Digital Zone 208: Read Twice, Post Once

Posted by Patrick Wiscombe on May 18, 2010 under Digital Zone Podcasts | Be the First to Comment

In this edition of the Digital Zone, we talked about:

Pre-emptive iPhone sales strategy
Unsealed iPhone HD sworn statement
HTC goes after Apple
Android tethering
Google says goodbye to Nexus One store
Posting remorse

iPhone users may not have to wait two years to qualify for discounted pricing on the next-generation model. The iPhone 4G is rumored to launch on June 21. Some iPhone users are reporting that the “upgrade eligibility” date reported on the AT&T website has abruptly and without warning jumped to June 21, months ahead of their original eligibility date.

According to an unsealed 10 page sworn statement, the iPhone prototype saga began March 25. Gizmodo paid Brian Hogan $5,000 for the device, cracked it open and posted images of the phone on April 20 despite a phone call from Jobs the day before demanding website editors return the device. Gizmodo editor Brian Lam responded via -email that he would, provided Apple sent him a letter stating the handset did in fact belong to the company. Gizmodo promised Hogan an additional $3,500 bonus if Apple formally unveiled the device by July. Now, Gizmodo editor Jason Chen is under investigation for theft, receiving stolen property and damaging property, according to the affidavit. The affidavit also suggests Hogan and a third roommate, Thomas Warner, also may face criminal charges, and alleges the two panicked and attempted to hide evidence when they caught wind of the criminal investigation. Hogan’s attorney said “He thought it was dumb luck that he stumbled on to something valuable and he regrets not doing more to return it.” The attorney also said Hogan always intended to return the phone and didn’t believe he was breaking the law in dealing with Gizmodo. Hogan’s roommate, Katherine Martinson, called investigators and told them that Hogan and Warner were removing evidence from their apartment on April 21. Investigators found Hogan at his father’s Redwood City house and he directed them to nearby Sequoia Christian Church, where they recovered Hogan’s computer and monitor. Bornstein said that Hogan was in the process of moving out of the apartment and that Warner ended up with Hogan’s computer, panicked and dropped them off at the church. According to San Mateo Sheriff’s Detective Matthew Broad, investigators met with two high-ranking Apple executives and outside lawyer George Riley on April 20, the day Gizmodo published the images. Riley told the task force that Gizmodo’s action were “immensely damaging to Apple,” because consumers would hold off buying iPhones until the new version was released. Riley didn’t estimate a dollar figure, but said losses were “huge,” according to the affidavit.

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PODCAST SPONSORS: The Digital Zone is sponsored by Amazon.com. Get hundreds of cell phone accessories for your iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry all in one place.

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HTC is asking the U.S. International Trade Commission to ban sales of iPhones, iPads and iPods in the United States. In a complaint filed with the ITC, HTC said Apple violated patents on technology that helps devices such as the iPhone manage power and handle phone directories, and on technology that enables the just-launched iPad tablet computer to store data when in “sleep” mode, among other applications. Apple has accused HTC of infringing 20 patents.

Google said they’re shipping at least 65,000 Android phones every day and said Android is now being used on 34 mobile devices in 49 countries. If that’s true, they’re starting to approach iPhone quarterly unit numbers. Apple reported sales of 8.75 million iPhones in the last quarter. According to industry research firm NPD, US sales of smartphones running Android actually surged past those of Apple in the first quarter of the year. Android-powered smartphones accounted for 28 percent of US consumer sales compared with 21 percent for the iPhone, NPD said wile Research in Motion retained the top spot with 36 percent of US smartphone sales in the quarter.

According to reports, a 3G connection on an Android phone through USB tethering and using the phone as a Wi-Fi hot spot are some of the features Google is reportedly planning for the upcoming version 2.2 of its Android operating system. It’s uncertain if carriers supporting Android will also charge more for the functionality. FM Radio, automatic updating of applications, and installation of applications on an SD card to get around restrictions with the built-in memory are also expected to be part of the new release.

Four months after opening the Nexus One online store, Google is shutting it down saying they’ve “increased the availability” of the handset in regular retail stores. Sprint also dropped their plans to carry the Nexus One.

According to a Retrevo, 32 percent of social-network users admit they’ve posted something to their accounts that they later wished they hadn’t, ranging from “extreme political views” and “racy pictures” to “complaints about your boss” and other “hastily” posted content. The survey found smartphone users are particularly prone to “poster’s regret,” at 54 percent. Fifty-nine percent of iPhone users admitting to a regrettable post. Fifty-four percent of social networkers under 25 said they wish they didn’t post a comment. Nineteen of those surveyed that posted a comment caused problems at home or the office while 9% of commenters say their comments “ruined” a relationship or even a marriage.

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PODCAST SPONSORS: The Digital Zone is sponsored by Amazon.com. Get hundreds of cell phone accessories for your iPhone, Droid, or Blackberry all in one place.

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