iPod iTunes Zone

Waterloo-based Research in Motion (RIM) has just launched the new BlackBerry 8820, a dual-mode cell phone that is able to switch between cellular and WiFi networks to make calls and surf the web. The blackberry 8820 will be available through AT&T later this summer. The new BlackBerry will feature a full QWERTY keyboard, a nicely sized 320 x 240 pixel display and a trackball navigation system as seen in the BlackBerry Pearl.

Pricing has not yet been announced for the 8820. Previously, AT&T has offered some BlackBerry devices for as low as US$50, plus a monthly voice and data service plan. It is not likely that the 8820 will be so cheap.

The 8820 will include built-in GPS support, a multi-media player for videos and music, and an expandable memory slot for micromemory cards in sizes up to 32GB, RIM said in a statement. The battery is also removable (user-replaceable), according to the Waterloo, Ontario-based vendor.

The new smart phone switches “seamlessly” between EDGE, GPRS and GSM networks and 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, according to RIM. The BlackBerry 8820 can operate with the BlackBerry Internet Service, allowing you to manage up to 10 personal and business e-mail accounts, or with BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed inside a user’s business, which provides IT administration ability for Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell Groupwise systems.

The new phone will come with voice-activated dialing, conference calling, speed dialing and dedicated keys for muting calls and performing other functions. A speakerphone and Bluetooth 2.0 support are also provided.

Wi-Fi security includes Wireless Equivalency Protocol (WEP), Wi-Fi Protected Access and WPA2. Also, Cisco Compatible Extensions are provided, as well as IPSec software to support virtual private network gateways from Cisco Systems Inc., Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. and some other VPN vendors.

An analyst at Gartner Inc., said the new 8820 is “great”. Ken Dulaney also added that “when RIM does something, it usually works well.” He said it will be interesting to track whether people start using Wi-Fi for voice to bypass cellular carriers.

Fear of litigation has led to an indefinite delay in the planned Saturday release of software to unlock Apple’s iPhone.

John McLaughlin, founder of Uniquephones, based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, said Saturday that he received a phone call about 3 a.m. Saturday local time from a man claiming to be from O’Melveny & Myers, an international law firm, calling on behalf of AT&T. The firm has worked with Apple in the past.

The man informed McLaughlin that if he posted the unlock code, he could be sued for copyright infringement and for dissemination of Apple’s intellectual property.

McLaughlin was not completely awake when he took the call and did not get the full name of the person on the other end, he said. The man presented “friendly advice,” but because of the timing of the call and the fact that it came on a personal mobile phone that McLaughlin never uses for business, it felt more threatening than friendly.

“If he wants to give me advice, he could have sent me an e-mail,” McLaughlin said.

Spokespeople with O’Melveny & Myers, AT&T Wireless and Apple could not be immediately reached for comment Saturday.

McLaughlin and his team had planned to release software by 2 p.m. EDT that he claims would unlock the iPhone so it could work with SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards from carriers other than AT&T Wireless.

Uniquephones set up a Web site right after the iPhone’s release on June 29 and had been working on the software since then.

McLaughlin is concerned that fighting a lawsuit with AT&T or Apple would sink his small company, which does a modestly successful business unlocking wireless handsets in the U.K. and Europe. At the same time, he and engineers in several countries have invested time and money to come up with the unlock software.

“It really annoys me,” he said. “We have the solution sitting there and we have the customers there, but if you connect the two you could lose everything.”

About 550,000 people have signed up on Uniquephones’ iPhone unlocking site as of Saturday afternoon in the U.K.

McLaughlin said he still plans to release the software eventually, but is not sure when. “We’d be happy to let another company take the heat and be the second or third company to post [the software],” he said.

In addition to Uniquephones’ software, there have been two other reports of ways the iPhone can be unlocked. On Friday, blogger George Hotz posted a step-by-step tutorial for unlocking the iPhone that involves both hardware and software modifications. At another site, www.iPhoneSimFree.com, a company claims it can unlock iPhones through software only.

The iPhone has been a hot target for unlocking since its launch, both because of its advanced design and features and because AT&T has an unusual long-term exclusive relationship with Apple. It’s common for U.S. mobile operators to lock the phones they sell, but in some cases they will later unlock the phones free or for a small fee.

source: www.macworld.com

Apple’s iTunes Store today will begin selling digital copies of Ringo Starr’s post-Beatles EMI catalog, marking the third Beetle band member to release music via the digital music realm. Ringo’s tracks come to iTunes after solo offerings from Paul McCartney and John Lennon, both of which were recently added to Apple’s online offerings.

Ringo’s addition to iTunes accompanies a new compilation CD from the Beatles drummer to promote online sales, according to BloggingStocks. Industry watchers are hoping to see the Beatles catalog itself released online by early 2008, but music giant EMI — which holds the rights to those works — has yet to offer a public decision on the matter.

USBFever.com has launched its Ultra Slim USB Travel Charger that works to charge an iPod or iPhone on-the-go. The charger measures 42 x 70 x 15mm and weighs 43 grams, charging devices with 5V 1A output. A retractable power plug eases the charging process, and the entire charger is shorter than a credit card and only half as high as a SIM card (1.5cm).

The company today also unveiled its iPhone Aluminum Case, a protective cover for iPhone owners filled with neoprene lining that ships with a 360-degree swivel belt clip. USBFever.com’s device charges an Apple iPhone or iPod, most PDAs, cellular phones, and USB-powered MP3 players. The Ultra Slim USB Travel Charger is priced at $12, while the iPhone Aluminum Case is available for $20

source: www.electronista.com

Apple may unveil a new line of iPods as soon as the first week of September, according to one report. A photograph of what industry watchers say could be a new line of iPod nanos surfaced earlier this week, but some sources that published the photos were asked to remove them by the Cupertino-basd company’s legal team.

Engadget reports that Apple plans to unveil new iPods on September 5th, citing sources within the company while pointing to the unusual chosen date for a special event. Apple typically holds such events on Tuesdays, but the coming holiday weekend may have served as incentive for the company to reschedule the day of its presumed special event.

source: www.electronista.com