Philips GoGear Connect is a legitimate Android-based iPod touch competitor

For all its success, the iPod touch has few dedicated media player competitors capable of matching its big-touchscreen, WiFi, and voluminous App Store. Until today. Philips just went official with its GoGear Connect  featuring the full suite of Google Mobile applications pre-installed with access to the Android Market for pretty much everything else. Spec-wize we're looking at a 3.2-inch display, WiFi, sound isolating earphones, built-in camera, and microSD slot. Sorry, no mention of the Android OS version though we've seen it listed at retailers with 2.1. Syncing your music is done over Bluetooth or a USB tether to your PC with Philips' Songbird providing the software assist. The MP4 player also supports Maps and location-based services presumably accomplished with the help of Skyhook  and not via a GPS radio (though the Philips post is tagged "GPS"). Look for the GoGear Connect to land in Western Europe, China, and yes, the US, starting in late October with the price pegged at €249 (about $315) for the 16GB model.

1283253240 Tablet PCs, Mobile Handsets ViewSonic ViewPad 7 official: Android 2.2 and 'full' phone functionality

We know you're positively giddy with excitement to get at this OlivePad rebadge and ViewSonic is today fanning those flames of desire with a little bit of pre-IFA PR. Made official today, the 7-inch ViewPad 7 will try to lure in Android lovers with its tasty Froyo  parfait, underpinned by hardware that includes front- and back-facing cameras, 3G for both phone and data transmissions, and a full-sized SIM slot. It doesn't seem to have an earpiece so we're unwilling to grant it the claim that it offers "full" phone functionality, but we'd be more worried about the unlisted internal specs on this thing the OlivePad makes do with a 600MHz ARM CPU and an underwhelming 800 x 480 resolution, neither of which should be making the iPad quake in its well padded  boots. Price is expected to be "no more than £350" ($543) in the UK, though all we know about availability is that review units will start showing up in October. Ah well, the wait for a quality iPad alternative continues.

1283255160 Peripherals Sanyo's Eneloop Stick and Mobile Boosters will juice your gadgets

Make no mistake, we're unabashed Eneloop  rechargeable battery fanboys around here. How could we not be given our mobile lifestyle and obsessive need to keep all our toys juiced. As such, we're stoked by the announcement of a pair of Sanyo power packs: the Eneloop Mobile Booster (model KBC-L2BS) and Eneloop Stick Booster (KBC-D1BS). The Mobile Booster is a rechargeable slab of lithium-ion with a pair of built-in USB terminals (and microUSB adapter) capable of pushing a relatively hefty 1 Amp charge for about 2 hours (or 500mA for 4 hours if charging two device) to gear that requires that kind of suck like the iPad. The battery pack can then be recharged over AC or a USB connection on your PC. The highly portable Stick Booster, meanwhile, ships with a pair of AA Eneloops so when the electrons cease to flow you can just swap out the dead batteries for a pair of fresh rechargeables. The Stick Booster is also an official Nintendo licensee so you can be sure that it'll charge your DSLite, DSi, or DSi LL (no mention of the 3DS). Look for these to ship October 21st in Japan.

i-Station Z3D 7-inch 3D Android tablet requires glasses, how convenient

Come on, you knew it would come to this. In an industry obsessed with 3D as a means of boosting sales, somebody was bound to introduce a 3D tablet that requires glasses (polarized, no doubt). While other companies like Sharp have 3D tablet ambitions designed around its glassesless parallax barrier display technology, Korea's i-Station has bolted from the gate with a 7-inch (800x480) Z3D 3D tablet featuring the Android 2.1 OS, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, FM radio, 5000mAh high capacity battery, DMB television, either 32GB or 64GB or storage (depending upon model), and 1080p video support. And really, what could be more convenient than carrying around an extra pair of glasses just for viewing 3D content?

Cut Costs With a New VoIP Phone

Call internationally for as little as 1.4 cents per minute. Transfer calls from your landline to your mobile phone. And get 3,000 minutes of free domestic calls every month. This August, ooma is releasing an upgraded version of its highly rated VoIP phone system. The new system, called the Telo, comes with a cordless handset that lets you check voice mail with the touch of a button. (Before, buyers had to supply their own handsets.) Basic use is free; the $12.99-a-month premium service includes features such as landline-to-cell transfers, a second line, and three-way conferencing. COST: $299.99 and up

The Best 5 iPad Apps for Business

Apple's just-launched iPad might be the must-have gadget of the season or perhaps the entire year but it's more than just a tech toy. Hundreds of dedicated applications ("apps") are already available to help small and mid-sized businesses remain productive on the go.

Already a consumer success with more than 1 million units sold within one month of its U.S. launch, Apple's iPad (from $499 is also gaining traction among mobile professionals looking to remain productive on the go.
Not everyone agrees on whether this "magical" tablet was built for business
This includes Apple's own iWork offerings, such as Pages for word processing, Numbers for spreadsheets and Keynote for presentations ($9.99 apiece), and dozens of inexpensive third-party apps (see below).
"Not only is the iPad built for travel it's just a pound and a half and with a battery pushing 12 hours between charges but its stunning 9.7-inch screen makes it a convincing showpiece to display media, online content or a visual presentation to a client or customer," says Scott Steinberg, CEO for the TechSavvy Global technology consulting firm in Seattle. "And its online, on-demand apps can transform the device into a portable language translator, note taker, personal digital assistant, info

How to Put Your Website on Cell-Phone Screens

These days, it's not enough to build a good website; to reach customers online, you have to reach them on their mobile phones. Here are two free tools for adapting your site for the small screen.

Ubik

This online service, which is in beta, lets you build a mobile site in just a few steps. Select one of 32 templates (which include ones for specific businesses, such as restaurants and car dealerships). Then edit the content through any Web browser and click Publish. If you don't want to use the standard-issue Web address (sitename.ubik.net), you can create a custom domain name or use an existing one. Ubik will even place ads for you, if you are willing to split the revenue 50-50.

BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100, Milestone XT720 Coming to Wind Mobile?

Rumour has it Canadian carrier Wind Mobile will be picking up the BlackBerry 9100 and the Motorola Milestone (a.k.a. Motoroi) XT720. These would mark Wind’s second BlackBerry and Android phone, preceded by the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the Huawei U8100, respectively.

Aside from size and form factor, the BlackBerry 9100 is mostly equivalent to the 9700: it has Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, an HVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, 256 MB of memory, and a 624 MHz processor. The only real difference spec-wise is that Pearl 3G handles Wi-Fi 802.11 n, which from my experience isn’t that big of a leap from g. Overall, it’s nice little device -  check out our review for the full rundown.

The Motorola XT720 will be Wind’s highest-end device, having an 8 megapixel camera with HD video recording, 3.7″ 480 x 854 touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G supporting up to 10.2 Mbps,  and running Android 2.1.  The XT720 has been available across Europe and on Cincinnati Bell for awhile now

Samsung announces fourth smartphone based on Bada: Wave 723

Samsung has just announced their fourth smartphone based on their homegrown operating system Bada: the Wave 723. Unlike the original Samsung Wave, this model was created to serve the mid range of the market. It has a 3.2 inch LCD with a WQVGA resolution, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, comes with a leather case [pictured below], has a 5 megapixel camera, and will sell for 240 EUR starting in September in Germany, and then other markets later this year. Samsung says this device will not come to America, citing that operators don’t want to launch devices with the Bada operating system over there. Makes sense. People want Android, iPhone, and BlackBerry.
The original Wave didn’t get much attention from the press, even though it had a competent specification sheet and managed to sell over 1 million units in just 4 weeks. In today’s world there’s only so much room for the various mobile operating systems, and with Samsung already making Android devices, and promising to make Windows Phone 7 devices,

BlackBerry Curve 3G Lands at T-Mobile September 8, $79.99 with Contract

BlackBerry Curve fans get crazy as the 3G version is set to hit T-Mobile stores on September 8, just a little over a week from now. We reported earlier that it would hit September 8, and just in the nick of time T-Mobile confirms the launch date and includes pricing on its Facebook page. For $79.99 with a two-year contract you can grab the new BlackBerry Curve 3G if you’re budget-conscious but need solid messaging capabilities, reliable e-mail and killer battery life.

If you’re looking to grab the BlackBerry Curve 3G for T-Mobile in the near future, be sure to stay tuned as we get our review of the latest RIM handset for T-Mobile up soon.

Apple iOS 4.1 Will Not Fix iPhone 4 Proximity Sensor Issues

Are you getting frustrated with dialing or hanging up on your friends with your cheek while on your iPhone 4? Word was that Apple iOS 4.1, which is now in its beta stages, would fix the annoying proximity sensor  issue that plagues the iPhone 4. However, it seems that we’ll have to wait quite a bit longer before this bug or issue is patched because it’s not coming with iOS 4.1.

According to Apple spokesperson Fiona Martin, the Cupertino-based company has yet to resolve the issue. For those hoping for a fix when the next big update comes, they will be in some disappointment. After all, Steve Jobs did promise that the issue would get fixed with the next big update, but like the ever elusive white iPhone 4, it’s set for some undefined time in the future.

India Gives BlackBerry 60-Day Security Test in Face of Ban

Tomorrow was the deadline for RIM  to offer a way for the the India government to lawfully intercept BlackBerry communications, which, if not satisfied, would have resulted in a ban of services. After reviewing everything and meeting with RIM, the Department of Telecommunications will test a proposed monitoring solution for 60 days which should allow the government to access both consumer BlackBerry Messenger data, as well as enterprise e-mail. We had heard a solution was suggested  that involved forwarding e-mails to service providers that had landed on mail servers after everything was decrypted. From there, authorities could access information if needed.

Saudi Arabia put a much tighter timeline on RIM, but seemed to get what they wanted in terms of lawful interception, while things are still a work-in-progress in the United Arab Emirates, though progress is good. The need for governments to access BlackBerry transmissions has spurred RIM to create an international forum, where governments can relay their security needs to the telecommunications industry at large, and handset manufacturers can make their case for the privacy of enterprise data. The goal here is to get everyone involved,

YouTube courting Hollywood for pay-per-view movie service by end of 2010

For all the stupid pet tricks, first-person confessionals, and clips from Conan O'Brien's formative years that form YouTube's content, the one territory it doesn't really venture is pay-per-view à la Apple, Amazon, and others. Well, it'll be a Brave New World for the service and parent company Google if this Financial Times  report is worth its weight in 3mm. According to the publication, the G-Men have been in talks with "Hollywood's leading movie studios" for several months, touting its reach as one of the main draws for the players involved, for the launch of an international pay-per-view service by the end of this year. Some prices are also thrown around here, to the tune of about $5 for new titles (streaming, not download) available the same time as the DVD releases. The video site has been doing rentals on a trial basis since early this year, with just a smattering of indie titles. The thought of paying to watch Blockbuster titles in the same window we watched three dozen (if not more) remixes of Keyboard Cat is still a bit of a new concept, but hey, that's the future for you.

Samsung Galaxy Tab accessories may include Bluetooth stylus and USB adapter

That weekend leak of Galaxy Tab accessories  was apparently not done flowing. The same source is today dishing the dirt on a pair of highly intriguing extra bits for Samsung's upcoming tablet. Firstly, the Bluetooth pen acts both as a stylus for the Galaxy Tab and a sort of wireless remote control. It's compatible with other devices, meaning it can be used to control voice calls you receive on your cellphone. The second tidbit is no less thrilling: a USB adapter that promises to turn the Tab's dock connector into a standard-issue USB port. You don't need us to explain how handy a trinket that could be for the multimedia maven on the move. It's worth pointing out, however, that both these accessory leaks show what looks like an earlier hardware prototype of the Galaxy Tab, so we may be looking at slightly dated information. All such uncertainty and questions should be resolved come September 2.

New iPhone app from HomeAgain Pet

Popular cartoon character Snoopy has a role in a new iPhone app  from HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service. As you can imagine, the free to download application helps reunite pet parents with lost microchipped pets.

Thanks to the use of a GPS receiver, pet lovers will be able to access information based on their current location. There are also photos and detailed descriptions of an animal’s physical characteristics as well as any guidance provided by the pet owner about its expected response to strangers or other distinctive “personality traits.”

Moreover, there are general information useful when dealing with unfamiliar animals in unusual circumstances, along with “heartwarming tales” of lost pets returned home shared by pet owners.

An estimated one in three pets will go missing and in that sense I invite every iPhone owner in the States to download this app and take its share in the action to bring back those pets home.

Korea Telecoms suffers an Identity Tab crisis

A 7-inch, aluminum-trimmed, multitouch tablet from Korea running Android? Why it could be none other than the Samsung Galaxy, er, KT Identity Tab. Think of this 1GHz tablet with TFT-LCD, 8GB of internal memory (and SD expansion), DMB TV tuner, light and gravity sensors, built-in ebook reader, and 3 megapixel camera as KT's answer to Samsung's Galaxy Tab  Android 2.2 tablet expected to hit SK Telecom, South Korea's largest carrier, sometime in September. And with KT's take on the Tab priced at KRW300,000 (about $253) or free with

Cyanogen Mod 6 -hits target list of devices, first stable release

CyanogenMod-6.0 has released what's being touted as the "first stable release based on Android 2.2" and has hit the target number of supported devices, which by our quick count includes EVO 4G, Slide, Nexus One, Dream / Magic, Aria, and Droid and we might be missing a few. You know the drill; if you need a bit of Froyo in your mobile life.

Samsung Galaxy Tab, in the wild and now teasing CDMA

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Samsung's Galaxy Tab  has once again surfaced online via unofficial channels, and this time it's carrying a sticker on one side that clearly states CDMA. The iAndroid  forum goer who allegedly snapped these shots praised the device for its strong speakers, call quality (although not clear if that's over 3G or WiFi), and ability to run Flash but at the same time notes the GPS is just a bit slow (it does work, though). More pictures in the gallery below, right next to our ever-increasing impatience to try this little guy out ourselves.

Vodafone teases with exclusive green Nokia N8, still mum on prices and availability

With September just a few days away, things are really about to get real for Nokia's flagship N8, especially in Europe. For instance, Vodafone's UK arm has just updated the "Coming Soon" page for this Symbian^3 device. What's new? Just the fact that the carrier will be offering the phone in two colors: black and green, with the latter ironically exclusive to red Vodafone. Yep, that's pretty much it no prices or dates mentioned just yet, but we'll be keeping an eye out for you N8 believers.

Top 5 features of BlackBerry OS 6

It may not be a brand new operating system, but RIM, maker of BlackBerry smartphones, has introduced many much-needed features with its OS 6. We go hands-on in our latest episode of Mobile Talk. OS 6 is currently available on the BlackBerry Torch 9800 in the US and we're still awaiting information on when it'll be available in Asia. The software will also run on current and upcoming devices including the Bold 9700 and Pearl 3G in the coming months.

Leaked HTC Windows Phone 7 handset features sliding speaker

HTC may be capable of making heroic smartphones, but it certainly can't contain leaks of its unannounced devices. The HTC T8788 looks set to join the brotherhood of Windows Phone 7 handsets due for a "holiday release". Engadget has apparently unearthed information on a touchscreen HTC slider destined for AT&T shelves in the US. But what's different is that instead of a QWERTY keyboard, the phone slides open to reveal a built-in speaker. There's also a kickstand around back, which will help make the T8788 more convincing as a portable media player.

That's about all the information there is for now, although there's a good chance it could make an October launch if speculation on the Web is to be believed. In the meantime, Microsoft will be releasing its Windows Phone Developer Tools on September 16, so developers have some time to code their apps and games in time for the official launch.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for AT&T review

We've already published a pretty exhaustive review of Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10  some five months ago, but it's taken until this month for it to reach AT&T's network and retail chain. A lot's changed in the mobile phone market since then  the iPhone 4, the EVO 4G, Dell Streak, numerous Verizon Droids, and so on. Does the X10 still compete? Read on to find out.

By and large, we're looking at identical hardware (and mostly identical software) as our review unit from back in March, so we'll be brief. The phone feels lighter than you might expect for a 4-inch smartphone, and while we like the matte backing, the glossy front has just as much of an affinity for fingerprints and smudges as we've (unfortunately) come to expect. There's a 3.5mm headphone jack next to the power button and micro-USB port, a dedicated camera button and volume rockers on the side, and just below the screen there's the familiar Android menu, home screen, and back buttons. For a split second, we forgot that the magnifying glass next to volume down actually means "zoom out," and as such we are still lacking a dedicated search button. And it's still annoying.

New Google Voice and Voice Widget extracted from leaked G2 ROM

Leaked to the wild yesterday, the ROM for the upcoming T-Mobile G2 contains some exciting new components including a version of Google Voice that supports widgets. While most folks are still ooh-ing and ahh-ing over this upcoming  HSPA+ handset, the Android dev community has been dissecting this leaked ROM to see what treasures they can extract.

The first component to fall prey to this enthusiastic bunch of hackers is a new version of Google Voice. Extracted and bundled up into an apk for download, the new Google Voice application includes two widgets; one for your Google Voice Inbox and one for your Google Voice Settings. The Inbox widget is self-explanatory and displays the details of your latest incoming unread messages.

The settings widgets allows one-click access to your phone call log and your text messages. It also allows you to toggle your Google Voice usage between all calls, prompt for calls, international calls, and use for no calls. Lastly, the settings widget provides an on and off switch for the Do Not Disturb feature.

Toshiba's Tegra 2-powered Android Smart Pad to be called Folio 100?

A Smart Pad? That's just Toshiba's product category, according to Netbook Italia's latest post on the tablet (it's previously shown off some apparent imagery). The publication has published new renders including a dock peripheral and some purported specs. Here's what's being said: Android 2.2, NVIDIA Tegra 2 (both of which we've heard in other whispers), a 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 screen, 16GB internal memory, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3G, SD and MMC card readers, HDMI and USB 2.0 ports, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and a 1020mAh battery with a battery life of up to 7 hours with mixed use (browsing and video playback). Software-wise, it's got Opera mobile browser, Flash 10.1, an e-book reader, and some office applications. The doubting Thomas in us still remains hesitant until Toshi gives the official word, but nothing here seems too crazy for the tablet mania most companies seem to have this year. One thing's for sure, its claimed official name Folio 100 is a few degrees to close to some bad memories of ours.

Nokia Phones Hacked to Run Android

If you love Nokia hardware but wish for a better operating system, consider what some enthusiastic developers have done.

As part of a project called NITDroid, the developers have created a compatible version of the Android operating system for Nokia’s internet tablets. The result is a device that has the body of Nokia and the brains of Android.

“Nokia’s hardware is fantastic but their software is suboptimal, slow, buggy and not always the best user experience,” says Terrence Eden, a U.K.-based mobile consultant who installed Android 1.6 “Donut” on his Nokia N810. “Android is a much better software environment for Nokia hardware than what Nokia provides.”

TweetDeck Beta for Android

Enjoying the beta version of TweetDeck for Android? If so, you will want to point your mobile or desktop browser to TweetDeck’s website so you can snag the latest version of this mobile social networking client. This latest 0.9.5 version is a modest improvement over the previous version and includes both bug fixes and several notable improvements including:

T-Mobile's HSPA+ G2 Android phone teased

We've seen the leaks and now we have official confirmation from T-Mobile that the T-Mobile G2 is, indeed, real.
The carrier posted a teaser site for the T-Mobile G1's (HTC Dream in Asia) successor on Wednesday, with an opportunity to sign up for email updates. The G2 will be the first smartphone to run on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, which promises 4G-like speeds, but for now, there are few other details about the Android phone. T-Mobile said it will reveal more in the coming weeks and will give current customers exclusive first access to the G2.

Nokia C7 hardware previewed ahead of official announcement

Given the number of pictures posted on ZOL, the Nokia C7 is looking more real than ever, and our guess is that it'll be announced next month at Nokia World. According to the Chinese Web site, the C7 will run on Symbian^3 and the bronze-colored chassis looks similar to the N97 mini. It will have a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, a front-facing camera and an 8-megapixel camera (sans Carl Zeiss optics) plus dual-LED flash. There are physical keys for the Call and End phone functions, menu button, power switch, keylock slider, camera shutter and volume controls. There's also a 3.5mm audio jack, micro-USB port and 2mm connector for charging. The author of the post added that the C7 looks like the E66 from the front and the E72 from the back. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

App World 2.0 now available to all BlackBerry owners

IM announced on Thursday that BlackBerry App World is now no longer in beta and is available for all BlackBerry owners.
A few things to note: Developers will be able to offer apps for US$0.99 and US$1.99, and there is support for both credit card and carrier billing. You can also use your BlackBerry ID to manage your account information across multiple devices, and the navigation has been improved considerably with new tabbed sections and the capability to quickly view the Top 25, Newest, and Recently Updated Apps. QR barcode scanning is also supported.
If you're a BlackBerry owner, you should receive a notification when the new app store is ready for download.

Android developers snap up Google Nexus One

Google's strategy to get ordinary folks to buy its Nexus One phone flopped, but apparently it's a different story with Android programmers.

Google scrapped its plan to sell the Nexus One through its own store in July, six months after trying to rewrite the phone market's rules. With Android developers, though, to whom Google still sells the phone, it's become a bit too desirable at least measured by Google's inventory.

"We blew through the (substantial) initial inventory in almost no time," said Android developer evangelist Tim Bray in a blog post Thursday.

They will return, though.

"They're back-ordered from HTC, who are doing a pretty good job of managing runaway success amid a worldwide AMOLED shortage," Bray said, referring to the active-matrix organic light-emitting diode technology of the Nexus One's screen. "Everyone appreciates that it's important to the platform to get phones in the hands of developers, so we're working hard on re-stocking the shelves; stand by."

TringMe brings VoIP support to BlackBerry

RIM is catching up with other smartphone brands with the help of a new program bringing mobile VoIP connectivity to BlackBerry devices.
Up until now, there hasn't been a single native VoIP client for the BlackBerry platform, as there have been for smartphones running Android or iOS. Truphone, Skype and Fring are just a few of the apps supported by these operating systems right now.
Enter TringMe, the first third-party, native program for BlackBerry that permits phone calls over a Wi-Fi network without eating up voice minutes. The business savvy should also take note that worldwide conference calling is also permitted with this service.

Windows Phone 7 SDK gets September 16 release

Microsoft has just delivered on Monday an answer for software developers wondering when they'll be able to start creating apps for the Windows Phone 7 platform. The company is planning to release its Windows Phone Developer Tools on September 16, giving program authors at least a couple months to code before the "holiday release" of Windows Phone 7 handsets.
In the meantime, developers looking to have their apps and games ready for the Windows Phone Marketplace launch can get a head start by registering for the Marketplace and using the beta toolkit (direct download link) before recompiling the code with the final tools. Microsoft expects to start accepting Marketplace submissions in October.

Google Mobile app for iPhone gets push notifications

Google's Mobile app for the iPhone just got a whole lot more helpful, or pushy, thanks to the latest upgrade now available.

The most notable add-on is the Push option, allowing for Gmail messages and Calendar reminders to pop up on the home screen automatically. It will definitely deplete the battery faster, but if it is charged, it should keep you updated and on time more often. Note that you'll have to adjust settings both on the iPhone and in your Google account to make this happen.
Another improvement is speeding up the search process, as results will continuously appear while typing, saving you a bit of time or maybe helping your memory if you can’t remember the term entirely.
The Google Mobile app is available in the iTunes Store for free.

Nokia, Intel join hands to create mobile 3D future

It seems Nokia and Intel are not stopping at just a MeeGo collaboration. The platform that merges Moblin and Maemo, which we are secretly hoping to see at next month's Nokia World show in London. The two companies have apparently set up a joint research facility at the University of Oulu's Centre for Internet Excellence in Finland.

The foremost task for the approximately two dozen white coat researchers based there is to create next-generation graphical experiences for MeeGo by leveraging on the Centre's 3D Internet research community. There's also a chance that these user interfaces may also be deployed on other platforms that use 3D graphics.

Don't get your hopes too high though, since there's no word on when we'll actually see the first results, but virtual reality on a phone doesn't seem too far off now. Just the idea of talking to a 3D hologram already has us wishing the future was here already.

Adobe updates Photoshop Express site and Android app

Adobe Systems pushed out updates Wednesday to both its Photoshop Express online photo tool and photo-editing app for Android devices that bring some noteworthy improvements.

The biggest change, besides an increase in overall speed on the Web version of Photoshop Express, is that the site no longer requires users to register in order to use it. Unregistered users can now upload their photo, make edits, then download it without any administrative barriers. Adobe has also separated each tool into its own unit, similar to what it does with the library and develop modules of its Photoshop Lightroom software.

As part of the reorganization, Adobe has given its slideshow tool a dramatic facelift, with the inclusion of customizable themes. By default, users get only one, called "midnight," which is a simple one-color background for your photos to sit atop. There are 40 other themes available for subscriber's of Adobe's Plus subscription plans. Besides these, Plus subscribers get a few other extras like dedicated storage space and extra photo-editing effects.

Singapore operators release iPhone 4 prices

Apple announced the contract-free prices for the new iPhone 4. The 16GB and 32GB versions of the new smartphone are available at S$888 and S$1,048, respectively, directly from Apple. Today, Singapore  operators have announced their subsidized prices which will require the user to sign a two-year contract. Aside from the new iPhone 4, the 8GB iPhone 3GS will also be available from the operators as a lower-cost option.

The available price plans are similar to last year's deals in December when M1 and StarHub started to offer the iPhone 3GS. This means you get 12GB bundled data for most of the plans from each of the three operators. Note that M1 also gives unlimited data for its S$98 plan called iPhone Extreme while StarHub's S$98 3G SmartSurf 700 and SingTel's S$95 iFlexi Plus both offer 12GB of data. For full details of the price plans, check out our previous iPhone 3GS launch coverage or visit the operators' Web sites.

How would you change Apple's iPhone 4?

We know, half of you aren't even going to read past the headline before you start angrily banging away about Apple's admitted antenna gaff and the still-not-totally-fixed proximity sensor, but we're urging you to look deeper. Think harder. Critique your criticisms. In all seriousness, Apple's iPhone 4 garnered more attention (negative or otherwise) than any other phone released this calendar year, and for good reason in fact, Apple itself had to hold an emergency press event just to announce what could've been announced in a PR blast: everyone's getting a free case. That said, Cupertino has still managed to move millions of units in just a few months, and that demand doesn't seem to be dropping off at any significant rate. If you're one of the lucky (or unlucky) ones that have managed to procure Apple's latest iPhone, we're overly anxious to hear your thoughts on changing it. How would you have addressed the antenna issue? Would you have preferred a less drastic departure from the 3GS form factor? Would you have offered more colors than white and black? Thrown in Bluetooth 3.0 for kicks? Go ahead, the floor's yours just don't abuse it, cool?

Fennec (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) goes alpha for Android and Nokia N900

Well, it looks like you can finally get rid of that less-than-stable pre-alpha release of Fennec  (a.k.a. Firefox Mobile) for Android Mozillla has just released the full alpha release for not only Android (2.0 and later), but the Nokia N900  as well. The big news with this release is an increase in "performance and responsiveness to user actions" (always a good thing), as well as two new features dubbed "Electrolysis" and "Layers," the former of which lets the browser interface run in a separate process from the one rendering web content, while the latter promises to "greatly improve performance in graphic intensive actions like scrolling, zooming, animations and video." You'll also get full support for add-ons, and Firefox Sync built into the browser to let you have a continuous  experience as you move between devices. Hit up the link below for the download link, and for a quick video overview of what's in store

Dual SIM iPhone 4 case gives your multiple personality

Sure, there are any number of phones with dual SIM card slots, most of them built for Asian markets, but the iPhone 4 is about the furthest thing from dual SIM: in fact, it doesn't even have one Big Person SIM to call its own. Luckily, USBFever has a hacktastic solution to this problem (a followup to their iPhone 3G version), with a new $30 case that can host dual full size SIM cards on the back of an iPhone 4 (entombed in some classy clear plastic, naturally), while running an adapter to the iPhone 4's micro SIM slot. You can then switch between the two SIMs from the iPhone's own settings menu, though unfortunately you can't rock both SIMs simultaneously.

Tips: Improve Your Android Phone's Battery Life

Whether it's a lowly T-Mobile G1 or the latest Motorola Droid X, here's how to get the most out of your Android-powered cell phone's battery.

Android-powered cell phones may be powerful devices, but devices like the Motorola Droid X and Samsung Vibrant don't have endless battery life. In fact, many owners would be happy to make it through a single day, hoping that a nightly recharge is sufficient.

Sadly, it sometimes isn't. A number of factors have conspired to reduce gadget endurance over the past several years. Thinner designs with less room for the battery, larger screens, faster processors, software that runs in the background, and power-hungry GPS chips all share responsibility. The move to 3G and 4G networks has also taken its toll. Our battery life test results drop significantly sometimes more than half when we're testing an AT&T or T-Mobile phone in 3G mode instead of 2G alone.

But there's much more to poor battery life results than that. Fortunately, there's plenty you can do to stem the flow of juice from your Android device. Try these tips to extend your handset's battery life:

World’s First Digital Camera Used Cassette-Tapes for Storage

Take a lens from a Super 8 camera, a whole stack of ni-cad batteries, a digital to analog converter from a voltmeter, a highly experimental CCD and what have you got? Kodak’s first digital still camera, cobbled together with hand-soldered wires and circuits. And the storage? Amazingly, images were recorded onto the cassette-tape you see on the side of this historical Frankenbox.

This happened way back in 1975, when the inventor of the digital camera, Steve Sasson, and his team of technicians tinkered this machine into existence. Want some specs? The camera captured a 100-line image onto that cassette-tape, yet even that tiny picture took a mind-numbing 23 seconds to write. Playback was possibly clunkier still, using another tape-player hooked up to a frame-storing devices that interpolated those 100 lines to an NTSC-compatible 400-line image and then showed it on a regular TV-screen.

Viewers wondered why anyone would want to look at pictures on a screen. The invention was patented in 1978 and then remained unknown to the public until 2001, although it stayed in Sasson’s possession. After that, we all know what happened: Now, if you show a film camera to somebody young enough they’ll wonder why anyone would want to look at a photo on a piece of paper.

Fong iPhone 4 Tripod Adapter

Gary Fong, the company behind those plastic-cup-like attachments you see atop many a photojournalist’s flashguns, has come up with an iPhone 4 tripod mount. The plastic adapter looks like it was given roughly a minute’s thought before a back-of-the-napkin sketch was put into production.

Thanks to the squared-off shape of the iPhone 4, almost no custom-shaping is needed to make a snug-fitting holder. Thus, Fong’s adapter is little more than a C-shaped plastic strip with a metal tripod-bush in the base. That is it, and it’s just the kind of thing that you’d make were you scratching around the junk-drawer for a home-made solution.

But despite its basic design and almost complete lack of fancifying, it could be the most practical iPhone tripod mount we’ve seen.

Apple Jacks Mic and Headphones into One Hole

A new patent application from Apple aims to remove yet more componentry from its already minimal devices. The invention combines the orifices for microphone and headphone into one, promising a kind of double-penetration for iPhones.

In this design, the microphone would sit at the bottom of the cavity into which slips the headphone jack, and “is coupled to the body such that the plug aperture and the cavity provide an acoustic path to the microphone.”

Not only does this close off an open hole through which dust and dirt may enter, it could actually be used in conjunction with a normal, hole-using mic to provide noise-cancelation for phone-calls and even provide directional recording via something called “beamforming”.

Griffin's PartyDock does four-player iPhone/iPad gaming with just one device

Huddling around the iPhone, squinting at a tiny LCD is no way to spend your game nights. Even with an iPad the idea of multiplayer, single-device, cheek-to-cheek gaming doesn't sound much more appealing. unless it's one of those  parties, perhaps. Anyhow, Griffin is apparently looking to make four-way iDevice gaming a little more palatable with the PartyDock, just spotted crossing the great FCC. It has a dock connector for your iPhone, iPod, or iPad and four simple wireless controllers for interacting with four-player games, pumped to your TV over composite and component. It basically creates a simple gaming console out of your portable device, an interesting idea, but what will make or break it will naturally be the software. Griffin has a few four-player games it will release for the thing, but short of a flood of titles hitting the App Store we have a hard time believing this will be a hit whenever it ships, and for whatever it sells for.

Verizon now pushing out Flash 10.1 update to the DROID

It’s official! Verizon Wireless has confirmed that it is rolling out the highly anticipated Flash 10.1 update  for its popular Motorola DROID handset. The carrier is disseminating the following message that will make D1 owners smile from ear to ear:

“Verizon Wireless has begun pushing an update today to the DROID by Motorola (introduced November 2009) that will allow customers to download Adobe Flash 10.1 via Android Market. Flash Player 10.1 provides access to millions of sites with rich content including animations, casual games, videos, rich internet applications, audio and much more.”

Netflix adds iPhone and iPod touch compatibility

We knew this was coming and here it is: the Netflix application, heretofore reserved only for iPad users, has trickled down to iPhone and iPod touch devices. Version 1.1.0 makes the TV show and movie streaming app universal so long as your universe is known as iOS and looks to massively expand the available audience for Netflix's mobile effort. What are you waiting for, go get it already.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 to hit US for less than $300 unlocked

Last time we heard of Sony Ericsson's Xperia X8 it was crawling around the FCC, but last night we found the little thing in a more welcoming, though equally as judgmental place our hands. Formerly codenamed the "Shakira," we were hoping the Android phone would be a bit more modern and slim, but sadly that's just not the reality of the rather chunky smartphone. Just like its X10 Mini and Mini Pro siblings, the 3-inch handset runs Android 1.6  with Sony's rather-deep custom skin a Sony rep on hand told us there would be an upgrade to 2.1 sometime in Q4. That seems a bit late, but there's no doubt that the X8 is a lower-end phone with its 3.2 megapixel cam and 600MHz CPU. The X8 we saw was wearing a white cover, though were also told there would be other interchangeable cover options available when it hits the market soon. Other than that we found the prototype (it was clearly marked that!) to be rather responsive and the UI to be quite intuitive, however the onscreen keyboard was extremely cramped for typing a URL into the browser. In comparison to the hoards of powerful Android smartphones  we've seen in the last month or so, the X8 is certainly lackluster, but the little thing may just be an affordable unlocked choice when it hits the US for less than $300 soon.

Samsung to Launch 7-inch Tablet in September

Apple’s iPad will finally have some real competition. Samsung is set to introduce a tablet next month called ‘Galaxy Tab’ that will have a 7-inch touchscreen display.

The device will run the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, include video-calling capability and full web browsing—which likely means support for Flash, according to a teaser video that Samsung posted Tuesday morning. Samsung is expected to announce additional details on Sept. 2 at the IFA Berlin consumer electronics show.

Samsung’s video shows a tablet with a black bezel and four buttons that are similar to what we have seen in Android smartphones.

IPADock, The Mother of All Desktop Docks

IPADock. Its name may sound more like a place to keep your iRacehorses, but the curiously-capitalized accessory is probably the most useful desktop gadget ever. Plug it into a computer and you can charge and sync a pair of iPads, four iPhones, and various combinations thereof. A universal dock-port can be fitted with the adapter from any iPod, from Nano to Touch, and then things start to get even handier.
Stacked up around the back are slots for SD-cards, MemorySticks, CompactFlash cards and a three-port USB-hub. In short, pretty much anything you might want to dock on your desktop will be served by this surprisingly good-looking and compact device.
The price?

Turns iPhone into Mini Pinball Machine with Novelty Dock

Who doesn’t love them some simulated pinball action? Me, that’s who, but I still like this tiny little box that turns your iPhone into a miniature pinball table: It’s so cute.

The dock can be bought at BestBuy for $40, and works with a free pinball game available in the App Store. The box hooks into the 30-pin connector and provides buttons for the flippers, a proper, spring-loaded ball-plunger and even another screen at the back to show your scores.