Wild, Borderline Silly Rumor: 3D Display For The iPhone 5

Flickr’d

This latest iPhone 5 rumor seems to have come completely out of left field, but that’s partially what makes it exciting. How does a 3D screen grab you? Do you respond with “Oh, wow, awesome!” or is it more along the lines of “Er, what?” No answer is wrong.

The story goes that the next iPhone will use a 3D screen that’s not too dissimilar from what you’ll find on the Nintendo 3DS. The idea, so goes the rumor, is that Apple will have considered adding such a screen in order to better compete with Nintendo’s upcoming portable video game console.

And here I thought the 3DS was created to better compete with mobile phone-based gaming: Angry Birds and the like.

But yes: this is just about the most ludicrous iPhone 5 rumor I’ve come across. Best enjoy it for what it for what it is.

White iPhone 4 Delay According to Wozniak

Yes more rumblings on that mythical beast, the white iPhone 4 today, this time apparently Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak appears to have given his thoughts as to why the white iPhone 4 has been delayed so long, something we’d all like to know.

According to an article over on Ubergizmo and by way of Electronista, Wozniak was a guest on the Engadget show, and apparently believes that the white iPhone 4 has been delayed due to the device’s camera.

Apparently, eager for a white version of the iPhone 4, Wozniak went the DIY route and purchased some white components and once done when he took some photos with the flash enabled discovered that they appeared as if captured through “cellophane,” which was due to light spillover.

Furthermore Wozniak also made mention that there seemed to be a problem with the proximity sensor. Having said that, Wozniak wasn’t using an official Apple white iPhone 4 but rather a DIY kit. Wozniak did state though that he was aware the paint problem with the white iPhone 4 had been fixed, and that the device should begin shipping soon.

It’s not too clear if Wozniak has insider info on the shipping of the white iPhone 4, but with several carriers having the white iPhone 4 showing up in their internal systems lately something must be happening I would have thought.

Windows Phone 7 Update Release: Codename NoDo Coming

The wait is nearly over for because the new Windows Phone 7 update release is coming soon; yes the new software will be released over the next week or so.

The new Windows Phone 7 update has been codenamed “NoDo” according to Pocker Gamer, Microsoft have already updated its support sites to help those that are having problems with the software update for Windows Phone 7, so this surely means a release is imminent.

Does make you laugh in a way considering Microsoft is preparing itself for the worst, thanks to a few details via After Dawn it shows that the new update may possibly bring copy/paste capabilities, improved search function and faster loading times.

There is no news on the exact release date as of yet but we will keep you posted, join us via Facebook or Twitter for updates. Will it run smoothly? Wait and see shall we.

Talking about Windows Phone 7 you may wish to read the latest news via SFGate covering the Windows Phone 7 and its slow start in the fourth quarter. Please let us know if you own a WP7 smartphone and what you think of it.

Nexus S, Nokia N8 Need for Speed Shift Comparison Video

We have a little gaming performance battle video for your viewing pleasure today of Android verses Symbian^3 or in this case the Google Nexus S verses the Nokia N8 running Need for Speed Shift, but which device comes out on top?

The Nexus S against the Nokia N8 Need for Speed Shift comparison video comes our way courtesy of Daily Mobile via one of their forum members, and originates from YouTube user Macintoshmorrison and delivers two minutes of both devices in a side by side gaming battle.

There seemed to be some debate over which smartphone wins in this battle over on the Daily Mobile forums, with most coming down on the Google Nexus S side as the winner, with one member saying that the Nexus S is faster but not by much and that just proves how optimised the Nokia N8 is.

Personally I’m not a ardent gamer and when I play these racing games after one race I lose interest, but on looking at the video, the Nexus S does have the larger display and looks to be brighter colour wise. So we’d like our readers to check out the video comparison and give their opinions to our comments area below as to which smartphone wins the fight…enjoy.

IDC: ZTE breaks into World’s Top 5 Phone Vendors, Apple slips to 5th place

Before last week came to an end, IDC released some pretty interesting figures regarding the status of the global phone market. Sales in the last quarter of 2010 grew by as much as 17.9% largely thanks to smartphones. To be more specific, 401.4 million smartphones were sold in Q4 2010 as compared to 340.5 million in the same quarter in 2009. As a whole, 1.39 billion phones were sold in 2010, which is 18.5% better than 2009.

What’s surprising, however, is the new top 5 entrant, ZTE. Yes, that’s the same relatively unknown handset maker from China. Not only did they become part of the elite group, but they did it in style knocking down Apple a notch and booting the likes of RIM/BlackBerry and Sony Ericsson out of the shortlist.

Nokia is still king with 30.8% market share in Q4 2010 and 32.6% in 2010 as a whole. Samsung (20.1% for Q4/20.2% for 2010) and LG (7.6%,/8.4%) took the no. 2 and 3 spot respectively. ZTE is the new no. 4 phone maker in the world with 4.2% market share in Q4 and 3.4% for the entire 2010. Apple dropped down to 5th place with just 4% share in Q4 and 3.4% for 2010 as a whole.

Kudos to ZTE for a job well done. The more important question is, can they sustain this through out 2011? I’m sure this is what they’re hoping for, but only time will tell. One thing’s pretty clear here, though, competition is definitely heating up and if phone makers don’t get you’re a game on, they can bid their dreams of being one of top dogs in this industry goodbye.

HTC Thunderbolt rumored to be hitting Best Buy February 14th, sans mobile hotspot or Skype video?

The HTC Thunderbolt may have been officially announced way back at CES, but there's still quite a bit we don't know about the phone -- namely, a price or a release date. We now at least have what looks to be a fairly solid hint of the latter, however, courtesy of the above shot of a Best Buy inventory screen that lists an in stock date of February 14th. You'll note that the screen doesn't actually mention the HTC Thunderbolt anywhere, but some sleuthing by the folks at Android Central reveals that the product code matches one found on a Thunderbolt box that turned up in a recent hands-on video. Joining that rumor is a separate one from Droid Life, which has obtained some supposedly authentic Verizon materials that suggest the Thunderbolt won't be shipping with mobile hotspot functionality enabled at launch, and that Skype video chat won't be enabled initially either. No word on a reason for the delay (if there actually is one), but both features will seemingly be enabled at some point, and there will apparently be a placeholder icon in the case of Skype that will display a "coming soon" message if it's launched.

The Engadget Show returns tonight at 6PM ET with Steve Wozniak!

Cancel your dinner plans, because tonight at 6:00PM ET, the inimitable co-founder of Apple Steve Wozniak will be joining us for the first Engadget Show of 2011! It will be a night to remember as Woz joins us for an evening of frank, eye-opening, and all-around awesome conversation. We'll be streaming live at 6:00PM from Cooper Union's Rose Auditorium and we've got about 200 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis if you want to join us in person. We'll also have music from the talented Zen Albatross and the usual crazy giveaways. Trust us when we say that this episode is going to be epic.

REMINDER: The Show will be taking place in a lovely new venue, the Rose Auditorium in Cooper Union's New Academic Building (i.e. not the TimesCenter), located in Manhattan at 41 Cooper Square. Seating is extremely limited, so get there early!

Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's the updated info on our new ticketing policy that you need to know:

There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free

The event is all ages

Ticketing will begin at the Cooper Union New Academic Building at 2:00PM tonight, Sunday, January 30th, doors will open for seating at 5:15PM, and the show begins at 6:00PM

We now have assigned seating, so the first people to get their tickets will get priority seating. This also means that once you get a ticket, your seat is guaranteed -- you won't have to get back in line to get a good seat.

You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket

Seating capacity is limited (only about 200 seats in the theatre), and once we're full, we're full

The venue is located at 41 Cooper Square New York, NY 10003 (map after the break)

The show length is around an hour

Unfortunately, we won't be running the usual text-to-win sweepstakes for this episode (we know it sucks, but it's out of our hands), so if you want a seat you'll have to show up in person. If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

Switched On: A suite segment for PlayStation games

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

One thing that has set Sony apart from its home console rivals has been the extended lifecycles of its hardware. Riding the momentum of a massive install base, both the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 each kept selling strong nearly a decade after their debut, and years after their respective successors were introduced. In fact, as late as 2009, Audiovox began offering a PS2 integrated into an aftermarket ovehead car video system with a 10" screen. Sony could pursue this strategy in home consoles because the PS2 was the runaway unit volume leader of its generation. Not so with the PSP.

When Sony introduced the PlayStation Portable, it entered a portable console market with fierce, entrenched competition from the incumbent Nintendo, and the powerful widescreen handheld was outsold by the Nintendo DS and its later derivatives. Sony couldn't attain the market share it needed to steamroll existing competition.

With Sony's announcements this week, however, the PlayStation purveyors seem to have found a way to take their one-two punch on the road with a strategy that takes the PSP and segments its evolution.

Sony's beastly next-generation portable, with advanced components such as a 5" OLED display, quad-core processor, and optional 3G modem, calls out to the enthusiasts in more ways than one. Its premium components attract the diehard gamers, even as they likely push the NGP price north of $249 -- the price of the Nintendo 3DS and the original North American PSP -- such that those enthusiasts may be the only ones to afford the system at launch.

Simultaneously, Sony is expanding its gaming footprint with the release of PlayStation Suite. Whereas NGP is clearly highly optimized hardware for gaming, PlayStation Suite is "hardware-neutral" and will run on multiple Android smartphones (and perhaps eventually other Android devices like Sony's own Internet TVs powered by Google TV). While PlayStation Suite will start out with aging PSone titles rather than newer PSP fare, it nonetheless extends the PlayStation legacy in the mobile realm while offering Sony a rival platform to the Xbox Live integration within Windows Phone 7 and perhaps Apple's Game Center.

But not a perfect one. Those mobile Xbox Live games and iOS titles are not only integrated into online social networks that include such features as friend lists and achievements absent from PSone games, but are also – like virtually all mobile apps -- optimized for a modern touch experience. And while Sony can tap into the sprawling and rapidly growing market for Android handsets (and possibly the emerging one for Android tablets), its own sister Sony Ericsson group has so far captured only a small fraction of it. Finally, PlayStation Suite titles will need to compete with the teeming masses of smartphone games that aren't part of either network.

On the other hand, unlike in the home console market, where the software dollars poured forth from consumers who had already bought Sony hardware, PlayStation Suite has a different opportunity here. It can drive exposure to the PlayStation software and brand on a device where Sony might have no other presence. Should consumers like what they see and get hooked by the Sony-exclusive franchises on offer, it could lead right back to interest in Sony's high-end hardware.
Ross Rubin is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.

Verizon HTC Thunderbolt Possible Release Date

For those of you who may be eagerly awaiting the release of the new Android 2.2 Froyo sporting HTC Thunderbolt, the word doing the rounds is that the lightning fast 4G LTE enabled smartphone will release to Verizon late next month.

According to an article over on Intomobile by Blake Stimac, and by way of Android Guys, an “unnamed source” has apparently managed to narrow that late next month date down to the 24th of February.

Apparently Big Red employees are already training for the HTC Thunderbolt, so it is possible the handset could appear earlier as there have been rumours the smartphone would see the light of day round about February 14th.

However according to the Android Guys article, their source has been reasonably strong in the past, so they would trust that February 24th date as being the likely release date for the Android touting HTC Thunderbolt.

One thing looks to be quite clear though, 14th or 24th it appears the HTC Thunderbolt will drop in February if everything goes as expected. So any of our readers hoping to snap up the Thunderbolt once it does hit shelves?

Verizon turns on iPhone 4 pre-order countdown, existing customers can order on February 3rd at 3AM

The grapevine did already hint at the timing of the Verizon iPhone 4 pre-orders, but now, to be absolutely sure nobody misses them, we have a countdown! Eager iPhone bandwagon jumpers will have to stay up till 3AM EST on February 3rd to get their orders in from a "reserved quantity" of handsets, which will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis -- presumably to be delivered on that February 10th launch date everyone's been anticipating for so long. Sadly for Verizon newcomers, a contract with the network will be a prerequisite for signing up when the countdown expires.

[Thanks, Jarrett and Anthony]

Lightsquared Moves Ahead with Spectrum Plans with Inmarsat

LightSquared, the nation’s first wholesale-only integrated wireless broadband and satellite network, today announced it has delivered notice to Inmarsat for the triggering of Phase 2 the Cooperation Agreement between the two companies.

Under the Cooperation Agreement originally signed in December 2007, Inmarsat and LightSquared designed a two-phase plan aimed at increasing the amount of contiguous spectrum available to both parties and at providing LightSquared with enhanced operational flexibility for the deployment of its 4G-LTE integrated terrestrial and satellite network.

 

LightSquared triggered Phase 1 of the Cooperation Agreement in August 2010. For Phase 1, LightSquared is currently making a series of payments to Inmarsat totaling $337.5 (USD) million.

Under the provisions of Phase 2 of the agreement, Inmarsat will make additional spectrum available to LightSquared at an annual cost of $115 million (USD) that will increase at a rate of 3 percent yearly.

“We are pleased to report that LightSquared is experiencing very strong demand for capacity on its 4G-LTE wholesale network, and therefore we have decided to accelerate the triggering of Phase 2 of our agreement with Inmarsat,” said Sanjiv Ahuja, chairman and chief executive officer of LightSquared. “When Phase 2 is fully executed, LightSquared will have the use of up to 59 MHz of terrestrial and L-Band ATC spectrum over the continental United States and Canada to operate its nationwide integrated 4G-LTE and satellite network.”

“LightSquared will work diligently and cooperatively with Inmarsat and its user community to coordinate implementation of all phases of this cooperation agreement to insure a seamless transition,” Ahuja said.

T-Mobile Opens Samsung Galaxy S 4G Teaser Page

T-Mobile has opened a teaser page for the forthcoming successor to the Samsung Vibrant Galaxy S Android smartphone in the rebranded Samsung Galaxy S 4G.

The Galaxy S 4G will feature support for T-Mobile’s nascent HSPA+ 4G network, a slight redesign from the Vibrant and ship with Android 2.2, while the predecessor Vibrant has finally received its long promised update. According to the latest documentation, the phone will be launched next February 23rd.

Verizon Rolling Out Samsung Continuum Update

Verizon has begun to roll out a massive maintenance update for the Samsung Continuum Galaxy S Android smartphone in an over the air update.

The update contains the following fixes and enhancements:

Reply/Forward Visual Voice Mail audio files as attachments
Improved Visual Voice Mail functionality
Press the camera button no longer launches the Messenger Application
All received picture messages properly display the embedded image
Added ability to delete a threaded message while in the body of the thread
Alert appears when a message of 150+ characters sends as an MMS message
When using V CAST Music, the audio track will auto-pause if you select a V CAST or native video to start
Added multiple email messages to be deleted from POP3 accounts
Contact time displays correctly in the notification bar when a text message is received
Successfully hide all declined events on Facebook application
Improved voice dialing response time when connected to a Bluetooth headset or car kit
“Locate Me” GPS feature in the WeatherBug widget now works correctly.
Properly display Daylight Savings Time in WeatherBug application
Completely delete RSS history
Avoid device transitioning into a no service state when it should not have
Device will not force close when setting a wallpaper
VCAST Apps are now available

Verizon Revising Smartphone Rebates for In-Store Purchases

Verizon is set to revise its longstanding system for rebates on smartphones for in-store purchases as internal employee communication states that smartphones priced at $150 and higher after new 2 year agreement will no longer have additionsal mail-in rebates applied and instead have any discounts applied at the point of sale, while those priced at $150 and lower at the same contract terms will be subject to standard mail-in rebate rules with $50 rebates as minimum.

A caveat of the new rules is that devices that are discontinued and placed on closeout status may be subject to differing pricing rules. Changes are expected to go into effect next week.

Motorola Atrix 4G apparently priced at $150 by Costco, too

Never would we have guessed that third-party wireless retailers would be aiming to launch AT&T's powerhouse Atrix 4G for just $150 on contract -- $200 or $250, sure, but not $150. Alas, just a few hours after AmazonWireless' peep show, we're seeing an alleged leaked screen shot of Costco's inventory system showing the same blockbuster price. Now, bear in mind that AT&T itself will probably sell the phone for at least $50 more -- third parties usually have a second ETF on top of the carrier's that allows them to subsidize a little more heavily -- but it's a good sign regardless.

Apple iPad Released in India

Not everywhere in the world actually has the Apple iPad to play with but one country does join the Apple iPad toting brigade today as apparently India has now been graced with Apple latest tablet darling.

According to an article over on Online India, Apple finally got round to releasing the Apple iPad on Indian soil today the 28th of January, 9 months after the successful iOS device was launched in the US of A.

Price wise the Apple iPad is available in WiFi and 3G versions in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB and commands a starting price of RS. 27900, with the 3G model costing between RS. 34900 and RS. 44900.

BSNL the state owned service provider has also announced Apple iPad pre-paid and post-paid 3G data plans that will cost the users RS. 999 for unlimited usage.

So there you have it, all would-be iPad devotees in India can now rush out and part with their cash and bring home an Apple iOS device that will son be replaced by the Apple iPad 2.

We Love iOS Apps Survey Poll: iPhone / iPad / iPod

NPolls composed a survey of 5.013 iPhone/iPod/iPad users in 68 countries, concluding that the community is crazy about apps! In fact, 55% of individuals have downloaded more than 10 free apps in the last month and 69% have bought apps in the last month.

This poll was created with the NPolls iOS App between 21 and 23 of January, on a worldwide level focusing on iOS user app behavior. 86% of people who answered to the poll have purchased apps, where 6% of them spent more than 20 USD on apps in the last month. However, it was found to be most common that individuals spent less than 5 USD in the last month (32%).

From the survey, it was concluded that game apps are, by far, the most popular, where 74% of users have bought games. Sports and travel/lifestyle were among the less favored categories (19% and 20% of answers stating they have purchased these apps).

In which categories have you bought apps?

Purchasing habits of apps varied from country to country. French users are very conservative in buying apps (every vote below the overall behavior), in USA and UK, individuals tend to purchase more frequently. UK users prefer entertainment and music apps, whereas Italian users tend to buy utility/productivity apps. German users behave very similar to the overall habits of users.

When asked the type of business model app consumers prefer, the answer was “free!”. Period trials, limited features or 1 USD start price are rarely considered. People prefer free apps with advertising (66% of answers).

Another interesting conclusion from our survey is that app consumers buy on impulse. 81% do not bother to research before buying software. More than 86% do not care if the app seems useful or not. Most of consumers buy apps after evaluating the description/reviews of the app (36%).

89% recommend apps to their friends and 70% frequently write reviews about purchased or downloaded apps. One thing is for sure, if people don’t like the app they downloaded, they will delete them… after all, only 1% of our users have never downloaded a single app and 53% have delete apps, claiming they were bored of it.

What are the main reason(s) you would delete an app?

Among the iPod users, deleting apps out of boredom is very common, reaching an impressing 65% of users. While among iPad users, the percentage is 41%. Discarding apps in order to download/buy others is very popular among individuals younger than 25 (62% rid of their app due to boredom) while 34% of the audience older than 40 years declared the same.

NPolls is a professional survey system that runs 100% on IOs devices at worldwide level. Check more info at www.npolls.com or Partner with us for your market at partnerships@npolls.com

Technical information:

The sample is made of 5.014 IOs device owners between the 21th and 23th of January 2011.

- 27% are from USA, 63% from Europe and 10% from the rest of the world;
- 79% are men and 21% are women;
- 7% are less than 15 years, 40% from 15 to 24 years, 42% from 25 to 39 years and 11% are 40 or older;
- 41% have an annual income below 10.000 USD and 59% above 10.000 USD;
- 31% are students;
- 23% answers were from iPod Touch; 37% from iPhone 4; 28% from iPhone 3G(S) and 12% from iPad users;

Motorola Atrix 4G Price Mysteriously Vanishes from Amazon

The Motorola Atrix 4G came, we saw and it went within a few hours on the Amazon Store. Yes that is right, details about the smartphone and its price appeared and then mysteriously disappears from the store.

The phone that was announced at the CES 2011 Event is one of the most talked about handsets on the market and to see the smartphone showing up on Amazon.com was a sight for saw eyes, but as usual a hot phone, hot price details and then to be let down with a vanishing act.

The price for the Motorola Atrix 4G showed up on Amazon for $149.99 (Not anymore sorry), the list price is set up at $599.99 without contract and we know it will show up again on Amazon so please be patient.

Did you see the smartphone on Amazon? Wonder why they made it live on the site only to pull it again, it’s a mystery that we will never know. We will keep you informed when it shows up again.

Whilst you wait for next news installment please do check out the iPhone 4 and Motorola Atrix 4G comparison Guide.

Sources – Phandroid & Engadget

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc UK Pre-order for April

If you are one of the Sony Ericsson faithful here in the UK and have been waiting to pre-order the new Android 2.3 Gingerbread toting Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc smartphone, it looks like your wait is over.

According to an article over on Engadget Mobile by Chris Ziegler, and by way of Phone Arena, it appears that potential UK cusromers can now pre-order the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc from Play.com.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc from Play.com will be unlocked and SIM free and commands a price tag of 459.99 with free delivery and with an expected release date of the 1st of April.

Quick spec reminder for the Xperia Arc…4.2 inch capacitive touch screen, 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash and 720p video, 512MB RAM microSD expansion up to 32GB, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, Facebook and Twitter integration, and Adobe Flash 10.

Any of our readership going to place the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc on pre-order from Play? If so feel free to let us know by dropping us a comment.

Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 unveiled by 3 UK, Android 2.2.1(video)

Earlier today Samsung officially announced that the Galaxy Ace S5830 will be available via 3 UK soon.

The British carrier intends to offer the Smartphone on various plans, including its new all-you-can-eat plan (from 25 per month) – this will allow you to use the Galaxy Ace’s Wifi hotspot capability at any time.

The Galaxy Ace does not run Android 2.2, but runs the new and speedy Android 2.2.1. According to 3’s official website, the Galaxy Ace will be available in the market starting this February. The pricing of this handset is still to be announced, but we know it will be not a high one.

Source: unwired view

Stanford researchers demo social NFC applications on the Nexus S

To hear most mobile companies tell it these days, you'd think that NFC (or near field communications) is only for mobile payments. That's not the case at all, of course, and a group of researchers at Stanford's MobiSocial lab have now thrown a few new ideas of their own onto the table after getting a pair of Nexus S phones to play with. After first making a few tweaks to overcome some of Gingerbread's limitations -- it only uses NFC for reading tags -- they were able to develop a few social-minded applications that make use of the P2P functionality possible with NFC. That includes one example that lets you share photos simply by pressing two phones together, and a second that lets two phones share an application -- collaborative whiteboard, in this case. Unfortunately, those aforementioned tweaks to Android mean you can try out the apps yourself just yet, but the researchers are hopeful that similar applications will eventually be supported by Android and other platforms. Head on past the break to check them out on video.

BlackBerry Curve Touch leaks out

The BlackBerry Curve has always been our favorite 'berry because of its solid keyboard and lack of pretension to any functionality beyond great messaging, but it looks like things are about to change fast: you're looking at a leaked image of what CrackBerry says is the Curve Touch, codenamed "Malibu," and it's all touchscreen -- unlike the rumored Apollo, there's no keyboard in sight. We've only got specs on the CDMA version, and they're right in line with what you'd expect for a midrange device due out in late 2011 / early 2012: 800MHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor, 3.25-inch HVGA screen, 5 megapixel camera with HD video, 1GB storage with microSD expansion and 512MB of RAM, GPS, and NFC. Of course, CrackBerry says those are just "proposed specs," so anything could change, but man -- are we crazy for thinking an an all-touch Curve definitely seems to redefine everything about what a BlackBerry is and is not?

HTC EVO Shift 4G Gets Unboxed on Video

It feels like I haven’t posted a good old-fashioned smartphone unboxing in ages, so to rectify that very issue we have a traditional unboxi8ng video of the HTC EVO Shift 4G handset on Sprint for your viewing pleasure below.

The HTC EVO Shift 4G unboxng footage comes our way courtesy of Jon Rettinger of Technobuffalo and delivers almost seven minutes of unwrapping the latest device to play nice on Sprint’s WiMAX 4G network.

Spec reminder for those that may have forgotten already…3.6 inch capacitive touch screen, slide out QWERTY keyboard, Android 2.2 Froyo OS, 800 MHz processor, dual 3G and 4G, 5 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, and microSD expansion.

So with that all out the way all you need do is skip on down, hit that play button and check out the unboxing of the HTC EVO Shift 4G…enjoy.

Look Out, Skype: Viber Coming To Android In March

We’re pretty big fans of Viber around these parts, as evidenced by Robin calling it “amazingly amazing” when it launched for the iPhone last month. Built to allow 100% free VoIP calls over 3G and WiFi, it’s one of a small handful that dares venture into the same territory as the seemingly-untouchable giant, Skype. Whether or not Viber ever finagles any sizable chunk of the mobile VoIP market out of Skype’s grasps, competition is always a good thing.

Vibers main drawback, at this point, is that it’s only available for iOS. As it’s built only for Viber-to-Viber calls, that meant the free calling goodness was limited to others rockin’ an iPhone or iPod Touch. Viber promised an Android app was on the way — and today, we’ve learned a bit more about when we’ll see it.

Starting early this morning, we received a handful of tips indicating that Viber was planning on releasing their Android port come March. We reached out to Viber founder Talmon Marco, and he went ahead and confirmed it. He says they’re “almost development complete” — in other words, it’s just about time to bring in the first batch of users for testing. Expect to hear more about Viber’s Android plans next week.

On a bit of a side note: Talmon also mentioned that text messaging support should be hitting the iPhone application some time in February. Given that text-based chat and cross-platform compatibility are the two primary features that Viber lacks against the competition, it sounds like it’s about time for the big guns to start paying attention.

CrunchBase Information

Viber Media

Information provided by CrunchBase

Nokia warns of difficult start to 2011

Profits slide once more at Nokia as it warns of a tough start to this year, with recently appointed chief executive Stephen Elop claiming Nokia will change faster than the industry

Nokia has warned it may struggle at the start of 2011 after seeing profits fall in the final three months of 2010.

The handset manufacturer saw operating profits fall 26 per cent to just over €1 billion (860 million) compared to a year earlier, but sales were up six per cent year-on-year and 23 per cent sequentially to €12.7 billion.

Nokia shipped 123.7 million mobile devices in the quarter, down three per cent year-on-year and up 12 per cent compared to the previous quarter. It shipped 28.3 million smartphones in the three months, which was a 36 per cent increase compared to a year earlier and seven per cent sequentially.

Average selling price stood at €69 in Q4 2010, up from €64 in the same quarter last year and €65 in Q3 2010.

Nokia’s market share decreased to 32 per cent last year, compared to 34 per cent in 2009. It’s smartphone share also fell in the quarter to 31 per cent compared to 38 per cent in the previous quarter.

The Finnish handset manufacturer also warned that operating margins would fall to between seven and 10 per cent in Q1 2011, down from 11.3 per cent in the final three months of last year.

Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop said: “In Q4 we delivered solid performance across all three of our businesses, and generated outstanding cash flow. Additionally, growth trends in the mobile devices market continue to be encouraging. Yet, Nokia faces some significant challenges in our competitiveness and our execution. In short, the industry changed, and now it’s time for Nokia to change faster.”

Latest Fantasy League scores are in

Latest scores for Mobile News Fantasy League competition to win a table at the 2011 Mobile News Awards in March are now in

Fantasy League scores up to Mobile News issue 481 (January 31, 2010) are now available.

Click here for latest league table

Boonbag Tablet Holder for iPad & Kindle: Differently Weird

If you are in the market for a tablet holder for your Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle or other tablet device we have one for your consideration today called the Boonbag, which has been designed to hold tablet PC’s and e-readers.

The main selling point with the Boonbag for tablets seems to be its flexibility in as much as it conforms to uneven surfaces unlike static tablet holders. Apparently the Boonbag is comfortable to use whether sitting on a couch, at a table, one a bed or out at the park.

The Boonbag can be use in any position and can use any tablet or e-reader due to using 360 degree nano hook and loop tape which is positioned centrally on the cushioned accessory and can be removed and washed when required.

The Boonbag comes in a wide range of coloured high-quality, soft leatherette that is slip resistant, and incorporates tiny polystyrene beads known as EPS cylinders for its adaptability.

The Boonbag tablet and e-reader holder commands a price tag of 59 Euros and is available from Boonbags.com with free shipping in Germany or 12.90 Euros for the rest of the world.

Sounds like a reasonable accessory for holding your Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, Samsung Galaxy Tab, or other device steady on uneven surfaces, but to use the holder would mean sticking a slab of Velcro onto your device, and would you be prepared to do that?

Navigon rolls out iPhone Car Kit for $50

The turn-by-turn navigation specialists at Navigon are pairing up their MobileNavigator iPhone app with an official Car Kit today, debuting at MacWorld out in San Francisco. As you might expect, said kit includes the usual array of car-mount necessities -- a USB car charger, an Apple-approved 5-foot iPhone cable, and the suction-style mount itself, which the company describes as "a stylish example of German tech design" featuring a "barely there look" that won't detract from your car's sumptuous, indulgent interior. The Kit is available now for $49.99 -- $44.99 through February 3rd. Follow the break for the full press release.

Show full PR text

NAVIGON Launches iPhone Car Kit at Macworld Expo 2011

Includes Design Mount that is Easy Fix to the Windshield, Car Charger and Extra-Long Connection Cable

Macworld Expo, Moscone Center, San Francisco, California, Booth #943 (January 27, 2011) NAVIGON AG, a leading provider of mobile phone on-board navigation, today announced the launch of a design focused car kit for the iPhone at the Macworld Expo 2011. The NAVIGON Car Kit consists of an iPhone mounting device and designer suction pad holder, an Apple-certified connection cord and a car charger, which powers the iPhone while on the road.
"The iPhone is the most elegant smartphone available, therefore a mount should never get in the way of showcasing the design," said Gerhard Mayr, vice-president worldwide mobile phones & new markets, NAVIGON. The new NAVIGON car kit is a stylish example of German tech design with its barely there look, letting iPhone users navigate in style." The mount is easy to fix to the windshield, reduces driver distraction and positions the iPhone for optimal GPS signal. The included car charger and the five foot long connection cable (combined $25 value) make sure the iPhone battery doesnt drain. The NAVIGON Car Kit is now available for the iPhone 3G/S and 4 and sells for $49.99 with free shipping (introductory price of $44.99 until Feb 3, 2011) from www.bringmobi.com.

At the Macworld Expo, NAVIGON is located at booth #943. The company will give away 30 licenses for the award winning MobileNavigator app via a Twitter wall among attendees stopping by the booth. All that is necessary to enter the contest is to include a defined hashtag (#) (revealed at the show) in a tweet. Winners are announced each day at 4pm on Twitter.

NAVIGON MobileNavigator* is the first universal navigation app of a major GPS company that runs natively on the iPhone and the iPad. Users with MobileNavigator installed can use the app on both devices without extra charges. It utilizes the iPads large display and user interface with a higher resolution, and new menus. Route planning is convenient on the iPad, showing a large scrollable, multi-touch map to select destinations in simple taps. Users can plan their routes at home on the iPad and then send them to their iPhone for navigation on the go.

At the NAVIGON booth, attendees can also check out the NAVIGON help2park app, the first in a series of free single-feature apps for the iPhone that NAVIGON will release throughout 2011, marking the companys 20th anniversary. help2park assists drivers with finding a parking spot nearby. A clean and easy to use interface helps to find parking options within a defined area including addresses and distances from the current location. If NAVIGONs MobileNavigator is installed on the iPhone, drivers are guided directly to the parking space of choice.

*MobileNavigator 1.7.0 is compatible with iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G and iPad 3G. The app also runs on first generation iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad WLAN, but third party accessories for GPS reception are required for these devices. *iOS4 multitasking is supported by the iPhone 4 and 3GS only.

For more information, please visit: www.navigon.com/iphone.

Top 8 Best Apple Design Concepts That Should Release

The Apple iPhone 5 is not even real yet considering it has not been announced so why move away from the idea of Apple concepts, there are many great ideas out there that we would class as the best and should be manufactured for release onto the market.

We know concepts are what they are and will never be reality, which is a darn shame really because we all know that these best designs always look better than the released Apple products. Apple come on guys give us something excite, think out of the box for a change.

Anyway, these are the Top 8 Best Apple design concepts that should release:

Number 8: iShow Pico Projector

Here is the Apple iShow Pico Projector, this is a portable projector that would work very well with your iPhone etc that turns on when you spread the two discs apart that then reveals the projector and ports. More info via Yanko Design

Number 7: Apple GameDock

Now the Apple GameDock is something I would personally like sitting next to my iMac, Apple TV etc, the docking system that allows you to dock your iPhone that connect straight to the TV. Not going to say more on this and let the picture talk for itself, for more in-depth information please visit Mac Life.

Number 6: Apple iRing

How about an Apple accessory that you can where as a ring that features Bluetooth connectivity, the ability to connect to your iPhone and control music playback. Main features include: Rechargeable battery life of up to 2 days, OLED status display with touch-sensitive function strip and a docking cradle to house for charging. The designer is Victor Sot and you see more details via Yanko Design.

Number 5: Apple iPhone Needs Some Colour

There is not really any long description needed here to tell you the truth, we have the Apple iPhone that comes in either Black or White via the official store (Well the iPhone 4 only comes in black), but you know what we mean. Well how about the chance for a red or a pink, maybe a green or pastel blue, now this would be the iPhone fashion department. Via iLounge

Number 4: The Ultimate Docking Station

Are you a geek? Well if you are welcome to my club and the sexy ultimate docking station that will house everything at once like the iPhone, iPad etc. The Docking and Storage Base is stunning and will fit under your iMac or PC and features include the main docks at each end so that when docking a larger device like the iPad it does not obstruct you display screen, sync and charge baby. This device also has storage and USB ports. Yaser Alhamyari is the designer and Yanko Design is where you need to be for more pics.

Number 3: iPhone Elite Pro

Do not need to go on about the stunning iPhone Elite or as Gizmodo calls it the Dream iPhone Pro, this is amazing simply because it is a slider phone that will reveal a real QWERTY keyboard. For more information on Mat Brady’s please visit Gizmodo above or Planet Mat.

Number 2: iPhone Air – Thinnovation

This needs no introduction at all other than this concept has been designed based on the Apple Mac Air, it is thin, it is simple and it is just pure class. For more information please head over to iLounge.

Our Number 1: iAcqua2 iPhone Dock Concept

The “iAcqua2 iPhone Dock Concept” is our number 1 iPhone concept that should be made and released, to put it simple it is in a class of its own. Mac Funamizu is the designer of this concept and we think the name ‘Legend’ should be used here, just plug in your Apple device and watch the amazing 3G screen in the glass bottom come to life. Visit Concept-Phones for more information.

Please let us know if you think our number 1 concept design is the right choice, if you prefer one of the other Apple concepts please let us know what one it is and why. If you like concepts please visit the awesome Mashable for their fan made apple product concepts.

Nokia smartphone market share shrinks to 31 percent, operating profit takes a beating too

Stephen Elop's first quarterly results as Nokia CEO have just come out, and while the company's still growing, others seem to be speeding ahead of it. Nokia's reporting its converged mobile devices (smartphones, to you and us) reached volumes of 28.3 million during Q4 2010, which is a neat bump from 20.8 million at the same time last year and 26.5 million in the previous quarter. However, in the context of the broader smartphone marketplace, that figure now amounts to only a 31 percent share, according to Nokia's own estimates, which is a major dip relative to its 40 percent slice in Q4 2009 and 38 percent in Q3 2010. Elop's perspective on the matter is as follows:

"In Q4 we delivered solid performance across all three of our businesses, and generated outstanding cash flow. Additionally, growth trends in the mobile devices market continue to be encouraging. Yet, Nokia faces some significant challenges in our competitiveness and our execution. In short, the industry changed, and now it's time for Nokia to change faster."

When your operating profit goes from €1.47b (€950m net) a year ago to €1.09b (€745m net) this year, the response should indeed be to change and to change fast. Nokia's still not disclosing sales figures of the N8, but given that this was the first full reporting period where the company's Symbian flagship has been on sale, it doesn't seem to have had quite the impact Espoo will have hoped for. Wanna try again with the N9?

Samsung Galaxy Range Expands with 4 More Smartphones

Looks like Samsung wants more people to own one of their Samsung Galaxy smartphones and to this end has expanded the Galaxy range of device by the addition of four new Android handsets albeit for the lower end of the market.

Mobile Gazette seems to have all the low down on the four new devices which as known as the Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Fit, Smasung Galaxy Gio and Samsung Galaxy Mini, all of which are expected to see release this quarter.

So here’ s whats known about these new Galaxy handsets…At the top of the four sits the Samsung Galaxy Ace sporting a 3.5 inch display, 5 megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, TouchWIZ UI, 3G, HSPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Android 2.2 Froyo, 800MHz processor, 158MB RAM and microSD expansion.

Release date and price wise the Samsung Galaxy Ace is expected to be available sometime next month, and has a recommended retail price of 360 Euros. Although according to an article over on Engadget, the Galaxy Ace should be available immediately in Russia and then followed by Europe, India and then china after.

Then we have the Samsung Galaxy Mini, again an Android 2.2 Froyo smartphone sporting a 3.14 inch QVGA display, 3 megapixel fixed focus camera, 3.5G support, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 600MHz processor, 160MB RAM, microSD expansion, TouchWIZ UI, and a 3.5mm jack.

Again price and release wise the Samsung Galaxy Mini is expected sometime next month with a retail price of 200 Euros.

Next up is the Samsung Galaxy Fit, a device that sits between the Galaxy Ace and Galaxy Mini sporting a 3.3 inch QVGA display, Android 2.2 Froyo, 5 megapixel camera with fixed focus,3.5G support, 600MHz processor with 3D accelerator, 160MB RAM, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, microSD expansion, and TouchWIZ UI.

Again the Samsung Galaxy Fit is expected to become available sometime in February and carries a suggested retail price of 320 Euros.

Lastly we have the Samsung Galaxy Gio which features a 3.2 inch HVGA display along with a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, 800MHz processor, 158MB RAM, GPS, WiFi, 3.5G support, TouchWIZ UI, Android 2.2 Froyo, microSD expansion and 3.5mm jack.

Strangely enough apparently Samsung didn’t give out any information as to when the Samsung Galaxy Gio would become available or at what price but best guess is it will see release along with the other Samsung devices sometime next month in certain markets.

So there you have it four new Android Froyo Galaxy smartphone coming in February, do any of them catch the eye of any of our readers?

AT&T offering would-be deserters Unlimited iPhone Data plans?

Oh, Verizon iPhone; you’re not even on the shelves yet, and you’re already stirring up drama

Just yesterday, Verizon COO Lowell McAdams disclosed that they’d be offering $30 Unlimited Data plans to iPhone users at launch (though, as he later clarified, that offer won’t last forever.) That may very well be enough to convince a chunk of AT&T’s iPhone-toting crowd to jump ship, given that AT&T’s $30 Unlimited Plan was killed off months ago in favor of the new $15/200MB and $25/2GB plans.

It looks like AT&T’s $30 Unlimited Plan might not be totally dead, though.

According to Peter Svensson of the Associated Press, a handful of folks have managed to get the $30 Unlimited Data plan thrown onto their account this week. How, you ask? How else? By calling up and complaining.

Here’s the catch: In all the cases so far, the people who were offered the Unlimited Plan were those who already had the Unlimited Plan back before the switch. Perhaps they dropped to the cheaper plan in hopes they could stay under 200 megs; perhaps they needed to add tethering to their plan (which required the customer to switch to a non-Unlimited Plan) — either way, they had the option prior to the plan’s demise.

AT&T won’t say whether having had the Unlimited Plan before is a pre-requisite. In fact, they won’t say much on the matter at all. But hey — if a $30 Unlimited Plan would be enough to keep you on board, give’m a call. Worth a shot, right?

Apple Store Listings for Verizon iPhone Surface

Listings for the Verizon iPhone have surfaced, with selection pages demonstrating what options will be available for customers that wish to order the smartphone through Apple instead of Verizon next month.

 

Apple will offer the four main individual voice plans available on Verizon ($39.99 per month for 450 minutes, 900 minutes for $59.99 and Nationwide Unlimited at $69.99 before additional options. FamilySharePlans will also be offered as normal at $69.99 for 700 minutes, 1400 minutes for $89.99, 2000 minutes for $99.99 and unlimited for $119.99.

 

Messaging on the iPhone will be handled with a slight difference on the iPhone as opposed to the rest of the Verizon line up with the inclusion of unlimited messaging in and outside of Verizon’s network available for $20, whereas the same rate for other devices is limited to 5000 outside messages per month. Rates are otherwise identical to standard Verizon messaging plans for pay per use, 250 and 500 messages.

Messaging on FamilyShare Plans includes the above plans, plus the otherwise standard $20 messaging plan that includes 5000 outside messages, with an additional $30 plan offering unlimited messages across multiple lines on the plan.

 

Data plans are the simplest part of the equation, with the only option being an unlimited data plan (for the time being) and optional mobile hotspot plan for an additional $20 per month.

The following iPhone listings are expected to become available on the Apple Store next month (currently pulled):
Verizon Apple iPhone 4 – 16GB
Verizon Apple iPhone 4 – 32GB

Looks Like The White iPhone 4 Problems Were In The Paint

According to Macotakara, the problem was in paint application, resulting in discoloration and general malaise.

According to a source, specified printing white color for iPhone 4 brings poor yield and then huge number of defective products. This is the reason of disturbing to start manufacturing, a source said.

To solve this problem, a Japanese company developed miracle painting material which is able to be set thickness of painting layer.

Hopefully this means the rise of the White, snowy iPhone to match this white, snowy January.

via Redmondpie

Second-gen Apple Peel 520 caught on video doing GPRS, looking like an iPhone 4

Last year's Apple Peel 520 turned your iPod touch into an iPhone -- mostly, accepting a SIM card and allowing you to send and receive calls, texts, and even throwing a little extra battery life your way. Now we're looking at the next generation device and, which certainly looks a lot more sleek and less bulky than the previous model -- from a distance it could be confused for an iPhone 4. This version also allows the use of GPRS data, as you can see demonstrated in the video below. No mention of price or availability just yet, but review units are said to en route to other news sites, so hold that phone -- or iPod as it were.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HP files three more possible Palm tablet names: Touchslate, Touchcanvas, and Duopad

HP has been burning through US trademark filings over the past few months, presumably hoping to nail down as many possibilities for the new Palm webOS tablets as it can -- a "shoot first, ask questions later" type of situation. To that end, it's filed for three more under a very broad computing category that could definitely include the Topaz and Opal models we've been hearing so much about: "Touchslate," "Touchcanvas," and "Duopad." We're pretty lukewarm on the unwieldy "Touchcanvas," but we guess both Duopad and Touchslate could work under the right circumstances. Then again, what's wrong with Topaz and Opal, really?

SSTL using Android handsets to control satellites, conquer the final frontier

First, the Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation tested a Nexus One's ability to deal with the stress of a rocket launch. Then, Google floated seven Nexi to the edge of space to see if the phones could cope with the void. Now, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) is looking to launch a satellite into orbit and use a 'droid -- much smaller than the Astromech variety -- to control said satellite. SSTL, who is helping build Galileo (and is acutely aware of its cost, no doubt), views smartphones as a way to democratize access to space because they are far less expensive than purpose-built control systems. The company hasn't said which handset will be used in the satellite, but they chose Android because it allows engineers to easily modify the phone to do their bidding -- from controlling pulse plasma thrusters to handling the advanced guidance and navigation systems of the foot long satellite. Additionally, the open source OS means that they "could get people to develop apps" for the satellite. We've seen plenty of Android apps, but we're really hoping this venture is successful so we get to see apps... in space.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Motorola Droid 2, It’s Amazing

It’s very lucky for users of Motorola’s “Verizon” series. This is because some series from Motorola has always been the primary choice in terms of application development some of their products. Some of the applications and features you can get from this phone are the features and facilities available. This is because almost all Smartphone latest versions always use mobile applications “Android”, be it Android latest series and some previous series.

Meanwhile, to follow the tastes of consumers in facilities that must exist on a Smartphone, Verizon Motorola trying to present the device with hardware supports to provide convenience for users of the mobile phone. Some of the hardware that you can find on this phone includes 1.2 GHz processor speed of the “TI OMAP” who has superior skills when compared to some other Smartphone processor, such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. When released “OS Gingerbread” is still in the process of performance improvement, so that this phone uses the previous application, namely “Android Froyo”.

Samsung Fascinate 2.2 Update For Android Developers Not Public

The Samsung Fascinate 2.2 aka Froyo update has now been released to Android developers but not the public just yet, devs please step forward and tell us all about it.

The official Android 2.2 Froyo software according to Android Central has made it into the hands of some lucky developers for the Samsung Fascinate, can they do good with it is something we would like to know.

If you visit Forums you will see a message there saying that the guys over at IRC are passing around an official leak of 2.2 Froyo for the Fascinate, well this was found via punk kaos Tweet and that prompted punk kaos to message back saying:

“Ok, since JT let it out of the bag already, yes we DO have a Fascinate 2.2 leak. No you can’t have it yet.”

This is great news for those with the Samsung Fascinate smartphone because you should be getting the Android 2.2 Froyo update very soon, please let us know if you are looking forward to the new update.

via – UberGizmo

Samsung Galaxy Tab Price Drop in US and UK

If you are an Android fan and have been considering purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Tab but have thought it was a tad on the expensive side, so have been holding off, now might just be the time to head out and pick up the device.

Why? Because according to an article over on Android Police and by way of Tmonews, as of today the 26th of January you can pick up the Android 2.2 Froyo packing Samsung Galaxy S for a lower price.

Apparently over in the good ole US of A, the Samsung Galaxy Tab with a 2 year agreement on T-Mobile will now cost $249.99 after a mail in rebate of course, which lowers the price by $50.

And apparently the Samsung Galaxy Tab is also seeing a price drop over here in the UK as apparently Tesco has now dropped the price of their Samsung Galaxy Tab down to 359.20 from the previous price tag of 499.00, saving you 89.80 and you get club card points too.

So if you do happen to be in the market for a Samsung Galaxy Tab it appears that now would be a good time to consider making your purchase.

LG Teases 3D Smartphone in Press Invite for MWC Event

LG has begun its guerilla marketing campaign for its first smartphone with a glasses-free display by teasing “the new dimension” in its MWC press invites for its conference being held on February 14th.

The press invite follows a new placeholder listing found on a Dutch site for the LG Optimus 3D, which is expected to be announced during Mobile World Congress during LG’s press event. LG had previously stated plans to develop a device with a glasses-free display at CES earlier this month.

Switched On: When Gadgets Talk in Their Sleep

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

The Nintendo 3DS stands to democratize stereoscopy in a way society hasn't experienced since the View-Master craze, by offering 3D hardware more affordable than the current crop of televisions and PCs, and without requiring special glasses to see images pop out of the handheld's screen. But when it comes to innovation, the 3DS could represent a two-way street, for even as its 3D screen is focused on enhancing the handheld gaming experience, its "Pass" network technologies -- SpotPass and particularly StreetPass -- could have broader implications for the way we discover the world around us.

SpotPass is Nintendo's new background WiFi hotspot locator, sniffing for connectivity even while the device is asleep, in an attempt to download updates automatically and possibly also prevent piracy. Mainly, it is a stopgap in a world with expensive mobile broadband that is impractical to deliver in a $249 device used extensively by kids. We'll soon see if or how the 3DS can distinguish between open hotspots, those that require a simple acceptance of terms, or truly private hotspots. Regardless, in Nintendo's new world of unattended functionality, SpotPass is but a means to an end.

StreetPass, on the other hand, represents what the 3DS can do with ad hoc connectivity as it continues its low-powered slumber. Nintendo videos show pairs of Nintendo 3DS's passively exchanging Mii profiles as people pass by each other on the street, but that's just the beginning. Nintendo 3DS games such as Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition can, with the owners' permissions, create entire battles, crown victors, and deliver rewards all without any intervention from the players. You can imagine the possibilities.

Consider the potential impact of a Google service that would let hundreds of millions of Android phone users exchange profiles around their Google Places.

Still, the 3DS is a controlled ecosystem with little room for software development freedom, and even if its sales far exceeded Nintendo's expectations, it would still be dwarfed by the install base of cellular handsets. But what if one took the concept of StreetPass and put it into smartphones that are always carried with us and always connected to the internet? It could open up new worlds of passive information gathering to create or augment location-based services, for dating and social networking, and opt-in advertising. Check-in services such as Foursquare could, for example, be automated via an identifying token at a location. And if you wonder why mobile is such a strategic area for Facebook, consider the potential impact of a Google service that would let hundreds of millions of Android phone users create and exchange profiles around their Google Places. A network of metropolitan or even zip code-level Craigslists could be grown very quickly, and ones that might never need a Missed Connections section.

As with any medium that might seek to balance free consumer expression and unwanted communication, one of the biggest challenges for such a service would be around filtering and feedback. Assuming the results of passive interactions could be checked immediately after they were conducted, messages or profiles might need to be pre-screened to assure they are represented appropriately before they are allowed to be recklessly beamed to urban masses. Or perhaps to avoid the encouraging of stalking, collected information might require a time delay of a few hours or occur only once at the end of the day.

There is a long history of Web sites and services connecting both friends and strangers for mutual benefit. These include eBay, LinkedIn, Twitter, Craigslist, Facebook, Match.com, various directories, and countless special interest forums that have their roots in the days of dial-up bulletin board systems.. A significant slice of what they offer, though, could be adapted to passive proximity-based exchange. If a handset powerhouse or plucky startup can leverage this potential new mode of communication, the rewards could include achievements well worth unlocking.
Ross Rubin is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Switched On are his own.