Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

RIM has just announced a re-launching of the mobile BlackBerry web portal.  The newly updated site offers a user-friendly design, which means that users will be able to find what they are looking for with less clicking around.  Additionally, the mobile BlackBerry site is also faster loading.  As always, users will be able to get help regarding their BlackBerry, as well as keep up with the latest in news, weather and much more.  BlackBerry users can check it out by clicking www.mobile.blackberry.com from your BlackBerry browser.  It was noted that the mobile site is not seeing over two million hits per day, and based on that, a newer and faster site should come very welcomed.

Read [Mobile BlackBerry]

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Sections: Communications, Mobile, Web, Websites

Yesterday, Palm (PALM) issued a warning that their sales fell far from the rosy estimate analysts were expecting.  Citing the usual slumping economy, increased competition and the alignment of Jupiter and Mars, Palm is finding themselves in financial quicksand and their wriggling is pulling them downward quickly.  Palm’s warning: “we are off 41%.“  Ouch.

Can the new OS turn this around?  Follow to find out.

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Verizon Wireless has suspended several employees it says accessed call records belonging to a now inactive phone owned by President-Elect Barack Obama.  The employees will not be paid during their suspension and are under investigation.

“We apologize to President-elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day,“ according to a statement attributed to Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam. “Those who have accessed the account improperly and without legitimate business justification will face appropriate disciplinary action.“

Sources say the phone in question has been inactive for several months.  More after the break.

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This is where we call out the tech moves that seem odd, out of touch or just plain straight up smokin’ crack.  This week sees posturing, positioning and flat out insanity. 

This close to the holidays, everyone is hoping what is bolted down to the table withstands the storm.  (No, not that Storm). Here is what caught my eye this week:

Crazy texts from AT&T Marketing
Music sold on media
Apple’s lacking 2.2 update
BB Storms underwhelming intro
Touch on HP’s laptop

Follow me into the madness.

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RIM has just announced that the recently released MySpace app for the BlackBerry has been a record breaking success.  The app was originally made available just one week ago on November 13, and since then it has seen more than 400,000 downloads.

According to Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Research In Motion;

“This rapid adoption is a reflection of an evolving consumer lifestyle where social connectivity and information access are more important than ever.”

And how true that statement is, it seems that those 400,000 downloads allowed users to send and receive more than 15 million messages and also update their mood and status a whopping two million times.  I guess despite the previous availability of a Facebook app, there were still plenty of users itching to get on MySpace.

Read [Business Wire]

• RIM announces re-launch of Mobile BlackBerry website
• Can a Hail Mary save Palm?  Warning issued
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Sections: Communications, Cellphones, Smartphones, Mobile, Web, Websites

BlackBerry Storm (front)

Executive Editor Adam Berger got his hands on the BlackBerry Storm.  So here are some real, in the wild, shots of the BlackBerry Storm.  We’re testing out the phone and will be back with some first impressions of the long delayed BlackBerry Storm.  Plenty of pictures after the break.

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While it may not be as fun as getting your hands on the real thing, if anyone was itching to give the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 a test run, I have just found a nice simulator that will allow you to do just that.  The simulator may just end up being a little more of a tease, but at least you will get to check out the latest 4.6.1 software.  Of course, these online simulators usually just leave me wanting to make a purchase, but maybe that is the point.  You can begin playing by clicking the “Read” link below and then selecting “BlackBerry Device Simulators v4.6.1′ for the 8900.“

Read [BlackBerry Simulator]  Via [BlackBerryNews]

• RIM announces re-launch of Mobile BlackBerry website
• Can a Hail Mary save Palm?  Warning issued
• The disruptive spectre of a $99 Wal-Mart iPhone

This is where we call out the tech moves that seem odd, out of touch or just plain straight up smokin’ crack.  This week sees posturing, positioning and flat out insanity.  Can you hear the drum beating for Black Friday?  It is getting nuts in here! Here is what caught my eye this week:

Join me as I call out these guys for totally suspicious acts:

• Gadget makers
• Classmates.com
• Bloggers that leak good stuff
• Korean dictionaries.  Yes, I am serious about that one.

Follow the link to hear more.  It is almost guaranteed to brighten your Friday.  Almost.

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Yesterday, we learned that T-Mobile Germany customers would soon be getting the BlackBerry Curve 8900 for that nice low price of just 4.95 euros.  Now in some good news for those based here in the US, that same Curve 8900 has just made its FCC appearance.  While I would not expect such low pricing here, we can still hold out some hope.

As of now, this is nothing more than an FCC listing, which means RIM is simply playing the approval game.  We are still awaiting information regarding a release date as well as carrier information.  Although it is not expected to make a debut until sometime in Q1 of 2009, we have heard a rumor that it could be available with T-Mobile as early as Black Friday.  Of course, that is not to leave those with AT&T handing, because it is expected to be available there as well.  The Blackberry 8900 Curve will feature quad-band GSM/EDGE, a 3.2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g , Bluetooth and GPS.

While initially I am a little disappointed by the lack of 3G support, perhaps it is important to point out that 3G may not be as necessary for everyone.  I have plenty of friends that are using a non-3G BlackBerry and are very happy with the speed, mainly because they use it for calendar and email and rarely go online.  Of course, I suppose if you are looking for that extra surfing speed, then the Bold would be the way to go, either way it looks like the Curve 8900 is going to make a welcomed addition.

Read [FCC]  Via [cellphonesignal]

• RIM announces re-launch of Mobile BlackBerry website
• The disruptive spectre of a $99 Wal-Mart iPhone
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PhoneFusion announced yesterday that their Fusion Voicemail + is coming to the Android platform that will allow users to view their voicemails and listen to them in any order they choose.  This was a big selling point of the original iPhone and now it is coming to the Android platform.

Currently, PhoneFusion offers this software for free to Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Linux, Palm and Symbian phones via their downloaded application.  PhoneFusion announced the addition of the Android to their compatible platforms at the Under the Radar: Mobility event.  The company says the application will be available before the end of this year.

Find out more about this app.  Click more to follow.

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