Mar 19

MobileHelp Launches Emergency Caregiver GPS System

Posted in: gps, medical, Today's Chili
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MobileHelp has launched a portable device that integrates cellular and GPS radios, with the goal of providing medical monitoring and location tracking for emergency assistance.
The system comes in several pieces: a four-ounce mobile unit with a single button, a battery-backed base station with an illuminated emergency button and a two-way voice communicator that connects to a live operator, and a wearable, waterproof pendant that weighs less than an ounce.
The system offers e-mail notifications and online tracking for both caregivers and family members, and works inside and outside the home thanks to an AT&T cellular hookup. MobileHelp systems start at $34.95 per month and come with a 30-day free trial.
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Mar 18

HTC Responds to Apple Patent Suit

Posted in: Apple, HTC, patents, Today's Chili

HTC yesterday issued a strongly worded–if vague–response to Apple’s numerous patent suits. The company asserted that it “disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself.” What specifically the company means by “defend” has yet to be seen, but whatever it is, after a couple of weeks of remaining relatively silent on the matter, HTC seems reader for a fight.

The company used an official press release on the subject to highlight some of the more innovative moments in its 13-year history. The release quotes CEO Peter Chou:

From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.

Apple filed the suit with the U.S. International Trade Commission and U.S. District Court in Delaware, alleging that HTC had infringed on 20 Apple-owned patents.

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Mar 17

T-Mobile HD2, CLIQ XT Get Prices and Release Dates

Posted in: Android, Microsoft, Smartphones, t-mobile, Today's Chili, Windows Mobile
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T-Mobile has finally taken the wraps off plans for two highly anticipated smartphones.
First, T-Mobile has announced a price and release date for the long-awaited, Windows Mobile 6.5-powered HTC HD2 (pictured): March 24th, $199.99 with a two-year contract. Customers will also be able to get the HD2 for $449.99 with no monthly contract and the carrier’s less expensive, Even More Plus plan.
In addition, T-Mobile has announced that the Android-powered Motorola CLIQ XT will hit stores today, for $129.99 with a two-year contract and after rebates.
For more information, check out our full Motorola CLIQ XT review. We’ll also have a hands-on with the HD2 up very soon.
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Mar 17

Microsoft: No Copy and Paste for Windows Phone 7 Series

Posted in: Microsoft, Smartphones, Today's Chili, windows phone 7

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It took Apple two years to finally add copy and paste to the iPhone line, a feature that Microsoft (among others) has offered forever on its smartphones.
Now Microsoft has announced it plans to take away copy and paste functionality with the upcoming Windows Phone 7 Series, its ground-up revamp of the clunky Windows Mobile OS.
According to Engadget, Microsoft is claiming that most users, “including Office users,” don’t really need clipboard functionality, and that there’s a data-detection service built into the text-handling API that can pick up phone numbers and addresses.
This follows a report that Microsoft plans to eliminate multitasking, another feature that iPhone users had been clamoring for for ages. I never thought progress could seem so… backward.
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Mar 17

Verizon Finally Announces Droid 2.1 Upgrade

Posted in: Android, droid, motorola, Smartphones, Today's Chili, Verizon Wireless

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Could this have taken any longer? Verizon Wireless has finally unveiled an Android 2.1 update for the Motorola Droid, which will finally give the handset feature parity (at least software wise) with the Google Nexus One after several false starts early in February.
By installing the update, Motorola Droid owners will now get pinch-to-zoom in the browser, Gallery, and Google Maps. That’s the big one, but there’s much more: it also includes new weather and news widgets, voice-to-text entry, a 3D gallery layout, live wallpapers, free Yahoo Mail support, an updated Google Maps app, a night mode for Google Maps Navigation, and several smaller pattern-lock and audio enhancements.
Get the details and instructions now at verizonwireless.com/droidsupport. Dive in and let us know how it works for you in the comments.
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Mar 16

Video: Spotify Demo on Android Phone

Posted in: Android, iPhone, MP3 Digital Audio, Today's Chili

Spotify‘s Daniel Ek gave the last keynote of the SXSW Interactive 2010 today. You can read the full details of his talk on AppScout here, but at the end he pulled out an Android phone and showed how Spotify works on Android. 

This demo was done using local music, not streaming, because he wanted to “avoid the roaming charges.”

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Mar 16

Google Nexus One For ATT, Rogers Goes On Sale

Posted in: Android, att, Google, nexus one, Today's Chili

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Google today launched a version of their Nexus One Android phone for the AT&T and Rogers Wireless networks.
The unlocked phone is available for $529 directly from Google’s Web site, at www.google.com/phone. There is no discounted price available with a contract.
The phone runs on AT&T’s and Rogers’ 3G networks rather than T-Mobile’s, but otherwise it appears to be identical to the T-Mobile Nexus One that we’ve already reviewed. There’s been one big difference since our review, though – Google started offering phone support, which we consider to be a major positive step.
The Nexus One instantly becomes the only decent Android-powered smartphone on the AT&T network. AT&T’s other option, the Motorola Backflip, is a hideous abomination that should be purchased by no one.
For more details on the Nexus One, read our review.
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Mar 16

Report: 2 in 5 BlackBerry Users Would Ditch Device for iPhone

Posted in: Apple, BlackBerry, Google, iPhone, nexus one, Today's Chili

Here’s a study sure to raise the dander of a number of smartphone users: According to numbers from Crowd Science, roughly 40 percent of BlackBerry owners would happily pick up an iPhone when it comes time to trade in their handsets.

According to the study, 32 percent of BlackBerry owners would swap their smartphone for a Google Nexus One–not quite iPhone numbers, but still, not a great sign for the once-dominant BlackBerry.

As Ars Technica points out, this seems to be symptomatic of the fact that more and more smartphone owners are using their devices for personal as well a business reasons. According to the numbers, three-quarters of BlackBerry owners use their handset for personal and business reasons.

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Mar 16

Report: Google Nexus One Not Selling Well

Posted in: Today's Chili

Buzz doesn’t always equal sales. That fact is no better demonstrated than with Google’s Nexus One. The phone was at the center of a flurry of coverage back in January, despite (or perhaps because of) being launched just before this year’s CES. The long-awaited “Google Phone” was finally launched in early 2010, with a unique sales method.

According to mobile analytics group Flurry, that buzz has not translated into sales. The phone, as Business Insider puts it, has thus far proven to be “a flop.” According to Flurry’s numbers, Google has moved only 135,000 units, in its first 74 days. By comparison, the iPhone sold one million units in its first 74 days, and the Motorola Droid sold 1.05 million in that time.

The Nexus One is available only through T-Mobile, of course, a significantly smaller network than Verizon and AT&T. And as per Google’s aforementioned unique sales approach, consumers can purchase the phone online only.

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Mar 16

ATT Unveils Four Quick Messaging Phones

Posted in: samsung, Today's Chili

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AT&T has unveiled four ‘Quick Messaging’ phones that the carrier says will include a new suite of messaging, video, and photo sharing solutions, plus enhanced contacts management.
Each phone will feature AT&T Address Book, which syncs contacts online for phone or PC management, and hooks into existing Web-based accounts. Next Generation Messaging will offer “reply all” and group messaging functionality for up to 10 contacts, plus threaded SMS and enhanced MMS display. AT&T Mobile Share will transfer photos and videos to PCs, social networking sites, or an online “storage locker” from AT&T.
That’s the software; now comes the phones. The $19.99 Samsung Strive (pictured) features a 2-megapixel camera and a vertical QWERTY slider design. The $39.99 Samsung Sunburst is a full touch screen phone with a GPS radio and plenty of direct social networking links. Both Samsung phones will drop in AT&T stores on March 21. (All prices are with a two-year agreement and after rebate.)
Pantech makes the other two new devices, but neither one will be available immediately. The Pantech Link will be an ultra-slim keyboarded phone with a contemporary design, including black and blue accents; this one will appear “in the coming weeks.” Finally, the Pantech Pursuit will combine a full touch screen with a vertical sliding keyboard, and will be available this summer in green or blue. The Pursuit’s camera will also feature face recognition and geotagging software.
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