Archive for the ‘cell phones’ Category

Apple Finally Fixes iPhone OS

It doesn’t sound perfect - but little things like cut/copy/paste and landscape typing in email are a HUGE deal for us iPhone users, and are much appreciated. It’s nice to have all the feature a normal phone has, finally. Here are some of the new features that will appear in the iPhone 3.0 OS, expected sometime this summer:

Cut/Copy and Paste: The system will work by double-tapping or dragging across text, selecting cut, copy or paste in the bubble above it, and then using a similar routine to paste it into another place, or across applications.

Landscape typing in Apple Apps: Now you can turn your iPhone on its side and type with a larger touchscreen keyboards, a feature that was available in some situations but not in email. Finally.

MMS: the widely adopted Multimedia Messaging System will now work on the iPhone, letting you attach photos or audio clips to text messages for instant, you-are-there fun. You can also forward and delete messages.

Search: Last year Apple added search for contacts, and now there will be the ability to search your email, calendars, iTunes, and notes. Also added will be Spotlight, letting you search across the iPhone for a keyword.

Push Notification: While Apple promised one-way background functionality ("push notification") last year but never delivered, Apple’s SVP of iPhone software Scott Forstall says he means it this time.

Modified Google Maps application: now lets developers use Google Maps in their apps. But the big news is this will allow "turn-by-turn" applications, bringing GPS navigation to the iPhone. However, because of licensing issues, developers will be required to provide the maps.

Modified Google Maps application: now lets developers use Google Maps in their apps. But the big news is this will allow "turn-by-turn" applications, bringing GPS navigation to the iPhone. However, because of licensing issues, developers will be required to provide the maps.

Stereo Bluetooth: Inexplicably missing on the iPhone, now you’ll be able to listen to stereo music over Bluetooth. Still missing: wireless synching via Bluetooth. The bad news? This stereo Bluetooth goodness and MMS won’t work on iPhone 1.0.

More at DVICE [link below]

.:Apple previews iPhone OS 3.0, featuring cut, copy and paste -> via DVICE

Ninjas Don’t Use Doors

Rinspeed is rolling out the diminutive iChange in time for the Geneva Motor Show, which the company bills as "the world’s first car whose body adapts to the number of passengers on board," and everything from the shape-shifting seats to the ignition is controllable with an iPhone.

You’ve go to love the absurdity that gets designed now, all thanks to Apple and the iPhone’s influence on design and pop culture.

From Rinspeed:

An initial walk-around reveals that the concept car has no doors. The entire electrically powered roof sectiona€¦ tilts forward to allow passengers to board. Also gone are such mundane things as a key. Its role is filled by an Apple iPhone, which also controls the most important vehicle functionsa€¦ The energy for the electric motor comes from lithium-ion batteries that are available in two different stack configurations for short- and long-distance driving.

.:iChange -> via DVICE

Lego Cell Phone

Apparently Lego has teamed with Alcatel, and plans to release a Lego cell phone aimed at children [although, I imagine TONS of ‘adults’ would at least want, if not purchase, one].

The phone wouldn’t be all that modifiable - it essentially looks like a Lego product, and has interchangeable face plates. No adding to the phone from that Lego collection you still have stashed away…which sucks.

.:via Gizmodo->

Skype Lite Landing

Skype announced on Thursday the forthcoming release of Skype Lite for Google Android and other Java-enabled phones. Skype Lite marks the communication company’s first native VoIP client for Java.

Skype is submitting the app to Google’s Android Market on Thursday morning, though it could take Google a few days to offer it for download.

In addition, Skype Lite will also be available on Thursday to about 100 models of Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, LG, and Samsung phones. The app has been available in beta form for a growing number of handsets on Skype.com, and isn’t expected to change in this initial release.

.::via -> ces.cnet.com

iPhone App : Wordsworth

WordsWorth is a full featured word puzzle game.AA The developers have been listening to their customers and wasted no time implementing more features and hopefully they keep up the good work.AA The game never crashed a single time, no odd anomalies, and no need to restart, a rare find as of late for iPhone/iPod Touch games.AA If finding words is up your alley, I recommend you take WordsWorth for a spin.
.::read the complete review -> loot-ninja

Yo-Yo iPod Charger

Always forgetting to charge your iPod/iPhone, leaving you without music and phone service? Can’t get to an outlet? No sun where you live? Well, then there’s still a way for you get a charge: the iYo.

Yes, this is actually a concept for a yo-yo that will power your iGadget, designed by Swedish industrial designer Peter Thuvander. If these things actually get manufactured, they might bring back the yo-yo for reals. I’d buy one…

As you can imagine from its name, the iYo is a yoyo-powered induction charger for your iPhone. This concept was created by Thuvander since Sweden is dark six months out of a year, so solar chargers don’t really work well. The iYo creates a charge by moving up and down on its string, just like a yo-yo. This is the first yo-yo-based charging system that we’ve ever seen.

iYO YOYO from Peter Muungano on Vimeo.

.:iYO Induction: The Green Way of Charging Your iPhone -> Apartment Therapy

Ninja Roundup

So, we don’t really do this often… but format being the elusive beast, sometimes we just have to face the Jabberwocky head-on. Here’s what’s going on in the ninja universe right now.

• THE MURDER, the Boston punk band whose members include some of our favorite collaborators and associates have released their long awaited debut record after months of ripping up the Boston scene. They’re having their CD release party this coming Saturday. Go purchase their CD and check out the release party flyer below.
• Jessie is still M.I.A. for the most part, but GreenMNP’s eco-system continues to thrive. Check out the recent post on the new episode of Battleground Earth.
• Trizlam has got some major interviews coming down the pipeline for MusicMNP any day now. Check out his quick synopsis on the Johnny Osbourne re-release.
• Amara’s blog, Daily Bread is still the best new food blog out there. Besides providing what looks like a delicious zucchini salad with yogurt recipe, she lets us know what she’s reading for her Saturday Roundup (inline)

• Manny is coming into his own on the Dodgers, which is good news, I suppose. He allegedly wants to end his career there.
• For all you iPhone heads, RiP (Russian iPhone) Dev Team is hard at work on Installer4 (for your 3G device). In fact, it’s in BETA right now.
• Ryan’s blog continues its mega-popularity with its new ninja of the month feature. God bless AMNP. This also coincides with the introduction of the new "ninja homes" feature on the main site.

And I mean… if all that isn’t enough for you, you can watch the videos below and lament the iPhone’s effect on society as we know it - and the consequent loss of honeybees worldwide.

Check out the show!

That last bit is, I think, sponsored by Hagen-Dazs ice cream which has a pretty cool flash interactive help the honey bee campaign. Maybe you should also check this out:

The Design Industry Boom in China

It is no wonder that with such a huge potential market, the taste and needs of the Chinese consumer has encouraged many of the large international companies to look at the area of design to make their products more attractive. According to a report in BusinessWeek, Sony set up a design centre in Shanghai in August 2005 to help them understand the minds of the young Chinese consumer. It is a sign of growing importance of China that corporations are prepared to go to such lengths and create products especially for the Chinese. The results of this bold move will be seen early this year when a new range of Sony products will be launched in China.

Made in China, copied in China

It is however, the China firms who are giving the major impetus to the growth of the design business within their country. While many Western products are being manufactured in China, the design comes from talent based in firms located in San Francisco or London. The locally-created goods have been, up until now, poor imitations of Western products or unabashedly copies of popular electronic goods and even motorcars. General Motors are currently suing China’s Chery Automotive Co. They feel the Chery QQ compact is a compact of GM’s Chevrolet Spark. read the rest at idasia

iPhone 3g pWned (for the avg. user) !

In case you couldn’t hold on to your frickin’ hat for a few weeks, the iphone-dev team, in true ninja fashion must I add, has released a classy tool for the power user. Yup, the new iPhone is officially "outta jail." We expect that the majority of ninjas are power users, in case you were confused by the title. Carry on, childr3n!