Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile, Computers, Software / Applications  Google has announced the start of the first round of judging for its second annual Android Developer Challenge. With 10,000 applications already available in Android Market, the Developer Challenge is a way to spur new, creative additions from developers. Users of Android-powered phones can get in on the judging action by downloading the Android Developer Challenge 2 app, which gives you a random set of apps to download and and rate. The first round of judging will be open for a minimum of two weeks starting from September 24 and will go until enough votes have been received to pick the top 20 apps for each 10 categories. The second round will also have a user voting component, so you will have plenty of chances to weigh-in on the contenders.
Read: [Android Developer’s Blog] Full Story » | Written by Merlyn Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Business News, Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Computers, Hardware, Software / Applications There's money involved, so it’s got to be true. Deutsche Bank analysts say that the rumor of Verizon passing on picking up the Palm Pre were preposterous. "Our checks continue to point to healthy carrier demand for the Pre early in CY10. We believe Palm has placed orders with the supply chain for another version of the Pre with features highly consistent with a Verizon launch." - Deutsche Bank letter to investors If a bank is making statements to investors regarding Verizon's business plans, you can be sure that this is far from water-cooler rumblings. When money is involved, every statement can lead to a lawsuit, so plan on seeing a Palm Pre from Verizon soon. Read: [Brighthand] Start it up One of the things that separates computers from regular consumer electronics is boot time. Could you imagine waiting for your toaster or television to boot up before you could actually use them? There have been stop gap solutions like running a stripped down operating system for small tasks and then switching to full fledged Windows for real work. There may actually be a real solution coming from Phoenix's Instant Boot BIOS. A BIOS loads before your operating system—maybe you've seen "Press F2 to enter BIOS"—it tells your computer what exactly to do when it boots. Phoenix's solution would load the BIOS in under a second, then the operating system can do its thing and load. Tests have shown with the right system, it could take around 10 seconds for a computer to load up Windows 7. Read: [LaptopMag] Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Computers, Software / Applications  Vodafone just joined the app store universe. Their new service is called Vodafone360 and it aims to put together your contact information in one place, allow you to purchase digital content like music, and features apps. One of the apps Vodafone has already pushed is "Keeper Mobile," which is a free app for Vodafone that organizes passwords, logins, and account numbers using 128-bit AES encryption. Data is also syncable with your computer. The desktop version of the software costs around $15. In the case your phone ends up in the wrong hands, there is a self-destruct mode where five wrong attempts at the database erases all the data.
The plan is to have the mobile app ready by the holiday season. The Keeper Mobile app is already available for iPhone and Android. The desktop application is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. 
Keeper Mobile
Read: [Wall Street Journal]
Read: [PR Newswire]
Product Page: [Keeper] Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Gadgets / Other, ebooks  It looks as though it is possible that schools will soon start phasing out traditional textbooks and instead rely on tech products like Kindle and iPhone to provide course materials. A pilot project in Oklahoma City at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center is giving e-readers and smartphones to students as a way to determine the technical benefits as well as the cost that would be passed on to the student body.
For practical purposes, students in fields like nursing may not easily be able to carry and reference large textbooks when performing clinical studies. It is much easier to have them simply take out an iPod Touch or a Kindle. The school is considering the possibility of having a Kindle available at the college bookstore already pre-loaded with the textbooks required by the student. Electronic textbooks can prove to be a huge savings to students with the school's Chief Technology Officer Russ Hester stating that on average, electronic versions cost 50% less. The main drawback, according to Hester is that more publishers would need to use the Kindle format. Amazon has already started running trials of the Kindle DX at several colleges, including Princeton University and hopes the device will be integrated into curricula. Read: [Computer World] Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Business News, Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Computers, Mobile Computers, Netbooks, Software / Applications, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack The world of tech is filled of business decisions that could only be fueled by some kind of drug-induced lunacy. This is the column that calls out the companies that might need to hit rehab. Today, we're looking at you, Palm, Microsoft, Verizon, and Intel. 
Celebrities to move Pixis? A lot of us in the tech community have a soft spot for Palm. Their PDAs were an excellent execution of simplicity in technology. Somewhere they got lost in the shuffle as smartphones came in to eat Palm's lunch when Palm clearly had their lunch labeled with a black marker on a brown bag at the fridge of the company kitchen. Then in a sink or swim situation back in January 2009, Palm introduced the Palm Pre with its webOS. Many people were thrilled that Palm was on its way back. Recently, the second webOS phone was announced, the Palm Pixi. To promote their product, they ran a series of teaser trailers and got the phone in the hands of reviewers and the public right away. No, wait, that did not happen. Palm did get a bunch of celebrities to hold the Pixi. Then Palm took pictures of the event so people will know that Palm products are da bomb, dog. Is this going to move products? How about landing deals with as many carriers as you can instead of wasting time that you do not have on photo ops? 
Microsoft Secrecy Pictures of the Microsoft booklet computer, the Courier, and the rumored Pink phone were floating around the web this week. Why? Because Microsoft is apparently the anti-Apple when it comes to security this week. Maybe their people in charge of secrecy were sniffing glue in the corner when someone came in to swipe a PowerPoint presentation. Also, the Pink and the Courier crushed the spirits of the Associate Editor of Gadgetell, JG Mason, to the point where he was unable to write this column. He is sitting in the corner mumbling about styli on the Courier and the overall cheap look of the supposed Pink phones. Why would you need a stylus to use a computer these days? Aren't we living in the future with flying cars, wireless power, and monkey butlers? 
Verizon: We hate you, Palm Pre. Way back in July 2009, Verizon was touting that they would have the Pre. Now, it looks like it just won't happen. Verizon, that company with an awesome network without a superphone, thinks the Pre is not good enough for them. Why would Vz say no to the Pre? The Pre just doesn't sell enough. Crazy idea, Verizon. Maybe people do not want to buy the Pre right now because they were waiting for it to come out on another carrier. You see, perhaps a Verizon Palm Pre would be the answer to those sales woes. We know that the head of Verizon is reading this - maybe you want to rethink denying the Pre. 
Intel's Moblin You can tell netbooks are here to stay when operating systems are tailored to them. Microsoft Windows 7 is built to work on these underpowered machines. Then there is Intel's Moblin. The initial version of this mobile Linux operating system was the exact opposite of a smash hit. Over at the Intel Developer Forum, Intel brought out its new version of Moblin - and get this - Dell will have a netbook running Moblin soon. Why is Intel in the software biz? Perhaps they are just trying to tick off Microsoft to the point where Microsoft builds its own hardware using Tegra processors and ditches Intel altogether. Wait a second. Didn’t that happen with the Zune HD? Would Microsoft even contemplate building machines without packing an Intel processor? Wait, they did that with the Xbox 360. For those of you who think Gadgetell is on crack for doing this column without JG, he’ll be back next week. Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Apple, Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile, Computers, Software / Applications  The latest in the cat and mouse game with Palm, the Pre, and iTunes now has Apple in the lead. If you remember back, the last we heard was that iTunes 9 broke the Pre’s ability to sync with iTunes over a USB connection, at which Palm quickly followed up by filing a complaint. Of course, that complaint stated that Apple was misusing its USB vendor code and in turn was not treating Palm nicely.
Ultimately though, it seems that Apple is not doing anything wrong, that is at least what the industry group has determined. It looks like it is back to the drawing board for Palm and this time they may have their work cut out for them. In addition to siding with Apple, the group also let Palm know that they were not allowed to update the software on the Pre to include Apple’s USB vendor code. Given that, a spokesman for Palm stated that they are still reviewing the letter and will respond if they deem it appropriate. As far as Apple is concerned, as you may have expected, they have not released any comment or statement. The sad part here is that this little spat between Apple and Palm is ultimately going to hurt the customers. Granted the Pre can handle quite a bit over-the-air, however Palm touted the ability to sync with iTunes. It looks like it may be time to throw in the iTunes towel and begin some work on alternative methods. Via [PreThinking] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Peripherals, Displays/Projectors, Mice / Keyboards  Maybe you are a person who uses their laptop a lot but would like desktop comforts like a full-sized keyboard, a mouse, and a nice big monitor. Kensington's new docking station may be of interest to you. Here's how this works: attach you DVI monitor, Ethernet, speakers, headset, and USB devices to the docking station. Then attach a USB cable from the docking station to your WIndows laptop and you are good to go (Mac users will have to buy a different model that does not do networking).
In the bad old days, we had to get proprietary docks for our laptops and if you ever switched brands, you were out of luck. This device can display a resolution of up to 2048 x 1152, so you can easily watch a 1080p movie from one of those new Tegra devices on a big screen. If you want to plug this into your television, you will need an optional HDMI adapter. $149.99 gets you the Kensington Notebook Docking Station with VGA/DVI and Ethernet (model number K33926US). The Mac compatible Universal Notebook Docking Station with VGA/DVI (model number K33930US) costs $129.99 - this device also works with Windows machine, but again does not have Ethernet. Both devices can put out a display of 2048 x 1152. Product Page: [Docking station with Ethernet]
Product Page: [Docking station without Ethernet]
Read: [Everything USB] Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  The Palm Pre is certainly getting its share of attention lately, just yesterday we saw the official announcement of the GSM version and now rumor has it the Verizon has decided against offering it to their customers. That, and Amazon has lowered the price making it just a little more affordable for those looking to make the move to Sprint.
To begin with, the news looks bleak for any Verizon Wireless customer that was holding out hope of seeing a new smartphone because if we can believe this latest rumor then we can assume that the Palm Pre will never be available. According to the report coming from TheStreet: “The Pre, Palm’s premier touch-screen smartphone, which has been an exclusive offering this year at Sprint, had been scheduled to arrive at Verizon in January. But people close to the discussions say Verizon has decided not to support the Pre.”
According to the report, Verizon has decided to take a pass due to the lack of overall sales on the Palm Pre. Additionally, it was suggested that the VCast service that Verizon wants will end up being in conflict with the App Market. As you would expect, a Verizon rep declined to comment. Bottom line, it does not look good for any Verizon customer that was hoping to get a decent smartphone. Moving on though we have a little bit of good news in regards to the Palm Pre price. It seems Amazon has decided it would sell better at a lower price and have begun to offer it for $99.99. Of course, that price does require you to sign a two-year agreement, but that would be the same if you purchased directly from Sprint. More and more it seems that Amazon is becoming a good alternative for picking up phones and similar gadgets. Personally, I recently picked up a Sprint MiFi for just $0.01 and did not have to deal with any rebates, which is nice because had I went directly to Sprint I would have been expected to pay $150.00 and then wait for a $50 mail-in-rebate. Read [TheStreet.com] and [Amazon] Via [everything pre] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 
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