Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation  The new updated version of Google Maps features several improvements over the last version, primarily in the form of a revamped Places design, improved search filtration, and a Google Latitude updating in real time.
The Places component of Google Maps now looks identical to the desktop version of the service. In fact, it now includes reviews from all over the Internet as well as user generated reviews. Searches can be further restricted to “Open now,” “Neighborhood,” or “Related searches.” Now the last part of the update is Google Latitude, which updates in real-time so you can find out where your friend is instantly. Unfortunately, for the Latitude option to work, users must be running Android 2.2 and have updated Google Maps to 4.6, however, the Google Maps 4.6 update is available for anyone running Android 1.6 or higher. You can download the update from the Android Market today. Read [Google Mobile Blog] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Video, Content, Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones Interested in purchasing a Samsung Epic 4G sometime soon? Well, Sprint is running a new promotion in which customers buying the Epic 4G between October 31, 2010 and January 8, 2011 will receive a $50 gift card to the Samsung Media Hub. Basically, the Media Hub is an app within Samsung devices and it allows for movie rental and other video purchases. With the $50 gift card, users will be able to purchase movies, but not other videos. According to Android Guys’ source, the Samsung Galaxy Tab on Sprint is also scheduled to receive a similar promotion, but for the time being, Sprint only mentions the Epic 4G as the recipient for this promotion. Customers who happened to already purchase the Epic 4G might be a little peeved, but as long as you purchased one within 30 days of October 31, you could return it and buy it again under the new promotion. Via [Android Guys] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Many have seen the Motorola Droid Pro, it was officially announced earlier in the month. Well, at the time we learned that it will have a 3.1 inch touchscreen display, full hardware QWERTY keyboard and 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and dual LED flash. With that, it looks like there may be a second, enterprise-friendly version of the Droid Pro in the works. And by enterprise-friendly I really mean a Droid Pro without a camera. The details are not yet officially confirmed, however it does appear likely. According to Engadget, the camera-free Droid Pro has been confirmed by a “trusted source” who is “99 percent positive.” Read [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Mobile Computers I’ve been wondering why Asus has been pretty slow in joining both the tablet PC and e-reader markets. I was really hoping that by this time, Asus has already released an e-reader at least. But since tablets are more popular today than e-readers, an Asus-branded tablet PC would have been a good contender against the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. So finally, Asus has shared with us some details of its plan to join the tablet PC market by way of not just one but five tablets that will start hitting the market as early as December 2010. None other than Asustek’s chairman, Jerry Shen confirmed the five new Asus tablet PCs that will be coming out in months to come. Mr. Shen announced that a 12-inch tablet featuring Wintel Platform will be ready by December, although sales would only commence by January 2011. Are we excited now? Actually, the four other Asus Tablet PCs seem more interesting than the 12-inch model. There will be 2 7-inch models and 2 9-inch models which will released in March 2011. One of the 7-inch tablet pc will have Wi-Fi support, while the other will a 3G-capable model. One of the 9-inch tablet PC will adopt the ARM-based Nvidia Tegra 2 platform with Android OS, while the other one will run on Wintel platform. There will also be a difference when it comes to pricing. Particularly, around $100 will be the price difference between these two models. Looks interesting, right? If only Asus would work doubly hard to meet the targeted release dates of the tablet PCs, then we will have more options when buying a tablet PC. Via [Digitimes] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra 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! - iPhone 6 concept shows much larger screen
” It is a concept by an artist that is in no way (as far as we know) associated with Apple. This concept, shows us where Apple may be…” MORE » - Gruber explains it all: Mac Air is an “iPad Pro”
” Yesterday, Apple officando John Gruber posted on what he sees untypical Apple: confusion on which Mac to buy. Typically, Gruber insists, Apple makes it very clear what choices consumers have so they can make the best purchase. With last weeks addition of the Mac Air models, that…” MORE » - AppStation locks iPad to leg - it’s the Han Solo of iPad holsters
“Designed for pilots, the AppStation from Big Sky Products, features a polycarbonate back coupled with a velcro strap to keep the iPad from bobbling around while in flight. iOS devices have proven to be a winner in the…” MORE » - Amazon rewrites its iPad app and renames it Amazon Windowshop
” Quite frankly, I never really got to download Amazon’s previous iPad app. I still have the Amazon Mobile app on my iPhone but never really get to use it to shop from Amazon online. I still prefer to do my online…” MORE » - Gadgetell investigates: Netflix to take on iTunes, Amazon?
” Netflix made news last week when CEO Reed Hastings declared, “In fact, by every measure, we are now primarily a streaming company that also offers DVD-by-mail”. Today, Robert Nelson reported Netflix is doing more pricing tests that will probably lead to a higher…” MORE » - New Amazon Kindle in October 2010 already outselling Kindle 2 in all of Q4 2009
” Amazon always likes to point out just how popular it’s Kindle is. That popularity only seems to increase with each successive model. Without publishing hard numbers, Amazon is content to tell us that the new Kindle is the fastest-selling yet. it seems…” MORE » - Angry Birds ringtones & alert notification sounds now available for download
” Just in case you have not yet gotten enough Angry Birds, you can now download the audio and have Angry Birds ringtones and alert notifications. The crew over at Talk Android have begun offering up two collections—one containing 4 Ringtones and the other…” MORE » - Was the $188 Android Tablet from CherryPal a scam?
” Back in October we learned of the CherryPad, which was an Android tablet that was coming with a $188 price tag. In terms of the specs, they were nothing over the top, but at…” MORE » - Walgreens selling Android tablet for $99
” Walgreens is taking the pharmaceutical industry to the next level by putting a Maylong 7” Android tablet on their shelves for just $99. Considering the amount of speculation that the “Indian tablet” stirred up with its impossibly cheap…” MORE » - Amazon validates Windows Phone 7 with a Kindle app
” To keep it’s dominant hold on the ebook market, Amazon makes sure to launch a Kindle app for every major mobile OS. There’s currently apps for iOS, Android and BlackBerry, and coming soon there will be a Kindle…” MORE »
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  We’ve received another confirmation of the mythical Verizon iPhone by way of Fortune today. Fortune contributing writer Sarah Ellison reports that the Verizon iPhone will come in 2011. That’s 3 major publications now, WSJ, NYT and now Fortune all going on record saying the unicorn that is the Verizon iPhone is real. Is it time to finally believe?
Fortune has confirmed that a Verizon iPhone will be released in early 2011.
Is it time for my end zone dance? Perhaps a ticker-tape parade? Maybe time to announce the iPhone is going to Disney World? Perhaps, though many insist until Steve Job shuffles out in his mock turtleneck, nothing is for sure. What is for sure is Apple is feeling the heat from Google. Apple CEO Steve Jobs rant on the last quarterly call was proof postive the company (or at least Jobs) talk an aweful lot about the threat that Android is. Moving to a new carrier in the US could easily add 10 million iPhone sales next year, and thats only if 1 in 10 Verizon customers switch - forget the carrier jumpers that the deal would reel in. The Fortune piece is largely a look at outgoing CEO Ivan Seidenberg and how he’s built Verizon. It’s a great Friday read. Read: [Fortune] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile 
Windows Phone 7 fans in Canada will have yet another carrier and another handset to pick from come November 8th. The latest details include the LG Optimus Quantum as coming to Bell Mobility. According to the details given, the Optimus Quantum will arrive with a $449.95 off-contract price and is expected to be somewhere in the ballpark of 100 bucks with a three-year agreement. And as you can likely tell from the vague on-contract price—we are still awaiting the official word from Bell. Otherwise, the handset features a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen display, full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 16GB of internal storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 1500 mAh battery and a 5 megapixel camera with flash and video recording at 720p. Read [BGR] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Video, HDTV 
This past week saw the makers of TVs all saying the same thing - a price avalanche is coming. Prices are expected to fall in 2010 as much as 25% by the holiday season as retailers fight for scarce customers. Warnings have gone out to investors. "There's going to be a price war this Christmas season and there's no way around that," said Tsutomu Yamada, a market analyst at kabu.com Securities Co. in Tokyo. "The whole strategy this year is 'sell earlier and sell for less.' That makes life miserable for the manufacturers."
But for consumers, its a win. While unemployment in the us hovers at 9.6%, retailers fear this will be anything but a green Christmas. The fear is in the air and price cuts will come fast and heavy. Despite strong quarterly earnings from manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and LG, each warn good times are not ahead. The strength of mobile devisions will not carry the company through the holidays. That should equate to an insane Black Friday price war. Stay tuned to Gadgetell as we bring you all the hot gadget deals. Read: [Bloomberg] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Shopping for mobile phones direct with the carrier is not always the best option, and in the case of the HTC HD7 that is proving to be true once again. Not only can you pre-order the device as of now, but it is also being sold for less. Just to offer the complete picture, the HD7 is priced at $199.99 with T-Mobile and Wirefly, who originally announced it at $169.99 has since lowered it to $149.99. And for those who are still hoping to save some money as compared to T-Mobile and for some reason are not willing to go with Wirefly—Amazon has added their pre-order listing for $169.99. In addition, the Amazon price includes free two-day shipping and a waived activation fee. Either way though, regardless of where you make the purchase, you are signing up for a two-year agreement with T-Mobile and your phone will not be coming until the November 8th release day. Read [Amazon] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Netbooks, Wireless 
Now we are talking. Look what’s been caught sneaking through the FCC: Samsung Tab WiFi version. Hot diggity. This version of the Froyo-running Tab tablet will lose the 3G modem and rely on WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0. Will it merit a significant price drop? Unfortunately, it is likely that the price won’t be anywhere near $200 as with losing the 3G modem, the unit will lose any subsidy a 3G carrier offers for a bundle. While this isn’t the first mention of the device, it is a necessary step to getting into the US market. Word on the street (aka a Best Buy flyer) puts it at a all-to-familiar $499, the same as the iPad sans 3G. How will a WiFi only tab do against the identically price iPad? Read: [Into Mobile] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Computers, Gadgets / Other, Features, Originals, Columns, Who's On Crack 
What's the most common phrase heard around the Gadgetell newsroom? Is it "I love Apple?", "that's cool!" or "sweet!"? Answer: none of them, it's "they are on crack." This week we take a look back at the things that made us chuckle in the tech world. This week, it seems there were more folks on dope than not. Lets get to this week's accused: The ghost of iPhone 4
Playstation phone falls through time machine
A bad Android tablet?
How to discount your own event 
White iPhone 4 turns out to be all trick, no treat. Apple backtracked on their update the App Store app which added the white iPhone as some kind of cruel joke. It seems the illusive white variant will remain unavailable for some time to come, well into 2011, which will only be months away from an expected iPhone 5. So who’ll care then? Any bets that the white was just a publicity stunt? Watch for next weeks headlines: “Verizon iPhone to be White Only”.
 Playstation phone shows up to party, claims flat tire, left oven on, highway shut down, saw UFO. We learned today that Sony Ericsson got knocked off the top five list of phone manufacturers for the first time ever since the tracker was born. So, they’ve dug deep and may be coming out with this: the Playstation phone. Our Shawn Ingram has the scoop, “(t)he photos look like a PSP Go that hooked up with the Xperia X10, but with a stock Android build. According to Engadget's source, the phone should be running on Gingerbread (whether that be 2.3 or 3.0), and will have a custom Sony Marketplace for games, hopefully in addition to the Android Market. “ The Xperia X10 isnt doing so well, so it’s kind of one of those “last call” beer-goggling hook ups. We’ve been talking about a phone like this from Sony for years and back then, it made tons of sense. Now, with a new game paradigm firmly in place where $.99 and free awesome games rule, Sony can’t bring it’s $50 game mentality to this party. A gaming phone might please the younger crowd but this mock up or leak looks pretty old school and if I am being honest, desperate. Then again, the company did just stop making the Walkman tape player, so we’ll cut them some slack this month. 
Can there really be a bad Android tablet? Our Tarun Kunwar thinks there could be a bad Android tablet in his post on the $100 Walgreens offering. “Walgreens is taking the pharmaceutical industry to the next level by putting a Maylong 7" Android tablet on their shelves for just $99. Considering the amount of speculation that the "Indian tablet" stirred up with its impossibly cheap price, I think it would be wise for us to stay skeptical on this one.” Come on Tarun, its $100. For the price of an iPad, you could have one for each day of the work week. Or leave one in your office, one on your boat, one in your car, one in the bed room and still have one to play Frisbee with outside. If it does 1/5 of what an iPad does, you’re breaking even. Now sure, you get what you pay for. We’re, at this price, expecting a resistive touch interface. We’re expecting slow loads. And we’re expecting you won’t be able to upgrade anything on this, including the OS. But the dream of a usable tablet at $100 is work some hope. No? Tarun isn’t refusing, by the way. He says he’ll be down to check it out sooner or later. But by then, I’ll have swung by with my cronies and bought them all for my office, boat, car, bedroom and Frisbee golf tournaments…  RIM PlayBook goes live at Adobe event I don’t normally cover posts I’ve written, cause it just seems pompous. I’ll make an exception today because it’s Friday (that’s funny cause this is a Friday-only column, if I have to explain all these…). So at the BlackBerry event, the only close up action was behind glass and the units played a looping video. Thrilling. But at the Adobe Max even this week, there it was live and working ending speculation that they didn’t even have this thing together. It looks very real and from the video, pretty great. So why not show just how great at your own show? Why show it as a frozen deer in the headlights? Why not stop the questions before they start? It’s like selling a car. You finally get the Craigslist weirdo that’s keeps phoning you about it to show up, and you don’t start the engine for him. Instead you happen to drive by him as he heads home. You toot and wave but it’s weird, right? Or you have a birthday party for yourself, only you don’t blow out the candles at the party, you just keep them burning. Instead, you send everyone a video clip after the party of you blowing out the candles. Everyone emails back, WTF is wrong with you? It’s just plain wrong and we’re pretty sure the dogs at the airport were looking right at you. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Smartphones, Mobile  The Dell Venue Pro was officially announced back on October 11th, which some will remember as the day Windows Phone 7 and the handsets were officially rolled out. Yup, putting two and two together and that will likely tell you that the Dell Venue Pro is a Windows Phone 7 handset. And while we knew which mobile operating system the Venue Pro was running and that it was heading to T-Mobile we had also heard word that a second Venue would be released with Android. Well, it looks like that second handset has made the required FCC appearance and has dropped the Pro from its name. The device is the Dell Venue and it is speculated that this will be running Android. Sadly though, nothing additional in terms of which carrier or when. Otherwise, the specs will remain the same with one fairly large exception—the Venue does not have the portrait style sliding keyboard. That said you can still expect to find the rather large 4.1 inch AMOLED display as well as the usual array of smartphone features to include Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. Read [FCC] Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 FROM GAMERTELL - Alfred Hitchcock’s most properly titled psychological slasher film, Psycho (1960), is now available on Blu-ray with a new, digitally remastered audio track, just in time for Halloween. Check out Gamertell’s quick look at the release…
MORE » Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile 
It looks like our suspicion that Samsung would get the nod to build the Nexus Two was right. According to a source, the phone will be announced November 8 and will launch soon thereafter. If you had hopes this would just build on the Nexus One in terms of style, forget it. The new phone is said to appear to be a Galaxy phone from a few yards away. The hardware has a curved back (Gizmodo mock up shown above), much like the iPhone 3G - which should give it a great feel in the hand. The unit appears very thin. The source says the phone was very Galaxy-like, which makes sense for Samsung as they are very pleased with how well the Galaxy series is taking off. The software was noted as very buggy. There’s not a lot of time left to debug if the above details are true. They should be just waxing the phones at this point… What’s your take, anything to get excited about? Read: [Gizmodo] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Those still interested in picking up a BlackBerry Torch with AT&T will soon have a few more options when doing so. Up till this point, the Torch 9800 has been available in the standard black however as of November 7th, AT&T will add a red and a white model. “Adding to the appeal of the best BlackBerry® ever, AT&T will offer two new red and white color variants for the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800, both exclusive to AT&T customers and in stores beginning November 7.”
Pricing will remain the same as the current Torch. In other words, the red, white and black AT&T branded Torch smartphone will set you back $199.99 on a two-year contract. The good news here is that at present, AT&T is offering the Torch with free activation and free overnight shipping when you place your order online. Read [AT&T] Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile 
Acer just made official their new Android 2.2 handset, Liquid Metal. Featuring the new Breeze UI, Acer is looking to make Android more intuitive for users. The phone will sell for 299 pounds in the UK, no word on when we’ll see the US variant. The Acer Liquid Metal has a 3.6” touchscreen, 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230 processor, Froyo 2.2 and can record video at 720p. The screen features multitouch for simple and easy map and photo navigation. The device also features DLNA/UPnP technology. The Breeze UI gives the Liquid Metal a reason to stand out and look different. Common apps and functions are brought front and center. The installed Socialjogger app combines Facebook and Twitter feeds. Available now in brown with silver to follow in December. Read: [Endgadget] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Best Buy has been running their Free Phone Friday promotion for the month of October where each Friday they offered a selection of phones that were available for free. They always included one handset from each carrier, and they were always free on contract. That said, with October coming to a close and this being the final Friday in the month—this will be the last week for the Best Buy Free Phone Friday promotion. With that, those interested will be able to grab the HTC Incredible, Samsung Flight 2, Samsung Vibrant or the BlackBerry Curve 3G. And as for those carriers, those would be Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint respectively. Read [Best Buy] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 More Recent Articles | 
No comments:
Post a Comment