/Apple_killing_4GB_iPhone_299_while_supplies_last’; It’s true, Apple has no more use for the puny capacity of its 4GB iPhone, and is selling off the remaining stock at $299. Get ‘em while the getting’s good! Oh, and yeah, that means the Apple Store is finally back up, after an extended hiatus, so feel free to plunder your checking account with all of Apple’s new wares. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Modded Motorola E6 can transform, make calls
Filed under: Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets With what was likely an inspired bit of effort, some clever modder — we really wish we knew who to credit but sadly don’t — has converted a MOTOROKR E6 into a working transformer. Unlike the Nokia branded Transfomer handsets we saw last week, this actually transforms and apparently somehow still functions as a phone — though looking at it we’d guess just barely. While, we wouldn’t haul this around with us as a day to day phone, we’d def put it up in a place of honor here at the Engadget Mobile Mansion. Hit the read link for a pile more shots.[Via Gearfuse]  Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhoneSIMfree shows us demo of iPhone unlock app, back end — now due Monday
Filed under: Cellphones digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/iPhoneSIMfree_shows_us_demo_of_iPhone_unlock_app_backend_now_due_Monday’; So the iPhoneSIMfree guys have some news today. First up, they called to let us know they did in fact delay the launch of their iPhone SIM unlock software (which was clear by the fact that no one has it yet) — but it’s now due Monday.Today iPhoneSIMfree also sent a couple of publications (including this one) a demo version of their unlock app and trial access to their back end reseller tool. The demo software and reseller tool do not yet actually unlock phones since iPhoneSIMfree hasn’t yet flipped the switch on the activation service end. But as proof that their end-user app does exist, the demo app shown here coursed through its normal routines (about 3-5 minutes start to finish) to show us what an unlock should be like.Their reseller backend tool, which we also have shots of, allows bulk purchasers of iPhoneSIMfree unlocks to add customers’ IMEIs to the unlock whitelist. Once added, apparently resellers merely have to just provide their customers the unlock app, which initiates the remote unlock service — the whole thing is a little like Windows Activation where only whitelisted IMEIs can proceed with unlocking. Naturally, we documented all this on an iPhone — but again, to be clear, the iPhoneSIMfree app that was sent out won’t unlock iPhones. That all supposedly goes down on Monday.%Gallery-7118% Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Apple cuts 8GB iPhone price to $399
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_Cuts_iPhone_Price_to_399′; With the new heat the iPhone will be getting from the iPod Touch, Apple decided to lower the barrier of entry to a much more palatable $399, and that’s for the 8GB model, which just yesterday was rocking at $599 pricepoint. It also looks like Apple is doing away with the 4GB version, which was seriously lagging behind its big brother in sales, but there’s no official word yet. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Steve Jobs gives all iPhone owners $100 back
Filed under: Cellphones El Jobso is “confident” Apple’s made the right decision to lower the price of the iPhone yesterday — and really, we can’t fault them for knocking some cash off the top to attract new buyers, why is cheaper gear a bad thing all of a sudden? But even given the outcry, we definitely didn’t see this one coming. In another open letter to his people, Jobs states that he’s giving all iPhone owners a $100 Apple gift certificate (details to follow in the next week — it goes without saying this will only apply to people who bought before the price drop). Well, that’s mighty kind of you Steve. And definitely unprecedented in the consumer electronics industry that a company would give cash back to early adopters — those most accustomed to buying a gadget first, asking questions later, and bottling their complaints when said gadget later drops dramatically in price.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Panasonic “Pixi” cellphone picture dock is designed for social networking, idiots
Filed under: Cellphones, Digital Cameras We’re not certain it needs to get any easier to post compromising photos to social networking sites, but apparently Panasonic’s R&D labs think it’s a problem in need of a giant, garish solution: say hello to the Pixi, a concept cellphone dock / cameraphone companion designed to send photos directly from your mobile to mixi, a Japanese MySpace clone. Sliding your phone into the Pixi automatically brings up your photos, and then configuring your phone and sending those latest bleary-eyed bar pics to the web is as simple as smacking one of the six touch-sensitive icons on the unit. Of course, you won’t be doing this on the sly — the unit’s bright red shell with carnival-style LED chaser lights might tip off your companions, but if you can’t figure out how to email photos to a website from a modern phone, you probably deserve the scorn. Check a video of the concept Pixi in action after the jump.Continue reading Panasonic “Pixi” cellphone picture dock is designed for social networking, idiots Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Google still likely to bid in 700MHz spectrum auction
Filed under: Cellphones, Wirelessdigg_url = ‘http://digg.com/tech_news/Google_still_likely_to_bid_in_700MHz_spectrum_auction’;We know, the 700MHz soap opera is wearing a bit on us too, but just in case you were worried that the latest FCC shakeups would deter Google from coughing up $4.6+ billion when the time was right, fret not. Reportedly, Chief Executive Eric Schmidt “told a conference of regulatory and industry leaders in Aspen that his company would ‘probably’ move ahead with plans to bid for wireless spectrum freed up once broadcast television networks switch to digital from analog in 2009.” When asked by T-Mobile USA’s government relations chief Thomas Sugrue “whether Google planned to take part in the auctions for wireless broadband networks,” the exec simply stated that placing a bid or two would likely be “the way to answer that.” So, there you have it — until next episode… Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Palm says Foleo still on schedule… for Summer
Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops It seems possible that Palm took our advice when we asked the company to “stop keeping us in the dark,” because the last few days have been filled with transparency. The latest bit of see-through from the PDA-maker comes today in the form of a denial concerning the recent Barron’s news that the company’s sorta-kinda-laptop, the Foleo, would be delayed due to syncing problems. According to Palm’s director of communications, Jim Christensen, “As stated on May 30, U.S. availability for the Palm Foleo mobile companion will begin this summer. We will let you know if this changes,” which runs contrary to rumored street dates for the laptop, and to what Deutsche Bank analyst Jonanthan Goldman reported on Wednesday. The company has had its share of activity over the past two weeks, including solid news on the tiny new Centro (AKA the Gandolf), rumored delays for the Foleo, and of course our gentle prodding. We can only hope all this movement, good or bad, is working as a wake-up to Colligan and co. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Google’s mobile phone in two weeks? Not likely
Filed under: Cellphones According to reports out of India, Google is currently in talks with country’s first and third largest telecos, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar, concerning everyone’s favorite mobile rumor: the Google Phone. Based on information coming from Rediff’s India Abroad, an exclusive launch — happening in a highly questionable two weeks — is being discussed between the companies, and would tie into a simultaneous debut of the Gphone in both the US and Europe, coupled with announcements in India and other parts of the world. The only hurdle, they say, is approval from regulatory agencies (such as the FCC, we would assume). The report goes on to suggest that Google has plans to invest $7-8 billion in its telephony plot, though there has been practically zero confirmation from the company. When asked about the possibility of the Google mobile phone making an appearance soon, a spokesperson for the search-portal-giant said, “We don’t comment on market rumour or speculation. However, Google is committed to providing users with access to the world’s information, and mobile becomes more important to those efforts every day.” So, while you can never, truly rule out a sudden showing of the Gphone, definitely don’t go banking on it either.[Thanks, Binil] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

UniquePhones indefinitely delays release of iPhone SIM unlock software
Filed under: Cellphonesdigg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/UniquePhones_indefinitely_delays_release_of_iPhone_SIM_unlock_software’;So, as you may have seen, earlier this morning at 3AM local time UniquePhones (the team behind iPhoneUnlocking.com, who’ve claimed to have the second proper iPhone SIM unlock software hack) got a threatening call from AT&T’s legal team urging them to not release their software — or else. Now, we can understand why any smallish business wouldn’t exactly want lawyers repping AT&T (and Apple) breathing down their necks for a potentially market-shifting discovery — which is why the company is now officially holding the release of their SIM unlock solution indefinitely while they assess their legal position. Fair enough, but we still haven’t even had a chance to verify their solution does unlock iPhones.However, the interesting (and possibly telling) bit comes up at the end of their release, where apparently UniquePhones is “evaluating what to eventually do with the software should they be legally denied the right to sell it.” Here’s to hoping that, should UniquePhones not find themselves able to actually sell their software, at very least the unlock method they’ve discovered gets opened up to the public. After all, there’s no reason why everyone shouldn’t be able benefit from this knowledge just because one company isn’t able to sell it, right? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships draws frustrated cellphone owners from across the globe
Filed under: Cellphones Although no records were broken, this year’s Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships went off successfully, with one 38 year old engineer and former potato thrower called Tommi Huotari causing a buzz for throwing a cell only meters short of the recently attained 95 meter record setting throw: “surprisingly, a potato flies further,” he said. Tommi should know better than to compare a cellphone to a spud. For a fair comparison, he should at least try flinging a bar of Chocolate.[Via textually] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Second iPhone software unlock promised tomorrow
Filed under: Cellphonesdigg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Another_iPhone_Lock_Promised’;The iPhone is getting used and abused today with a second software-only unlocking solution making itself known. Uniquephones has now surprised with word that it will be offering a downloadable software unlock service between 12 and 2 PM EST tomorrow at iphoneunlocking.com. Pricing will be somewhere between $25 and $50 with a 25 to 50 percent discount for people who have already signed up for the service — apparently as many as 450,000 already have.Read – iPhone Unlockers Lining UpRead – iPhoneunlocking.com (not active until tomorrow) Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

iPhone’s latest update improving WiFi and camera?
Filed under: CellphonesDespite the fact that we had a bit of trouble with the latest iPhone update, some users are reporting drastically improved WiFi reception and camera performance since installing v1.0.2. Although Apple didn’t exactly go into detail about what “bug fixes” were being addressed, a number of posters on various forums are apparently thrilled with the boost in WiFi reception and the “vast improvement in the camera’s live video update.” Of course, it’s very possible that these betterments are simply due to differing circumstances in use before and after the update, so we’ll leave it up you: have you noticed any drastic meliorations since the update, or is this stuff just all in our head?[Via MacNN]Read – Latest iPhone update boosts WiFi reception, say ownersRead – iPhone WiFi improvementsRead – iPhone camera improvements Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Keepin’ it real fake, part LXXII: Sudoku handheld resembles Sony Ericsson phone
Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsIt’s one thing to long for Sudoku on your handset, but to pick up a Japanese look-a-like trinket that handles the former yet omits any calling abilities just seems silly. Nevertheless, this interesting handheld purportedly allows brainiacs to whittle the day away with Sudoku puzzles, and while it sure looks eerily similar to a-many of Sony Ericsson’s mobiles, there’s no reception onboard. Of course, it is only ¥980 ($8.54), so it’s not like the manufacturer is really trying to dupe anybody — right?[Via TokyoMango] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Esquire offers up rumbling, flashing handbag for mobiles
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables We know, it’s a little late for Christmas, but you can bet your bottom dollar that lucky lady of yours is already thinking long and hard about that lovely holiday in February. For the dame who already owns that iPod purse and laptop-toting satchel comes Esquire’s latest rumbling handbag made to alert the carrier (and her posse) whenever a phone call comes in. Apparently, the bag sports a built-in battery pack (powered by AAA cells), a vibration function “three times as powerful” as those found within your mobile, flashy LEDs galore, and a few compartments for less important things like wallets and timeless family photos. Notably, the designer does a decent job from keeping this technologically-inclined purse from taking a dive in the fashion department, but as with most luxury bags we’ve seen these days, expect to pay a hefty premium for those style points whenever this thing lands. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Hitachi does 800 x 480 display for phones
Filed under: Cellphones, Displays Heck, plain ol’ QVGA displays on phones are still a fairly scarce commodity in some parts of the world, but Hitachi knows you want… nay, need more. VGA, perhaps? Nope, keep going; think wider. Hitachi has officially started pumping out copies of its 2.9-inch, 800 x 480 cellphone display, promising web browsing experiences that could finally catch up with the 3G data speeds modern handsets are offering. The company points out that such crazy-fresh resolution typically leads to crazy-fresh battery drainage thanks to increased backlight brightness requirements, but engineers have apparently put in some late nights miniaturizing the circuitry and designing a new pixel structure to minimize power draw. Better yet, the panel promises a 170 degree viewing angle and a 400:1 contrast ratio. Only thing left, it seems, is for some scrappy manufacturer and/or carrier to step forward and announce a killer device wrapped around this sucker. Why do we get the strange feeling we should keep our eyes on NTT DoCoMo for that? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

HTC Athena (X7500): a UMTS/HSDPA quad-band UMPC?
Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsOk kids, hang onto your hats and dose a grain of salt. According to the lads over at Mobile-Review, the HTC Athena (X7500) is a much hotter and much more highly spec’d device like we thought (hoped) yesterday when it first graced our pages. Certainly, none of this is confirmed, but that beefy Windows Mobile PPC Phone Edition device is now rumored to be running on a 624MHz Intel Bulverde processor pumping away beneath a 5-inch, 262k-color VGA (640×480) touch-sensitive display. It’s overall thickness is in part explained by the fact that it spins either an 8 or 10GB disk drive while a 2100mAh Li-Poly battery provides up to 6 hours of talk, 300 hours of standby, or 8 hours of WMV video playback. Those specs certainly make more sense. Better yet, it’s said to come in two flavors: one for Europe, and a UMTS/HSDPA quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE flavor for the US unlike initial reports. Other notable features include GPS, a standard 3.5-mm jack for headphones, 2 megapixel cam with LED plus another cam up front for video conferencing, dual stereo speakers with 3D surround, USB 2.0 and another USB 1.1 host, TV-out, 802.11b/g WiFi, and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP/AVRCP profile support. The unit weighs in at 12.3-ounces (350-grams) / 5.24 x 3.8 x 0.78-inches (133 x 97 x 20-mm) making that QWERTY (barely) usable as a table-top keyboard and not some awkwardly held thumbpad. Estimated to be priced between $1,500 and $2,000 which makes it a non-starter for most, if true. Maybe this is HTC’s first take at their UMPC after all. Be sure to hit the read link for the complete list of specifications.[Via PhoneArena] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Samsung’s SCH-V960: “world’s first” optical joystick phone
Filed under: CellphonesWe’ve seen and felt some sorry, craplastic navigation devices over the years. So pardon us while we effuse hope over Samsung’s latest “world’s first,” the optical joystick cellphone. Though not bad, it’s not the SCH-V960′s specs that get us going: EV-DO data, 2 megapixel camera, 2.12-inch 240×320 display, Bluetooth, GPS, and microSD expansion to store your media. Rather, it’s the new joystick with optical sensors which, according to Sammy, reads and reacts to your finger movements for “quick and hassle-free” navigation through the menus. The phone also touts a “smart lighting” featuring to automatically control the brightness of the LCD and keypad to help squeeze a bit more life out of the battery. This 18.6mm /102g phone hits Korea later this month. Don’t be too surprised to find the new optical stick popping up across Samsung’s lineup of audio players, digicams, and UMPCs in the near future. Who knows, maybe they’ve got an iPod Click Wheel on their hands… or not. Another picture after the break.[Via AVING]Continue reading Samsung’s SCH-V960: “world’s first” optical joystick phone Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

NYC taxis to map out dead zones in mobile networks
Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, WirelessWe’ve already seen an influx of hybrid vehicles take their places in the mammoth fleet of New York City taxis, and now that the Taxi 2.0 will reportedly sport GPS tracking an built-in televisions, what else is really left to implement? Stockholm-based Ericsson has apparently seized the opportunity in using the random, perpetual motion of NYC’s yellow mainstays to better itself (read: make some coin), and has recently received permission from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to install small devices “about the size of a computer modem” into cabs in order to “feed information about signal strength and clarity to engineers.” The research, which has already been completed in other areas of the world, is being conducted in the Big Apple on behalf of a yet-to-be-named carrier, and it purportedly hopes to more accurately map out dead zones in mobile phone networks. Currently, “at least one fleet” has signed up to participate, and others could join in considering the royalties that will be paid out for tagging along on those zany routes through the city. Of course, this whole system should be relatively invisible to cab riders, but a continual voice recording of furious (and disconnected) passengers could probably work equally well in pinpointing those dead spots.[Via Textually] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Spectec rolls out microSD-packin’ SDIO GPS receiver
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, StorageIf that handy SD slot in your Treo (or similar smartphone) has gone lonely long enough, you’ve probably been waiting for “that killer device” to slam down in there and boast about. Thankfully, that time has seemingly come, as Spectec’s latest SDIO GPS receiver packs a whole lot of functionality into a minuscule (and sleek) package. Unlike alternative GPS attachments for your handset, the SDG-810 provides a SiRF Star III 20-channel tracking adornment, is WAAS-enabled, and sports a microSD slot to carry up to 2GB of excess data (like maps, for instance) since your original flash memory slot just got occupied. While pricing information wasn’t readily available, this nifty smartphone must-have should be available in your neck of the woods (read: everywhere) real soon.[Via GearDiary] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Samsung launches SPH-B5800 T-DMB handset with TPEG integration
Filed under: Cellphones Although Samsung has already crammed T-DMB support into a plethora of its (sometimes oddly-designed) handsets, the sleek SPH-B5800 gets the honor of being the “world’s first” that also integrates TPEG. While we knew the firm was working on the Transport Protocol Experts Group service last year, this phone marks the “first time” users can expect to receive live updates “about traffic, nice restaurants,” or other points of interest surrounding them. Reportedly, the phone will receive new information “every five minutes” depending on your location, and will show a route and expected arrival time for any destination that perks the user’s interest. On the DMB side, it purportedly sports a “full list of channels” to keep you occupied while cruising in the backseat. Other features on this snazzy slider include a 2-megapixel camera, electronic dictionary, “My Pet” game (long lost Tamagotchi sibling?), file viewer, and support for audio book playback. So if you’re anxious to let your phone dictate where you eat for supper, you can snag the SPH-B5800 later this month for around 600,000KRW ($645).[Via AVing] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Spectec rolls out microSD-packin’ SDIO GPS receiver
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, StorageIf that handy SD slot in your Treo (or similar smartphone) has gone lonely long enough, you’ve probably been waiting for “that killer device” to slam down in there and boast about. Thankfully, that time has seemingly come, as Spectec’s latest SDIO GPS receiver packs a whole lot of functionality into a minuscule (and sleek) package. Unlike alternative GPS attachments for your handset, the SDG-810 provides a SiRF Star III 20-channel tracking adornment, is WAAS-enabled, and sports a microSD slot to carry up to 2GB of excess data (like maps, for instance) since your original flash memory slot just got occupied. While pricing information wasn’t readily available, this nifty smartphone must-have should be available in your neck of the woods (read: everywhere) real soon.[Via GearDiary] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Three new Verizon Pocket PC phones leaked on Engadget Mobile
Filed under: Cellphones We have an early Christmas present for you Verizon smartphone users: three new Windows Mobile Pocket PC devices leaked over on Engadget Mobile, including the oh so hotly anticipated CDMA followup to the HTC TyTn / Hermes. Check ‘em out:Verizon UTStarcom XV6800: the CDMA TyTn lives!Verizon’s Samsung i760 out-BlackJacks the BlackJack?Verizon UTStarcom SMT5800: Libra comes stateside in green? Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Visto scores $7.7 million in phone patent ruling, not stopping yet
Filed under: CellphonesAnd so it continues. We’ve never been the greatest fans of Visto and its money-grabbing patent lawsuit methods, be it’s hard to argue with results. The last time we hear from Visto, it was busy suing RIM, Microsoft and Good Technology, having just won a spankin’ $3.6 million from victim defendant Seven Networks. Well it looks like the worst wasn’t over for Seven, since the judge in that case just doubled the price for accumulated interest, and then piled on Visto’s legal fees for a grand total of $7.7 million. Brian Bogosian, CEO of Visto, says the decision “heralds a victory for true innovation and for lawful invention, whether it is conceived by a large corporation or by a passionate few toiling in the dim lights of a garage.” At least with that kind of cash they can finally afford to furnish the garage with that rad shag carpet and foosball table they’ve been eyeing, so bully for them. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Hitachi does 800 x 480 display for phones
Filed under: Cellphones, Displays Heck, plain ol’ QVGA displays on phones are still a fairly scarce commodity in some parts of the world, but Hitachi knows you want… nay, need more. VGA, perhaps? Nope, keep going; think wider. Hitachi has officially started pumping out copies of its 2.9-inch, 800 x 480 cellphone display, promising web browsing experiences that could finally catch up with the 3G data speeds modern handsets are offering. The company points out that such crazy-fresh resolution typically leads to crazy-fresh battery drainage thanks to increased backlight brightness requirements, but engineers have apparently put in some late nights miniaturizing the circuitry and designing a new pixel structure to minimize power draw. Better yet, the panel promises a 170 degree viewing angle and a 400:1 contrast ratio. Only thing left, it seems, is for some scrappy manufacturer and/or carrier to step forward and announce a killer device wrapped around this sucker. Why do we get the strange feeling we should keep our eyes on NTT DoCoMo for that? Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Samsung’s tiny 3 megapixel CIS: another “world’s first”
Filed under: CellphonesWhat would a day be without another “world’s first” announcement from Samsung. Today’s stretch comes in the form of the “world’s first 3 megapixel CMOS image sensor with a 1/4-inch lens aperture” for use in Ultra-slim cellphones. Someone please, alert Guinness. Hyperbole aside, the CIS shares the same dimensions as the current lot of 2 megapixel CIS modules found in today’s slimsters. So yeah, we’re looking at any easy bump in specs for manufactures as it’s a like-for-like component swap. We can expect to see the 3 megapixel CIS in our cellphones mid-2007 as mass production ramps in Q1. According to market research quoted by Samsung, 38% of all cameraphones will be equipped with 3 megapixel cams in 2008. Damn, at that rate, 10 megapixel ubiquity is a long way out. [Via AVING] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

MOTORIZR Z3 gets reviewed
Filed under: CellphonesThe MOTORIZR Z3 isn’t exactly awe-inspiring in terms of features, but being that its Moto’s “first attempt at the slider design trend,” it gets somewhat of a pass in the value department. CNET was able to get its paws on the predictably thin new mobile, and while the list of niceties wasn’t exactly suited to the (admittedly) high $300 pricetag, they couldn’t help but fall for its snazzy good looks. Aside from the design, the phone offered a pleasantly crisp LCD, user-friendly navigation array, call quality similar to the GSM KRZR (read: satisfactory), “respectable” battery life of 6.5 hours, and a highly improved volume level. All wasn’t peachy, however, as reviewers found the built-in camera to be fairly awful, the button layout to be a bit cramped / slick, and the speakerphone to be less than impressive. All in all, this rendition of Motorola’s (almost) vowel-less lineup did the slider motif “quite well,” and while CNET suggested holding out until prices drop just a bit, it was deemed a solid performer nonetheless.[Thanks, Justin] Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

Samsung’s SCH-V960: “world’s first” optical joystick phone
Filed under: CellphonesWe’ve seen and felt some sorry, craplastic navigation devices over the years. So pardon us while we effuse hope over Samsung’s latest “world’s first,” the optical joystick cellphone. Though not bad, it’s not the SCH-V960′s specs that get us going: EV-DO data, 2 megapixel camera, 2.12-inch 240×320 display, Bluetooth, GPS, and microSD expansion to store your media. Rather, it’s the new joystick with optical sensors which, according to Sammy, reads and reacts to your finger movements for “quick and hassle-free” navigation through the menus. The phone also touts a “smart lighting” featuring to automatically control the brightness of the LCD and keypad to help squeeze a bit more life out of the battery. This 18.6mm /102g phone hits Korea later this month. Don’t be too surprised to find the new optical stick popping up across Samsung’s lineup of audio players, digicams, and UMPCs in the near future. Who knows, maybe they’ve got an iPod Click Wheel on their hands… or not. Another picture after the break.[Via AVING]Continue reading Samsung’s SCH-V960: “world’s first” optical joystick phone Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: cellphones.engadget.com

T-Mobile Dash now available
Filed under: CellphonesRight on time, the hotly-anticipated T-Mobile Dash Windows Mobile-based smartphone is now up for grabs direct from T-Mo, retailing for the expected $199.99 after the usual contract signings, instant discounts, and mail-in rebates. If you been following it as closely as we have, you no doubt know the specs like your shoe size, but for those not quite up to speed, it boasts quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE capabilities, WiFi and Bluetooth, a 2.4-inch TFT, 1.3 megapixel camera, myFaves support, 128MB flash / 64MB SDRAM, and a microSD slot for expansion, all in a slim 4.2 ounce, QWERTY-riffic package. If you’re still on the fence about it, you can always take another peek at our review of the device, or bust out the credit card and do your own hands-on — just don’t forget the unboxing pics in all the excitement.[Thanks, Scott R.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

Verizon launches Motorola’s KRZR K1m and LG’s Chocolate, again
Filed under: Cellphones Just in time for Halloween, VZW has new flavors of the MOTOKRZR K1m and Chocolate phones up for grabs. Well kinda, since their new White Chocolate only appears on what looks to be a Verizon staging site at the mo’ with actual launch still expected tomorrow for $130 and a 2 year commitment. Just don’t forget to treat yourself to a speakerphone with the ol’ firmware trick hear, ’cause it looks from the site to ship without. Also up is the return on the K1m KRZR only now in a ghostly white with gray exterior — yours to ship home for $200 after on-line discount and two-year contractual obligation akin to a feast of apples and rzrbldz.[Thanks, John and Bob the Builder]Read — LG Chocolate (white) Read — Motorola MOTOKRZR K1m Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

Sony Ericsson’s MBW-100 Bluetooth watch reviewed
Filed under: Cellphones, WearablesThe concept of a watch that does anything more than just display the time and date has so far been a commercially unsuccessful one. Plenty have tried to make gadget phones that people actually want to wear, but all have failed. The most recent attempt to do a gadget watch properly is Sony Ericsson and Fossil’s MBW-100 Bluetooth watch, which PC Magazine recently reviewed. Rather than going all out and designing a watch with full PDA functions, the partner companies decided to design a watch that could display simple information — caller ID, text messages — sent to it from a Bluetooth enabled phone. It’s this “watch first, gadget second” approach that gives the MBW-100 immediate appeal to non-geeks, but unfortunately this particular watch isn’t going to usher in a new era where everyone wears such a device. The MBW-100 is too expensive ($399), too limited (it currently only works with Sony Ericsson phones), and is too bulky for mainstream appeal (men with skinny wrists need not apply), although it’s the closest that anyone has come to successfully integrating gadget functions into a wrist watch without sacrificing style and the whole displaying-the-time thing. Hopefully future iterations will really get it right: watch this space for more. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

i-mate’s JASJAR redux, the K-JAR
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds It looks like i-mate’s ongoing collaboration with TechFaith is starting to pick up a good head of steam, seeing how they’ve gone and entrusted the Chinese ODM with serving up the de facto successor to the HTC-sourced JASJAR. Not a heck of a lot is known about this pivoting, flipping, QWERTY-sporting monster of a device, though it apparently (strangely) lacks that all-important 3G radio its predecessor packed. Features are rumored to include a 2.8-inch QVGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, and a TI OMAP750 core clipping along at an undisclosed clock speed. With i-mate making (or at least trying to make) inroads in the US market, this is one Pocket PC phone the full-keypad lovers among us will be tracking with eagle eyes.[Via HowardForums, thanks Galt] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

AT&T lets you spy on your own home, remotely
Filed under: Cellphones, Household, NetworkingAT&T has just announced a home monitoring service so that you can spy on your kids / housemates / spouse / pets while you’re out and about in the wider world. For a one-time fee of $200, AT&T will sell you an “equipment package” that contains a tilt-and-pan video camera, a motion sensor for a door / window, a “central router” to connect those devices to the interweb, and “two power modules that enable device connectivity via home power outlets.” (And shipping you all that to your door will cost you another Hamilton, don’t forget.) Further, as you might expect, you can program various alerts or triggers (like turning on a light) if motion is detected. So for all of that (which will still cost you $10 per month to operate), how do you view pictures of people trying to do damage to your domicile? Well, the system transmits over the internet at 3-7fps or if you’re viewing it on your Cingular handset, between a paltry 1fps or up to a smokin’ 3fps (if you have HSDPA). However, The Associated Press provides one last caveat, though: “The system won’t work if the power fails.” Thanks, Sherlock.[Via The Associated Press] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

Palm Treo 680 and Cingular 8525 price and release!
Filed under: Cellphones Ah yes, this is what we’ve been so eagerly awaiting. Enough pussyfooting around with the Palm Treo 680 and HTC Hermes / 8525 coming to Cingular — we know they’re due. We need prices, we need dates. And according to what appears to be a recent Cingular marketing presentation, we’ve got ‘em: Treo 680: $424.99 straight, $349.99 one year, $249.99 one year with unlimited data (and $100 rebate), $274.99 two year, $174.99 two year with unlimited data (and $100 rebate; their ad, however, shows a $200 list price, but it’s good to know we can count on around two Benjamins. Expect it November 5th (tentative). Cingular 8525: $559.99 straight, $484.99 one year (not including $50 rebate if included with unlimited data), $409.99 two year (also not including that same rebate); expect it October 29th. See, now that wasn’t so bad, was it? Both came in right around where we’d expected and hoped; between the Dash, the Q, and the 680, it looks like that $200 price point is the sweet spot for ever-slimming smartphones. And the 8525 ain’t too bad either, considering what you’re getting.[Thanks also to djnth] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com

T-Mobile Dash now available
Filed under: CellphonesRight on time, the hotly-anticipated T-Mobile Dash Windows Mobile-based smartphone is now up for grabs direct from T-Mo, retailing for the expected $199.99 after the usual contract signings, instant discounts, and mail-in rebates. If you been following it as closely as we have, you no doubt know the specs like your shoe size, but for those not quite up to speed, it boasts quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE capabilities, WiFi and Bluetooth, a 2.4-inch TFT, 1.3 megapixel camera, myFaves support, 128MB flash / 64MB SDRAM, and a microSD slot for expansion, all in a slim 4.2 ounce, QWERTY-riffic package. If you’re still on the fence about it, you can always take another peek at our review of the device, or bust out the credit card and do your own hands-on — just don’t forget the unboxing pics in all the excitement.[Thanks, Scott R.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeOffice Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!
Source: www.engadget.com