Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

RIM’s 1.1 update to its Blackberry App World has made it more like the Apple App Store.  The update includes a free and a paid top downloads list and new categories and sub-categories.  Also, customers can now sort search results by Newest, Highest Rated, Price (lowest/highest), Developer (alphabetical), or Application Name (alphabetical).  For those of you who need to temporarily remove apps for any reason, the update provides app archiving to an SD card or the BlackBerry’s internal memory - archived apps maybe reinstalled at any time.  If you are a new BlackBerry customer, you can download the update at Mobile.BlackBerry.com or BlackBerry.com/AppWorld.  If you are a current user, you will be notified via an alert icon on your BlackBerry App World icon.  Some of these updated features may seem pleasingly new to Blackberry users, but will be quite familiar to Apple users.

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

Adding to its pocket video camera line, Kodak is announcing the Zi8 Pocket Video Camera.  The Zi8 shoots in full HD 1080p with electronic image stabilization and smart face tracking.  It also doubles as a 5 MP 16:9 still camera.  The Zi8, like its little brother the Zi6, has one-button recording.  Storage is SD/SDHC card-based and will accept cards up to 32 GB - so you are in full control of memory.  If you are a podcaster or semi-professional videographer , you should like the addition of an external microphone jack and on-camera video editing.  The Zi8 will be available in a variety of colors and will go on sale in September 2009 for $179.95 MSRP.

Read: [Geek] and [Press Release]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

Microsoft and Yahoo have come to a deal whereby Microsoft will be powering Yahoo search and Yahoo will take over selling the advertising space.  Both CEOs believe it to be a significant step for their companies—one that will allow each company to bring a more innovative, relevant web search to the consumer, while allowing each company to bring more focus to other business units.  As for the financials, Yahoo gets 88% of search revenue from Yahoo sites for the first five years and Microsoft will get an undisclosed level of search revenue per country for 18 months.  The deal will likely go into effect in 2010 and take about two years to implement once approved.

Read: [CNET]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

With today’s hectic schedules, there is less and less time for us to do the important things and still have time for fun.  Most of us are also trying to fit more stuff into less space.  One way to get back some time for yourself and eliminate piles of papers is to start paying your bills online.  You’ll have less paper to handle and you won’t have to worry about writing checks, addressing envelopes, or having enough stamps.  So, how do you begin?  Keep reading.

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Today, July 24, 2009, is the auction day in New York for Nortel Network’s wireless unit.  Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson, and private equity firm MatlinPatterson Global Advisers, are all bidding for Nortel’s wireless assets.  Research in Motion (RIM) had hoped to be part of the auction, but Nortel blocked its $1.1 billion offer based on bid conditions set for all bidders.  By comparison, the bids submitted by the others range from $650 to $730 million.  So, why did RIM’s proposed bid, which is considerably higher than the others, get blocked?

In particular, Nortel said that RIM failed to sign non-disclosure agreements intended to protect Nortel’s wireless intellectual property.  RIM claimed the agreements would have barred it from bidding on other Nortel units for a year, but Nortel has said that RIM could have still made such bids under Nortel’s consent.  RIM is still looking for way to acquire the wireless unit and may voice its objections to the auction process at a hearing on July 28.

Read: [National Post] [Vancouver Sun] and [Reuters]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

For the first time in Microsoft’s history, the software company has reported a year-over-year decline in its sales for fiscal year 2009 (FY2009).  Sales fell by 3.2% from 2008, which translates to a $1.98 billion difference.  Net profits for FY2009 dropped 17% or $3.11 billion.  Microsoft is pointing to the weakened global market for PCs and servers as the reason for the 2009 sales decline. 

This news isn’t so rosy when compared with Apple’s most recent financial report.  Apple’s first quarter of FY2010 showed the highest springtime sales yet for computers and iPhones and a 22% increase in Apple retail store visitors from last quarter.  Hard to tell at this point if this is the start of Apple’s market takeover or if Windows 7 will give Microsoft the boost in sales it needs to stay on top.

Read: [Seattle Times]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

Responding to the recent class-action lawsuit over cracking Kindle 2s, Amazon has decided to stop charging customers $200 for repairing the damage.  Amazon was originally charging for the repair because it claimed the Kindle’s warranty didn’t cover the damage.  Now, Amazon will replace for free any customer’s Kindle that has cracked due to the Amazon-branded Kindle cover. 

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The Sungale ID800WT is more than just a digital picture frame; it is a touchscreen device with built-in Wi-Fi.  Besides the main picture-viewing function, the ID800WT also plays video files, music, and has widget-like apps such as weather and stock quotes.  It retails for about $200.  It did a great job display photos, but how did it fare showing off Internet content?  Keep reading.

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Check out the gallery: Sungale ID800WT digital picture frame

One of the selling points of the Amazon Kindle is being able to eliminate your stacks of books, magazines, and newspapers, into a slim, easy-to-carry device you can take anywhere.  When the Kindle DX was announced, its large screen was touted for easier reading of your text materials and also for reading sheet music.  However, Amazon didn’t offer any sheet music for download - until now.  Amazon, in conjunction with FreeHand Systems, is introducing “Kindle the Muse,” a selection of over 20,000 titles of sheet music available for direct download to any Kindle device.

The “Kindle the Muse” collection is from FreeHand Systems’ Novato Music Press Catalog, which includes American music, classical, and traditional pieces by more than 1300 composers.  Prices per piece range from $1.56 to $9.99.  You can find the “Kindle the Muse” collection on the main Amazon Kindle storefront.  You can also find it by doing a Kindle book search for “freehand” since the sheet music doesn’t have its own subcategory yet.  Down the road I expect that Amazon will make “sheet music” its own category as it adds new music catalogs.

Read: [Press Release]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches

Electronic superstore, Best Buy, and the well-known DVR company, TiVo, have become allies to promote a better home entertainment experience.  You may be wondering, what exactly can these two companies offer each other?  For the benefit of TiVo, Best Buy will be increasing its promotion and stocking of TiVo products in its stores.  It will also be looking to integrate TiVo’s interface into its exclusive brands like Insignia.

What about Best Buy - what does it get out of this arrangment?  TiVo will be working with Best Buy to develop a special TiVo user interface for units sold at the store that will allow Best Buy to provide digital services and updated information about consumer electronics.  Best Buy will also get a spot in the TiVo Showcase in order to reach more consumers.  In other words, TiVo is a huge promotional vehicle for Best Buy.

I think this will be a good partnership that will benefit the consumer who likes the Best Buy shopping experience - now you can get your HDTV, home theater, movies, and TiVo DVR (or HDTV with built-in TiVo) all in one stop.

Read: [Press Release]

• Get paid $100 to get a BlackBerry or Sidekick mobile phone from Walmart
• Where’s Verizon’s attack ad tag partner?
• Crystal SDK for iPhone OS game developers officially launches