Filed under: Cellphones

According to a report from NPD, sales of cellphones have shifted in a manner which should shock and stun even a casual observer. Apparently for the first time in years, Motorola’s ubiquitous RAZR has been overtaken in consumer sales… by the iPhone 3G. This is a watershed moment for handset sales in the US, marking not only a shift away from the dominant market leader, but a turn towards more complex, full-featured devices. The news comes hot on the heels of NPD’s previous findings, which still placed the RAZR in the top spot — though with ever-decreasing numbers. In that same report, the iPhone found itself in second place, but it appears that flagging interest in the inescapable dumbphone coupled with the recent iPhone PR blitz have put Apple’s moneymaker into the top position. The news is also buoyed by recent reports that Apple has overtaken RIM as the number two smartphone vendor, and a J.D. Power study which found affection for the device waxing in the extreme. Overall, however, handset sales fell 15 percent year-over-year, and LG managed to snag the top brand position, with two models in the top five. Still, if there already wasn’t a clear indication of the market moving towards both smartphones and touchscreen devices, this should give everyone a clearer picture of both the public’s wants, and the power of Cupertino’s ad-men. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset

iPhone 3G overtakes the RAZR as best-selling domestic handset originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft fanatics, here’s yet another chance to show off to the world just how hardcore you are! SteelSeries has just released its Limited Edition World of Warcraft keyboard, retailing for $69.99. Of course it is able to help you churn out those boring office documents, but once the clock hits five, you will be able to fire up World of Warcraft and step into the shoes of your virtual alter ego - at least you’ll be more than just an office drone there. As the name suggests, it aims to optimize your World of Warcraft playing experience, featuring specific keys for Raiding and Player vs. Player (PvP) gameplay, strategically placed color-coded labeled keys, one-touch macros for frequent commands, and makes room for up to 7 simultaneous keystrokes without jamming up.

Add a comment | From: World of Warcraft Limited Edition Keyboard | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

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Filed under: Cellphones

If you had any lingering doubt that HTC’s US, GSM version of the Touch Pro (AKA the Fuze) was headed to AT&T in the near future, you can probably take a deep breath. Thanks to an eagle-eyed tipster, we’re now able to view HTC’s official page for the device, although it looks like they may not be done with all the coding, as an image of the Tilt is still being used as a placeholder. There’s no mention of release date, though we do learn that the device will sport AT&T’s Cellular Video and Mobile Music services, and a “unique AT&T defined 5 row slide out / slide away QWERTY keyboard,” which definitely means nothing at all. Hit the read link if you don’t believe us, but for goodness’ sake — you should see someone about that paranoia.

[Thanks, Wie]

HTC’s official Fuze page shows up… kinda originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our People’s choice vote is coming to an end and right now it’s the tight race between the Seagate FreeAgent Pro 320GB USB hard drive and the HP mini 1000 Netbook. So which one is it going to be? It is so close that you vote will make the difference! (Obviously you can also vote any of the other choices)

Which one would you like to get for Christmas?

Which one do you want for Christmas?
( polls)

Add a comment | From: 1-Click Vote: Seagate FreeAgent and HP Mini 1000 fighting for the lead | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

So apparently Apple knew what it was talking about after all. Research firm Canalys says that Apple stole the rug out from underneath RIM in the third quarter to become the world’s number two pusher of smartphones, taking a hearty 17.3 percent market share compared to RIM’s 15.2 percent and Windows Mobile’s 13.6 percent. For what it’s worth, the firm says RIM could very well bounce back in the fourth quarter with the Bold, Storm, and Pearl 8220 all ramping up in time for the holidays, but either way, number one platform Symbian needn’t sweat any time soon; Nokia’s baby managed to lose 21.5 percent share year over year, but they’re still sitting pretty with 46.6 percent.

How’d Apple manage to steal so much BlackBerry thunder (pun painfully intended)? Part of the evidence might lie in J.D. Power’s just-released 2008 Business Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study, revealing that suits adore their iPhones, like their BlackBerrys just alright, and despise their Palms. Amusing to us was the iPhone’s rating of a 5 out of 5 in the Features category — the only contender to get a perfect score there — despite the fact that virtually every other smartphone platform continues to outstrip it for raw capability. Usability, though, well… that’s arguably another story altogether.

[Via AppleInsider]

Read - Apple outsells RIM
Read - JD Power rankings

Analyst confirms Apple slid past RIM to become number two smartphone vendor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Nov 2008 02:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today opera announced the release of its Opera Mini 4.2 that works on a broad range of mobile phone models. It is available for beta testing at http://www.operamini.com/beta/

According to Opera:

“Opera Mini 4.2 beta provides a more personalized experience with its colorful selection of new skins, improved support for YouTube and other mobile video services on a wider selection of mobile phones. Improvements in Opera Link allow users to share notes between their mobile phones and PCs, in addition to their bookmarks and recently-visited URLs.”
Opera claims that 20 million unique monthly users worldwide browse the Web with Opera Mini. To know more about Opera Mini, go to the Wikipedia page.

Add a comment | From: Opera Mini 4.2 beta released | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

We’re getting mixed results here, but the word on the street is that Best Buys around the colonies will start taking pre-orders for the BlackBerry Storm tomorrow for a stiff $50 deposit — a pretty good indication that they’re expecting elevated (if not outright insane) demand when it finally launches this month. At least one store we’ve called has corroborated the claim, so you might want to drop by your friendly local big box tomorrow and see what’s what if you’re keen on being the first kid on your block with one of these monsters.

[Thanks, Thomas]

Best Buy taking BlackBerry Storm pre-orders starting tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TOMY is back with a new device - this time round it is the new TOMY xiao TIP-521 digital camera that comes with an integrated ZINK printer. This means you’ll be able to print out photos captured instantly without having to purchase an external digital photo printer. Photos are snapped in 5 megapixel glory, which has more than enough pixels within for the ZINK printer to handle. Capable of spitting out 2″ x 3″ full color prints in under a minute, other features include :-

• 2.48″ LCD display


• SD/SDHC memory card slot


• 16MB internal memory


• 4x digital zoom

Add a comment | From: TOMY xiao TIP-521 Digital Camera | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

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Filed under: Cellphones

Hiding behind a press release titled “Nokia continues its change and renews some of its activities,” the woodsmen of Espoo are swinging a corporate axe of woe. In total, the mobile phone giant plans to cut something on the order of about 600 jobs in its Sales and Marketing, R&D, and global operations. Nothing compared to the cuts at Motorola but certainly unwelcome news for those affected.

Nokia announces layoffs with flowery language originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Some stores have already let a few slip out the door a day early, but for those of us who haven’t left our parents’ basements since 1989, turns out there’s now a sweet alternative to heading down to the brick-and-mortar. The BlackBerry Bold’s now up on AT&T’s site ready to ship for $299.99 after rebate on a two-year contract, so go ahead and whip out the plastic. If you haven’t been using a Curve or an 8800 lately, prep your unsuspecting thumbs with some hardcore workouts — and if you have been using a Curve or an 8800, get those freakishly muscular, overbuilt digits out of our sights.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

AT&T kicks off BlackBerry Bold sales on the web originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 23:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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