Danger's iconic Hiptop fades away / the Sidekick is here to stay

At the turn of the millennium, three men formed Danger Incorporated, which went on to create a smartphone perfectly positioned for its time. Those men eventually wound up at Google... after one of them founded Android. But what became of the T-Mobile Sidekick, their stylish swiveling phone? After an illustrious life filled with fame, fortune and failure, the Hiptop met its end today. Today, Microsoft and T-Mobile will shut down the Danger servers for good, leaving existing handsets without the push email and cloud services that once made them indispensable to the teens, tweens and businesspeople who used them day in and day out -- leaving the Android-powered Sidekick 4G to fan the remaining embers of the brand. Join us after the break for a video celebration of Danger's pop culture phenomenon, and head on over to Geekwire for a brief history of the iconic device. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got a little water in our eye.

WHO Assessment Puts Cell Phone Use At “Possibly Carcinogenic”

The World Health Organization has just released the findings of a major literature review by leading scientists in the fields of cancer and radiation. Their conclusion? We need more data, but it’s looking as if wireless communications are, at the very least, not not carcinogenic.

The only positive data were too “limited” or “inadequate” to permit the group to say there’s a definite link, though they saw fit to give it a 2B rating, “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Motorola Site Redesign Spills Shots Of XOOM 2, New Handsets, And A Watchphone?

Whoops! Looks like someone at Motorola didn’t cover up their breadcrumbs while working on the next version of their Mobility site.

Now, leaked site redesigns generally aren’t something we cover, because, well, no one cares. This one’s special, though. This one’s fun. This one’s jam-packed full of unannounced products.

While the Mobility site is now back to its original, non-leaky form, PocketNow managed to nab some screenshots of all the good stuff. Alas, there’s not much here in terms of specs or details — beyond the product renders and names (some of which we’re pretty sure are codenames), most of what we’re looking at is still shrouded in mystery. For now.

First up, two mega-slim handsets — the Zaha, and the Slimline:

Next, the Xoom 2 (hiding in the background):

Last, but certainly not least, the Tracy XL Watchphone (named, of course, after Dick and his still-evasive Watchphone):

Of course, there’s always the chance that whoever’s building this just grabbed some random product concept renders off the network share to use as placeholders in the redesign, with none of these actually in Motorola’s product pipeline. If Motorola can actually make a watchphone that looks anything like that Tracy XL, though, I certainly hope these things are the real deal.

Skype Force Installs EasyBitsGo in Latest Update on Windows Version

This morning, Skype for Windows users have been reporting that the latest update for the Skype Windows client is pushing an automatic update with an unwanted payload: the EasyBitsGo  game library application as a part of the Extras Manager. Users have also been reporting being locked out of Skype until access to the executable is granted, further frustrating users besides not being warned about the application in the latest update. For its part Skype has responded by disabling and ceasing the update rollout as the software was never meant to install the games included in the executable, leading to issues with uninstallation of the software on affected computers.

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (May 30, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Monday, May 30th, 2011.

Poll: Which Canadian Carrier Has The Best Monthly Plan?
There is a flip side to just offering great devices. Monthly plans are the other key component. Over the past year since the new entrants came storming in they offered low cost monthly plans that included unlimited talk, text and data. Other carriers slightly joined in – but in various provinces. This new poll we are asking based on your viewpoint “Which Canadian carrier has the best monthly plan?”
MobileSyrup

Unnamed HTC WP7 Smartphone Has A 12-Megapixel Camera
Are you one of those folks who like the idea of a smartphone camera, but think they still have ways to go before they can replace even a simple point-and-click standalone camera? An upcoming, unnamed smartphone from HTC might change your mind. A 12-megapixel camera in a smartphone is not unheard of – Nokia N8 has one – but it’s definitely a first in the world of Windows Phone 7 devices.
Mashable

ASUS Targets Christmas For Padfone Launch, Hints At Ice Cream Sandwich
The smartphone is actually the only smart aspect of this hardware pair — the slate part acts as a display, a set of speakers, an extended battery, and an I/O extender, but it doesn’t work by itself. ASUS also tells us there’ll be other functionality enabled by the tablet panel, but that’s being kept under wraps for now. It’s still a mere mockup for now, but ASUS has big plans for it — plans that coalesce around the Christmas period and the very latest version of Android at that time.
Engadget

Samsung: 1 Million Galaxy S II Units Sold
Samsung announced on Monday that it has sold more than 1 million of its new Galaxy S II handsets, and that the phone has been “selling like [hotcakes].” The Korean company said the time it took for sales to pass the 1 million milestone was the fastest of any device it has sold, and that the Galaxy S II beat the Galaxy S to that sales figure by 40 days. The Galaxy S II made its debut on April 29th, and we’re not surprised that Samsung has managed to sell one every three seconds — when we reviewed the Galaxy S II earlier this month we called it the “greatest Android smartphone available on the planet.”
BGR

TransPhone Pairs Tablet And Handset, Emerged Before ASUS Padfone
While ASUS’ Padfone was being launched with much sticker-clad-model fanfare at Computex today, CMIT’s TransPhone was apparently enjoying its third day of life, having first appeared on the web as early as Saturday. Both tablets include built-in docks with smartphones to match, but are otherwise unique in appearance and features. The TransPhone includes a bluetooth headset and a slide-in smartphone dock, while the Padfone’s handset is completely hidden by a flip-up rear door.
Engadget

OfficeMax getting the TouchPad in July Probably

The last time I talked about the HP TouchPad tablet that is coming soon was a week or so back. The tablet is tipped to hit Wal-Mart in June for $599 making it quite expensive. A new document turned up today from a leak that points to OfficeMax getting the TouchPad in July. The expected launch date is in June and OfficeMax is typically behind the schedule on new products so June could still be the official launch.The interesting thing about the document is that it shows two versions of the TouchPad. One of the versions is listed as a 3G tablet, which we already know about. The other version is listed as a 4G tablet. It could be that the 4G is a mistake on the OfficeMax document since no rumors have surfaced of a 4G version before now.

However, it could be that a real 4G version of the tablet is coming. It could also be that one of the faux 4G tablets with the faster 3G networks that AT&T pushing is coming too. We will have to wait a while and see what the official launch announcement says

GIGABYTE Showcases Latest mSATA Equipped Z68 Motherboards at Computex 2011

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and computing hardware solutions is again excited to participate in Computex 2011, showcasing their latest range of newly launched Z68 Express Chipset series motherboards including the world’s first motherboards to feature onboard mSATA for Intel SLC SSDs to enable Intel Smart Response Technology. GIGABYTE will also have on display the G1.Killer gaming series motherboards, the X58A-OC motherboard as well as their newly launched AMD 900 series motherboards, for what is truly shaping up to be a memorable Computex 2011.

Intel Platform

 

To start things off, live demos of the GIGABYTE Z68 series motherboards, based on the Intel Z68 Express Chipset and supporting the new 2nd generation Intel Core processors will be shown, including the Z68XP-UD3, the first standard desktop PC motherboard to feature onboard mSATA drive connectors, designed to power Intel Smart Response Technology so that users can experience system performance similar to SSD only systems. Also featured on the GIGABYTE Z68 series motherboards is GIGABYTE Touch BIOS, an innovative new way to modify BIOS settings.

 

Also on display will be their latest line of Intel X58 chipset-based motherboards including the dedicated gaming motherboards designated the G1-Killer series, consisting of the G1.Assassin, G1.Sniper and G1.Guerrilla. Featuring several state-of-the-art onboard solutions from industry heavy hitters including Creative and Bigfoot Networks, as well as quite a few new and exclusive GIGABYTE features, the GIGABYTE G1-Killer series motherboards are equipped to let gamers unleash total mass gaming destruction. In addition, GIGABYTE will showcase the X58A-OC motherboard, the first overclocking specific, enthusiast designed motherboard that introduces never-seen-before tweaking and insulating features.

 

AMD Platform

 

On the AMD side, GIGABYTE presents the new GIGABYTE 900 series motherboards, supporting the forthcoming 8-core AMD FX processors and the ultimate in multi GPU graphics support, including models supporting both 4-way AMD Crossfire X and NVIDIA SLI for the very first time. Based on the all new 990FX, 990X and 970 chipsets from AMD, GIGABYTE 900 series motherboards combine rock solid stability with improved power delivery, allowing users to squeeze every last ounce of performance from AMD’s unlocked FX series processors.

 

LG Thrive

The LG Thrive may appear like the remainder of the current Smartphones for LG, but this Android 2.2 unit has features and characteristics that may be as squeezed together as others. It supports WiFi, GPS, and it also has quad band support that makes the unit more reliable on talking. Its 3G capability is also dependable when it comes to utilizing it for internet usage where its download speed for website presentation is decent for its counterparts from other brands having the same caliber.

Running under a 600 MHz processor for LG Thrive is just a few of the basics where it can handle a couple of applications running at the same time. Navigation is seamless and detailed, being assisted by a responsive touch screen. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera that captures adequate picture quality and has a battery that can tolerate 7.5 hours of talk time where it can be idle for 20 days.

 

Padfone: Asus Officially Announces Its Android Tablet/Phone Combo (Videos)

Today, on the first day of the yearly Computex Taipei exhibition in Taiwan, Asus took the wraps off the Android tablet/phone combo it teased last week. Dubbed Padfone, Asus is relatively mum on details (specs, pricing, availability) at this point.

Read the rest on CrunchGear.

Read the rest of this entry »

ASUS targets Christmas for Padfone launch, hints at Ice Cream Sandwich (video hands-on)

We just got to spend some quality time with ASUS' newly unveiled Padfone and you can see the smartphone that doubles up as a tablet on video after the break. It's still a mere mockup for now, but ASUS has big plans for it -- plans that coalesce around the Christmas period and the very latest version of Android at that time. ASUS' Benson Lin was careful not to openly admit the company intends to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich, but he did point out that you can't launch a smartphone with Honeycomb as the OS. We were encouraged to draw our own conclusions.

The smartphone is actually the only smart aspect of this hardware pair -- the slate part acts as a display, a set of speakers, an extended battery, and an I/O extender, but it doesn't work by itself. ASUS also tells us there'll be other functionality enabled by the tablet panel, but that's being kept under wraps for now. Compatibility between the display dock and subsequent phone generations is being contemplated but couldn't be confirmed, and as to the UI, ASUS says it'll be almost the same as its second-gen Android tablets. You heard that right, second generation ASUS Android tablets -- to succeed the Transformer and Slider -- will be coming around the same time as the Padfone.

ASUS Padfone first hands-on

Mystery HTC Windows Phone sports 12 megapixel goodness, RAW support

Phone cameras still have a ways to go to catch up to the awesome capabilities of your standard DSLR, but the handset captured in the image above would certainly get them headed in the right direction. International phone review superstar Eldar Murtazin snapped a few shots of an as-of-yet unnamed HTC device running Windows Phone. It sports a look very similar to the HTC Trophy, although this particular gem is capable of capturing images at 12 megapixel resolution -- comparable to the Nokia N8. We can tell from Eldar's tweets and images, however, that it's gone one step further by adding support for pictures in RAW format. We're still waiting to get more information about this device, but for now we invite you to enjoy the images above and below.

Video: NTT Docomo’s Mobile, Simultaneous Translation System

The idea of translating spoken language from cell phone to cell phone isn’t exactly new, but the mobile simultaneous translation system NTT Docomo is currently working on looks really impressive. Japan’s biggest mobile carrier says it uses the “best technologies” for voice recognition, machine translation, and voice synthesis out there for its solution.

As you can see in the video embedded below, Docomo’s system goes beyond simple tourist talk like “Hello” or “How much is this?”. For the demo, a Docomo employee at a remote location reads a rather complex newspaper article in Japanese which is then translated into English and sent to the receiver in near real-time (English -> Japanese is possible, too).

Accuracy and speed still need some work, but it looks like Docomo could get there soon.

Here’s the video (provided by Diginfonews in Tokyo):

ASUS announced the Padfone

If pads and phones are the fastest growing categories in consumer tech, surely a Padfone would be the ultimate combo? That's what ASUS thinks, and it's just introduced its smartphone device that comes with a tablet it can dock into. Display switching is done dynamically, so that reading emails or browsing the web on the fone portion expands itself seamlessly once it's connected into the pad.

Revolution By LG Arrives For Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile Phones today announced Revolution by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 26. An entertainment powerhouse, Revolution by LG is the first Android smartphone preloaded with the Neflix application, allowing Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows. Revolution customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen. Built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability allow customers to share multimedia content with HDMI capable displays, creating an exceptional entertainment experience. 

Key features:

4G LTE – customers can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps in 4G Mobile Broadband coverage areas 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor

Android 2.2 platform

Access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market

Bing Search and Maps

Adobe Flash Player

Rear-facing 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash

1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat

720p HD video recording and playback

Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11 b/g/n

Mobile Hotspot capability allows customers to share 4G LTE with up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to 5 devices

Bluetooth Version 3.0 Support Profiles: headset, hands-free, object push, advanced audio distribution (stereo), audio/video remote control, file transfer, phone book access

 

Additional features:

V CAST Apps

Virtual QWERTY keyboard with SWYPE technology

Equipped with Dolby Mobile for rich listening experience

Extensive image editor includes: crop, rotate, resize, apply filters, image adjustments, draw, write, erase and add stamps

16 GB preinstalled microSD card

 

Pricing and availability:

Revolution by LG will be available in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com for $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Revolution customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a data package.  Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access.  An unlimited data package is available for $29.99 for monthly access.  The Mobile Hotspot feature will be included for a limited time at no additional charge.

 

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, launched in December 2010, is the fastest, most advanced 4G network in the United States, providing speeds up to 10 times faster than Verizon Wireless’ 3G network.  Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network currently reaches one-third of all Americans, with plans to expand the network to the company’s entire 3G coverage area over the next three years.

 

ASUS PadFone shown off in proper brightness ahead of launch?

We've already seen a glimpse of ASUS' "pad or phone" duo -- likely to be named PadFone -- hanging out in their latest teaser pic, and now thanks to the folks over at Notebook Italia, we can finally gaze at their much brighter, non-silhouette form. Despite the awkward cropping, the leaked product shot above echoes the same shape and set of Android soft keys as seen previously. Upon closer inspection, though, we believe that the newly-shown silver bar is just the phone's volume rocker, rather than a potential docking port. So how do the two physically bond together, if at all? Until tomorrow's launch event, your guess is just as good as ours.

Engadget Investigates: Samsung Nexus S 4G WiMAX performance issues

In Engadget Investigates, we explore major issues, working with tech manufacturers and service providers to improve your experience with the gadgets we've all come to depend on. If you'd like us to look into an issue, please send us a tip, including "Investigate" in the subject line.

Samsung's highly-anticipated Nexus S 4G joined the WiMAX family this month, pairing Google's popular Nexus handset with Sprint's 4G network. But with the honeymoon over, customers have noticed that the Gingerbread device isn't living up to Sprint's former flagship mates, such as the Epic 4G, with last year's model besting the new guy on both speed and network reception tests. Customers also noticed issues with battery life, though so far we've found it to be consistent with other WiMAX smartphones. We took both out for a stroll around New York City, and on a quick weekend getaway to Miami Beach, and we're sorry to report that we've confirmed your fears about performance. Sprint and Google have confirmed that they're looking into the performance issues, and we hope they can patch things up with some over-the-air update therapy, but in the meantime, jump past the break to see what we found.

Poor Reception

Most people don't have multiple WiMAX devices sitting around for speed test comparisons, so it's no surprise that the biggest complaint we've seen relates to poor signal reception, rather than data speed specifically. Forum posters (both on Sprint Community and the Google Mobile Help Forum) reported excellent reception at home but poor or no reception at work, even when colleagues with other Sprint devices were able to make and receive calls in the same office. In New York City, we didn't have any issues making and receiving phone calls, or accessing data in any of our test locations, but we did notice signal strength discrepancies between the Nexus S 4G and Epic 4G. By the window in our office, for example, the Nexus S 4G registered a signal strength of -86 decibel milliwatts (dBm), and two signal bars (out of four), while the Epic 4G registered -65 dBm, and six signal bars (out of six), so there is definitely a discrepancy. We even tried removing the Nexus back plate, just in case the built-in NFC antenna was interfering with reception, but signal strength remained at -86 dBm.

We also tried testing in Miami, but were unable to connect to 4G from our hotel in Miami Beach, and weren't able to pick up a consistent signal in downtown Miami, where coverage maps indicate a healthy blanket of WiMAX. Because both phones suffered from poor reception, we can't isolate this specific connectivity issue to the Nexus S 4G.

Speed Comparison

We conducted 20 consecutive speed tests with both smartphones in each of five different locations -- four 4G tests in New York City, and one 3G test in Miami, as 4G wasn't consistently available. When we averaged the results, the Epic 4G outperformed the Nexus S 4G on every download speed test, even doubling transfer speeds in some cases. Upload speeds between the two devices were generally identical, with the exception of the test from the center of our NYC office. At this location, the Epic 4G offered a 72 percent boost on upload speeds. We tested a different Nexus S 4G handset in San Francisco, comparing results with a WiMAX MiFi, since we didn't have another WiMAX phone on hand. Both devices yielded comparable results in that city, which brings us to conclude either that only some Nexus devices are defective, or that all are defective, but function normally with select WiMAX transmitters.

NYC Window Speed Test

We noticed the greatest difference in download speeds when testing near a window on the fourth floor of our NYC office. When alternating between devices for 20 consecutive tests, the Nexus S averaged 2,719kbps, while the Epic 4G's average download speed was 120 percent faster, clocking in at 5,994kbps. Upload speeds were consistent between the two devices, with the Nexus S averaging 990kbps and the Epic 4G delivering 1,001kbps.

NYC Office Speed Test

Moving to a desk in the center of the office, about 100 feet from the nearest window, the Nexus S averaged 3,049kbps down, compared to 4,699kbps with the Epic -- a 54 percent boost. Upload speeds were significantly lower here than by the window, with the Nexus S averaging just 266kbps, compared to 459kbps on the Epic 4G -- a difference of 72 percent.

NYC Park Speed Test

Naturally, both phones offered the best performance outside, with the Nexus S averaging 4,248kbps down in Union Square Park, compared to 6,178kbps with the Epic 4G -- a difference of 45 percent. Upload speeds were nearly identical, as they were near the window: the Nexus S averaged 979kbps, while the Epic averaged 993kbps.

NYC Roof Speed Test

We also tested both phones from a residential rooftop two blocks from the World Trade Center, where we generally experience excellent signal reception. Again, the Epic bested the Nexus by 43 percent, averaging 4,496kbps to the Nexus's 3,146kbps. Upload speeds were consistent -- 976kbps on the Epic and 917 on the Nexus.

Miami 3G Speed Test

You don't have to travel far from New York to find another WiMAX city, but Miami's coverage map looked just as promising as the weather forecast, so both phones came along for a weekend trip to the Sunshine State. We were disappointed to find that Sprint's coverage map doesn't match WiMAX availability, however, and left without capturing a single usable 4G speed test result. 3G access was also hard to come by in parts of Miami Beach, but we didn't have trouble locking on to a signal in downtown Miami. Even on 3G, the Epic 4G offered epically superior performance, averaging 1,121kbps down -- a 92 percent boost over the Nexus's 584kbps average download speed. The Epic performed marginally better than the Nexus on the upload test, scoring 428kbps and 388kbps, respectively.

Wrap-Up

With the Epic 4G besting the Nexus S 4G on all five of our speed tests, it's easy to conclude that the newer device suffers from some significant network performance issues. We reached out to Sprint when we first looked into the problem early last week, and the carrier and Google have both confirmed that they're investigating the problem. A Sprint representative added:

"Nexus S 4G is one of our best selling devices. Most of these customers are very happy with their experience with the device. We are aware of the connectivity reports being brought forward by a small number of Nexus 4G customers. Google, Sprint and Samsung are examining these reports and though we have not yet been able to identify any specific causes, we are working to determine exactly what our customers are experiencing."

That said, the Nexus S 4G's speeds are still commendable for a WiMAX device, falling within the carrier's range of advertised performance (3 to 6Mbps). But if having the best-performing smartphone is a priority, then you'll clearly want to give Sprint and Samsung some room to work out the kinks before locking yourself into a two-year contract with the Nexus S 4G.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Arduino, magnet wire, and Android combine to create poor man's NFC (video)

Jealous of your Nexus S-owning friends and their fancy NFC chips after yesterday's Google Wallet announcement? Well tech tinkerer Joe Desbonnet has whipped up what he dubs "poor man's NFC" using an Arduino, some magnet wire, and any compass-equipped Android smartphone (which is almost all of them). By placing a coil of wire on the phone and connecting it to the DIYer's favorite microcontroller, Desbonnet was able to send data, albeit very slowly, to his HTC Desire running a special app to decode the signals. Granted, you're probably not going to see American Eagle mod their point of sale systems to talk to your phone's magnetometer, but it's still a neat trick. In fact, we'd break out our Arduino right now to give it a try, but our secret lair is strangely devoid of enameled copper wire. Check out the source link for instructions, and don't miss the video after the break.

Microsoft Has Made 5x More Money From Android Than They Have From Windows Phone 7

Depending on how you’re counting (whether or not you’re including slightly varied models or not, for example), Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 partners have released either slightly over or slightly under 10 different handsets since the platform’s debut.

In that same time, how many Android phones has Microsoft released? Zero. Of course, no one would really expect Microsoft to release an Android phone, of course — but get this: Microsoft has likely made around 5x more money from Android than they have from Windows Phone 7.

Confused? Don’t worry — it’s a weird one.

You see, back in April 2010 Microsoft and HTC got into a little legal battle over a few patents which Microsoft claimed HTC was infringing with their Android phones. It never evolved into a formal lawsuit, because HTC turned around and offered to pay a licensing fee. That fee, according to a report from Citi analyst Walter Pritchard, is $5 per device.

At the same time, Microsoft has been licensing out Windows Phone 7 to handset manufacturers at a cost generally believed to be around $15 per device.

Last time they shared numbers, Microsoft said they’ve sold 2 million Windows Phone 7 licenses. 2 million multiplied by $15 per device works out to $30 million.

HTC, meanwhile, has sold roughly 30 million Android phones. So, what’s 30 million multiplied by $5 per device? $150,000,000.

Yep. Without building a single Android phone, Microsoft has very likely racked in $150 million from Android. And that’s just from their deal with HTC, mind you — it’s entirely feasible that they’ve got similar deals with the other Android-building big-guns (like Samsung, or LG), and that such details just haven’t trickled out yet.

[via the incredible asymco]

WatchESPN app upgraded for iPad, still restricted to just a few TV providers

The free WatchESPN app that lets users tune into the family sports channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com) has been upgraded to version 1.1 on iOS (also available for Android) and in the process added a new UI designed just for the iPad. It sports a new tablet friendly UI, but the key restriction is still that you need to subscribe to Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FiOS TV to make use of the service. If you don't have one of those and need a quick hit of sports TV without your TV, there is an account preview option that gives a few hours of viewing, no authentication necessary. You can download it yourself at the iTunes link below or check out the commercial embedded after the break.

Show full PR text

'WatchESPN' App Now on iPad

Update Gives Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Verizon FiOS TV Subscribers Live Access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com on iPad

NEW YORK, N.Y. – ESPN is proud to announce its WatchESPN App, which allows live access of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com, is now available on iPad. The WatchESPN App gives Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks and Verizon FiOS TV subscribers who receive ESPN's linear networks as part of their cable subscription another screen from which to watch their favorite ESPN content.

The WatchESPN App features a simple user interface that takes the live viewing experience to the high-resolution, Multi-Touch display of iPad, as well as iPhone and iPod touch. Once users download WatchESPN, they will receive instructions to enter the appropriate cable subscriber credentials to begin accessing ESPN content from any of their Apple devices.

The WatchESPN App is available free from the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch and now iPad, or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

ESPN first launched an online-accessible authenticated version of ESPN in October, 2010. Authenticated versions of ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line launched in January, 2011. Consumers can access the channels through a centralized website, ESPNnetworks.com.

About ESPN, Inc.
ESPN, Inc., is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of seven 24-hour domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes and ESPN 3D). ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS HD are simulcast services. Other businesses include ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, websites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com (broadband sports network) ESPN Mobile, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV and other growing new businesses, including ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

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Tesco Mobile tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey

Retailer ranks highest in satisfaction among both contract and prepay customers in latest survey by J.D Power and Associates

Tesco Mobile has beat all other networks to top both contract and prepay divisions of the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 UK Mobile Phone Customer Satisfaction Study.

The retailer finished highest in the contract segment with a ‘Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking’ (based on a 1,000 point scale) of 741 and performed well in four of the six categories – cost of service, offerings and promotions, customer service and handset. O2 followed Tesco Mobile in the rankings with a score of 718. Vodafone finished bottom with a score of 675, 20 points behind its nearest rival Three.

The report, in its 14th year, found overall satisfaction among contract customers increased by 25 points from 2010 to an average of 698 with the survey finding that improvements have occurred across all aspects of the customer experience, with the largest gains in call quality and coverage and cost of service factors.

Among prepay providers Tesco Mobile ranked highest for a second consecutive year by achieving a score of 742, performing well in the call quality/coverage, cost of service, offerings and promotions and handset factors. Like with the contract segment, O2 finished second, this time with a score of 720.  T-Mobile finished last with a score of 679.

Satisfaction among prepay customers averages 707 in this year’s report – 18 points higher compered with 2010.

J.D. Power and Associates director of service industries Stuary Crawford-Browne said: “The industry has made notable gains in strengthening network infrastructure and has managed to do so without raising service costs, which is undoubtedly good news for customers.

“However, as adoption of data-intensive smartphones increases, it will be interesting to see how well providers keep up with pressure on networks, and whether price increases and caps on data usage will ensue. These could curtail the positive momentum on overall satisfaction that has developed during the past couple of years.”

Blackberry Applications

With so many applications out there to chose from, it’s extremely hard sometimes to decide which ones should take up the precious space on your Blackberry smartphone. Do you keep your fitness application or forsake your health and go for the game that you love to play on your way to work? Tough, tough decisions but thankfully we have some help in a quick guide to some of the very best applications available for Blackberry devices.

Not Now

We all know that mobile phones have been a fantastic invention, making our lives far more convenient and allowing us to contact one another whenever we want. This does have its downsides though as it means you are available at all time and if you happen to turn your phone off then you will get the inevitable questions about why you did. Not now helps you out here as it allows you to screen calls and automatically sends a polite message explaining why you could not take the call. A great tool if you are often busy, or if you just wish to take a break!

Unit Converter

As we live in the United Kingdom, a beautiful but confused place where both imperial and metric measurements are still used regularly, there will be times when you need to convert between the two. We all know that your diary has the equations in the back but then you need to do the sum on your calculator as well. Not with this app. Just type in the measurements and what you want to convert from and to and the Blackberry does the rest.

Message Scheduler

If you have a very busy schedule then this application could very well be for you. Write your messages at the beginning of the day and set exactly when you want them to send and the application will do it for you. It works seamlessly with the Blackberry software so it does not even seem like you have a programme running. Faultless programming and extremely useful.

For more infomation and to order your very own brand new Blackberry head over to Dialaphone, Dialaphone have years of experience in the mobile industry and are sure to have the best advice for you.

2011 AT&T Cordless Phone Line Offers Industry’s Best Talk Range with Rich New Features to Improve Home Communications

Advanced American Telephones (AAT) today announced the availability of its new AT&T-branded DECT 6.0 cordless phones, featuring unsurpassed range (up to 1,800 feet*) along with a host of new features to improve the home communications experience. The 2011 lineup includes Connect-to-Cell technology that enables answering of both cellular and landline calls through the home phone system.

“Consumers who desire a high-value product and simplistic function in their home or small office will enjoy the rich quality, look and features of the new 2011 AT&T line,” said Matt Ramage, senior vice president, product management, Advanced American Telephones. “The lineup includes a range of great features that offer affordable communication solutions for today’s fast-paced families and home-based businesses.”

With the addition of HD audio, the 2011 AT&T phone line boasts the best sound quality with up to 45 percent better talk range (up to 1,800 feet) than other cordless phones on the market.  AT&T’s latest DECT 6.0 cordless phones will be available at http://telephones.att.com and at major retail stores such as Walmart, Target, Staples, Office Max, Best Buy and others.

AT&T TL92271: Accommodate Home Cell Calls from a Convenient and Reliable Phone System

Priced at US$79.95, the new AT&T TL92271 Connect-to-Cell system offers customers the freedom of making and receiving cellular calls through a cordless phone, to help avoid typical problems of poor call clarity and range associated with cellular calling at home. Up to four BLUETOOTH®-enabled cellphones can be paired to the system with two cell phones simultaneously, allowing one person to make landline calls on one handset while another person makes cellular calls on a different handset. Users can also download cellphone directories (up to 6,000 entries) directly into the TL92271 system.

The TL92271 also features new HD audio sound quality and an equalizer function with four preset audio profiles to better match the user’s hearing. For added convenience, the TL92271’s Caller ID Announce setting enables easy call screening without picking up the handset and push-to-talk (PTT) for instant communication on handsets placed throughout the home.

AT&T CL82201: Industry-Leading Talk Range and Call Quality

Based on advanced DECT 6.0 technology, the new AT&T CL82201 is a dual-handset phone system with optional expandability up to 12 handsets.  Priced at US$59.95, this versatile system also offers unsurpassed range of up to 1,800 feet and incorporates HD audio and an equalizer function to adjust call audio settings.

With these features, the AT&T CL82201 allows users to have clear conversations over a greater distance, with more peace-of-mind that a call is less likely to drop when moving from room-to-room or to the backyard.

The CL82201 phone system also includes PTT functionality, making it ideal for home-based businesses, small offices and larger families. PTT enables instant voice delivery through the handset speakerphone for household and office announcements or for one-to-one conversations with someone in another room. For better readability, the phone also has an extra-large, white backlit LCD display, and includes Caller ID Announce.

AT&T CL83201: Feature Rich with Dual Caller ID and Dial-in-Base Speakerphone

Similar to the CL82201, the new AT&T CL83201 features unsurpassed range, Caller ID Announce, PPT and HD audio in a unique, modern design for US$69.95. CL83201 users can also make calls from the base with the Dial-in-Base Speakerphone and dual Caller ID that can be viewed from either the handset or the base. The system comes with one handset and is expandable up to 12 handsets to accommodate large households while using only a single phone jack.  Other key features include large tilt base display, intercom between handsets and base unit, handset and base speakerphones, storage of up to 50 names/numbers in the Caller ID history, selectable ring tones and up to 14 minutes of digital recording time.

Product highlights and retail availability are as follows:

TL92271

Make and receive both landline and cellular calls from any handset

Virtual 2-line phone system when using landline and cellphone access through the system

Pair up to four Bluetooth devices

Download up to 6,000 entries from cellphone directory

Unsurpassed range

HD audio

Equalizer function with four preset audio profiles

Caller ID Announce

Push-to-Talk for instant communication between handsets

Jumbo pre-dial text on handset display

High contrast white backlight with black text

Backlit keypad

200-name and number phonebook directory

50-name and number Caller ID history**

10-number redial memory

7-day/7-hour battery performance

Wall mountable

Digital answering system:

Available in May 2011 at Best Buy and RadioShack

MSRP: US$79.95

ITAD accessible from handset

14 minutes record time

CL82201

Unsurpassed range

HD audio

Equalizer function with four preset audio profiles

Caller ID Announce

Push-to-Talk for instant communication between handsets

Chrome accents on handset and base

White backlight on handset LCD

Jumbo pre-dial text on display

Backlit keypad

Handset speakerphone

50-name and number phonebook directory

50-name and number Caller ID history**

10-number redial memory

7-day/7-hour battery performance

Wall mountable

Digital answering system:

Available in May 2011 at Walmart, Target, Staples and Office Max

MSRP: US$59.95

ITAD accessible from handset

14 minutes record time

Large backlit 7-segment message counter

CL83201

Dual Caller ID with Dial-in-Base speakerphone

Unsurpassed range

HD audio

Equalizer function with four preset audio profiles

Caller ID Announce

Push-to-Talk for instant communication between handsets

Chrome accents on handset and base

White backlight on handset LCD and large base tilt display

Metallic silver primary color with Taupe earth tone secondary color

Jumbo pre-dial text on display

Backlit keypad

Handset speakerphone

50-name and number phonebook directory

50-name and number Caller ID history**

10-number redial memory

7-day/7-hour battery performance

Wall mountable

Digital answering system:

Available in May 2011 at RadioShack, Target and Office Depot

ITAD accessible from handset

14 minutes record time

Large backlit 7-segment message counter

MSRP: US$69.95

 

Netflix updates Android app, expands device support

Tired of content providers bossing you around, telling you what you can do with your own phone? Good, because Netflix is sick of telling you kids to keep off its lawn. Following a recent update, the outfit's Android app now officially supports the LG Revolution, Motorola Droid, Casio G'zOne Commando C771, and any unsupported device that just happens to work on its own. In addition to adding official support for the aforementioned trio (and of course, some minor bug fixes), the stream king removed a device check that previously blocked unsupported handsets from attempting playback. Your mileage may vary, but the folks over at Droid Life are reporting success with both the Droid X and Droid X2, as well as the Xperia Play. That's no guarantee for you and your unsupported device, but at least you have the freedom to fail. That's nice, isn't it?

Senator Al Franken Requests Google and Apple Better Proctect Customer Privacy

Senator Al Franken sent a letter to Google and Apple requesting that they improve security measures so customers can better protect their privacy with respect to location data.  See letter below:

Google Wallet vending on Nexus S hands-on

We just got done watching the unveil of how Google is going to revolutionize the way you pay for denim shorts at the mall, and we just got to try it in a slightly different way -- buying a Coke out of a vending machine. The process is as easy as can be: just select your beverage and, when you're ready to pay, swipe your phone. In a few seconds out pops your frosty beverage and somewhere Santa Claus laughs merrily. It's retail bliss and a lot easier than fishing filthy coins out of your skinny jeans. Check out the short video after the break -- the break that refreshes.

Google Wallet Hands-On

Google Wallet

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