HTC - Quiet Releases of Windows Mobile 6 Goodness

Looks like HTC just wanted to quietly introduce Windows Mobile 6 for the S620 and the x7500 but thanks to Jason Langridge, we are able to pass it along to you to enjoy over the weekend.

Here is the download at the URL for the S620:

http://member.htc.com/member/downloaddetail.aspx?pid=EXCALIBUR-C9

 

HTC also released the Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for the x7500 (Advantage) so make sure you have registered your product in HTC e-club to get to the download!  Better go there now!!!

           

iToner Makes iPhone Ringtones Easy

Ambrosia Software released iToner 1.0 today, a simple utility that lets you add MP3 or AAC audio files to an iPhone for use as custom ringtones. By default, the iPhone includes a limited set of 25 ringtones (which admittedly sound better than the beeps and clicks found on most phones); you can’t yet purchase others through AT&T, a business that has proven to be surprisingly lucrative for the phone carriers. What’s notable about iToner is that it doesn’t require any iPhone hacking software to work.

To add audio files, simply drag them to iToner’s iPhone-like window and press the Sync button. The files are copied to the iPhone and appear in the Sounds preference pane. An Advanced option lets you synchronize iTunes playlists instead

iToner costs $15, is a 2.7 MB download, and requires Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later. It can be used for free during a 30 day trial period.

For more information visit Ambrosia

Source: Ambrosia

           

Contour Showcase for iPhone

 The Contour Showcase for iPhone is now available for $34.95.

The Showcase for iPhone - the sleekest, most beautiful protection available for your iPhone. The fusion of impact resistant plastic and shock absorbing rubber into a single hinged piece serves as the perfect protection against damage and day-to-day wear. From the simple clasp closure to the crystal clear plastic, this Showcase is the perfect showcase for your iPhone. With a simple, clean, and secure holster, the Showcase for iPhone is the only case to offer dual layer hybrid protection and unsurpassed good looks

• Hybrid Protection: Shock absorbing rubber combined with crystal clear plastic gives all around protection.
• Full Access: All-encompassing dual layer protection fused with full accessibility for the screen, sensors, ports, and antenna.
• Open and Shut Case:  This hinged case offers the most versatility, securing your iPhone inside.
• Have iPhone, Will Travel:  The holster complements your iPhone, keeping it protected and where you need it.
• It’s Crystal Clear: Crystal clear plastic shows off all of the iPhone’s style.
• Top of the World: The Showcase offers easy access to the headphone port and power button.
• Getting to the Bottom: The iPhone’s speakers and dock port are easily accessible.
• Where You Need It: The holster carries the iPhone face in for full protection or face out for complete access.

For more information visit Contour

Source: Contour

           

Apple to launch ringtone service

According to the NY Post, Apple plans to unveil a new ringtone service that will allow iPhone users to turn almost any song sold through iTunes into a ringtone for an additional fee during its media event next Wednesday

While the exact pricing for the service is unclear at this point, a source suggested to the New York paper that the ringtones may be marketed as enhanced downloads in much the same way Apple offers high-quality, unprotected music files from EMI.

Apple will also allow users to convert songs they have previously purchased through iTunes into a ringtone.

“In a new twist, iPhone users will have the ability to choose any part of the song they want as their ringtone,” the Post said. “Most major ringtone offerings from Verizon, AT&T or Sprint feature pre-determined samples.”

For consumers who don’t want to design personalized ringtones, Apple will reportedly also sell traditional music ringtones.

Revenues from the sale of ringtones in the U.S. topped $600 million in 2006, up from $68 million in 2003, according to BMI, a collection society for songwriters and publishers. Meanwhile, worldwide sales last year are reported to have totaled $3.5 billion.

Source: engadget mobile

           

2007 AT&T Technology Tailgate Tour

AT&T is giving college football fans another high-tech way to demonstrate their team spirit. AT&T has announced the schedule for the 2007 AT&T Technology Tailgate Tour, a traveling interactive exhibit to 16 different college football games across the country.

The 53-foot truck expands into a high-tech interactive playland for college football fans, featuring free wireless ringtone downloads, wireless and Homezone demonstrations, plasma televisions, High-Speed Internet connections, gaming stations, and free e-shot photo areas.

The Tour will be on campus for two weekdays leading up to the game and then will set up on game day near the stadium. Visitors can win prizes including gift cards, t-shirts and school-specific banners through a series of college football trivia questions. Fans will also be able to play text message games and purchase products and services on site.

“The AT&T Technology Tailgate Tour is a popular gathering spot before the game,” said Eric Fernandez, executive director - AT&T Sponsorships and Events. “The Tour provides a great way for AT&T to interact with fans and to showcase our leading-edge products and services at college football venues across the country.”

The tentative schedule for the 2007 AT&T Technology Tailgate Tour includes:

• Sept. 1 - Indiana State at Indiana - Bloomington, Ind.
• Sept. 8 - Miami (FL) at Oklahoma -Norman, Okla.
• Sept. 15 - Notre Dame at Michigan - Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Sept. 22 - Syracuse at Louisville - Louisville, Ky.
• Sept. 29 - LSU at Tulane - New Orleans, La.
• Oct. 6 - AT&T Red River Rivalry: Oklahoma vs. Texas - Dallas, Texas
• Oct. 13 - Texas A&M at Texas Tech - Lubbock, Texas
• Oct. 20 - Michigan State at Ohio State - Columbus, Ohio
• Oct. 27 - South Florida at UConn -Storrs, Conn.
• Nov. 3 - LSU at Alabama - Tuscaloosa, Ala.
• Nov. 10 - Texas Tech at Texas - Austin, Texas
• Nov. 17 - Ohio State at Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Nov. 24 - Kansas State at Fresno State - Fresno, Calif.
• Dec. 1 - UCLA at USC - Los Angeles, Calif.
• Dec. 29 - Alamo Bowl - San Antonio, Texas
• Jan. 1 - AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic - Dallas, Texas

Source; AT&T press release

           

Sneak Peak of HTC Shift

Kaz911 has managed to get some hands on time with the HTC Shift (is it at IFA in Berlin today?) He writes some impressions on his latest blog entry.

From the blog of Kaz911:

As I’m writing here now - I’m sitting with a HTC Shift prototype. No not the final - but a late prototype. I had a chance to play with it for a while.

My initial impressions are that it is a really solid device. Much better than I anticipated. The screen tilt stuff works well and you can position the screen as you like. The screen supports is really only 800 x 480 but supports 1024 x 600 resolution - but at 1024×600 it can seem a bit “muddy to look at”

 

[Read more]

           

NBC says "Goodbye" to iTunes store

Wow … pretty interesting title, huh?  So it appears as if NBC Universal has made a decision to not renew its current contract to sell digital versions its TV shows on the  iTunes store. (See gasusan post - reuters) 

So I wonder what the real “skinny” is behind that decision but I would bet that NBC is not satisfied with the control that Apple wants over sales.

So if they pull out of iTunes, where do you think they will go?  So where will we now go to get Lost?

Check out a CNNMoney.com for more

           

Windows Mobile 6 Upgrade for the HTC S620

Arne Hess from the::unwired  reported that HTC has released the WM6 ROM upgrade for the HTC S620 (aka HTC Excalibur).  And it appears as if the rollout of Yahoo! Go is coming as well.  Arne indicated that a teaser is on HTC’s front-page

You need to be a registered user of HTC’s e-Club and your serial number has to be provided to get access to the download.  Sadly, Office Mobile is not included … a VERY disappointing revelation. 

Arne said:

… even without Office Mobile, Windows Mobile 6 is worth a (free) upgrade. As always, make sure to backup your data first since the ROM upgrade will remove all your data from your device. Also please keep in mind that this ROM upgrade is for HTC branded devices only. If you have another branded device (like from Orange, T-Mobile Europe (the U.S. version is available for a long time already or O2) please ask your operator for an upgrade.

           

NAVIGON 2100

NAVIGON unveiled today the elegantly designed NAVIGON 2100 at IFA 2007, the world’s largest consumer electronics show. Packed with “wow” features, the NAVIGON 2100, a slim, easy-to-use and affordable personal navigation device for the North American market, surpasses the basics to deliver an intelligent, premium navigation experience in an innovatively designed package.

The NAVIGON 2100 offers stunning 2D and 3D map views, a brilliant, anti-glare 3.5″ touchscreen, simple-to-maneuver menus and spoken turn-by-turn directions and street names via advanced text to speech — one of the only devices in its price tier to do so. Predictive text and city-first or street-first data entry, as well as millions of pre-loaded points of interest, help make destination entry easy.

Key features include:

• Reality View: exclusive and available only on all NAVIGON devices, Reality View provides 3D, photo-realistic virtual reality views of complex interchanges, complete with road geometry and actual road sign text
• Text-to-Speech: Provides clearly spoken driving directions and street names
• Automatic Speed Warnings: Shows posted speed limit and notifies driver with visual and verbal warnings when driver is speeding

The NAVIGON 2100 ships pre-loaded with two software features that can be unlocked with an accessory pack available at retail. These accessories include:

• Subscription-Free Lifetime Traffic: Advises on traffic flow, incidents and alternate routes for the lifetime of the product
• ZAGAT Survey Ratings and Reviews: Five destination guides, including top U.S. hotels, resorts and spas, restaurants, golf courses, as well as attractions and nightlife in 70+ U.S. cities help users make informed destination choices

The NAVIGON 2100 will be available for purchase online and at major North American retail outlets this fall for an MSRP of $249. Special NAVIGON 2100 accessory packs enable Lifetime Traffic and ZAGAT Survey(R) Ratings and Reviews at respective MSRPs of $99.99 and $39.99.

For more information visit NAVIGON

Source: NAVIGON press release

           

Verizon: Go Green With enV

Just in time for the fall season, Verizon Wireless and LG  announced today the newest addition to the enV family: the enV green by LG.

The latest twist on the popular multimedia device, the enV green by LG offers customers a new color while maintaining the features they’ve enjoyed on the original enV, including V CAST and V CAST Music, VZ Navigator, Bluetooth headset capability, dual speakers, and a 2.0 megapixel camera that provides crisp, clear photos and videos.

Complementing its robust mobile entertainment features, the enV green by LG comes equipped with a full QWERTY keypad for easy access to various applications, including Wireless Sync, the proprietary e-mail solution from Verizon Wireless. With Wireless Sync, customers can synchronize their enV green by LG with a home or office PC for easy access to new e-mail, calendar, contact, and task information.

The enV green by LG is only available at Circuit City, for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and new two-year customer agreement, beginning September 2.

For more information visit  Verizon Wireless

Source:Verizon wireless press releaase

           

Thin is in!! A NEW iPhone Touch Panel?

Engadget had a story about the iPhone’s multi-touch panel … well, it really was Sharp that unveiled their newest 3.5-inch, 320 x 480 pixel resolution multi-touch panel.  What is so special?  An incredible thinness of 1-mm that integrates the optical sensor into each pixel and incorporates scanning functionality for fingerprint authentication or barcode and business card scanning. 

Check out what  Engadget had to say and read the update they posted here.

           

Sandisk First to Offer 8-Gigabyte Memory Stick Micro (M2) Cards For Mobile Phones

SanDisk announced today that it is shipping 8-gigabyte (GB) Memory Stick Micro (M2) flash memory cards to phone manufacturers and mobile network operators (MNOs) for testing and evaluation purposes. Primarily used in Sony Ericsson mobile phones, the 8GB SanDisk M2 cards are ideal for the growing number of consumers who make their mobile phone-with its built-in music player, digital camera and video player/recorder-the centerpiece of their digital lifestyle.

At 8GB, SanDisk offers the largest capacity M2 card in the world. The new card will allow consumers to listen to more than 2,000 digital songs, or store more than 5,000 high-resolution pictures, or up to 5 hours of high-quality MPEG 4 videos . The announcement was made at IFA, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, where SanDisk is exhibiting at Booth 130, in Hall 15.1 of Messe Berlin, through Sept. 5.

Retail release of the cards and availability to phone manufacturers and network operators is planned for Q4 2007. Pricing has not yet been determined.

Source: SanDisk press release

           

HTC Kaiser/TyTN II To Launch 09-10-07

According to WhatASmartIdea.com, Smart Mobile Gadgets are going to launch the TyTN II September 10th and are taking pre-sale orders now. The TyTN II will list for $839.94 USD. A little relief from the $944.00 listed Mobiplanet a few days ago.

This is great news for all of us impatiently awaiting the release! Now it’s your turn AT&T, What’s the skinny?

Here is the Link to Smart Mobile Gadgets: Coming Soon

For a full Specification List, click below.

Source: What A Smart Idea

[Read more]

           

SanDisk Launches Multi Card Expresscard Adapter

SanDisk today launched the SanDisk Multi Card ExpressCard Adapter, offering fast transfer speeds from memory cards to notebook computers without the need to carry cables or external card readers. The announcement was made at IFA, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, where SanDisk is exhibiting at Booth 130, in Hall 15.1 of Messe Berlin, through Sept. 5.

The new adapter fits into the ExpressCard slot now found in most new notebook computers, and accepts six card formats: SD, SDHC, MultiMediaCard, MMCplus, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo and Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo. Many competing ExpressCard adapters only accept the full size Memory Stick format, running counter to the swing in market momentum toward the smaller Duo form factor.

For notebook computers without embedded memory card slots, the SanDisk Multi Card ExpressCard Adapter is an easy system upgrade. Users only need to pop the card into the ExpressCard slot - there is no software to install, with no external cables or hardware required. To transfer data, users simply take a memory card out of a device such as a digital still or video camera, an MP3 player, a portable game player or a mobile phone and insert the card into the adapter.

Even for notebook computers with embedded memory card slots, the SanDisk Multi Card ExpressCard Adapter can be useful. Embedded slots today don’t always support the new SD High Capacity (SDHC) format or the Memory Stick PRO Duo form factor, requiring users to carry an external reader. SanDisk’s new adapter offers native SDHC and Memory Stick PRO Duo support.

The SanDisk Multi Card ExpressCard Adapter is expected to available in North America and Europe in September, with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99 in the United States. Suggested retail pricing in Europe is yet to be announced.

Source: SanDisk press release

           

NBC ends contract on shows with Apple’s iTunes

NBC Universal has decided against renewing its contract to sell digital downloads of television shows on Apple Inc’s iTunes after failing to come to an agreement on pricing, the New York Times reported in its online edition on Friday.

NBC Universal, which is controlled by General Electric Co, is the No. 1 supplier of digital video to the online store, accounting for about 40 percent of downloads, the report said.

The media conglomerate notified Apple of its decision late on Thursday, the report said, citing a person familiar with the matter.

An NBC Universal spokesman confirmed the decision to the Times, but otherwise declined to comment. Spokespeople at Apple and NBC did not immediately return requests for comment from Reuters.

NBC Universal’s decision highlights the tension between Apple and media companies, which are unhappy Apple will not give them more control over pricing of their songs and videos, the report said.

Vivendi’s Universal Music Group also recently declined to sign a long-term deal with iTunes.

Source:Reuters