Gadgety News

This has been around for a while but required you to JailBreak your iPhone.

But Orb has just gone official, with its own app for the handset finally getting the thumbs up from Apple.

In an announcement CEO Joe Costello said:
 

“We released a version of OrbLive in May, but this was before the Apple SDK and App store.  You had to Jailbreak your iPhone to use it, but we still got 300,000 downloads,” he explained.

“Now it is ready for prime time — all the capability and blessed by Apple.”

All you have to do is install a small piece of software on your Mac or PC, and then tap into it from your iPhone wherever you are.

Simple!

Then all the media on your computer is instantly available, as well as live TV from any tuners you have installed.

Orb handles all the compression and file conversion on your home computer, so the iPhone doesn’t break a sweat trying to handle bulky files.

It gets even better…….

As well as dishing up live TV, radio and webcam feeds, it means the end of syncing your iPhone to tap into your media, since it’s all available over the network.

Best of all, Orb is free!

Download it direct from the App Store, and check out Orb’s website for more information.

After quite a lot of teasers, rumours and a smattering of hype RED just this moment went official with their eagerly anticipated DSMC (Digital Stills and Motion Camera) System.

There’s many, many combinations to this thing, be warned.

Let’s start with your choice of the professional Scarlet or “master professional” EPIC brains which can then be configured into about “2,251,799,813,685,248 possible camera configurations” - so says RED in a half-jokey manner ;) 

These ‘brains’ are built upon Mysterium-X and Mysterium Monstro sensors which start at 2/3-inch and end at a whopping 6×17-cm!  Good news is that when a new sensor comes out all you do is just upgrade the brain.

Scarlet will launch in 4 choices ranging from $2,500 (maybe less) to $12,000 with a variety of lens mounts (Canon and Nikon) capable of shooting 3K @120fps on up to 6K @30fps.

If that is still a little on the cheap side Epic will offer similar mounts with capabilities spanning 5K @100fps ($28k) to 9K @50fps ($45k).  Want more? A 28K system hitting 25fps is expected in 2010 for $55k

The first Scarlet systems could come as early as Spring of 2009 while EPIC should arrive by summer. Of course, the brain is just the beginning of the costs.

Just to confuse me even more RED has also introduced a 3D camera today.

RedUser

Check out this logo!

16 companies have teamed-up for a GSM Association-led initiative to make mobile broadband a recognisable standard - nothing makes things more real than a logo

The team’s aim is to create a bunch of “always-connected mobile broadband devices delivering a compelling alternative to Wi-Fi”.

The first phase will see it pre-installed on laptops in 91 countries.

Launch participants include 3 Group, Asus, Dell, ECS, Ericsson, Gemalto, Lenovo, Microsoft, Orange, Qualcomm, Telefónica Europe, Telecom Italia, TeliaSonera, T-Mobile, Toshiba and Vodafone.

So - some big names in there.

The GSMA-created “Mobile Broadband service mark” is designed to help consumers easily identify a “ready to run” mobile broadband device.

More is promised from the initiative including “a whole range of previously unconnected devices – from cameras and MP3 players to refrigerators, cars and set-top boxes.”

Way back on June 11th I furnished you all with the news of Sony Ericsson’s first ever 8MP camera phone.

Now SE have given it the official thumbs up; so I formally introduce you to the Cybershot C905!

As we already know, the phone is rocking an impressive 8MP sensor partnered with a Xenon flash and a 2.4in QVGA screen for wallowing in your glorious snaps.

Don’t forget this is not just a compact digital camera.

Amongst all that photo stuff you’ll also discover AGPS, Wi–Fi and HSDPA for super fast web browsing. 

Slap 2GB memory support and TV out on top of all that and you’re looking at a fully tooled up phone that demands to be respected.

SE says it can be yours in Q4 and then laugh at those poor folks with compact digital cameras as you whip out your phone and get better results :0P

Well, the moment we’ve all been waiting for:

19:30

First some stats were announced: the iPhone has 90% customer satisfaction, 98% of people are browsing, 94% are using email, 90% are text messaging, and 80% are using 10 features or more.

19:31

3G.  It has been mentioned - Now everything kicks off!

So what’s it like?

It has a black back, is thinner at the edges, and is totally plastic. It has a flush headphone jack, solid metal buttons, a 3.5-inch display and “improved audio” which, lets face it, shouldn’t have proved difficult.

There was then a demonstration showing how long it takes to load a website. 21 seconds on 3G compared with 2G’s 59 seconds. Apparently that’s 36% faster than a Nokia N95 but I’ve not noticed mine take 21 seconds…..Hmmm….

It takes 5 seconds to download an email attachment compared with EDGE’s 18 seconds.

The new Jesus blower has 300 hours standby time and GPS. It shall be shipped to 25 countries.

Righty; Prices:

8GB for $199

16GB for $299 - There will also be a white 16GB model!

It will go on sale around the world on July 11th - this has been confirmed by O2 and Carphone Warehouse. UK prices around £150.

In a similar move to the French Orange iPhone deal that I reported on May 27th - reports are circulating that the 3G iPhone will go on sale in the UK for around the £100 mark.

If this is true see me in the queue!

Apple is apparently adjusting its strategy to boost sales.  New deals with operators have revealed that the company is changing its fixed price (May 2oth), exclusive partner business plan in order to attain their 10 million iPhone sales target for this year.

UBS analysts think the iPhone will be available in Europe for as little as 99 euros, and suggest O2 could subsidise the cost of the phone, meaning the price to the consumer dropping to £100.

Ben Wood, a CCS Insight analyst, said:

“They are also looking for more flexibility on how the operators can price the iPhone, although I am not convinced that they will let them have open season on the price, as they have a lucrative iPod market to protect”.

Via - Times Online

Well this is as near as I can get to confirmation that the fabled beast that is the 3G iPhone will be released in the next month!

Apparently it is to be announced at the WWDC Keynote on June 9th and then the 2nd generation iPhone will be available worldwide right after the launch!

Now, interestingly the 3G Phone de Jesus will no longer be available at a fixed price, well at least in some countries, word has it.

More news as it comes - thanks to those that have emailed me with this stuff :0)

Gizmodo picture credit ESKN.com