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Countdown: Ian heads to Irvine to buy an Apple iPad (Video)

April 3rd, 2010, 7:48 am by

Hard to miss the news this week that Apple’s new iPad computer goes on sale today. All sorts of apps were announced and reviews started coming in.

This morning, O.C. Register reporter and Mac fan Ian Hamilton heads to the Irvine Spectrum Apple store to grab one of his own. He’ll be blogging about it right here later today.

As of 8 a.m., there are 40 people in the pre-purchase line and 30 others wishing they had pre-ordered. The first person was in line since 3 p.m. Friday.

If you’re standing in line too (or have been all night), he wants to hear from you. Tweet him at @hmltn or e-mail him at ihamilton@ocregister.com.

Read Ian’s latest posts:

The iPad is Apple’s first tablet-like computer. It’s a touch-screen marvel with Wi-Fi and option to add 3G wireless. Its pièce de résistance? It can access thousands of apps from the iTunes store. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Apple mania • Gadgets • • • • • | 58 Comments »

Google Android walkie-talkie phone heads to Sprint this summer

March 22nd, 2010, 2:09 pm by
Another image: (larger)

Spotted: Just learned that Sprint’s first Google Android phone will come from Motorola and include push-to-talk capability, a.k.a. a Walkie-Talkie.

The Motorola i1 will also have a 3.1-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, 5-megapixel camera and microSD slot. Plus, it’s one of Motorola’s rugged phones so it’s built to Military Spec 810F and can stand some dust, shock and “blowing rain,” says Motorola.

No price was announced, but expect monthly fees to be around $70 if you opt for Sprint’s Everything Data 450 plan (unlimited calls to U.S. wireless users, unlimited Direct Connect, unlimited texting, e-mail and Web and GPS).

Sprint will start selling the i1 this summer. More details at www.sprint.com/motoi1. Here’s Motorola’s press release. Full specs listed in the chart below:

Motorola i1
Talk and Standby Time3 Up to 4 days standby; Up to 210 min talk time
Bands/Modes 800 / 900 (i) 2400 (w)
Weight 131.26 grams, 4.63 oz.
Dimensions 58mm length 118mm depth 12.8 mm
OS Android 1.5
Battery 1400mAh
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth2 2.0 micro USB; Over the Air Sync, 2.5mm headset jack
Display 3.1” display 320×480 HVGA  265k TFT
Messaging/ Email MMS, SMS,  corporate, Gmail IMAP, POP3, Attachment and document viewer
Audio Adobe Flash, MP3, WAV, WMA, WMV, MIDI, MP4
Video H.263,  H.264, WMV
Camera 5MP, auto-focus, LED flash, 4X digital zoom
Browser Opera Mini 5 Browser, Android Webkit w/Adobe Flash Lite®
Memory Removable 2GB memory card included, up to 32GB supported
Form Factor Full touch screen
Antenna Internal

More cell phone coverage:

Posted in: Cell phones • Gadgets • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

AT&T moving to one phone charger fits all, plus conserve power

March 17th, 2010, 2:45 pm by

A special new phone charger from AT&T could help customers save money on their electric bill and waste less energy to boot.

The AT&T Zero Charger automatically senses when a mobile phone is no longer plugged in and cuts off power from the wall socket. Another eco-friendly aspect? It has a mini-USB port so it can be reused with a customer’s next phone.

AT&T worked with Irwindale-based Superior Communications on the charger, which will sell for $29.99 beginning in May. Interested customers can sign up HERE to be notified when it becomes available.

The world will likely see more of these chargers. It’s part of an effort by GSM World, a global organization supporting wireless technologies used by companies like AT&T. The Universal Charging Solution Initiative, which launched in February 2009, aimed to create a universal power supply for all cell phones (thank goodness!). No more searching for the right cable or adapter.

The new universal charger standard, approved last October, relies on USB technology to connect a phone to a charger. The technology inside reduces standby energy consumption.

Of course, iPhone owners won’t be able to use it unless they buy a micro-USB adapter cable. Perhaps Apple will join the effort and offer a universal power adapter as well.

More on AT&T cell, mobile services:


Check out the Gadgetress Guide to local cell phone services

Posted in: Gadgets • news • • • • • • • • | 7 Comments »

T-Mobile preps for 21 Mbps Internet with new gadget

March 11th, 2010, 5:17 pm by

Faster wireless Internet — up to 21 Mbps — from T-Mobile is around the corner and expected to be available nationwide by the end of the year. It could launch even sooner here in Orange County. We’ll find out in two weeks when T-Mobile offers an update during the upcoming CTIA mobile show.

To get ready for the speed jump, T-Mobile announced today that it now offers an HSPA+ USB Laptop stick, the webConnect Rocket. The company says that it’s also the nation’s first HSPA+ device, but that’s because the only other company going this speedy route is AT&T. Verizon Wireless and Sprint are working on faster 4G wireless technology like LTE (Long Term Evolution) and Wimax.

HSPA, short for High Speed Packet Access, is sometimes called Turbo 3G and offers wireless Internet speeds of up to 7.2 mbps. But add a plus sign and the speed jumps to 21 Mbps. T-Mobile is upgrading its 3G cell towers nationwide to add the faster technology.

I’m sure T-Mobile smartphone users everywhere are ready for the speed jump because the existing 3G Internet is more like 1 Mbps or slower. But if you feel 3G Internet is still slow, here’s some bad news: T-Mobile has already enabled HSPA 7.2 across its entire 3G network nationwide. The company, however, says it is still working to put the “necessary backhaul in place to support these faster speeds.” (AT&T, by the way, has also upgraded all of its network to HSPA and is working on upgrading to 4G technology.)

Nevertheless, many of T-Mobile’s newer smartphone users will reap the benefits of HSPA+ when it does become available because the phones and devices are backward compatible.  Here are T-Mobile’s existing 3G phones and devices that are HSPA capable:

  1. T-Mobile G1
  2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G
  3. T-Mobile myTouch 3G LE
  4. Motorola CLIQ
  5. HTC TouchPro 2
  6. T-Mobile Dash 3G
  7. Samsung Behold II
  8. T-Mobile webConnect USB Laptop Stick
  9. T-Mobile webConnect Jet
  10. HTC HD2

The Rocket goes on sale Sunday, March 14, for $99.99 with a 2-year contract. New Internet plans will be available beginning this weekend. Here are the new “Even More” plans and prices: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Cell phones • Gadgets • • • • | 6 Comments »

TiVo releases big new DVR… ho hum

March 3rd, 2010, 2:14 pm by

Noted: Pioneering DVR company TiVo has updated its devices but many in the industry are saying Ho Hum.

The new TiVo Premiere adds a wider-screen menu to fit HDTVs better and also offers shortcuts and a powerful search function that hunts down videos on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand or Blockbuster On Demand. And there’s a nifty remote with a QWERTY keyboard inside.

But other then that, there aren’t too many changes from the last upgrade. Technologizer laments the lack of video-on-demand, access to online TV site Hulu.com, and a TiVo that works with all TV services, including satellite.

While over at Zatz Not Funny, Dave Zatz writes, “The TiVo Premiere isn’t the home run I was hoping for. In it’s current form, and for potential upgraders, the Premiere basically offers the same core features of a TiVo Series 3 or HD.”

Two versions are available beginning April: the TiVo Premiere, with 320 gigabytes for $299.99; and the $499.99 TiVo Premiere XL,  with 1 terabyte, a backlit remote and THX-certified audio and video technology. As before, the box supports cable TV and Verizon FiOS users, but not satellite TV or AT&T U-verse.

Other key features: It supports E-SATA technology to users can add an external hard drive if they run out of storage space. It also uses the faster Wireless N Wi-Fi connection.

As more consumers ponder about cutting down their monthly TV bill by looking for cheap TV viewing online, TiVo won’t help much with that. Besides the upfront cost, there’s a monthly $12.95 fee for service even if you opt for basic broadcast TV service. If you want regular cable channels, you’ll need a limited cable TV subscription and a CableCARD. Plus you’ll still need broadband Internet, which can be another $30 to $50 a month. Netflix, Amazon and Blockbuster also charge for online rentals.

Read more about the new boxes and see more photos at TiVo’s site: TiVo Premiere, press release, official video

More reviews:

Posted in: Gadgets • Video & TV • • • • • | Comments Off

AT&T adds socially connected Android ‘Backflip’ phone

February 18th, 2010, 10:52 am by

AT&T said today that its first Google’s Android phone, the Motorola BACKFLIP, joins the company on March 7.

The Motorola Backflip will be one of AT&T’s few HSPA 7.2 capable phones so it can take advantage of the faster Internet speeds of up to 7.2 mbps.

AT&T has been upgrading most of its cell sites in Orange County to add this faster technology. This will be AT&T’s 6th HSPA phone. Others include the iPhone 3GS, HTC PURE, HTC Tilt2, Samsung Jack and the LG eXpo.

It’s called the Backflip because underneath the 3.1-inch screen is a full QWERTY keyboard that flips out so the phone looks like a mini laptop. The keyboard can also flip around to prop up the phone like an alarm clock.

Also, directly behind the screen is a touchpad, dubbed the “‘Backtrack,” (image on left) that lets you move around the screen with your finger touching behind it without smudging the actual screen.

Hard to imagine? Watch the AT&T’s demonstration video of the Backflip below: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Cell phones • Gadgets • • • • • • • | 8 Comments »

Boost Mobile turns Super Bowl ad into ringtone for charity

February 10th, 2010, 4:55 pm by

Boost Mobile won’t say how much it spent on its 30-second Super Bowl ad, which stars aging members of the 1985′s Chicago Bears redoing their “Super Bowl Shuffle.” But it has figured out how to help offset expenses: Sell the song as a 99-cent ringtone.


Boost Mobile’s Super Bowl 2010 ad

Why you might want to consider buying it? The Irvine prepaid wireless carrier is donating all proceeds to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a nonprofit led by legendary coach Mike Ditka. The money goes to help former NFL players who aren’t doing very well.

Yes, that may not sound like much of a sob-story charity, but not every football player makes a million bucks. According to the Gridiron site, there are plenty of retired players who never got the benefits or pensions that players do today. Some lack basic services, such as health insurance. The charity lists a bunch of stories about players it has helped, including an unnamed former San Diego Charger who was living in his car.

You can buy the ringtone at www.boostmobile.com/shuffle.

Recent Boost Mobile stories:

Posted in: Cell phones • Gadgets • • • • • • • • • | Comments Off

Changes at D-Link bring pebbles, boxes and a doorbell

January 29th, 2010, 3:30 am by
D-Link 3G doorbell
D-Link’s 3G door bell, actually called the D-Link Door Phone, is a home security system with a camera built inside the bell. When someone pushes the bell, the camera starts streaming video online, which can be viewed by a 3G wireless phone so owners can see who is at the door even when not home. The door phone comes out in the second quarter of 2010 for $199.99.

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, D-Link Systems showed off its core product: a wireless router.

But then the Fountain Valley firm pulled out a device mixing Web TV and social networking. And an eReader. And a … doorbell!

There have been major changes inside the company. Last May, it reorganized, letting go of CEO Steven Joe, who has since resurfaced over at Irvine’s hot HDTV company Vizio (read earlier story: “D-Link replaces president, announces reorganization“). Nick Tidd, pictured below, stepped in as vice president of marketing. This week, Tidd was named president of D-Link North America.

Tidd answered some questions to give readers insight into what D-Link is all about today.

Question: With some major management shifts behind it, how has D-Link changed as a business?

Nick Tidd, named president of D-Link North America in Jan. 2010.D-Link’s Nick Tidd: The most significant changes have come since last May when we had a complete reorganization of our North American and Pan American operations. We’ve made a number of changes to the organization in order to optimize and leverage resources across North America. We’ve built teams and budgets for areas which were lacking and built structure and systems so we’re better equipped to compete in a fast and dynamic marketplace. But overall, we’ve tried to instill the sense of fun and empowerment among our employees needed to achieve the next level of success as a company. We are aggressively driving into new markets, while solidifying our presence in existing markets where we have a very compelling value proposition to companies with constrained budgets and consumers looking to get more out of technology and their connected devices. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Gadgets • Wi-Fi & networking • • • • • • • • • | 20 Comments »

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