Author Archive for Kyle

ATT LG Incite - pros, cons and a quick overview

Stylus

The LG Incite is the latest buzz in the Windows Mobile space. This WinMo 6.1 device is spec heavy with a 3MP autofocus camera, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, a sharp and outdoor visible display, a Qualcomm 528MHz CPU and an FM radio.

One of the reasons this phone has been getting so much press is that the touch screen is haptic, providing for a more human feel to the screen. Another reasons is that the phone has a proximity sensor, which is heavily guarded technology that Apple patents, which few other phones utilize. Also among the features, the phone uses a light sensor that helps modify lighting on the fly.

Side view

Here are some quick benefits that this device offers:

  • Hardware-based scroll wheel (no d-pad).
  • LG incite custom home screen and launcher.
  • XT9 interpretive text support.
  • Excellent phone call quality.
  • Great email support: POP3, IMAP, Exchange and MS Direct Push email.
  • Threaded SMS.
  • Fast GPS response.
  • Fast focus times.
  • Comparison shot

    Here are some weaknesses with the LG Incite:

  • SureType keypad system rather than the standard smartphone QWERTY
  • Small “send” and “end” buttons make for a slight awkward feeling.
  • Camera button and screen lock key.
  • No Start menu key.
  • The LG Incite will cost $199 on a 2 year contract after a $100 rebate. If you’re looking to pick up this device without a contract, you’re looking at $499.

    [Via]

    Pandora Radio set to finally arrive on Windows Mobile

    May not be true

    Pandora Radio is the incredibly popular streaming radio program that makes intelligent guesses as to what songs you would like to hear based on preferences. The software was supposed to come embedded with the new LG Incite on AT&T, but a few Incite owners have said this isn’t the case. It could be that the promotion was prematurely made public before carriers could load the software. Stay tuned because Pandora will be available to download for other devices in the near future.

    [Via]

    BlackBerry Theme Central $3 Theme Sale! (Cool Deals)

    BB Theme Central

    In these dark economic times, there are few things that can bring a smile to my face. One of those things is wicked cheap BlackBerry Themes. Thankfully, those helpful gents at BlackBerry Theme Central are doing they’re part to lighten my spirits and stimulate the economy. BlackBerry Theme Central is have a $3(!) sale on all their themes from now until November 26th. You can find the entire BlackBerry Theme Central selection, ranging from the BlackBerry 8700 to the BlackBerry Bold, below.

    BlackBerry Theme Central BlackBerry Themes

    How to download mobile games from ATT’s carrier deck

    RIM

    I’ve been getting some of our less technically-inclined readers emailing me asking “how do I download mobile games from my AT&T BlackBerry?” It seemed like too easy of a question to answer so I’ve been avoiding it but there is no such thing as a stupid question and I’ll happily respond.

    For this how-to, I’m using an AT&T BlackBerry Bold courtesy of Research in Motion (RIM). The first thing you’ll notice about the Bold is that it has 6 icons on the lower section of the screen. From that list you have (or at least on my Bold): messages, email, address book, calendar, MEdia Net and media.

    homescreen

    You’re now going to select MEdia NEt. Once selected, you should see a yellow “AT&T World Phone” screen pop up and if your radio is off, you’ll get a message prompting you to turn on the radio. Select OK if this is the case.

    Now you’re on the AT&T carrier deck. You’ll notice some links such as “Add Email to Your Homepage” but skip all of that. Also, skip the “My Links” section and scroll down to “Categories.” From there, in option 2, you’ll see “Tones, Games, Apps” which is where you want to be. Click on it.

    This will take you to another screen where you are now presented with ‘HOT girls”, ringtones, games, cool tools/apps, videos, color graphics etc. Click on “Games.” It has a little controller icon beside it.

    Here is something you should know about the games section. The “Featured Games” are not actually the best games they have to offer, nor are the “Most Popular.” This is the oldest scam in carrier history. Companies like EA pay to have their games featured in the Most Popular section and it has nothing to do with total downloads. When looking for a good game, you should always consult online. For your information, here are just a few great games for BlackBerry:

    Texas Hold’em King 3
    Kaglom
    Golden Tee Golf
    Sudoku
    Solitaire Legends

    Once you click on a game (I’ve chosen Solitaire Legends), you’ll be presented with purchase options, preview/info, share with a friend, game recommendations and more info. Click into the purchase options.

    For Solitaire Legends, you can get the “Unlimited Purchase” of the game sent to your AT&T bill for $7.99. This is a little expensive considering you can buy it from Bplay.com for $4.99 (see above link), but I guess you’re paying for the convenience.

    Some of the other payment options include Monthly Subscription, MyMEdia Club and Tone Card. These apply to various forms of content you can get off the deck and the MyMEdia Club is where you can join a community and get discounts.

    Happy gaming folks!

    Turn your iPhone into a VISA point-of-sale machine

    Transactions

    To be a drug dealer in the new millennium… When I was a kid (tilts back in his rocking chair…) we had to deal with two-dollar bills, debt lists and stealing loonies from my old man’s change jar. Now all Peter Pusher has to do is whip out his iPhone and you’re good to blo—err… go.

    Developed by a Seattle startup named Innerfence, the technology is not going to be as straightforward as having a magnetic strip reader built-right-in (though that’s not a shabby idea). What’s needed to to start processing credit card payments from your iPhone is an Internet merchant account (similar to a bank account but with a payment processor for the settlement of e-purchases), a payment gateway (exactly as it sounds—a server for processing said charges), and Innerfence’s app, available from the Apple app store for $49.99.

    The monthly fees at $30-some-odd-dollars U.S., transaction fees at south of .50 cents, plus 2%-3% commissioned by the credit card companies hardly make this worthwhile for kids selling nickel bags and permanent markers. But compared to previous technology that pizza delivery guys rock, priced at $4,000 USD, rich university kids could be funding their habits while mum and dad are non-the-wiser. “It’s my tutor… really!”

    iPhone Wii-like gaming with iFun - hold on for dear life!

    iFun have a program that lets you use your iPhone as a WiiMote-like device. You sync your iPhone with iFun’s website and you can play iGolf in a Wii-like fashion. The biggest problem that the Web is talking about for this software is the fact that your iPhone has no special cord to attach your phone to your hand. The WiiMote has been known to fly out of your hands and smash into television sets. The idea of my iPhone flying into the TV is my worst nightmare. On the other hand, the concept is great and it could be really fun.

    [Via]

    LG Prada 2 and Bluetooth-enabled watch Prada Link

    with Bluetooth watch

    LG’s Prada was among the first touch screen devices in Korea. It’s elegant design and expensive branding made it a hit with Seoul’s young and trendy. It’s successor, the Prada 2, will be arriving in Europe along with a Bluetooth-enabled watch called the Prada Link (model LG-LBA-T950) that flashes call notifications and shows SMS messages. The Prada 2 will have all the great specs you would expect from a luxury device such as 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi, 5 megapixel camera, haptic feedback, video calling, slider QWERTY keypad, and a 240 x 400 3″ touchscreen. Oh yeah, and it’s 300 euros.

    [Via]

    Gameloft releases Rock Tour (Guitar Hero) for iPhone

    for iPhone

    Guitar Hero
    has managed to put itself on every platform out there. There’s Guitar Hero for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Nokia, Wii, XBox, PlayStation and now iPhone. Gameloft has released Guitar Rock Tour making the popular game even more popular. How long do you think it will be until Guitar Hero for Android is released?

    Gameloft’s build offers 17 tracks and the app is £4.99/€5.99.

    [Via]

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo developing an Android device

    With Android UI

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo have put out some incredible concept devices and proven their ability to think outside of the box when it comes to mobile phones. According to the Business Standard, DoCoMo is planning an Android device next year. The device will be co-developed with Korean telecom KT Freetel of which DoCoMo owns 10%.

    Being the first Android handset in Japan, there are huge expectations. With a country that has such an incredible mobile educated population, combined with a completely open platform, I’m hoping Japanese consumers and developers will push Android to its limits. The phone is also expected to be about 20% cheaper than other smartphones because of the savings with an open source OS. Stay tuned!

    [Via]

    How to save money on your phone bill with UMA

    Save money

    UMA stands for Universal Mobile Access and it’s the technology that allows your phone to switch between networks seamlessly. You’ll notice this technology when your phone switches between WiFi and cell tower. The above figure shows how UMA works and it also describes one of the benefits of UMA which is better coverage via WiFi. Your mobile device will use WiFi to send a signal through the Internet back to the carrier, and thus using the hotspot to boost coverage. This isn’t the best part of UMA though. It will actually save you money.

    When a phone is using UMA to connect to the carrier through WiFi, you carrier loses the ability to track your location. Think about the possibilities of duping your carrier into thinking you’re somewhere you’re not. By connecting via WiFi, you can avoid roaming charges, which range from $1 a minute to $5 a minute. Some carriers such as T-Mobile offer a $10 per month charge that gives you unlimited calls via WiFi. This means that you can reduce your minute plans and call almost entirely on WiFi thus making your phone similar to a VoIP device.

    So when you’re buying a device, consider a UMA device because it will save you lots of cash. Here are some UMA devices on the market today:

  • Samsung P250
  • Sony Ericsson G705u
  • BlackBerry RIM Flip 8220
  • BBFlip8200
  • BlackBerry RIM 8120
  • Sagem my519x
  • HTC Shadow II
  • Samsung Katalyst
  • Samsung P180
  • BlackBerry RIM 8320
  • BlackBerry RIM 8820
  • Samsung T339
  • Motorola Z6w
  • Sagem my429x
  • Nokia 6301
  • Samsung P260
  • Samsung T409
  • Samsung P220
  • LG KE520
  • Nokia 6086
  • [Via]