Japanese firm to enter Guinness book of records with the world’s longest ringtone

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:12:19 +0000

If this isn’t coming from Japan we would call it plain weird. But we know that people there already read novels and comic books, pay their bills and do much more on their mobile phones. However, we were kinda surprised that a company from the “Land of the rising Sun” is trying to get its name in the Guinness World Records book with this idea. The name of the company is Dwango and they plan to claim the “world’s longest ringtone” title with their 61 minutes and 40 seconds long melody.

Forget what I said, it is weird! Just imagine someone’s mobile phone ringing for an hour. Would you shoot the guy/gal or what?

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Apple Reaches Goal of Selling 10 Million iPhones in 2008… Three Months Early!

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:09:38 +0000

I had to admit, when Steve Jobs and Apple stated their goal was to sell 10 Million iPhones in 2008… I considered that quite a lofty goal. I mean, there’s so much competition already out there in the marketplace, and you know that the other big-wigs are going to be out to get Apple… releasing new fangled ‘iPhone Killers’… But wouldn’t you know it, it looks like they’ve done it!

From a report at AppleInsider:

An effort on the part of members of Mac Observer’s AFB to track IMEI iPhone numbers has led two technology analysts to conclude that Apple has drastically surpassed analyst’ Q4 iPhone sales estimates, and reached its goal of selling 10 million iPhones in 2008 three months early.

Ok, I can hear you saying ‘What the heck are IMEI iPhone Numbers?’ Let me explain in brief.

An International Mobile Equipment Identity Number (or IMEI) is a unique 15-digit code that gest assigned to each individual iPhone produced. You can find this number on the back of the box in which your iPhone was packaged. You should also be able to find it in iTunes when you have your iPhone connected to your system. Within the 15-digit code are two 6-digit numerical sequences that are crucial to determining the number of iPhones being produced. The first 6-digit sequence is known as the Type Allocation Code (or TAC) and signifies a particular build or set of iPhones. The second sequence is unique to each iPhone produced within that series so that 1 million iPhones can be registered to one TAC. Briefly, the first six numbers account for the set of iPhones, and the other six account for each iPhone within that set. Make sense?

The Apple Finance Board at Mac Observer have been tracking these numbers closely and noticed thatby early September Apple was already on its eighth TAC. That would mean that 8 million iPhones had already been manufactured. Huge. The latest numbers collected by the aforementioned group have Apple at well over 10 million units sold so far in 2008.

Analysts such as Kathryn Huberty of Morgan Stanley estimated Apple would sell 9.3 million iPhones in 2008. Keith Bachman of BMO Capital was quoted to estimate that Apple would sell roughly 8.5 million. Looks like they were well off.

Over 10 million units sold with 3 months to go. Wow. That’s a heck of a lot of iPhones. Can I get a high five? Don’t leave me hangin’ here!

My question is this. 2008 was a great year for the iPhone. The new 3G model, lots of new features… new firmware, the App Store was announced and is off and running… But what is going to come in 2009 to continue the growth and proliferation of the iPhone? With RIM due to release its own BlackBerry App Center, and the BlackBerry Storm, plus a plethora of other touchscreen devices soaking the market… You can see where I’m going here. How is Apple going to stand head and shoulders above the rest?

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eWallet iPhone Application - Keep all your account information handy with your iPhone

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:07:23 +0000

In our push to converge all sorts of devices and daily activities into fewer and fewer gadgets, we seem to have overlooked the wallet. With memberships to all kinda of organizations, accounts at all manner of institutions, and multiple identification cards, our wallets are brimming with pieces of plastic and paper taking up space. Chalk another one up for the mobile revolution. An iPhone application makes it possible to clean out your wallet (or purse, for that matter) and put all you identification, membership, and account information in one safe place - your iPhone or iPhone 3G.
Enter eWallet. This slick little iPhone app uses virtual “cards” that organize any imaginable piece of personal information - be it bank account, credit card number, social security number, gym membership number, or even your car’s license plate number - in an easy to use interface. Using virtual “cards” represented by a variety of icons makes it easy to quickly find and access your information.

eWallet icons include a bag of money to represent your bank account, a credit card for, well, your

Different virtual
credit card, and so forth. Virtual “cards” can be created in customizable categories, allowing for an almost infinite number of virtual cards to be stored. And, since categories can be added, removed, and customized on a whim, you’ll never be left without an appropriate “card” to store your data.

Overall, eWallet is more than just a wallet for your iPhone. It’s more like a personal data organizer. From frequent online shoppers to obsessive card carriers, eWallet can store most, if not all, of your personal information.

eWallet will run you $4.99 from the iTunes AppStore.

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H-P readies a new Smartphone for the corporate types

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:06:02 +0000

Target Consumers:
Corporate executives and those who rely on their phone to be a computer as well.

Should they buy it? Yes

Why?
Hewlett-Packard is a swell of a computer company; their previous effort with the iPaq has been incredible. This phone too will carry forward the iPaq legacy and will prove to be a one-stop solution for the portable office.

Technical Specifications:
Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, a touchscreen display, a hardware keypad and considerable email and Internet functions.

Pricing & Availability:

The new HP Smartphone will be available in Europe in a two-month’s time followed by the rest of the world. Apparently, it will be sold via major carriers; hence, a SIM-free option will not be available. The pricing is not yet announced, but we will keep you posted about the details when they emerge.

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Nokia’s touchscreen Nokia 5800 XpressMusic misses 2008 for mature markets

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:03:36 +0000

XpressMusic made its way around the various interwebs as the Nokia 5800 “Tube,” promising to bring with it Nokia’s answer to the current touchscreen revolution sparked by the iPhone and iPhone 3G. With S60 5th Edition, S60 Touch if you will, enabling complete touch functionality on Nokia’s 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen smartphone, Espoo is poised to to take on the likes of HTC, Sony Ericsson, T-Mobile, Samsung, and Apple in the touchscreen smartphone arena.

Unfortunately, it may take a bit longer than expected to get a Nokia XpressMusic 5800 smartphone into the hands of eager S60 fans in mature markets. We’re hearing that Nokia has dashed the dreams of so many XpressMusic 5800 hopefuls with their revelation that the ballyhooed handset would fail to hit most mature markets before the holiday shopping season.

While India, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia and Spain will be taking shipment of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen smartphone by year-end, the rest of Europe and North America will have to wait until 2009 before the Nokia XpressMusic 5800 becomes a reality. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will run €279 ($387) in unlocked, unsubsidized form. With contracts and subsidies, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic could undercut the iPhone 3G’s price-point.

“The phone is competitively priced and Nokia’s competitive advantage is in emerging markets. When putting two and two together it’s logical they start the roll-out from emerging markets,” said analyst Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics.

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iPhone 2.2 OS to feature Google Maps Street View and other goodies?

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:00:31 +0000

When it comes to “openness” there are few tech companies (if any) more secretive than Apple. With their iPhone developer NDA recently lifted, however, Apple might be turning a new leaf - “might” being the operative word here. For now, things are business as usual for the locked-down iPhone maker.

The latest iPhone 2.2 OS that was seeded to iPhone developers has apparently unveiled a few hidden cards up its sleeve. Apple has officially listed only “compatibility testing” as the only change included in the iPhone 2.2 OS, but developers have uncovered some juicy features within the iPhone OS framework. In addition to the refreshed iPhone Safari UI, we’re hearing that iPhone 2.2 OS should include support for text auto-correction toggle, Emoji icons, and Google Maps Street View.

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Apple’s iPhone 3G is second best-selling US mobile phone, No. 1 US smartphone

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:58:21 +0000

In a move that takes a page straight out of Motorola’s RAZR playbook, Apple has rocketed to the top of the US sales-charts with their iPhone 3G. According to NPD, Apple has seen its iPhone 3G become the No. 2 best-selling handset in the US. Motorola’s RAZR V3 still takes top billing as the overall best-selling mobile phone in the US.

With massive iPhone 3G sales spurred by the iPhone 3G buy-up craze that defined the iconic cellphone’s US launch, the iPhone 3G is currently one of the hottest handset in the US.

What’s more, the iPhone 3G has also managed to clench a solid 17% of the US smartphone market. Thanks to the brisk sales numbers that helped the iPhone 3G become the No. 2 best-selling handset in the US, the iPhone 3G became the top-selling smartphone in the US since its launch. The top-dog smartphone, iPhone 3G, has outpaced the likes of the Blackberry Curve, Blackberry Pearl, and Palm Centro.

“The launch of the lower-priced iPhone 3G was a boon to overall consumer smartphone sales,” said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. “While the original iPhone also helped win customers for AT&T, the faster network speeds of the iPhone 3G has proven more appealing to customers that already had access to a 3G network.”

It’s clear that the iPhone 3G has given AT&T a shot in the arm, boosting the carrier to higher highs.

So much so that 30% of iPhone 3G customers defected from other carriers for a chance to use the iPhone 3G on AT&T’s network. Of those carrier-defections, 47% came from AT&T’s top rival Verizon. A healthly 24% of defectors came from T-Mobile and 19% jumped the Sprint-ship for the good-ship AT&T.

The iPhone 3G is clearly selling well ahead of smartphone launches from Sony Ericsson (XPERIA X1), HTC (Touch HD), T-Mobile (G1), and Nokia (5800 XpressMusic Tube). As the top-dog in the US smartphone market, these new entrants are going to have a bit of a race to overtake the iPhone 3G. But, with more powerful features (like WVGA touchscreens and high megapixel cameras) and new mobile platforms (like Android and the Sony Ericsson Panel UI), the iPhone 3G could have some stiff competition. Apple is going to need to step up their game to keep the newcomers at bay. Could we see a price-drop on the iPhone 3G for this holiday shopping season?

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RIM addresses BlackBerry Bold delay, points to AT&T

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:56:11 +0000

Last week RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis addressed the ongoing frustration of many consumers still waiting for the BlackBerry Bold in the U.S: “There’s great scrutiny, as you might know, on that network and a certain device. So I guess everyone wants to be sure on every last test.” To think that the latest in the BlackBerry line has been delayed for several months due to simple quality assurance seems a little unlikely, especially since we had a niggling suspicion that AT&T might be having some network issues. Regardless, an AT&T spokesperson has assured us that the Bold will be landing before the end of the year, and with launch parties happening throughout the month, November seems like a real possibility. Who’s sick of waiting? Show of hands?

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Motorola Q11 caught on video!

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:51:15 +0000

While we’re not sure if the Motorola Q11 will help Motorola drag itself out of the hole that it’s dug for itself over the past couple years, the evolutionary successor to the Motorola Q9 is definitely worth a mention. The Motorola Q11 has been popping up here and there lately, and it’s finally been caught on video by our friends at Zumo!

With a 3 megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi, and quad-band GSM/EDGE radio, the Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard-powered Motorola Q11 is apparently being aimed at the younger demographic. We have confirmation that the Motorola Q11 rocks a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, making it that much easier to listen to your favorite tunes on-the-go. There’s also a microSDHC card slot that comes stuffed with a 1GB microSD card, courtesy Microsoft - the microSD card slot can support up to 32GB microSDHC cards for uber storage expandability. And, with an MSN Messenger client integrated into the Motorola Q11, we can definitely see the Motorola Q11 capturing a substantial market-base among its Q-loving constituents.

Notice that the Motorola Q11’s display is slightly offset from center. Aside from looking a bit awkward, the display’s rightward-bias makes room for some indicator lights adorning the left-most edge of the display bezel. If you look closely, you might be able to make out the GPS-lock and (presumably) the Bluetooth icon that seem to light up from beneath the display bezel.

The Motorola Q11 isn’t exactly the innovative leap forward that Motorola needed to bring to the table to save their struggling handset business. But, with a decent feature-set and a muted, yet attractive, design refresh, the Motorola Q11 will likely win over the hearts and minds of at least some customers when it launches sometime before the end of 2008.

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New ‘Placeshifting’ Service Didiom Lets You Stream Music From Your PC to Mobile Phone

admin — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:50:17 +0000

Why would you want to stream your entire digital music library (including your iTunes library) from your home computer to cell phone regardless of where you are?

A new service with this “placeshifting” technology thinks you’ll no longer want to sync your music between the two devices while in the same room and deal with such issues as out-of-memory errors or searching for a Wi-Fi network.

Instead, Didiom allows you to access it all no matter where you are. A video demonstration of how Didiom works can be viewed here.

While the Didiom software application is free, it has its own iTunes library from which you can buy music. At this time, the Didiom Marketplace says it currently has 1.5 million tracks available for purchase solely for your phone, PC or both.

While fixed Didiom prices start at 89 cents for a single track or $9.99 for an album (iTunes tracks start at 99 cents or $9.99 per album), Didiom also allows you to name your own price.

If you want to save a little bit of cash by doing a little bit more work, the new service says it has “adaptive bargaining” technology so you can bid for music at the price you want to pay.

Didiom says “a constantly changing, behind-the-scenes algorithm dynamically accepts or rejects the bid and immediately lets you know if you secured your music track”.

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