Hasta La Gadget!

And with that, the tradition continues. Every year or so, it seems that an iPhone prototype of some description manages to find its way onto eBay, and just over a year after the first iPhone 4 prototype made its way into public view, the precious item you see above is now available on a public auction site. To our knowledge, this is the first iPhone 4 prototype to be offered for sale on eBay — at least from someone who actually appears to be legitimate and in possession of the device he / she claims to own — boasting an etched ‘DF1692’ label in the lower right, omitted volume button markers and a mysterious ‘XXGB’ label around back. Unfortunately, we’re told that it can’t be activated through iTunes, and popping in an AT&T SIM did the seller little good. ‘Course, at $810 and rising, we highly doubt such trivial matters will deter collectors from ponying up. Hit the source link to get your bid in — you know, before Apple’s henchmen convince Mr. Donahoe to pull the plug.

Update: As of 12:58am ET on July 4, 2011, this phone now sits at $70,100. Let freedom ring.

Update 2: As of 1:11am ET on July 4, 2011, this phone now sits at over $100,000. We highly doubt the buyer’s coming through on this one.

Update 3: As of 8:44am ET on July 4, 2011, this phone now sits at just over $2,000. The seller has apparently cancelled numerous false bids.

iPhone 4 prototype surfaces on eBay: A+++ condition, would buy again originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 18:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kodak scored a small victory this week in its International Trade Commission (ITC) case against Apple and RIM for their devices’ infringement of Kodak’s patent on picture previews. Back in January, an ITC administrative law judge (ALJ) made an initial determination that the patent was invalid and that iPhones and Blackberrys don’t infringe Kodak’s IP. After reviewing the decision per the parties’ request, the Commission changed a few of the ALJ’s patent claim interpretations and remanded the case for fresh analysis regarding both infringement and validity. Kodak, naturally, is painting the remand as a victory, even going so far as issuing a celebratory press release. Such swagger seems a bit premature, however, as the judge could once again find in favor of the crowds from Cupertino and Waterloo. The next Kodak moment isn’t until August 30th, when the ALJ is due to render his ruling. Stay tuned.

Brian Heater contributed to this post.

Kodak granted reprieve in its ITC battle with Apple and RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Many of us are perfectly content viewing only 2D content on our mobile devices, but if you’ve been dying to add a bit more depth to your smartphone’s display, Global Wave may have just what you’re looking for. At the 3D and Virtual Reality Expo in Tokyo, the Japanese company demoed its Pic3D sheet, which converts your Windows-based desktop or laptop, or iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a 3D display. The sheet uses a lenticular lens system instead of a parallax barrier for a smoother, more consistent image, yielding a reported 90-percent transmission level and 120-degree field of view. The company’s Windows and iOS apps output video in a side-by-side format, simulating a 3D image. The software also allows you to view side-by-side content from the web, submitting the YouTube URL of a compatible video, for example — perhaps not the most elegant solution, but a good start, if it works. Prices range from ¥2,000 (about $25) for an iPhone or iPod touch sheet, all the way up to ¥15,000 (about $186) for a 23-inch desktop version. We’ll be on the lookout for Pic3D at the Tokyo Game Show in September, but in the meantime, you can get Diginfo TV‘s take in their video after the break.

Continue reading Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25

Pic3D sheet brings glasses-free 3D to iPhone for $25 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smartphones are taking over the U.S., says Nielsen research. Photo courtesy of Nielsen

If your last cellphone purchase wasn’t a smartphone and you’re living stateside, consider yourself in the minority.

So says the most recent data from Nielsen, which claims 55 percent of U.S. mobile phone purchases over the last three months were smartphones. That’s up 34 percent from last year.

“With more compelling features and lower prices, Apple’s iPhone set the trend,” said Gartner mobile analyst Ken Dulaney in an interview.

Even outside of the national market, smartphones have risen drastically since the iPhone’s debut, four years ago Wednesday. The company sold a record 18.6 million iPhones in the first three months of 2011 alone. The proliferation of new smartphone models running on the Android platform has also driven this growth: A recent tweet from Android head honcho Andy Rubin claims 500,000 daily Android device activations.

As the rise of the smartphone gradually edges out the traditional feature phone, the mobile landscape as a whole is changing dramatically. Carrying an ‘always on,’ web-connected device is slowly becoming the norm; 38 percent of U.S. mobile phone users now own smartphones. Mobile carriers saw this coming a mile away, preemptively ending unlimited data plans as smartphone data consumption rose. Like it or not, the future is mobile, web-connected and data-hungry.

“The vast majority of mobile consumers — 55 percent — are now choosing smartphones over feature phones when they purchase a new device,” a Nielsen spokesperson told Wired.com. “And they are choosing app and media-friendly devices like iPhones and Android phones.”

Interestingly enough, Android is losing some of the momentum it once had in the smartphone market. While it rose in marketshare by 20 percent over a one-year period from February 2010-11, that growth seems to have stagnated, settling around 27 percent of recent smartphone purchases over the past four months. It is, however, still the leader in terms of smartphone platform share.

Android’s growth has most likely been stymied by a surge of iPhone purchases, according to Nielsen’s data. Over the same four-month period, recent iPhone purchases jumped from 10 to 17 percent. This was probably driven by the release of the iPhone 4 on Verizon’s 3G network on Feb. 10, which allowed a flood of new customers who weren’t thrilled about AT&T’s service to buy Apple’s phone. Previous to the release, AT&T carried Apple’s phones exclusively.

Those of you who love Apple’s hardware but not the high prices may be in luck — circulating rumors suggest Apple may come out with two new phone models this fall, including a “feature phone” version of the iPhone 4, nee the iPhone 4S. However, we’re skeptical about that claim.

Android’s stagnation is Apple’s gain and RIM’s loss, according to Nielsen data. (Photo courtesy Nielsen.)

This isn’t the iPhone 5. But it wouldn’t surprise me if, come this fall, it looks very similar to this prototype created by Antoine Brieux. It feels to me like a natural evolution. Check the gallery. More »