Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Sure, it’s a technicality, but a few more analysts have called out mobile media reporters for calling the iPhone a “smartphone.” ABI Research Director Stuart Carlaw and Principal Mobile Broadband Analyst Philip Solis base their assertion using the definition of a smartphone as “a cellular handset using an open, commercial operating system that supports third party applications.”

The iPhone will run Apple software and OSX but will not run licensed third party applications (unlicensed, bootleg hacks, however, are another matter). The don’t deny that the iPhone promises to be a high-end phone with a lot of great features but by closing it off from a third-party ecosystem with companies competing to sell similar apps.

Of course, look how long it took the iPod to go from an iTunes, Mac-only setup to work with home brew and non-Apple non-Mac apps (I recall one nobly named XPlay) to, ultimately, compatibility with several free and multi-OS programs. (In case you weren’t looking, less than a year). To stay commercially viable to many more millions of non-Mac users, I’m guessing Apple will need to open up the iPhone to allow a few select companies to develop compatible programs and maybe even run some Java and Brew apps. Oh, and to make customers happy and make non-Mac owners happy.

Remember, this is Apple’s first phone and see how many original, unrepaired or unhacked iPods are still operational? Exactly.

Read [TMC Net] Also read [Smart Camera Phone Blog]
And this is only part 2 if you read part 1 [Gadgetell’s Part 1]

Internet podcasting company, Modavox, Inc., has made their VoiceAmerica Networks audio broadcasts available to cell phones users. The live stream audio feeds are provided by UpSnap, Inc., which already provides audio content to mobile devices. VoiceAmerica’s programming includes more than 100 hosts across four channel, with shows including “Design Matters with Debbie Millman,” “Dr. Carole’s Couch with Dr. Carole Lieberman” and “R.E.A.P. What you Sow with Elana S. Daley.”

To access the service [mobile phone and mobile network device users] should send a text message indicating the desired network with the station indicator “va” for VoiceAmerica or “vab” VoiceAmerica Business or “vah” for VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness, or “7wn” for the 7th Wave Network to 27627.

Don’t get VoiceAmerica confused with Voice Of America (VOA), the US government’s official international radio and television broadcast service, which was formerly based just north of Cincinnati, OH.

Site [VoiceAmerica]
Site [Modavox]
Site[UpSnap]

That Walkman brand sure has come a long way. Remember those shiny cassette players? (OK, so I still have one.) Now the monicker is slapped on cell phones, including the new Sony Ericsson W200 Walkman. It’s a phone. It’s a music player. It’s shiny.

The W200 will ship with 27 MB internal memory which can can hold about 37 full-length MP3 and AAC tracks (which Sony estimates at “about four albums” - nice LP reference, BTW) and can continuously play audio for up to 18 hours on one charge (not that it can hold that much). Don’t worry, you can can store extra tunes on a Memory Stick Micro (M2), available up to 1 GB (approx. 255 tracks). Music can be transferred from a PC using the included Disc2Phone software.

It’ll also include a built-in FM radio and a color coordinated stereo headset (HPM-64), a USB DCU-60 cable, a VGA camera with 4x digital zoom, video messaging, a web browser, push email (including SMS, EMS and MMS) and PC sync. The display will be a 128x160 pixel UBC (Ultra Bright Color) 65k color screen.

The W200 Walkman phone will ship in two colors, Rhythm Black and Pulse White, in both a GPRS 900/1800/1900 and GPRS 850/1800/1900 handset and is expected to be available Q2 2007 in select markets.

Site [Sony Walkman] Read [Mobile Whack]

XS Magazine and TalkPlus launched XS Talk at the CES today, a service that allows mobile phone users to use up to 10 numbers with one phone. XS Talk is compatible with major wireless providers including Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile and Verizon, and with the Pro service, will allow subscribers to receive and make calls with all 10 numbers. Think of it as similar to Trillian or other IM apps where you can send and receive messages to and from multiple accounts.

The basic plan, which does not include multiple numbers but does include a single TalkPLus number, is $8.99 per month for 60 minutes of use. The up-to-10-numbers Pro plan is $16.99 for 60 minutes. A 50% discount is in effect until Feb. 1, 2007. Both subscriptions allow you to choose mobile numbers from anywhere in the US (pick any area code), call screening, a personal phonebook and voicemail, but the Pro service allows switching between numbers to dial out as often as you like. The good part is that it does not require any new hardware, an intermediary computer or a change of carriers. It’s great for those of us who need to juggle several work and personal phone numbers. I guess you can finally get rid of your homemade six-holster phone belt too.

Sign Up [XSMobile] Site [XSMagazine] Site [TalkPLus] Also Read [VoIP & Gadget Blog]

I figured the li’l system was pretty much dead, but it looks like Nokia has not completely abandoned the N-Gage, or at least the idea of it.

Nokia has launched a new web site to help promote the new age of the N-Gage, though they haven’t quite made it clear whether there will be a new N-Gage product you can hold in your grubby li’l gamer hands or simply a revised network of software and tweaked online services. When the official site liberally uses the somewhat vague terms “offering” and “experience” when referring to their product, you have to be a bit skeptical. (You’ll also need to be a bit forgiving since some of the Flash elements on the site are still a bit buggy.)

I suspect Nokia will release a redesigned gaming phone to improve on the N-Gage’s battery life and look a bit more like everything else out there but give it a distinctly non-N-Gage-y name and push a lot harder to sell software (read: games) and online services.

Here’s hoping for more concrete details at CES.

Site [N-Gage]

Best Buy has begun to launch cell-phone-only stores in Manhattan via a partnership with U.K. retailer Carphone Warehouse. The stores, called Best Buy Mobile, carry more than 80 cell phones from manufacturers like Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Samsung. Shoppers also have the option to choose from seven mobile phone service carriers, including Cingular, Verizon, Sprint, Amp’d Mobile and pay-as-you-go plans from Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, Verizon InPulse and Cingular GoPhone.

“What we’ve seen over time is no one out there is offering customers both choice and service in one location,” said David Sprosty, chief executive officer of Best Buy Mobile, in an interview. “Our hypothesis is that by offering the level of care that they get from a carrier store with a better choice of phones, ultimately we can create something that will hopefully meet the needs of the customer that are underserved today.”

RadioShack has recently started selling Cingular Wireless phones and cut ties with Verizon Wireless to try to revive its wireless sales. It has also signed a new 11-year deal with Sprint Nextel.

The Best Buy Mobile stores operate either as small stand-alone stores or as “stores-within-a-store.” Employees will not work on commission and will not be pushing one wireless brand over another—they will just stop at no end to make a sale.

New York stores are at the following locations:

• 360 Madison Ave.


• 2233 Broadway


• 2 Union Square East


• 750 Seventh Ave.


• 1186 Third Ave.


• 1280 Lexington Ave.


• 622 Broadway


• 60 W 23rd Street


• 529 5th Ave.

Read [Best Buy] Read [Yahoo] Via [Engadget]

Well another Chinese electronics manufacturer has done the unthinkable and designed a phone that looks quite similar to the PSP. They got pretty into this, even including the Triangle, Square, Circle, and X buttons as well as sporting the word “FUN” where the “PSP” logo would be. Which phone is this? Of course I’m talking about the V191 PSP look-alike phone, what, never heard of it? Neither have we.

As a phone, the V191 is pretty average with a 1.3 megapixel camera, MP3/MP4 playback, and SD expandability (includes 256MB microSD card) to store all of your music, movies, and homebrew apps. The V191 also boasts a gaming function for a bit of 8-bit reminiscing when your on the go. If you can find one the V191 goes for a whopping HK$5400 ($695) overseas.

[Akihabara]

First we had Walkman phones, then cybershot phones, and now Bravia phones…

This announcement comes after Sony’s amazing new ad for their new line of televisions, the ad was an explosion of color (literally) and that’s what this phone is. The new Sony Bravia phone is a 3G FOMA phone, sporting a QVGA display using Reality MAX technology, the same technology that is in the new Bravia HDTVs.

The phone also has a MP3 player built-in with 1GB of memory, and up to 45 hours of running time in stamina mode. There is a 3.2 Mp camera with image stabilizer. The phone measures 50x20x106 and weighs around 125g. The color of the phone is vibrant, to say the least.

What will Sony think of next? Commercial after the jump…

Read [Akihabara]

For all you youngins who hate to do chores, but love to be on the phone, here’s the perfect hack for you.  Take a Roomba automatic floor vacuum, a Roomba Bluetooth adapter, a Bluetooth cell phone (all the cool kids already have one) and download the RoombaCtrl Java program.  Just be careful – sweeping the floor could accidentally send all your dirty cell phone pictures to your parents.  Click the read link for step-by-step instructions how to get your Roomba on.

Read [Todbot]

Product: Mobile ESPN
Price: $99.00 for the Sanyo MVP Handset, plans start at $34.99 per month
Rating: Very Good 7.0/10.0
Pros: Screen graphics, access to up to the minute scores, ESPN news stories and columns, tracking favorite players and teams, daily videos, alerts, and the ability to manage fantasy teams.
Cons: Currently limited handset options, lacked Bluetooth, non-major sports are not included in the service (such as tennis, Olympic sports, and NASCAR).
Overall:This is the ultimate service for the sports fanatic. Mobile ESPN is one of the best MVNOs out there, lets just hope they add some better handsets in the future (though the MVP for $99 is a great buy).

Mobile ESPN is the essential MNVO for die hard sports fans, fantasy addicts, and anyone else you know that spends more time watching the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network than out with their friends. The software currently comes on Sanyo’s, less than impressive, MVP handset and is provided wireless service by Sprint.

The experience - 8.5 - The dedicated ‘E’ button on the 5 way navigation buttons brings you to the Java enabled sports lair where your boyfriend (or you) can get lost for hours. It takes a few seconds to load but nothing to complain about, they even offer a trivia tidbit while loading. Mobile ESPN has the ability to get favorite teams, ESPN News, ESPN alerts, scores, game-casts, SportsNation, columns, Answer Guy, ESPN Video, track fantasy teams, Hot Corner, and an ESPN search all in the palm of your hand. The service is easy to navigate through by making use of a left-docked vertical menu bar and constant updates are given across the scrolling ticker. It took some time to download any of the 15 video clips available. You can line up a cue for downloading which is good, but the video function is currently over rated, especially compared to other carriers video offerings. Scores will refresh, player to team tracking is a cinch with tons of information and links, as long as you are looking for a major sport (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA). Read on for the rest of the review.

Design - 5.5 - The MVP is currently available for $99, which makes it worth the price, but also makes one wonder if a new handset will be released shortly. The flip phone is based on Sanyo’s MM-9000. I was very impressed with the main LCD screen, sporting 262,000-color internal LCD, but the 1.1-inch external LCD was certainly no touch down. The phone also has a 1.3 MP camera, and a Mini SD slot. The MVP requires a pitch hitter in the Bluetooth department. The phone came in extremely nice packaging and with tons of accessories. The MVP itself is covered in a slick black gloss and red accents. As stated above, the keypad features a dedicated ‘E’ button to launch the ESPN service as well as web, call history, shop, and settings keys.

Service - 7 - Pricing plans for Mobile ESPN range from $35 a month for 100 minutes to $225 for 4,000 minutes. All of these plans come with unlimited data bandwidth and allow you to use Mobile ESPN as much as you want. Unfortunately, alerts sent to your phone are sent as text messages and only 100 come with a plan, a number we wish was raised. This stacks up well against other MVNO plans and the major carriers. You should find yourself with the same service quality as Sprint customers and can purchase the handset/service at Best Buy, over the phone, online, and at select Sprint stores.