Category Archives: Phones

Apple's iPhone OS 3.1.2 Now Available

Apple just issued iPhone OS 3.1.2, available on your iTunes app right now, offering some bug fixes to few of the problems you may have seen, including pesky sleep mode bugs that kept your iPhone device from waking up, network connection interruptions many has suffered from, or this video streaming crash, occasionally happened. Just click the update and make it work.

Update1: And just in case you were looking for a jailbreak app that will help you hack your iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 OS or iPod Touch 3G without activation, Geohot’s Blackra1n key just turned official, and will let you in right away, as long as you run a Windows platform. No unlock, only break. Proceed with caution.

Update2: But if you just want to stick with good old friends, Dev Team’s PwnageTool 3.1.4 is just around the corner. You can download it from here, in case you’re a Mac, and get your iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 2G devices hacked. iPod Touch 3G users, you’re out – this time – no support at the moment, but stick around for updates to come.

Update3: Looks like blackra1n RC3 just went live, offering full blacksn0w unlock for the latest 05.11.07 baseband. If you’re a Mac or a Window user – it really doesn’t matter – just grab your file and make it happen.

Pwnage Tool 3.13 For iPhone 3GS/iPod Touch 2 Jailbreaking Has Been Released

Dev Team has done it again. iPhone 3.1 OS has been jailbroken for iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 2 machines, in case you’re Mac users. Mind you, this new Pwnage 3.13 tool, the team has released, will not work with Phone/iPod Touch devices that came out-of-the-box with OS 3.1 or were upgraded via iTunes. In other words, you have to Pwnd them at 3.0 or 3.0.1 versions, before jumping to the latest one.

phone-jailbreaked

[DevTeam]

Apple's iPhone Release In Israel – Dates, Prices and What's Between Them

While most info is scarce, we’ve managed to pick up some new unconfirmed details about the long awaited iPhone release in Israel. As reported, Apple has recently approached the Antitrust Authority in order to officially approve all of its activities with the local carriers in the country, and to make sure there are no legal issues left ahead of the coming launch, which initially supposed to take place back in August. Now we’ve been told, that the official debut will happen somewhere between the 25th to the 27th of November, in all large Israeli operators, contingent upon final approvals from the Ministry Of Communication. Additionally, we’ve just learned that the iPhone itself will be offered in the following forms:

iPhone 3GS 16GB – is priced around 4000 NIS, pay to go (prepaid), while contract packages will run you only 999NIS.

iPhone 3GS 32GB – is priced around 5000NIS, pay to go (prepaid), while contracted users will pay only 1499NIS.

iPhone 3G – we were told there’s a small amount of 3G devices, that may (or may not) go out for 599NIS .

In any case, all packages include a monthly fee, ranged between 200 – 300 NIS, and being delivered with A) 150 SMS text messages B) 200 minutes talk and C) 100MB of data.

From what we know, and specifically for this task, all carriers already recruited special salespersons, who suppose to take a two weeks course and learn about the iPhone machines during this period of time. The orders these people were given are very clear: “Sell only iPhones or don’t sell anything”.  Stay tuned for more info to come.

“Pay to go” = without a contract.

Update1: Mind you this info is relevant for today, as dates and details may vary.

Update2: Data packages will apparently cost 69NIS for 1GB, both in Cellcom and Orange, if you’re buying iPhone or Android devices.

Update3: As mentioned, 1GB of data will cost 69NIS, but those who exceed the limit will pay 10NIS for every additional 1MB they use.

Update4: Besides the 1 year warranty, it seems the carriers will not include any repairing insurance when buying an iPhone in Israel. That means you won’t be able to buy insurance for your iPhone in order to subsidize repairing beyond the first year.

Update5: After endless rumors floating around, the Cupertino team has officially announced that all three carriers can start selling the iPhone in Israel, starting from December 10. That of course happened after Apple has managed to clear up a few regulatory hurdles and received the final approval needed.

Update6: Read more updates about release day, packages and prices in here.apple-iphone3gs

Snapture Releases a New PiP iPhone Camera App, Will It Live Up To The Expectations?

This is a guest post by Israeli blogger Yarin Hochman, who has apparently spent a significant amount of time testing every single iPhone app, ever released. In this post he shares his experiences with Snapture’s newly born PiP camera app. You can read more from Yarin on his Hebrew tech blog, TechVibe.

I don’t know about you but for me, one of the biggest pains with my iphone machine is the camera. Now, I haven’t upgraded to the 3GS version yet, I personally don’t see any substantial reason to, but still, even the iphone 3GS camera itself, is apparently provided with tiny lens, very basic features and low quality images, when it comes to comparison with average Nokia\Blackberry cameras.

Today, Snapture, which previously released a camera app for jailbroken iPhones, seems to turn “legit”, by introducing an official version that is now available on Apple’s formal app store, under Snapture app (1.99$), and has made me like it from first impression, but not without a few reservations attached.

Snapture-iPhone-app

Continue reading Snapture Releases a New PiP iPhone Camera App, Will It Live Up To The Expectations?

iPhone OS 3.0.1 Update Is Officially Available For Downloading, Solves SMS Hacking Issues

Apple has finally released iPhone OS 3.0.1, to handle those SMS vulnerability problems that allowed evil backdoor malwares to penetrate your machines and viciously attack them – Now it won’t happen, thanks to the new patch Cupertino has delivered. The new iPhone OS 3.0.1 update is up and available for downloading via your iTunes, sized at 280MB, so hit the app and get it now.

Update: Here’s what Apple’s speaker, Tom Neumayr, had to say about the issue:

“We appreciate the information provided to us about SMS vulnerabilities which affect several mobile phone platforms. This morning, less than 24 hours after a demonstration of this exploit, we’ve issued a free software update that eliminates the vulnerability from the iPhone. Contrary to what’s been reported, no one has been able to take control of the iPhone to gain access to personal information using this exploit.”

iphone-os-301

iPhone 3GS Redsn0w Jailbreak Officially Announced

It’s been already 3 weeks since we first heard about iPhone’s OS 3.0 jailbreak announcement for 1st generation and 3G devices, but today, this is the day of iPhone 3GS owners, as Dev-Team has done it again, officially releasing the redsn0w version for Apple’s latest mobile machine (and for all its predecessors) and the first redsn0w release that also supports linux. You can find it available in most common torrents and as always, should proceed forward with severe caution.

[Dev-Team]

AT&T Officially Releases a Turn-By-Turn iPhone Navigation App

AT&T has finally released a turn-by turn iPhone navigator app which can be downloaded through Apple’s App Store for a monthly fee of $9.99 or somewhere around $240 for a perpetual l subscription [iTunes link].The new application, that was developed by Telenav, offers traffic alerts and full 3D mapping, both verbal and on-screen guided, with Yellow Pages access, online trip planning capabilities and automatic map updates, supporting street names and business listings. Full press release is after the break.

att-iphone-navigator-app

[via Slashgear]

Continue reading AT&T Officially Releases a Turn-By-Turn iPhone Navigation App

iPhone OS 3.0 Gets The Pwnage Jailbreaking Tool Up And Ready

In case you were wondering if Dev-Team will ever be able to pull it out together and bring  a jailbreaking solution for OS 3.0, pat your shoulders guys, as a new Pwnage tool was officially released – currently for Mac users only – with some precautions at stake, to be taken into consideration while handling this thing. There’s absolutely no compatibility with 3G S devices, and frankly we don’t think those lucky people who already got them should really jump on the wagon and jailbreak their machines, with so many free applications available for downloading from Apple’s App Store. To get this thing done, you’ll need a Mac OS X platform, running your computer with either Pwnage or QuickPwn tools already jailbreaking your 2.2.1 version. Otherwise, it just won’t work for you. Jump after the break to read the complete instructions as earlier displayed  by Dev-Team themselves. You can also download the Pwnage tool directly from here.

Update: Looks like iPhone 3G owners can finally unlock OS 3.0 interface, as Dev-Team officially releases their latest Ultrasn0w version, allowing 3G machines get Apple’s recent platform work inside. Mind you, this version WILL NOT work with iPhone 3GS units, only with first generations. Hit the link to get started – with the right cautions.

iphone3g-pwnage-20

[Dev-Team]

Continue reading iPhone OS 3.0 Gets The Pwnage Jailbreaking Tool Up And Ready

iPhone 3G S Gets Ripped And Dissected Into Pieces, Unveiling ARM Cortex A8 CPU At 600 MHz

With only hours before iPhone’s 3G S version officially goes up on sale across the world, Rapid Repair gang have managed to get their hands on one of Apple’s few available copies around, and dissected it into pieces,  letting us closely look into the main components assembled inside, including chips, amps, processors and involved manufacturing companies, who helped Cupertino building this powerful machine. From their tear-down, we learn that South Korean giant, Samsung provides the SoC S5PC100 chipset, while main processor confirmed to be ARM Cortex A8, running at 600 MHz, with 720p high-def support. PowerVR SGX graphics also integrated within the iPhone 3G S, with 256MB of RAM, instead of 128MB on previous models.  In addition, we can see the NAND Flash memory, provided by Toshiba and Infenion is there as well, providing myriad parts of the phone. Hit the jump to checkout the comparison chart of iPhone’s hardware and Palm’s Pre, as more pictures available at their website. Also, feel free to start sharing your personal reviews, once getting a brand new iPhone 3G S in the following days.

Update: iSuppli says the estimated cost of Apple’s new iPhone 3GS for the 16GB configuration, stands at $178.96 to manufacture. Mind you, this price valuation, refers to direct materials cost, with no inclusion of other essential operational expenses, such as shipping, distribution, royalty fees etc, which add some value to the overall price.Check out their components and cost drivers table, after the break.

iphone-3g-s-dissected

[via RapidRepair]

Continue reading iPhone 3G S Gets Ripped And Dissected Into Pieces, Unveiling ARM Cortex A8 CPU At 600 MHz

iPhone OS 3.0 Is Officially Up For Downloading

As planned, Apple has officially released iPhone OS 3.0, to be available in your iTunes application right now. If you don’t see it, juct click the updates button and make sure you’re running version 8.2. Apparently, OS 3.0 weights 230 MB, and with thousands of people concurrently downloading the update, it might take longer than expected.  Needless to say, the upgrade is free in case you’re holding iPhone or iPhone 3G devices, and will be part of the iPhone 3GS version the moment it gets live tommorow. However, iPod touch owners will have to shell out $9.95 to download this one. Stay tuned for updates.

Update: You can download the latest iPhone OS 3.0 directly from here.

iphone-os3-update

[Apple]

Apple's WWDC 2009: New iPhone 3G-S Announced, $199 Price Tag And OS 3.0 Inside

Apple’s WWDC 2009 event is already behind and we were lucky to hear exactly what we’ve all been waiting for, as Cupertino unsurprisingly announced a new iPhone device, also known as the iPhone 3G-S, with the “S” referring to “Speed”, as for faster and stronger than previous iPhone 3G model. The event itself started with Apple’s staggering revelation, claiming there are over 50,000 apps in the App Store  and more than 1 billion application downloads in the last 9 months period – which is quite overwhelming, to say the least. Once ending with those astonishing details, Apple has proudly  introduced the official iPhone OS 3.0 platform, which suppose to go live on June 17th, free of charge, while  iPod Touch users, repeatedly deprived, with Apple asking them to pay $9.95 for getting the update. As for the Os 3.0 version, apparently it’ll bear inside most of the things we’ve been writing about for quite some time, including Copy/Paste, MMS, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, Peer-to-peer connectivity, 30 integrated languages , landscape keyboard, real turn-by-turn TomTom GPS navigation system, Autofill support,  Find My iPhone compatibility, internet tethering connection, “rent and purchase” online service (purchase movies directly from your iPhone), and other cool add-ons you can read about, in here (overall, over 100 new features).

Heading forward, after endless speculations and about one million rumors floating around, the star of the day, which is probably the fastest iPhone device ever made, was finally introduced with stronger processing elements and upgraded data speed – standing at 7.2Mbps HSDPA, instead of only 3.6Mbps on previous model. In terms of design, the new iPhone 3GS boasts the same sleeky rounded body, its 3G predecessor had, only this one has a lot more to offer, with a brand new 3 megapixels autofocus camera that can easily capture videos at 30fps in VGA mode, along with in-phone edit / adjustment capabilities. Another cool feature that Apple was kindly adding to this wonderful machine is the Voice Control function, that seamlessly brings up a whole different user interface that lets you do various things like making calls or handle your iTunes whenever holding down the Home button control. And if that wasn’t enough, a “revolutionary” battery that holds up to 12 hours of 2G talk, or 5 hours of 3G chat is part of this affordable package. Speaking about affordable, Apple has really gone wild this time with prices dropping down to $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB when it goes on sale on June 19th, in 80 countries across the world – with current 8GB 3G version remain in the market for ONLY $99 a piece. Hit the jump to checkout the comparison table together with a group of images from yesterday’s event.

Update1: Looks like T-Mobile Netherlands wasn’t told about the embargo that Apple was casting on specs or any other information related to the new iPhone 3G-S device (at least until official release, on June 19th).  According to the company’s website, Apple’s new wonder will presumably pack a 600MHz CPU with 256MB of RAM. That’s up from 412MHz and 128MB of RAM in both previous generations, which is roughly twice as fast as previous hardware. Check the specs image after the break.

Update2: In case you really can’t wait for the official release, take a look at the new video (in Portuguese) after the break, featuring the brand new iPhone 3GS with some of the new features inside.

apple-iphone3gs

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple's WWDC 2009: New iPhone 3G-S Announced, $199 Price Tag And OS 3.0 Inside

iPhone Officially Gets Skype Application For Free VOIP Calls

At last, after tons of expectations and millions, who’ve been anxiously waiting for this one to come out,  Skype officially releases an iPhone app, to enable worldwide VoIP calls over WiFi (not over EDGE or 3G ) without any extra charge. According to CrunchGear, the desirable application should be available for downloading from Apple’s App Store, somewhere in Tuesday – for free. You will also be able to collaborate with your contact lists, to make calls via Skype and chat with your friends and family, as long as you want. To make it even better, users with Skype accounts will have the ability to make SkypeOut calls, once they travel around hotspots. And last but not least, all your avatars will be automatically imported directly to your iPhone device, so no need to create new ones. Stay tuned !

Update1: In case you haven’t noticed, the iPhone 3G is now available – contract free – in AT&T and Apple stores, priced at $599 for the 8GB version or $699 for 16GB lovers.

Update 2: It is now available in iTunes store, free of charge. You can get it from here.

Update 3: Looks like you’ll be able to dial up via 3G data connection after all, so no need to stay around WiFi spots in order to use skype – COOL !!!

Update4: Apparently, dialing over 3G connection will only work if you have OS 3.0 beta. Having said that, doesn’t mean you won’t have any crashes or audio malfunctions at all. The only way to make it work properly is to have the skype run over WiFi with a non-beta firmware installed.

[via CrunchGear]

Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 To Have MMS Messaging, Copy And Paste, P2P Connectivity And a Lot More (Now: Jailbreak)

Apple’s OS 3.0 preview event in Cupertino, California was just ended with some interesting announcements concerning hardware accessories, firmware tweaks, App Store business model improvements and some new games/software developments – answering most of our long lasting expectations. Although it was more of a conference, targeting third party developers, some of the news are all about iPhone’s consumers usability. That includes:

  • Copy & Paste capabilities.
  • MMS messaging support.
  • Forward and delete for multiple messages.
  • Peer-to-peer connectivity over Bluetooth for gaming and info exchange.
  • A2DP stereo Bluetooth add-on
  • Voice Memos.
  • A new home screen page with Spotlight feature, allowing universal search on the phone (like Palm’s Pre).
  • Shake To Shuffle function.
  • Landscape keyboard, available in Mail, Notes and SMS.

First event without Steve Jobs around, and everyone in Apple talks about a complete return to CEO position somewhere around June 2009. But illness matters aside, we’ve learned that the company craves for extra revenues, specially from third-party applications. That is why developers will be able to include subscription fee inside paid apps, together with optional paid content that can be purchased directly from the app itself (like T-shirts and other stuff). Developers will also be able to build apps combined with Google Maps or connect with hardware accessories, such as computer speakers, keyboard and even a blood pressure monitor, through their applications. The new package will include 1,000 new APIs, allowing push notifications (at last), in-game voice use and built-in tethering functionality, that will hopefully work in the future. Other than that, users will get auto WiFi login around hotspots, full parental controls over TV shows/App Store apps and even Bluetooth functionality, in case you’re a 2G iPod touch owners.

OS 3.0 Beta version for developers is now available in here. The other 3.0 firmware update for consumers will be launched in the summer, free of charge. Those who hold iPod Touch devices in their hands will have to pay the usual annoying fee (which stands at $9.95), to get the new version.

Update1: checkout the video after the break.

Update2: iPhone OS 3.0 beta 2 was just released (for developers) and looks like we’re about to get the opportunity to use up to 11 home screens instead of the 9 screens limit on the current one. Additionally, Apple will finally add the push notifications feature in the upcoming version, so here’s a good reason to look forward for something.

Update3: You’ve guessed it right, the guys at QuickPwn have just kicked in with their latest release, which jailbreaks Apple’s OS 3.0 for free use. As always – at your risk – just to the following link, as download is available in here.

Update4: Looks like you’ll also get Voice Control (which stands for voice dialing), together with some other goodies like video recording, auto-focus camera, a compass and a digital battery indicator.

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple's iPhone OS 3.0 To Have MMS Messaging, Copy And Paste, P2P Connectivity And a Lot More (Now: Jailbreak)

Meizu M8 Apparently Gets Official In China

The “Never Ending Meizu Story” continues to make splashes around the globe, as we hear that Meizu’s M8 revolutionary/clone smartphone is making a debut in China nowadays, coming up with either 8GB ($348) or 16GB ($421) versions, a 3.4-inch 720 x 480 touchscreen, Windows CE 6.0-powered OS, Built-in 3.2MP Camera and wide range of codecs support, including MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg, FLAC, APE, AMR, MPEG-4, WMV, Divx, Xvid, H.264, or FLV. Battery wise, you can expect getting up to 21.5 hours of Audio and 7 hours of video, while using the M8 as a multimedia device. Otherwise it’s just another cellular unit, supporting WCDMA (3G), GSM EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 standards that will allow any user to speak all over the world. Mind you, according to Meizu, the 16GB model is currently “out of stock”, so stay tuned for more tales to be told.

[Via DAP Review]

SlingPlayer Mobile For iPhone Announced

It was back in March, when we first reported that Sling wants to have an iphone application, and we’re glad to relize it’s actually happening, as the company announces that the long awaited app is ready to be released and will be demonstrated in San Francisco moments before the software will get to Apple app Store. Still no pricing info, but the full press release is after the break.

Update1: Regretfully, older SlingBox devices won’t be able to stream any TV content directly to iPhone machines (except Slingbox PRO). That means, if you happen to have one of those first editions, you’ll have to shell out extra money and upgrade to Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD in order to enjoy a complete mobility via handhelds, and not just because of technical issues, but more of a greediness from the company itself. We do hope this weird desicion will eventually end up somewhere in the history pages of “failed-to-be-executed”.

Update2: May 12th 2009 – Regretfully, AT&T has issued an official statement, claiming it’d pull the plug out of Sling’s 3G streaming capability, which was integrated into the iPhone with the SlingPlayer. According to the company, this application –

“which would use large amounts of wireless network capacity, could create congestion and potentially prevent other customers from using the network. The application does not run on our 3G wireless network. Applications like this, which redirect a TV signal to a personal computer, are specifically prohibited under our terms of service. We consider smartphones like the iPhone to be personal computers in that they have the same hardware and software attributes as PCs.”

That said, users will be able to use WiFi connectivity in order to log into any web site that lets them view videos. In simple words, 3G – Out, WiFi – In. Now, it’s up to you to search one of the 20,000 hotspots AT&T has deployed across the US, in places like Starbucks, McDonalds, airports, etc.

[via engadget]

Continue reading SlingPlayer Mobile For iPhone Announced

iTunes DRM-Free Songs Available In May For $1.29

Good news from Cupertino, as apple announces that EMI Music’s digital catalog (and some other major labels like Virgin, Sony BMG, American Recording) will be available for purchase DRM-free from the iTunes Store in May. The tracks will be offered at higher quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for just $1.29 per song with an option for second tier songs for only $0.69. The meaning is that you will be able to transfer your non-protected songs to other computers freely, as we are talking about 8 million DRM-Free songs to be available for a purchase from now on. Additionaly, iTunes users, will be able to upgrade their entire previously purchased EMI content to the higher quality DRM-free versions for just 30 cents ($0.30) a song. The rest of the songs will be offered in the same versions as today, 128 kbps AAC encoding with DRM at the same price of 99 cents ($0.99) per song. If that’s not enough, Apple has also announced that music store downloads are available over 3G connectivity (without the need for a WiFi around)with the same price and sound quality, which means your new iPhone is capable of downloading iTunes tracks directly – Kudos !

[Apple]

iPhone 3G Is Officially Unlocked By Dev-Team

Finally, after 6 months of expectations, Dev-Team has managed to completely unlock the iPhone 3G, which means your device will be fully open to any sim card from any carrier. The hack isn’t out yet, but the Dev-Team promises to launch it by the end of the year, so hold your breath two more weeks for the final release. Mind you, in order to use the hack and jailbreak the phone, you’d need to have 2.11.07 broadband or any earlier version installed inside. In any case, the application is currently being packaged into a user-friendly PwnageTool / QuickPwn software, to make your life easier when the time comes. Stay tuned !

Update: the team have officialy released the software. To unlock your 3G iphone with the yellowsn0w app follow the steps in here after updating the latest firmware.  

[Dev-Team]

Continue reading iPhone 3G Is Officially Unlocked By Dev-Team

Nokia Introduces The New N97 Flagship Smartphone

Nokia unveils the N97 3G Quad-Band HSDPA phone, that is considered to be the next flagship device, coming from the Finn giant. The new N97 packs, a 3.5-inch, 640 x 360 touchscreen (16:9 ratio), a sliding QWERTY keyboard, a microSD slot and 32GB of memory inside. This top-notch handheld, which carries the title “world’s most advanced mobile computer”, has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivities, along with 3.5-mm headjack, A-GPS, and a strong battery that can provide up to 1.5 days of continuous playback or 4.5-hours of high-quality video. Naturally, there’s a 5MP built-in camera with Carl Zeiss glass and Symbian S60 5th Edition OS, to handle all those advanced features. It is scheduled to go live somewhere in the first half of 2009, for €550 ($693), excluding taxes. Meanwhile, checkout the videos after the break.

[Nokia]

Continue reading Nokia Introduces The New N97 Flagship Smartphone

iPhone Gets Linux 2.6 Platform, Demonstrated On Video

We had a good feeling, this is going to happen, and we’re glad to see it live, as a group of developers has announced the release of the Linux 2.6 kernel, that was transformed into an iphone platform, allowing first and second generation iPhone users to load the alternative system to their devices. Truth to be told, it’s just the first stages, and many drivers are still missing, but if you’re a Linux avid, there’s nothing to stop you from doing so. Checkout the demo video, or head to the link below for more info.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/2373142?pg=embed&sec=2373142[/vimeo]

[via linuxoniphone]

iPhone Firmware 2.2 Now Has Pwnage And QuickPwn Tools

As expected, now that firmware update 2.2 has been officially released, you get a chance to jailbreak your iPhone/iPod Touch devices with the new Pwnage and QuickPwn tools that DevTeam has just unveiled. Mind you, if you wish to unlock your 3G handheld, somewhere in the future, the team has ordered to use Pwnage tool ONLY, so pay attention to the instructions during the jailbreaking process.

iPhone Firmware 2.2 Is Now Officially Available, Introducing Google Street View And Some Other Tweaks

Apple has finally released firmware update 2.2, available for downloading via your iTunes software, right away. The new 246MB update brings some neat stuff to your iphone/ipod devices, including Google Street View, over-the-air podcast downloads (which lets you listen to podcast, either through wifi connection or 3G network), public transit and walking directions, more stabilized Safari browser and even the ability to share your location via email. In addition, you get some Bug fixes, together with toggling auto-text correction function, better sound quality in Visual Voicemail messages and a new App rating feature, that allows you to rank any Apple’s App Store application, once you delete it.  Stay tuned !

Meizu M8 Gets The Unboxing Treatment

With so much disinformation floating around, we can’t be sure either these images are real or just a hoax, but you have to admit they look very reliable, with this nice black or white varnished cover and those colorful boxes, laying down next to the Meizu M8 manual and installation CD. But the most interesting thing is the new specs that jump out of the pile, featuring a strong ARM11 800MHz CPU, 3.4-inch 720 x 480 touchscreen, 4GB/8GB/16GB capacities, 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity. According to the guys at Meizu News, the M8 is scheduled to be released in Asia around December, priced at 240 € / 284 € / 350 € respectively. Hit the link to see more pictures.

Specifications

  • Price: 240€ up to 350€
  • Size: 4GB/8GB/16GB
  • Network type: WCDMA (3G), GSM EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
  • Touch screen: 16,000,000 colors, 3.4 “TFT VGA + (720 x 480)
  • Ringtones: Polyphonic 64 tons
  • Camera: 3.2m Pixels
  • Operating system: Meizu OS (Windows Mobile Base CE6.0 amended by Meizu)
  • Dimensions: 108 x 59 x 11.9mm
  • CPU: ARM11 800MHz (Samsung 6410)
  • Memory: 256 MB DDR-SDRAM
  • Battery: 1200mAh
  • WiFi: 802.11b and g
  • Bluetooth: 2.0
  • Internet: Web browser Opera version customized by Meizu
  • Video playback: (720 x 480 30fps, H263/264 MPEG2 MPEG4 WMV, RM, RMVB)
  • Other features: mp3 player, LINE OR, microphone, loudspeaker

[via Meizu News]

Continue reading Meizu M8 Gets The Unboxing Treatment

Philips To Launch GoGear LUXE Mp3 Player With Bluetooth Connectivity

Philiphs’ GoGear LUXE new MP3 player could easily get into those mediocre DAPs category, with only 2GB of flash memory, the usual FM tuner, a one-line LCD screen and a scant 10 hours of continuous music play. But the facts prove different, with the cool diamondback cover, first-rate music quality and the built-in Bluetooth 2.1 headset, that provides 100 hours of standby time and the automatic pause feature, whenever a call comes in. Priced at S$139 ($92), this cool device is about to hit the streets of Singapore next month, and the rest of Asia, later on.

[Via PMPToday]

Apple Has Launched iPhone 3G Online Buying Service

Do you feel reluctant standing in another long tiresome queue to buy an iPhone 3G? It seems Apple has decided to end this torture by announcing a new online tool that can assist potential customers shorten the process. From now on, you can go online and type-in all the billing forms, including name, address, payment details, etc, choose your desirable plan and schedule the time and date you wish to get to any nearby Apple store, in order to collect the merchandise and complete the activation. Regretfully, you get no home delivery and still bound to a 2 years contract, but Apple’s intention is affirmative.

[Apple]

T-Mobile G1: First HTC Dream G1 Android Powered Phone Introduced

The T-Mobile G1 event was definitely a game changer, to how the mobile phone and the Internet have merged to bring us innovative solutions in one device, the kind that can provide Email, Maps, Calendar, instant messaging, Contacts, Search engine and Media player, all together in one strong Open Source platform that will be able to compete those lavish smartphone handsets, with a fair and affordable price. As the clock pointed at 10:30 AM (East time), a group of distinguish representatives from companies like Deutsche Telecom, T-Mobile, HTC and Google were gathered on one small New York stage, to announce the long-awaited HTC Dream, powered with Google’s Android operating system, to be available in T-Mobile stores and dealers on October 27th, for merely $179, subjunctive to a two year contract – $25/month deal, including unlimited internet access plus a certain amount of messaging package, or $35/month deal with unlimited internet access and unlimited messages to send.

The new phone, also known as the G1, is equipped with a quadband GSM HSDPA 1700/2100, a stunning flip-out 3-inch 320 x 480 HVGA touchscreen, a full QWERTY keyboard to make it easier when you type-in a web address or any other online form, a 3.2MP camera with auto focus, a microSD card extension (1GB microSD card included, supports up to 8GB card), GPS navigation system, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The continuous collaboration with Mountain View brings a smooth multitasking UI, packed with many Google apps, such as Gmail, GTalk IM, Google Maps, digital compass, integrated Traffic view / Street View, Google calender and last but not least, Google’s search engine, assimilated inside the built-in browser. In addition, you get more applications pre-loaded, like Android Market, which is equivalent to Apple’s App Store, Amazon’s MP3 store, allowing to download from 6 million DRM-free tracks (starting at 89 cents), YouTube and many other third-party goodies onboard. The unit comes with a designated Search Button that lets you work across the entire interface and search any application you want. Thus, you can look for your friends in the contact list or search for a special occasion within your calender, etc. Regretfully, it doesn’t support the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, nor A2DP stereo Bluetooth, but you can expect to see them in future versions. Sized at 4.60” x 2.16” x 0.62”, the G1’s battery provides up to 5 hours of speech or 130 hours in standby mode and potential buyers will be able to choose between black, white or brown flavors, when the phone goes live, in early November.

Checkout the videos after the break. For more images you can click in here.

[via Android Community]

Continue reading T-Mobile G1: First HTC Dream G1 Android Powered Phone Introduced

iPhone Firmware 2.1 Officially Goes Live

Following recent announcement, Apple has officially released firmware update 2.1, to fight those irritating bugs and unbearable crashes that took all over the place, leaving so many customers desperate and confused. The new 2.1 update is reported to be much stabilized than its predecessor, fixing so many bugs that made your applications crash and improving the flaky battery life, to work much longer than it used to. In addition, El Jobso has promised to minimize those failing drop calls and substantially improve iTunes’ backup speed, along with a better email usability, so lets hope he can keep his word.

To get version 2.1 installed, you can hook your iphone to iTunes 8, choosing “check for update”, to download the entire 237.8mb file and install it. You can download it RIGHT NOW from here.

[Apple]

iPhone Firmware 2.1 Announced, Will Fight The Bugs And The Crashes

Apple is desperately looking for new solutions to fix those pesky iphone/ipod touch bugs, crashes, call drops and bad reception, announcing new firmware update, to be available on Friday for a free download (regretfully, ipod touch owners will have to pay $10 for it). Also, the coming 2.1 version will apparantly improve battery life and backup synchronization, but won’t tackle with the copy & paste problem – hopefully it will – one day.

Update1: You can download it RIGHT NOW from here.

Update2: iPod Touch owners with firmware version 2.0 are entitled to download the new update for free.

Slashgear

[Image courtesy: Slashgear]

iphone 3G: Pwnage 2.0.3 Is Available, Jailbreaks Firmware Update 2.0.2

Dev Team has released their latest iPhone jailbreaking utility, the Pwnage 2.0.3, including support for Pwning recent iPhone firmware 2.0.2 and adding the most updated installer app. This is a Mac only version and as you can guess, there’s no baseband unlock for the iPhone 3G yet, only activating and jailbreaking, but there is hope for a full jailbreaking version until the end of the year.

[Dev Team]

iHologram Brings 3D Spectrum To Your iPhone

This awesome application from David O’Reilly brings staggering 3D animation to your iPhone, thanks to the anamorphosis painting technic that has been used since the 15th century, and now combined with the iphone’s accelerometer and gyroscopes, to create an amazing 3D visual illusion in a constant viewing angle of 35 to 45 degrees, when the real drawings are actually in 2D. Check out the video, featuring a nice tangible 3D character walking along the screen path, almost jumping out of the phone.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/x_u9paWQJbs" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
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[via PMPToday]

iPhone Camera Gets More Improvements With Snapture 2.0

It’s been four months since Snapture released their first revolutionary iPhone camera application with the abilities to capture up to three frames in a row, take self photos, take photos in different sizes, get a digital zoom, toggle Auto rotation and more. Now we hear that Snapture steps up with the new Snapture 2.0 version, adding features like self timer, 4 color modes, a clean UI, and multi-touch gesture zoom, all for free, in case you have a jailbroken device. You can also go Premium for $7.99 and get free-ads application with the ability to view, enlarge and delete recent pictures directly on the viewfinder, thanks to the QuickView system. Checkout the video after the break.

[Snapture]

Continue reading iPhone Camera Gets More Improvements With Snapture 2.0

iPhone Firmware 2.0.2 Is Now Available Via iTunes

Apple has released firmware update 2.0.2 for iphone and ipod touch devices,  available for downloading via your iTunes, only two weeks after introducing the 2.0.1 version to the world. The new update weights around 250MB and presumably, fixes some of the bugs that have been reported by users. So far, no one can point out which of the bugs were fixed, but it seems to be targeting iPhone 3G phones. The overall feeling is that there’s sort of improvement, so stay tuned for more news and reports to come.


Aigo P8860 MID Goes Live In Asia

First time we had a chance to see this amazing Atom-based MID (Mobile Internet Device) was back at the CES show in January, as Intel introduced its latest Menlow system on the Aigo devices. Now we hear that this amazing Aigo P8860 MID is about to go live in Hong Kong with a 800MHz Atom Z500 processor, a 4.8-inch display, Bluetooth, Wifi, microSD slot expansion, 4GB SSD storage capacity, sliding QWERTY keyboard, GPS navigation system and HSPDA, running on MIDLinux system, also known as Midinux. Prices start at $5,228 HKD ($679) and a Windows XP version is expected later on. Stay tuned for more to come. Meanwhile, checkout the video after the break.

Update: September 29th – The Aigo P8860 makes a worldwide debut, via an official reseller, named Direct From Japan. Just log in and order your device from all over the world, for $699 (including free shipping).

[via Pocketables]

Continue reading Aigo P8860 MID Goes Live In Asia

iphone 3G: Pwnage 2.0.2 Jailbreak Tool Now Available

Dev Team has released their latest version of the iPhone jailbreaking utility, the Pwnage 2.0.2, including Cydia and Installer 4 beta. Still, no unlock for the iPhone 3G, only activating and jailbreaking. Yet, you can download other applications and patiently wait for the final version to be released. You can get the tool in here or here or here. Meanwhile WinPwn 2.0.0.4 has been released for the iPhone 2.0.1 firmware as well and it includes Installer support. You can get it here.

[via Dev Team]

iPhone Firmware 2.0.1 Available Via iTunes

Apple has just released firmware version 2.0.1 for iphone and ipod touch devices, available for downloading through your iTunes, 3 weeks after introducing the 2.0 buggy edition. The new update weights 250MB(!) and presumabley, blocks your jailbroken handsets, but not for long, we’re still waiting for Dev-Team to officialy release their ultimate software solution. Meanwhile, if you like your unlocked applications, you should patiently wait, otherwise, in-plan users can update their phone without any problems. Stay tuned for more bug fixing updates and other related news.

Update1: it seems the 3G network browsing works much faster than previous version. Checkout the video after the break.

Update2: several iPhone 3G users are reporting carrier error on both Windows and Mac OS X versions. In this case, restore to the previous 2.0 firmware.

[via slashgear]

Continue reading iPhone Firmware 2.0.1 Available Via iTunes

MagicPad App Brings Copy & Paste To Your iPhone

Apple should officially put an end to the iPhone’s Copy & Paste saga (They’ve said they don;t care). Meanwhile, we get a chance to see the MagicPad app, a rich-text editor, coming up to App Store very soon, allowing users to write their personal notes, create text documents and change fonts, text sizes, colors, mark them as bold, italic, underline and of course, copy & paste them in order to send through emails. It works really well and looks promising, so checkout the video after the break.

Update: the MagicPad is now available at the App Store and can be downloaded from here.

[via Gizmodo]

Continue reading MagicPad App Brings Copy & Paste To Your iPhone

iPhone 3G: Windows PC Jailbreak Goes Live

Windows OS users, this is your day, as Pwnage 2.0 version for your PC (AKA: WinPwn 2.0) has been released, allowing iPhone 1st Gen, iPhone 3G and iPod Touch users to jailbreak their devices and unlock their sim cards if necessary. Although it was already available, for early adopters, only 24 hours after the official Dev-Team Mac release, this one is much easier, especially with the ability to make your jailbroken handset – Sim Free – in one click. Mind you, this is only a preliminary version and it might have some bugs, so stay cautious while updating your device.

You can download the software from here or here or here.

read the instructions after the break.

Update: There are new versions available in here.

[via WinPwn]

Continue reading iPhone 3G: Windows PC Jailbreak Goes Live

iPhone 3G: Pwnage 2.0 Jailbreak Goes Live

After days of expectations, Dev Team has finally released a software-based jailbreak for firmware update 2.0, installed on iPhone 3G, iPhone 1st Gen and iPod Touch devices. Although it is only Mac users compatible, Dev Team has promised to release PC friendly version in the near future, along with iphone 3G full unlocking version [You can download the jailbreaking software from here or here or here]. The new Pwnage 2.0 jailbreak can do the following:

iPhone 3G – Only activate and jailbreak, no unlock yet (no sim free).

iPhone 1st Gen (With firmware 2.0 installe.d) –  activate, jailbreak and unlock.

iPod Touch (With firmware 2.0 installed) – activate and jailbreak.

Mind you, there are plenty of people trying to get this one so be patient as you download those 19.7MB. Full instractions can be found in here.

Update1: that was fast! Jailbreak 2.0, now available for Windows OS users. You can get full instructions in here or here.

Update2: 24 hours later and there’s a new update that fixes some of the bugs from the first version. You can get it in here or here.

[via Dev-Team]

Meet Your New iPhone 3G From The Scratch

If you wanted to learn more about the main components that assemble your new iPhone 3G, the chips, the amps, the processors and the involved manufacturing companies, this is your chance to take a look at one the most detailed inside-views, as the guys from research firm Semiconductor Insights dissected the stellar handset into pieces, showing us who has done what. From the picture below, we understand that Infineon provides many of the components, including the GPS chip, the baseband chip, UMTS transceiver and the power management chip. In addition, we can see the  application processor, provided by Samsung and the power amplifiers, provided by Triquint and Skyworks, as Marvell brings the Bluetooth and the WIFI components while Toshiba is responsible for the internal flash memory of your phone. The rest stays the same as the first generation, with Samsung to supply the ARM11processor architecture, Wolfson the audio decoder chip, Broadcom the touchscreen controller, National Semiconductor’s MPL the display interface, etc. Hit the jump to checkout more pictures and to see the videos. To get a bigger view just click in here.

[via Semiconductor Insights]

Continue reading Meet Your New iPhone 3G From The Scratch

iPhone 3G Gets Unlocked With a Special Sim Card

Well, it’s not a software unlock, but it looks pretty much the same as the first generation unlock SIM card, as it misleads the handset to think it is actually using your local carrier. Still, no word on price or availability but there’s a video to prove it actually works. Stay tuned for more info to come.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/S1lQWH24hv4" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

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[via gizmodo]

iPhone 3G Gets Extended Battery To Improve Performance

iPhone 3G has been launched couple days ago and we can already hear complaints of short battery life, caused by excessive 3G network and GPS usage. To solve this problem and let long distance travelers enjoy better and longer battery performance with their new handset, we’re glad to find the announcement of the Dexim BluePack extended battery solution, coming up on August and already available for pre-order. This new lithium ion battery for iPhone 3G provides a capacity of 1,200mAh, offering 36 additional hours for music, 7 additional hours for video, and 3.5 for communication, once charged via the USB connection. To get one for $79.72, hit the link below. There’s another picture after the break.

iphone3G-dexim-battery

[via geekstuff4u]

Continue reading iPhone 3G Gets Extended Battery To Improve Performance

iPhone and iPod Touch Firmware 2.0 Is Available For Download

iPhone and iPod Touch owners, this is your moment, as Apple has officially released the latest firmware 2.0 version, available for download via iTunes. Mind you, there’s a load on the servers and it might be slow, but if you’re determined to get one, in order to access the new App Store, i guess nothing will stop you from upgrading your devices. Don’t forget, ipod touch users have to pay $9.95 to get firmware 2.0 update.

iPhone firmware 2.0 update is available in here.

ipod touch firmware 2.0 update is available via iTunes Store, in here.

iphone3G-firmware2

iPhone 3G Officialy Goes Live Stateside And 21 Countries More

iphone-3G-whiteToday, After tons of rumors, speculations and some unsuccessful mockups, Apple is finally releasing the new iPhone second generation – known as the iPhone 3G, across 22 countries, on 8:00 AM local time. The new iPhone 2 will have a 3G HSDPA connection which will allow users to surf the web, download emails, get directions, and watch videos 2.4 x times faster than previous model and 36% faster than the Nokia N95 and Palm Treo 750 devices in pageloads (according to Apple).

The second biggest thing, other than moving to 3G network, is the built-in GPS navigation system that was added to the new iPhone 3G. GPS technology and iPhone software come together to bring users mobile phone mapping, enabling fast fix on your location, track your progress as you go, help you get from point A to point B, by using GPS-based iPhone maps and A-GPS technology, which assists getting the signals from GPS satellites, Wi-Fi hot spots, and cellular towers. Once you get the signal, a GPS blue indicator will turn on, so you will be able to start using the relevant applications. However, GPS on iPhone is active only when you need it. iPhone powers the GPS unit on and off quickly and automatically, so it won’t adversely affect the battery life. With the new technology, assimilated inside the handset, you will be able to get from the App store some cool applications that will let you take a photo with the camera, for example, and iPhone will geotag it with GPS location information. Another neat application is the Loopt, that will let you use location feeds to help you find friends on the go, within your range, wherever you are. Moreover, you will be able to receive live traffic information, indicating traffic speed along your route in easy-to-read green, red, and yellow highlights.

iphone-3G-black

As for look and specifications, the new iPhone 3G has a nice rounded sleeky design with a curved glossy back, coming in black or white flavors. It has the same good old 3.5-inch multi-touchscreen, identical 2 megapixel camera at the back (no front camera for video chats) and a flush 3.5mm headphone jack. Battery life presents substantial improvement, with 300 hours of standby, 5 hours of 3G talk, 8-10 hours of 2G talk, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of audio. Dimensions pretty much stay the same, although the new iPhone 3G is a little bit thicker, with 12.3 mm or 0.48 inches. However, we hear that it is hard to feel this extra inch difference and the sleeky arched design makes it much more comfortable in your hands.

You can find the complete keynote video here.

To learn more about the 22 countries to launch the new iPhone 3G and to see full specs and tips, just hit the jump and move forward, after the break.

Continue reading iPhone 3G Officialy Goes Live Stateside And 21 Countries More

iPhone 3G Gets an Inside Look – Already

Early kiwi buyers (New Zealand) already rubbing their new shiny iphone 3G devices, as the entire world is waiting for tomorrow 8:00 AM to grab one or two handsets. Meanwhile, the guys at iFixit have decided to tear the new iphone apart and share it with the entire world. Hit the link to see the entire dissection.

iphone3g-inside-look

[via iFixit]

Continue reading iPhone 3G Gets an Inside Look – Already

iTunes 7.7 Goes Live With Apple App Store And Remote Control Support

itunes-7-7So, it is finally here. iTunes version 7.7 goes live with the promised App store assimilated inside, and Remote control functionality as a bonus. The official release says:

“Use iTunes 7.7 to sync music, video, and more with iPhone 3G, and download applications from the iTunes Store exclusively designed for iPhone and iPod touch with software version 2.0 or later. Also use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home – a free download from the App Store.”

The new Remote application for the iPhone and iPod touch devices controls your Apple TV and iTunes via the Wi-Fi connection. You can literally use it to play, stop, pause, skip or shuffle your songs and videos, you can even search the entire libraries through your handheld device.

apple-remote-control-app

Apple WWDC 2008 Event: Keynote Summary

Originally written on June 9th:

apple-wwdc-2008Apple WWDC 2008 event in San Francisco has answered our expectations with some major announcements from Steve Jobs, including the new iPhone 3G revelation. The keynote has introduced us as follows:

  • New iPhone games for $9.99.
  • New iPhone mashups.
  • New MobileMe syncing service.
  • iPhone 2.0 firmware available in early July.
  • iPhone 3G officially goes live on July 11th for $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB), with a built-in GPS.

Again, rumors prove to be right and today they just get the official stamp from Apple. Lets view some of them in a nutshell:

Continue reading Apple WWDC 2008 Event: Keynote Summary

iControlPad Turns Your iPhone Into a Gaming Machine

While new games are about to be released for the iphone and iPod Touch devices within the near future, the iControlPad project might be a nice playable alternative to handle the controls instead of the clumsy touchscreen solution. It is actually a gamepad device that your jailbroken iphone  can slide into (without any special modifications)  in order to improve your gaming experience and make it more accessible. Release date is set to mid July for only $30, so if you plan buying some of the new titles and turn your handset into a PSP-alike device, just follow up the updates to come.

iphone-i-control-pad

[icontrolpad via gmp3]

Sirius Satellite Radio Comes To Your iPhone

If you’re a proud owner of a jailbroken iphone device and want to take your favorite radio stations everywhere you go, uSirius will make it possible, free of charge for three days before registration. To start streaming, just find yourself a Wifi hotspot, log into the Installer.app, download the application, install it and get your tunes on the go.

iphone-usirius

 [via gizmodo]

Orange Dance Charge Lets You Dance And Charge At Once

Summer is the festivals season, where thousands of groupies gather around stages, equipped with camping tents and cellphones, dancing all day long, as the music rocks and the beer pours down for 3 days of euphoria. To keep your mobile devices charged, telecoms company Orange has decided to test a new mobile phone dancing charger at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK. This experimental Dance Charger prototype works on kinetic elements, allowing to convert your movements into generated energy in order to charge your attached handset. Designed as an arm strap, the 4.25 x 2.5-inch velcro and elastic band houses weights and magnets that produce an electric charge, once you wave with your hand or shake your body. As mentioned, it was presented at Glastonbury 2 weeks ago, but you might find it in some other places, so if you happen to be in one of those summer festival and need to charge your phone, just hand it to Orange’s Dance Charging Man to see if it works.

Orange-dance-charge

[via smartplanet]

Continue reading Orange Dance Charge Lets You Dance And Charge At Once

ZodTTD Brings 16 Game Emulations To Your iPhone

We all miss those Mario Bros alike emulator games from Nintendo. Now you can play them on your own iphone or iPod Touch, thanks to the guys from ZodTTD, who’ve created a nice application that lets you play both TurboGrafx and PC-Engine games along with the good old ROMs, straight from your devices. Regretfully, it is still in beta version and available only for testers, but be sure they will be released as soon as possible. Meanwhile, checkout the video after the break.

iphone-tg16-emulators

[via engadget]

Continue reading ZodTTD Brings 16 Game Emulations To Your iPhone