PinStack.com - Week In Review http://forums.pinstack.com/ PinStack.com Week in Review by CherriChiodo en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:10:48 GMT vBulletin 30 http://ps-imgs.pinstack.com/images/styles/pinstack/misc/rss.jpg PinStack.com - Week In Review http://forums.pinstack.com/ PinStack Week in Review:Smartphone News, Reviews for November 15, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_november_15_2009_a-115989-new/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:18:29 GMT Happy Monday! I'm still settling back in from a very exciting week at the BlackBerry Developer Conference, hosted here in sunny San Francisco. With double the attendance as last year's first ever, I have to say the atmosphere was electric. It's really great to see that RIM took notes this past year and has listened to the developers/smartphone users. With announcements like the new Theme Studio, a partnership with Adobe and OpenGL, you can expect some major awesomeness this coming year from BlackBerry app/theme developers.
T-Mobile users who have been patiently awaiting the official launch of the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 ... the wait is over. Reports are in that you can walk on down to your local store or order online, as of today. AT&T subscribers will have to wait an extra week (according to our sources). Do you already have your Bold in hand? I can't wait to see the reviews start pouring out.


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Smartphone News for the Week
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BlackBerry Rumors & News
BlackBerry maker takes fight to rivals
New BlackBerry Curve 8520 Joins AT&T Smartphone Lineup
AT&T Curve 8310 FREE -- Today is Last Day

iPhone Rumors & News
Data-stealing hack targets jailbroken iPhones

Palm OS Rumors & News
Underdog Palm Takes on Giants in Smartphones

Windows Mobile Rumors & News

Nokia Rumors & News

Android Rumors & News
Does the Android Market Need A Desktop Presence?

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
More users offload laptop work to smart phones
How Google Voice Violates Google’s Own Privacy Policy


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Smartphone Applications/Accessories
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Shazam Encore Debuts on App Store
Shazam, today announced the launch of its new Shazam Encore app on the App Store. Shazam has been a phenomenal success on the App Store, with over 10 million downloads to date, and Shazam Encore app will make it even easier for iPhone and iPod touch users to learn more about the music they love and go on a greater music journey than ever before. “Since our launch on the App Store, Shazam has achieved a huge following with iPhone and iPod touch users and is now one of the most popular music apps in the world,” said Andrew Fisher, CEO of Shazam. “We have listened to our iPhone and iPod touch users and have created a new app which answers their requests to take them on an enhanced music journey that will change the way music lovers experience and learn about music.”

Google Latitude, now with Location History & Alerts
Since the launch of Google Latitude earlier this year, we've been getting a lot of feature requests. One of the most popular ideas was for Latitude to keep track of location history, allowing you (but not your friends) to see where you've been at any point in time. Another popular idea was to notify you when you're near your Latitude friends so you can easily meet up or grab lunch. Today, we're happy to introduce both Google Location History and Google Location Alerts (beta) to let you do even more with Latitude.

TwitterBerry Evolves: Introducing OpenBeak
I have been following Jason from TwitterBerry (THE first Twitter app for BlackBerry) for quite some time. I was delighted to find out he was attending the BlackBerry DevCon and though we didn't get to meet up, Jason let me know he had a big announcement coming this week.
OpenBeak is a mobile client for posting updates to Twitter. It works over the data network, so you don't need to use SMS. OpenBeak is the evolution of TwitterBerry, and gives a name that allows the app to grow beyond both the Twitter platform and BlackBerry smartphones.


OtterBox Defender Series iPhone Cases Exclusively at AT&T
Looking to personalize your iPhone with stylish and rugged protection? Available only at AT&T, OtterBox announces two custom color options for the Defender Series for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, a black shell with white silicone or pink shell with black silicone—ready to take on all the bumps, drops and scratches of life! With 99 percent coverage to keep your iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS looking new, the OtterBox Defender Series offers three layers.* First, a thin, clear membrane covers the touchscreen to keep it safe from scratches. Second, a tough polycarbonate shell fortifies the iPhone against drops and impact and finally, a silicone skin absorbs shock and keeps dust and dirt out of ports and plugs. “The OtterBox Defender Series provides iPhone users with the ultimate protection against expensive repairs and replacements,” said Curt Richardson, OtterBox CEO. “It has been our most popular model to date and now customers can find customizable colors through AT&T.”


Smarter Agent Now Available on All Carriers, Devices and Platforms
Smarter Agent, a mobile technology company that provides GPS and MLS search applications to consumers and real estate agents, today announced general availability on all carriers, devices and platforms including key partnerships with Verizon Wireless and an application for the Android platform. Smarter Agent can already be found on wireless carriers Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile, reaching traditional cell phones as well as the iPhone and BlackBerry devices, making Smarter Agent the only company to have robust downloadable real estate applications on all major carriers for all US cell phones. The application is being downloaded at a rate of a new user every 1.5 minutes.


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PinStack Exclusives
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BlackBerry Developer Conference News

BBDC: RIM Announces BlackBerry Academic Program
BBDC: RIM and Adobe to Simplify Delivery of Content/Apps for BlackBerry
BBDC: RIM Unveils New Services Platform for BlackBerry Developers
BBDC: RIM Announces BlackBerry Application Platform Enhancements to Foster
BBDC: Tune Into the BlackBerry Developer Conference Blogs
BBDC: New Theme Studio replaces Plazmic CDK + selling themes in App World
BBDC: EA Mobile Need for Speed Demo Utilizing OpenGL

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Have a GREAT week everyone! ]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_november_15_2009_a-115989/ PinStack Week in Review:Smartphone News, Reviews for November 6, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_november_6_2009_a-115726-new/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:39:33 GMT Who can tell me they aren't just a little bit intrigued by the Motorola Droid? Are you a "lifer" BlackBerry user? Or using an Android phone already and ready for the next level? Either way, the next chance I get I will be stopping by my local Verizon store to check out the most talked about release in a VERY long time.

Next week is the BlackBerry Developer Conference. I am anxious to hear the speakers at the General Session and of course, the last day being "Developer Day" will give the media a great chance to get one on one with the people behind the application development. New for this year is working sessions for developing themes. There have been rumors that App World will begin selling themes in the near future. I can remember when there were less than 10 creating and sharing themes. The development has come a very long way. The software to create these next generation themes has always been available via the Composer portion of the Plazmic CDK. I'm interested in seeing the structure of these sessions. RIM requires $200 fee for every 10 submissions. While that fee can be earned back rather quickly, that fee is, from what I understand, in addition to the 20% you will owe theme from your sales. I am assuming the $200 is a "QA" type fee because if your application is rejected, your money is refunded. Also better make sure your application is ready for the public. Any updates will count against your limit.

Quote:
  1. There will be an initial $200 USD administration service fee in order to complete registration and submit applications.
  2. In the event your account is not approved, this $200 USD administration service fee will be refunded.
  3. This initial fee will allow for ten (10) application submissions.
  4. If you have used all ten (10) application submissions, an additional $200 USD administration service fee will be applied on your next submission, adding another ten (10) application submissions to your account.
  5. Multiple versions of the same application will not count as separate submissions. (Example: An application might have a version for the BlackBerry Storm and the BlackBerry Bold)
  6. An upgrade to your application, resulting in a submission of new COD files, will be counted against your ten (10) application submissions.
  7. Resubmission of a rejected application will be counted against your ten (10) application submissions.
  8. Removal of an application will not affect your remaining balance of application submissions.
Check back next week for more BlackBerry Developer Conference news!!

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Smartphone News for the Week
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BlackBerry Rumors & News
Verizon Wireless Introduces the BlackBerry Curve 8530 Smartphone

iPhone Rumors & News
One Thing You Can't Say In The App Store
First iPhone Phishing SMS Scam
Apple Announces Over 100,000 Apps Now Available on the App Store

Palm OS Rumors & News

Windows Mobile Rumors & News

Nokia Rumors & News

Android Rumors & News
Sony Ericsson Debuts Xperia X10
Best Buy Mobile To Pre-sell Verizon Motorola DROID Smartphone Oct 29th

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
Texting and driving now banned in New York State
SmartPhones: Citi Downgrades RIMM, PALM To Sell; Upgrades MOT To Buy

Carrier Related:
Sprint to officially block tethering
There's A Map for That..Oh Yeah, And A Lawsuit

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories
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Siri: Virtual Personal Assistant
Siri is a Virtual Personal Assistant - a new way to interact with the Internet on your mobile phone. Like a real assistant, Siri helps you get things done. You interact with Siri by just saying, in your own words, what you want to do. You can ask Siri to find a romantic place for dinner, and get reservations for Saturday night. You can discover things to do over the weekend, get tickets to the movies, or call a cab when you’re out on the town. You don't have to search through a bunch of web pages, following links and hunting down facts. Siri does all the work giving you the information you need at your fingertips.

Google Voice Has Competition
I've been a longstanding fan of Google Voice. I got my invite within the first few weeks of it's debut and have used and abused the SMS capabilities. The service has overall saved me a ton on my wireless bill and made it easier to for friends and family to keep in touch with me by calling one simple number that rings me wherever I am. It seems though that this innovative service has some competition in the form of a new service called Ribbit Mobile. via eWeek:"Ribbit brought its cloud computing phone application to the mobile device sector Nov. 3 in the form of Ribbit Mobile, which lets users manage calls and messages to mobile phones from their computers. Ribbit Mobile aims to challenge existing Web services such as Google Voice and VoxOx, and offers many of the same services as those products. However, Ribbit features a third-party developer platform to enable programmers to build applications that extend the Ribbit Mobile platform.

Bing Mobile Site Optimized for Touch Screen Smartphones
Microsoft has touch-optimized its Bing mobile site, allowing owners of the iPhone, Zune HD, Verizon Imagio and others to navigate the search engine via their multitouch screens. The increased popularity of devices such as the iPhone has made touch screens a vital component to consider for developers of mobile software.
Bing for touch devices
Great news for you touch phone owners in the U.S.: we have a new version of Bing just for high-resolution touch devices. We optimized for touch navigation to make the most of your phone, and added a great new Movies feature. Search for Movies in your city, and you’ll see the movies playing nearby, showtimes, overviews, and even trailers and video clips.
You can get to this version by going to m.bing.com with your iPhone, Zune HD, T-Mobile G1, Verizon Imagio, or Samsung Omnia. We’ll be adding support for new devices over the next couple of months.
Try Bing today at m.bing.com Give the updated Bing a try now by visiting m.bing.com with your mobile phone. For more information about Bing for mobile products, visit our website at www.bing.com/mobile.




Google Search by voice travels the world, finds Nokia, learns Chinese

Today Google Search by voice is taking another big step - Google search by voice is available for Nokia S60 phones, and now understands Mandarin Chinese.

Nokia S60 phones are popular around the world. If you have an Nseries or Eseries phone such as the N95, N900 or E71 etc, you're using S60. Many of these phones have 12-digit keypads — good for making calls, but not so easy when you need to type a few words.

Google Voice Quick Reference Guide
Save in your email or print to carry with you ... an easy to read reference guide for Google Voice




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PinStack Exclusives
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New App: TaskManager & Process Viewer for BlackBerry
Task Manager & Process Viewer for BlackBerry brings the familiar interface of Windows TaskManager to your BlackBerry! :)

Organized into 4 Tabs, the app allows you to view a list of all running applications, view battery performance chart over time and see detailed system info like Free Flash Memory and Battery Temperature etc. The app also allows you to drill down into each application to reveal information about its Vendor, Version No. etc.

We have also coded a Processes Tab that shows you a list of hidden application and process running in the background which are otherwise undetected. I would love to do a quick beta with about 10 users on different devices. Interested members may please post their device model and OS below.

--------------------------------------------------------- ]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_november_6_2009_a-115726/ PinStack Week in Review:Smartphone News, Reviews for October 30, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_30_2009_a-115483-new/ Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:09:48 GMT TGIF! Christmas came early for some Verizon BlackBerry customers this week. The launch of the Storm2 (9550) through Verizon has come and gone. Are you a new Storm2 owner? I can't wait to start getting the real hands on reviews from regular BlackBerry owners like you and me :)

Android seems to be dominating the smartphone news market with rumors from carriers such as Verizon and Sprint as well as new partnerships with manufacturers such as Motorola. With the love they show to the developers, and a very strong and growing band of followers, I am anxious to see how the Android platform grows and expands over the next few months.

Be sure to check out the links at the bottom for fun themes and wallpaper to customize your smartphone for Halloween!


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Smartphone News for the Week
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BlackBerry Rumors & News
The Storm 2 Forecast: Will hit Verizon Wireless' Network on Oct. 28!
Storm 2 Now Available on Verizon website.

iPhone Rumors & News
Apple Increases iPhone Supply Orders By 20%
iPhone On Verizon Looks Iffy

Palm OS Rumors & News

Windows Mobile Rumors & News

Nokia Rumors & News
Hands On With Nokia’s N900

Android Rumors & News
Lenovo O1 Android Smartphone Launches with China Mobile
Android Powered Motorola Zeppelin Spotted
Verizon Adds Droid Smartphone Online Sign up page for notifications
Google opens up Android 2.0 SDK to all developers

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
Smartphone security threats likely to rise.
Twittering Workers Cost Business £1.4bn
Get ready: Web Apps, a new wave of browser rich applications.
iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm Pre All Vulnerable To Spear-Phishing Experiment
Gartner: PC vendors plan to sell smartphones
Sony Ericsson launches Satio Smartphone
Survey of 4255 consumers: Strong growth continues in smartphone market
Motorola Promises 20 Smartphones in 2010

Carrier Related:
TMO Goes Unlimited and No Contract to Boot

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories
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Universal Phone Charger Approved
There have been several reports in the last few months about the push by carriers to adopt a universal charger for mobile devices. Well, it looks like it might come sooner then later.
via Cnet: "A standard for a universal phone charger was approved this week by the International Telecommunication Union, a branch of the United Nations. The Universal Charging Solution will enable the creation of one-size-fits-all chargers that can be used on any future phone, according to the ITU.

Google Voice Receives New Features
via the Google Voice Blog: "Google Voice is all about enabling choice: which phone you pick up your calls on, where to review your voicemail messages, how to send and reply to text messages, etc. So when it comes to your phone number, it was logical for us to also offer a choice of which number to use with Google Voice.
Previously, when you created a Google Voice account, we asked you to select a new Google phone number. This allowed us to offer features like call forwarding, screening, and recording. But we know not everyone wants to start using a new phone number, so we've been working on another option for people who are willing to trade some features for the ability to keep their existing number.

Pandora For BlackBerry Updated
Pandora, one of the best streaming radio apps out there for mobile devices received a welcomed update yesterday. Officially updated to 1.1.2, the new version corrects a bug that has been lamenting BlackBerry users running the 5.0 OS. In the previous versions, the songs would stop approximately 15-20 seconds before the end and you have to actually pause and un-pause the song in order to continue playback. Pandora's developers attributed this to a change in the 5.0 software that affected the pre-buffering of the next song.

2 Star iPhone App Boingo, Launches on BlackBerry
The Boingo Mobile application will initially be available for the BlackBerry Curve 8900, BlackBerry Curve 8320 and BlackBerry Bold smartphones. Boingo will announce support for additional BlackBerry smartphone models as they become available. The free Boingo Mobile application improves the Wi-Fi user experience for BlackBerry smartphone owners by providing a convenient, automated way to connect. It automatically notifies users when they are in a Boingo hotspot, and connects to the Boingo network with a single click. “Boingo Mobile is about ease of use and a low-cost, high-speed alternative to cellular data,” said Jonathan Mendelson, general manager of mobile and product management. “BlackBerry users can seamlessly switch to a Boingo Wi-Fi connection when they’re online using data-intensive applications.” With the addition of BlackBerry platform support, Boingo continues to expand its support for smartphones, including those based on the Android, iPhone, Symbian Series 60 and Windows Mobile platforms.

Flixster: Updated Android App & Introduction of Flixster for Blackberry
Flixster is getting even bigger this week by releasing its first fully native Blackberry application and a major update to its popular Android app – simultaneously reaching a new milestone of 8 million mobile users.Flixster 2.0 for the Android launched today, adding integration with Facebook Connect, a newsfeed for up-to-date friend ratings, and other enhancements. Flixster also submitted its first fully native version for the Blackberry, which is expected to be available at the Blackberry App World soon. The beta version of Flixster for the Blackberry is already among the smartphone’s top 40 free apps. Flixster’s mobile “Movies” app remains one of the top 5 entertainment apps for the iPhone, and is installed on 1 in 5 iPhones in the U.S. As Flixster continues building its mobile presence, it crossed 8 million users for the first time in its history this week, adding to the 20 million monthly unique visitors it attracts on the Internet through Flixster.com and the “Movies” application on Facebook, in addition to its presence on MySpace and Bebo. Flixster’s mobile user base has more than doubled in 2009 alone.

Increase Your Smartphone Service Levels with Smart Remote Support
We thought this LogMeIn update would be of interest to you…
Now you can support BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Symbian devices – with one multi-platform tool.
To boost business performance, it's necessary for increasingly mobile workforces to stay productive. That's why remote support for BlackBerry devices is a must-have. With LogMeIn Rescue, you can help increase your service levels by remotely resolving issues or training users on their smartphone devices, wherever they are. Maximize your support capabilities. Start providing smart remote support to your mobile clients today.Get your free 14-day trial! Go to LogMeIn.pinstack.com


SmarterMail Adds Antivirus to Email Security Arsenal
SmarterTools Inc. is proud to announce an agreement with Commtouch to provide Zero-hour Virus Outbreak Protection with its SmarterMail mail server as an optional add-on for those users that want to enhance the software’s out-of-the-box antivirus functionality.

DataViz Releases Documents To Go Premium Edition 2.0 for BlackBerry
DataViz today released Documents To Go v. 2 for BlackBerry. Includes desktop synchronization, enhanced PDF support and support password protected 2007 files. Here’s a link to the press release for more detailed info.

14 Useful Applications for Smartphones
The smartphone of today needs to be able to straddle the line between practicality and multimedia functionality in order to appeal to both business and personal users. Over the next three years the already expansive smartphone market is expected to grow further and hundreds of millions of smartphones will be flying off the shelves and into eager palms around the world. One of the things that makes smartphones so appealing is their ability to download and install a huge variety of applications designed to make them much more versatile than a simple communication device. Here is a list of 10 useful smartphone applications currently on the market.


Google Introduces Free GPS Navigation for Android 2.0
The first device to carry Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 will be the Motorola Droid. The initial device will launch on November 6th. What i find most interesting is Google will also be releasing Google Maps Navigation for the iPhone also (FREE).
How do you think all those offering Pay services will feel? Read more from CNet

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PinStack Exclusives
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Review & Contest

Elertify for BlackBerry Review and Give Away! 20 Free Copies!
There is a new application available for your BlackBerry called Elertify. I have been testing this out and it is really quite useful. What it does is notify you on your computer when you get an email, sms, or phone call on your BlackBerry. Have you ever been working at your computer trying to finish a project and out ot the corner of your eye you see the flashing LED of your BlackBerry? You stop what you are doing, pick up your BB wondering if it's the email reply you have been waiting for all day then open your messages just to find out that it's just an email joke forwarded by a co-worker? Elertify will let you have a pop-up on your computer screen with info about the incoming message. You can even set an options for sound notifications or even allow your computer's voice synthesizer tell you who's calling, the subject and sender of an email, or the sender and content of an SMS.


 Halloween Themes & Wallpaper for your Smartphone!!

BlackBerry Themes

Helloween Kitty
I wanted to do a Hello Kitty and a Halloween theme, so I decided to do a theme with both (Helloween). This theme has The Re-Animator Kitty, Jason Kitty, Freddy Krueger Kitty and Evil Dead Kitty. Icons are customizable and they glow. The focus boxes do not show up like this on the homescreen. One focus box shows when you scroll over an icon, like the image on the app screen. I hope you enjoy this for Halloween. This is for the 8900 Curve and the 9600 Tour.

Jack Skellington Bottom ZEN
Everything is Black and White down to the icons and meters. This theme is for the 83xx Curve or 81xx Pearl.

4.5 Halloween Themes 2009 Here is an update to last year's Halloween theme! All icons are custom as well as the Battery and Signal Meters. New Message notifier is an evil pumpkin and ringer profiles are skulls. The Signal Meter is a Bloody Knife (aka Jason Voorheese) and the blade "gets shorter" as the signal drops. The Battery Meter is different for each theme. One theme has a Moon that gets darker (wanes to crescent) as the battery level drops and the other theme has Jason's Mask that gets darker as the battery drops. At 20% eyes turn yellow and 10% eyes turn red! I also added a Michael Myers hourglass. Everything is the same on both themes. The only difference is the Battery Meter in the Center. This theme is for the 83xx Curve.

BerryScary!!!! Halloween Theme!!!
Available for 8900 Curve and 9000 Bold.

*BlackBerry Wallpaper

*100's of Free iPhone Wallpapers

*More iPhone Halloween Wallpaper found here

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Hope you have a SAFE & SPOOKY Halloween weekend!
]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_30_2009_a-115483/ PinStack Week in Review: Smartphone News, Reviews for October 23, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_23_2009_a-115211-new/ Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:45:02 GMT
TGIF!!! I'm not going to lie here and tell you that I am not secretly dreaming of the new BlackBerry 9700!!! OH MY GOODNESS! The sad part to all my anxiety over this new BlackBerry is the fact that companies like Motorola, HTC and Nokia keep putting out new devices that make it almost impossible to resist temptation. Whether you currently use a BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, etc., PinStack is your ONE-STOP shop for all the latest news for all things smartphone related.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for press coverage of the second ever BlackBerry Developer Conference, taking place November 9-12 in San Francisco. There's sure to be some exciting news!


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Smartphone News for the Week
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BlackBerry Rumors & News
RIM, T-Mobile, AT&T and Rogers Introducing the BlackBerry 9700
BlackBerry Bold 9700 Video - Possibly the Best "BB" to date!
App World to start selling themes?
RIM develops a better BlackBerry browser

iPhone Rumors & News
AT&T exec implies iPhone exclusivity in U.S. to end

Palm OS Rumors & News

Windows Mobile Rumors & News
AT&T's HTC Tilt2 full-QWERTY touchscreen smartphone available now
Acer's beTouch & neoTouch smartphone series officially announced
Touch-Friendly Interface in WinMo 7?
Microsoft Takes A Jab At Apple

Nokia Rumors & News
Nokia sues Apple, says iPhone infringes ten patents
Nokia N900 Release Pushed Back to November. Amazon Taking Pre-Orders.

Android Rumors & News
New Motorola Android 2.0 smartphone photos and info
Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 Caught In The Wild
Google To Make Its Own Android SmartPhone & Bypass Carriers
The Verizon Droid Might Be Landing Sooner Than We Thought

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
Twitter co-founder's 'Square' comes into focus
Mobile Device Crypto Keys Potentially At Risk
Reports: Google to launch music service, phone
IPhone Users: McDonald's Over Pizza Hut

Carrier Related:
Verizon Super Sale on Savvy Smartphones ends 10/26

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories
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Roblock For Blackberry
It's a anti theft program, just like smrtguard, but it's a one time fee of $10 instead of a monthly fee. RobLock provides protection and safety from theft or losing your device and helps to retrieve it back. Now the users can forget the fear of losing their device by protecting it using RobLock Software. Features: GPS & Cell based device tracking, Remote interaction through SMS, Email and Web interface, SMS/Email notification on SIM Change to predefined recipient, Recover contacts from lost phone, Remote Wipe the entire device/media card, Remote LOCK & ALARM, Remote Call Back, Does not require BES/BIS for Remote Wipe


bbOSalert Notifies You When a New BlackBerry OS Becomes Available
Is your F5 button about to pop off of your keyboard? Or even worse, already gone? Your solution to staying up all night waiting for a new OS to leak is here. bbOSalert is a new application for BlackBerry devices that alerts you when a new OS has been posted on the internet. Once installed onto your device you can select which devices you wish to be alerted about and choose between leaked OS, official OS or both. How does it work? Once an OS is posted on a site for download, an alert will be sent out to whom ever has subscribed to that device. Along with the alert you will be notified of the version and where the OS was posted for you to download.


Upload photos to Panoramio from your iPhone. Also coming to Android
Panoramio is a community of people who enjoy sharing photos of places with the rest of the world. These photos are surfaced in Google Earth and Google Maps as photo layers, where millions of users can see them. Panoramio has just launched an application that makes it easy to upload photos to Panoramio straight from your iPhone. Read about it on the Panoramio Blog. Google is also working hard on the Android version, so keep an eye out for it!


AccessKey IP/TeknoCreations Announce TekCase for BlackBerry
AccessKey IP, Inc.,TeknoCreations, a subsidiary of AKYI, today announced the introduction of eight (8) new TekCase products. The new product lines are for use with the ubiquitous Blackberry line of smartphones, one of the most successful business phone manufacturers in the world. Users will soon have access to either the TekCase for Blackberry or the InCharge TekCase for Blackberry utilizing our patent pending inductive charging solution. The first models for development include the Curve, Bold, Storm and Tour.


Tweetie 2 Takes The Best iPhone Twitter App And Ups The Sex Appeal
There is absolutely no shortage of Twitter apps available for the iPhone. But in my mind (and the minds of many others) one stands above all the rest: Tweetie. And while the app has undergone several small tweaks since it was first released last year, a big time revamp is about to hit: Tweetie 2.
Maybe you’ve seen some tweets from users in recent weeks labeled as coming from “Bigbird”? Yeah, that’s Tweetie 2.0. Some may recall that this was also the code name for Tweetie for the Mac right before it launched. The reason for the nickname is that Tweetie 2 is built on top of the Project Bigbird core, which Atebitsdeveloper Loren Brichter first developed for Tweetie for Mac. This means an iPhone Tweetie that is “faster, slimmer, and much more powerful,” as Brichter puts it.
So what’s new? A lot. Here are the big ones.
Persistence — Tweetie now remembers the last thing you were browsing when you closed the app. This means if you were on a user’s Twitter profile, you will go back there when you open the app again.
New message indicators — When you have a new @reply or direct message, you will now see a glowing blue light below those sections to let you know.
Scroll up to reload — Rather than having a separate reload button, to reload your main tweet stream, you simply now scroll up, hold for a second, and Tweetie will check for new tweets.


ZoomSafer Releases New Safe Driving Software for Blackberry Phones
ZoomSafer, the leading provider of innovative solutions to prevent distracted driving announced today that it has released the next version of its patented safe driving software helping motorist`s focus on the road and not their mobile phones.
"This new release delivers a truly simple and innovative safe driving solution that helps people make better choices behind the wheel and provides safe alternatives for staying connected," said Mike Riemer, CEO and co-founder of ZoomSafer. "Beyond legislation and education, this is a major milestone in the fight to prevent distracted driving and is a powerful example of how technology is helping make our roads safer."



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PinStack Exclusives
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Contests:

Reply to Win -- Halloween Themes for BlackBerry
I can't believe that Halloween is just around the corner!! To celebrate All Hallows Eve, All Things Berry is giving away 25 Premium Halloween themes to the PinStack community. Simply reply to this thread for your chance to win! Contest ends October 25 at Midnight, PST.


Reply to Win -- bbOSalert: Get notified when a new OS is available!
The good folks over at bbOSalert would like to give away a copy of the bbOSalert application to five lucky PinStackers.
bbOSalert is a new application for BlackBerry devices that alerts you when a new OS has been posted on the internet. Once installed onto your device you can select which devices you wish to be alerted about and choose between leaked OS, official OS or both. Along with the alert you will be notified of the version and where the OS was posted for you to download.
Simply reply to this thread to enter for a chance to win your own copy of bbOSalert! Contest ends tomorrow (October 24th) at 8:30am PST. Winners will be contacted via PM.


PinStacker Reviews:
Review: Hippopost Mobile, Send Free Postcards From Your BlackBerry!
This application was announced back in Sept. but they were limiting mailing to only Canada until last week when they started mailing to the USA. I held off on my review until some of the postcards I sent were received so I could see exactly what they will be like. Hippopost is a great app! It's fun, it's easy, and best of all it's free! Here's how it works, you download the app to your BlackBerry via http://mobile.hippopost.com or get it in App World(it seems like it may only be available via App World now that it has been released there except for Storm users). The app is free and you can send 2 free postcards per day!(but I've heard that number will be going up). They print them and mail them, the only thing is that it is ad supported so your postcard will have ads on it. If you need more than the 2 free each day, you can purchase more ranging in price from $1.69-$1.99 each depending on whether you buy in groups of 5, 10, or 20. You also can send up to 10 free per day via http://hippopost.com.






Betas:
New App: Threaded SMS for BlackBerry
We are making a true Threaded SMS app for BlackBerry. No reason why only iPhone users should have all the fun! :roll:
Modeled on the lines of iPhone sms app, this app will groups sms per your Contacts and shows you threaded sms in chat style. You can reply from the same 'conversation view screen' screen. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, attached are some screenshot :)
I am inviting beta testers for this app. Once beta is over, we will be releasing it to all. As is customary with Empower apps, beta testing is rewarding because you make new friends and participate in making a great piece of software for all blackberry users. Needless to say, you also get free licenses and opportunity to beta test our other upcoming apps. :up:
In case you are interested in running a pre-release app, please reply below with your Device model and OS Version below. We will start with 20 users and take up more as we progress through the beta..


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Have a GREAT weekend! Cya on the 'Stacks!

-c2
]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_23_2009_a-115211/ PinStack Week in Review: Smartphone News, Reviews for October 16, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_16_2009_a-114987-new/ Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:59:47 GMT
Coming on a little late this evening and I noticed that Facebook for BlackBerry has issued an update (Bold currently rebooting :)). With all the news/rumors floating around about new BlackBerry device launches (I'm depressed because I've used all my upgrades this year already), this came at a GREAT time and will suffice to replace my "jones'ing" for a new smartphone. If you have your eye on that new WHITE Bold, AT&T will be launching it this weekend. Holding out for the Bold 9700? No worries, your wait is almost over. Undecided but know for sure that a new smartphone purchase is in your future? Let PinStack help you make that decision. Check the link at the bottom of this thread for Top 20 Smartphones available for Q4 2009.

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Smartphone News for the Week
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BlackBerry Rumors & News
T-Mobile Launches White BlackBerry 8520
Vodafone to Offer New/Improved BlackBerry Storm 2
Rumor: Verizon to extend their Buy One, Get One Free deal to the BlackBerry
BlackBerry Capital
AT&T Launching BlackBerry Bold smartphone in white
Mossberg and Vodafone spill all the beans on the BlackBerry Storm 2
Blackberry Storm 2 (Video Review)

iPhone Rumors & News
Bell to carry Apple's iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS Nov. 4
Apple Announces In-App Purchases For Free iPhone Applications

Palm OS Rumors & News

Windows Mobile Rumors & News

Nokia Rumors & News
Nokia posts first loss ($1.36b) in a decade as smartphone competition grows

Android Rumors & News
Google Fixes Two Android DoS Bugs
Acer announces A1 Liquid, its first Android-powered smartphone.
Android 2.0 Screenshots

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
FCC Launches Google Voice Probe
Mobile phone use approaching saturation in USA
Michael Dell Confirms U.S. Smartphones
UK Mobile Broadband Set For Big Increase
Mobile Digital TV Standard Adopted in the U.S.A.

Carrier Related:
T-Mobile Admits Sidekick User Data Probably Lost
Computer giant Dell plans first U.S. smartphone with AT&T
"Most" SideKick Data Recovered

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories
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Photoshop For iPhone
via Mashable: "Adobe’s Photoshop app for the iPhone launched today, and it’s slick. You can edit photos from your phone or stored in your Photoshop.com (Photoshop.com) account using intuitive finger gestures. Editing is reversible and non-destructive, with the output saving to your iPhone Photos collection and optionally to your online account. A simple toolbar-style drop-down menu interface lets you choose from a collection of editing tools and effects including crop, rotate, and flip, exposure, saturation and tint adjustments, and easy to apply filters including black and white, sketch, soft focus, pop, border, vignette blur, warm vintage, rainbow, soft black and white and white glow."

An App That Could Potentially Save Your Life
I am pretty sure I posted about this a few years ago when I read an article about ICE - In Case of Emergency. I promptly added an ICE contact and have never really thought about it since. I ran across another article today, in which developers have come up with actual apps that will hold all of your emergency information in the event that you are incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. The Jared Company has developed an app simply called ICE. The description from their website (you can also find this on App World, although you will be paying a little more) says: If you are in an accident the police or medical emergency personnel will look on your phone to get any information they can to save your life in the worst case. With this app you can store important contact and medical information that can be accessed from an obvious icon on your desktop.
A quick search of iTunes pulled up three different ICE apps, all priced at $.99 each.

Dictionary.com Launches Free Blackberry App
In addition to providing users with more than 500,000 words, definitions and synonyms, the app also features audio pronunciations, spelling suggestions, a “Word of the Day” for both English and Spanish and the ability to view a recently searched terms list. One of the features that is exclusively available on the Blackberry app is the ability to access a definition or synonym while reading or drafting an email. The app lets you highlight the word and you’ll be given an option to find a synonym or definition. The app also has a native feature that lets you email or SMS text any word and its definition to yourself or a contact.


ShoZu Launches App Store
 ShoZu Ltd announced the official launch of the ShoZu App Store, where smartphone owners can purchase the ShoZu app for most major operating systems (Oss). The direct-sales initiative complements ShoZu’s recent expansion of its sales channels, which currently include Apple’s App Store, Nokia’s OVI store and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry App World. The ShoZu App Store currently offers the ShoZu app for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Nokia smartphones, as well as iPhones, with support for additional models and Oss to be announced. The ShoZu App Store sells the app for the same price as the third-party app stores. The ShoZu App Store recently finished a highly successful soft launch, where paid downloads exceeded sales through third-party app stores. As a direct sales channel, the ShoZu App Store also provides the company with a safeguard against any problems that arise at third-party stores.

Viper intros Remote Car Start via iPhone
Oh, boy. It was only a matter of time, wasn’t it? Automobile security system company Viper has just introduced its SmartStart line consisting of an in-car hardware module with a cellular connection that allows you to lock, unlock, and remotely start your car from just about anywhere in the world.You can also show off by popping the trunk and hitting the panic button, too. The module can be added to existing compatible Viper systems for $300 or there’s an all-in-one system for $500 – both are currently available at Best Buy.

HiMyTribe Update Supercharges the iPhone for Business
Today, Never Alone Anymore, a company created to arm the world with business social networking tools, launched the HiMyTribe update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Feature highlights include essential push notifications, background auto-searches for even when not actively in the application and a vendor marketplace, empowering people all over the world to conduct business and find local businesses from your phone wherever you are. HiMyTribe is currently available in English and French and soon to be available in Chinese. HiMyTribe creates a single platform with innovative and interactive features all in one place. "Our application universe is growing at an exponential rate. Social networking applications are plentiful but do not really offer a useful solution," said Jean-Marc Orselli, CEO of Never Alone Anymore. "We are pleased to bring HiMyTribe to the iPhone user because amongst 75,000 applications there are a deluge of apps that help you find a person but not necessarily the one you are looking for. By listening to the public, we are addressing a need for useful business tools on your iPhone so it will operate like a BlackBerry."



iPhone radio.app is being developed in-house by Apple
We've just received a tip that an iPhone radio.app is being developed in-house by Apple for use on the iPhone and iPod touch. From what we know, the app will be allowed to operate in the background like iPod.app and will offer the same functionality as the FM radio in the new iPod Nanos. The source mentioned that this application could also be incorporated into the iPod.app before release. The holdup on this app is that Apple is trying to integrate the Mobile iTunes Store purchases into the functionality of the program. For instance, if you like a song you are listening to on the radio (and that station supports tagging and you are in the US), you will be able to push a button and see the song (and all of the information around it) in the iTunes Mobile store. With another click, you'll be able to make a purchase. This is an extension of the Song Tagging feature used in the iPod Nanos. Perhaps they could even add some Shazam technology to help with those stations that don't support tagging.

Layar Brings Augmented Reality Browser To The iPhone
Half an hour ago, I just had an iPhone 3GS. Now, I have an iPhone 3GS with Layar installed.
It was one of the main questions I had for the Dutch company, which markets an augmented reality browser, when they launched at the Mobile 2.0 Europe event in Barcelona last year. When would they be complementing their Android program with an application for the iPhone? They said it’d come in the fall of this year, and while there have been a number of AR applications made available on the App Store in the meantime, Layar’s finally arrived a couple of hours ago and it’s worth a second look. (iTunes link)

Facebook 1.7 Now Available for Download!!!!
Facebook Mobile for BlackBerry (version 1.7) provides the following feature enhancements:
- News Feed Support - The ability to set the News Feed as the landing page
- News Feed Filters - The ability to toggle between 'News Feed, Status Updates, Photos & Links'
- Caching Improvements - The application uses the device memory more efficiently.
- Feed Pre-fetching - The user will not be required to wait while their Facebook Feeds are updated
- View Profile Menu Option - Clients may easily view their own profile by selecting 'View my Profile' from the menu. "
Download it by visiting blackberry.com/facebook or m.facebook.com on your BlackBerry's web browser. So what's new?

More Than 100 iPhone Apps For Green Shopping, Eating, Travel and Fun
I've been following @SpareTheAir for quite some time on Twitter, keeping an eye out for eco news as well as "Spare the Air Alert Days" for the Bay Area. Today I saw a tweet from them in regards to eco-friendly/go green apps for the iPhone and thought I'd share the link.
About a year ago, treehugger.com put together a list of 20 iPhone apps that would help you live a greener life. The number of apps we've seen come across the radar since then has exploded to the point where we wonder how on earth anyone can keep track of them. As Ron Williams, President of 3rdWhale, a green app developer, states, "The iTunes App Store is a big part of the reason [there are so few great green apps] -- it does not do a good job of encouraging their millions of visitors to look beyond the small number of apps featured on their homepage..." He suggests even adding just a "sustainability" tag would be a big help. Well, until we get that, we figured we should start pulling them together for you. So here are our old favorites, new additions we think are cool, and some interesting oddball apps that we're curious about. Read more and see all 100 apps listed (via treehugger.com)


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PinStack Exclusives
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Top 5 Free Apps Available for All Major Smartphone Platforms, Download Now!
All available for download on at least 4 of the major smartphone platforms, which include Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm WebOS, Nokia Symbian & Windows Mobile.
This list comprises of what we think are the top five FREE apps for smartphones. Remember this list based on cross-platform app availability. There are also a few other noteworthy mentions

Top 20 Smartphones Available Q4 2009 - So many choices and launches.
We've gathered what we believe are the top 20 smartphones for 2009! This list includes some recently launched AND soon to be launched smartphones. From Q1 to Q4 of 2009 there are a lot of smartphones our there to choose from. Our list is alphabetically sorted by smartphone OS but otherwise random. Let us know your preferences/additions...

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Have a GREAT weekend! Keep on 'stackin!

-c2 ]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_16_2009_a-114987/ PinStack Week in Review: Smartphone News, Reviews for October 9, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_9_2009_a-114760-new/ Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:37:55 GMT
As the rumored dates approach for new BlackBerry device launches, RIM officially launched the much anticipated BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 to the masses! If you have been running a leaked version, you can now download the official release! With a minor change to the UI from what the leaked version looked like, and a few added features, this launch will keep me satisfied for the time being.


BlackBerry Rumors & News
Blackberry App World More Expensive Than iPhone, Android Stores
BBM 5.0 Global Launch: Available Now!
BlackBerry Bold 2 to be announced October 21 for T-Mobile, AT&T
RIM posts new BlackBerry widget APIs, dev kit

iPhone Rumors & News
Flash coming to most smartphones, but not Apple's iPhone
AT&T Extends VOIP to 3G Network for iPhone
TELUS iphone 3GS Coming Soon.
Apple Releases iPhone OS 3.1.2

Palm OS Rumors & News

Windows Mobile Rumors & News
AT&T announces first Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones
Acer's New WM 6.5 smartphone line-up uncovered!

Nokia Rumors & News

Android Rumors & News
T-Mobile introduces Android-powered Samsung Behold II
Verizon to start selling Google's Android phones
Android Gets it's Own Search Box

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: As Customer Satisfaction
5 things that all GREAT smartphones "should" have!

Carrier Related:
T-Mobile rolling out Wi-Fi calling for corporate BlackBerry users

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories


Introducing Search Options for mobile
Finding the exact information you need sometimes requires filtering and refining your search results. Earlier in the year, Google launched a collection of tools called Search Options which enable you to easily and quickly do this from a computer. Today in the US, Google is making Search Options available on Android/iPhone/Palm WebOS devices so that you can slice and dice your mobile search results as well. For example, suppose you are shopping at a store for a camera, and you would like to see what users have been saying about a specific model within the past week. You can do this simply by searching for the name of the product. Then, on the search results page, use "Options" to filter by "Forums" and refine further by choosing "Past week". See the screenshots below for a sample query. Try these and other Search Options yourself by simply doing a mobile search on google.com and selecting Options.


SPB TV for BlackBerry Released
SPB TV is now available for the BlackBerry! This app has been around for the Windows Mobile platform for a while and released for Android not that long ago and now BlackBerry users can watch streaming TV. Several PinStack members including myself were involved in beta testing this app over the last few weeks and many issues have been addressed in that time.


Bolt Browser Out of Beta
I've been in the Bolt beta testing program for a while and it's come a long way. It has become a serious contender for Opera Mini and an app that I hope RIM pays attention to when designing new features for their own upcoming browser. However I received an email this morning from Bolt informing me that they have officially released version 1.5 and that they are finally dropping the beta tag from the title.

Overall this browser is fast, reliable, and renders pages beautifully for mobile devices. It's definitely worth grabbing for anyone who is looking for a stable alternative to their mobile device's browser. You can download the newest version of their browser, here.


With version 1.5 comes the following new features:
  • Cache Support to speed users’ ability to move quickly back and forth between the currently and previously viewed Web pages through the use of backward and forward navigation.
  • Download Manager for easy download of files directly from BOLT and the ability to save them to specific folders on the mobile phone (requires JSR75 support on the device).
  • Support for Streaming Videos of Any Length that overcomes limitations on some phones’ ability to stream videos of longer lengths. The new approach ensures video clips will play on all devices, for any length video.
  • Video Wizard to assist users in configuring their device for optimal video playback.
  • Dedicated Search Bar on home page, for easier and faster online searches.
  • Improved Ability to Manage RSS Feeds by allowing users to arrange and file feeds just as they do with their favorites and bookmarks.
  • Enhancements for Touch Screen Devices such as simple volume controls for the BOLT media player which now offers volume controls on the screen.
  • Enhancements for BOLT Servers in the cloud, which increase the already fast BOLT mobile browser by an additional 10 to 20 percent.
doubleTwist Unveils Alternative To iTunes Music Store, Powered By Amazon
doubleTwist now includes an integrated Music Store, powered by Amazon’s MP3 Store. But unlike iTunes, this app will let you transfer your files to non-Apple devices. The store includes Amazon’s catalog of over 5 million songs, allowing users to purchase songs either as albums or individual tracks (there’s also plenty of free songs available). From a design standpoint, it’s clear that iTunes served as a big inspiration — if you’ve ever used the iTunes Store before, it will take you all of thirty seconds to figure out how to use this one.

RealVNC & Sicap Provide Innovative Mobile Device Remote Control Management
Sicap Device Management Center (DMC) provides automated management and customer care /self-care solutions on 80 mobile networks Worldwide, managing 800 million handsets. It now integrates the VNC OEM package, offering unique access to VNC remote control technology. VNC Mobile Solution supports multiple platforms including Windows Mobile, Symbian and Blackberry, and already has development versions for iPhone, Android and Linux Mobile with Palm Pre coming soon. Using VNC Mobile Solution, customer care agents can remotely access the mobile device in use, to help customers with configuration, diagnose problems, and give advice on the installed applications. The solution brings significant savings, both in the duration of helpdesk calls, and in the handling of returns of non-faulty devices. A tier-one operator in Europe for example, has reduced the number of returned handsets by 10 percent.

Adobe Shows Off Flash Apps For iPhone. Yes, You Read That Right.
Never say never: Adobe Labs is today showing off a couple of Flash applications for the iPhone/iPod Touch platform at its annual Adobe MAX event. A couple of demo applications made by third-party developers are already available on the Apple App Store and are built using the brand new Flash Professional CS5, of which a public beta with pre-release support for building applications for iPhone is planned for later this year. Note that this does not mean you’ll be able to watch Flash-based web content on your iPhone just yet...

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Be on the lookout for a new PScast this week!!!

It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in Nor Cal and I aim to enjoy the awesome sunny weather after spending 6 rain soaked days in Dallas! Have a GREAT weekend! Cya on the Stacks!

-c2
]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_9_2009_a-114760/ PinStack Week In Review: Smartphone News, Reviews for October 2, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_2_2009_a-114539-new/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:50:03 GMT http://images.pinstack.com/uploads/ps_wir.png Greetings from a rain soaked Dallas, Texas!! After...
Greetings from a rain soaked Dallas, Texas!! After being away for a few days visiting with family and friends, I logged on to see Christmas has finally "officially" arrived for us Mac users (even though I'm a part-timer). I have downloaded and installed the new Desktop Manager for Mac, waiting to finish my WIR to restart and check it out!
It seems that Palm is not going down without a fight and issued a WEBOS update this week allowing pre owners to, once again, sync their device to iTunes. I can't wait to see how this feud plays out.
BlackBerry BIS 2.8 updates have started showing up around the world, with some major updates to the Gmail sync, in addition to many other added features. Be sure to check out the link below to get a list of all the new features to this update.


BlackBerry Rumors & News
Worlds Most Expensive Blackberry $240K
Walmart has the 8900, Tour, Bold & Storm for free!! New or Upgrade
RIM Launches BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac Users
RIM's Balsillie Loses Bid To Buy Bankrupt Hockey Team
RIM Fixes Security Hole In BlackBerry's
BIS 2.8 For North America

iPhone Rumors & News
China Unicom & Orange to Start Selling iPhone
Apple offers new resource for finding iPhone, iPod touch apps
Google Injects Ads And User-Generated Content Into iPhone Maps

Palm OS Rumors & News
webOS 1.2 available for download!
Palm Restores iTunes Sync

Windows Mobile Rumors & News

Nokia Rumors & News

Android Rumors & News

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
The Iterative Web App: 'Move' and 'Enhanced Refresh'
iPhone, Android, & Pre Beat BlackBerry & Legacy Smartphones
Safety: Obama Administration now looking to eliminate texting while driving

Carrier Related:
AT&T Goes After Google Voice, Net Neutrality And Double Standards
AT&T To Offer Hybrid Cellphone

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Smartphone Applications/Accessories


Tweetie 2 Takes The Best iPhone Twitter App And Ups The Sex Appeal
There is absolutely no shortage of Twitter apps available for the iPhone. But in my mind (and the minds of many others) one stands above all the rest: Tweetie. And while the app has undergone several small tweaks since it was first released last year, a big time revamp is about to hit: Tweetie 2.
Maybe you’ve seen some tweets from users in recent weeks labeled as coming from “Bigbird”? Yeah, that’s Tweetie 2.0. Some may recall that this was also the code name for Tweetie for the Mac right before it launched. The reason for the nickname is that Tweetie 2 is built on top of the Project Bigbird core, which Atebitsdeveloper Loren Brichter first developed for Tweetie for Mac. This means an iPhone Tweetie that is “faster, slimmer, and much more powerful,” as Brichter puts it.
So what’s new? A lot. Here are the big ones.
Persistence — Tweetie now remembers the last thing you were browsing when you closed the app. This means if you were on a user’s Twitter profile, you will go back there when you open the app again.
New message indicators — When you have a new @reply or direct message, you will now see a glowing blue light below those sections to let you know.
Scroll up to reload — Rather than having a separate reload button, to reload your main tweet stream, you simply now scroll up, hold for a second, and Tweetie will check for new tweets.


Starbucks Unveils Its First iPhone Apps
Starbucks is launching a store-finding and menu-information application for the iPhone, and is testing a second app that will let customers use the phone as their Starbucks card. The first app, myStarbucks, lets customers locate stores and bookmark favorite locations. They can search by additional information, such as hours and amenities, to find, for example, a nearby one that’s open and has a drive-thru window. It also include a menu and nutritional information for Starbucks’s drinks, food and coffee beans, and a “drink builder” that displays nutritional information based on the selections.


Garmin G60 Coming To AT&T
AT&T is all set to offer the new G60 from Garmin-ASUS, on October 4th. The handset was announced last year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and has long been anticipated for those who rely on GPS navigation. The kicker here is that aside from the standard navigation features we expect from Garmin devices, it is a fully functional smartphone too.


mSpot Launches Web-Based Mobile Movie Streaming Service
Mobile entertainment startup mSpot is launching its Mobile Movies site, which will let users stream full-length movies on their mobile phones. Movies will be available on 30 different smart phones, including the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices and via all four major U.S. carriers. To access mSpot Mobile Movies, users can go to mSpot’s mobile site on their phone, and use a credit card to rent individual movies for $4.99 each, or subscribe to a monthly membership at $9.99 (for four movies), $12.99 or $15.99 per month. Based on the movie, rentals could last anywhere from 24 hours to 5 days. The movie will launch within the browser and is powered by the phone’s native media player.


Hotwire Partners with TripIt
Hotwire has officially joined TripIt's Developer Program and is putting an "Add To Tripit" button on their site, joining Go Airport Shuttle and Virgin America, as well as BCD Travel, the third largest corporate travel agency, to start distributing TripIt itineraries to millions of travelers. Here’s today’s announcement: http://www.tripit.com/press/releases
Their strategy of building an open itinerary platform is becoming a reality with a growing number of travel users and new partnerships. There are now over 250 developers signed-up for the TripIt Developer Program. They also have a top iPhone app and a BlackBerry app on the way.


Increase Your BlackBerry Service Levels with Smart Remote Support
PinStack.com promised to keep you up to date on the latest applications and services available for smartphone support professionals. We thought this LogMeIn update would be of interest to some of you… To boost business performance, it's necessary for increasingly mobile workforces to stay productive. That's why remote support for BlackBerry smartphones is a must-have.
With LogMeIn Rescue, you can help increase your service levels by remotely resolving issues or training users on their BlackBerry smartphones, wherever they are. Maximize your support capabilities. Start providing smart remote support to your mobile clients today. Get your free 14-day trial here


WorldMate Launches ver. 3.0 of Popular Travel App
WorldMate Inc. the world’s #1 leader in mobile travel services with over 4 million active customers worldwide today announces the WorldMate Live for BlackBerry Version 3.0. The new version integrates community-led local search service by Yelp, calendar synch & hotel booking improvements, and rail support in automatic itinerary generation.
Yelp Local Search Services:
Integration of Yelp’s free public API into the WorldMate application allows users to perform community-led local searches for restaurants, night life and shopping based upon the user’s current location, near his itinerary location or by selecting another city manually (limited to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland). The results are sorted by distance from search location, unless the search location is not exact, in which case the results will be sorted by rating. The user can narrow-down the search by selecting a category. Search results are listed and the details such as address, phone number (with a click-to-call action), map and more are available to the user. By selecting ‘More Details’ option, the item will open and appear on the mobile Yelp website.


Android, iPhone & WebOS: Google mobile & desktop search history now in sync
Sometimes we do a Google search on our desktop computers, only to find that we need to repeat the same search again later on our smartphones. Today in the US Google is launching Personalized Suggest for Android, iPhone and Palm WebOS, which makes it really easy to repeat your past searches on the go. For example, suppose before you depart for the airport, you quickly check flight status by searching for "american airlines 19" using google.com on your computer. Later, as you are hailing a taxi in rush hour traffic, you can simply open google.com on your smartphone, click in the search box, and choose "american airlines 19" from the list of search suggestions!


TXTBlocker allows parents to block kids from texting while driving
Texting while driving is incredibly unsafe (and making calls, for that matter). Even more so than drinking and driving, which YOU SHOULD NEVER DO, EVER. California knows it. The Obama Administration knows it. And apparently, the folks responsible for TXTBlocker know it. What is TXTBlocker, you ask? It is a new service that “lets parents and employers customize cell phones to selectively disable texting functions, block certain numbers, or only permit incoming and outgoing calls to preset “safe lists” or emergency numbers.” In other words, its a personal, customizable Big Brother tool for mobile phones.


--------------------------------------------------------- ]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_october_2_2009_a-114539/ PinStack Week in Review: Smartphone News, Reviews for September 25, 2009 http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_september_25_2009_a-114216-new/ Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:09:15 GMT http://images.pinstack.com/uploads/ps_wir.png TGIF!! Today is the day iPhone users around the world... TGIF!! Today is the day iPhone users around the world will finally see the MMS functionality without having to jailbreak their beloved device. AT&T should be rolling this out as we type and hopefully, by end of day, everyone will have it. Speaking of AT&T, us Bold users got a rude awakening a couple of weeks ago when they released an official updated OS only to pull it a few days later. I was one of the lucky ones to have downloaded and successfully installed it. Now, when I say successfully installed, I'm not lying ... but, it was, in fact, a horrible OS and quickly downgraded after several random reboots and more dropped calls than I can count. Well, AT&T re-released Bold OS 4.6.0.297 on Wednesday and I must say this OS doesn't seem to have the same issues his evil twin brother did. Keeping with the BlackBerry mood, it was social network Christmas on Wednesday as well, with RIM releasing official updates to IM/Social Networking apps such as YahooIM, MSN, AIM, MySpace, Facebook, etc. for OS 5.0 compatibility. With this update, I must say those 5.0 betas are looking really good. Not much else to keep me away from upgrading to the latest firmware leaks :) Be sure to check out the short but extremely entertaining PScast, where I'm joined by Lavagirl! Have a GREAT weekend!


BlackBerry Rumors & News
BlackBerry Keeps Growing
RIM Released Updates for IM & Social Networking Apps, Now 5.0 Compatible
AT&T Officially Releases Bold OS 4.6.0.297 again!
BlackBerry Desktop Software: a Closer Look at the Mac OS Version
IBM Announces Fixed-Cost BES Solutions

iPhone Rumors & News
Apple Approves Nearly 1,400 New Apps for the App Store in One Day
Happy MMS On iPhone Day

Palm OS Rumors & News
Industry group: OK for iTunes to block Palm Pre
No Pre For Verizon?

Windows Mobile Rumors & News
Windows Mobile Store has Ability to Remotely Delete Apps From Devices

Nokia Rumors & News

Android Rumors & News
Google Orders Cease and Desist of CyanogenMod

Other Smartphone Rumors & News
Phone companies say 'no' to Net neutrality for wireless
Samsung Introduces New Line Of Mobile Chips
Don't tweet and drive: study reveals Twitter users' habits
GMAIL down

Carrier Related:
Verizon Wireless LTE Network To Roll Out En Masse
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Smartphone Applications/Accessories

AT&T launches ‘MicroCell’ signal booster
The AT&T 3G MicroCell. It’s a router-like device that piggybacks on your home broadband connection to provide better AT&T signal strength, including 3G data. You’re apparently able to use your existing plan minutes for no additional charge aside from the cost of the device, or for $20 per month you get unlimited minutes for up to ten registered phones. Mind you, these are unlimited minutes while you’re within range of the MicroCell. When you’re out and about, you’re using your plan minutes.


Push Gmail for iPhone and Windows Mobile
Those of you who live in your Gmail inboxes usually want to know what's happening with your email more instantly than standard fetch mail on your phone allows. Sure, using Gmail in your mobile browser gives you all the benefits of conversation threading and starring, but you still have to refresh every time you want to check for new mail. When we launched Google Sync for Contacts and Google Calendar earlier this year, an over-the-air, always-on connection to sync mail was noticeably absent. We heard your requests loud and clear, and starting today you can use Google Sync to get your Gmail messages pushed directly to your iPhone, iPod Touch, or Windows Mobile device.


12seconds.tv Introduces 12mail Video App
The popular video sharing site 12seconds.tv has introduced a new application for the iPhone to allow users to share more of their life with friends and family. In August we saw the introduction of 12cast which allowed users to post a 12 second video to their Twitter page. The new app, 12mail, allows you to send videos directly to your Facebook and Twitter contacts. If your friends use the app, they'll get push notifications on their devices when new video messages arrive.


Earn-O-Meter iPhone App Offers Humorous Alternative to Economic Anxiety
For many, any job is better than no job in a poor economy. The Earnometer iPhone application by Wry Apps is designed to help good employees endure unpleasant work situations. The Earnometer allows users to track income as it is earned in real time, right down to the millionth of a dollar, while sitting through pointless meetings, dull conference calls and inane conversations with nitwits in the workplace. The Earnometer app is a humorous presentation of a common but unspoken reality - many people work because the money they earn outweighs the aggravation of their workplace.
The brainchild of two technology industry veterans, the Earnometer was originally built as a way to alleviate anxiety from a brief consulting stint at a failing company. They needed comic relief. Amid impending business failure at the company, the two came to the realization that their co-workers were staying aboard only because they needed the income. If they could humor themselves, they could better endure the deteriorating situation.


OrganIP Launches First VoiceWeb Application
Digitrad, the leading provider of VoiceWeb platforms for personal and business use, today launched its new consumer voice service, OrganIP, at DEMOfall 09 in San Diego. OrganIP makes phone calling easy by eliminating phone numbers. Simply type a person's name in any web browser and OrganIP can search, locate them and connect a call whether the callers are on the phone, in a social network or online community. With 3.3 billion mobile phone users and over 700 million people in social networks, OrganIP is the first platform to make voice calling possible between social networks and the mobile phones.
Pricing and Availability: OrganIP will be available in an open beta on October 19, 2009. OrganIP will first be free in US and then based on a monthly subscription fee. Users can signup today at www.organip.com to be part of the open beta.

Google Sync: Now with push Gmail support
Earlier this year, Google launched Google Sync which allows you to synchronize your Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar with your iPhone, Windows Mobile, and S60 devices. Today, they're adding Gmail support to Google Sync for iPhone, iPod Touch and Windows Mobile devices. Using Google Sync, you can now get your Gmail messages pushed directly to your phone. Having an over-the-air, always-on connection means that your inbox is up to date, no matter where you are or what you're doing. Sync works with your phone's native email application so there's no additional software needed. Only interested in syncing your Gmail, but not your Calendar? Google Sync allows you to sync just your Contacts, Calendar, or Gmail, or any combination of the three.



Fuze Box Brings Web Meetings to BlackBerry Smartphones
Hayden and I had the opportunity to demo first hand Fuze Meeting late last year. They announced yesterday that the app is now available for BlackBerry (and iPhone). See announcement below for BlackBerry. Fuze Box, the leading global provider of online meeting and mobile collaboration applications, today announced general availability of Fuze Meeting for BlackBerry smartphones. Fuze Meeting is now available for the BlackBerry Storm, Bold and Curve 8900. Fuze Meeting is available as a free download on BlackBerry App World. Fuze Meeting for BlackBerry enables users to launch or participate in a web meeting from their mobile device – a must-have for salespeople, business owners, service providers and all mobile professionals. Fuze Meeting leverages the unique capabilities of the latest generation of BlackBerry, including 3G, Wi-Fi, faster processors and elegant displays to allow users to view video content, images and documents. Fuze Meeting also lets users chat securely with co-workers and friends, send meeting invites, and even “fetch” participants from their BlackBerry contacts directly into a conference.


AT&T - Pictavision: Upload, Download, Share Pics w/Popular Social Sites
For BlackBerry. Upload, download, share photos and videos on your phone with leading social, photo and blog sites: Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Kodak, Picasa, Snapfish, Typepad, Blogger & more. Tag photos; backup, or blog to your web albums; MMS and email messaging, download from online albums to your phone for wallpaper, caller ID; share web albums with friends right from your phone, & much more.



CallPod now available at Best Buy
Callpod, the tech company that creates Mobile Necessities for consumers covering Power, Bluetooth and Mobile Software, has announced that its full line of power products will hit shelves at Best Buy this month. The Fueltank Uno, a self-powered emergency device charger will make its debut at Best Buy stores, nationwide, on Sunday, September 27th. In addition, Best Buy will carry the award-winning portable charger, the Fueltank Duo and the original Chargepod, 6-in-1 multi-device charger. The Chargepod and Fueltank are perfect for gamers, commuters, frequent travelers, gadget lovers, college students, families, businesses and anyone that owns a portable device.


Citysearch Integrates More Social Functionality Into its App for BlackBerry
Citysearch announced today they have added more features to the Mobile by Citysearch application for BlackBerry, which is now available from App World. The new version gives users access to over 15M business listings and trusted Citysearch editorial recommendations with lists across more than 75,000 US neighborhoods. It is one of the only applications of its kind that offers relevant information at the neighborhood level nationwide. Mobile by Citysearch is one of the only location-based applications for BlackBerry to enable users to post real-time business reviews on the go, instantly sharing their favorite restaurants, boutiques, bars, salons and more. New features added to the Mobile by Citysearch application include calendar and email integration and Twitter functionality that enables users to tweet reviews and tips to followers instantly. To download the latest Mobile by Citysearch application for BlackBerry smartphones for free, visit BlackBerry App World


Case-mate: iPhone 3G / 3GS recession case
Currently sold out: Tough times call for tough cases and that's where the recession case comes in! The recession case lets you keep cash in your pocket without sacrificing on unique design for your beloved iPhone! But just in case one isn't enough we have the BAILOUT BUNDLE - 10 cases for $7.99! We are now offering FREE “Sharpie Script “personalization on the recession case! Just leave “Albertus Medium” selected and you will get your very own personalized recession case! If ordering a bundle we will personalize the first case.

Bionic Eye app creates augmented reality on your iPhone 3GS
Bored with the same old view of reality? Turns out there’s an app for that. Now you can simply point your iPhone’s camera at an area, and the Bionic Eye app will show you points of interest, subway or bus stops, and other pertinent information about your world around you. You can even use it to find your local coffee place. It looks quite promising: the application uses Google maps and your phone’s GPS to pinpoint your location, and then show you where and how far away points of interest are. If you have an older iPhone or iPod touch, it’ll show you a map, but if you have an iPhone with a camera, just pan the camera around you and it’ll show you a graphic representation of what’s there. While Bionic Eye isn’t the first augmented reality browser, it is the first one (at least, the first official one) for the iPhone/iPod crowd, and definitely looks like fun. I don’t know if I’d use the part where it directs you to a location however, that looks like a good way to get mugged. Check out the video in the post.



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NobexRC Passes 1 Million Users, Let's Celebrate With a Giveaway Contest!
Nobex Radio Companion for BlackBerry has passed a big milestone, they are now over 1 million users strong! To celebrate, Nobex gave away free copies of their premium service to 10 lucky PinStack members! This is for 1 year of premium service!
Check out the list of winners below. Thanks to all who entered! Congrats to the Stackers below!
Hellraiser
brimanp
dancer84
walkiniceberg
good
dtour77
tiascurve66
chsguyi69
dandy24
drice30721


A Special Thank You, from Vringo
From the developers of Vringo:
"As a thank you for your participation in the open feedback program, we’ve prepared a special gift in the form of some really cool video ringtones from Vringo’s partnership with Marvel Entertainment. Just follow the instructions below.

-- Visit http://vringo.marvel.com on your PC, log in with the phone number and password you signed up with and click on “Have a Promotion Code?” at the very bottom right corner of the screen. (If you’re new to Vringo, click on the link within the registration box.)
-- Type in VRINGOHEARTSBETATESTERS and you’ll get 3 free clips of your choice. Pick the ones you want, send them to your phone and then sync your Vringo application to get ‘em!

Unfortunately, this offer is only available to users in North America at the moment, but we’ll have some special surprises coming up in the near future."

The code will be valid until next Tuesday, September 29.


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PScast: Episode 26 ... Quick Catch-up with a Special Guest

This episode includes:
WIR recap; Smartphone Discussions
Site Announcements (Top Posters Contest)
Short Opera Mini 5 Beta overview

Episode 26
standard bitrate (24mb) -- don't forget accessible on your Berry thru Opera Mini
lowest bitrate (12mb) -- accessible through default BlackBerry browser


--------------------------------------------------------- ]]> Week In Review cherrichiodo http://forums.pinstack.com/f258/pinstack_week_in_review_smartphone_news_reviews_for_september_25_2009_a-114216/