It was just reported by Om Malik that Apple has approved yet another VoIP application. The application in question is Stockholm based Rebtel. Currently, Rebtel is now available to download from the iTunes store, as well as other VoIP applications like Skype.
I still think there is a distinctive difference between the VoIP service and what Google Voice offers. Google Voice offers free calls with no cost at all with the USA and Canada. However, on the VoIP service there is still a cost associated when calling phone numbers (only online calls are free). Thus, AT&T and other mobile carriers of the iPhone feel that VoIP services dont harm their call costs, because they think users are too lazy to open the VoIP applications then call, instead of just calling using their phone carrier.
Microsoft has launched Windows Mobile 6.5, but their new TV ad campaign doesn’t emphasis the new version number, its more focused on just advertising “buy a Windows phone”.
Seattle blog TechFlash says the ad is a flop, calling it “downright strange” and lacking the impact of the successful Laptop Hunter series:
Am I missing something here? I’ve watched it three times now, and still don’t think it resonates. We’ve actually been impressed with Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” ad campaign — which appears to be making inroads against Apple — as well as some of the more recent Windows 7 ads. But this one is just downright strange.
I have to agree with TechFlash. I dont think the ad is focusing on the right areas, it seems as though they are just focusing on the fact that Windows mobile has apps for all Microsoft products and others.
However, dont they understand that the pretty much all other phones have the basic applications the average users wants on their phones (Facebook, Twitter, etc), and they are focused more on the business market with the Microsoft Office apps, but that market is dominated at the moment by Apple and RIM.
The iPhone currently isn’t very big in Japan, but that hasn’t stopped Nissan from developing an iPhone application for Yokohama City residents.
The app is called E1 Grand Prix and here is how it works: The app connects to your car’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBD), and extracts information in real-time to determine how efficiently you’re driving (you know, from a saving fuel perspective). Step on the gas and then break too much, and you’ll get a low score; accelerate just enough to coast to the corner before the light turns red, and you’ll get high marks. The app connects to your OBD via in-car mobile Wi-Fi, and then spits back your results on your iPhone screen and via e-mail. The results are also uploaded to an online site, where you essentially compete with other folks to be the most ‘eco-efficient’ driver — hence the ‘Grand Prix’ name).
Nissan is still yet to announce if they will be launching the application in locations all over the world, but im sure it is only a matter of time.
Orange have launched a new store in Milton Keynes, UK.
The first Orange UK Multimedia Store opens today in thecentre:mk, Milton Keynes
The world’s first Motorola DEXT™ with MOTOBLUR™* will be exclusively on sale at the new Milton Keynes store on opening day, before anywhere else in the world**
It is also the first Orange store to feature a giant 70-inch cinema style screen and seating area, bringing multimedia to life
The hobby of DJ-ing, and even making it into a career has been around for ages – well, since the 70s anyway. Recently, it has gone digital with loads of gadgets released onto the market to replace traditional turn tables. Normally, these comprise of touch sensitive pads and buttons to replicate the scratching and mixing of tracks. Well now it’s gone portable.
The Hercules Mobile DJ Mp3 system incorporates two touch sensitive pads and loads of knobs, dials and buttons for the mobile DJ to work his magic. It works like an mp3 player – you load song onto it from your PC. Then, you can select multiple songs to mix and create your own tunes. There are various features such as the ability to add effects and to cue up tracks ready to be inserted when every you want. What’s more, there is no need for discs as it’s all saved on the Hercules’ hard disk.
I have several e-mail addresses. One for work, one for personal, one for my social networks and three or four I have simply been forced to abandon due to unmanageable amount of SPAM. In fact, it’s a rare occurrence that you’ll meet someone with only one e-mail address to their name; not that you’d ask.
So remembering these addresses can be difficult. That’s where atmynumber.com comes in. Basically, you sign up for an e-mail address for atmynumber.com that matches your phone number. So if your phone number is 4526985478; then your e-mail address will be 4526985478@atmynumber.com. The service will then forward all incoming e-mails to your real account whether it’s Gmail, Yahoo or indeed…any account!
This eliminates the problem of forgetting your e-mail address due to the half dozen in your name and it’s also easier for people to send you a quick e-mail because chances are they have your number! One bad thing about this is that it’s only available in the US and Canada; looks like all us Europeans will have to make do.
Formerly called the HTC Click, the HTC Tattoo will hit the European market in October and others a few months later. HTC hopes this phone will bring the loved-by-geeks Android OS to the masses; we’re not sure that will happen, but it looks like a good entry-level phone for the platform.
It’s called the Tattoo because you can adorn it with custom, patterned covers. Wrapped in those covers you’ll find a 3.2-megapixel camera, 512 MB of internal memory, a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a 240 x 320 resolution, GPS, Wi-Fi, a compass, and Bluetooth. Supported cellular networks include quad-band GSM and EDGE, and 900/2100MHz HSPA and UMTS.
XPERIA X2 comes bundled with tons of features including QWERTY keypad, 8.1MP camera, a 3.2 inch sized screen with WVGA resolution and a wide variety of communication possibilities. X2 comes with 14 specially designed preloaded XPERIA™ panels and 16 more to download, users can work with no boundaries with the XPERIA™ X2. From Skype, Mytopia and Google, to games, CNN and Windows Live, the panels ensure users are up-to-date with what matters most to them.
Features include:
8.1 megapixel camera
Up to 16x digital zoom, Auto focus, Geo tagging and Image stabilizer
NextWorth who is a leading player in consumer electronics trade-in and incentivized recycling programs, is announcing a new trade-in service for all mobiles. It has been reported that the average person purchases a new phone every 12 months with more than one hundred million working phones becoming unused every year. NextWorth is helping consumers keep the environment clean, reduce electronic waste, and make money at the same time.
NextWorth accepts mobile phones from every carrier and manufacturer, and after the trade-in value is determined the consumer can opt to have a check sent via mail or paid via Paypal. If the phone itself doesn’t hold any value at the time of trade-in then NextWorth will still provide free shipping to customers and disposes of the device through responsible recycling practices.
Microsoft are normally the slowest of the major companies to adopt new ideas and technologies and they are still yet to release an iphone application for hotmail. Hotmail competitors like Gmail have already released iphone applications with push technology. If your like me and you cant wait for a very long time for Microsoft to bring out a Hotmail iphone app, then get mBox Mail. mBox Mail is a fast, full featured Hotmail client for the iphone and ipod touch.
mBox Mail app also supports the following languages: English, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish
FEATURES :
- Handles multiple
Hotmail accounts
- Move messages between folders
- Add, edit and delete folders
- Mail is kept in sync with the web including read/unread flags – Access
Windows Live Contacts
- Passcode protection to prevent unauthorized use
- Landscape mode support for all screens
- Message Search
- Support for large attachments
- Send and receive pictures
- Save pictures to photo album
- Embedded web browser
- Multiple language support – Supports
Windows Live custom domains
You can download from the iTunes store here.
If you have some kind of mobile addiction and feel the necessity to constantly check your email with your mobile; I’m pretty sure that you usually get uncomfortable trying to use the small screen on your phone. Well this is not a revolutionary invention, but it keeps reminding me that Google is trying to keep things simpler: “Smart Links” automatically shortens long links and converts them into named links.
This is what you usually when you are reading an email with a long link:
And Smart Links converting it like this:
Of course these links, at least for now, will only work with Google related sites: Google Maps, Google Sites web pages and YouTube videos (but they are expecting to make it available soon for Google Docs as well).
There’s an important disclaimer about the use of this feature: only works with plain text emails.
Today represents a significant milestone for Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and more importantly, the first big opportunity for developers. Microsoft are now accepting application submissions from all 29 supported countries and have launched a Race to Market Challenge to kick things off. It’s time to show us what you’ve got!
Registered developers and ISVs can now upload their application, game or widget to the Windows Marketplace platform and we’ll begin certifying those apps according to the process,policies and guidelines we’ve published. Microsoft will certify apps on a First In, First Out (FIFO) basis. Certification should normally take about 10 business days initially and you can always check on your application during the process through our Developer Dashboard. To better market your app, you can provide us with all the product information and promotional materials you’d like us to use to describe and showcase your application for the more than 30 million Windows Mobile devices out there.
Microsoft are aiming to create a global marketplace for Windows Phones where developers and users meet to sell and buy high quality and high value applications, so in other words an iTunes app store competitor
But it all starts today with the applications, and as I mentioned earlier we’re kicking this process off with a little contest we’re calling the Race to Market Challenge.
The Race to Market Challenge is just another reason for developers to get in on the ground floor of the new Windows Marketplace. While we do sincerely believe that everyone who submits an app will benefit from being among the first available when Windows Marketplace opens for business, we’re offering a few other prizes as well.
The hobby of DJ-ing, and even making it into a career has been around for ages – well, since the 70s anyway. Recently, it has gone digital with loads of gadgets released onto the market to replace traditional turn tables. Normally, these comprise of touch sensitive pads and buttons to replicate the scratching and mixing of tracks. Well now it’s gone portable.
If you have some kind of mobile addiction and feel the necessity to constantly check your email with your mobile; I’m pretty sure that you usually get uncomfortable trying to use the small screen on your phone. Well this is not a revolutionary invention, but it keeps reminding me that Google is trying to keep things simpler: “
