by wildcherry on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 | News, Tech/Gadget | No Comments

According to a new Stanford University study, iPhone users are becoming so reliant on their iPhones that they are actually reporting being addicted to their Apple smartphones.

Almost half of the respondents in the 200 person study acknowledged an iPhone addiction.

Here are some highlights from the Stanford study:

• Only six percent of students said they weren’t at all addicted to the device, whereas a full 10 percent said they were fully addicted, and 34 percent gave themselves a ‘four’ on the five-point scale.
• Thirty-two percent of respondents who didn’t report feeling completely addicted did worry that they would eventually become addicted.
• Eighty-five percent of those surveyed reported using their iPhones as a watch while 89 percent use it as an alarm clock.
• Seventy-five percent actually confessed to sleeping with their iPhone in bed next to them.
• It isn’t just phone and clock features making the iPhone so indispensable. As LiveScience notes, ‘15 percent of those surveyed said the iPhone was turning them into a media addict; 30 percent called it a ‘doorway into the world’; 25 percent found the phone ‘dangerously alluring’ and 41 percent said losing their iPhone would be ‘a tragedy.”
• However, as students are using the iPhones to arrange their social lives, they must be careful to not let their addiction create a backlash: Seven percent of the students reported roommates or partners who felt neglected due to the respondent’s iPhone use, giving rise to the term ‘iPhone widow’ for those people who feel as though they’ve lost their significant other to the iPhone.
• Many of the reported ’side-effects’ of iPhone use are positive as 70 percent reported being more organized, 54 percent were more productive and 74 percent just felt ‘cool’ having an iPhone.

Interestingly, the iPhone is seen less as an outside device and more of an extension of the person due to the amount of personal information held on it and the ways in which students use it to organize and facilitate their social lives. Researchers were surprised by how readily students seem to anthropomorphize the device.

Source:Huffpost

Tags: apple, blackberry addict, blackberry addiction, iphone, iphone addict, iphone addiction, Iphone Addiction Is Real, Iphone Addiction Study, Iphone Dependency, Smartphone, Stanford University Study

by wildcherry on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 | News, Tech/Gadget | No Comments

Unlocking your iPhone could be a frustrating matter. There are many different softwares being publicized, and fact is few work. Here are some tips to insure you get your iphone unlocked safely and simply.
* If it’s to good to be true… It most likely is. * if you are not technically savvy it’s best to get a pre-built software package that may unlock your iphone. Only purchase from a reputable website and not one that is like a ten year old created it!
* Insure that the software you are installing into your iphone is made so that future versions of iphone firmware won’t leave your telephone useless! This wasn’t taken into account before the 1.1.1 firmware was released and many of us had quite a struggle getting their telephones fixed.
Downloading some copies of what looks to be awfully reputable free iphone unlock software is leaving some users a shock. The downloads are actually either a pathogen that may render your iphone worthless, or some tool that’spies’ on your iphone usage. Be careful!
* purchasing iPhone unlock software from a reputable website can also save your money. The bigger and better sites actually offer free downloads of music, movies, tv shows, and more. Imagine all of the music you download through your telephone at $1 each and how much you would save having just one lifetime fee for unlimited downloads!

* Be smart and diligent. Finding the best software isn’t hard but the iphone is quite an investment to just destroy it.

Tags: iphone, Iphone 3g Unlock, Iphone Unlock, Iphone Unlocking, Unlock Iphone, Unlock Iphone 3g

by wildcherry on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 | News, Tech/Gadget | No Comments

Add free Skype to Skype calls to your iPhone. This application can be use both on the iPhone and iPod Touch gadgets.

You can do free Skype to Skype calls from any WiFi zone. The possibilities to Call phones and mobiles from your iPhone contacts at great rates¹. You will be able to see who’s online and send and receive instant messages on the move.

Most 3G networks should support Skype presence and chat. However, Skype calling is not possible via the iPhone. Please note that data usage costs apply for using Skype over 3G mobile networks, so we recommend an unlimited data plan.

Skype presence and chat will work on all iPod touches. However, calling is only available on the iPod touch (2nd Generation) because Apple does not support microphones on the 1st generation.

The Skype application must be started and signed in to receive incoming Skype calls and chats. If the application has been closed, incoming Skype calls cannot be received and chats will not be delivered.

After downloading the iPhone App you can reach your contacts anywhere in the world at great rates with Skype. You can call and text (SMS) phones with Pay As You Go credit or with a subscription you get unlimited calls² to landlines (and mobiles in some countries).

Tags: call, free, free telephone call, iphone, ipod touch, skype, skype 4.1, skype for iPhone, skype for ipod, skype for nokia

by wildcherry on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 | Deals, Hot | 1 Comment

Live cashback [bing.com]is 35% back
Feel free to sign up to our mailing list for future hot deals.

HOW TO GET PREMIER + CashBack (New Contracts Only):

1. Visit ATT Wireless website and validate your email address with Premier.
2. Check your email and click the link to your ATT Premier Store.
3. Open a new tab with the same browser that your ATT Premier Store is open in.
4. Go to bing.com in the new tab and search “att wireless”
5. Click the 35% CashBack Sponsored Link
6. Sign into your CashBack account and get redirected to the main AT&T Wireless page.
7. In the top right enter the term “Premier” into the search bar.
8. Click the first link that reads “at&t premier login”
9. You will get directed to the same Premier store you have open in the original tab.
10. Congratulations, you are in the Premier store under the CashBack AT&T Site

using IE as your browser when doing the cashback will be a good idea to avoid any kind of connection or linking problems

FAQ - PLEASE READ

Who can get Cashback?
Going strictly by MSN/ATT terms, CB is only available for a single device purchase with a new contract for NEW CUSTOMERS. If you are a current AT&T customer, your devices purchases and contracts are processed as upgrades and add-a-lines, which are excluded by the terms.

But really who can get Cashback?
There have been numerous reports of people getting CB on upgrades through the normal ATT store. CB appears automatically w/o any MS inquiry needed.

What is ATT Premier?
The Premier store is for those who have an affiliation to an organization that receives discounts on ATT service and some equipment purchases.

What is a FAN?
Foundation Account Number. How ATT tracks orgs and their discounts. A FAN is applied to an ATT account to receive discounts.

How do I get a FAN on my account?
Either by making a purchase through your ATT Premier store or by taking your paystub, student ID, etc. any proof of affiliation to an ATT store. Click on the link on your Premier store that says Enrollment. There will also be a link there to enroll online with your phone number and work/school email address. Because of widespread abuse and lists of FANs being available on the ‘net, you can’t call and get a CSR to add the FAN to your account.

How do I shop at Premier?
Two ways: If you are an existing customer with a FAN on your account, you will be forced to Premier any time you make a purchase while you are logged into your account.

If you are a new or existing customer and don’t have the FAN on your account yet, you will be given a link to your Premier store when you register online. The link sets a login cookie and redirects you to your Premier store.

What are the benefits of shopping through the Premier store?
Any accounts/devices purchased through Premier are activated with discounts in place. Having the FAN applied later could take 1-2 billing cycles.

Some people don’t have a choice and forced through Premier.

Premier does not seem to have a 1 iPhone per household limit and has less stringent ordering/fraud check processes.

Can I use Bing and Premier?
Bing does not appear to be automatically processed for Premier purchases, but an inquiry to MS should get them to add the CB.

ATT terms state you cannot leave the ATT site, instructions are posted on how to not leave the ATT site, but load your premier store in the same window that you clicked through from Bing.

If you are upgrading through Premier, MS is getting more strict about granting CB. Since all premier purchases don’t automatically show up and you have to email bing to get CB added, they will look at the invoice and probably see the $18 upgrade and could deny you.
—– Member are receiving Emails from Bing.com—

We have just recieved information from AT&T that has indicated to us that purchases from www.premier.att.com store are not eligible to earn cashback. Once again, we are sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment you have experienced with the cashback program.

Thank you for contacting Bing cashback Customer Support.
Warmest regards,
Ray N.
Customer Service Representative
Bing cashback Customer Support

Can I use iphone 3G/3GS on T-Mobile unlocked?
Yes and No. Yes, iphone 3G/GS will work for voice and EDGE data speed (not 3g speeds) on T-mobile. 3G speed will NOT be available on T-mobile because T-mobile uses a different frequency (1700/2100 Mhz) than AT&T (850/1900 Mhz). (http://mobilesociety.typepad.com/…ns_of.html)

Where can I check the status of my order?
You can check the status of your order here: https://www.wireless.att.com/orde…der_status
For premier orders, you should not search by order number, since the premier order number will not work on that page.

UPGRADE STATUS
Early Upgrade: 12 months into contract. If you have iphone 3G, first day you can get early upgrade status is July 12 (1 year after last year’s release date, if you bought on first day.)

Qualified Upgrade: 18 months into contract.

Non-commitment: Less than 1 year into contract or current ATT Customer wishing to purchase as a gift. MUST BE ATT CUSTOMER.

Pricing (8GB 3G, 16 GB 3GS, 32 GB 3GS)
Early Upgrade: 299/399/499 - $200 less than non-commitment, $200 more than qualified
New Contact or Qualified Upgrade: 99/199/299
Non-commitment: 499/599/699

You are early upgrade qualified at 12 months.. That is why a lot of ppl are saying July 12 there is new pricing.. July 12 is the first day that people who bought the 3G on the first day last summer will be able to get the early upgrade pricing — a $200 discount off the non-commitment pricing, but still $200 more than new contract pricing and upgrade-qualified users.

Anyone who wonders about their price, should go into their ATT account and look. It will be much quicker than having someone on here trying to figure it out for you. ATT will show you the price. Just try to upgrade and it will tell you what you qualify for.. then look at the phone prices in the store!

For those who are asking about buying non-commitment.. right now it looks like you have to be an ATT customer. You are supposed to be limited to 1 phone also, and they offer this more as perk so you can buy an iphone as a gift for someone. If you want to do it online with CashBack you have to be non upgrade qualified.. because once you log into your account it shows you the prices you will pay based on your upgrade status and there doesn’t seem to be a way to change it to get non-commitment pricing.

HOWEVER, if you don’t pay your bill, and let it go overdue.. you lose your upgrade status while your account is overdue, and then you can buy at non-commitment pricing.

–
ATT MSN Cashback T&C [att.com]
Upgrades, Add-A-Line, Prepaid (Go Phone) are NOT eligible… Only applies to device purchase with new contract.. accessories are excluded too… I guess it should fly for new account activations.. including iPhones. …pal
The OP has posted that people are getting success in getting Cash back for Upgrades/Add Lines. This could be very YMMV.
The cash back may come in the account automatically (without verification), and that’s why BING requires 60 days to verify the adherence to T&C. The Cashback can be taken back as per the T&C.. So there may be some component of risk.I know instances where Cash back was removed after 50 days , for a transaction not being done under T&C . But in this case there is a contract after 30 days ..
Note: Bing does not show the cashback if you are using Mozilla Firefox. It only seems to work with Internet Explorer or if you use the IE Tab add on within Firefox.

Tags: bing, bing cashback, iphone, iphone 3GS, iphone 3GS hot deals, iphone new contract, iphones 3gs

by wildcherry on Monday, April 6th, 2009 | Deals, Products Review, Stores | 2 Comments

Introducing the highly anticipated Skype  now available on the Apple App  Store and Blackberry (coming soon).

Skype for iPhone

The application adds Skype calling and instant messaging to iPhones as well as any second general iPod touch. With a Wi-Fi connection, the millions of iPhone and iPod touch users worldwide can make free Skype-to-Skype voice calls or low-cost calls to mobiles and landlines. Users will not be charged by Skype for making and receiving Skype-to-Skype calls using an iPhone or iPod touch. Skype’s normal rates apply if using Skype to call landlines or mobiles.

Skype for iPhone delivers a true Skype experience, including:

• Free Skype-to-Skype calls from any Wi-Fi zone to other Skype users worldwide
• Call landline or mobile phones at Skype’s great low rates from any Wi-Fi zone
• Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups via 3G, Wi-Fi, GPRS or EDGE (whichever is available)
• Receive calls to a personal online number on Skype
• See when Skype contacts are online/available to IM or talk

The Skype application for the iPhone or iPod touch is free to download from the App Store. To get Skype for iPhone, simply visit the App Store on the device. The App Store is also available through iTunes (www.itunes.com) running on a Mac or PC, which syncs applications to the iPhone or iPod touch using a USB cable.

Skype for Blackberry

The Skype for Blackberry beta also known as thin or lite version of Skype for Smartphones will have core Skype capabilities like;

• Make Skype-to-Skype calls to other Skype users anywhere in the world
• Send/receive instant messages to/from individuals or groups
• Make Skype calls at low rates to people on landline or mobile phones
• Receive calls to your online number on Skype
• See when your Skype contacts are online/available to chat

“With Skype on BlackBerry smartphones, we are making Skype available in the briefcases and purses of BlackBerry users around the world,” said Scott Durchslag, COO of Skype. “We have heard loud and clear that our users want Skype on whichever smartphone they choose to use. This fulfills our promise of making Skype available on the major smartphones so consumers and mobile professionals can connect to Skype whenever, wherever and however they choose.”

The lite version of Skype will be available to BlackBerry users worldwide. The ability to make calls will be available in 10 countries: Australia, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden, the United States and the UK. English will be supported first, with additional languages to follow.

The beta of the lite version of Skype will be available as a free download to BlackBerry smartphone users beginning in May from www.skype.com/m using their BlackBerry® Browser.

Tags: blackberry, free skype, free skype for blackberry, iphone, skype, skype Blackberry, skype for iPhone

by wildcherry on Sunday, March 29th, 2009 | Deals, Stores | No Comments

Apple retail stores as of Thursday are selling unrestricted quantities of the iPhone 3G at the full, non-subsidized price of $599 for the 8GB version and $699 for the 16GB models.

The move follows AT&T’s plans to sell one phone per customer at the full price for existing customers of its service. In Apple’s case however, there is no limit on the number of phones a buyer can purchase, and no need to have an existing AT&T contract.

Activation can completed by the customer at home through iTunes.

Tags: apple, apple stores, iphone, itunes

by wildcherry on Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 | News, Tech/Gadget | No Comments

• New iPhone announcement around mid-June (duh)
• New iPhone will be faster and have a more seamless experience unmatched by any device (could be just talking about 3.0, but we think it’s also a new iPhone)
• U-Verse iPhone application; will allow control of your home DVR (play, pause, rewind, etc.)
• The annual iPhone launch is “becoming a tradition.”
• Nothing official is being confirmed, but they said that people should prep for an exciting time this summer.
• AT&T is said to be working with Apple to create a unified product with an unparalleled experience across all their products and services.
• Apple’s 3.0 software should tell us where the iPhone platform is going… uh, k?
• They said customers shouldn’t need to choose from AT&T’s high-end devices because of features, they should choose based on preferences. The gap in capability should be filled with the new iPhone. Ok, bets on slide out QWERTY, autofocus camera, video sharing, blah blah?
• Seems like the higher speed HSDPA (7.2Mbps) is being hinted at too which should confirm the earlier rumors of the new Infineon chipset.
• The $99 3G netbook will start selling this summer, and the first one won’t be a Windows OS.

via gizmodo

read more

Tags: 3.0, apple, at&t, exclusive, HSDPA, iphone, QWERTY

by wildcherry on Thursday, March 12th, 2009 | News, Tech/Gadget | No Comments

I just read the announcement, iPhone OS 3.0 is coming from Engadget:

“Set your clocks, mark your calendars. It’s going down March 17th. Apparently, we’ll get a sneak peak at the new OS, as well as a look at a brand new version of the SDK. Exciting stuff indeed, and we’ll be there live at 10am PST (1pm EST) with the liveblog. Apple’s calling this an “advance preview of what we’re building”. ”

Another source:

I believe that a lot of the features we’ve seen on webOS and “people-centric” capabilities offered by HTC in the new Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 will be included in iPhone OS 3.0.  For existing iPhone owners, this is great news, especially if we don’t have to run out and buy new hardware.  Then again, Apple might surprise us with a new 10-inch touch device of some sort that we’ve been hearing so much about since there’s a reference of a new SDK.

Of course, given their track record it’s not outlandish to imagine that Apple are planning the iPhone 3.0 hardware for a June/July unveil, hardware that will be running firmware 3.0.  SlashGear will liveblog (http://live.slashgear.com) at the iPhone OS 3.0 event, so make sure to tune in on March 17 at 10AM!

Tags: apple app, apple liveblog, cupertino, iphone, iphone apps, iphone OS 3.0, iphone software

by wildcherry on Monday, March 9th, 2009 | News, Tech/Gadget | 1 Comment

Have you ever wonder why you pay so much for your iPhone? Well in Japan, it’s offered for free!

Apple’s iPhone has wowed most of the globe — but not Japan, where the handset is selling so poorly it’s being offered for free.

What’s wrong with the iPhone, from a Japanese perspective? Almost everything: the high monthly data plans that go with it, its paucity of features, the low-quality camera, the unfashionable design and the fact that it’s not Japanese.

In an effort to boost business, Japanese carrier SoftBank this week launched the “iPhone for Everybody” campaign, which gives away the 8-GB model of the iPhone 3G if customers agree to a two-year contract.
“The pricing has been completely out of whack with market reality,” said Global Crown Research analyst Tero Kuittinen in regard to Apple’s iPhone prices internationally. “I think they [Apple and its partners overseas] are in the process of adjusting to local conditions.”

Apple’s iPhone is inarguably popular elsewhere: CEO Steve Jobs announced in October that the handset drove Apple to becoming the third-largest mobile supplier in the world, after selling 10 million units in 2008. However, even before the iPhone 3G’s July launch in Japan, analysts were predicting the handset would fail to crack the Japanese market. Japan has been historically hostile toward western brands — including Nokia and Motorola, whose attempts to grab Japanese customers were futile.

Besides cultural opposition, Japanese citizens possess high, complex standards when it comes to cellphones. The country is famous for being ahead of its time when it comes to technology, and the iPhone just doesn’t cut it. For example, Japanese handset users are extremely into video and photos — and the iPhone has neither a video camera nor multimedia text messaging. And a highlight feature many in Japan enjoy on their handset is a TV tuner, according to Kuittinen.

What else bugs the Japanese about the iPhone? The pricing plans, Kuittinen said. Japan’s carrier environment is very competitive, which equates to relatively low monthly rates for handsets. The iPhone’s monthly plan starts at about $60, which is too high compared to competitors, Kuittinen added.

And then there’s the matter of compartmentalization. A large portion of Japanese citizens live with only a cellphone as their computing device — not a personal computer, said Hideshi Hamaguchi, a concept creator and chief operating officer of LUNARR. And the problem with the iPhone is it depends on a computer for syncing media and running software updates via iTunes.

“iPhone penetration is very high among the Mac users, but it has a huge physical and mental hurdle to the majority who just get used to live with their cellphone, which does not require PC for many services,” Hamaguchi said.

Cellphones are also more of a fashion accessory in Japan than in the United States, according to Daiji Hirata, chief financial officer of News2u Corporation and creator of Japan’s first wireless LAN, who spoke to Wired.com in June 2008.

So that would suggest that in Japan, carrying around an iPhone — a nearly year-old handset compared to the very latest Japanese cellphones — could make you look pretty lame.

Nobi Hayashi, a journalist and author of Steve Jobs: The Greatest Creative Director, told Wired.com in June 2008 that Japanese consumers also tend to shop for features, picking phones like the Panasonic P905i, a fancy cellphone that doubles as a 3-inch TV. It also features 3-G, GPS, a 5.1-megapixel camera and motion sensors for Wii-style games.

“When I show this to visitors from the U.S, they’re amazed,” Hayashi said at the time. “They think there’s no way anybody would want an iPhone in Japan. But that’s only because I’m setting it up for them so that they can see the cool features.”

However, despite its wow factor, the Panasonic proved to be crippled by usability problems, Hayashi noted. Hayashi is the proud owner of an iPhone, although he also carries other phones that can be used to pay for subway fares, taxis and food.

Kuittinen said he’s predicting Apple’s next iPhone will have better photo capabilities, which could increase its odds of success in Japan. However, he said the monthly rates must be lowered as well.

Otherwise, Apple might as well say sayonara to Japan.

JUST ANNOUNCED! Apple Mac mini Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz, 2GB SDRAM, 320GB HD only $759.99 after rebate

Source:Wired

Tags: apple, Apple iPhone, free iPhone, iphone, what's wrong with iphone

by wildcherry on Monday, February 23rd, 2009 | Deals, Products Review | No Comments

Many folks spend a lot time wondering when the next iPhone will arrive and what new features it will have. Call it the cult of iPhone, cult of Apple, or just good old tech fetishism, but whatever it is, it’s always fun when someone pokes a little fun at the whole Apple hype machine with a little spoof. In this case, it’s a YouTube video called iPhone Everything by Canadian filmmakers the Purchase Brothers. We came across it when we were checking out their cool Half-Life inspired Escape From City 17 video.

The whole concept revolves around the myriad features the iPhone has and how someday it will basically be able to do everything under the sun. Of course, the spoof takes things to the extreme, but it got us thinking, what will the iPhone really be able to do in the future–let’s say four years from now, in the year 2013?

If you believe in Mayan prophecies, the world will come to an end in 2012, and you don’t have to worry about what will happen in 2013. However, if you do think we’ll be around, what do you think the iPhone will be able to do?

Tags: apple, iphone, iphone everything, new iphone