Cell Fun

NewsFactor - While the iPhone 3G consumer base continues to suffer with dropped calls, abrupt network switches, poor reception and service interruptions, there are reports that Apple may be getting closer to fixing the issue.

Reuters - Is the tech-savvy fashionista ready to
shop by mobile phone? Polo Ralph Lauren Corp hopes so.

AP - About half of the people who are using mobile phones to pull down video or information about the Olympics have been trying out that technology for the first time, NBC said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Many Chinese unable to catch the
Olympics on television will watch national hurdling hero Liu
Xiang retain his 110 meter crown next week by simply switching
on their cellphone.

AP - Spotty wireless broadband connectivity for some of Apple Inc.’s new iPhones most likely results from a hardware problem introduced during mass production, a Swedish technical magazine reported Wednesday.

NewsFactor - Apple’s iPhone 3G reception issues could be more than a network problem — or even a firmware problem. The issue could run as deep as the hardware, which could cause the handset maker millions in product repairs or replacements.

AFP - The arrival of Apple’s iPhone 3G will force Japanese cellphone makers to revamp their handsets to allow increasingly sophisticated software, a senior official at Softbank Mobile said Wednesday.

USATODAY.com - Harry Potter’s cloak it isn’t, but scientists report the creation of two visible-light “invisibility cloak” prototypes that promise improved optics and cellphones and, yes, invisibility.

AFP - Cutting-edge technology is fuelling Olympic fever in South Korea, with employees using hand-held TVs or mobile phones to follow the Games live during work or off-duty hours.

NewsFactor - Early adopters waited in lines overnight to buy Apple’s first-generation iPhone when it became available. And now they’re looking for ways to swap it for Apple’s latest iPhone 3G with GPS capability.