January 09, 2008
Hate Your Cellphone? Deep Fry It [Fried
Boing Boing sent Xeni Jardin to set up a cellphone fryer at Machine Project's Fry-B-Que social in LA. The results are downright strange as they wrap Treos in bacon, bubble gum and cookie dough, dip the phones in batter and cook 'em up. The gross part is that Xeni took a bite of the finished product. [BB Gadgets]
From Hate Your Cellphone? Deep Fry It [Fried
Posted by Stephen at 08:35 AM
December 17, 2007
According to Wired's sources, while all developers ...
According to Wired's sources, while all developers will get the iPhone SDK in February, some "big ones" may already have it in their hands now, readying applications to "whet developers' appetites" (as if they needed any whetting) and tell Gizmodo to TFSU. [Wired]
From According to Wired's sources, while all developers ...
Posted by Russell at 03:19 PM
December 15, 2007
Zumobi Browser Beta For WM5 and 6 Now Live: Content Partners Announced
The Microsoft backed Zumobi browser is now freely available to download for anyone running Windows Mobile 5 or 6 (Blackberry and selected J2ME compatibility will be coming early in the second quarter of 2008.). They have also announced content partnerships with providers such as Amazon.com, MTV Networks, The Associated Press, AccuWeather.com, Traffic.com, FlightStats.com and OTOlabs, who developed Tiles for Vail Resorts and Fox Television's "Family Guy." Zumobi has also released the beta version of the Zumobi SDK which will allow developers with a basic level of knowledge in JavaScript and SVG to develop and potentially earn money on their tiles. Hit the following links to get started using the Zumobi browser or the SDK. A full press release follows. [Zumobi Beta and Zumobi SDK] ZUMOBI USHERS IN A NEW AGE OF MOBILE CONTENT AND COMMERCE; BETA NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON WINDOWS MOBILE PHONES Amazon.com, MTV Networks, The Associated Press, AccuWeather.com, Traffic.com, FlightStats.com and OTOlabs Among Partners Set to Launch Zumobi Tiles Today SEATTLE - December 14, 2007 - Zumobi today launched the highly anticipated Beta version of its award-winning Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform. Zumobi can now be downloaded free from the company's Web site: www.Zumobi.com. Content will be available from more than 75 mobile widgets or Tiles, including many from Zumobi launch partners such as Amazon.com, MTV Networks, The Associated Press, AccuWeather.com, Traffic.com, FlightStats.com and OTOlabs, who developed Tiles for Vail Resorts and Fox Television's "Family Guy". Where to Go For More on Zumobi * Download and participate in the Beta at www.Zumobi.com * Check out our newest video at www.Zumobi.com/youtube * Tune into the latest podcast from company co-founder and Vice President of Product and Services, John SanGiovanni at www.Zumobi.com "The Zumobi team has been working for over a year to make this product a reality, and we're very excited to launch the first version of our public Beta today," said Zumobi CEO Eric Hertz. "Our partners who have created Zumobi Tiles for the initial Beta have delivered an excellent portfolio of news, entertainment, travel content and more." Zumobi revolutionizes the way people access, retrieve and share Web-based content on their mobile phones. Through an intuitive, lush user interface, Zumobi allows people to easily "bounce" in and out of snack-sized bits of the entertainment they want and to stay on top of the information they need throughout the day, while offering advertisers a better way to connect with consumers through their mobile phones. * "We're constantly creating new touch points on-air, online and on handsets that deepen our audiences' engagement with their favorite programming," said Jeremiah Zinn, Senior Vice President of Digital Distribution for MTV Networks. "Zumobi's new platform brings Web 2.0 functionality to wireless devices, and that allows us to create even more experiences for our audiences to stay connected to their favorite music, music news and gaming content." * "The exciting combination of Zumobi's intuitive interface combined with Traffic.com's nationwide real-time traffic content gives on-the-go consumers the relevant, valuable, engaging user experience they demand," said Barry J. Glick, Vice President, Consumer Markets for NAVTEQ, parent company of Beta partner Traffic.com. "When users download Zumobi to their phones, they'll instantly benefit from the graphical, dynamic interaction with our mobile traffic solutions by making informed decisions about the best time to leave and the fastest way to get there." * "In these days of air travel challenges, reliable and timely travel data is vital to people on the move," said Meara McLaughlin, Vice President of Conducive Technology, makers of FlightStats.com "The Zumobi platform gives FlightStats.com an exciting new way to connect with travelers on the mobile handset. Whether you are flying yourself or connecting with someone who is, having the right information, delivered in a clear and user-friendly way can make all the difference. We are thrilled to be one of the first Zumobi Tiles in such good company with the other founding Tile partners. We hope that users will check our Tile out when they download Zumobi." * "Weather is the perfect match for mobile phone users - immediate, personal and location-specific," said Jim Candor, Senior Vice President of New Media for AccuWeather.com. "We're always looking for new and better ways to bring people the weather information they crave. Working with innovative companies like Zumobi helps us deliver a user experience that is quicker and more satisfying than ever before." * "Mobile marketing has not taken off due to poor quality user experience; consumers are simply not excited to receive ads on the mobile phone," said Mitchel Ahern, Director of Product Management for OTOlabs, a permission-marketing platforms company. "We're very excited to be developing Tile applications for our clients on the Zumobi platform. We believe that by providing branded utility and entertainment as a mobile widget, our clients such as Fox Home Entertainment and Vail Resorts will see higher adoption, deeper engagement and more interaction with their audience." Accessing the Beta Version of Zumobi To access the Beta version of Zumobi go to www.Zumobi.com and follow the instructions on the website. The first Beta version of Zumobi is available for phones running Windows Mobile 5 and 6, with Blackberry and selected J2ME compatibility coming early in the second quarter of 2008. A data plan is required, and unlimited data plans are strongly recommended. Beta Version of Zumobi SDK Zumobi also unveiled a Beta version of the Zumobi SDK for developers, delivering on the company's promise of an open, device-neutral platform for building and deploying rich content for mobile phones. Developers can download the SDK from http://dev.Zumobi.com. The Zumobi SDK will enable developers to create and showcase their own Tiles. Developers will also be able to share and upload their Tiles to the Zumobi Gallery beginning in the first quarter of 2008. About Zumobi Zumobi is the open platform that is reinventing the mobile content experience. A highly-acclaimed innovator in the mobile industry, Zumobi provides developers with a device-neutral platform for building and deploying rich content for mobile phones; enables a better way to connect consumers and the brands that define their lives; delivers a new set of benefits that carriers can offer to their customers; and gives consumers an experience that makes their mobile phones more useful and fun. More information on Zumobi is available at www.Zumobi.com.
From Zumobi Browser Beta For WM5 and 6 Now Live: Content Partners Announced
Posted by Gary at 05:09 PM
December 14, 2007
Intel Shows Off All-In-Wi-nder Chip: Wi-Fi, WiMax and DVB-H Digital TV
Even though national WiMax deployment's on sorta shaky ground, Intel's got money invested so by god it's full speed ahead on hardware. They've got a new chippie that has circuitry for vanilla Wi-Fi, WiMax and DVB-H digital TV. (The DVB-H support's kind of useless on this side of the pond, though.) The neat thing about it beyond that the all-in-one dealio is that it's designed for seamless switching between Wi-Fi and WiMax and is proof of concept for a class of chimerical software-defined radios that could mix in a whole mess of standards, like CDMA, GSM and whatever else is in the bucket. Will it blend? Yes. [Electronics Weekly via /.]
From Intel Shows Off All-In-Wi-nder Chip: Wi-Fi, WiMax and DVB-H Digital TV
Posted by Tom at 02:28 PM
December 04, 2007
Nokia High Fives Verizon For Picking GSM 4G Technology [Cellphones]
The biggest yet least splashy news may still be Verizon Wireless's choice of 4G network, that is, following parent Vodafone to Nokia's Long-Term Evolution rather than choosing the Sprint/Intel WiMax way or sticking with EV-DO. Today Nokia, the self-styled "the world leader in converged devices," applauded VZW for its new openness and willingness to evolve its network into "the open, global specification of LTE." This is particularly cute when you think about how relatively few Nokia handsets have turned up on Verizon's network to date. [Nokia]
From Nokia High Fives Verizon For Picking GSM 4G Technology [Cellphones]
Posted by Lorren at 03:46 PM
November 30, 2007
Black Hole Phone Bag Drops You From the Grid Like Jason Bourne [Tinfoil
True, this black hole phone bag probably appeals more to pasty tinfoil types than badasses who can kill you with a phone book, but it'd be nice when you're hiding from your crazy hacker girlfriend 'cause you just want to play Halo with your friends. Slip your phone in the bag and it disappears from the network'"no calls, no triangulation, no black helicopters. Twelve dollars seems like a small price to pay to avoid making all those Will Smith blunders when dodging G-Men. [Brando via I4U]
From Black Hole Phone Bag Drops You From the Grid Like Jason Bourne [Tinfoil
Posted by Chris at 12:37 PM
November 24, 2007
Nokia Patents Nintendo DS-Like Touchscreen Flip Phone
The second Nokia patent Unwired View's dug up this week apes the Nintendo DS more than the Sidekick. It's got two screens, one touch, the other for visuals only. It also has the quickly becoming standard intelligent layout, which changes depending on the angle the phone's opened at. When it's flapped completely open, the split view coalesces into a single one spread across both screens. Even if the concept isn't wholly inventive by this point, the second screen could set it apart from the million over phones now jumping on the touchscreen bandwagon. [Unwired View via Electronista]
From Nokia Patents Nintendo DS-Like Touchscreen Flip Phone
Posted by Russell at 02:07 PM
November 20, 2007
Bluetrek Sense Touch-Sensitive Bluetooth Headset for Button-Haters [Touch
Tiny and piano black, one of the Sense's better features is that it might make you look less douche-y than more space-age Bluetooth headsets. The talk dimple is endowed with touch-sensitive magic, plus it has voice alerts for stuff like redialing, rejecting a call, connecting or disconnecting for your phone, etc. The wire ear hook is also detachable for goggle-eyed gabbers. It streets early next year for about $100. [Bluetrek via Pocket Lint]
From Bluetrek Sense Touch-Sensitive Bluetooth Headset for Button-Haters [Touch
Posted by Peter at 11:43 AM
