The gang over at Engadget have received some new information about the Android-powered Motorola i1, and in my book, they're great improvements.  Hey, on the iDEN platform, any smartphone is nice!

First off, turns out that the i1 will pack a 5.0-megapixel camera, and not the 3-megapixel one rumored in the initial specifications.  What's more, it has been rumored that Opera is installed on the device, lending credence to the thought that it might be the way forward in Android's browsing future.  Could it be that third party browsers like Opera are going to become a norm on Android-powered devices (like they have been on some Windows Mobile devices)?

Via Engadget
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• 62 percent, during a meal
• 60 percent, on vacation
• 57 percent, in the restroom
• 54 percent, while driving
• 50 percent, in bed at night
• 25 percent, at a movie, play or musical
• 18 percent, on a date
• 17 percent, while working out at a gym
• 17 percent, during their kids' events
• And if confession is good for the soul, then 11 percent are on safe ground: They admit to checking their phones while at church.

I’ve had so many conversations with girlfriends who complain about their bf/husbands’ relentless attachment to their Droids, Palms, BlackBerries and iPhones. (The situation kind of reminds me of the Babelgum original series, “Mr. Wrong.” If you haven’t seen it, it’s hilarious — especially Mr. Cell Phone Guy.)

Click this link to see vid

Speaking of inappropriate places to use a smartphone, a gal pal of mine in New York once told me about an old boyfriend who had a habit of checking his mobile email whenever he heard the little “ding” — even when they were… uh… well, intimate. Suffice it to say, they aren’t going out anymore.

Now before you go thinking this is a gender-based proclivity, in my home, my husband is the one who complains about me! Sure, it’s a pitfall of my work, but I’ve always been like this with my handheld “toys,” long before PhoneDog came into my life. Back in the day, I’d eat and sleep with my Palm LifeDrive at my side. I'd fall asleep playing Bejeweled, and wake up regularly with an impression of it indented on my cheek and the device clutched in my hand. (Of course, I repeat this behavior now with my iPhone.)

But back to the the statistics: I guess they aren’t really all that shocking, given the rise in smartphone usage. They are, however, noteworthy as a sign of the times. It’s also worth noting that, since the report comes from Careerbuilder, there’s a work/life angle to these findings. Seems the career site considers these results more an indication of our workaholic tendencies, than a plain and simple device addiction.

According to CareerBuilder’s Rosemary Haefner: “The lines between work and [home] life can be very blurry these days — 17 percent of workers said they feel like their work day never ends because of technology connecting them to the office. To reduce burnout and avoid potentially risky behavior, workers should allot technology-free time when away from work.”

Are you feeling this? Do you feel burned out from an always-on connection to your job? Or is your phone obsession more of a personal passion? And is the significant other in your life understanding of the other “significant other”? Discuss.

Via: IntoMobile, InfoWeek, Careerbuilder

(P.S. By the way, as for the bathroom statistic — all I can say is, “Ick.” I’ll probably think twice before I go borrowing someone else’s handset again.)

Just days after hearing about Verizon's successful LTE field trials and plans to deploy LTE in 25-30 markets by the end of this year, more news has surfaced about Verizon and 4G.  In a conversation with Anthony Melone, chief technical officer at Verizon, WSJ confirms that Verizon plans to have a 4G capable phone available within six months of the LTE deployment.  As is the case with Sprint (who is already boasting 4G speeds in certain markets), Verizon will most likely launch 4G mobile broadband devices for laptops before we see a 4G phone.

Melone also mentioned that the first phones will come equipped with dual chipsets that will allow consumers to access 3G networks in the event a 4G network is not available; a good strategic plan as new technologies have a tendency for hiccups.  Unfortunately, building a 4G network is not a cheap endeavor, and Verizon will probably be looking to recoup their money in the form of tiered data plans.   Regarding unlimited data, Melone said that "as much data as you can consume is the big issue that has to change."  He went on to say, "It's one thing to say all you can eat is gone," and "it's another to have consumers worrying, 'Can I stream this radio?' That's what we don't want."

I think we'll be hearing a lot more about Verizon's 4G/LTE plans as they start moving towards their goal of 25-30 markets by the end of this year.  And while it seems that data plans as we know them will probably be changing, time, competition amongst carriers, and the market as a whole will likely dictate the structure of future data plans.

Let's hear it for advancements in technology!  Drop your comments in the box below!  

Via MobileBurn, WSJ

As with most "installations" of this nature, a few things aren't working properly - in the Touch Pro2's case, GPS, Bluetooth, and "other key functions."  Despite that, the essentials (calling, messaging, browsing) are working well.  I've often wished that there was an Android variant of the Touch Pro2, so for those that feel the same as I do, this might be your opportunity.

Take a look at the video below, and if you feel comfortable with it, give the install a go (at your own risk, of course)!

{Widget type="youtube" id="fa1Eu_hzX8Q&"}

Via PocketNow
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The rumor mill continues to churn, but hey, it's always fun to get additional pictures and specifications, isn't it?  The folks at Android Forums have new information on the HTC Incredible, and I must say that it's rather...incredible (you knew that pun was coming at least once).  According to the tips, the device will feature 512 MB RAM with about 320 MB available for consumer use.  The Snapdragon processor is said to be clocked at 768 MHz versus the stock 1 GHz configuration, but despite the underclocking, the Android 2.1-equipped device is said to be "blazing fast."

In regards to design, a soft-touch shell with the Verizon logo seems to have replaced the glossy back seen in previous shots, though the red tones are still present.  The "blazing red" color scheme (reminiscent of the HD Mini's yellow colors and the Motorola Q9m) will inevitably be one of those love or hate things (c'mon, it's even covering the battery).

The gang is pegging it for an April/May release, so if the rumors hold water, we'll see it soon.  What do you think?  Android 2.1, Sense UI, new design - all things you'd be interested in?

Via Engadget, Android Forums
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Sick of wasting paper on boarding passes?  If you're flying with American Airlines, you can have the ticket sent to your mobile phone for scanning at the gate.

The airline began accepting mobile boarding passes in late 2008, and had been available to passengers departing from Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS), Chicago's O'Hare International (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW), Los Angeles International (LAX), John Wayne Orange County (SNA), Las Vegas McCarran International (LAS), Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) and Minneapolis–St. Paul International (MSP) airports.  With the expansion, the program covers 27 airport locations.

New airport locations include:

-Albuquerque International (ABQ)
-Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
-Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE)
-Denver International (DEN)
-El Paso International (ELP)
-Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
-Jacksonville International (JAX)
-Little Rock Adams Field (LIT)
-Memphis International (MEM)
-New York La Guardia (LGA)
-Oklahoma Will Rogers World (OKC)
-Orlando International (MCO)
-Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
-Salt Lake City International (SLC)
-San Antonio International (SAT)
-San Diego International (SAN)
-San Francisco International (SFO)
-Tulsa International (TUL)
-Washington Dulles International (IAD)

Setting up the option is easy.  Passengers must have an active e-mail address where their boarding pass may be sent, along with an internet-enabled smartphone where the barcode can be received.  The program can be utilized for domestic flights, including those in the United States, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Mobile coupons, mobile boarding passes - soon, it will be mobile everything!  What say you - good thing, or bad thing?

Via PhoneScoop
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Today Target launched a coupon program that will allow consumers to receive links to scannable coupons on their mobile devices.  They have developed several ways to opt-in to the program, and all Target stores across the nation will be able to scan the coupons directly from people's phones at check-out.  I'd wager that it's far more common to leave coupons or circulars at home than it is to leave your phone, and it seems as if Target is counting on it.

“At Target, we know that mobile phones are an integral part of our guests’ lives, and mobile coupons are just another way we’re providing convenient, on-the-go shopping solutions,” said Steve Eastman, president of Target.com.

I went to the site on my BlackBerry to try it out for myself (m.target.com) and was able to sign up for the program.  The automated system told me that I would receive my first coupon within two weeks, so unfortunately I won't get to see first-hand what the scannable coupons look like until later.

For more information, see the press release below.  Planning on shopping at Target more often?  Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Target Launches First-Ever Scannable Mobile Coupon Program

MINNEAPOLIS (Wednesday, March 10, 2010) – Target is the first national retailer to offer a scannable mobile coupon program that allows guests to receive exclusive offers directly on their mobile phones. Coupons are redeemed by scanning a barcode on the phone at checkout.
 
“At Target, we know that mobile phones are an integral part of our guests’ lives, and mobile coupons are just another way we’re providing convenient, on-the-go shopping solutions,” said Steve Eastman, president of Target.com.
 
Guests can opt-in to the program on their PC at Target.com/mobile, on their phone at m.target.com or by texting COUPONS to 827438 (TARGET). After opt-in, guests receive a text message with a link to a mobile Web page that contains multiple offers, all accessible through a single barcode. Offers are single use and expire on the date listed.
 
Target’s point-of-sale scanning technology makes mobile coupons possible, and Target is the first major retailer with the ability to scan mobile barcodes in all of its stores. A leader in mobile retail, Target continues to offer innovative mobile solutions for guests. In addition to using the new mobile coupons, Target guests can access their Target Mobile GiftCards, view online assortments, check product availability and store locations, manage their Target gift registry and lists, browse the weekly ad, and receive text and e-mail notifications of great deals – all via their mobile phones.
 
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,740 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. Target Corporation news releases are available at www.target.com.

Palm Pre Plus & webOS: A Commitment-Phobe’s Journey 

Today I am the proud owner of my first smartphone – a Palm Pre Plus.  In the past, I had openly coveted the smartphones of others and obsessed about owning one of my own, but couldn’t get passed the idea of renewing my contract.  This contract commitment phobia led to a sub-par relationship with the same basic cell phone for the past three years.  Whether you are a techie, the average user or somewhere in between, you have probably taken advantage of upgrade offers and the opportunity to get something newer and better at a low price.  Yes, I passed up at least one upgrade in those three years, but I was paralyzed by the thought of taking the bait and renewing my contract.  What if I later decided that I wanted a new carrier?  What if I upgraded just as an even better phone was set to release right around the corner?  If I was going to make the leap with my current carrier and solidify our relationship for another two years, I couldn’t waste my upgrade on a passing fad or a phone that wouldn’t live up to my expectations.  

Part of my problem was also that I couldn’t find the smartphone that held that special spark for me.  The iPhone seemed like a great option, but could I really switch to AT&T from my trusty Verizon? My fears about AT&T were readily confirmed during my family’s Christmas vacation to Walt Disney World, where we experienced AT&T’s version of the “Cell Phone Tower of Terror.”  After narrowly surviving half a day of “Can you hear me now?” moments and dropped calls on my parents’ AT&T phones, my family swapped cell phones around so that when we divided up at Disney, each group had a non-AT&T cell phone at all times.  I looked briefly at BlackBerrys, but once I tried their Web browser I found myself wanting more.  I even flirted with the idea of a Droid, but quickly decided that its masculine look and flimsy keyboard weren’t right for me.  I began to wonder whether I would ever find “the one.”  Why wasn’t there an eHarmony for smartphones that could match me with my dream phone based on our 29 dimensions of compatibility?

Then everything changed with the launch of the Palm Pre Plus and the webOS 1.4 update.  For weeks Palm had been popping as I searched for my perfect smartphone, and the release of webOS 1.4 drove home the decision to go with the Pre Plus. 

Funny, I can’t help but laugh every time I write the terms “webOS” and “webOS 1.4." Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of either.  Truth be told, I am no techie.  I am just an individual who enjoys technology - all the extraordinary possibilities that it creates and enables - in theory, but really only utilizes it on a mainstream level.  I didn’t even realize that Palm was still a contender in the smartphone market before I came across the Pre Plus.  Very few of the stores I had been to during my search even carried Palm, and my only “experience” with a Palm was a sweet but short-lived relationship with a Palm Pilot back in 2000. 

So why the Palm Pre Plus, especially when theres so much Verizon-faithful hype surrounding the Droid and other Android-based smartphones? webOS and I have a spark between us, plain and simple (The phone's stylish look and physical keyboard were great selling points, too).  webOS is super slick – its multitouch capabilities and ability to swipe applications in and out of view are just fun, while also smooth and practical.  It’s also very satisfying to swipe away an application that I no longer want on my screen.  Intuitive and cool – what could be better?  

Multitasking with webOS is phenomenal.  I cannot operate in just one application or screen while doing my work as an administrator for, ironically, a software company. I often will read an email that requires me take action via other programs or documents, or need to refer to an email while doing another task or two (or three).  I need to be able to move between open screens seamlessly and simultaneously, and I can do it with webOS.  An in-store demo of the previous version of webOS left me feeling like it was a little slow when opening applications.  This was frustrating and something of a deal-breaker for me.  The 1.4 update makes opening applications faster - and more satisfying since I can now see the system working on my request before my eyes. 

webOS also has an outstanding notification system.  As a part-time telecommuter and full-time stay-at-home mom of a seventeen month-old, I am not always in front of my computer, but still need to know when emails come in and things need to be done.  Instant notifications of new emails on my Pre Plus - both on-screen and via notification light - has been a life-saver.  I now know that as long as my phone is near, I can play with and take care of my daughter without missing a beat, work-wise.

The Palm Pre Plus won me over, and I am sure this is only the beginning of a great relationship.  Is my contract commitment-phobia cured?  Maybe, maybe not.  I guess we'll have to wait and see two years from now.

From now on, every Thursday we shall give you at least one Top 5 list for your reading, commenting, and arguing-about pleasure. Hide the neighbors, tell the kids, and tweet it from your pockets: Top 5 Thursdays are here on PhoneDog.com!  

This week it's my current Top 5 phones - that is, the Top 5 that are currently available for purchase and use in the U.S. Since I didn't get to Barcelona for MWC this year, I haven't hand my hands on several newly launched devices that might otherwise have made the list. The HTC Desire and Legend, Samsung Wave and i8510, Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro and a few others come to mind. Hopefully I'll get to paw them in a few weeks at CTIA (when I go to Vegas I paw phones ... isn't that what you paw when you go to Vegas? Right, thought so.), and can hit you back a few Thursdays from now with an updated list.

But that's all in the future. Let's live in the moment, shall we?

Noah's Top 5 Phones - March 11, 2010

1. Google Nexus One (Unlocked / T-Mobile)

Yes, on paper this slot would rightly go to the HTC Desire, a slightly upgraded, HTC Sense-ified Nexus One that made its debut at MWC last month and is rumored to be hitting Verizon as the "Incredible" in the coming weeks. But no matter, you can't buy Desire in the US just yet and so Nexus One it is.

C'mon, it's not like a put a slouch of a phone in the #1 slot or anything. Nexus One is easily the best Android experience I've had to date, even accounting for the fact that it lacks HTC's supremely nice Sense UI. Why? Power, speed and grace. N1's Snapdragon processor and Android 2.1 OS make a snappy duo that's easy on the eyes and quick through app launches and menu scrolls - and it's all the better now that Google finally gave in (or whatever) and enabled pinch-and-zoom on the stock Browser.  Put that experience on a huge, gorgeous display and build it all in a sleek, thin body with rounded corners that go easy on the hand and you've got the best smartphone on the market - or at least the best one you can currently buy in the US. 

And, oh yeah: Free turn-by-turn navigation including voice command. Crazy.

2. Apple iPhone 3GS (AT&T)

Nexus One may be the best smartphone around, but there's good reason that Apple's line of iPhones has been so popular for so long. 3GS is still dead simple, easy on the eyes, and fun to use. iPhone OS 3.x is getting long in the tooth as compared with the sophistication of Android 2.1 and webOS 1.4, and so I'm expecting big things from Apple with iPhone 4.0 this Summer. Luckily there are tons of apps to mess around with in the meantime. 

Lest you think I was kidding, I'm not. For all the flack the App Store gets from haters and those with legitimate reasons to criticize Apple's approval process, it's still pretty amazing how many fun, useful, or fun and useful pieces of software you can buy and run on an iPhone OS device. My latest find? Abvio's Runmeter, which is shaping up to be a very worthy competitor to my beloved Runkeeper Pro. That, and Fun Mail, which isn't new, but to which I've become happily re-addicted lately.

3. Palm Pre Plus (Verizon)

Palm's in a bad way right now, which makes me sad because a Pre Plus running the new webOS 1.4 is a pretty seriously great device to have with you. The system update brings video recording and sharing, enhanced contacts and messaging functionality, and much needed speed and battery life improvements to Palm's wonderfully elegant platform. Pre Plus itself is basically the device I wish Palm had initially launched on Sprint: A Pre with a Pixi's superior keyboard grafted on to it, and double the internal flash memory to boot. 

webOS still lacks a desktop media sync client, an official soft QWERTY and some other goodies, and I for one think Palm really needs to break tradition and launch a thin, keyboard-less, all touch device, but the platform itself rocks. Here's hoping Palm and their carrier partners can retool their (awful) marketing campaigns and get something to market that will really grab consumers' attention before it's too late. webOS is too bright a star to burn out just yet.

4. HTC HD2 (Coming soon to T-Mobile)

I'm cheating a tiny bit here, as the US version of the HTC HD2 won't be available until March 24th or thereabouts. Then again I had an unlocked European HD2 in my possession long enough to fall in love with the thing. Mainly I fell in love with the hardware and the HTC Sense portion of the software - there's a reason Microsoft won't be supporting WinMo 6.5 much longer, after all.

Still, the HD2 is to me perhaps the only true superphone on the market. Nexus One is cool and all, but it's not that wildly different from a few other devices that preceded it. HD2, on the other hand, literally blew me away with its insanely large capacitive display and sleek, chic tablet-style form factor. Not everyone will want a device this large in their pocket every day. But not everyone is from the future, either.

5. I Have No Idea

Seriously, I'm not sure what phone comes in at #5.  So here are some contenders:

- Motorola Droid (Verizon): Some people would rank this Numero Uno since it's Verizon's flagship Android device. Me, I don't like the keyboard or the styling on the thing. But I hear ya.

- HTC Droid Eris (Verizon): My personal favorite Android phone save Nexus One. Droid Eris feels a wee tiny bit old compared to N1 and everything else that runs Android 2.0, but it's still a very slick, pocketable device that runs HTC Sense.

- HTC Touch Pro 2 (Various): The best physical QWERTY board available on a mobile phone right now, save perhaps for the BlackBerry Bold. But is that enough to overcome the death sentence that is buying a WinMo 6.5 device right now? Touch HD2 made the list, but like I said it's totally from the future, man.

- Palm Pixi (Sprint): Probably the webOS device I would carry, even though it's specs are totally outclassed by the Pre Plus. So why would I carry it? The form factor is insanely nice, it has a pretty good physical QWERTY and it runs webOS, that's why. Also, Pixi on Sprint is cheaper each month than Pixi Plus on Verizon.

- Nokia E72 (Unlocked): I flirted with Nokia's Maemo-powered N900 for a few weeks, but it's user interface is just to bizarre to commit to. While I have serious reservations about recommending a Symbian S60 phone to a US consumer, there's no denying E72's beauty and power. If you like you some business-class Symbian, you'll love you some E72.

A side note about patents:

Lately, I’ve been wondering if the problem is actually with companies suing each other. Just maybe, the #Fail lies in the weaknesses in our patent laws that allow frivolous or meritless cases.

From the US Patent and Trademark Office website:

A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to the inventor, issued by the Patent and Trademark Office… The right conferred by the patent grant is, in the language of the statute and of the grant itself, “the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, or selling” the invention in the United States or “importing” the invention into the United States. What is granted is not the right to make, use, offer for sale, sell or import, but the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale, selling or importing the invention.

The site defines an invention as:

any art or process (way of doing or making things), machine, manufacture, design, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, or any variety of plant, which is or may be patentable under the patent laws of the United States.

Well that’s vague. “Art or process” doesn’t seem very well defined, which leaves several general concepts open to patenting. (I have a “way of doing” things, like serving dinner. Can I sue any restaurant that dares to serve paying customers using the same fork/spoon combo move I use?)

I’m no patent expert (and if you are, please weigh in here), but it seems like so many cases are based on pretty feeble claims. And instead of companies investing their resources in R&D, they waste precious time and money suing each other over these concepts. Then what happens? Innovation suffers. Not just because these companies distract themselves and each other with this. But because laying claim to an idea that others could actually take further might also be what’s keeping us from speeding forward. And I’m not just talking about mobile phones or consumer technology — there’s medicine, pharmaceuticals, assistive devices, automobiles… things that could drastically improve the quality of life for people.

I once stood staunchly behind the idea of, “Let no man take what is yours.” Now, in light of current patent laws, I’m really not so sure. If you sit on a good idea or concept, is it fair to prevent anyone else from bringing it forward?