Posts in Mobile Phones
Magellan Navigation sold to MiTAC
Bonnie Cha | Dec 16, 2008
On Monday, Magellan Navigation Inc., entered into a definitive agreement to sell its consumer products division to Taiwanese-based MiTAC International Corporation and expects the transaction to be finalized by January 2009, though no specifics were given about the financial terms. As part of the package, MiTAC, which also owns Mio Technology, makers of the Mio Knight Rider GPS and the Mio C520, will inherit the Magellan RoadMate and Maestro series of portable navigation devices and the Triton series of handheld GPS.
Though Magellan still has a decent retail presence in the US and comes in third behind Garmin and TomTom, the company has been slow to come out with new products and hasn't been able to keep up with the big two in terms of features, innovation, or support. Meanwhile, Mio has struggled with brand recognition in the States. Just how the two companies will integrate remains to be seen, but GPS Business News believes that MiTAC will do away with the Mio brand and build on Magellan's name and customer base. This would probably make the most sense, but either way, it's going to be an uphill battle.
(Official press release: Magellan)
Via CNET News
Garmin Nuvifone passes FCC
Bonnie Cha | Dec 16, 2008
(Credit: Engadget Mobile)
According to FCC documents, the Nuvifone (strangely tagged as the "Calf" from Asus) will support North American 850/1900MHz 3G bands, which means AT&T customers would be feeling the HSDPA love on the Nuvifone and not T-Mobile, whose 3G network runs on the 1700/2100MHz bands.
The Nuvifone, which was announced almost a year ago, is the first smartphone for GPS manufacturer Garmin, and originally had a release date of sometime in the Q4 of 2008. However, the company later delayed its release to the first half of 2009. Perhaps with the FCC approval, we might see the Nuvifone sooner rather than later, but we won't hold our breath.
Via CNET Crave, Engadget Mobile, FCC
iPhone nano rumors surface once again
Tom Krazit | Dec 16, 2008
Could the case on the right be slated for the fabled iPhone nano?
(Credit: iDealsChina)
With less than a month to go before Macworld, the rumors have started, and they sound familiar.
The possibility of an iPhone nano has once again been served up for mass consumption by the Apple rumor mill, this time courtesy of a Web site called iDealsChina. The site claims that Apple accessory maker XSKN has been developing a case for a new version of the iPhone that is shorter and thicker than the iPhone 3G and that will be announced at Macworld in January.
MacRumors.com, which attempts to handicap the Apple rumor industry, notes that iDealsChina "has a very mixed track record" when it comes to reading the Apple tea leaves. The site did publish photos of case designs for what became the iPhone 3G, but incorrectly predicted that the second-generation iPod touch would have GPS.
Read more »
Apple kills iPhone app, claiming API violation
Tom Krazit | Dec 16, 2008
Landon Fuller's Peeps application was rejected from the App Store for supposedly breaking rules that Google was allowed to violate.
(Credit: Plausible Labs)
Apple has rejected an iPhone application that supposedly uses off-limits technology just like Google's mobile application--only the developer swears it's not true.
Landon Fuller, who developed a photo contact management system called Peeps, said on his blog that Apple had rejected Peeps from the App Store because, "Peeps cannot be posted to the App Store due to the usage of a non-public API. Usage of non-public APIs, as outlined in the iPhone SDK Agreement section 3.3.1, is prohibited." The thing is, Fuller insists that Peeps does not use any programming tools but the public ones Apple exposes to developers as part of the iPhone SDK, saying "the last thing I would do is deliver time-bomb code to a paying customer." (Thanks to Daring Fireball for the link.)
Read more »
Report: Android phone on tap for China
Jonathan Skillings | Dec 15, 2008
The Lenovo-badged "OPhone"
(Credit: ModmyGphone)
The site ModmyGphone is showing off a photo of a sleek gadget that it says is a joint effort of Lenovo, the PC heavyweight, and China Mobile, the largest cell phone operator in China:
The latest bit is, the phone is looking good and ready for testing. OPhone is a codename for phones that will be based on China Mobile's OMS (Open Mobile System) which is essentially Android + TD SCDMA (China's home-grown 3G standard).
Another site, ITProPortal, says that the smart phone, with "iPhone-esque minimalist features," is expected to debut in February or March.
Read more »
Crave is...
The name says it all. Crave is our blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.
Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.
Crave for...
» Mobile Phones (2240)
» Digital Cameras (988)
» Notebooks (1238)
» PC & Peripherals (1312)
» Handhelds (585)
» Printers (83)
» Home AV (1147)
» Music & Play (896)
» Gadgets (1488)
» Future Tech (396)
» Green Tech (172)
» Lifestyle (157)
» Luxury (22)
» Home Appliances (58)
» Cars (99)
» Games and Gear (248)
» Software (96)
» Web (119)
Previously...
Hot Topics
What's Hot
apple apple inc. apple iphone apple ipod asia battery camera game google inc. iphone microsoft corp. microsoft windows mobile phone photograph singapore smart phone software sony corp. video
Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
