Posts in Mobile Phones

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Software unlock for iPhone 3G coming soon?

Tom Krazit | Oct 28, 2008

An unlocked iPhone 3G is a little closer to becoming reality, according to the iPhone Dev Team.

An easy way of unlocking your iPhone 3G could hit the Internet relatively soon.

Gizmodo picked up on a video produced by the iPhone Dev Team demonstrating that it has gained access to the baseband processor used by Apple in the iPhone 3G. The baseband chip is what controls the connection between the phone and the mobile phone network, meaning that a software download that could let you use your iPhone 3G on a carrier network other than the ones officially designated by Apple could be released soon.

I'm sure you remember the fuss about the original iPhone and those who sought to unlock it from the four carriers that were Apple's launch partners for the first iPhone. The iPhone 3G has proven a tougher nut to crack, because Apple apparently changed the baseband to make it more difficult to exploit than the baseband used on the original iPhone. You can unlock your iPhone 3G to use it on another carrier by modifying the SIM card, but what the iPhone Dev Team is trying to accomplish is a software-based unlock that you would just download and install.

There hasn't been as much demand for unlocked iPhone 3Gs, given the much greater distribution of that phone around the world. However, there are still some countries like China that don't carry the iPhone, and there are still some users who want to use their iPhones on a different carrier than the one designated for the iPhone in their country.

Via CNET News

Filed under: Mobile Phones
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3G speed test: iPhone 3G vs. T-Mobile G1

Bonnie Cha | Oct 24, 2008

The T-Mobile G1 is officially on sale now, but maybe you're still on the fence about it. What's Google Android all about? What's up with the design? Is it better than the iPhone 3G? Perhaps you're wondering which of these 3G smartphones is faster? Well, glad you asked.

In this quick Prizefight, CNET TV's Brian Tong and I pit the two against each other in a 3G speed test, clocking the time it takes for each device to load CNET News from start to finish. Now, there are a couple of things to remember. Both smart phones use different Web browsers, and there are a number of factors that might affect 3G speeds, such as the area you live in and how many people are on the network at one time. However, in the spirit of friendly competition and out of pure curiosity, we decided to go for it. Check out the video to see who comes out on top.

Via CNET Crave

Filed under: Handhelds, Mobile Phones
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ASUS notebooks and handheld coming our way

John Chan | Oct 23, 2008

They have all been announced, but ASUS finally revealed the availability and pricing details of its P552w PDA-phone, the S101 Eee PC and its Bamboo series notebook in Asia Pacific.

The P552w will come in black or white and costs S$669 (US$479.02). We had a go at its Glide custom interface and found it pretty easy to use. It wasn't revolutionary considering there has been much work done by HTC and Samsung in this area, but it's still a good alternative to Windows Mobile's default interface. This handheld goes on sale in November.

The Eee PC S101 is a premium version of the regular Eee PC Netbooks, which is an oxymoron of sorts considering this range was meant to be budget second notebooks for most people. We do have to admit that it feels much nicer than a regular Eee PC with very clean lines and an appealing design. The 16GB version with Windows XP will be available from tomorrow, while the 64GB Linux version will start shipping later next month. Either configuration will cost the same, S$1,098 (US$786.20).

Lastly, the ASUS notebook with a bamboo finish will finally ship in November and cost S$2,598 (US$1,860.23). This is actually a modification of the U-series notebook and comes with pretty impressive specifications including a 12.1-inch display, 4GB RAM and dedicated Nvidia 9300M graphics.

Filed under: Handhelds, Mobile Phones, Notebooks
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Kyocera joins Android phone bandwagon

Stephan Shankland | Oct 23, 2008

The HTC-built T-Mobile G1, the first Android-powered phone, will be getting company from Kyocera and others.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)

Kyocera Wireless is building a mobile phone powered by Android, a move that expands the clout of Google's newly open-source operating system.

Wind River Systems, an embedded computing specialist that's increased its staff to help manufacturers support Android, said Tuesday it's providing engineering services to help incorporate the software from the 34-member Open Handset Alliance that has collectively built Android so far.

Several other phone manufacturers--HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and LG Electronics--already are alliance members, but Kyocera's Android endorsement shows the technology is expanding beyond that initial group of supporters.

Wind River provides its own "commercial-grade" version of Linux for Android and has partnerships with Texas Instruments, NEC Electronics, and STMicroelectronics to provide support for their hardware. It's not clear when Kyocera's Android-based products will be available, but Wind River's Android software is scheduled to become available in the first half of 2009.

Via CNET News

Filed under: Handhelds, Mobile Phones
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More BlackBerry app store details emerge

Jessica Dolcourt | Oct 22, 2008

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--Mike Lazaridis, Research In Motion's co-founder and co-CEO, has just given the 700 registered developers at the first-ever BlackBerry Developer Conference sound but strange advice. The key to successful BlackBerry development isn't just good programming, Lazaridis told the room, it's physics.

Very specific physics, it turns out. Lazaridis pointed to an image of a box with the words Bandwidth, Capacity, Performance, and Battery Life, written in each corner. These are the four principles of BlackBerry's "physics," he said. If developers push too hard to achieve high broadband speeds, for instance, capacity drops. On individual devices, there is a trade-off between battery life and performance.

"This is one box that it's wise not to think outside," Lazaridis joked.

Lazaridis' insight is one reason that scores of developers have gathered at the Silicon Valley conference. Another is meeting with technical experts for hands-on advice to ready their applications for the sleek BlackBerry Bold and touch-screen BlackBerry Storm--slated to hit stores within the next few weeks--and for the BlackBerry application store--anticipated to debut in March 2009.
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