iPhone Download World

Nokia's Biggest Competition: Android In The Developing World

Nokia is in trouble, and it’s well known: While the firm is still making money, its future plans were cast into deep shadow by the rapidly evolving smartphone scene, led by the iPhone and its OS, which more or less made Nokia’s current smartphones (as well as future generations) obsolete overnight. the firm is trying to pull off a dramatic pivot, with Stephen Elop at the helm, and has just revealed the first Windows Phone 7 devices with which it hopes to save its future.

Simultaneously Nokia’s also launched a big offensive to win over the “next billion,” consumers in the developing world who are increasingly turning to the net and new technology to improve their lifestyles and national wellbeing.

But where the iPhone marched in, Google’s Android has swept in its wake. and now it’s Google’s tech which may be the biggest threat to Nokia’s success, including in developing nations.

The flagship phone from Nokia is now the Lumia 800, previously known as codename Searay. It’s a dramatic re-working of Nokia’s N9 phone, its recently pseudo-cancelled MeeGo-powered device that represented Nokia’s first real stab at a new-style all-touchscreen smartphone in the post-iPhone world, and one that met with much industry enthusiasm.

In many ways the 800’s a breakthrough for Nokia: It has a clever scratch-resistant polycarbonate body that stands out among its plastic and metal peers, it has an aggressive design with a prominent glass face, bright OLED display and sleek external form. Inside it sports Windows Phone 7, and it worked very closely with Microsoft to ensure that there was a good OS synergy with its 1.4 GHz processor and other hardware–a very Apple-esque maneuver. Nokia Music built-in is a clever touch that’ll make it a good rival to iTunes and also Google’s expected music push, and with Nokia Drive it also has excellent built-in navigation.

Some are criticizing its launch in Europe first, but this ignores the fact that the European smartphone market is likely bigger than the U.S.’s, and betrays an America-centric stance that even Apple has moved past (launching the iPhone 4S in 7 nations internationally, with 22 more inside a month).

The biggest issue for the device may be its price. Equivalent to $580, it’s right up there with the iPhone 4S and a number of high-profile Android units. still, alongside the 800 is the interesting Lumia 710, a very similar phone internally but with reduced specs on its design, construction and screen tech and a lower $374 equivalent price. this is a much more affordable phone, which will probably cost significantly less with carrier subsidies.

The 800 carries itself as a radically-designed, high-end smartphone sporting the Windows OS that’s earned much praise for its non-iPhone-like innovation. It almost justifies its own price tag, especially among the (smaller slice of) members of the public that fancy a Windows device over others.

But even at the high end, the 800 is going to find it difficult to make a dent, especially if very similar windows phones from Samsung and other big-name Windows partners are compared to it…and remembering that sales of the existing Windows hardware haven’t been stellar compared to Apple’s and, for example, Samsung’s sales. And the 710, while more affordable, is likely to get lost amid the hundreds of similarly-specced Android phones available from a slew of makers, many of which will cost the same price or less, and some also offering better specs…all with the Android ecosystem the public is familiar with, and hundreds of thousands of apps.

Then we come to Nokia’s plan to capture growing markets in the developing world. the Asha range costs between €60 and €115 ($83 to $160) and is much more conventional. the handsets have mainly all-QWERTY keyboards, good cameras, built-in navigation and 3G data connectivity. Some have dual SIMs, very useful for separating business and personal use on the same handset (or in regions where carrier tariffs work best for different use-cases).

But these phones have the S40 OS inside. so, it’s tempting to call them very high-end feature phones rather than smartphones. They may have touchscreens and support app downloads from the Nokia store, as well has having some games and social networking built-in, but they don’t necessarily compete alongside many existing Android products.

Then there’s the iPhone 3GS to think about–a phone that Apple’s now made available for free on contract in many places, and which is aimed squarely at the low-mid end pre-pay market in many nations where pre-pay is more prevalent than the U.S.’s on-contract model.

In terms of sheer competition from cheaper Android handsets from HTC, Samsung, LG, ZTE and Huawei, and an expected Android-sweep of the developing world, Nokia’s efforts to connect the “Next Billion” seem like a desperate shotgun effort–with multiple combinations of tech components and style jumbled together to produce a price-differentiated lineup…but lacking one single crowd-pleasing innovation to make them stand out. even Square’s Jack Dorsey thinks this is the case, tweeting “Nokia: you make too many products. Focus on 3.”

Nokia hasn’t even included NFC in these devices. we know that in nations like Africa, alternative mobile payment systems are already paving the way, as it were, for more advanced NFC protocols (because in many developing nations, handsets are becoming a convenient way to pay for goods via carrier billing…because many people lack bank accounts). Google Wallet and NFC support are only going to expand internationally and onto even the cheaper range of smartphones–and Google’s already demonstrated that it can bend Wallet to work with pre-paid Google “credit cards.” and Android phones natively support systems like Gmail, which carry a cachet that Nokia’s own mail system can’t match.

New phones represent Nokia’s great hope. But they’re presented against a background of widespread Android market domination, and even expansion…and at a time that Apple, too, is trying to appeal to entry-level smartphone users, and some developing world markets.

Nokia’s problem is that it has to innovate faster than it ever has before, and critics may say the phones don’t match up to the ambition. It’s as if Nokia, which became a supertanker sailing serenely on the cell phone sea after years of dominance, is desperately trying to turn its hulk to avoid a crash. and though its captain is desperately trying new tricks to turn the bulky ship, it’s not clear if the tricks are really clever enough.

Chat about this news with Kit Eaton on Twitter and Fast Company too.

Mobile's moment is now

HSN inc., whose televised shopping programs drove $2.1 billion in revenue in 2010, more than half of it via HSN.com, has been among the most aggressive retailers in investing in mobile commerce. it has an m-commerce site, smartphone apps, an iPad app, a text messaging program and 2-D bar codes. The TV and online retailer is betting big that mobile technology is transforming web retailing—today, not tomorrow.

Mobile is already transforming the way customers react with home shopping shows like those on HSN, said Edward Deutscher, operating vice president of technology for HSN.com, advanced services and mobile, in a keynote address last month at the Internet Retailer Mobile Commerce Forum in Houston. “Customers are using mobile on their couch with their handsets or tablets while watching live TV,” Deutscher said. “Even though they may be watching the current item on TV they can get more information on mobile than on the TV, like customer reviews or alternative images.”

Two years ago consumers weren’t sitting on their couches using their iPads to gather information about products being promoted on TV because the iPad didn’t exist. This was just one of many examples provided during the three-day Mobile Commerce Forum about how rapidly mobile technology is changing the way consumers shop—and how retailers market to them.

And there’s growing pressure on retailers to adapt as consumers increasingly use mobile devices to shop: In July, 4.5% of traffic to online retail sites came from smartphones and 1.5% from tablet computers like the iPad, reported Jennifer Vlahavas, senior director for retail and trade verticals at web measurement firm comScore inc., at the conference. Some retailers are reporting mobile traffic as high as 12-15%.

Snapping up an app

Among the retail chains adapting to this new consumer behavior is Pacific Sunwear of California inc., which in 2009 launched a mobile commerce site and in May a mobile app, a dedicated piece of shopping software built for a specific type of mobile device, like an iPhone or an Android phone.

Tim Katz, senior online operations manager, spoke at the forum on how PacSun went about developing its app. More than 50,000 consumers have downloaded PacSun’s iPhone app since it launched in May, Katz reported in a session titled “Creating the mobile apps consumers want to use.”

The app is helping to contribute to PacSun’s m-commerce sales, which represent 4% of its online sales. Katz said PacSun’s iPhone app does everything its commerce-enabled mobile site can do, and more. new, app-only features include 2-D bar code scanner capabilities, a GPS store locator, fashion look-books and Facebook sharing. it can also send push notifications to app owners to alert them to new information.

Aveda, a brand of cosmetics brand Estee Lauder Cos. inc., launched its new mobile commerce site in October and will introduce its first iPhone app this month, reported Rachael Ostrom, executive director of social engagements for Aveda, in a session entitled “The challenges to stand-out mobile site design.”

Ostrom noted that Aveda redesigned its mobile site—the original was launched in December 2009—to better take into account the wider use today of touchscreen devices. The new Aveda mobile site has larger buttons in place of links—consumers often complain that they touch the wrong link on the small screen of a mobile phone—to make it easier to navigate on a touchscreen. The new mobile site also has video, which the earlier version lacked.

The new mobile site lets a consumer answer a few questions about her hair or skin type in order to receive customized product recommendations, just as she would get from a stylist or associate. “The feel of having that advisor with you on the phone is the overall goal of the redesign of the site,” Ostrom said.

Mobile TV

Jewelry Television’s overall goal for its m-commerce site is to keep its mobile shoppers grounded in the TV experience.

“Jewelry Television is primarily a television shopping network, so we focused on our TV shopper and how we can deliver that TV shopping experience to the mobile device,” said Brian Wilhelm, director of online marketing, in a session titled “Creating and evolving your mobile strategy.”

That led to the development of a mobile site that enables mobile phone users to watch the live broadcast on the TV network, view current and recent items on-air, see product ratings and reviews, and view all of the 30,000 items in inventory.

Jewelry TV brought many of those functions and more to the iPhone and Android mobile apps it developed next. “A major focus of our apps is education,” Wilhelm said, noting content such as a “Gemopedia” with information on gemstones that shoppers can access through the app.

Sales from mobile devices, including iPads, grew from 4% of online sales in January to 9% in September, Wilhelm said.

Staying on (text) message

Sites and apps are the foundation of mobile commerce. Text messaging is a mobile tool that some merchants are using to boost use of and sales through sites and apps and drive shoppers into stores.

Susan Blue, director of product strategy at FordDirect, was a featured speaker at the Internet Retailer Mobile Commerce Forum and focused on text messaging in her address, titled “FordDirect drives a mobile strategy.”

The Internet and mobile arm of the Ford Motor co. recently placed a short code in Ford advertisements asking consumers to text the name of the vehicle that interested them. FordDirect texted back asking for the consumer’s ZIP code so it could send a local offer. Finally Ford asked the consumer to text back his name if he wanted to talk with a dealer.

“At this point through the text technology we have their name, vehicle, ZIP code and phone number,” Blue said. “We used our back-end lead system to pass that information to a local dealer and then have that local dealer talk with the consumer via phone or text.”

Online Sales: Growth: See More Online Sales: Growth: See More Online Sales: Growth: See More

HDTV Magazine – HDTV and Home Theater Podcast – Podcast #502: Optoma Neo-i DV20A Projector Review

Optoma Neo-i DV20A Projector Review

You’ve heard us talk about projectors with built-in DVD players before, typically in conjunction with a feature on backyard or outdoor theater. But who uses DVDs anymore? OK, bad joke, but to be fair, more and more people are storing movies and videos right on their smart phones, portable media players and tablets. If that’s you, and your phone happens to be an iPhone, or you happen to use an iPod, Optoma has built the Neo-i DV20A projector just for you.

The Neo-i DV20A is essentially a DLP Pico Projector with a built-in iPod/iPhone dock and speakers. It’s small, light-weight and relatively inexpensive at $279 online (buy now). MSRP is $599. If you always have the iPhone or iPod with you, and you’d like to be able to blast your videos up on a 120” inch screen, the Neo-i might be just what you’re looking for.

Features Setup

The Neo-i projector is very easy to set up, easy as plug, dock and play. you plug it into the wall, dock the iPod or iPhone and away you go. of course it doesn’t have any lens shift capabilities, so the projector needs to be lined up just right with your wall or screen to look its best. If you don’t want to use an iPod or iPhone, you can use any other device with the VGA, HDMI and/ or AV inputs. it should work with just about any portable device that can play video.

While setup should be easy, nothing easy is ever simple. it took use several times docking and undocking the iPhone to actually get video to project. the iPhone would say that the video was being displayed “on the TV” but all we got was a blank screen. But patience prevailed and by the 5th or 6th time redocking it, we were able to get video.

Performance

When you get down to it, the Neo-i is a Pico Projector. Sure it has built-in speakers and an iPod/iPhone dock, but you get Pico Projector performance out of the video. It’s all the drawbacks of a Pico Projector, without the small, easy to transport benefits. But when you think about it, to get the equivalent functionality with a traditional Pico Projector, you’d also need to haul around a video cable, an iPhone charger, some speakers and an audio cable. when you add all that up, its probably more cumbersome than just taking a Neo-i with you.

So what does it mean when we say you get Pico Projector performance out of the video? As you can imagine, it isn’t very bright, so don’t count on using it in an even remotely well lit room. The colors aren’t very vivid and the picture overall looks pretty soft. Bottom line, you aren’t buying this projector for the video quality.

On the audio side the Neo-i sounds decent, but nothing to jump up and down about. After a while of using it, we were longing for some better audio. It’s like listening to the sound for a movie or video through your laptop speakers. you can do it, but you know there are better alternatives. Yes, it’s a bit better than laptop speakers, but not much.

Other stuff

The Neo-i includes a small credit card style remote control that is somewhat useless. it doesn’t control the iPhone menus, so you still have to get on the phone to select a video, fast forward, pause, rewind, etc. If you’re already doing that anyways, might as well just adjust the volume while you’re there. since the Neo-i is supposed to be portable, a travel case would have been nice, but it doesn’t come with one. it does come with adapters for any different size i-device that supports video playback.

Conclusion

The Neo-i isn’t meant to be an installed projector for your home theater. we don’t even think it’s meant to be an installed projector for a dorm room or bonus room It’s meant to be pulled out on special occasions to watch a video on the wall, or taken on vacation. For that purpose, it’s actually quite convenient. you don’t have to haul around a ton of cables and parts, just the projector and its power cord.

If you set your expectations correctly going into it, we’re sure you can find clever ways to use it. And for only $279, it’s a pretty good deal. On a daily basis you could even use it as a dock for your phone or iPod and take advantage of the speakers for music. Then when you need a projector for that special 120” display of your kid’s first piano recital or grandma’s 85th birthday, you’re all set.

Download Episode #502

Posted by The HT Guys, October 28, 2011 12:33 AM

Battery problem draining patience of some iPhone 4S owners – iPhone app article – Howard Wolinsky

Apple fans greeted the iPhone 4S with glee and record sales after the latest iPhone was introduced Oct. 14.

But some consumers have been repaid with frustrating battery issues.

Charles Arthur at the Guardian is reporting that Apple engineers are trying to crack the case of the rapidly-draining battery on the 4S.

The problem remains a mystery. even Siri, the new device’s hit voice-driven digital assistant, doesn’t have an answer.

Apple Insider notes: “When it was unveiled earlier this month, Apple claimed that the iPhone 4S had an increased battery talk time of eight hours. but standby battery time, when compared to the previous-generation iPhone 4, is advertised at 100 hours less.” in fact, the new device has 50 fewer standby hours than the original iPhone introduced in 2007.

Erick Schonfeld shares his personal experience with the 4S at TechCrunch: “Today, my iPhone died after about 8 hours—not even enough to get me through a full day without recharging (and this is typical). this was not 8 hours of constant use (unless you count the constant pinging of notifications, which may be the culprit). it was 8 hours total from the time I unplugged it in the morning and took it with me until the screen went black at around 4 PM.”

He adds: “Battery life is one of those things you don’t notice until you don’t have it anymore. and I’m noticing it big time.”

The Apple support communities are buzzing with theories and possible fixes.

“Glad to see people are talking about this,” iPhone owner ‘telarium’ says. “My 4S battery life is terrible… even worse than my 3GS, even though all the settings are the same.”

Apple has reached out to some owners.

One owner told the Guardian that Apple engineers asked to install a monitoring program to try to diagnose the problem.

An owner contacted by Apple told the Guardian: “My battery life was extremely poor — 10 percent drop in standby every hour. I noticed that the usage figure was roughly half that of standby, even when the phone was not being used, so I assumed something was crashing or running in the background. I switched off all the new features including Siri and location services, but it was still really poor. I also tried setting up a clean phone with no apps but it is still really poor.”

The Guardian said in some cases the short life has been blamed on corrupted contacts imported from Apple’s MobileMe or iCloud services, or from Google’s Contacts list. Deleting and reinstalling them sometimes can help.

Stay tuned. once engineers figure this out, expect Siri to share the answers.

Understanding The Simple Options Of This 3G New Iphone4

If you just adopted a different and you are just a little weighed down at the various things you’re able to do love conversing within the cellular although you are monitoring a movie as well as using per game as well as from the multitasking to do, do not worry. Almost all the only thing that challenging do. Really refer to the manual listed below and you’ll become Happy with your own phone piece of equipment.

To create simply call with your brand new cellphone simply tap at the cell phone symbol, that is the eco-friendly box using a light device in between. Therefore, you may look at the variety with the level tattoo to ascertain if you possibly can make the video call where you at this time tend to be. Garden will be shown by a wide range of discos at the popular. for those who have many taverns you shouldn’t have any problems make label. in cases where you will discover only some bars explaining after this you may have a tiny bit of any lag time.

Now you can get your current number papan ketik which is definitely the star that looks such as in search of small rectangular links you decide on at a cell phone. Simply tap inside wide variety you want that will get in touch with and next tap into on your word Phone call. you may also visit your most favorite tattoo sign in forums admission the entire information you name just about the most and in your Connections tattoo fo you to add more your whole phone numbers you intend to continue to your current . Please remember you may engage on Latest Message or calls and you will returning all phone calls you may possibly get forgotten.

Any time you city water for your Options option then you’re able to sink on Typical, Network along with Enable 3 grams. It will first start up an individual’s admission for use on your network system after you have no Connection to the internet for sale or else. when you’re searching cyberspace in your contact and you simply make a phone name on the other hand this specific 3rd generation option can be purchased in certainly easy.

If you need to be able connection your main mail not to mention world-wide-web checking you are going to see your Functions followed by regular water with Broad after which you can turn and even city water concerning Group then you should decide Information Running upon. this could enable you to access these tips with no trouble.

It’s simple to demand your notebook make USB line plus outlet that within your iPhone dock and positioned the other end of the Thumbs to the opening off your computer. Do remember despite the fact that to obtain your printer on once you repeat this and even it is simply able to whizz an individual’s contact of the most of it is actually battery power.

To give some sms,ed hardy, and that is an item then you actually want to execute, a charge card regular water on your And also sign then choose from the partners checklist and simply type in the note that you want to give. if you end up achieved laptop computer click on the phrase Email. in the event the specific you should mail some text that will is not really inside of your speak to listing at that moment mobile computer sink for the compose warning sign after which it submit ones own number and then the content that you desire to transmit these people and then click Transmit.

Know: should you wish to avoid paying for additional prices then you definitely should certainly power down your information calling when you are possibly not using the web.

Essentials To help you Assure your Current 3G New Iphone4
Creating Any 3 Grams New Iphone4 Pay – making Money Out of New Iphone 4 Products
Understanding the Primary Alternatives Within your Third Generation IPhone

Leading Business Intelligence on the Middle East & North Africa

Jeetek signs agreement to be the official distributor of "Thumbs Up" and "Santok" in the Middle East

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The products to be distributed in CompuMeCompuMe, Carrefour Express and Virgin MegastoreJeetek, a leading international distributor of lifestyle technology products, has announced that it has recently signed an agreement to be the official distributor in the Middle East of UK-based manufacturers “Thumbs Up” and “STK” brand from “Santok”. the move further expands Jeetek’s reach across new product categories and bolsters its stronghold in high-growth markets including the UAE where consumer electronics expenditure has been projected by analysts to reach USD 3.1 billion in 2011 and further increase to around USD 4 billion by 2015.

Jeetek will be supplying Thumbs up and STK products to leading power retailers in the UAE, including CompuMeCompuMe Loading... , Carrefour Express and Virgin Megastore. the new partnership is part of Jeetek’s aggressive international growth plans as the company seeks to enhance its presence across a much wider range of markets like South Asia and to further expand its portfolio, which already includes leading multinationals such as Nokia and other premium lifestyle electronics brands.

Jihad El Eit, CEO & Founder of Jeetek, said: “We have witnessed an immense growth in demand for lifestyle technology products in the region, which has opened fresh opportunities to sustain our long-term expansion plans. Through our partnership with Thumbs up and Santok, Jeetek is pioneering a new and exciting way of catering to the technology needs of consumers in the region, introducing original and innovative lifestyle technology products that deliver true value to our customers. our strategic alliance with Thumbs up and Santok will certainly contribute in bolstering our stronghold in key growth markets such as the UAE, which has been one of the most profitable destinations for our products. Jeetek will build on the success of this partnership to continue to look for new opportunities to deliver premium-quality offerings and reinforce our reputation as the premier distributor of lifestyle technology products in the region.”

Jeetek will be distributing several products manufactured by Thumbs up, including chargers, wireless cameras, underwater cameras, TV digital photo key ring, neon travel alarm clock and other novelty items. Jeetek will also distribute the latest Santok branded products such as a wide array of accessories for the iPad, iPhone, Bluetooth devices, Blackberry and portable music players, a premium selection of screen protectors and other consumer electronics products.

Jeetek has been fast expanding its vast operations in the mobile distribution industry spanning the entire Middle East and South Asia. the company has built a solid track record as a quality-driven organisation, focusing on customer satisfaction and strictly adhering to global best practices.

Thumbs up is known for designing, developing and introducing its own range of innovative and unique novelty gift items and gadgets. the company’s high manufacturing standards have been key to satisfying the expectations of its global clientele.

Santok has been a leading supplier for over a decade of cellular-specific and related products including handsets, accessories and consumer electronics. with over 2,000 product lines, the company offers an unrivalled product range, realistic pricing structures and a professional team, helping reaffirm its position as one of Europe’s leading accessory distributors.

For more info:DNA Communications P.O. Box 191117Dubai, UAETel.: 04 3988490Fax: 04 3988491Email: : dnacomm.com

iPhone 4S goes on sale (live blog)

Lines outside the Apple store on fifth Avenue wrap around the block this morning.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

After a longer than usual wait for AppleiPhone fans, the newest version–theiPhone 4S–finally hit store shelves today all across the U.S. and in six other countries.

At 8 a.m. local time, the iPhone 4S went on sale at Apple stores. and for the first time in the U.S., a new iPhone is on sale for not one but three wireless operators. in addition to AT&T, both Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel are also selling the new iPhone 4S. Retailers including Best buy, Target, Sam’s Club, and Radio Shack are also selling the newest iPhone.

Preorders for the device already hit records, and the iPhone 4S is expected to be a hot seller. But would it generate the long lines we’ve seen form outside of Apple stores for past iPhone launches? that was the big question. CNET’s team has been keeping you posted on the latest news on iPhone launch day.

The CNET new York crew, which includes Maggie Reardon and photographer Sarah Tew, began reporting from the Apple store on fifth Avenue at 7 a.m. ET. and on the West Coast, Josh Lowensohn offered updates from San Francisco, James Martin sent in pictures from Emeryville, Calif., and Roger Cheng blogged from the Los Angeles area.

Glendale 10:14 a.m. PT: The Glendale Americana store is reporting problems with activating AT&T and Verizon Wireless iPhones. Sprint Nextel apparently is holding up. (Meanwhile, here’s a related news story.) and Americana mall employees are handing out umbrellas to customers looking to shield themselves from the sun.

San Francisco 9:38 a.m. PT: For the newer carriers joining AT&T in the iPhone market, what better place to find iPhone customers than the Apple line? “The Verizon guysare trying to poach customers from the Apple Store line,” reportsHarry McCracken, who was at an Apple store in San Francisco. “Nowthe Sprint guy is trying to poach,” he tweeted.

A relatively short line at the Apple store located in the Americana shopping complex in Glendale.

(Credit:Roger Cheng/CNET)

Glendale, Calif., 9:38 a.m. PT: if you’re seeking an iPhone in Los Angeles, a good bet is the Apple store in the Americana complex in Glendale (where Roger Cheng is now located). even before the store opened, the line didn’t stretch much further than the roped off area set up for customers.

Brian Duncan, who deals with Internet services at Walt Disney, said he dropped by this morning around 7 a.m. to see how bad the line was and realized the wait wasn’t so bad. even though he wasn’t one of the first in line, he only waited an hour and a half.

At downtown San Francisco's AT&T store, about a dozen and a half people stood in line around 9:30 a.m. Friday.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

San Francisco 9:35 a.m. PT: with the action quieting at Apple’s downtown San Francisco store, we took a stroll down the street to visit Verizon and AT&T’s retail stores to see how they were doing. Verizon’s store had no line, but many customers inside. The reps we talked to said they still had plenty of units left and hadn’t sold out of any particular model. A block away at AT&T’s retail store a line of about 18 people stretched outside looking to get new iPhones.

An AT&T rep we talked to said that everyone there this morning was there for the 4S and not the 8GB model of the 4, despite its cheaper price. they also noted that 16GB was the most popular size, and that an unusually high number of people were buying the white, which was not available during last year’siPhone 4 launch, arriving only in April of this year.

Duncan Fraser, the first guy in line at the downtown San Francisco store, strolls out a little more than an hour after going in to buy the phone.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

San Francisco 9:15 a.m. PT: Duncan Fraser, the first fellow in line for an iPhone 4S here finally walked out, phone in hand. no, it wasn’t activation problems, instead it was Fraser going through Apple’s personal setup for about 45 minutes after buying and activating the device. also, the line is now completely gone. People are just walking in to buy the device.

Despite the line, AT&T said it still had all the models available.

Pasadena 8:49 a.m. PT: The long line and buzz around the Apple store contrasts starkly with the surrounding stores in the Old Town area of Pasadena, which are all closed. Aside from Apple, the rest of Old Town is quiet.

Apple store greeters in Pasadena welcome the first wave of eager iPhone 4S buyers.

(Credit:Roger Cheng/CNET)

Pasadena 8:45 a.m. PT: Kevin Yeager, who was the third person in line at the store, is a first-time iPhone buyer. Yeager said he was excited to be getting an iPhone 4S for Sprint Nextel, which will be keeping its unlimited plan. He’s had nearly every other Apple product except the iPhone, so he considers this completing his collection.

Inside the downtown San Francisco store.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

iPhones stacked near the Genius Bar inside the downtown San Francisco Apple store.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

San Francisco 8:45 a.m. PT: in case you were wondering how long the people at the front of the line have been here, the person I chatted with just a moment ago said they cruised in here around 7 a.m. “Yeah, it wasn’t too bad,” he said. The line definitely isn’t as long as last year’s, due in part to that there’s only one line instead of two. last year had people who had preordered the device being able to pick it up in person, alongside a completely separate line for walk-ins.

Robert Melkonyan, a student at Glendale Community College, was the first to emerge from the Pasadena, Calif., Apple store with his iPhone 4S ( and a second for his brother). he said he had been saving up since January for the phones.

(Credit:Roger Cheng/CNEt)

Pasadena 8:41 a.m. PT: Chong Man Lei, an accountant from West Hills, Calif., said he came straight from work yesterday to the Pasadena, Calif., Apple store, and plans to head straight back to work once he gets his iPhone 4S. His reason for urgency: he is flying to China for a month tonight, and wanted to get the iPhone before he left.

Pasadena 8:39 a.m. PT: Siri was a common feature that people in line talked about checking out, although some were skeptical about its practical use. “I can’t see myself talking to my phone,” Martin Gizemitjer said. “Standing in line is geek enough.”

New York 11:20 a.m. ET: Verizon Wireless representatives aren’t yet saying anything about which devices are selling out and where. But they are providing some color on this first morning that the iPhone 4S is on sale. One spokesman in new York City told me that the company has seen strong demand from customers across the Northeast. and at the Bryant Park store in Manhattan, there’s a good mix of people buying both the white and black models of the iPhone 4S. and he also added that most of the customers who are switching providers to get the iPhone 4S are coming from one competitor. Gosh, who could that be? (AT&T is my guess.)

Another Verizon spokeswoman added that other parts of the country are also seeing strong demand as stores open this morning. and the company is seeing a nice mix of people who are first-time smartphone purchasers as well as those switching from competitors.

Pasadena 8:10 a.m. PT: Martin Gizemijter flew 11 hours from the Netherlands and headed straight for the Apple store in Pasadena, Calif., where he got into line behind Naranjo on Thursday. “I’ve been awake for a long time,” he said.

“It’s not a matter of being worth it,” when asked about waiting in line. “It’s not an intellectual decision. It’s about the experience.” he also flew to the U.S. and waited at this store for the iPad 2 launch.

New York 11:05 a.m. ET: I just talked to a Sprint representative, who told me that most stores in new York City are sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S. The store on 23rd Street in the Flatiron building sold out of the 16GB model by 10 a.m. The store also sold out of the 32GB and 64GB models within the first 45 minutes the store was open.

There were about 20 to 40 people lined up outside the 23rd Street Sprint store when the doors opened at 8 a.m. People started lining up outside around 5:30 a.m. once the doors opened, there was a steady stream of customers. once the store ran out of phones, it started putting customers who left a $50 deposit on a waiting list. Sprint will then ship the iPhone 4S either to the store or the subscribers’ homes.

The scene at Sprint stores was similar in other large cities, such as Atlanta, the spokesperson said. There were about 20 or 40 people lined up outside when the store opened, and many stores are running out of the 16GB version of the device.

He said that it’s still too early to say how many of the Sprint iPhone 4S customers may be switching from other carriers. But anecdotally, the first four in the door at the 23rd Street store were switching to Sprint from another carrier, he said.

Customers hoping to get their hands 16GB iPhone 4S from Sprint should check back with their local stores daily. The stores will likely be getting more shipments, he said.

The line stretched around the block as eager iPhone fans patiently waited to get into the Apple store in Pasadena, Calif.

(Credit:Roger Cheng/CNET)

Pasadena 8 a.m. PT: Francisco Naranjo entered the Apple store amid cheers and high-fives after waiting 34 hours in line at the Pasadena, Calif., Apple store. When he got in line on Wednesday night, Apple employees told him the launch was on Friday, not Thursday. he responded, “I know, but I just wanted to make sure I get one.” The next person didn’t show up until the following afternoon.

New York 10:55 a.m. ET: An Apple salesperson at the Upper West side store said the company has run out of the 16 GB Sprint iPhone 4S. It still has 32GB Sprint versions in white. and it has both black and white models in the 64GB configuration. It still has supply of all models, both white and black, of iPhone 4S’s from Verizon Wireless and AT&T. I asked why they ran out of the Sprint version of the 16GB so quickly, and the salesman said that the store got fewer shipments of the Sprint devices than it did of phones from the other two carriers.

Pasadena 7:45 a.m. PT: Roger Cheng here. good morning from the Apple store in Pasadena, Calif. The main store is closed for renovations, forcing Apple to relocate to a smaller location just two doors down. But that hasn’t stopped the crowds from coming–people are lined up around the block.

Francisco Naranjo was the first in line at the Pasadena, Calif., Apple store after getting in line Wednesday night.

(Credit:Roger Cheng/CNET)

The iPhone 4S isn't the only thing for sale this morning. Enterprising line-goers in San Francisco are selling their spots.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

San Francisco 7:37 a.m. PT: The sun’s finally coming up here, as is the energy level. People have gotten up from sitting on the ground and are now milling around. Plenty in line already have a iPhone, many with an iPhone 4 model. We’re also seeing many with the iPhone 3GS, the folks who are right on schedule to get an upgrade after fulfilling a two-year contract. as usual there are some deal makers including people selling spots near the front of the line, and others giving away free samples to line-goers. How much will the no. 5 spot in line cost you? $100.

The line is already well-formed at daybreak in front of the Apple store in Emeryville, Calif. meanwhile, no one is lining up yet down the street at the same mall's AT&T store.

(Credit:James Martin/CNET)

The early morning line in front of the San Francisco Apple Store.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

San Francisco 7:20 a.m. PT: Josh Lowensohn here–good morning from the downtown San Francisco Apple Store, where the line is beginning to stretch around the block. We’ve definitely seen longer lines here, notably for the iPad 2 earlier this year, but it’s a line nonetheless. at the very front of it is Duncan Fraser, an entrepreneur who makes wallets out of Dupont’s Tyvek material. he got here yesterday at around 4:30 p.m. local time so as to replace his ever-so-old iPhone 4 with a 32GB AT&T model of the 4S.

Employees run a lap to pump up the crowd at the San Francisco store.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

The Apple employees just did an entire lap around the block giving those in line a high-five, while yelling “wooo!” The store’s already gone through the line doling out tickets to people for the model they want. from the size of the stack I’d say they have plenty of these things on hand.

Apple employees at the downtown San Francisco store are already doling out tickets to people in line for the model they want.

(Credit:Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

Apple employees inside the Upper West side Apple Store help customers pay for and set up their new iPhone 4S smartphones.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

One proud owner of the new iPhone 4S shows off his new device. The iPhone 4S is on the left and his old iPhone 4 is on the right.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 9:25 a.m. ET: Photographer Sarah Tew and I have relocated to the Upper West side Apple store. The line has almost been eliminated at this point. at 6 a.m. when I stopped by there on my way to the fifth Avenue store, people were lined up along the side of the store on 67th Street. But now just a few people stand outside the store as they wait to go inside. Sarah took some pictures inside the store of people activating their new phones. I’ll be posting shortly.

Keenen Thompson, the first person in line at the Apple store on fifth Avenue, shows off his new iPhone 4S.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 8:25 a.m. ET: Tony Medina of new York City emerged from the Apple store with his new iPhone 4S. he said he plans to give his old iPhone 4, bought last year, to his mom, who is currently using the iPhone 3GS. Medina decided to upgrade from his 32GB iPhone 4 to the 64GB iPhone 4S because he said he needed more memory for his music and videos. When I asked him why he didn’t just buy the phone online, Medina said he wanted to be here for the experience.

“The clapping and cheering are really great,” he said. “You feel like you’re a part of something. you can’t get that from the UPS guy delivering a box.”

I also asked him if people talked about the late Steve Jobs, Apple’s former CEO and co-founder, who died last week. he said that people were talking about Jobs and reminiscing about all his fantastic products. he even added that some of them joked he was in the “cloud” and that Hurricane Steve (Jobs) was blowing through when a thunderstorm swept into the area at around 2 a.m. bringing with it torrential rains, thunder, and lightning.

New York 8:05 a.m. ET: One reporter just said he is leaving the Apple store on fifth Avenue to head down to the “Occupy Wall Street” protest. he said it’s a better story than the “Occupy Apple” story. he may be right.

Keenen Thompson, who is being sponsored by the iPhone reseller Gazelle, is first in line to buy the iPhone 4S at the fifth Avenue store in new York City. he has been waiting in line since September 26.

(Credit:Marguerite Reardon/CNET)

New York 8:00 a.m. ET The first people have started to go into the store. I’ll stick around outside the store until people start to come out with their new devices to get their first impressions of the device. The Apple store on fifth Avenue supposedly gets more iPhones to sell on launch day than any other store. so hopefully, everyone in line is getting an iPhone 4S. even if they run out of phones here, they will likely get a fresh stock later today and even more probably over the weekend.

New York 7:55 a.m. ET The Apple employees are all out of the store. It’s five minutes until the store opens. and they are getting ready to start cheering on customers who will enter the store to buy the new iPhone 4S.

New York 7:48 a.m. ET It’s almost 10 minutes before they start letting people into the store. Many of the Apple employees have gone downstairs into the cube for a “huddle.” I am guessing they will be out soon to begin the cheering. The anticipation is killing me. well, actually not. honestly, this launch just doesn’t have the same energy and spark as other Apple product launches. But I’m sure they will sell the heck out of these things. My guess is most people who really wanted the iPhone 4S preordered it online. Smart move, if you ask me.

People have been leaving apples, flowers, and notes in front of the Apple store on fifth Avenue to honor the late Steve Jobs, who died last week.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 7:40 a.m. ET: Apple employees are starting to gather. they haven’t started cheering yet. I overhead one worker tell a passerby that the crowd is not as big as the iPad 2 launch. It definitely seems like things are a bit more subdued here.

An Apple employee gives people tickets as they line up.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 7:30 a.m. ET: David, who didn’t want his last name used, arrived at the iPhone store on fifth Avenue at 11 last night. he said he felt like a schmuck when I told him that there was barely any line at the Upper West side store. “Shoulda woulda coulda,” he said. “But at least I had the experience. I’ve only lived in new York City for three weeks.” David and others also got some free stuff from Otterbox, which makes waterproof iPhone cases, and Gazelle, which buys used gadgets such as the iPhone. Unfortunately, they were giving away rain ponchos and a big yellow Otterbox case, but sadly it was not an actual Otterbox for the iPhone 4S.

Jessica Mellow and Keenen Thompson were the first people to get in line for the iPhone 4S. they have been waiting since September 26. and they're sponsored by Gazelle.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 7:25 a.m. ET: Before heading to the Apple Store on fifth Avenue, I stopped by the Apple store on the Upper West side. The first person in line there got there at 10 last night. at 6 a.m. the line was halfway down 67th Street. and people really started showing up around 5 a.m. Laurel Moll, who is buying her first iPhone, said she would have bought the phone online, but she waited too long. she wanted to get the phone from AT&T. and even though AT&T isn’t sold out of the device, she wouldn’t have been able to get it for Friday. so she and her friend decided to wait in line.

New York 7:15 a.m. ET: The first people in line, Jessica Mellow, 26, and Keenen Thompson, 21, got here on September 26. But most people standing in line got here late last night. Tony Medina, who is one of the first 50 or so people in line, got to the store at 11 p.m. he braved the violent thunderstorm in the middle of the night to make sure he got his iPhone 4S today. he already has an iPhone 4, but wanted to get the iPhone 4S for the improved camera and the Siri personal assistant app. The first thing he will ask Siri: “Wake me up at 3 p.m.” It’s been a long, wet night in the Big Apple.

The line for the iPhone 4S at the Apple store on fifth Avenue went down 58th Street along of FAO Schwartz.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

New York 7:00 a.m. ET: While the line is long here at the Apple store on fifth Avenue in new York City, the plaza next to the big cube is not filled as much as usual. this may be due to the renovation of the glass cube. People are lined up down 58th Street along FAO Schwartz and around the block.

Paris 4:08 a.m. PT/1:08 p.m. local time Friday CNET’s Stephen Shankland covers the iPhone launch in Paris. Read his story here.

Los Gatos, Calif., around 2 p.m. PT Thursday Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak tweets that he’s the first in line at the Apple Store there.

Sydney, Australia, 2 p.m. PT Thursday/8 a.m. Friday local time ZDNet Australia reports that the iPhone 4S launch has less fanfare than past launches.

First apps for your new iPad, 2011 edition

A few months after the first iPad was released last year, I posted a list of apps that new owners should consider installing first. It has become one of the most popular posts on TechBlog, but it was written almost 14 months ago. That’s eons in Internet time, and it’s already out of date.

With that in mind, here’s an updated version of the list. It includes many of the original items, but others have fallen off and new apps have been added. Some of the additions came from solicitations I posted to Twitter, Facebook and Google+. (And thanks to everyone who made suggestions!)

These apps are free unless otherwise indicated.

Beat the Traffic HD – Traffic and weather for the iPad. if you’ve got an iPad 3G, it will also tell you how fast you’re going.

Dictionary.com – Dictionary & Thesaurus – the popular iPhone dictionary app is reformatted for the iPad. It’s a large download (grab it via Wi-Fi if you have a 3G iPad), but once it’s installed, it won’t have to connect to the Net to download definitions.

Dragon Dictation – Excellent voice recognition from the folks who bring you Dragon Naturally Speaking. Say what you want to write, then paste it into any application, including e-mail. no, it’s not as amazing at the iPhone 4S’s Siri, but it will make text input on your iPad a lot easier.

Echofon Pro – This is the best Twitter client for iPad (and iPhone, too). It syncs across devices and makes it easy to mute robotweets from annoying services like Foursquare. if you’ve got Echofon for Mac, it will sync with that as well. There’s a free, ad-supported version, but Pro is well worth your $2.99.

Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List – a beautifully designed, smartly organized recipe and grocery shopping application that includes user reviews of the recipes.

Facebook – At long last, Facebook has updated its iOS app to be iPad-friendly. if you’re on Facebook, you’ll want it.

Feeddler RSS Reader for iPad and iPhone – the best RSS reader for the iPad. It’s particularly good if you have a lot of feeds to manage.

Find My Friends – Get your friends to install this free Apple app on their iOS devices, and you can see where they are. They, of course, can see where you are, too. It’s also great for families, allowing you to keep track of where your kids’ locations.

Find My iPhone – Even though “iPhone” is in the name, this app works just fine on the iPad, allowing you to track it down if it’s lost or stolen.

Flipboard – Feed this app your Twitter and Facebook streams and it extracts links from your friends’ updates, displaying the results in a magazine-like format. This is one of the most innovative iPad apps you can install, and probably the best way to view the information flowing into your social networks.

Garage Band – love music, but have no musical abilities? Garage Band makes it ridiculously simple and fun to create music using Smart Instruments. if you’re a serious musician, there’s a lot here for you, too. Read my review.

Google Earth – the Google Earth program for traditional computers is cool enough, but being able to navigate the globe with your fingertips is astonishing. Google Earth was made for the iPad.

Houston Chronicle – OK, I’m a little biased, but the Chronicle’s app really is pretty good. And it’s certainly a great way to find out what’s going on in Houston on your iPad. It’s loaded with the full newspaper first thing in the morning, then updated throughout the day. It’s free for 14 days, then $5.99 a month (or free if you’re a print subscriber).

iMovie – Did you think the iPad’s touch-based interface was too limiting for video editing? think again. It’s $4.99.

Instapaper – Save articles you find on the Web for later reading with Instapaper. Install a small bookmarklet in your web browser (you can do this in mobile browsers as well) and use it when you find something you want to read later. Then, pull up Instapaper to read your articles in a clean, uncluttered format. It’s $4.99.

Kindle – Amazon’s book-reading app is so much better than Apple’s own iBooks e-reader. if you’ve got a Kindle or a smartphone with the Kindle app, you can pick up where you left off on any of those devices.

Netflix – Watch any TV show or movie in Netflix’s growing Watch Instantly library on your iPad.

NPR for iPad – This is one of the best news apps from a traditional outlet, intelligently laid out and easy to navigate. It also gives you access to NPR’s First Listen feature, which lets you stream new albums before they’re available for sale.

New York Times – the nation’s top newspaper is available in a cleanly formatted, innovative app. It’s free to download, and there are some free articles here, but you’ll need to subscribe to read all the content.

Pages – the iPad doesn’t really come with a decent word processor, so if you’re planning on writing anything beyond a quick note or an email, you’ll want this well-designed app from Apple. It’s full-featured and is $9.99.

Pandora Radio – the popular streaming music app redesigned for the iPad. the improved layout makes it much easier to learn more about the music you’re hearing.

Pinball HD – This was reviewed in TechBlog a while back. if you love pinball, you’ll want this $2.99 app. And there’s now a version for the iPhone 4 that takes advantage of the Retina Display screen

Reuters News Pro for iPad – Another excellent app from a traditional news source. View news by country or category, as well as browse video reports.

Solitaire City Classic – An excellent, 99-cent solitaire game that lets you play several different types of the card game. a free version limits you to double Klondike solitaire.

Shazam for iPad – the popular music tagging and identification app for the iPhone looks great on the iPad, where there’s more room for album art and information from the friends you’re following.

Speedtest X HD – if you’re compulsive about checking your connection speed, you’ll want this app. the one downside: you can only choose from four testing locations.

Today’s Front Pages – the Newseum presents the daily front pages from dozens of newspapers across the country.

Urbanspoon for iPad – Another iPad app I’ve reviewed in TechBlog. It’s much more useful than the iPhone app, with a map showing you restaurant locations throughout the city.

USA TODAY for iPad – a well-designed app for reading content from USA Today.

Waze – This free app relies on crowdsourcing to tell you about speed traps, accidents, road closures and other impediments to your commute. It also has excellent, turn-by-turn audio directions, with the most efficient or fastest route determined by current traffic conditions.

The Weather Channel Max for iPad – still the best weather app, Weather Channel Max provides big maps, forecasts from different viewpoints and video reports from the cable TV channel.

WeatherBug Elite for iPad – Another very good weather app. one of its best features: You can set your local weather station within a given location in a city. given that the north side of Houston can often have very different weather than the south side, this feature is very useful.

WeatherStation Free – OK, yeah, you can tell I’m a weather geek. This uses generic info from the National Weather Service, and formats it in a slick-looking dashboard. Simple weather at a glance.

Wikihood for iPad – This cool app pinpoints your location, then finds Wikipedia articles about key locations around you. It’s great for discovering interesting places both at home and when traveling.

Zillow Real Estate Search – use this app to find out the value of homes around you. if you’re shopping for a home in a specific neighborhood, it’s invaluable (particularly on an iPad 3G).

Zite – a cross between Flipboard and Pandora, you tell Zite what articles you like and it will give you more of that type.

Any apps you’d add to the list? Suggest them in the comments.

New Software to jailbreak & unlock iPhone 4s, 3Gs and iPhone 4 ios5 just released

Manchester, Lancashire (PRWEB) October 26, 2011

Jailbreaking and unlocking iPhones have become more and more common among iPhone owners these days. more than anything, people resort to these techniques to break free from the restrictions and exclusive functionalities that the mobile phone manufacturer and service provider offers. when done without caution and with the wrong tools, these processes come with risks of destroying the iPhone. iPhoneUnlocking.com, have created a fresh tool that can jailbreak and unlock any iPhone 4s, 3Gs and iPhone 4 worldwide up to the latest ios5. Upon unlocking their iPhones, customers can use any network provider that they choose and from any location.

Arguably the most experienced and accomplished iPhone unlocking service in the industry, iPhoneUnlocking.com, launched its very first iPhone Unlock software in July of 2007, which was downloaded by one million customers in 145 countries.

On its website, iPhoneUnlocking.com. details that its latest iPhone Unlock software is compatible with all firmware and IOS versions. this website guarantees that the breakthrough software does not result to any loss of features or functionality, and charges zero on roaming calls. it also offers free GPS navigation application, and enables video chat on 3Gs iPhones, as well as flash and Cydia applications.

“It works very quickly and is very easy to use! Great product,” Perry M. of Toronto, Canada, says about iPhoneUnlocking.com’s latest software.

Along with its latest iPhone unlock software, iPhoneUnlocking.com has introduced an additional debugging functionality that is not available with any other software solution. this added feature has the ability to enhance the performance and general speed of an iPhone.

Moreover, iPhoneUnlocking.com is providing customers with free lifetime updates with every purchase. this will ensure safe updates to future firmware versions. most importantly, the iPhone will remain unlocked when installing future firmware and iOS versions.

iPhoneUnlocking.com explains that its latest software has been developed with absolute simplicity in mind and provides users with a simple 1-2-3 step guide. Using this breakthrough software, the absolute computer illiterate will have the capability to unlock any iPhone with absolute ease, in as little as two minutes.

Check out iphoneunlocking.com for details.

How to Invest in 4G Networks and Still Sleep at Night

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