NewsRumor: Google Android in Just a Month?
Posted 08/13/08 at 03:49:54 PM by Paul Lilly
According to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, Google's open-source Android platform likely won't see the light of day until 2009, but that may not be the case. A new rumor hitting the web claims that T-Mobile will debut the first Android phone for pre-sale as early as September 17th.
Blog site TmoNews, who claims to be privy to this information based on a "trusted source," also says the new phone (codenamed G1) will cost consumers $399 - ouch! But that's when it goes fully public. TmoNews says the G1 pre-sale will last for one week and be available only to T-Mobile customers, who will be able to pick up the phone for $250 below retail. Everyone else will have to wait until mid-October.
The site also claims the G1 will come in black, white, or brown and include a 3-inch wide touch screen, 3G support, and a slide-out Qwerty keypad. Anyone that plans on picking one up will need a Gmail account, or so the rumor goes.
NewsSony Ericsson Profits Plummet 97 Percent, Job Cuts Coming
Posted 07/18/08 at 10:39:37 PM by Paul Lilly
If Sony Ericsson were capable of self-fulfilling prophecies, it would wish it could take back its ominous profit warning issued in late June. The company said it would break even in the second quarter due to disappointing European sales of its mid and high-end mobile phones, but even that turned out to be wishful thinking as Sony Ericsson on Friday posted a staggering 97 percent drop in Q2 profits. To help weather the financial storm and reduce operational costs, the mobile phone maker plans to cut 2,000 jobs "within the next 12 months."
Sony Ericsson only shipped 24.4 million units in Q2, compared to Nokia's 122 million handsets in the same period, who on Thursday announced better-than-expected earnings. Relief doesn't appear to be in sight either, as SE indicated "challenging market conditions" would remain through the rest of the year.
NewsWhat Will the Post-iPhone Cell Phone Be Like?
Posted 07/17/08 at 10:15:33 PM by Paul Lilly
Cell phone technology has come a long way since it was first introduced, and just as we can't help but snicker when catching a glimpse of the old beige bricks that started it all, it won't be long before today's mobile phones will be considered equally rudimentary. But even with the rapid pace of technology, it took Apple's iPhone to change the game, ushering in what's sure to be a new era of nifty must-have functionality. But what exactly will the post-iPhone cell phone be capable of?
Popular Science whips out its crystal ball so you don't have to, and what they've come up with are five different features that are all destined to come to future cell phones no later than 2009. More than just a wishlist, Popular Science explained the reasoning behind each category and which companies are at work on each technology. PC-grade computing and graphics by late 2009? Sign us up! The list looks sound, but one must-have feature noticeably absent is Sprint's crime deterrent system.
What features would you like to see in tomorrow's cell phones?
NewsNew iPhone Hacked Using Same Method for First iPhone
Posted 07/16/08 at 07:28:25 AM by Chris Moody
The latest version of the iPhone has been unlocked, using the same trick as was used on the original iPhone. It involves using a special SIM card adapter that makes the phone think it's on an approved network. TechGuru, a Brazilian blog, posted the first report and Gizmodo checked the process out and confirmed it.
So Apple and ATT are foiled again. I have to wonder if they even really cared, since folks were able to use the exact same method to unlock the phones as was used on the original iPhone. They may have felt it was just inevitable that the phone would be hacked again.
The debate is firing up if ‘carrier exclusives’ are a good or bad thing. Some argue that without official carrier support, some of the greatest features like Visual Voicemail wouldn’t exist. Other’s want to be able to be able to use the iPhone in areas where ATT doesn’t offer service and feel the iPhone should be available to whatever carrier they want to use it on. Where do you stand?
Features10 Lies I Told Passersby While Waiting in Line For the iPhone 3G
Click through the jump to see what I told the next ten clueless bystanders.
Posted 07/13/08 at 01:54:13 AM by Norman Chan
Let's get the obvious out the way: yes, I bought the new iPhone 3G. Max PC's ex-podcast producer Jeremy Williams and I waited outside the Stonestown Galleria mall in San Francisco for three hours this afternoon to get ahold of Steve Job's latest shiny gadget. Both of us were existing iPhone owners and have no shame about it.
The wait was about three hours long, and we had to do most of the waiting outside the mall to prevent clogging up foot traffic in front of the Apple store. Every half an hour, 10 to 15 people would be led inside to stand in another line before finally making it inside the store to make their purchase. Maybe it was because I was wearing an ironed buttoned-down shirt and carrying a laptop, but many people passing by stopped to ask me what the line was for. More than a few of them had no idea that a new iPhone had been released when I told them, which was pretty shocking for me to hear. Even my tech-phobic parents who couldn't send email if their lives depended on it knew about the iPhone; I genuinely could not imagine being so out of the tech-news loop. Then I decided to just start lying.
Click through the jump to see what I told the next ten clueless bystanders.
NewsOpenMoko Launches Linux Based FreeRunner Mobile Phone
Posted 07/04/08 at 04:44:41 PM by Chris Moody
Open source Gurus, rejoice! OpenMoko has launched the Linux based FreeRunner mobile phone today through OpenMoko's web-based store and will begin shipping it July 7. This new phone utilizes GNU/Linux and comes with core software needed for dialing, SMS and recording contacts. It will supplement these features with periodic downloads. Two versions of the phone will be available: 850MHz or 900 MHz Tri-band GSM to match frequencies in different countries. Black, oval-shaped and weighing 6.5 ounces, it also features a 2.8" 480 x 640 VGA touch screen, Wi-Fi (802.1 1b/g), AGPS, GPRS 2.5G, Bluetooth 2.0, two 3-axis motion sensors and comes with 128MB WSDRAM and 256MB NAND Flash.
Using the Openmoko mobile platform, the Free and Open Source Software community and create unique versions of the FreeRunner phone, modifying the way the phone operates and even the way it looks. They have opened the CAD files under a Creative Commons license to make it easy for industrial designers to change the appearance of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner and select alternate materials and finishes to tailor the phone's look and feel. The phone’s odd ovoid shape really does not appeal to me and I can imagine might be the first thing to go. Considering it’s somewhat limited specs compared to other phones available today, it looks set to only be a real draw for those into open source software.
FeaturesHands-On Reviews of 12 Hands-Free Bluetooth Devices
Posted 06/26/08 at 05:21:28 PM by Steve Klett
Do yourself a favor: make sure your car is up to code by this July—no broken headlamps or taillights, up-to-date registration, etc. – and, oh yeah, make sure you pick up a hands-free Bluetooth device for your cell phone. On July 1st a new law will go into effect in California making it illegal to talk on a wireless phone while operating a motor vehicle. If you are 18 or older, and you want to use your phone while driving, you will need to use a hands-free device – no “ifs”, “ands”, or “buts” about it—and there will be no grace period either.
We put a dozen of the newest Bluetooth devices through the wringer to help you find the right one for your car-talking habits. All of the devices were tested with one phone along the same stretch of highway at the same time of day, and call clarity was compared via voicemail recordings.
Read on to find out which ones made the grade.
News2010: Is That a Hologram in Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
Posted 06/20/08 at 11:45:54 AM by Paul Lilly
If you already own an R2D2 droid, then move along. For everyone else, be prepared to beam 3D images to and fro in the not too distant future. That is, if you're drinking the same Kool-Aid as Infosys. The ambitious tech company promises a holographic handset by 2010. With it, you'll be able to capture and send 3D snapshots by taking a series of 2D shots and using an algorithm to transform and calculate the extra third dimension. Infosys also envisions the technology being used in games, movies, and more.
MOST COMMENTED ARTICLES
MOST RECENT COMMENTS
THIS MONTH's ISSUE 
FEATURE The 2008 Dream MachineHOW TO Build a Custom Windows Restore DiscFIRST LOOK ATI's GeForce KillerHISTORY LESSON We celebrate 10 years of Maximum PC
Technology News
Computer Cooling Fans
Computer Cases
PC Game Controllers
PC Games
Computer Hardware
Headphones
MP3 Players
Stream Video
Computer Mouse
Monitors
Motherboards
NAS Storage
Networking
Laptop Computers
DVD Burner
Digital Cameras
Portable Storage
Computer Accessories
Smartphone
Antivirus Software
Sound Cards
Speakers
Computer Systems
Thumb Drives
Video Cameras
Video Card Reviews
Water Cooling
- Keyboards
© 2008 Future US, Inc. All Rights Reserved.