Goodbye Cingular - at&t and Bellsouth merger approved

This merger that has been in limbo for months is finally complete. Approved. What does this mean for you? All the cool orange splotch branding and all the money spent to make this a cool brand name are gone soon. Unless CEO of AT&T has changed his mind, he likes the name AT&T and plans to revert the wireless side back to this branding. In a press conference a while back Ed Whitacre was asked why he wanted to to go away from Cingular name, he answer by explaining that he liked the name AT&T and that it’s a strong brand.

I saw this coming way before it came to the table. Right after the SBC / AT&T merger, it seemed a perfect scenario. Now, after months in a deadlock, the merger is finally approved and it is time to move forward. You have 3 companies, all with separate "Brass" merging into one company now, so there is going to be a lot of cut backs for sure.

FCC seals $86B AT&T-BellSouth merger
The telecommunications giant gave into FCC demands on net neutrality, prices, Internet service and jobs to close the deal.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — The FCC announced the approval of AT&T’s acquisition of BellSouth in a deal worth $86 billion Friday afternoon, after AT&T gave additional commitments regarding billing, Internet availability and jobs.

The No. 1 telecommunications company’s commitments included a promise to maintain net neutrality for at least 30 months, the promise of $10 high-speed Internet service to customers in traditional phone service areas and the repatriation of 3,000 offshore jobs from BellSouth’s (Charts) operations.

Source : CNN ( Click to read entire article)  / For even more info and how you, as a consumer, will be affected click here.

UK computer pioneer honoured

One of the leading lights in the British Computer industry has been honoured in the New years honours list.  Professor Andrew Hopper, has now been made a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for services to the computer industry. And in 1978 he was a co founder of Acorn Computers

Now there are 2 reasons why this man may have had an influence on your life.

If you’re British, and about my age, you probably grew up with the BBC micro computer in schools.. which pretty much was responsible for teaching BASIC to an entire generation.

If you don’t fall into the above category, you may be interested to know that  one of the subsidiaries of Acorn was Advanced RISC Machines, - Also know as ARM… as in the ARM Processor which still drives most PDAs and Pocket PC phones .

source: BBC

BostonPocketPC - Alive and Well!

After a serious issue with hosting as well as a few other technical issues, the Boston Pocket PC website is finally back up and running!  YEA!!!

It’s a NEW look for a NEW year with a whole lot of neat NEW things coming!

There will be some cool announcements coming from the guys at Boston Pocket PC so update your RSS feeds and check out the new look.  The NEW feed for Boston Pocket PC is: 

 http://www.bostonpocketpc.com/SyndicationService.asmx/GetRss

Boston Pocket PC will be 5 years old on Monday so make sure you check in and wish them a Happy Birthday!!

Wii Kitty- But no mice

There are several reasons why a story may make it to the front page of Mobilitysite.. It could be a major story.. it could have come from a rock solid source… it could just be a slow news day.. or it could have some fantastic pictures…or just a chance for me to use some very bad puns.

I’m not saying which one(s) of these Categories this one falls in.  But it does seem to be the purrfect blend. Well it should amews you for a while and make your paws for thought.

There are more than a hundred of these moggies who have welcomed the new wii into their households- Delivered by Santa Claws. Well they are more fun than a ball of wool, and it does make a change from all the Wii Injury stories,

Link:  WiiKitty.com

MMS Exploit Released for Windows Mobile – No Patch Available

Geekzone reported today that the Symantec Security Response Weblog has posted a note warning that an exploit is in the wild that uses the multimedia messaging service (MMS) as a vector. MMS are similar to the SMS but carry multimedia information such as text, sound, pictures and short videos.

The warning is a follow up on a previously disclosed vulnerability found by researcher Collin Mulliner, who gave an updated version of his presentation titled "Advanced Attacks Against PocketPC Phones".

In summary:
• There has been a publicly disclosed vulnerability for over six months now
• There is no patch for this vulnerability
• There is an exploit now out there
• There is no easy way to patch the vulnerable devices due to the lack of auto updates (try explaining what a firmware update is to your parents)

I just want to hear it go RING RING

When I am out and someone is trying to call, I just want to hear my phone RING … I don’t care for all those special ring tones, they just don’t interest me.  Give me the old Ring Ring and I’m happy.

Yeah, I know, I am probably in a very small minority there so for those of you that do like a variety and if you’re a Verizon Customer, you can get a Free Ringtone on New Year’s Eve.

MobileBurn posted a story the other day that they were contacted by a Verizon Wireless press representative to let them know that a free ringtone download was available on New Years Eve.

Verizon customers simply need to text the word “Tone” to the number 2007 with their phone and they will receive instructions as to how they can download a free ringtone of their choosing.

You can check out the list of available ringtones at the Verizon Wireless Get It Now website. Just remember that the code only works for Verizon Wireless customers and is only valid on New Years Eve, December 31st.

via JAMM

PhatPad 4.0 - New Version, New Features

PhatWare Corp. has announced the release of PhatPad 4.0, the next generation of the company’s award-winning notes organizer for Microsoft Windows-based Desktop, Tablet, and Pocket PCs.

PhatPad allows users to draw pictures, jot notes, or put a mixture of pictures and typed text on a virtual scratch pad. The program’s new digital ink technology provides a very smooth ink flow so it feels like writing on an actual piece of paper.

 

[Read more]

Nokia 5500 - Has the missing Feature

It’s getting close to the time when I’m looking for a new handset /contract. Which is something that I love and hate at the same time,

There’s a whole load of things that my device must be able to do.

• 2 mega pixel camera
• Decent set of Bluetooth profiles
• Proper smartphone functions
• Battery life longer than a couple of days
• Easy to use interface
• Music player
• Torch
• Expandable Memory
• Enough Whizzo to impress friends

Now the obvious contender is one of the new HTC devices.. but the 5500 has one major feature that non of the HTC stable has (and I’m not talking about Symbian here). It’s a waterproof, dust-proof, shockproof, rucksack-proof device that isn’t going to make it’s owners do the maths about screen replacement after you’ve bounced it off the concrete.

(and it also acts as a training monitor that syncs with your pc.., and has an accelerometer in it that either acts as a pedometer, or lets you play Wii style games, so that’s the whizzo sorted)

Steve Litchfield from AllaboutSymbian reckons it’s the Swiss army knife of phones, and when did your last swiss army knife fall apart?

Here’s the video review from AllAboutSymbian

SDIO GPS w/ MicroSD Reader!

Spectec’s announced an SDIO GPS receiver that includes a MicroSD card reader. If you don’t want the hassle of a Bluetooth receiver, this may be the way to go.

Specs for the unit are as follows:

• SiRF Star III chipset
• 20 Channels
• WAAS enabled
• SDIO v1.1/2
• microSD slot (max. 2GB)
• Status L.E.D
• Hot / Warm / Cold Start: 1 / 38 / 42 seconds

Source: http://www.spectec.com.tw/sdg810.htm via Modaco.

Original Source : Gear Diary

 

Voxtel Windows Mobile Phone w/ 4MP camera

If you’re looking for a Windows Mobile device with a good camera then the Voxtel W740 could fit the bill. It comes with a 4MP camera!

Unfortunately, however, that’s about it for the excitement. The rest of the stats are as follows:

• WM5 for Pocket PC
• TI OMAP 730 200Mhz CPU
• 128MB / 64MB RAM
• microSD
• 2.4" QVGA touch screen
• 4MP CCD (not CMOS) camera w/ auto focus
• Triband GSM
• Bluetooth 1.2
• Java MIDP 2.0

And the downsides?

• No keyboard, either numeric or alphanumeric
• No IR, EDGE, or WiFi

More pictures after the jump at Voxtel.ru (good thing I speak Russian…)

 

Ford and Microsoft Partner on Automotive OS

I used to love Ford, I have owned several Mustangs. Due to a recent debacle with their service department, I will not purchase another Ford again. Yep, I am pretty stubborn when a company wrongs me. Enough about me, let’s talk about Ford and Microsoft.  

The Wall Street Journal reports that Ford and Microsoft have decided to sync. At the Detroit Auto Show and the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the two firms will jointly announce Sync, an in-car navigation and infotainment system built on Microsoft’s platform.

Sync is designed to let drivers navigate better, download and listen to music, talk by cell phone, and even get e-mail without using their hands, according to reports. Powered by Bluetooth — the same technology that powers wireless cell phone headsets — Sync will debut in two Ford models, the Focus and Five Hundred series, in 2007, then expand to all Ford models in the 2008 model year.

Read the rest of this article at Mobile Tech Today.

The One-Touch Any-Media iPod Uploader

 …. and you can find this slick item at Hammacher Schlemmer

This caught my eye as a potentially very slick device to have if you are looking for an easy way to convert a variety of media for your iPod.

It converts any type of video or audio, including cassette tapes, vinyl records, television shows, and VHS tapes, directly to an iPod at the touch of a button…. I like that for those folks that want to enjoy but don’t want to deal with difficult setups.

Simply plug in the device, push the record button, and content is converted to digital MP3 (audio) or MPEG4 (video) format, three hours of 320 x 240 resolution video content takes up approximately 1 GB, and is stored immediately onto an iPod (video iPod required for video content). The price is right…………. $159.95

Check it out at Hammacher Schlemmer via The Raw Feed

HTC Road Map for 2007

CES is around the corner and the hot new device plans are starting to surface. There are a few HTC devices coming down the pipe surfacing, some we’ve seen and some we haven’t.

HTC Kaiser
Another keyboard model, which is supposed to be issued in spring, is HTC Kaiser. Its form-factor is already known on HTC TyTN and HTC P4350 (Herald). Actually, it will be a slightly modified and advanced TyTN, which will have a GPS receiver in addition to the same QVGA-screen, the support of 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a powerful processor (400Mhz). It is a compelled step as the HTC cannot compete with the E-Ten, which sells Glofiish X500 and Glofiish M700. The only device with similar characteristics is HTC P3300 with a weak 200 MHz processor.

It’s really exciting to see what HTC is doing. Constant, quality, and increases in functionality. Their naming scheme has alot to be desired, but the phones are super. This roadmap also claims that the HTC Athena everyone is gaga over will retail for around $1700.00.

Some of the other phones on this road map for 2007 include the Love, Vox, Kaiser, Wings, Cavalier, Elf, and something else they couldn’t identify, but looks like a redone HTC Star Trek. (or maybe its called unknown…hehe)

The unknown one is pictured left and the HTC Elf is on the right.

Thanks to Mobility Site member Menneisyys for the tip on the photos and info. The original source is from Hpc.ru’s latest article.

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Astraware’s Annual Hogmanay Party

Astraware is celebrating the New Year with its Annual Hogmanay Party and you’re all invited!

The Hogmanay Party runs from December 30th 2006 to January 11th 2007 and offers a range of fun games from as little as $2.95. Substantial discounts on different games will be offered each day, so remember to check the Party page often at http://www.astraware.com/promo/hogmanay07.

As a very special offer, Club Astraware will be offering one top title exclusively to its members from December 30th to January 11th only. So if you’re not already a member, join up now. You will not want to miss this offer!

And finally, if you’re still wondering what Hogmanay is all about, check out the Astraware company blog at http://www.astraware.com/company/blog.php where Astraware’s resident Scottish expert, Iain Moore, gives a little insight. Have a Happy Hogmanay!

You can visit Astraware’s Annual Hogmanay Party  here.

Attention i-mate owners! You have an authorized repair center!

One of our sponsors and a good friend Leonard Wesson announced some big news today. They are now an Official US and Canadian i-mate Repair Center.

Leonard and the other guys at Pocket PC Techs have been doing LCD repairs, memory upgrades, and more on top of selling great PDA/Phone Accessories for longer than I’ve dealt with them through Aximsite. They do quality work and today they are rewarded with this great news. I just hope I never NEED their service, I don’t like my phones to break!

Read on for the Press Release…

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