According to the New York Times, despite not having the Apple iPhone, Verizon’s been slowly leeching smartphone customers from AT&T for the last two years. Verizon’s share of the smartphone market has jumped from 20 to 26 percent since 2008, while AT&T’s smartphone market share has dropped from 45 to 40 percent during that same period. What’s more, Verizon is only paying $300 for each Android, BlackBerry and Palm phone sold, while AT&T pays Apple at least $450 for each unit sold. There’s no doubt that having the Apple iPhone exclusive helped AT&T, but there’s also no doubt that their inability to provide a network that can handle the device hurt AT&T. The real question is, if AT&T’s bleeding subscribers while they have the exclusive, what happens when that deal expires?

Link to the original article…

Google Android seems to be the platform for alternate keyboards. First there’s Swype, but the recently released beta of SwiftKey seems to really speed up input via intuitive word prediction that outclasses the built-in prediction on the Android virtual keyboard.

SwiftKey brings the future of text entry to smartphones. It uses TouchType’s breakthrough Fluency™ technology to predict the next word you want to type, before you even press a key.

With SwiftKey, your next word is predicted with such incredible accuracy that a third of suggestions are right first time and usually you won’t need to press more than two letters.

SwiftKey doesn’t just predict regular words – it learns as you type and remembers how you write. As words and sentences are chosen over time, its Fluency™ engine creates a dynamic understanding of your writing style to boost the accuracy, fluency and speed of prediction.

Currently a free download… have at it!

[ Links: SwiftKey Beta, TouchType, Ltd. ]

When Microsoft acquired Danger, the maker of the entry-level “smartphone” Sidekick, nobody knew what was going to come of it. Fast-forward 2 years, and the fruits of that acquisition finally come to light in the form of the Microsoft Kin One and Microsoft Kin Two. Both are aimed squarely at the “Upload Generation”, the teen to early 30′s group that uses their cameraphone and Twitter apps, alongside Facebook and even MySpace to chronicle their daily operations with their peers.

The Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two are now on sale via Verizon for $49.99 and $99.99 respectively after a $100.00 mail-in rebate once you sign a 2-year contract. Despite having questionable “smartphone” abilities, the Microsoft Kin platform does require the Verizon $29.99 a month data plan.

Despite having a somewhat “cool reception” in the blogosphere, these phones do come with pretty impressive numbers on the optics, Zune connectivity and playback, Bing search engine software which has been beefed up to include location aware portions as part of the new “Near Me” Bing functionality… it’s actually not an ugly phone and it’s still quite zippy performance-wise.

Let’s hope this paves the way to an even speedier Microsoft Windows 7 Phone release though. That’s the phone the more serious folks.

[ Links: Microsoft Kin Press Release, Verizon ]

It seems like roughly once a week now that AT&T executives inform everyone that there needs to be a change in wireless broadband pricing – and by change they really mean you’ll soon be paying more money for wireless data. Carrier executives and investors want all users paying more for data as smartphones and open networks erode VoIP and voice minute revenues, though the carrier likes to pretend the changes are necessary because current (very profitable) pricing isn’t sustainable. Speaking on the company’s earnings conference call yesterday, CFO Richard Lidner again hinted at the looming change:

…you’re dealing with a situation where when you look at your customer base, even customers that are using similar devices, there s huge disparity in the amount of data that they use and the amount of capacity they consume. And so when you look at all of those things as an industry I think it will influence how in the future the pricing models develop.

And as an industry what the industry has to do is develop models that are understandable by customers, that customers you know can understand and live with, and at the same time is fair to customers in terms of the amount of a somewhat limited resource that they’re consuming. And so that’s kind of the whole thing on data pricing and it will I suspect evolve as we go forward in the industry and it ll evolve as applications and devices continue to evolve and data traffic continues to grow.

Again, while AT&T continues to hint at the fact they’d like some kind of pure per-byte billing model (which many people would be fine with), what carriers actually wind up implementing are pricing models where all users are funneled toward higher prices. If AT&T introduced pricing that really was based on usage – the vast majority of their subscribers would wind up with lower bills, which of course they don’t want. At this point we wish AT&T would stop talking about it and introduce their dream pricing model so we can see exactly what the hell they keep hinting at (and prepare to take out that second mortgage if necessary).

Link to the original article…

Earlier this month, AT&T launched their first Android-based smartphone the Motorola Backflip, and many were annoyed (but unsurprised) to learn of a few Ma Bell “modifications.” In addition to replacing Google with Yahoo search, the device came complete with AT&T bloatware that couldn’t be removed, and couldn’t run unsigned applications (running contrary to the whole point of the Android OS).

Now as AT&T prepares to launch the first Android-powered Dell smartphone (the Dell Aero), Phone News confirms with Dell that the Aero also won’t allow unsigned applications:

To Google’s credit, the chief developer of Android wants no part of these restrictions, and is refusing to put the “with Google” branding on Backflip or Aero. Still, legal questions loom large for device manufacturers willing to consent to these hinderances [sic]. As Android touts a gatekeeper-less universe of open application development, these changes make it questionable if users should be notified pre-purchase about said hinderances [sic].

AT&T showed off the Aero at CTIA this week but apparently wouldn’t let the press play with it for longer than a few moments, lest they notice AT&T’s special “enhancements” to the device. Of course AT&T-imposed restrictions on a platform designed to be (largely) open does nothing to stop the eventual migration to truly open mobile platforms, though it does act to undermine the AT&T brand. Of course you can now buy a Nexus One from Google for 9 (but not unsubsidized through AT&T), though that effectively creates a system where real application freedom becomes a luxury option.

Link to the original article… ]]> http://www.removethelabels.com/2010/03/29/att-locks-down-android-tight/feed/ 1 http://www.removethelabels.com/2010/01/11/otterbox-announces-tandem-series-of-cases-for-palm-pre/ http://www.removethelabels.com/2010/01/11/otterbox-announces-tandem-series-of-cases-for-palm-pre/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:20:27 +0000 William http://www.removethelabels.com/?p=26150

OtterBox makes killer, high-quality cases that can protect the living daylights out of your cellphone and other electronics from drops, mishandling and other mishaps that we tend to do to our electronics accidentally. OtterBox has just announced their new series of cases for the Palm Pre:

OtterBox announces a new case line, the Tandem™ Series. Engineered with the same attention to detail and consideration for protection as other OtterBox lines, the Tandem Series enhances your smartphone experience with flagship protection for the Palm® Pre™.

“We’ve finally put rubber to the road with the concept of a case for a slider phone and the Palm Pre was just the right place to start,” Curt Richardson said, OtterBox CEO. “The Tandem Series is a completely new design for us and we have spent significant time and effort to offer not only protection, but functionality.”

Price and delivery date TBA.

[ Links: OtterBox, OtterBox Tandem Series, OtterBox Press Release ]

Samsung Electronics today unveiled ‘Samsung M5650′, a music-focused addition to its popular lineup of full touch screen handsets for young mobile users. Following on the launch of the Corby (S3650), the Samsung M5650 further strengthens Samsung’s offering for digitally savvy young users who seek colorful and bold designs, easy connectivity and great functionality.

Tailored for music lovers, the Samsung M5650 is equipped with a one-touch key for listening to your favorite tunes on top of all the diverse features of the Corby, which swept the global market with sales of 3.5 million units within two months of its launch in September.

The Samsung M5650′s bold design emphasizes the same contoured exterior as seen in the Corby, adding curved edges on its reverse side to maximizing its smooth and sophisticated feel. In addition, the Samsung M5650 offers enhanced social networking features for those who are actively digitally connected through means such as e-mail, instant messaging and blogs. Additionally, the Samsung M5650 allows quick access to MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, and the ability to easily upload photos and videos.

Offering 3G connectivity, the Samsung M5650 comes with a full range of features such as WiFi, a 3-megapixel camera, FM radio, MP3 player, USB 2.0, Bluetooth, One Finger Zoom and a Cartoon UI. Samsung M5650 is currently available in Portugal and soon expand to other Europe markets, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, India and China. The battery cover is available in blue or black.

Link to the original article…

Samsung Electronics today announced the availability of Omnia HD I8910 HD (GT-I8910) Gold Edition. This premium version of the ground-breaking full touch screen smartphone features a luxurious new look inlayed with gold and a package of special accessories.

The Samsung Omnia HD Gold Edition brings together high performance, style, multimedia and functionality in one device. This special edition comes in two fashionable colors – Champagne Gold and Luxury Brown – both of which are inlayed with 24 karat gold, giving the device an extra touch of style. The Gold Edition package also includes a leather case, together with special accessories including a mini-cradle and TV-out cable to enhance its superb multimedia features.

Link to the original article…

LG Electronics launches its Android based smartphone OPhone, model: LG GW880 in the China market. The LG OPhone supports TD-SCDMA, the 3G standard in China.

Adopting a 3.5-inch WVGA touch screen with 800 by 480 resolution, the OPhone features CMMB (China Multi Media Broadcasting) support, a 5M camera, GPS and Bluetooth connectivity.

Link to the original article…

Link to the original article…

With almost two weeks under its belt and one WebOS update, the new kid on the block Palm Pre has established itself as a competent smartphone with its closest competitor updated from iPhone 3G to iPhone 3GS. But is the Palm Pre really worth the switch from your current phone? Is it really cost effective to switch?

Gadget lust aside, let’s let the people at Billshrink.com help make that decision:

At a glance, it looks like a Pre offers better overall savings on their wireless plans! For a closer look based on individual needs and for a detailed analysis of the feature, check out Billshrink.com.

Pricing Comparison

Palm Pre (Sprint)

• $199: cost of phone with $100 rebate
• $100/month: Sprint Unlimited data + voice
• $69.99/month: 450 voice minutes and unlimited data
• $89.99/month: 900 voice minutes
• $129.99/month: Family plan for 2 Pre phones ($19.99 for additional lines to family plan)
• $169.99: 3000 minutes shared plan
• $189.99: Unlimited family plan ($89.99 for additional lines to unlimited everything family plan)

iPhone (AT&T)

• $199+: cost of phone
• $150/month: AT&T unlimited data + voice
• $112.49/month: 450 voice minutes and unlimited data
• $109.99/month: 900 voice minutes
• $129.99 (for 700min and unlimited everything else) Family plan for 2 iPhones ($39.99 for additional lines to family plan)
• $209.99 3000 minutes shared plan
• $259.99 Unlimited Family plan ($129.99 for additional lines to unlimited everything family plan)

For a deeper level of analysis, people can even upload their current cell phone bills onto the site and BillShrink will analyze and recommend a more cost-effective plan based on their usage (texting, data and multimedia), who you call the most (in/out of network) and will even factor in location to recommend plans with the strongest signals in the area. Read more [ here ]