hue

Apple launches two iPhone ads to flaunt new features

Apple released a set of snazzy new iPhone commercials today dubbed "Brilliant" and "Discover" to show off various features and apps on the smartphone.

Choreographed to upbeat music -- the same as its recent iPad ads -- the commercials display the phone in a pair of hands that click, tap, and swipe through various games, apps, and videos.

"Brilliant" highlights how people can use the smartphone to pay for a Starbucks coffee with the Passbook app, use the scientific MyScript math calculator, and control the dimming of a lamp with the new Hue Lighting … Read more

Philips Hue smart lightbulbs glow any color

Lightbulbs. Simple, cheap, and easy to replace, right? Not anymore! Philips is dragging the humble bulb into the future with its "Hue" technology -- wirelessly controlled light orbs that give you complete control over the lighting in your house.

The Hue bulbs look like ordinary lightbulbs, and screw into light sockets as normal. Inside each bulb, however, is a wireless transmitter that communicates with a hub you plug into the back of your router.

Once connected, you can use a Web site or download an app (the iOS version is out now -- there's no sight of an Android version, though Gizmodo reports it's coming in December), then use the wonderful power of the Internet to fiddle with the lights in your home. … Read more

Nokia fixes purple screen bug in Lumia 900

Nokia seems to have solved the mystery of the purple hue.

The company's NokiaCare account tweeted the news yesterday, saying that it has identified the issue and promising a fix bundled into the next overall software update.

Plaguing some owners of the Nokia 900 Lumia, the bug displays a purple tint on the screen when the brightness is set low. Several posts at the XDA Developers Forum discussed the issue and displayed the actual problem, showing the difference in tint between a good model and a bad model.

Nokia acknowledged the glitch last month via its Facebook account and a U.K. discussion forum. Customers in Europe were advised to bring the phone to the nearest Nokia Care center where support staff could examine it.… Read more

Samsung Hue II: New and improved

When we saw Alltel's original Samsung Hue, we thought it was a decent phone, but we had a few issues as well. Most of all, we didn't care for the flat and slippery navigation controls. They didn't ruin our experience completely, but they weren't ideal for rapid texting.

With the new Samsung Hue II, however, we found some much needed refinements. The keypad and controls remain flush, but they're separated into individual buttons, which gives them a better feel beneath the finger. We also liked the good call quality, vibrant display, and functional feature set … Read more

Alltel launches the LG Swift and the Samsung Hue II

Alltel has introduced two new phones today; the LG Swift and the Samsung SCH-r600 Hue II.

The Swift is the first Alltel handset to feature a Fastap "Press-to-Experience" keypad that integrates six quick access keys with a normal number keypad. These quick access keys can be mapped to such features as Alltel Navigation, Alltel Shop, and Email. There are also external music keys, a dual speaker system, and stereo Bluetooth support. Other features include a 1.3-megapixel camera with video, a speakerphone, and a microSD card slot. The Swift is available in either red or blue for $49.… Read more