Filed under: Misc, Apple

If you want an iPhone, you haven't gotten one yet, and you operate in slow motion, now would probably be a good time to start worrying about availability. We've been hearing wide-scale reports since yesterday from AT&T stores across the country that locations have been unable to keep the device in stock, with some selling out in a matter of minutes after launch all video game console-style. For folks within driving distance of an Apple store, that hasn't been a problem so far because Apple's own retail locations seem to have been supplied with many, many units -- and that, friends, is what's starting to change. According to Apple's iPhone locator, there are still plenty of locations with stock -- but unlike last night, it's not difficult at this point to find stores that have sold out as well. Think there's any chance Apple's gonna let the pipe run dry?

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Software, Apple, OS X

Rest easy. Yes, your iPhone may crash from time to time (as ours did just a few minutes ago while changing volume), but at least Apple's gonna know about it. This is the message you get after plugging your iPhone into your comptuer when it's packing "diagnostic information" that Cupertino wants to get its paws on. No, you don't have to hit "Send to Apple" -- but for the good of iPhone users everywhere, we might recommend it.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Handsets

Nothing really new here, just the first pictures of the latest MiniOne M8 redesign from the sides, top, bottom, and back. Sorry, we'd love to tell you when this 11.8-mm of sexy will break loose Stateside and beyond but we can't. Still, if it makes you feel any better you can always prop these pictures up next to the dubious import pricing and dates we heard about this morning. You know, with claims of releasing a game changing 3G, HSDPA with WiFi worldphone packing 16GB of flash by early 2008... isn't it about time for Meizu to get this project out of their Chinese language bulletin boards and issue an honest to goodness foreign press release? In the mean time, we'll continue to cast doubt while you go toe-to-toe with product renderings in the gallery over at Engadget. Oh, and before you go... it looks like an iPhone. Ha, you didn't think you'd escape this post without some kind of Apple reference did ya?

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Misc, Apple

By 10:10AM local time -- just 10 minutes after opening -- this was the scene at Apple's downtown San Francisco outpost. You know, hundreds of iPhone owners waking up this morning and saying to themselves "zomg I need accessories" or "zomg this thing sucks, I'm returning it." Think of it as the "day after Christmas" effect.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Reviews, Apple

One of the inevitable first questions that gets asked when laying out hundreds of dollars for a device with a giant, glossy, gorgeous touchscreen is, "just how the heck am I going to protect this thing?" It turns out that the iPhone may not need any particular babying, but for the paranoid among us, Power Support is offering its "Crystal Film" through Apple stores. Ironically, Apple itself says that protective films aren't recommended since they can interfere with the iPhone's ability to register gestures, but sho' nuff, walk into any brick-and-mortar Apple Store and you're going to see these packs on the shelf. No matter how scratch-resistant it may seem, we figure there'll be plenty of people willing to lay out the $14.95 sticker price for the marginal additional peace of mind Crystal Film offers, so we wanted to take a look at just how user-friendly the stuff is.

Installation was a breeze. Anyone used to applying products like WriteRights to their Palms, Pocket PCs, and other touchscreen devices from days of yore know that it can be a harrowing process fraught with dust particles, alignment issues, and impossible-to-remove air bubbles no matter how careful you think you're being, so the Crystal Film is a breath of fresh air in comparison. Somehow, the film seemed to basically suck itself into place as soon as it started to touch the phone, so all we had to do was make sure it was appropriately aligned. Getting it lined up was easier than your typical screen protector thanks to the film's cutouts for the earpiece and home button.

On our first attempt, the alignment wasn't perfect. No biggie; Power Support recommends using cellophane tape to lift the film back off the phone, and that worked like a champ. Wash, rinse, repeat -- our second attempt was much more successful. The film can be removed and reapplied repeatedly for cleaning, though we imagine that won't be necessary in practice.

Once appiled, the film was barely noticeable to the eye (in fact, it would've been impossible if not for the seams around the button and earpiece). The feel of the film was almost indistinguishable from the naked screen for gesturing with our fingers, which we think is absolutely key to a product like this having any sort of commercial success.

Bottom line: probably not necessary, but if something like this helps you sleep a little easier at night, you won't regret the purchase. The installation process won't raise your blood pressure and once it's on, you won't even know it's shielding your precious cargo from sharp baddies.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

If you read our review of Fujitsu’s P1610 convertible tablet PCand decided you simply had to have one, think about possibly holding that credit card in check for a little while.  Fujitsu have just announced the Lifebook P8240, sharing the same design as the P1610 but with such updated goodies as Vista Business, a choice of 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo U1400 or Celeron M 443 processors and even higher battery life (up to 9.1hrs).

 

(more…)

© 2007 SlashGear, Posted by Chris Davies on Sat, June 30th. | Permalink | No comment

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under notebook, Fujitsu, tablet.

Lest you think HTC are single-mindedly pursuing the Windows Mobile smartphone market, prepare to be amazed at their latest diversion… a Bluetooth headset!  Okay, so it’s tricky to get too excited about a hands-free earpiece, but at least the BH M200 is vaguely attractive in a slippery, shiny way.

 

(more…)

© 2007 SlashGear, Posted by Chris Davies on Sat, June 30th. | Permalink | No comment

Want more on these topics ? Browse the archive of posts filed under Bluetooth, HTC.

Filed under: Misc

Texas Instruments loves Bluetooth. The RF and semiconductor company announced that it'll take what experience it has in the ZigBee arena into the Wibree realm since it apparently loves all tech ending in "ee." Seriously though, Ultra Low Power Bluetooth (which took over the Wibree standard just recently) will be TI's focus here as it tries to ply into the short-range connection explosion that we're still waiting on to occur between watches, toys, sensors and more. We love Bluetooth (who doesn't?) and ULP Bluetooth's potential to be a low-cost wireless connectivity scheme that expands beyond cellphones and PCs seems to be ripe for exploitation.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Culture, Handsets

It seems mobile operators and now their handset suppliers are starting to take the environment into consideration -- three by our reckoning, and in only a couple months -- by doing favors for ol' mother nature. Alcatel, working in conjunction with Carbon Footprint has tweaked the packaging of its new device line and made it three times smaller. This is of course environmentally pleasant from an energy consumed perspective, reduced shipping costs, and in shrinking the piles on the desks at Engadget Mobile. Packaging is useful for shipping, but if you're picking up your mobile at a corporate store, the handset, a CD, and whatever cables are required really is enough. Thank you Alcatel, from the very bottoms of our hearts -- now if only somebody would work on the impossible-to-open-without-a-saw shrink packaging.

[Via textually.org]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Peripherals, HTC

Well hello there Mr. HTC Bluetooth headset, how nice to meet you. Courtesy of the FCC, the (surprisingly glamorously photographed) 15-gram BH M200 slug is unveiled as a followup to their M100 headset and brings along a Bluetooth 2.0 radio with up to 8 hours typical talk time or 360 hours of standby thanks to a Lithium Polymer 2 hour rechargeable. It also packs a sporty lanyard to keep the nerd factor low between calls. No idea when or even if this will land Stateside but it sure looks promising now. Lanyard illustration after the break.

[Thanks, Aaron R.]

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments