Windows Mobile 6 Themes, Smartphones, Hot Cars, News for Geeks - ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:01:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 The correct way to use your MacBook’s battery http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/G86Io4TqJz4/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/the-correct-way-to-use-your-macbooks-battery/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:01:41 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22568 Recently a battery completely failed in a two-year old black 2.16GHz MacBook that was covered under AppleCare. It worked fine one day, went completely dead the next. It wouldn’t charge and no LEDs would light up. When I brought it into the genius bar at my local Apple Store I learned something interesting about the way Apple treats batteries covered under warranty.

The first thing that the tech did was run a diagnostic application on the battery from a bootable iPod nano (pictured). The application graphed the gradual decay of the battery over time and the little black dot could fall into one of two buckets: defective or consumed (not the exact terms, but you get the idea). Luckily, the little black dot on my battery fell into the defective area and was replaced.

Full Story Via ZDNet.com

]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/the-correct-way-to-use-your-macbooks-battery/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/the-correct-way-to-use-your-macbooks-battery/ iPhone 3GS Set Sales Record: AT&T Internal Memo http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/It67I6GxnKc/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/iphone-3gs-set-sales-record-att-internal-memo/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:58:15 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22571 The latest iPhone helped AT&T rack up single-day records: Sales, most transactions processed by the company’s internal IT systems, and largest order day at att.com.

AT&T (NYSE: T) scored record sales the first day the iPhone 3GS hit store shelves, an internal memo shows.

The Apple smartphone, released June 19, was responsible for several milestones, including a “best-ever sales day” in the company’s retail stores and the second-largest traffic day in the stores, according to the memo sent to all AT&T employees, and leaked to the Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital and MacDailyNews. AT&T said the iPhone 3GS was also responsible for the most transactions processed by its IT systems in a single day and the largest order day ever on att.com.

AT&T’s exclusive contract with Apple is scheduled to expire next year, and the carrier is reportedly seeking an extension. In addition, there have been reports that Apple is talking with Verizon about carrying the popular device.

Full Story Via InformationWeek

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]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/iphone-3gs-set-sales-record-att-internal-memo/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/iphone-3gs-set-sales-record-att-internal-memo/ Freakishly Large House Cat Photo http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/c2Zt0ivHf_s/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/freakishly-large-house-cat-photo/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:44:32 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22576 giant-cat
What does this photo have to do with computers or smartphones? Nothing. But it’s Friday and I found this photo of a freakishly large cat that I wanted to share with you. This cat is huge! It must weigh at least 50 pounds and eat like a horse. Wow!

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]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/freakishly-large-house-cat-photo/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/03/freakishly-large-house-cat-photo/ Google vs. Bing: Bing holds its own in search-off http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/0KAJu8mZwUw/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/google-vs-bing-bing-holds-its-own-in-search-off/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:32:28 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22532 Talk about an iron grip on search. To research this column comparing Google’s venerable search engine with Microsoft’s upstart Bing, I Googled “Bing versus Google.” It didn’t even occur to me to Bing the search.

In a nutshell, that’s Microsoft’s problem. The company recently unveiled a fresh and attractive search alternative to Google. It’s just darn difficult to change habits, including my own.

Full Story Via USA Today

]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/google-vs-bing-bing-holds-its-own-in-search-off/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/google-vs-bing-bing-holds-its-own-in-search-off/ Macs Sales Growing Faster Than PCs http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/C6DvL-Bk31g/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/macs-sales-growing-faster-than-pcs/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:29:57 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22541 Apple Mac sales growth outstripped PCs even before Apple cut prices and introduced new MacBooks last month.

A financial analyst with Morgan Stanley raised her forecast for Mac sales in the second quarter, saying Apple is increasing shipments of its computers at a higher rate than the PC industry as a whole.

The report from analyst Kathryn Huberty said that even before Apple refreshed its MacBook Pros last month, the company increased Mac shipments 25% month-to-month in May, compared to just 1% growth for the total PC market, Fortune magazine reported Wednesday.

With new MacBooks hitting the market and market data showing steady growth in Mac shipments over the last few week, Huberty raised her sales forecast in the second calendar quarter, which is Apple’s fiscal third quarter, to 2.5 million units from 2.4 million, Fortune said. The revised projection represents a quarter-to-quarter growth rate of 12%.

Full Story Via InformationWeek

]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/macs-sales-growing-faster-than-pcs/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/macs-sales-growing-faster-than-pcs/ Palm Pre Gets Some Security Fixes with webOS 1.0.4 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/FL5YaO0f-Bo/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/palm-pre-gets-some-security-fixes-with-webos-104/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:27:05 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22545 Palm has released an update for the Palm Pre’s operating system that takes care of some security problems.

Exactly what the security problems in the previous version were is not known, as Palm’s release notes on webOS 1.0.4 are very vague:

This release addresses several security issues with Palm webOS software.

This update dies, however, bring a touch of celebrity to Townsend Ladd Harris, who the company thanks for “his help in identifying some of the issues addressed in this release.”

There are no other changes in webOS 1.0.4, including no additional software.

Full Story Via Brighthand.com

]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/palm-pre-gets-some-security-fixes-with-webos-104/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/palm-pre-gets-some-security-fixes-with-webos-104/ Facebook to Offer New Features to Allow Users to Control Privacy of Information http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/aDW0D-j2Uvo/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/facebook-to-offer-new-features-to-allow-users-to-control-privacy-of-information/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:24:06 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22549 The company is testing new controls that will allow members to specify which groups or individuals are able to see each text update, photo or video they post on the site.

Facebook’s biggest asset - its population of more than 200 million users - is also part of its Achilles’ heel. As more people join and connect with more people they know, the chances grow that one’s embarrassing photographs from a night of carousing might be seen by the wrong person.

Full Story Via nytimes.com

]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/facebook-to-offer-new-features-to-allow-users-to-control-privacy-of-information/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/02/facebook-to-offer-new-features-to-allow-users-to-control-privacy-of-information/ Sonic Boom revealed in this Photo http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/iVPOCk9LIK0/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/01/sonic-boom-revealed-in-this-photo/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:00:51 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22527 Sonic Boom
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor executes a supersonic flyby over the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Gulf of Alaska, in this handout photo taken on June 22, 2009. The John C. Stennis is participating in Northern Edge 2009, a joint exercise focusing on detecting and tracking units at sea, in the air and on land. Picture taken on June 22, 2009. REUTERS/Ronald Dejarnett/U.S. Navy/Handout

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]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/01/sonic-boom-revealed-in-this-photo/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/07/01/sonic-boom-revealed-in-this-photo/ Apple 3GS Cost $179 To Build, Sells For $199 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/RGHmaDZy0RM/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/06/26/apple-3gs-cost-179-to-build-sells-for-199/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:29:31 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22389 In building the iPhone 3G S, Apple managed to punch up the product line without spending much more on components, a teardown analysis showed.

Researcher iSuppli found that the cost of components and other other materials for Apple’s latest smartphone was $172.46. Add the manufacturing expense of $6.50, and the total is $178.96, or a mere $4.63 more than the older generation iPhone 3G.

ISuppli’s cost estimate does not include other costs associated with a product, such as marketing, distribution and the accessories bundled with the device. Nevertheless, the teardown indicates that Apple was able to boost the iPhone’s performance without dramatically increasing expenses.

The new, low-end iPhone offers double the memory of last year’s low-end model, without costing Apple much more to make. ISuppli conducted its teardown on the entry-level 16 GB version of the iPhone 3G S, comparing it to the low-end 8 GB iPhone 3G based on pricing in July 2008. AT&T (NYSE: T), the exclusive iPhone carrier in the United States, is offering the latest iPhone for as low as $199 with a two-year data contract, the same deal as with the older product when it first launched. AT&T today is offering the older phone with a contract for $99.

Full Story Via InformationWeek

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]]> http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/06/26/apple-3gs-cost-179-to-build-sells-for-199/feed/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/06/26/apple-3gs-cost-179-to-build-sells-for-199/ Palm Posts $105 Million Loss http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/electrogeek/~3/Tk60HMubQbo/ http://electrogeek.com/blog/2009/06/26/palm-posts-105-million-loss/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:24:49 +0000 ElectroGeek http://electrogeek.com/blog/?p=22396 Palm has essentially bet its future on the success of its Pre smartphone and webOS operating system.Palm reported a loss of $105 million for its fiscal fourth quarter, but it does have some reasons to be optimistic.

The company can take some solace in the fact that its eighth-consecutive quarterly loss was not as bad as many analysts has predicted. It may take further comfort from knowing that the quarter did not include the launch of the highly-anticipated Pre smartphone. Palm has essentially bet its future on the success of the Pre and the webOS operating system.

Full Story Via InformationWeek

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