It’s not clear how widespread the problem is, but a number of iPhone users in the UK are reporting serious reception issues on O2’s network. Our source in the UK has told us that his O2 iPhone currently has no service in the same room as other O2 phones with five bars and an unlocked iPhone on Vodafone with full service, and Apple’s UK support forums are buzzing with similar reports. Users are also reporting that replacement iPhones don’t exhibit the same problems, so the problem might be with the device itself — but that would be strange, seeing as iPhones in other countries don’t have the same issues. For its part, Apple appears to be replacing units as they’re brought in, and hasn’t made any official statement on the matter yet — any UK iPhone users out there care to chime in?

[Thanks, Wil]

Read - InformationWeek article
Read - Apple Support thread about the issue

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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Details are still a bit thin, but it looks like SageTV – developer of alternative media center software — is poised to release an HD media extender for in-home placeshifting. The company, which already makes a standard definition wireless extender, revealed pics of the so-called STX-HD100 today, along with a few shots of the retail packaging which expose such features as HDMI, component, S-Video, and composite jacks as well as USB 2.0 Mass Storage Interface. Keep reading to check out another angle, and you can probably dig up a little more info by trawling around the SageTV forums, where it seems like quite a few folks have been waiting around on this product for some time now…

[Thanks, Matt C.]

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Ok everybody, here goes round sixteen. This time we’ve got a Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 wireless headset. Ready? Here’s the deal.

Some big ticket gadgets we’ll leave open through the weekend, but the rest you can only enter until the next gadget lands (usually within a couple of hours). If you miss your shot, sorry, we’re moving on to the next gadget. Good luck!

Oh, and don’t forget the rules. (Yeah, there are always rules.)

• Leave a comment below. That’s it! Who loves you, baby.
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) You can enter different giveaways in today’s Black Friday giveaways, but you can only enter this one once.
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you’ll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers or US contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winners will be chosen randomly.
• Entries can be submitted until the next contest goes up. After that we’re all done. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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You know that unlocked iPhone T-Mobile has to sell in Germany? Right, the one that costs €999 instead of €399 with contract. Well, if you’re Debitel, then you make a bid for the iPhone non-exclusive by offering a €600 sign-up bonus (to bring the cost back to €399) on a network of your very own. Of course, visual voice mail is a no-go and there’s no mention of unlimited WiFi, but at least you’ve got the iPhone (and a fat Debitel contract, presumably).

Update: Debitel’s rates will start at €40 per month compared to T-Mobile’s €49.

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When asked if he would sell his company for $1 billion, LinkedIn CEO Dan Nye told a CNN reporter that it would take “a lot more than that.” Meanwhile, rumors of acquisitions are abound in the Web space, with everyone from Digg to Automattic rumored to be on the block. Unless you have an 8-figure bank account, you probably won’t be able to get your hands on shares of any of these companies, but if you could, which would you want a piece of at its rumored valuation? That’s the subject of today’s poll:

At the rumored acquisiton price, which of these companies would you invest in?

• Digg at $300-400 million

• Automattic at $150-300 milliion

• LinkedIn at $1-2 billion

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By now you’re all fully schooled in the black art of jailbreaking and unlocking your new iPhone, right? Did you know that the whole dirty business can be done via iTunes in just “seconds?” The catch: it requires a €999 (about $1,480) unlocked iPhone sold (at least temporarily) by T-Mobile Germany. Interestingly enough, there isn’t any physical (or bit-level) difference between a locked and unlocked iPhone, it’s Apple working all the unlocking magic over the network with a bit of help from iTunes. According to first reports from MacNotes.de, the IMEI number is recorded at the point of sale and sent to Apple. After 24 hours, the iPhone can be unlocked by iTunes in a procedure taking just seconds. The firmware remains unchanged at 1.1.2. This news potentially opens up the iPhone to further unlocking schemes although it already sounds very similar to the approach favored by iPhoneSimFree clan, don’t you think?

[Via MacRumors]

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Nothing too spectacular here, but those looking for a bare-bones GPS from a little-known manufacturer could soon be able to get their fix in the form of the Vector dis 590, which just made its all-important trek through the FCC. According to the manual, this one (which appears to be a rebadge of the Royaltek RNS-3200) boasts a 4-inch touchscreen, along with maps courtesy of NAVTEQ, an SD card slot for expansion, the usual array PMP functions, and built-in Bluetooth for some hands-free calling. You’ll also apparently be able to get optional RDS-TMC traffic data, and optional “FM radios,” which we assume means an FM transmitter. Of course, there’s no word on pricing or availability, so you’ll just have to contain your excitement until this one gets official.

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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What we’re watching: We’ll check out Showtime for new episodes of Dexter and Brotherhood.

Continue reading HDTV Listings for November 25, 2007

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Ok everybody, here goes round fourteen. This time we’ve got a Microsoft Sidewinder Mouse. Ready? Here’s the deal.

Some big ticket gadgets we’ll leave open through the weekend, but the rest you can only enter until the next gadget lands (usually within a couple of hours). If you miss your shot, sorry, we’re moving on to the next gadget. Good luck!

Oh, and don’t forget the rules. (Yeah, there are always rules.)

• Leave a comment below. That’s it! Who loves you, baby.
• You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) You can enter different giveaways in today’s Black Friday giveaways, but you can only enter this one once.
• If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you’ll be fine.
  
• Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers or US contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winners will be chosen randomly.
• Entries can be submitted until the next contest goes up. After that we’re all done. Good luck!
• Full rules can be found here.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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It’s not like you didn’t know this day was coming, but Sprint users eagerly awaiting the actual release of Motorola’s Q9c / i335 or the BlackBerry Pearl 8130 can quit sitting on their hands. That right folks, as of now, all three of the aforementioned handsets are available on Sprint, and while we’re sure you’re up to speed on all the specs, here’s the down low on prices. After a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate, the i335 will run you $49.99, while the Q9c demands $149.99 and the Pearl 8130 rings up at $199.99. Take your pick — the trio is on sale now online and in Sprint stores everywhere.

Read - Motorola Q9c / i335 on sale at Sprint
Read - BlackBerry Pearl 8130 on sale at Sprint

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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