iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Canadian iPhone carrier Rogers Wireless has kicked off staff training with an eye on the iPhone 5 launch, according to a leaked internal document that clearly has employees preparing for a new Apple smartphone.

Reports are coming in from iPhoneinCanada and Cultofmac that Canadian wireless operator Rogers is giving its employees the heads up regarding an “iPhone Pre-Launch Training.”

The Apple-centric site recalls that such leaked documents have done well to confirm product launches in the past, though an ounce of skepticsm never hurts, may we add.

However, based on the wording in the leaked file, the next iPhone should arrive in a matter of weeks. From the original document:

“As of August 11th, the training for the iPhone pre-launch will start. Please complete this training once notified by the Just in Time (JIT) training coordinator in your site. the module is a 45 minute self-study; please make sure to complete the following training: iPhone Pre-Launch Training - Rogers Wireless 2011.”

The Rogers document only adds fuel to the fire of those who strongly believe the iPhone 5 will arrive this fall.
And why shouldn’t it? All the elements are there to make fall 2011 the perfect time to launch a new iPhone that will leverage at least two new Apple products - iCloud and the highly improved iOS 5.

There is some debate as to whether the actual device will be substantially different from the current hardware, but it is fair to assume that the 5.0 moniker deserves some cool new features that make the handset stand out.
After all, Apple cannot lose its reputation of being a constant innovator by launching the rumored iPhone 4S.

Perhaps a cheap, middle-class iPhone will be released as well. Word on the web is that it will have many ties with iCloud and that it may even be free for those who embrace the successor of MobileMe by getting themselves a paid plan.

iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Apple Rules Smartphone Market, Nokia Falls to Third Place

Apple may not have been in the lead before, but it looks like the smartphone market saw some leadership changes as far as market share is concerned, one of the major ones being Nokia's fall from first to third place.

Nokia may have held the top position as smartphone maker up to the first quarter of this year (2011), but it looks like the crown has passed on.

In fact, not just one, but two companies actually overcame it in terms of market share, pushing it from first to third place.

Samsung is one of the corporations that managed to outdo Nokia, bringing its smartphone shipments from the 3.6 million of last year's second quarter to 17.3 million.

This means that Samsung secured a share of 16.2%, while Nokia was left with 15.7% (it managed to ship 16.7 million smartphones).

Nonetheless, the real star was Apple, whose own phone levels reached a solid 20.3 million, according to IDC. This means a share of 19.1% of the total 106.5 million units shipped worldwide.

"The smartphone market crowned a new leader in 2Q11, and its name is Apple," said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends team.

"Ever since the first iPhone launched in 2007, Apple has made market-setting strides in hardware, software, and channel development to grab mindshare and market share. Demand has been so strong that even models that have been out for one or two years are still being sought out. With an expected refresh later this year, volumes are set to reach higher levels."

The overall number of shipped smartphones shows that the overall segment grew substantially on-year, by 65.4% to be exact. Apple owes its success to both consumer and enterprise demand for the iPhone, though it remains to be seen if things continue to go this well.

"The smartphone market leadership change signifies the parity that comes with a fast-growing market such as smartphones," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker. "There is no runaway leader in the market, which means there could easily be further Top 5 vendor changes to come."

HTC Thunderbolt and DROID 3 on Sale at Amazon Wireless for $49.99

Major retailer Amazon is now offering great deals on several popular Android smartphones, such as the Verizon HTC Thunderbolt and DROID 3, as well as Sprint's Nexus 4G.

Android fans and tinkerers can purchase the Thunderbolt or the DROID 3 for just $49.99 with a new two-year Verizon agreement, while the Nexus S 4G is available for only a penny with a new two-year Sprint contract.

On related news, the retailer has also announced recently a new deal on Samsung's DROID Charge, which is now available for purchase for $99.99 with a new two-year agreement.

Amazon also offers customers who purchase a smartphone with a two-year agreement from Verizon an activation credit of up to $35. The deal is available through August 10.

Furthermore, customers who purchase an Android device from Amazon Wireless get an additional $15 in credits for apps, MP3s and Kindle content.

Those who are not familiar with DROID 3's specs sheet should know that the smartphone features a brilliant 4-inch qHD display, which offers a rich 24-bit color depth and a 960 x 540-pixel resolution.
It appears that the screen is made of scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass with a glare-reducing coating.

DROID 3 is a global phone that allows users to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, including more than 125 with 3G speeds.

The smartphone features a slider form factor and comes with a full 5-row QWERTY keyboard that makes it easier than ever to quickly type e-mails, update Facebook or Twitter status, and edit documents while on the move.

Equipped with a dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz, DROID 3 enables users the possibility to easily run multiple apps, stream media, talk, e-mail, and surf the Web at the same time.

Unlike DROID 3, which is powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Verizon's Thunderbolt runs Google's Android 2.2 Froyo operating system.

It's powered by a fast single core 1 GHz Snapdragon processor and offers a vividly colored 4.3-inch Super LCD multi-touch display.

Other features include an 8 GB internal memory, pre-loaded 32 GB microSD memory card, Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking with Mobile Hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth, integrated speakers with Dolby Mobile + SRS WOW HD surround sound, and DLNA certification.

Samsung Galaxy Mini Coming Soon to Mobilicity

It looks like the low-budget smartphone Samsung Galaxy Mini is about to reach Canadian shores soon via Mobilicity.

The phone has just been spotted by the guys over at MobileSyrup, but no release date or pricing options have been revealed yet.

Apparently, the Galaxy Mini was spotted at a Samsung rock concert in Toronto, inside one of the demo booths, stamped with the “Coming Soon to Mobilicity” tag.

Samsung Galaxy Mini has already been launched on the market in multiple regions, including Europe and United States.

However, the phone is known as Samsung Dart in the U.S. and is available via T-Mobile, whereas in India the phone goes by a different name, as well, Samsung Galaxy Pop.

Although the phone is entry-level smartphone, the Canadian version will be delivered with an improved 3-megapixel camera, instead of the Dart's 2-megapixel photo snapper, which is not available at T-Mobile. 
Furthermore, Samsung Dart is equipped with a low-performance ARM 600MHz processor and runs on Android 2.2 Froyo, with slim chances to be update with a newer Gingerbread version of the operating system.

In addition, the Galaxy Mini features a small 3.14-inch QVGA capacitive touchscreen with 262K colors support, 240 x 320 pixels resolution, accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, TouchWiz v3.0 UI, Swype text input method and proximity sensor for auto turn-off.

Even though it's a low-budget phone, Galaxy mini features HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, along with 160 MB of internal memory and microSD card for memory expansion (up to 32GB, 2GB card included).

Other key features of the smartphone include 3.5 mm audio jack, DNSe sound enhancement, Stereo FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support, microUSB 2.0, GPS with A-GPS support, as well as Digital compass.

The phone is powered by a standard Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery that should provide up to 570 hours of standby time or up to 9 hours and 30 minutes of talk time. 

New Acer Iconia Tab Soon Arrives at Rogers

Another piece of tablet news has emerged, this once from Acer's IT camp, though it is more of a rumor involving the Iconia Tab instead of an actual announcement, not that all other tablets haven't seen their own share of leaks.

It looks like not a day goes by without at least one leak, rumor or press release regarding one of those things called tablets.

Since their emergence last year, such products have been eating away at the market share of netbooks and laptops overall.

Even just today, Sony's S1 and S2 slates made the news, as did Toshiba's Thrive tablet for getting a much needed update.

Now, it is Acer's Iconia Tab that has garnered some attention, courtesy of Rogers, whose lineup will soon grow to include it, much like it already has the LG Optimus Pad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

For those that do not remember, the Acer Iconia Tab is one of the multiple slates based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform.

Based on the ARM architecture, the SoC (system-on-chip) has two cores, each of which operates at a clock of 1 GHz.

The 10.1-inch display has a native resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels, while the rest of the feature set is at least partially similar to that of rival products (memory card reader, USB, WiFi, etc.).

Also, again like rival products, the Iconia Tab has two webcams, one at the front (2 megapixels) for video chats and the like, plus a stronger one (5 megapixels) at the back, for photo and video shooting.

The product should enter Rogers' product collection sometime during the ongoing third quarter or in the fourth quarter, or so reports say.

  Considering that October is expected to bring NVIDIA's Kal-El Tegra 3 and the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer 2, sooner is more likely than later.

New iPhone 5 Single-Sheet Metal Design Leaked in Patent Filing - Report

If one Australian news report is to be believed, Apple has just shot itself in the foot regarding the design particularities of the iPhone 5, by leaking documents pertaining to the handset in a patent filing.

The patent in question was lodged 12 months after the launch of the iPhone 4, according to smarthouse.com.au, which quotes executives from IP Australia as saying "It would be most unusual for any Company to lodge an application for a patent after the launch of a new product. This appears to be for a new product."

The move is tied to the ongoing debacle between Apple and Korea-based electronics vendor Samsung over the design similarities between their portables.

After being filed by lawyers representing Apple Computer Inc the US, the documents appear to be seeking a patent approval in Australia for a device described as a ‘hand held computing device.’

Those who are reportedly privy to the contents of these papers said the patent description mentions a device manufactured from “a single sheet of metal,” according to the report.

The site provides no external sources whatsoever to corroborate this information.

Readers will take these claims for what they are, as single-sheet-of-metal can mean anything from a unibody design (currently employed by a number of Apple products), to a redesigned antenna.

The Australian paper has Apple claiming that their application is for a device that is not only lighter, but also thinner “than previous Apple devices,” which falls in line with recent rumors (quite conveniently, may we add).

Had this story been based on wording only, there would be enough reason to cast doubt on the Australian report.

However, they also mention actual drawings attached to the patent application which, according to the original piece, “indicate an iPhone type device that has a bezel edge.”

That, of course, wouldn’t be too hard to figure out just by glancing on Apple’s existing marketing materials.

Also pretty unfortunate is that they don't actually post the imagery in question.

The report adds that Apple uses the patent application to detail a number of problems (perhaps they meant to say 'difficulties') associated with the manufacturing process of the device.

Nintendo apologizes to early adopters for 3DS price cut

Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata has apologized to early adopters of his company's 3DS portable for dropping its price so soon after launch.

"In the past, there have been price drops for video game systems some time after their release in order to broaden the user base further," Iwata wrote in a letter posted to his company's Web site and translated by Giant Bomb. "However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release."

According to Iwata (Google Translate page), the price drop was due to the company's desire to reassure "software creators and those on the retail side that are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad user base.
"
Last week, Nintendo announced that it would drop the price of its 3DS worldwide. In the U.S., consumers will find the portable, which allows users to play games in 3D without the need for special glasses, on sale for $169.99 starting on August 12. The 3DS launched with a price tag of $249.99.

By dropping the 3DS price right now, Nintendo is risking upsetting early adopters that bought the portable at its higher price. And in Iwata's letter, he acknowledged that.

"We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginning may feel betrayed and criticize this decision," he wrote.

"Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us," he continued. "We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early."

But Nintendo is going to try. The company has said that those who own a 3DS prior to the price drop and log on to the 3DS eShop before August 12 will receive 20 free games as part of its Ambassador Program. According to the company, 10 of the titles will come from its library of Virtual Console NES games, including Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. The other 10 games will be Virtual Console Game Boy Advance titles, including Super Mario Advance 3 and Wario.

Offering freebies to customers following a quick price drop is by no means unprecedented, and in the past, has worked quite well for companies. One of the most notable examples was Apple's decision in 2007 to offer early adopters a $100 store credit after the company dropped the price of its original iPhone $200 just a couple months after it launched.

"Even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price," Apple CEO Steve Jobs Wrote at the time. "Our early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments like these."

For Nintendo, there is a lot riding on the 3DS price drop, considering the portable's less-than-stellar sales record. During the company's first fiscal quarter ended June 30, Nintendo sold just 710,000 3DS units worldwide. In the U.S., the company sold only 110,000 3DS units during the period.

The letter was posted to Nintendo’s Japanese website — here’s the full translation courtesy of GameInformer:

    To Those Customers Who Bought A Nintendo 3DS Before The Price Change


    Greetings, everyone. This is Satoru Iwata from Nintendo.


    Thank you very much for purchasing a Nintendo 3DS.


    We have just announced a price drop for the Nintendo 3DS system effective on August 11 [August 12 in North America].


    In the past, there have been price drops for video game systems some time after their release in order to broaden the user base further. However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release.


    We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginning may feel betrayed and criticize this decision.


    This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS. We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.


    If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.


    Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us. We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early. Still, we would like to offer the following as a sign of our appreciation to you.


    [3DS Ambassador program details]


    We feel a strong responsibility to develop the 3DS as a platform — to ensure that, in the end, everyone is satisfied; we will make every effort to do so.


    Additionally, we know everyone is waiting for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. They are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively, so we ask for your patience until then.


    Thank you again, and we look forward to your continued support.

About Nintendo 3DS Games

Nintendo 3DS Overview

New Rhythm Heaven and 3DS Lead the Charts in Japan

The Nintendo 3DS might be going through a rough patch at the moment, as seen by the fact that the company is set to slash the price significantly to make customers more interested, but the device continues to do very well in Japan where it has managed to top the video game hardware sales chart yet again.

The Nintendo handheld has sold 31,826 units during the week that ended on July 24, according to the figures compiled by Japanese tracking firm Media Create, which is about 15,000 less than it has managed during the previous seven-day period.

Meanwhile second place was locked up by the PlayStation Portable from Sony, which managed to sell 26,854 units, while the last place on the podium predictably went to the PlayStation 3 which moved 23,343 consoles to players.

The Wii has again had a pretty weak time, though not as bad as some weeks during the early part of the year, selling 17,114 units while the various members of the DSi family are hovering around the 5,000 units sales mark.

The PSP Go refuses to die and has managed to sell 14 devices.

When it comes to video games, the big performer of the week has been newcomer Everyone's Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo Wii, which managed to sell 118,173 units during its first week on store shelves.

The Capcom published Capcom’s Sengoku Basara Chronicle Heroes for the PlayStation Portable also did well during its first week and managed to get 82,798 copies to eager players while No More Heroes: Red Zone Edition captured third spot with 40,313 units sold.

The rest of the top ten is made up of Inazuma Eleven Strikers, Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2011, Taiko Drum Master Portable DX, Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2011, Noora and the Time Studio: The Witch of the Misty Forest, Alice Madness Returns and Wii Sports Resort.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G Coming Soon to TELUS

Although Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G tablet will reach Canadian shores this summer, the Korean handset manufacturer has yet to announce the exact release date of the device.

However, it appears that TELUS has picked the tablet, as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G is now listed on the carrier's “Coming Soon” webpage, which means that its launch is imminent.

There's no information regarding the tablet's price options yet, but customers who wish to purchase it should know that the Wi-Fi version is going for $499.99.

As the name suggests, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G features an impressive 10.1-inch touchscreen display with resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels.

This is TELUS’ first 4G tablet and can be purchased with the Tablet Flex Plan, which provides customers with cost certainty and usage flexibility, without unexpected overage fees.

The tablet is equipped with a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and is powered by Google's Android 3.1 Honeycomb operating system.

Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G is thinner (8.6mm) and lighter (600g, battery included) than an average tablet, and features a sleek form factor with allows for impressive power and mobility.

In addition, the tablet comes with Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz UX user interface and offers users a wide range of rich multimedia features, refined multitasking capabilities, customized user interface options, unique Samsung Hub services, integrated Office programs and more.

With full support for Adobe Flash 10.2, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G makes it easier for users to stay connected while on the go within TELUS' 4G network.

TELUS Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 TELUS sports a 3.0-megapixel photo snapper with LED flash and video recording capabilities (720p HD), as well as a secondary 2.0-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls.

The tablet packs 16GB of internal memory and 1GB of RAM, but lacks a microSD card slot for memory expansion.

Motorola ATRIX 4G Tastes Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Mobile phone maker Motorola Mobility has just started to deliver a new software update for the Motorola ATRIX 4G smartphone, bringing it up to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The software update is now available for download from Motorola, after being pushed out to beta testers only a few days ago.

According to Motorola, ATRIX 4G owners who would like to upgrade their devices to the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS flavor should connect to a WiFi network for that.

The download will be performed only via the WiFi network. As soon as the handset loses WiFi connectivity, the download will pause, and will be resumed only when the connectivity is restored.

The list of changes in the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the Motorola ATRIX can be found at the bottom of this article.

The new update will arrive on all devices that sport software Blur_Version.4.1.83.MB860.ATT.en.US. The update will bring firmware version Blur_Version.4.5.91.MB860.ATT.en.US to smartphones.

Before kicking off the update process, users should make sure that their handsets are fully charged. They would also need to have a microSD memory card inside the device, with at least 200 MB of free space.

Android 2.2 should also be on the device. The entire software update should be completed in about 25 minutes, Motorola notes.

Motorola also notes that optimal performance is ensured for handsets that were not modified in any way.

Before starting the update process, users should also have a look at the release notes, available on Motorola's support website.

As soon as the new software update is made available for a specific device, a notification will pop-up on the ATRIX 4G. After connecting to a WiFi network, users can hit the download button to get the software.

Users can also perform manual searches for the new software update through heading to Menu->Settings->About phone-> System updates.

The new upgrade for the Motorola ATRIX 4G on AT&T's airwaves includes:

- Enhancements to the picture Gallery allow you to aggregate all your photos, your friends’ photos and photo comments from social networking and photo sites like Facebook and Picasa in one place for easy viewing

- Enhancements so your Music player is now connected to a dashboard for music discovery. Plus, easy access to all your favorite artists, live, personalized recommendations for songs & videos and news and event updates

- Updated user interface with simpler home screen design, including shift to use of white backgrounds in menus, enabling better viewing experience

- Enhancement that enables easy access to favorite apps at bottom of each screen

- Enhancement that helps you personalize and categorize favorite apps into groups so you can be more efficient

- Enhancement that provides access to social content in one place so you can find out what is happening around you. You can use Yelp reviews and Facebook check-ins to find out what others are recommending

- Enhancement to webtop application includes Firefox 4.0 so you can browse faster than Browsing with previous versions of Firefox

- Enhancement that now enables HD Video Playback in 1080p for better viewing experience

- Create groups for multiple recipient emails so you can communicate faster Emails

- One touch conference Enhancement that makes it easier to dial-in to conference bridges while you’re call access on-the-go

- Enhancement that makes it easier to create, edit & delete tasks, and to assign priorities and reminders

- Enhancements to business ready security features so you can get more work done on-the-go which includes robust VPN, device and SD card encryption, device management via 3rd party console and remote wipe capability

- Enhancement that enables you to dismiss notifications one at a time.

iPod touch 5G White Digitizer Leaked (Unconfirmed)

A purported next-generation iPod touch component has surfaced in photos that should lend more credibility to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who recently checked with Apple’s partners and allegedly learned that Cupertino was launching a White iPod touch.

There is little doubt that Apple will, at some point, refresh the iPod touch line.

Even though iPods generally don’t sell all that well anymore, iTouch sales continue to climb

Admittely not generating a steap curve in the company’s quarterly earning charts, the iPod touch is still a popular device, not only for consuming music and videos, but also for gaming, and browsing the web.

As such, those iOS SDK findings we reported back in June - that seemed to indicate the existence of a new iPod touch - may hold some water after all.

According to an AppleInsider report that hit the wires earlier today, Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo checked with “industry” sources and (somehow) concluded that Apple was, indeed launching a new iPod touch
The device, however, will not feature any considerable hardware alterations, Kuo said, but merely aesthetic enhancements.

Kuo said Apple’s new iPod touch will be White, much like the White iPhone 4 -  the same smartphone Apple launched in June last year, only with a different paint job done.

It is being speculated that a White iPod touch would help boost sales of the existent A4-powered media player.

More recently, a component identified by the iFixYouri iPhone repair shop as a digitizer component of the next-gen iPod touch has emerged in pictures.

Whether or not it’s fake will be decided later on, but it’s worth pointing out to, in light of these recent reports.

Moreover, Apple has both the iPhone and the iPad in ebony and ivory. Why not the iPod touch as well?.

MacBook Airs Drop to $749 on Apple Deals

A refurbished New MacBook Air with a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor originally released in October 2010 goes for an affordable $749 through Apple’s Special Deals section, Softpedia has found. Other similar (if not more attractive) offers are available as well.

With Apple introducing new MacBook Air systems to market, we thought it would be a good idea to see whether or not the refurbished MBAs selling through Apple Special Deals had experienced any price alterations.

And sure enough, they did. You can now buy the ultra-thin 11-inch notebook with 2GB memory, 64GB of flash storage, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics for just $749, a $250 price drop from the original retail price.

Of course, the newly-upgraded MacBook Airs don’t cost more than their predecessors, so the value of this 2010 notebook is implicitly diminished as well.

In other words, this is not a $250 deal anymore. But a deal is still a deal.

Also discounted by $250 is a 11-inch MacBook Air with 128GB of storage.

Now, there is yet another deal that promises to slash not $250, but $300 off the purchase of a new MacBook Air.

A third system with a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor currently costs $999.

Originally released October 2010 alongside the two aforementioned configurations, this MacBook Air has a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 2GB of memory, 128GB of flash storage, and the same NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics solution.

About Apple refurbished productsApple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned products that undergo Apple's stringent refurbishment process, prior to being offered for sale. They are returned under Apple's Return and Refund Policies.

While only some units are brought back because of technical issues, all of them undergo the company's rigorous quality-refurbishment process.

Service and support include 90 days of telephone support and a one-year warranty. You have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for your refurb, while shipping is free in the US. 

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Wow! $30,000 White iPhone 4 Launched by Gresso

The Swiss handset manufacturer Gresso, specialized in luxury mobile phones, has just announced the availability of its luxurious white iPhone 4 clone dubbed iPhone4 Lady Blanche.

The handset is available for purchase online and at authorized Gresso retailers and can be ordered for no less than $30,000.

iPhone4 Lady Blanche is part of the iPhone4 Time Machine collection, which was released by Gresso in early June 2011. The collection includes two models, Diamonds with white diamonds and Crystals with Swarovski crystals.

Aimed at women, the luxurious mobile phone features three independent Swiss clockworks with a 10-year movement reserve on the rear panel. The clocks indicate time in New-York, Paris and Moscow.

In addition, three decorative pearl dials are decorated with white diamonds of 0.01 carats each or with Swarovski crystals, depending on the model.

According to Gresso, iPhone4 Lady Blanche was manufactured by hand and the company applied a floating diamonds technique specific to jewel crafting.

It appears that the secret of this special technique is that the number of diamonds and Swarovski crystals in iPhone4 Lady Blanche should always be odd.

Furthermore, Gresso created a special body for this particular model, which allows the diamonds and Swarovski crystals to freely move inside the decorative dials.

The back panel of the handset is framed in solid diamond-coated mineral glass, while the clockworks' accuracy have been tested several hundreds hours.

Although the release date for the Gresso iPhone4 Lady Blanche is unclear, the company stated the phone would be available on the market some time in 2011.

However, the luxurious mobile phone will be issued in limited numbers and will be available only after pre-order via Gresso's webstore.

The cheaper version of the white iPhone 4 with diamonds, the iPhone4 Lady Blanche Crystals will be issued in only 150 units and will be priced at $7,000.

RIM Releases BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.7

Owners of a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PC from Canadian handset vendor Research In Motion now have a new flavor of the BlackBerry Tablet OS available for download for their devices, namely version 1.0.7.

The new operating system iteration was made available for users today, with a variety of enhancements and improvements included into the mix.

Among them, we can count support for a number of 15 new languages, including: Basque, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Galician, Hungarian, Bahasa Indonesia, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese Brazilian, Portuguese European, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, and Turkish.

The release notes for the new OS flavor show:

- Enhanced Support for Saving Attachments – The BlackBerry Bridge app offers you more flexibility around where and how you save attachments for viewing and editing. You can now save an attachment to a removable SD card, or to your BlackBerry smartphone’s internal flash memory.

- ZIP Attachment Support – The BlackBerry Bridge app now gives you access to ZIP files received as an email attachment. While bridged, you can now download a zip file from an email to your smartphone SD card and then extract compressed contents for viewing or editing on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

- Portrait Support in Pictures App – With BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.7, pictures that you’ve taken with your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or transferred from your PC can now be viewed in either portrait or landscape formats for the layout that best fits your needs.

- Pinch to Zoom in Video App – Use the pinch gesture to zoom in on the finer details of your favorite video content, just like you would with a website or picture today – all while the video continues to play.

Those who would like to download and install the new OS version on their tablet PCs should know that the process can be done over the air.

Users who purchase a new device will be automatically upgraded to the BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.7 as part of their device setup process.

As soon as the new OS flavor is available for download, existing BlackBerry PlayBook tablet users will be informed on its availability and will be prompted to download and install it. The notification will appear on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet status ribbon.

At the same time, the mobile phone maker announced that users can also perform manual checks to see whether the new software is available for their devices or not. This can be done from the Settings Menu under Software Updates.

Sony Ericsson Xperia active Now on Pre-Order in the UK

Last month, mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson announced the release of two new handsets running under Google's Android operating system, the Xperia active and Xperia ray, and the former is now available for pre-order in the UK via various retailers in the country.

The smartphone can be seen on Play.com here, with a price tag of £229.99 attached to it, and with a possible release date set for September 9th.

Those who would like to make sure that the new device will be in their hands too when made available for purchase in September should head over to the retailer to reserve one unit in advance.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia active comes with a compact and rugged form factor, while running under Google's latest operating system flavor, Gingerbread.

The mobile phone comes with a fast 1GHz application processor inside, is waterproof, and can easily prove a great option for all those who live an active lifestyle.

“With a 3" screen and running the latest Android platform for smartphones (Gingerbread 2.3), the phone packs Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a 5mp camera with HD video functionality, and a powerful 1Ghz processor,” the retailer notes.

“Xperia active is dust proof and water resistant and uniquely incorporates wet finger tracking, to ensure the phone works perfectly when either the screen or a user's fingers are wet.”

It would also deliver support for a wide range of Google Mobile services, as well as for applications available for download via the Android Market.

Moreover, the mobile phone was loaded with sports apps to offer users the possibility to easily track their fitness levels.

“Users can set their ideal training route using the built-in GPS, Barometer and Compass. On-screen heart rate and pulse can be monitored in realtime (enabled by ANT+ wireless networking technology), while the iMapMyFitness app can monitor day to day performance,” the company continues.

At the same time, the new handset comes with Facebook inside Xperia, so that users can also stay connected at all times with their friends over the social networking site.

How to Boost Speed Up Your Galaxy S II Usage

Samsung's Galaxy S II is one of the most appealing mobile phones that arrived on shelves with Google's Android operating system on board, with over 3 million units sold in less than two months after its official release.

The handset comes with powerful and fast 1.2GHz application processor inside, complemented by 1GB of RAM, and can deliver increased performance levels, but there is always room for more, that's for sure.

Whether it involves typing on this device, or killing applications to improve battery life, various tricks can easily make the high-end device an even more appealing smartphone.

For example, when the battery is drained faster than it should, users can easily fire up the task manager by holding the homescreen button, where they are able to kill apps that they no longer need to be running.

Also very important on a powerful smartphone like Galaxy S II is the fast access to applications, simplified in a way through the option of selecting the four apps that will have shortcuts displayed at the bottom of the homescreen.

These shortcuts can be easily reassigned to different applications, by tapping on applications at the bottom-right corner, then hitting the physical menu button. Thus, all apps on the handset can be reorganized.

Also for fast access, users can set up a number of seven homescreens on Galaxy S II, each with its own set of applications, organized as users would consider them best fitted.

Moreover, some of the widgets that Samsung loaded on the device enable users to enlarge them a bit, so as to display more info than a regular-size icon would do.

To resize a widget, one would simply have to tap and hold without moving it. Of course, not all widgets would allow resizing.

To easily move between the said seven screens, users can either swipe to the left or right, or pitch the screen to an overview of all of them.

Typing speed on Galaxy S II can also be speed up, through using the Swype keyboard that was loaded on the handset right from the start. When the keyboard appears, users can tap on the settings ‘cog’ in the corner, and then select Swype as the input method.

I hope this tips and tricks can Boost  Speed Up Your Galaxy S II Usage
Try and enjoy it now! :D

Photo of Sprint's Samsung Galaxy S II Emerges

Samsung's Galaxy S II seems set to become the most popular Android-powered mobile phone on the market for the ongoing year, but its lack of presence on the United States market at the moment might not help it at all.

However, it seems that it should not be too long before wireless carriers in the US add it to their offerings as well, although nothing was officially announced on the matter for the time being.

Sprint is one of the operators that will make the handset available on its airwaves soon, and a leaked photo with the same phone, supposedly called Within, is already available for your viewing pleasure.

What the said image brings forth is the phone's back cover, where Samsung's logo can be clearly seen next to Sprint's.

The 8-megapixel photo snapper that can be seen in the image and the texture also come as a confirmation of the fact that we are indeed looking at the Galaxy S II and not another smartphone out there.

The smartphone was rumored to be on its way to the market on Sprint's airwaves as the Galaxy Within, but nothing was confirmed on the matter for the time being.

Apparently, Galaxy S II might be set to land on the market in the US in a matter of days or weeks, and should run under Google's Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread OS flavor right from the start.

Previously, other wireless carriers in the United States were also rumored to be adding the smartphone to their offerings, but not official confirmation on that emerged either.

Galaxy S, the predecessor of this year's flagship Android-based handset, was launched in the United States via all major carriers in the country, and landed at regional operators as well.

Hopefully, Samsung will announce more on the matter in the near future, so stay tuned to learn additional details on this.

Samsung Chooses VIA over Qualcomm for DROID Charge's CDMA Chip

South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics has reportedly decided to use a VIA Telecom chip for ensuring the CDMA radios on its DROID Charge handset instead of launching the smartphone with a chipset coming from Qualcomm.

The DRIOD Charge is Samsung's Android-based smartphone that landed on shelves at Verizon Wireless in the United States only a few months ago.

According to a recent report from DigiTimes, Samsung's move might be the beginning of an assault on Qualcomm's lead on the CDMA markets in the country and in other areas of the world.

At the moment, the DROID Charge is said to include both the said CDMA chipset from VIA, as well as a series of proprietary components from Samsung, such as the baseband chip for 4G LTE radios.

“We have been following Samsung's decision-making closely for some time, and we see a trend towards using suppliers from closer to home, in the East-Asia region,” James Mielke, ABI Research VP of Engineering, stated.

“For example, the RF for both CDMA and LTE in this phone is supplied by Korea-based vendor FCI,” he continued.

The research firm believes that Samsung's decision to adopt another chip for one of its high-end devices would be a significant shift in component sourcing strategy.

Chances are that Samsung would not include the VIA chipset only in the CDMA devices that it plans on releasing on the United States market, but that it would make a similar move for all handsets it launching with this 3G standard on board.

“While the choice of VIA Telecom is not critical if restricted to this one model, if a similar switch away from Qualcomm chipsets occurred across all Samsung's CDMA phone models, it would represent a real challenge to the market's status quo,” Mielke added.

However, Samsung did not offer specific info on the matter, and chances are that DROID Charge would be the only handset it released on shelves with VIA components inside, though it remains to be seen whether new similar devices are on the pipe as well.

iPhone 5 May Launch August 16, Job Listing Indicates

Apple has chosen Gekko Ltd. to hire people who possess advanced user experience of iPhone for “an exciting project” between 16th August - 29th October within “key retail stores”.

The job listing, spotted by Cnet.co.uk, should indicate that 16 August - 29 October is the timeframe during which Apple’s iPhone 5 should make its debut.

Cupertino may have avoided to post an ad on its Jobs at Apple site, knowing how the tech media has its eyes on that section 24/7 seeking clues as to what the Mac maker is up to next.

But that didn’t stop Gekko Ltd. from posting their own job advertisement that says “Our client, Apple … [is] seeking full time iPhone Sales Staff for an exciting project to work 5 days a week (Tuesday-Saturday) for the period 16th August - 29th October within key retail stores.”

Gekko is known to have worked with Apple before.

The ideal candidate will have experience of selling / promoting mobile phones. They should possess advanced user experience of iPhones and a passion and keen interest in Apple products, according to the list of requirements.

Thus person needs to be sales driven and target oriented, and must exercise great communication skills, as well as be enthusiastic, confident, and a reliable individual.

Responsibilities include:

· Work closely alongside both management and staff within the store to generate and grow iPhone sales to ensure sales targets are met.

· By providing a first class custmer service experience, delivering passionate and knowledgeable product sales demonstrations you will aim to capture the hearts and minds of potential customers, allowing them to see how our client’s products and services can fit in to their lifestyle.

· Integrate within the store’s team to build working relationships through training and motivational activities.

· Ensure the Apple area within the store is effectively merchandised to the standard required in order to create a strong retail presence.

· Complete comprehensive daily reports and provide valuable weekly insights into performance and potential opportunities within your designated store.

Perhaps one of the most important requirements, in order to be considered for the iPhone Sales Staff, the applicant must be able to “commit to the period of the campaign.”

This wording alone should indicate that Apple is planning something big in the August  - October timeframe, and if this isn’t enough indication for Apple’s plans to sell a hot new iPhone model, we don’t know what is.

Those who are accepted will begin a 4 day training course between August 9 - 12 in the London area.

Samsung Galaxy Gio Coming to Bell in August

It appears that Bell plans to release one of the Galaxy family mid-range Android smartphones, the Galaxy Gio sometime in August.

Unveiled earlier this year at the 2011 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung Galaxy Gio hit shelves in May.

According to the guys over at MobileSyrup, the handset is en route to Bell and will make its debut in Canada next month.

There is no information regarding the phone's price options, but the latest rumors say that the Galaxy Gio might be picked by Virgin Mobile as well.

Samsung Galaxy Gio will face a fierce competition on Canadian shores, as many Android devices in the same price range are already available on the market, including INQ Cloud Touch, LG Optimus One and HTC Wildfire S.

Although the phone is powered by Google's Android 2.2 (Froyo) platform, multiple unofficial ROMs that allow users to upgrade to Gingerbread are already available in the wild.

Furthermore, the Galaxy Gio is equipped with a single core Qualcomm QCT MSM7227-1 Turbo processor clocked at 800 MHz.

With only 158 MB of internal memory, potential customers should buy an extra microSD memory card, though the phone is delivered with a 2GB memory card in the sales package.

The phone also sports an average 3-megapixel camera with autofocus, geo-tagging, smile detection and video recording capabilities (QVGA@15fps).

The Galaxy Gio comes with a mid-size 3.2-inch multi-touch capacitive display with 16 million colors support and 320 x 480 pixels resolution, as well as accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate and proximity sensor for auto turn-off.

The handset does not feature a secondary front-facing camera for video calls, instead it offers HSDPA (7.2 Mbps) and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, including Wi-Fi hotspot capability.

The phone's standard 1350 mAh Li-Ion battery should provide up to 610 hours (460 hours for 3G) of standby time or up to 11 hours (7 hours for 3G) of talk time.