Select ThinkPad notebooks built with a 3G module inside now have access to a new no-contract mobile broadband service offered by Lenovo that will provide on-demand access to the Internet, the company announced on Monday.
The pay-as-you-go service, Lenovo Mobile Access, is available in the U.S. and nine European countries, including the U.K., France and Germany.
In offering the service, Lenovo said in a statement the company wanted to offer users more flexible options to buy access to mobile broadband. For example, users can pay US$1.95 for 30 minutes of time, allowing access up to 30MB of data, or pay $8.95 for a full-day pass to access up to 200 MB of data.
Users can also choose to buy monthly plans with access to 2GB or 6GB of data. Pricing will vary depending on the country.
The Lenovo service is being provided by Macheen, a company that helps manufacturers of embedded devices to connect them to the Internet via mobile networks. Last year, Macheen and Dell launched NetReady, another no-contract mobile broadband service similar to Lenovo's.
Macheen partners with telecommunication operators in the U.S. and Europe to provide access to 3G mobile broadband.
Lenovo Mobile Access is available on ThinkPad Classic and ThinkPad Edge laptops containing a 3G module, and users can sign up for the service online. The PC maker is also shipping Lenovo Mobile Access on new ThinkPad laptops built with 3G modules.
Apple takes on Google Maps and integrates Facebook into iPhone software - along with a new Macbook - Daily Mail
- New mapping app will offer turn-by-turn directions and live traffic updates, and incorporate Siri
- Facebook to be integrated into iPhones and iPads to provide status updates with the sound of your voice
- Upcoming Macbook Pro will feature the 'retina display' popularised in latest iPad
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Apple has revealed that it is creating a 3D map of the world in a war with Google over online maps.
The computer giant today admitted to having a fleet of planes and helicopters which have been flying over major cities around the world.
It also plans to monitor iPhone owners when they drive to create live maps of traffic congestion.
The maps have a special 'flyover' feature that let users virtually fly around major cities.
Re-making maps: Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iOS Software at Apple Inc., demonstrates turn-by-turn navigation in iOS6 using Siri during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2012 in San Francisco, California
'We have been flying in helicopters and planes, building up a 3D model of these places,' said Scott Forstall of Apple.
The firm also boasted of 'using anonymous, real time data from iPhone users to keep traffic data up to date.'
The traffic monitoring is part of a new satellite navigation feature in the maps app.
Analysts said the decision to abandon Google Maps, which has provided mapping data for the iPhone since it was introduced in 2007, is the start of a 'mapping war'.
Apple's own: A screen shot showing turn-by-turn navigation using Apple maps and Siri in iOS6 is pictured
Its new mobile operating software, called iOS6 will come with a mapping system 'built from the ground up,' said Forstall, sidelining the Google map service.
Previously close partners who shared board members, Google is now Apple’s biggest challenger in the smartphone market with its Android operating system.
Facebook is getting a big boost from Apple in the wake of the social networking site's disappointing IPO, going deep into the iPhone and iPad software.
With the next Apple's iOS 6 software, users will be able to update their Facebook status by talking to their phones.
Users will also be able to 'Like' movies and apps in Apple's iTunes store, Apple executive Scott Forstall said in San Francisco at Apple's annual developers' conference.
Siri, Apple's voice-command application, will add a host of new languages, including Spanish, Korean and Mandarin Chinese, Forstall said.
'She' will also be able to launch applications and movies - all at the user's command.
Apple hasn't said when iOS 6, will be available. It will run on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches.
It is also expected to release the next version of its mobile operating software, the iOS6.
Apple started its Worldwide Developers' Conference touting its hardware, its biggest edge over Google.
The tech giant also revamped its existing line of notebook computers.
Boss: CEO Tim Cook, who took over from late co-founder Steve Jobs last August, says customers have downloaded more than 30 billion Apple apps so far
The new Macbook Air and MacBook Pro have upgraded graphics and memory, and go on sale today.
And at 0.7 inches, the new MacBook Pro - Apple's highest-end laptop - ranks among the thinnest laptops in the market.
They will employ the 'retina' displays that have won strong positive reviews for the new iPad, but start at an eye-popping $2,199 price tag.
The screen has more pixels than a HD TV.
'To create something genuinely new, you have to start again,' said Sir Jonathan Ive, Apple's British designer, who recently received a knighthood.
Craig Federighi, Vice president on Mac Software, said the new Mountain Lion system narrows the gap between the PC and phone software packages, allowing users to speak to their computers.
Another step forward: Craig Federighi, vice president on Mac Software, talks about the new Mountain Lion system, which he says would make Mac computers work more like iPhones
Mac makeover: Apple has unveiled a new version of its popular Macbook Pro laptop, complete with the 'retina' display, at an eye-popping price of $2,199
Marketing chief Phil Schiller outlined how the redesigned MacBook Air notebooks, also unveiled at the conference, will be about $100 cheaper on average than predecessors, but sport quicker Intel Corp processors.
Analysts have speculated that the company will begin aggressively competing on price, gradually lowering the premium its Macs carry in general.
Long lines marked the beginning of the week-long annual forum, where Apple developers rub shoulders with employees, test the latest products and software, and connect with peers.
Queue: Attendees line up at outside the 2012 Apple World Wide Developers Conference at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco
More than ever, Apple finds itself in a pitched battle with Google: in smartphones, cloud computing, and a never-ending competition to attract the best software developers.
That is crucial as Apple looks to draw users deeper into its applications ecosystem.
CEO Tim Cook, who took over from late co-founder Steve Jobs last August, told the audience that customers have downloaded more than 30 billion Apple apps so far, choosing from more than 650,000 apps - the largest library in the industry.
The firm also launched a new app that aims to replace tickets and storecards with an iPhone app. Called passbook, it lets users download movie tickets - right to your phone.
Is the iPhone Overcrowding the World’s 3G Networks? - Businessweek
Regardless of which platform is winning today’s smartphone race, the installed base of active iPhones remains huge, and according to a new report from mobile infrastructure maker Ericsson, those iOS devices are having an outsize impact on the world’s 3G networks.
Traffic originating from the iPhone is nearing 50 percent of all data traversing carriers’ HSPA networks. Those numbers could have a chilling effect on emerging LTE operators, which are trying to migrate to 4G but are finding themselves contending with the iPhone’s enormous 3G demands.
For its Traffic and Market Report, Ericsson sampled data from GSM carriers in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, discovering that, on average, the iPhone accounts for a little more than 20 percent of their total subscribers but a whopping 45 percent of their total 3G/HSPA traffic. In comparison, Android penetration levels among those same operators are around 15 percent, while those devices account for about 30 percent of their 3G traffic loads.
Ericsson found that, on average, iPhone and Android ran neck and neck when it came to average consumption per subscriber: around 350 MB per month. But there was huge variation in those usage levels among different carriers, especially on Android. At the high end of Ericsson’s measurements, Android users consume 1,400 MB per month, compared with 1,200 MB for the iPhone, while on some networks Android phone usage averaged a mere 50 MB per month. Network monthly averages for the iPhone never drop much lower than 200 MB.
The overall variation can be explained by carriers’ widely differing pricing policies. For instance, T-Mobile USA not only offers fairly liberal data buckets in its data tiers but also allows customers to use mobile hotspot capabilities at no extra charge, driving up monthly consumption. Ericsson explained the even bigger variation among Google OS phones, however, by the fact that Android devices run the entire gamut of the market, while Apple targets the middle to high end. So in networks where Android plays second fiddle to the iPhone—which for a long while was the case at AT&T—Android devices often gravitate toward the low end, while Apple devices wind up in the hands of power users.
That helps explain how the iPhone can have such an enormous impact on operators’ 3G networks. IPhones are not only a plurality of all devices on the network but are also often wielded by the carriers’ most-aggressive data users.
Ericsson’s data take only HSPA networks into account. CDMA operators such as Sprint and Verizon only recently landed the iPhone, so they have spent the past several years loading up their 3G networks with Android devices. Android also is the only smartphone OS, besides Windows Phone, supported on an LTE network. Compared with 3G, the installed LTE phone base is miniscule, but it’s growing rapidly.
If Apple doesn’t include LTE in this year’s iPhone, the gap between Android and iOS on 3G traffic levels may only grow bigger. Android power users will start migrating to new LTE networks, while iPhone users will remain on much more inefficient 3G networks.
How would moving to LTE affect you? As I have written before, a 3G-only iPhone scenario could play havoc with the wireless industry, particular in North America. If operators must keep investing in their 3G networks in order to meet mounting iPhone traffic, they won’t be able to focus on their future LTE networks, which will ultimately allow them to deliver a lot more data a lot more cheaply.
Apple has signaled it’s ready to embrace LTE with the launch of the new iPad, hopefully securing 4G’s place in at least some versions of the new iPhone. LTE may sound like a carrier conceit—promising little to consumers except higher speeds and crappier battery life—but consumers stand to lose out as well if the transition to LTE is delayed. LTE is the first stepping stone to much-higher-capacity LTE Advanced systems.
By dramatically lowering the cost to deliver data, carriers will start lowering the data prices they offer consumers. They won’t do it out of the goodness of their hearts, but that’s where competition comes into play.
Also from GigaOM:
LTE Advanced: What It Is and Isn’t, and Why That Matters (subscription required)
CloudLock Aims to Bring PCI Compliance to Google Drive
Crazy: Orange Censors All Blogs, Not Just GigaOM
FaceTime over 3G? A bargain vs. carrier voice plans - Gigaom.com
At WWDC Apple unleashed FaceTime on 3G networks. While you would think a high-quality video chat and collaboration service would be poison to consumers’ restricted data plans, there’s another way to look at it: Compared to what mobile operators charge for voice, FaceTime is really a bargain.
When FaceTime first emerged, 9to5Mac performed some 3G tests on jailbroken iPhones to determine just how much bandwidth the app would consume. It’s findings: 3 MB per minute. So if you had a $30/2 GB plan from Verizon you could feasibly support 666 minutes of FaceTime calling, while a 3 GB plan at the same price from AT&T would give you an even 1000 minutes of video talk time.
Now look what those same carriers charge for voice minutes: For base level voice plans both AT&T and Verizon charge you me $40 for 450 minutes and $60 for 900 minutes. Making a FaceTime video call winds up being a heck of lot cheaper than a straight up phone call.
Before you get the bright idea of replacing your voice service entirely with FaceTime and a data SIM card, know there are some limitations, the biggest of which is FaceTime only works between Apple products. 3G network coverage, even over Verizon’s extensive CDMA network, can be spotty, and just because there is a 3G signal available to you doesn’t guarantee you’ll get enough of bandwidth to support a video call. Carriers’ circuit-switched voice services may be expensive, but for the most part they work — a claim we can’t yet make for 3G.
Of course, supplementing your voice service with FaceTime might not be a bad idea especially if a lot of your contacts own iPhones, iPads and Macs. Knocking $20 to $30 off your minute plans (AT&T and Verizon both sell unlimited voice for $70 a month) and replacing it with the next higher tier of data could wind up saving you a lot of money. Many consumers might not even need to bother with a data plan upgrade. According to a recent report from Ericsson, iPhone users only consume on average 350 MB of month of data over global HSPA networks, which puts them well out of reach of most data caps.
As for the operators — who already claim their 3G networks are overtaxed — this is probably not an ideal development. Not only would a sudden deluge of FaceTime calls load up their networks even more, the service could start impacting their voice revenues. Since they make far more for on a minute of voice than they would on a minute of FaceTime data, they have far more to lose.
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
Tested: iPhone 4S on T-Mobile 3G at WWDC - PC Magazine
SAN FRANCISCO—T-Mobile has been the only national network which couldn't run iPhones at 3G speeds - until now. The carrier is "refarming" 1900-MHz airwaves to 3G, making itself finally iPhone-compatible.
Whether it's a total coincidence (as T-Mobile insists) or a publicity stunt, the carrier turned on a single 1900-MHz 3G cell site in San Francisco's Moscone West this week – the exact location where Apple will announce its new iOS 6. I took an unlocked iPhone 4S down and tested it out against AT&T and Verizon iPhones. (Sadly, I don't have a Sprint iPhone at the moment.)
The default state for an iPhone on T-Mobile is EDGE, and EDGE is really slow. I ran several tests on an iPhone on T-Mobile's EDGE network today and generally got speeds between 30-50kbps. Ouch.
But as soon as I walked alongside Moscone West, a "3G" indicator appeared in my iPhone 4S's status bar.
It's definitely a test network, using only one in-building cell site. The signal was much stronger at the front of Moscone West than at the back, and it vanished altogether half a block north of the convention center.
I ran 10 tests using the Speedtest.net app on the T-Mobile iPhone and got very erratic results; some numbers were clearly impossible, so I had to exclude them. Of the valid results, I saw download speeds from 500kbps to 6.5Mbps, but mostly in the 1-2Mbps range.
That's much less than what T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42 network can produce. On an HTC One S in the same location, I got 9.9Mbps down and 1Mbps up. And I got consistently faster speeds on AT&T, which has a slower HSPA network.
There are two factors at work here.
First, the iPhone 4S isn't capable of T-Mobile's full speeds. It's an HSPA 14.4 device like the HTC Sensation, which reached speeds of 4.3-6.5Mbps down during testing last year.
So why wasn't I getting the same 4-6Mbps on the iPhone? This was definitely a test network, and probably one designed not to emanate far outside the Moscone Center itself. Who knows what they're using for backhaul, or how much spectrum is devoted to the 1900 3G network. I wouldn't draw conclusions about future speeds from this test network.
I will draw conclusions about price, though. As I said last week, T-Mobile's no-contract plans are competitive with Virgin Mobile and much cheaper than AT&T and Verizon, with potentially faster data speeds than any of them on 3G devices. For more on that, see Virgin Mobile's $30 iPhone Plan Gamble.
So when will the wonders of refarming come to you? T-Mobile is remaining vague except to say that it'll arrive in a "large" number of markets this year.
3G internet network in Syria off for four days - Xinhua News Agency
DAMASCUS, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The third generation (3G) internet network in Syria has been disconnected for the fourth consecutive day for unknown reasons, prompting resentment among internet users and subscribers in the unrest-hit country.
Officials from Syria's only two mobile providers were not available for comments on the cutoff since last Thursday, but the 3G internet blackout apparently came against the backdrop of the amateur videos uploaded constantly by opposition activists who have recently resorted to more sophisticated means to help them accomplish their works.
During the 15-month-old unrest, internet service in Syria witnessed several cutoffs, yet, the imposed restrictions have done little to keep activists off-line, as some reports indicated that the rebels in Syria had been provided with satellite communication tools to ensure telephone and Internet connection.
Ali Hashim, a former correspondent of the Qatar-funded channel al-Jazeera, in Lebanon, was quoted by the Russia Today (RT) news website as saying that the channel paid 50,000 U.S. dollars for smuggling phones and other tools across the Syrian border to ensure they would get an inside picture.
The equipment was smuggled from Lebanon, he told RT.
Syria enjoys a much higher internet subscription rates than neighboring countries.
Special Report: Syrian Situation
Tested: iPhone 4S on T-Mobile 3G at WWDC - PC Magazine
SAN FRANCISCO—T-Mobile has been the only national network which couldn't run iPhones at 3G speeds - until now. The carrier is "refarming" 1900-MHz airwaves to 3G, making itself finally iPhone-compatible.
Whether it's a total coincidence (as T-Mobile insists) or a publicity stunt, the carrier turned on a single 1900-MHz 3G cell site in San Francisco's Moscone West this week – the exact location where Apple will announce its new iOS 6. I took an unlocked iPhone 4S down and tested it out against AT&T and Verizon iPhones. (Sadly, I don't have a Sprint iPhone at the moment.)
The default state for an iPhone on T-Mobile is EDGE, and EDGE is really slow. I ran several tests on an iPhone on T-Mobile's EDGE network today and generally got speeds between 30-50kbps. Ouch.
But as soon as I walked alongside Moscone West, a "3G" indicator appeared in my iPhone 4S's status bar.
It's definitely a test network, using only one in-building cell site. The signal was much stronger at the front of Moscone West than at the back, and it vanished altogether half a block north of the convention center.
I ran 10 tests using the Speedtest.net app on the T-Mobile iPhone and got very erratic results; some numbers were clearly impossible, so I had to exclude them. Of the valid results, I saw download speeds from 500kbps to 6.5Mbps, but mostly in the 1-2Mbps range.
That's much less than what T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42 network can produce. On an HTC One S in the same location, I got 9.9Mbps down and 1Mbps up. And I got consistently faster speeds on AT&T, which has a slower HSPA network.
There are two factors at work here.
First, the iPhone 4S isn't capable of T-Mobile's full speeds. It's an HSPA 14.4 device like the HTC Sensation, which reached speeds of 4.3-6.5Mbps down during testing last year.
So why wasn't I getting the same 4-6Mbps on the iPhone? This was definitely a test network, and probably one designed not to emanate far outside the Moscone Center itself. Who knows what they're using for backhaul, or how much spectrum is devoted to the 1900 3G network. I wouldn't draw conclusions about future speeds from this test network.
I will draw conclusions about price, though. As I said last week, T-Mobile's no-contract plans are competitive with Virgin Mobile and much cheaper than AT&T and Verizon, with potentially faster data speeds than any of them on 3G devices. For more on that, see Virgin Mobile's $30 iPhone Plan Gamble.
So when will the wonders of refarming come to you? T-Mobile is remaining vague except to say that it'll arrive in a "large" number of markets this year.
Mini-ITX Embedded Board includes redundant 3G capability. - ThomasNet Industrial News Room
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - Habey USA, a leading manufacturer of embedded computer and an Associate member of the Intel Embedded Alliance, today announces the MITX-6930, the new mini-ITX embedded board based on the Intel NM10 Chipset and equipped with the next generation dual core Intel Atom N2800 or D2700 processor. Delivering enhanced performance, clearer graphics, responsiveness, embedded life cycle, and enabling connectivity, the MITX-6930 is a designed solution targeted at digital signage, POS, kiosks, enterprise security, digital surveillance, medicine, and factory automation.
"Everyday devices are seeking to be more connected while staying afloat with faster speeds to respond relevantly." says Alan Sung from Habey's Marketing Department. "For technology to be applicable in this growth, the need for low power reliable embedded system with redundant connectivity is critical."
Compact Design Made Connective
Utilizing the small carbon footprint of 170mmx170mm, the MITX-6930 offers greater connectivity with dual Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet with options of expansion via PCI slot on board, two serial ports for factory automation, and two mini-PCIe slots on board for WiFi and 3G/4G cellular connection. On board the MITX-6930 are also one SIM socket and multiple USBs for WiFi and 3G flexibility.
Extended Life Cycle Solution
Offering greater leverage for longer life solutions, the MITX-6930 runs up to 2.13GHz (Atom D2700) with I/O interfaces: 4 USBs, 2 COM ports, 2 LAN, 1 VGA up to 2048x1536, 1 DVI up to 1920x1200, and 7.1 HD Audio I/Os. On board are 2 mini-PCIe slots; 1 Mini-PCIe with SSD support, 1 Mini-PCIe with SIM card socket for 3G/4G connectivity, 1 PCI slot, 2 USB2.0, 4 COM ports, 1 LPT, 1 LPC, 1 DDR3 support up to 4GB memory, 2 SATA, HDMI pin, and LVDS display output up to 1366x768. The MITX-6930 operates in extended temperatures of -20C to70C with the processors having a 7 year extended lifecycle support to protect development investment. On-board features for scalability also include 3-pin CPU fan on board, Watchdog Timer, 8-bit GPIO, and ATX 20-pin standard power connector. In addition, the system architecture is designed with more custom design options for OEM/ODM solution development.
Improved Realism with Intel Technologies
Complementing rich I/Os are various Intel Technologies with integrated graphics on chip, GMA 3650, bringing 4 times the 3D performance than previous generations while operating in the same power envelop - displays dual HD 1080 videos at average 12W. The improved realism with improved image quality is completed in the fanless thermal design of the MITX-6930 embedded board with operation on battery up to 10 hours of use.
Features:
o Adopt Intel NM10 chipset, onboard Intel Atom N2800/D2700 processor
o 1 x SO-DIMM slot supports DDRIII 1066MHz memory up to 4GB
o DVI-I, LVDS display output, DVI/VGA dual independent display supported
o 2 x Mini-PCIE; 1 x Mini-PCIe onboard SIM card socket for 3G module, 1 x Mini-PCIe supports SSD
o 2x Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet
o 6 x serial ports, 6 x USB 2.0, 7.1 HD AUDIO
o 1 x PCI, 1x LPC, 1x PLC, 8-bit GPIO, 2 x SATA
o Operating extended temperatures of -20C to70C
System: MITX-6930
Motherboard Type: Mini-ITX
Processor: Onboard Intel Intel Atom N2800/D2700 Processor
System Memory: 1xDDRIII 1066MHz SO-DIMM SLOT , up to 4GB
Chipset: IntelNM10
I/O Chip: ITE IT8783F
Ethernet: Intel 82574L, 10/100/1000Mbps,2x RJ-45
BIOS: AMI EFI BIOS
Wake-on-LAN: Support
Watchdog Timer: Generates a time-out system reset
H/W State Monitoring: Monitor the state of voltage, temperature and rotational speed of the fan
Expansion: 2xMini-PCIe ; Mini-PCIe2 supports SIM Bus interface, Mini-PCIe1 supports SSD ; Onboard SIM card socket for 3G module
Battery: Lithium Battery
Power Supply: ATX
Dimension: 170mm170mm
Operating Temperature: -20~70 Celsius Degree
Storage Temperature: -40~80 Celsius Degree
Operating Humidity: 0%~90% relative humidity, no condensation
Display Controller: IntelN2800/D2700 integrated
Video Memory: Resolution
VGA : max. resolution 2048x1536@60MHz
LVDS : max. resolution 1366x768@60MHz
DVI : max resolution 1920x1200@60Hz
Display Interface: 1x VGA,1xLVDS,1x DVI,
I/O
Storage: 2x SATA
Serial Port: 5x RS-232, 1x RS-232/422/485
Parallel Port: 1xLPT supports SPP/EPP/ECP mode
USB: 6x USB2.0
KB&MS: 1x KB/MS
GPIO: 8 bit programmable digital I/O
LPC: 1x LPC
Audio: Realtek ALC888/655, HD Audio,Speak-out, MIC-IN,LINE-IN
South Beach is ready for a green iPhone - Examiner
South Beach are you ready for a green iPhone 4? If you are it comes in white. This solar powered gem is coming to market this month in the United States. That's right, unlimited iPhone battery life now possible with new hybrid solar battery charger case.
Monster Watts is introducing the new, stylishly thin "Hybrid Solar Battery Case" with color bumpers for iPhone 4 / 4S
Monster Watts, is an innovator of solar-powered accessories for Apple products, is introducing
the much-acclaimed "Hybrid Solar Battery Case" with a "Start of Summer" promotion.
The innovative design is to support people use their iPhones more for their daily activities. With all the new practical applications the batteries are running out of power sooner then they ever did when you were Googling and texting. Battery cases and even solar-powered chargers to extend the battery lifeare not a new idea, but the Monster Watts model is the only one that keeps Apple's design integrity with high functionality and that is the difference here.
The "Monster Watts Hybrid Solar Battery Case" has been praised as the best available because it combines the highest-efficiency solar panel charger with the most powerful rechargeable battery in a thin protective case made of tough ABS material. It comes in black or white, and can even be personalized with replaceable color bumpers.
Whether outdoors playing, or indoors working, away from electrical outlets, users can relax knowing that with the extra 150% battery life and ambient sunlight - their iPhone 4 / 4S will not run out of power, all day and night.
The hybrid charging design automatically charges the 2400mAh rechargeable battery whenever it's under sunlight, but just in case, it can also be charged from any PC or standard phone charger via the built-in USB port. Of course, all buttons and ports are still fully accessible.
Hungry for the details? Here you go...
Start of Summer Promotion
The suggested retail price of the Hybrid Solar Battery Case is $118, but in cooperation with Vivealive.net, and it can be purchased for $83 and that comes with free shipping within the USA for the month of June. That promotional price is only available using coupon code SOS15
or by using this link.
You can always check out the website
About Monster Watts:
Monster Watts is an innovator of solar-powered accessories for Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad. Its design team is based in New York and has factories in Asia.
Simple trick to cut your electric bill by 75%:
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