Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Gadgetell Quick Review:

What is it?

The TeleNav Shotgun is the first stand alone GPS unit from TeleNav, known for their on-phone GPS

Pros:

Connected search, superior POI, smart traffic updates,  beautiful screen, Best mounting I’ve seen in some time, future possibilities

Cons:

No ETA, only time to destination and quarterly updates on POI information.

Will I finally find the GPS standalone device for me?  Follow to find out.

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You’ve waited.  You’ve fretted.  You lamented at the news a cargo ship was rerouted back to Asia thanks to paint chipping.  But now, dry the tears from your eyes and head to T-Mobile to pick up the latest phone, in the hottest color: white!  Heck yeah, no longer just representative of the iPod of 2002, no; white is the new black.

Or is it?  Basic black and bronze (ugh) must be selling well, as Peter Chou, HTC CEO says they are ramping up the numbers and expect to move 1 million of this gadgets by year’s end.  Did they pick white just to compete with that other phone?  Or is there something more?

Find out what my source says about white.

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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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Another day, another new product or feature from Google.  Well, at least it seems that way sometimes.  Usually, there isn’t much added to the search function of Google, the updates tend to be to Gmail, Maps, or new products.  This time its different, Google has actually found a way to change, and possibly improve searching the web using its search engine.  Its called Searchwiki, and it isn’t as intimidating as it might sound.

In a nutshell, Searchwiki allows you to customize your searching if you search for things often.  It allows you to move results up to the top of the list where it might not appear normally.  You can also remove sites you don’t think fit the category or you just don’t like.  There is one thing to know, however: these results are only for you.  Google will remember them for you, but the results won’t go to the top for everyone else.  So even if you add Gadgetell to the top of your list when you search for “gadget” it unfortunately won’t happen to everyone else.  Continued after the break.

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Sections: Web, Google

Earlier this week we heard the news of Jerry Yang resigning as CEO of Yahoo, the result of a painfully disappointing year for the company that saw failure after failure.  They have watched their grip on Internet search slip through their fingers and they are in danger of slipping into the worlds of anonymity and the pages of history.  However, things are looking good for Yahoo fans with two positive pieces of news.

One Search

They are both an attempt to fight back at Google’s search domination, both in the mobile phone and PC sectors.  The first is a deal sealed with T-Mobile with the “One Search” button.  Yahoo have been poor at closing deals recently; however, this catch is definitely one that should help them in the future.  T-Mobile has agreed to put the One Search button on their phones, thus allowing users to quickly get to a search engine and helping Yahoo by making it theirs.

Find out what else is in Yahoo’s plans to fight the Google empire after the break.

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Sections: Communications, Cellphones, Web, Websites, Google

Tired of the blue on white theme you’ve been living with for years?  Finally, it looks like we are getting more themes than I ever expected from the fine folks at Google.  The themes are being propagated to users in a process that usually takes days to get to everyone.

The themes are controlled in Settings in their own tab.  If you don’t see a Themes tab, you’ll just have to wait.  Soon we’ll have over 30 different themes to play with.  Some themes mimic iGoogle in changing based on time of day and weather.

Google enterprise customers can stop looking for the Themes tab, it isn’t coming, at least not yet.  Themes have not been extended to these customers, which seems odd.

I’ve used Greasemonkey scripts to change themes of my Gmail and I feel these themes are long overdue to most users who don’ t want to take the time to tinker under the hood.

Check them out!  [Google]

• Gadgetell Review: TeleNav Shotgun
• T-Mobile G1 now in White and why it will sell like hotcakes
• Gamertell Review: Android games and apps roundup for the T-Mobile G1 phone

Sections: Communications, Email / IM, Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Google

My, my Google.  That was quick.  I’ll just bet you’re a ton of fun on a date.  Launched just this past July, Google’s “Lively” program (in hindsight, one can’t help but chuckle at the name they chose), is already being killed off.  I can hear the trumpets in the background as I type.

I guess all those risque room names and sex rooms weren’t even enough to keep you afloat, though they did cause quite a stir.  But, even that wasn’t enough to keep the public’s interest focused on this dying program.  Poor Google.  I guess you aren’t the King of All things Internet after all…at least not when your “idea” is one you pretty much just copied.  Continued. . .

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Sections: Computers, Gaming, Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Websites, Google

Being a CEO of a major brand on the net isn’t easy.  Getting the job is even harder, that is where Gadgetell comes in.  By entering our contest, you’ll earn our public recommendation to Yahoo!‘s board for the open CEO position.  Warm up those golf clubs, here is what we think Yahoo! needs:

To be the next CEO at Yahoo!, we believe the company needs a big personality.  Google has the rollerblading wonder twins, MS now has almost larger-than-life Ballmer and Apple’s got a guy with a closet full of black mock turtlenecks.  While we don’t believe having rollerblades, being nutty or sticking to one outfit is a prerequisite, here is what we do think is. . .

Follow to find out more and to apply to Gadgetell’s Be the next Jerry Yang contest.

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Sections: Web, Web 2.0, Websites, Features, Contests

2008 has not been kind to Yahoo.  It began with a buyout offer from Microsoft that they promptly screwed up, and was followed by the disintegration of their ad deal with Google and two rounds of layoffs.  Now it appears CEO Jerry Yang has finally had enough.

Yang announced his resignation last night, saying he will remain on the board of directors and reclaim his old title of “Chief Yahoo.”  Yang has been under the microscope of his shareholders ever since he rejected Microsoft’s offer of $33 per share for being too low.  Yahoo’s shares are now trading at a mere $11 each.  He now appears to regret his decision.

“To this day I would say that the best thing for Microsoft to do is to buy Yahoo,“ he said at a conference two weeks ago. And when quizzed on if he would stick to a higher price that he demanded back in May added, “Oh no. At the right price, whatever the price is.“
But Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer didn’t bite and said a couple of days later, “We are not interested in going back and re-looking at an acquisition. I don’t know why they would be either, frankly. They turned us down at $33 a share.“

Ouch.  Yahoo has begun the search for a successor, but finding someone willing to take over the tough job of turning around what was once the net’s top search engine won’t be easy, and for now what lies in the company’s future is anyone’s guess.

Read: [PC World]

• Walmart’s Cyber Monday 2008 video game deals
• Configure your BMW on a Microsoft Surface
• Amazon’s Thanksgiving weekend, Cyber Monday 2008 game deals

Sections: Web, Websites, Google

Rumors this morning suggest T-Mobile was hoping to spring a fresh white G1 phone for the holidays.  The word is there is a problem with the white paint causing the delay.  The Android phone was launched only in basic black.

Website TMO suggests the white paint is chipping.  Thankfully, the faulty paint was caught by T-Mobile but the delay will push an intro until after Thanksgiving.  This could push the hot phone’s sales downward as Black Friday brings out the masses in a buying mood.

The tipster originally said the white should be in stores by October 22.  We’ve pushed well past that date and now we hear after Thanksgiving.  Surely few are waiting for the white if they desire the G1, but T-Mobile has to wonder how this will hurt them this holiday season.

I like the white option.  And hey, without the iPhone’s cracks, it could be a better deal.

Source: [IntoMobile]

• Grab a Google Android G1 for $125
• Apple App Store gaming update for the week of November 24-30, 2008
• Joost comes to iPhone, brings plethora of videos