New Firmware 1.1.3 to Rock Your iPhone

Previous firmware versions only did cosmetic changes to the iPhone interface as far as users are concerned. Back-end fixes can rarely be seen by the ordinary user. As some leaked info has it, the latest 1.1.3 firmware update that will become available somewhere in the near future will change a whole lot of things.

Having in mind the Apple stringent security policy it's pretty intriguing how this new firmware got to the journalistic folks like us.It was first GearLive.com that got the new feature scoop out along with some screenshots.

The expected new features are:

• The ability to send an SMS message to multiple people
• Google Maps cell tower triangulation feature "My Location"
• Google Maps can now display the Hybrid map view
• You can now rearrange and drag-and-drop icons on your home screen
• The home screen supports pagination
• You can now add web bookmarks to your home screen

Read More at Tech2

Review of Much Awaited New Year Gift by Sony Ericsson W890

With 2008 around the corner, hopes are high for the coming year but the devoted fans of Sony Ericsson W880 have yet another reason to eagerly look forward. The expected release of Sony Ericsson W890 should be enough to keep them wide awake and ready for what seems a highly promising successor.
With its super slim styling and clean-cut lines, massive 2GB storage add-on and 3.2 megapixel camera, the W890 Walkman phone can hit the right notes with music lovers and design connoisseurs alike. Sony Ericsson W890 speaks the language of the young, fashion-savvy music fans, putting some of the latest Walkman features to good use.

Key features

• Extra slim body with solid construction
• Quad-band GSM HSDPA, EDGE, HSCSD, Bluetooth (with A2DP)
• Location services, Smart search, Manage messages
• Media center, Walkman 3.0, SensMe tempo and mood detector, TrackID
• Access NetFront 3.4 with mouse pointer and in-page search
• 3.2 megapixel camera with Cyber-shot SE v2.0 UI
• Fast photo browser FM radio with RDS
• 2GB M2 card included
• New improved battery cover release mechanism
• Finger print resistant body panels

Main disadvantages

• Only 26 MB of user available internal memory
• No camera autofocus, no flash
• Video recording in QVGA resolution at 15fps
• No skins for the Walkman player

Read Full Review on GSMarena

Touch Centric Mobiles F490 & P720 by Samsung

From left to right: Samsung i550, i780, F490, F700, P520 Armani (or P720 maybe) and i560

Samsung officially presented two of its latest mobiles. The Samsung F490 is a full touch-based handsets with a large TFT display, while the Samsung P720 will be the second dual-SIM handset by the South Korean manufacturer.

The Samsung F490 looks much like the Samsung F700 it's seated next on the press photo. It will have a slim profile, a 5 megapixel camera and haptic touch feedback. The 3.2-inch touch-sensitive TFT display has an extraordinary resolution of 240 x 432 pixels. The Samsung F490 will appear in the beginning of 2008 and will cost around USD 600.

The Samsung P720 will be based on the Samsung Armani model, however it will offer DualSIM functionality. The handset will have a QVGA touch sensitive display and a 3 megapixel fixed focus camera - much the same as the original Samsung P520 Armani. The Samsung P720 will be targeted at the Eastern Europe and Asian markets.

via GSMarena

5 Million iPhones Sold Till Now!!

Steve Jobs looks all set to have a merry Christmas this year. It would seem as if his goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008 is about to be half-achieved.

According to sources, the company is expecting to make a grand announcement at its Macworld Expo in January 2008 to the effect that Jobs' halfway mark in iPhone sales has been achieved. It’s not official yet – I’m sure the figures will be counted and recounted before the official number is announced.

Sales have been apparently been going through the roof and the iPhone has, like Apple’s own iPod, become yet another technological phenomenon. Merry Christmas Steve Job!!

via Tech2

Motorola with 5MP Kodak Camera

A high-megapixel cameraphone from Motorola with the high-end optics to make it a true contender in the upper-echelon of cameraphones. Motorola’s X PIXL / Z12 slider cameraphone that was mentioned as part of Motorola’s 2008 roadmap (and their renewed push to regain part of their once-glory) has been caught on film. Or, at least a portion of it has been snapped/rendered by IT168.com.

The 5 Megapixel branding and the “Kodak” branded camera with the Xenon Flash module. We know, there isn’t that much info in this image - it doesn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already expect.What’s strange is the use of, what looks like, two sliders - slide the handset lengthwise to reveal the camera unit, then slide the lens-cover downward to snap a pic. That could get annoying.

Bring on the Motorola MOTO X PIXL / Z12 (or whatever it ends up being called)! The world is ready for you to make your comeback, Moto.

via intomobile

Preview of Sony Ericsson K660

The K660 is a good-looking candybar phone that's available in some cool colors. It has a certain good-to-hold feeling, so it’s not like other Sony Ericssons. Thankfully there’s no sticky joystick but a very easy-to-maneuver 5 way nav-pad. The buttons and keys are very well placed and easily accessible. The phone is lightweight and the 2-inch display with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels is really crisp.

The K660 doesn’t have any features that will make it stand out amidst other Sony Ericsson phones. It comes with regular business features like calendar, notes, schedules, stopwatch, timer etc. As for connectivity, it’s 3G-enabled with HSDPA and has a VGA camera in front for video calls. Also available are EDGE and Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility. It comes with Google Maps preinstalled.

The K660 has 32MB of internal memory and supports M2 cards for external memory. The phone, as Sony Ericsson phones go, is not too fast. Moving through menus, typing messages etc. will reveal that. The music player is not too good - it’s just way too silent to listen to unless you're in a soundproof room. It does have a fairly decent integrated FM radio.The new Gallery menu: it may be slow but it's definitely better-looking than the older versions.

The 2 megapixel camera is decent. If you like playing with or touching up your images, the PhotoDJ software is really handy and a lot of fun to use. As in all Sony Ericssons, this too has a VideoDJ for editing video files and a MusicDJ for creating ringtones. The games may not be too great but they are entertaining. TrackId is also available.

Battery life is quite good. With normal usage you’ll get a little over a day and a half on a single charge.

via tech2

Shortcuts with LinkBoy

LinkBoy provides up to 15 shortcuts to frequently used tasks, that can be displayed as executable icons on the standby screen. Shortcuts are available for the full range of applications, phone settings, multimedia files, web pages, contact actions, and common tasks. All key functions of the built-in standby screen are left intact by LinkBoy.
While it is most useful on the P990, LinkBoy can also be used on all other UIQ3 phones, either over the Standby screen, or as a self-contained collection of highly customizable shortcuts.

Major features:

• Up to 15 customizable shortcuts that can be displayed on the standby screen (SonyEricsson phones only).
• Customizable number, position and arrangement of shortcuts.
• Supported shortcut types include installed applications, Control panel settings, all multimedia file types, and web pages.
• Shortcuts are also available for communications with individual contacts (like sending MMS to Jane Doe).
• Shortcuts are also available for adding new entries of major built-in applications, like Calendar, Notes, Sound recorder, and more.
• Shortcut icons can be replaced with custom images, including BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, SVG. Customizable captions for shortcuts.
• Adjustable transparency setting for the icon panel.
• Display functions of the standby screen are preserved, including operator, area message, media player and timer.
• Keypress functions of the standby screen are preserved, including silent mode, phone lock, and selection of default shortcuts.

LinkBoy for UIQ3 (p1/p990/w950/m600)

via SE-NSE

Video Recording, Now its Possible on iphone!!

The Genius's from Monster and Friends have created an iPhone application which can record video up to 45 frames per second. They are still working in the final version, but to give you a taste they have published Drunknbass, a beta which records 5 seconds of video at 10 fps with a resolution of 2 megapixels. They haveTested and it works perfectly. It doesn't have any interface, so just download it, put it in iPhone's Applications folder, click on the button and it will start recording.
When Drunknbass is finished with the five seconds recording it will replay the clip once. The final application will be able to record unlimited-sized clips (only constrained by your available space) up to 30 frames per second and it will have an interface to save your clips (they are looking for developers to help with the graphical side of the software).

This is good for two things: first, because this confirms that video recording works great on the iPhone and we will probably see this officially from Apple, as rumored, in a future update. Second, because it confirms there are no limits that third-party developers can't overcome.

Via gizmodo

Wheel Key in LG now!!

Those of you who are also into audio will have surely heard of a big name in the biz – Mark Levinson. This audio equipment manufacturing company has teamed with LG mobiles and developed what they call the LG: the Rhapsody in Music. So it’s a long and odd name for a mobile phone, but according to the company it should speak for itself.

The most obvious fact about this device is that it of course should have a Kick-Ass music player. Other specs include Bluetooth (possible with A2DP) 1GB of internal memory and external memory support and a 2 megapixel camera. This LG slider also has a navigation wheel under its screen, so following in the footsteps of the Nokia N81 and yes, the ever popular Apple iPod.Some news from Korea, with the latest music phone from LG: the Rhapsody in Music, an excellent way to name a product that codename freaks know as the LG LB3300. As you could expect, this one is all about music; it features a navigation "Wheel Key" (iPOD style), a multimedia player, 1GB memory and microSD port, but also BlueTooth, DMB, 2MPx DigiCam, and all those things that naturally find their way into most Korean portable tech accessories!

The Rhapsody in Music, an excellent way to name a product that codename freaks know as the LG LB3300. As you could expect, this one is all about music; it features a navigation "Wheel Key" (iPOD style).

Via akihabaranews, Tech2

Mobile Security Tips...

Backup and Data Transfer

We have to understand that We can only back up your data on the PC provided your phone has PC connectivity. It could be via USB, Bluetooth, Infrared or Wi-Fi if the device allows for it. But backing up your data is the best thing to do as soon as you get a new mobile. If we are moving from an older version all you need do is copy your contacts on to your SIM card so we wont have to keep sending business cards or reenter all your contact information.
Next off, connect we new phone up to your PC and do a quick backup with a PC Suite software that the company should provide. Nokia and Sony Ericsson have their own, or we could use third party software like Oxygen Phone Manager. These applications allow to back up all we data, and this doesn’t just include we contact base and schedule but even your current settings, images, videos etc. Basically it takes care of everything that’s on phone and memory card.

Lock Codes

There are a few way to protect your data in case your mobile does get stolen. Firstly you can have a Key Lock Code. That way every time your mobile goes into standby and you tap a key nothing will work till you key in the keypad code. Secondly, you can have a PIN activated. For mobile noobs, a PIN or Personal Identification Number is provided by your service provider for your SIM card protection. If that is activated and the phone is rebooted, you will need to type in the code to use that card.

Lastly, we can also have a PUK (Personal Unblock Code), which is required if you enter the wrong PIN three times. If you don’t know the PUK, the SIM will get permanently blocked, preventing anyone from using we card.

Mobile Tracking

Mobile Tracking can recover stolen or lost mobile phones. It operates in various ways. Firstly, like a car's Lojack GPS system a mobile could be located the same way using GPS satellites that should able to give you a more or less accurate reading as to where it is. Samsung uses another technique in some of its mobile phones, and BPL Mobile has incorporated it into SIM card services as well. How does it work? Let’s say a despicable character stole your mobile, threw away your precious SIM

Preventing Loss of Device and Data

Here are some suggestions on how to prevent your mobile from being stolen, misplaced or just left behind:

• If traveling by train or crowded bus, slip the phone (in the pouch) into your pocket and clip it to your hem of the pocket from inside.
• If you have a mobile tracker in the device, always keep it active.
• If your device has active sync keep it active while in your office or near your PC or make it a habit to update PC often.
• Remember your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification) number, usually located under your phone's battery.
• If phone is located it'll help in identification. dial *#06# to get it.
  

If you follow some of these recommendations they’ll at least help regain data without hassle, and perhaps even get some sort of self-satisfaction at not allowing precious mobile to be used by anyone else. If have any recommendations, please feel free to share them with the rest of us.

Via Tech2

Toughest Mobile in the World..

Sonim Technologies, a US based mobile telecoms company today announces the European launch of the new Sonim XP1, an IP-54 certified, mil-spec approved, bluetooth and Push-To-Talk enabled GSM phone, by announcing the ”World’s Toughest Phone Tour” beginning in Sweden.

Engineered to meet the needs of people who work outside the office and outdoor sports enthusiasts, the Sonim XP1 works perfectly in harsh environments. Certified to withstand shock, water, wind, dust, dirt and extreme temperatures, the Sonim XP1 is the only certified phone designed specifically for the lives of people who work and play in demanding conditions.

So confident are SonimTech over the durability of the phone, they are inviting bloggers and journalists across Europe to “torture test” the phone by sending them a new XP1m along with a illustrated how-to guide.

Read more at webitpr

HTC Touch

The HTC Touch Dual is finally out in the market, following closely the launch of its predecessor, the HTC Touch.
The phone comes with 3.5G wireless/HSDPA connectivity, sliding keypad and touchFLO. This feature, seen earlier in the Touch, enables finger-touch scrolling, panning and photo zooming, and also gives easy access to the music player.

The HTC Touch Dual features a Qualcomm MSM7200 chip running at 400MHz with Windows Mobile software that allows users to stay connected with people and access information and entertainment by a single, personalized device.

Via Tech2.com

Nokia... Always Different and Unique.

Seems like Nokia aren't wasting any time and have filed a patent application on an extraordinary new slider cameraphone. Besides the intriguing construction Nokia-N93-style, the fine print under the camera lens sounds tasty, as it says either 6 or 8 megapixels. Anyways, in both cases it is not something we see in mobile phones every day so at least it deserves a look.
The display will still serve as a viewfinder and photos can be still be taken in landscape mode, as the camera-part on top can be pulled up and rotated. When it's pulled up, the xenon flash unit gets revealed.

It seems that the worthy successor of Nokia N93 is already on its way. Unfortunately as of now there is not even the vaguest prediction about any of the other hardware specifications.

[taken from Gsmarena NEWS]