Dell Makes a Fashion Statement

Today, Dell unveiled its Studio line of laptops, designed with the style-conscious consumer in mind.“People seeking stunning design, brilliant colors, and innovative new technology find inspiration in Dell’s new Studio brand,” said Michael Tatelman, vice president of Dell consumer sales and marketing worldwide. “These products are built for today’s digital nomad based on the millions of conversations we have every year on dell.com, Ideastorm and community forums. With Dell Studio we’re answering the call for personalization, connectivity and simplicity.”The first Dell Studio products are two distinctively styled laptops, the Dell Studio 15 and Dell Studio 17. These laptops combine sleek designs, striking visual color elements and personalization options with features such as standard built-in webcam, capacitive touch media control buttons, slot load drives, and optional mercury-free LED displays and built-in mobile broadband. They are available today on http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/laptop_studio?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs starting at $799 (Studio 15) and $999 (Studio 17) and will be available at Best Buy and Staples stores in the next few days.Studio 15 tech specs or Studio 17 tech specs.

iPhone Gives Apple Numbers to Boast About

Word is that the cost a of manufacturing the second generation iPhone is down to about $173. But the subsidies will be around $300 per unit, giving Apple somewhere in the neighborhood of $499 per phone, same as it was with the first generation. See Computerworld for more info.

Blackberry, Google Won't Challenge iPhone Just Yet

Today word is that the Blackberry Bold and Google Android are on hold after all, paving the way for the iPhone 3G to have its July 11 release all to its self.Accoding to the Boy Genius Report today, AT&T and RIM are having issues around battery life and overheating. In fact, the Bold hasn't

Welcome to iTunes, Over 5 Billion Served

Apple® today announced that music fans have purchased and downloaded over five billion songs from the iTunes® Store (www.itunes.com). iTunes is the number one music retailer in the US* and features the largest music catalog with over eight million songs. Also, iTunes customers are now renting and purchasing over 50,000 movies every day, making iTunes the world’s most popular online movie store.
iTunes features movies from all of the major movie studios including 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate and New Line Cinema. Users can rent movies and watch them on their Macs or PCs, all current generation iPods**, iPhone™ and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV®. iTunes Store customers can also purchase new movie releases from major film studios and premier independent studios on the same day as their DVD release.

The Texting Championships

Everybody’s doing it, so why not get paid for it? That’s one of the reasons for the Second Annual LG National Texting Championship, sponsored by LG Electronics MobileComm.

This year’s competition still focuses on speed and accuracy but also offers expanded qualifying rounds and an MTV component so that even more people can battle it out on the QWERTY. Weapons of choice include all LG phones that feature full QWERTY keypads including the enV2, enV, V, Voyager Rumor and Scoop.

Last year’s texting champion, Morgan Pozgar, will be back to defend her title.

Hey, That's A Decoy!

Wireless and LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc. (LG Mobile Phones) announced the availability of LG Decoy™ – a stylish slider phone that integrates a Bluetooth® hands-free headset into its sleek design. Available today, Decoy is the first mobile phone with a built-in detachable Bluetooth wireless headset. Decoy’s compact integrated Bluetooth headset has a discreet docking port on the back of the phone for convenient storage. In addition to its unique design feature, the fashionable phone sports a two-tone finish with a glossy front, a satin back, and a 2.2” mirror-like LCD screen. The phone also comes with a five-way directional joystick to make navigating through all of the hottest multimedia features from Verizon Wireless even easier. Plus, Decoy operates on the Verizon Wireless network, the nation’s most reliable wireless network, to ensure that customers are able to count on their phones to place their calls and access all their favorite multimedia features easily and in more places. Additional features and capabilities of LG Decoy include: • V CAST Video-capable – download or stream video from the best names in news, sports, entertainment and more • V CAST Music-capable – access more than 3 million full-length songs from well-known and independent artists that can be purchased and downloaded over-the-air directly to the phone • Music player – for .mp3, .wma, .aac and unprotected .aac+ files • microSD™ card memory port – with up to 8 GB support with an optional memory card • VZ NavigatorSM-capable – get visual and audible directions to thousands of destinations, locate businesses and other points of interest, get maps of a location, and share directions with others. Customers in 75 cities from coast to coast can access information about traffic incidents on major roadways, obtain traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents • Media Center-capable – downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers, location-based services and more • Mobile Web-capable – customizable, enhanced wireless access to the latest in news, sports, weather and more • Mobile Web Email – access MSN® Hotmail®, America Online® and Yahoo!® accounts to exchange e-mail • Bluetooth capabilities o Supports Version 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) o Integrated Bluetooth headset for voice and for music o Support for headsets, hands-free car kits, dial-up networking, advanced audio distribution (stereo), phone book access, basic printing, object push for vCard and vCalendar, file transfer, and basic imaging o Supports multiple Bluetooth connections – connect up to two Bluetooth devices to have one on standby o Ability to send all contacts and calendar events via Bluetooth o Print and send user-generated pictures (.jpeg) • 2.0 megapixel camera and camcorder o Camera resolutions: 1600 x 1200 (default), 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 pixels o Video resolutions: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 (default) pixels o Image Editor: zoom, rotate, crop • Text, picture and video messaging • Mobile IM and chat capabilities • Display: Large 2.2” mirror-like LCD, 262K Color TFT, 240 x 320 pixels • One-touch speakerphone • Speaker-independent voice commands • Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA • Data Transmission: High-Speed EV-DO • Hearing aid compatibility (M3/T3) • Dimensions: 4.01” (h) x 1.97” (w) x 0.67” (d) • Weight: 4.05 ounces • SAR: head 1.22 W/kg, body 0.718 W/kg • Handset battery times: o Usage: Up to 230 minutes or o Standby: Up to 330 hours • Headset battery times: o Usage: Up to 2 hours or o Standby: Up to 80 hours LG Decoy will be available beginning on June 16 for $179.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement through Verizon Wireless’ online store at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City. For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

MobileMe & Mo' Bill Me

Apple is touting its new Internet service, MobileMe, that delivers push email, push contacts and push calendars from the MobileMe service in the “cloud” to native applications on iPhone™, iPod® touch, Macs and PCs. It also provides a suite of web apps that deliver a desktop-like experience. MobileMe applications include Mail, Contacts and Calendar, as well as Gallery for viewing and sharing photos and iDisk for storing and exchanging documents online.

Of course, nothing good is free. MobileMe, which includes 20GB of storage, costs $99 (US) per year for individuals and $149 (US) for a Family Pack, which includes one master account with 20GB of storage and four Family Member accounts with 5GB of storage each. Apple is offering a free 60-day trial..

Garnett Named Cover Athlete for NBA2K9

2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, has named 11-time NBA All-Star and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics as the cover athlete and spokesman for this year’s most highly anticipated basketball video game, NBA 2K9. After leading the Boston Celtics to the greatest single-season turnaround in NBA franchise history, Garnett will lend his intensity to provide dedicated fans "with the most fun and riveting basketball simulation experience available," the company stated.

AT&T on the iPhone 3G (Press Release)

AT&T and Apple® today announced that the innovative iPhone™ 3G will be available in the US on July 11. iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK.

“We’re offering the most advanced mobile device ever on the nation’s most advanced high speed network,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility. “We think iPhone 3G is an amazing mobile device and our customers are going to love using iPhone 3G to make calls, send emails and surf the web even faster.”

“We’re thrilled to continue working with the largest wireless carrier in the US to bring iPhone 3G to AT&T customers this July,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s COO. “iPhone 3G is a revolutionary product and we can’t wait for customers to get their hands on it.”

AT&T’s broad and powerful 3G mobile broadband network offers 3G mobile phones download speeds of up to 1.4 Mbps. AT&T’s 3G network is currently available in more than 275 leading US metropolitan areas and by year-end, the company plans to offer 3G service in nearly 350 metropolitan areas. AT&T has the best global coverage of any provider with roaming available in more than 200 countries, including more 3G roaming than any other carrier.

iPhone 3G will be available in the US on July 11 for a retail price of $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T’s retail stores and requires a new two year contract. AT&T will also sell iPhone 3G through its direct business sales teams.

Apple Announces iPhone 3G (Press Release)

Apple® today introduced the new iPhone™ 3G, combining all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK.

In the US the new iPhone 3G is priced at a stunning $199 for the 8GB model, and just $299 for the 16GB model.** iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US—on July 11.

“Just one year after launching the iPhone, we’re launching the new iPhone 3G that is twice as fast at half the price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “ iPhone 3G supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync right out of the box, runs the incredible third party apps created with the iPhone SDK, and will be available in more than 70 countries around the world this year.”

iPhone 3G gives users ever faster access to the Internet and email over their cellular network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.

iPhone 3G includes the new iPhone 2.0 software with both the iPhone SDK and key enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide over-the-air push email, contact and calendar syncing as well as remote wipe and Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to corporate networks. The iPhone SDK allows developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone’s groundbreaking Multi-Touch™ user interface, animation technology, accelerometer and GPS technology on the world’s most advanced mobile platform.

iPhone 3G includes the new App Store, providing iPhone users with native applications in a variety of categories including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store on iPhone works over cellular networks and Wi-Fi, which means it is accessible from just about anywhere, so you can purchase and download applications wirelessly and start using them instantly. Some applications are even free and the App Store notifies you when application updates are available. The App Store will be available in 62 countries at launch.

Additional features available with the iPhone 2.0 software include the ability to do real-time mapping and track your progress with GPS technology, mass move and delete multiple email messages, search for contacts, access a new scientific calculator, turn on parental control restrictions for specified content, save images directly from a web page or email them to your iPhone and easily transfer them back to your photo library on your Mac® or PC. iPhone 3G delivers an amazing 10 hours of talk time on 2G networks and 5 hours using 3G, with up to 5 to 6 hours of web browsing, up to 7 hours for video playback and up to 24 hours for audio playback.
iPhone 3G takes advantage of MobileMe™, a new Internet service that pushes email, contacts, and calendars from an online “cloud” to native applications on iPhone, iPod® touch, Macs and PCs. With MobileMe email, messages are pushed instantly to iPhone, removing the need to manually check email and wait for downloads, and push keeps contacts and calendars continuously up-to-date so changes made on one device are automatically updated on other devices. With iPhone, you can even snap a photo and post it directly to a MobileMe Gallery to share with friends and family.

iPhone 3G will be available in the US on July 11 for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model and $299 (US) for the 16GB model in both Apple and AT&T’s retail stores and requires a new two year contract with AT&T for qualifying customers. iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes® 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers. For further information about iPhone 3G pricing and availability in the US and internationally, visit www.apple.com/iphone.