One thing about buying a mobile phone, they differ in features. The more the features a phone has, the more confusing it guests. Regardless, this will not stop people from buying a mobile phone despite the complicated technology that most of them come with. In fact, a recent survey by Best Buy Mobile found that this barely matters as a large number of Americans still plan on getting a smartphone in the next 12 months.

Another factor is that of the decision to buy the right device for them. With so many phones available, driving factors such as price, features and of course handiness come into mind. It is sort of like saying that there are a lot of fish in the sea.

“Customers will find the best deals on the internet at Low Cost Cells,” said President Nate Schmidt. “We work with our carriers to offer the most reasonable prices and make the buying process easy to understand.”

So in the end, it looks like price may change all the confusion. With the hard times we are in, people will prefer the cheaper devices available in the market. But then again, there are other drivers such as perhaps features which logically justify the pricing structure of most smartphones in the market today.

(Source) Press

Golfers need all the help they can get when they are on the tee and now they can use the iPhone to improve their game and make accurate calculations when it comes to strokes in their games.

The new app is the Golfshot: Golf GPS rangefinder for the iPhone 3G and 3G S. Among the features of this new app is the TruePoint positioning which allows golfers to touch any point on a golf hole to receive distances to and from that point.

Features:

• Aerial images of golf courses worldwide
• Exclusive TruePoint positioning to view distances to and from any point on the course
• Accurate distances to greens, bunkers, water hazards, layups, and more
• Customized layup distances tailored to a golfer’s ideal clubs and distances

The Golfshot app for the iPhone is now available at the Apple App Store for $29.99

(Source) Press

All Nokia N97 owners should know that Nokia has rolled out a new firmware update. Version 11.0.021 is available and you can get it over the air or through Nokia’s Software Updater. The new firmware brings on quite a few changes and fixes:

• USB detection error fix
• PC does not detect N97 or USB charging connection not detected
• Widget
• Home screen online/offline widget crash fix
• Fix for “Alphabetical and Number input are mixed in facebook until end key is pressed
• Widget UI improvement - New facebook widget fixes a problem of Home Screen background visible on soft-key area
• Browser fixes to improve widgets stability.
• MfE related fixes
• Partial fix for Messaging/calendar entry lost
• Mail for exchange calendar entry synchronization error fix
• UI transition error fixes (Portrait <-> landscape transition, there is a home screen corruption.)
• UI transition (Slowness and bad effects)
• Slow Touch UI response
• Picture of the device lock appears half of the screen when transitioning the UI sometimes
• Landscape: in some cases the soft buttons on touch (right hand) show the Home Screen in background (install maps.google.com)
• Photos thumbnail performance and stability improvements
• Device performance deteriorates when lots of content in the device - especially photos
• Partial fix no display backlight illumination when unlocking lock-key - CAP Genius reported already
• New version of Accueweather to improve the “Connection error” situation
• Device reset when browsing with high speed packet access (for Malaysia)
• “Browser soft key UI doesn’t work after putting Chinese character with qwerty keyboard”
• Java fixes (TCK, Pre-install app disappearing, *#7370#*)
• Operator fixes (CMCC, Hutchson and Telefonica, Vodafone)
• Ovi store client now embedded in the core image
What say you folks? Enough changes for you?

Verizon will launch a new Samsung handset soon, the Glyde 2. The phone hasn’t been officially unveiled yet but someone managed to snatch a picture of the Glyde 2 with Verizon’s logo all over it. We’re looking forward for some leaked specs too as we don’t have any idea what this Glyde 2 has to offer. According to rumors we can expect the phone to have an impressive AMOLED screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. What do you say Samsung? Verizon? Anyone willing to tell us more?

via howardforums

What carrier is going to be the first one to launch a 3G femtocell in the USA? Any bets? AT&T will say that its MicroCell solution will be available to customers before the end of the year. Sprint on the other hand is saying that its model will be the first 3G femtocell in the USA.

Mathew Oommen, Sprint’s VP of device and technology development apparently promised that Sprint will in fact be the first carrier to have a 3G femtocell device:

Just like Sprint was the first with 2G, we’ll definitely be the first in the 3G space as well. We’re not talking about trials; we’re talking about full commercial service.

Said device will offer extended EV-DO Rev. A coverage for all those Sprint 3G gadgets in your home. No specific details have been revealed so far and we have no prices details just yet. We’ll be back with all the specs once Sprint makes them available.

via Unstrung

Besides cars Land Rover is able to manufacture cell phones too. And the company seems to follow the same concepts when building phones as they do when making cars. Land Rover phones are very durable and you can expect them to withstand some harsh conditions.

The S1 is so tough that it could actually stand being run over by an actual car. The phone can resist temperatures of up to 300 degrees, it can be immersed in water or any other liquids and it will surely work nicely in colder environments.

Unfortunately this S1 phone is not a smartphone. It offers features like a 2.0 megapixel camera, a battery capable of 1,500 hours of life and a loud ringtone which you’ll never miss. The phone is currently available in the UK for £25 per month with an Orange contract or for £249.99 from Tesco.

via telegraph

It seems a user by the name of vofffka got their hands on what they are calling a prototype version of an iPhone 3GS. How do they know it’s a prototype? Well, when they connect it to iTunes it says “iPhone can not be restored, because software for this iPhone is not available yet”.

Not only that but it also has E10633 engraved on the front. Before you go and place a bid, this phone doesn’t work and the eBay user has doubts it will ever work.

However, if you’re a nifty iPhone hacker maybe you can pull a few strings and get yourself a cheap iPhone 3GS?

Read (eBay)

Despite being released in Canada only recently, Rogers Wireless has announced that they will be lowering the prices of both the HTC Dream and HTC Magic to $99.99.

Of course, you’ll have to opt for a 3-year contract before you get the lowered price but $99.99 for an Android phone? Count me in.

Hell, after seeing that a hacker got HTC’s Sense UI running on one of these phones makes the deal even more enticing.

Read (Rogers)

Apple’s been known for some crazy patents in the back but I think this one tops the cake. Their recent patent filing is for something they are calling ‘active packaging’.

Essentially, ‘active packaging’ is a retail package that charges the device inside while also transmitting data to and from it. For instance, if an iPhone had this kind of packaging the device would not only be fully charged but would have the latest firmware even if it was released after the phone was packaged.

Sure this is cool and all, but how much is it going to cost us just to get this new kind of packaging? If it costs more money, I’ll settle for the normal cardboard box.

Read (PhoneArena)

Facebook has recently announced that they are gearing up to launch version 3.0 of their iPhone app. If you are waiting for Facebook push notifications a la iPhone OS 3.0, you’re going to be disappointed, because it doesn’t add it.

However, there are 15 features that have been added such as Events and the ability to create photoalbums with the full list included below:

1. The “new” News Feed
2. Like
3. Events (including the ability to RSVP)
4. Notes
5. Pages
6. Create new photo albums
7. Upload photos to any album
8. Zoom into photos
9. Easier photo tagging
10. Profile Pictures albums
11. A new home screen for easy access to all your stuff, search, and notifications
12. Add your favorite profiles and pages to the home screen
13. Better Notifications (they link to the comments so you can reply)
14. Quickly call or text people right from the Friends page
15. Messages you are typing will be restored if you quit or are interrupted by a phone call

The announcement says that the Facebook 3.0 iPhone app is about 98% done with no real release date announced. They also added that users should expect a 3.1 update before the end of this summer that will add the much sought after Push Notifications.

Read (Facebook)

Normally, an iPhone jailbreak doesn’t hit the scene until the Dev Team deems it appropriate. They even went so far as to delay the release of an iPhone 3GS jailbreak due to fear that Apple would discover and fix the hole they used. Well, it seems that an iPhone hacker by the name of GeoHot got sick of waiting for the Dev Team to release it and went ahead and released what he is calling ‘purplera1n’:

Normally I don’t make tools for the general public, and rather wait for the dev team to do it. But guys, whats up with waiting until 3.1? That isn’t how the game is played. We release, Apple fixes, we find new holes. It isn’t worth waiting because you might have the “last” hole in the iPhone. What last hole…this isn’t golf. I’ll find a new one next week.

GeoHot says that all you need to do is download the purplera1n file at www.purplera1n.com on a Windows (not 7) PC, run the file, connect your iPhone to iTunes, click “make it ra1n”, then “on bootup, run Freeze, the purplera1n installer app”.

Of course, this jailbreak is in its beta form so make sure you backup everything and do all of this at your own risk.

Read

Many people worried when they noticed that Apple was talking about heat and the new iPhone 3GS. People thought the company was admitting that the phone had heat issues and that potentially it could overheat or be otherwise dangerous to users.

This is not true. Apple simply updated the previously published tech note about safe operating temperatures for the iPhone 3GS. The company regularly does this as part of their practices for giving consumers information they should have. The note simply advises individuals using the phone not to leave the device in a hot car. It also states that the device should not be placed in direct sunlight for an extended amount of time. There is no risk to the user.

LG is holding the third spot after Nokia and Samsung when it comes to market share but the manufacturer has big plans for the future. By 2012 LG plans to get that second spot currently held by Samsung. It’s going to be a fierce fight since Samsung is a force to be reckoned with in the mobile business.

In order to accomplish its plans, LG will launch a “Black Label” phone before the end of the year meant to compete against the iPhone. LG is also working on the third version of the Prada III and other smartphones are expected too. Windows Mobile and Android will be the chosen OS for these future smartphones so we’re definitely interested to see LG’s future line up.

What do you think? Will LG be able to conquer that sweet second spot position?

via yonhapnews

Besides that overheating problem which can’t exactly be corrected right now, there’s another important issue with your iPhone. There’s a certain SMS vulnerability which puts your iPhone at risk. Apparently it’s possible to:

run software code on the phone that is sent by SMS over a mobile operator’s network in order to monitor the location of the phone using GPS, turn on the phone’s microphone to eavesdrop on conversations, or make the phone join a distributed denial of service attack or a botnet.

The flaw has been discovered by OS X security expert Charlie Miller and it was presented at the SyScan conference in Singapore. Apple is probably going to patch this security issue pretty soon and we’ll keep you updated.

via HotHardware

The iPhone is a hot handset and we do mean its temperature. The phone can overheat and that can be pretty annoying. Even Apple has officially acknowledged the problem. A little late you might say since the iPhone has been around for more than two years. Nevertheless the company has released a document concerning the issue. It refers to iPhone 3G or 3GS acceptable operating temperatures. Remember to keep the phone between 32º and 95º F when using it or between -4º and 113º F when simply storing it and you should be fine. That means you should let the phone cool down whenever you feel it’s too hot to play with. In case it keeps overheating you’ll notice unwanted side effects like shorter battery life, display dimming, connection loss and more. And you don’t want that, do you?

via Apple

It is no secret that ever since Michael Jackson passed away last week, millions of fans have been trooping stores buying his albums which contains hit songs like Billie Jean and Thriller. This includes online stores which have ran out of supplies of the famed King of Pop.

Now, people are turning their attention to the Sprint Music Store, purchasing and downloading the famous tunes of the late Michael Jackson. Sprint is the best alternative for music seekers looking for Jackson’s hits and it has shown from the past days.

The week before his death, Jackson ranked 80th in Sprint Music Store sales. Since he died, he’s catapulted to No. 1. The most popular downloaded tracks are “Billie Jean” and “Thriller,” both from the 1982 blockbuster album “Thriller.” In addition, Jackson ringtones constituted 28 percent of total sales on Friday. Top three ringtones are “Thriller,” “P.Y.T.” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.”

Sprint Music Store and Sprint Radio are available through affordable Everything Data plans, starting at just $69.99 per month. With a Simply Everything plan, customers can get unlimited data, talk and messaging for $99.99, which offers individual customers a savings of $1,200 over the course of two years vs. a comparable AT&T iPhone plan.

(Source) Press

One thing that people are looking for is to get budget-friendly costs when it comes to making international calls. And today, MyGlobalTalk brings its act to the iPhone, allowing owners to make cheaper calls through routing calls via this award-winning solution.

MyGlobalTalk features:

• Easy-to-use interface allows users to dial as they normally would
• Integration with native iPhone contacts list
• “Faves” and “History” lists for calls made only through MyGlobalTalk™
• Easy access to account information and balance

It works wherever mobile service is available, providing high-quality service without the need for a Wi-Fi connection. There are no contracts, connection fees or call minimums. It is strictly pay as you go.

(Source) Press

iPhone owners get a new option this July as Nickelodeon’s Addicting games is set to be unveiled, providing broader games for kids and teens. Addicting games is the largest network where users can get free online games. Games based on properties from Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV and other divisions of MTV Networks will also be part of the AddictingGames iNetwork.

“The iPhone is perfectly suited for our easy-to-play, fresh, fun games which together present a pretty powerful combination,” said Dave Williams, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Games Group. “With the AddictingGames iNetwork, we are extending our relationships with developers to the iPhone platform, and are giving them a new promotional vehicle for their games.”

The first AddictingGames that will be available on the iPhone include: “iParking It,” based on the popular “Parking Lot” game series on AddictingGames.com; “50 States,” a geography duel; and the strategy game “World Wars.” More titles will be released in coming months.

(Source) Press

The iPhone provides a lot of different options and among them include the ability to send virtual media postcards, customized according to an iPhone users preference. goPostal creates personalized postcards from any digital photo taken with the Apple iPhone.

“It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s cheap,” said George Coriaty of Whittier, CA. “I don’t have to buy a postcard, I don’t have to buy a stamp and I don’t have to find a mailbox, yet for $1.29, which includes the postage cost, I can send a postcard directly to my Dad from wherever I happen to be.”

goPostal users are coming up with unique ways of using the unique postcard iPhone application. United States soldiers stationed overseas send unique, personalized postcards to friends and family back in the States. Travelers use goPostal to capture the moment and mail postcards easily, efficiently. Businesses use it to maintain contact with their customers.

(Source) Press

Go fishing with your iPhone and net yourself a date with the WhosHere app. If you are simply out to make friends, broaden your cyber circle of friends by meeting new people via this app, touted to be among the top 5% free apps running across the Admob network.

WhosHere is a social proximity application that enables users to meet friends, potential dates or network through an exceptionally simple interface. WhosHere will show you matches that are near you or anywhere in the world based on your answers to a few questions about yourself and who you are interested in meeting. It takes the chance out of the chance encounter. When you find someone you want to talk with, you can send unlimited, free text and image messages to them; all within the WhosHere application.

The WhosHere app is available for free download at the iTunes App Store.

(Source) Press