Monday, February 28, 2011

Phones Review

Phones Review

Microsoft Bungs Geohot Bundle of Bucks to Fight Sony

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 08:33 AM PST

I’m pretty sure most iPhone users know that iPhone hacking master Geohot is currently in a hot legal battle with Sony over his jailbreaking of the company’s beloved PS3, and that Geohot put out a request for support to aid in said battle.

Well low and behold it appears that a major player has stepped up to the mark and donated a bundle of dosh to Geohot’s legal campaign as according to an article over on Daily iPhone Blog by way of the iPhone Download Blog, and Everything HQ, Microsoft has donated a substantial amount of cash to cover Geohot’s legal fees.

Here’s what the source article says…” The information comes from a source close to the matter who must remain anonymous that in an attempt to help George win his case, and thus making it legal to hack the >PlayStation 3, the company anonymously donated a large lump of cash so he could cover his court fees; remember: only 2 days had passed after Hotz requested the money and then received all of the money.”

We already know that Microsoft has invited Geohot to develop for their Windows Phone 7 platform, and of course there’s no mention as to the exact amount Microsoft has stumped up, but it sure must smart with Sony knowing that Microsoft is paying for Geohot to fight them.

Apple iPad 2 To Be Physically Different From Original

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 07:40 AM PST

More word on the next generation Apple iPad, as apparently the word is the Apple iPad 2 will be physically different shape wise to that of the original iOS tablet and may mean that accessory makers will have to postpone accessory launches until after the unveiling on the 2nd of March.

According to an article over on Itproportal, an unnamed but trusted Apple accessory manufacturer has apparently confirmed that the Apple iPad 2 will have a slightly different shape to its design and apparently a “particular Apple casing” wont fit the Apple iPad 2.

Apparently the guys have been informed that the Apple iPad 2 will sports a “slightly larger screen and a thinner bezel” than expected contrary to previous reports that the next generation tablet would sport a larger bezel.

Of course this could just be yet another rumour, but then again it’s not beyond Apple to surprise everyone and slip out an Apple iPad 2 with a larger display, which could even be HD, however, no doubt all will be revealed in two days time.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Goes White for South Korea

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 07:19 AM PST

It appears that the rage colour with smartphones these days seem to be white, unfortunately something Apple continually struggles with on their iPhone 4, however when it comes to the Android Samsung Galaxy Ace white isn't a problem.

According to an article over on Unwired View and by way of Samsung Hub, South Korean customers can now pick up a white version of the Samsung Galaxy Ace handset at a cost of KRW 600,000, which is roughly $532.

Unfortunately the release of the white Samsung Galaxy Ace is currently limited to South Korea, and no word of if or when other markets will see the pale version, but as Samsung seems to want as many devices available in as many countries as possible I can’t see why the white Samsung Galaxy Ace wouldn’t be expended to other markets in the not too distant future.

The Samsung Galaxy Ace is available in South Korea from SK Telecom while over here in the UK the Android 2.2 Froyo packing handset is expected to see release sometime in March and as yet no price for the UK version is available.

HTC Thunderbolt Heading to Verizon Stores, Release Imminent?

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:53 AM PST

After the expected release date of the HTC Thunderbolt smartphone for Verizon was moved with the expected release date now either the 4th or 10th of March, the word is shipments of the HTC Thunderbolt are now on the move to Verizon store.

According to an article over on Phone Arena by way of Gizmo Fusion, Thunderbolt handset are in transit to Big Red stores and that sales will begin once the stores have stock of the Android 2.2 Froyo 4G smartphone.

Thus it’s looking good that potential customers will finally be able to snap up the HTC Thunderbolt within the next few days, hopefully the 4th of March rather than the 10th, but even if it is the 10th, it’s still not too long to wait.

Price wise though it may be a bit tough on customers to have to shell out so much cash for the device as apparently the HTC Thunderbolt commands a price tag of a whopping 700 bucks, as reported (here), so with that price in mind will you still be hoping to snap up the HTC Thunderbolt?

Android Gingerbread Coming To Some Samsung Galaxy S Handsets Next Month

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:34 AM PST

Well perhaps not all Samsung Galaxy S smartphone will see the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update in March but at least two countries will apparently be gaining the latest smartphone operating system from the Google guys.

According to an article over on Intomobile, by way of GSMarena, the guys over at Android Community have posted that Smartdorid.de have posted an article stating that Android 2.3 Gingerbread will be pushed out to the German Samsung Galaxy S sometime in March.

Apparently the announced Android 2.3 Galaxy update was done via Twitter @m4gic, although just when in March is anyone’s guess, and the GSMarena guys say they don't know how reliable the source is so take this as rumour for now.

Have to say that as I’m a Samsung Galaxy S owner in the UK, hopefully we will see the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update hit the Brit Galaxy S smartphone not too long after, although knowing Samsung there could always been some delays in store.

Acer Iconia Tab W500 UK Price, Specs & Review

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 05:53 AM PST

There are many tablet PCs releasing like Apple iPad 2, Motorola Xoom and many more and now the new Acer Iconia Tab W500 so let's mention a few details covering specs, release and price and a quick review.

The Acer Iconia Tab W500 according to SlashGear is releasing in the UK sometime in March with a price tag of £449 ($720), this price is without the keyboard (Tablet docked in Keyboard image below), if you prefer the keyboard with the Acer Iconia the price will be £529 ($848).

Main Acer Iconia Tab W500 Specs Include: 10-inch multitouch display, running on Windows 7, 2GB RAM, UMTS support, AMD C-50 processor, AMD Radeon HD6250 graphics, TouchBrowser, SocialJogger and much more.

Cnet has done a quick review saying on the good side the optional keyboard dock is great and the tablet comes with loads of connections, on the bad side it comes with Windows 7 that does not provide a great tablet experience and the dock may not be robust.

Is the Acer Iconia Tab W500 something you would consider buying? Please do let us know what you think. For more information please do visit UMPC Protal

Smartphone Apps Not Secure Says Lieberman CEO

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 05:49 AM PST

A while ago there was some research that mobile apps are sharing user data, as we reported about (here). Well apparently research by a US university undergraduate has now revealed that Android apps are sending user credentials and the CEO of Lieberman Software has a thing or two to say about it.

Apparently Dan Wallach’s research has determined that numerous Android applications, along with an approved Facebook app, are shooting out all data other than the password, “in the clear, ”

The CEO of Lieberman Software, Phil Lieberman says…” This is absolutely typical of open source software, since there is little incentive for the software developer to use secure protocols unless the destination system requires this."

Lieberman Software specialises in security solutions and privileged identity management, and Phil further states…“This is the biggest issue with open source software. Whilst the economic imperative to go open source is clearly very strong, companies that use open source, such as Android, which is based on Linux code, also need to ensure their software is robust on the security front, and this process costs money.”

Lieberman goes further and says that this is an “early warning shot” about new platforms such as Android and Windows Phone 7 and the use of cloud computing, and it’s no surprise that apps are insecure.

Other smartphone platforms such as iOS for the iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple iPad, and the BlackBerry platform have vetting procedures for their apps to ensure 3rd-party apps aren’t delivered without assurances of being robust from a security perspective the article by Lieberman reports.

However, Lieberman sums it up by saying that there’s no guarantee that smartphone apps are as secure as desktop apps, ” for the simple reason that few smartphone users in a corporate environment have access to smartphone app security checking.”

Lieberman finalised by adding…“I suspect you will find many other examples of smartphone apps that have a security hole in them. The sad fact is that, until smartphone-transmitted someone’s credentials are ransacked to commit a serious cybercrime, we don’t get to hear about this until it’s too late.”

However, back in December 2010 a lawsuit came to light that includes iOS in the data sharing scandal as we reported (here), so perhaps iOS isn't as secure as one would think even though it is a closed platform unlike Android.

Another Apple iPad 2 Picture Surfaces

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 05:04 AM PST

Well with the supposed unveiling of the next generation Apple iPad only a couple of days away it’s probably expected that images which claim to be the iOS tablet will start hitting the net waves just like we have previously reported on (here).

And now apparently the guys over at the Boy Genius Report have been sent an image, by a tipster, which appears to be of the rear of the Apple iPad 2 tablet and shows a flat back with tapered edges, the rear camera, and speaker grill.

Having said that, unlike previous images this particular picture only has iPad on the back and not iPad 2, so there is a possibility that this image isn’t quite real, but then again there’s no confirmation that the Apple iPad 2 will have iPad 2 stamped on its rear either.

So, take a gander at the picture and see what you think, could this be the real deal Apple iPad 2? One thing is for sure, will probably find out in a day or so.

HTC Thunderbolt Verizon Price Expensive & Release Pending

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:59 AM PST

The HTC Thunderbolt has caused a lot of stir of late surrounding the release date, well now we can report on the price point that some may find to be a little too expensive.

The release date pending, which hopefully will be March 4th if all goes to plan has annoyed many customers seeing as dates like the 24th then the 28th of February was suggested, now we would love to know what you think of the HTC Thunderbolt Verizon price.

Now we have visited HTC website and put a few Zip codes and and no prices have shown up for us, but Phandroid has a screenshot of the price (Image shown below).

The HTC store is showing a price of $699.99, now we would love to know if this price is expensive or it is indeed a price you would pay for the HTC Thunderbolt. Please do let us know when you visit Verizon Wireless or HTC if when you enter your Zip Code if a price shows up for you.

If the HTC Thunderbolt price is $699.99 would you buy it or still steer towards the iPhone 4? All comments welcomed below, thanks. If you would like to discuss anything to do with this smartphone please visit our discussions page.

Source – UnwiredView via UberGizmo

Vodafone UK Service Partly Down Due to Break In

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:46 AM PST

For some Vodafone customers over here in the UK you may have found your smartphone is without service this morning the reason for this temporary blackout of 2G, 3G, SMS and BlackBerry services on the Vodafone UK network is down to a break in.

According to an article over on Engadget by Vlad Savov, Vodafone have posted to their website and explanation which goes like this…

“Hello

We had a break in last night at one of our technical facilities which resulted in damage done to some of our equipment. This means that some customers may be experiencing temporary loss of voice, sms and internet services. We are working quickly to restore these and will be back to normal as soon as we can. There has been no impact on the privacy of customers’ data.

Thanks

J
eForum Team”

Apparently someone broke into the Vodafone exchange centre in Basingstoke overnight and did some damage, other than that there are currently no further details, but it’s good to know that Vodafone are on the ball and trying to sought out the issues.

So are you a Vodafone customer and have found you have been affected by this temporary Vodafone service blackout? If so feel free to shout out in our comments area below.

My First Day of School App for iOS Devices

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:24 AM PST

For those of you that have little ones running around and you need to capture their attention, perhaps reading them a story from your iPhone, iPod Touch or Apple iPad may just be the ideal way of keeping them entertained.

Well to keep your little tykes entertained there is the My First Day of School – iStoryTime Kid’s book for iOS devices. IStoryTime books are both narrated and illustrated so the child can enjoy the book even when the parent is busy and it is a very simple application to use.

The My First day of School app features auto-turning pages or manually turned pages, and has been designed for children of 2 years of age and up and features the ability to choose the style of narration via character voices or adult voice or do away with the narration altogether.

The My First Day of School app for the Apple iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone also delivers on-screen text which helps beginner readers gain associations between words the see and hear. The My Frist Day of School app is available as a free download from iTunes.

Live From the Red Carpet App: Oscar Winners 2011

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 04:15 AM PST

The Oscars 2011 kicked off last night and we watched the Live From the Red Carpet and must say it was very interesting indeed, well now you will be happy to know that there is an app for that for iOS devices.

If you love the Oscars 2011, Golden Globes, Grammy Awards, Academy Awards, SAG Awards and anything to do with red carpets you will love the E! Online Entertainment iOS app called 'Live From the Red Carpet'.

This is all about fashion and the glitz; this app will even give you all the latest Oscars 2011 winners. Live From the Red Carpet app gives you full VIP access to Hollywood’s hottest events named above and so much more.

Main Features Include: Celebrity news, fashion photos, interview videos, live streams and lots of video coverage, you will also get the awesome GlamCam 360, which is the E! Online futuristic Matrix-like fashion cam.

There are many articles within this application as well, are you still sitting here? Head on over to iTunes and download this years hottest app via iTunes. Please do post all your comments on last nights Oscars event.

Apple Joint Venture Plan Possibly Launching Same Day as iPad 2

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:59 AM PST

The word is that Apple was in secret meetings on Sunday with their retail employees with a view to delivering a new enterprise service plan Apple is calling “Join Venture,” and apparently this new plan may be launched on March 2nd, the same day as the unveiling of the Apple iPad 2 at Apple’s event.

According to an article over on Apple Insider, unnamed sources “in attendance” say the Sunday meeting did involve an “internal unveiling” of Apple’s new Joint Venture plan, an apparently “sources” have come up with some details of this Joint Venture.

Those details are that the Joint Venture plan will be offered to small businesses when buying a new Mac and cost some $500 per year and apparently said plan will cover up to five systems, and if additional systems are to be added it will cost a further 99 bucks a year.

Apparently a key selling point to the Joint Venture plan will be the option to use Apple Genius techs to install and configure Microsoft Exchange at setup, and those enrolled in the plan will get priority service at the Genius Bar.

As for the launch of Apple’s Join Venture plan, the service will be launched on the 2nd of March in the USA and the day after on the 3rd of March in the UK.

Mobile Phone Names: The 10 Worst

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 03:35 AM PST

One sometimes has to wonder what process mobile phone manufacturers take to come up with a suitable moniker for their latest handset, as in the past it is quiet evident that some of these phone makers simply lack any imagination in the phone naming department and have come up with some really boring names.

Thus the guys over at Tech UK have come up with the ten worst mobile phone names in their opinion, so we though we’d bring you that hit list of the ten worst mobile monikers, so let’s get right to it…

The first offering is the new HTC Chacha, a smartphone that also offers a dedicated Facebook button so you can send all your gear right to your social network and is probably the only selling point of the device.

But honestly Chacha? Unless the smartphone is amongst the category of an all singing, all dancing gizmo, then Chacha should have been a no-no, so perhaps whoever came up with the moniker was a dancing fan.

Moving along we have the IBM Simon from way back in 1992, which at the time there would have been far more suitable phone names still untaken. According to WiKipedia, the IBM Simon was an “advanced cellular telephone for its time.”

I had to check with Wikipedia because to be perfectly honest I’d never heard of the phone, but the handset was apparently sold initially for $899. Perhaps the naming guy was called Simon and wanted the handset named after himself…who knows.

Anyway next we have the Pantech Jest, a touch screen 3G smartphone that apparently lets the user take life a little seriously according to Pantach USA, offering a 2.6 inch display along with a full QWERTY keyboard, and 16GB external memory.

But if you really want someone to take a smartphone seriously then you shouldn’t name the device the Jest, it’s just way too close to being an April Fool joke that’s gone wrong.

Then there is the Samsung Glyde, a texting orientated handset for Verizon that offered a slide out QWERTY keyboard, 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, GPS, microSD expansion and very little else.

Have to say though if you are stuck for a name for a hanset you could always take a tip out of the Samsung Glyde handbook and simply misspell a word to come up with a moniker.

At the halfway point sits the Motorola GRASP Dynamic, with according to Motorola, its 2.2-inch display and QWERTY keyboard for tapping out those messages to friends, 1.3 megapixel camera, sGPS, Bluetooth, and 8GB memory.

Obviously stuck for a name for this handset Motorola had the brainwave of capitalising the name to make is stand out, while some ingenious bod came up with tagging dynamic on the end to make it seem more technical that it actually was.

Next up is the Vergatario, a mouthful on its own, a budget handset for Venezuela, which was according to Wikipedia designed by the Venezuelan state owned Vetelca in conjunction with ZTE and was announced by the Venezuelan president.

However if you are going to name a mobile phone then surely you would take into consideration the translation of the name you choose for the device as apparently Vergatario roughly translates to penis…need I say more?

Then we have the ridiculously named Samsung Honey Bubble a smartphone according to Ubergizmo offered a 2 megapixel camera, DMB Digital TV, Bluetooth, GPS, SOS Siren Alarm, and not much else.

Luckily Sammy only used that rather sickly name Honey Bubble in Korea, I mean come on Samsung who would really want to carry around a mobile phone called Honey Bubble?

Next is the Casio G’zOne Ravine handset a ruggedised flip-phone for Verizon that came with a 2.2-inch display additional 1.35-inch display, 3.2 megapixel camera A-GPS, turn-by-turn navigation, bluetooth and expandable memory up to 32GB according to My Bull Frog.

Such a shame that the Casio guys couldn’t just come up with a more simplified moniker than one that capitalises the middle letter, and reminds one of a wide gulf as in ravine.

Almost there we have the rather ridiculous BleckBarry, an obvious knockoff of the BlackBerry handle, a device that according to Engagdet sports a 2-inch display, FM radio and TV, Bluetooth, dual-SIM, and 506KB of internal memory.

But I mean was the person responsible for the naming of this handset dyslexic or just plain unimaginative, although he was probably called Barry.

And the last of these jokers we have the Motorola Devour, I’m sure most have heard of the Motorola Devour smartphone, but if you go on the premise that a handset moniker means something then what were Motorola thinking?

Perhaps they thought the Motorola Devour would devour the market and take over the mobile space by eating up all the customers.

So there it is people, the top ten worst names for mobile phones, although I’m pretty sure there are others out there that fit the bill and if you have your own dislike of a handset name feel free to share it with us below.

Nokia E5 Price Drops: Nokia Online, Play & Expansys

Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:11 AM PST

The Nokia E5 has been on the market for a while now and it was going to happen soon enough with massive price drops, today we will let you know about these amazing prices via Nokia Online, Play.com and Expansys.

We would call this news because many of our readers love to know about price cuts, as we know many new mobile phones are being released quite often and some customers hold out for a long period of time for a certain make and model unless a bargain comes their way that is hard to resist.

Thanks to NokNok they report that Nokia Online has cut the price down on the Nokia E5 and that is when we decided to find other online stores to see if they have a good price tag as well, and here is what we found.

Nokia Online is offering the Nokia E5 (Originally £209) SIM Free for only £189, that's £20 off the previous price, next up we visited Play.com offering the Nokia E5 Sim Free Unlocked (Carbon Black) for only £179.99 with free delivery. Then the cheapest of all three is Expansys who has the Nokia E5 on sale for only £177.99.

Who would you buy from? Do you know anywhere online that is cheaper? If you can find anywhere that is selling the Nokia E5 cheaper than the above stores please do let us know in the comments area below.

Nokia E5 Main Features: 5-megapixel camera, Video capture, Full QWERTY Keyboard, microSD slot up to 32GB, 3.5mm audio jack, Symbian OS v9.3, WLAN enabled, ARM 11 600 MHz processor, WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM, Stereo FM radio with RDS, GPS with A-GPS support, Ovi Maps and so much more.
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