Posts in Handhelds
BlackBerry Storm parts pricier than iPhone's
Marguerite Reardon | Jan 30, 2009
(Credit: James Martin/CBS Interactive)
Market research firm iSuppli has taken apart the BlackBerry Storm and discovered that the sum of its parts is worth more than those of Apple's iPhone 3G.
Components used to build new Research In Motion smart phone cost about US$203, according to iSuppli. Verizon Wireless, the exclusive carrier of the Storm, sells the device for US$199 after rebates and with a two-year service contract. Meanwhile, the total cost of components in Apple's 8GB iPhone 3G, which was introduced last summer, is US$174. AT&T, the iPhone's exclusive carrier, sells the 8GB device for US$199 with a two-year service contract.
These total device prices don't include the cost of software, licensing of patents, or distribution, but rather just the cost of the actual physical components. While the roughly US$29 difference may not seem like much, it certainly adds up after millions of phones are sold.
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Is correcting someone's tech mistake rude?
John Chan | Jan 30, 2009
I use acronyms that describe mobile technology frequently in my job and the people that who around me have no problems understanding things like HSDPA, CDMA and GPRS. It's thus easy to forget that these are not terms that everyone can relate to easily and a conversation I overheard on my daily commute reminded me of that.
Two men were talking about buying the iPhone 3G instead of an unlocked first-generation iPhone. One of them mentioned surfing the Web on the train using GPS, and the second guy said he should get the latest version in that case.
Both were probably thinking of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) when they spoke of GPS (Global Positioning System). If I wasn't merely an eavesdropper and knew these two gentlemen, I would have corrected them and also mentioned that the latest iPhone would use HSDPA for data transfers on the train, not the agonizingly slow GPRS.
What about you? Do you correct your friends when they make mistakes like that? Or do feel it's rude to do so, just like correcting someone's grammar (unless you are a teacher or editor)? Tell us what you think.
Is it time to ditch Windows Mobile?
David Carnoy | Jan 29, 2009
Windows Mobile 6.5 is rumored to offer cosmetic upgrades, not major feature changes.
(Credit: WMPoweruser)
Take my current situation. I own a Sprint Mogul. Like with all cell phones--and smart phones for that matter--I was smitten with it when I first got it. It was a nice upgrade over the PPC-6700--not only in terms of design, but it performed better all around. Alas, with time, it's experienced its share of problems, even with a couple of firmware upgrades that gave it faster data speeds from Sprint's newest 3G network (Rev A), added GPS, and fixed a few bugs. I need a new battery, the keyboard doesn't work as well as it used to, the phone freezes a fair amount, and when I touch icons or open fields on the touch screen, it often takes a few taps to get the reaction I want. (Some people refer to this as the Windows Mobile "delay" syndrome).
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Leapfrog unveils "baby BlackBerry" for tots
David Carnoy | Jan 29, 2009
Is the baby iPhone next?
(Credit: Leapfrog)
There's good news for parents who are tired of having their toddlers getting their grubby little paws on their BlackBerrys and other smartphones while they're not looking. Leapfrog has announced a product called the Text & Learn or--as it's sure to be known in the blogsphere--the "baby BlackBerry."
Now kids can mimic their parents and send text messages and check their schedules at all hours of the day. The device, which is a bit bigger than your average BlackBerry, is geared toward preschoolers who are just learning to spell and includes games that focus on spelling and basic computer skills.
Virtual pal Scout is onboard to help; youngsters can exchange text messages with the little guy and check Scout's planner for meeting conflicts (OK, I'm kidding a bit there), and explore in a "pretend" browser mode. Other learning activities include letter matching, shape identification, and QWERTY keyboard navigation.
The Text & Learn was unveiled at the UK Toy Fair this week and isn't supposed to be announced in the US until next week, but we do know it will be available this summer and will cost US$25. No, it doesn't have any sort of wireless capabilities (what did you expect for 25 bucks?), though it'd be scary if it did.
Comments? Do we live in a sick world or is this a great tool for teaching tots to spell?
Via CNET Crave
Acer smart phone launching Feb 16
Erica Ogg | Jan 29, 2009
(Credit: Pocketlint.co.uk)
The Taiwanese PC maker has just begun distributing invitations to a press event that will be held next month during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Both President and CEO Gianfranco Lanci and Aymar de Lencquesaing, the head of the Smart Handheld business unit, will be on hand for the event. The invitation specifically says "smart phones" launch, so it doesn't sound like it's going to be an event focused on a single model or device like, say, Apple's past iPhone events, or the Palm Pre launch.
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