PinStack.com http://forums.pinstack.com/ Smartphone Professionals Alliance. en Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:37:32 GMT vBulletin 30 http://ps-imgs.pinstack.com/images/styles/pinstack/misc/rss.jpg PinStack.com - Smartphone News http://forums.pinstack.com/ PinstackSmartphoneNewshttp://feedburner.google.com Siri: Virtual Personal Assistant http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/sGFvJrmiIkg/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:16:58 GMT
Something new on the horizon, Siri"s Virtual Personal Assistant will soon be a reality. Something for all smartphones alike such as iPhone,BlackBerry and Windows Moble.If you are interested in signing up, hop over to www.Siri.com and check it out.

From the website:
Siri is a Virtual Personal Assistant - a new way to interact with the Internet on your mobile phone. Like a real assistant, Siri helps you get things done. You interact with Siri by just saying, in your own words, what you want to do. You can ask Siri to find a romantic place for dinner, and get reservations for Saturday night. You can discover things to do over the weekend, get tickets to the movies, or call a cab when you’re out on the town. You don't have to search through a bunch of web pages, following links and hunting down facts. Siri does all the work giving you the information you need at your fingertips.

We believe that in five years most people who use the Internet will have a Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA) to take care of the details of using online services. We will look back at the birth of VPAs in 2009 and wonder how we ever got by without our trusted assistant. The days of wading through links and pages from your mobile interface will seem quaint, because the natural way to interact with the rich world of information and services is to have a conversation. As John Batelle, the author of The Search, says "The future of search is a conversation with someone we trust."

Siri is just getting started, and has a lot to learn. Stay tuned - the era of the personal assistant has begun! ]]> Smartphone News Viper43 http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/siri_virtual_personal_assistant-115703/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/siri_virtual_personal_assistant-115703/ Google Voice Has Competition http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/LL-bnCd8wnI/ Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:39:56 GMT I've been a longstanding fan of Google Voice. I got my invite within the first few weeks of it's debut and have used and abused the SMS capabilities. The service has overall saved me a ton on my wireless bill and made it easier to for friends and family to keep in touch with me by calling one simple number that rings me wherever I am. It seems though that this innovative service has some competition in the form of a new service called Ribbit Mobile.

via eWeek:"Ribbit brought its cloud computing phone application to the mobile device sector Nov. 3 in the form of Ribbit Mobile, which lets users manage calls and messages to mobile phones from their computers. Ribbit Mobile aims to challenge existing Web services such as Google Voice and VoxOx, and offers many of the same services as those products. However, Ribbit features a third-party developer platform to enable programmers to build applications that extend the Ribbit Mobile platform.

Like Google Voice, Ribbit Mobile transcribes voicemail to text and sends it to users via SMS and e-mail, so that users don't have to tap into voicemail to listen to messages. The application also includes an online message inbox.

However, unlike VoxOx and Google Voice, which until last week required users to have a special Google phone number, Ribbit Mobile doesn't require a new phone number."

Check out the full article here.

Or just go to the company's site here. ]]> Smartphone News MStrawder http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/google_voice_has_competition-115611/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/google_voice_has_competition-115611/ <![CDATA[There's A Map for That..Oh Yeah, And A Lawsuit]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/Ho3DW1a4QdU/ Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:25:24 GMT AT&T is pulling no punches in rebuttal to Verizon's latest commercials comparing their 3G coverage to that of AT&T's. According to a report from Reuters, "AT&T Inc is suing Verizon Wireless in an effort to stop its bigger mobile rival from using "misleading" coverage maps in advertisements that AT&T says are causing it to lose "incalculable market share."

According to the lawsuit which AT&T filed in Atlanta federal court, a recently launched ad campaign shows maps with white spaces that mislead consumers into thinking AT&T has no network coverage outside of areas where it offers high-speed mobile services, known as third-generation or 3G.

But AT&T argued that its customers can "fully use their wireless devices outside of a '3G' coverage area and undisputedly have coverage in areas depicted by white or blank spaces on the maps used in Verizon's advertisements."

Check out the full article here. ]]> Smartphone News MStrawder http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/theres_a_map_for_that_oh_yeah_and_a_lawsuit-115609/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/theres_a_map_for_that_oh_yeah_and_a_lawsuit-115609/ Sprint to officially block tethering http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/1kuBr9cL2fs/ Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:36:34 GMT You would think if your not the number 1 or the number 2 carrier you would be promoting it by... You would think if your not the number 1 or the number 2 carrier you would be promoting it by giving customers everything you possibly could in hopes of attracting business. Taking away a feature makes it even more confusing.

Recently without notice Sprint decided to block tethering for smartphones on their network out of the blue. And Sprint customers are furious about the changes. I read comments that some people may quit the service just because of the change. It doesn’t matter if you are on the “Everything” plan or not, tethering will no longer work for you starting in 2010.

The changes were confirmed by Sprint executive David Owens. During a virtual chat on the Sprint website, Owens also revealed that Google Android OS updates will be added to the HTC Hero and the Samsung Moment. The price of Android phones will decrease “as we see volume across the industry” according to Owens.

via Pulse2 ]]> Smartphone News srl7741 http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/sprint_to_officially_block_tethering-115597/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/sprint_to_officially_block_tethering-115597/ Google Voice Quick Reference Guide http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/NJmHbtUAf3M/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:11:50 GMT Everybody's looking for a quick Google Voice guide and Coolgeex has created one. Print it and use it as a reference.


Attached Images
File Type: jpg GV-Card.jpg (78.4 KB)
]]> Smartphone News srl7741 http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/google_voice_quick_reference_guide-115566/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/google_voice_quick_reference_guide-115566/ Bing Mobile Site Optimized for Touch Screen Smartphones http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/QzAIQQyabPs/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:14:07 GMT Microsoft has touch-optimized its Bing mobile site, allowing owners of the iPhone, Zune HD, Verizon Imagio and others to navigate the search engine via their multitouch screens. The increased popularity of devices such as the iPhone has made touch screens a vital component to consider for developers of mobile software.

NFL feature – type a team or player and see upcoming games, stats, and scores. While the game is on, you can get real-time updates on the plays. (U.S. only)

Flight status – enter the airline and flight number and get the latest departure and landing times.

Bing for touch devices
Great news for you touch phone owners in the U.S.: we have a new version of Bing just for high-resolution touch devices. We optimized for touch navigation to make the most of your phone, and added a great new Movies feature. Search for Movies in your city, and you’ll see the movies playing nearby, showtimes, overviews, and even trailers and video clips.

You can get to this version by going to m.bing.com with your iPhone, Zune HD, T-Mobile G1, Verizon Imagio, or Samsung Omnia. We’ll be adding support for new devices over the next couple of months.

Try Bing today at m.bing.com
Give the updated Bing a try now by visiting m.bing.com with your mobile phone. For more information about Bing for mobile products, visit our website at www.bing.com/mobile.

Read More ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/bing_mobile_site_optimized_for_touch_screen_smartphones-115555/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/bing_mobile_site_optimized_for_touch_screen_smartphones-115555/ SmartPhones: Citi Downgrades RIMM, PALM To Sell; Upgrades MOT To Buy http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/cZXSiJHXT_4/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:05:08 GMT * MOT is up 34 cents, or 4%, to $8.91. * RIMM is down $4.22, or -7.19%, to $54.51. * PALM is down...
  • MOT is up 34 cents, or 4%, to $8.91.
  • RIMM is down $4.22, or -7.19%, to $54.51.
  • PALM is down 40 cents, or 3.44%, to $11.24.
Citigroup analyst Jim Suva this morning upgrade MOT shares to Buy from Sell, while also downgrading both Palm (PALM) and Research In Motion (RIMM) to Sell ratings. (He previously had a Buy on RIMM and a Hold on Palm). In short, he is highly impressed with the new Android phones from Motorola, and he thinks they are going to take a significant toll on the competition.

Also note a recent changewave satisfaction rating survey.

Read More ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/smartphones_citi_downgrades_rimm_palm_to_sell_upgrades_mot_to_buy-115552/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/smartphones_citi_downgrades_rimm_palm_to_sell_upgrades_mot_to_buy-115552/ Atheros Launches 802.11n Chip for Smartphones http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/wiHXqvL3HwE/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:51:51 GMT Via PC Mag (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2355076,00.asp): Today, Atheros... Via PC Mag: Today, Atheros announced its AR6003 chip, an 802.11n/Bluetooth radio designed for smartphones and other portable devices. Atheros is not the first to claim an 802.11n chip for smartphones; Broadcom announced its BCM4329 months ago, and said it should begin shipping this quarter. Atheros will begin shipping its AR6003 in volume during the second quarter of 2010, giving Broadcom a substantial lead.

However, an Atheros spokesman claimed that its chip would offer dramatic power savings compared to its predecessor and the competition.

"It's true Broadcom has a nine-month lead with their mobile 11n solution for handsets," the Atheros spokesman said. "However, the Atheros AR6003 features the highest throughput performance, industry-leading energy-efficiency and is two to two-and-a-half times smaller than the Broadcom solution. The variable on the size depends on whether you include the Bluetooth and FM components as part of the solution; all three components comprise Broadcom's combo solution."

Read More ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/atheros_launches_802_11n_chip_for_smartphones-115551/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/atheros_launches_802_11n_chip_for_smartphones-115551/ Texting and driving now banned in New York State http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/-kCAJnUfLDg/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:07:25 GMT Today, New York becomes the 14th state to enforce a ban on texting while driving, but unlike most... Today, New York becomes the 14th state to enforce a ban on texting while driving, but unlike most of the other states, you won't be able to be pulled over for the violation.

New York's ban is deemed a secondary enforcement law, meaning police would have to pull a driver over for another offense to be hit with a texting fine.

Safety advocates said it's a weak law, but some legislators said they would consider changing it to a primary violation - meaning a driver could be pulled over for it alone - if the new measure doesn't prove enough of a deterrent.

In August, Gov. David Paterson signed the texting-while-driving ban and also made it illegal to use other portable devices while at the wheel. The maximum fine is $150.

Full Article Poughkeepsiejournal ]]> Smartphone News srl7741 http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/texting_and_driving_now_banned_in_new_york_state-115533/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/texting_and_driving_now_banned_in_new_york_state-115533/ TweetGenius released For Blackberry http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/eV5gPSUCn3Y/ Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:19:50 GMT
via Twitter feed

TweetGenius is the world's most gorgeous Twitter application, but it's more than just a pretty face -- it's incredibly functional, too. Connect with your Twitter followers, view trends, share photos, and even post your GPS location all in a fast, simple, and easy-on-the-battery app.
We focused on design and ease-of-use, and from the moment you launch TweetGenius and see that cartoon-infused city skyline you'll know you're going to have a great experience. We even built in themes (with more on the way soon) so you can pick whatever style suits you best.
TweetGenius also optimizes its network access to minimize data traffic, and is designed to save battery power even as it fetches new tweets in the background. ]]> Smartphone News srl7741 http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/tweetgenius_released_for_blackberry-115486/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/tweetgenius_released_for_blackberry-115486/ Survey of 4255 consumers: Strong growth continues in smartphone market http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/AXq3ag1Pbcc/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:13 GMT


What impact are the new iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre models having on the market?

ChangeWave: A September 14-21 survey by ChangeWave Research provides an up-close look at the impact of the new Apple (APPL) and Palm (PALM) offerings – along with an update on Research In Motion (RIMM) and overall smart phone industry trends going forward.

The survey of 4,255 consumers shows strong growth continues in the smart phone market, with 39% of respondents now reporting they own a smart phone – up 2-pts since June and nearly double the level of two years ago.


Read More
]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/survey_of_4255_consumers_strong_growth_continues_in_smartphone_market-115440/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/survey_of_4255_consumers_strong_growth_continues_in_smartphone_market-115440/ SmarterMail Adds Antivirus to Email Security Arsenal http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/Hmay76-7ZsQ/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:39:12 GMT Blackberry, iPhone and Windows Mobile supported... Oct 29, 2009 SmarterTools Inc... Blackberry, iPhone and Windows Mobile supported...

Oct 29, 2009 SmarterTools Inc. is proud to announce an agreement with Commtouch to provide Zero-hour Virus Outbreak Protection with its SmarterMail mail server as an optional add-on for those users that want to enhance the software’s out-of-the-box antivirus functionality.

“Hosting providers, enterprises, and small to medium sized businesses bear the brunt of growing amounts of malicious mail, which can overwhelm their infrastructure and expose them to unnecessary threats. Now SmarterMail administrators can extend virus protection measures to include Commtouch’s Recurrent Pattern Detection technology, which blocks zombie and virus attacks with superior detection rates and low false positives,” said Tim Uzzanti, CEO of SmarterTools.

Although SmarterMail provides virus protection out-of-the-box, the additional functionality of the Commtouch add-on will provide customers protection against email-borne malware in the first critical hours of an outbreak, during the vulnerable window before traditional antivirus engines have identified the threat and provided a signature.

“The most effective approach to dealing with viruses, Trojans, worms, zombie attacks, and other forms of malware is to employ a multi-layered defense strategy,” Uzzanti said. “Commtouch Zero-hour Antivirus complements the traditional AV solutions available in SmarterMail by adding an extra layer of defense against new outbreaks.”

The Commtouch Zero-hour Antivirus add-on will be sold in licensing levels that correspond with the SmarterMail product levels, resulting in yearly subscriptions that are priced well below competitive solutions.

SmarterMail is the cost-effective Microsoft Exchange alternative, bringing enterprise-level functionality to businesses, ISPs and Web hosting environments. Scalable and easy to manage, SmarterMail features a rich Webmail interface; reporting; events/notifications; throttling; on-board antispam/antivirus; advanced synchronization with Microsoft Outlook; over-the-air support for BlackBerry, iPhone, and Windows Mobile devices; and optional add-ons for Commtouch Premium Antispam, Commtouch Zero-hour Antivirus, and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

For a full list of features, see the SmarterMail Edition Comparison page on the SmarterTools Web site.

- Press release ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/smartermail_adds_antivirus_to_email_security_arsenal-115438/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/smartermail_adds_antivirus_to_email_security_arsenal-115438/ <![CDATA[Flixster: Updated Android App & Introduction of Flixster for Blackberry]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/d1Xm4OaE_kM/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:28:15 GMT Flixster is getting even bigger this week by releasing its first fully native Blackberry application and a major update to its popular Android app – simultaneously reaching a new milestone of 8 million mobile users.

Flixster 2.0 for the Android launched today, adding integration with Facebook Connect, a newsfeed for up-to-date friend ratings, and other enhancements. Flixster also submitted its first fully native version for the Blackberry, which is expected to be available at the Blackberry App World soon. The beta version of Flixster for the Blackberry is already among the smartphone’s top 40 free apps.
Flixster’s mobile “Movies” app remains one of the top 5 entertainment apps for the iPhone, and is installed on 1 in 5 iPhones in the U.S.

As Flixster continues building its mobile presence, it crossed 8 million users for the first time in its history this week, adding to the 20 million monthly unique visitors it attracts on the Internet through Flixster.com and the “Movies” application on Facebook, in addition to its presence on MySpace and Bebo. Flixster’s mobile user base has more than doubled in 2009 alone.

“Flixster is one of the few apps that’s a top download on all four leading smartphone platforms – the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and the Palm Pre,” said Joe Greenstein, co-founder and CEO of Flixster. “Highly mobile moviegoers like to make their movie choices at the last minute, and Flixster has become a habit for them. In fact, more than 75 percent of Flixster’s mobile users are active, returning to Flixster frequently when they’re deciding what movie to see.”

On average, mobile Flixster users rate a movie every five seconds and stream 140 trailers per minute, Greenstein said.
Launched in January 2006, Flixster now offers its users access to more than 2.2 billionuser movie ratings and more than 19,000 movie trailers, plus quizzes, games, photos and details about more than 75,000 movies. Visit Flixster at www.flixster.com for more details.

- Press release ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/flixster_updated_android_app_and_introduction_of_flixster_for_blackberry-115436/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/flixster_updated_android_app_and_introduction_of_flixster_for_blackberry-115436/ Sony Ericsson launches Satio Smartphone http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/LR_otIH7lyM/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:21:39 GMT

Highlights

Symbian s60 OS

Camera
The 12.1-megapixel camera with Xenon flash and intuitive touch focus gives you stunning, high-resolution shots you’ll want to blow up big and keep.

Widescreen Touch
Feast your eyes on films and images in 16 million colors on the Sony Ericsson Satio's razor-sharp 3.5", 16:9 ratio screen:
360x640 pixel - 16,777,216 color TFT touchscreen

Size
- 112.0 x 55.0 x 13.0 mm
- 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.5 inches
Weight

- 126.0 gr
- 4.4 oz

View full specs
]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/sony_ericsson_launches_satio_smartphone-115435/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/sony_ericsson_launches_satio_smartphone-115435/ Gartner: PC vendors plan to sell smartphones http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PinstackSmartphoneNews/~3/eQTtioDtZ8A/ Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:57:12 GMT The growing popularity of web-enabled smartphones may prompt PC vendors to move into this sector,... The growing popularity of web-enabled smartphones may prompt PC vendors to move into this sector, according to new forecasts by Gartner. In fact many PC vendors have already, such as HP, Acer, Asus, Dell and Toshiba all planing or launching their own smartphones.

Analysts at Gartner stated that a slump in PC sales has coincided with a rise in global smartphone sales. As a result, the group believes PC vendors could consider it a lucrative market to move into, a step that could potentially offset the drop in PC purchases.

Read More ]]> Smartphone News hayden http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/gartner_pc_vendors_plan_to_sell_smartphones-115433/ http://forums.pinstack.com/f52/gartner_pc_vendors_plan_to_sell_smartphones-115433/