Archives for May 2010

Google [GOOG] has updated their Google Goggles app for Android that now brings text translation in to the mix.

Gizmodo describe the new application as having a little multi-linguist living in your phone.

To get the system to work you simply load up the application, point the camera at the text you want translating (making sure you get a clear shot of it) and capture the image. Once captured the system is capable of detecting the language you are looking at in most cases, and after a short wait the English translation will appear on screen. [Read more…]

Visa and DeviceFidelity are working with Apple [AAPL] to bring mobile payments to Apple iPhone users. The new system works with the iPhone sat in a protective case that has a secure memory card that is home to a contactless payment application called Visa PayWave.

The system is only designed right now to work with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS with no next-gen model being mentioned. When active, the system will allow users to easily pay for small products and items as well as make purchases at vending machines by simply waving the phone in front of a contact-less pay system.

In the US there are 1000’s of companies who already accept contactless payment that are compatible with this system. As well as working with the iPhone with a special case, any mobile phone with a memory card slot will also work as the Visa chip can also utilise a microSD card slot. [Read more…]

It appears that Verizon [VZ] are not going to be getting the Apple iPhone on their network this year thanks to Apple [AAPL] extending the exclusive agreement until the start of 2011.

Reasons for the extension are believed to be the way AT&T handled the Apple iPad 3G subscription charges and pricing structure.

The deal is claimed to have happened as follows…

AT&T had to do something dramatic to get the iPad. [AT&T’s negotiated a 50% discount on iPad data plans with Apple] For that pricing, AT&T was able to negotiate a six-month extension on the iPhone exclusive.

[Read more…]

When Google [GOOG] launched the Google Nexus One, the tax was calculated slightly wrong and rather than being based on the sale price it was based on the full retail price. So, if you overpaid the tax, Google are now returning the overpayment to you.

The money you over paid will be paid back to the card you paid on originally unless the card has expired and in those cases, it will be refunded to the same account on to the new issued card.

The letter reads as follows…

Hello,

We’re writing in regards to your recent Nexus One purchase. There was an issue with the way the sales tax was applied to your order. When your order was placed, you paid taxes on the full retail price of the phone. However, you should have only been charged taxes on the sales price of the phone. We apologize for this issue and wanted to let you know that Google will issue a partial refund for the difference in the amount of taxes you were charged.

The refund will be issued to the debit/credit card used to complete the original purchase. To verify which card will receive the refund, please sign in to your Google Checkout account at and click ˜View order’. The payment information for the order will be listed at the bottom of the order receipt.

If the debit/credit card used to complete your purchase has been closed, your card-issuing bank should forward these funds to your new account or mail a check to you for the amount of the refund.

If you have any questions about the refund, or if you need further assistance, please reply to this email and we’ll be happy to help.

Sincerely,

The Nexus One Team

[Read more…]

For those who don’t want to spend an extra $130 + monthly costs on an Apple iPad 3G, but want to still connect to the internet when there is no wireless signal around, an application can now convert your Apple iPhone 3G/3GS in to a wireless hotspot allowing a wifi iPad or other wireless device to connect up and share the unlimited data.

The application is called MyWi and is available for download on Rock, ie, you need to jailbreak your iPhone to get it to work. Once installed you can load up the app, enable WiFii Tethering by switching it to On and a wireless network is then created allowing you to connect up your iPad and share the data connection. [Read more…]

We are hearing rumours today saying that the HTC EVO 4G will be going up for pre-order in the next few weeks sometime in May. The phone will be launching on to the Sprint network and is one of the highly anticipated Android phones being launched this year.

With pre-orders starting towards the end of May it is expected that the official launch date of the smartphone on to Sprint will happen on June 6 which has been a date speculated previously.

Comments in a forum also indicated that HTC EVO 4G will be going to 1 staff member in each store on May 17 with training on the phone starting May 24 with a sale date of June 6. [Read more…]