Hasta La Gadget!

WebOS developers may not have had much good news in the past few days (apart from a slew of new TouchPad owners looking for apps), but they are at least getting some attention. That includes a message from Microsoft’s Senior Director of Windows Phone 7 Development, Brandon Watson, who offered free phones to published webOS developers on Friday, plus all the necessary tools and training to get them started with Windows Phone. Judging from his tweets since, the response has been fairly overwhelming — Watson says he’s received close to 600 emails from webOS devs as of Sunday evening.

Microsoft woos webOS developers with free phones, training originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, we’re still waiting for that Microsoft-Skype deal to close, but it looks like Redmond’s about to get more than it initially bargained for. Skype announced today that it has reached an agreement to snatch up Groupme, the mobile group messaging service that made a splash at Google I/O. Outfit head honcho Tony Bates told TechCrunch that Skype needs to invade the mobile space if it hopes to reach its goal of scoring one billion users, and cites Groupme’s “sticky group messaging experience” as the ideal mobile addition to the Skype family. But don’t take our word for it, hit the break and dig the PR for yourself.

Continue reading Skype adds Groupme to social portfolio, sets sights on mobile market

Skype adds Groupme to social portfolio, sets sights on mobile market originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 01:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s August 21st, and that means that the first batch of AT&T’s dedicated LTE devices are officially here. The Momentum 4G and Elevate 4G are now on sale at the carrier’s site and in stores for $50 and $70 (with a two year contract, of course) respectively. Both the USB modem Momentum and mobile hotspot Elevate will have to settle for an HSPA+ connection for the time being, as Ma Bell has yet to flip the switch on its LTE network — but we wouldn’t expect the company to wait much longer before making the move. Picking up either of these 4G data devices would be useless without the DataConnect plan, which nets you 5GB for $50 with a $10-per-GB overage charge. Now it’s just about waiting for someone to push the button in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio to light up those first LTE markets.

Momentum and Elevate 4G on sale now, pushes AT&T closer to the LTE era originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 14:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot on the heels of releasing its new device arsenal, RIM is prepping to roll out a brand spanking new BlackBerry App World. Scheduled to launch Monday, version 3.0 features a retooled interface for quick perusal of apps, games and themes — if the beta release is any indication. Another added feature is the My World storage folder that keeps all of your downloads on the home screen and lets you wirelessly reinstall them should you accidentally delete one or upgrade devices. Sure, there are rumblings that the BB music service will be a part of this release, but as Reuters reported, that announcement isn’t expected until early September. Although, this update would complete the new smartphone trifecta rather nicely: new device, new OS and new app store. Well done, RIM, now if you could just get your advertising in order, you’ll be all set.

RIM to unleash redesigned BlackBerry App World 3.0 on August 22nd originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, it looks like BlackBerry’s banking on another BBM to pull it out of the enterprise-only lurch, and this one should be like music to your ears. Earlier this week, we reported that RIM was readying a new music service, and now All Things D is giving us some juicy (unofficial) details on the tentatively titled BlackBerry Music. The publication says $5 a month will give users access to 50 songs that they can share with their BlackBerry-toting friends (also signed up for the service). What’s more, it could be officially pumping the jams to the UK, US, and Canada as soon this fall, with other territories to follow in 2012. Rumor also has it that users won’t be able to port the music to other devices, unless they happen to have a PlayBook handy. Somehow we suspect that last bit won’t be what draws the youngster in.

BlackBerry Music to serve up 50 songs for $5 a month? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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