Samsung Releases Giorgio Armani Branded Galaxy S Smartphone

 

Samsung announced today that they’re releasing a Giorgio Armani branded Galaxy S Smartphone globally in 2011. It will roll out at first in Italy, but will then roll out everywhere else soon after.

The Giorgio Armani Samsung Galaxy S looks a lot like the AT&T Samsung Captivate. However, it comes with a Giorgio Armani logo, a special Giorgio Armani designed user interface with exclusive content, ring tones, fonts, and on/off animations. The device also runs Android 2.2 Froyo, and comes with Flash 10.1 support included.

So….. what do you think? There’s a smartphone out there for everyone? Do we have any Giorgio Armani fans out there that are just itching to get their hands on this one?

 

source – mobile burn

RIM Introduces New BlackBerry Bold 9780 Smartphone

Research In Motion has just announced the Blackberry Bold 9780 Smartphone. Here are the details from RIM:

Today, Research In Motion (RIM) announced the BlackBerry Bold 9780. The Bold 9780 is the newest member of the Bold family, featuring BlackBerry 6 and offering the boldest BlackBerry experience yet.

BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone features include:

· Premium design and finish

· Brilliant, high resolution color display (480 x 360 pixels, 2.44” diagonal measurement) with support for over 65,000 colors

· HSDPA support (3.6 Mbps)

· Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi with UMA support (802.11 b/g)

· 5 MP camera (JPEG Encoding, CMOS) with Auto focus, Image stabilization, Flash and 2X Digital Zoom.

· 512 MB Flash, 4 GB onboard memory, microSDHC memory card slot (up to 32 GB)

· 624 MHz processor

· BlackBerry 6, the new operating system for BlackBerry smartphones which includes:

o Crisp, more immersive visuals, including new icons, graphics and animations
o New WebKit browser; it’s high-fidelity and very efficient, with tabbed browsing
o Graphical, context-sensitive pop-up menus
o Redesigned core apps, plus a new multimedia UI and new apps for downloading podcasts, watching YouTube videos, and integrating RSS and social networking feeds

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone will be available from various carriers around the world beginning in November.

To learn more about the new BlackBerry Bold 9780 smartphone, visit www.blackberry.com/bold.

Anyone in the market for a new Blackberry? Looks like a great offering from RIM!

Thanks

BigTechTony

Verizon Wireless & Kindle Team Up

Looks like Verizon Wireless will be pushing another app to your smartphone device in the near future. They’ve just teamed up with Amazon to bring the Kindle app pre-loaded on many smartphone devices and “other” devices. For now, the app will be featured on the Samsung Fascinate, the DROID 2 and the DROID X, with more devices to be added in the future.

What do you think of this? Just another way for carriers to add bloatware to your device or is this something you welcome? Let us know in the comments below!

In the meantime, here’s the full press release, just put out by Verizon Wireless this morning:

10/13/2010

BASKING RIDGE, NJ and SEATTLE, WA — Verizon Wireless and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced that the Kindle reading experience is now easily found on many Android devices running on the nation’s most reliable wireless network and will be available on more devices in the future.

Kindle for Android lets customers discover and read more than 700,000 books in the Kindle Store and is easy to find on the application screen of the new Samsung Fascinate™ – which boasts a brilliant 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen display – as well as on DROID™ 2 by Motorola and DROID X by Motorola.

Kindle for Android allows customers to browse, download and start reading their favorite books directly from their Android phone. Features of the Kindle app include:

• Buy Once, Read Everywhere – Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your bookmark across devices, so you can pick up where you left off.
• With Kindle Worry-Free Archive, books purchased from the Kindle Store are automatically backed up online, where they can be re-downloaded at any time.
• The largest selection of books people want to read. The U.S. Kindle Store now has more than 700,000 books, including New Releases and 107 of 111 New York Times Bestsellers. Over 575,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 80 New York Times Bestsellers.

“We’re very excited to bring Kindle for Android directly to Verizon Wireless customers,” said Jennifer Byrne, executive director, business development and partnerships for Verizon Wireless. “Our smartphones come with great screens that make buying and reading books simple and easy, and Amazon’s commitment to reading and offering a seamless customer experience is directly in line with what our customers want.”

“Customers are already telling us they love Kindle for Android, and we think they are going to be excited to get their Verizon Wireless phones and other devices preloaded with the Kindle app,” said Dave Limp, vice president, Kindle. “We are thrilled to be working with such an innovative company as Verizon Wireless and are excited to have Kindle for Android on these three phones and on other devices down the road.”

Customers can also find the app by searching for “Kindle” in Android Market™. For more information about the free Kindle app, go to www.amazon.com/kindleapps. For more information about Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving more than 92 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 79,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at .

About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtuall y any type of business. Kindle, Kindle 3G and Kindle DX are the revolutionary portable readers that wirelessly download books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a crisp, high-resolution electronic ink display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle 3G and Kindle DX utilize the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cell phones, so users never need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Kindle is the #1 bestselling product across the millions of items sold on Amazon.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, and www.amazon.cn. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the Securities and Ex change Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

source – VZW PR email

Apple Nabs Top Spot In Customer Satisfaction

J.D. Power and Associates has released their list of top smartphone companies in customer satisfaction, and for the FOURTH year in a row, Apple has nabbed the top spot. To answer your immediate question – Motorola came in 2nd with HTC following closely in 3rd.

The key factors that played into this survey were:

• ease of operation
• operating system
• physical design
• features
• battery function

Great news for Apple who had a bit of a stumble with the iPhone 4 this past summer surrounding the antenna. This should put a smile on the face of Steve Jobs.

source – cnet / J.D. Power PR

Rumor: Is DroidPro a Droid2 with a passport?

Hmmmm, not sure how I feel about this rumor floating around out there. Engadget first posted about this on Thursday, and its been stewing inside of me since then.

What they’re reporting is…..that the DroidPro will pretty much be the Droid 2, but a world edition version. I am not sure what I thought the DroidPro was going to look like, and I’m not entirely even sold on this idea, but….. a rehash of the Droid AGAIN? Not feeling that. I think I pictured it looking more like the Droid X in my head.

Engadget is also reporting in the same article that we should see this in just a few weeks, which is worlds away from what we originally heard, which was a November launch of the DroidPro.

I guess time will tell. As far as I’m concerned, I still have questions marks over my head when it comes to this device. I’ll wait to see what it looks like when it finally drops….or if we start seeing super secret leaked photos.

What are your thoughts? How do YOU picture the DroidPro in your head? Let us know in the comments below.

source – Engadget

RIM Introduces the New BlackBerry Wireless Headset HS-700

Looking for a new headset to sport with your new BlackBerry device? The one pictured above might be just what you’re looking for! RIM just announced the newest headset for their devices, the BlackBerry Wireless HS-700! Here are some of the details on this headset:

Offering an easy-to-use hands-free experience with a sleek and elegant design, the HS-700 features:

• Voice commands – allows users to effortlessly dial, mute, swap and answer calls; “redial” numbers; and call back the last incoming caller
• Voice prompts – notifies users when the battery is low and supports turn-by-turn directions with compatible third-party GPS mapping applications
• Advanced noise-cancellation technology
• Automatic volume control (i.e. adjusts automatically)
• Approximately 4.5 hours of talk time
• Bluetooth® 2.1 with support for HFP and A2DP profiles
• Range up to 33 feet/10 meters
• Industry standard micro-USB connection

You’re probably wondering right about now…… “Is my device compatible?” – well, wonder no more:

BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8310 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8320 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8520 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8530 smartphone
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 smartphone
BlackBerry® Tour™ 9630 smartphone
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000 smartphone
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700 smartphone
BlackBerry® Storm™ 9530 smartphone
BlackBerry® Storm2™ 9550 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8110 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8120 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8130 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8200 smartphone
BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone
BlackBerry® 8800 smartphone
BlackBerry® 8820 smartphone
BlackBerry® 8830 smartphone

That’s it, that’s the full list of compatible devices currently for this new headset offered by RIM.

You can pick up the HS-700 at Best Buy for $129.99 HERE starting on Sunday; Soon it will be available directly through ShopBlackBerry.com and select authorized dealers and retail stores.

For more information, please visit www.BlackBerry.com/HS700

source – RIM email/BlackBerry

DroidX video to tide you over

Not sure if this video has been floating around the internet or not, but it’s one I stumbled upon, and wanted to share it.

Head on over to YouTube to check out the following video, which has some customer feedback on the video as well as some commentary from John Stratton, EVP and CEO of Verizon Wireless:

Remember, the DroidX will be available come July 15th. There are no pre-orders for this device, so make sure you’re ready on the 15th!

Who’s planning on picking it up?

Backup Assistant from Verizon

Verizon sent out a press release today with an overview of Backup Assistant, and I thought it was something that would be good to share with the readers here at TSR, in case you were not familiar with the service.

Ever lose your phone and cry because all of your contacts and phone numbers were lost forever? Well, Backup Assistant is here to make that worry go away. Backup Assistant is a wireless application that saves and updates a copy of your devices address book to a secure website, and can be restored to a new device wirelessly.

You don’t have to wait until your device is stolen or lost to use this app though! Anytime you accidentally delete contacts or numbers from your device, you can restore them via Backup Assistant. You also have the ability to import contacts from other contact management applications, or export contact files to a 3G smartphone or into a personal or business email program.

Backup Assistant has been around since 2004, but users of this app had to pay a monthly fee of $1.99 in the past. That is now a thing of the past! Backup Assistant is now FREE. However, you have to make sure that you download the app to your device or it will not work for you. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Pick up Backup Assistant in the Verizon Wireless Media Store or directly from your device.

Backup Assistant is available on more than 130 Verizon devices, and this includes the following smartphones:

* LG Ally
* enV3
* BlackBerry Curve 8530
* BlackBerry Curve 8330
* BlackBerry Storm
* BlackBerry Storm2
* BlackBerry Bold 9650
* BlackBerry Tour
* Samsung Reality
* HTC Droid Incredible
* Droid X

No mention of the Motorola Droid, and I cannot find it in the Market. Anyone with a Motorola Droid successfully running Backup Assistant? (Not that you really need this on your Droid devices, since DROID DOES…)

What do you think? Happy that Verizon is offering this up now as a free app?

via – press release

T-Mobile announces Samsung Vibrant

Not to be outdone by Sprint and Verizon, T-Mobile has announced their Galaxy S handset, the Samsung Vibrant. Announced yesterday via a press release, the Samsung Vibrant is expected to be available beginning July 21st.

Let’s talk about what this new device comes equipped with:

* 4" AMOLED screen
* Android 2.1
* 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor
* 5 MP camera
* 2 GB microSD card
* Pre-loaded with Sims 3 Collector’s Edition & Avatar

These specs should seem pretty familiar as all of the Galaxy S handsets are boasting them, give or take a few of the details.

You will be able to pick this up through T-Mobile for a cool $199, after signing a new 2 year contract. Additionally, customers can pre-order the Vibrant through Radio Shack beginning July 1st. You will have to purchase a $50 gift card, which will then be applied toward the retail price of the device.

Who’s planning on picking up this device? How many more Android devices will we see this year?

via – press release

Kindle for Android released

Amazon announced today the official release of the Kindle for Android app, and Kindle owners around the world silently cheered with excitement! I am both a Kindle and Android owner, and although I probably won’t make it a habit to read books on my Android device, it’s great for times when I’m standing in line or stuck somewhere waiting and I don’t have my Kindle with me.

Here are some of the features you can expect with this app:

• Get the best reading experience available on your Android phone. No Kindle required
• Access your Kindle books even if you don’t have your Kindle with you
• Automatically synchronizes your last page read and annotations between devices with Whispersync
• Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle, computer, or other Kindle-compatible device
• Read in portrait or landscape mode
• Tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages

Information regarding purchasing books for your Android app:

• Buy a book from the Kindle Store optimized for your Android phone and get it auto-delivered wirelessly
• Search and browse more than 600,000 books, including 109 of 110 New York Times bestsellers. If you are a non-U.S. customer, book availability may vary
• Find New York Times® Best Sellers and new releases from $9.99
• Get free book samples. Read the beginning of books for free before you decide to buy
• Books you purchase can also be read on a Kindle, computer, or other Kindle-compatible mobile devices
• Kindle newspapers, magazines and blogs are currently not available on Kindle for Android
• Kindle for Android is currently available for customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States

Head on over to the Android Market to pick up the Kindle app for FREE, or simply scan this barcode (using a barcode scanner app) with your device, to download!

Let us know what you think of this app after you give it a go!

via – Amazon