Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

There’s a relatively new mobile app called Mobifindr which allows you to track your cellphone by simply sending a text message to it. Developed by a company known as the first to combine the power of Wi-Fi, GPS and phone positioning, this set-and-forget software help track your cellphone in case you lose it. Most importantly, you can use this to monitor kids or your naughty lover! Essentially, making alibis will become very difficult with such technology.

There’s a simple video demonstration below on how the system works. Initially, Mobifindr was only available to the ultra-popular iPhone. Now, it is compatible with Blackberry devices. It has a free version which tracks location based on the nearest cell tower or with 1,500 meters accuracy. The premium version worth $25 has an accuracy of 10 to 30 meters.

Navizon, the software developer, is currently tweaking Mobifindr to work with S60 and Window Mobile-powered smartphones. However, there’s no word yet on its official release. Keep reading to check out the video below.

MORE »

Fujitsu is soon to launch the FLEPia e-ink e-book this coming fall. The latest gadget by Fujitsu is rumored to cost $941. This A4-sized e-ink reader has advanced features like Wi-Fi capability, 50 hours of continued use, and six control buttons plus a scroll key for scrolling. This allows users to have a better view of visual alignment. The FLEPia contains a 4GB SD flash card for memory space, and is 320-grams in weight, and about 12-millimeters in thickness.

The FLEPia e-ink e-book was once rumored to be having an integrated backlight, but that was pushed aside by Nikkei. These new, set-to-be-released-e-readers are an improvement from Fujitsu’s color e-ink prototypes. Those are capable of having a whole VGA display into a 4.7-inch x 6.3-inch handheld tablet units.

The FLEPia units will be available in three color motifs, namely white pearl, silver, and the usual pink pearl colors.

Read [nikkei] Via [Engadget]

Alltel has been working with Wi-Fi leader, Boingo, to bring unlimited Wi-Fi access to more than 25,000 hotspot locations. This service is available to both Alltel customers as well as non-Alltel users. In addition, Alltel is also offering their Internet Anywhere Bundle - more on that later.

Now, for $19.99 a month, or even $3.99 a day, you can get access to Alltel’s Wi-Fi in hotspots, which includes hotels, bookstores, restaurants, airports, and coffee shops. The neat thing about this is that you are not tied down to any contract, so if you wish to stop using it, you can easily opt out. Alltel is already offering this service in nearly 100 popular airports. So if you are waiting to catch a plane, you can get some work done using their Wi-Fi. Over the past year, Alltel has added nearly 15,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, so as time goes on, they will probably add even more to their already 25,000 hotspots in total.

Back to the “Internet Anywhere Bundle”, basically that gives you the option to use Alltel’s EVDO network or access to a Wi-Fi hotspot, and that costs $69.98 a month.

Angela Rittgers, Director of Product Marketing, had this to say about the new partnership and deals they have to offer;

“The Internet Anywhere Bundle is a common-sense approach to network connectivity and will enhance the choices available for our customers. Alltel, together with Boingo Wireless, is pleased to offer the flexibility of Wi-Fi to stay in touch with families and friends or access work email and schedules through a reliable connection.”

Read [Alltel] Via [Press Release]

T-Mobile has just added two new offerings, the Nokia 6301 and the Samsung SGH-t339, both of which fully support T-Mobile’s HotSpot @Home service.

Aside from supporting T-Mobile HotSpot @Home and myFaves, the Nokia 6301 also features a music player, stereo Bluetooth connectivity, a 2.0-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and video capture, microSD slot, IM support for AIM, ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live, a speakerphone and FM radio. This tri-band (850/1800/1900) phone supports GSM, GPRS, EDGE and UMA network. In addition, the Nokia 6301 sports a 240 x 320 pixels resolution TFT screen.

The Samsung SGH-t339 has almost all of the Nokia 6301 features except for its 1.3-megapixel camera and a smaller TFT screen at 176 x 220 pixels.

Both the Nokia 6301 and Samsung SGH-t339 will be available beginning today online and at all T-Mobile retail locations.

Read [Business Wire]

The lawsuit that has only recently come to light, has seemingly gone away just as quickly. I am of course referring to the recent announcement that T-Mobile was suing Starbucks claiming “breach of contract” and “unfair competition” in regards to how they let AT&T quickly move in and take over and begin promoting their services.

According to reports T-Mobile, along with Starbucks and AT&T have reached a “memorandum of understanding” in an attempt to resolve their issues. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, however Starbucks spokeswoman Stacey Krum stated that they are “committed to providing a high quality WiFi experience for customers, including Starbucks Rewards Customers, at Starbucks locations nationwide.”

Which makes it sound like nothing will be changing, at least on the customer side, after all some of the new programs including the 2-free hours per day from AT&T is part of the Starbucks Rewards program. I am glad to see an issue get resolved, especially quickly, lets just hope that does not mean my free Wi-Fi is going away.

Read [CNN Money] Via [Starbucks Gossip]

SanDisk has announced they have purchased MusicGremlin, which for those of you who cannot remember, were perhaps way ahead of their time when they released their MusicGremlin Wi-Fi MP3 player a few years back. This terms of the sale were, of course, undisclosed and the details as to just what SanDisk has in the works remains a mystery. We do however know that the acquisition will fall under SanDisk’s Sansa audio/video business unit.

Daniel Schreiber, general manager and senior vice president for SanDisk’s Sansa audio/video business unit stated that;

“MusicGremlin’s digital distribution platform and capabilities will provide SanDisk with adaptive and innovative technology that will play a key role in the development of future Sansa products for consumers,”

While as far as we can remember the big catch on the MusicGremlin, although it was not well received at the time was the built-in Wi-Fi. It looks like SanDisk could be a making an attempt at a second shot with a Wi-Fi enabled music player. SanDisk tried in the past, with yet another acquisition that was the Sansa Connect.

Read [SanDisk]

In an attempt to bolster their in-flight entertainment offering, the JetBlue LiveTV division is finalizing plans to purchase Verizon’s Airfone network. JetBlue began testing their in-flight Wi-Fi service late last year, however it is nothing more than a glorified messaging service. The Wi-Fi service allows users to check email and also use instant messaging, in addition to watch television. JetBlue has been using the LiveTV service since 2002 and currently broadcasts DirecTV programming, no purchase price was announced for the sale. In a time when airlines are beginning to add extra charges for just about everything, its hard to understand just why they would spend additional money for new services.

Via [mocoNews]

T-Mobile has decided to sue Starbucks over their recent agreement with AT&T to begin providing free Wi-Fi. The lawsuit claims that both Starbucks and AT&T are not living up to their end of the agreement dealing with the switchover. They are claiming “breach of contract” and “unfair competition” and seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

“Starbucks and AT&T ... secretly developed a promotional plan under which they would offer ‘free’ AT&T/Starbucks Wi-Fi even in stores” that were still reliant on T-Mobile’s infrastructure, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit goes on to claim that “to date, only two markets—the San Antonio, Texas, and Bakersfield, California, markets—have been transitioned from T-Mobile to AT&T.” However we have used a few and also seen reports from many other Starbucks locations now offering AT&T Wi-Fi. While T-Mobile is understandably upset, the agreement that the stores would be converted “on a market-to-market basis” leaves a great deal of judgment room. It looks like this one could get messy.

Read [Reuters]

Starbucks and AT&T have officially begun offering free Wi-Fi, and just about anyone will be able to use this now free service. Beginning today, customers who get a Starbucks reloadable card, register for the Starbucks Rewards Card program and then use the card at least one time a month will get two free consecutive hours of free wireless goodness everyday. Also, as an added bonus, new card members will also receive a free drink!

Of course we all know that by Starbucks offering us free Wi-Fi, that just means we are going to sit in the store longer and that means we will most likely get more beverages, however it is nice to see that someone else is understanding that by giving something away for free does not always mean lost revenue. Well with that, I think its time to grab my Starbucks Card, (that I made sure I added some money to yesterday in anticipation) and head on over to my local shop.

Sign Up [Starbucks and AT&T] Read [USA Today] Via [Starbucks Gossip]

It was way back in February when we first learned that AT&T was beginning the process of taking over the Wi-Fi offering at Starbucks. With that announcement came the word that as long as you have a Starbucks gift card that you are actively using you will be able to receive two free consecutive hours of Wi-Fi a day. Well since then we have seen lots of Wi-Fi coming and going, sometimes with stories about the offers and sometimes it was related to the access being live. Well it turns out that two free hour offering is just about ready to go live.

According to Dave Zatz:

“the system was configured a few days ago and they’ve confirmed it works. I saw the back of the store memo and the manager says they’ve got signage behind the counter ready to go in conjunction with the June 3rd launch.”

And, just in case you have something against using the Starbucks card, those two hours of Wi-Fi will set you back just $3.99. In addition to this offer, those Laptop Connect customers are also able to get free Wi-Fi at Starbucks locations as well. Sadly this offer has no mention of whether that free iPhone Wi-Fi offer will be returning, but with the launch rumored to take effect tomorrow, we will not have to wait long to find out. Hopefully this roll-out will be for all Starbucks locations, however its possible that it may be a limited roll-out on an area by area basis.

Read [Zatz Not Funny] Via [jkOnTheRun]