So apparently the hidden island of Lilliput has cellular coverage, but who cares — it’s still gonna be another crap movie. Way to ruin Gulliver’s Travels with Jack Black.
Joe: “Finally, Angry Birds the way it was meant to be played.” Darren: “That’s a big iPhone.” Josh T.: “The monolith taught the monkeys to kill, also, how to make conference calls.” Paul: “Time-traveling Jack Black plants hidden iPhone reference in Jonathan Swift novel.” Thomas: “It’s holding you wrong.” Tim: “Eighteen months ago, the first evidence of intelligent life off the Earth was discovered. It was buried forty feet below the lunar surface, near the crater Cupertino.” Vlad: “It’s just a jumbo iPhone, I don’t see what all the fuss is about.” Sam: “What does this mean? It’s so bright, so vivid.” Sean H.: “And so did the tiny scholars toil for decades to unravel the mysteries of the blue block, and the significance of its question marks.” Richard Lai: “Paul Miller makes a cameo appearance in this scene, tut-tuts at the low pixel density.” Myriam: “I’m crushing your head! I’m crushing your head!”
Your iPhone’s passcode entry can’t block everything, it seems — at least not with iOS 4.1. We’re hearing various reports that simply inputting a random number in the emergency call field, pressing call, and then promptly hitting the hardware lock button will take you to the Phone app, thereby granting you access to the call history, voicemail, and address book. We’ve tried this with iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4, all with the same result. We can’t get out of the field without trying to place a call, and after that we’re still stuck back at the passcode screen. Additionally, selecting “share contact” and then the camera icon will give you access to the photo album. Pay mind that your particularly paranoid pals could probably use this to see if you really did stop calling your ex and delete all his or her pictures. We won’t judge, but they will. Video proof of concept after the break.
Update: Feel free to hold down the menu button to access voice control and play some locally-stored tunes while you’re at it. And if you’ve got 4.2 beta like some of our staffers do, this “trick” should work just the same.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised; Panasonic‘s latest digital photo frame has sprouted an iPhone dock, allowing you to not only display images stored on its 2GB of internal storage but any pictures on the Apple smartphone. The Panasonic MW-20 has a 9-inch LCD display on an adjustable hinge, and also works as a speaker-dock thanks to its 5.6-mm Super Slim Semi Dome Speaker and sound diffuser.
The display adjusts its backlighting according to the ambient conditions, and it’ll obviously recharge your iPhone (or, indeed, your iPod touch) while it’s docked. There’s also an SD card slot and support for Panasonic’s LUMIX Scene Mode Playback which, if you’re shooting with a compatible camera from the company, can automatically pull together photos shot in the various different camera modes (e.g. nighttime, sports, etc.).
You can also choose to show a clock, calendar or other screensavers; in fact the only thing really missing is WiFi and/or 3G, and it’s a shame you can’t tether the phone and use its connection like with the Transgear model we wrote about back in 2009. The Panasonic MW-20 will go on sale in late November 2010, priced at $249.95.
Press Release:
PANASONIC ANNOUNCES DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME – COMPLETE WITH STEREO SOUND SYSTEM FOR PLAYING PHOTOS MUSIC AND VIDEOS WITH EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY
New Panasonic MW-20 is a Versatile and Stylish Multimedia System,
Compatible with iPod Touch® and iPhone® for Convenient Playback
SECAUCUS, NJ (October 4, 2010) – Panasonic today announced the MW-20, a digital photo frame that doubles as a stereo sound system, complete with iPod Touch® and iPhone® compatibility – using the supplied cradle to display photos and play music stored on the popular mobile devices is easy and convenient. The MW-20, a slim multimedia system, also charges the iPod Touch/iPhone while it is connected to the cradle.
The Panasonic MW-20 can play back videos and photos on its large, high-resolution 9-inch screen, while incorporating advanced audio technology to provide superb sound quality.
Below the screen, there is a 5.6-mm Super Slim Semi Dome Speaker and a diffuser that optimizes the sound. In addition, the built-in DSP (Digital Signal Processor) adjusts the audio signal to suit the audio characteristics of this speaker system.
“The Panasonic MW-20 has a stylish and slim design that will complement any home décor and given its versatility to display photos, videos, play music and even charge an iPhone – we think this will be a welcomed addition this holiday season,” said David Fisher, Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Beyond its design and versatility, the MW-20 is also a powerful gadget – with exceptional sound quality to listen to music and a large nine-inch screen to view digital photos and videos.”
The MW-20 has an Adjustable Angle Display1 system that allows the angle to be changed to suit the viewing direction. With the supplied fixture, the MW-20 can be positioned in landscape orientation or hung on a wall. The MW-20 can display photos shot with a digital still camera by inserting an SD Memory Card into its slot. The MW-20 has 2GB of built-in memory for additional storage. The MW-20 features the LUMIX Scene Mode Playback function, which enables users to play back selected groups of photos shot with a Panasonic LUMIX digital camera using the iA Intelligent Scene Selector mode (Night Scenery, Portrait, Scenery, etc.). The MW-20 features 15 different display patterns to show a calendar, clock, photo – whichever combination the user prefers.
The MW-20 features an environmentally-conscious power-saving feature, with a luminance sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen according to the room lighting. For instance, when a room is dark, the MW-20 automatically shuts off. The Panasonic MW-20 will be available in late-November 2010 with a suggested retail price of $249.95. For more information, visit www.panasonic.com.
Another day, another plaudit for the iPhone, and after Apple proved itself top of the pile for computing satisfaction they’ve now done the same thing among smartphones. J.D. Power has published its latest Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study, polling users in the US and finding that – for the fourth consecutive time – the iPhone ranks highest.
In fact, the Apple handset scored 800 out of 1,000 across J.D. Power’s five different categories, with particularly strong scores in ease of operation, operating system, features and physical design (the final category is battery function, suggesting people are still not entirely happy with how long their smartphones last). Nipping at their heels are Motorola, who scored 791 and took second place, and HTC with 781.
The research also found that subscribers are holding onto their handsets for longer periods, with the average length of time now up to 20.5 months on average (a 17-percent increase on 2009). Early-termination fees, potentially higher subscription costs and the general economic downturn are all blamed for the increase.
Press Release:
J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Average Length of Time Wireless Customers Keep Their Mobile Phones Increases Notably
Apple Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Smartphone Manufacturers,
While LG Ranks Highest among Traditional Mobile Phone Manufacturers
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 23 September 2010 — The average reported length of time customers keep their traditional wireless cell phone has increased by 17 percent from 2009, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study—Volume 2 and the 2010 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction StudySM—Volume 2 released today.
The study finds that customers are keeping their traditional mobile devices for an average of 20.5 months, which marks the longest period of time since the study’s inception in 1999, when the average was 17.3 months. The current level of ownership tenure does differ by manufacturer brand, with the highest reported ownership tenure at an average of 27.8 months, and the lowest at 17.5 months.
“One possible reason for the significant increase in the length of mobile phone ownership is that more customers are delaying an upgrade purchase due to the general economic downturn, in which the expense of purchasing a new device could outweigh the added benefit of owning it,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “Typically, when upgrading to a new cell phone, there’s the added expense of either subscribing to a more expensive service plan and/or incurring termination fees when switching service providers. Today, consumers are really watching their wallets, and any added discretionary expenses are being considered more thoughtfully than in the past.”
Contributing to this economic sensitivity are higher customer-reported monthly bill amounts, which have increased steadily during the past several years. The study finds the average reported monthly wireless bill is $78 in 2010, including federal and industry service taxes and fees, compared with $69 just three years ago. The increase is mainly due to the addition of data-related services, increases in usage activity such as text messaging, and added fees and taxes.
“It’s clear that there has been an increase in new service offerings during the past several years and that customers are using these services with greater regularity,” said Parsons. “The fact remains that in today’s economic climate, wireless providers and device manufacturers need to be sensitive to the mindsets of customers and provide added value where possible in order to drive future business and loyalty.”
These two studies measure customer satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets and smartphones across several key factors among owners who have used their current mobile phone for less than two years. In order of importance, the key factors of overall satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets are: operation (30%); physical design (30%); features (20%); and battery function (20%). For smartphones, the key factors are: ease of operation (26%); operating system (24%); physical design (23%); features (19%); and battery function (8%).
For a fourth consecutive time, Apple ranks highest in customer satisfaction among manufacturers of smartphones with a score of 800 on a 1,000-point scale, and performs particularly well in ease of operation, operating system, features and physical design. Motorola (791) and HTC (781) follow Apple in the rankings.
LG ranks highest in overall wireless customer satisfaction with traditional handsets for a fourth consecutive time with a score of 731. LG performs well in all four factors, particularly physical design, features and operation. Sanyo (712) and Samsung (709) follow LG in the rankings.
The studies also find the following key wireless handset usage patterns:
The average price of a traditional wireless mobile phone has declined to $76 in 2010 from an average of $81 at the beginning of 2009. The decline is primarily due to discounts given by handset providers and wireless service carriers to incentivize sales. Currently, 42 percent of customers report having received a free mobile phone when subscribing to a wireless service.
Mobile applications continue to enhance the smartphone user experience. More than two-thirds of users say they download third-party games, while 54 percent say they download travel software, such as maps and weather applications. Forty-one percent say they download utility applications, while 36 percent say they download business-specific programs. This indicates that smartphone owners are continuing to integrate their device usage into both their business and personal lives.
The study also examines operating systems commonly used in wireless smartphones. Among operating systems measured, the Android operating platform (supported by Google); the Apple operating system used in iPhone devices; and Palm’s Web OS platform perform particularly well.
The 2010 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study—Volume 2 and the 2010 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Evaluation Study—Volume 2 are based on experiences reported by 11,803 traditional mobile phone and 6,821 smartphone owners. The studies were fielded between January and June 2010.
Sonos has outed the latest part of its streaming music puzzle, in the shape of the Sonos Wireless Dock WD100. Packing an integrated Sonos wireless connection and an iPod/iPhone docking connector, the WD100 basically takes whatever music is stored on your Apple PMP and funnels it around the house.
It’s all Apple certified, so there shouldn’t be any annoying “this accessory isn’t supported” pop-ups, and it’ll work with a broad range of the company’s hardware: the iPod touch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation), iPod classic, iPod nano (3rd, 4th, and 5th generation), and iPhone (original, 3G, 3GS and 4). Sadly no iPad support, since the cradle is the wrong shape.
You’ll obviously need a whole Sonos system in order to use it – the wireless standard the company uses is proprietary, so you can’t just stream music from your iPhone 4 to a nearby netbook, for example – so budget that in too. The new Sonos Wireless Dock WD100 will be available by the end of October, priced at $119.
Press Release:
SONOS INTRODUCES THE SONOS WIRELESS DOCK
New Sonos iPod accessory will be available by the end of October
SANTA BARBARA, CA – September 23, 2010 – Sonos, the leading developer of wireless multi-room music systems for the home, today introduced the Sonos Wireless Dock (WD100), an accessory to the award-winning Sonos Multi-Room Music System. With the Sonos Wireless Dock you can now play all of the music from an iPod or iPhone in every room of the house. The Sonos Wireless Dock will be available for $119 beginning by the end of October.
“The Sonos Wireless Dock is the perfect accessory for our music loving customers who own an iPod or iPhone and want to enjoy the music stored on them in any or every room of the home,” said Phil Abram, President, Sonos, Inc. “This new dock reinforces our mission to provide our customers with access to all of the music on the planet, including everything available on an iPod and iPhone in the home.”
The Sonos Wireless Dock accesses all of the music stored or playing on an iPhone or iPod and sends it wirelessly to Sonos ZonePlayers all throughout your home – before converting the music to analog – guaranteeing the best possible audio quality.
The Sonos Wireless Dock is compatible with the following devices: iPod touch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation), iPod classic, iPod nano (3rd, 4th, and 5th generation), iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G and iPhone, and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards.
For more information about Sonos or to locate an authorized Sonos dealer in your area, please visit www.sonos.com.
Apple’s HDR photography tool for iOS 4.1 on the iPhone 4 will soon be available for iPhone 3GS and 3G owners, albeit only those who have jailbroken their handsets. Jailbreak expert Will Strafach is responsible for the hack, which will apparently be included as part of the Cydia unofficial download store available for jailbroken devices.
HDR in iOS 4.1 takes three photos rather than a single frame, one purposefully over-exposed and another under-exposed, and then combines them to produce an image that has detail from all three. Apple has officially limited the new functionality to the 5-megapixel iPhone 4, but while the iPhone 3G/3GS camera is lower resolution users will still likely see some improvement in their photography.
Thought that every iOS 4.1 device would be compatible with Apple’s Game Center mobile and social gaming platform? We’re sorry to say that’s not the case. Initially it was looking like both the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch would be left out, having to take their copies of Kickety-Kick Ball Bounce Out and go home. But, Apple is now confirming that second-gen touch models will be included after all, however the iPhone 3G is still not invited, nor are first-gen iPhones and iPod touches. That means the final compatibility list includes the iPhone 3GS and 4, along with second, third, and fourth generation iPod touch models. Everybody else: you’re out.
Is there still room for more iPod speaker docks? New company Sound Freaq reckon so, and their SFQ01 is an attempt to take a slice of the lucrative market. Designed with – as they themselves said – love-it or hate-it aesthetics, the slab-sided dock system promises above-average sound quality thanks to the company’s own UQ DSP system. Meanwhile, a companion iPad app allows for straightforward remote control, together with streaming from the Apple slate itself.
Download the app, and you can switch between the SFQ01′s sources – an iPod docked in the speaker itself, the iPad streamed via Bluetooth, an FM radio or an aux-in source – together with remotely controlling the docked PMP or choosing from the iPad’s own audio files. Alternatively, you can pipe through music, soundtracks or game audio from the iPad, if you’re unhappy with the quality from the Apple tablet’s own speaker.
On the crowded ShowStoppers floor, the SFQ01 certainly sounded loud enough, though we’ll need to spend some proper one-on-one time with it to see if it lives up to the sales pitch. We’re also cautious about audiophile-style claims, whenever regular Bluetooth A2DP is involved, since the format generally involves plenty of compression along the way.
The SFQ01 will land first in the UK, priced at £199.99. In the US, the Sound Freaq SFQ01 will launch arrive in mid-October, in time for a November sales promotion in Target. There it will be priced $199.99.
Netflix has released its new app [iTunes link] for the iPhone and iPod touch, a free download that allows subscribers of the service to stream movies and TV shows direct to their device. Promised back in June, Netflix v1.1.0 is a universal app that works on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch; you can search as well as view and add titles on your Instant Queue.
Video demo after the cut
You can also resume watching content that you’ve started on another Netflix-enabled device, handy if you’ve begun viewing a film at home and then have to head off to work. Netflix subscriptions are required, obviously, and kick off at $8.99 per month.
Who knew that credit card processing would be the new hotness for smartphones? The Square mobile payment system has been making waves by letting small businesses receive credit card payment directly on their smartphones. Now, mophie and Intuit are looking to get in on the same action with their Complete Card Solution for iPhone. It’s a $179 package that includes both mophie’s card-swiping phone case and the 3.0 version of Intuit’s GoPayment app. After a quick application users are said to be approved (or, erm, declined) within 15 minutes and can immediately start accepting payments. Full details, including just how much users will be forking over in fees, after the break.
Sonos 
