The lithium-ion battery on the iPhone 3GS promises a good amount of talk and Internet usage time on the 3G network at about five hours on a single charge.
But if you have too many cords around your desk or you’re out on the road, you could try getting an extra power-up from the wireless Case-Mate Hug.
The Case-Mate Hug includes an aluminum-shaded, form-fitting iPhone case and a charging pad, where the case is placed to receive power via magnetic strips. Of course, it’s not entirely wireless as the user must connect the charging pad to a standard AC power source.
The eco-aspect of the Hug is that it features “smart charge” technology, meaning that it will only charge the phone’s battery until it’s 100% full, then halting the power transfer from its electric source.
It’s a nice concept, but it certainly wouldn’t work as a full-time case for the iPhone. It’s not terribly bulky (at least not based on the promo video), but I can’t imagine slipping that in my pockets that easily. Maybe just in my coat. It’s also something I wouldn’t want to drop or get damaged, as it costs $100. Not exactly a cheap accessory.
While it seems like a nice way to have an extra charging method without all the tangled wires, it doesn’t seem worth it - not at that price.
Continue reading Case-Mate's Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100
Case-Mate's Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Continue reading Case-Mate's Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100
Case-Mate's Hug wireless iPhone charging solution shipping now for $100 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Google may be preparing to launch a stripped-down, low-cost version of its Nexus One smartphone in India, and possibly other developing markets, according to speculation on multiple Indian technology sites. The rumors appear to have originated in a tweet from a TV show producer.
But irrespective of how it got started, it sure highlights the importance that Google is placing on the developing markets. Irrespective of the origin of the current rumor, the idea sure is an interesting one and highlights the importance that Google is placing on the developing markets.
Apple has historically focused on building high-margin products and slapping the legendary Apple Tax on them, but this strategy hasn’t found many takers in markets such as India. Indeed, many would say Apple has priced itself out of the market. In India, the iPhone 3G 8GB model is priced at about $680, while the 16GB variant is priced at about $790 (the 3GS has not yet been released, possibly due to the limited uptake that the 3G version has met). However, Google’s entry into the mobile handset space has to do with more than just device margins. The company is trying to increase the avenues by which consumers can interact with its services. Be it in the mobile space through Android or through its attempts at experimental fiber networks. And it is in this context that emerging markets such as India represent a large market that Google can ill-afford to ignore.
India is adding close to 18 million mobile subscribers every month, and the Indian telecom regulator TRAI estimates [PDF] there were around 127 million wireless subscribers accessing data services (essentially GPRS/EDGE based mobile data services) at the end of September 2009. That is a sizeable number, and one that continues to grow. Mobile advertising, too, is beginning to make its presence felt. Admob metrics [PDF] from January 2010 show India accounting for over 5% of all ad requests, behind only the US and ahead of many other developed mobile markets including Japan and the UK.
Moreover, Google already has some strong traction in the market. A Comscore September 2009 report estimates that Internet users in India spent up to a third of their online time on Google sites, a figure that is over three times the global average. Given such strong usage indicators of its services, Google will want to build on its brand strength, while simultaneously tapping into the fast growing mobile space. Google is already experimenting with multiple mobile products for its Indian audience, including Google Phone Search (search using voice calls to a toll-free number, with results being sent as a text message), Google SMS Search (search using text) and Google SMS Channels (SMS-based mobile communities). Putting a feature-rich, yet low-cost phone into the hands of its users appears the right next step.
It is in this context that a stripped-down version makes sense from Google’s perspective. Google has previously signaled that it considers India an unfriendly marketplace for smartphones. One can only speculate on what components might be tossed, but there are a few low-hanging fruit. India does not yet have 3G networks, given that the required spectrum has not been auctioned yet (although that will likely change soon, hopefully). Similarly, GPS and WLAN chipsets could be on the block, if Google is looking at cutting down on the radios. The display, too, could be swapped out for a less expensive and smaller LCD screen as opposed to the OLED display that the Nexus One currently boasts.
The resulting device would definitely not be what Google calls a “Superphone“, and therefore would not qualify for its online webstore. However, that might do a world of good to Google if it were indeed to launch such a phone in India where online commerce is still finding its feet. Apple found out the hard way that in a large country such as India, having a presence at the neighborhood handset retailer store is critical to driving uptake (Apple’s iPhone is primarily available only at select carrier-owned distribution stores, which are very limited). While Google might not have the experience of dealing with large third-party distributors, it has shown that it does not shy away from such challenges. Indeed, the very fact that it chose to launch its own distribution channel for the Nexus One in the US is testimony to that.
India would likely not be the only target country for such a stripped-down version. Brazil comes readily to mind as another good candidate. For Google to translate its successes on the desktop to the mobile web, a strong presence across devices will be inevitable, be it through carrier partnerships or through Android-based phones, or better-still, a Nexus-One style device where Google exerts significant control. And emerging markets such as India with its large mobile base are probably the right entry point.
Companies: Google
Get ready for some gaming Android fans, as Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has just released the latest version of the native development kit and it gives developers the tools to make games that look as good as those on the iPhone.
The third NDK, known as Revision 3 or r3, gives developers access to OpenGL ES 2.0, which “brings the ability to control graphics rendering vertex and fragment shader programs, using the GLSL shading language.” Basically, this means good-looking 3D graphics. It’s the same tool that iPhone developers get with the iPhone 3GS, and this leads to some noticeably improved performance and visuals. It will only be available for Android 2.0 or higher devices.
Although its not known as a hardcore gaming platform, I’ve been impressed by some of the graphics I’ve seen in Android games that were built nearly all in Java. When you combine OpenGL ES 2.0 with some of the Snapdragon handsets that are coming out, things are looking good for Android gaming. I’m at the Game Developer’s Conference this week, anything you’re dying to ask Android developers?
[Via Android Developer Blog]
Related News from IntoMobile:
Nokia’s Nuron is already officially official and just waiting to go live on T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)’s network on March 17th, and that means there are already plenty of pre-launch Nurons running around in the wild. Today, we have our first shots of the latest Nokia (NYSE: NOK) music-phone in the flesh, showing its T-Mobile branding and touchscreen. Those of you looking for a cheap alternative to the iPhone 3GS, or those of you that just have to have the latest music-oriented XpressMusic phone from Nokia, will want to pay attention.
The 5230 XpressMusic will hit the US as the Nokia Nuron. It will feature a 3.2-inch nHD touchscreen, 2-megapixel camera, 3G (HSPA_ connectivity, GPS, Bluetooth, memory card and a 3.5mm headphone jack. We’re looking for the Nuron to drop on March 17, with a $70 (on 2-year contract) pricing. The Nuron will also work with the free GPS navigation feature built into its Ovi Maps app, making it a great value for the directionally-challenged.
But, as Stefan pointed out, the iPhone 3G is going for $99 with a 2-year AT&T (NYSE: T) contract. The Nuron will be only $30 cheaper on contract. The choice will be yours.
Check out the rest of the Nuron live pics at TmoNews.
[Via: Ubergizmo]
Related News from IntoMobile:
Continue reading A lava lamp and a Nexus One tested under 3Gs of force (video)
A lava lamp and a Nexus One tested under 3Gs of force (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SpinThought announced today the launch of StoryPages 2 for the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone. StoryPages was designed to help iPhone users create illustrated stories on the go. StoryPages borrows from the storyboarding format used in film and animation production, allowing users to rapidly layout drawings and associated text, including anything they need to describe in a photo, sketch or text, and deliver their custom StoryPages via email as a PDF, export to the iPhone Gallery as PNG, or deliver via MMS.
“StoryPages was designed with the growing mobile community in mind, allowing for the rapid creation and delivery of illustrated stories, guides, booklets and animation ideas, right from the iPhone,” said SpinThought’s CEO and Founder Ben Kopf. “StoryPages is easy, even for the novice and we’re excited to bring these new features in StoryPages 2 to the market, making it even easier to create and share illustrations from the iPhone.”
StoryPages 2 provides full-screen landscape or portrait drawing modes and one-tap access to colored pencils, an eraser and the camera gallery to set backgrounds. The drawing mode has full undo and redo support. It also features intuitive compass-direction navigation between modes and pages with a simple swipe of a finger.
If all this tickles your fancy, and you want to give it a go, you can do so for £1.79. StoryPages 2 supports iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS and iPod Touch 2G and 3G running iPhone OS version 3.0 and above. As a final thought, check out the supporting vid:
Storypages 2 (£1.79) [iTunes link]
Related News from IntoMobile:
Now I know how the Bachelor and Bachelorette feel because I’m in love with two… smartphones. I’ve been using an iPhone on and off (on since last July when I purchased the 3GS) since it was originally released and our relationship has been sort of love hate. Love because of the apps. Hate because it does not have dedicated call send and end buttons. I haven’t been exclusive to the iPhone though. I am guilty of flirting with other phones, but they meant nothing to me and I continue to come back to the iPhone after a brief tryst. The G1 hit my radar over a year ago and although I found it interesting, it didn’t go much farther than that. But things have drastically changed in the past year. As Apple continues to alienate users, Android has been gaining momentum. I thought it was high time I gave Android another try to see if it could win my heart from the iPhone. I purchased the Nexus One and now I find that I’m torn between two phones. … [visit site to read more]
Filed in categories: Android related, Reviews
Nexus One Android Smartphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2010 at 12:45 pm.
Yeah, yeah, we all know those cell phones glued to our ears are little microwave ovens beaming their death rays directly into our pineal glands. And for years, the debate about how dangerous (or not) that might be has raged.
An Israeli app-development startup called Tawkon decided to attack the issue head-on, creating an iPhone app that predicts the amount of radiation your phone is pumping out, based on factors like how far you are from a cell tower, whether you're in standby mode or actually on a call, even what kind of iPhone you own (e.g. the 3GS's improved chipset produce lower radiation levels).
Not surprisingly, the House of Jobs isn't happy that an app exists that'll tell you how big a death ray your telephone is. So far, they've rejected Tawkon's App Store submissions, on the grounds that a diagnostic tool of this nature would create confusion with iPhone owners from a usability perspective. Undeterred, Tawkon continues to petition Apple for App Store approval (and a suggested price tag between US$5.00-10.00) while developing Blackberry and Android versions.
[Via TechCrunch]
While at CES 2010 one of the products which excited me most was the wireless charging system Case-Mate unveiled for the iPhone 3G/3Gs called The “Hug.” We at Gear Diary are huge fans of everything Case-Mate does both from their products to their customer service. They are one of the companies that simply get it.
While there are a few companies making wireless charging systems for the iPhone the ones I’ve seen are flat out … [visit site to read more]
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There are plenty of choices when it comes to screen and body protection for your electronic devices and I think I’ve tried them all. Clear Coat might just be the best of the bunch.
What is Clear Coat? Here’s how the company describes it.
Simply put, Clear-Coat is the only protection you’ll need for your devices. Forget those awkward, ugly cases! Clear-Coat keeps your device scratch-free without adding bulk or changing the look of your device. Clear-Coat is meticulously designed in-house, and then custom cut for every device. So an iPhone Clear-Coat fits the iPhone perfectly, and a Blackberry Clear-Coat fits the Blackberry perfectly. We design Clear-Coat to fit over almost every part of the device – so you get protection everywhere – on the screen, sides, front, and back!
How thin is Clear-Coat? Less than 1/100th of an inch, that’s how thin! Most people can’t even notice it on their device, and it will not interfere with docks, cases, or accessories – it’s like it isn’t even there!
I recently spent some time with Clear Coat and walked away very impressed. Their shields are the clearest of any I’ve seen and they do not suffer from what’s commonly referred to as the “Orange Peel” effect. The shape of the shields, which mirrors the natural contour of your device, makes installation a snap.
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Filed under: Apple
Today Apple announced that the iPad will ship in April, writing that the device will "be available in the US on Saturday, April 3, for Wi-Fi models and in late April for Wi-Fi + 3G models. In addition, all models of iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April." Consumers will be able to pre-order their units starting March 12th, with pick-up at Apple retail stores.TUAWiPad ships April 3. Preorders start March 12 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Apple
Today Apple announced that the iPad will ship in April, writing that the device will "be available in the US on Saturday, April 3, for Wi-Fi models and in late April for Wi-Fi + 3G models. In addition, all models of iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in late April." Consumers will be able to pre-order their units starting March 12th, with pick-up at Apple retail stores.TUAWiPad ships April 3. Preorders start March 12 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
India will soon get its hand on the Nexus One but interestingly enough, it won’t be the same Nexus One shipped to US customers but rather a stripped down version of the original device.
This news was tweeted out by Ankit, a CNBC TV18 Reporter who had a meeting with Google India head Shailesh Rao.
“Nexus One will not come to India in its US avatar, the India specific Google Phone may be a stripped down version and priced lower!”
Being an editorial meeting, there is no other news regarding its release date or price. The omitted features compared to the actual Nexus One will decide its fate in India.
Surely, Google won’t make the same mistake Apple made by introducing the worldwide version of the device which was both expensive and reliant on 3G, despite the low 3G penetration in India. Instead, its pretty clear that Google will concentrate more on competing with the present smart phone market dominated by Nokia and Blackberry.
The slow pace of the sales of Android phones in India might not be great news to Google, but a phone minus some features and a lower price might just do the trick.With the 3G spectrum auction expected to start by April 2010, Google might just be onto a winner by introducing its Google maps navigation system just in time for the announcement. India might finally have a GPS device that actually works.
What about the iPhone you ask? Despite the long wait, there is still no news from Apple as to when it might launch the 3GS in India. And with 3G’s still being sold at the same steep price tag, India clearly doesn’t appear to be Apple’s kind of market.
via Labnol.org
Dear Aunt TUAW,TUAWDear Aunt TUAW: Does size matter (when it comes to iPads)? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Dear Aunt TUAW,TUAWDear Aunt TUAW: Does size matter (when it comes to iPads)? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Looking for some iPhone protection, but want to keep it green? Your search has ended. The bioserie case for iPhone 3G/3GS is made from plants. You read that right, not plastic. Plants. For you science-types (yes, I am one), 90%+ is made up of biodegradable, enviro-friendly, Ingeo™ biopolymer, derived from plants and renewable resources, not petrochemicals like virtually every other gadget you own. Available in 6 colors for $34.95 each (less if you buy more than one) with free worldwide … [visit site to read more]
Filed in categories: News, iPhone, iPad, iPod related
Tagged: iPhone, iPhone Case
bioserie iPhone Cases Made From…Plants! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 3, 2010 at 10:57 pm.
Apple (which has recently sued HTC for alleged patent infringements) will launch a new iPhone this year, possibly in June or July.
At the moment, no one knows exactly what the 4th generation iPhone looks like or what new features it will bring. Of course, we’ve seen some iPhone 4G concepts, and there are lots of rumors regarding the new smartphone’s specs (AMOLED touchscreen display, 5MP camera, more memory and so on).
Here’s another iPhone 4G concept that comes from Italy.
The creator of this new iPhone 4G concept sees it as having multiple color versions, a front-facing video calling camera, 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, and MicroSD card slot.
The black and white versions look pretty nice, and they might actually be close to the real new iPhone, which could be a bit taller than the iPhone 3GS.
Via Mobile Crunch
iPhone 3GS Finally Arrives to Russia: 9 Months Later and $100 Less Expensive http://bit.ly/afHcEi
Today here in Russia we have finally learned the date when we should expect iPhone 3GS to become officially available in the country as one of the leading local mobile carries and one of the largest electronics retailer have announced that they are initializing the sales this week, on the 5th of March.
It is impossible to find any publisher that bothers to report this story (not really a hot one, after all) and somehow fails to mention that this latest model of the popular Apple gadget makes its appearance in Russia with a huge delay - 9 months after its debut in the US, Canada and some European countries. After all, 9 months is perfectly enough to give birth to a child so Apple has definitely taken their time with the gadget.
The huge delay is due to one much-discussed reason: the lengthy negotiations between Apple and the three leading Russian mobile carriers that sold the previous iPhone versions - and did not achieve any impressive results here. I’ve been talking at the time and I will keep insisting on it now that the main reason for the failure is the most obvious one: the price.
No matter how loyal Apple fans here are, I can hardly imagine the vast majority of my friends going and buying a cell phone for almost $1 thousand even if they could afford it - especially after almost everyone who wanted to have it has already purchased one abroad anyway. And without the culture of contracts that could enable carriers to subsidize the expensive gadgets, the price turned into something beyond understanding of most people who could ever consider buying an iPhone in Russia.
But unfortunately people in Apple who are responsible for international sales decided that the reason for the failure was not the price and insisted the gadget was not advertised heavily enough here when the official sales began. Believe me, I’ve been here and I’ve seen it: iPhone ads were basically everywhere on the streets and on TV so you could not really avoid seeing them at all. Yet the buzz did not change one simple fact: the gadget was not affordable at all so no ads could persuade most people to go and buy it.
Now the lengthy negotiations are finally over and iPhone 3GS is ready to make its appearance in Russia with at least one of the carriers (and others will obviously follow in the coming days as reports were that negotiations took place almost simultaneously with the other two largest players in the market) and it is absolutely ready for a very similar failure in the country for the same reason.
Yes, it is actually coming here less expensive than Apple insisted: the Cupertino guys demanded that the 16 GB model should be priced at approximately $1,100 in retail and the official announcement today is that this model will cost about $1,000 while the 32 GB version will be available for about $1,170. So basically the negotiations resulted in something of a success for the Russian partners as Apple agreed to cut the retail price by $100. But will it help?
To me it does not sound any more affordable yet sources claim that Apple hopes proper promotion can change everything: where last time the Russian partners carried out all the advertising campaigns, this time Apple is going to distribute promotion budgets on their own, purchasing the best prime time spots on TV and probably shooting all the outdoor advertising at the potential buyers that they could buy.
But irrespective of who gets control over advertising this time, I have a feeling that sales will hardly be a success again for the very same reason: the price is still too high, especially when you compare it to what you could pay for the gadget in the US. And it looks like even Russian partners don’t believe in their prospects locally as it is reported that the initially imported batch is only 30 - 50 thousand phones for the entire Russian market which is tiny for a huge country like this. I will be happy to admit I’m wrong if local retailers manage to sell dozens upon dozens of thousands of iPhones but for now I think that a delayed gadget with a pricing policy like the one Apple has does not really have any solid prospects in the country.
Via (in Russian)
Filed under: iPad
The Examiner is reporting that the iPad will go on sale in the US on Friday, March 26th. They site "inside sources" with confirmation from an Apple Store manager in Southern California who wishes not to be identified. Daryl Deino, the post's author, claims that internal Apple Retail training will begin on March 10 with commercials starting on March 15. The commercials will emphasize the iPad's ebooks and iBookstore capability.TUAWiPad to hit stores on Friday, March 26th? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
