Rogers adds ‘data sharing’ plans, will carry both WiFi and cellular versions of BlackBerry PlayBook
With the precedent the Galaxy Tab has set, it was an open question whether carriers would embrace the WiFi version of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook -- after all, it's a little harder to fully monetize a data plan on a device that lacks its own cellular modem. Thing is, the WiFi version is the first one that's going to be available; RIM hasn't given much guidance yet on when the cellular version will follow on -- and RIM doesn't have much of a distribution channel outside its carrier partners. Well, Rogers has thrown its hat in the ring today at its TabLife event in Toronto, where it has been chatting up the success of the tablets it's sold so far (the Tabs apparently won't stay on shelves) and noting that it will be carrying both versions of the PlayBook as they become available
Categories: BlackBerry, Mobile Phone, Other Tags: boynton, entry, hold-the-answer, mobile, partners, playbook, question, rogers, stay-on-shelves, toronto, twitter
Nokia E7 starts shipping December 10th
We can imagine that the wait's been an excruciating one for wannabe E7 owners who've been restraining themselves from buying an N8 instead... but the good news is that the wait isn't that much longer.
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: availability, devices-being, engadget, espoo, existing, nokia, nokia e7, nokiae7, question, result, symbian, though-exact, true
MotionApps’ Classic emulator for webOS doesn’t — and can’t — work with 2.0
If you've still got some critical Palm OS apps after all these years... well, maybe it's time to try to find a way to move on. But in the meantime, you might be a little distraught to learn that MotionApps' Classic emulator is completely borked in webOS 2.0 .
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: access, apps, binaries, emulator, mobile, motion, palmos, question, selling-the-app, the-agreement, webos 2.0
Nokia C6-01 hands-on redux: if this is recycled metal, count us in
When we saw the C6-01 in the flesh for the first time earlier today , we'd thought the matte black rear end was cheap plastic -- this is the budget phone of today's introductions, after all -- but on a follow-up visit this afternoon with an untethered silver example, it turns out that the back is actually part of the phone's recycled metal shell (we found out when our ring clanked against it). In fact, when we were able to handle the phone without a massive security mechanism glued to the back, we were really impressed with how the phone feels; subsidized price is going to be key, of course, but if they can keep it pegged to the budget range they seem to be targeting, it'll be pretty remarkable considering the high-tech AMOLED display and the general lack of plastic. It's really small compared to its bigger siblings (check the gallery for some good comparison shots) but still feels weighty -- "high quality" weighty, not "this is going to be annoying to carry" weighty -- and that always works wonders for the perception of a mobile device's quality
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: afternoon, device, mechanism, mechanism-glued, Metal, nokiaworld, nokiaworld2010, perception, question, range, recycled, the-perception
Microsoft launching Windows Phone 7 on October 11th?
With a gold master OS , plenty of devices raring to show themselves, and a more or less obvious October launch window , it's clear that Windows Phone 7 is right around the corner. Pocket-lint is reporting today that its sources, "senior figures within the industry," are pegging October 11 as the special day, with a New York launch event to make it all official. The handsets will then be available later that month, according to one of those sources
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: available-later, engadget, launch, microsoft, october-11, pocket-lint, question, reporting-today, result, senior-figures, special, windows, windows-phone, windowsphone7
Apple Peel 520 gets reviewed: turns your iPod touch into an iPhone, but quirks exist
No one expressly said that the Apple Peel 520 would change your life, but if you play your cards right, that's not entirely out of the question. The mysterious doodad -- which wraps around your iPod touch and holds an extended battery and SIM card -- has caused quite the stir since being revealed late last month, and now it has undergone a full review overseas. Put simply, the device does work as advertised, turning one's iPod touch into a device fully capable of making / receiving calls as well as texts.
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: apple peel 520, apple-peel, battery, cards, doodad, entry, ipodtouch, mod, peel, question, receiving-calls, sms, source, voip
iPod touch FaceTime calling to be based on email addresses?
We've been assuming that the next iPod touch will get in on Apple's FaceTime video-calling action, but the open question has been how calls will actually be initiated without phone numbers, and BGR's saying it has the scoop: it's going to be based on email addresses. Registering an email address with the touch and FaceTime will let people videocall you using that address, but apparently calling an iPhone user will still involve knowing their phone number, which is a little odd -- but BGR believes the email-based system will extended to the phone eventually as well.
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: addresses, apple, been-assuming, facetime, number, open-question, question, rumor, rumors, still-involve, videocalling
T-Mobile Garminfone now on sale, price still boggles the mind
As promised , T-Mobile has brought the Garminfone to retail today for $199 after $50 rebate on a new two-year contract, calling into question the viability of selling a nav-centric Android device with an HVGA display, 3 megapixel camera, and no 3.5mm headphone jack for $250 out of pocket in the store.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: 5mm, certainly-seems, engadget, entry, garminfone, like-the-better, money, question, result, retail-today, viability
Verizon’s Pixi Plus drops to free on contract
Say what you will about the Pixi Plus ; it may not be the best smartphone in the world, and heck, it might not even be the best webOS device on the block. But you know what? When your net cash outlay is a big, fat zero, it's pretty tough to argue -- especially when you've got dumbphones running $20, $50, $100, or even more
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: cash, cash-outlay, entry, heck, hotspot, less-upfront, mobile, nothing-else, pixi plus, pixiplus, price, question, upfront, verizon-wireless, verizonwireless
Microsoft Kin One and Kin Two first hands-on!
We've just spent some time handling Microsoft's just-announced Kin One and Kin Two , and we're not sure what to think; the keyboards have surprisingly good feel, particularly the One (think Palm Pre levels of usability on the One, for example -- we wouldn't be surprised if it was their benchmark) and the phones generally feel pretty solid. In fact, we'd go so far to say that this is a marked improvement in hardware quality for Sharp than any of its Sidekicks ever offered