palm pre

The 404 755: Where the Verizon iPhone is too damn cold (podcast)

Hundreds of Appleheads lined up last summer for the release of the Apple iPhone 4, but the turnout for today's Verizon iPhone 4 offering is significantly more dismal thanks to the frigid temperatures. Nevertheless, our CNET TV team braved the weather to bring you coverage, so check it out!

HP announced three new WebOS devices yesterday, and shoppers can now pick between small, medium, and large: the HP TouchPad, HP Pre 3, and HP Veer.

The Veer is essentially a microscopic version of the Palm Pre, with a QWERTY keyboard, and we like its 3.6-inch capacitive screen, but we're mostly excited about the latest version of WebOS.

Unfortunately, former Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein announced yesterday that due to hardware constraints, HP had to break its promise that the first-generation Palm smartphones (Pre, Pre Plus, Pre Pixi) would get the 3.0 update. They won't.

So, basically, you'll need to buy into the new HP ecosystem if you want to benefit from new features like instant sync and the ability to receive and answer texts and calls on your HP TouchPad.

HP's newest tablet PC sounds good (for now) with a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 9.7-inch touch display with the same resolution as the current iPad, and a single 1.2MP front-facing camera, but we're wondering if it's too little, too late for HP to enter the market, especially since there's already chatter about an Apple iPad 3 coming this fall.

We hate to spend so much show time speculating, but the Wall Street Journal published an article yesterday that confirms the next iPad 2 will not feature the the iPhone 4's retina display, which could mean that the iPad 2 upgrades will be to the original as the iPhone 3GS was to the 3G. It's all speculation at this point, but we're excited to see how app developers will respond to WebOS diving back into the mobile market.

Much thanks to Sean from Vancouver for saving us from a video voice mail drought! He left us this message that features impressive production value and a live guitar. Thanks, Sean!

We were also flooded with voice mails responding to yesterday's discussion about how much detail to include with the ESRB rating on the back of video game boxes, so thanks for your input!

More importantly, the Internet is not without vigilante justice, as the good folks at Reddit and Rock, Paper, Shotgun have already taken up arms against John Brandon, the original Fox News "reporter."

Episode 755 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Survey: iPhone owners most loyal to their brand

Despite the surge in Android phones, iPhone owners are still by far the ones most loyal to their devices, according to a study out this week by mobile analytics provider Zokem.

Based on results from Zokem's U.S. Mobile Life panel in 2010, the iPhone took home a loyalty score of 73, far surpassing the score of 40 given to its closest competitor Android.

Gauging the loyalty that smartphone owners have for their current devices, the score looks at whether people will stick with the same brand for their next purchase as well as other factors. Even among non-iPhone … Read more

Unlocked GSM Palm Pre 2 launches

Hewlett-Packard is now offering an unlocked GSM version of the Palm Pre 2 on its site.

For $449.99, customers can buy the smartphone, which features a 3.1-inch multitouch display, HP's WebOS 2.0, multitasking, and QuickOffice Connect Mobile Suite. It also comes with a 5-megapixel camera and a 1GHz processor. According to HP, the device is currently in stock and will ship within 24 hours.

The Palm Pre 2 was officially unveiled by HP last month. It was initially revealed by French carrier SFR, prompting HP to confirm its existence. At the time, the company said that … Read more

Palm Pre 2 commercials get it right

Though they aren't gracing our televisions just yet, the first commercial for the Palm Pre 2 is on YouTube. The 34-second spot is a simple affair that wisely centers on what the phone can do. Punchy music stands in for any droning voice narration while captions highlight features like the multitasking, the contacts and calendar, and the available apps. Also getting its due time is the WebOS user interface, which remains one of the Pre family's best attributes. Seriously, folks, this is what a smartphone commercial should be.

The commercial is a huge improvement over the glossy, quasi-spiritual spots … Read more

Dialed In 147: Palm is back... sort of

There's a new Palm handset! It's the Palm Pre 2, and it's... very similar to the old Palm Pre. Oh well. However, we do get excited about the RIM BlackBerry Style, cheaper prepaid plans, 4G in the Big Apple, and yes, even the Verizon iPhone. Also: A special report on the new FaceTime for Mac.

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News Palm Pre 2 makes official debut, Verizon bound RIM officially introduces BlackBerry Style Verizon to roll out BlackBerry updates Boost Mobile plan rewards on-time payments … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1332: Steve Jobs pitches a fit (podcast)

In earnings call news, only Steve Jobs can give an earnings call this much drama: a five-minute rant on how Android isn't open, but even if it was open, it would still fail, like that oh-so-open Microsoft Plays For Sure. (What?) Plus, the executive shakeups continue at Microsoft. --Molly

Palm Pre 2 makes official debut, Verizon bound

After an early slip-up by French carrier SFR, HP made it official and introduced the Palm Pre 2 on Tuesday.

The next-gen WebOS smartphone will indeed be available from SFR starting this Friday, but HP also revealed that the smartphone will be headed to Verizon Wireless in the coming months, as well as Canada.

The Pre 2 will be the first handset to ship running WebOS 2.0 and offers new features and enhancements, such as Stacks for grouping together related cards or open apps, an Exhibition view, which provides access to more information and views when a device is … Read more

Ballmer debuts Windows Phone 7

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded: Windows Phone 7 offers more flexibility Google Windfarms Palm Pre 2 leaks Wal-Mart gets the iPad

The 404 682: Where we face-off with Eklund (podcast)

Do not attempt to adjust your picture- today's guest on The 404 Podcast prefers to remain anonymous, even using the pseudonym "Eklund" to protect his sources. Still, there's no way to hide to the giant grin on Jeff's face because Eklund grants us the favor of his first ever video interview, and it's an insider's look at sports blogging and how technology is shaping the future of media.

There's no doubt that he's the expert, either-- Eklund is the founder and CEO of Hockeybuzz.com, a hockey fan's best friend for news, season predictions, game day updates, and more!

But none of us seem to mind that Eklund hides his face on camera, because he brought over his GTR Pedal board that he brings to every game- it's basically a portable broadcast center that allows him to maintain his Twitter page and blog posts, and there's no other way to describe it than straight up NERD PORN (<---click that).

The beautiful spread includes four Apple iPod Touches, an HTC Evo 4G for tethering and Qwik live broadcasts, a Toshiba dual-screen Libretta, an iPad with an AIDA case that has a built-in BT keyboard, a Pico mini projector, a Palm Pre, a Clear Wi-Max modem and router, a Windows tablet PC, and a Snowball mic for podcasting on the run! Our number one recommendation for his next purchase? A full-time bodyguard.

Eklund is truly on the bleeding edge of hockey blogging, and as he tells us stories from the Olympics we begin to understand how the future of media is tenderly shaped by his near-bionic hand. Apparently security at the Olympics weren't thrilled with Eklund broadcasting footage (firsties!) using just his Evo 4G and Qik, the provider for the Evo's video chat application, but Eklund imagines a world where every fan will have the technological ability and the NHL's sanction to record live events from alternate angles, providing a unique perspective on the game play.

There's plenty more we talk about with Eklund, but you'll have to listen to the entire episode to hear the rest of his insights...or, if you're in the New York area, drop by our Fall Meetup tonight to meet Eklund in person--he'll be the guy wearing a full-body radiation suit. We'll all be hanging out at 7:30 p.m. at the Frying Pan bar at the Chelsea Piers. See our 404 Meetup.com page for more details, and don't forget to RSVP!

Episode 682 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Road Trip puts iPhone 4 and iPad to the test

The funniest thing to me about all the hoopla this summer over the iPhone 4's antenna problems is that everyone kicking and screaming about the situation seemed to overlook one small thing: pop a bumper on the device and it works absolutely fine.

Sure, when a company advertises the benefits of an all-new antenna design and the sleek metallic lines of a device like the iPhone 4--and charges $30 for a little plastic bumper--people develop expectations.

But throw in the bumper for free, which Apple was forced to do after Consumer Reports' damning review, and suddenly you've got … Read more