Author: PhoneDog.com – Latest videos, reviews, articles, news and posts

Noah checks out two ways to stream video to an iPad: Netflix and ABC Player. Also a preview of iTunes video on iPad.

Is the tablet revolution here? Apple iPad, reviewed by Noah. Part 1 of 2.

According to intel received today by Engadget Mobile, Sprint plans to launch the EVO 4G sometime in June.  While the date is still said to be up in the air, the 6th and the 13th are the favored dates, with the 13th being the frontrunner (at the moment).

What’s more, the tipster claims that the Mobile Hotspot service will be a $10-$20 plan add-on versus being included in the “Everything Data” pricing scheme.  Should the rumor come to fruition, I’m not quite sure how well it will bode for Sprint.  With Verizon offering free Mobile Hotspot on the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus, it throws off the playing field a bit.  Then again, mobile broadband is $59.99 with everyone else (including Verizon’s MiFi), so I could be completely wrong.

Pricing aside, who’s planning to rock Mobile Hotspot on their EVOs?

Via Engadget Mobile

The name of the game right now is tablet.  It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, you can’t avoid tablets.  And I don’t think I have to tell you that Apple is the company to beat.  While other tablets out there have been dubbed contenders (JooJoo, WePad, etc.), they just don’t have the brand recognition nor following that has made Apple’s iPad a phenomenon spanning technology buffs and grandmothers alike.

But rest assured, where there’s a Goliath, there generally seems to be a David nearby looking for a fight.  Innovative Converged Devices (ICD), a UK based company, may be looking to challenge Apple with the introduction of their newest tablet, the ICD Gemini.  The Gemini comes sporting a 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, an 11.2 inch multi-touch capable touchscreen (and it looks like you’ll have the option between resistive or capacitive touch), Android OS, 512 DDR RAM (I would have hoped for 1GB or more), and support for up to 32GB of SD removable memory.  The Gemini, unlike the iPad, supports the ability to make calls on the cellular network (though it doesn’t say which network – I’m guessing it’s GSM) and is also 3G, SMS, MMS, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, and FM Radio ready (phew, that’s a lot for one tablet!).  These are just a few of the features that enthusiasts have come to expect in a “killer” device, but don’t worry – the list goes on (click here for the full comparative list of features).

According to a recent “hands-on” obtained by SlashGear, while the Gemini looks stellar on paper, great hardware is nothing without the software to back it up.  Apparently, there is still much to be done before the software will be launch-ready, as was noted by numerous bugs during testing (this can be common for pre-launch devices).  On a positive note, one of the more important features for consumers–web browsing–was said to be “blisteringly fast,” and it doesn’t hurt that it supports Flash.  The Gemini is expected to come out sometime around August of 2010 in the UK with no carrier, specific date, or pricing listed.  ICD has worked with T-Mobile in the past, so there’s a solid chance that the Gemini will launch via Magenta this Summer.

I think I’ll be waiting for an iPad/Gemini/WePad Dogfight before I go ahead and make my tablet purchase.  Any takers?  Feel free to leave your comments below!

Via Engadget, SlashGear

Quickie: The T-Mobile HTC HD2 is back in stock (at this moment, at least) at T-Mobile.com.  Featuring a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch screen, Windows Mobile 6.5, and a 5.0-megapixel camera, the phone starts at $199.99 (depending on what price plan you subscribe to).

Check out Noah’s First Impressions here.  Now that the device is back in stock, are you planning on ordering one?  Sound off in the comments!

Thanks, JAE!

Congratulations to S. Pearson of IL who won a brand new BlackBerry Curve 8330 for Boost Mobile on Wednesday April 7, 2010 at 12:45PM.  “Ive been playing the One Pawed Bandit for months thinking I’d never win, but today was my lucky day! Thanks for the phone!”

Just a quickie here – Verizon shot off an e-mail to employees today regarding “new devices launching soon.”  With a top secret code name of “six,” what could it be?  Microsoft’s Pink phones (which is what I’d put my money on)?  BlackBerry Bold 9650?  HTC Incredible?  Apple iPhone 3GS?  Something entirely different?  Hit the comments and let me know what you think!

Via BGR

We haven’t seen much in the way of Android-based phones from LG.  However, that could be changing as LG has been associated with two expected high-end Android phones within the past week.  A few days ago rumors of the LG C710 “Aloha” surfaced, and yesterday rumored pictures and specs for the LG LU2300–the LG Eclipse, according to AndroidandMe–have also begun to appear.

The rumored specs are as follows:

• Android 2.1
• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• 3.5-inch AMOLED 800×480 touch display
• Sliding 4-row QWERTY keyboard
• 5 megapixel camera
• 720p HD DivX compatible playback
• WiFi, GPS, DMB tuner

Before you get too excited, you should know that the Eclipse is supposedly scheduled to arrive at SK (South Korea) Telekom sometime between now and May of this year.  No plans of the Eclipse coming to the US are currently known.  But what about speculation that this phone will be released as the “Aloha” in the US?  Probably not, according to Engadget, but we can be hopeful (after all, the specs seem to be similar to what we know about the Aloha).

Who’s looking forward to some full QWERTY LG Android love?  Sound off in the comments!

Via AndroidandMe, Engadget

If you own a Nexus One or have been contemplating acquiring one, here’s some more incentive to do just that.  Yesterday, the Nexus One blog announced that the anticipated Nexus One Car Dock was available for purchase for $55 via (you guessed it!) the Google store at http://www.google.com/phone.

The Nexus One Car Dock is similar to a dash mount for a run of the mill GPS – which makes sense because the N1 comes stock with Google Maps Navigation.  According to Google, “You can mount the dock on the windshield or dashboard, and it ships with an adhesive disc that lets you attach it to a textured surface as well. The dock comes with a charger to fit into your car’s 12V utility socket, and the holder can rotate for flexible orientation.”

When you cradle your N1 in the dock, the Car Home app is automatically loaded, giving you quick access to maps, navigation, and other features.  The Dock also doubles as a charger for your N1.  Much like the desktop dock, the three dock pins underneath the N1 allow it to charge without the need of a micro USB cable.

The release is below.  Whether you currently own the N1 or have been holding off, where does the Nexus One Car Dock fit into your life?  Sound off in the comments!

From Google’s Official Nexus One Blog:
Tuesday, April 06, 2010

New! Nexus One Car Dock now available

Starting today, you can purchase a Nexus One Car Dock from Google’s web store, giving you the perfect place to put your phone when you’re in the car. In addition to holding your Nexus One, the car dock also charges your phone’s battery, lets you use your phone handsfree, and provides faster access to voice and navigation apps.

The dock’s built-in speakers and volume controls enhance the in-car music and media experience. The Car Home app, which loads automatically, makes it easy to access Maps and Navigation, Voice Search, Contacts, and Music.

You can mount the dock on your windshield or dashboard, and it ships with an adhesive disc that lets you attach it to non-smooth surfaces. The dock comes with a charger that fits into your car’s 12V utility socket, and the holder can rotate for flexible orientation.

The dock costs $55 and can be purchased as a separate accessory from the web store, or bundled with the purchase of a new Nexus One phone. For more information see the tech specs .

Drive Safely!
Be sure to follow all the local laws and exercise caution when using your phone’s features and car dock while driving.

Via Google

I’ll get to the Android stuff in a minute, but I would be negligent if I didn’t mention the Apple iPad release that has dominated the tech world for the last couple of weeks.   I know some Android buffs are Apple haters, but I’m not one of them.  We use both PCs and Macs at my house and if Verizon offered an iPhone, it’s very possible that I’d be using one.  I can’t say enough about what a great experience I had standing in line at the West Des Moines, Iowa Apple store on Saturday morning waiting for the opportunity to purchase the iPad.  After getting the device home, I can honestly say that it exceeds most of my expectations.  Ok, on to life this week with the HTC Droid Eris, my daily workhorse.

I’ve been toying with the idea of rooting my Eris for a few weeks.  When the Eris was first released, Verizon promised an upgrade to Android 2.1 sometime in the 1st quarter of 2010, but March 31 came and went with no real specifics about when the upgrade will arrive.  It just so happened that a root path for the Eris was discovered by the great folks at XDA Developers which includes an update to a pretty stable version of 2.1.  I spent several weeks following the Droid Eris development threads at the XDA forums to see how difficult rooting the device would be.  I’d like to think that I’m pretty computer savvy, but reading through the instructions found on the XDA forums without a frame of reference for how the steps described would actually be completed made me hesitate to make the move.  That is, until I came across a couple YouTube videos from The Unlockr actually showing the process from start to finish.  I knew I was ready for the challenge, but for some reason I still didn’t pull the trigger.  The deciding factor for my final decision to root was not the 2.1 upgrade, but was actually the combination of having made the final decision to purchase the iPad and hearing about Verizon’s announcement to reduce the price of the Mobile Hotspot service (wifi broadcast from the phone) for the Palm Pre Plus from $40 per month to FREE.  After that Verizon announcement I started lusting after the Palm Pre Plus, looking on Craigslist and Ebay to see what people were selling them for while imagining myself using the iPad with the free Mobile Hotspot service.  I remembered one of the benefits of a rooted Android device was using the wifi tether app (essentially a Mobile Hotspot-like function), which is not available for non-rooted phones.  What a killer combination the cheaper wifi-only iPad model would be with the benefit of a wifi signal from my Eris if I ever needed it while traveling.

After successfully completing the steps required for the 2.1 upgrade with root as described on the XDA Developers forums, with a little remedial help from The Unlockr videos, I can tell you that all my hopes and dreams have now come to fruition…well, not all of them, but I’m pretty happy with the results.  The 2.1 rom has been pretty stable as I haven’t had any system freezes or unexpected reboots, and the wifi tether app works as intended.  I don’t expect to use the wifi tether fuction unless absolutely necessary, but it’s comforting to know that it’s available in a pinch.  I’m also a big proponent of charging the same amount for similar services on the same carrier (well, since last week anyway) so if the Palm folks get their wifi tether for free, why shouldn’t Android folks?  Who’s with me on that?  After the rooted upgrade, my only real disappointment is that I can’t find my favorite app in the market, Radiotime.  I wrote about the Radiotime app in my 2nd column (here) so I won’t go back into what it does, but I’ll tell you this loss has been both unexpected and significant. Hopefully the good folks at Radiotime will update the app to be compatible with 2.1 soon (please!).

I’ll close with these words of caution: 1) I am not advising anyone to root their phone, as it is not for everyone, 2) rooting will void your phone’s warranty, and 3) a mistake in your attempt to root could cause your phone to turn into an expensive paper weight.  Any Android users out there have similar stories? Let me know in the Comments.  

Nokia surprised many in the industry (myself included) when they announced that Ovi Maps would be free for anyone with a compatible handset.  Three months after the official launch of the service, the Nokia E71 and the E66 have been added to the Ovi Maps “family.”

Noah and I tested Ovi Maps in San Francisco a few months ago (against Google Maps), and I found it to be an incredible tool.  And it’s free to boot!  As of now, Ovi Maps is available for the N97, N97 Mini, 5800 XpressMusic, 5800 Navigation Edition, E52, E55, E72, 5230, 6710 Navigator, 6730 Classic, X6, N86, E71 (not the E71x, unfortunately), and E66.  If you’re a Nokia user, head to http://nokia.com/maps to download today!

Via MobileCrunch

The first time I picked up the HTC HD2, I felt like I was holding an object from the future. This phone’s display is so large, and yet its body is so relatively thin and light, it was more like holding a “communicator” than a phone. So alluring was the form factor that I used the unlocked device as my daily phone for several weeks, despite its lack of American 3G and reliance on the aged Windows Mobile 6.5 OS beneath HTC’s glorious Sense user interface.

Now the HD2 has come to the US in a branded, locked to T-Mobile form. Gone is the silver exterior, traded in for a sleek matte black with copper/grey trim, but added is compatibility with T-Mo’s HSDPA 3G data network. The phone retains its massive 4.3″ capacitive touch display, multitouch enabled version of Opera Mobile 9.7 for Web browsing, and 5 megapixel camera with VGA video capture. T-Mobile has added some multimedia goodies to the mix, including a Barnes and Noble-branded e-Reader, mobiTV live television and Blockbuster streaming video services, and full-length copies of both Transformers movies pre-loaded into the phone’s 16GB of internal storage. 

We all know that sometimes beauty is only skin-deep. Does HD2’s allure hold up once you get past that big, beautiful visage? Here are some thoughts after a week or so using the phone on T-Mobile in the San Francisco Bay Area:

– Voice calls have been good on HD2. Not great, but not bad. Signal strength has generally been good, though the phone regularly hops from 3G to EDGE and back (more on that in the next point below). Call quality has been generally fine – this isn’t the best sounding HTC handset ever, but it’s certainly passable.

– Data connectivity has been an issue. When I first turned the phone on and started setting it up, it couldn’t get data via 3G or EDGE; only after I connected to a WiFi network could I set up my Email and social networking accounts. Since then, performance has been better but still erratic. The phone regularly switches back and forth between 3G and EDGE service. WiFi, on the other hand, has worked just fine.

– HD2’s form factor is stunning, but also may be too much for some people. 4.3″ is a lot of screen, and results in a device with a very large footprint. The phone is easily pocketable, and the large display makes for nice, big finger-friendly buttons, Web links, and other UI elements. But some would-be buyers will no doubt be put off by such a large phone. Despite my initial exuberance over the new wave of smartphones with 4″ + displays, HTC’s Nexus One and Desire, with their 3.7″ screens, may in fact have hit the ideal sweet spot between big screen and ergonomic comfort.

– HTC Sense continues to be awesome. Sense will keep you away from Windows Mobile 6.5 a lot of the time, which is great because Sense is as modern and smooth as WinMo is old and clunky. Peep (HTC’s Twitter app) and the animated weather backgrounds are two of Sense on HD2’s highlights for me thus far.

– This thing is a multimedia monster. Photos and videos – including the two Transformers flicks that come pre-loaded – look spectacular provided I’m using HD2 in decent lighting conditions. 16GB of internal memory makes it easy to load the thing up with music, photos, and videos and multitouch-enabled photo browsing is great. The 5 megapixel camera is good but not great, though the dual-LED flash system is one of the more useful cameraphone flashes you’ll find (it’s still no match for a real camera flash, but better than most of the anemic faux-flashes found on cell phones these days).

– While the 4.3″, 800 x 480, capacitive multitouch display is ideal for viewing Websites, the actual Web browsing experience has been just a bit disappointing. Opera Mobile on HD2 is still way better than Internet Explorer on any other WinMo device, but occasional performance lags and the outdated feel of the browser’s menus and display fonts make me wish I was using an Android or iPhone browser instead. Not to mention those data issues I’ve already complained about. When pages load and render, they look great – and I love Opera’s hidden menu bars that free up the entire display for content. But loading, rendering, and scrolling just aren’t as smooth as they should be.

– Speaking of performance lags, having recently tried the forthcoming HTC Evo 4G for Sprint I’m all the more convinced that Microsoft is doing the right thing in totally killing off WinMo 6.5. Both Evo 4G and HD2 are powered by a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and HD2 actually has a bit more RAM than EVO (576 MB vs 512 MB). And yet the pre-production Evo I messed with at CTIA is miles faster, smoother, and all-around nicer to use than the HD2 that T-Mobile sent me. Performance on HD2 isn’t a deal breaker, but it certainly has been frustrating at times in terms of general responsiveness.

– Typing on a virtual QWERTY board is made easier by HD2’s giant screen. But some touchscreen responsiveness and accuracy issues hampered the experience to some extent for me. Hopefully an OTA update can stomp some of the bugs that had me tapping keys multiple times in order to get a response, or erasing mis-typed letters more than I expected to.

More on HD2 coming soon … Maybe I’ll send it off to one of our other editors for a second opinion. In the meantime, HD2 owners, chime in! What say you about your new smartphones?

 

 

CTIA this year was the coming out party for super-fast mobile broadband and introduced us to handsets that could really take our mobile experience to the next level, the question though is… do we really need the speed? Shouldn’t the carriers just be focusing on giving us universally reliable 3G right now?

Basically, the answer is “No”. We need Wimax, LTE and all the other ultra high speed networks just as soon as we can get them. 3G is essentially an amped up voice network forced to handle data. We need networks that are built for high speed data for three good reasons; 

Necessity

We expect to be always on, always mobile and always able to roam the net and access all our content. This means that essentially there is no such thing as a “mobile” as distinct from a “fixed experience in the “wherever I lay my hat, that’s my home” world we now inhabit. Our networks need to reflect this and the carriers know it. 3G can’t hope to cope with the demands placed on it by this need for “ubiquitous connectivity” and we simply can’t roam through a patch and mend world of “WiFi hotspot”,  to 3G, to “WiFi hotspot” with the huge variations in quality for very long. These new ultra fast mobile standards will supersede 3G as the ”go to” standard for mobile just as surely as the mobile phone superseded the payphone.

 In years to come 3G will be seen as a bridging technology between “fixed” and “mobile”. The more investment the carriers make in this future now, the more likely they are to win the future. It isn’t about speed so much as need. The carriers have to make this play, and they need to make it now. They should stop investing in expanding any 3G footprint that doesn’t have use in a 4G (and more future) just as they did when they moved from analogue to digital.

Simplicity

Even if we access networks from a complex variety of devices we need to simplify our life down to one contract and one bill. What sense does it make to have separate data plans for your iPhone, iPad and iMac? (or non-Apple equivalents)? None whatsoever. These new networks have a far broader reach meaning you’ll roam off the network far less while still getting high speed quality. This will enable the carriers to simplify your billing too, combining a table stakes bill and pay as you go (on the Kindle/Netflix model) into a new revenue model that reflects the user’s behavior rather than the number of his or her devices.

These networks aren’t only about handling data for the user, they make a lot of sense for the carriers’ future business models too.

Possibility

Your mobile handset really is the center of your world now and is going to become more so. The evidence is everywhere, whether it be the Samsung Galaxy being able to wirelessly download films and stream them onto your WiFi enabled TV or whether it be Verizon now selling the Palm Pre Plus as a mobile broadband dongle. The “phone” sits in the middle of all your active and passive communication.  First the phone did voice, then email and the internet (and voice) and soon it’ll do all these and act as the main coordination and streaming device for all of your content, home and life management.  As handsets are being developed to handle the complex demands of taking our life, information and entertainment anywhere, life although ever more complex is being simplified down into one device.

We need the speed to make this possibility a reality. Whenever I walk around Best Buy I find myself thinking, “That’s cool, but I should be able to do that on my phone”. Internet enabled Blu Ray players, or TV?…what’s the point? The search and browse element is really poor compared to what I can do on my phone. I should be able to search for the movie and stream it through the same device wherever I am, which is always where my phone is. Likewise hooking my lap top up to the TV, should happen wirelessly through my phone, without the phone having to leave my pocket, without the bill burning a hole in that pocket, and without compromising my ability to make a call at the same time.

The handset technology is just around the corner, we need the network speed, range and capability to bring it all together.

Finally.  After months of seeing a creepy pale woman advertise a great smartphone, Palm has terminated their agreement with ad agency Modernista.  According to AdAge, the company is in talks with other advertising companies, though no deals have been reached as of yet.  While most are billing this as one of Palm’s smartest business moves, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this is the smartest move they’ve done to date.  Advertising is a company’s first line of defense against competitors, and let’s be honest – the advertising to date was terrible.

What say you?  Happy to see the end of the pale woman, or sad to see her go?  Sound off in the comments!

Via Engadget

Despite the relatively young age of the Samsung Moment, the leaked images above are said to be the Samsung Moment2.  From what I can gather, the design is a bit more rounded than the original, with slight changes to the keyboard and exterior buttons (around the optical trackpad).  Unfortunately, there’s no information beyond the OS (Android 2.1) and the fact that it’ll run a TouchWiz 3.0 overlay, so we don’t know what’s running under the hood.

The tipsters claim that they’ll be back with more information, so I’ll be sure to pass along as soon as I receive it.  In the meantime – something you’d be interested in, or are you holding out for the EVO 4G?

Via BGR

Own a Nexus One, but have neglected to protect your investment with a case?  Worry not, as T-Mobile has come to your rescue.  The nation’s fourth largest wireless carrier is now stocking accessories for the Android-powered Nexus One, leading many to believe that the device will hit T-Mobile retail stores.  Though anything is possible, I wouldn’t go that far, as I don’t find it uncommon for a carrier to stock accessories for a phone that utilizes its network (regardless of whether they sell it in the retail channel or not).  At the end of the day, it’s added accessory revenue for the company – and from spending several years in wireless retail, I assure you that the markup on accessories is astronomical.

Head on down to your local T-Mobile store to pick one up, and be sure to drop us a line if you buy one!  AT&T, are you listening?

Via Engadget Mobile

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft will be announcing its line of “Project Pink” phones in a press conference on April 12th.  The devices are said to be geared towards “younger users” and those that use social networking on a daily basis.  Manufactured by Danger (the Microsoft division that manufacturers the Sidekick line of devices), the “Project Pink” phones are said to be exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the US and will offer a special operating system (in other words, not Windows Phone 7).  No word on pricing or official release dates, though I imagine it will become clear on the 12th.

PhoneDog will be on hand to provide live coverage of the event, so stay tuned!  

Via PhoneScoop

New York Minute 8

There are hundreds of photography apps for the iPhone and I certainly have not tried them all, but my friend turned me on to Hipstamatic and I think it’s one of the must-have apps for any iPhone user. Hipstamatic puts a retro spin on your pictures with several different lens and flash settings, making each one look like a piece of art that has been tattered and torn over the years, telling much more of a story than a picture from the regular iPhone camera would. The app design is that of an old school toy camera with several choices of film, lens and external flash. There is a surprise element to the pictures since the low-tech feel can create blurred subjects and odd colors that result in unexpected vignettes and leaked light effects. Also, there is a beauty in the graininess that we miss out on with our super sharp, zillion-megapixel cameras.

A unique frame finishes each picture off nicely, encapsulating the desirable imperfections previously available only on the original Hipstamatic square-frame 35mm camera – now on your trusty iPhone. The app is only $1.99 and with extra lens settings available for extra cash, it makes you feel like you are the cool kid on the block with your fun new gadget. The app also has a direct link to email or upload the full-sized pictures to Facebook if you can still stand Facebook. Here are some interesting pictures of NYC I took with my new favorite app. Lo-fi is the new hi-fi!

New York Minute 9

It’s not often I get to go to concerts anymore. Not for lack of interest, I’m just hard-pressed for time and money. I manage to get in a couple a year but it’s not nearly as often as I’d like. Being at a live show is a truly special experience, shared with an artist as they express their greatest talents. Everyone remembers their first concert – the exhilaration of hearing your favorite singer wail and your favorite guitarist shred, shrieking and dancing uncontrollably to state-of-the-art sound, packed into a sea of energetic fans. Letting your inhibitions go and feeling that rush of emotion as pure joy fills your being. My first concert was Skid Row and Pantera at the Meadowlands when I was 12. There were no cell phones or digital cameras back then. It was 1850 and digital cameras hadn’t even been invented yet! Trippy. A time when being at a concert meant a much more personal experience, a connection made between you and the artist. Back then you could enjoy a good mosh pit, get some crowd surfing in, and maybe even a take a stage dive or two. Total adulation. 

Nowadays, it’s a much different vibe. The only surfing I see is on smartphones. Fans packed tightly together standing as still as they can with their iPhones or recording devices held over their heads. Instead of swaying with the music, they are staring intently at their screens trying to get the best video. It’s quite depressing actually. I’m sure the artists would rather look out from the stage and see everyone getting down to their jams than an ocean of iRobots staring blankly at them. What is the point? So you can watch and listen to it later on a tiny screen with a millionth of the sound quality? Or post it on YouTube or MySpace (*snicker*) and get a million views? Why not enjoy the show while you are there? Take in the music, the beats, the energy.

I have been experiencing this for the last several years but I really took notice of it at a recent Rihanna concert. I understand that she’s smokin’ hot and you want to twitpic her shiny silver Daisy Dukes, but the dynamic was completely different than any concert I’ve ever been to. We were dancing on the mezzanine at Hammerstein Ballroom and all I could see were hundreds of LCD screens in front of the stage. It was like the iPhone had replaced the lighter. Major buzzkill. Let’s make a collective effort to remember what music is about, pick up our heads, put down the phones, and just dance. 

Jon of Tehkseven rounds up all of the big cellular news we highlighted last week on PhoneDog in an exciting fast paced and fun video. 

Apple’s not the only one handing out invites today. Microsoft must have shelled out some cash to send media types this canister, and the inclosed multicolor invite, instead of opting for a more traditional – and less costly – Email. The invite is to an event next Monday (mine is in San Francisco, I assume more are being held in other parts of the US) with the title, “It’s Time to Share.”

My guess? It’s time for Microsoft to share those Project Pink phones with the world. Whatever they’ve got on tap, we’ll find out next Monday. And at least they’ll be serving it up after the iPhone 4 event on the 8th, and not before … These days it’s always good to break your news after the Apple hype has saturated everyone’s brains, rather than getting lost in the shuffle leading up to a Cupertino-centered event.

You guys excited for Pink, or what? (The phones, not the singer)