Mobile, Internet, etc

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, T-Mobile

Good old T-Mobile’s on a roll these days with new phone plans, and this one seems perfectly catered to stocking stuffers. The quartet of phones start at $59.99, but so far we know of two: BlackBerry Curve 8520 for $299.99 and the Pearl for $149.99, according to the Best Buy stores we contacted. There’s no contract commitment, and according to the press release, the first month is included in the bill from the point the phone’s out of the box and activated. We don’t know the details of that first month of service (data? texting?), but it’s still a pretty penny for an unsubsidized handset. After that second month, of course, T-Mo’s probably hoping you’ll be enticed to keep with the network. If not already, you should start seeing the phones pop up at local Best Buy and select Walmart locales shortly. Press release after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile Complete: a $300 contract-free BlackBerry Curve 8520 with one month service

T-Mobile Complete: a $300 contract-free BlackBerry Curve 8520 with one month service originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Software, Windows Mobile

Office 2010 is getting a big companion piece for handsets in the form of Office Mobile 2010, which is being made available today in concert with the suite’s beta release. It’s a pretty major overhaul thanks to comprehensive, WYSIWYG editing capability in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the addition of SharePoint Workspace Mobile for managing Office documents off your office’s servers, and a trick Bluetooth mode for PowerPoint that lets you effectively use your handset as a second screen by showing you your slide notes in real time while running a presentation off your PC. You can grab it now off Windows Marketplace in beta form, but be warned: it’s only for 6.5, and we’re being told that it won’t be back-ported to 6.0 or 6.1 for the retail release.

Office Mobile 2010 hits beta, available now for WinMo 6.5 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Samsung

We’re still not entirely sure why Samsung feels the need to launch its own mobile operating system while still cranking out Android and Windows Mobile devices, but it seems like things are going full steam ahead: a spokesperson told CNET Asia today that a Bada phone would arrive in the first half of 2010. Sure, that sounds like a long time off, but really it’s just six months after the big Bada SDK reveal in December, so we’ll have to see if that’s enough time for developers to sort things out and release any apps.

[Thanks, Siobhan]

Samsung Bada phone to be announced first half of next year originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Boy, AT&T sure isn’t taking Verizon’s Map for That campaign too well. After losing a request for an injunction (for now), the company seems to have decided that the only thing to do in the short term is to start advertising right back at Verizon. Unfortunately, it looks like AT&T threw this one together in a hurry, grabbing a bucket of magnets and a board and sticking them into some abandoned warehouse with Luke Wilson and some Apple-ad-style music. Luke didn’t even have time to shave! As for the claims made by Luke’s magnetic board, it’s hard to take issue with them since they don’t really say lot. So AT&T’s present and accounted for in this newly minted ad war, but Verizon clearly still has the upper hand… though this is clearly just the beginning. Check out the 30 second spot after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading AT&T ‘hits’ back at Verizon’s Map for That campaign with an ‘ad’ of its own

AT&T ‘hits’ back at Verizon’s Map for That campaign with an ‘ad’ of its own originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Software, Apple

Back in much simpler times, TomTom’s navigation app had claimed compatibility with all iPhone and iPod touch models. Then suddenly, somewhere along the primrose path to publication, original iPhone and iPod touch support evaporated. But no more. TomTom’s pushed an update that allows for turn-by-turn navigation, but of course, you’ll still need the car kit to work. Was this the missing link between your $100 and owning this app? [Warning: iTunes link]

[Thanks, Scott M]

TomTom updated to support iPod touch and original iPhone originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: ATT, Verizon Wireless

Looks like AT&T’s not getting its holiday wish after all — a federal judge just ruled against Ma Bell’s request to have Verizon’s Map For That ads pulled off the air. That doesn’t mean that this whole thing is over, though: the judge called the ads “sneaky” and said that it was possible people might misunderstand them because “most people who are watching TV are semi-catatonic.” Whether or not that’s enough to support a legal conclusion that the ads are misleading is a fight for another day — specifically December 16th, when AT&T will have a second chance to argue its case. Still, this is a big win for Verizon — everyone ready to be inundated with these ads for the next month?

AT&T loses request for injunction against Verizon’s Map for That ads originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Software, HTC, Sprint, Android

We don’t have details on exactly what has changed yet, but that minor Android 1.5-based update Sprint had announced it’d be pushing out to the Hero has now launched. The best-case scenario would have the SMS issue — which causes the phone to stay awake when it shouldn’t — get resolved, but until Sprint hands out a proper changelog, it’ll be a matter of testing and guessing. Just a thought: if they’ve managed to squeeze a proximity sensor into the update, that brings ‘em up to the speed with the Droid Eris. Hey, it could happen.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint pulls piping hot Hero update out of the oven originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Windows Mobile

Microsoft’s been pretty cagey with the future of Windows Mobile so far, but apparently the Office Mobile 2010 team just doesn’t care — in addition to leaking a new interface in that confidential slide deck last month, they’ve now included this screen shot on the Office Mobile 2010 beta website. Here’s what’s wild: this design language completely matches the first set of Windows Mobile 7 leaks we saw nearly two years ago, so either Microsoft hasn’t made any changes in that time, or what we’re seeing here is something else entirely. Combine that with rumors that WinMo 7 isn’t due to hit until the end of next year, and we’re starting to think there’s something bigger afoot here — the only other alternative is that Microsoft has waited nearly three years to launch what’s little more than a refresh of its current interface, and even Redmond can’t be that slow to execute… can it?

[Via IntoMobile]

Microsoft leaks a screenshot of Windows Mobile… something originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

We’ve seen the new Android-based XPERIA X10 from Sony Ericsson at a fast pace and a snail’s pace, but have we ever seen it so stunningly middle of the road? We just got a chance to play with the phone in person for the second time, and from our random sampling of three or four different handsets, it seems that performance is very contingent upon how much content is loaded into the device and what particular thing it’s trying to perform. Sometimes we’d fly through the stacks of faces, while other times we’d sit there waiting for the simplest thumbnails to load up. The good news is that we have until next year to see this thing really come together, and the word is that the software is improving and a rapid pace. The big change about this phone is the “Nexus” UX platform, which actually all takes place in two “apps” at the moment, Timescape and Mediascape. Timescape is an integrated view for social networking and messaging, with an “infinite view” to see all types of communications for a particular person, while Mediascape is a more tame media app with a modicum of internet and social integration. It all seems very logically placed, and we like the fact that SE hasn’t really sacrificed the Android experience — you can still do Gmail and the Android Market and so forth, with very familiar UIs — but it’s going to have to be a lot more bulletproof before it hits the market if Sony Ericsson really expects us to use this day to day. Oh, also: the soft keyboard is terrible. We hear they’re working on it, but boy does it need work.

Update: We’ve added the video below, go check it out!

Continue reading XPERIA X10 hands-on: lukewarm edition (now with video!)

XPERIA X10 hands-on: lukewarm edition (now with video!) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Sprint, webOS

Palm Pixi one step closer to free, now $25 on Amazon originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, Linux, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA

We’ve already given you a glimpse at the N900, but as of today, you Yanks in the crowd can wrap your own limber paws around Nokia’s hero device. Admittedly tailored for enthusiasts and developers to use while the company maneuvers Maemo into its product line, the N900 is now available through Nokia Flagship stores in New York and Chicago, the firm’s website and “various independent retailers and e-tailers.” A tidy sum of $649 (or $510 if you’re smart enough to check Amazon) nabs you an unlocked version with a 5 megapixel camera, 32GB of internal storage and a bombastic, Flash-lovin’ web browser. Ain’t no shame in lusting after one, but tell us earnestly — are you forking out nearly seven bills to bring one home?

Nokia’s Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, Misc

Sony Ericsson has yet to make this public, but we’ve learned that the flagging handset maker has caved once more to the pressures of the modern phone market place. If you’ll recall, 450 employees were nixed from the company’s payrolls in September of last year, and now the entire Research Triangle Park facility is being shuttered. In an internal announcement made this morning, SE is fixing to close four total sites: RTP in North Carolina, a smaller Miami facility and operations in Kista (Sweden) and Chennai. All told, 2,000 employees will be trimmed, with severance packages being offered to those who qualify. As of now, the departing individuals have yet to be chosen, with employees in RTP given the opportunity to apply for jobs elsewhere (likely in Atlanta or California). We’re told that the cuts will happen “in stages,” with project teams being assembled as we speak to work out the logistics. Frankly, we aren’t as shocked as we are saddened to hear the news — SE has refused to keep pace with the other handset makers, and its decision to wait until next year to ship an Android device is indicative of the choices that have kept it in the shadows these past few years. Here’s hoping this restructuring effort actually gets things headed in the right direction.

Update: And it’s official. SE will also be shutting down small offices in Seattle and San Diego, with its North American headquarters shifting from RTP to Atlanta and its research and development operation transitioning from RTP to Redwood Shores, California.

Sony Ericsson closing four facilities, laying off 2,000 employees worldwide originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Others, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS, Android

Huawei’s on the cusp of making a pretty serious Android push in Europe with the recent introduction of its Pulse on T-Mobile and this little puppy, the U8230, which — let’s be honest, is shaping up to be little more than a Pulse remix for countries where T-Mobile doesn’t do business. In fact, it seems to be the same thing from a hardware perspective (right down to the 3.5-inch HVGA display and unfortunate 2.5mm headphone jack), so you can almost look at as a prime application of HTC’s classic strategy of re-skinning devices for different carriers and markets around the world. Anyhow, PointGPhone has had a chance to screw around with a proper U8230, coming away with the conclusions you might expect — it’s an interesting play at the right price point, but with that sluggish 528MHz performance, limited on-board storage, and inexplicably missing 3.5mm jack, you might be better off looking elsewhere. Not to say we have an option in the States, anyhow.

Huawei U8230 (in other words, the one that isn’t the Pulse) gets reviewed originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Software, Nokia, Linux, Symbian

Confused by Nokia’s dual-platform, Maemo 5 and S60 5th Edition smartphone choices? You’re not alone. Fortunately, things are starting to become a bit more clear thanks to some loose-lipped members of Maemo’s marketing team attending an official N900 meet-up in London last night. According to The Really Mobile Project, Nokia will drop S60 from all of its flagship N-series consumer devices in favor of Maemo. Apparently, Nokia has been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response to the N900 OS even though the enthusiast package is not quite ready for mass-market appeal. Mind you, the transition won’t be instantaneous as anyone with an N900 (and a clear mind) can attest — the OS, services, and apps just can’t compare to the mature S60 platform regardless of Maemo 5’s superior user experience. As such, we’ll continue to see N-Series handsets already in development pop with S60 on board alongside mass-market Maemo devices as the platform matures to the point that Nokia can make the full switch by 2012. Assuming, of course, Nokia doesn’t end up adding webOS to its portfolio somewhere along the way.

Update: The Nokia Blog has what it claims is an official response from Nokia on this delicate matter. As you’d expect, Nokia says it remains “firmly committed to Symbian as our smartphone platform of choice.” It then added this little gem: “Maemo is our software of choice for devices based on technology that you’d typically find inside a desktop computer. It delivers a different user experience and enables us to widen the market we can address.” Perhaps you’re even reading this on an ARM Cortex-A8 desktop PC right now?

[Thanks, Sockatume]

Nokia abandoning S60 for Maemo on future N-Series devices? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, LG, Samsung, Android

We’ve been hearing talk of thoroughly Google-branded phones since before Android was announced — and if you want to get really technical about it, you could argue that it’s already happened twice in the form of the Dev Phone 1 and the Ion. Thing is, those are strictly developer-oriented one-offs based on existing models, and TechCrunch is reporting in a rather authoritative tone today that Google’s just about to launch a consumer phone all its own designed to in-house, no-compromise specifications with signs suggesting that either Samsung or LG would be responsible for OEM duties. Allegedly, the device was supposed to be at retail in time for the holidays but ended up getting pushed back into early 2010, at which point we can expect a big marketing push — but the question is, why? Google had a heavy hand in the design and development of the chunky, geeky HTC Dream, so we already know they’re probably better off leaving the details of the industrial design to the guys who’ve been doing this for a while — and with strong new partnerships with Verizon and Motorola just now bearing fruit, it’s safe to say that Big Red wouldn’t be a launch partner. Our most interesting theory here is that AT&T — which has gone totally radio-silent for all things Android in the past six months — is responding to the probable impending loss of its iPhone exclusivity by scoring a coup on a gorgeous, aspirational device with the Google logo all over it. Given the time frame that TC’s suggesting, it sounds like we wouldn’t have to wait long to find out what’s what.

Google-branded phone coming early next year? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, O2, HSDPA, Apple, iPhone OS

O2 UK gradually rolls out iPhone unlock, forgot to give us the instructions originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: T-Mobile, Misc

Let’s be honest, who here is actually surprised that underpaid and overworked data workers would sell on our details for a few extra quid? Given the number of uninvited calls to our unlisted phone numbers, we know for a fact that somebody has been dishing our personal contacts to those Nigerian princes and caring loan consolidators, so it’s no shock to learn that T-Mobile employees have been fingered for committing the deed and are now facing prosecution. We’re told that inappropriately leaked information made its way into the hands of brokers, who then “cold-called the customers as their contracts were due to expire” without T-Mob’s knowledge. Disappointed by the failure of current fines to discourage such illegal information trade, British Justice Minister Michael Wills has even called for “custodial sentences” to be levied against the poor slobs responsible. So, if you’re scoring at home, that’s now two black eyes for T-Mobile when it comes to keeping our data safe. For shame.

UK T-Mobile customer data sold to cold callers, responsible staff to be prosecuted originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, O2, Android

Achtung! Motorola Milestone now free on contract in Germany, sort of originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, ATT, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, BlackBerry OS

Got an AT&T Premier account at your disposal? Does your nine to five require you to wear a suit on every day that ends in “y?” If you’re nodding your head and simultaneously thinking about just how tight that top button is around your neck, there’s a decent chance that you can get AT&T’s version of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 right now. ‘Course, those on T-Mobile have already been enjoying the spoils for a few hours now, but judging by the unboxing shots in the read link, that window of US exclusivity looks to be all but shut. So, anyone jabbing the boss for an upgrade?

AT&T’s BlackBerry Bold 9700 starts shipping out to top bananas originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Verizon Wireless, Android

While we were busy looking into external speaker problems on the Droid, it would seem Moto was itself hard at work remedying a separate issue with the device. A number of users on support forums have complained of the Droid’s camera failing to focus and giving them “red corners” when attempting to take pictures, but now — suddenly and without warning — their ailment has gone away as if touched by the hand of an omnipotent being (or, alternatively, a silent firmware update). This particular autofocus problem was mentioned in Verizon’s 5-page treatise on known issues with the Droid, though the planned resolution was an official update by December 11. The fix seems to have been delivered early, as green corners are sprouting up all around, but this silent update conduit sounds a bit nefarious, no?

Update: Sure enough, we can confirm from testing one of our own Droids that the issue has been resolved. The endless quest for the green focus box is over, and you can now finally begin scanning all your discount cards into Key Ring.

Update II: And things have turned surreal. Dan Morrill, from Google’s Android team, has confirmed that there’s a date-related bug in the Droid’s camera software that leads to it having cycles of good and bad focus that depend on the date. Our own testing confirmed this, as backdating to the 11th of November returned those red bars of failure. Apparently, the cycles last 24.5 days, meaning that you’ll have good focus all the way to December 11, when the real fix is expected to drop. So breathe easy, Gotham, there are no phantom updates, just an oddly date-sentient camera.

[Thanks, AlexL and Kaiser]

Read - Android Forums
Read - Howard Forums

Motorola Droid camera autofocus fixed in secrecy? (Update: it’s a date-related self-correction) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments