Latest Gadgets, Tablets and Smartphones
The HTC EVO 4G Docking Station has been spotted in a Best Buy magazine. It appears that the dock will be available for Sprint EVO 4G users at the time of launch next week.
The dock has two connections built in. One is for powering the device and connecting it to a computer via micro USB. The second is a HDMI output allowing you to make a connection to your HDTV from the dock.
The HTC EVO 4G uses a new HDMI standard numbered 1.4 that allows for the new micro HDMI connection. [Read more…]
Holiday Inn is soon to start trials where smartphone users will be able to use their devices to unlock their room at a hotel.
The system will be tested in June at Chicago O’Hare Rosement and another Holiday Inn at Houston, Downtown Convention Centre.
The system being tested comes from a company called Open Ways. The hotel had looked in to RFID before, but favour the technology that Open Ways offers what allows virtually any smartphone to unlock a door with an application. The software will be available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices. [Read more…]
Motorola will soon launch the Motorola DROID Shadow. Just a few days ago, a DROID Shadow was spotted in a corporate Verizon [VZ] gym over in Washington. The phone was remotely locked, but just before that a text message said that the device was “unreleased”.
The new handset is believed to be the second Motorola DROID handset that will head exclusively to Verizon when launched. On the back an 8 megapixel sensor is used that can capture HD video at 720p.
The DROID Shadow has a 4.3 inch screen and when launched is expected to come standard with Android 2.2 FroYo. Launch dates are expected to be sometime in June or July. [Read more…]
AT&T [T] has agreed to unlock all phones that are supplied to customers following a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit requires that all phones now be unlocked by the carrier. The agreement doesn’t require the iPhone is unlocked under the same rules though which are explained below.
When customers purchase a new prepaid handset, the handset is unlocked immediately when confirmation of proof of purchase is made. Those who get a phone on contact can have their device unlocked after 90 days of service. [Read more…]
Wal-Mart is dropping the price of the 16GB Apple iPhone 3GS down to $97 starting today. This move is expected due to the release of the newer unannounced/leaked Apple iPhone 4G that should be launching next month.
By dropping prices, it is expected that the retailer will clear out most of it’s remaining inventory to make way for the next generation device.
The new price knocks around $100 off the previous price which was $199. To get the 16GB 3GS at $97 you need to enter a two year agreement with AT&T. [Read more…]
Persistent rumours about Apple [AAPL] and the AT&T exclusivity contract ending have been circulating for a few weeks (or even months now). In particular, Verizon [VZ] has been the other phone carrier that is said to be getting the iPhone. We now hear that Sprint [S] might get the iPhone later this year also.
In the “totally unlikely to come true” department, yesterday I was told that Sprint will be getting the iPhone this summer. You heard that right, while rumors have long pointed to Big Red getting the iPhone this year, never has it been mentioned that Sprint would be selling the iPhone. I can’t believe this is true, although the source has been reliable in the past and does work for Sprint.
Since this time, we had also heard similar rumblings from a Sprint-connected source that Sprint was going to be readying for the iPhone later this year. Likely in the September timeframe — placing it in the same timeframe as Verizon rumors.
Samsung announced in a press release earlier that the Samsung Wave launches in Europe today. The countries specifically mentioned include the UK, Germany and France.
The Samsung Wave uses the Bada OS which is Samsung’s new operating system. The OS is designed for those who enjoy connecting over socla networks. As well as launching the Wave today, the Bada SDK 1.0.0 will also be made available for download later on today allowing developers to start creating applications for the new smartphone. A competition has also been announced that will see a developer win a prize of $300,000 for the competition. Full details can be found at Samsung about that.
With the launch of the Wave, Samsung is actively constructing a total eco-system around bada platform including Samsung Apps. Samsung Apps will be available in 80 countries when the Wave launches, and will increase the premium content and applications pool through collaboration with partner companies and developers.
Although we had a bit of a let down when we heard the Nokia N8 wasn’t due to ship till August, we still hear good news today in that early benchmark tests reveal that the N8 is very quick.
The Nokia N8 has some decent specifications that include a nice 12 megapixel camera although the CPU was thought to be a little on the slow side at 680MHz. However, some benchmark tests have been performed that show the N8 is still quite quick and in fact, it maxed out the benchmarking software on some tests.
Finestfones managed to get some time with the Nokia N8 recently and they decided to use an app called Speedy Go! that allows Symbian users to test their phones and see what kind of frame rates they can get out of it. The Speedy Go! application lets users test various functions with or without the graphics accelerator on. When the accelerator was switched off the phone managed to beat the Nokia N97 by 180%. [Read more…]
The HTC EVO 4G hasn’t launched yet, and wont for another 11 days, yet some has already managed to root the new smartphone.
At the Google I/O event last week, the company handed out free HTC EVO 4G handsets to all those in attendance. One guy who attended the event decided to work with a couple of other friends over the weekend just gone and they managed to get root on the device allowing super user access to the smartphone.
Details of how to root the HTC EVO 4G have not been revealed just yet although we expect we’ll find out in the next few weeks after the launch of the new handset. [Read more…]
Pictures here show the BlackBerry Bold 9800. The new Bold 9800 when launched will use BlackBerry OS 6. The new BlackBerry 9800 is a slider phone where the screen slides upwards to reveal the usual BlackBerry style keyboard underneath.
As well as having a physical QWERTY the device also has a virtual keyboard on-screen that can be used when needed.
As for launch dates, we are hearing that the new BlackBerry Bold 9800 will start shipping in July sometime. [Read more…]
First off, apologies for all the Google [GOOG] Android news today. With the Google I/O event and the announcement of Android 2.2, there’s plenty of stuff happening at the moment in terms of the new OS update.
TechCrunch has reported that Google is now pushing out Android 2.2 updates to Nexus One owners. MG Siegler said that late last night while putting his Nexus One on charge that there was a notification on his screen telling him a new update was available. After installing it took the phone up to Android 2.2 with all the new features, increased speed, flash browsing and a lot more.
The Nexus One update appears to have launched a couple of weeks early as Google had said just a few days ago to look out for it in the next few weeks.
[Read more…]
Slashgear reached out to to Motorola recently asking about Android 2.2 updates to their Android OS based smartphones. They managed to get a reply from Motorola who basically said that Android 2.2 would be coming to the Motorola DROID as well as other devices.
‘We’re excited to see Google’s news of the next version of the Android operating system and look forward to integrating it on our Android-based devices as it’s made available to the open source community.
While I can’t comment on specifics, we do expect DROID by Motorola users will receive Android 2.2 as a software upgrade in the near future.
