Cell Phone Hub

According to folks over at Android Community, Google has begun to pull tethering applications from the G1’s Market. One of the contributors to the “WiFi Tether for Root Users” app claims that the company is citing distribution agreements with carriers as the cause of the takedowns. In their words:

Google enters into distribution agreements with device manufacturers and Authorized Carriers to place the Market software client application for the Market on Devices. These distribution agreements may require the involuntary removal of Products in violation of the Device manufacturer’s or Authorized Carrier’s terms of service” Google Developer Distribution Agreement

Of course, this should come as quite a surprise, given statements T-Mobile’s Cole Brodman made to us during the G1 launch last year, and Google’s seemingly rampant interest in being the de facto open source mobile OS. It’s not clear at this point if this is an isolated incident (possibly related to the root nature of the app), or just the beginning of a more widespread move. Google (and T-Mobile to some extent) — we await your response.

[Thanks, Chris]

Filed under: Cellphones

Is Google pulling tethering apps from the Android Market? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No details are being offered just yet, but Samsung’s Korean-language press service has slipped the first official shot of its Instinct S30 / Instinct Mini / M810 for Sprint. At first glance, the phone seems to be considerably more put-together than its older brother — and if they’ve managed to iron out all of the software issues that plagued the Instinct’s early days, Sprint might just have a winner on its hands. We’re guessing this is going to be unveiled on a more grandiose scale by Samsung USA and Sprint any day, minute, or second now, so stay tuned.

Filed under: Cellphones

Samsung shows off Sprint’s Instinct S30 (alias Instinct Mini) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve had a chance to put the North American version of Nokia’s latest touchscreen device and its first to run S60 5th Edition — the 5800 XpressMusic — through its paces over on Engadget Mobile, and let’s put it this way: if you’re thinking about taking the plunge on this bad boy, you might want to have a look. No, seriously, it’s just one click away — can’t hurt, now, can it?

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When they said “Tuesday,” they meant it. Not long ago, the clock struck midnight in the Land of the Rising Sun, and sure enough, the bona fide Skype application (v1.0.0.63) for Apple’s iPhone has gone live. It’s absolutely free to download, and early reports from Japan have been pretty stellar in regard to sound quality. We’re fully expecting it to roll out elsewhere as Tuesday (March 31st) arrives in various time zones, so make sure you (and at least one Skype buddy) stay up late to try ‘er out. [Warning: iTunes read link may not work for all time zones yet.]

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Filed under: Cellphones

Skype for iPhone goes live in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia’s hot selling 5800 XpressMusic handset just got a little bit better. Available now, the free update promises faster Internet data, built-in dictionary with text-to-speech support, an improved overall UI and eMail experience, and better in-device search. Nokia’s also tweaked the cameras adding still image support to the front-facing video-call camera and a burst mode for capturing multiple snaps while holding the shutter button. There’s also a new Application Update feature that identifies and downloads updates to your installed applications automatically. Giddy up.

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic software update available: faster, better, updater originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know what’ll be awesome? Actual end products resulting from this presumably nonstop research on piezoelectric nanowires. Yet again we’re hearing of a new group of researchers that have figured out a way to harness electricity from life’s simplest things: walking, a heart beating or even the flowing of blood. Put simply, the gurus have discovered how to use zinc oxide nanowires in order to generate an electric current when “subjected to mechanical stress.” The difference here, however, is that these critters could actually be implanted under the skin, though the scientists have made quite clear that there isn’t a timetable for commercial production. In other words: yawn.

[Via textually, image courtesy of NSF]

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video, Science

Piezoelectric nanowires could lead to blood-powered iPods, cellphones originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heart monitors for cellphones have definitely been around, but a new option is about to surface for AT&T customers. The service, which will be offered up starting April 21st by MedNet Healthcare Technologies, will somehow let patients monitor their own heartbeats and automatically send that information to their cardiologists using Bluetooth-enabled phones. Reportedly, the information will be sent out to a central monitoring center, which then transfers the data to the doctor. As expected, there will be a monthly fee for the service (exact pricing has yet to be disclosed), and doctors must also be signed on to receive the information. Sounds good and all, but seriously, good luck getting your M.D. to be attentive to your every data dump.

[Via textually]

Filed under: Cellphones

MedNet app monitors heartbeat, transfers data to cardiologists originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, we’ve seen all those purtied up renders, but what does the Ulysse Nardin Chairman look like in the flesh? Well, they’re keeping it under wraps pretty tightly at BASELWORLD, not letting photographers near it, but our friendly tipster Greg’s phone “accidentally” snapped a couple pictures. He says there was no way to touch it or see it in action, but he was struck by the sheer enormity of the device. We’re looking forward to selling a few organs for a shot at one ourselves, but for now those two shots up top will have to suffice.

[Thanks, Greg]

Filed under: Cellphones

Ulysse Nardin’s Chairman caught in the wild! originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 07:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uh oh Apple — it looks like even your attorneys are dirty, thieving jailbreakers. Tipster a|e§ was poring through that iPhone biometric security patent application we posted earlier and noticed that the images show a jailbroken phone, complete with Installer.app, SMBPrefs, and the iWood Realize theme from the iSpazio repository. We’re guessing the fine folks at Kramer, Levin Naftalis & Frankel are going to have some ’splainin to do on Monday morning — but at least they get to run apps in the background.

[Thanks, a|e§]

Filed under: Cellphones

Apple uses a jailbroken iPhone in patent application originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, folks — things are about to get really real. We have managed, through a series of delicate negotiations, to get our hands on an honest-to-goodness Meizu M8 — heretofore the stuff of pure legend. At first glance, the build quality of the phone is actually pretty decent — it’s mostly plastic, but everything seems to snap together firmly. The battery (which is removable, naturally) is quite large, though we haven’t had a chance to test its life in any significant way. Of course, the real showpiece here is the software — which admittedly owes its entire existence to the iPhone. We’ve found that it’s quite snappy, and the styling and functionality of the UI is really kind of impressive (though this did spend a long time in the oven). Still, the phone’s KIRF roots are clear — you can judge for yourself in the gallery below.

Thanks to the good folks at MP4 Nation for the hookup!

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Meizu M8 unboxing and hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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