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Palringo for iPhone Now Available

If you have an S60, Windows Mobile or BlackBerry smartphone then you should already know about Palringo. They call it “rich messaging” and we call it a good IM application with support for AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, Gadu Gadu, ICQ, Jabber, Windows Live Messenger and Palringo’s own IM platform. For a quick recap on what sets Palringo apart, here are the three core functions:

• Text IM: Standard, run-of-the-mill instant messaging.
• Vocal IM: More commonly known as Push to Talk (PTT), users can instantly exchange voice messages in near real-time. Think of it as a free walkie talkie on your mobile. Palringo -> Palringo voice messages will play automatically on the recipient’s device, just like PTT. Palringo -> ‘Other’ messages will be delivered as links that the recipient can click on to play the audio file hosted on Palringo’s servers.
• Image IM: Exactly what it sounds like. Click the picture button and Palringo will activate the handset’s camera. Snap a picture, hit send and the image will display right in the Palringo client on the recipient’s handset. Users can also send images to third-party IM services (GTalk, AIM, etc). Just like voice IM, your contact will receive a link that will allow him / her to view and save the image hosted on Palringo’s servers.

Now, iPhone owners have access to what is likely one of the most versatile mobile IM apps on the market. For the time being, functionality is limited to text and image messaging but Palringo promises vocal IM in the second release version. In the meantime, iPhone owners can now enjoy free text and image IM on whichever IM platform they like. Just hit the App Store and you’re good to go.

credit - http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/07/29/palringo-for-iphone-now-available/

Turn Off Crash Reports to Speed Up iPhone Sync

Any iPhone or iPod touch running the 2.0 firmware can use a little speed boost when it comes to syncing, and some intrepid tweakers have found at least one no-pain way to boost syncing time, at least a little bit. To disable iTunes taking the time to send error or crash reports to Apple every sync, turn off automatic syncing (if enabled) on your phone/iPod, right-click on the unit in iTunes, and click "Reset Warnings." The next time you sync, your system will ask if you want to send the reports. Un-check the "Do not ask me again" option, hit "Don't Send," and you're good to go. It's not going to eliminate the longer lags for application syncing, but it might help move things along. (Screenshot via Gear Diary)

iPhone 3G to Get Red for the Holidays?

Apple’s second entry into the mobile space is an undeniable success; it’s selling like hotcakes. If one steps back for a moment however, what Apple is doing is quite interesting. They’ve built an awesome handset, no question. The UI is spectacular, the form factor is beautiful and the functionality is fair enough. The iPhone 3G is probably the most desired handset in the world. In the alternate universe that Apple creates with its products however, what’s particularly interesting is the fact that it even manages to build hype by slowly re-introducing the most basic concepts in the mobile world to its offering. Let us elaborate… Think about all of the hype surrounding the App Store and the fact the iPhone would be “open” to third-party development. The world erupted when we first learned about this, and again when the App Store launched, but was it really a big deal? What other smarthphone platform out there doesn’t support third-party development? It’s just the way that Apple rolls. It has happened before and it’ll happen all over again when Apple does things like introduce MMS and copy / paste into existing models or a decent camera into future models. No these aren’t new features by any stretch of the imagination but the world will still go gaga when they come to the iPhone. Sure, there will already be plenty of 8 and 10 megapixel camera phones out there once Apple finally introduces an iPhone with a 3.2 or 5 megapixel cam, but it will still be huge and exciting news for most of the world. Mmm. So with all that out of the way, it looks like Apple may be paving the road once again with its latest innovation; colored plastic cases. First black and white, and now red? Craziness! Quick, run and blog about it! Apple already has (Product) RED ties so it’s perfectly feasible. It’ll also sell like hotcakes because, well, it’s an iPhone. Just wait a year or two until Apple really spices things up by introducing the world to little plastic buttons that can be used to simplify phone operation! It will make typing faster and more accurate and when coupled with a touchscreen, the user will have a complete and versatile interface experience. Can you imagine such a thing?

credit - http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/07/24/iphone-3g-to-get-red-for-the-holidays/