iPhone Buzz » 3GSM World Congress

iPhone firmware 2.2 not without bugs

Shawn Brown — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:01:22 +0000

With every new firmware version there are bound to be a few bugs here and there. No one was prepared for the issues that users are currently reporting in the iPhone firmware 2.2 update. Some of the more serious issues include the loss of the ability to sync with iTunes, loss in both 3G and Edge signal strength, loss of Wi-Fi connectivity and the disappearance of both Apple and third party applications.

Needless to say this is a huge problem that in come cases make this update more harmful than helpful. A number of users are downgrading back to firmware 2.1 in order to resolve the issues. We ourselves have experienced a drop in signal strength. The most reports we have been getting is loss of Wi-Fi connectivity. Users are unable to get a Wi-Fi connection even without network encryption.

Here are some of the reports that users are making:

“When I upgraded, all my apps non-original apps disappears, except for google! When I tried to re-download and then resync them onto my iphone, only some of them would appear. After talking to support, we tried starting my computer (she said this was happening to some people) and then syncing. This added a couple more, but about 10 were still sitting in my itunes and refusing to sync.”

“After the os 2.2 update. Safari suddenly disappeared. Syncing etc didn’t work or resolve the issue. I had to do a restore to get things back to normal.”

“After upgrading to 2.2 the iphone camera app disappeared, and every program that uses the camera stopped working also. Restoring the phone brought it back but then the next Sync made it go away again. Very annoying. How much QA did they do before they released this upgrade? I can understand third party apps breaking but not the base applications.”

“I also have had a problem with a missing application. My camera application has disappeared and I tried restoring it, and it appeared for about five minutes, let me take one picture, then was suddenly gone again.”

[Via iPhoneAtlas]

Will the new iPhone support true GPS?

Vincent Nguyen — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:22:52 +0000

Some telling information has been pulled from the device emulator included in the iPhone SDK. There is some evidence there that the new iPhone could have true GPS functionality, which is currently a talking point of iPhone critics. It is important to keep in mind, this could mean something, but could just as easily, mean nothing.

Reference to NMEA found in the locationd service on the iPhone, suggest that GPS could be coming. NMEA is the standard way to present GPS data to applications that can use it. The locationd service also revealed some strings related to satellite positioning, latitude, longitude, speed, and satellite link quality. There are more strings than just those relating to GPS, including current position and estimated accuracy.

True GPS support is a huge leap over the current solution on the iPhone, which uses triangulation of towers to determine the iPhone position relative to themselves. This is also known as A-GPS, or assisted GSPS. GPS is much more efficient. All this though, does not mean GPS will be there for sure. All it means, is there is software support for it, only the new iPhone will tell us for sure.

[Via iPhone Atlas]

Neonode N2 live photos at 3GSM

Vincent Nguyen — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 13:00:32 +0000

So you know what’s inside, but you want to see exactly how it looks in the ~~flesh~~ metal: Neonode’s N2 has been officially launched at 3GSM, and SlashGear have got some exclusive photos of this deeply sexy handset.

Head on over to see both the graphite and, um, salmon pink versions…

3GSM: Neonode N2 live hands-on photos [SlashGear]

New Asus Aries Pics – 3GSM

Chris Scott Barr — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:26:14 +0000

Windows Mobile 6 has been big news at 3GSM this year, and there have been plenty of manufacturersÂ show up with phones that are running it. Asus is no exception.

Asus has brought out their new Aries phone that bears a strong resemblance to the Q. One thing that we don’t see a lot is the camera on the front of the phone. This would be for video conferencing I imagine.

Asus is usually known for having high-quality products, though they are still relatively new to the phone market. It will be interesting to see how it stacks up against the other new WM6 offerings.

Neonode N2 in the spotlight

Vincent Nguyen — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:19:24 +0000

I’m not going to ask the exact details of the birth – I’ve not long had breakfast, and I’ve always been a tad squeamish – but the Neonode N2 is here and my-oh-my it looks tasty. I confess, I was one of the eager crowd (that soon shrank) waiting for the company’s first handset, and disappointed that the eventual result lacked both features and, perhaps unsurprisingly, attention when it finally made it to market. That shouldn’t be the fate of the N2.

Mainstays such as Quad-band GSM, GPRS and Bluetooth (though sadly no stereo headphone A2DP support) are present, as is support for SMS and MMS messaging, video and image recording via a 2-megapixel camera, an audio player with the typical brace of supported file-types (mp3, WMA and WAV) and calendar. A nice bonus is that the address book and schedule can be synchronised using ActiveSync.

Where the N2 stands out is the interface and the size. The latter is easy to describe: 47 x 77 x 14.7mm and just 70 grams; the former takes a bit more time. The original Neonode felt a little bit like company with a UI concept having to slap together a handset to take advantage of it; thankfully this time round it’s all a little less haphazard, but the interface certainly is still the selling point here.

Being touchscreen-based means no keypad and hence a smaller phone; gesture and chunky-icon support means no fiddly stylus and one-handed use. It’s small enough to be held in the palm while using the thumb to jab and sweep at the screen.

Rather than a traditional passive touchscreen, the N2 uses Neonode’s own patented technology which overlays an invisible grid of lasers on top of a normal LCD display. Interrupting this grid tells the N2 where you’re pointing. Because it’s light, not pressure sensitive, you don’t suffer the muddiness of normal touchscreens with their spongy layers, and it’s easier to gesture because you needn’t concentrate on keeping equal pressure on the display.

It’s there that the UI should shine. Called Neno, it relies on a set of gestures that are consistent throughout the interface. For instance, sweeping upwards from the bottom of the screen opens the menu, full of thumb friendly icons. Sweeping left or right ends or answers a call respectively, or dismisses or accepts a dialogue box. Frankly, I think it’s tougher to explain in words than it is to use in practise.

Third-party software is supported from the start, with Neonode encouraging owners to view their N2 as a miniature computer rather than just a phone. They’re also making it relatively easy to develop your own software, and share that via their online Friends Zone. All this is made easier since the N2 can be hooked up to your PC as a standard USB disk: if you plug it in turned on, it’ll synchronise; plug it in turned off and it shows up as a removable drive.

That really comes into its own when used with the company’s Web Radio Recorder (WRR) software. Available soon as a free download, it records an internet radio stream of your choosing as a simple mp3 file, only cutting out all the adverts so you’re left with pure music. WRR can access over 100,000 different channels, all sorted by genre and the like, so finding something to listen to on that boring commute shouldn’t be too difficult any more.

Once again, I’m excited about a phone. Okay, it’s not 3G (though that hasn’t put too much of a dampener on iPhone hype, has it) but by positioning the N2 as first and foremost a phone has given Neonode the time and space to develop an interface that actually makes using the handset feel better.

~~We’ll have live pictures of the Neonode N2 from 3GSM later on today~~ Live photos of the N2 is here!!!

Neonode

Nokia E90 Communicator is official

Vincent Nguyen — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:25:10 +0000

The Nokia E90 Communicator sets the standard for an uncompromised “mobile office” experience. The latest technologies at the core of the device bring business necessities and personal amenities to the hands of people independent of time and place. Fast and inexpensive connections over WLAN and HSDPA-enhanced 3G accelerate the mobile use of data- and transmission-rich applications. The interface to business and leisure applications and the Internet, the stunning Nokia S60 browser, with 16 million colors, is capable of displaying the full width of a web page at once.

The Nokia E90 Communicator is now based on the S60 platform, making a wealth of additional mobile applications available for its users. The Nokia E90 Communicator also has an integrated GPS and Nokia Maps application to provide help in finding routes and locating services. For increased personal convenience, the Nokia E90 Communicator is equipped with an FM radio, a music player, a video player and two cameras — a 3.2Mpix auto focus camera with flash and a second camera for videoconferencing.

First deliveries of the Nokia E90 Communicator are anticipated to take place during the second quarter of 2007, with volume global availability during the third quarter of 2007. The unsubsidised retail price of the Nokia E90 Communicator will be around Â€750-800.

Image above courtesy of smstextnews

New Samsung SCH-i760 Pictures and video

Chris Scott Barr — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:11:04 +0000

We finally have some images of the upcoming Samsung SCH-i760 which looks to be a heavy-hitter in this year’s round of phone releases. Unfortunately, we don’t have any good details yet, but it does have a fairly unique layout for the number pad and 5-way button. By positioning them as they have, it allows for a larger screen without adding much size to the phone. We’ll keep you posted as more details arise.

It’s a….Neonode

Chris Scott Barr — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:54:40 +0000

It’s a…..Neonode! Well, Neonode N2 to be exact. The pregnant man has finally come full circle, and now is the proud father (mother?) of his very own Neonode N2. Weighing in at 70g and 77mm tall, its shorter than most newborns, but he’s happy all the same.

We’ll be updated soon with the rest of the details, but we’re all hoping to see Bluetooth, a camera, USB support, and if we’re lucky the soon-to-be-released Windows Mobile 6. They will be releasing all of these details in the form of a â€œbirth certificateâ€ soon. Definitely one of the most unique marketing ideas I’ve seen in a while.

Welcome to the world! [via pregnantmanblog]

First glimpse of Toshiba G900Pro smartphone

Vincent Nguyen — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 23:14:12 +0000

It’s important for My iPhone to keep an eye on the competitor as well as keep you informed of whatâ€™s coming out of 3GSM 2007. We saw a sneak preview of the Nokia E90 and hereâ€™s another first look of what Toshibaâ€™s putting out â€“ the G900 / G900Pro.

Highlight features:

Built-in fingerprint sensor
A handset with large touch screen powered by Windows Mobile 6
Panoramic display with resolution of 800×400 pixels
miniSD card slot
Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11/b/g
USB host feature
2 cameras, one for video calling and the second one for taking photos (2 megapixel)
64 MB internal memory
slide-out QWERTY keyboard

More 3GSM images here.

G900 de Toshiba, nuevo Pocket PC Phone Edition presentado en el 3GSM [via ToDoPocketPC]

Nokia E90 Communicator in the wild!

Vincent Nguyen — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 19:26:19 +0000

Geez, who wouldnâ€™t want a smartphone packing two massively large screens, QWERTY keyboard, and 3.2 megapixel camera? I know Iâ€™d want it.

While details for the Nokia E90 Communicator is sketchy until itâ€™s official arrival at 3GSM next week, Engadget reports other features include WiFi, Quad-band GSM, S60 operating system, an internal display with 800 x 353 pixel resolution, and an external display of 240 x 320 pixel resolution. The best part about the dual display is that you can run applications on either screen. For example, launch an app on the external display, then open and continue working on the internal display. Very sweet!

Nokia’s E90 Communicator: first pics! [Via Gadgetell / Mobile-Review]

Neonode expecting to give birth to a new buttonless touchscreen mobile phone on February 12, 2007

Vincent Nguyen — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 01:59:55 +0000

Congratulations, youâ€™re having a boy! The Swedish developer of mobile devices and pioneer in buttonless touchscreen mobile phones â€“ will be presenting their new son Neonode N1 at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona. The Neonode N1 will also feature touchscreen/gesture user interface (UI) similar to the iPhone.

Neonode introduced its first buttonless and fully touchscreen controlled mobile phone as early as 2004. Now, three years later, the concept is expected to be a powerful trendsetter in the sector. Neonodeâ€™s new mobile are being exhibited at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona from February 12th to February 15th, and will be released onto the European market during the spring.

â€œWe will be exhibiting a strong product, which shows that one does not need to be the biggest to be at the forefront of development,â€ says Tommy Hallberg, CEO of Neonode AB.

Follow the birth of the new mobile on www.neonode.com, or follow the last two weeks of the pregnancy of their chief product designerâ€™s private blog (http://www.pregnantmanblog.com).

[Thanks Tommy H. and Daniel S.]