IntoMobile - Mobile Phone News, Information, and Analysis

SearchMe’s Visual Search App for iPhone Ready for Prime Time

James Falconer — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:45:58 +0000

Looks like the search engine SearchMe finally received approval for their iPhone application… after waiting for approval for over two months (no surprise there). While the app isn’t in the App Store yet, look for it real soon.

The Visual Search is fantastic. As you’ll notice in the preview video above, it offers a completely different search experience when compared to traditional search or Google’s new Mobile App for iPhone. The SearchMe Visual Search gives you a first-hand look at all sites found in search results. This lets you take a ‘peek’ at the sites before committing a click to go to the site. Kind of handy in my opinion.

As I said earlier, the app isn’t available in the App Store just yet… But you absolutely must have it, you can get it here (iTunes link alert).

Note: Yep, the app is FREE!

[Via: TechCrunch]

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PHASE 2 ActiveSync for BlackBerry Cuts Enterprise Communications Costs

James Falconer — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:24:49 +0000

The good folks over at PHASE 2 International have announced the newest in its lineup of productivity solutions. This time around it’s ActiveSync for the BlackBerry. The new solution is a low-cost alternative for businesses subscribed on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). The app is an add-on to the Microsoft Exchange server, and provides all of the same functionality for a lot less.

The cool thing about the ActiveSync for BlackBerry client is you can download it OTA, and it installs right there on your employee’s BlackBerry device. Once installed it provides its own email box, and access to the native BlackBerry Calendar, Contacts… all the usual built-in apps.

Key features in the new PHASE 2 ActiveSync for BlackBerry:

Email

send, receive, reply to, forward and delete message (with or without attachments)
Folder Mirroring to synchronize Exchange email account to user’s device
filtering via Outlook rules to eliminate unwanted email messages
attachment viewing using BlackBerry native viewers
save to memory card capability for attachments

PIM (Calendar, Contacts and Tasks)

interfaces with the BlackBerry native Calendar, Contacts and Tasks
Calendar event synchronization with customizable look-back and look-ahead
Remote Lookup to retrieve contact information from Global Address Directory via LDAP
receive and respond to meeting invitations
meeting initiation

Security

SSL encryption protocol for data-in-motion between the BlackBerry and the Exchange Server
Remote Wipe for lost or stolen devices
strong password security with history, expiration, timeout, echo, failed unlock attempts and duress notification
inactivity timeout for password entry

Productivity

auto-complete of email addresses
weekday and weekend settings to control when the device receives messages
sync to server option for messages that have been read or deleted
intelligent cleanup to ensure device memory optimization
intelligent radio reset for bad coverage areas

ActiveSync for BlackBerry is available to PHASE 2 Microsoft Exchange clients. Pricing is based on user licence quantity. For more information head on over to PHASE 2 International.

Thanks Kim!

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Orb makes the jump to iPhone App Store - Stream media from PC to iPhone

Will Park — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:06:51 +0000

Orb streams live TV from PC to iPhone and iPhone 3G

The early iPhone jailbreak scene spawned numerous iPhone applications that were free of Apple’s iPhone SDK restrictions. One of those early applications, Orb, caught our eye as a PC-to-iPhone streaming media application. With the ability to place-shift music, video, and even live TV (if your computer is equipped to pull down TV broadcasts), Orb offered jailbroken iPhones and iPhone 3Gs all the functionality of a Slingbox with none of the premium costs.

Orb has successfully crossed over into the realm of official iPhone applications available through the AppStore. Available in both free (although, severely limited) and premium versions, Orb streams media from your PC to your iPhone or iPhone 3G in near real-time (allowing for network latency). Orb users can watch video content, YouTube videos, listen to music, and even check out their favorite TV shows using Orb.

It’s not clear yet whether Apple will allow Orb to remain in the AppStore. Other streaming media applications have gotten the axe from Apple because they “transfer(s) excessive volumes of data over the cellular network” - much like Orb.

For now, enjoy Orb while it’s still available. A Mac and Linux-compatible version is coming soon.

Orb - FREE (iTunes link)

Orb - $10 premium version (iTunes link)

[Via: iPhoneAtlas]

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Verizon prompted by FCC to divest 105 markets before gobbling Alltel

Will Park — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:45:19 +0000

Verizon Wireless, the joint wireless venture from Verizon and Vodafone, is poised to become the largest wireless carrier in the US. Once the company finalizes a deal to acquire Alltel, Verizon will supplant AT&T as the largest carrier, by subscriber count. Verizon has been given the greenlight to acquire Alltel from the US DoJ and FCC, pending Verizon’s fulfillment of market divestment stipulations.

The FCC has announced today that Verizon will have to let go of 105 wireless markets. Verizon Wireless will have to divest those markets within 120 days of completing its Alltel acquisition.

The announcement adds an additional five markets to the list of wireless markets that Verizon Wireless will be required to divest in order to buy Alltel. Verizon Wireless had previously agreed to divest 100 markets, garnering it teh DoJ’s blessing to acquire Alltel. The FCC, however, reviewed 218 additional markets that might see reduced competition due to the deal, and determined that 5 of those markets would be negatively impacted if Verizon wasn’t made to offload assets in those areas.

This puts the total number of markets that Verizon will have to offload at 105. The FCC has recommended that Verizon look into selling at least part of the 105 markets to regional, local, and rural carriers like US Cellular.

[Via: RCR]

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Internet Explorer Mobile 6 coming to China’s Samsung Omnia first

Will Park — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:59:37 +0000

Microsoft recently took some heat for their decision to make their revamped Internet Explorer Mobile 6 available only on new Windows Mobile handsets. With the promise of full-HTML web browsing and integrated Flash support, Internet Explorer Mobile 6 uses the desktop IE code-base to deliver a browsing experience more like that offered by Skyfire and Opera.

Today, we’re hearing confirmation that the new Pocket Internet Explorer 6 will first be available in China - on the Samsung Omnia. Scott Rockfeld, Microsoft’s director of Windows Mobile, mobile communications business, stated that Microsoft “want to have users in [emerging markets] get their first online experience with Windows Mobile. Our target is not to convert existing users of the competing phones like the iPhone or Google’s Android. We want to grow faster than the market.”

So, there you have it. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Mobile 6 will bring the full-HTML rendering power of Internet Explorer 6 to Windows Mobile devices in China first.

A bad move for Microsoft?

[Via: WMPowerUser]

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Celio preps two new Celio REDFLY C7 and C8N models

Will Park — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:34:41 +0000

Celio REDFLY C7

Celio, makers of the Palm Foleo-like REDFLY Mobile Companion, has announced that they’ve got two new devices in the pipeline for the coming holiday shopping season. Celio apparently didn’t think the current REDFLY was good enough on its own and has announced the REDFLY C7 and REDFLY C8N to round out its thin-client portfolio.

The Celio REDFLY is billed as the perfect mobile companion to your Windows Mobile device. The REDFLY uses your Windows Mobile smartphone’s CPU and RAM to do all the heavy computing, essentially giving the WinMo device a larger display and keyboard.

Celio’s REDFLY C7 sports a 7-inch display, down from 8.3-inches on the original REDFLY, and cuts 3 hours of battery life off the original REDFLY. The spec-sheet reductions make the REDFLY C7 8 ounces lighter than its two-pound predecessor.

The Celio REDFLY C8N improves upon the current REDFLY with the addition of the “REDFLY Media Port” that allows the REDFLY C8N to be used as a TV-out display.

The REDFLY C7 should be available for $229 on November 24, and the REDFLY C8N should drop on December 1 for $299.

Celio REDFLY

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LG Incite announced on AT&T

Simon Sage — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:23:56 +0000

LG Incite from AT&T

As rumoured, LG’s Incite, an upgraded GSM version of the Dare, has launched on AT&T for $199.99 after rebates. A 3″ 240 x 400 touchscreen, 3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0 with aGPS, 3G, Wi-Fi and Windows Mobile 6.1 all come standard on the Incite. This is LG’s first Windows Mobile handset, marking their clear entrance into the smartphone market. They’re in a similar boat as Nokia, since they found a solid foundation with feature phones and have a fair way to go to reach the high-end smartphone market, but LG chose Windows Mobile rather than a proprietary OS. Clearly Android hasn’t reached a maturity level high enough for LG to seriously consider putting it on their hardware, despite being a member of the Open Handset Alliance. The screen’s not massively impressive, but if you find yourself incited to buy this phone, head on over to AT&T’s online store, or swing by your closest retailer.

[via AT&T]

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Memory manufacturer seeks to halt iPod, BlackBerry sales over patent dispute

Simon Sage — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:08:27 +0000

Flash memory manufacturer, Spansion, is looking to lock down BlackBerry, iPod and other gadget sales over a patent infringement case with Samsung. Good luck with that, Spansion, but you’re probably more likely to get a big fat out-of-court settlement. Supposedly over 100 million devices are using Samsung memory that stomps all over Spansion’s technology. Given that Samsung is the top dog in the mobile memory world and Spansion holds third place, we can see why they’re protective of their patents, but I think we can safely assume this will end without any especially jarring effects on end consumers.

[via AP]

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Virgin Mobile USA cuts jobs by 10%

Will Park — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:06:16 +0000

Following on the company’s announcement of a successful Q3 2008, Virgin Mobile USA has cut some 10% of their workforce. Virgin Mobile USA doled out walking papers to 45 employees from their New Jersey and California offices, citing a “duplication of assignments.”

It was only a matter of time before Virgina Mobile USA made good on plans to cut some of the fat associated with their acquisition of Helio earlier this year. With Helio and Virgin Mobile USA staff vying for essentially the same jobs, it would stand to reason that newly acquired Helio’s employees would be the first to get cut.

As we head into an unknown holiday shopping season, it’s possible that further job cuts are in store for Virgin Mobile USA.

[Via: MobileCrunch]

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Sciphone’s half-baked Dream G2 from China - Land of the useless Android smartphone

Will Park — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:42:49 +0000

Why is it that handsets from little-known Chinese manufacturers always claim to feature ground-breaking technologies but come wrapped in low-end plastics and half-baked ideas. The latest Chinese smartphone to hit the intertubes is the Sciphone Dream G2.

Powered by the same Android OS that made a splash on the T-Mobile G1 (wherever did Sciphone get the idea for “Dream G2?”), the Sciphone Dream G2 promises to bring the world’s second Android smartphone to market on November 28. The Dream G2 promises to sport a 2.8-inch 320×240 touchscreen, 4 megapixel camera, EDGE (keep dreaming about that 3G connection), WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP, and FM radio.

Unfortunately for the “engineers” at Sciphone, the Dream G2 doesn’t sport a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The Android OS doesn’t support any on-screen, virtual keyboards, which should make for some fun times when you’re trying to input text numbers anything on your Dream G2.

Another half-baked smartphone from China? How surprising.

Sciphone

[Via: ModMyGphone]

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Scalado announces new camera phone platform for zero shutter-lag

Will Park — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:25:44 +0000

In this megapixel war that pits camera phone manufacturer against camera phone manufacturer in a race to pack as many pixels on to an image sensor before the competition catches up. Cameraphones are fast approaching the double-digit megapixel-barrier in the mass market, but hardware makers have seemingly overlooked one critical aspect of a mobile phone’s camera - that annoying shutter lag.

These days even point-and-shoot cameras offer minimal click-to-shutter delay times, with DSLR cameras leading the pack with almost non-existent shutter lag. But, cellphones with high-end camera modules seem to sacrifice shutter actuation-speed for higher megapixel counts. The best cameraphones on market these days still suffer from horrendous shutter lag that kill the photo-taking experience.

Fortunately, shutter-lag is about to be a thing of the past. Combined with new hardware innovations, Scalado’s new Scaldo Camera solution software promises to completely do away with shutter-lag while enabling burst-mode and instant zoom. Scalado’s SpeedTags and Scalado Camera Engine technologies will bring “unique, professional DSLR like performance” to the camera phone space, according to Scalado’s Magnus Ingelsten, VP Marketing.

Expect to see Scalado’s technology hitting mass-market cameraphones by the 2009 holiday shopping season - about a year from now. Zero shutter-lag, here we come!

Scalado

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Flash 10 working on Android, HTC G1

Simon Sage — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:25:40 +0000

Well, damn. I guess all that open source stuff with Android paid off awfully quick, because here we have a video from the Adobe MAX conference of Flash 10 running on the T-Mobile G1. It demos full zooming, panning and interactivity, which unlocks a whole segment of web content typically inaccessible to mobile browsers. Big name platforms like the iPhone and BlackBerry still have yet to pull this particular rabbit out of the hat, but Windows Mobile has supported Flash Lite since OS version 5.0. No dates for a proper release were mentioned, but the fact that developers are toying around with it now leads us to believe Flash on Android will be a solid reality in the very near future.

[I4U via AndroidCentral ]

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