The glitch that froze many older Zune music players should now have been cleared, says Microsoft.

Many owners of 30GB Zune players found that the gadget froze up on the last day of 2008, thanks to a problem with software on the device. Microsoft advised that the players should function properly once fully charged and switched on again on 1 January.

However, some Zune owners were still reporting lingering problems with their portable player.

Disgruntled owners filled Microsoft’s support forums with complaints on 31 December, searching for a solution to the problem with their player. The glitch revolves around the fact that 2008 was a leap year and had an extra day for which software on the Zune was not prepared.

By charging the device and turning it on 1 January owners should be able to get the gadget back to normal, said Microsoft spokesman Brian Eskridge.

The glitch only hit 30GB Zune players which were the first model to be released in mid-November, 2006. Later models are unaffected.

If you are still experiencing problems, it’s recommended that you let the player fully charge before turning it on.

With all the cell phone options out there, many of us are scratching our heads wondering what’s the best cell phone for the money. How do you make the right choice?

First off, what kind of cell phone user are you? Are you a casual user or power user? If your the type of user that needs everything but the kitchen sink, than maybe you only have two choices to fulfill your needs.

The most popular phone on the market is the iPhone 3G, but you may want to get your hands on the new Blackberry Storm. The Storm is the next generation of gadgets that power users are looking for. It’s slim, fast, and full of options, but what makes it so cool?

Pros:

The Storm’s major innovation is what RIM calls SurePress—the entire touchscreen is large—which has been paired with a redesigned, finger-friendly BlackBerry OS. There’s plenty of room between keys and it’s all touch screen.

The Storm has the biggest, highest resolution screen RIM has ever produced with a 480×360 res. It’s bright and beautiful, though not quite as stunning as the Bold’s since it has a lower pixel density. Still, the OS and video look fantastic on it, with plenty of pop.

Cons:

No Wi-Fi, even with Verizon’s 3G network.

Apple’s recently released 2.2 software update for the iPhone’s firmware has been hacked (or jailbroken) allowing you to customize your iPhones in ways Apple didn’t intend.

If you’re into iPhone gimmicks and unsupported Apple applications, DevTeam released PwnageTool 2.2 to help you jailbreak the latest 2.2 iPhone software update available from Apple since Friday.

Two free software tools are available from the DevTeam to help you jailbreak your iPhone, namely QuickPwn and PwnageTool. However, only the latter preserves the iPhone’s baseband firmware, giving you the maximum chance for any upcoming software unlock. As usual, using just the iTunes update method will lock back any previously jailbroken iPhone.

This is customized Leopard skin for a jailbroken iPhone. Jailbreaking your iPhone means that you can install third-party applications unsupported by Apple a new functionalities. Jailbreaking your iPhone does not mean that you will be able to use your Apple device on other wireless networks other than the one you bought it from (unlocking).

The DevTeam warns that using QuickPwn, available for both PCs and Macs, will modify your iPhone’s baseband firmware (internal components software that handles the phone calls and Internet access) meaning that you will not be able to use any future release of a software tool that could unlock (soft unlock) your Apple phone from your current wireless carrier.

Source: PCWorld – Read more…

About two months ago, MySpace and Research In Motion (RIM) announced a joint effort to create a rich native freeware app for MySpace on BlackBerry phones. On Thursday, RIM made MySpace for BlackBerry globally available. You can also download it from the BlackBerry browser when you point to www.blackberry.com/myspace.

As you may not know, I am not a fan of MySpace and I can find better things to do than get friend requests from call girls in Russia, annoying spam from people you didn’t even know, and chain letters. I use my BlackBerry for business only.

You can read our blog on “MySpace Affecting Our Teens“.

However, according to CNet, the functions and feel of this BlackBerry MySpace application have been modeled on RIM’s Facebook app for BlackBerry, which has been going strong for about a year.

Navigating from icons at the top of the app, you’ll be able to view your home screen, messages, friends, and photos. You can also change your status and mood, manage friend requests, and add comments.

Launching the BlackBerry’s camera to take new pictures, caption them, and then update them to your MySpace page is the application’s best feature by far and the mobile platform’s only real additional contribution.

One thing you should be aware of, you’ll only be able to get messages pushed to your phone if the address associated with your MySpace account is the same one you’re using on your BlackBerry.

Thanks to Oprah, Amazon is offering a special discount of $50 on the price of Kindle which can be availed by entering the promotional code “OPRAHWINFREY” in the checkout pipeline on Amazon.com (The offer is valid through Nov 1, 2008).

Oprah praised and proclaimed Kindle through her quoted words- “new favorite gadget”, “life changing”, “the wave of the future” and “most amazing thing” on her show.

Kindle is an electronic reading device that is capable of storing more than 190,000 books, magazines, blogs and newspapers. It allows free of charge wireless access of the same at just the hit of a button. The wireless access uses Whispernet technology to provide anytime-anywhere wireless search, download, and read facility to its users. And the biggest relief for all is that you do not have to take any service plan or pay monthly wireless bills.

The Kindle costs $359 which is $59 more than the current model of Sony Reader PRS-505 ($300) but is $41 less than Sony Reader’s upcoming touchscreen PRS-700 model ($400).

I can’t believe that I am blogging about Oprah, but maybe change is a good thing.

Oprah Winfrey has named the Amazon Kindle her “favorite new gadget”, and with it likely catapulted the wireless-enabled eBook reader into the top-seller list.

Rumors had been circulating for the past week or so that Winfrey would be promoting an electronic device, and with Amazon running preview videos on their homepage it seemed likely that it would be their eBook.  There’s good news, though, if you’ve been thinking of buying a Kindle yourself: a $50 discount on all new purchases of the device.

It’s not quite as good as being part of the Oprah studio audience and getting things totally free, but enter OPRAHWINFREY into the coupon code box when purchasing a Kindle and Amazon will knock $50 off the sticker price.  That brings the Kindle down to $309.

The coupon is valid until November 1st 2008, but the halo around the Kindle will likely last a whole lot longer.  Oprah’s book club is known for making the careers of the authors she picks, so Amazon are probably hoping her affirmations will do the same for the eBook reader.

Credit: SlashGear

Smartphone maker Research in Motion follows Apple and Google in creating a mobile application storefront and smoothing the way for third-party developers.

Research in Motion is following the leads of Apple and Android in creating an application storefront for its BlackBerry device, in a bid to make it simpler and more enticing for developers to create and sell their own apps for the mobile devices.

The new BlackBerry store front, announced during RIM’s (NASDAQ: RIMM) first-ever developer conference, won’t make its official debut until March. However, the company plans to begin accepting applications in December and said it is working with PayPal to build a payment system for the store.

BlackBerry developers will set their own application fees and retain 80 percent of revenue, RIM said. In addition, the handset maker said in a release that it is working with its mobile carrier partners to create customized, on-device application centers for their subscribers.

“We see it as the entrance to an easy path to getting applications to market,” Lazaridis said, adding the Web is “the ramp and low-cost way to bring new applications to the BlackBerry platform.”

Research in Motion Ltd., maker of the BlackBerry, is taking on Apple Inc. with a touch-screen phone that puts a new twist on the technology.

RIM is known for its e-mail-oriented phones with large keypads. With the new model announced Wednesday, the Storm, RIM is for the first time giving up the physical keypad in favor of a large screen, just like the one on Apple’s iPhone.

But RIM has listened to users who find the iPhone’s glass screen awkward to type on because its virtual buttons provide no tactile feedback. The Storm’s whole screen is backed by springs, and when pressed, it gives under the finger.

The long-rumored Storm will be available from Verizon Wireless in the U.S. and from Vodafone Group PLC overseas before the holidays, the companies said. No price has been disclosed yet.

In an unusual twist, the phone will work both on Verizon Wireless’ network and on Vodafone’s, even though they use incompatible technologies. Like a few other Verizon Wireless handsets before it, the Storm will be equipped with radios to handle both networks, making international roaming a possibility. The iPhone, carried by AT&T Inc. in the U.S., can already roam internationally.

Read more here…

On the go wherever you go is the new Slacker G2 Portable Radio. This gadget is by far the coolest, sharpest and best music player I have owned in a long time.

The Slacker G2 comes in two flavors:

• 25 Station for $199.99 has 25 stations capacity, 4GB Storage and 1GB Personal Storage
• 40 Station $249.99 has 40 station capacity, 8GB Storage and 3GB Personal Storage

The Slacker G2 plays all of your Slacker Radio stations on one sleek, ultra-portable player. Whether you listen to one of over 100 expert-programmed Slacker stations or custom stations that you create, the music evolves to match your tastes as you listen

The Slacker G2 can automatically add new music at hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots across the country. Each time you connect, songs that were hand picked by Slacker DJs are added to your device. Plus, you can select new stations for your Slacker G2 on any PC or Mac with an Internet connection.

Slacker’s exclusive personalization tools are way cool! You can tell Slacker which songs are your favorites and which you never want to hear again. Fine-tune any station to get more hits or more fringe; request older artists over new. Album reviews and artist bios come with every song and are delivered right to your Slacker G2.

For more visit Slacker at http://www.slacker.com/