PATREONItems tagged with Cellphones
Google's Android mobile operating system is making a huge impact in the smartphone industry. Recent reports show it growing even faster than the iPhone OS, and while it still has a long ways to go to reach the 150000+ apps that the App Store has for Apple users, it's well on the way. Android 2.1 is the most current version, and those with phones using older versions are constantly clamoring for their respective carriers to push out the v2.1 update. If you thought people were wishing for 2.1, just imagine how loud the whining will be for Android 2.2. Code named "Froyo," this future build of Android will bring about two critical features that the vast majority of smartphones lack from the factory....
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Remember when Apple used to be the poor underdog, and everyone referred to Microsoft as M$? Boy, times have changed. Apple has been involved in more corporate drama the past few months than any other big name company that we can think of, with the Adobe vs. Apple battle still raging on, a riff between Apple and Google only growing stronger, and now, a lawsuit battle between two of the world's most prominent smartphone makers. Just a few short months after Apple sued HTC for patent infringement, HTC has struck back with a lawsuit of their own, and it's over the same top. The press release spells out the lawsuit, which highlights five HTC patents in particular in which Apple is allegedly abusing...
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Earlier in the month, Sprint let the world in on a little secret: they would soon be launching yet another pre-paid brand. This is in addition to Boost Mobile, Assurance Wireless and Virgin Mobile, mind you. Today, the cat was let out of the bag, and bargain hunters might just find what they've been searching for in a wireless carrier by visiting their local Walmart. Common Cents Mobile isn't the greatest naming convention of all time, but it gets right to the point: this is a pre-paid wireless operator who knows their customers value low-cost over all else, and there are certainly no frills here. No 4G WiMAX. No Android phone options. Just bottom-line prices and lots of flexibility. Designed...
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LG has been rather quiet when talking specifics about their new Ally smartphone. Ever since Iron Man 2 became the most promoted thing in America, the company has been dropping hints here and there about what exactly the Android-powered phone would bring. Today, Verizon Wireless moved to remove the mysteries surrounding it, but given that the HTC EVO 4G was also officially revealed today, we'd say the timing here could have been a little better. If you're committed to VZW and have no interest in testing the 4G waters, LG's Ally isn't a bad option. Featuring a large 3.2" touch screen (with vibration feedback), a silver-and-black case, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, microSD card slot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi,...
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4G smartphones have been around; HTC made one for Russia's Yota carrier around two full years ago. But 4G as a whole is new to America, and while just a few cities have the service now, even those within a 4G area could only use mobile data devices to take advantage. Sprint and HTC announced the EVO 4G back at the CTIA trade show in March, promising America's 4G smartphone on an Android-based device that is seen by many as the iPhone 3GS killer. Tonight in an event in New York City, both Sprint and HTC finally announced the final details surrounding the phone. Namely, a price and release date, but they also threw a twist in that no one saw coming. For starters, the smartphone will ship on June...
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Wouldn't it be nice if your wireless operator shot you a free text message or e-mail whenever you were quickly approaching your monthly minute limit or text limit? Wouldn't it be great if you received some sort of alert whenever you touched down in a foreign country and were about to incur roaming charges for making calls or using data in someone else's homeland? Some carriers already do this (AT&T sends a free text message alerting you to the international data roaming rate for iPhone users, at least), but the FCC would like for everyone to join in. A new Consumer Task Force at the FCC has been commissioned to look long and hard at what many consumers call "bill shock" in order to remedy...
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Sprint has been on quite the roller coaster ride over the past couple of quarters, and while the latest one saw the company losing fewer postpaid subscribers than they had in past quarters, the numbers still weren't great. But over on the pre-paid side, things were different. Sprint has managed to stock up pre-paid subscribers, adding loads of customers who prefer to pay more for a phone up-front and pay their phone service month-by-month. The contract-free approach is definitely appealing during uncertain times, and Sprint has plenty of options for people. There's Boost Mobile, Assurance Wireless and Virgin Mobile, all of which are now under Sprint's umbrella. Virgin Mobile continues to be one...
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The Mac vs. PC debate has been raging for as long as the two have existed in the same market, but if there's one thing you can say for certain about Apple, it's that the company hates to see their image tarnished. It's why the company is going after Gawker Media so hard for the lost next generation iPhone, and it's why they carefully plan their marketing schemes in a way that no other company does. So when Ellen, a famed comedian and talk show host in the U.S., decided to create her own iPhone 3GS spoof commercial and show it on national television, it didn't take long for Apple's team to contact Ellen's team. Shortly after the spot aired, Apple contacted Ellen's show with a gripe: her spoof...
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Isn't it so great to see two industry rivals putting aside their differences and coming together? Not so if you're talking about LiveNation and TicketMaster, but in this case, we're willing to make an exception. Microsoft and Nokia have joined up in order to debut Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia Devices, a new application designed to greatly enhance mobile productivity on Nokia phones.What's interesting is that Microsoft has three distinct mobile platforms of their own to manage (Windows Mobile 6.x, KIN, and Windows Phone 7), yet their innovating for Nokia. Not that this unheard of; Microsoft also makes Office for Mac! The new unified communications client connects directly with a company’s...
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Microsoft may not actually make their own phones (the KIN One and KIN Two are both manufactured by Sharp), but they're stamped through and through as an official Microsoft product. After being introduced in early April in hopes of luring tweens and fans of social networks, the company's newest two featurephones have gone on sale at Verizon Wireless, the company's exclusive launch carrier in the U.S.Both phones are designed to let users "share life as they live it," with each phone being tightly integrated into Twitter, Facebook, etc. Today, both phones are now available to order online from Verizon, with availability in stores set for May 13. The pricing has us a bit stumped, though. The KIN...
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For a carrier with so few customers compared to AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint, T-Mobile USA sure manages to score some pretty nice phones. HTC's HD2 is easily the nicest Windows Mobile 6.5 phone on the market, and now the company has yet another Android phone that's sure to make at least a few people consider the switch. The new myTouch 3D Slide is a new model based off the phone you've seen Eric Clapton and several other stars toying with on television commercials, adding a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for those who prefer physical keys over a strict virtual keyboard. The phone will be a T-Mobile exclusive at least for awhile, bringing Android 2.1 to a sleek form factor with a 3.4" HVGA...
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Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo is probably the most oddly named CEO in the world, but it's okay, since he's the head of the planet's biggest phone maker in terms of global market share. But Nokia isn't the giant they once were, and holding the lion's share of the phone market is becoming much, much more difficult with new players like Apple and HTC really stepping up their game. Nokia has yet to really come out with a "superphone" that can rival the iPhone, DROID and HTC Incredible (not to mention the Google Nexus One), and the company's true smartphone share has been slipping because of it. Thankfully for Nokia, they're still selling loads of phones in developing markets--cheaper handsets with less functionality....
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Tethering. The mere mention of the word brings up varied responses depending on what carrier someone has, what smartphone they have, and whether or not they're technically inclined. Mention the word "tethering" to most any iPhone user in America, and you'll probably get a glare, a curse, or maybe even a shove-off. Despite Apple claiming that Tethering for iPhone was "coming soon" many moons ago, the feature still has yet to be added. It's not even offered for an additional fee! Users can obviously Jailbreak their devices in order to tether, but given that it voids the warranty, many are still waiting for an AT&T-approved solution. In other nations, the iPhone has been tethering for awhile...
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Guess what? Starting today, Microsoft will "receive royalties from HTC." We know you're probably eying that statement and assuming something is mistyped, but in fact, that's a direct quote from a new Microsoft press release. As the story goes, Microsoft actually decided recently that Google's Android operating system infringed on some of their patents, and obviously, that just wasn't going to fly. Somewhat quietly, the company has seemingly informed HTC of the news, and rather than entering into a bloody court battle that would almost certainly end with Microsoft at the victory table, HTC has decided to simply agree to terms and start paying up. As you know, HTC is one of the world's most prominent...
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Apple has their iPhone, HTC has their DROID Incredible, Google has their Nexus One. What does Nokia have in the modern smartphone war? A new weapon by the name of N8, and while it's still a long ways from shipping to the U.S., Europeans are already salivating over the possibilities. Announced today, the N8 is the company's first smartphone to ship with the new Symbian^3 operating system, which tightly integrates social networking, multi-media and multi-tasking. It's a pretty attractive bundle. The phone itself is crafted from a single piece of anodized aluminum, and while a silver one would've alright, Nokia is offering the phone in five different colors (much like Apple's colorful iPod nano...
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We still aren't sure we've warmed to the name "Cookie" for a phone line, but considering just how well the "Chocolate" line did for LG, we guess we can't blame them for continuing the tradition of naming their handsets after treats. The latest from the company might just be a serious contender in the smartphone space, with the Cookie Gig boasting formidable specifications and a mean look that will taken seriously by more than just tweens. It's being marketed now at the European market, but as with everything, a positive reaction could mean a global release in the future. The new Cookie gig KM570 is a music-centric phone with 4GB of built-in memory, a 3" WQVGA display, resistive touch-screen,...
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At last. We were beginning to wonder when a full-scale, no-holds barred cell phone study would be launched to investigate the pros (but mostly cons) of using a mobile long-term, and it seems that 2010 is the year. Small-scale studies have been conducted ever since wireless phones became a commodity, but up until now, no company had decided to study things long-term. It's being called the biggest study on cell phone health effects ever, and any study that will take three decades to complete probably qualifies for "biggest." The Cohort Study on Mobile Communications (COSMOS) has begun a thirty year look on how the long-term use of cell phones effects disease and health, with cancer and neurological...
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It's a tough world out there for anyone attempting to compete with HTC, Apple, Samsung and LG in the smartphone sector. Even for Nokia, who has held the overall market share lead from a worldwide perspective for years now. Overseas, Nokia phones are everywhere, but they're becoming less and less common to see in America with other smartphones grabbing the bulk of the mind and market share. Recently, Nokia released the company's latest quarterly results, and most of the news wasn't exactly rosy. The outfit cut their profit outlet for the key phone unit, and it also lowered some phone prices in a bid to remain competitive in a space that is quickly putting Nokia behind it. Many analysts have even...
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Earlier in the month, it was being widely reported that Palm was being shopped around. Yes, the Palm that makes the rather successful Pre and Pixi phones, was or is up for sale. At that time, two of main potential suitors were HTC and Lenovo. HTC obviously felt like the best fit. Lately, HTC has shown that it has a penchant for creating fantastic hardware, but it has to rely on Google and Microsoft for software. It seemed as if buying Palm would give HTC the power they needed to move ahead as a standalone unit, pairing HTC hardware with the WebOS mobile operating system. But apparently, that's not to be, and if you've got a few billion laying around, you might as well jump in and get to bidding....
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Cameraphone technology has been evolving for awhile now, and it's not uncommon to see a phone with an 8MP or 12MP camera now. In fact, there are quite a few 8+MP options right now, and even more at 5MP. Not too long ago, just having a 0.3MP or 1.3MP camera onboard was a luxury, but now anything under 3MP seems "last year." Nokia has been known to equip their phones with higher-resolution cameras in the past, and obviously more are on the way. Anssi Vanjoki, an executive within the company, recently said that rapidly evolving cameraphone technology will actually make SLR camera systems obsolete. The exact quote was this: "They will in the very near future revolutionize the market for system cameras....
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Dell sure has come a long way. A company that used to make ends meet by selling customizable beige boxes has evolved significantly, now selling some of the world's best gaming notebooks and desktops courtesy of an Alienware acquisition, and also branching out into new markets as the demand for mobile devices rises sharply. The company made some inroads into the corporate market with their Axim PDA line back in the 90s, and now that PDAs have fallen to the wayside while smartphones, MIDs and UMPCs have gained traction, Dell is going with the flow. The company already announced that they were getting into both the Tablet PC and smartphone markets. The so-called "Streak" 5" tablet will likely be...
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Do you love cheap? Who doesn't, right? As nice as today's smartphones are, they're still pretty expensive, and to be honest, not everyone uses them enough to really take advantage of the $30/month data plan. That's why texting and feature phones exist, and Pantech's latest is pretty robust considering the price. Launching this week on AT&T, the new Link is now available to users in the U.S. It's being added to the carrier's line of quick messaging phones, offering a full QWERTY keyboard, an ultra-thin chassis (under 10mm), and a whole suite of AT&T services including AT&T Social Net and the new AT&T Mobile Share. The Link is obviously one of the slimmest phones on the market,...
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