Keepin’ it real fake, part CLXXVI: iPhone Air jockeys for “best ripoff ever” award

For those with a whiteboard full of Apple rumors, you’ll been keenly aware of the fact that the whole iPhone Air terminology has been tossed around before in a joking manner. This, however, is not a joke. In fact, it’s a very real KIRF, and it’s possibly one of the most awesome we’ve ever seen. We mean, who’d ever want an iPhone nano when one could have — wait for it — the iPhone Air. Aside from clean, beautiful, streamlined edges, those fortunate enough to procure one from China will also find dual SIM card slots, an FM radio, Bluetooth, a multimedia player and a built-in camera. The KIRF game just got stepped up good fashion, and we love it.

[Thanks, David]

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Keepin’ it real fake, part CLXXVI: iPhone Air jockeys for “best ripoff ever” award originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red iPhone 3G is real like unicorns and world peace

Apple’s corporate font isn’t Arial, if you catch our drift.

[Via NowhereElse]

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Red iPhone 3G is real like unicorns and world peace originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Softbank’s iPhone 1seg tuner / battery charger gets unboxed

If you’re American, don’t even pretend you care about this. ‘Cause you don’t care about mobile TV at all, and we’ve got the facts to prove it. For those parked in Japan, though, you have every right to get jazzed. Softbank’s 1seg TV tuner / battery charger has finally been loosed on the carrier’s home turf, and the lucky cats over at DVICE were able to acquire one and give it a whirl. Setup was said to be a breeze, the 1seg pickup was crystal clear and the device itself was satisfactorily lightweight. As for downsides, the entire app is in Japanese, and even with the extra juice, watching TV on the go zapped the life out in around an hour with brightness maxed. Check the full writeup and unboxing gallery in the read link below.

[Via OhGizmo]

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Softbank’s iPhone 1seg tuner / battery charger gets unboxed originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3G unlock revised, now with less beta

The iPhone Dev-Team works in mysterious ways, but it also works in quick ways. Granted, the iPhone 3G’s initial unlock took way longer than anyone would’ve liked, but when reports started surfacing that it wasn’t working particularly well after the first beta release earlier in the week, they appear to have worked doubletime to get a better version into circulation. The release is now up to v0.9.4 — still beta — but if you tried the first cut and struggled, we’d suggest giving the new version a whirl.

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iPhone 3G unlock revised, now with less beta originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mysterious pink iPhone 3G hits eBay, cue onslaught of rumors

Say wha’?! An iPhone in a hue other than black, white, or silver? While a red model has been rumored since before the 3G even launched, we’ve never thought about a pink one — let alone one hitting eBay. The text on the back of the device convinces us that this isn’t a simple ColorWare job, but there aren’t any photos of the back of the packaging either. Our take? Some OEM in Asia whipping up custom colors. But hey, Macworld’s just under a week away, so who knows?

Update: Go ahead and put those horses back in the stables folks, folks: Cole commented to point us over to an eBay auction for a rather familiar looking and decidedly aftermarket pink back cover. So, don’t go expecting a first-party pink iPhone at Macworld, but if you hurry up and bid now you can have yourself the most fabulous handset at the show.

[Thanks, Gav]

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Mysterious pink iPhone 3G hits eBay, cue onslaught of rumors originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget: Best current smartphone for under $200?

It’s 2009, folks, so we figured we’d start it off with a bang (and about a gazillion comments in this post). George, a proud member of the USMC, is pondering what to do about a new smartphone, and given that your New Year’s resolution was undoubtedly to ditch your dumbphone in favor of a more sophisticated model, you’ll probably be interested as well.

“I am currently in the market for a new carrier and phone. I have Verizon now, but I am not all that happy with its service in my area. With the release of all the high end phones nowadays, one could get easily lost in the details. I currently have the LG Voyager; I like the phone, but I feel trapped and can’t do much with it unless I pay for every little thing. I would like a mobile with WiFi, camera (with flash if possible), touchscreen, etc. I would like to stay under $200 with a 2-year contract. Any advice would be wonderful.”

It’s tough, ain’t it George? There’s the G1, iPhone 3G, Bold, Storm — the list rolls on. So, let’s spark up a sane, intelligent conversation on the pros and cons of each, all while remembering that our ideal handset sadly didn’t arrive in time for Christmas. Interested in getting your own inquiry up in here? Send one over to ask at engadget dawt com.

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Ask Engadget: Best current smartphone for under $200? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 01:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3G unlock arrives at last, time to eat some yellowsn0w

So, it didn’t quite land before midnight as some had hoped, but we’re sure you were partying too hard to notice. The Dev-Team just launched its long-awaited iPhone 3G unlock, dubbed “yellowsn0w,” and while they’re still working out a few kinks (terming this release a 0.9 beta release), reports are already pouring in of successful unlocks. It’s also been confirmed that this release will work with the iPhone’s latest v2.2 firmware, and in fact requires that the phone be updated to v2.2 to run at all — much to the chagrin of folks who’ve held off on that update at the Dev-Team’s behest, we’re sure, but hopefully all will soon be forgotten in the new year… already freer than the last! Hit up the read link for download instructions and caveats.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: Unfortunately, it seems yellowsn0w might be living up to its beta status, with plenty of commenters and others across the interwebs reporting problems getting “unlocked” iPhone 3Gs to pick up their preferred carrier. As always, proceed with caution, and prepare some loose papers that need weighting just in case.

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iPhone 3G unlock arrives at last, time to eat some yellowsn0w originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dev-Team teases v2.2-compatible iPhone 3G unlock for the New Year

Ever since the Dev-Team kinda sorta promised that they would have a neatly packaged iPhone 3G unlock ready for release by the year’s end, we’ve all been waiting on pins and needles, counting down the moments until freedom was in hand yet again. Now, a cryptic message on the crew’s blog has been followed up with a not-at-all secretive image (shown above), which shows that whatever magic they’ve got going on will work with the latest (v2.2) iPhone 3G firmware. According to a related writeup at yellowsn0w, we’re clearly told that the unlock tool will be made available by midnight PST at the latest, though we’re hoping those guys have their AM / PM mixed up — otherwise, you might be waiting until noontime tomorrow. At any rate, now you’ve more than a day off and black eyed peas to look forward to tomorrow, right?

[Via MobileCrunch]

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Dev-Team teases v2.2-compatible iPhone 3G unlock for the New Year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Magnetic / detachable lenses suddenly make cellphone cameras fun

Not that we haven’t seen patently absurd lens attachments for mobiles before, but we’ve yet to come across any that were this universal (and be to honest, this useful). Sure, one could argue that a detachable wide-angle, fisheye or 2x telephoto lens made for a cellphone camera is more likely to do nothing than something, but we prefer to look on the sunny side of things. In other words, it’s totally worth $16.99 just to be able to make your subjects pause as you whip out the correct lens for the occasion… which you’re photographing on your C905.

[Via OhGizmo]

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Magnetic / detachable lenses suddenly make cellphone cameras fun originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What is the deal with the iPhone nano?

Adding to a small stack of rumors about a supposed iPhone nano, case-maker Vaja today quietly added the category to its website (pictured after the break). Frankly, we’re not sure what to think. There are a number of ways in which Apple could produce a cheaper phone or alter its subsidy deals, so the idea of an iPhone that’s simply smaller makes very little sense. Yet, here we are showing off the site of a reputable accessory manufacturer with a brand new phone listed — ostensibly just a teensy version of the iPhone 3G. Of course, this is probably just rumor, speculation, lies, corruption, signs of an unquenchable thirst for power, and a glimpse at the machinations behind one of the greatest conspiracies mankind has ever known. So, we’re posing the question to the biggest brains of all: the Engadget reader. Is Apple working on an iPhone nano?

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Continue reading What is the deal with the iPhone nano?

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What is the deal with the iPhone nano? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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