neat stuff I've seen

Today, T-Mobile has has started selling the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. The device has similar specs to the Samsung Vibrant already available from T-Mobile. The Galaxy S features a 1 GHz CPU, 4 inch Super AMOLED display and a 5 megapixel camera that can record in 720p. These specs are very much the same as the Vibrant. Indeed many Vibrant cases can work as a case for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. Indeed the only differences between the two phones is that the Galaxy S 4G has a front facing camera and can...

AT&T has announced that the Motorola Atrix 4G will become available for purchase on Feb 22nd. This phone won over CES last year and is anticipated to be one of the hottest phones of the year. The Atrix comes with the latest Dual core CPU, high resolution 4 inch screen, HSPA+ connectivity and a 5 megapixel camera with a flash. But what really makes the device unique are the Atrix accessories that you can buy including a laptop dock and a HD/desktop dock. Both of these allow you to access a...

It looks like the Motorola Xoom will be arriving on Febrary 17th. This 10 inch tablet is expected to challenge the iPad for supremacy of the Tablet crown. The Xoom looks to outclass the current generation iPad with its dual core processor and cameras. It also sports the fist Android version, Honeycomb, that Google deems to be tablet worthy. Demonstrations with the Xoom have shown that Honeycomb is a significant step up in terms of Android for a tablet format. Already many retailers have...

The HTC EVO Shift 4g became available for pre-order but is gone now. Though the phone has not been officially announced, the preview on Amazon shows that the Shift is coming (there are even EVO Shift 4g cases available). The Successor to the HTC EVO makes some radical changes including adding a slide out keyboard and a smaller screen. The Shift version still uses Sprint’s WiMax network so it should have very fast internet connectivity. HTC seems to be taking a very different tack with the...

How much does it cost to build your favorite smartphone? That is a question that the folks over at tableausoftware.com have gathered and visualized. Each of the components that make up four popular smart phones: iPhone 4, BlackBerry Torch, Nexus One and the Nokia N8. It is interesting to see that all four phones cost essentially the same in terms of parts, all less than $200 for the parts. But the functionality you get when comparing the iPhone 4 ($194.05) to the BlackBerry Torch ($183.04) is...

T-Mobile has announced that the Dell Venue pro is now available. Shoppers who order it now which will then ship on Decmber 9th. It would be just in time for a Christmas present. The Dell Venue pro is probably the most interesting of the bland windows phone 7 lineup. The device has a slide out portrait keyboard and a 4.1 inch screen. It is available for $99 with a two year contract from T-Mobile. Permalink |

At long last, the promised and often delayed Samsung Epic 4G upgrade to Android 2.2 is here. The update has been announced officially and a few owners have reported that they have successfully upgraded. This makes the Epic 4G the first of the Samsung S phones to received the Froyo upgrade in the US. Hope to see some benchmarks come out soon. Permalink |

In a display of common sense and at least some modicum of marketing savvy, Microsoft has reversed their stance of Kinect hacking. Enthusiasts have picked up Microsoft’s newest XBOX add on, the Kinect not to play games but hack (some would say extend) access to its features. The Kinect is built to let XBOX 360 players play games without a control. But the Kinect has many hardware goodies like stereo camera, infared laser and stereoscopic microphones. It is a cheap platform for those looking to interact with their computers without a mouse or keyboard. Microsoft originally had warned

You knew it was just a matter of time before there was a jailbrake for Windows Phone 7. Some hackers have published an application called ChevronWP7 that will allow a windows phone 7 owner to load software directly on to their phone from their computer. This would bypass Microsoft's app marketplace. The software is meant to help software developers to test apps that Microsoft would not approve in their marketplace. It does however, open up the possibility of software piracy on the widows...

MetroPCS has started selling their first Android phone, the LG Optimus M Android. Now, the Optimus M is not a cutting edge smart phone. But it does come with the standard WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS radios, a smallish 3.2 inch capacitive touch display and a 3.2 megapixel camera. In addition, it comes loaded with Android 2.2 which is better than many low end devices. What makes the Optimus M unique is that MetroPCS sells it at $230 new without a contract. Paired with MetroPCS $50/month plan that...

Angry Birds is becoming a real mobile phenomenon. The game has sold over a million copies on the iPhone and has been downloaded over 2 million times for Android. It has even spawned stuffed animals. Now comes a stop motion short of the game. Check out the cartoon action. Permalink | Leave a comment »

A survey of the current apps in Microsoft's new Windows Phone 7 store shows that the apps are on average more expensive that those on the iTunes store for the same categories. It is probably due to fact that there are just a lot less apps and developers selling apps on the Microsoft's store. Market forces should probably push the price of the apps down as there are more and more selection. In the short term though, developers on Microsoft's platform may be able to change more for their...

You knew it was only a matter of time. It seems hackers are taking the new Microsoft Kinect and instead of playing games on their XBOX 360 are hacking the devices to work with their computers. The Kinect has the potential to be the ultimate computer input device. Forget the mouse and keyboard. With the Kinect you can use your body motions and voice commands. It even can recognize your face. Can hackers may bring the next generation computer interface before Microsoft? Check out this video of hacked Kinect picture manipulation. Permalink | Leave a comment

According to a new study by the Diffusion Group, people who buy the iPad tend to cancel their cable subscriptions. For some time now, cable has been losing subscribers due to the internet. It seems that owning the iPad just accelerates the desire to get of paid TV. The study claims that nearly 45% of iPad owners are “likely” or “highly likely” to cancel their cable. Whats even worse is that even over 20% people who plan to buy the iPad are also likely or highly likely to cancel their service....

Microsoft continues its push on its new Windows Phone 7 platform with a huge advertising program. Its commercials can be quirky, if not all together clear why the you should buy a one of their new handsets. Almost anyone who owns a smart phone can relate at least one of these scenes. But I'm not sure which Windows phone 7 feature is being sold here. Take a look at this commercial. So why is Microsoft making such an effort on the new Windows phone launch ? Probably because they are finally...