Read the full Alpine iDA-X305 review.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)
As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” That seems to be the approach taken by Alpine Electronics when designing its new iDA-X305 digital media receiver.
Based on the already impressive iDA-X100 receiver, the X305 …
Originally posted at The Car Tech blog
Hey, look at that — Verizon employee training materials that prominently feature the HP Mini 1000. That’s exactly what we predicted after we heard the two companies were talking about offering subsidized 3G laptops last month, and while we won’t congratulate ourselves too much, well, we told you so. Sadly, there’s no pricing on these slides, but we’ll go out on a limb and say it won’t blow minds when it’s finally released. Hit the read link to check out the rest.
Filed under: Laptops
Verizon’s subsidized HP Mini 1000 leaks out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple
is more likely to bring the iPhone to Verizon once the cellular company
deploys its fourth-generation network, claims Verizon’s chief executive.
That’s
because Apple was never very interested in Verizon’s current CDMA
cellular standard, which is less popular among cellphone networks
outside North America, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg told The
Wall Street Journal.
Therefore, Verizon’s upgrade to 4G
in 2010 should rectify the issue. Verizon will adopt a standard
called Long Term Evolution (LTE), which many domestic and international
carriers plan to use for their next-generation networks as well. For Apple, that should mean more potential iPhone customers and fewer troubles in terms of hardware production.
But wait. Didn’t Verizon say in 2007 that it rejected Apple’s iPhone,
rather than the other way around? Then, Verizon complained about
Apple’s control over distribution, which is a non-issue now that
iPhones are being sold in Wal-mart, Best Buy and AT&T stores.
Verizon also moaned about Apple’s desire to handle all the customer
care — but that shouldn’t be a problem anymore, either, since Apple is the big leader in the latest customer satisfaction survey.
Still,
Verizon spurned Apple. And Apple could lose face if it warms
up to Verizon so easily after such an emphatic rejection. We’re not satisfied that scoring
the iPhone will be so easy for Verizon, but we definitely think it would be
a wise, crucial move for Apple. Below is a list of reasons why we think a deal makes sense. If you agree, we encourage you to add your own reasons. If you disagree, well, we welcome those
comments, too.
Verizon’s Reputation for Its Superior Network
Let’s start with the obvious: Everyone will agree that Verizon generally has better call and data quality than AT&T. Surveys say so,
too. Many Verizon customers resist the iPhone because they don’t wish
to sacrifice reliable call reception and consistently zippy downloads.
We’re
not taking sides here, but AT&T has the opposite reputation. "Dropped calls" and "no signal" are phrases commonly heard when discussing AT&T’s service quality. By expanding to Verizon, Apple will
undoubtedly further its iPhone penetration in the United States.
Sharing Is Caring
AT&T will never, ever admit this, but its current 3G networks
are evidently overloaded, due in large part to the iPhone’s booming
success. In August, Wired.com conducted a global study showing that iPhone data speeds were suffering on the U.S.
AT&T network, when compared to Europe’s fine-tuned 3G networks. And
several iPhone customers have been so dissatisfied with network issues that they filed lawsuits accusing Apple of making false advertisements about the iPhone 3G’s performance.
Why
not share the responsibility of carrying the iPhone? It’ll amount to
less money for AT&T, but less trouble for Apple and less anguish
for customers. Better service equates to more satisfied customers and
fewer lawsuits. It’s your basic win-win.
Polygamy = More Control, Power
For manufacturers, working with multiple partners is strategically wiser than working with only one. Take the iPhone’s components,
for example. Apple doesn’t rely on a sole supplier for each part of the
iPhone; it buys from various suppliers so one doesn’t have too much
bargaining power. If one partner is asking for too much money, you
threaten to ditch it because you have multiple partners. Simple, right?
So
here’s where a ménage à trois with AT&T and Verizon would be great.
Apple could potentially ask for a bigger slice of the pie when it comes
to iPhone revenues, because it could threaten to leave either of them
for the other. Ultimately, this gives Apple more control over how it
handles the iPhone. And we all know how much Apple loves control.
Competition Is Good
Economics
101: Throw Verizon into the boxing ring with AT&T, and both
companies will likely reduce monthly costs for the iPhone for the sake
of competition. I’m tired of paying $80 a month for my minimal
iPhone plan, aren’t you? And, again, cheaper monthly plans
will attract more customers to the iPhone. Even the naysayers might be tempted.
We’re
going to leave you to continue this conversation. Do you think Apple
should work with Verizon to carry the iPhone? Whether it’s yes, no or
maybe so, add your thoughts in the comments below.
Photo: Seenya Rati/Flickr
It’s certainly not unheard of for Nokia to take existing models in its lineup, tweak ’em with slightly improved hardware and software, and re-release them — see the N85 / N86, N93 / N93i, N95 / N96, and so on — so we can totally buy that the company’s hard at work at updating its 5800 for a future revision. DigiTimes (which admittedly doesn’t have a pristine record for nailing these sorts of rumors) cites “sources” with Taiwanese component suppliers as saying that Nokia wants to replace the 5800’s resistive touchscreen with a capacitive one — the S60-based Samsung i8910 does that, by the by — in an effort to better compete with its rivals. That would certainly make the device more usable and responsive, but in all likelihood, this isn’t a simple matter of swapping out a component (how would you use that totally awesome plectrum, after all?) so we’d expect this to be more of an indication that Espoo’s looking to move to capacitive going forward, particularly as it transitions over to the Symbian Foundation’s builds.
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Nokia prepping updated 5800 XpressMusic with capacitive screen? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Well hey — it looks like Windows Mobile 6.5 will arrive a little earlier than expected. A post on the WinMo team blog says that the update to Redmond’s smartphone platform will officially launch on May 11, the first day of the Tech Ed conference. We’re figuring that could mean we’ll see the gold build demoed for the very first time, seeing how the version showed off at the glamorous MWC launch was described as an “alpha” cut. Of course, after that it’s all up to the carriers and handset manufacturers as to when we’ll actually see the OS loaded onto devices, but we’re sure the hacking community will find a way to satiate the impatient until then — or until Windows Mobile 7 comes out.
[Via Electronista]
Filed under: Cellphones
Windows Mobile 6.5 to officially “launch” on May 11 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
You have your iPod Shuffle 3G clipped on your arm when working out and it looks cool. So now, how about making it look yummy, too?
You can start by putting it in a ChocoShuffle, a new protective case for the iPod Shuffle 3G from SwitchEasy.
The first thing that …
You know, we were as surprised as anyone to see a totally out-of-context quote of ours used on a Monster Cable site (without permission, mind you) to sell the company’s “Beats by Dre” headphones (you can see the screen cap after the break). It’s ironic, really, given that we currently have a blacklist in place for the overpriced cable-maker because of their rotten business practices (like regularly going after other companies that happen to use the word monster in their name, faking performance tests, and generally bilking customers out of their hard-earned dough). Regardless, if Monster wants to use a quote from Engadget, that’s no problem. We suggest this one:
Monster Cable sucks.
Update: Monster has removed the quote from the site. Now that was fast. Power to the people!
[Thanks, Michael K.]
Continue reading Engadget endorses Monster Cable? Uh, hell no.
Filed under: Meta, Portable Audio
Engadget endorses Monster Cable? Uh, hell no. originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Humans have been writing music for at least as long as we’ve been recording history. It was storing it that took a little more time. Here are all the ways we’ve done it to date:
For full resolution, click here.
It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that mass-produced recordings were available to the average person—the concept of buying music is amazingly new. (Or to some, ooooooold.) Just a century ago, the first records began to do for music what the Gutenberg press did for words. Before them, music was handed crudely from person to person; after, it could reach millions, untouched and unspoiled.
If we couldn’t record music, the Beatles would have never left Liverpool. By the same token the Jonas Brothers would have never left Georgia or Disney World or the Old Testament or wherever the hell they came from. Talk about progress! There may be no accounting for taste, but you can thank these reproducible formats for the very existence of the notion of pop music.
Listening Test: It’s music tech week at Gizmodo.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
