News Topic - iPhone
Articles 11 - 20 of most recent articles
Apple caught neglecting iPhone security
If you're waiting on iPhone 2 to standardize your business on the awesome new device (yeah, I'll be on line to buy one), you might want to pay attention to the conspicuous absence of iPhone security patches over the last four months. As WaPo's Brian Krebs reports,...
ZDNet – Jul 3, 2008 6:37 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology: Security
If you're waiting on iPhone 2 to standardize your business on the awesome new device (yeah, I'll be on line to buy one), you might want to pay attention to the conspicuous absence of iPhone security patches over the last four months. As WaPo's Brian Krebs reports,...
ZDNet – Jul 3, 2008 6:37 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology: Security
Google Talk Revamped For Apple's iPhone
In order to accommodate the restrictions that Apple placed on iPhone apps to conserve system resources, this version of Google Talk shuts down if you launch another application.
Information Week – Jul 3, 2008 6:00 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology: Computer
In order to accommodate the restrictions that Apple placed on iPhone apps to conserve system resources, this version of Google Talk shuts down if you launch another application.
Information Week – Jul 3, 2008 6:00 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology: Computer
Bell undercuts iPhone plans with unlimited Instinct
While Rogers Wireless faces public backlash over their data plans, Bell steps in with Samsung's handset and affordable rate plans
The Globe and Mail – Jul 3, 2008 4:06 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories
While Rogers Wireless faces public backlash over their data plans, Bell steps in with Samsung's handset and affordable rate plans
The Globe and Mail – Jul 3, 2008 4:06 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories
Google Releases Talk for the iPhone
Google's chat application gets a new interface designed to optimize its performance on both iPhone and iPod Touch.
Wired News – Jul 3, 2008 3:05 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Google's chat application gets a new interface designed to optimize its performance on both iPhone and iPod Touch.
Wired News – Jul 3, 2008 3:05 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Netcom details iPhone 3G plans in Norway
Macworld.com - Norway is known for many things: Norse gods, the work of Henrik Ibsen, and a second place spot on the United Nations's Human Development Index (unseated just this past year from the top spot by rival Iceland).
Yahoo! – Jul 3, 2008 06:30 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Macworld.com - Norway is known for many things: Norse gods, the work of Henrik Ibsen, and a second place spot on the United Nations's Human Development Index (unseated just this past year from the top spot by rival Iceland).
Yahoo! – Jul 3, 2008 06:30 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Gear Gallery: New Ultralights, Easy Wireless Speakers and a Snappy DSLR
: The Asus U2E is an update of last year's impressive U1F, correcting some early flaws with the model. Most notable is the addition of an optical drive to the system, which will certainly make the laptop more appealing to a broader range of buyers. Another big change: Out goes the FireWire port, in comes HDMI output, though we can't imagine who'll be plugging this into their A/V rig for entertainment purposes.Unfortunately, the U2E still has some troubling problems. Performance is uninspiring, and the machine is buggy, too. We encountered numerous odd crashes and Windows hiccups throughout our testing. The specs are decent (11.1-inch screen, 120-GB hard drive, 3 GB of RAM, Core 2 Duo, 2.9-pounds), but many competing machines (even the Air and the Lenovo IdeaPad U110) run circles around the U2E on every important benchmark. Still, if you feel the need to be surrounded by leather at all times (and you're fresh out of jeanless chaps) the choice is all but made for you.WIRED: Handsome. Fully loaded with connectivity options, including three USB ports. Weight on par with similar systems that don't include an optical drive.TIRED: Numerous software problems. Integrated BIOS/driver update system never completed successfully. Homegrown software works even worse than Vista; causes problems. Too-small keyboard. Too-small, too-stiff mouse buttons. Very loud fan and very quiet speakers. Standard battery is light (machine weighs just 2.9 pounds with it) but gives less than an hour of battery life. (Try the included, larger battery instead: 3.5 pounds total but offers over four hours of life.)$2,000 as tested, Asus Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Asus U2E review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews,updated daily.: By the numbers, Eos' 100T1RB Wireless Audio System is what any wire-entangled apartment needs. The relatively small system consists of a base station with an iPod/iPhone dock, an auxiliary out port and satellite speakers capable of wirelessly syncing to the base. Wireless setups like this often come with a host of connectivity headaches, but the 100T1RB was surprisingly simple. I literally plugged everything in, connected my iPod and cranked up my favorite playlist.Distributing the satellites throughout my apartment was a cinch too. With their removable power supplies, I had the option of plugging the speakers in the old fashioned way, or removing them and plugging the speakers directly into wall outlets. On the downside, the audio quality of the individual speakers could use some work. Both the base unit and the satellites are equipped with subwoofers, but overall the bass output isn't the stuff of earthquakes. Paired with some of the gain I received at higher volumes, it's safe to say that this isn't the end-all-be-all for multiroom audio. Still, in terms of price and ease, the 100T1RB is well-suited for the no-fuss multiroom novice.WIRED: Great for "quick and dirty" multiroom music. Speakers automatically sync with base unit out of box. Mini stereo input allows connectivity with virtually any MP3 player and most audio devices. Fantastic range -- even in multistory settings. Rejoice, iFanatics -- it charges devices while docked. Ships with remote and a ton of iPod dock adapters.TIRED: Rechargeable-battery-powered satellites would've been nice. Audio quality doesn't hold a candle to wireless systems from Bose. Altec. 2.1 stereo driver is great for music, but stunts home theater possibilities. Buttons on base station feel flimsy.$510 as tested, Eos Wireless Read our full Eos 100T1RB Wireless Audio System review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: What appeared to be cool about the little Sony Ericsson W350 proved itself to be an annoyance and a hassle to use. Not that it doesn't look good. Sleek and petite, this Walkman phone is slimmer and narrower than most candy-bar handsets. A small flip panel that houses the controls opens to reveal a keypad composed of glossy Chiclets and a squared-off oval navigation pad. Though pretty, these design touches are the most irritating features of the phone. The smooth keys are hard to press in isolation. The navpad leaves little room for easy navigation. And the flimsy flip panel takes great skill to open one-handedly, which makes it bad for efficient answering.The phone comes with what looks like a 512-MB microSD card. But wait -- it's Sony's own memory card, the incompatible Memory Stick M2. When was the last time you've seen any Memory Stick slots in a non-Sony notebook? Don't forget to lock the phone after every call, because when it's flipped shut, the phone defaults to Walkman mode, and a key in your pocket could start an impromptu jam session in a company meeting. On the bright side, when this phone comes out, it'll be cheap, around $30 with a two-year contract.WIRED: It's as tiny and as pretty as a music-box ballerina. Includes an FM radio (which will be cool until the HD-radio takeover next year).TIRED: The keys and navpad are unfit for grownup human use. The phone's clunky headphone connector has all the charm of a tumor. The awkward flip panel makes for clumsy, fumbling answers.$30 estimated with two-year contract, Sony Ericsson Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Sony Ericsson W350 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: The Nokia E66 has what we in the lab have taken to calling the "mullet button" (actual name: switch mode). This feature allows your mobile to toggle between two separate screen modes. Keep the first one full of all your spreadsheets, work e-mail, TPS reports and other boring business stuff. When you leave the office, let your hair down a little and switch to the personal mode and start using all the applications that hamper productivity.The E66 has a lot in common with an N-series device, and is functionally almost identical to the N78, sporting 3G, WiFi, media player, FM radio and a 3.2-megapixel cam. But there is one overarching quality that puts it squarely in the business world: Like many jobs, it sounds great at first, but gets old real fast once you see past the shine. WIRED: A magnificent piece of hardware, with Vertu-level build quality. Nice form factor: thin enough to disappear in your pocket but large enough for a 2.5-inch screen. Upgraded processor runs S60 even more snappily than the N95 8 GB. Automatic screen orientation. Finger-friendly textured keys. Hard buttons for silent mode and Bluetooth on/off.TIRED: Mullet mode adds yet another level of menus under which to bury functions. Arrgh! Swanky metal backplate gets hand-scaldingly hot. Road warriors will scoff at the battery life: around three hours of talk time (con Bluetooth). Must pay extra for business applications -- document, spreadsheet editor, etc. Camera sucks in anything but perfect light.$500, Nokia Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Nokia E66 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews,updated daily.: When we first reviewed the Toshiba Portege R500 in July 2007, it was a breath of fresh air, an impossibly portable ultralight that stood out against a field of also-rans. But the machine hasn't received a significant update in that time, and it is now having its lunch eaten by all of the competition it previously trounced. Our model came with a larger hard drive, a faster CPU and more RAM than the model we tested last year. None of these mild improvements served to boost the R500 up to hang with its newfound contenders. The R500 is still the lightest full-featured laptop on the market, weighing just 2.4 pounds while still offering an optical drive. But the Portege makes a lot of sacrifices to reach such an anorexic state, the most obvious being build quality and components that feel shaky, to put it mildly. Nearly as problematic is the dreadful performance of the R500, about 23 percent slower than both the Sony Vaio TZ-150 and the MacBook Air ultralights. Still, if the durability and performance concerns don't turn you off, there's a bit to like here. With three USB ports, FireWire, VGA, SD card and ethernet ports, the machine is pretty full-featured, and its $2,149 price is competitive next to most other ultralights. WIRED: Amazingly, almost suspiciously, light. Integrated optical drive. 12.1-inch screen a decent compromise between 11.1- and 13.3-inch models.TIRED:Terrible screen quality, one of the dimmest on the market and hard to read if you're not looking straight on. Pitiful performance under Vista. Lack of sturdiness is outright scary. Only 1 GB of RAM.$2,150 as tested, Toshiba Read our full Toshiba R500 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: With its buttonless face and black monolithic look, the all-touchscreen Instinct is immediately familiar: It's virtually the same weight and size as the iPhone, only about two-tenths of an inch narrower. Most of the expected specs are here: 3G, GPS, 2-megapixel camera (with video recording), and full e-mail and web browsing features. Of course, the real reason for the iPhone's success is its operating system, and here the Instinct is still playing catch-up. While everything is intuitive and pretty zippy, it's still not quite as polished as Apple's version. As well, the narrower body trims nearly a half inch off the iPhone's screen size, which really cramps page size. Even typing on the Instinct can be rocky: I made so many mistakes in notes and web URLs that typing slowed to a painful crawl even by iPhone's slow standards. The Instinct won't woo the Apple faithful from upgrading to the iPhone 3G, but it's definitely good enough to rank as a solid second-tier player in the smartphone space. WIRED: Turn-by-turn GPS navigation is very responsive, generally accurate and updates quickly. Easily customizable home screen. Painless e-mail setup works well with numerous hosts. Decent multimedia options (included with $99 all-you-can-eat service plan) include copious TV options. Works with any screen-tapping implement (not just your finger).TIRED: No WiFi. Clearly cellphone-quality photos. No internal storage: 2-GB microSD card included (upgradeable to 8 GB). Can't edit attachments. Web browser needs a serious reworking. Includes a stylus ... but provides no slot to stow it.$130 (with two-year contract), Samsung Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Samsung Instinct review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: The diminutive D60 is a fistful of photo-tech fun as the beneficiary of a bucketful of Nikon D300 trickle down like a speedier EXPEED image processor, a vibration-reducing zoom lens, Active D-Lighting and a dust-reduction system with a particle-purging vent. From the moment you flip on the power, the D60 is ready to shoot. Its 10-megapixel photos were punchy, sharp and pleasing. Not a big jump in sharpness from the D40x, but noticeable, especially at higher ISO settings where the new EXPEED image processor's noise reduction algorithm really kicks in.The simple user interface takes cues from Nikon's point-and-shoots and a variety of in-camera editing and touch-up features pretty much eliminate the need to use any post-production software. The D60 comes up a little short in frame rate. At just three frames per second in continuous shooting mode, you may be disappointed by its stop-action sports performance. Also, its three-point auto-focus system is one-third of its closest competitor, Canon's Rebel XSi. All in all the D60 is a straight outta the box, shoot-your-ever-smiling-face-off winner. However, if you harbor any ambition of getting more creative with your image making, then you may find that you outgrow this camera faster than you'd expected.WIRED: Brightest, sharpest LCD in category. Stop-motion movies. Active D-Lighting fixes shots during processing. In-camera RAW conversion. Fast start-up to shoot.TIRED: Compact styling means the controls are a bit cramped for big hands. Only three-point auto-focus system. Manual shooting a bit ungainly. Just three frames per second in continuous shooting mode. $700 as tested, NikonPhoto: Jackson Lynch/Wired.comRead our full Nikon D60 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
Wired News – Jul 3, 2008 04:00 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
: The Asus U2E is an update of last year's impressive U1F, correcting some early flaws with the model. Most notable is the addition of an optical drive to the system, which will certainly make the laptop more appealing to a broader range of buyers. Another big change: Out goes the FireWire port, in comes HDMI output, though we can't imagine who'll be plugging this into their A/V rig for entertainment purposes.Unfortunately, the U2E still has some troubling problems. Performance is uninspiring, and the machine is buggy, too. We encountered numerous odd crashes and Windows hiccups throughout our testing. The specs are decent (11.1-inch screen, 120-GB hard drive, 3 GB of RAM, Core 2 Duo, 2.9-pounds), but many competing machines (even the Air and the Lenovo IdeaPad U110) run circles around the U2E on every important benchmark. Still, if you feel the need to be surrounded by leather at all times (and you're fresh out of jeanless chaps) the choice is all but made for you.WIRED: Handsome. Fully loaded with connectivity options, including three USB ports. Weight on par with similar systems that don't include an optical drive.TIRED: Numerous software problems. Integrated BIOS/driver update system never completed successfully. Homegrown software works even worse than Vista; causes problems. Too-small keyboard. Too-small, too-stiff mouse buttons. Very loud fan and very quiet speakers. Standard battery is light (machine weighs just 2.9 pounds with it) but gives less than an hour of battery life. (Try the included, larger battery instead: 3.5 pounds total but offers over four hours of life.)$2,000 as tested, Asus Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Asus U2E review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews,updated daily.: By the numbers, Eos' 100T1RB Wireless Audio System is what any wire-entangled apartment needs. The relatively small system consists of a base station with an iPod/iPhone dock, an auxiliary out port and satellite speakers capable of wirelessly syncing to the base. Wireless setups like this often come with a host of connectivity headaches, but the 100T1RB was surprisingly simple. I literally plugged everything in, connected my iPod and cranked up my favorite playlist.Distributing the satellites throughout my apartment was a cinch too. With their removable power supplies, I had the option of plugging the speakers in the old fashioned way, or removing them and plugging the speakers directly into wall outlets. On the downside, the audio quality of the individual speakers could use some work. Both the base unit and the satellites are equipped with subwoofers, but overall the bass output isn't the stuff of earthquakes. Paired with some of the gain I received at higher volumes, it's safe to say that this isn't the end-all-be-all for multiroom audio. Still, in terms of price and ease, the 100T1RB is well-suited for the no-fuss multiroom novice.WIRED: Great for "quick and dirty" multiroom music. Speakers automatically sync with base unit out of box. Mini stereo input allows connectivity with virtually any MP3 player and most audio devices. Fantastic range -- even in multistory settings. Rejoice, iFanatics -- it charges devices while docked. Ships with remote and a ton of iPod dock adapters.TIRED: Rechargeable-battery-powered satellites would've been nice. Audio quality doesn't hold a candle to wireless systems from Bose. Altec. 2.1 stereo driver is great for music, but stunts home theater possibilities. Buttons on base station feel flimsy.$510 as tested, Eos Wireless Read our full Eos 100T1RB Wireless Audio System review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: What appeared to be cool about the little Sony Ericsson W350 proved itself to be an annoyance and a hassle to use. Not that it doesn't look good. Sleek and petite, this Walkman phone is slimmer and narrower than most candy-bar handsets. A small flip panel that houses the controls opens to reveal a keypad composed of glossy Chiclets and a squared-off oval navigation pad. Though pretty, these design touches are the most irritating features of the phone. The smooth keys are hard to press in isolation. The navpad leaves little room for easy navigation. And the flimsy flip panel takes great skill to open one-handedly, which makes it bad for efficient answering.The phone comes with what looks like a 512-MB microSD card. But wait -- it's Sony's own memory card, the incompatible Memory Stick M2. When was the last time you've seen any Memory Stick slots in a non-Sony notebook? Don't forget to lock the phone after every call, because when it's flipped shut, the phone defaults to Walkman mode, and a key in your pocket could start an impromptu jam session in a company meeting. On the bright side, when this phone comes out, it'll be cheap, around $30 with a two-year contract.WIRED: It's as tiny and as pretty as a music-box ballerina. Includes an FM radio (which will be cool until the HD-radio takeover next year).TIRED: The keys and navpad are unfit for grownup human use. The phone's clunky headphone connector has all the charm of a tumor. The awkward flip panel makes for clumsy, fumbling answers.$30 estimated with two-year contract, Sony Ericsson Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Sony Ericsson W350 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: The Nokia E66 has what we in the lab have taken to calling the "mullet button" (actual name: switch mode). This feature allows your mobile to toggle between two separate screen modes. Keep the first one full of all your spreadsheets, work e-mail, TPS reports and other boring business stuff. When you leave the office, let your hair down a little and switch to the personal mode and start using all the applications that hamper productivity.The E66 has a lot in common with an N-series device, and is functionally almost identical to the N78, sporting 3G, WiFi, media player, FM radio and a 3.2-megapixel cam. But there is one overarching quality that puts it squarely in the business world: Like many jobs, it sounds great at first, but gets old real fast once you see past the shine. WIRED: A magnificent piece of hardware, with Vertu-level build quality. Nice form factor: thin enough to disappear in your pocket but large enough for a 2.5-inch screen. Upgraded processor runs S60 even more snappily than the N95 8 GB. Automatic screen orientation. Finger-friendly textured keys. Hard buttons for silent mode and Bluetooth on/off.TIRED: Mullet mode adds yet another level of menus under which to bury functions. Arrgh! Swanky metal backplate gets hand-scaldingly hot. Road warriors will scoff at the battery life: around three hours of talk time (con Bluetooth). Must pay extra for business applications -- document, spreadsheet editor, etc. Camera sucks in anything but perfect light.$500, Nokia Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Nokia E66 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews,updated daily.: When we first reviewed the Toshiba Portege R500 in July 2007, it was a breath of fresh air, an impossibly portable ultralight that stood out against a field of also-rans. But the machine hasn't received a significant update in that time, and it is now having its lunch eaten by all of the competition it previously trounced. Our model came with a larger hard drive, a faster CPU and more RAM than the model we tested last year. None of these mild improvements served to boost the R500 up to hang with its newfound contenders. The R500 is still the lightest full-featured laptop on the market, weighing just 2.4 pounds while still offering an optical drive. But the Portege makes a lot of sacrifices to reach such an anorexic state, the most obvious being build quality and components that feel shaky, to put it mildly. Nearly as problematic is the dreadful performance of the R500, about 23 percent slower than both the Sony Vaio TZ-150 and the MacBook Air ultralights. Still, if the durability and performance concerns don't turn you off, there's a bit to like here. With three USB ports, FireWire, VGA, SD card and ethernet ports, the machine is pretty full-featured, and its $2,149 price is competitive next to most other ultralights. WIRED: Amazingly, almost suspiciously, light. Integrated optical drive. 12.1-inch screen a decent compromise between 11.1- and 13.3-inch models.TIRED:Terrible screen quality, one of the dimmest on the market and hard to read if you're not looking straight on. Pitiful performance under Vista. Lack of sturdiness is outright scary. Only 1 GB of RAM.$2,150 as tested, Toshiba Read our full Toshiba R500 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: With its buttonless face and black monolithic look, the all-touchscreen Instinct is immediately familiar: It's virtually the same weight and size as the iPhone, only about two-tenths of an inch narrower. Most of the expected specs are here: 3G, GPS, 2-megapixel camera (with video recording), and full e-mail and web browsing features. Of course, the real reason for the iPhone's success is its operating system, and here the Instinct is still playing catch-up. While everything is intuitive and pretty zippy, it's still not quite as polished as Apple's version. As well, the narrower body trims nearly a half inch off the iPhone's screen size, which really cramps page size. Even typing on the Instinct can be rocky: I made so many mistakes in notes and web URLs that typing slowed to a painful crawl even by iPhone's slow standards. The Instinct won't woo the Apple faithful from upgrading to the iPhone 3G, but it's definitely good enough to rank as a solid second-tier player in the smartphone space. WIRED: Turn-by-turn GPS navigation is very responsive, generally accurate and updates quickly. Easily customizable home screen. Painless e-mail setup works well with numerous hosts. Decent multimedia options (included with $99 all-you-can-eat service plan) include copious TV options. Works with any screen-tapping implement (not just your finger).TIRED: No WiFi. Clearly cellphone-quality photos. No internal storage: 2-GB microSD card included (upgradeable to 8 GB). Can't edit attachments. Web browser needs a serious reworking. Includes a stylus ... but provides no slot to stow it.$130 (with two-year contract), Samsung Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.comRead our full Samsung Instinct review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.: The diminutive D60 is a fistful of photo-tech fun as the beneficiary of a bucketful of Nikon D300 trickle down like a speedier EXPEED image processor, a vibration-reducing zoom lens, Active D-Lighting and a dust-reduction system with a particle-purging vent. From the moment you flip on the power, the D60 is ready to shoot. Its 10-megapixel photos were punchy, sharp and pleasing. Not a big jump in sharpness from the D40x, but noticeable, especially at higher ISO settings where the new EXPEED image processor's noise reduction algorithm really kicks in.The simple user interface takes cues from Nikon's point-and-shoots and a variety of in-camera editing and touch-up features pretty much eliminate the need to use any post-production software. The D60 comes up a little short in frame rate. At just three frames per second in continuous shooting mode, you may be disappointed by its stop-action sports performance. Also, its three-point auto-focus system is one-third of its closest competitor, Canon's Rebel XSi. All in all the D60 is a straight outta the box, shoot-your-ever-smiling-face-off winner. However, if you harbor any ambition of getting more creative with your image making, then you may find that you outgrow this camera faster than you'd expected.WIRED: Brightest, sharpest LCD in category. Stop-motion movies. Active D-Lighting fixes shots during processing. In-camera RAW conversion. Fast start-up to shoot.TIRED: Compact styling means the controls are a bit cramped for big hands. Only three-point auto-focus system. Manual shooting a bit ungainly. Just three frames per second in continuous shooting mode. $700 as tested, NikonPhoto: Jackson Lynch/Wired.comRead our full Nikon D60 review.Check Wired.com's latest Gadget Lab reviews, updated daily.
Wired News – Jul 3, 2008 04:00 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
It Only Looks Like an iPhone
So many people are lining up to buy a new touch-screen wireless phone that the carrier selling it can't keep up with demand.
Washington Post – Jul 3, 2008 04:00 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
So many people are lining up to buy a new touch-screen wireless phone that the carrier selling it can't keep up with demand.
Washington Post – Jul 3, 2008 04:00 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
The iPhone's cross-border price clash
Rogers finds itself on the defensive as consumers cry foul over high pricing
The Globe and Mail – Jul 3, 2008 01:29 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Rogers finds itself on the defensive as consumers cry foul over high pricing
The Globe and Mail – Jul 3, 2008 01:29 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Letters and blogs
Details on a Platte · Ashley Bateup [says]: "Over 35% of consumers pay by postal order - this in itself says something about the consumer and their wish to remain anonymous"(Popup billing finds a new screen, June 26). Bateup has missed, or chooses to misrepresent, the point here. People pay by postal order because they don't want Platte, MBS or whoever having access to their credit card details. michaelpollitt.com/wordpress/?p=187 · My son is now too scared to answer "yes" to any [online] query when he's on the PC - which is no bad thing. cathykeir.co.uk/blog My ideal phone I found my ideal mobile on eBay, a five-year-old PalmOne Treo 600 Smartphone (Apple upsets the iPhone cart, June 12). It syncs with my iBook and my work Windows PC. It features a Qwerty and an onscreen keyboard, icon-based touchscreen (take that, Nokia N95), oh, and the ability to thread text messages - just like the iPhone. Steve Hooker, Rotherham The tools are out there · I've seen this kind of thing before, and typically it's one guy with a copy of 3D Studio Max and delusions of grandeur (Regenerate! Fans revive 60s Doctor Who, June 26). However, I recognised some of the backgrounds as being from different guys with 3D Studio Max and delusions of grandeur. They've put all the tools out, backgrounds, textures, line art for facial expressions ... all of it. skmdc.livejournal.com Data in an Oyster shell Oyster cards aren't just for pre-paid fares: monthly and annual season tickets (Travelcards) are all issued on them as well (Newly asked questions, June 26). So does TfL's apparent complacency about loss of revenue on a hacked card also extend more dangerously to possible loss of the substantial personal information provided when a passenger applies for or renews a long-term ticket? Don Keller, London · While I agree that the ability to crack the Oyster card, per se, is not going to cause serious problems, I wonder what this means for the combo Visa, debit and Oyster card issued by Barclays. Does cracking the Oyster card open the possibility to get access to the wallets in these combined cards? Stephen Moffitt, London Flaming Firefox There are two widely differing experiences of Firefox 3 - those who apparently love it and those, like me who believe it's a disaster (Technophile, June 26). I may have the answer to these differing experiences - we're not seeing the same thing. I believe that some mirrors are distributing corrupted versions. The thing should work perfectly straight out of the box - and it doesn't. Ron Graves, Prenton · You know you're going geeky when you read about a new version of a browser over breakfast in the online version of your newspaper, and you just have to go and get it there and then. pigstyave.blogspot.com Who's watching who? · It seems clear to me that Britain is becoming an increasingly petty, officious, fearful, paranoid and authoritarian society (Read me first, June 26). magnacartaplus.org/news Killing isn't a game · Most people are concerned that Grand Theft Auto desensitises kids to violence in the real world. What I worry about is the army taking these gamers, putting them in front of consoles, and not telling them that on the other end of the game they are playing are real human beings they are killing (Robots on the battlefield, June 26). fearandloathingingtown.blogspot.com · Read all this week's letters in full at blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology
The Guardian – Jul 2, 2008 11:12 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Details on a Platte · Ashley Bateup [says]: "Over 35% of consumers pay by postal order - this in itself says something about the consumer and their wish to remain anonymous"(Popup billing finds a new screen, June 26). Bateup has missed, or chooses to misrepresent, the point here. People pay by postal order because they don't want Platte, MBS or whoever having access to their credit card details. michaelpollitt.com/wordpress/?p=187 · My son is now too scared to answer "yes" to any [online] query when he's on the PC - which is no bad thing. cathykeir.co.uk/blog My ideal phone I found my ideal mobile on eBay, a five-year-old PalmOne Treo 600 Smartphone (Apple upsets the iPhone cart, June 12). It syncs with my iBook and my work Windows PC. It features a Qwerty and an onscreen keyboard, icon-based touchscreen (take that, Nokia N95), oh, and the ability to thread text messages - just like the iPhone. Steve Hooker, Rotherham The tools are out there · I've seen this kind of thing before, and typically it's one guy with a copy of 3D Studio Max and delusions of grandeur (Regenerate! Fans revive 60s Doctor Who, June 26). However, I recognised some of the backgrounds as being from different guys with 3D Studio Max and delusions of grandeur. They've put all the tools out, backgrounds, textures, line art for facial expressions ... all of it. skmdc.livejournal.com Data in an Oyster shell Oyster cards aren't just for pre-paid fares: monthly and annual season tickets (Travelcards) are all issued on them as well (Newly asked questions, June 26). So does TfL's apparent complacency about loss of revenue on a hacked card also extend more dangerously to possible loss of the substantial personal information provided when a passenger applies for or renews a long-term ticket? Don Keller, London · While I agree that the ability to crack the Oyster card, per se, is not going to cause serious problems, I wonder what this means for the combo Visa, debit and Oyster card issued by Barclays. Does cracking the Oyster card open the possibility to get access to the wallets in these combined cards? Stephen Moffitt, London Flaming Firefox There are two widely differing experiences of Firefox 3 - those who apparently love it and those, like me who believe it's a disaster (Technophile, June 26). I may have the answer to these differing experiences - we're not seeing the same thing. I believe that some mirrors are distributing corrupted versions. The thing should work perfectly straight out of the box - and it doesn't. Ron Graves, Prenton · You know you're going geeky when you read about a new version of a browser over breakfast in the online version of your newspaper, and you just have to go and get it there and then. pigstyave.blogspot.com Who's watching who? · It seems clear to me that Britain is becoming an increasingly petty, officious, fearful, paranoid and authoritarian society (Read me first, June 26). magnacartaplus.org/news Killing isn't a game · Most people are concerned that Grand Theft Auto desensitises kids to violence in the real world. What I worry about is the army taking these gamers, putting them in front of consoles, and not telling them that on the other end of the game they are playing are real human beings they are killing (Robots on the battlefield, June 26). fearandloathingingtown.blogspot.com · Read all this week's letters in full at blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology
The Guardian – Jul 2, 2008 11:12 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Mobile phones: Open source calls the tuneAn Irish company, 3G Doctor, is employing the until now redundant camera on the front of 3G phones to provide remote medical consultations, especially in country areas. A hospital in Da Nang City, Vietnam, has developed software to transform a mobile phone into a database of treatments and medical knowledge that can be looked at in an emergency. These are but two recent examples of the continuing astonishing advance of the mobile phone. And it is showing no sign of stopping, despite being the fastest-growing consumer product in history. According to Portio Research, during the period 2007 to 2012, the mobile subscriber base is expected to grow by another 1.8 billion, mainly in emerging economies such as China and India but also in the US, which is expected to add 65 million more subscribers. The ecosystem in which mobiles operate is also entering a new era. In fact, a revolution is taking place. The walled gardens that the operators built to try to recoup the £22bn they shelled out in the UK for licences are gradually disappearing, as are the ludicrously high data charges they try to extract from us when we download photos and videos. Potentially even more important is the fact that in the space of six months, a massive switch has been signalled towards using open-source software which anyone can take advantage of - including the legendary bedroom coder, who has so far been missing from the mobile revolution. With any luck it will pave the way for a surge of creativity. Symbian, which provides the operating system for most of the new generation of mobiles with web access, is being turned into a foundation to exploit open source rather than proprietary software. Although it was denied by the company, it was almost certainly a response to Google's proposed Android operating system for mobiles (also open source) with which Google hopes to establish a position on phones to rival its domination of the internet on computers. Whether this leads to any changes by the two main proprietary companies, Apple and Microsoft, remains to be seen. Apple's iPhone is still the trendiest phone on the planet. The iPhone has been getting most of the global publicity but it is Nokia that has been storming ahead - increasing its global market share to around 40%. To put it in perspective, Apple's target in its first whole year of 10m phones is only a third of the increase in Nokia's sales in only the first three months of this year. I have been reminded of Nokia's strengths by the arrival (on loan) of a prototype of the eagerly awaited N96 which hits the streets in a few weeks time. One of the sleekest Nokia has produced, it looks like the iPhone's baby sister but has a real keyboard that slides out, a 5.2 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens and the best video camera I have encountered on a conventional mobile (plus endless other facilities including music, maps, GPS, TV, radio and N-Gage gaming facility). For the first time I would feel happy leaving my digital camera at home and using this instead. If Nokia irons out some of the problems that can charitably be put down to it being a prototype (such as moody battery charging and Wi-Fi) then it will have another hit on its hands, and I may be in the queue for one to replace my current phone as well. If there is one cloud on the horizon for mobiles it is the same as for computers: the danger that an explosion of demand caused by video downloads - especially the BBC's iPlayer, which seems to be straining the system to its limits - will slow the internet down so much as to dilute the experience. But apart from that, the mobile marches on. At this rate it won't be that long before everyone on the planet is potentially connected via the mobile internet. If global warming doesn't spoil the party, if course. vic.keegan@guardian.co.uk
The Guardian – Jul 2, 2008 11:12 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology