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BlackBerry customer’s scathing email goes viral: ‘I’ve been lied to and abandoned’
Gameloft allegations hint at the hidden cost of super cheap mobile games
HTC shares slide six percent: relax, the ITC’s ruling is far from final
Samsung Galaxy Q is not the future of smartphones or tablets
Microsoft will deliver first Mango-powered Windows Phone in August, but are you still interested?
Is Spotify’s high quality streaming a sham?
Video: Even the experts don’t know how LCD TVs are made
Windows Phone 7 Mango, ZTE Skate priced, and who really has the best signal: Lunchtime Lowdown
And the Google Chromebook winners are…
Steam overhaul: turbo speed game downloads on the way

BlackBerry customer’s scathing email goes viral: ‘I’ve been lied to and abandoned’

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 11:43 AM PDT

Bad news for RIM: a furious rant from a loyal BlackBerry fan complaining about the company’s ‘demise’ has gone viral.

The unidentified Torch-owner [Ah, that explains it - Ed] blasts RIM with a barrage of criticisms, claiming: ‘l have been lied to and feel abandoned. You have failed as a service and manufacturing company… I would have been better off burning the cash in a money pit.’

Mad as hell, the disgruntled customer implores RIM to ‘listen to your employees, fix your management structure and return to being the industry leader and revolutionary company you once were’, before ‘Google buys you, rips you apart and turns you into their hardware division!’

Not surprisingly the ex-BlackBerry fan signs off with: ‘I’ll be switching to the iphone this weekend, not because I think it is a good phone or because I have become "trendy" it's because I no longer want to support a poorly run and immature company.’

Ouch. Immature indeed.

READ THE BLACKBERRY RANT IN FULL:

Dear Research in Motion Management,

Who knows if anyone will ever read this letter, I am sure you have been getting an amplified amount recently. I have been a loyal customer of RIM my whole life, starting with my first Blackberry-the 7280. I was attending high school in europe and it was because of AT&T's superior international functionality and RIM's amazing email and BBM services I was able to keep in contact with my family back in the states and I thank you for that.

Throughout the next few years I continued buying BlackBerrys; the 8800, the Curve, the 9000 Bold and then the Bold 2 – other than one laps to the first generation iphone. Each of these RIM devices was better than its predecessor, regardless of how many times I broke them due to water damage or just general wear and tear. I ALWAYS came back to Blackberry. When I moved to America in order to attend college I preached to my fellow students how amazing my experience was with AT&T and Blackberry. I can confidently say I convinced at least 10 people to switch over to Blackberry so they could enjoy the wonders of simple-effective push email, BBM and the efficiency of a keyboard. I regret that now.

When I finally broke my last Bold 2 this November, I called AT&T looking to buy a replacement. However, every time I called they would state that a new Bold was on the verge of release and they did not have any 9700s left, recommending I wait for the new device. The representative would not give me the release date but assured me it was approaching soon and I should resist buying a replacement off ebay. Alas my backup blackberry died over the New Year and I was forced to buy the Torch which according to your advertisements and spokespeople was a "revolutionary smart phone". It simply was not. I have never been more displeased with a device; every day I find myself pondering if the functionality of the sliding screen is to generate lift because the phone is better off flying from the window of my car as it is incapable of effectively keeping me connected to my friends and work.

I have waited tolerantly for the 9900 Bold to be released, I check crackberry.com everyday hoping to hear news about the phone but I only see RIM continue to fail. You announced the phone in May, your representatives hinted at the device in December – it is almost August and the phone still does not have a release date. 240 days, that is the amount of good will one of your best and most faithful customers has. I have been lied to and feel abandoned. You have failed as a service and manufacturing company (other than RIMs hosting and server services). The coverage that BGR (Boy Genius Report) has been giving on the demise of RIM could not be more accurate.

I implore you to listen to your employees, fix your management structure and return to being the industry leader and revolutionary company you once were! I believe you have the intelligence to turn your company around before Google buys you, rips you apart and turns you into their hardware division!

I will be switching to the iphone this weekend, not because I think it is a good phone or because I have become "trendy" it's because I no longer want to support a poorly run and immature company. Clean your act up then send me an email or give me a phone call. I wish you best of luck until that time comes.

____________________________
Ps. Feel free to look up my account and see how good of a customer I have been. Consider every $1 spent since January 1st to be paid reluctantly and without pleasure. I would have been better off burning the cash in a money pit. Attached to this letter you will find the email I received from help@rim.com. I hope you knew that emails sent to this address were denied and no clear alternative was shown.

Gameloft allegations hint at the hidden cost of super cheap mobile games

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 09:52 AM PDT

The chances are, if you own a smartphone, you’ve probably heard of Gameloft. The game developer has carved out quite the niche for itself in the burgeoning app space, selling flagrant rip offs (though often rather addictive ones) of hit console games. You know the drill: Nova instead of Halo, Modern Combat instead of Modern Warfare.

And those games might seem like a bargain, at just a few quid a pop. But if new allegations are true, they cost a lot more in blood, sweat and tears of over-worked developers.

Australian site Games On Net has a fascinating piece up on the reportedly excessive working hours developers at Gameloft’s Auckland offices have to put up with in order to meet sometimes needlessly tight deadlines. And the source is on record too: the whistleblower is a former employee, Glenn Watson, who resigned after being strong-armed into working “four consecutive weeks of fourteen-hour days – including weekends.”

Best Android apps of all time: Top 100

Gameloft declined to comment on the claims, backed up by other anonymous disgruntled employees, but if true, it’s a sombering thought to see how our demand for cheap, casual games – that also happen to boast fantastic graphics – is bleeding some dry. Not everyone can craft a hit game in their bedroom and make a seven figure sum just like that: most games requires years of labour by many people, with Hollywood blockbuster budgets behind them, and increasingly that’s becoming true of mobile games too. It’s a race to the bottom, and if it’s not costing us customers yet, it’s stopping others from seeing their families, or even sleeping.

Have a read of the report below and let us know what you think. Are we paying too little for iPhone and Android games?

(Via Gameloft)

HTC shares slide six percent: relax, the ITC’s ruling is far from final

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 09:04 AM PDT

Quick to jump the gun, HTC shares fell more than six percent Monday morning. The stock slide was a clear result of Friday's announcement that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) had issued a preliminary ruling in favor of Apple in a patent infringement case which may prevent the import of HTC smartphones. A preliminary ruling is by no means a closed case so let's sit back, relax and take a look at the facts.

As Taiwan’s number one brand name supplier of smartphones, HTC recently enjoyed its third consecutive month of record revenue. The exponential growth of Android has helped the company grow from 2008's NT $12 billion a year in revenues to its current NT $124.3 billion a quarter. Despite such tremendous numbers, HTC's shares have lost 20 percent of their value between July 6th and July 14th due to investor concerns. Friday's ITC news simply added fuel to that already burning fire.

Though a stock price slide may signal widespread panic, ITC's preliminary decision is far from final. The decision needs to be reviewed by a six-member commission and a final determination is not due until December 6th. During the next four and a half months, HTC will build a case for the ITC appeals process and defend itself using "all means possible", according to HTC's General Counsel, Grace Lei.

The lawsuit filed by Apple accuses HTC of infringing 10 patents. Six have been dropped and the ITC judge ruled in favor of Apple on two of the remaining four. This leaves HTC with two clear and present dangers. According to the Wall Street Journal, "ITC rulings are rarely overturned". Though that might be true, HTC's CFO Winston Yung confirmed a staff attorney at the ITC independently examined the case and found the company didn't violate any patents.

A staff attorney's review, while relevant, is hardly the ITC's final decision so what's the worst case scenario? If the ITC's final decision rules in favor of Apple, expect a HTC import ban unless one of two conditions is met. Either HTC will need to developer a technological "work-around" to avoid violating the two patents or HTC must pay royalties to Apple for use of its technology. Should Android be considered in violation of either of these patents, we could expect a similar royalty be enforced.

In tech, lawsuits are an all too common occurrence. Patent law is a lucrative business and companies deserve to be rewarded for their investments in research and development. As both an iOS and Android user, the possibility that Google may have to pay Apple royalties as a result of the ITC case against HTC is a bit unsettling, as is the potential ban of imports of HTC handsets. The good news is that HTC has plenty of time to work the appeals process and the company is flush with cash should royalties be enforced.

Samsung Galaxy Q is not the future of smartphones or tablets

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 07:59 AM PDT

Prepare yourself for a world of smartphone hybrids. Yahoo! Korea is reporting that Samsung is working on the Galaxy Q, a 5.3-inch 'phone' which blurs the line between smartphone and tablet. Bridging the gap between the monstrous 4.5-inch Samsung Infuse and the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab might sound logical, but the Galaxy Q is not the future of smartphones.

Could you imaging carting around a 5.3-inch smartphone in your pocket? Unless we're mistaken, skinny jeans are all the rave these days. The thought of a five-inch smartphone is a far cry from 1999 when the Nokia 8200 reigned supreme as the smallest and lightest Nokia mobile phone on the market. Today, at least according to Samsung, the motto in mobile is 'bigger is better'.

The rumored Samsung Galaxy Q is expected to debut in September at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Fair (IFA). While the report from Yahoo! Korea is calling the device a "phone", the source behind the story believes the Galaxy Q is a stepping-stone between PC and mobile phone. With a display best suited for bags rather than pockets, the Galaxy Q aptly earns the title 'smartphone hybrid'.

Forgive me if I sound naive, but aren't all tablets a stepping-stone between PC and mobile phone? At 5.3-inches the Galaxy Q is less than an inch larger diagonally than Samsung's Infuse 4G. This seemingly minor detail results in an unwieldy device which in my opinion fails to offer little if any compelling advantage over an Android smartphone.

At the OS level, the Samsung Galaxy Q could potentially ship with Android Honeycomb. Samsung smartphones on the other hand are currently powered by Gingerbread. This will all change later this year with the release of Ice Cream Sandwich, unifying the worlds of Android smartphones and tablets. With the Galaxy Q due to be unveiled in September, how soon could Samsung bring the Galaxy Q to market?

In a perfect world the gap between announcement and release is three months. This pegs the Galaxy Q launch around December. With Android Ice Cream Sandwich on tap for this same time frame, the only advantage remaining would be the larger display. If given the choice between a 4.5-inch smartphone or a 5.3-inch smartphone-tablet hybrid, which would you choose?

The HTC Flyer, BlackBerry PlayBook and original Galaxy Tab have proven a market exists for the 7-inch tablet variety. Though these tablets fail to command the sales numbers of the iPad, as a consumer, I welcome the opportunity of choice in my tablet dimensions. Unfortunately, the crux of the matter is that a 5.3-inch tablet market is unnecessary as is a 5.3-inch smartphone. Unless Samsung throws us a curveball and launches the Galaxy Q running Windows Phone 7, I find it hard to make a case in favor of this smartphone hybrid.

Is there room in your gadget collection for a 5.3-inch Samsung Galaxy Q?

Microsoft will deliver first Mango-powered Windows Phone in August, but are you still interested?

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 06:52 AM PDT

Counting the days until Microsoft releases the prophesied Mango (Windows Phone 7.5) update? According to a report from winrumors.com, a Fujitsu branded Windows Phone will be available in Japan by the end of August running the new build. This explains why Microsoft showcased several Mango-powered device at its Worldwide Partner Conference this week, but the question remains — are you still interested?

Back in May we had our first taste of Windows Phone 7 Mango at a launch event in London. This, combined with the promise of more than 500 new features has kept the OS in the conversation for the past few months. Unfortunately, as Palm has learned all too well, leading with more than a few months between announcement and launch can be deadly — at least in terms of sales. The Palm Pre and Pre2 are prime examples.

Unlike Palm, Microsoft is still in the thick of smartphone growth. The OS is quietly gaining a following and some analysts have predicted within a few years it will overtake the smartphone king, Android. Though we'd argue Windows Phone has a better shot overtaking iOS, we still agree that Microsoft's OS has huge potential for growth.

A partnership with Nokia set the foundation for distribution and sales, but hardware is at the mercy of software. Frankly, a Japanese launch of a single Fujitsu-built Windows Phone Mango device is not the full-scale launch we've been expecting. One explanation for the quiet launch could be that Microsoft is hoping to test international waters. If there are any bugs in Mango, limiting the exposure could be the safe play.

After suffering several setbacks in its first Windows Phone software update, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango needs to go off without a hitch. Releasing new hardware certainly avoids the possibility of an update fiasco, but it places Fujitsu's handset under increased scrutiny. As the inaugural Windows Phone Mango handset, this device must offer a compelling design to warrant an upgrade from first generation Windows Phone hardware.

Since Microsoft's hardware guidelines effectively dictate spec sheets, manufacturers are left to diversify by design. Will the Fujitsu Windows Phone Mango device deliver a breathtaking design worthy of its title as the first Mango-powered smartphone? We certainly hope so, but at this point in the game we'd settle for a detailed release schedule of Mango updates. As an owner of the Dell Venue Pro, landing the Mango update could transform the device from novelty to necessity.

Unfortunately the promised Autumn release of Windows Phone Mango means September is the earliest we'll an update in the UK or United States. As much as it pains me to say it — that might be too long. If the rumored iPhone 4S/5 launches at the end of August, the advertising engine known as Apple has more than enough power to sweep Windows Phone 7 Mango handset announcements under the rug. If Microsoft wants mainstream success, it's time to move up Mango's release.

Is Spotify’s high quality streaming a sham?

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 06:19 AM PDT

It’s over two years since Spotify announced that it was enabling 320kbps streaming for Spotify Premium subscribers but it looks like it still has a long way to go before every track is available in that higher quality form. An investigation by a blogger dedicated to seeking out classical tunes on Spotify suggests that more often than not the tracks are streaming at 160kbps. That includes new songs and Spotify Premium exclusives.

Though the original July 2009 announcement and the Spotify website make it clear that “not all tracks are currently available in high bitrate”, 320kbps streaming is still one of the headline features for Spotify Premium. The company hasn’t prominently indicated how many songs are available in that format which makes the blogger’s research and the company’s responses interesting reading…

The Spotify fan who goes by the handle, UlyssesTone, tested 115 tracks taken from the among the most popular on the service and randomly selected using sites like the Spotify playlist aggregator, Spotibot. Only 35 were available for streaming at 320 kbps but 100 were up for purchase at that bitrate from the Spotify MP3 store. You can see the list of songs here. It includes major hits by Beyonce, Rhianna and Bruno Mars. Spotify has previously confirmed that tracks are converted to higher bitrate according to their popularity.

Spotify has not officially revealed how much of its catalogue has been converted to the higher quality format but in July 2010, a Spotify employee on the GetSatisfaction support forum said the figure was around 60%. Clearly with tens of thousands of new tracks being added to its database every month and the Spotify US launch to contend with, that figure may now be sustantially different.

Responding to UlyssesTone, the company said: “All music we get is in lossless format. All music is intended to be converted to all three qualities. We get thousands of songs each day and the converting process is always chewing new data. Surely we might need to upgrade and enhance our methods and equipment to make this go faster but, for the time being, I can tell you we’re doing all we can to provide the users with 320k Ogg Vorbis on every song.”

That email sums up Spotify’s general response to the fan’s campaign. Rather than giving any real sense of when Spotify Premium subscribers can expect to see the majority of tracks streaming in high quality, it simply asserts that it is doing its best and that it will get there eventually.

We’ve contacted Spotify for comment on the conversion process and when Spotify Premium users can expect to see the bulk of the library available at the best bitrate. In the meantime, let us know: do you feel let down by the amount of time it’s taking to get those tracks converted? You can read UlyssesTone’s claims in full at the link below.

Out now | From £free | Spotify (via Spotify Classical)

Video: Even the experts don’t know how LCD TVs are made

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 04:45 AM PDT

Here’s a fun fact for you. Did you know that a crucial step in making any LCD screen for your telly involves a bit of science that has even the experts stumped? That’s right: nobody knows how LCD TV screens are actually made. Read on, and we’ll explain.

Humans Invent has a fantastic piece up today exploring the mystery behind LCD screens, namely, the method boobtube manufacturers use to align the said liquid crystals in the display. In short: we know how to do it, via a brushing technique, but we still don’t know why on earth it actually works.

Is it static electricity? Is it the grooves in the cloth? Is it something even more chemically bonkers? "Another theory is that maybe we locally melt the polymer as we rub it, and tease the polymer chains out," says Sharp’s director of optical imaging and display systems, Dr Harry Walton. "But no-one really knows."

Check out the video below to see just how it’s done and hit the link below for the full story. It’s rather humbling to know that even in an age of dual-core processors in smartphones, we’re still guessing when it comes to gadgetry.

The mystery inside every LCD screen from Humans Invent on Vimeo.

(Via Humans Invent)

Windows Phone 7 Mango, ZTE Skate priced, and who really has the best signal: Lunchtime Lowdown

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 04:36 AM PDT

It may not be the weather for al fresco dining at the moment, but that’s just as well, as we’ve got your lunchtime lowdown right here instead: grab a sarnie and tuck into all the latest headlines right now.

First up, let’s talk mobile. On the Windows Phone 7 side of things, we got a look at the first Microsoft mobile out of Fujitsu, while over in things Android, the BBC is using a new map to finally ascertain once and for all which network offers the best coverage in the UK, and we revealed the UK price and launch date for the upcoming ZTE Skate phone.

Over in the tablet side of things meanwhile, the iPad 2 looks to be back in stock after weeks of waiting, while online, one Twitter founder had bad things to say about Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg.

Still want more news? Roll on over to the homepage and help yourself to it all as it breaks.

And the Google Chromebook winners are…

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 04:10 AM PDT

Last month, we gave you the chance to win a Google Chromebook in partnership with the search giant, by setting you a seriously hard brain teaser. Want to know if you solved it correctly – and in time? The winners are now online at Google’s competition page, so check it out and see.

Didn’t win this time? Not to worry: there’s still time to enter Electricpig’s Man Cave of the year awards. Click here to enter.

Steam overhaul: turbo speed game downloads on the way

Posted: 18 Jul 2011 03:08 AM PDT

Steam, Valve’s digital game distribution service, can currently grind to a halt when the company announces a big sale or major title like Portal 2 but that should soon come to an end. The company has announced that it’s designed a brand new content system for Steam that will supercharge downloads and put an end to having to download hefty updates for minor changes.

Valve says the new system decreases the amount of data you’ll need to download and will allow you to grab updates to games while playing them. It’s also promised that the new set up will bring long-awaited features including download scheduling, bandwidth throttling and the ability to pick which games you want to download first. Valve is rolling out the new Steam back end now and you can test its speedier approach by grabbing free HD trailers from the store.

Out now | From £free | Steam blog