AT&T has settled a class action lawsuit today that will mean that the carrier must unlock all phones locked to their network as long as customers meet a certain set of criteria.
Users of pre-paid phones must "provide proof of purchase of their locked handset," while any contracted user must have "completed a minimum of 90 days of active service," with the account remaining in good standing.
There is one caveat, however: "Handsets for which AT&T has an exclusive sales arrangement with a manufacturer of less than 10 months will have to wait until the 10-month period expires before they can receive an unlocking code."
That means that any phone for which AT&T has an exclusivity pact of over 10 months (namely the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry Bold 9000), then it does not have to issue an unlock code.
The final approval hearing for the settlement is on July 2nd. You can find more information at www.attlockinglawsuits.com.
Wal-Mart has announced, about a month before Apple is set to release the iPhone 4G, that it is slashing the price of the iPhone 3GS in half.
The 16GB 3GS model will go on sale for $97 USD with two-year contract. The smartphone currently costs $197 at Wal-Mart and $199 through Apple.
Despite the iPhone 4G being leaked, Apple has yet to confirm or deny that the phone will be officially released next month.
The annual developer conference starts on June 7th, and Apple has unveiled a new iPhone model each year during the event.
New to the "iPhone HD," are a front-facing camera for video conferencing, a better standard camera (including larger lens and flash), a Micro-SIM slot (just like the iPad), 960x640 resolution, a second mic, metallic exterior (not plastic) and split side buttons for volume.
Hewlett-Packard has announced that it has added at least 50,000 new batteries to its worldwide recall list, adding to the already huge 70,000 number it began recalling in May 2009.
The lithium-ion batteries found in 31 of HP's laptops can potentially overheat and then split apart, which could lead to fires.
Two instances of just that were noted in an initial report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Since then, 38 more reports have surfaced. Of those reports, there were "11 instances of minor personal injury and 31 instances of minor property damage."
The laptops affected are from the HP Pavilion, Compaq Presario, HP laptops, and HP Compaq lines.
Recalled batteries come from laptops purchased between August 2007 and March 2008.
Despite the seemingly large number, HP says only 3 percent of all notebooks manufactured during the period are affected.
Says the company: "Consumers should immediately remove the batteries referenced above from their notebook computer and contact HP to determine if their battery is included in this recall (even if the battery was previously checked). Consumers with recalled batteries will receive a free replacement battery."
T-Mobile has finally announced the pricing and release date for the myTouch 3G Slide, the successor to the first ever Android phone, the G1.
The device will be released on June 2nd, and will cost $179.99 with two-year contract.
The phone includes a 600 MHz ARM processor, Android 2.1 with HTC Sense and multi-touch support, 512MB of RAM, 512MB internal storage, a 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash, and a free 8GB MicroSD card.
The device has a 3.4-inch HVGA (320 x 480 pixel) touchscreen, and a trackpad as well.
One feature missing from the 2.1 included with the new Slide is "live wallpapers," interactive backgrounds that can be found on high-end devices such as the Nexus One and HTC Incredible.
Swype is the default keyboard, giving users the chance to use the record-breaking text input system that has been in closed beta for some time now.
Wal-Mart has created a new online GameCenter this week, a site that will give "first-look" exclusives, game previews and monetary discounts off new releases.
As a launch promotion, Wal-Mart is giving a $50 off discount for any customer pre-ordering three games, or more.
Says Kelly Thompson, VP of merchandising for Walmart.com: "Walmart Gamecenter combines incredible savings with exclusive gaming content all in a compelling and interactive experience online. Gaming enthusiasts will be drawn in by the exclusive content and developer interviews, while moms will appreciate the special savings only Walmart can offer on the hottest video game titles."
Each month, the GameCenter will update and feature new games, content and special offers.
Additionally, GameCenter customers can trade-in their games and consoles, with the retailer paying all shipping costs.
For the week ended May 17th, the Nintendo DS series of handhelds remains atop the Japanese hardware sales list, with the Sony PSP following close behind.
On an individual basis, however, the PSP-3000 did hold the top spot, with 24,475 units sold.
The critically-hated PSPGo, which removes the UMD drive, and added little else, moved just 871 units for the period.
The PlayStation 3 saw a jump to 20,463 units sold, pushing past the Nintendo Wii, which sold 17,570 for the week.
The new DSi LL, which has a screen increase of 93 percent from past models, continues to sell well.
Yesterday, we reported that four popular movie theaters in New York City had announced the ticket prices for the upcoming Shrek Forever After and for the first time ever, the IMAX 3D prices had reached the $20 threshold.
The theaters reported were the AMC Kips Bay, AMC Loews 34th street, AMC Loews Lincoln Square, and the AMC Empire 42nd street.
AMC now says the prices were incorrect, however, and the any online buyers who purchased for $20 can "visit guest services for a refund."
Reads the company's statement: "Unfortunately, a limited number of theaters posted incorrect pricing for ‘Shrek Forever After,’ which we immediately corrected. Any guest who purchased a ticket at the incorrect price can visit guest services for a refund."
I can confirm the price retraction, as checking the Lincoln Square theater, I was told the price was $19 for the showing.
While we may have not hit the $20 price point yet, at $19 now and rising, it is only a matter of time.
According to a new report from The Diffusion Group (TDG), Americans will be spending more time watching videos online than via broadcast TV by 2020.
The report, titled The Economics of Over-the-Top TV Delivery: How Television Networks Can Shift to Online Content Delivery, says by 2020, viewers will be watching over two hours of online video daily, surpassing the time they spend in front of a TV.
TDG analyst Colin Dixon says Americans only currently watch 22 minutes of video content online, as broadband Internet is still, for the most part, in its infancy.
The report cites the growing number of Internet-capable devices as the main reason for the strong forecast, including set-top boxes, HDTVs with the capability built-in, and Blu-ray players.
As the devices become more standard in households, consumers "won’t be thinking 'I'm watching online video;' they'll be thinking, 'I'm watching TV,'" adds Dixon.
HTC has noted today that "most" of its recent and upcoming Android devices will be getting the 2.2 update (Froyo), during the Q3 this year.
These phones include the Desire, Droid Incredible, MyTouch 3G Slide and the EVO 4G along with other upcoming models.
Availability of the firmware update for older devices (like those released before 2010) was not noted, but seems unlikely, given that many still run on 1.5 or 1.6.
Says HTC: "We are working closely with Google and our other partners to ensure we have the earliest access to everything we need to provide a complete and solid Sense experience on Froyo."
In early April we reported that in a decision that would likely take down the giant torrent indexer, a judge had ordered IsoHunt to remove all torrents linking to infringing content.
This week, Judge Stephen Wilson of the US District Court has issued a permanent injunction against the site, telling owner Gary Fung to immediately remove all infringing torrents and prevent access to such copyrighted material.
While the injunction does allow for the site to remain open with a very strict filtering system, it seems that the site has little chance to do so, as Fung could be held in contempt of court if any unauthorized files are found uploaded. This leads many to assume the site will shut down, at least to all U.S. visitors.
The MPAA had sued IsoHunt in 2007, and last year a judge ruled against the indexer, saying it created a venue for illegal file sharing.
Four popular movie theaters in New York City have announced the ticket prices for the upcoming Shrek Forever After and for the first time ever, IMAX 3D prices have reached the $20 threshold.
The theaters are: AMC Kips Bay, AMC Loews 34th street, AMC Loews Lincoln Square, and the AMC Empire 42nd street.
Says media analyst Richard Greenfield of the move: "With the state of the economy remaining questionable, we worry pricing is simply moving up too quickly. The danger is scaring consumers away from the movie theaters."
The new price hike follows a recent round of price increases in March, where theaters in NYC raised IMAX and 3D prices as much as 25 percent. At the time, AMC 34th charged $19.50 for the IMAX 3D showing of "How to Train Your Dragon."
While the price may scare away a number of consumers, AMC seems to think it is worth the risk, given the recent string of blockbuster successes in IMAX 3D showings, including 'Avatar,' 'Dragon' and 'Alice in Wonderland.'
Box office revenue is up 6 percent year-on-year, mainly due to increased price tickets.
Google has announced today that it has started a beta Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) version of their search engine, encrypting the information that is sent between everyday users and the service.
You most likely use an SSL site everyday, as all online banking and most e-commerce sites use it. The URL will start with an "HTTPS" instead of the standard "HTTP." Most sites also use SSL when you are sending private information or creating a password.
Google has been using SSL encryption for Gmail, Google Docs and other services, but plain-old Google search had not used it.
Adds the search giant: "When you search on https://www.google.com, an encrypted connection is created between your browser and Google. This secured channel helps protect your search terms and your search results pages from being intercepted by a third party on your network. The service includes a modified logo to help indicate that you’re searching using SSL and that you may encounter a somewhat different Google search experience, but as always, remember to check the start of the address bar for “https” and your browser lock indicators."
AT&T has raised the early termination fees for its smartphones, following recent moves by rival Verizon to do the same.
The early termination fee (ETF) is the charge that consumers pay if they cancel their monthly plans before the set expiration date (usually two years).
The ETF will fly from $175 to $325 for all smartphones and netbooks that use a 3G modem.
On the other hand, non-smartphones will have their ETF dropped to $150 from $175.
The new prices take effect on June 1st, so current customers do not need to worry.
The move has very coincidental timing to the upcoming release of the new iPhone 4G, which is expected to sell over 1 million phones in its first weekend. The new ETF will effectively lock-in users to their new iPhone for the duration of the contract. For the time being, the Apple device remains an AT&T exclusive.
Last November, Verizon made the same exact move, raising the price from $175 to $350, right before the launch of the popular Motorola Droid.
After over six months of delays, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has cleared the purchase, thanks in part to Google's arch rival Apple.
Earlier this year, Apple purchased the third largest mobile ad company, Quattro Wireless, and used it as the backbone of its new iAd platform on the iPad and iPhone.
The FTC had been concerned that Google (the world's largest ad platform) merging with AdMob (world's largest mobile ad platform) would violate anti-trust laws. Apple joining the fray eased those concerns.
Says Jeff Shinder, former special counsel to the FTC: "The presence of Apple made it for hard for the commission to construct a merger challenge that it felt it could win."
Apple had tried to purchase AdMob first, but Google swooped in with a higher bid.
Last night, Yahoo sent out an invite for a press conference in which it promised an "exciting announcement" relating to "rich online and mobile experiences."
AllThingsD says that mysterious invite will lead to a joint announcement by Nokia and Yahoo that will place Yahoo email, search and other apps on Nokia smartphones.
The partnership is code-named "Project Nike," named after the Greek goddess of victory, and has apparently been in the works for at least three years.
For the most part, Yahoo's mobile initiatives have failed, says the source, but Nokia remains the top smartphone seller in the world by volume, giving the new deal a chance at success.
The deal is said to have been fast-tracked by Yahoo Americas EVP Hilary Schneider.
Adds someone close to the companies: "Recently, Nokia has offered devices that people don’t want and Yahoo has launched mobile services that they don’t want. Perhaps in working together, they will find a way to finally create some value."
AT&T has settled a class action lawsuit today that will mean that the carrier must unlock all phones locked to their network as long as customers meet a certain set of criteria.
Wal-Mart has 
