AT&T’s network is notorious for the connectivity issues surrounding the iPhone, and Silicon Alley Insider thinks that the iPhone 4 is only going to compound them. Steve Jobs’ assurances that AT&T has assured him the network is going to get better by the end of the summer won’t be enough, because of specific changes Apple made to the phone itself. [More]
gadgets
AT&T To Let Nearly All Buy New iPhone At Subsidized Price
By 6.7.10
AT&T customers Many AT&T customers who weren’t eligible for iPhone upgrades until later this year, and would have had to pay the full, non-subsidized price, or an early termination fee, have now had their dates bumped up to June. [More]
Reach Best Buy's Executive Resolution Team
By 6.2.10
If you have an issue with Best Buy that you’ve tried and tried and tried and tried to resolve using normal customer service methods, to no avail, try pinging this guy on their executive resolution team: [More]
VIDEO: New Kin Ad Creeps Consumer Reports Out
By 5.18.10
Theresa over at Consumer Reports Ad Watch took a gander at the latest Kin ad and is kinda skeeved out. In the ad for Microsoft’s new social networking phone targeted at teens, protagonist “Rosa” goes out to confront in person “Matty Goldberb” who’s been hitting on her on Facebook, despite their never meeting before and not knowing each other besides some “mutual friends” (according to Facebook). [More]
Wired Reviews Smart Mop, Says It's Dumb
By 5.10.10
The twistable, change-your-life-forever Smart Mop that’s sold via infomercial looks sort of handy, but does it work? Wired tested one out, and says no, it does not work. In fact, it leaves behind liquid instead of sopping it up, falls apart frequently, and scrapes across the floor if you don’t hold it just right. Wired wraps up the review with this very non-infomercial suggestion: “If you’re sick of taking paper towel to floor every time Junior dumps his milk, well, tough, that’s part of being a parent.” [More]
Google Kills Nexus One For Verizon, Says Get An HTC Incredible Instead
By 4.28.10
If you’ve been waiting for the Nexus One to hit Verizon, you can stop waiting. The HTC Droid will take the place of the Nexus One on the Verizon network, Google announced via a blog post Monday. It’s supposed to support better multi-touch sensors, so, win? Perhaps given the customer service issues that arose after the initial Nexus One launch – they didn’t even offer any phone support at first – Google decided it would be better to get out of the retail business. [Google via PhoneScoop] [More]
Sony Kills The Floppy Disk
By 4.27.10
Citing “dwindling demand,” Sony announced it’s terminating the floppy disk for good. It has already stopped selling the 3.5 inch disks in most areas, and will stop selling them in Japan in March 2011. I have fond memories of copying shareware games to play on my Mom’s Macintosh Plus in the 80’s. Ah, those were more naive times. Share your floppy disk reminisces in the comments. [More]
iPhone Hacked To Run Android
By 4.22.10
This guy has hacked his iPhone so it runs Android. In fact, he can choose to run either the iPhone OS or Android. It only works on the original 2G iPhone and it’s a little buggy, and not recommended that casual users try it, but the future could hold implementations on the 3G and 3Gs. Apple’s secret garden just got further pried open. [More]
Star Of Microsoft Kin's Sexty Ads Has Sext Parody Video History
By 4.21.10
Last week, Microsoft pulled some ads for the new Kin social media device after our prurient pals over at Consumer Reports pointed out that they seemed to promote sexting (In one of the shots, a teenager puts the gadget under his shirt and takes a picture). “Microsoft takes the issue of sexting very seriously,” said a Microsoft spokesman regarding the yank. Well they certainly must, reports ANIMAL, because that’s exactly the kind of content where they seem to have found Rosa Salazar, the campaign’s main actress. For instance, her starring role in the parodic safe-sext-take on Salt n’ Peppa’s 1991 smash hit, “Let’s Talk About Sex.” [More]
Reach Logitech Executive Customer Service
By 4.21.10
If you have a Logitech customer service issue, warranty repair request or otherwise just need to kick your issue to the top because regular customer service isn’t doing it for you, here is a gal to contact: [More]
Build Your Own Home Theater
By 4.20.10
Hi-fi curious? PC Perspective has posted the second of 6-part series that walks you through every detail of setting up your own ideal home theater setup, from the planning to stage to source materials to speaker configuration. Future installments will cover setting up a home media server as well. And if you need help picking out the components, bro-site Consumer Reports has an interactive home theater system buying guide that can help. DIY! It’s more fun and if you know what you’re doing, can be cheaper as well.
Building a Home Theater [PC Perspective via HardOCP]
Supreme Court Doesn't Know Difference Between Email And A Pager
By 4.20.10
Better hope your technorights-based lawsuit doesn’t make it all the way to the US Court of Last Resort, because these august judges might not have a freakin’ clue of what’s going on. Turns out they don’t know the difference between email and a pager, among other things. [More]
iPad Is A Total Babe Magnet
By 4.8.10
The iPad has replaced the borrowed puppy as the lure of choice for bachelors on the make. Jim Colgan from The Takeaway took the latest Apple gadget out for some field testing and found himself besieged with admirers. Ok, really they were admiring the new tablet, but some of that adoration washed over on to its owner. To wit: “two women emerged from behind him and screamed and pointed. They all wanted a go.” Here is the recording of different reactions to the iPad on the streets of New York, recorded using an iPad: [More]
iPhone Won't Make Calls Or Send Texts? Try Disabling 3G
By 3.29.10
The wunderiPhone can be more like a shiny brick of strife, especially for urban dwellers who want to do futuristic activities like make and receive calls and text messages. That’s because all your fellow connectivity addicts have saturated AT&T’s network. I know people who have had to, on repeated occasions, on a clear night in Manhattan, resort to payphones because of this. But wait, there’s a solution! [More]
iPad Pre-Orders Now Open
By 3.12.10
Apple opened the doors on iPad pre-orders as of a few minutes ago. Git ’em while they’re hot! Or not, and wait for the inevitable first-generation bugs to get worked out and feeding frenzy to fade. Should you buy? Which kind do you get? Sister Consumer Reports Electronics Blog has the breakdown. Take our poll as to whether you’re getting with the craze or staying out of the race. [More]
Sony Finally Realizes iPhone Exists, Decides To Make PSP Phone
By 3.8.10
With its finger on the pulse of the industry, eagle-eyed Sony developers have uncovered secret knowledge that Apple has released a device that lets you talk on the phone, listen to music and download video games. And as a result, it has decided to give one of its next redesigned PSPs the ability to call, text and email, the Wall Street Journal reports. [More]
Man Who Pledged To Never Buy Another Vizio Gets Help
By 2.11.10
The man who said he’ll never buy another Vizio after his crapped out just a few months after his warranty ran out and would cost nearly half the purchase price to repair, says that after our post went up a gal in their customer service department called him and is “doing their best to rectify the situation.” He Jeremy writes on his blog, “This entire situation has taken an unexpected turn, which I will keep you abreast of in the days to come.” [More]
Why I Won't Be Buying Another Vizio
By 2.9.10
Jeremy won’t be buying any more Vizio TVs. He bought an HD one for $650 , then after 18 months of use, it began flickering on and off and then wouldn’t turn it on. The CSR told him it would cost him ~$300 to send it in to repair the power supply, nearly half the purchase price, as the warranty expired. Jeremy thinks a TV should last longer than a year and a half, and so he wrote an open letter on his blog to William Wang, CEO of Vizio TV. [More]
