On today's show, Verizon tries to claim the Motorola Droid doesn't have the hardware to support hotspot tethering with Froyo. And here's the thing: that's a lie. In other news, the BlackBerry Torch hits, Rdio lands, and the FBI is cracking down on coloring books. Or something. I'm a tiny bit incoherent today.
Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read more500 millionth, actually... but one of the press kits had an embarrassing typo in it. Also, everybody who makes slates is dropping Windows (except HP), we now have lasers shooting down airplanes, and a flashlight for the iPhone is actually a secret tethering app.
Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read moreIt seems like the latest trend is to flaunt multidevice hot spot connectivity on your portable device. First came the Evo, and now Sony's new Vaio Z and Y series laptops will offer a feature called Share My Connection, an out-of-the-box instant solution for allowing others to hop onto a Wi-Fi connection. Even better, it can connect up to five other Wi-Fi devices (like, say, an iPad) at once.
There's nothing really new about configuring your laptop to share its connection with other Wi-Fi devices, but most people don't know how to do it. Now, you may … Read more
Apple's Mac OS X 10.6.4 update Tuesday contained several additions of note to serious photographers: support for several cameras' raw image formats and for tethered shooting with Canon cameras in the company's Aperture software.
Apple, like photography software rival Adobe Systems, is on a constant treadmill supporting new cameras' raw formats. The proprietary file formats offer higher quality and greater flexibility, but each camera has its own format for software companies to decode.
By my scrutiny of previous Apple announcements and the updated Apple raw image support page, here are the new cameras supported beyond earlier … Read more
AT&T's smartphone pricing overhaul, announced earlier this week, has ignited a heated debate among consumers, causing many to scratch their heads and wonder just what the shift means for them.
In a nutshell, AT&T has done away with its unlimited data plan and will now offer two-tiered data plan pricing. Some people are praising the carrier for offering a plan that aligns costs with customer data usage, while others call the company greedy and criticize it for potentially stifling future mobile application usage and innovation.
While many consumers will likely benefit from the new plan, … Read more
Welcome to the 411, my column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.
Question: I've heard about AT&T possibly allowing tethering for the iPhone in the future, and I was wondering if you could tell me what tethering actually is, and what's so great about it, especially since you can use Wi-Fi.--Bill, via e-mail.
Answer: Wi-Fi hot spots are more ubiquitous than ever before, but you still can't always get Wi-Fi everywhere, especially if you don't happen to live in a major metropolitan city. Even if you do, not all of them are open and free to use. An easy alternative is to use tethering, which is a way for you to use your cell phone to provide Internet access to another device, essentially using it as a modem. This is done either via Bluetooth or a USB cable.
Tethering in and of itself is a pretty old technology. I remember around nine or so years ago, I was able to use my Sony Ericsson T68i as a rather slow Bluetooth modem with my PowerBook G4, and that was without purchasing a special mobile broadband plan. These days, most carriers do require you to purchase an additional mobile broadband or tethering data plan, which may cost around $60 a month.
USB tethering is as simple as plugging in a USB cable from your cell phone to your laptop. However, not all computers have the appropriate software or drivers for that kind of connection. With Bluetooth, it's a little easier. … Read more
Now, before you get started, you will need to know that there are a few downsides to enabling your iPhone … Read more
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We wanted Google to announce its set-top box at Google IO today, but what do we get? A new video codec, an app store in Chrome, and (yawn) Google Wave going into open beta. And, oh yeah, homeland security seals (the marine mammals, not the hulky military guys) protecting our harbors.
Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360)… Read moreIt's been almost two years since AT&T first promised tethering for its iPhone customers, or the ability to use a phone as a wireless modem.
Still, we've seen nothing. But developers who got a peek at the beta version of iPhone OS 4, which is officially due sometime this summer, say they found proof that AT&T tethering will arrive soon. The screenshot below shows the option to set up tethering, and once turned on, gives the option to set it up with AT&T. That last part is an important distinction because plenty … Read more
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