Mobile Phones
iPhone 3G S Recall Pending?
The Apple iPhone 3G S has sold over 1 million units, making the subject of a possible recall very big news indeed. Numerous news outlets have covered the subject of complaints but as of yet no firm picture has formed as to the validity or extent of these issues.
US Recall News is covering user experiences regarding iPhone 3G S overheating, read more and share your thoughts there.
In other 3G S news, at least one user – a heavy gamer by the looks of it – is reporting that his oleophobic coating began to wear off after repeated finger swipes. While the heavy use implied here may not be a typical use case, how many gestures does the average iPhone user make in a year? Yeah, a lot.
Interesting stuff is afoot in the land of Jobs.
[via US Recall News]
Sixth Sense Invention Sees Dead Surface, Represents Huge Leap for Wearable Tech
A group from MIT has developed a surprisingly practical inexpensive and compelling take on what the Personal Area Network (PAN) may someday offer us. A “PAN” is several portable devices working in concert to do more than they could do alone. Could MIT’s vision be only a few years away from reality?
Imagine a portable, cheap ($350 today), context aware version of Microsoft Surface and you may be close to what MIT presented at TED2009. Sixth Sense at it’s core is a camera and projector you carry around with you – not too amazing right? What if they worked together to project information about products, places and even people right on whatever surface happens to be in your vicinity – maybe even your hands?
Sixth Sense combines an ordinary SmartPhone, camera and mini-projector. The camera tracks your gestures and environment. The projector displays information and an interface relevant to the situation. The phone runs the necessary apps, connects to the internet and provides the horsepower.
The best way to appreciate what Sixth Sense can do is to see it in action. The video is long but full of clever nuggets and “ah-ha” moments. But if you don’t have the time, skip to about 3:10 and you’ll instantly get the plot with some insanely cool demos.
Further Reading
TED: Maes & Mistry: Unveiling the “Sixth Sense,” game-changing wearable tech
iGizmodo: Sixth Sense May Change How We Look At The World Forever
Engadget: MIT’s “sixth sense” augmented reality device demonstrated on video
Blackberry Storm for $99 or FREE?
The ultra-hot touchscreen mobile phone arena is about to get even hotter. The next contender is the promising Blackberry Storm which has gained many favorable reviews. No Storm release date has been announced but it’s coming soon. And the latest news about the Storm comes by way of Fortune who reveals that Vodaphone – Blackberry’s UK carrier – is considering a grab for lucrative multi-year customer contracts by selling the Storm for either $99. Or FREE. We like the sound of free.
Competition with the iPhone and now T-Mobile Dash is creating a crowded smartphone market. And RIM, traditionally strong with business customers, wants to reach out to the broader consumer market. Recent news indicates that Steve Jobs has leeway to sell the iPhone for as little as $99. T-Mobile’s Android-based G1 is selling now at Wal-Mart for only $149.
Even better for those of us on this side of the pond is the news that Blackberry and Verizon are considering deep discounts in the United States also with price points of either $150 or $99 being most likely. More as soon as we hear the official release details from Verizon and Blackberry.
Blackberry Storm Interface
T-Mobile G1 at Wal-Mart for $149 TODAY
T-Mobile G1 - 3G + Android Goodness
Wal-Mart dropped the bomb – starting today you can get the T-Mobile G1 smartphone for $149 (compared with $179 from T-Mobile) from the omni-present peddler of inexpensive goods. This is certain to help uptake of the G1 due to the low price and also Wal-Mart’s wide retail reach. The G1 is a phone with lots of promise though certainly in its infancy. A 2-year contract is required.
In related news, at least one industry analyst is confident that Apple could get into the price-cutting game as well with the iPhone. How does a $99 iPhone sound ? We won’t hold our breath but this is an intriguing time in the smartphone space. And we cannot forget about the Blackberry Storm. Competition is always good.
T-Mobile G1 Review Roundup
T-Mobile G1 - 3G + Android Goodness
The T-Mobile G1 has had a long run-up of interest and press. The G1 is the first fruit of Google’s efforts to build a modern open-source touchscreen phone operating system. Now that actual units are in consumers hands – how does it fare? We’re collecting the best reviews here and will continue to update this post as new insights come along. Check it out:
- T-Mobile G1 Review @ Engadget
- Review of the T-Mobile G1 Android Device @ ZDNet
- Walt Mossberg’s Wall Street Journal Review of T-Mobile G1 – “… consider it a worthy competitor to the iPhone”
- MSNBC’s T-Mobile G1 Review – “Android phone is a good iPhone alternative”
Summary of Research:
The T-Mobile G1 shows tons of potential. Excellent ease of setup and use. Hardware is solid (not going to oust the iPhone from teh sexy title). The Android OS was a winner and can be improved further with more polish. The proprietary headphone jack is an annoyance but not a deal-breaker. Some basic apps are missing – Google is clearly counting on the open-source community to ramp up and release killer apps.
End of the Day:
The T-Mobile G1 is an impressive new device that should be around for a long time. Once the Android developer community gets going the competition may truly have something to worry about. For now, a very solid and interesting offering whose value should increase quickly as apps are released.
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