Mimique Cellphone Concept

If anyone ever brings out a phone that looks like this, I'll have 10 of them, thangyewverymuch. A proposal of Californian design studio RKS, the Mimique is all about skins and downloads—a customizable phone with bells on, basically—using, as it does, open source software. I just love that old-school antenna bump and the analog clock. See another picture of it after the jump.

[RKS Design via Yanko]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

RAmos V8 appears in the flesh

We thought the RAmos V8 was looking pretty sleek in render form, but now that some real pictures of the black PMP with the 4.3-inch screen and 16GB of storage have surfaced, we're really impressed -- with how much this thing looks like an iPod touch. (We'll be here all week, folks!) Of course, the V8's codec support is way better, but without pricing info and a look at that UI we're not ready to call this one a winner quite yet. Let us know if you hit China next month, okay?

[Via: MP4nation ]
[Tag: mp4,pmp,ramos,v8 ]

Samsung Soul promo video shows 10 optical illusions in 136 seconds

We'll be frank -- we really have no idea what Samsung's getting at with its freshest Soul promotional video, but it's certainly a fine piece of eye candy if nothing else. Put simply, the video shows a maniac darting about demonstrating ten optical illusions in just over two minutes, and in case you couldn't guess, the Soul is saved for last. Should we have prefaced that bit with a spoiler warning? Too bad -- vid's still waiting after the jump if you're interested, though.
[Thanks, Joel]

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: marketing,optical illusion,OpticalIllusion,promo,promotion,samsung,slider,soul,video ]

Meridian's Ferrari-branded F80 home entertainment system priced at $2,995

We fully expected that Ferrari logo and lacquered paint job to add a stuff premium to Meridian's F80, but this is undeniably insane. The "transportable home entertainment system," which has been hovering about since last March, is at long last ready to be purchased. Finding prospective buyers, however, will likely be challenging. The unit is now available in silver, yellow, white, black and the obligatory red, and each one will set you back a dumbfounding $2,995. We're thinking the unit itself would go for around three bills sans branding, but apparently Italian ponies aren't cheap.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: expensive,f80,ferrari,luxury,Meridian,price,priced,pricing,release,sound system,SoundSystem,speaker,speaker system,SpeakerSystem ]

Sidekick Slide Scarlet Available Now For $199

The rumored Sidekick Slide Scarlet (read: red edition) is available now from T-Mobile. It's just about the same as the regular Sidekick Slide, with myFaves support, QVGA display, microSD slot, 1.3-megapixel camera and all the Sidekick features that kids love. The phone's only major difference is the color Scarlet, and unlike the similarly-named actress, can be yours for just $199 with two-year contract. [T-Mobile]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

ZARVA's Zippo MP320 MP3 player, free to WWIII G.I.s

About the only thing to deliver more tactile satisfaction than the popping of bubble wrap is the act of casually opening and closing a Zippo lighter at the bar. While you won't find anything about it on Zippo's corporate site, Zarva has announced its new Zippo MP320 MP3 player. You get than tiny screen, built-in mic, minimal MP3 and WMA format support, and just 1GB of capacity for 188 of the Chinese stuff or about 27 of the green. But if this Zippo turns on with a well placed finger snap or rough, to-and-fro swipe against our faded 501s then you can count us in.

[Via: PMP Today ]
[Tag: dap,mp3,mp3 player,mp320,Mp3Player,zarva,zippo ]

Samsung's SGH-i900 is a feature-laden stunner

Yeah, let's get this out of the way first, the SGH-i900 does share a design aesthetic with another handset we hear about all the time. That aside, the SGH-i900 seems set to bring everything we could ever hope -- or need, to be honest -- for in a Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro package. Measuring a scant 112 ? 56 ? 13, the i900 is finished in shiny metal, only features two buttons on the face, and what appears to be a fingerprint reader or perhaps a touch-sensitive pad. Loaded with HSDPA, a 3.5-inch 400 X 240 display, 5 megapixel cam with auto focus, 16GB of onboard memory, microSDHC support up to 8GB, TV-out, FM radio, Bluetooth, WiFi -- see what we're saying here? This thing could almost be a mini media center -- it'll definitely please our pockets. It also seems like two versions will be in the offing, the i900 branded as Samsung and the i908 branded as Anycall -- but sadly we're at a loss on how they differ. We'll definitely be keeping our eyes wide open watching for updates here, but in the meantime, follow the link for pages of pretty pictures and poorly translated Chinese.

[Via: UnwiredView ]
[Tag: anycall,i900,i908,samsung,SGH-i900 ]

John Mayer secures a BlackBerry Bold, makes world envious

See how easy it is everyone? All that's required to snag a BlackBerry Bold well before its public release is to become a Grammy award-winning artist, sell out shows worldwide, date a smattering of superstars and convince Fender to create and sell your own branded guitar. While you're off working on step one, John Mayer is living it up with his brand new BlackBerry Bold. Granted, he can't claim to be the very first with said handset, but it's likely the first completely legitimate edition let loose. Of course, once you've landed the Curve and MacBook Air before everyone else on the planet, snagging a Bold is just child's play.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 9000,att,blackberry,bold,celeb,celebrity,first look,FirstLook,hands-on,john mayer,JohnMayer,mayer,rim,sneak peek,SneakPeek ]

HTC Touch Diamond unboxed, packaging worthy of the phone

Nothing new to report on the Touch Diamond's tech here, but wow, look how fun the box is! Of course, we know you're all waiting to see what they stuffed in the wedge-shaped package, and the answer is a charger, headset, USB cable, a manual or two, and the software. The charger appears to be a universal job with a swappable plug for travel, and the headset a typical example of an HTC pack-in -- albeit with a dash of fun and angular design. Hit the link for the pics.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: HTC Touch Diamon,HtcTouchDiamon,Touch Diamon,TouchDiamon,unboxing ]

How would you change SanDisk's Sansa Fuze?

Just like that obscure Burt Bacharach album, some DAPs just need a little time to grow on you. Now that SanDisk's comparatively inexpensive Sansa Fuze has been out and about for a couple of months, we're imploring you dear readers to cast out your opinions on the minuscule device. Are you satisfied with the interface? Have you been disappointed by the sound quality? Was this thing just one feature away from being perfect? 'Tis a shame SanDisk didn't phone you up before mashing the green button and sending these on their way, but here's your shot to tell all who will listen what could be done better in revision two.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: audio player,AudioPlayer,dap,features,fuze,sandisk,sansa,sansa fuze,SansaFuze ]

E-TEN prepping dual-SIM glofiish DX900?

Rumor has it that E-TEN will be unveiling a new Windows Mobile set at Taiwan's Computex next month that sports -- count 'em, one, two SIMs. The so-called DX900 (pictured) in the glofiish series should be quite a powerhouse, too, with triband HSDPA, quadband GSM, 3 megapixel autofocus cam, FM radio, 256MB of ROM with microSDHC expansion, GPS, motion sensor, and that all-important VGA display that's probably (hopefully) going to come to define high-end WinMo devices from here on out. We don't see any particular reason why this one wouldn't come to fruition; dual-SIM phones are pretty commonplace in Asia, though the presence of triband HSDPA is a pretty rare feat in that bunch. Anyone feeling an itch to import one of these stateside?

[Via: the::unwired ]
[Tag: cellphone,dx900,e-ten,glofiish,phone,windows mobile,WindowsMobile ]

iPhone Keeps Invading the World

Orange, who already have the iPhone in France, have issued a press release announcing it'll also be on sale in Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and its African markets, sometime "later this year." Swisscom has also announced they'll be selling the iPhone in Switzerland. [Orange and Pocket-Lint]


[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

Semi-Official Sprint Mogul Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM Leaked

This isn't the final official version of the Sprint Mogul Windows Mobile 6.1 firmware update—which probably means that it shouldn't be called "official"—but it has been leaked on WinMo dev sites. New features are Sprint TV, a larger Start Menu, speedier response and of course, Windows Mobile 6.1. If you're really dying for new features on your phone you can download and install it now, otherwise we'd wait until the final version is available within the next month or so.

[PPC Geeks via WMExperts via Boy Genius]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

Lightning Review: Sierra Wireless 597 Slim EVDO Card

The Gadget: Sierra Wireless' Compass 597 offers the same 3G mobile broadband as its 595u counterpart, but in a much smaller package.Price: $50 (w/ two-year activation and current Sprint web special — $250 normally)The Verdict: Like other cards in the Sierra Wireless line, the 597 has a microSD reader, GPS, and 3G data speeds. But the two things worth focusing on are the size and software package. It's about half the size (in length and thickness) than the Sierra 595u, making it easy to carry around and set up. It doesn't fold up like the 595u, but it's unobtrusive enough that it doesn't really matter. It also has a soft orange glow coming from a light at the top, which could either be nice or annoying depending on preference.The Sprint software works on Mac and PC, and is really worth using on the go. It allows you to tap into the GPS function to display current position, search for streets and locations or display the rate at which your moving. And it shows reception strength in decibels.Speaking of reception, the 597 antenna is as good as any of the other Sierra products, though we haven't been able to compare reception to the similar Novatel U727 card. The 597 also sacrifices an independent battery pack in exchange for its small form factor, meaning it will likely drain your laptop battery quicker than other Sierra cards with battery packs. But all in all, The Compass 597 is a solid mobile broadband choice.
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

HTC Touch Diamond soft keyboard comes to other WinMo phones

We weren't too thrilled with the Touch Diamond's resistive touchscreen when we got a chance to play with HTC's new hotness, but if you're envious of that updated soft keyboard, you're in luck: the Diamond's ROMs have already been pulled apart and the .cab files are just a click away. Installation is said to be slow and you'll have to jump through some hoops to switch the default language from Italian, but things will eventually work out for you -- although we doubt anyone's going to be nearly as impressed as if you had a real Touch Diamond.


[Via: MobilitySite ]
[Tag: diamond,hack,hacks,htc,htc touch diamond,HtcTouchDiamond,leyboard,soft keyboard,SoftKeyboard,touch diamond,TouchDiamond,windows mobile,WindowsMobile,winmo ]

TomTom cleared to purchase Tele Atlas, Garmin shrugs

Despite issuing an early statement of objection, the EC has come around to see the merits of a TomTom / Tele Atlas deal. In fact, the two companies have received "unconditional clearance" from the European Commission for the proposed acquisition. The US already approved the deal in October. Thing is, shareholders better get a move on since the bidding-war-boosted $4.2 billion offer (plus another $300 million thanks to the weakass dollar) made in November is set to expire on May 30th. Although it could be extended. Of course, Garmin made a move for Tele Atlas early on with a $3.3 billion bid of its own. Nevertheless, with TomTom profits heading downward and Garmin's own, hotly anticipated Nuvifone on the horizon, maybe Garmin will be laughing last after all.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: acquisition,breaking news,BreakingNews,ec,europe,merger,tele atlas,TeleAtlas,tomtom ]

Samsung gets official with B&O-infused F400 dual slider

Mmm hmm. That F400 dual slider we originally got wind of in February is the real deal, as confirmed by Samsung today. Designed with music aficionados in mind, the handset is equipped with ICEpower from Bang & Olufsen, which gets complemented with a 3-megapixel camera (with AF and a LED flash), 2.2-inch display, 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, twin stereo speakers, music hot key, FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, a 1GB microSD card and USB 2.0 connectivity. The unit itself is built on HSDPA tri-band technology, and while we know you US'ers would love to wraps your paws around it, Sammy would rather dish it out to the French in black / white motifs later this month, while sending it to other regions of Europe, Asia and the Middle East shortly thereafter. Tough noogies.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: bang and olufsen,BangAndOlufsen,dual slider,DualSlider,europe,F400,france,samsung,slider ]

RIM prepping BlackBerry Media Sync for iTunes transfers

Everyone knows that nobody buys a BlackBerry for its musical prowess, right? Au contraire, dearest email addict. RIM is currently working up a new application for BlackBerry smartphones that will "transfer your desktop iTunes music files" to your BB for those rare moments when you can actually kick back and enjoy the soothing sounds of Rogue Wave. Interestingly, we're not told whether BlackBerry Media Sync is being crafted specifically for the upcoming Bold, and we're also left to wonder when it'll actually be released. Patience is a virtue -- at least that's the word heard through the grapevine.


[Via: CNET ]
[Tag: 9000,apple,BlackBerry,BlackBerry Media Sync,BlackberryMediaSync,itunes,itunes sync,ItunesSync,Media Sync,MediaSync,music,sync ]

Cellphone-only households on the rise, landlines crying a river

Hold everything -- did you have any idea surging cellphone use was putting a damper on landline utilization? Oh, right, common knowledge. Anywho, a recent study conducted here in America found that three in ten households actually relied solely or primarily on their mobile to communicate. In the latter half of 2007, it was discovered that 16-percent of domiciles didn't even have a landline, while 13-percent had one but took all (or nearly all) of their calls via cell. Just to put things in perspective, only 5-percent of US homes were cellphone-only in 2004, while 1.082-percent had not yet surrendered their can-and-string. If you're one of those number lovers, hold your head up high and hit the read link for lots more data about this totally engrossing topic.

[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: cellphone,cellphone only,CellphoneOnly,data,household,households,landline,research,study,survey ]

Palm Treo 800w caught with its keys showing

This little bundle of plain-vanilla familiarity is seemingly the first live picture of Palm's upcoming Treo 800w for CDMA networks, known internally as the Zeppelin -- you know, the obsolete airships that had a tendency to spontaneously combust. Specs on this one are starting to shore up, with Windows Mobile 6.1, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, a 320 x 320 touchscreen (still novel by classic WinMo standards) and a typical Treo look and feel that doesn't diverge terribly much from Palm's tried, true, and well-worn formula. Sprint's looking solid to pick it up come late July, but with those HTCs around the corner, just how much love at the register is this thing gonna get?

[Via: PHONE Magazine ]
[Tag: 800w,cellphone,palm,phone,treo,zeppelin ]

Alltel commits to LTE, adds 1M customers in Q1

See, it's not all dour news in the wireless industry -- oft-overlooked carrier Alltel just announced that it added over 1M gross wireless customers in the first quarter, and that it's committed to LTE in the next three to five years. The LTE news isn't particularly surprising, since Alltel's got roaming agreements to maintain and both Verizon and AT&T are committed to LTE, but the company did specifically say that it was picking LTE over WiMAX. (Oh, and if you're keeping score, that pretty much puts the final, final nail in the coffin for Qualcomm's UMB -- good thing it's got those LTE-compatible chipsets in the works.) Alltel's actually growing pretty fast -- this is the second quarter in a row it's added over 1M gross customers, probably due to those sparkling call-quality survey results -- but we still have our doubts when the company claims it's "America's Largest Network." Should be interesting to see how this all shakes out as 4G gets built out, no?


[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: alltel,lte ]

Screen Grabs: Metal Gear Solid 4 gets iPod and Sony Ericsson product placement

Screen grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

Though we're breaking slightly from our typical Screen Grabs format (movies, TV), we could never live with ourselves if we didn't share these shocking gadget appearances from Metal Gear Solid 4. That's right, despite being on some kind of deadly spy mission, Solid Snake will find time to bro down with a fifth-generation iPod (above), while some lovely cohort of his dials up for pizza on a Sony Ericsson W62S clamshell. More pics after the break.

[Via: iLounge ]
[Tag: apple,ipod,metal gear solid 4,MetalGearSolid4,mgs4,screen grabs,ScreenGrabs,sony ericsson,SonyEricsson,w62s ]

AT&T to be first US carrier with BlackBerry Bold

Granted, we haven't heard anything thus far about which carrier would be offering up the recently-made-official BlackBerry Bold, but we can't say we're too shocked to hear that it will indeed be AT&T. In a report highlighting the recent boost in RIM's stock price, it's noted that AT&T will be "the exclusive carrier for the Bold in the US," though we have all ideas the other major US carriers will be following suit shortly, probably with redubbed handsets. We know, you're hungry for a price to mull over, but sadly, it's not meal time just yet.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 9000,att,blackberry,bold,carrier,rim ]

First Intel Atom based MID gets priced -- $1131!?

Intel's been making a lot of noise about MIDs for a while now, but we're going to guarantee that the entire category flops if this first wave of pricing info is accurate. Autralian importer Tegatech's got the Gigabyte M528 up for pre-order, and while we're intrigued by the 800MHz Atom processor, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB SSD, we're certainly not willing to pay AU$1199 ($1131) to satisfy our curiosity -- especially since the Linux build was so half-baked when we played with this thing at CeBIT. Of course, this isn't official pricing (and it's actually dropped from AU$1549 since we first saw the listing), but let's hope this is even more inaccurate than usual, eh?
[Via: UMPC Portal ]
[Tag: atom,gigabyte,intel,m528,mid ]

Creative offers up USB-enabled Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1

Creative is stretching that X-Fi family once more, this time with its external Sound Blaster X-Fi Surround 5.1. The USB-powered device is apparently geared towards laptops (well, ones without ExpressCard slots) itching for surround sound, and aside from the unicorn-like 24-bit Crystalizer and CMSS-3D technologies, you'll find RCA outputs, an optical digital audio output, headphone out / microphone in jacks and all those X-Fi enhancements you're sure to end up overlooking. It's available now for the halfway respectable price of $59.99.
[Via: CNET ]
[Tag: creative,sound blaster,sound card,SoundBlaster,SoundCard,usb,X-Fi,X-Fi Surround 5.1,X-fiSurround5.1 ]

BlackBerry touchscreen phone to be dubbed 'Thunder'

The industrious Boy Genius has apparently unearthed more juicy tidbits about that rumored BlackBerry touchscreen device. Word from BG is that the new iPhone-ish handset is now internally dubbed the "Thunder," and will come to Verizon and Vodafone as an exclusive device. The phone will reportedly have four physical keys (send, end, menu, and back), sport a hybrid CDMA EV-DO Rev. C / GSM HSPA radio, and could come equipped with a 4G LTE component. Outside Waterloo's labs, the device could be known as the BlackBerry 9500 -- though it's possible that designation could change. BGR has included a self-made mockup (above) of what the device may look like, but as of now, no one has laid eyes on this mythical creature.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 9500,blackberry,research in motion,ResearchInMotion,rim,thunder,touchscreen,widescreen ]

Vita Audio adds a splash of luxury to R4 iPod / DAB radio

Nothing says sexy like a sleek wood trim, wouldn't you wholeheartedly agree? Vita Audio obviously does, as it's ?499.99 ($980) R4 integrated music system just screams lavish. The all-in-one unit packs an iPod dock, slot-loading CD / MP3 / WMA-music disc player, USB port, DAB and FM tuner with RDS, front and rear auxiliary ports, built-in display, alarm clock function and the firm's detachable RotoDial remote. For those not feeling the rich walnut veneer, there's also a high-gloss white (surprised?) version available for ?50 ($97) more. Sadly, the "coming soon" tidbit leaves us clueless as to how long you actually have left to save up for either of the pricey systems.
[Via: ShinyShiny ]
[Tag: dab,expensive,ipod accessory,ipod dock,ipod sound system,IpodAccessory,IpodDock,IpodSoundSystem,luxury,r4,uk,vita audio,VitaAudio ]

AT&T listing "iPhone Black" model, O2 gets the original back in stock

Good news and bad news on the imminent 3G iPhone front. O2 apparently got another batch of 16 giggers in stock, since it's currently accepting orders, while the 8GB remains out of stock, and both phones remain unavailable on the US and UK Apple Stores. More encouraging, however, is the new listing of an "iPhone Black" model on AT&T's account management site. There's nothing else on the site to hint at specs or release or whether this is indeed the upcoming 3G iPhone, but it does fall in line with the word we have on a glossy black back for the much anticipated phone. Whether all this means we have weeks or months to wait is anyone's guess, but there are plenty of encouraging signs out there for the true believers to cling onto.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 3g iphone,3gIphone,att,breaking news,BreakingNews,iphone,iphone black,IphoneBlack ]

Sprint dropped 1.09 million subscribers in Q1

Q1 2008 wasn't a pretty one for Sprint. The company lost 1.09 million subscribers to the competition, while also losing a bit of ground on its average revenue per customer, now at $56 a month. Sprint's got 52.8 subscribers left to squander work with, so we'll see if initiatives like a potential Nextel spinoff or the upcoming Samsung Instinct (pictured) can do anything to staunch the bleeding.
[Via: Electronista ]
[Tag: nextel,sprint,subscribers ]

New iPhone Firmware Beta Has a 3G On/Off Switch: I Wish It Was Automatic

The iPhone's recently released firmware 2.0 Beta 5 has a 3G on off switch for users. Underneath, there's a warning that 3G browsing will kill your battery faster. While that's more proof of the upgraded hardware we already expect, what I find most interesting is the manual control. It's not too late to change it, but I was hoping that Apple would approach the 3G/2G power consumption and speed tradeoffs by having an automatic toggle for 2G and 3G: It could have a smart mode that would turn 3G off to save battery for background email downloading, weather checking and standby; and then turn it on for YouTube, maps, web browsing and iTunes music store downloading. Wouldn't that make a lot of sense? P.S. Apple, you can have this idea for free in trade for some copy and paste action in the next beta.
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

BlackBerry Bold (aka 9000) Officially Official [BlackBerry]

They said it would be formally announced on the 12th. They said it would be called the Bold. Photos suggested that it would be the sexiest thing to come out of Canada since Sarah McLachlan's Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. And they wuz right. According to Boy Genius, it'll be available this summer on AT&T 3G, with a T-Mobile 3G edition in the wings. Details include 1GB of internal memory (with encryption) and interchangeable color plates, though the leather motif on the promo site suggests a Vertu-style leather option in there. Pricing will be $300 to $500 says BGR, a pretty wide (and obvious) range. Not sure how many more details will surface tonight. [RIM via Boy Genius]
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[Tag: ]

AT&T's bringing free wifi to the iPhone -- once it finishes wigging out

Hey, do you guys want to hear our AT&T impression? It's pretty awesome. Okay, okay, here it goes: "Great news, we're offering free WiFi to iPhone users! Wait, no we're not. Yes we are! Oh, no, wait, cancel that." Pretty spot-on, right? Sadly, it looks like we might need something else to rag on shortly, since an AT&T spokesman started clearing the air with the New York Times late last week. The bottom line -- for the moment, anyway -- is that AT&T has "long planned" to offer up its WiFi hotspots as a free value-add for the iPhone and all of the other WiFi-equipped devices in its arsenal, but that the brief enabling of the feature thus far and the mention on AT&T's site were results of human error, and the company isn't prepared at this point to commit to an actual launch date or details on how the service will work. Hey, at least we know we're not just suffering from some brutal hallucinations now.


[Via: TUAW ]
[Tag: apple,att,cellphone,hotspot,iphone,phone,wifi ]

SingTel ropes iPhone distro in Singapore, India, Australia, and Philippines

Singapore Telecommunications (aka SingTel) announced that it's secured agreements to distribute the iPhone in Singapore (on SingTel Mobile) and its partly-owned subsidiaries in Australia (on Optus), India (on Bharti Group), and the Philippines (on Globe Telecom). Vodafone's also distributing the iPhone in India and Australia though, so we'll have to wait until later this year to find out who gets to shoot first.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple,breaking news,BreakingNews,international,iphone,singtel ]

RIM's BlackBerry Bold / 9000 gets official

Damn, took 'em long enough! RIM finally announced the BlackBerry Bold / 9000 -- we've got specs, but no price or hard launch date. Here we go:

• HSDPA and EV-DO versions (including an AWS-capable 1700MHz version)
  
• 320 x 480 display
  
• 625MHz CPU, 1GB internal flash memory
  
• 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 (with A2Dp), GPS, MicroSDHC
  
• 480 x 320 video recording, photo geotagging
  
• 4.5 x 2.6 x 0.55-inches, 4.7 ounces

PC Mag's got the (latest) hands-on, hit the read link.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 9000,blackberry 9000,blackberry bold,Blackberry9000,BlackberryBold,bold,breaking news,BreakingNews,rim ]

Apple finally settings its legal sights on the HiPhone?

Oh, there are plenty of bad Chinese iPhone knockoffs out there, but the HiPhone may be the reigning champion these days -- so it kind of seemed like a matter of time before Apple loosed the hounds on distributors of the device. We don't have confirmation or proper human translation of the above legal notice, but it would appear Apple's European counsel Bird & Bird has delivered at least one notice to an unnamed distributor threatening €25,000 in damages (and €15,000 in legal fees) for HiPhone sales. Hardly the case of the century, but we'll let you know if we hear anything.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: apple,hiphone,iphone,knockoff,legal ]

TEO MP-301 brings Jesus and the MP3 together at long last

Good lord. No, really. Good lord. The TEO MP-301 MP3 player from IceTech USA crams 1GB of media storage into -- as you can see -- a very Jesus-friendly form factor. The $49 player features a built-in microphone with voice recorder, mirrored front panel, and even a little speaker. According to reviews, the player has some serious interface issues and a weak screen, but if crucifixion is your thing, you can't go wrong with this necklace cross-cum-MP3 player. Or is that the other way around? Is this an MP3 player that's also a cross? Anyway, there you have it: the cross-shaped MP3 player, indeed.
[Via: Crave ]
[Tag: cross,icetech,jesus,mp3,teo ]

Zune breaks 2 million sold, stealing market from Creative not Apple

Microsoft is still toiling away at the Zune, but there isn't a whole terrible much to show for it so far in regards to market impact. They just broke the 2 million mark, almost a year after they hit 1 million in May 2007. That means growth has hardly accelerated since the second-gen players hit the scene. Zune's overall market share has grown from three to four percent, but that's most likely a steal from Creative (which sunk from four to two percent) than a steal from Apple or second-place SanDisk (with a billionty and 11 percent, respectively). But don't worry, we're sure that 2.5 update is going to change everything.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 2 million,2Million,microsoft,zune ]

Newsflash! Firmware 2.0 hints suggest Apple might be working on a 3G iPhone

You'll never believe this, but it looks like Cupertino might be getting ready to drop a bomb this summer -- a 3G bomb, in fact! The latest beta release of firmware 2.0 for the iPhone has apparently revealed a preference screen that allows users of the new model to disable the 3G radio and fall back to GPRS / EDGE because the faster service "decreases battery life." Gotta pay to play, as they say. The ability to disable 3G service in favor of improved standby performance is a pretty common one in modern phones, so we're not surprised to see it here -- just a little disappointed that Apple hasn't incorporated enough fairy dust to magically make the problem go away.
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: 3g,apple,cellphone,firmware,firmware 2.0,Firmware2.0,iphone,phone ]

Samsung Glyde review roundup

The Samsung Glyde was one of the most hyped phones on an American carrier in recent memory leading up to its launch, and there's one small problem with that: it's hard to live up to the fanfare, no matter how good (or bad) the phone might be. A common early complaint coming out of the gate seems to be the lack of support for Verizon's MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service, a service that the Glyde's main competition, the Voyager, supports. The UI's also getting panned for being a little more confusing that it needs to be; compounding matters is the fact that Phone Scoop describes it as a "push UI" on account of a fiddly touchscreen. For what it's worth, it seems that the keyboard is at least quite good -- so if you can put up with the negatives, the Glyde might still have a place in your pocket. Otherwise, the Voyager's still looking awfully good, isn't it?
[Via: Engadget ]
[Tag: cellphone,glyde,phone,review roundup,ReviewRoundup,roundup,samsung,verizon,verizon wireless,VerizonWireless,vzw ]

Apple Store's US and UK sites run dry of iPhones, 3G imminent?

If we saw the typical "Ships in 1-2 weeks" here or whatever, we wouldn't be sounding an alarm, but something is going on here. Both Apple's US and UK online stores are joining the O2 choir and are now reporting the iPhone as "currently unavailable" -- no 8GB, no 16GB, no nothing. It seems that Apple either significantly underestimated demand for the 2.5G models ahead of the 3G release that's still a few weeks (or months) down the road, or the 3G model is a whole heck of a lot closer than we could've imagined. Is anyone suddenly having a nasty case of "I only want what I can't have" syndrome and regretting that they didn't order one of these bad boys a day or two ago?
[Via: GadgetKing ]
[Tag: apple,apple store,AppleStore,cellphone,iphone,phone,uk,us ]