Author: Simon Chester

“Hey. You. Come over here.” A scraggly female voice rang out from the bushes.

I looked over at the gypsy, half hidden by the shrubbery.

“Why?” I asked. The last time I did what a gypsy said I almost lost a kidney, so this time I wanted to be careful.

“I have something to tell you. Something the world will want to hear.”

Intrigued, I moved toward her. She raised her ancient arm, revealing her globular cliché (a crystal ball). I found the slight glow enticing. I peered deep.

And all was revealed.

Through the fog I could see a man in a black turtle neck. A calendar on the wall behind him clearly read June 22 2010. He was holding what looked to be an updated iPhone.

Ok. So this didn’t really happen. What really happened isn’t as interesting, but far more believable: Apple have booked a room at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in San Francisco for June 22nd. Apple aficionados will know that Apple have announced the last three iPhones every June at the nearby Moscone Center.

It’s pretty much a sure bet that the fourth generation iPhone will be announced on June 22nd, 2010. It has been written.

No doubt by now you’ve heard that the screen on Google’s Nexus One is apparently worse than the screen on Motorola’s Droid.
The story goes that images on the Nexus One aint be poppin’ like they do on the Droid, and a study by DisplayMate apparently confirmed this.
But now that Droids have been updated to Android 2.1, users have begun to complain that images displayed on their Droids look about as good as they did in the Commander Keen days.
So, what’s the story?
Android Central have a post that summarises the findings, and it turns out that Droid users aren’t losing their mind, but, rather, the gallery app in Adroid 2.1 has switched from 24-bit 2D rendering to using a measly 16-bits for the 3D rendering.
It is noted in the article that the browser still renders in 24-bit (on both the Droid and the Nexus One), so at least you know that when your browsing I Can Has Cheezburger, the lolcats will look as good as possibe.
Hopefully a fix will be rolled out soon, but the gallery may render in 16-bits due to a 3D hardware limitation, so we’ll remain optimistic, but prepared for disappointment.

While not the first to do it (that title goes to Acer), Intel has now ported Android to the x86 architecture. While the obvious application for this is tablets and netbooks, Intel has said that they have it running on smartphones based on their Atom line of processors. Most smartphone processors are based on the ARM architecture, while Intel’s processors on the other hand are typically x86 based. By porting Android to the x86 architecture, Intel are clearly trying to make a name for themselves in the smartphone market.

The original article at Yahoo! News says that “certain customers” are interested in using the port, but also, interestingly, Android isn’t the only phone OS that Intel has an interest in, quoting the general manager of Intel’s software and services group, Renee James, as saying “Intel is enabling all OSes for Atom phones”.

As the functionality of computers and smartphones continues to converge, it seems your next smartphone could be even more like a PC than previously thought.

Rumours abound that the AT&T Network is down in the Seattle area. The outage seems to be affecting voice calls. Service has been trickling back to some users over the last half hour, and rebooting has fixed it for some people, but others are still out.

How’s it going for you?

If you lost service service today, let us know in the comments what area you are in and if it’s been restored yet.

Update: AT&T just reached out to let us know that the issue should be all patched up in Seattle. Let us know if things are still shaky, won’t you?

[via TechFlash]

Word on the German street (or Straße) is that both the Palm Pre Plus and the Pixi Plus are coming to O2 and Vodafone on April 28.

These are the same phones that Americans have come to know and love, but with GSM radios and a European-friendly QWERTZ keyboard.

You know the drill: the Pre Plus is their flagship device with 16GB storage, while the Pixi Plus is for those just dipping their toes in with only 8GB storage and a little less oomph. Both feature Web OS, which includes multitasking, Palm’s Synergy contact system, system-wide notifications, the ability to act as a WiFi access point, and access to the Palm App Catalog.

Keep your eyes on www.palm.com/de for availability and accessories.
Auf Wiederhören!

Jonesing for a bit more info on the hotter-than-hot HTC Incredible before its April 29 release?
Well, you lucky devil, the full spec sheet has been leaked ahead of the Verizon launch, and it looks, well, you know… incredible.

On top of the already-known Android 2.1 with HTC’s Sense UI, the Snapdragon processor, the 8MP camera with autofocus + flash, and the 3.7″ WVGA (800×480) AMOLED screen, there are a few nice surprises.

• 8GB internal storage (although the spec sheet goes on to say 512MB ROM later on. Bundled MicroSD, maybe?)
• There is nary a mention of the processor being underclocked to 768Mhz, so here’s hoping it’s running at the full 1Ghz.
• 802.11b/g/n compatible WiFi. Nice, especially if you’re into moving files back and forth wirelessly between your LAN and handset.

Of course, all the usual Android goodies are crammed in there, including Flash Lite 4.0 support, Google Maps with navigation, as well as the usual Google services including Voice Commands/Search, YouTube, Gmail, Calendar etc. There is no mention of an FM Transmitter in the spec sheet, so we’ll wait and see if it’s included or not.
Boy Genius Report have the full sheet for your enjoyment and perusal, so head on over and get your excitement on.

Feeling a bit disappointed with the recent(ish) announcement of the feature-reduced, locked-down OS that is Windows Phone 7? Despite valid arguments for the change, it does feel a bit like moving back in with your parents after finishing college: sure it’s a nice house, but what’s with all the rules?

However, a recent interview (in Dutch) with Charlie Kindel during the Dutch DevDay event says that while the first release of WinPho 7 may be a little “lacking” initially, missing features will be added in the future… but only when they’re perfect.

WM Poweruser have more highlights from the interview (including tidbits on the delivery of updates, xbox tie-ins, customisation control, and carrier billing), but the take-away here is that Microsoft have now shifted away from the “Jack of all” strategy that characterised WinMo, and plan to become a powerful master, ruling initially over only an immaculate few, but gradually expanding their dominion as they fully and completely conquer foreign lands (sorry… got a bit carried away there).

Basically, new features will be added in the future, but only after they have been polished to perfection. “User experience” is key in their new strategy, and if WinPho 7 hopes to become the King of the OSes, it makes sense to only accept the best, right?

Hey now now, what’s this? On top of the previously discovered references to front-facing cameras and iChat within the iPad SDK, evidence is now appearing that suggests iChat — likely with video conferencing — will make its way to iPhone OS 4.0.

Screenshots over at TUAW show that iChatAgent — a background process in OS X that’s responsible for keeping iChat happy — is running as a service on iPhone OS 4.0. Now, iChat doesn’t necessarily mean video chat, but with support for video conferencing likely on future revisions of the iPad, it isn’t too big a stretch of the imagination to have it on the next iPhone, too.

A front-facing camera is an oft-requested feature for the iPhone, and with Android devices becoming more powerful and more prolific (hello, EVO 4G!), expect Apple to do all it can to show up the competition with some hot hardware this Summer.

Around about a year ago, a law was passed in Mexico that would enforce compulsory registration of personal details to a mobile phone account. The idea behind it was to help fight crime (Batman style) by inhibiting the method of delivering ransom and extortion calls. Telcos were given 12 months to collect the personal details of their subscribers.

Come Saturday, that 12 months will be up, and despite radio and television commercials urging mobile phone users to register their name and address via text message, around 30 million lines are still unregistered. There is a push from telcos to have the deadline extended by a further 12 months, but senators have thus far refused requests to do so.

Naturally, this is bad news for both the users who haven’t registered and the telcos. 30 million disconnected subscribers equates to a lotta lost dollars: an estimated $10 million per day for their largest provider, America Movil. Another major player in the Mexican telco market, Telefonica, plans to maintain services despite the authority’s weekend deadline, stating that telecommunications are of public interest, protected by the constitution.

Do I smell a standoff?

[Via Reuters]

I have fond memories of playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 on my PlayStation back in high school. I remember trading stories with friends about the biggest tricks I’d pulled, and being astounded at the scores that “a friend of their’s” could pull. I remember single-mindedly trying to beat those trick scores, re-starting a level each time I bailed so that I could achieve that perfect run. Sadly for me, no other Tony Hawk game that I’ve played has been able to capture that magic. So I was very pleased to find out that that classic of classics, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, has now been released for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The $10 iPhone app includes levels, game modes, and characters from the original version, so it should be pretty sweet. The on-screen controls even mimic the original gamepad layout. This is your best opportunity to play the game on the go, short of wearing a PlayStation around your neck, Flavor Flav style. Yeah boy!

Be sure to head on over to Macworld for more screenshots and info.

Is your StarTAC looking run down? Does it not draw the attention that it once did? Clearly, it’s time for an upgrade. Don’t let the technology of recent decades cloud your judgement when choosing your new phone. Think–and I mean seriously think–about the time when talking on a mobile phone was at its most impressive. That’s right, I mean all the way back to 1983. What better way to truly impress your board-room buddies than with a literal homage to the golden era of telecommunication?

Do not be fooled by the exterior: while clearly based on the Motorola DynaTAC8000X of yore, the 22ct gold, diamond-encrusted exterior houses all the modern marvels you would expect from a phone released in 2010. That’s right, according to the website, it supports not only WAP and Text SMS, but also a COLOR SCREEN. My how the last 27 years of progress have just flown by!

Only 10 of these “Privé” phones will be created by designer Stuart Hughes, and at £139,995 ($212,400), I guess that kinda makes sense.

[Via Gizmodo]

Big day at Six Flags planned sometime soon? No natural sense of direction? Constantly worried that you’ll lose your friends at a large theme park, and end up having to spend the night all alone in the cold, hiding from Crazy Jimmy the Maintenance Man? Own an iPhone or iPod touch? I’ve got some good news for you: Six Flags have just launched a brand new iPhone/iPod Touch app that has you covered.

The free app, available now, offers 4 main features:

• An interactive map showing you your exact location, as well as the location of rides, games, entertainment venues, food and retail outlets, ATMs, bathrooms and even characters (so you shouldn’t get lost)
• A friend finder, that shows you the location of, and allows you to chat with, any of your Facebook Friends that are also using the application (so they can come find you when you do get lost)
• Some kind of social club and big scream, which, while making little sense to me, somehow allows you to pick all the coolest bits in the park and arrange to meet your friends there (I love planning)
• An events listing, so you know what you’re missing out on while you’re waiting for your friends to find you/running from crazy Jimmy

Horror themes aside, I think the interactive map/friend finder would actually be a pretty useful tool for those inevitable situations where you do end up getting separated from your pals, and could turn a bad situation into the great day it was supposed to be.

Oh, and yes: The Six Flags song is now stuck in your head. Snap.

Following in the footsteps of Google Voice, MetroPCS has just launched message transcription for their voice mail service. For a $3 monthly fee, voicemails will be automagically transcribed to text and sent to you via SMS or email, eliminating the arduous task of dialling in to check your voice messages.

The service, powered by Yap, also includes the original message along with the email, presumably so any misinterpreted words can be cleared up before you do anything rash.

Have you been eagerly saving your pennies for a Vertu Constellation Ayxta, but haven’t been sure of the $7,000 commitment? Do you want a little assurance that the feature phone of your dreams really is the luxury item that the price demands? What’s that? No? Me neither. But for those that live such a life (or those that are merely curious) the Vertu Constellation Ayxta has finally had its first unboxing. What a precious moment.

Gear Diary have the low-down on what to expect in the box. Spoiler: it comes with two leatherette boxes to hold both the phone and the cables separately. Now don’t say that Vertu aren’t looking out for you…