July 12, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
If you can't wait for the
eventual Apple update, then by all means have at it weekend hackers: custom
iPhone ringtones can now be yours. Disparate hacks have been cobbled together into a step-by-step guide over at the appropriately named
hacktheiphone site. The instructions make use of both the
iPhoneInterface and
jailbreak hacks which opened up full access to the iPhone's UI and filesystem. Unfortunately, the former only works on the Intel-based Macs at the moment. For those of you a bit wary of screwing the $600 pooch somewhere along the 23 steps, take heed: "everyone [they] know has been able to restore their iPhone fully by using iTunes." So go ahead, we double-dog dare ya. Just report back in the comments how it went, mkay?
[Thanks, HaJo and Richard]
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 10, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
The kooky hacking kids over at IRC channel
#iphone claim to have gained full ownership of the iPhone filesystem. In an update titled "How to Escape Jail," they highlight the technical steps required to enable custom ringtones, wallpapers and more for your iPhone. They have not released a tool for general consumption -- yet -- but do provide the picture above as evidence of their hacking skillz.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 5, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
As of this morning, that lovable gauge of fanboy fanaticism dubbed the iPhone retail locator shows Apple stores re-stocked and ready for action. Sure, the entire states of Texas and California are sold out, but on whole, about 43% of all Apple's retail stores show iPhone availability after yesterday's
near-sellout. With on-line orders expected to be delivered today, it would appear that Apple's supply chain is just fine, you know, after just a week's worth of anecdotal evidence (which isn't saying much). That's it, our in-stock watch is done... we outta here.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 4, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, RIM
Step aside
RedBerry, after 8 years of hemming and hawing the Chinese government has finally opened their doors to the original RIM BlackBerry. By the end of August, big city suits should find the
BlackBerry 8700g on shelves with China Mobile -- the world's largest operator based on subscriber count -- offering up the service. iPhone, what iPhone? RIM now has open access to a population of more than 1 billion who like BlackBerrys based on, uh,
their good looks alone.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 4, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
Unless you live in or near Tigard, Oregon or Pittsburgh PA, chances are you'll be out of luck this morning if you're jonesin' for that quick retail fix of consumer crack called the iPhone -- Apple's retail locator lists the iPhone as unavailable for the rest of the nation. Sales have been so brisk in the first week that AT&T claims to have "sold more iPhones than in the first month of any other
wireless phone AT&T ever offered. That's how good it's been." However, neither Apple nor AT&T have released any figures. Anecdotal evidence from readers who ordered on-line or at AT&T stores suggests that a replenishment might come as soon as Friday -- the date many hopefuls were told they'd receive shipment. Based on
previous Analyst calculations, we're guessing that Apple has crossed the 1M unit mark. A milestone which surely garners some kind of Apple announcement. Oh, hey Apple, how 'bout clearing up all those
rumors in Europe while you're at it? K, thanks.
Update:
waitingforiphone claims to have a leaked memo from ATT Mobility claiming more than 1 million iPhone activations since launch.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 4, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Windows Mobile, GSM, HSDPA, UMTS
Well don't that look nice? Meet the supposed HTC
Omni communicator... rendering.
Unwired View is the source of these pictures as well as some more detailed specs. Notably, it'll be sporting VGA and TV-outputs along with that biggie 4-inch, 800 x 480 pixel WVGA display when launched in October. You know, if true. It'll also be packing a GPS/A-GPS nugget in a 130 x 81 x 16-mm slab making it a bit smaller than an
Advantage but bigger than the
phone-that-shall-not-be-named. Hey, that's what their saying. Round things our are UMTS/HSDPA and WinMo 6 like we heard before. Though honestly, we never tire of hearing it.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 2, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
Analysts seem to be tripping over themselves telling us
how well the iPhone sales are going. In fact, Goldman Sachs is now estimating some 700,000 units were sold in just the first weekend alone. Sweetness to the ears of Apple no doubt. But... look at the retail availability trend above from data harvested off Apple's iPhone locator site. On Saturday June 30th, Apple showed 100% availability at their stores although we know at least some of these were only stocked with 4GB models. On Monday, availability dropped off to 84% and then just 61% as of yesterday, July 2nd. This morning, Apple's only showing a 42% availability across the nation of which we're guessing most are the less sexy 4GB models. We'll have to wait for the stores to open but as far as we know, AT&T has
still not managed to restock since
selling out in the opening hours. Thus, anyone looking to purchase the device must either order on-line (and wait 2-4 weeks for delivery) or hoof it on down to your "local" Apple store which could be a state (or two) away. Now, depending upon your economic persuasion, this is either good news for Apple since stock isn't rotting on the shelves or bad news as they trend towards a replenishment issue with an inability to post profits in line with consumer demand. Before panicking however, you should note that several stores, particularly in Apple's home of California, who did not have stock yesterday are showing green for Tuesday.
Read -- Goldman Sachs
Read -- Apple's iPhone retail locator
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 2, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Windows Mobile, GSM, GPRS, HSDPA, Toshiba
What would you give for a WM6 QWERTY with a 3-inch screen touting an 800 x 480 pixel resolution? Well, reader Kim Nyberg forked over a €635/$860 premium to Expansys for the
Toshiba Portege G900 and has the unboxing pics to prove it. And you thought
$599 was expensive. Oh, did we mention it's tri-band HSDPA with WiFi?
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 2, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Others, GSM, GPRS
Sick of the iPhone but like the whole touch-screen thing? Great, then you'll be happy to hear that the
Neonode N2 is prepped for sale. Starting this summer, the phone that
led the way for the iPhone (their words) will be up for grabs. No 3G or WiFi (or even EDGE) of course, and the launch will be limited to "south-eastern Europe," but hey, it's a start. Maybe we'll get a bit more info after the launch party in Athens (Greece, not Ohio).
[Thanks, Guillermo V.]
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
July 1, 2007
Filed under: Handsets, Apple
No matter how you slice it, moving 500,000 units of
any product during its inaugural weekend launch is big. According to Gene Munster, analyst at Piper Jaffray, that's exactly what Apple's iPhone managed to pull off. After originally expecting Apple to sell "only" 200,000 iPhones on Friday and Saturday, he's now estimating that Apple sold a half-million iPhones from start of sales at 6pm on Friday until close of business on Sunday even with
supply issues at AT&T store. According to their survey, 95% of buyers purchased the 8GB model with 50% of all buyers making the switch from another carrier to AT&T. Great news right? Maybe, but in a potentially worrying trend, Apple is showing a marked decrease in iPhone availability at their retail locations this morning. While stores showed a 100% iPhone availability (they don't break it down by 4GB and 8GB models) on Saturday which dropped to 84% on Sunday, Apple's retail channel is showing a further decline in availability for Monday across Apple's brick and mortar retail business. In particular, Californians not living in San Francisco will have a tough time locating the device with 34 of 36 stores bleeding red on Apple's
retail locator site -- a potential supply problem especially if AT&T shops remain void of product. Sure, you can still order on-line albeit with that same
2-4 week delivery delay we've seen since day 1.
Update: Global Equities Research
claims 525,000 iPhones were sold through Sunday.
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Posted by Thomas Ricker under Mobile | Comments (0)
