Hasta La Gadget!

The OwnFone is neither smart nor world-friendly, and yet it’s managed to grab our attention just the same. Designed for use only in the UK, it represents a rather novel take on the mobile phone with its customizable nature and simplistic design. Before ordering, owners must select among two, four, eight or a dozen contacts, and it’s highly recommended to include emergency services among that bunch — there’s no option to dial actual numbers, as every contact is programmed and stored in the cloud.

In its current incarnation, contacts are represented by their names, but it will soon be possible to customize a phone with either photos or Braille. While owners can update a contact’s phone number with a simple call to customer support, it’s more cumbersome to replace a contact, as you’ll need to order a decal to affix over the former friend. Due to its limited functionality, the OwnFone is best positioned as a backup or secondary phone, although its simplicity makes it particularly well-suited for children and some elderly individuals. As another nice touch, one’s phone number is printed on the back of the OwnFone. You’ll find it available today for £55, and all those curious to discover the customization options can check out the various colors, patterns and photos on OwnFone’s website.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Meet the OwnFone: a customizable mobile phone that epitomizes simplicity originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Aug 2012 11:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  OwnFone  | Email this | Comments

If you can’t get enough of the adventures of the Joestars and their various progeny, then you’re in luck. NTT DoCoMo knows how to keep hardcore fans happy, releasing a limited run of 15,000 LG Optimus Vu with the phablet carrying custom wallpaper and illustrations from the creators of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Beneath the surface, it’s the same phone we’ve seen before — albeit with support for mobile TV standard Nottv. If you’re now throwing your yen at the screen, we’d suggest going to your nearest store on August 30th, because online sales are limited to 750 on that day and a further 750 on September 1st.

Filed under: Cellphones

NTT DoCoMo releasing limited edition JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Optimus Vu originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 07:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  NTT DoCoMo (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Rumors have been circulating that HTC was planning a mid-cycle replacement for the One V, the Proto, that would keep the line relevant in the face of some noticeably tougher competition. It may be more of a reality than a notch on the roadmap. As long as The Verge‘s press renders are authentic, the Proto should be an almost straightforward, international edition of the previously China-only New Desire V (T328w). HTC wouldn’t be reinventing the wheel — it would reportedly add a much-needed second core to the 1GHz processor but keep the same 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of storage and 7.2Mbps 3G as the smartphone’s early 2012 prequel; though we’d imagine the second SIM slot would be nixed. If, where and when the Proto shows up is still left to the imagination, though. Next week’s IFA show is a tempting target for a late 2012 release, but there’s no hard and fast rule that any introduction has to coincide with a major event.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC Proto breaks cover, brings the New Desire V out of China originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  The Verge  | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile wants to offer as much of a lure to smartphone newcomers as to power users who might spring for its truly unlimited data, and the ZTE Concord might just be the right kind of bait. The truly 2010-vintage Android 2.3, 3.5-inch screen and 2-megapixel camera won’t get anyone’s pulse racing, but a $100 contract-free price is hard to ignore — even for the sort who’d otherwise be looking for a just-does-calls flip phone. Accordingly, the carrier plans to put the Concord in front of audiences that would rarely care to set foot in a dedicated cellphone store. Walmart is selling the phone today for those comfortable with a Walmart Family Mobile plan. If you’d rather show fealty to T-Mobile itself, you’ll have to swing through a Target store on or after August 26th.

Continue reading ZTE-made Concord arrives at T-Mobile and Walmart, caters to the starter crowd at $100 contract-free

Filed under: Cellphones

ZTE-made Concord arrives at T-Mobile and Walmart, caters to the starter crowd at $100 contract-free originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Walmart  | Email this | Comments

We’ve already seen many companion apps on mobile, but now TV Guide is diving in wholeheartedly with the next generation of its app for iOS devices. While the previous versions of TV Guide Mobile on iOS and Android let users create watchlists and get reminders, version 3.0 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is completely redesigned to make TV watching simpler with filtering for HD-only and favorite channels, links to streaming videos from sources like Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Crackle and iTunes — Netflix and Amazon are not on the list, although additional video sources are promised in the coming weeks. Like any good companion app in 2012 it also brings social networking features with check-ins and Twitter / Facebook integration and a trending social hot list based on what other users search for.

The downside compared to many of the apps from cable providers like Comcast or Time Warner, hardware manufacturers like TiVo or even other third parties like Dijit is the inability to use it to directly change the channel, but perhaps that’s in the next version. There’s more details in the press release after the break, and screens in the gallery below, if you’re willing to give another contender a shot at assisting your TV watching habits, the free app is available in iTunes at the source link.

Continue reading TV Guide Mobile relaunches for iOS with a new look, links to streaming video and social networks

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Tablet PCs, Software

TV Guide Mobile relaunches for iOS with a new look, links to streaming video and social networks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  iTunes  | Email this | Comments