Seattle the No. 1 Wired City in US
January 29, 2009
According to Forbes, who conducts this and other types of research every year, Seattle has achieved the crown of being the most wired city in the United States in 2009, squeezing ahead and pushing Atlanta into second place. This is probably due to the septillion Starbucks WiFi hotspots, and it probably helps that Amazon.com and Microsoft are situated nearby. Why not check to see if your home town made it on the list of the top thirty? Glory lies in being a thoroughly networked city.
T-Mobile Shadow has UMA Support, Faster Processor
January 29, 2009
T-Mobile is adding the first Windows Mobile device to its stable of UMA-capable handsets. The updated T-Mobile Shadow gains the ability to work with the carrier’s Hotspot @Home service. This allows for seamless phone calls over WiFi, instead of solely on the cellular network. Aside from two new colors (white mint and black burgundy), there are a few other minor tweaks over last year’s model:
* The OS moves up to Windows Mobile 6.1 from 6.0
* Battery capacity increases from 920mAh to 1100mAh
* More rounded corners on the device
* Aforementioned UMA support
* Processor is boosted to a TI 260MHz CPU from the old TI at 201MHz
WMExperts took a look-see at this new model while at CES. The processor jump proved for more fluid screen animations and the UMA is a welcome addition. If you’re in agreement, $149.99 plus a two-year commitment gets you your own revised Shadow. At least that’s what the PR folks tell me; there’s no price in the release that follows. Hitting up the T-Mobile site shows a net price of $199.99. Tell ‘em we sent you and see if they give you a $50 discount, ‘k?
Share Life’s Fun Moments With the Launch of the New T-Mobile Shadow
Latest “All-in-One” Device Features Support for T-Mobile Unlimited HotSpot Calling, a More Powerful Processor and a Curvier Design
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Jan. 28, 2009 — Today, T-Mobile USA, Inc., announced the availability of the new T-Mobile® Shadow™. Featuring a more rounded and compact design with…
WiFi Coming to MLK Corridor
January 29, 2009
Wireless internet will soon be available to those living along the MLK Corridor.
Thanks to grant money from the Georgia Technology Authority people living and working along MLK will be able to access free wireless internet.
No Wifi? No Problem. Gmail Unveils Offline E-mail
January 29, 2009
Google has gone a long way toward solving the biggest drawback of web-based e-mail — what do you do when there is no internet connection? Google aims to solve that problem with new offering that will enable Gmail users access from their browsers even when they aren’t online.
Of course, using an e-mail client with an IMAP connection, many people have long enjoyed offline access to their Gmail accounts. But for those of you that want offline access, and the web-based interface, the new Offline mode is what you’ve been dreaming about.
The much-requested offline feature, which allows you to read, star, label, archive and compose new mail even when you don’t have an internet connection, will be coming to all Gmail accounts over the next few days. If you don’t see it just yet be patient, you may have to wait a day or two.
Like the very similar feature available in Google Reader, Gmail’s offline feature relies on Gears, Google’s offline web application API. If you haven’t installed Gears in your browser, don’t worry, Offline Gmail will prompt you to install Gears the first time you try to sync your messages.
Because Offline Gmail is still in the experimental stage (Google warns that there might be “kinks that haven’t been completely ironed out yet”), you’ll need to enable it through Gmail Labs. To get Offline mode set up, click Settings and then click the Labs tab. Now select the Enable button next to the Offline Gmail feature and then hit the Save Changes button at th…
First Impressions of T-Mobile BB Curve 8900
January 28, 2009
T-Mobile may not have the latest and greatest Windows Mobile phones, but they were the first to launch a Google Android device with the G1 (see my review) and are one of the first to sell the latest and greatest RIM BlackBerry devices. They were one of the first with the Curve and Pearl and are the only US carrier currently supporting the BlackBerry Pearl Flip. The latest device to hit T-Mobile is the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 that is currently available in Canada from Rogers. The T-Mobile RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 should be a super hot seller since it offers almost the same specifications (differences are important and noted below in detail) and functionality as the larger and more expensive BlackBerry Bold in a lighter and sleeker package. I’ve had the Curve 8900 for the last few days and if I didn’t have such a need for an Exchange server solution I would be one of the first in line to buy the Curve 8900. In addition to my thoughts and video below, you can check out my image gallery for still photos of the BlackBerry Curve 8900.
The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 is promoted as the thinnest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry device available and may soon take the crown as the most popular BlackBerry device. I enjoyed my time with the Bold and was saddened when I had to return it due to lack of Exchange synchronization. The Curve 8900 should be more appealing than the Bold for many people because of the lower cost and sleeker form factor with a slightly higher resolution…
Linux tablet emerges from blogosphere
January 28, 2009
Technology blog site TechCrunch has prototyped a WiFi-enabled tablet PC device that runs Linux. The “Crunchpad” is equipped with a Via Nano processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB flash, and a 12-inch, 1024×768 touchscreen, and appears to be aimed at Web-curious couch potatoes.
The CrunchPad is the brainchild of TechCrunch editor Michael Arrington, who last summer announced plans to launch an open-source project to build a prototype. Arrington’s goal was to find a “dead simple” touchscreen web browsing device that was light enough to sit on one’s lap while watching TV. At the time, TechCrunch was targeting a $200 device, but now “$299 is more realistic,” writes Arrington in his most recent post.
Prototype B of the CrunchPad uses Via Technologies’s 64-bit, 65nm Nano processor, which Arrington says performs on par with an Intel Atom in their tests. Nano-based netbooks, such as Dr. Mobile’s recently announced, Linux ready Freestyle 1300n, have the potential to outperform those based on Intel’s ubiquitous Atom N270 — though with a potential sacrifice in battery life. Third-party comparisons of the Atom and the Nano, using desktop versions of the CPUs, have shown the Nano outperforming the Atom by up to 30 percent. But, while both CPUs have similar power consumption at idle, the Nano drinks significantly more juice under load, reports say. TechCrunch did not report which version of the processor was used, but it is likely the mobile-oriented, 1.3GHz Nano U2350.
The CrunchPad is further …
Why all the fuss by WiFi?
January 28, 2009
I would like to congratulate the Penang Government on its decision to implement the WiFi project for the benefit of the people of Penang.
However, some of us still have doubts over its safety, and continue to believe the words of others without resorting to preliminary research WiFi coverage good but not its future side effects – The Star, Jan 26).
I believe that any government would have completed a cost and benefit analysis with regard to this issue.
Scientifically, the higher the frequency of an electromagnetic wave, the higher the energy of the wave. That could be the contributing factor for damage, if any.
The sun’s waves have higher frequency than any mobile phone, and would contribute to cancer if a human is exposed for long periods of time in the sun.
It has to be noted that WiFi and Wimax use the 2.5 Ghz frequency range, with WiMax at a further range than WiFi, and thus maybe more dangerous.
So, why all the fuss with WiFi, and not with WiMax?
Is it because we fail to note the relationship between frequency range and the dangers it has towards biological matter?
Is it not more reasonable to be afraid of WiMax, since it is a newer technology with no research being done towards assessing its dangers?
It can be said that WiFi is safer since research on it has been completed and no conclusive evidence (on its feared dangers) has been found.
So, stop the ranting and make use of WiFi to catch up with the rest of the world.
Like in a cour…