Redfly makes a small, instant on netbook-size device that brings your small phone screen to a bigger screen complete with larger keyboard.  Redfly has worked with Windows Mobile phones for some time and now the company announces BlackBerry support.  For users that needs more than the small keyboard and screen a phone offers, this could be a life-saver.

Available in both 7” and 8” models, the Redfly connects to your WinMo or BB smartphone allowing you to bang out emails even faster.  Browsing the web is also possible, though reviewers were not so happy with the results.  Redfly can be used with the BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Curve 8900 and BlackBerry Tour 9630.

We’d suggest this device for those who travel often and could use just a little more space.  We’d love the device to be a lot thinner (think Macbook Air thin) a bigger keyboard and a bit more upscale look.  If you are going after business class, you can’t look like economy.  That’s just my opinion though.

There is a contingent that believes this is the wave of the future.  Palm thought this but was ahead of the curve and pulled the program before launching.  As our phones become more powerful and capable, connecting to them seems logical.  To get on the wave, you’ll need $200 or $250 for the 7” and 8” respectively.  Or you can try to win one from Crackberry here.

Read: [Brighthand]

Image credit: Brighthand

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

ZAGG is perhaps best known for their gadget skin protection that used to be on edges of helicopter blades.  Today, the company through us a bit of curve ball: they started talking about a product the company will unveil at CES in January, the ZAGG box.  As catchy as that name is, we still ask, “what’s a ZAGG box?”

Described by the company as “major technology”, the ZAGG box is the culmination of 6 years and $35 million.  At this point, it seems tough to classify exactly what this thing does: it is a media aggregator, will record, store and stream your media in multiple formats so you can watch on TV or on your iPhone (or other mobile device), and don’t forget home automation: it can hook into your HVAC, lighting or even door locks and control them.  Good luck figuring out what aisle to put this thing in at Best Buy.

“We are introducing a game-changing technology with the ZAGGbox which will appeal to everyone from geeks to grandmas,” said Brian Packer, VP of Marketing of ZAGG. “It is a very powerful system, and very simple to use.”

The ZAGG dream machine is said to cost “under $999” and should be formally launched in January 2010 shipping late Q1.  The unit was announced a finalist in the I-Stage event put on by the CEA, (Producers of Consumer Electronics Show -CES).

Press release [ZAGG]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Welcome back to InterrupTech where we catch you up on the most important tech stories.  This week there’s plenty to cover:

• The Barnes & Noble Nook e-Reader gets official
• Windows 7 is here
• The Motorola Droid goes after the iPhone
• Apple updates the iMac, MacBook, and introduces the Magic Mouse
• RIM’s BlackBerry watch
• VW launches car via iPhone app
• Google’s music service

The best part about the show?  Topics move quickly, but if you don’t like a topic, just skip it.  Keep an eye on that timer to help you along.  Enjoy the show.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Lets face it, when you wear a Bluetooth headset of any sort you generally look like a dork, of course there are more than a few places where looking like a dork can be a positive if not safer thing though—such as when you are in the car.  So despite how they make you look, I would say that it is safe to say that Bluetooth headsets are here to stay, at least for a little while and people are going to continue using them so why not buy a somewhat decent looking headset and look a little less dorky.

With that, we recently saw the introduction of the Jabra Stone, and given the images I have seen it does not look like all that bad of a design.  Dare I say it even has a slightly stylish look?  Anyway, the Jabra Stone is said to offer a talk time of up to 8 hours and up to 12 days of standby time. Feature wise the Stone offers;

• Bluetooth technology - easy pairing with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR & eSCO
• Jabra StatusDisplay makes it easy to check battery level and Bluetooth connectivity at a glance
• Effortlessly connect two Bluetooth enabled devices at the same time with Multiuse capabilities
• Features touch volume control, answer/end button, voice dialing (depending on the phone used), and streams music from A2DP enabled mobile phones
• Dimensions for headset in charger - H 2.3 x W 2 x D 1 inches
• Lightweight - weighs only .25 ounces

Finally, the Jabra Stone is retailing for $129.99 and will be available exclusively only at AT&T retail stores beginning on November 8, 2009.

Read [PR Newswire]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What is it?

BodyGuardz is a producer of scratch resistant skins for electronic devices, including phones, Macbooks, iPods and gaming devices.  You can choose the type of product that you own on the website and BodyGuardz will send you the particular skin for the device.  I tested out the product using my LG Voyager.

What’s in the box?

The full body option includes two sets of full body protectors, three screen guards, application solution, squeegee card and instructions. 

The Good

BodyGuardz is ideal for someone looking to protect their device without having to use a bulky case.  It is relatively inexpensive with a MSRP of $24.95 and the set includes everything you need to install.  It is convenient having an extra set in case there is problem during application or the protectors peel away over time. 

The Bad

The application process can be very time consuming.  You need to have patience as you apply each of the small sections onto the body of your phone.  The edges are particularly tricky and can be a pain to keep down as the application solution dries. 

The Crux

The screen protector is easy to apply and definitely protects your device from scratches.  The full body protection could probably be skipped since it can be a pain to install and I could see it easily peeling off over time.  BodyGuardz does offer a screen film only set with two protectors for $14.95.

Site: [Bodyguardz]

Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

BlackBerry is quickly transitioning from being solely a top of the line business tool to a must have consumer device as well.  In what may be an attempt to capitalize on that and appeal to geeks everywhere as well, RIM has announced it’s developing a BlackBerry watch.

The new device, pictured above courtesy of Crackberry, features a large OLED screen and long battery life.  It’s designed by RIM to compliment, not replace, a traditional BlackBerry.  The screen will display notifications of incoming messages along with a brief preview, presumably to allow you to decide if you want to whip your Berry out and answer.  Okay, it’s not as if checking your Berry itself is such a task, but still it’s a cool looking gadget.  So far a release date and price are unknown.

I never understood why BlackBerry users affectionately call it the CrackBerry until I got my own in August.  This thing is an amazing device and yes, it truly is addictive.  There’s just something about having what for all intents and purposes is a tiny laptop that fits in your pocket.  Having email, social networking, weather, breaking news, sports scores, live TV, streaming radio, YouTube, IM, and the web along with organizational features and of course, a phone, at your fingertips is just irresistible, and there are millions like me who agree. 

Okay my fellow BlackBerry fans, what do you think? Is this destined to be the next must have accessory or will it be a dud?  Let me know what you think!

Read [Crackberry.com]

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

The company Spoken has announced its plans to team with Microsoft in order to offer audio to text transcriptions of voicemails.  This service will be offered to enterprise customers and will come as an enhanced option on the new Microsoft Exchange Server 2010.

The service is called GotVoice and will automatically convert your audio voicemails to text.  Any type of third party voicemail service will be compatible with the program.  Options to receive the text transcriptions will include email attachments, text messages sent to your mobile or in the inbox of your GotVoice account.  The voicemails will be password protected in order to secure your privacy.  You will have the ability to adjust your settings through a secure server on the GotVoice website.

The GotVoice program is being marketed as a cheaper and more technologically advanced form of voicemail transcription.  Many programs have a live person transcribe voicemails into text.  Spoken’s GotVoice will instead use software as well as a live person for troubleshooting.  You don’t need Microsoft Exchange Server to use the service.  Business and individual accounts can be opened directly through the site.

Site: [GotVoice]

Image Source: Tech Crunch

Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What is it?

The VTech LS6245 is a DECT 6.0 cordless pone that can pair with up to 4 cell phones or headsets.  It also acts as a landline phone and has a digital answering system.  The base can handle up to 12 handsets.  The MSRP is $79.95 for a base and handset package.  Additional handsets cost $39.99. 

What’s in the box?

• Handset
• Base with answering machine
• Power supply
• Polishing cloth to remove fingerprints
• Phone cable

The Good

The VTech LS6245 is flat out stylish with a very slick and glossy design.  Instead of the usual buttons, the VTech handset and base are flat with a touch sensitive keypad and controls.  Placing the handset at your ear actually locks the keypad so you don’t end up dialing with your face.  The speaker phone is good with a very loud speaker and good microphone.  The menu options are clearly laid out so you can pair your phone quickly.

The Bad

Call volume on the handset was a bit low even when the the handset was on full volume. 

The In-Between

If you like to hold a phone by crooking your neck and pinning the handset between your head and shoulder, this phone won’t do too well.  That being said, you could just pair a Bluetooth headset to avoid that whole thing.  The VTech LS6245 lost connection with a paired cell phone during one test call, but that only happened once.  The glossy design is pretty to look at, but if you hate fingerprints, be sure to keep that included polishing cloth handy.

The Crux

If you are a person who likes using a landline style phone or can’t seem to find your cell phone when it rings, the VTech LS6245 is a good solution for that.  Also, if you’re into extremely stylish gadgets, the VTech will fit into your decor easily.

Product Page: [VTech LS6245]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Remember way back when Adobe was angling to work with Apple to get Flash on the iPhone?  Apple seemingly had no interest in working with Adobe and to date, the mighty iPhone can’t handle Flash.  Fast forward a couple years and it seems that Adobe was kind of upset Apple for the cold shoulder.

Back then, Steve Jobs said that Adobe was built for large machines with vast resources.  Running it on an iPhone consumes too much power, too much computing power, and runs slowly.  Maybe the iPhone just can’t handle it?

Seems other smartphones can.  Adobe announced it has deals with Palm for the webOS, Google’s Android, and even RIM’s BlackBerry OS.  Flash (not Flash Lite) is coming to mobiles and Adobe thinks it is going to be a hit.  Symbian and Windows Mobile are also on the schedule.  It is likely, Palm’s webOS will get first crack at the new Flash 10.1.

From paidcontent.org:

The new Adobe Flash Player 10.1 software will be one piece of software that work across PCs, smartphones, netbooks and other devices, which is the vision of the company’s Open Screen Project

Adobe admits there still may need to be some tweaking to get full Flash working on these mobile operating systems but downplays it.

Back in March of 2008, I said that Flash would suffer from a lack of iPhone compatibility.  With HTML5 in the near future, I am not sure how this is going to play out.  It will be interesting for sure.

Read [paidcontent.org]

Image credit: boingboing.net

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Crack.  Snort it, lick it, heat it and smoke it; whatever their doing, the following companies seem to have had too much.  Local hospitals are on alert.  The police force is notified.  Let’s take a look at who looks to be on the rock this week:

Table the Tablets

Every blogger that says 2010 is the year of the tablet, take one step closer to rehab.  Yes, Brian Chen, I am looking at you.  2010 may be the year some of these dream machines finally get stateside but it will be far from everyone’s favorite.  The answer is as easy as q-w-e-r-t-y.

Typing on your touchscreen smartphone is pretty easy, right?  Sure it is, you tap away with your thumbs at blazing speeds.  Now imagine your shiny new lust-worthy tablet is between your hands; now start typing.  Whoa!  Hold up there cowboy.  OK fine you say, I’ll just put the tablet down on my table and type.  But then you can’t see the screen anymore, and lap typing?  The only thing going on my lap is dancing, thank you very much.

Microsoft is ready to hit the buzzer at this point with their Courier videos.  “Stylus, stylus” they shout.  BZZZP.  No, sorry thank you for playing.  I don’t see us all going back in time to learn PDA Graffiti, do you? 

So were are stuck without a decent way to input text and without it, these dream machines will be more of a punch line at a party in six months.

The revenge of Windows Mobile

Proving that the geniuses in Redmond have more lives than a cat, their new preview of Windows 6.5 dropping soon looks pretty darn good.  I’d written them off but just like Motorola, they seem to have something going.  Our Editor-about-town got a hands on with the new OS and came away surprised.

Love the new look of Windows Mobile?  Thank Apple.  Competition rules, look it up.

Walmart hates Zune HD - wants you to too

This is my favorite story of the week.  I found working units of Apple iPods alongside bricked Zune HDs in my local Walmart.  WTF?  Who’s idea of a fair fight is this?  And that is just it: it isn’t a fair fight but I still am unsure who is rigging it.  Walmart?  Apple?  MS?  Who’s the culprit here?  Who is complicit?

I don’t like the smell of this and plan on finding out.

iPhone exclusivity ends

Hot dog!  Wait, oh what’s that?  Not in the US?  Bummer.

Seems Apple didn’t renew or didn’t chain themselves to a carrier long term overseas and are opening up the field.  Sweet, for them.

Meanwhile, back in the US, where the iPhone is still the rock star, bloggers question whether the iPhone is hurting AT&Ts image.  How much longer will iPhone fans have to endure the antics of AT&T instead of their prefered carrier?  Only Apple, AT&T and I guess the FCC know for sure.  Yep, the FCC is still considering doing something about exclusive phones on carriers.  And you can bet that fight is all about the iPhone, now the Verizon Razzle.

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Screenshots of the TiVo app on BlackBerry

TiVo and RIM are releasing a TiVo app today.  What does the app do?  It lets you schedule recordings from your BlackBerry and your TiVo will do the rest.  The TiVo BlackBerry app will let you go through categories and television show information like title and airdate.  The TiVo DVR Scheduler will let you see daily picks and conduct searches via title, keyword, or actor. 

Site: [TiVo app]
Alternative Site: [TiVo app]
Demo: [InsideBlackBerry.com]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

I know I’m not the only person who has had to search for his mobile phone while it rang or missed a call because my cell phone was in another room.  For a lot of people, landlines have given way to cell phones, but there are still ways to get landline-like convenience with a cell phone.  VTech’s new DS6321-3 cordless phone lets you pair your cellphone to it via Bluetooth.  The really cool feature is that this phone can download your address book over Bluetooth and it supports up to 6,000 contacts.  This system supports up to 12 handsets.  The handsets can also be used as an intercom or you can use them for conference calls.  If you still have a landline, you can hook that into these cordless phones as well.  The price for the base station with three handset is $99.95 and is available now online and will be in stores October 2009.  Additional handsets are under $20.

Product Page: [VTech]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

October is coming and so is the ooma Telo.  We first heard about the ooma Telo back in January at a small event called CES 2009 and it will finally be released on October 1st, 2009.  Unfamiliar with the Telo?  Here’s how this works: buy the ooma Telo and connect it to your home network.  Attach a phone handset to the Telo and you can make free phone calls forever (with some limitations).
 
Last time we saw the Telo it was behind glass, but this time we got to handle the device personally.  The Telo unit itself (the base station that attaches to your router) is not very large.  Take a look at the included gallery and you can see how large a simple Ethernet cable looks when plugged into the back of the device. 

There is a handset that will also be released in November 2009 after the Telo’s October launch.  There are no bundles that include both the base station and the handset yet.  Remember, you can use the base station with regular old telephones.  That being said, the new Ooma handset is pretty for a home phone.  The back is a glossy plastic, but the buttons are a matte finish.  The screen was bright and easy to read. 

Back in January, there were plans for Skype integration as well.  If you had a Skype phone number, you could have it sent to your ooma.  Since the recent sale of Skype, the developer program that Skype had in place, is no longer active.  If you had a Skype line and wanted an ooma Telo to bridge the gap, sorry.

Company Site: [ooma.com]

*This article was updated adding in handset release information.

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Starting today in Charlotte, North Carolina, AT&T Wireless customers will be offered the chance to get a femtocell to boost indoor coverage.  The device, which AT&T is calling MicroCell, is their version of Sprint’s Airave.  Both devices connect to the user’s high speed Internet connection (DSL or Broadband) to improve in building coverage.  They use VoIP technology to handle calls rather than local cell towers and cover a range of up to 5,000 square feet.  Charlotte will serve as a test market for the device, which may eventually be offered to all their customers if response is good.  The company is considering two pricing plans.  Plan one would offer the MicroCell for $150 with no further fees while the other would offer it with a $100 rebate but a $20 monthly charge.

Up to 4 devices can use the MicroCell at once.  AT&T recommends a data connection of at least 1.5Mb per second upstream and 256Kbps downstream and says satellite broadband is not recommended for use with the MicroCell.

I have an Airave, which works just like the MicroCell, and I’m very happy with it.  Where once we used to get poor signal, dropped calls and lots of roaming we get 5 bars of solid coverage now.  Our EVDO data is solid now as well.  AT&T customers, especially those with iPhones, have been complaining loudly about the poor network for awhile now and the MicroCell just may be the answer!

Read [PCWorld]

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

There is plenty of conflicting information on whether cell phone radiation is safe.  Sometimes the sky is falling and everyone who uses a cell phone will get brain cancer.  Sometimes we see reports saying everything is fine.  Pong is taking no chances with its latest product: the Pong iPhone Case.  It is supposed to reduce the iPhone’s radiation by 60%.  The price is $59.95 for the Pong iPhone case - apparently it costs a little less than $1 to reduce radiation by 1%.  BlackBerry users will also be able to reduce their exposure to radiation as well - but not until later in the year.  Pong claims that even though their product reduces radiation, signal strength is not affected. 

Company Site: [Pong Research]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What is it?

The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL.  Simply put, it’s a cell phone signal booster that works with every carrier that isn’t Nextel.  It retails for $399.99.

What’s in the box?

Inside the box you’ll find, an instruction manual, the base unit, an antenna, power supply, 15 feet of coaxial cable, a signal receiver, and a mounting unit.

The Good

The best part of the unit is that it does what it sets out to do.  It boosted the cell phone signal to my Verizon LG VX8300 excellently.  In the one area of the house where my service continually cut out, or stayed at around 1 bar, the zBoost gave me a steady 3 bar signal, which is not bad at all.

The zBoost managed to boost the signal through the walls of a finished basement that contain exclusively metal supports, which was likely the cause of the reception issue.

The Bad

The major issue with the zBoost is that it has very strict limitations as to where the device has to be placed.  The signal receiver has to be placed in a spot where you get the most signal, possibly even outside.  If that location is outside, you’ll need to find someway to run the coaxial cable from the receiver to the base unit.

The base unit then has to be placed where you want the reception, but don’t have any.  However, the base unit shouldn’t be within 2 feet of any other cords, metal objects, or wireless routers.  This makes for quite an annoying setup, and in some (if not most) cases, it can be very difficult to meet all the demands the manual lays out for you.

The In-Between

However, despite the very strict limitations, there really is no need to follow them exactly.  For example, the placement I had for my device has the signal receiver laying on the top of bookshelf (I didn’t find the need for the mounting device), with the coaxial cable stretched across the floor to the base unit that sat on an unused metal-frame futon.  It may have interfered with the signal, but I was still able to get a steady signal from the device on both a Verizon VX8300 and T-Mobile myTouch 3G.

The Crux

 
While the Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL certainly worked as advertised, it can be difficult to recommend unless you absolutely require it to get any sort of signal in your house or apartment.  At $400, it’s not cheap, but should be worth the price if most of your home (or office, or wherever you need signal) is virtually a dead zone.

Full Story » | Written by Shawn Ingram for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Most anyone who uses a cell phone knows what Bluetooth is; Bluetooth headsets and dongles sell like hot cakes.  Everyone loves the wireless technology that allows them to talk on the their phones without having to hold them and also send data to and from the phone quickly, easily, and wirelessly. 

In many overseas countries Bluetooth is even more popular.  Some have special kiosks you can connect to and get a free game or ringtone sent to your phone.  However the fun and convenience do not come without risks.  Here’s a look at the most common Bluetooth security issues.

Bluejacking

This attack targets any Bluetooth enabled device.  It happens when a hacker finds a Bluetooth device in discoverable mode and sends an unsolicited message or photo to it.  The attack can be harmless and meant to shock or amuse— it can also be malicious.  For example, a hacker could send a message to someone over Bluetooth with something enticing that makes them respond and/or add them to their address book.  This sets up the recipient for everything from spam to phishing attacks.  In a simpler form of Bluejacking, the messages themselves can be spam or otherwise unpleasant in nature.

Bluesnarfing

This type of attack, while quite harmful, is targeted mostly at older Bluetooth devices.  Hackers exploit a firmware flaw in those devices that forces a BT connection and allows them to access the device’s data and even the device’s IMEI which could actually let them reroute calls from the victim’s device to theirs.

Bluebugging

This type of attack is also targeted at old devices.  By exploiting a firmware flaw, a hacker can access the phone without the user’s knowledge and access data, listen in on phone calls, send messages, and more.

Car Whisperer

This attack targets hands free car kits.  By using a software tool, a hacker can exploit a flaw in them that allows them to send or receive audio from the car kit.  They can eavesdrop on calls made from it and transmit audio to the car’s speakers.

Shields Up!

How can you protect yourself?  The first thing to do is always make sure your device’s firmware is up to date and that any hotfixes or patches issued for it are installed.  Once you’ve done that the most important step you can take is to not leave your device in discoverable mode and to disable Bluetooth when you’re not using it.

When you leave your device in discoverable mode it is open and visible to other devices, much like an unsecured Wi-Fi network is.  That makes it easy for a hacker to connect to it.  Even when in undiscoverable mode it’s technically possible for a determined hacker to find your phone and connect to it, so it’s a good idea to change your pin from the manufacturer’s default to something more complex.  Finally, check your device’s list of paired devices regularly and if there is any unknown device on the list delete it immediately.

Have any thoughts, questions or comments?  Let us know!

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What is it?

The Plantronics Voyager Pro is a Bluetooth headset available for $99.99 at the Plantronics Store. 

The Good

The device gets about three hours of full talk time out of the battery before it starts to get low.  How do I know its low?  A helpful voice speaks into my ear advising me to prepare for a charge.  I can’t tell you how helpful it is to have this seemingly silly feature.  In a day and age when we are used to LCD screens and light up bars acknowledging battery life, headsets are generally absent of these.  It is a nice addition to know when you are running low.

Its dual microphone as well as its cleverly designed volume rocker and answer/end buttons makes operation and communication easy enough for an amateur Bluetooth headset user.  The dual microphone helps filter the outside noise so much so that I was actually able to talk with my car windows down and my music at a low, but audible, volume.  The listeners on the other end were not aware that I was on a headset, which made the experience great. 

One overlooked element of headset selection is durability.  I had the opportunity to get a behind the scenes video tour of the strict standards these headsets are tested through to ensure customer satisfaction.  Plantronics has an entire Dr. Doom dungeon designed to beat these devices until they are “blue in the tooth.”  They go through rigorous tests from pulling the earpiece to twisting the skeleton almost completely around; these devices are strong enough to withstand the mistaken drop on the ground, the rear-end crusher, and even a dog bite. 

The Bad

I do have some minor reservations.  The content kit includes 3 types of ear gels and well as an additional soft padded cover to extra comfort.  I found that regardless of the size of the ear-gel and soft padding, after about 20 minutes of usage my ear canal was a little irritated; however this is not a deal breaker.

The easy access of the answer/end button makes it both easy to answer/end and unfortunately easy to mistakenly answer/end.  Again, this is not the end of the world, but make the mistake of answering or hanging up on grandmother and you’ll know what I mean.  Lastly, I would have loved an additional car charger to come standard with the package.

The Crux

At $99.99 this headset is a great deal.  The minute issues I have with the headset are tolerable.  The call quality and battery life are most important to me.  The comfort was there, however, like the sun, prolonged exposure can only hurt. 

I do recommend this headset for those of you who are always on the phone, and even for those who are just to lazy to hold the phone. I spend extraordinary amounts of time in my car and traveling, this is one item that I do not leave without.

Product site: [Plantronics Voyager PRO]

Full Story » | Written by Adam Berger for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

All your contacts on a SIM card, book?

SIM cards are great.  Whenever you want to switch phones pop your SIM card out of your old phone, put it in another phone and all your contacts and your phone number comes with you.  If you like that SIM card form factor, you can go old school with the SIMbook address book.  Shaped like a SIM card, it’s just an address book that you write data in using some kind of writing instrument.  Apparently, the SIMbook is water resistant, does not crash, and can be used with any carrier.  [Source]

High tech, meet low tech

Maybe you’ve picked up an Amazon Kindle, the device that can put a library in your hands.  Since it uses E Ink technology, there is no backlight.  If you want to read a book in the dark, you’d have to get two sticks together, start a fire, and read by that fire being careful not to melt your Kindle in the raging flames that will engulf your living room.  The M-Edge e-Luminator2 looks to save you thousands of dollars in fire damage by putting a light on a gooseneck that attaches to the Kindle for $24.99 ($19.99 for a limited time).  Nothing like the marriage of high tech and low tech.  [Source]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

One of the features that makes the iPhone easy to use is the ability to create conference calls or place calls on hold or mute without needing to know any special key codes.  All you have to do is touch the big button on the touch screen and you’re all set.  Today, snom introduced a new VoIP desk phone, the snom 870, which incorporates a touch screen.  The screen is 4x3 inches in size and is primarily aimed for businesses, however I can see something like this easily finding its way into the home.

Since the phone has a touchscreen, setting up a conference call for up to five people is supposed to be easy because of a drag and drop menu system.  Things like speed dial get an upgrade thanks to the touchscreen and an address book as well.  The phone does seem a bit on the pricey side at $349.  However if you’re trying to run a business but your employees require a training session to learn their old phones, maybe a touch screen option is better (assuming the snom works as advertised).

Now if you want to have a bit of a laugh, watch the video below that makes using the snom 870 appear to be a zen like experience from a dream (it also shows the phone in action). 

Company site: [snom.com]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Most of the major cell phone companies based in Europe have signed an agreement that requires them to employ a universal cell phone charger for all of their models.  Newly released models will all use the same port in order to charge, the micro USB.  This transition is supposed to start as quickly as next year.

Manufacturers that have currently signed the agreement, include Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Apple and RIM.  Apple was a surprise addition to the agreement since everyone knows that Apple utilizes a dock connector.  The agreement is not legally binding, but it is expected that most companies will cooperate in order to offer universal charging capabilities in Europe.

Currently, there are dozens of mobile phone charger types available for European cell phones, which makes this agreement all the more impressive.  Unfortunately, the United States has no such deal in the works, which probably means we’ll be stuck with different charger types for years to come.

Read: [ZDNet]

Full Story » | Written by Heather Wood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

WildCharge is bringing wireless charging to the iPhone and iPod touch via special skin (like a case)  your device must wear, then be placed on the special WildCharge charger.  True to its word, no cables are necessary.  Since the iPhone does not have a replaceable back cover to swap out for one that can be compatible with wireless charging, the long route must be taken.

This is a tough way to copy what the Palm Pre Touchstone did so elegantly.  Sure wireless charging wasn’t invented by Palm, but they sure made it elegant.  This solution is a decent work-around but isn’t near as elegant as Palm’s solution.  Do you need to go this far to wirelessly charge up your phone?  For the iPhone, the answer is yes.

Other phones can be used in this method as well.  WildCharge makes skins for a few BlackBerry models, the ubiquitous Razr from Motorola and even a universal no-wires charger kit.

According to WildCharge, their new skin is even compatible with the new iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3GS (whichever Apple decides they are going to call it). 

What is pleasant about this whole deal is the price.  The adapter skin for the iPhone and charger pad is just $79.99, a little more than the Touchstone from Palm at $69.99. 

Product Page: [WildCharge]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

I use a visor speakerphone regularly in the car, so when I came across BlackBerry telling me about their new one, my ears perked up.  Blackberry introduced the VM-605 to compete with speakerphones on the market but does one thing more than most: transmits the caller’s voice over your FM radio.  That’s pretty neat.

This Bluetooth accessory works as you’d imagine: very simply.  The VM-605 has 13 hours of talk time, support for voice activated dialing, and announcements of callers in your phone’s memory.  The design is sleeky-thin and attractive looking; certainly nothing that will detract from your car’s appearance.

Presumably, you’d have your tunes rocking then when a call comes in, turn to that preset FM station to hear the caller through your car’s stereo system.  That, unfortunately is as close as I am going to get to a custom install.  Why the auto industry isn’t making cell phone integration into every car makes no sense to me.  Even the Microsoft Sync was cumbersome for me to use.  It’s almost 2010, let’s get this going.

This visor speakerphone is compatible with other phones that support Bluetooth as well.  BlackBerry devices must be running 4.2 or later software.

The $99 accessory is available straight through the BlackBerry store and looks to be available immediately.

Product Page: [BlackBerry]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Looks like that hot new Blackberry Messenger (“BBM”) that everyone seems to love will be coming to all Blackberry devices with OS 5.0.  And folks are lovin’ it.  Previously, only select models were lucky enough to be blessed with BBM, while the rest were stuck with something that looked like something out of decades past.  BGR has apparently been playing around with it on the Curve 8900, and claims it’s here for all with 5.0.

So, what does this give you?  GPS integration with proximity sensing for one.  Then, you’ve got avatar support.  The ability to set and group your conversations by subject is another.  You can create homescreen icons for your messenger contacts.  Are we having fun yet?

It also features PIN barcode scanning, which will allow you to add your friend by simply entering their PIN.  They just click the barcode option on their device, then a barcode will appear which can be scanned with a Blackberry camera and then you’ve got an addition to your contact list.  That’s it!

Everyone wanted threaded SMS support, it’s now here!  How about the fact that you can now backup and restore your messenger list to microSD card.  Have fun Blackberry fans!

via: [BGR]

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

We are all nut jobs.  We spent 2 hours yesterday hearing Apple ramble through Mac updates, Exchange protocols and App demos all to hear, “we’ve a new standard bearer - the iPhone 3G S.”  Finally, we get word that this new phone look almost identical on the outside and all the changes are internal.  So now we know the competitors for America’s Next Top SuperPhone.

Let’s start with the flaws.  In the end, we’re deciding against the pitfalls of one, versus the pitfalls of another.  For the Palm Pre, the biggest flaw seems to be the quantity of 3rd party applications.  There just are not that many going and the store itself is in beta.  Not ready for prime time.  It took Apple a year to figure out that 3rd party apps would be a big deal, but Palm’s got to fight the latest Apple, not Apple-two-years-ago.

Were you a bit disappointed with the new iPhone too?  I’ve come to expect to be “wowed” by Apple and frankly that just isn’t happening.  Worse still, the thorn in Apple’s side seems to be AT&T whose name was left off many of the super-fun things you can do with the new iPhone thanks to network issues.  Heck, the event itself brought down AT&T network in San Fransisco to a crawl. 

Note to AT&T: when the technorati is going to gather, beef up the network.  It makes you look silly that your partners event brings down the device they made and sell to you exclusively.

We could talk about video (iPhone 3G S has it, Pre doesn’t) or memory (8GB for Pre, 16GB for iPhone at same price) or physical keyboard or camera flash; but which do you put more faith into: 50,000 apps vs. few for Pre or Sprint’s “We Try Harder” network or AT&T’s “we’ll get our act together in the fall”? 

As an iPhone owner, I have little desire to upgrade to the “S.”  The Pre however still has my attention.  Anyone else feeling the same?

For more specifics in the battle, read this: [PC World]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

With the many announcements that took place today at WWDC, I’m pretty shocked about the whole tethering, MMS, and TomTom thing.  First of all, really AT&T?  You are going to wait until late Summer to unveil MMS?  A feature that many cell phones, including Palm Pre already feature?  That’s just a slap in a face to users who still want to stick with the iPhone. 

Not to mention you don’t want to have to anything to do with tethering on the iPhone, as of yet.  Maybe you are waiting until the end of the summer to unveil that also?  By then, I’m sure many potential customers will have made the jump to the Palm Pre. 

Anyway, MMS is a feature that many iPhone users have been lamenting over for a while now, and when the 3.0 software was announced, many users were able to sarcastically rejoice.  In fact, 29 other carriers will be ready to support MMS from the iPhone as soon as the software is launched, however, AT&T will delay this.  Why?  Only AT&T knows.  Originally, it was thought tethering would not be offered from AT&T, and users would have to seek tethering service from other carriers. 

However, according to Engadget, AT&T will support tethering for the iPhone, but at an undisclosed time.  For argument’s sake, let’s say the Palm Pre and iPhone 3G and 3GS are exactly equal, other than carriers.  I think more people would be inclined to enlist with Sprint just because these features will have already been supported and Sprint is a much more stable carrier.  I have talked with many iPhone users, and they claim service is spotty, many calls are dropped, and the 3G speeds are very slow at times. 

As for TomTom, props on creating an app for the iPhone, but how come you couldn’t tell me back in March you had plans for the iPhone?  Back in March I had contacted Navigon, Garmin, and TomTom to see if they had any plans for a GPS app for the iPhone.  They all pretty much replied with the same, simple answer. 

However, looking back on their answers, TomTom had stated “We haven’t made any formal announcements thus far, but I will let you know if anything should change.”  In retrospect, it kind of seems like they had plans for the iPhone but did not want to release it to the public.  In any event, if the price for the app is appealing enough, I’m sure many users would love quality GPS on their iPhone. 

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

I’m sure any self-respecting Star Trek fan knows this is opening weekend for the latest Star Trek film.  So, in honor of the big weekend, here is a nifty little gadget just for you.  A Star Trek Communicator Internet phone.  Say that five times fast.

It is a replica of “The Original Series” with USB (plug and play).  It comes with a built in mic and earphones, as well as a built in speaker with 21 sound effects.  It works with Skype, AIM, MSN, iChat, and more.  The LCD Moire (that little circle in the middle) will spin when the cover is open too. 

It comes with a six foot cord, a volume switch, and a mute button, and is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Mac.

By the way, word on the street is that the movie is worth the ticket price.  Star Trek fans (and even someone you are dragging along) should really enjoy it.  Though it is argued that it isn’t quite as good as “The Wrath of Khan”. 

MSRP on the Communicator is $44.00.

product page: gadget4all

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

What Is It:

The XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway is a $99 device ($119 for an upgraded model) that lets you pair up to three cellphones with your old landline handsets.  Gadgetell got to test out the $99 BT model.

What’s Good:

The XLink lets you make use of the cellular plan you already pay for, thus eliminating the need for a separate landline.  There is no monthly fee with the XLink, just the initial cost of purchasing the base.  Setup is really easy - it took us less than 10 minutes to set up ours - and you can pair up to three cellphones. 

It would be good for families and roommates who want to minimize monthly telephone bills.  You can avoid dead spots in your house - just keep your cell in a spot where you get a signal and move around with your paired cordless handset.  Also, if you still want to keep a landline, the BTTN model ($119) will let you integrate that alongside your cellphones. 

What’s Bad:

The initial outlay of $99 or $119 may be a bit expensive for some.

What’s In-between:

There is no included phone cable with the BT model (BTTN model does come with a cable), so you will have to purchase one if you don’t have a spare lying around the house.  The XLink’s instructions say that any paired cellphone must be within 10 ft of the base, which seems a bit short in range for our liking.  Bluetooth items usually give you at least 30 ft.  Also, the XLink doesn’t have the most stylish design.

For those of you using Skype, XLink has recently released an alpha version of XConnect software that allows you to make and receive Skype calls on any phone connected to the Xlink BT or BTTN.  However, when we tried installing the new software, we got an audio driver error message.  So, in theory this is a great idea, but it’s buggy.  May be best to wait for the beta version.

The Crux:

If you’re looking to ditch your landline and you hate searching for your cellphone to answer calls while at home, then the XLink might be for you.  Assuming it works as well for you as it did for us, we’d highly recommend it.  The XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway BT model is available for $99 and the BTTN model is available for $119.

Product Page [MyXLink.com]

Full Story » | Written by Merlyn Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

As JG mentioned yesterday, rumors are floating about talks between Verizon and Apple.  AT&T just might be losing exclusive rights to their major breadwinner.

But, it seems more and more as though if the deal does go through that we won’t be looking at the exact same iPhone just marketed through a different carrier.  All that nasty exclusivity confusion and all that.  We are hearing whispers of an iPhone Lite for one, by one person who claims to have seen a prototype of the device.  The iPhone Lite is obviously similar to its big brother, just more compact and less expensive.  My…a cheaper iPhone.  Somehow I think the people just may like that part.

Device number two is a tablet.  This media pad has music, photos, videos…it even would allow users to place calls using a Wi-Fi connection.  There is talk of this coming out as early as this summer if all goes through with the pow-wows between Apple and Verizon.

Also kind of newsworthy is the fact that Apple has hired on Bob Drebin, ex-ATI graphics chip designer.  It isn’t exactly known what department he is going to be working in yet, although, let’s look at the fact that he’s come from being CTO of ATI’s product group, and it isn’t a broad leap to think he’s going to be leading up a GPU project.  His experience, and what he’s worked with processor-wise, is said to be pretty much the core of the coming iPhone Lite, and the Apple Media Pad.  They are called “System on a Chip” (SoC), and are a combination of CPU, GPU and some other components that were previously separate.  This saves on both space and money.

This all seems to be a bit of a change from Verizon’s initial mindset regarding Apple.  They originally balked at the offer of becoming the sole carrier of the iPhone.  Yeah…Bet you can hear them now, Verizon.  Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless CEO has confirmed that they have spoken with Apple execs recently, “In the last six months, I have talked to Steve Jobs.”  He wouldn’t reveal what was discussed, although two people “in the know” confirmed it had to do with “two smaller iPhone-like devices under development.” 

However, AT&T spokesperson Mark Siegel doesn’t seem to want to admit to any such happenings just yet.  He says “We are delighted with the iPhone and our partnership with Apple.”  Apple declined making an executive available.  Hmmmmm.

So, yeah…it appears talks are definitely in the works.  But, that doesn’t mean it’s a definite.  The deal breaker here would be financial terms.  Namely, is Verizon willing to share monthly services revenues with Apple, and how much are they willing to pay subsidy-wise for each device.  Plus, if Verizon says “no go” on Apple wanting exclusivity regarding apps, like they do with AT&T, that may stop the whole thing in its tracks. 

The whole thing is kind of a win-win for Apple regardless.  If they go with Verizon, they gain another carrier.  If they can’t work out a deal with Verizon…it pushes AT&T to the plate for a nicer exclusivity contract. 

via: businessweek

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

It has been just about one year since Aliph announced what was referred to simply as the “new” Jawbone and now they have announced the followup, which has been dubbed the Jawbone Prime.  If you remember back, the “new” Jawbone took a much nicer appearance as compared to the slightly bulky original Jawbone, however the Prime has retained much of the same look and size focusing more on the technology.

As far as any external changes, while the overall size is just about the same the external pattern has changed just slightly.  Aside from that, another noticeable difference (aside from the newly brightened colors) is the lack of earpiece.  Aliph has gone in favor of new ergonomic earbuds, which are noted as being able to “keep the Jawbone in place without an earloop for most wearers.”  Of course, they have still included an earpiece in the package just in case.

Some of the other features include:

• Noise Assassin 2.0: This feature is part of what makes the Jawbone so nice, it helps to reduce any background noise and has been improved on the Prime.
• AVAD: Acoustic Voice Activity Detector: This will help to make sure your noise reduction keeps working.  The Jawbone has a little nub (Voice Activity Sensor) that will rest on the side of your face, that sensor activates the Noise Assassin, however with AVAD you will still get similar results even if that sensor has moved away from direct contact with your face.
• Wind Reduction: According to Aliph, they have “developed a unique all digital Sensor Signal Fusion system to reduce wind noise.”  However they put it, in the past the Jawbone has been very good when used in the wind, I can only imagine the Jawbone Prime will continue that tradition.

Additionally, the Jawbone Prime also offers support for Bluetooth 2.1+EDR as well as 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0.  The Jawbone Prime also has up to 4.5 hours of talk time, up to 8 days on standby and weighs just 10 grams.

The Jawbone Prime is currently available for pre-order and is priced at $129.99.  As far as color options, you will have the more subtle Blah Blah Black, Coffee Talk or Going Platinum, but you can also choose from the EARCANDY edition which comes in either Frankly SCARLET, YELLO!, Drop Me A LIME or LILAC You Mean It.

While available for order, the Jawbone Prime is expected to begin shipping on May 2.  Of course, as we have seen in the past, this may be a good time to pick up a previous model Jawbone headset at a nice discount.  Sure the latest and greatest is always nice to have, but so is saving a few bucks.

Product [Jawbone Prime]

Full Story » | Written by Robert Nelson for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

That is the message sent by the Bluetooth Special Interests Group (SIG) as they reveal the specs for the latest upgrade for Bluetooth.  No longer content with transferring small bits of info at seemly snail-like speeds, Bluetooth 3 promises to transfer big files and high speeds.  One question remains: When?

When?

According to Bluetooth SIG, the wheels are in progress to put devices in consumer’s hands featuring the upgrade in 9 to 12 months.  Sorry iPhone version 3, no Bluetooth 3 for you.  Though, word is it may be possible to upgrade certain Bluetooth 2.0 modules to the new standard.

How fast?

I know what you are thinking: I wish someone could put the speeds of Bluetooth 3 in terms I can understand them, you know, like a Will Ferrel movie.  Fear not: “Like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights, this latest version was ‘born to go fast,’” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.  Sounds like someone just downloaded the movie off torrents.

The first Bluetooth had speeds of 771 kbit/s while Bluetooth 2.0 had speeds of 2.1 Mbit/s, with a gross data rate of 3 Mbit/s.  Bluetooth 3 is supposed to top out at 24Mbps.  To get these speeds, the protocol jumps to the 802.11 band. 

For what?

If Bluetooth SIG has its way, Bluetooth 3 will be in everything.  They aim the update to change what we use Bluetooth for.  Things like syncing your iTunes library, transferring video from a camcorder to the TV, or even sending pictures to print from your mobile phone.

So while the next iteration of the iPhone will most likely miss Bluetooth 3, it is interesting to note that Apple was the first to use Bluetooth 2 in a product.

Product page: [Bluetooth SIG]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

In 2008, American Idol viewers voted 78 million times via text messages.  In 2003, the inaugural year for AT&T sponsorship (when they were pitching mlife) only 7. 5 million text message votes were sent.  This explosion is transforming how we view texting, who does it and how much we’re willing to pay.

At the end of each American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest tells viewers to call in to vote or AT&T users can text their vote.  Week after week, contestant after contestant, AT&T is getting their name associated with texting to the biggest audience in television.  And the whole scheme was born of frustration.

AT&T (the old AT&T) had run 30-second ads along side other carriers in the season 1 of American Idol.  The spots didn’t work for AT&T.  Vote-by-texting was becoming popular in Europe, so the idea was pitched to AT&T who took hold as a way to introduce texting to a large audience but also to get customers using other pricier phone features like email and web browsing. In the first year, 1/3 of the texters were texting virgins and inspired another 25% of texters to increase their texting buy.  Today, AT&T sells ringtones, has online chats.

“The sponsorship was a strike of genius on AT&T’s part,” said Roger Entner, wireless analyst for IAG Research. “The messaging revenue they get from the show is almost pure profit. The cost of servicing a text message is a tiny fraction of a cent, and they’re charging what? Fifteen cents a message?” From here.

As AT&T has continued its sponsorship of the show, texting has grown up as did the plans that support them.  Many users now have unlimited texting plans and you’ve got to figure that many of the customers opt for unlimited texting based on the knowledge that when American Idol rolls around, they can vote for their favorite as much as they can.

In the early days, AT&T got back a lot of their sponsorship money quickly as early texting plans exposed customers to $0.15 per text costs, estimates put their return on the first year’s sponsorship at $750,000.  Today, that influx is likely scaled back as customers plan for voting when they select plans.

The evil part.  “Muh ha huh ha”

Is the return reducing?  If texting fees were keep constant, the answer might be yes.  But that is not the case, in fact, per text fees have doubled since 2005.  Why?  Simple: carriers can.

In September,US Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) sent a letter to the heads of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in order to understand why per-message costs have risen from about 10¢ back in 2005 to 20¢ today. Kohl’s letter called the industry-wide text messaging rate increase “particularly alarming” because it seemed there was no technical justification for it.

Ars Technica goes on to explain that SMS and MMS can put stresses on a network particularly when the service gets bogged down.  But is it costing the carriers twice as much?

There probably is no telling.  But, stay tuned for a special edition of my “Who’s on Crack” post tomorrow, titled “Texting on Crack: your guide to stick it to the man” where I’ll uncover ways to get you out from under the man’s thumb and take some control of your SMS/MMS texting fees.  It is sure to piss off many in the telecom industry.

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

A slight slip by a Palm rep reveals the Touchstone, formerly just a toadstool of wireless recharging goodness, is destined to become its very own product line.  Touchstone is an accompaniment to the Palm Pre phone slated for delivery in the first half of this year.  Phillip Lam over at PreThinking suggests several potential uses for the Touchstone beyond simple charging.

Lam suggests things like data transfer, wireless connection to speakers, Pre to Pre communication, Pre to Sprint diagnostics.  Lam and other bloggers happily confess we don’t have any clue what Palm could be targeting with a whole product line and of course, Palm isn’t saying.  Only one of Lam’s ideas make much sense to me.

Data transfer seems silly.  After all, the Palm Pre is designed to be a sync with the clouds device.  There should be no real benefit in local syncing.  Pre to Pre and Sprint diagnostics seems far too boring to be something to bring up.  But, here is what makes sense to me: auto integration.

Imaging a spot on your dashboard that your Pre will magically stick to (OK, we know it’s magnets) and allow your music and phone conversations to surround you via your car speakers.  This would be a welcome addition to the Palm family and make a lot of sense for folks that spend any amount of time in their cars and hate dealing with docking the device.

Other than this instance, the other uses for the Touchstone fail to make sense to me, other than to add wireless recharging to other future products.  How about you?  Let us know in the comments.

Source: [PreThinking]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

All the Palm Pre hype has started up once again.  Palm received a lot of attention following their major announcement of the Pre after CES 2009.  Then the news died down a bit, but here we are again, and there is a lot of evidence that points to a spring release.  In fact, that rumored April 30 release date is looking pretty legitimate right about now.  Within the past few days, it has been reported that Sprint has begun training their employees for the Pre, Palm has released some information about the TouchStone, and some Pre apps have received an update.

Sprint employees prepare for Pre

Sorry about the stupid pun.  But in all seriousness, a leaked email from Sprint said, “Employees can expect training to start in April as well as multiple communications to get them excited and ready to help our customers.”  Here we are, nearly two weeks into April so it makes sense training is about to commence.  This could be the big break Sprint has been looking for to get them back on top of the cell phone business.  They definitely do not want to experience any customer support when the Pre launches.  So it’s good that they are taking the appropriate measures to prepare their staff for the Palm Pre.  Especially with Sprint purchasing advertising space for their Now Network, and mentioning the Pre, something’s going to go down very soon for Sprint and Palm. 

TouchStone, leading the charging revolution

One aspect of the Pre I am very excited about is the innovative charging method it brings along.  All you have to do is purchase the device, and place the phone on it and it begins charging.  Also, it is fully functional, so you can still talk on the phone through speakerphone.  Now, Palm replied to two people in the form of Tweets to let them know how the TouchStone will be available.  The device itself as well as the necessary back cover will be available together or separately.  While, how it is going to be available is not all that important, but the fact that they are disclosing information to the Pre’s accessories leads me to believe that the Pre should be ready soon.  If the Pre was still months off, why even bring up how the TouchStone will be available? 

Update on Pre Apps

Palm has also taken the liberty to announce two new Apps for the phone.  One is called FlightView, which is a handy app aiming to let the user know whether their flight is delayed, or running right on schedule.  As you can probably imagine, this could potentially save a lot of confusion and hassle.  As for the second app, it is a Fandango app, which basically lets you purchase movie tickets straight from your Pre. 

Each and every time I read something that mentions the Pre, it looks like that the rumored date of April 30 is more and more right on the money.  With the T-Mobile private launch event set for April 21, and the iPhone 3.0 Software coming in June, we could be looking at a very interesting Spring and Summer. 

Stay tuned for more Pre information as it breaks. 

Read [PreThinking]
Read [Twitter]
Read [Palm]

Full Story » | Written by Natesh Sood for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

WildCharge is now taking orders for its WildCharge system for a number of cellphones.  It looks like wireless power is finally happening.  The WildCharge site is even offering one day delivery. 

You can buy a skin, a mat, or a bundle for several phones.  It’s a simple idea.  Place a case on your phone and place it on top of the mat.  Power is transferred simply by placing your device on the mat. 

The pad itself costs $49.99.  The skins are $34.99 and a bundle is $79.99.  Their products are currently available for the Motorola Razr V3, the BlackBerry Curve and Pearl and a “Universal Adapter” that attaches to mini-USB devices, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson devices. 

The site has lots pictures of other devices using the technology including the T-Mobile G1 and older iPods, but adapters for those devices are not available yet. 

At CES, we saw a couple of competing wireless power solutions with Powermat and Fulton’s ecoupled technology, but this is the first one that is actually available. 

Company Site: [WildCharge]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Today at CTIA in Las Vegas, Jabra is announcing two new products: the Halo Bluetooth stereo headset and the SP200 speaker phone.  The headset is due out in May ‘09 and the speaker phone this month.

The Halo

The Halo headset features Jabra’s Noise Blackout technology and claims to work with any Bluetooth phone or mp3 player.  According to Jabra, if connected to a mobile phone and listening to music, the headset music will fade out so you can take the call; no word if it has an integrated microphone to actually take the call.  On the whole, it looks very sleek.

With iPhone 3.0 software being opened up to Bluetooth stereo accessories, Jabra’s Halo could be a big winner for all of us that hate cords.  Of course, Jabra built in wire compatibility if your devices doesn’t have Bluetooth, which is pretty clever.  At $129 MSRP, I could see this getting on many peoples short list.

Bluetooth Speakerphone

The SP200 speaker phone looks to be the little brother to the SP700 I reviewed and loved a while back.  This one is less expensive and not quite as good looking but does offer some refinement: namely in the volume control wheel, and dedicated on/off switch.  The attached clips hooks easily to a cars visor where in many states hands free phone is the law, or you can use the speaker phone in an office or kitchen for handy conversations without dropping your phone in the pasta sauce (yes, it happens, long, sad story).

The SP 200 looks to be a nice update to their line.  MSRP: $59.99 and is due out this month.

Company site: [Jabra]

Full Story » | Written by JG Mason for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Who says it’s not easy being green?  With these five fun gadgets…being green has never been quite so red hot!

1. Solar Cell Strap

This one might be handy to have around for those times out hiking or bike riding when you can’t exactly plug in your charger in the nearest tree to charge up.  The solar cell strap from Strap Ya runs (obviously enough) on solar power.  It features a tiny solar cell, that allows the sun’s power to charge your phone.  Of course it doesn’t give you the same jump as a real charger, and you won’t get indefinite talktime, but for a some extra boost, it’s not bad.  It can be charged 500 times, and if it’s cloudy or dark out, you can even use the included AC adapter. (Though that kind of defeats the “green” point of the thing).

2. Puma’s Glow Rider

Talk about green!  You can save on gas and get your exercise all in one shot.  Puma has a glow in the dark bike that helps make sure you are seen in those short daylight hours.  You can pick from two color choices—cream to green, or deep to a golden orange.  Either way, you are bound to make quite the statement as you ride. The Glow Rider has one gear, an integrated wire lock system, disc brakes, a carbon steel chain, and andonized silver alloy rims from Jalco.  Not too shabby.  It’s also foldable.  Besides glowing (it helps if you leave it out all day first), it does still come with regular head and back lights.  Be gone ugly safety vests!

3. GoblinAero Vehicle

Ummm, all I can say is, huh.  I’m not sure what to say.  I just had to include this one just to share.  I mean, the fact that they are actually selling a Goblin car.  Wow. It just looks like something those little dudes from the Wizard of Oz would drive around on the Yellow Brick Road.  But hey!  I bet it does indeed save on gas and help the environment, so kudos for that.  So, if you want to get your very own GoblinAero High MPG Vehicle, you can get more information about it here.  You can pick one up for about $6,000.  They just became available last month.

4. Water-powered alarm clock

Nope, it isn’t the height of feng-shui.  But, it is pretty darn environmentally friendly.  What it lacks in style it makes up for in basic green functionality.  That tube looking thing poking out of the side is actually the “battery.”  When it runs out, you just go to the sink and fill it up again with plain old water.  Each refill lasts about three months.  Besides telling the time and date, as well as having an alarm, this clock also tells you the temperature, and has a gravity sensor.  When you want to change from the date/time to temperature, you just change the clock’s position.  And hey, since it is recyclable, no more buying batteries!

5. Guilty Wallet

Ok, so this one isn’t really out there for purchase (yet).  I found it on a site for a gadget design contest, and could see the humor yet brilliance behind it too.  The guy who designed the Guilty Wallet had the concept that even years from now, despite all the efforts of trying to “go green” our landfills would just then be filled up with tons and tons of green gadgets.  We weren’t really getting to the root of the problem, which in his mind was overspending and buying a bunch of stuff we don’t really need.  So, he came up with all these different little techie wallets that each represent one of the Seven Deadly Sins and make those overindulgent shopping sprees just a little more difficult to carry out.  You can see his designs and more about how they work here. 

So, there you have it.  Five gadgets to help you get your green on! 

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

We’ve partnered up with LogicBuy.com to bring you today’s Recession-O-Rama deals.  What do we have for you today?  You can grab a HP G60t laptop for $150 off, get $100 off a 160GB PS3 bundle (which includes Uncharted Drakes), 20%an invisibleSHIELD iPhone protector as well as 20% off a Lenovo T400 Thinkpads, and finally 25% off a HP TouchSmart tx2z convertible tablet/laptop + a Linksys router.  The economy may be depressed, but you don’t have to be.  Grab something to entertain yourself.

$150 off + $30 Coupon HP Pavilion G60t 16-inch Core 2 Duo 2GHz + FREE 3GB RAM, 250GB HDD $519.99

$30 stackable coupon on top of $150 instant discount for HP Pavilion G60t 16-inch 2Ghz Notebook. Plus, FREE upgrade to Core 2 Duo T6400 2.0GHz, FREE Upgrade to 3GB RAM from 1GB ($100 value), FREE upgrade to 250GB Hard Drive, FREE shipping and FREE HP DeskJet Printer ($70 value) after mail-in rebate.

$100 Coupon: Sony PS3 160GB Uncharted Drakes Fortune Bundle $399.99

Rare 20% coupon discount on the NEW Playstation 3 160 GB with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Pack: on sale for $499.99 - 20% off coupon (ends 3/26) = $399.99 plus Free shipping. This is the lowest price you’re going to find on the newest PS3 featuring 160GB Hard Drive and game.

20% coupon invisibleSHIELD slim Case for iPhone 3G

20% coupon code ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELD slim case for iPhone 3G. Protects against scratches. The slim sheet covers and shields the iPhone seamlessly. Comes with Lifetime guarantee, invisible protection to iPhone 3G and also a better grip using this invisibleSHIELD.  Full Body Coverage, Back Coverage and Front Coverage. Free shipping on all orders. Apply coupon code at checkout to subtract 20% from your order. It features: 0.2mm thick; Clear and durable film; easy to clean; military grade.

20% Stackable Coupon Lenovo ThinkPad T400 14.1-in Centrino 2 Laptop $671.20

20% stackable coupon on top of instant discount for the Lenovo ThinkPad T400 14.1-inch Centrino 2 Notebook. Available with integrated graphics (7417CTO) or ATI Mobility Radeon 3470 discrete graphics.

25% Coupon HP TouchSmart tx2z 12.1-in Convertible Laptop with Multi-touch + Linksys WRT54G2 Router $922.48

25% off coupon code for HP TouchSmart tx2z Multi-touch 12.1-inch Convertible Laptop when purchased with $50+ Notebook Accessory. Available for online customization with 50% off 4GB RAM upgrade, FREE upgrade to 3GB RAM from 2GB, FREE 250GB Hard Drive from 160GB ($50 value) and FREE HP DeskJet Printer ($70 value) after mail-in rebate. This 4.65 lbs. laptop features a glossy, titanium finish & “Reaction” imprint pattern to go along with gesture-capable multitouch display.

Full Story » | Written by Adam Berger for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Back in January, Peek, the e-mail and texting handheld device, was on sale for $299.95 complete with lifetime e-mail service for one day only. 

What’s the story?

Lifetime service from Peek for $399.99 at Costco.  The offer runs out in 10 days on March 22, 2009.

Peek is an e-mail and text-messaging handheld device that normally costs $49.95 plus a $19.95 monthly charge to receive and send data via a cellular network.  This deal is a one-time charge that gives you access to your e-mail without the need for Wi-Fi. 

Why should people care about this?

The device normally costs only $50.  The service charge would be approximately $350.  That’s equivalent to a little under 18 months of service if you buy the Peek under normal circumstances.

An alternative to grabbing a Peek is getting a data plan with your cell phone.  Peek has put together a site called “Peekonomics” which compares its service charges to AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon.  The site shows the device to be a much cheaper alternative when compared to those telecoms’ plans. 

Why shouldn’t people care about this?

If you plan on getting rid of the device in less than 18 months, maybe you are better off with Peek plus a service plan.  Also, at almost $400, you could pick up any number of cool toys like a Kindle, a netbook, or a video game console like a PS3. 

Bottom Line:

The Peek is definitely not for everybody since it is very limited in its functionality.  If you hate the phone feature on your phone, this may be the way to go.

Read: [Peekonomics]
The deal: [Costco]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Sci-Fi fans will have the latest round of Terminator at their fingertips.  It was just announced today that Gameloft joined in a licensing agreement with The Halcyon Company to “develop, distribute and publish the official mobile game to the first film of the new Terminator trilogy, Terminator Salvation.”  The release of the game is set to coincide with the date of the film release on May 22nd.

Gameloft is a top dog in the world of publishing and developing video games for mobile phones and consoles.  They were formed in 1999, and have since become a top innovator in their market.  Their games for mobile handsets are developed with Java, Symbian or Brew technology.  And this is a booming arena.  The expected number of games-enabled handsets is thought to be more than four billion within three years.

Apparently the Terminator Salvation game is shaping up to be pretty dang cool.  According to an interview MTV Multiplayer with the President and CEO of Gameloft, Michel Guillemot, the great action shots in the movie are being incorporated into the game, although not by direct screen shot.  Guillemot states “We wanted to really push the graphics to the limit on this game because of the intensity and power of the action scenes in the film. We worked closely with Halcyon to make sure that the game complemented the film in a way which not only was true to the storyline, but also brought an added value for the player when they bought the game. They provided numerous documents, assets and the scripts that really helped us in developing the game.”

Gameloft isn’t limited to phones.  They also make games for PCs, WiiWare, DS, and Xbox Live Arcade. 

This isn’t Gameloft’s first big partnership agreement.  They have agreements with major licensors and sports personalities like Universal Pictures, Dreamworks Animation, Ubisoft Entertainment, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Ferrari, Kobe Bryant, Chuck Norris, and plenty more.

Senior VP of Publishing of Gameloft, Gonzague de Vallois, says that “The Terminator franchise is one of the world’s most recognized brands and Gameloft is pleased to create the game that brings the excitement of the movie to your fingertips.  The film provides an optimal environment for our new game and will capture the thrills of the sci-fi adventure for Terminator Salvation fans worldwide.”

That “optimal environment” is one set in post-apocalyptic 2018, where John Conner (Christian Bale) is the man whose fate leads him against the human resistance against Skynet and its army of….you guessed it…Terminators.

“We are excited to bring an immersive cinematic experience to mobile gaming with the release of Terminator Salvation” said Cos Lazouras, president of Halcyon Games. “Players will have the ability to expand their interaction with the Terminator universe with content that is unique to this platform.”

All you Terminator fans…get ready to get your fight on.  After all, as John Connor says, this is not the future your mother warned you about. 

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »