Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile With phones like the newly-released EVO 4G and the Nexus One, Android has slowly been making it much easier to switch from the iPhone. There have always been things that the iPhone had that Android phones lacked. Some apps still aren’t available for both, and Android doesn’t have nearly as many games. For some, however, a single audiobook service has been the reason for not switching over. Audible is a popular way to buy audiobooks without having to buy the expensive CDs or cassettes. Until now, because of the service’s DRM, users haven’t been able to use Audible on Android devices. Audible has finally solved that problem by releasing a beta Android app. The app links to your Audible account and allows you to download and listen to any audiobooks purchased through that account. You don’t have to wait for the full download to complete before listening, though which is a nice touch. If you don’t want to download the audiobooks onto your smartphone, side-loading it also available. The app also features Audible news and trophies. There are levels that are unlocked the more you listen to audiobooks, and a collection of 18 trophies such as “Weekend Warrior” and “Audible Obsessed.” There are no explanations for how to unlock the trophies, but maybe those and more trophies will come with future releases. To get the app you need to allow your phone to install apps outside of the Market (sorry Backflip owners), and join the Audible for Android Beta Google Group. Since the app is in beta, it might not be exactly stable, but that doesn’t mean it’s not usable. The solution isn’t nearly as easy as using the same music app as on the iPhone, but any chance to get Audible books on Android is a welcome one. Read [Lifehacker] Image from [Android Central] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Haven’t caught all of the Gadgetell news this week? Here's your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles! - Signs point to an App Store for your TV
” Is Apple readying an app assault on your TV? A new rumor purporting a new Apple TV suggest Apple very may well be. From the hardware to the software to the price, this could be an…” MORE » - Creators of Hurt Locker sue 5,000 BitTorrent users
” The creators of Hurt Locker have teamed up with the U.S. Copyright Group’s money making scheme entitled 'pay up or else' to reclaim losses due to piracy. 5,000 BitTorrent users have officially been reported to…” MORE » - Qik clarifies video service on the HTC EVO 4G
” Since the HTC EVO 4G will boast two cameras (one front facing and the other rear facing), the idea of video communication becomes a reality. Of course, the hardware is there but now all that remains necessary…” MORE » - Bing booting Google on iPhone search or just an option?
“Sources have reported that a search deal is on the table between Apple and Microsoft to put Bing as either an option or the default or the only search option on the iPhone. About the only thing that is clear is Apple is becoming increasingly wary of one-time…” MORE » - AT&T data plans signal incoming Verizon iPhone? (rumor)
“You’ve got to ask the question: why is AT&T lowering pricing on it’s smartphones (and not just the iPhone) data connection days before the expected announcement of iPhone 4? The plans introduced today have the potential to substantially lower AT&T profits, yet they are providing no adjustment…” MORE » - 2 million now served - iPad on track to beat *both* Macbooks and Mac in sales volume
“Apple released the big news on Memorial Day in the US: They’ve sold their 2 millionth iPad in just under 60 days. The first million sold took just 28 days so it seems clear that demand isn’t diminishing. With the first International sales beginning…” MORE » - Top 5 productivity apps for jailbroken iPads part 2
” Images taken by Greg Billetdeaux Time for round two of productivity apps you should put on your jailbroken iPad to tap its full potential. Today we have a few cool things invovling tethering, folders, file system access and lockscreen data.…” MORE » - Borders to begin selling Aluretek Libre Pro for $120
” Borders isn’t letting itself get left behind by the likes of Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The book retailer may not have a ebook store yet, but that isn’t stopping it from selling it’s second ebook reader. That ebook…” MORE » - Asus announces iPad competitor, the Eee Pad
” Asus, not to be left behind if the netbook market disappears for tablets, has announced two new tablets at Computex Taipei. The tablets are called the Eee Pad EP121 and Eee Pad EP101TC. The former is a 12-inch tablet…” MORE » - South Korea carrier KT to start selling Google Nexus One
” Starting in late June, the Google Nexus One will be offered to the citizens of South Korea on the KT network. KT is also the sole distributor of the iPhone so it will be interesting to see these two smartphones compete…” MORE »
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Mobile Computers 
Image via Flickr
Apple iPads have become the most loved travel companions since their release several months ago. Now the Australian-based airline Jetstar has decided to offer rentals of iPads to passengers on flights 90 minutes or longer. I would imagine that passengers who do rent these, for $10 Australian, will have free reign to apps and of course games galore. That coupled with in-flight wifi could be a killer combo that will no doubt have people looking away from the in-flight movie and focused on the iPad. Read [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack Here we are on the precipice of another iPhone announcement, an annual announcement so big they can’t show it live n HD quality. If they did, the internet would crash for days straight until BP showed up with some awesome-ly named solution to stop the flow of video. The hype machine was helped with a bunch of gun-jumpers this week who’ve clearly been on the rock so long, they’ve become paranoid of little black helicopters, vans parked outside and even particular fruit in the bowl. Let’s get to the whirlwind of drugs: - AT&T lowers price, crushes hopes
- Verizon iPhone is real/figment of imagination
- Back in Nam/Gizmodo in the slammer
- Big update-Little update-Big update
AT&T devalues data, or are they valuing it? Tiers. Forget the all-you-can-eat buffet (which really isn’t if you’ve ever tried to push it as say your local all-you-can-eat eater - they throw you out pretty quick). AT&T has moved to a tiered system where they are hoping to stem unlimited usage. If they sucker you in on the cheapest plan, you’ll have an incentive not to use so much 3G data (namely a $15 fee for 200MB more data). It’s a little less offensive (by $5) if you bust the 2GB cap but knowing you have a ceiling is all they are trying to achieve here. 2% of AT&T users, if tricked into jumping onto the tiered system, are in the cross-hairs. You torrent loving-music streaming-video munching bunch are ruining it for the whole party. Or are you driving innovation to make the networks faster, the machines capable of more and the world a better place. I frankly have lost which side of this argument I am on: shutting down these freaks or letting them run amok and let the companies and tech catch up. 
Verizon iPhone is red all over I’ll be so happy when there finally is a Verizon iPhone - not because I’ll switch carriers and get one, because we can finally stop talking about it. Is it coming, is exclusivity over, how will that impact the carriers and their data network? Will things get immediately worse on Verizon? Will things get immediately better on AT&T? These thoughts hound bloggers and keep them up during the day. AT&T’s jumping in front of the iPhone party next week is one of two things: 1. getting in front of the announcement so AT&T is not the big downer (no more unlimited) of the event or 2. Our plans are cheaper than Verizon’s iPhone plan. Can any other motive be so strong as to force this kind of play? Apple loves to haul partners up on stage - it makes them look like they’ve got billions of Facebook friends. So why push AT&T off the stage, especially when it will make the overall purchase of your new iPhone less expensive - a good thing right? Imagine Steve on stage, iPhone HD (or whatever they are calling this thing) is the least expensive iPhone ever - starting at just $45 a month with data! Imagine the techorati on their feet yelling accolades, throwing spring bouquets on stage, women baring their chests…it’s a love fest scene out of the 60s. Why kill that happy moment? Verizon iPhone baby, that’s why. Apple has been peeved with AT&T for some time, in other countries Apple doesn’t have these issues as the device is sold on multiple carriers in a market. Android is rolling fast and heavy like a gold-adorn 80’s rapper, Apple’s got to get more phones out there and they are poised to do it - the only thing holding them back is AT&T. So is AT&T on edge about this? Our Tarun Kunwar provides exhibit B: “if you hadn't heard the news yesterday, AT&T's Executive Response Team replied to e-mails from customer Giorgio Galante's with threats to cease and desist all services.” For emailing the CEO. AT&T’s backpedal response: an AT&T senior VP apologized to Galante citing that the rep who called him was "not having the best of days today." Translation: “we are frickin’ days away from an announcement that is going to slice our stock, send customers running from the hills to our competitor and you want to whine about your one iPhone problem? Dude, we’ve got millions of iPhone problems.” Sure Verizon has gone on record to say no, but don’t they kinda have to until the announcement? 
Vietnam-Gizmodo-gate Can these two really be grouped together? I say yes. Let’s start with Vietnam - we’ve seen more of this device than of the back of Steve Job’s head. Video after video, image after image, I am already bored with the hardware part of next week’s announcement and it hasn’t even started or probably even been finalized. Why have we seen so much and why Vietnam? The internet is everywhere, Apple knows this. By dropping off a few phones, Apple can leak the phone without making it look like they are doing it. (plus the labor rates for video creation are so much lower in Vietnam than other parts of the world - they are getting the leak accomplished at a great price). These are not accidents, these are purposeful leaks to show us something to keep our eyes away from things like real 4G and the Sprint EVO. Now on to the little tech blog Gizmodo: Apple gets caught playing with new devices stateside. Apple gets really mad, like when you lost your Dad’s favorite screw driver, and overreacts a bit. I can hear, “we control the message, dammit, not some kid with a computer,” booming through the halls at Apple HQ. ” We’ve just paid these Vietnamese guys to leak this stuff, our hands should be clean.” This would of course be followed up by, “it’s too hot in here for a mock turtleneck. Quick, someone get me a frickin Dickie in here, and kill operation Global Warming.” 
Apple’s update pattern The iPhone first gen didn’t need to be anything more than it was: a breakthrough in mass attraction. Then comes the made-for-masses 3G that got a lot of folks to pony up - lower price, 3G speeds, all the original iPhone goodness in an easier to love fashion. Then came the 3GS, more of a refinement than an upgrade while Apple burned time for all the 3Gers 2 year contract to be up. Now comes the 4th generation. We all expect a full redesign on hardware, a fun update to the OS bringing all kinds of crazy things that we’ll probably love at first but then yearn for the old days when the phone was much simpler. This is the model that Apple aims to get everyone to upgrade to, so it’s got to be full of surprises. And not just the leaked hardware. The last WWDC left me feeling ho-hum: nothing much to see here, little “wow”. Most of us were still burning our last year of a contract before we can upgrade on the cheap. I all but guarantee (Gadgetell doesn’t let me guarantee anything anymore since that whole blender incident) that we’ll leave the live blog with goose-bumps and a bad case of gadget-fever. This is a big one for Apple. It looks like tethering (non-jailbreak) is legit. Front facing camera? Maybe. On the Sprint “Now Network”? Who knows. All I can say is Apple (and it’s leakers) have lulled us into a false sense of “we know it all”, just as they planned. And you bet it’s planned. That’s when we have a “wow” moment, and Apple is very good at creating those. And we’ll all be just as surprised as you are. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers Samsung has recently taken to Twitter and offered up a nice image of the Samsung Tab tablet. Overall it looks pretty nice, but there are still few details that are know. So far we can tell you that it has a 7-inch display, which at least in the picture seems to be pretty nice. Otherwise, it will be running Android with the TouchWiz user interface. The one question I have is in regards to the phone icon, really, on a 7-inch device. Imagine the strange looks you are going to get when holding that up to your head. Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab (tablet). More pics to follow. http://twitpic.com/1tivs7
Read [Twitter @SamsungBlogSA] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Web, Online Music/Video Those of use in the US are still waiting for some sort of premium music streaming service. Spotify constantly delays release for one reason or another. MOG still lacks a smartphone app of any kind, though iPhone and Android apps are coming. Other services like Slacker and Pandora aren’t as useful when you want to listen to a specific song or album. Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis are launching their own service to help us out. The service is called Rdio, and is currently in invite-only status. Unlike Spotify, there doesn’t look to be any sort of free model with Rdio. The service will cost either $5 or $10 per month depending on how you want to use it. The cheaper plan will gain you access to the full catalog of songs on your desktop while the $10 model will allow users to streaming music to their smartphones. Rdio will have apps for the iPhone and BlackBerry platforms, and an Android app that is said to be released “very soon.” Rdio hopes to bring something different by adding in social networking integration. It will feature simple integration with Facebook and Twitter, as well as add it’s own social elements. Users will be able to see what songs their friends are streaming and downloading from the service, which could help with discovering new music. Of course, Rdio will have another way to discover new music by letting users download a small app that will analyze their current iTunes or Windows Media Player history to determine what music they listen to and determine what they may like. Unlike Spotify, Rdio is planning on an International release by the end of the year, but is starting in the US first. It has a deal with all the major labels, so finding music will not be an issue at all. No idea yet when the service will be open to more users, though hopefully it will be soon. It may even be able to beat Spotify to the US, which is now looking for fall release in the US. Read [Rdio] Via [TechCrunch] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  Emailing a company CEO seems to be the trendy thing to do lately. That said, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has recently received and replied to an email regarding data plan pricing. Of course, as you have most likely already guessed—its in relation to the recent changes with AT&T. Still, Dan Hesse had some good news to pass on.
The actual email thread is in the image below, but the good news came in the first sentence of the reply, which read; “One can never say “never”, but we have no current plans to change our pricing,”
Read [Engadget] 
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile As expected, the HTC EVO 4G is now available for purchase. Those interested can plunk down their $199.99 and get the latest and greatest in Android. The EVO 4G include features goodies such as a 4.3 inch touchscreen display, 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 8 megapixel camera as well as the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot for tethering. In terms of that price—it comes after a $100 mail in rebate, which means if you make your purchase at Sprint you will have to shell out $299.99. Otherwise, it comes with the standard two year agreement. Product [Sprint] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Web, Google 
Android 2.2 was officially announced and released to developers a couple of weeks ago at Google IO. With updates already rolling out to the Nexus One owners, next on the list is the most popular Android phone out there, the Motorola Droid. On the Motorola forums today, the manager made a quick post entitled “Follow this thread for news about Android 2.2 for Droid.” Well it looks like the Droid owners do not have to wait long.  Froyo should be a well received update with speed improvements, flash, and a little change aesthetically to the Android interface. If you want a more broad look at the update check out our post on Froyo here. Read [Android And Me] Full Story » | Written by Hunter Clarke for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers  If you hadn’t heard the news yesterday, AT&T’s Executive Response Team replied to e-mails from customer Giorgio Galante’s with threats to cease and desist all services. What kind of heinous crime did Galante commit? He wrote two, count em two, e-mails to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson to move up his iPhone eligibility date and request for a tethering option. My goodness, what the heck was he even thinking asking for such requests?
As it turns out, an AT&T senior VP apologized to Galante citing that the rep who called him was “not having the best of days today.” It seems as though Stephenson can learn a thing or two from Steve Jobs and possibly even prevent negative publicity from reaching his company in the future. Here’s what AT&T had to say: “We are apologizing to our customer. We’re working with him today to address his questions and concerns. This is not the way we want to treat customers. From Facebook to significant customer service channels, AT&T strives to provide our customers with easy ways to have their questions addressed. Because of this incident, we are reviewing our entire process to ensure a situation like this does not happen again.” Now this is exactly why pencils have erasers, children. Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Tarun Kunwar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
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