T-Mobile rolls out Google Android update

May 8th, 2009, 17:13 Posted By: wraggster

Owners of HTC’s Google phone the T-Mobile G1 have begun to receive an over-the-air update that upgrades their device’s firmware to the latest 1.5 release, dubbed ‘Cupcake’.
The rollout, which will eventually arrive with all of the UK’s 100,000 G1 owners, has already started and will be completed over the next few weeks.
Notable features of the new OS include an on-screen keyboard, integrated picture and video uploads, scrolling improvements and tweaks to the functionality of things such as the camera and GPS.

Vodafone’s new HTC Magic, which was released in the UK last week, comes with Android 1.5 already installed.

http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/285...Android-update

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

iPhone OS 3.0 now being used for App Store admission reviews (updated)

May 8th, 2009, 16:54 Posted By: wraggster

So this is interesting -- we were just forwarded an email from Apple informing iPhone developers that all future App Store testing and review will occur on iPhone OS 3.0 to prepare for a smooth transition this summer, and that incompatible applications won't be approved. Seeing as we're already on beta 5, we're guessing most devs shouldn't find this too much of a burden, but we're wondering if the recent string of bad publicity over App Store approval guidelines has forced Apple's hand here, since 3.0's parental control features will ostensibly relax Apple's currently asinine content restrictions and allow non-kiddie-apps to get through without any hoopla. Let's hope.

Update: Looks like our guess was spot-on. The iPhone Blog's noticed a new set of parental controls in beta 5 (and possibly earlier) that suggests some sort of app rating system is in the works. Sure, it's a promising idea, but let's just hope the current broken process is also getting an overhaul -- simply slapping a 17+ rating on, say, Tweetie doesn't actually fix the problem.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/i...ssion-reviews/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Magnetometer finding its way into next iPhone?

May 8th, 2009, 16:53 Posted By: wraggster

Add "compass" to that list of rumored features -- again -- for the next, still-unconfirmed iPhone revision, alongside video production capabilities, a slide-out keyboard, OLED display, LTE / Verizon support, and EV-DO rev. B (okay, not really that last one). Boy Genius Report has obtained two screens allegedly from an unreleased iPhone OS build that suggest a magnetometer'll be part of the new hardware. Given turn-by-turn navigation is now an option for developers, we'd say having directional support is almost a necessity. Why there's also an option for Kitchen Sink in the image we haven't the foggiest, but we're gonna go ahead and add "holographic plumbing assistant" to that wishlist.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/m...o-next-iphone/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Nokia's Ovi Store said to be launching with 20,000 'items,' unknown number of apps

May 8th, 2009, 16:52 Posted By: wraggster

The launch of the Ovi Store is just around the bend and, according to reports, Nokia is looking to blow things out a little better than Google, which launched its Android Market with a paltry 50 selections. Nokia is said to have over 20,000 "items" ready for download when things go live, a number that compares quite favorably to the 40,000 apps Apple currently offers through its App Store. However, what remains to be seen is exactly what an "item" is defined as. We're sure that count includes custom apps and WidSets, and there's talk about N-Gage games finding inclusion as well. However, video and music downloads seem to be counted and we'd guess ringtones too. So, how many actual applications will it have at launch? That remains to be seen.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/n...00-items-unkn/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Apple Racks Up the Gaming Patents

May 7th, 2009, 17:40 Posted By: wraggster

Evidence has been growing that Apple is developing a new gaming console. Now, there are some possible details about how a combined media/game console might work, based on patent applications filed by Apple in late 2007 and early 2008. Here is some of what we can look for: having your personal music integrated into a title, a 'natural' gesture multitouch interface, and a single online store that sells games, media, and video

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl.../05/06/1420206

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Android 1.5 coming to T-Mobile UK now, USA next week

May 7th, 2009, 17:11 Posted By: wraggster

And so it's finally confirmed: no consumers on un-hacked T-Mobile G1s in the US have this yet, but Android 1.5 and all its gooey, chocolatey Cupcake goodness will finally be hitting American units come late next week. Of course, you know how Android updates go -- they "roll" -- and not everyone is expected to get hooked up until the end of the month. Meanwhile, British G1 owners are getting updated as we speak -- so you might say they're getting back their American counterparts for launching the hardware afterwards. You know, what goes around, comes around.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/a...usa-next-week/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5 now available

May 7th, 2009, 17:09 Posted By: wraggster

Looks like Apple's just released iPhone OS 3.0 beta 5, a little over one week after its last revision. That's about half the time they've put between the previous updates -- seems the boys in Cupertino are really starting to churn these things out. You know the drill by now, we don't know yet what the update entails, but we'll tell you when we find out. Oh, and just like last time, it appears iTunes 8.2 is required.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Update: We can confirm that MMS "support" can no longer be turned on in Settings (in quotes because we could never get it working in previous betas anyhow), and we're hearing that trickery that allowed tethering to be enabled with the previous iTunes 8.2 build has been patched. Aww, you're no fun, Apple... thanks, Rene!

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/06/i...now-available/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Details Leaked On Palm Pre: MMS, Office 2007, No Video Recording At Launch

May 6th, 2009, 21:49 Posted By: Shrygue

via Gizmodo


It's not earth shattering info or anything, but the anonymous person behind InsideSprintnow claiming to be a Sprint customer care employee has divulged a few more tidbits about the Pam Pre.

Here are the highlights:

• No video recording at launch, though they seem to think such a thing will be added via update.
• MMS support is confirmed
• They imply that Office 2007 documents work fine on Pre, though they don't specify if it's read-only
• Custom ringtones are a go, as are ringback tones
• When in USB mode, all calls will be automatically routed to voicemail.
• IM Services: Google Talk and AIM at launch.
• The color for calendar events can be chosen manually on the Pre, or sync'ed with the colors you've got set up in Exchange
• Cookies can be disabled in the browser
• No pictbridge profile yet, so no wireless photo printing.

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

EA launches Need for Speed Undercover for iPhone ... right now!

May 6th, 2009, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster

Hey! Remember when EA's Travis Boatman very quietly reconfirmed a boatload of EA franchises coming to the iPhone in 2009? Oh, you don't? That's okay, we nearly forgot too. In fact, we're pretty sure the company would like to keep these anouncements secret, as Need for Speed: Undercover hit the iTunes App Store today without so much as a peep from its publisher!

The game comes e-brake sliding into the store for the not-so-nice price of $9.99, and though we've yet to get our hands on it, we'll be sure to tell you how we feel just as soon as we do. For 10 bucks though, that might not be too soon.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/ea...one-right-now/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Nokia E52 announced

May 6th, 2009, 20:30 Posted By: wraggster

The Nokia E52 was revealed today in Warsaw, Poland and boasts astounding talk time - eight whole hours before you need to recharge. It also makes the most of Nokia's email functionality thanks to Nokia Messaging, making email set-up on the device simple and fast. The new Nokia E52 comes with noise cancellation, so now you'll be heard clearly no matter where you're calling from. All this comes on top of the features we've come to expect from Eseries devices including A-GPS, high-speed HSDPA and HSUPA connections, and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

The impressive battery provides plenty of power to keep you going through the working day. Alongside marathon talk time comes generous standby time in excess of 23 days. The Nokia E52 could easily replace your desk phone. Mobile VPN is built in to make it easy to access company intranets. This comes with Call Connect support, which enables businesses to integrate Nokia mobile devices with corporate phone systems, enabling users to be contactable through a single number, have a single voicemail box and offer least-cost call routing.

Getting up and running with email is simple. Support for Nokia Messaging, Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveller make it simple to add personal or work email accounts to the device and the new to the E52 email user interface makes accessing your email a joy.

The Nokia E52 will ship with a 1GB microSD card and a free 60 day trial for Files on Ovi. It'll be available in two colours, metal grey and golden aluminium which will help show off the 2.4-inch display (which also has automatic landscape support). The device also sports a compass alongside Nokia Maps and A-GPS. Plus, with speedy HSDPA (10.2Mb per second) and newer HSUPA upload access at up to 2Mb per second, the E52 is equipped for effortless content sharing on the move.

The Nokia E52 is slated to go on sale in the second half of this year at an estimated retail price of €245, before taxes or subsidies.

Technical Specifications include:
* Size: 116 x 49 x 9.9 mm
* Weight: 98g
* Display: 2.4" QVGA (320x 240), up to 16 million colors
* Camera: 3.2 MPix with flash
* Email support for Mail for Exchange, IBM Lotus Notes Traveler, Nokia Messaging, POP/IMAP and selected 3rd party solutions
* Built-in GPS: with Assisted GPS (A-GPS) support and Nokia Maps
* Memory: Up to 60 MB phone memory with 1 GB in-box MicroSD card, supports up to 16 GB MicroSD
* Connectivity: High speed MicroUSB connector
* Data connectivity: 3G, HSDPA, HSUPA, WLAN, EGPRS; Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo audio
* Talk time: Up to 8 hours
* Standby time: Up to 29 Days
* Battery: 1500mAh
* S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2 (Symbian OS v9.3)
* single-core ARM11 600 MHz CPU

http://my-symbian.com/main/index.php

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Downgrade 3G Baseband from 4.26 to 2.28. Important if you updated to 3.0!

May 6th, 2009, 20:25 Posted By: wraggster

If you upgraded to 3.0 to try it out and then downgraded back to 2.2.1 and now find your baseband stuck at 4.26, there is now a solution. Thanks goes to w1kedZ for all the help and for cracking those ramdisks!

This tool is based on the same exploit for the 5.08 bootloader, so you must have it. It will not work on 5.09 and so on. It will downgrade your baseband from 4.26 to 2.28! It is also very practical for you all that just upgraded to beta 4 to realize your sim adapter doesn't work with the newest baseband (4.26). We can downgrade your baseband to (4.22) so your sim adapter will function again.

I know most of you are wondering if you can downgrade the baseband to 2.28 and run 3.0 at the same time for the purposes of using yellowsnow. The answer is yes you can run 3.0 and the 2.28 baseband together but...

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-...ted-3-0-a.html

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Apple Replacing Water Damaged iPhones for $199

May 6th, 2009, 20:25 Posted By: wraggster

Does your iPhone look like the one pictured above or worse? Good news! Apple is trying to clear out their iPhone 3g stockpile in preparation for the next iPhone due to be announced in June. Just take your water damaged iPhone 3g into your local Apple Store, drop down $199, and walk out with a fresh and working iPhone 3g.

Instead of the typical out of warranty replacement process which involves the purchase of a new iPhone and extending your contract an extra two years the Apple Store is now just taking your money, popping your sim into the new iPhone, and letting you walk out of the store.

You could, however, hold on to your money for an extra couple months and spend it on the next iPhone . . .

edit: US only as far as we know

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-...nes-199-a.html

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

QuickPWN Featured on Apple.com

May 6th, 2009, 20:24 Posted By: wraggster

No no no. Not the great Jailbreak QuickPWN by the iPhone Dev Team. Someone over at TechCrunch noticed that the site QuickPWN.com which is independent of the dev team has their web version of the site or "web app" listed up on Apple.com. QuickPWN.com does however report on famous QuickPWN Jailbreaks released by The Dev Team and other independent versions so Apple will undoubtedly be removing this listing from their site asap.

http://www.modmyi.com/forums/iphone-...apple-com.html

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

HTC 'Android Hero' Handset Snapped (It's the Chinniest of Them All)

May 6th, 2009, 00:11 Posted By: Shrygue

via Gizmodo


Remember that weird, pink, angular 'Android Hero' handset that HTC semi-leaked back in January? Well, here it is, in the flesh plastic.

The Hero adheres to HTC's established Android phone conventions (read: it has a chin), barring two major details: it looks like it's got a 3.5mm headphone jack, and doesn't have a trackball. Styling is decidedly utilitarian, and its Razr-esque jowels and a StarTACian profile and finish even evoke the 90s a bit.

As for where this phone will fall in HTC's product line, it's hard to say. Assuming Android in common, there are only so many ways you can distinguish one touchscreen handset from another. One theory: it does look a hint larger than the Magic, a factor which, combined with its new 3.5mm headphone jack and lack of a QWERTY keyboard, could indicate an emphasis on multimedia. But even that's a reach.

Luckily, HTC is a fairly leaky ship, so we shouldn't have to wait too long to find out more. Check out the rest of the photos at CodeAndroid.

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Mass Effect iPhone is a side-story

May 5th, 2009, 18:57 Posted By: wraggster

BioWare has confirmed Mass Effect: Jacob's Story for iPhone and iPod Touch, after a focus group tester broke NDA to leak the project last month.

The game will not be a prequel to Mass Effect 2, however, but a side-story about one of the characters in it.

"Yes, this is not a hoax or fake story. BioWare is making a game for the iPhone and iPod Touch based in the Mass Effect universe," writes BioWare's community manager Chris Priestly on the official forum.

"The story of the game is not a 'bridging' story between Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. It is a cool little side-story about one of the upcoming Mass Effect 2 characters. It is not 'required reading' to enjoy the core trilogy, but a fun optional 'extra' game."

Jacob's Story - a blend of top-down arcade shooter combat and graphic novel-style story sequences - will be developed by a separate team within BioWare that has nothing to do with the hold-up of any new Mass Effect DLC.

Other details on the project are scarce. Priestly promises the wraps will be off sometime during this month or June, so E3 is probably a safe bet.

That, promises BioWare, will be when we hear more about Mass Effect 2, which is scheduled for launch on PC and Xbox 360 next year. Co-op and use of saved games from ME1 are among the features rumoured for the sequel so far. Mass Effect 1 hero Commander Shepard may also not be as "killed in action" as the first teaser trailer for Mass Effect 2 suggests, either.

"I've heard some rumours that Commander Shepard is dead," writes executive producer Casey Hudson on the Mass Effect 2 IGN blog.

"Better not be. We had a lot of big plans made, so if someone's gone and killed Shepard then things are going to take an unexpected turn..."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ma...ry-not-prequel

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Apple rejects app for cracked screen image

May 5th, 2009, 18:53 Posted By: wraggster

Whether it’s allowing baby-shaking games to be published or blocking politically sensitive titles, Apple’s unpredictable app approval process is a constant source of interest – and the firm’s latest rejection is as bizarre as any that have come before.
Apple reportedly blocked an initial submission of Room Candy’s Pimple Popper because of an image it used when players failed a level that depicted a cracked screen in-game.
An email from the Californian firm read: “Unfortunately, your application, Pimple Popper 1.0, cannot be added to the App Store because it uses standard iPhone screen images in a non-standard way, potentially resulting in user confusion.

“Changing the behaviour of standard iPhone graphics, actions, and images, or simulating failures of those graphics, actions, or images is a violation of the iPhone Developer Program agreement which requires applications to abide by the Human Interface Guidelines.�
A later version of Pimple Popper, sans cracked screen graphic, was subsequently approved and is now available to download on the App Store.
Rom Candy’s Linny Cendana added to CasualGaming.biz: “I guess Apple thinks that having steam behind the screen (a la iSteam) is okay but a cheesy cracked screen is not. Funny enough though, they did not have any issues with the questionable moaning and groaning sound effects in the game when you squeeze the pimples.�

http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/285...d-screen-image

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Google to drop its Android brand?

May 5th, 2009, 18:49 Posted By: wraggster

A lawsuit from Erich Specht, the owner of US firm Android Data Corp, could lead to Google having to re-brand its growing mobile phone OS Android.
Forbes reports that Specht is seeking $94m in damages fro trademark infringement – a claim that Google is strongly denying. Also in the dock are all companies involved in the Open handset Alliance – Toshiba, Motorola, Qualcom, Samsung, Sprint Nextel, China Mobile, Texas Instruments, T-Mobile and Vodafone.
Google’s application for the Android trademark was filed in October 2007 just days before it publicly revealed its mobile OS, but the application was subsequently rejected. Google appealed on the grounds that Android Data Corp had been dissolved, and the process is still ongoing.

The court’s final decision will hinge on whether Specht’s company is being harmed by Google’s branding. In the mean time, the threat of all of Google’s Android products being removed from the marketplace remains a possibility.

http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/285...-Android-brand

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Rumours build on Apple's gaming ambitions

May 5th, 2009, 18:46 Posted By: wraggster

As Apple continues to push its business into the videogaming market, industry watchers are speculating that there are big plans afoot at the iPhone manufacturer.

The Street notes that according to Guy Adami, professional investor and media analyst, "there is chatter that Apple is eyeing Electronic Arts as a takeover target."

Meanwhile, Forbes points to Apple's recent hiring of two key videogame executives as further evidence the company is preparing a bigger entry into handheld gaming following the successful launch and uptake of the iPhone device.

Richard Taversham joins the company from Microsoft, where he was senior director of insights and strategy for Xbox in Europe, in the same week that Bob Drebin, creator of the Nintendo GameCube's graphics processor at AMD, also arrived at the company.

IBMs chip designer Mark Papermaster has also recently joined the company as head of the iPod business.

The report suggests there are three avenues of evolution for the iPhone and iPod devices, including the integration and improvement of video and still images into games.

Last month, ngmoco's Neil Young told GamesIndustry.biz that such access would be ideal to evolve the gaming experience on the iPhone, and the company is already experimenting in anticipation.

"I'd like to get access to the raw video feed out of the camera because I think that could enable some really interesting types of games," he said.

"We've got some games that we're working on that are location based but they need some pieces of functionality to be available to us for them to be really worthwhile."

As well as an upgrade to a faster processor, Apple is also expected to experiment with new iterations of the device, with the same software that powers the iPhone and iPod touch utilised in a netbook or tablet computer.

"Apple has told us from the beginning to be sure to write our new software in a way that will accommodate different resolutions and screen sizes," offered Bart Decrem, CEO of Tapulous, the company behind break-out hit Tap Tap Revenge and its sequel.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ming-ambitions

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Apple / Google relationship being investigated for antitrust violations

May 5th, 2009, 18:42 Posted By: wraggster

The relationship between Apple and Google has always been pretty cozy -- Mac OS X and the iPhone tie into a variety of Google services, Google's developed rule-breaking iPhone apps, we've heard endless whispers of Apple meddling in the development of the G1, and on and on. In fact, the relationship between the two companies is so tight they actually share board members: Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson take meetings in both Cupertino and Mountain View. That's apparently raised some hackles at the Federal Trade Commission, which has reportedly informed both companies they're being investigated for violating a rarely-enforced section of the Clayton Antitrust Act prohibiting "interlocking directorates" when it reduces competition. That sounds like someone at the FTC just noticed that Apple makes the iPhone and Google's responsible for Android, but nothing's set in stone yet -- and we've got a feeling Android's open-source codebase could throw a monkey wrench into an already-complex legal analysis. We'll obviously be tracking this one closely, keep an eye out.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/a...antitrust-vio/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

iPhone OS 3.0's parental controls to assuage some app submission woes?

May 5th, 2009, 03:08 Posted By: wraggster

Here's something that should help Trent reach a level of moderate contentment. Although we already knew that Apple was expanding its parental controls with iPhone OS 3.0 into the realm of TV shows, movies and App Store apps, a report today about the rejection of Makayama's Newspaper(s) app provides a good example at the ramifications of such alterations. According to iLounge, it was rejected due to a picture of a topless woman under the section for UK-based tabloid The Sun. The accompanying letter suggested a resubmission once 3.0 (and subsequently the parental controls) go public, which we take to mean that the questionable content will suddenly be okay for the App Store once it's behind the appropriate age gate. We won't know for sure until everything falls into place, but sounds like this is one part of the submission approval process that'll soon end up much less frustrating for developers.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/i...pp-submission/

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here