(Credit:
CrackBerry.com)
As if checking e-mail on your BlackBerry wasn't addicting enough, there may be an accessory in the works that may just fuel your habit. CrackBerry.com has posted images of what it's claiming to be actual renderings of a BlackBerry watch.
The site claims that the Bluetooth accessory is being developed by a new, dedicated BlackBerry accessory company and will be branded as the inPulse Smartwatch. It's not meant to be a replacement for your BlackBerry but rather shows your notifications and previews of incoming messages for those times when you can't pull out your BlackBerry; for example, during meetings, while driving, and so forth.
CrackBerry says the InPulse will have an OLED screen that's optimized for displaying text clearly and will have solid battery life.
"Connected watches" haven't had the most successful run in the past (read: Microsoft Spot watches), though the LG Watch Phone certainly has piqued some people's interest. While the InPulse is just a rumor right now, what do you think? Useful or a waste of time?
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
On Tuesday afternoon, AT&T will release a software update for the RIM BlackBerry Bold that will bring several enhancements to the smartphone. Such improvements include the ability to manually choose between a 2G or 3G connection and added support for AT&T's visual voicemail service. In addition, you'll get download icons for MobiTV, Mobile Banking, Tetris, and Scrabble, as well as some other "general handset optimizations."
BlackBerry Bold owners can get the software update several ways. You can download it over the air by going to the Options menu on your device, selecting Advanced Options, and then Wireless Update. Alternatively, you can get it from BlackBerry's support site or via BlackBerry Desktop Manager by downloading the update from AT&T.
Google image search is no longer restricted to iPhone and Android phones.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jessica Dolcourt/CNET)Last March, Google's mobile team made it possible to search for images on your iPhone and Android phone. On Thursday, they rolled out image search for feature phones; that is, for pretty much any cell phone make and model with a Web browser.
Image search will work roughly the same way it does through a desktop browser. Starting from Google.com in the mobile browser, click "Images" in the top navigation, then fill in your search term. Google will return thumbnail images in the results page; between eight and fourteen, Google wrote in a blog post.
Click on one of these pictorial results to see a larger thumbnail image. Below, there's a link to view the photo in its original Web page and another one that takes you to the full-size image. You're also able to navigate "left" and "right" arrows to view other image results.
As with all Internet-dependent mobile apps, the slower your data or Wi-Fi connection is, the slower these images will be to load.
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
As promised back in May, T-Mobile is bringing Microsoft Exchange support to the T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009. Starting Tuesday afternoon, Sidekick LX owners will be able to download the Sidekick Sync app from the handheld's Download Catalog and get real-time push e-mail, attachment viewing, and full sync capabilities. In addition, you'll also be able to sync your contacts and Exchange calendar to the Sidekick. Developed by Remoba, Sidekick Sync costs $4.99 per month and requires you have a Sidekick data plan.
As CNET's Senior Editor for MP3 player reviews, you'd think I'd be losing sleep over the fact that the majority of the mobile phones on the market include some form of integrated music playback. But in spite of manufacturer's efforts to fashion the mobile phone into a portable music powerhouse, there's still a lot of confusion out there when it comes to transferring music from a computer to your phone. Sure, most of us can figure out how to transfer music from iTunes to an iPhone, but what about loading music on your sister's LG enV Touch, or your dad's old Blackberry?
There's no fool-proof method for getting music onto any mobile phone, but I've put together a video and slideshow demonstrating a handful of techniques that should come in handy in most cases. Feel free to share other recommendations in the comments section.
My BlackBerry, after recovering from Wednesday's swim.
(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET)It's every gadget lover's nightmare and, on Wednesday, it became my reality.
My BlackBerry went for an ever-so-brief tour of CNET's plumbing facilities. I'm not sure how it ended up exactly where it did, but suffice it to say, it did. And, to answer the question before you ask, it was a clean bowl.
I pulled it out within a second of hearing that dreaded splash. I shook it off, dried it, and headed to my desk with a sheepish look on my face.
With a quick glance to make sure no one was looking, I googled "What to do if cell phone gets wet."
As you may or may not know, many cell phones meet their end by visiting pools, tubs, and other reservoirs of different shapes and contents. There are so many such incidents, cell phones now have indicators that show whether they have gotten wet and are therefore ineligible for warranty replacement.
I called Verizon Wireless to see how often this happens. Although spokesman Jeffrey Nelson didn't have any solid numbers, he said, "I do think it happens a fair amount more than people realize."
Nelson said his own cousin has dropped his BlackBerry in the toilet twice and a Facebook friend dropped his phone in a cup of coffee this morning. (The Verizon folks also helpfully pointed me to this phone, should I really want a phone that can handle the water.)
Luckily, even some of the non-waterproof devices survive their aquatic ordeals and there is plenty of advice on the Internet about how to maximize one's chances.
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Adhesive buttons make it possible to attach cell phone charms to your iPhone.
(Credit: Strap-ya, Screenshot by Nicole Lee/CNET)Leave it to the Japanese to finally figure out a way to add cell phone charms to the iPhone, or just about any handheld that doesn't have a little loop for the charm to wrap around (which seems to be a must-have design option in Japan). The answer? Adhesive buttons. Just stick 'em on your phone (iPhone or otherwise) and wrap your strap/dongle/charm of choice to it.
This isn't an iPhone-specific thing of course, but I guess there are a surprising number of people wanting to attach a charm to the iPhone and realizing they can't.
The only problem is that it looks pretty ugly. I understand the whole cell phone charm thing and wanting to customize the look of your phone, but the adhesive button is just unsightly--it looks like your iPhone has a growth coming out of it.
Plus, once you stick it on, good luck getting it off. I recommend getting one of those colorful iPhone decals instead if you want to stand out from the crowd. But hey, if you're a charm fanatic, go ahead and get one if you can decipher the Japanese on the Strap-ya page. It's only $2.19 but the shipping is probably way more than that.
(Via Gizmodo)
Sony Ericsson's MS500 is the company's first outdoor Bluetooth speaker system.
(Credit: Sony Ericsson)They're a far cry from the classic boombox and they don't carry that bit of nostalgia of the good 'ol days (shoot, am I dating myself here?), but Sony Ericsson's new Bluetooth speakers will certainly turn heads and achieve the same goal of broadcasting your music wherever you go.
The Sony Ericsson Outdoor Wireless Speaker MS500 is the company's first outdoor Bluetooth speaker system and is powered by two AA batteries so you can bring it with you anywhere and stream music for up to five hours.
Using Bluetooth, you can wirelessly stream music from "most" of Sony Ericsson's Bluetooth-enabled phones as well as other manufacturers. (You can find a list of compatible phones from Sony Ericsson's Web site.) In addition, you can use your handset as a remote control to change tracks and adjust volume.
The egg-shaped MS500 weighs a lightweight 5.4 ounces (with batteries) and features a splash-proof shell and a strap for attaching to your bag or wrist. The speaker will be offered in two color combo options: orange/black or white/pink. Sony Ericsson said the Outdoor Wireless Speaker MS500 will ship in the next three months, though pricing was not yet revealed.
RideCharge on BlackBerry summons a cab and lets you pay by credit--for a fee.
Not everyone is as lucky as we are to work adjacent to a hotel with a fresh supply of taxicabs pulling up to its curb. When you're stuck without a ride, cab-calling applications can make ordering a taxi through local companies a surer, safer thing than throwing yourself in the middle of a darkened street and flailing your arms wildly.
A recent application we've looked at, RideCharge for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile (www.ridecharge.com from the mobile browser), not only lets you order a cab from your phone without placing a call, but it also has you enter a credit card payment when the ride is complete--tip, too. To round out the service, RideCharge e-mails a a receipt to print for your records, or for an expense report.
iPhone's RideCharge application, Taxi Magic, doesn't have cashless payment yet.
(Credit: CNET)Adding mobile payment to the cab-calling concept gives RideCharge additional layers of service and convenience. On a GPS-enabled phone, you'll receive notifications when your cab is dispatched and can track its progress to your destination. You just have to be comfortable paying with your phone, and paying RideCharge a convenience surcharge per ride--$1.50 for a taxi or shuttle and $3 for a limo or sedan, like the kind business travelers might take to the airport.
Yet quite a few scenarios for these business travelers, and regular Janes and Joes, would obviate the need to ever use RideCharge. Most hotels, for instance, have taxi ranks or concierge services that will flag you a ride. If you're somewhere stationary, you could easily spare the extra minute to call a dispatcher from a free listings application or Web site. However, RideCharge will have its uses for pedestrians struggling to find a cab, and for those who would rather use a sure thing than search, or who would rather type than talk.
For Apple fans, RideCharge also offers a far sexier version for iPhone and iPod Touch. Called Taxi Magic, the free application also lets you ping a cab company for a pick-up in about 30 U.S. cities and track the cab's progress, but doesn't yet have an integrated mobile payment function--which means no surcharge for now. If there's no partnered taxi company to take your order, the application lists phone numbers you can call from the iPhone.
(Credit:
RIM)
Updated 4:24 p.m. PST with RIM's response about a March launch and more information on the app store.
BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion announced that its upcoming application storefront will officially be called BlackBerry App World. The developer site will be updated Wednesday night to make appropriate changes but will be live again by 7 p.m. PST, according to RIM. In addition, anyone interested in finding out when the store goes live can sign up for alerts on the BlackBerry App World site.
RIM opened up application submissions in January, and the store is scheduled to launch sometime in March. We asked our contact at RIM if the store is still on track to open this month, and a representative from the company's press agency confirmed that BlackBerry App World is still set for a March debut.
Download.com associate editor Jessica Dolcourt also received this additional information about distribution:
Q: Will BlackBerry App World be a downloadable mobile app for existing BlackBerry owners and a preloaded app that will ship on forthcoming BlackBerrys?
RIM: BlackBerry App World will be a downloadable application at launch. Future versions and distribution models haven't really been decided yet.
Q: Will there be a desktop version, etc.?
RIM: There will be a Web-based catalog at launch, but for the first version BlackBerry App World is a mobile app.
