*BAM* Just like that, AT&T destroyed the $50 smartphone market by dropping the iPhone 3GS down to the same level as Nokia communicators, teeny-bop Blackberrys and the bargain-bin Android devices. That whole market now has to compete with the big dog, the iPhone 3GS. Well, they do starting tomorrow when the wireless carrier’s new pricing starts. Notice this pricing is just for AT&T as the carrier is dropping the price independently from Apple themselves. So yeah, shoppers looking for the $50 3GS need to head down to their local AT&T dealer rather than the Apple Stores. Of course these same buyers might want to hold off a bit to see what happens in the upcoming months with Verizon and the iPhone. There might be some more surprises planned. Apple likes surprises. → Read More
Here we are again: CES. We’re all here in Vegas ready to bring everything the massive trade show offers to your interwebs. There’s going to be livestreams, hands-ons, liveblogs, all with a fair amount of debauchery. CES.CrunchGear.com should serve up all your CES needs with the UStream window embedded up top and the latest news directly underneath. The Ustreaming festivities kick off tonight with an event called CES Unveiled, which is sort of like a mini-CES with the best from the show jammed into one room with each vendor only having a few folding tables to display their wares instead of massive booths. Tomorrow is filled with press conferences and general chaos followed by the actual show starting Thursday morning. It’s a fast week filled with more content consumption than most can handle. We can’t. But we’ll do our best. Check the CES site often as the news flys fast and furious and the Ustream will be constant once the show is officially underway. → Read More
Reading and books: probably the most fantastic gifts possible. That said, the Nook Color can do books, magazines, simple games, and browse the web all on an Android system. It’s been called an iPad light and that’s a great description, really. Normally these run $249.99 in Barnes & Nobel stores, but as the last item in our 12 Days of Christmas giveaway extravaganza, it’s going to one of our lucky reader for nothing more than the cost of a comment. Of course B&N stores are still open today and the Nook Color along with its e-ink counterparts are likely still available if last minute shopping is on your to-do list. They are great devices. Also, consider this last call for our big ticket giveaway: one stunning gaming system from Digital Storm worth nearly $2,300. Both the computer and Nook Color giveaway end tonight at 11:59pm PST. Click through for the instructions and rules. → Read More
Our 12 Days Of Christmas giveaway series is on overdrive this weekend as we fill our reader’s stockings with gifts, gadgets, and merriment. All of the contests this weekend run through Sunday night. It’s both a compact lantern and a high-performance 5 LED headlamp. How awesome is that? We didn’t even mention that the lumens are adjustable from 5 to 130 and there’s even a red LED for improved night vision. The Joby Gorillatorch Switchback retails for $60, but that doesn’t matter for one of our readers who will win this one. Click through for the rules and instructions. → Read More
You don’t need to wait for Google or Apple to bring apps to your HDTV. Samsung’s been serving up custom-made apps via their connected HDTVs for some time now and just hit the 1 millionth downloaded app. That’s a mighty fine milestone for a platform not heavily discussed or marketed. Impressive, yes, but even so that this mark was hit with only 200 available apps, which seems to state that Samsung knows how to curate and approve quality applications. They seem to have all the big ones: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Twitter, Pandora, Blockbuster, Vudu. There’s even a fine selection of low-cost games although that doesn’t include Angry Birds.
Samsung introduced the connected TV back in 2007, but the apps didn’t debut until CES 2010. Before these apps, on-screen widgets were all the rage, but their functionality was limited along with the selection of apps. Within the last few years Samsung has always been at the top of the sales charts for flat panels, but the company is dominating the web-connected segment with a 66% marketshare according to NPD Group. That’s beating out everyone from Vizio, Sony, and Panasonic with these Samsung Apps estimated to be on 50% the company’s TVs sold in 2010.
So what about that Google TV rumor? Something about Samsung introducing a Google TV-powered HDTV at CES 2011? Possible? → Read More
Windows Home Server is easily one of the best products to ever come out of Redmond. It brings most of the functionality of a full-fledged server without any of the hassle. OEMs like HP and Acer quickly jumped on the platform a few years ago and outed fantastic products lines centered around WHS that allowed nearly any consumer to set up a comprehensive back-up solution, media vault, and network-attached storage unit — all on a small form factor PC that sucks less energy than a traditional computer. It’s seemingly a winning product for Microsoft, hardware makers and even us consumers. But that perception is apparently wrong. Microsoft is now prepping the next version of WHS named Vail, which reportable does not include features and functions that previously defined the platform.
Of course these moves have caused the WHS server fan base to erupt in an Internet ragestorm fueled by confusion and abandonment issues. The thought that Windows Home Server is now dead in the water was further defined today when Microsoft confirmed reports that HP, which shipped the first widely adapted WHS, will not produce servers based on the next-gen OS. Dead, canceled, or some other name with synonymous lifeless might not be the correct description as Microsoft is clearly working on the platform, but the next version of WHS is seemingly different enough in its core philosophy and target demographic to warrant a name change or even death decree. → Read More
WinPho7 retail units have only been out for a few days, but a proper jailbreak isn’t that far off now that some devs gained root access to the system. It’s not like anyone really thought Windows Phone 7 would be locked up forever, right? It was only a matter of time. Developers swarm high-profile platforms with fun and profit in mind. Microsoft can’t be that upset. A good chunk of Winphone7 sales will come just because the owners will be able to use the device how they want. Hackability was one of the reasons the first Xbox succeeded. Creating a garden with impenetrable walls sounds great in boardroom discussions, but can ultimately hurt sales and hinder 3rd party developers – which again, hurts sales. → Read More
The pre-paid wireless carrier, Cricket, is getting serious about smartphones. The Huawei Ascend joins the BlackBerry Curve 8530 and the Android-powered Kyocera Zio, but hits at only $149 rather than $229 like the two other smartphones. Don’t think it’s lack, either, because it’s rather loaded for a contract-free smartphone. A 3.5-inch HVGA screen is front and center, while a 3.2MP cam is around back. Android 2.1 powers the device and offers all the bells and whistle you’d expect including full access to the Android market. Simply put, this is a complete phone.
Of course it’s up to you whether you opt for this low-cost alturnative over a traditional Android device. But at only $149 up front and month-to-month plans costing $55, it’s a solid deal. → Read More
The Droid R2-D2 edition doesn’t skimp on the Star Wars branding. Nearly every aspect of the phone from the backplate, to the startup splash screen, to the ringtones reflect its pedigree. All this geeky fun comes at a price though and Uncle Owen isn’t going to like it. This Droid isn’t cheap. → Read More
HTC loves them some Android phones and just outed two somewhat brand new handsets at a London event. But no surprises here. You already know these phones. The Desire HD is a re-packaged EVO 4G and the Desire Z is an HTC Sense-enabled G2. → Read More
How nice. It seems like an early OTA Froyo release leaked onto the interwebs early this morning. The install process isn’t nearly as cut and dry as, say, the Droid’s 2.1 installation, but it’s still doable as long as you don’t mind spending a few minutes (or hours) following dozens of steps spread out over various forum threads. It’s even more work if you’ve modded your phone with themes and removing some of the Verizon bloatware as the Droid X needs to be set back to stock before this release will work. But when it’s all said and done, your Droid X will be rocking 2.2.6. Best of all, the process doesn’t make your phone’s innards implode. [MyDroidWorld via Android Phone Fans] → Read More
The Sony Ericsson Xperia 10 has seemingly been in pre-retail status for, like, years. But it will finally be available on the AT&T network on August 15th for $130. The official specs are pretty commonplace these days with a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 4-inch display, 8.1MP cam, and 8GB of on-board memory. The only thing not announced so far is the Android version with the screenshots on Sony Style indicating that it might even be 1.6. But that can’t be right. Even if it is, the Android community will likely fix that asap. → Read More
Alright. Either this is the beginning of the end for the Apple brand as they start draining their fanboys dry or Apple has something special here. Either way, the Apple Battery Charger is real and ready to charge AA batteries. The Magic Trackpad joins the Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse’s AA-powered club. That’s where the Apple Battery Charger comes in. → Read More
The Nexus One’s time is about to expire. Google will soon no longer stock its self-branded Android handset and just received its last shipment of handsets. It was good while it lasted. Even though the Nexus One never really caught on outside of the close-knit Android community, it was a killer handset and might still be one of the top three available. → Read More
You know, it’s the little things that makes companies great. Attention to detail, if you will. I just opened my new Droid X and attempted to active the phone. It failed. That’s fine. Things happen.
Then this message plays,
“I’m sorry. We are unable to program your phone at this time. Please call customer service from a landline phone and a representative will be happy to assist you.”
Oh boy; here we go. → Read More
Anyone remember how there were two iPhone 4 models announced at the last Stevenote? A black one and a white one, right? But we’re three weeks into the iPhone 4′s life and only the black model is available. Mr. Apple himself just stated at the end of the iPhone 4′s antenna talk that’s going to change by the end of the month. → Read More
There’s an active community of devs steadily porting Android over to different families of Windows Mobile devices. There’s a port for nearly every series now. However, installation isn’t that easy and you might not want to do it on your work-issued HTC Touch HD. But if you happen to have an unused handset chilling in a drawer someplace that you’re not worried about bricking, continue on for a list of the compatible devices. → Read More
