Hasta La Gadget!

What’s the solution to Apple’s stinginess about Google getting an official Google Voice app on the iPhone App Store? A webapp that has about all the functionality, but usable on any HTML5-capable smartphone.

The webapp mimics the functionality of hitting up Google Voice on your desktop. You can make calls, send texts, listen to voicemails, change your settings and access your contacts all from your phone’s browser. It syncs up with your Google account’s contact list—not your iPhone’s contact list—so you’ll have to make sure to sync your contacts to Google first. The Pre however, if you already have your GV account as one of your contacts, should have a more transparent process.

Unlike the Google Voice app now, which calls your phone first and then connects the other party, you actually dial out directly into the Google Voice service, which then hooks you up with who you’re trying to reach. It’s going to be like the 406 numbers that Google Voice users are used to using for shortcuts to their contacts, but possibly not 406, since Google has a pool of numbers they are using.

Google also tells us that you can add dialing credits directly from the phone if you want to make overseas calls, saving you the trouble of having to get on a computer.

All in all, the experience is solid and fluid, mimicking an iPhone app as best as possible on a web interface. If we had any gripes, it would be that when you’re texting someone from your contacts list, it only grabs the phone number and doesn’t display the name after it. Also, that you can’t text multiple recipients. But calling from your contact list is fluid and takes only one more step than regular dialing from your iPhone.

It’s not as good as a native app, but it’s more than adequate. [Google Voice]

We’ll just come right out and say it: we couldn’t possibly be happier to see that January 27, 2010 is tomorrow. Shortly after 10AM on the left coast, Stevie J himself will finally put a hush to the rumors that have been swirling constantly over the past fortnight or so (and we’ll be there live to cover it). Till then, however, we’ve got one more round of scuttlebutt to serve up. Kicking things off is a New York Times report that explains in some level of detail what exactly the supposed Apple tablet will feature in terms of specifications. To quote: “It will run all the applications of the iPhone and iPod Touch, have a persistent wireless connection over 3G cellphone networks and Wi-Fi, and will be built with a 10-inch color display, allowing newspapers, magazines and book publishers to deliver their products with an eye to the design that had grabbed readers in print.” We shall see.

Moving on, we’ve got even more whispers that publishers — with the NYT mentioned specifically — around the globe have been getting wind of this thing as the suits in Cupertino attempt to nail down content deals. Broadcast Engineering even has a piece that straight-up states that Apple was “was in New York City last week showing the tablet to media companies as a new way to sell books, newspapers and other reading material through its iTunes online store.” Still not convinced? NetbookNews has an apparently ongoing article about the authenticity / non-authenticity of a Media Markt tweet that “accidentally” leaked a supposed €899 price point for the device, while Hot Hardware switches things up and reports that AT&T will lose its iPhone exclusivity during tomorrow’s event. Oh, and the very first hands-on review of the Apple tablet is also live (courtesy of Mosspuppet), while yet another hotly contested image has arisen to perch atop these very words. Phew.

Apple rumor roundup: ‘the day before’ edition originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know it’s coming: the inevitable slew of boutique 3D television channels that will serve nothing but gratuitous content the same way all those HD-specific stations and their nature programs did a few years ago. Comcast wants to be at the forefront of the 3D exploitation capitalization to come, and while its current offerings are modest (a 3D version of The Final Destination, a Jonas Brothers concert, and other stuff your step-brother Billy might like) and only offered in anaglyph format (red/blue glasses), the good news is it isn’t charging any extra for the content — yet. Better still is a confirmation that it won’t let DirecTV have the real 3D spotlight to itself for long, as VP Derek Harrar confirmed it will offer the same frame-compatible 3D (which doesn’t require a new cable box, only a 3DTV) “this year.” Comcast isn’t saying exactly what else is coming next, but specialized channels should be cropping up before the summer is through, and you can be sure they’ll be grouped into a premium “3D Tier” for the ultimate in billing surcharges.

Comcast positioning itself to be King of 3D programming, will upgrade to real 3D this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A simple iPhone application aggregates tech rumors and lets you join the fun by picking which are the winners (iTablet: tomorrow) and which are the lame ducks (Zune phone: ever). Better still, the Prediction application was approved by Apple and appeared in the store today, just in time for the biggest rumor-fest of the year, Apple’s (probable) iSlate event tomorrow.

Prediction pulls in the rumors and pushes them to your iPhone. They are organized by event (the upcoming Mobile World Congress, for example) for easy browsing, and you can vote for the outcome of each, choosing Correct, Partially Correct or just plain Wrong. You can even add your own speculation and share them with other users.

Grab the app right now for $3, or play along with an old-fashioned PDF, available from the site of Prediction’s developer, David Weiss. Download, grab a beer and play along.

Prediction Score Card [Unweary via ★]

Prediction [iTunes]

Today’s Nexus One may be the hottest keyboard-free Android smartphone on the market today, but it doesn’t exactly have the hottest network support. That looks like it’ll be changing soon thanks to Walmart of all places, which has put up a “Coming Soon!” page for the Nexus One, listing an impressive suite of wireless bands including 1xEvDO for 3G on Sprint and Verizon and UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900 for 3G on AT&T. Could this finally be the network-agnostic smartphone (or smartphones, as the case may be) that Google has wanted, or is it just a case of some optimistic web admin letting his fingers do the walking when writing up this teaser? We’re leaning toward the latter, and there’s also a rumor of a $99 price when purchased at Walmart. We’re having a hard time swallowing that one, too — if only because the Droid went for $188 there at launch.

Update: Seems Walmart slipped up! Spokesman Ravi Jariwala states:

“Due to a technical error, this item erroneously was displayed on our site. We’re working with our partner Let’s Talk to have it removed as quickly as possible. We have no plans to carry Nexus One in Walmart stores or online at Walmart.com at this time.”

Walmart greeters will soon welcome you to a Nexus One with Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T 3G? (update: nope!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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