New T-Mobile myTouch Delivers High-Definition Video Connections and Lightning Fast 4G Speeds
New myTouch to Take Advantage of T-Mobile's New Super-Fast HSPA+ Network Now Reaching More Than 65 Markets
BELLEVUE, Wash. � October 4, 2010 � T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced a new addition to its exclusive line of Android™-powered T-Mobile® myTouch® smartphones and the continued expansion of its new super-fast HSPA+ mobile broadband network. Built with families in mind, the newest T-Mobile myTouch helps solve the challenges of staying physically and emotionally connected by sharing photos and video with the HD Camcorder, spontaneous face-to-face conversations through Video Chat and the ability to reach 4G speeds on T-Mobile's new network, which is now available in more cities across the country.1
Unlike other video-calling solutions on the market that only work through Wi-Fi, Video Chat on the new myTouch enables customers to connect with loved ones spontaneously from practically anywhere through T-Mobile's network or Wi-Fi. With the myTouch's front-facing camera paired with Video Chat, customers can hold video conversations with friends and family who have a new T-Mobile myTouch, other compatible mobile device or capable PC. Customers can even see who is available to chat through presence information integrated into the myTouch's address book.
"Taking advantage of the 4G speeds on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network, the new myTouch delivers a faster and more compelling experience than most competing smartphones on the market," said Andrew Sherrard, vice president, product development, T-Mobile USA. "Our continued focus to build innovative new features and personalized services truly makes myTouch unique."
Designed specifically to deliver 4G speeds on T-Mobile's rapidly expanding HSPA+ network, the new myTouch will offer customers blazing fast access to websites, applications, videos, downloads and more. T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is the most pervasive mobile broadband network in the country, offering 4G speeds in more than 65 major metropolitan areas.
With its latest expansion, T-Mobile's HSPA+ footprint now includes Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss.; Denver, Colo.; Huntsville, Ala.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Norfolk, Va.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Sacramento, Calif.; and West Palm Beach, Fla. T-Mobile expects to reach 100 major metropolitan areas and 200 million people in 2010.
Families also can share moments in high-definition (HD) with the myTouch's high-quality HD Camcorder with Screen Share, which allows customers to share or broadcast HD video and pictures they've captured. With a few touches of the screen, customers can share their photo albums, videos and movies wirelessly with a compatible HDTV or other DLNA device. The new phone also includes three exclusive myTouch features: Genius Button™, powered by Dragon Dictation from Nuance, which lets customers call, text, e-mail or access the internet with a simple voice command; Faves Gallery™ , which offers shortcuts to one's most-contacted family and friends; and myModes, which creates customized home screens for work and home.
Designed by HTC exclusively for T-Mobile, the new myTouch features a brilliant 3.8-inch WVGA touch-screen display with virtual keyboard and Swype® for easy text input. The thin and sleek device also comes with a blazing fast second-generation Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 1GHz MSM8255 processor optimized for speed and graphic performance, a 5-megapixel camera, a preinstalled 8 GB microSD memory card, and an integrated media player that brings together favorite music, video and internet radio under one set of controls.
Powered by Android 2.2, the myTouch offers a rich mobile Web experience and access to more than 80,000 applications on Android Market™ from games to location-based social networks to on-the-go shopping and more. The new device also features preloaded HD games, including "Rock Band," "Asphalt 5? and "Monopoly."
The new T-Mobile myTouch is expected to be available in time for the holidays, exclusively from
T-Mobile USA in four colors � white, black, plum or red. Customers can visit http://mytouch.t-mobile.com for more information.T-Mobile now offers 4G speeds on the new myTouch and the T-Mobile G2™, as well as the webConnect Rocket™ 2.0 and Rocket laptop sticks. In addition, customers located in new HSPA+ locations can benefit from faster speeds on their existing 3G smartphones � including popular devices, such as the myTouch 3G Slide.2
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1 Based on 4G speeds currently available to mobile device users in the U.S. Device has theoretical capability of 14.4 Mbps. HSPA+ coverage is rapidly expanding, but it is not currently available everywhere. For more details on where T-Mobile network coverage is available, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage.
2 Improved speeds vary, due in part to device capabilities.T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. stick together and myTouch are registered trademarks, and Genius Button, Faves Gallery, G2 and webConnect Rocket are trademarks of T-Mobile USA. Google, Android, and Android Market are trademarks of Google Inc. Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Inc. Snapdragon is a trademark of Qualcomm Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the second quarter of 2010, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group � 33.6 million by T-Mobile USA � all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the current views of Deutsche Telekom management with respect to future events. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project" and "should" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place too much reliance on them. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond Deutsche Telekom's control, including, without limitation, those factors set forth in "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" contained in Deutsche Telekom's annual report. If these or other risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of these statements prove incorrect, Deutsche Telekom's actual results may be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Deutsche Telekom does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
There are all sorts of image formats available on web that provide different features. Some of them are lossy while others provide transparency. According to the latest news, it seems that Google has developed a new image file format called WebP.
WebP is pronounced "weppy" and according to Google, WebP should reduce the file size by 40% compared to the JPEG and by making images smaller Google should make websites load faster than before.
We should mention that WebP also uses lossy compression which means pictures will lose their quality as the size of image file reduces, but that's nothing new since JPEG format works in the same way. WebP is derived from VP8, the video codec that has been purchased by Google earlier this year, and so far, Google is looking support from other browser developers for this new standard. Of course, Google will add WebP support to its Google Chrome browser in few weeks and we'll be able to see how it works in action.
With better compression, WebP has a lot of potential, but will it become the JPEG killer or will they just co-exist?
[via Ubergizmo]
The popular PC and console puzzle game Peggle [99�] was released in the App Store way back in May of 2009. Curiously, Peggle came without the background music found in other versions of the game, with developer PopCap promising that it was in the works and would be released in a future update. Many months passed without any news of music being added to the game, and it seemed that it would never come. Then this past June, more than a year after Peggle's App Store release, PopCap shocked everybody by nonchalantly releasing the long-promised background music update for the game.
Earlier tonight, PopCap once again released a surprise update to Peggle. This new update adds the entire sequel Peggle Nights to the original Peggle as an in-app purchase for $2.99. There are 6 demo levels for you to try before you buy, and the full Peggle Nights upgrade features 60 new levels across four game modes, with new challenges and trophies to earn. This video from YouTube shows some gameplay excerpts from the PC version of Peggle Nights:
Ever since the release of Peggle, people have wondered if Peggle Nights would also be coming to iOS platforms, but I don't think anyone ever imagined it would come as an in-app purchase to the original game. If you've played Peggle to death on your iOS device and are craving more, then make sure and grab the latest update and buy the Peggle Nights add-on for $2.99. If you don't already own Peggle, now is a great time to pick it up as it's currently still on sale for 99�.
Fishing games are a niche genre, little heard of before the popularity of the iOS touch and tilt interface. Games like Flick Fishing and Fishing Kings have introduced many newcomers to the sport in a more arcade-like way that has proven quite successful. So much so in fact that mega-publisher Activision have ported their take on angling to iOS, in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing [App Store], a universal app for the iPad and its smaller siblings.
Rapala Pro Bass Fishing starts off with a gutsy speedboat cutscene, in typical Activision flair. The intro movie kicks off what becomes a trend in your fishing career, as each victory is met with an over-the-top cutscene looking more like an MTV award night. Fortunately, everything in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing looks as great as these movies do, particularly the in-game environments which are fully fleshed out landscapes across many fishing hotspots.
In this respect, Rapala Pro Bass Fishing has addressed the crticisms of similar games that have come before it, and ensured a wide variety of locations that are completely explorable in your trusty speedboat. There aren't just several static fishing locations to cast your line at, but instead at each locale you unlock, there are a number of potential fishing spots to set your anchor at, necessitating your use of a trusty map to find the exact one with the species you're currently looking for.
There are two modes in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing, a Seasons mode and a Free Fishing mode. The latter is self-explanatory, but the Seasons Mode is ultimately where the majority of your fishing time will be spent. You start Seasons mode at the rookie level, where you are given 6 tasks to complete before being able to take on tougher challenges at other locations. Tasks include things like finding a particular type of fish, or catching a fish above a certain score grade, or even full blown fishing tournaments against several computer controlled opponents. Tasks are usually timed, with tournaments extending to 15 minutes at times. With as many of these as there are in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing, expect to be in for the long haul, as this is one heavy tackle box of goodies.
The actual fishing technique varies slightly between these games, but I was disappointed that Rapala Pro Bass Fishing opted for a much more casual, arcade heavy approach to the more technical fishing mechanics. This translates to a monotonous, toned down process of steering your boat via accelerometer to a large beacon of light (selected on your GPS map), casting your line by flicking your device forwards, then engaging in a series of gestures to hook your fish. Gestures change depending on the lure you have selected, but all are a simple combination of device tilts that help to pad out the fishing process.
Once your bait has been taken, you must tilt your device again to hook the fish (a bar will appear to show you the best time to do so) and then start reeling by circling the on-screen reel. Then the fun should begin, for as any salty sea dog will tell you� it's the thrill of the fight that counts. And in Rapala Pro Bass Fishing, this process is simplified so much that we may as well be playing kindergarten fish magnet games. Reeling in your fish is as simple as staring at the tension meter, waiting for it to rise, then tilting your device to one side. Your rod is always centred on your screen, and the only movement possible is left and right movement. Dipping your rod, lifting it to pull taut your line, pulling it from side to side to tire the fish…none of that is emulated here, which is disappointing.
If it weren't for the huge number of unlockables available; from rods, lures, fishing spots and new locations (that you buy through money earned in Seasons mode), that fact alone would steer us away from Rapala Fishing. iPad users are at least treated to a special local multiplayer fish-off that we can only hope makes its way in some form to all the devices. That aside, the fishing never seems to get truly challenging; and unlike some of the better fishing games, the whole process here does get repetitive. Still, you do have to appreciate the efforts put into Rapala Pro Bass Fishing. With 60 individual events, voiced commentary and multiple explorable locations, Rapala Pro Bass Fishing high production quality could still appeal to the more casual fishermen.