More Palm Pre Features Revealed May 30, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , 2comments
Over the past couple of days there has been a conference in San Fransisco run by the Wall Street Journal called D7 (you can find out more bout D7 here). This conference brings out some of the top tech players like Microsoft, RIM (makers of the BlackBerry’s), and Palm, and while usually it is just “CEO talk” about their thoughts on the tech market and such, sometimes, these CEOs reveal info on new products. The other day, Palm was one of those companies, releasing a whole bunch of new info on the previously very secretive Pre.
As we know the Palm Pre is coming next week, and there are still a bunch of features hidden. So when Palm CEO John Rubinstein (ironically initially from Apple and the guy who helped create the iPod) took the stage today, he obviously demo-ed some new features. Firstly, he elaborated upon the structure of the Pre’s App Catalog (the Pre’s version of the App Store), and then he proceeded to announce a most shocking and exciting piece of information: as part of the Palm Media Sync, the Pre will sync with iTunes! Yup, it’s completely compatible with the popular Apple music player, in part allowing you to sync your iTunes library (as long as the purchased iTunes music is non-DRM, which applies to all music bought recently off iTunes- read more about it in our previous post) to your Pre as you would an iPod, whether your iTunes is on Windows or Mac. Yeah, we got a feeling Apple can’t be too pleased about this. Just check out this snapshot:
Palm Pre syncing with iTunes, notice it even has an iPod icon next to it in the devices list! (Pic from Engadget)
For a video of Palm’s demonstration see here, and for a full press release of the new features see here.
In other Pre news, while Sprint will be launching the phone, Verizon AND AT&T have both said they want the Pre, and are said to be getting it by the end of the year (Verizon’s CEO, for example, said that the Pre and the BlackBerry Storm 2 — which we’ll get to in another post — will be coming within 6 months!). Palm wouldn’t confirm this, as not to jeopardize their relationship with Sprint and the launch of the Pre next week, but this is definitely great news for AT&T and Verizon customers, and definitely not the news Sprint wants to be hearing right now.
Still no word on 4G on the Sprint Pre, though we should find out though if that rumor is true when the Pre comes out next week.
Anyway, what are your thoughts? You like iTunes and Pre working together- will this sway you to get a Pre as it is now even more iPhone like? What do you think Apple’s reaction will be to all this? And with news of AT&T and Verizon getting Pre (or Pre-like devices, like the Eos rumored for AT&T), if you were leaning toward buying the Pre on Sprint are you now inclined to hold off? We are interested in your opinions, so sound off in the comments.
Zune HD Announced May 27, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in : Mp3 players and iPods , add a comment
The Zune HD
It’s been rumored for a while, and here it comes. Microsoft’s next shot at it’s multimedia line, the Zune. And it seems that they actually might have something here. Details on it are few and far between right now, with more coming at Microsoft’s E3 event (a major tech event next week, June 2nd) but here’s what we know so far:
- New hardware-- 3.3 inch OLED touchscreen, built-in WiFi and web browser with multi-touch, HD radio, ability to play back movies in HD with a dock (sold separately), and the usual ability to play movies, music, and photos.
- Xbox Live interactions– Microsoft’s not giving a whole lotta info here, but the Zune Marketplace and the Live Marketplace on the Xbox are apparently merging, along with other Xbox/Xbox Live integration. Again, more info at E3.
- Coming in the Fall– When exactly we don’t yet know.
So, what do I think? At this point, its hard to tell. Without knowing some more info, like the extent of the Xbox integration, or even the storage capacity, and of course, price, it’s hard to guess where the Zune HD is going. Personally, I think that it looks pretty cool, but without more details or trying one out personally, I can’t call this one yet. More stuff to come next week as Microsoft announces it, so hang tight.
News at TeenTechBlog May 26, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in : Announcements , add a comment
A big hello out there to all you readers. Just a few quick updates on some new things we got coming:
1. TeenTechBlog goes social networking – We’re now on Facebook and Twitter! Fan us/ Follow us there to get the latest TTB updates.
2. Love technology and think you got what it takes to be a writer for TeenTechBlog? For those of you out there who want to come join our team, we are looking for another writer to make our blog even more dynamic than ever. If you’re interested, just send us an email to eli.chaim@teentechblog.com with:
- Some background info about yourself
- Best way to get in contact with you
- What are your favorite things- what do you like about technology– what interests you in technology (video games, cell phones, computers…), and what are your interests outside of technology (sports, music….).
- What do you think you could contribute to TeenTechBlog, and how often you will be able to write (daily, every other day, weekly, etc.).
- A sample post on a topic of technology you like- you can base it on the design and style of some of our previous posts.
Please NO 50 page essays. Just some quick answers to the questions and a short sample post. Please try to get these in soon; the entry deadline is June 10th.
Thanks a hope you enjoy some of the new things we’re putting in, and to all prospective writers– we look forward to hearing from you soon!
Have a great summer!
–Your friends at TeenTechBlog
AT&T's Upcoming Phone Lineup Leaked in Amazing Detail May 26, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Rumors , add a comment
A lil while ago we wrote about 5 phones that were coming soon to AT&T. Yesterday, Engadget.com got word on a whole bunch of other phones coming to AT&T later this year, and while you can see all the scoops at their Engadget Mobile site here, we’re gonna focus on 3 really big, awesome ones we think will particularly interest you. (more…)
Windows 7 – First Look May 25, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Computers, First Look/Reviews , add a comment
As promised in our Netbook vs Notebook post, here is our review of the Windows 7 Release Candidate, the final chapter of the test version for the lasted Windows software. Over the past two weeks, I must say this is what everyone wanted Vista to be: a good, fast, USABLE operating system, which is 1000x better than Vista, and probably up there with XP and Apple’s Mac OS X. Dont believe me? Keep Reading. (more…)
Cramberry – Online Flashcards May 21, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in : Computers, First Look/Reviews, Teen Info , add a comment
Cramberry. Online Studying, with Awesome.
Finals season is coming, and that means its time to break out the books to cram, with of the famous rubber-banded decks of flash-cards. Which brings me to this post.
I use flashcards a lot, especially on vocab or language tests, requiring memorization of large amounts of words. However, I also don’t like flashcards – I hate making them, I hate when I lose one or two and miss studying those on a test, and they’re just overall annoying.
Enter Cramberry.net – an online flashcard site that allows you to make flashcards digitally, and study them there. The site is very simple, and very smooth, allowing you not only to easily create your own deck of flashcards but share them too- with your classmates, or the world- via posting a main site, accessible to all; if you need a set on U.S. State Capitals, for examples, you’re in luck: you can find it without writing a word. It also tracks progress on the cards as you review them, and shows cards you get wrong more to help learn them. Furthermore, through a compatible iPhone app called Flash-Me, you can access your cards on the go (costs $4, though, and I haven’t been able to try it out).
Interested in making your own? Easy. Just make an account, and create a new deck. Then write up the front and back of each ‘card’ in your deck, and the site offers a quiz in which they randomize the cards and present either the front or back of each card, you testing yourself to know its other side. As you’re going, it even slips in the ones you initially answered incorrectly to guarantee you know the cards and will ace the test. Also, foreign languages work, so you can study for language classes without hassle, which is a nice plus.
In short, Cramberry is a simple, useful tool that allows you to study flashcards easily and effectively- and its free. So check it out and good luck on those finals.
Meet Verizon's enV3 and the enV Touch (Voyager 2) May 21, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , 31comments
Over the weekend, some leaked pix and info came out on 2 updates to some pretty popular Verizon LG phones– the enV2 and Voyager. These new upgrades are the appropriately-called enV3 and the more surprisingly named enV Touch (apparently the Voyager 2 is a name trademarked by someone else so Verizon and LG had to pick a new one). Anyways, both phones look to include some nice improvements to their older predecessors, so if your looking to upgrade soon, or just wanna see what’s new, read on!
Palm Pre Launch Date and Price Official May 19, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , add a comment
Well, after months and months of waiting, Palm and Sprint have finally announced today the availability of their savior phone– the Palm Pre.
The details? Launch is on Saturday June 6th (which just so happens to be 2 days before Apple’s WWDC conference where they are rumored to bring out a new iPhone– that should be fun) and will cost $199 with a 2 year contract and after an $100 mail in rebate. Unlike by the iPhone and iPhone 3G– where you could only buy the phone from either Apple or AT&T — Palm and Sprint will be selling this at a bunch of locations including their own Palm and Sprint stores, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and even a few Wal-Mart stores, which means there are plenty of places for you to find one (oh, and definetly go to Best Buy first– they’re selling the phone for just $199.99, with no $100 mail in rebate needed. This is much better and easier than the other stores where you’ll need to pay $299.99 in the store and then send in the mail in rebate, wait a couple of weeks, and then get the $100 back).
For info of the Pre’s specs, or to see why we’re so pumped about this phone, see our previous post here.
The cool, Touchstone dock for the Pre– which lets you just place the phone on a little magnetic circle to charge instead of plugging in a cable, will also be available on the 6th for $69.99 and will come with the $49.99 dock and a $19.99 back for the Pre that allows the magnets to connect (the standard back of the Pre won’t work with the magnets, so you would need to swap it for this one).
Otherwise nothing else new on their part– like an announcement on if it will have 4G– but at least we know when we can pick one up.
You can find the full press release here.