Wednesday, June 8, 2011

MobileCrunch

MobileCrunch

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TAG Heuer (Re)Introduces Their Fancy Android Cellphone

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 08:58 AM PDT

We’ve been hearing about the TAG Heuer LINK for a while now and it’s finally launching in July. It’s basically a very expensive, very corny Android smartphone with a few specific features including a crown for winding, presumably, the battery. It’s my opinion that if you’re rich enough to afford/silly enough to buy this phone you should probably just buy a nice watch and an iPhone and call it a day.

Enjoy the derp derp derp of the press release below. There are no prices or specs other than what you see here, although I’m asking around. Expect it to be available July 2011.

The first luxury smartphone with a tactile screen, it is also the first equipped with upgradeable Google Android software, meaning unparalleled access and connectivity. Android's ability to switch quickly between applications brings incomparable multitasking power, making the TAG Heuer LINK one of the fastest phones on the market: menus open at lightning speed, tabs are super responsive, web pages load with virtually no lag time, and access to news and weather widgets and Skype messaging is instantaneous. A superlative design object and a powerful resource, a pleasure to hold and delight to use, the TAG Heuer LINK is essential equipment for adventurers, sportsmen and business executives. With it, a world of exclusivity and prestige is, literally, at your fingertips.


Rovio Announces “Mine And Dine” Angry Birds Episode: Video

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 07:40 AM PDT

Despite the fact that Rovio launches a new version of Angry Birds or new episodes in what feels like rapid-fire succession, I'd assume the majority of serious Angry Birds fans blow through newly released levels in a day. No worries though, Rovio has already submitted a new episode of Angry Birds to Apple for approval, so it's only a matter of time before you'll be smashing pigs in "Mine and Dine," the sixth episode of the ever-so-popular Angry Birds app.

Rovio announced the new episode on its Facebook page, writing "We have another brand new episode coming up for Angry Birds! Take the fight for the eggs to dark underground caverns and use the geology to your advantage to root out the peskiest of piggies! Soon available in appstores everywhere!"

We still don't know when exactly the update will launch, since Apple still has its hands on the new episode, but we'd expect to see the update hit pretty soon. No word yet on pricing or Android availability.

Obviously, Rovio has had an incredibly successful year, and according to the Finnish company's mighty eagle CEO Peter Vesterbacka, the fun won't stop any time soon. Apparently, Rovio has plans to developer longer animations and possibly a movie. Vesterbacka also made mention of a possible Angry Birds cook book.

[via Social Times and CNET]

Video: Google Adds Live Transit Updates To Google Maps

Posted: 08 Jun 2011 06:52 AM PDT

This may not make much of a difference to those of you lucky enough to own a car, but for the rest of the bus-riding, train-taking public, Google has added live transit updates to Google Maps for mobile and desktop. Anyone who has ever waited for a bus or a train knows how crucial this is, since most of the time there's no way of knowing when that ride should actually arrive.

Starting now, live transit updates will be available on Google Maps in the cities of Boston, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and the European cities of Madrid and Turin. The system is pretty simple really: you just click on a transit station or plan a transit route using Google Maps, and if there are any service delays or alerts, Google Maps will bring up "live departure times" and service alerts.

[via Google Mobile Blog]

Jawbone Makes A Promo Music Video That Isn’t Horribly Embarrassing, Hides A (Ridiculous) New Product Within

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

I like Jawbone. They’re one of the few companies out there that consistently surprises me which each step they take.

Finding a sustainable business model in selling a series of expensive Bluetooth headsets with marginal, almost-entirely-intangible improvements between iterations? Surprise! Launching a somewhat niche product like the Jambox, then finding success in it by marketing to hipsters and urban kids (markets which largely ignored their previous products)? Surprise!

Making a music video promoting their products that not only isn’t horribly embarrassing or lame, but is actually pretty cool? Surprise! Oh, and the unannounced product they tucked into the video? It’s probably the most surprising bit yet.

You see, we see a bunch of these parody/music-video type things pass through our tips inbox. With a few of the better ones having achieved some level of success in going “viral” (Blyeck. Hate that term), marketing groups around the world simultaneously decided it was the best idea ever, and hit the pavement with the karaoke version of a pop song and a Flip cam in tow. The problem? Most of them are really, really terrible.

Jawbone did a pretty good job here, though, doing right what so many have done wrong. The video quality is nice and professional, whereas most can’t even rival the stuff cut out of a leaked sex tape . The lyrics are slick and the song is performed well — they don’t just cram in too many syllables for the beat and hope no one notices. They don’t make it all about themselves — in fact, with references to Groupon and Foursquare and appearances from things like the Dodocase at 1:07, their own product (the Jambox) almost sort of blends in. Perhaps most importantly, the performers in the video aren’t obviously trying way, way too hard.

Speaking of the performers, you might recognize a few of them — most of’em have are famous-on-YouTube types in one way or another. The dude in the Taco Truck at 1:30, for example, is the same dude (Ashkon) from that “Don’t Stop Believin” tune that got all huge when the Giants were in the playoffs. Not coincidentally, the creative team that produced that video also made this one.

As I mentioned early, the video actually has a little sneak appearance from an unannounced product packed in. Jawbone played it pretty coy when they mentioned it, saying just that “the clip also includes a new product from Jawbone that will launch this week” without any further detail.

Of course, we pored over it frame-by-frame, looking for any toys hiding in the background that might be Bluetooth-powered. Then we realized that two things were staring us right in the face.

First, this ridiculous Jambox bike mount:

Figuring this was it, I started bugging Jawbone for details. No luck — that wasn’t the product, they said. That’s too bad, really; if it was, it’d probably be the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen any high-end-gadgetry company launch ever. That’s what I thought, at least, until I realized what the actual new product is:

Meet the Jawbone Jambox JamChain.

Yep.

A company that made their name slingin’ pricey Bluetooth headsets to business folks is now going to start making plastic chains that turn their Bluetooth-speaker-thing into a ghetto blaster from space. Awesome.

Dubious? So was I. Very much so. I reached out to Jawbone again, and they confirmed the name and that yes, that’s the thing they’ll be launching later this week — and no, they weren’t screwing with me. I made them promise that last one.

Turns out, they’re not going to actually sell the JamChain. They’re giving it away. New buyers of the Jambox can just plug in a promo code (“JAMCHAIN”) during checkout, and current owners of the Jambox can order one through their MyTALK dashboard.

See you guys later — I’m going to go see how many friends I can make by blasting “My Pants” from a Bluetooth speaker chillin’ around my neck.

How To Try iOS 5 Right Now

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 02:37 PM PDT


Giz has some very detailed instructions describing how to install iOS 5 onto your iPhone (and only your iPhone). The trick depends on an activation workaround based on clicking widgets to get past the main lock screen.

We’ll leave it up to you to download and install iOS 5 (search for torrents, basically, and Option+Restore your iPhone in iTunes) but here’s how to crack the activation:

Activate iOS 5
1. Triple click the home button. This will activate the Voice Over.
2. Triple click the home button and Emergency Call will appear.
3. Click on Emergency Call and, while it’s switching, swipe with your three fingers down.
4. The Notification Center will appear!
5. Click on the Weather widget. The Weather app will load.
6. Click on the home button to exit to the iPhone’s springboard.

HTC HD7S WP7 Smartphone Now Available At AT&T

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 11:45 AM PDT

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Windows Phone platform is going to get way more popular after the introduction of Mango. So if you're one of those people who loves songs until they graduate to mainstream radio, you may want to jump on the freshly released WP7-powered HTC HD7S, before Mango launches all your friends get one, too. AT&T is selling the phone for just under $200 with a new two-year contract.

For those of you familiar with T-Mobile's HD7, the HD7S is basically the same device, but with a 4.3-inch Super LCD screen and a few minor style adjustments. Other specs include a 1GHz processor on top of Windows Phone 7, a 5-megapixel camera, along with Wi-Fi and GPS support.

[via IntoMobile]

Potentially AT&T-Compatible HTC Sensation Spotted In FCC

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT

An AT&T-compatible version of the HTC Sensation has been spotted on its way through the FCC by a site called Wireless Goodness. Originally, the Sensation launched as the HTC Pyramid overseas, and was rebranded as the HTC Sensation 4G when T-Mobile landed the device earlier this year. An AT&T version would open up the audience for this device quite a bit, but there's a chance that this particular version could be headed to Canada's Fido or Rogers.

In the case that it is headed to our big blue carrier, I'll hit you with a quick specs run-down. The HTC Sensation sports a 4.3-inch touchscreen display and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread underneath HTC's Sense 3.0 user interface. The phone touts a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and an 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and "instant capture," which means very little to no delay between button tapping and picture taking.

It's worth noting that just a few days ago, the HTC Sensation was reported to have the same "death grip" type issues as the iPhone 4 did, only this time, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are affected, as well.

[via Wireless Goodness]

Verizon Gets Hit With FCC Complaint Over 4G LTE Tethering

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Verizon Wireless got hit with an FCC complaint this morning by an organization called Free Press, over the restrictions placed on Verizon's 4G LTE smartphones. The group claims that Verizon's rules don't necessarily jive with the regulatory policies of the Federal Communications Commission when it comes to tethering to Verizon's speedy 4G LTE network.

More specifically, the complaint claims that Verizon asked Google to block tethering functionality in its Android devices, which is a direct violation of FCC requirements that the carrier not "deny, limit, or restrict" its subscribers' ability to use whichever devices and applications they choose.

Here's what Free Press policy counsel Aparna Sridhar had to say on the matter:

Verizon’s conduct is bad for the public and bad for innovation. It also appears to be illegal under the FCC’s rules that govern Verizon’s LTE network. Users pay through the nose for Verizon’s LTE service, and having done so, they should be able to use their connections as they see fit. Instead, Verizon’s approach is to sell you broadband but then put up roadblocks to control your use of it.

[via MobileBurn]

Samsung Indulge Heads To Cricket For $329.99

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 08:15 AM PDT

If you are one of the 4.5 million Cricket Wireless subscribers out there, I come bearing good tidings of great joy that shall be heard among all 3G-covered areas: the Samsung Indulge is now available from Cricket. If you aren't a Cricket subscriber, but feel like putting it to the man (AKA Verizon and AT&T), the Samsung Indulge may help with motivation, albeit at slower speeds.

Unfortunately, the Indulge for Cricket will lack the original 4G LTE speediness it had on MetroPCS's network. But all the other specs hold true through the transition. The Indulge touts a 1GHz processor under the hood, and runs Android 2.2 Froyo with Samsung's TouchWiz 3.0 UI on top. The Froyo-powered device sports a 3.5-inch display with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

As far as pricing goes, the Indulge is going for $329.99 from Cricket, both online and at Cricket-branded retail stores.

[via Phandroid]

Leaked Photos Of Motorola Droid Bionic Suggest Processor, Design Upgrades

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 07:15 AM PDT

Chances are you may not remember the Motorola Droid Bionic. Why, you ask? Well, it may have something to do with the fact that the Android smartphone was announced five months ago, and has yet to ship. But that may be good news, since current rumors suggest the phone has undergone a little revamp pre-launch. After the release of the buggy Motorola Atrix, it only makes sense that Motorola wants to get every nook and cranny right before this device goes on sale.

In any case, leaked photos seem to show a much more refined look and feel to the Droid Bionic, with sharper corners, and a matte-like finish. Reports based on some benchmark results seem to suggest that the original Nvidia Tegra 2 processor has been replaced by a Texas Instruments OMAP 4 processor. Other known specs include an 8-megapixel camera with video capture in 1080p and a 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen display with 960 x 540 pixels of resolution. No word yet on pricing or availability.

[via IntoMobile]

HTC ChaCha Sees Frequency Boost Pre-Launch

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 06:44 AM PDT

In February, HTC introduced a rather unique Android handset to the market, called the ChaCha. If the name wasn't strange enough, it's also one of very few Android smartphones to sport the "QWERTY monoblock" form factor (aka, BlackBerry form factor). Yet, one feature in particular, allows the HTC ChaCha to stand alone: a dedicated Facebook button. When you press the Facebook button, you're automatically sent to the social network and can share whatever was on the screen before you launched into Facebook.

Originally, the HTC ChaCha was said to have a 600 MHz processor, but HTC's official ChaCha page now lists the phone with an 800 MHz processor. This could have something to do with HTC's resource-hungry Sense UI, but of course, there's no way to be sure. Other specs of the ChaCha include a 5-megapixel rear camera and front-facing VGA camera, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi b/g/n, and a 2.6-inch screen with 480 x 320 pixels of resolution.

In my opinion, this phone doesn't quite have what it takes to be a no-brainer when it comes time to buy. Frequency boost aside, that 2.6-inch screen won't look very cool next to the 4.5-inch Super AMOLED awesomeness of the Samsung Infuse 4G screen. And even you Facebook addicts out there can probably find the time to click to home screen before tapping the Facebook icon. The truth is, if the Facebook button is your major selling point, about a million other phones out there can get the job done better, including some forthcoming Windows Phone Mango handsets, and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (which has some pretty intensive Facebook integration).

[via Into Mobile]


iOS 5 Jailbroken

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 05:50 AM PDT

Turns out the folks over at the iPhone Dev Team didn't waste any time after Apple released the developer version of iOS 5 yesterday – as you can see, iOS 5 has been jailbroken. Apparently, Apple hasn't done much by way of patching up those holes that were used to jailbreak iOS devices. Musclenerd tweeted yesterday, "iOS 5 jailbroken: via limera1n + tethered boot..not too many surprises :)," and threw in some pics (shown above) of Cydia and iSSH displayed on the home screen of a 4th-generation iPod touch.

Cydia and iSSH are both apps that only run on jailbroken iOS devices. So far, we're hearing that the only way to fix the current iOS exploit is a hardware update, which means you'll get to enjoy all the freedom of a jailbroken iDevice until the next-gen iPhone and iPod touch see the light of day.

[Twitter via Ubergizmo]
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