Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers Just a quick note to remind you all that as previously announced, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is now available from T-Mobile today. If you’ve been eyeing possibly one of the best Android-powered tablets that we have seen so far, you better check out T-Mobile and make sure you’ve hit the purchase button. As previously announced, T-Mobile is offering the Samsung Galaxy Tab under two purchase options. You can either get it without the usual two-year service agreement, pay $599.99 and wait for your unit to get delivered, or tie yourself up with T-Mobile’s service plan and pay only $399.99 for the unit. Of course, getting the Samsung Galaxy Tab from T-Mobile is not your only option at owning this device. You can grab this one now or wait for both Sprint and Verizon to make their Samsung Galaxy Tabs available in the coming days. You might also want to check out other retailers who will also be releasing the Android tablet any day or get it from those who’ve already released a couple of days ago. There you go. So, who’s getting the Samsung Galaxy Tab? Product [Samsung Galaxy Tab] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile If you’re in the hunt for an affordable Android phone, you might as well check out Verizon stores and its online site tomorrow. Verizon has just announced that the new Motorola Citrus is finally coming out. This smartphone is not only cheap at only $49.99 but most importantly it will be powered by Android 2.1. So, there goes your long wait to finally get your hands on an Android device. Preloaded with Bing Search and Bing Maps, the Motorola Citrus is feature-packed entry-level Android phone that promises to deliver a PC-like web browsing experience. It sports an easy-to-use on-screen QWERTY keyboard but since it’s running Android, you can pretty much install other supported and more efficient virtual keyboard tool, such as Swype. Of course, thousands of Android apps will be waiting for you on the Android Market including popular ones such as Facebook, Twitter and Google apps including Google Talk, YouTube and Gmail. If you’re environmental conscious, the Motorola Citrus is also the perfect smartphone for you. The phone happens to be made from 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, carbon-free certified and its packaging is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled paper as well. So there. You’re not only getting an affordable phone running one of the most popular mobile OS but you can also rest easy knowing the fact that you didn’t contribute too much to the degradation of our beloved planet. A nice incentive to get the Motorola Citrus, right? Read [Verizon News] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile  We saw plenty of leaks and rumors surrounding the Samsung Continuum smartphone with its “ticker” display. And thankfully that all came to an end when it was officially announced earlier in the week. Well, flash forward till today and we are begin given a nice look at the phone itself, in action, courtesy of a promotion video from Samsung. Bottom line, the “ticker” display seems to make quite a bit of sense. Watch [YouTube] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Web, Web Apps, Websites  It probably won’t be a blue Christmas for Google employees as reports are rolling in that the search giant is making them all just a little bit richer. According to an employee source, Google is passing out $1,,000 to each employee and bumping their pay 10% as of January 1, 2011. Google is working hard to keep employees happy.
Googlers, you are what makes this company great, and our goal here is to recognize you for your contribution, in a way that's meaningful to you. Thank you for all that you do, and for making Google a place where magic happens. -Eric Schmidt, in a private and confidential email to Googlers
It’s clear Schmidt belives in Google and the workforce it’s built. In the email, he call them “the brightest, most capable group of this size ever assembled.” The cash bonus will cost them around $20 million while the 10% hike will about a billion dollars (the company currently pays $20 billion in salary. Google responded to this story, “"[w]hile we don't typically comment on internal matters, we do believe that competitive compensation plans are important to the future of the company." The company has the cash and with competition for talent heating up, this is probably a good move by Google. Read more: [Business Insider] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Rogers has officially announced the latest Nokia handset that will be coming available. The device is the Nokia N8 and it comes sporting a $79.99 price tag. Of course, that is the on-contract price which means a three year agreement. For those looking to shed the long term commitment, be prepared to shell out a bit more, well a lot more—$449.99. Otherwise, the N8 is a fairly solid offering and features goodies such as a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and HD quality video recording. Other specs on the N8 include a 3.5 inch (640 x 360) capacitive touchscreen display, 1200 mAh battery, 16GB internal storage, microSD card slot, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, 3.5mm headphone jack and Symbian^3. Read [Rogers Redboard] and [smr.newswire.ca] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Software / Applications, Reviews, Features, Originals  I’ve been a fan of AVG for several years now. It’s done a great job protecting my computer and I’ve always highly recommended it. Recently I was prompted to upgrade to AVG 2011 and did so. This new release promises increased social networking protection by automatically scanning all links posted to sites like Facebook and Twitter. Another new feature is called Smart Scanning. This real-time virus scanning promises to work in high priority mode only when your system is idle. It also offers a feature called PC Analyzer that claims to scan your system to find registry errors, broken shortcuts, and other problems that could be slowing your system down. However, to fix any it finds, you have to download another program called AVG PC Tuneup 2011. The program will work once for free, and after that costs $27 a year.
Installing this takes some patience. The download itself is pretty quick but the installation is SLOW. It takes a good 15 minutes and that doesn’t include the forced reboot. Once that happens, installation continues! Once installed it then forces an update, which takes an additional 5 minutes. I’ve found AVG 2011 to be pretty much business as usual. No false alarms, regular updates, quick scans and very comprehensive protection. One feature I’m not sure I’m happy with is Smart Scanning. While it promises to stay in low priority mode when your system is active, I’ve found that it still has an affect on system performance. Facebook seemed to run much faster when it was disabled. I’m running a Windows 7 system, and of course, your mileage may vary. All in all tho, I still recommend it! It’s a free anti-virus solution packed with features well worth paying for! Read[AVG] Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Video, Portable Video, Communications, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Online Music/Video One of the latest to join the Windows Phone 7 app party comes in the form of SlingPlayer Mobile. Yup, the television shifting app that allows you to access your home television and/or DVR has been officially announced and can be found in the Windows Marketplace. The app will run using a Wi-Fi or 3G connection and requires the user to have a Slingbox at home. The SlingPlayer Mobile app is available for those in the US, the UK, Europe and Canada and is priced at $29.99, £22.99, €21.10 plus local VAT and $31.99 CAN respectively. Read [SlingMedia] Keep reading to check out the full press release… Sling Media Announces Availability of SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Phone 7 Sling Media Featured as Microsoft Launch App Partner Foster City, Calif. — Nov. 9, 2010— Sling Media, Inc., a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), today announced the availability of SlingPlayer Mobile™ for Windows Phone 7. As a Microsoft Launch App Partner, Sling Media is making the new SlingPlayer Mobile software available for purchase and download from the Windows Marketplace on the same day as North American mobile carriers introduce the new handsets in their retail stores. "The big story about SlingPlayer Mobile on Windows Phone 7 is the quality of the user experience," said John M. Paul, executive vice president of Products at Sling Media. "From the fully revamped user interface to the clear, sharp video images, customers are going to thoroughly enjoy watching TV on their Windows Phone 7 handsets." How it Works When connected to a Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD via the Internet, the award-winning SlingPlayer Mobile software makes it easy to watch your home TV on a variety of handsets. Now Slingbox® owners with Windows Phone 7 devices can change channels, control their DVRs and watch their favorite shows anywhere they have a 3G or Wi-Fi internet connection. Pricing and Availability SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Phone 7 is available now for $29.99 (US), £22.99 (UK), €21.10 plus local VAT (Europe), and CN$31.99 (Canada) from the Windows Marketplace, accessible on any Windows Phone 7 handset or via the internet at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsphone/en-us/apps/default.aspx. SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Phone 7 can be purchased, downloaded and installed in minutes. Initially, the software will be available only in English, with other languages to follow soon.
Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Web, Web Browsers, Features, Originals  Firefox, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. Yes, it’s sad but true. I just don’t like you much anymore. There was a time, back when you were the new kid on the block, that I, like many others, loved you. You were sleek, fast, and rock solid. I’m not sure what happened but as time has gone by you’ve lost your luster. You’re slow, and you’ve become bloatware, taking up huge amounts of RAM. Worst of all, you lock up and sometimes crash! The “Oops, this is embarrassing!” message that pops up, forcing me to manually restore my se@ssion is an added aggravation. It’s not me-I’m using a Windows 7 system with plenty of RAM that’s only a few months old.
What happened, Firefox? You’ve become just another IE. Please go back to the sleek, fast, rock solid browser you used to be. Until then I’ll be using Chrome or Safari. Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers It looks like K-Mart has expanded on their low priced Android tablet offerings and have begun offering the latest from Sylvania. Sure, it is sporting a fairly attractive price tag, but we have to caution you—you generally get what you pay for. That said, we should clarify that we have not actually used the Sylvania tablet, but are speaking from experience with similarly priced offerings. As for the specs and pricing, the tablet, which is listed as the “Sylvania 7” MID Tablet Wireless Mobile Internet Device” is $179.99. The specs are as follows; - 7 inch (800 x 480) High Res Touchscreen
- 6 Hour Battery
- Ultra Light
- 512MB RAM
- 2GB Flash Memory
- microSD card slot
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
- 2 mini USB slots
- HDMI out
- Android 2.1
Sadly they did not specify what type of display this is, capacitive or resistive. Of course, the assumption would lead us to believe resistive. Furthermore, we would not expect to see the Android Market. Product [K-Mart] Via [Liliputing] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Computers, Mobile Computers, Networking, Wireless 
If you search on eBay right now for a BlackBerry PlayBook, the new tablet that is said to be coming for sale in early 2011, you’ll find lots of options. Pricing ranges from a whopping $25,000 down to a measly $300. These prices are not for the tablet itself, oh no, it is for something far more valuable: domain names. That’s right, what’s true for brick and mortar buinesses, “location,location,location"is true for s the #1 rule in locating a business is domain names. From winners like thebbplaybook.com to bbpbaccessories.com to catchy ones like rimsplaybook.com to the costly bbpbstore.com (that’s the $25k option). All come with free domain name transfer and free shipping. These are being sold as buy it now or best offer listings. Currently, in the US eBay there are 20 different domain names for sale related to the BlackBerry PlayBook. Looking at iPad related domain names, you’ll find some for a little as $2 or as much as, get this, $21 million for 1800ipads.com. There are currently 105 iPad related domains on eBay now. Will PlayBook be a hit? A good domain name can help. Auction listings: [for PlayBook] and [for iPad] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers
While the BlackBerry PlayBook won’t be beating the Galaxy Tab to market anytime soon, it will apparently beat the 7-inch Android tablet in pricing when it is finally launched in the beginning of 2011. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, RIM is set to launch the PlayBook at $500. That launch should come sometime within the first quarter of 2011. The pricing would put the device on par with the WiFi 16 GB iPad as it stands right now. It’s also at least $100 less than the Verizon Galaxy Tab which will be launching for $599. Also worth noting is that while the PlayBook will be launching in North America in the first quarter of 2011, it will expand to other countries by the second quarter. Typically coming in at “under $500” means a device will cost $499, though there have been some surprises. Anything less would seem to cheapen the device, or would be a ploy to sell more units. Either way, RIM has to hope that if/when Apple launches a new iPad sometime in March/April it doesn’t lower the entry price for the iOS tablet. At that point, spending more money on much less screen would seem silly, even if it does Flash and has an interesting UI. Read [Bloomberg] Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Email / IM, Smartphones, Mobile 
Tech pundits are pitching the Droid Pro as a weapon in an assault on BlackBerry. The Droid Pro, available now, is the latest Android device complete with a BlackBerry-esque QWERTY keyboard. The device is aimed at corporate types who might be able to slide to Android a bit easier with the same form factor. It’s been no secret that RIM’s BlackBerry is having a hard time with upstarts Apple and Google eating into the smartphone market. So far, RIM’s been unable to produce products, nay, an OS that can keep up with the Joneses. However, a quick look around corporate America and you can see who’s been immune (largely) to the app invasion: BlackBerry. It would seem like sound marketing to develop a device that eases the transition from one hardware/software vendor to another. The Droid Pro borrows heavily from the BlackBerry form so it’s no secret who’s attention they hope to grab with this device. And really, it’s just in time, perhaps late with this weeks US intro of Windows Phone 7, the remodeled Windows Mobile OS. Make no mistake, the corporate market for mobile devices is big. We think it’s a bit simplistic for Verizon to hope that a similar looking device would be enough to tantalize those stuck in cubicles. After years of watching spouses, friends and even kids tote the latest iPhone or Android touchscreen, we think a jump to something similar might not be that sound a choice. What’s more is the OS behind it. RIM is entrenched in the corporate world. Companies have invested in their own BlackBerry servers and getting IT to let go of that guaranteed work might be tough, especially with the economy so tight. BlackBerry has built a solid reputation on data security. Android on the other hand, isn’t quite so trusty. Study after study shows mobile data is at risk from innocent looking third party apps (not just Android problem). This makes an alternative OS a risky proposition. We think the corporate segment of mobile is a tough, slow-moving, careful giant. An all-out change over to an open-sourced OS is a risky move and today, we just don’t see that happening. Disagree? Let us know in the comments. Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile Could it be? Sprint has finally given up on the Palm Pre. Well, that is how it looks at the moment considering the device has been removed from the available lineup. Furthermore, it is not simply listed as out-of-stock, but has been removed from the Sprint website. Of course, those who have the overwhelming desire for a webOS smartphone with Sprint still have the Pixi for consideration. Assuming for a moment that the Pre is truly gone from Sprint that means a life cycle just shy of two years. Given that, a departure seems fitting, but at the same time seems a little strange given they are not replacing it with anything. Or maybe we are going to see something announced during CES. Via [PreCentral] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Mobile It’s a pretty obvious fact that the multifunctionality of our smartphones has forced us to take the lost art of the phone call for granted. But even with the insurgence of cool downloads and thousands of apps, when the hell did anyone start thinking of doubling cellphones into take home STD tests? In an effort to cut down on the increasing rate of sexually transmitted diseases running rampant in the UK, doctors and techies are developing small devices, not unlike emergency pregnancy tests, that will let users know whether or not they have been infected by one of the few glorious sexual diseases. By placing urine or saliva samples onto a small chip and plugging it into their phones/computers, people will be notified as to which STD they have acquired within the matter of minutes. Apparently the whole idea behind this program is to be able to self-diagnose without having to take embarrassing visits to urologists/gynecologists. The developers of these devices are looking to market their new creation for under $2 at various pharmacies, supermarkets and other high-trafficked areas. But kids, just remember that abstinence is the only way to stay 99.9% safe from STDs and unplanned pregnancies. Read [Guardian] Full Story » | Written by Tarun Kunwar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Audio, Video, DVD/DVR/Blu-ray, HDTV, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation 
Targets Black Friday Ad is out and it looks like the analysts were right: this year is going to be off the hook for bargain hunters. We’re seeing signifigant price drops across the board. Take a look at these sample deals: 40” Westinghouse HDTV 1080p LCD - $298. Save $250
Sony Blu-ray DVD player -$99. Save $80
Western Digital 1TB portable hard drive -$69 $50 off!
7” digital photo frame with remote -$29 $20 off
Wii Fit Plus bundle - $67 -$30 off!
TomTom XL335T with lifetime traffic updates -$79. Save $110
Nikon S205 digital camera $79. Save $60
Canon SX120 digital camera $129 $100 off! Target is also throwing in a $10 gift card for spending over $100, limit one per customer. Doors open at 4am. Expect crowds. Check out all the deals: [bfads.net] and [BlackFriday.net] Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Mobile, Computers, Mobile Computers Some may call the device in the above picture an “Electronic Book Reader” and others, well others will recognize it as the Galaxy Tab. Or at the very least a device that looks pretty close to a Galaxy Tab. Because after all, the Galaxy Tab is a 7 inch tablet and the device in the image is sporting a 10 inch display. More interesting, and the reasoning behind the image is due to the thickness—it measures in at a scant 1.8mm. Otherwise the display comes with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution, a 1000:1 aspect ratio and has a 50% color gamut on NTSC standards. That said and before any gets super excited and starts waiting for a 10 inch Galaxy Tab to come available, it was noted that “the company plans to commercialize the panel within two or three years.” Read [Tech-On] Via [Engadget] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Audio, Portable Audio, Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile Joining the early app developers in jumping to the Windows Phone 7 app party is Slacker Radio with their very own native app debuting on the HTC HD7. The smartphone is being released exclusively by T-Mobile. Slacker Radio app comes preloaded on the HTC HD7 so you don’t need to download and install it yourself when you get your phone. In case you’re like who haven’t used Slacker Radio yet on other mobile platforms, the app lets you listen to more than 130 expert-programmed stations via internet streaming. Designed specifically for Windows Phone 7 units, the Slacker Radio app takes advantage of Windows Phone 7’s design capabilities such as its panorama screen. This lets you access menus by panning left or right by swiping icons with your finger. Slacker Radio offers a solid music discovery resource with artist bibliographies, album reviews as well as access to song lyrics. It also allows you to skip songs, add songs to your favorites, as well as ban songs and artists. In other words, it gives you full customization options of the radio stations on your Windows Phone 7 devices. Here’s a full rundown of Slacker Radio for Windows Phone 7’s features: - Panoramic interface allowing users to side-scroll through menus
- Music library featuring millions of songs
- High-quality stereo playback from any available wireless connection
- Create custom artist stations based on artists or songs
- Over 130 expert-programmed and customizable genre stations
- View artist biographies and photos
- View album art and read reviews
- Rate songs as favorites
- Ban songs and artists from stations
If you’re not getting the HTC HD7, you can still get this app from the Windows Marketplace. Read [PR Newswire] Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellular Providers, Smartphones, Mobile According to some early estimations, Microsoft sold only 40,000 Windows Phone 7 smartphones on the US launch day. Good, bad? It is hard to tell for a first day of sales. That said, we can take into consideration that Microsoft had reportedly spend $100 million in advertising the phones. Of course, Microsoft has yet to comment on the 40,000 number however T-Mobile has come forward stating that they were “receiving strong interest.” But as we have seen before, strong interest does not always mean strong sales. And to offer the obligatory comparison, Google is selling more than 200,000 per day and Apple is selling in the ballpark of 270,000 per day. Then again, those two have both been out for some time and have the traction built up. In the end, I would like to think that 40,000 is not the day that Microsoft had hoped for, but it also seems a little early to count them out. Read [The Street] Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
 Section: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile, Gaming, Mobile  Everyone’s favorite Android game—Angry Birds—was recently updated by Rovio to include 45 new levels. The 45 new levels probably comes to the joy of seasoned Angry Bird veterans who have already mastered the previous 150 levels. Within the update comes a new level called The Big Setup, which finds the birds fighting in a “fiendish construction yard operated by the pigs.” In addition, Android owners of smartphones with QVGA screens will be pleased to know that the update allows Angry Birds to support the compact screen. Feel free to update your version of Angry Birds on Android today through the Android Market.
Here is the official word from Rovio: Angry Birds update
Good news! We have just released the first big update for Angry Birds on Android! Download Angry Birds version 1.4.2 from GetJar or Android Market to get all the latest levels and features!
Angry Birds Android now supports QVGA graphics, so owners of devices with this compact screen size should find the game running perfectly on their phones.
Also included is the episode The Big Setup, which pits the birds against the fiendish construction yard operated by the pigs. The total number of levels is now up to 195 on the Android platform.
Via [Droid-Life] Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »
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It looks like Sling Media is working on an iPad specific release of their SlingPlayer Mobile app. The details are pretty scant at this time and are coming by way of a “get the latest SlingPlayer for iPad news” page on the Slingbox website. At present it basically just lets us know they are “hard at work on an iPad version of SlingPlayer Mobile” and that it will cost $29.99 once available. Otherwise, while it is nice to see something official we cannot help but feel a little teased and left hoping the release is coming soon.
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