Samsung Wave: 3.3-inch Super AMOLED, Bada OS, 1GHz CPU, no Multitouch

February 14, 2010 1:54 PM ⋅

Another smartphone. And Samsung’s Bada OS debut. The Samsung Wave is the first entry into the Bada OS spectrum, where Samsung plans for the Wave to be open to everyone and anyone. And of course what is a smartphone without killer specs? Sammy made sure that the Wave comes in as a tsunami, and that’s where the 1GHz CPU comes in, then a 3.3-inch “Super AMOLED” touchscreen that allows you to actually use it in sunlight, but contains no multitouch; TouchWIZ UI 3.0 is in the new and fresh Bada OS, which allows up to 10 homescreens, and SocialHub for managing all of your email and social media accounts in one window. Other specs include, a 5 megapixel camera, aGPS, accelerometer, 802.11n Wi-Fi, 2GB or 8GB of storage space, microSD expansion slot, multi-codec support for DivX, XviD, MP3 and WMV, and support for virtual 5.1 surround sound and 720p recording / decoding. Samsung Apps will be your main app store if you’re wondering, and full Flash support is also present, which will be available in over 50 countries. So far the Wave isn’t really a tsunami, but it does pack in some great features to consider. Case in point: we’re skeptical. PR after the jump. Oh, and look for it sometime in April.

Read More →

Posted in: Breaking, Mobile, Samsung ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Leaked Nexus One firmware upgrade might solve 3G issues

February 14, 2010 11:13 AM ⋅

For those of who still have spotty 3G reception on the Nexus One, there’s some hope. A leaked firmware upgrade that possibly fixes this once and for all. Although there’s a catch: it’s uses Google Maps 3.4, which is the version where Google Buzz isn’t around. You wouldn’t want that, would you? So in the meantime you’ll have to wait until Google (hopefully) brings everything together and issues — another update. Although if you are the tinkering type, the XDA Developers have the update ready for you at the source link. And of course you could brick your shiny N1, so…

[XDA Forums via Engadget]

Read More →

Posted in: HTC, Mobile ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Project Pink “Turtle” phone seen at the FCC

February 13, 2010 4:31 PM ⋅

Of the two Project Pink phones that were humorously leaked in December, the Pure and Turtle, a turtle-shaped phone with a round keyboard and shell seems to be the first handset seen and approved by the FCC. Since it is a Microsoft/Danger-designed phone and the speculated replacement for the Sidekick, then you would think it would be produced by Sharp, which is the current manufacturer of the aging Sidekick. In a search of the FCC’s Authorized Equipment database, Sharp is revealed to have been authorized for a CDMA-based handset, which an FCC label matches the renderings leaked last year. With all of these details uncovered, and info from large media like WSJ and CNET, you can be sure that these “teen smartphones” will be used soon enough.

[Via wmpoweruser and Zune Boards]

Read More →

Posted in: Mobile, News, Rumors ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

App Store Hits 150,000 Apps, 75% of It Will Cost You

February 13, 2010 3:49 PM ⋅

Apple’s App Store has reached the 150,000 apps milestone this week. As the world’s largest (and best) mobile application store, the iPhone and iPod Touch have access to over 27,000 books and over 28,000 games, which have generated over 3 billion downloads since its launch in July of 2008. Back in December of ’08, O’Reilly examined the App Store, and found that 22% of the then small 10,000 applications were provided for free by the developers. Now things have changed nearly 2 years later.

According to analytics company Distimo, the App Store’s 150,000 app catalog has a ratio of 75% paid apps to only 25% free apps; compare that to the open-source and rapidly growing Android Market, and you’ll find a ratio of 60% paid to 40% free. And if you remember (maybe if you read LaptopMemo), at the January 27th iPad announcement, Steve Jobs told the media that the App Store contained over 140,000 apps. That extra 10,000 came within 16 days of the original announcement.

Read More →

Posted in: Apple, Did You Know?, News ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , ,

How Many Oranges Does it Take to Charge An Apple iPhone?

February 13, 2010 3:33 PM ⋅

How many Jaffa oranges does it take to charge an Apple? I won’t spoil anything juicy for you, but I will say that you’ll probably want to eat more than a whole bag of oranges, and you will be taken back in amazement. The absolutely brilliant video is after the break, as usual. [Via Daily iPhone Blog]

Read More →

Posted in: Apple ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Samsung’s S8500 Wave with Bada OS caught in the wild with specs

February 13, 2010 10:54 AM ⋅

Yes, everyone. Another phone, another phone OS. Samsung’s new Bada OS is so far exclusive to the S8500 Wave, the first Bluetotth 3.0 phone. Bluetooth wasn’t exactly in the list of leaked specs, but we can at least suppose 2.0 is onboard. Specs for this newcomer are a 3.3 inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, 720p video, DivX support, 2GB internal memory with microSD expansion, HSDPA connectivity, Wi-Fi, 1 GHz processor, 3.5mm headphone jack, a sleek aluminum body, 1500 mAh battery, and the Bada OS with Touchwiz 3.0 UI. For now we’ll have to wait to get the full list of specs, availability, Bada OS performance, and price. The good news is all of that will be in the limelight next week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

Read More →

Posted in: Leaks, Mobile, Samsung ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

WSJ: Windows Mobile 7 to be announced at MWC 2010, Project Pink phones to arrive in Spring

February 12, 2010 7:40 PM ⋅

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Windows Mobile 7 will indeed be launching at the Mobile World Congress 2010 on Monday.They have also confirmed that Steve Ballmer will head the show, and that WM7 will borrow a Zune-like UI, which would bring life and style to the aging and boring OS. As for the Project Pink, phones they will not make an appearance at MWC, and instead will be released sometime in Spring to replace the T-MObile Sidekick line. Project pink phones will be directed at teens and will launch on Verizon Wireless and Vodafone. As usual, not bad WSJ.

Read More →

Posted in: Microsoft, Windows Phone ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

Exclusive: HTC Lineup For MWC Is “Incredible”? Apple “beware”??

February 12, 2010 1:29 PM ⋅

While searching for juicy tidbits on HTC’s upcoming product line (the HTC Legend, Incredible, Bravo, and Supersonic) I stumbled across an interesting tweet by @claudineb of The Daily Telegraph. Although it does make sense that there would be an embargo, if you say the words “Apple beware” then something is brewing inside HTC? Not only that but in the slide after the jump you’ll see she says, “It’s not an iPhone killer per say, but brings some lovely, well-implemented new ideas to the table that Apple should take note of.” If Apple should take notes then it’s for more than one phone, right?

Any tipsters that want to come forth please do so now. [Thanks! Claudine]

Read More →

Posted in: Exclusive, HTC, Leaks ⋅ Tagged: , , , , , , ,

HP Compaq Airlife 100 is the Android Netbook You’ve Always Wanted

February 12, 2010 10:18 AM ⋅

I wouldn’t buy it, but you would, wouldn’t you? The HP Compaq Airlife 100 is probably the most exciting computer HP Compaq has ever created. With a keyboard, 10.1-inch touchscreen, runs Android  (looks like 1.6 Donut), 16GB SSD, Wi-Fi, a 3G connection which will be on the Telefónica network in Spain, an SD card slot, and a camera. It’s probably a top pick for iPad-haters. The only small problem is that it only is going to be in HP Spain for now, but when (and if) if comes to the US, you’ll probably see the Mini branding, which isn’t a bad thing actually. [SlashGear]

Posted in: Android, Netbooks ⋅ Tagged: , , , ,

A Mosquito…Taken Down By the Death Star Laser Gun

February 12, 2010 9:32 AM ⋅

In the video at the link below you’ll soon be seeing a sorry mosquito that gets killed by the “Death Star Laser Gun”. At this year’s Technology, Entertainment and Design conference, Nathan Myhrvold demonstrated the Death Star Laser Gun by killing one of these little pests.

The laser gun tracks down and kills mosquitoes, and was created from parts on eBay to quell mosquitoes that cause malaria in places mainly like Africa. As Myhrvold explained, a child dies every 49 seconds from malaria, and right now his team is trying to find out ways to make this more cost-effective. The laser used on stage was a green light, and not a real laser, for safety reasons, which isn’t lethal, but also displayed a video of this super weapon in action.  [Wired via Death Star Mosquito Zapper]

Posted in: Gadgets, News ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,