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

What a journey! It’s been unbelievable, the response and support you guys have mustered for Today’s iPhone. And now I am so pleased to make it official…

www.TodaysiPhone.com is live and ready to go!

Geared for iPhone/iPod Touch/upcoming Apple Tablet users, the site offers news, rumors, app and accessory reviews, tutorials and more. We’ve even created a community vid section! So all those talented videographers in our midst can show off their stuff, and users can check out what fellow visitors are excited about.

A word of thanks

We couldn’t have done this without you, the PhoneDog community — whether you brainstormed with us for the domain name, applied to be a content contributor, entered the logo contest or simply tuned in to watch all this unfold. I really hope you guys like the site. And you know, even if you’re a fan of a different platform, I’m hoping you dig it enough to pass it on to an iPhone/iPod Touch/upcoming Apple Tablet user in your life.

Here’s a quick word about our contributors: We’ve got people from California to England, young teens to late thirties, and newbie bloggers to trained writers, all adding their talents to the mix. (And the vloggers are quite possibly young Noahs-in-training!) A couple of our iPhone experts are even Android fiends as well, so they’ll help keep us honest and objective.

There’s already some great content at TiP (pronounced T-I-P, not “tip,” by those in the know;-), and there’s plenty more on the way. So take a look, leave a comment, fiddle around, and above all, let us know what you think!

The logo contest winner, revealed!

This brings us to another important announcement: If you’ve been wondering who took the gold in the logo contest, let me update you.

There were two designs that were neck-in-neck in our eyes, and it took a lot of deliberation to reach a decision. But in the end, we can only choose one logo, and so we are proud to announce that the winner was designed by Ryan Hamrick (reachable via www.ryanhamrick.com). Not only did his design get the most votes, but its aesthetic, scalability and flexibility perfectly suited the site. (As evidence, you’ll see a slightly adjusted version of his logo on the website right now.)

Congratulations, Ryan! The $250 prize is on the way!

Special mention needs to go to Titus Fuller, whose talent is only matched by his patience. As the designer of the second place logo, he created multiple versions at our request. I know we didn’t specify this an award in the contest rules, but we can’t let your efforts go unrewarded, so you will be receiving $100 via PayPal. Thank you again, Titus.

And a lot of heartfelt thanks to everybody who participated in this process. We built Today’s iPhone together, and I hope you are proud of the work we all accomplished. I am.

“This … is nearly too much for an old-man’s heart to handle.”

Given the company’s Android offerings (both released and rumored) as of late, it’s somewhat interesting to see Motorola release a non-Android device.  That being said, $160 isn’t a bad price for an unlocked device that packs a QWERTY keyboard, QVGA display, 2.0-megapixel camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot with support for up to 32GB.

Known as the “MOTOCUBO” in the South American market, the “Eco” is made from recycled and corn-based materials, giving it its “green” status.  Sure, it may not be your day-to-day device, but the A45 would make for a good backup phone for those weekends where e-mail just isn’t the priority.  The device is available today from Motorola’s website.  Anyone giving thought to picking one up?

Via Engadget Mobile, Motorola

Verizon and Apple’s Tablet? Yup, that’s what BoyGenius Report claims. The blog mentioned today that one of its inside tipsters may have offered a more solid connection between the two (beyond fanboy pleas and speculation). 

Here’s the scoop: Every quarter, Big Red holds a sort of “kick-off” event for store managers, who get briefed on new products, devices, services, etc. The next one? January 27th. And there will also be a live webcast that attendees will view at 1 PM EST. Or in other words, at 10 AM PST. 

Hmmm, January 27th at 10 AM, west coast time. What do you think they will be tuning into? Could it be… maybe, perhaps… the APPLE MEDIA EVENT? 

Is this a sealed deal and totally confirmed? Well, heck no. Anonymous sources are always kind of sketchy. But if there’s even a grain of truth to this, that timing is extremely interesting. What do you guys think? If the Tablet debuts on Verizon, and presumably with a carrier subsidy discount, are you biting? 

Via: BoyGenius Report

It’s a common occurence in the wireless industry – European handsets are feature packed, while their US counterparts are watered down.  It’s something we see all too often, so when the reverse happens, we’re taken aback.

The T-Mobile-bound HTC HD2 will sport 576MB of RAM while ROM is boosted to 1GB from 512MB.  While the unlocked HD2 offers a 4 GB microSD card out of the box, the T-Mobile version will offer a 16 GB card.  Identical features include a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, Windows Mobile 6.5 (though there’s talk that the T-Mobile version will get Windows Mobile 7 at launch or shortly thereafter), and a 4.3-inch HD display.

Beautiful piece of hardware, combined with improved specifications and 3G connectivity, makes the T-Mobile HD2 a winner in my book.  Now, if we could get Android on the unit…it would be perfect.  Windows Mobile fans, what do you think, given this new information?  If you were on the fence, are you going to buy one now?

Via TmoNews, PhoneArena

I’m pretty sure that if the iPhone was capable of having emotions, it might be feeling a little sibling envy right now. Word on the street is that Steve Jobs is more than just enthusiastic about his upcoming Apple Tablet; it’s become the favorite of his creations thus far. 

According to TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington, senior Apple execs and friends of Jobs describe him as being as excited about the tablet device as he’s ever been. That’s quite a statement, considering his past lineup of revolutionary technologies — including the iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch and computing products, among others. The Cupertino honcho has even been overheard saying that the new device “will be the most important thing I’ve ever done.” 

Now all this comes from Arrington, who’s kind of a controversial figure. And say what you want about him — that he’s got questionable ethics and waged a silly war with traditional journalists, or that he’s a genius who smartly leverages his VC contacts for inside info — when all is said and done, this investor-entrepreneur-journalist does tend to get the scoops. 

In his short post, he admitted that Jobs’ gushing was only heard second and thirdhand, but it came from independent sources several different times. He went on to say: “If Steve Jobs thinks the iPhone was just a warm up act to this device, I can’t wait to see what it can do…” 

Actually, that last part, I totally agree with. 

Via: TechCrunch 

Overview

What’s Hot: Nice design, 4G connectivity, and good performance.

What’s Not: 4G still limited to a few markets in the nation.

When Sprint announced the Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot at CES 2010, I was a bit taken aback.  Could this be the only device that Sprint planned to announce at CES?  As the convention went on – and as I had more time to play with the Overdrive – I became more and more impressed.  From conventions to general traveling, It seems like I’m always on the road.  I wouldn’t change that for the world (FYI, I love to travel), but it has always been challenging to find a good replacement to my high-speed internet at home.  Is the Overdrive the perfect replacement?  Of course not.  That being said, 4G connectivity is the closest thing to cable and DSL yet, and I found myself less irritated with the connection speeds than ever before.  Sure, it had times where it was faster than others, but overall, I rarely found myself thinking “good heavens, I wish I was doing this work at home.”  Given the connectivity options I’ve faced prior to this, the fact that I don’t have to think about that is a compliment to the Overdrive’s capabilities.

Design, Features, and Functionality

Shaped like a hockey puck, the Sprint Overdrive offers beveled corners, and a relatively minimalist design, with a display and power button on the front of the device.  The top of the device houses a sound on/off toggle, and the microUSB charging port and microSD card slot are on the bottom.  The Sprint Overdrive box is shaped like the device and offers an AC adapter, USB cable, and instruction manuals.

When connected to the Overdrive, you can view full stats at http://overdrive from your computer.  From the control panel, you can monitor the Overdrive’s status, review the connection information (and decide if you want to connect to 3G or 4G), and see how many people are using the device.  A primary frustration about the MiFi solutions centered around the inability to easily detect basic information about the device – battery life, the number of users on the device at any given time, and signal strength.  Thanks to a small screen on the front of the Overdrive (and the accompanying admin webpage), the problem is gone.

The Overdrive was tested in the Charlotte area, and 4G data speeds were very good.  Download speeds came in at 5.20 Mbps, and upload speeds came in at .75 Mbps.  When visiting a known Sprint dead spot, I found data to be reasonably quick, despite having one bar of (3G) service.  When I was testing the device in Las Vegas, I experienced the occasional cutout – I would be browsing the web, and the unit would suddenly lose the connection.  Assuming that it was the overload of people using the network during CES, I waited until I returned home for formal testing.  I’m happy to report that there have been no outages or issues here – in fact, I’ve been using it for the past five hours without trouble.

Conclusion

I’m very impressed with the Sprint Overdrive, and given the (recently lowered) $59.99 monthly price tag, why not?  For the same price as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile’s solution, I can sport 4G speeds in several markets across the US, with 3G as a backup.  Speeds are reasonably fast given the device’s mobile nature, and it offers upgrades that make it worthy of consideration over the carrier’s MiFi offering.  The way I see it, it’s a product that’s about a year ahead of its time, and should be taken seriously.

Pick up the Sprint Overdrive at select Sprint stores, or online at Sprint.com.

Yesterday afternoon, one of BGR’s tipsters shot over some information about the BlackBerry Tour 9630 going out of stock at Best Buy.  Not that it’s a huge surprise, but a potential discontinuation of the BlackBerry Tour 9630 in Best Buy’s systems means that the BlackBerry Tour2 9650 is on its way.  Featuring Wi-Fi, OS 5.0, and RIM’s new trackpad, the Tour2 9650 was rumored for late January-early February, so it makes sense given the timeframe.

Let the guesses begin!  This month or next month?

Via PhoneArena, BGR

Engadget received a picture (mockup, rather) this morning of an Android-powered device known as the MOTOSPLIT.  Offering a split-horizontal sliding QWERTY keyboard, Snapdragon processor, and a 3.7-inch display, rumors have it landing on AT&T in Q3 of this year.  It could make sense, given that AT&T has announced the launch of five Android devices this year (and a few are still unknown).

As much as I enjoy seeing these form factors hit the market, these funky, flipping, spinning Android devices don’t (and won’t) appeal to the business demographic in any way, shape or form.  If Google has any interest in wrangling the group from the RIM’s tight grip, they need to consider launching a few more professional form factors (i.e. DROID, Hero).

That being said, does the form factor appeal to you in the slightest?

Via Engadget

It’s official – Palm’s webOS devices are now on two nationwide carriers.  The Palm Pre Plus is available for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and the Pixi Plus is $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate.  Both require new two-year customer agreements and a data plan.  Much like the other BOGO offers in the company’s lineup, buying one Palm Pre Plus or Pixi Plus qualifies you for a Pixi Plus for free after rebate.

Check out Noah’s unboxing videos, our articles, and let us know if you take the plunge!

Via Verizon, Engadget Mobile

Despite the fact that there are hundreds of rumors (or so it seems) circulating around Apple’s Wednesday press event, I find this one of particular importance given the numerous debates we’ve had about it over the past few years.

According to a source reporting to HotHardware, it is thought that the Apple tablet announcement will be followed by an announcement detailing the end of AT&T’s iPhone exlusivity.  Given that an announcement of iPhone OS 4.0 has been rumored as well, it could be a huge day for iPhone lovers that have refused to join with AT&T.  No whispers on what carrier(s) will pick up the device (if the rumor is indeed true), and I’d venture to say that if this comes to fruition, Wednesday’s event will serve as an announcement – don’t expect another iPhone to hit retail shelves this week.

If (and that’s a really big if) all of these things are announced at the event, my money would be on the following dates:

• Apple’s tablet: Announced Wednesday, released in 1-3 weeks
• Apple iPhone OS 4.0: Announced Wednesday, released either Wednesday or within a week
• Apple iPhone (of a different flavor): Announced Wednesday, released in June

Now that we’re in the home stretch, let the speculation begin.  Tablet?  iPhone OS?  New iPhone?  None of the above (wouldn’t that be terrible)?  What say you?

Via BGR, Business Insider

Not that it surprises me, particularly given webOS’ imminent launch on the nation’s largest wireless carrier (and the sales potential that comes with a customer base of 90 million), but Palm has officially dropped the Treo Pro off of the website.  Sure, webOS is Palm’s new frontier, but until recently, the company was still toting its lone Windows Mobile device.  Launched in August of 2008, the Treo Pro replaced the Treo 800w.

Despite it not being listed on Palm’s site, the device is still “available” at Alltel and Sprint, and an unlocked GSM version can be had for $179.99 from Dell direct.  Bye bye, Windows devices on Palm.  Can’t say that I’ll miss ya.

Via Engadget Mobile

Remember the HTC Obsession?  It looks like the device may be making its way to AT&T and T-Mobile later this year as the HTC Diamond3.  Tough the Diamond has typically been a CDMA and GSM device, rumor has it that there won’t be a CDMA version this time around, due to lackluster sales of the last CDMA Diamond device.  Said to look like the HTC Imagio, the Diamond3 is rumored for a June 2010 launch, and is expected to be the second handset powered by Windows Mobile 7.

The full specifications are as follows:

• CPU: Qualcomm QSD8250 (Snapdragon); 1GHz
• GSM HSDPA
• Device Size: 112 x 56 x 11.7 m
• Memory (RAM/ROM): 512MB/512MB
• Internal Storage: 4GB
• External Storage: MicroSD (up to 32GB)
• Screen Size/Type: 3.7-inch capacitive AMOLED “Multitouch Supported”
• Camera: 5.0 Megapixel AF with flash; HD 720p video@ 25fps
• Video Support: Windows Media Video (WMV), MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) H.264, DVR-MS4
• Audio Support: Windows Media Audio (WMA), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC-LC), FairPlay DRM, MP3 (.mp3)
• Battery:  Removable 1230 mAh
• Talk Time: Up to 10 hours
• Standby Time: 240 hours
• Internet Use: 6 hours (3G), 7.5 hours (WiFi)
• Video Playback: 7 hours
• Audio Playback: 24 hours

Will the device (or Windows Mobile 7, for that matter) be announced at Mobile World Congress next month?

Via PhoneArena, WMPoweruser

According to an analyst, the nation’s second largest wireless carrier, popular for the Apple iPhone, has been shortchanged in the budget department in favor of the company’s wired division.  As such, AT&T would have to spend $5 billion on their wireless network to catch up with the coverage currently offered by Verizon Wireless.  In research conducted by TownHall Investment Research, AT&T receives 57 percent of its operating income from wireless and 35 percent from wired services, but the wireless division only receives 34 percent of the capital expenditures.  The wired division, on the other hand, receives a whopping 65 percent.

What’s more, AT&T’s capital expenditures on the wireless network from 2006 to 2009 totaled approximately $21.6 billion.  In the same time frame, Verizon Wireless and Sprint spent $25.4 million and $16 billion, respectively.  In the three year period, Verizon Wireless has spent $353 per subscriber, while Sprint has spent $310 per subscriber.  Coming in last place is AT&T, with $308 per wireless subscriber.  The public’s perception of AT&T’s network is poor and declining, apparently because of real network challenges when compared with Verizon Wireless and Sprint, said Gerard Hallaren, director of research at TownHall Investment Research.

AT&T’s network performance has been heavily criticized in various online publications, magazines, and newspapers across the United States.  AT&T’s network potential isn’t the problem.  The company’s 3G network operates on HSPA, with a theoretical cap of 7.2 Mbps.  As a comparison, Verizon Wireless utilizes EVDO, which has been said to reach 1.4 Mbps in real-world testing.  AT&T’s network reliability is the concern.  In a test conducted by PC World last year, AT&T came in last place for reliability in all 13 test cities.

I understand that AT&T has a poor reputation across parts of the United States (particularly in larger cities), but with 81 million subscribers, the company must be doing something right.  Is it the iPhone?

Via ITWorld

In browsing the internet today, an Engadget reader discovered a Google advertisement for a Nexus One dock.  The description?  “Available for only $45!  Charges phone, plays photo slideshow & more.”  Looks like we’ll see a dock for the Google-branded device in the coming days.

I could understand $29.99, but $45 is a bit steep for me (of course, accessories are incredibly overpriced anyway).  Anyone agree?

Via Engadget Mobile

Though I keep it out of my work personality, I’m very much into politics and business.  Having worked with campaigns in the past, my iPhone has one “page” dedicated to news, business, and politics – be it CNN, ABC News, MSNBC, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance, CNBC, NPR, or WSJ, I’m always connected.  The one thing I was missing?  An easy link to news from the White House.

The White House app, released earlier in the week, offers news, press briefings, photos, streaming video (over 3G!), archived footage, and live content.  The iPhone app is said to be part of a bigger strategy to bring the executive branch into the 21st century.  In the coming weeks, a mobile version of their website will be available at mobile.whitehouse.gov, and rumors are pointing to additional platform support (Android, webOS, etc.) in the near future.

The application is free, and can be found in the App Store.  Look for next week’s State of the Union address to be broadcasted live over the application.

January 25, $150 on contract. Double the memory as the original Pre, and now with WiFI hotspot and Touchstone-compatible back plate standard. Noah gets it out of the box.

It is widely known that the Nokia N900 is a “geek first” phone (as of now, at least).  Each time I’ve voiced my concerns to Nokia about Maemo’s lack of intuitiveness, I’ve been told that general consumers aren’t Maemo’s focus just yet – they’re gearing it towards geeks.

To that end, Nokia has announced the second PUSH modder program (and the first in the USA).  Here’s how it works: Three teams will be chosen based on inventiveness, demonstration of N900 capabilities, feasibility and conversation generation. These teams will receive Nokia N900s, along with funding and support so they can build the hack.  When Nokia goes to Las Vegas in March, a member of each team will travel along to demo their hack to the judges for a chance to win cash prizes.

For more information on the program, visit Nokia’s website.

The full press release is below.  For the N900 users, modders, and hackers out there, a $10,000 cash prize and trip to Las Vegas sounds like a nice little treat to do something you already love to do – so why not take advantage of the program?

Nokia competition challenges US tweekers and modders to imagine new possibilities for Nokia N900
January 22, 2010 – NokiaPressServices
“Nokia PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA” Call for Entries – Now through February 15, 2010

Nokia invites US tweekers and modders to submit their ideas for morphing the Nokia N900 into something entirely new. Whether it’s turning the Nokia N900 into a TV remote control or the brain of a fully functioning robot, the only limit is the contestants’ imagination. The Nokia N900, which became available in the US this past November, is a powerful mobile computer that uses the open source, Linux-based Maemo Software to deliver a PC-like experience on a handset-sized device.
 
The top three ideas will be chosen from the ideas submitted by a panel of judges, after which the finalist teams will be provided with a Nokia N900 and some support to actually build their mod. In March, Nokia will bring a representative (and guest) from each of the three PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA finalists to CTIA in Las Vegas, where each representative will have the chance to demonstrate their creativity for final judging and the chance to win cash prizes ranging from USD 3,000 to USD 10,000.
 
A global PUSH N900 competition held in October 2009 drew hundreds of entries and resulted in the construction of five widely varying mods, including a skateboard that tracks your tricks and lets you compete against friends with their own Nokia N900s, an N900-equipped kite that lets you control the camera from the ground, a spray can that brings light graffiti to the N900, a Nokia N900-outfitted belt that vibrates to navigate you in the right direction, and a Nokia N900 with arms that will draw what you photograph on an Etch-a-Sketch.
 
For more information or to submit an entry for the PUSH N900 MOD IN THE USA challenge, please visit www.blogs.nokia.com/pushn900/usa.

Hey, if the big boys are playing ball, the nation’s largest regional carrier has to jump in the game too, right?  Shortly after Verizon (and then AT&T) launched their $69.99 unlimited talk plan, US Cellular followed up with the following plans of their own:

• National Unlimited Plan (Individual): $69.99/month
• Unlimited National Family Plan: $119.99/month (two lines), $49.99 for additional lines

Though outgoing text messaging is not included, all of US Cellular’s price plans include free incoming text, picture, and video messages.  Check out the full range of plans at US Cellular’s website.  For those in a US Cellular market (or existing US Cellular customers), does the unlimited plan appeal to you over US Cellular’s lack of exclusive devices?  Customer service is known to be quite good, but the device selection is lacking.  It all boils down to the quintessential wireless argument: what’s more important, phones or customer service?

This past week hasn’t been too hectic in the world of Android, and that leaves me some room here for discussing apps. With all of the craziness surrounding CES and the launch of the Nexus One, that’s something I’ve been missing.

Apps

There’s a new keyboard replacement on the block, and this one comes from a new angle altogether (at least as far as I know can tell). QWERTED resizes your keys based on the probability of a given letter being the next in a partially completed word. Sounds cool, huh? See it at work on video. There’s also a new Twitter client in this very crowded town, and people seem to be digging it. Check out a written review of TweetCaster by Justin Hubbord and a video review by Carlos Graves.

For those of you concerned about current conditions in Haiti (or who want to speak Creole), check out Andrew Steffy’s post on Tradui. If you need to make a call from absolutely any app on your phone, check out Dial@Bar. And for some geeky tech in the mapping realm, see this.

Nexus

Don’t worry, I know a lot of you are sick of hearing about Google’s Nexus One, so I’ll keep this short and sweet. I started one of my questions and requests series, so be sure to get yours in while the getting is good. And while this video isn’t solely about the N1, the appearance of Android’s Senior Product Manager on the Engadget Show will be of interest to Nexus owners. That keyboard is multi-touch? Reeeeallly?

New Phones (?)

While the week was a bit slow, it’s not like there wasn’t any news about new gadgets. The Fender Limited Edition myTouch is launching soon, and that oddly shaped Moto called ROI is about to hit Korea. We also learned of a budget GSmart phone that isn’t too inspiring, and another (yes) tablet. In terms of leaks, we got a little more info on the myTouch slide and an in-the-wild pic of the hotly anticipated HTC Bravo. There are also some rumors out there about the Nexus Two (warning: funny video ahead.)

Fixes, updates, and upgrades

I haven’t had any issues with holding 3G connectivity on my Nexus, but apparently, many of you have. Turns out there is a very simple fix. Droid owners will be happy to know that their battery life is about to improve, and Samsung’s Moment will see some tweaks as well. As for Android updates, Pulse will see 2.1 and G1 could be getting 2.0 by the end of the month.

Hacks and Mods

Quick burst of hacks and mods and I’ll leave you for the evening with the best unboxing ever. Milestone has been rooted and here’s the how-to. Carlos reviewed a program called Backup of Root Users on video. Check it out.

Here is the promised video. Take care.