Param Tech Reviews

For all its good looks and lickable icons, the BL40 hardly feels like a “Chocolate” phone — abandoning the featurephone functionality and slider form factors that are usually associated with the moniker. Well, the newly surfaced BL20 (previously spotted as the BL42) is here to solve all that. The slider handset has capacitive touch controls below the screen, but the screen itself is not a touchscreen. The functionality has also been trimmed back from the BL40’s app extravaganza, but the interface looks and actual hardware seem very similar. We had a little trouble getting around in the German interface, but if you can handle our bumblings you can check out a video of the phone after the break. Gallery: LG BL20 hands-onContinue reading LG BL20 hands-on: putting the ’slider’ back in ‘Chocolate’Keywords:   CellphonesLG BL20 hands-on: putting the ’slider’ back in ‘Chocolate’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Palm itself had warned that the Pre’s iTunes sync functionality could be broken at a moment’s notice (and at Apple’s whim), but we’re pretty sure no one expected it’d happen this quickly. We’ve been able to confirm that version 8.2.1 of the software prevents the sync from working, meaning that you’ve got to add music the old-fashioned way — the Pre functions as a USB drive, too — until Palm gets around to patching the hack (if they decide to patch it, that is). This could end up being a protracted game of cat-and-mouse, which is entertaining to watch but nightmarish for the consumers down in the trenches actually trying to use this stuff. Funny thing is, Apple’s straight up saying in its release notes that the update “addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices” — in other words, they weren’t being verified before, and now they are, thank goodness. Peaceful sleep is once again within our reach.Update: Apple’s now gone beyond the “verification of Apple devices” phrase, calling out the Pre by name in a statement issued to BusinessWeek: “It also disables devices falsely pretending to be iPods, including the Palm Pre. As we’ve said before, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with unsupported digital media players.” In other words, “we told you this was going to happen, and it did.” For its part, Palm appears to have re-issued the same statement it made a while back, saying that Apple’s move is a “direct blow” to its users. Words are one thing, but here’s the real question: is there a quick counterstrike fix planned from Palm’s side?Keywords:   Cellphones, HandheldsiTunes 8.2.1 brings Pre’s music syncing capability to a halt (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Quite honestly, we can’t imagine now as being an awesome, jovial time to be heading up any division of Sony Ericsson. Thus, we’re not too awfully shocked to hear that Najmi Jarwala, President of Sony Ericsson USA and Head of Region North America (comprising the US and Canada markets), has decided to leave his corner office at the end of March in order to “pursue other career opportunities.” The announcement comes just a weekend after SE proclaimed that its Q1 sales were down some 50 percent, and with the outfit’s somewhat lackluster showing at MWC (Idou notwithstanding), we can’t imagine things magically turning around in the near future. At any rate, Anders Runevad (pictured), Executive VP and Head of Global Sales & Marketing will be taking over until a successor is named, and that’s assuming anyone is willing to walk into such a severely precarious situation.[Via MobileBurn]Keywords:   CellphonesSony Ericsson’s US president steps down originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Keywords:   Cellphones, Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds, Portable Audio, Portable Video var digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/apple/Apple_buys_chip_P_A_Semi_chip_designer_Intel_says_wha_4′; Apple loves ‘em some Intel right? Sure, it was the Intel power-per-watt roadmap which Jobs cited as the reason to ditch IBM’s PowerPC platform. Analysts have since been tripping over themselves with speculation about future generation iPhones and iPod touches going Intel — especially since the arrival of Atom. So what will analysts make of Apple’s $278 million in cash purchase of the 150 person P.A. Semi microprocessor design company? The company was founded by Dan Dobberpuhl, lead designer of DEC’s doomed Alpha and StrongArm processors, and responsible for the introduction of a 2GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor which in February 2007 was said to be 300% more efficient than comparable chips running at 5 to 13 watts. Forbes speculates that Apple will wrap its ARMs around the company’s boutique processor in a bid for exclusivity — a move meant to differentiate itself from competition based on Intel and other off-the-shelf processors. Interestingly, after a long courtship with P.A. Semi, the acquisition discussions only began in the last few weeks. Say what you want about Jobs, but he’s nothing if not a man who knows what he wants and makes damn sure he gets it.Update: Oh shazam! We just remembered that P.A. Semi and Apple had been this close to a deal just prior (as in minutes) to the announced Intel switch in 2006. Interesting, very interesting. Why now Apple?– P.A. Semi PWRficient processor announcement– ForbesPermalink | Email this | Comments