Archive for July, 2011
RadioShack is about to get a a healthy boost of retail potential compliments of a new partnership. By way of press release, RadioShack announced today that Verizon Wireless service and hardware devices will once again grace store shelves starting this fall (September 15th). For users who prefer to pick up new cellular contracts and devices while also nabbing an occasional deal or two provided by 3rd party retailers such as RadioShack, the move is a welcome one.
Fans of T-Mobile won’t find the same announcement quite as flattering. In the same press release RadioShack also revealed that they are dropping T-Mobile service and phones a day earlier — September 14th — citing among other things, a 53% tanking of net income.
Given the countless cellular re-sellers available to the average human, we see RadioShack’s announcement as a minor annoyance at best. Just like gas stations and pharmacies, cellular stores/cellular re-sellers are literally everywhere.
Sprint 4G users who live and die by their “unofficial” Android tethering on their Nexus S 4G handset will want to hold of on the currently rolling out 2.3.5 Gingerbread update. It is said update that removes the option to tether for free, and now makes it mandatory to subscribe to an add-on mobile hotspot/tethering package. The move follows similar ones made by other carriers, so the direction Sprint is going isn’t surprising. Nonetheless, it’s disappointing that carriers feel the need to nickel and dime us through another fee when they already rake in cash by the truck load.
Of course, the main reason for the update is improved WiMAX reception and performance. Pick your battles.
If you’d like the best of both worlds, hold off until an official rooted version of the update is available that also preserves the free tethering. While a new rooted build of the latest GRj90 Nexus S 4G is available compliments of Android Central forum member, ShabbyPenguin, it’s worth nothing that Shabby’s ROM doesn’t re-enable free tethering.
RIM is scheduled to publicly announce several new BlackBerry devices powered by OS 7 later today. But Verizon Wireless apparently wants to steal a bit of the limelight themselves as the carrier has outed a new video (after the break) that goes over some of the big talking points of RIM’s next-gen Berry. The assortment of specs are well known at this point — 1.2 GHz processor, 768 MB of RAM, 5-megapixel camera, 2.8″ 640 x 480 touchscreen display, full QWERTY keyboard and BlackBerry OS 7.
The thing that really caught our attention, however, is the mention of the BlackBerry 9930 being powered by the nation’s fastest LTE network (read: Verizon Wireless) — interesting considering at no point in the video is 4G/LTE mentioned or seen. Marketing material up until this point also lacks any mention of LTE. As optimistic as we’d like to be, we chalk up the mentioning of LTE as a simple error. Too bad, really.
Anyone beginning to be won over by the 9930 of is your mind still looking into the future of QNX-powered “superphones”? Hop on past for the VZW video goodness…
The highly anticipated DROID Bionic has teased us many times over and in two different form factors. The big draw of course comes by way of the powerful dual-core processor + LTE combo that will provide users with speed both locally and over the air. Getting our hands on all that awesomeness, unfortunately, will have to be put of another month if Sam’s Club documentation is to be believed.
As you can see above, the Motorola DROID Bionic is stated as being pushed back until September — disappointing considering the handset has already been delayed many months, with the most recent release date rumored to be August 4th. On that note, Motorola and Verizon both have never publicly acknowledged or released any actual release date.
Hopefully the flood of DROID Bionic accessory leaks we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks means things are different than what the above paper may say. While Sam’s Club could be delayed in selling the DROID Bionic, VZW and other retailers could very well go live with the Bionic in August. We can only hope…
Like Google’s ChromeOS idea but still left wanting more? Perhaps Mozilla’s new project which involves developing their own web-based/Android OS specifically designed for mobile devices. The goal according to Mozilla is to take the normal functions of a phone — telephony, SMS, camera, USB, Bluetooth, etc. — and develop web-based protocols that will create an experience that mimics that of a native/locally stored one. In conjunction with the various web technologies, the OS will also feature the very core of Android (kernel, drivers, etc.), meaning current open source junkies in love with the jolly green giant have even more to love.
We’re not going to lie. We love discovering and using native apps via proprietary app stores as much as most anyone else. With that said, we dream for the day when using an app is as simple as firing up the browser. And if that web app can perfectly mimic a native one — jackpot.
It goes without saying Mozilla has a long, difficult road ahead of them that could very well lead to nothing ever being publicly released. Being the optimists that we are, however, we’ll continue on with our heads held high and our fingers crossed.
Weather Live fans who found their favorite Live Tile supporting WP7 weather app ripped from their world a few short days ago will want to break out the bubbly and dance in the streets once again. The original app was broken by Google, whom began restricting certain pieces of data from Weather Live. But after a clever “back door” tactic by the developer, functionality was restored (and then some). On top of simply being available again, two new features are debuting:
The first new “feature” is a worthy addition as previously all the end user saw was raw GPS coordinates — not very helpful for most day-to-day scenarios. The second and more important feature allows end users to control what does/doesn’t display on the Live Tile icon as well as flip the time between 12hr and 24hr.
As long as Microsoft is pleased, look for Weather Live to rejoin the ranks of thousands of other WP7 apps in the coming days.
After yesterday’s media firestorm revolving around Facebook’s unofficially released iPad app, the hack to enable it, and subsequent attempt to block access by Facebook, comes a new development that should make everyone happy — you can now download a simple app and hack your way to real iPad Facebooking in now time!
The app is called “FaceForward” and is developed by popular iOS hacker chpwn. Installation is straight forward and will have the unofficial official Facebook iPad app up and running in seconds — even after Facebook’s ban hammer. The only stipulation — you’ll need a jailbroken iPad. Add this repo to Cydia and be on your way. Video of the install process after the break…
![[Update 4] Free At Last – A5 Untether Has Been Released!!](http://gadgetsteria.com/wp-content/themes/magnet/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://gadgetsteria.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/absinthe-logo.jpeg&w=270&h=125&zc=1){kind=logo}
