According to Bloomberg, the next iPhone may be two-thirds the size of the already (very) petite iPhone 4. That’s crazy small. But will it happen? More »
Bloomberg is citing — you guessed it — “people who have been briefed on the plans” as saying that Apple is hard at work on taking the iPhone downmarket with a new model that’s roughly one-third smaller than the existing iPhone 4, possibly with the intent on delivering it midyear using mostly carryover components from the iPhone 4 to keep pricing down. Thing is, Bloomberg says that Apple is looking at launching the “cheaper” model at $200 off contract, which would be the same as the 16GB iPhone 4 on contract currently. Let’s not understate the fact that $200 off contract is dirt cheap by modern smartphone standards, which means Apple would have to be using every scrap of its enormous economies of scale to pull that off. In all likelihood, in fact, it’d have to abandon the 3.5-inch Retina Display — it might be too big for a “smaller” model anyhow. The pub goes on to say that the device could’ve been delayed or scrapped altogether since its source saw the device last year, but it’s something to keep an eye on; after all, Apple’s probably leaving money on the table right now by failing to go after the midrange with a current-generation handset, so this could be its golden opportunity.
Moving on, they’re also saying Apple’s working on a dual-mode iPhone that’d work on both CDMA and GSM — not a surprise at all, really (if anything, it was a little surprising to us that Apple didn’t kill off the existing GSM iPhone 4 and replace all SKUs with CDMA / GSM ones when it announced the Verizon model). There’s no mention of whether this model would have any manner of 4G support, but CDMA, GSM, and LTE in a single phone — with at least five bands, if not more — would be pretty wild indeed.
Finally, Bloomberg says (and our own sources have corroborated) that Apple’s working on a so-called “Universal SIM” technology that would eliminate physical SIMs altogether and make using the iPhone on different networks a simple matter of provisioning, not unlike American CDMA networks today. Of course, this rumor’s been through the mill before — and has already been killed off — so it’s hard to say whether this is something Apple is actively working on or has been shelved. The device independence afforded by the SIM has been one of the chief advantages of GSM networks around the world over the past twenty years, and we’d hate to see Apple succeed in killing that off in favor of some sort of locked-up iTunes nonsense, but let’s be honest: if anyone could pull off that kind of coup, it’d be Cupertino. More on all these rumors as we hear it.
Bloomberg: Apple working on ‘cheaper, smaller’ and dual-mode iPhones, trying to kill SIMs along the way originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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As they’re wont to do, iFixit and 9to5Mac have (separately) torn apart the new Verizon iPhone, discovering some small changes and one big one: the Qualcomm MDM6600 chip inside. That chipset supports both GSM and CDMA transmission (HSPA+ data rates up to 14.4 Mbps) and it happens to be the one that you’ll find inside a Droid Pro world phone. More »
If you’re looking to make yourself somewhat more productive on this lazy weekend, and you’ve got an Arduino or two collecting dust, we’ve got just the thing to add line after line to your dwindling to-do list. Tronixstuff has a borderline insane tutorial series going, and as of now, 27 chapters have been published. It’s essentially the Arduino Bible, but the two most recent additions in particular have piqued our interest. With the explosion in mobile broadband, even hackers are looking to get their creations online. If you’ve mastered the art of Arduino, but haven’t yet been brave enough to toss in a bit of GSM communication, the how-to guides linked below definitely deserve your attention. Just be careful how you write that code — one wrong line with a SIM card installed could lead to text overages that’ll take two lifetimes to pay off.
Elaborate Arduino tutorial explains the nuts and bolts of communicating over GSM originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Oh, sure — Google’s being all-too-kind by handing out a few free megabytes of Verizon data with each of its Cr-48 netbooks, but if you’re both lucky enough to have one and more inclined to use that dust-collecting AT&T SIM of yours, there’s hardly a better day for you to pay attention to a hack. After noticing that a recent update to Chrome OS added GSM support for Qualcomm’s Gobi 3G chip, Hexxeh dug in a little to see what it’d take to get the Cr-48 operational with a data SIM from Ma Bell. Turns out there’s shockingly little needed from you; simply flip the Developer switch beneath the battery and follow the shell commands listed in the source link. It should be noted that there’s no data counter here, so watch those gigabytes if you’re working with a data cap. There, we solved your Saturday. You’re welcome.
Google’s Cr-48 netbook now surfing on AT&T’s GSM network (after a gentle hack) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
We get it AT&T, your iPhone can do voice and data at the same time, and Verizon’s can’t. Big Red’s Test Man proved that calls aren’t always doomed to drop on the iPhone, but AT&T’s firing right back and saying how you could be doomed in certain social situations, like forgetting to make a dinner reservation on your anniversary. Props for creativity here, but now that both sides have fired a shot across the other’s bow, can’t we all just get along? Yeah, probably not.
AT&T fires back with latest iPhone ad: simultaneous voice and web more important than you think (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The unthinkable has happened. After spending 99 percent of their recent marketing budgets figuring out ways to sling mud at each other, AT&T and Verizon have now come together to dance a merry waltz — all in the name of Apple’s hallowed iPhone. The latest commercial for the phone that really doesn’t need advertising shows that you can FaceTime, read iBooks, navigate maps, and do everything else on the Verizon iPhone just as well as you could do it on the AT&T-friendly GSM variant of the device. As if you didn’t already know. Still, it’s fun to see these guys trying to turn their lack of competitive diversity into some sort of an advantage. Video after the break.
Update: Now in HD!
Apple brings AT&T and Verizon together for a happy dance in latest iPhone commercial (update: HD video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 9to5Mac, Apple Headlines | dalemcbroom (YouTube), Canamerica6776 (YouTube) | Email this | Comments
After seeing Android tablets galore at CES, it seems strangely fitting that a device bearing the CherryPad moniker could top off this month’s tablet news dog pile. Specifically, Mobile Magazine is sharing “unconfirmed details” about a new 7-inch Cherry-branded tablet that’s said to run Android 2.2 “at a minimum” and feature a 1024×600 capacitive multi-touch display, front and rear three megapixel cameras, a 1GHz Cortex A8 cpu, and either 8 or 16GB of flash memory. Other goodies on the sequel’s spec list include an integrated HDMI output, accelerometer, microSD slot and even an unlocked GSM antenna. Unfortunately, these enhancements won’t be available at the old CherryPad’s $200 price point — which was pretty much the only thing the original had going for it. Instead, the new device is rumored to cost $300 to $400. The same source also reports that an official announcement is expected in just a few weeks, so in the meantime, we’ll pass the hours debating whether it makes more sense to name tablets after fruits or rocks.
Second-gen CherryPad rumored to feature better specs for a bigger price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
It’s hard to believe nowadays, but in a simpler time, cellphones really were called “cell phones,” not dumbphones, smartphones, feature phones, or superphones. They bulged in your pocket — if they fit in your pocket at all, that is — and they made calls. That’s it. None of this social networking, messaging, browsing, Instagramming, Flash 10.1 nonsense. They didn’t upload 5 megapixel photos to Flickr, and they most certainly didn’t turn into wireless hotspots.
Of course, those bleak days are mercifully behind us now — but as carriers around the world start to light up a promising new generation of high-speed wireless networks, things are beginning to get a little confusing. Just what is “4G,” anyway? It’s one higher than 3G, sure, but does that necessarily mean it’s better? Why are all four national carriers in the US suddenly calling their networks 4G? Is it all the same thing? Answering those questions requires that we take a take a little walk through wireless past, present, and future… but we think it’s a walk you’ll enjoy.
Continue reading 2G, 3G, 4G, and everything in between: an Engadget wireless primer
2G, 3G, 4G, and everything in between: an Engadget wireless primer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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GPS is that stuff that gets you home when you have no idea where you are, but it can also be the thing that helps you find those dealies you left… somewhere. At least, it can be if you have a GTU 10 GPS module from Garmin attached to said dealies. It’s a little integrated unit that has a wireless connection and can, for better or worse, dial itself to AT&T‘s data network. It updates its location in regularly and allows you to see just where that is via the Garmin Tracking site. Or, you can download the Garmin Tracker app to your mobile device (of undisclosed provenance) if you prefer to use your active voice, enabling you to get turn-by-turn directions right to your wayward GTU. It’ll even fire you an e-mail or a TXT if whatever it is you’ve attached it to strays too far outside of your safe zone. The GTU 10 looks to be available now at $199.99, which includes one year of tracking. You’re stuck paying $49.99 per year after that — or, you know, losing your stuff.
Gallery: Garmin GTU 10
Continue reading Garmin GTU 10 GPS locator tracks whatever you want, wherever AT&T’s coverage goes
Garmin GTU 10 GPS locator tracks whatever you want, wherever AT&T’s coverage goes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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