The Gadget 411 – Gadget Reviews & Tech News

AT&T Inc. today finally set a firm date of Sept. 25 for making multimedia messaging service (MMS) available for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.

The carrier had said at the launch of iPhone 3GS in June that MMS capability would be available by the end of the summer. AT&T went beyond that promise by a few days since autumn begins on Sept. 22.

The MMS will be enabled through a software update that day. A spokeswoman said the MMS service is available through a user’s data plan at no extra cost.

The carrier said in an online note that it had to prepare the network for the “record volumes” of MMS traffic expected from iPhone users. The company wants to “ensure an excellent experience from Day One.”

AT&T also said in the online note to customers, “We appreciate your patience as we work toward that end.”

The carrier also cited an “explosion of traffic” with smartphone usage, and reported wireless usage growth of 350% year-over-year for the past two years. “We want you to know that we’re working relentlessly to innovate and invest in our network to anticipate this growth in usage and to stay ahead of the anticipated growth in data demand, new devices and applications for years go come,” the note stated.

When Apple announced the 3GS on June 8, crowds jeered when it was mentioned that AT&T would not immediately have MMS available on the shipment date. The delay brought plenty of customer complaints and helped fuel concerns over the value of a carrier having an exclusive deal for a smartphone.

For AT&T, missing the end-of-summer target by a few days was justified by the need to get the network ready. When asked why that target date was missed, a spokeswoman responded in an e-mail: “It was important to us to give our customers a positive experience from day one. We took the time necessary to make sure our network is ready to handle what we expect will be a record volume of MMS traffic. We appreciate our customers’ patience and hope they’ll understand our desire to get it right from the start.”

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A belated US Patent via an Australian filing mysteriously surfaced this month revealing a stunning nano-phone concept in development at Apple.(check pics out below) The design involves a very sophisticated yet complicated dual-surface user interface. The full face-side of this device will be nothing more than a display, much like the iPhone is today, while the back-side will be primarily dominated by a force-sensitive touch based surface. Your fingers, which act as a cursor, control the face-side UI by the back-side etched controls. The dramatic design will offer users a variety of interfaces or modes to work with including one for a phone,text messaging, a traditional iPod, a camera mode and more. The design may also, according to Apple, simply offer consumers with a dual-sided display option in lieu of a force sensitive controller surface. On one hand, the design appears to be nothing shy of being revolutionary once again. On the other, the concept seems to be overly complicated. I’m sure that once we see it, it’ll all make sense. Yet until that time it arrives, I think that Apple’s design could be hotly debated.

Thanks! BGR

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The L.A. Times has reported that Apple will finally allow applications that use new augmented reality technology in the app store then their OS 3.1 update his iTunes in September.  Augmented reality applications apply different types of media over a real time image using the iPhone 3GS’s camera.  A great example of this new technology will be an app called TwittaRound, which will allow users to point their camera in a certain direction, geo-locate and visually position tweets sent from the app on the live image from the camera using the built in compass.

This is just one feature of the new iPhone 3.1 OS update.  The update is said to contain many bug fixes and will be the first update since the release of the iPhone 3GS.  Some new features that have been found in the beta include improved, “non destructive” video editing, vibrating icons when they are moved, and bluetooth voice control.  Developers have also reported that the MMS icon has appeared in the new beta, and a select few have been able to successfully send and receive MMS messages.  One of the problems that users have been talking about that has been said to have a solution in the new update is an overheating issue.

If you are a developer and have seen any other new features in the iPhone 3.1 OS beta, or if you have seen any other improvements or bug fixes, send me an e-mail at Dustin@thegadget411.com and let us know about it!

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Thanks Cnet

Imagine you’re on a camping trip with your family, and your kids are bored. They want to watch a movie, but you forgot your laptop at home. Hopeless? Not at all.

You pull out your fifth-generation iPhone–yes, this is a story about future technology–power it up, aim it at the wall of the tent, and start projecting their favorite film there.

This is one of the many potential promises of a new microdisplay technology from Displaytech, a recently acquired division of Boise-based Micron. Known as FLCOS, or fast liquid crystal on silicon, the technology is designed to make it possible to project, from a relatively small form factor device, and with high image quality and vibrant colors, just about anything you’d want, be it a Disney flick or a complex PowerPoint presentation

Today, the technology is still in its prototype stage, and when I visited Micron here this week as part of Road Trip 2009, I was shown a demonstration in which things like YouTube movies or ESPN clips stored on an iPhone were projected onto a screen via a small device with a tiny 3M projection engine in it.

Even that was pretty cool, because the little device probably had about the same volume as a deck of cards, and the image quality–in a very bright room–was fairly good, particularly when it came to showing text-based slides. But the most exciting thing to me about the technology is the promise that by late 2010 or early 2011, there’s a good chance that the thumbnail sized chip behind the microdisplay could begin to be embedded in commercially available smartphones, like the iPhone.

And that could mean that not only would it be possible to watch a movie any time and anywhere, as can already be done on many small devices, but that it would no longer be a solo experience. Instead, using something like an iPhone, it would be possible to share a movie with a room full of people.

The idea behind the technology is that FLCOS microdisplays can mix color over time, blending reds, greens and blues in very quick sequence, Eric Boles, Micron’s director of marketing services, explained to me. The human eye turns such color mixing into full color, meaning that FLCOS obviates any kind of color filtering.

Right now, the projection engine behind the technology is about an inch-and-a-half long and very power efficient, Boles said. Just 1.1 watts can produced ten lumens.

For now, no mobile phone makers have gotten on board with Micron’s microdisplay technology, in part because the chips may still be too expensive, and because smart phones may not yet have the power to allocate to something like FLCOS. But because the projection technology is on a chip, it is likely to follow the traditional silicon curves, Boles said, meaning that the chips will probably get smaller, faster and cheaper quickly.

Micron also faces an interesting marketing question: How to market the chips. The company doesn’t plan on marketing FLCOS directly to consumers, but rather will work with consumer electronics companies to create the kinds of products they want. In the short term, Boles said, the most obvious market may well be businesspeople who could easily find themselves unable to resist a small device that would let them project a presentation on any surface any time they want.

Other exciting advances–before the microdisplay technology makes its way to the iPhone–could include adding wireless to the device so that it can retrieve content without having to be physically tethered to the content source.

And it’s also exciting to imagine the possible roster of things that could be used as projection screens. Boles recalled a visit to a Mexican restaurant at some point recently where one of the prototype devices was used to project onto a tortilla.

There are, of course, other companies working on similar products, but the folks at Micron think they’re onto a special approach to tiny projectors because the microdisplays are all-digital. And that means that Micron may be the only company able to embed such technology on a chip.

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From: http://mikeniles.tumblr.com/

A friend of mine contacted me asking to help him upscale iPhone 3GS video from iPhones for the news station he works at.

Read the full story

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Rumors are circulating that Sony is planning to develop a combo gaming and cell phone device. Japanese Business daily Nikkei reported that Sony is putting together skunkworks team to develop this gadget that will marry the PlayStation Portable gaming consoles with the Sony-Ericsson mobile phone handsets.

O RLY? Can Sony take on the iPhone? Neither their Walkman or Sony Ericsson phones do that well at all in the US market. Personally, I’d like to see more Ericsson phones in the US market, I’ve had an Ericsson phone and I was really happy with it. But the general attitude towards Ericssons are “meh” at best. What could help this phone is if it gets the same all access to the PlayStation gaming network like their other handheld gaming systems. They also have to go up against the big wall of iTunes.

However, this isn’t the first time that Sony’s had designs on this kind of hybrid device. From Businessweek:

“Rumors that Sony was working on a PlayStation cell phone first cropped up two years ago when Sony’s engineers filed a patent describing such a gizmo. The Internet rumor mill went into overdrive again in April, after Kazuo Hirai, who had led Sony’s video game division, was named as the head of a broader portfolio of networked products and services. The PlayStation Network is Sony’s biggest success story in online services. Under Hirai, the PlayStation group has rolled out online downloads of music, movies, TV shows, games and created a content platform for developers to create applications and games, sell videos, and post trailers and sneak previews. It’s clearly the model that Sony wants other divisions to emulate.”

With some phones such as the LG Versa trying to capture the gamers with it’s gamepad module, we see that companies are hoping to catch gamers’ attention. We have yet to see if they will bite.

[via businessweek]

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So much to say about the Iphone 3gs Check it out in Full At http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/17/iphone-3g-s-review/

Hopefully apple sends us the iPhone so we can give you are point of view.

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Well, you don’t really lose. You just have to wait a couple more weeks before you can get your new iPhone 3GS. If you put in your order now,  your new baby will be delivered to you and you won’t have to go to the Apple Store to pick it up.

If you have put in your pre-order order, you are ate least guaranteed a slot at the Apple Store in the 7am power hour to get your new baby. The rest of the masses will have to gear up and be ready to throw down to fight for the remaining stock when the Apple Store opens at 8am or go to your local ATT store.

So, gear up. Either for your camp out at the Apple Store, or for your battle to get your hands on the remaining stock. Good Luck all!

[from Endgadget]

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Welcome to the Twitter Client UFC Octagon!
TweetDeck and Seesmic go head to head with huge updates to their desktop clients… and TweetDeck has a pretty sweet finishing move.
Earlier today, I got an email from Seesmic announcing their upgrade. The Deets from the email,  .:commentary:. by LizMoney:

Multi-Account Posting with Smart Account Enabling:
We’ve upgraded the user interface to select which accounts to send posts to, saving you the time and effort it takes to post to each account separately. We’ve also added an option for Smart Account Enabling. With this feature turned on, this will allow Seesmic Desktop to change accounts when messaging your friends based on whom you are replying or direct messaging to. Seesmic will not change the accounts if you do not enable Smart Account.
.:Ooh I like the Smart Account feature. If you are managing other people’s tweets, there’s no danger of mis-tweeting:.

Authenticated bit. ly Integration:
You can now use your own bit. ly account when using bit. ly as a shortener for Seesmic Desktop. By simply entering your bit. ly API key, you can now keep track of your URL clicks when sharing your links with your friends and followers.
.:Nice. This way, you can track your link stats and see how much your bit.ly link is clicked:.

New Services Panel:
Along with bit. ly, we have set a foundation for managing your accounts for sending images, and be able to set them in our new Services Panel. The Additional Integrated Account Services panel currently includes image services such as Pikchur (where you can set your own account), Posterous, TwitPic, Twitgoo & yfrog (which is currently using your twitter account).
.:Integration. Put your Tweet out on blast on other services right from inside Seesmic:.

You can also watch a demo video here

TweetDeck, the defending champion in Twitter clients comes back with a Super Combo. It’s not just upgrading, but it’s ReLaunching it’s desktop application and has the finishing move – TweetDeck for the iPhone. Available Today at 9pm PT. This is awesome…because, after using Tweetdeck, whenever I’m on mobile, I miss my groups and columns.
Here’s the deets for the iPhone App, from Mashable:

- Column based friend groups (like TweetDeck desktop)
- TweetDeck desktop syncing (make a change on the iphone and it’s reflected back on the PC)
- Facebook toolbar like status updates
- Multiple account support
- Flicking to move between columns
- Shake to refresh

**Ha-Du-Ken** That’s awesome.
ooh Tweetie, better watch your back. TweetDeck for the iPhone just challenged Tweetie to a streetfight.

So the Deets on the TweetDeck updates ReLaunch via Mashable, .:commentary:. by LizMoney:

TweetDeck will support mobile-to-desktop sync. This means whenever you make a change on TweetDeck (i.e. change friend groups or columns), it will automatically update on your iPhone and vice-versa, multiple accounts and unlimited columns.
**Shori-yuken!**

“Block and Report Spam” button: Clicking on this button will not only delete the spam message, but it will block that specific user and report them to Twitter. Simply brilliant.
.:Word! All those Britney sucking on various things accounts? Gone and reported!:.

“Reply All” feature: You can now tweet to everyone who is mentioned in a specific tweet.
.:Yes! I’ve been dying for this. Often there are more than just one person involved in a conversation that I want to reply all to:.

“TweetDeck Recommends” column: Just as it sounds, it’s a column with a list of recommended people to follow.
.:As Borat would say: Verrry nice. A great way to get genuine follwers and add value to your tweetstream :.

Deeper video playback support: Qik, 12seconds, and other video clips are fully supported in TweetDeck.
.:Just in time for that iPhone 3G S video capability:.

Auto-suggest filter: When you start typing someone’s username, it will find the person and allow you to add them to a group quickly.
.:Sweet. Group your peeps on the fly:.

Integration with YFrog for photo sharing.

RE (In reference to): A new menu feature that allows you to reference a specific user or a tweet in your own message.
.:I like this. Because you might miss an @ to you, or want to reply to someone’s tweet who is scrolling fast. It facilitates connections and conversations:.

Are you ready to rumble?! Both applications are busting out with great improvements and upgrades, not to mention throwing down on the iPhone front.
But they are not alone. PeopleBrowsr is a social media addict’s dream. Imagine TweetDeck on steroids. With ADHD. It multitasks with almost every single Social Media site out there and you can customize it like woah. It’s so feature rich, I have been using it for a few weeks and still haven’t gotten to everything that it can do.

Also,  I’m pushing beta on Mixero, which is on the other end of PeopleBrowsr, as it’s motto is “Reduce the Noise” it’s clean, great for only picking out what you want to see, when you want to see it. It will slim down your twitterstream to just what you want to see. It’s awesome for when you want to track a certain trend (I used it for tracking #E3 and #WWDC streams), or just certain groups, and it’s minimize-to-avatars when it’s not in focus is my favorite feature. Mixero’s got an iPhone app in the works too. It’s definitely one to watch. You can follow @Mixero and @Peoplebrowsr for latest news and updates on these apps. They’ll answer any of your questions too, they are super responsive.

So who will win the Twitter client Kumite? What is your favorite Twitter Client? Let me know! @LizMoney on Twitter, leave a comment, I want to hear from you!

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Apple’s new baby is the iPhone 3GS.
S is for Speed. It’s processor is super fast so you can do everything fasterrrrr.

The new hardware:
fasst
3mp autofocus camera
Video. 30fps and VGA. You can also do some slight editing on the iPhone 3GS.
Voice command
Compass
Nike+ integration
And of course, the 3.0 OS upgrade.
Also, keeping existing iPhone 3G on the market for $99.
The 16 and 32 both come in black and white. How much?
16GB- from $199
32GB- from $299
Comin atcha June 19.

You can pre-order it now, of course:
iPhone 3GS at the Apple store

I will have a full post on the WWDC soon enough, but I know this is what you guys really wanted to hear.

Big Props to Ryan Block and Peter Rojas of gdgt.com for doing awesome job live blogging!

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