IntoMobile » Hottest Hardware

Video: Hands-on the Samsung Behold II

Will Park — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:31:52 +0000

This holiday shopping season is dominated by Android. Smartphones running Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s mobile operating system are flooding the market, and we really couldn’t be happier. The latest Android smartphone to find its way into our eager hands is the Samsung Behold II. Just in time for the holidays, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) is offering the Samsung Behold II for $229.99 when purchased with new 2-year contract. It’s slightly pricier than the iPhone and the Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid, but with a sleek design and a quirky new 3D Cube UI, you might not mind shelling out the extra bucks for the Behold 2.

Unlike the original Samsung Behold, the Behold II sports Android 1.5 OS. It sports an impressive 5-megapixel camera (with LED-flash), 3G data, WiFi, GPS and microSD card slot. But, the one feature that outshines them all is the Behold 2’s 3.2-inch capacitive AMOLED touchscreen. The display doesn’t need a backlight, so it draws less power than traditional LCD displays, but manages to deliver a brighter, crisper, more color-rich picture.

The camera is a bit laggy, but serves up some impressively crisp and well-balanced pictures. The 3D Cube UI is quirky, to say the least. We’re sure some people will find it useful, but we just don’t see ourselves using it for more than just showing off to our friends. But, with a speedy browser and an incredible OLED display, the Behold II will more than make up for its confusing UI.

Enjoy the hands-on/unboxing gallery and video!

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Motorola Droid just $119 from Dell

Will Park — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:50:27 +0000

We love seeing hot new smartphones getting their price tags slashed mere weeks after its initial launch. The latest price reduction on the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid comes from Dell.com, making it possible to put a Droid in your pocket for just $119 and a 2-year contract with Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless. The deal also applies to contract extensions, so you don’t have to wait until you’re eligible for an upgrade to take advantage of the low price.

If you like high-tech smartphones and want an Android-powered handset, the Droid fits the bill perfectly. If you’re not sure that the Droid is for you, check out our hands-on impressions and video. Keep in mind that the Droid is so far the only Android smartphone to rock the new Google Maps Navigation app.

To recap: Dell is selling the Droid for $119 with new 2-year contract (or a contract extension for existing customers), and will even ship the handset to you for free via Fedex. That’s one “hot deal,” to be sure.

Dell’s $119 Motorola Droid

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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Priced at $860

Simon Sage — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:13:46 +0000

Ow, did anyone else feel like their wallet just got kicked in the crotch? At a Swedish press event, Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) revealed that their Android-powered X10 to be released in February will be costing 6,000 Swedish kroner (which works out to $US 860 at the current exchange rate). Even among high-end smartphones that’s pretty steep, and considering SE’s history with selling the xperia brand unlocked, odds are we won’t see X10 carrier-subsidized for awhile. We’ve seen the super-slick user interface built on top of Android, 8 megapixel camera, slim profile, 1 Ghz processor, and 4-inch display, but it is a very small niche that will shell out that kind of money for this device. Anyone out there unfazed by the pricetag?

[via WSJ]

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Amazon offers Palm Pixi for $25

Will Park — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:14:16 +0000

Cash-strapped webOS hopefuls and deal seekers alike, take note: Amazon is offering Sprint (NYSE: S)’s Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pixi for just $25. The entry-level webOS smartphone hasn’t been on market for more than a week and we’re already seeing the handset hovering dangerously close to “free with contract” territory. As it stands, Amazon will sell you the Palm Pixi for $24.99 when you purchase it with a new 2-year wireless contract through Sprint.

Remember, though, the Palm Pixi’s entry-level price comes with compromises. The 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen is smaller than the Palm Pre’s display. The 2-megapixel camera falls short of the Palm Pre’s 3-megapixel shooter. And, WiFi isn’t an option. Still, you get GPS, 3G data, 3.5mm headphone jack, and 8GB of onboard storage.

If that’s enough to get you to make the jump, here’s a link to Amazon’s $25 Palm Pixi.

Amazon’s $25 Palm Pixi

[Via: Engadget]

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Sony Ericsson X10 Confirmed for February Launch, Spied on Video

Simon Sage — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:11:46 +0000

Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) UK’s X10 launch page has spelled out their launch window in black and white: February is the month to hold out for. The most we got out of the announcement of SE’s impressive Android handset was an expected release in the first half of 2010, so it’s good to have that narrowed down a bit. The X10 promises to be the biggest, baddest Android handset out there – an 8 megapixel camera, 1 Ghz processor, and 4-inch WVGA display put it head and shoulders above the HTC Hero, and will give the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) droid a run for its money. Their custom Timescape user interface is exceptionally slick, all practicality aside. If you’re interested in a prerelease tour, check out this video.

[via Engadget, HDblog.it]

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The $30 Palm Pixi should make you seriously consider webOS

Will Park — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:37:20 +0000

The Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pixi is due to hit market on Sunday, November 15th. Following on the slider-style Palm Pre, the Palm Pixi will launch as Sprint (NYSE: S)’s second webOS-powered smartphone. It’ll feature the same touchscreen and gesture-support we first saw on the Palm Pre, but trades screen size for a slate-style QWERTY keyboard and does away with WiFi. Big Yellow will be asking $100 for the Pixi when purchased with new 2-year contract, but savvy webOS fans like you won’t have to pay full retail. LetsTalk.com is offering the Palm Pixi (with new contract) for just $30 on pre-order. If you’re willing to put up the money on pre-order and wait for the Pixi to ship to your door, this is one hot deal.

There’s a lot competition in the smartphone space right now. Android phones abound, and the iPhone is still going strong. webOS has yet to really hit it big in the US, but at just $30, the Palm Pixi makes a strong case for picking the webOS as your next smartphone platform of choice.

The Palm Pixi features a 2.6-inch capacitive touchscreen, 2-megapixel camera, GPS, 3G data, 3.5mm headphone jack, and 8GB of onboard storage. You don’t get WiFi, but as long as you’re within reach of Sprint’s network, you’ll get 3G data speeds. It’s a tradeoff that might be worth the discounted $30 entry fee.

Pre-order your Palm Pixi for $30 here.

[Via: Brighthand]

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Apple iPhone takes third place in Q3 global smartphone sales

Will Park — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:58:03 +0000

There’s no denying the almost magical draw of the iPhone and the world of good it’s done for Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s bottom line. A new report from Gartner today backs up that notion with data that has the Apple iPhone accounting for 17.1% of global smartphone sales in Q3 2009. That figure puts Apple in the No. 3 spot, behind Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Research In Motion (BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM)), as far as global smartphone market share.

Apple shipped some 7 million iPhones in the third quarter of 2009. The continued success of smartphones like the iPhone is fueled by a disproportionate growth in the mobile phone market that has the smartphone segment growing 12.8% year-on-year while the overall mobile phone segment languished with just 0.1% year-over-year growth.

It’s clear that smartphones are here to stay and will soon become the “norm” in the mobile space. Can Apple sustain its third-place position in the face of hot new smartphones running the Android operating system? It’s going to be a tough battle, and we can’t wait to watch it all unfold.

[Via: MacRumors]

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Nokia starts shipping the Nokia N900!

Will Park — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:21:58 +0000

The Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N900 inches closer to a retail launch today with Espoo’s announcement that they’ve started shipping their N900 to distributors and retailers. Nokia recently missed its initial October 2009 window for shipping the N900, so today’s announcement is great news for fans of the N900’s 3.5-inch touchscreen, powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor, 5-megapixel Car Zeiss camera and Maemo 5 OS. Nokia says that the N900 will soon be available in retail stores with an estimated price-tag of €500 EUR. We had a chance to go hands-on with the N900, read up on our impressions here.

“The Nokia N900 has generated a lot of interest since its public launch in August, which has been reflected in the device preorders,” says Jose-Luis Martinez, Vice President, Nseries, Nokia. “What’s exciting is the Maemo software, which takes its cues from the desktop computer and offers a full browsing experience like no other handset. We believe the Nokia N900 will be a very compelling device for people who are passionate about technology.”

Nokia has officially announced that they’ll be launching a completely revamped Maemo 6 OS next year, which is expected to blow Maemo 5 out of the water, but won’t work with the N900. For some, that’s not going to stop them from picking up an N900 this year. Will you be picking up the N900 with Maemo 5?

Full press release after the break.

ESPOO, Finland, November 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The shipments of the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N900, Nokia’s latest mobile computer based on open source Maemo 5 software, have now started. The Nokia N900 will be available in retail stores in November with an estimated retail price of EUR 500, excluding sales taxes and subsidies.

At the heart of the Nokia N900 is its powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor and up to 1GB of total application memory. Users can browse the internet the way they would on any computer and keep dozens of application windows open simultaneously on the dashboard. The panoramic desktops in the Nokia N900 can be personalized with widgets, contacts and shortcuts. Pictures and videos taken with the 5Mpx Carl Zeiss camera automatically show where they were taken, and users can add their own description tags to make searching the photos even easier. SMS and instant messages are organized as chat flow and people can convenienty switch between the multiple conversation windows. The built-in 32 GB storage is big enough to store up to 7,000 songs or 40 hours of DVD-quality video, and it can be expanded up to 48GB with an external microSD card.

Nokia works closely with the developer community and has recently seen significant innovation happening with Maemo. As a result, people will be able to discover a wide range of games, utilities, themes, panoramic wallpapers and service plug-ins for photo-sharing and messaging for the Nokia N900 through Ovi Store and Maemo Select, starting later in the year. In October Nokia announced official Qt port to Maemo 5. This means developers can use Qt software to target the Nokia N900 and that applications can be easily ported to all Qt’s supported platforms including the next Maemo 6 release as well as Symbian.

The Nokia N900 will initially be available in Europe, Middle-East, Russia and North America. It is also possible to order the device from the Nokia Online Store: http://europe.nokia.com/buy-online

About Nokia

Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world’s leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways – fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

http://www.nokia.com

SOURCE Nokia Corporation

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Qik beta bringing high-res video streaming to Motorola Droid

Will Park — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:53:49 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid isn’t just the first Android phone to run the latest Android 2.0 OS, it’s also the first Android phone to record video in DVD-quality 720×480 resolution. Putting clarity and video-quality arguments aside for a second, the Motorola Droid’s video camera is as high-res as you can expect in a smartphone today. Qik, the real-time video streaming service, has taken notice and will soon be releasing a new beta that will support high-resolution streaming from the Droid’s video camera.

Qik’s upcoming beta will make Qik the first video streaming service to support live streaming for the 720×480 resolution. According to MobileCrunch, the new Qik update will bring with it a UI refresh and enhanced “Speed Sharing Ribbon,” Qik’s speed-dial, of sorts.

Droid owners can get in on the Qik beta by shooting an email to droidbeta@qik.com

Here’s a sample Qik video taken with a Droid:

Here’s another Droid video sample, for comparison. Background: I recently forgot my SD card for my HD video camera and had to resort to recording video using the Droid.

[Via: MobileCrunch]

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Motorola Droid sales reportedly hit 100,000 since launch

Will Park — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:35:53 +0000

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) is reportedly doing well with their Motorola Droid. Despite reports from some bitter bloggers about not finding any lines outside their local Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless store on Droid launch-day, the latest word on the street has Motorola pushing some 100,000 Android-powered Motorola Droid phones into anxious customer hands over the weekend. The estimate comes from an analyst citing Verizon’s nationwide stock of 200,000 Motorola Droid, of which roughly half have already found new homes.

We haven’t heard a peep from Motorola as to just how well the Droid is selling, but Broadpoint AmTech analyst Mark McKechnie believes that Verizon Wireless had about 200,000 Droid phones on hand for the November 6 launch. “I see the first few days as encouraging,” McKechnie said. “There seems to be pretty good demand — they’ve taken the right steps and picked a good partner with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) on the Android side.”

The encouraging launch-weekend sales estimates could signal Motorola’s return to relevance in the mobile space. Motorola is expected to sell 1 million Android-powered smartphones this quarter, with 10 million units sold in 2010. Still, the numbers pale in comparison to conservative predictions that have Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) selling 8 million iPhones this quarter and about 28.5 million iPhones in 2010.

The Droid is obviously a good start for Motorola’s comeback, but the mobile phone maker has a lot of work to do in the long-term. It should be interesting to see how the Droid sells throughout the holiday shopping season, which has traditionally been a boon for iPhone-maker Apple.

[Via: Bloomberg]

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The Unboxing: Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris

Will Park — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:32:15 +0000

We’ve already had a chance to play with the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless, but there’s nothing like a retail package unboxing ceremony to really get up close and personal with a new handset. As the “ying” to the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid’s “yang,” the HTC Droid Eris offers Verizon customers a fully capable Android smartphone at half the price of Moto’s headlining Droid, and it deserves some of our undivided attention.

The HTC Droid Eris is a lot like the HTC Hero from Sprint. Just like the Hero, the Droid Eris packs a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel auto-focusing camera, 3G data, WiFi, GPS and a microSD card slot. It also runs the Sense UI, HTC’s custom Android homescreen skin, which gives the Droid Eris a bunch of extra HTC widgets to play with – and it doesn’t hurt that Sense UI looks way prettier than the vanilla Android homescreen.

Surprisingly, the HTC Droid Eris isn’t much thinner than the Motorola Droid, which sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That’s not to say that the Droid Eris is a brick, it actually sits really comfortably in the hand. Still, the Eris could stand to lose a couple millimeters around its waist.

The Droid Eris’s 5-megapixel camera is faster and less laggy than the Motorola Droid. It also supports touch-focusing, which gives it a another small but significant leg-up on the Droid. The 3.2-inch display is smaller than would be ideal, but it’s plenty big for day-to-day use. Above all, there’s no sliding mechanism on the Droid Eris, so build quality is top-notch – no jiggling or creaking here.

The Droid Eris is available from Verizon Wireless for $99.99 with new 2-year contract. Or, you might be able to find a better deal here.

Unfortunately, the Eris runs Android 1.5 OS. The Motorola Droid features Android 2.0 OS, which has the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps Navigation app pre-installed. Android 1.5 isn’t bad, especially with HTC’s Sense UI riding on top, but it’s no Android 2.0.

Anyway, acquaint yourself with the Droid Eris below!

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Deal Alert: $99 Motorola Droid, FREE HTC Droid Eris from Wirefly.com

Will Park — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:46:08 +0000

If you’ve been resisting the urge to run out and buy a Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid at a Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless store, we’ve got some good news for you. Wirlefly.com is rewarding your patience with a seriously hot deal on a brand new Droid. How hot, you ask? Wirefly is offering the Droid for $99.99 with new 2-year contract (or contract extension). They also have the HTC Droid Eris on deck for FREE, if the HTC Sense UI is more your style.

For about $100, Wirefly.com will ship a newly activated Droid to your door. There’s no mail-in rebate to deal with and FedEx shipping is included, free of charge. The promotional ad makes it look like the $100 Droid requires new activation on Verizon’s $59.99 monthly rate plan, so we went through the checkout process with Verizon’s lowest-tier $39.99/month rate plan selected. We stopped short of processing payment information, but everything looked good to go with the cheaper rate plan.

The FREE HTC Droid Eris offer seems to be more limited. You’ll have to have an existing Verizon Wireless account and be willing to extend your contract for another two years. And, it seems the contract extension only applies to rate plans of $59.99 or more. On the upside, shipping is free via FedEx.

If you can wait a couple days for your new Droid hardware, you’re going to have a hard time beating these two deals.

$100 Motorola Droid
FREE HTC Droid Eris

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Video: Hands-on with Verizon’s HTC Droid Eris

Will Park — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:52:55 +0000

If you’ve had your eye on the Android-powered HTC Hero and its customized Sense UI, but just couldn’t bear to leave Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s warm embrace for Sprint (NYSE: S)’s network, you’re in luck! Verizon went official this morning with the Hero-esque HTC Droid Eris. The Eris is a lot like the Hero, just for the Verizon Wireless network. And, at just $99, the Droid Eris is the more affordable alternative to both the upcoming Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid and the Sprint HTC Hero. The Eris even sports the same Sense UI that we’ve come to love on the HTC Hero.

The Motorola Droid might be hogging all the hype this week, but the Eris deserves some time in the limelight. So, without further ado, here’s a hands-on look at HTC Droid Eris for Verizon Wireless.

Here’s a quick spec-sheet rundown on the HTC Droid Eris:

3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen (320×480)
5-megapixel camera (with autofocus)
Android 1.5 OS
3G data
WiFi
GPS
3.5mm headphone jack

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Verizon’s HTC DROID Eris Gets Official

Simon Sage — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:10:02 +0000

After an early unboxing, Motorola (NYSE: MOT)’s little brother in Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s Android rollout has gone public. The HTC droid Eris is bringing a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, 320 x 480 capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and HTC’s very slick Sense user interface to the party. I’m still a little boggled as to how the Eris qualifies as a “with Google (NSDQ: GOOG)” experience with all the custom work done on top of Android 1.5, but more power to ‘em. Although not quite as buxom as the Motorola droid, or even HTC’s own Hero, the Eris still offers a lot for $99.99 on contract, and is a great option for folks who want the fancy Android experience while staying on a budget. Keep an eye on the VZ store for the Eris starting tomorrow, or take a closer look at the device over at HTC.

[via PRNewswire]

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Video: We take T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Bold 9700 for a spin

Will Park — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:25:16 +0000

The T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) (NYSE: DT) BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) (NSDQ: RIMM) Bold 9700 isn’t quite launched just yet, but we’ve already gotten friendly with RIM’s newest hardware. The Bold 9700 looks and feels a lot like the original BlackBerry Bold 9000, with some significant under-the-hood upgrades. Cosmetically, the biggest difference is the missing trackball; in it’s place is a new optical trackpad. It’s a subtle design update that makes a lot of sense – the Bold 9000 was a big hit for RIM, of course they’re going to stick with a recipe that everyone loves.

The Bold 9700 is fitted with the same class-leading QWERTY keyboard that debuted on the Bold 9000. It’s slimmer than the original Bold, but packs an upgraded 3.2-megapixel camera and double the application memory (256MB) – all the while shipping on a fully-charged battery for days on end. The entire backside of the Bold 9700 is covered in a rubberized “soft touch” finish that highlights the faux-leather backing.

What about the new trackpad? Is it just as easy to use as the iconic BlackBerry trackball? Is it responsive and accurate enough to satisfy die-hard BlackBerry fans? In a word, “yes.” The optical trackpad samples your finger input hundreds of times a second, translating the direction and speed of your finger into smooth cursor movements. It works well. In fact, it might just be better than the trackball.

To beat the issue to death (again), the Bold 9700’s browser isn’t the best. The browser is said to be improved, but it still lags. It’ll get the job done, but you need to be patient with it. Check out the hands-on video below to see for yourself. It might help to distract yourself away from the browser and just focus on the Bold 9700’s improved camera and rock solid push email features.

Basically, if you liked the Bold 9000, you can’t really ask for any better than the Bold 9700. The official launch window is “sometime before November 27,” but all signs are pointing to a Nov. 18 launch for $199.99 with new 2-year contract.

Enjoy our hands-on video and photo gallery!

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Verizon to celebrate Motorola Droid launch with secret NYC concert by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:05:18 +0000

So you like the Motorola Droid, do you? And you say you live in or close to New York City? Well, if you also happen to be a fan of the “Yeah Yeah Yeahs,” or you just like free concerts, you’re going to want to follow the Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s @vcastmusic Twitter feed over the next few days. Verizon Wireless will be celebrating the launch of their Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid with a secret “Yeah Yeah Yeahs” concert somewhere in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and they’ll be giving away tickets via the Twitter feed.

Verizon will also be tweeting the locations of their New York Street Teams, where you can meet up with Droid-wielding reps and play with the Motorola Droid in person. Should you decide to pick up a Droid of your own on Nov. 6, you automatically get tickets to the secret Manhattan concert.

Straight from the official press release:

You can be one of the first to experience the brand new Droid by Motorola – the world’s first smartphone with Android 2.0 – available exclusively on the Verizon Wireless network. Follow Verizon Wireless’ New York Street Teams at Twitter.com/vcastmusic to find out where they will be so you can be one of the first to try the Droid out for yourself and win tickets to attend an exclusive celebration in Manhattan’s Lower East Side featuring a performance by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and mingle with celebrity guests including Adrian Grenier, Kim Delaney, Katrina Bowden and more.

Anyone who purchases a Droid on November 6 will also win tickets to attend the event.

For more information visit Twitter.com/vcastmusic

[Via: PhoneDog]

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HTC HD2 Confirmed Due in North America Early 2010

Simon Sage — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:42:58 +0000

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one slobbering for the HD2, HTC’s monster of a Windows Mobile 6.5 device – we want it here in North America just as much as you do, and now we have a general expectation of Q1 2010 from a joint HTC/Microsoft launch event. If you didn’t catch our hands-on playtime, the HD2 hosts a gigantic 4.3″ WVGA touchscreen, a 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and HTC’s custom TouchFLO 3D user interface. Between the giant display, slim profile, respectable camera, and WinMo functionality, this will be a choice handset for mobile media junkies. Europe and Taiwan have their units shipping presently, but there was no additional information about North American pricing or carrier availability (although T-Mobile seems likely), so stay tuned.

[via HTC]

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Verizon’s Motorola Droid supports Microsoft Exchange, but only if you pay $15 more per month

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:46:03 +0000

The Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid is going to be a big deal when it launches Nov. 6. It’s got the right style and the right features to make a name for itself in the Android game, but it’s also going to be the first handset to sport the new Android 2.0 (Eclair) mobile operating system. That’s important because Android 2.0 will finally support Microsoft Exchange email. But, for Motorola Droid hopefuls who use Exchange email, it’s going to come at a price. $15, to be exact.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) customers looking to get a Motorola Droid will have to sign up for one of three unlimited data plans on top of their voice plan. For $30, you’ll get unlimited data without Exchange support. If you need Exchange email support (and you’re a VZW business customer), your data plan will cost $45. Or, for $50, you can use the Droid as a data-only device, including Exchange support. For corporate Droid users, it’s going to cost $15 more to use their Exchange email.

The extra cost probably won’t affect a large majority of Verizon’s Motorola Droid customers, but that’s not going to console Exchange users slapped with the extra fee. Is it right to charge for the Droid’s Exchange feature? Will the extra $15 per month for Exchange support sway your decision to buy a Droid? Sound off below!

Oh, and if you want to get the low-down on the Droid, check out our coverage here, here and here.

[Update]
Turns out, Verizon business customers (those with corporate/business accounts) will be slapped with the higher-priced data plan. Consumers will get unlimited data and Exchange support on their Droid for $30, while business users will have to pay $45 for the same service. That should clear things up a bit.

[Via: PCWorld]

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Unlock your factory fresh iPhone 3GS with ‘blacksn0w’ (OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11 friendly)!

Will Park — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:06:40 +0000

If you accidentally updated your iPhone 3G/3GS to the latest iPhone OS 3.1/3.1.2, then you’re also stuck with baseband version 05.11. If you recently bought a factory fresh iPhone 3GS with OS 3.1 or 3.1.2 already loaded, then you’re in the same boat. That used to be a bad thing, because baseband 05.11 couldn’t be unlocked to work with unofficial SIM cards. Today’s release of “blacksn0w” changes all that. The blacksn0w software unlock utility is now available to unlock any iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS running the latest iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11!

Yes, that includes brand new, out-of-the-box, iPhone 3GS’s.

If you’re running an older version of the baseband (04.26), simply jailbreak your iPhone and run Ultrasn0w. You can find your baseband firmware version by navigating to Settings>General>About>Modem Version on your iPhone. We have jailbreak (PwnageTool) directions here and unlock (ultrasn0w) directions here.

For the rest of you in the “baseband 05.11″ boat, keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial to unlock your iPhone…

First, you’ll need to jailbreak your iPhone. We’re going to use the blackra1n jailbreak utility for this guide. You can use PwnageTool, but it will require you download blacksn0w separately. Just follow this guide and you’ll be fine. (if you’re already jailbroken, skip to the unlock section)

Download blackra1n from blackra1n.com (choose Mac or PC version)
Extract blackra1n to your desktop
Execute blackra1n with a double-click
Connect your iPhone 3G/3GS to your computer
Click “make it ra1n”
- Your iPhone will reboot
You’ll see geohot’s picture upon reboot
Let blackra1n do it’s thing and wait for reboot
Once rebooted, you’ll be told your iPhone is now jailbroken

Now you’ll unlock your iPhone 3G/3GS’s baseband (version 05.11 only) – check your baseband version by navigating to Settings>General>About>Modem Version on your iPhone.

Find the “ra1n” app on your homescreen and run it
Hit the “sn0w” button
Let the app work its magic, it’s unlocking your baseband
Once your iPhone 3G/3GS is unlocked, you’ll be prompted to close the app
Enjoy your unlocked iPhone! (remember to disable “3G Data” if you’re on T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) USA)
- You’ll notice that “Cydia” is now installed on your homescreen. This is your jailbreak appstore, it’s your new best friend.

Note: If you want to remove the “ra1n” app, simply fire up the app again and select the “Uninstall blackra1n” option

[Via: geohot]

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Motorola CLIQ goes live on T-Mobile USA

Will Park — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:57:10 +0000

The Motorola CLIQ is hailed as Motorola (NYSE: MOT)’s first stab at reclaiming some of their lost mobile phone market share, and it just might be able to live up to expectations. Motorola and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) announced the CLIQ a little over a month ago, showing off the Android phone’s innovative MOTOBLUR interface and its ability to magically update its homescreen widgets with information from your social networks and news feeds. Today, T-Mobile has gone all official with the Motorola CLIQ in the US. No more pre-order, folks – the CLIQ is live!

T-Mobile’s CLIQ has the distinction of being Motorola’s first comeback handset as well as the company’s first Android phone to hit market. The CLIQ is decidedly more curvy than its evil brother, the Motorola DROID, but it packs a cutesy-punch. The CLIQ sports a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, GPS, WiFi, 3G data, 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot. But, the CLIQ’s highlight feature is its MOTOBLUR UI. Motorola created its custom MOTOBLUR Android UI to work with special MOTOBLUR servers to constantly monitor your social networks and news feeds. When something new happens or someone posts an interesting (sometimes not so interesting) tidbit to their profile, MOTOBLUR pushes that information to one of your homescreen widgets. Social butterflies, take note, MOTOBLUR will help you stay connected!

And, to help celebrate the Motorola CLIQ’s launch, Motorola and T-Mobile have announced a contest for college students. The college to sign-up the most Facebook fans to T-Mobile’s fan page will win a free campus concert by Weezer, and up to $25,000 for their school. Even better, you don’t even have to buy a CLIQ to enter the contest! Find out more here.

Fans of Motorola’s curvy Android phone can walk into any T-Mobile USA retail store or go online to nab their very own Motorola CLIQ for $199.99 with new 2-year contract and mail-in rebate. The CLIQ comes in your choice of White or Titanium color schemes.

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