We’ve already posted that Palm (NSDQ: PALM) is working on the pink version of its successful Centro smartphone. Now we have a new piece of information suggesting that was more than a rumor. As a matter of fact, thanks to the SprintUsers.com forum member “TheRobin”, we have a high-quality promotional photo of the upcoming device — pictured above — and a not-that-exact release date – “sometime in January or February 2008.” If our previous source was right, Sprint (NYSE: S) and Palm will be launching the Centro in pink on January 13. We’ll see…

[Via: gadgetsonthego.net]

Just in time for the New Year’s eve, we have a new iPhone firmware version 1.1.3 leaked. As with the previous releases, the upcoming firmware update will kill your third-party apps and make your beloved device work with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s carrier of choice only. That means you should be careful when this update becomes alive, especially if you’re on a different carrier or if you care about your third-party apps.

And now the good things:

• The new firmware adds the ability to send an SMS message to multiple people
• Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps application can now pinpoint your location using cell tower triangulation, the so called “My Location” feature
• In addition, Google Maps can now display the Hybrid map view
• You can now drag and drop application icons on your home screen
• The home screen supports pagination
• You can now add web bookmarks to your home screen (very useful)

Finally, the release date — we’ve exact date, but some sources around the Web suggest it will be available starting from January 15. In the meantime, check out the short video demoing home screen pagination after the jump…

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File this under “yeah, right” but apparently the world’s most known iPhone clone will sport three, instead of a single button. According to the image above which is said to be the back of Meizu’s latest prototype, the M8 may distance itself from Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s handset. And while we’ve now idea how will this reflect in the final device design, a Meizu fan made that rendering in the corner of the image giving us a hint what could Chinese manufacturer do with three buttons.

Finally, it’s fair to say we welcome Meizu’s changes and are also hoping they will be tweaking their interface even more so they don’t get slammed by Apple’s legal department. We’ll see…

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

Frankly, we’re getting a little tired of people lauding the iPhone as the greatest thing since lithium-ion batteries. While Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Gears gets top honors in ComputerWorld’s Top 25 Most Innovative Products of 2007, Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iPhone grabs the No. 2 spot in this list.

While David Pogue gives the iPhone’s Visual Voicemail top-billing, ComputerWorld mentions that the iPhone’s multi-touch touchscreen display as the 2nd most innovative feature of 2007. The iPhone’s multi-touch touchscreen isn’t just a snazzy touchscreen, it’s a capacitance touchscreen. That means you don’t have to fumble around with pressure-sensitive laminated layers of plastic like so many touchscreen devices out there.

But, we feel that the multi-touch display and the Visual Voicemail feature work together to give a user experience that surpasses anything that either feature can give on their own. It’s hard to pin down the singularly most impressive feature on the iPhone, but if we absolutely had to, we’d have to say that web-surfing on the hugely beautiful multi-touch disply (powered with the Mobile Safari browser – which is amazing) is the best thing that the iPhone can do.

[Via: ComputerWorld]

We’ve seen our fair share of cool things this year – that’s 2007, in case you were confused. And, we’re sure David Pogue, the New York Times‘ tech columnist, has gotten hit mitts on more gadgets than we could ever hope to grope. With the year winding down Mr. Pogue has posted up a list of 2007’s most important features – “Pogies,” as he likes to call them.

So, what gadget-feature does David Pogue consider the “best” of 2007? Why, the iPhone’s signature Visual Voicemail feature, of course. Wading through voicemails by caller and playing individual messages at a whim is definitely a trick feature – it’s helped us avoid unwanted voicemails more than we can remember. Visual Voicemail puts the power of the voicemail inbox in the palm (NSDQ: PALM) of your hand, and in front of your eyes, as the case may be.

The iPhone just keeps racking up the consumer awards, and we have to agree that it’s the snazziest and most innovative gadgets of the year. It may not be the most feature-packed, but in terms of industry-changing, the iPhone is where it’s at.

What’s your favorite feature of 2007?

[Via: NYT]

Have Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s iPhone or any S60 powered Nokia (NYSE: NOK) made in the past few years? Well congratulations, you have an ARM processor in your pocket. With the first chips rolling off the line in 1985, Dr. Steve Furber had no idea his little architecture would pave the way for the millions of cellphones and other small portable electronics that get sold every week. Furber is being honors by the BBC this new year for his original ARM equipped device called the BBC Microcomputer.

Funny thing is, the processing power in your pocket now would have been considered a supercomputer back in ‘85. Steve recognizes this and says “the changes that we have seen over the last 30 years are small compared to what we will see in the next 30.”

I couldn’t agree with him more.

[Via: BBC]

Samsung is getting greedy when it comes to the Taiwanese handset market (and the world handset market, we might add). But as Gordon Gekko has said – “Greed is good!”

Anyway, Samsung will end this year with sales of 1.1 million mobile phones, surpassing its target of one million units. The good numbers obviously gave them wings to plan an increase in handset sales of more than 70% year-over-year. According to VP of the mobile communication unit at Samsung Taiwan, Scott Huan, the Korean giant plans to take up to a 25% share of the Taiwan mobile phones market with shipments totaling 1.8 million units in 2008.

And while that may seem as a way too ambitious goal, Samsung plans to accomplish its goals by launching at least two new handsets per month, with half of the new models being 3G handsets.

At the moment, the Korean handset manufacturer holds a third position in the country, and accounts for a 14.8% share in terms of unit sales and a 9.9% share in terms of sales value.

[Via: JampBLOG]

With the current dollar to euro exchange rate there was no point in me spending any money on electronic equipment in Finland. Low and behold I’m in the US for the next 2 and a half weeks and I took it upon myself to get an 8GB microSD card for my Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N82 since I already filled up my old 4GB unit. From the comfort of my bed I asked my Jaiku friends where I can buy one retail, Ricky the Symbian Guru said the Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Store and I knew there was one less than 3 miles away from my home.

Walked in, ask the lovely young girl if there are any 8GB microSD cards in stock, she brings one out for me from the back, I’m ecstatic that their SanDisk branded, she rings it up and $105.53 later here I am:

Where is the card?! I thought you would never ask:

It works just fine. You can grab the new theme I’m using from Zach over at Symbian in Motion.

How is the speed? Let us see how long it takes to move 3.5 GB of pirated Happy Hardcore and DNB music directly to the card via the full size SD adapter plugged into my Windows Vista Ultimate running Lenovo (OTCPK: LNVGY) ThinkPad’s T61 built in card reader:

I’m more than delighted. Highly recommended. 10/10

Update: Ricky asked me to post a screenshot of moving data to the card with it inside the N82 over USB. I don’t recommend you do this since it is mind blowingly slow:

Have a Nokia (NYSE: NOK) or some other Symbian S60 3rd edition powered smartphone? You’ll definitely want to go beyond the built-in Calendar application. There are few solutions available on the market, and Epocware’s Handy Calendar is one of best. Regularly it costs $39.95, but Handango is offering it for FREE, today only! This is a MUST download — go there and grab the app right away!

In addition, Handango is offering 25% discount on such apps as Fizz Weather 2.4 for Windows Mobile Smartphone, Pocket Informant 2007 for Windows Mobile Pocket PC, and Papyrus 1.3 for Symbian S60 based devices. Again, here’s the link!

Here’s something for the uber-rich who dig Motorola (NYSE: MOT) RAZR2. Amosu — the company that is known for making cool phone like the iPhone, LG Prada, Nokia N95 and Sony Ericsson W880i look even cooler — has created a new luxury version of Motorola’s thin clamshell. The so called RAZR2 V8 Luxury Diamond Edition phone costs a fortune and only 5 these will be produced. Not that more people can afford the luxury handset, it’s more to say “if you buy this, you’ll almost certainly be the only guy/girl in the room with it.” Then again, I guess all 5 buyers of this phone probably know each other, so this doesn’t hold water. Or does it?

[Via: MobileWhack]