Opera Mobile 10 now available for Windows Mobile phones

First released for Symbian devices , Opera Mobile 10 beta is now available for Windows Mobile platform. The Opera Mobile 10 beta for Windows Mobile looks and feels similar to the Opera 10 desktop browser and Opera Mini 5 beta. It can be downloaded from www.opera.com/mobile/ or m.opera.com/mobile/ (for phone download). Opera maintains its powerful arsenal of features in this beta, including Speed Dial, tabbed browsing, a password manager and its super, server-side compressor, Opera Turbo.

Here is the original post:
Opera Mobile 10 now available for Windows Mobile phones

AT&T beefing up 3G network in San Francisco Bay Area

AT&T apparently isn’t going to let the likes of Verizon Wireless and bitter AT&T ( NYSE: T ) subscribers get them down about their 3G network performance. Big Blue has announced that it’s beefing up 3G services in the San Francisco Bay Area – they’ve upgraded more than 800 cellular base stations and is in the process of migrating 3G services from the 1900Mhz spectrum to the more powerful 850Mhz band in an effort to improve 3G performance. So far, AT&T has racked up $65 million in infrastructure upgrades this year in the Bay Area, which has allowed it to double network capacity in the last 45 days

Go here to read the rest:
AT&T beefing up 3G network in San Francisco Bay Area

The Five-minute fiddle: Nokia N900

So I just received an N900 in the post today, and one of the things I do like to do with new hardware, is to give it the ‘five-minute fiddle’. For those of you that are not familiar, the aim of the five-minute fiddle is to spend a very short period getting first impressions of a given handset/service, and then write things up with a summary ‘gut feeling’ about it. Unpacking My N900 is a full retail model, and so I got a good feeling for the real end-user experience when opening up the packaging of this little bad boy

See original here:
The Five-minute fiddle: Nokia N900

T3’s “Netpad” puts a few new twists on the tablet format

Product differentiation is getting more and more difficult these days. The lozenge-shaped, touch-enabled, all-purpose computing device is fast on its way, and while things like the Courier are still serving up surprises, you could be forgiven for thinking most of these big blank screens are pretty similar. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to see some smart additions to the tablet form factor in this concept design by T3.

Read more:
T3’s “Netpad” puts a few new twists on the tablet format

UK: T-Mobile subs have their data sold on unknowingly

Oh, it’s all going off in the UK at the moment, with the news that thousands of UK subs on the T-Mobile ( NYSE: DT ) network have unknowingly had their data sold on to third parties, for what is apparently substantial sums of money! For those that don’t live in the UK, we tend to take our data privacy quite seriously indeed – there are plenty of laws that are designed to protect – but what do you do when people on the inside are harvesting your details and selling them on to middlemen?

Continued here:
UK: T-Mobile subs have their data sold on unknowingly

Orange and Twitter get it together, with MMS support included!

Orange today announced a partnership with Twitter, which will enable customers to send and receive Twitter updates directly from their mobile phones using text messaging. It also sees Orange become the first mobile phone operator to enable customers to upload and share photos on Twitter via MMS. The partnership has been designed to give Orange customers fast and simple access to Twitter without the need to download special software or pay extra for services.

More:
Orange and Twitter get it together, with MMS support included!

T-Mobile UK employees caught peddling personal data

Here in the states, T-Mobile has been no stranger to screw-ups , but we’d always just figured that their UK counterparts were stand-up guys. After all, they’re British – as we all know, every one from that side of the pond is charming, affable, and rocks a bloody good accent. Unfortunately, it looks like not everyone employed there is as scrupulous as their customers would hope – a story by the BBC has confirmed that T-Mobile UK employees sold private subscriber data to a third-party broker.

Read this article:
T-Mobile UK employees caught peddling personal data

AT&T Rolls out Wireless Upgrades in SF Bay Area

The incessant whining about AT&T’s network coverage is especially loud here in San Francisco, and that’s largely because a lot of hipsters, techies and workaholics here own data-sucking iPhones. Fortunately, AT&T says it’s been investing in upgrades to improve bandwidth in the Bay Area. Some highlights from AT&T’s press release : Approximately 850 local cell sites have been upgraded to include 850 MHz, the majority occurring last quarter In 2009 so far, AT&T has added nearly 40 new cell sites in the Bay Area and added significant backhaul HSPA 7.2 slated to roll out in the Bay Area next year Since 2008, AT&T’s network in the San Francisco area has experienced a 3G data traffic increase of 2,000 percent Investments between 2008 and the third quarter of 2009 total nearly $65 million “We know there are still challenges in the area, and these upgrades and investments will continue,” an AT&T spokesman said in a statement.

See more here:
AT&T Rolls out Wireless Upgrades in SF Bay Area

How Microsoft Blew It With Windows Mobile

Microsoft Windows continues to dominate the PC market with a 90 percent market-share stronghold, but when it comes to smartphones, Microsoft is getting beat up worse than a mustachioed villain in a Jackie Chan movie. Windows Mobile has lost nearly a third of its smartphone market share since 2008, research firm Gartner reports. Windows Mobile had 11 percent of the global smartphone market in the third quarter of 2008, according to Gartner, and last quarter Windows Mobile’s market share plummeted to 7.9 percent.

Originally posted here:
How Microsoft Blew It With Windows Mobile

HD Video: iPhone App: Snaffle: Location based coupons in the London area

Snaffle, an iPhone application created by lastminute.com labs , is one of those ridiculously awesome programs that makes you slap your forehead and make you wonder why no one else has done this before. Load it up, it uses the iPhone’s GPS to find out where you are, and then it displays shops around you that have a special promotion running.

The rest is here:
HD Video: iPhone App: Snaffle: Location based coupons in the London area

Love-Digi Moving Photo Camera is a portable photo booth – almost (video)

Here’s something yourself or your sister might be particularly interested in: A digital camera that helps you to pretty up pictures taken with it on the go. The so-called Love-Digi Moving Photo Camera [JP] is made by Japanese toymaker Takara Tomy and based on the cultural phenomenon of Purikura , photo booths in Japan that especially teenage girls use to create decorated snaps of themselves.

Go here to see the original:
Love-Digi Moving Photo Camera is a portable photo booth – almost (video)

Tail-Swallowing USB ‘Massage Scarf’ Is an Infinitely Creepy Loop

I’ve been wary of any “vibrating massage” devices ever since the beating I received after rummaging through my parents’ closet as a child, but I’m willing to check out the USB Massage Scarf because of one amazing component: “high energy particles”. That and the amazing email pitch that landed in my inbox today: “Dear editors, The gadget I recommend today is surely a revolutionary tech item and will capture everyone’s eyeball closely.” Who could resist? Actually, the pitch is so good, here is the rest of it, for your information gathering pleasure: The scarf features high-energy particles with warm and wind-proof cloth, which is pretty suitable for wearing during cold days

Read this article:
Tail-Swallowing USB ‘Massage Scarf’ Is an Infinitely Creepy Loop

Eastside Fixed: Low-Priced Frankenbike

The first thing you’ll say about the Eastside Fixed from Campus Cruisers is “Wow, an aluminum fixed-gear for just $300!” The next thing you’ll shout is “Wait, how did they make an aluminum fixed-gear weigh 21 pounds?” It’s true, 21 pounds isn’t heavy, but fixed-gear bikes don’t have much to add weight other than the frame and wheels, so even a steel framed bike (the usual fixed choice) can come in at less. Things get odder from there on. The $300 price is good only for the first 50 sold, after that rising 50% to $450

Read the original:
Eastside Fixed: Low-Priced Frankenbike

Brief: HTC to offer Qualcomm Brew MP powered feature fone in early 2010

Highly shady and controversial Taiwanese news site Digitimes is claiming that HTC, maker of such famous devices as the Android powered Hero and Windows Mobile 6.5 packing HD2 , is going to be releasing a feature fone in early 2010 that will run Qualcomm’s Brew MP operating system . The first American operators to offer Brew MP devices are going to be Verizon ( NYSE: VZ ) Wireless and Sprint ( NYSE: S )

View post:
Brief: HTC to offer Qualcomm Brew MP powered feature fone in early 2010

Austrilian operator Telstra discovers that slapping a better UI on feature fones increases data usage

Telstra, an operator from down under, created a new user interface in house called the “ TelstraOne Experience ” and have discovered that by making mobile fones easier to use, they can successfully increase usage of their data services. While many of you are rolling your eyes right now, saying “no fucking shit”, this new evidence may make handset makers rethink their feature fone OS user experience instead of pumping resources into yet another failed project that attempts to compete with the iPhone

See the article here:
Austrilian operator Telstra discovers that slapping a better UI on feature fones increases data usage

Android-powered Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica ready for Europe

After Russia , Samsung is bringing its Android-powered i5700 Galaxy Spica to Europe. The 800 MHz CPU-equipped device will certainly help Google ( NSDQ: GOOG )’s OS run faster, while also ensuring the smooth DivX video playback. Rest of the specs include HSDPA support, 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen, 3-megapixel camera with auto-focus, GPS, digital compass, WiFi, microSD card slot, 1500mAh battery and so on.

More here:
Android-powered Samsung i5700 Galaxy Spica ready for Europe

Megafon and Turkcell to be merged into a single holding company

TeliaSonera and Altimo agreed to merge their interests in Turkcell and Megafon into a new company, which will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. AF Telecom, Megafon’s third major shareholder, is also invited to join the partnership, though we’re not sure about their response at this moment. The idea is to create an international operator, with over 90 million subscribers in Russia, Turkey and the CIS countries, which will focus on developing both Turkcell and MegaFon, as well as look for expansion into new emerging markets

See the rest here:
Megafon and Turkcell to be merged into a single holding company

BlackBerry Internet Service Down for the Count? BIS Outages Reported Worldwide…

It’s not fun times this evening if you’re on the BIS (BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM ) Internet Service) this evening/morning. Multiple reports of BIS outages from around the world are coming in left right and center. At this time it’s not quite clear what is going on, but all I can tell you is this one looks like a large outage.

Read more:
BlackBerry Internet Service Down for the Count? BIS Outages Reported Worldwide…

Gift Guide 2009: Toys

Intro Stylophone Ghostbusters Genesis Portable Eyeclops Zippity Ball and Cage Intro GRAND Flash Album Gallery Skins for GRAND FlAGallery developed by CodEasily.com – Flash Templates, WordPress Themes and WordPress plugins The Flash Player and a browser with Javascript support are needed.. The problem with creating a category for toys on CrunchGear is that almost everything we review is a toy – it’s fun, cool, and great to play with for at least a day or two until our attention is inevitably drawn to something else

Read the original post:
Gift Guide 2009: Toys

O2 Litmus targets over 1 million O2 Customers

O2 ( NYSE: TEF ) Litmus (which is the mobile and web application development community from O2) is ready to spread it’s wings – and they’ve decided the best way is a targeted marketing campaign for 1 million O2 UK customers. For developers this is a bit of a boon, since there should be a steady flow of consumers over the course of November – and moreover, they are targeted be a group that have criteria such as whether the O2 customer owns a sophisticated device that would be suitable for experimentation with apps, have they previously used mobile data services and which customer segment they sit in

See original here:
O2 Litmus targets over 1 million O2 Customers

Hands-on Review: ‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ for iPhone

Sometimes you know when you are going to get a quality iPhone gaming experience, and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs  was no exception – developed by and Two Tribes (and distributed by Chillingo) for Fox Mobile Entertainment, this game oozes quality! In case you were wondering what the game is about: In Scrat’s new iPhone adventure, life is not looking any easier, but at least this time he has you to lend him a helping hand.

See more here:
Hands-on Review: ‘Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs’ for iPhone

Good news: Mario Galaxy 2 will be hard; Bad news: they’re not giving up on Wii Music

I haven’t played through all of Super Mario Galaxy , but what I did play was pretty forgiving. Compare that to the punishing, yet rewarding, difficulty curve of the original games or newer games like Demon’s Souls — it’s like comparing a sprint to a ramble. However, Miyamoto has stated in a recent interview that Mario Galaxy 2 will be “really challenging,” which is encouraging.

View original post here:
Good news: Mario Galaxy 2 will be hard; Bad news: they’re not giving up on Wii Music