Mobile Phone News

Filed under: Apple

Most would-be iPhone 3G unlockers are impatiently waiting for an easy software solution that’s been in the works since release day, but in some parts of the world, entrepreneurs are taking matters into their own hands. Enter Vietnam’s Tuan Anh Do, who employs a team of some 30 technicians diligently tearing iPhones and iPhone 3Gs apart to remove the baseband chips, reprogram them, and solder them back into place at a charge of about $80. Considering that the end result is a totally carrier-unlocked device, the cost could be perceived as reasonable by some Vietnamese who desperately want an iPhone on the domestic carrier of their choice — but there’s the ever-present risk of re-locking, which 2.2 conveniently does. Of course, that just means more business for Do, who charges another $50 to unlock re-locked handsets. All told, probably not a business model Apple would approve of — but it’s pretty awesome that a single handset has given rise to an entire cottage industry.

[Thanks, JagsLive]

iPhone 3G unlocking down to a tough, old-fashioned science in Vietnam originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Windows Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Remember that white Sega Game Gear that you continuously read about — maybe even saw in a picture — but never managed to actually find in real life? In the minds of average Game Gear owners, it reached near-legendary status; it didn’t matter that the white wasn’t necessarily any better-looking than the black, the sheer rarity of the darned thing made it an object of pure, unadulterated lust. Yeah, well, that’s pretty much where we are with the white Touch Diamond right at this time — we know it exists, but finding one is nigh impossible, and that alone makes it a thousand shades of awesome as far as we’re concerned. Taiwanese site ePrice has some hands-on shots up and we think we’re loving the look of the prism effect in the new color along with the two-tone action up front; yes, we’d like to see it launch everywhere, but a certain (perhaps nostalgic) part of us wants it to stay impossibly rare.

[Via Daily Mobile, thanks Daniel]

Mythical white Touch Diamond gets handled originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, Symbian, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Love UIQ? Well, bless your heart; we’re sorry for your recent loss. We’re also sorry that you have to see this, the bes. picture gallery we’ve seen yet of Sony Ericsson’s doomed Paris — a phone that would’ve without doubt been the ultimate execution of UIQ and the very top model in the company’s line (X1 possibly excepted, depending on your point of view) had it not been unceremoniously cut down before its prime. We take some comfort in knowing that enough prototypes made it out into the wild for high-quality pictures to show up, but for most of us, this is as close as we’re ever plan to get.

[Via Slashphone]

Sony Ericsson’s Paris gets another postmortem tease originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments