Lighten it up?

I’ve been looking to lighten things up around here. The same layout isn’t going anywhere, but I’ve been toying (as you may have seen occasionally) with a brighter skin. I know light vs. dark themes are highly subjective from reader to reader. That’s why I’m asking you, the reader, what your preference is.

Light or dark?

Xperia line to finally see Android 2.1 update starting October 31st.

Sony Xperia devices have been languishing with Android 1.6 since release many months ago. Though it appears Sony will finally make right on their promises of a “late October” release for the Android 2.1 update. Starting October 31st, the first batch of unbranded Xperia devices in Nordic countries (read: non-U.S. customers) will start to see the update pushed out, with the rest of the world joining the party throughout November.

For those who have forgotten, the 2.1 update will bring 720p video recording, continuous auto-focus, and plenty of more minuscule tweaks and bug fixes throughout the system.

Android 2.1 is definitely a welcome upgrade to the current software installed. But with Android 2.2 already outdated and 2.3/3.0 just around the corner, we can’t help but request that Sony try to move things along a little faster…

Verizon iPhone gets another confirmation via Fortune.

The CDMA iPhone rumors just won’t die. Joining major publications such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, Fortune is now also coming out with their own story, “confirming” that a CDMA iPhone is in fact dropping in “early 2011″. So far, January has been a popular target. According to the Fortune article, the first CDMA version of the iPhone won’t be a “World Edition” or feature LTE…

Box.net increases free storage, sets target for Dropbox.

For the last year, I’ve made good use of Dropbox. For those who don’t know, it’s a pretty awesome cloud-based file storage service that gives you the ability to upload/download/share files. You can get a free account for 2GB and increase it by 250MB at a time for each friend you refer to the service up to 8GB. Even more useful is that you can download native Dropbox apps for both Windows and OS X turning it into a share folder within the OS to allow easy drag-n-drop action. (Mobile apps for iOS, Android, and BlackBerry are available too.)

On the other side of the fence is Box.net. I’ll be honest and admit I haven’t used this service at all (though I just finished signing up for an account). I’ve heard of it before, but only now after some plan upgrades did they catch my interest. You see, the old Box.net freebie plan topped out at 1GB. The new plan has expanded considerably to 5GB! Business accounts also got a healthy kick. Instead of costing $15 per user, companies can now get a business account with a starting point of 500GB!

The only downside to Box.net’s new consumer-focused plans is the lack of a drag-n-drop option — you have to sign in to the website to upload/download files. A small inconvenience especially to users who’ve become accustomed to the awesome feature built into all versions of Dropbox. For some however, the 5GB right out of the gate will more than make up for the difference. Though if Box.net keeps up this impressive feat of pro-consumer updates, Dropbox may just have a fight on their hands.

WiFi coming to the London underground.

You know, one of the things I’m always thinking about when trapped under London’s concrete jungle is “Why the hell can’t I browse the interwebs”. Ok, no it isn’t. Hell, I’ve never even left the county — U.S. But that doesn’t matter. I’m a nerd at heart and can surely appreciate the open web being gifted upon a new geographical region of this fine planet.

In this case, it’s the tube, several feet below London. It will be here at the Charing Cross — specifically Northern and Bakerloo line platforms — where BT Openzone-powered WiFi will be launched on November 1st, blanketing the station, ticket booths, and platform with wireless waves of joy.

For now, it’s a trial to see exactly how Londoners adopt the service. Another shortfall is that it won’t cover any part of the actual train path, meaning no browsing whilst on the tracks. Kind of a bummer, yeah. But I’d take whatever you can get. If trials go well, expect to see the service expand to other stations and perhaps even along the length of the track.

Chinese folks love them some iPhone 4. [Sell out]

Apparently the iPhone 4 is a smashing success over yonder in China, for all of their brick & mortar Apple stores have completely depleted their stock of the popular handset. If you’re a Chinese resident and still want in, you’ll have to take your cash online if you hope to score any touchscreen action. Of course, if scalpers wouldn’t snap up every damn device that’s available and then resell them at exorbitant prices, we wouldn’t be in this situation.

But regardless of who is or isn’t buying up all of the Chinese iPhone 4′s, there is something to look forward to. November should see stock once again replenished if physical purchases are still your go-to method.

HP unveils new HP logo.

Well lookie there — a new Palm logo. Looks like HP finally got around to “claiming” them. Now if only they could release some interesting webOS hardware…