Warning, BlackBerry owners: the popular smartphone's manufacturer, Research in Motion (RIM), has found a major security flaw that could let a hacker take over a BlackBerry server (like the one you use for your work e-mail account) by simply sending someone an e-mail. The vulnerability could allow attackers to hijack a server running BlackBerry software by simply sending e-mails with infected PDF files. If a customer were to open the file, the virus would install its payload of malicious software on the server side, from which hackers could send spam and collect personal data.

No hackers have yet taken advantage of the vulnerability, but RIM is urging all of its customers to install an issued security patch to avoid future exploitation. Of course, many businesses wait to thoroughly test patches like this before deploying them to employees. For those who insist on holding off, RIM is suggesting that e-mail attachments be temporarily disabled, just to be safe. They've posted details about the patch and the suggested work-around here.

Let's hope the White House gets on this patch soon. It'd be pretty embarrassing if the one person to fall victim to the flaw was our president. [From: Reuters]

We wonder how the folks over at Palm reacted after the LA Gossip Examiner reported that Angelina Jolie liked the Palm Pre more than the iPhone. We imagine the entire staff popped champagne and danced around like silent ravers.

Even though almost no one else seems to have been given free-roaming access over the device, Ms. Jolie has allegedly been using the Pre (which is not yet available to the public) on the set of her new movie 'Salt,' and recently got into a discussion about the phone after a male production assistant inquired about it. According to the assistant, Jolie "likes the software better than the iPhone, she likes the thumboard [sic] for texting (although the keys aren't big enough), and thinks the screen is beautiful but can be too easily scratched." That is pretty high praise from one of Hollywood's highest-profile female stars.

The Pre has already seen its fare share of hype, and this organic, unprovoked celebrity endorsement will certainly do nothing to lower expectations. [From: LA Gossip Examiner, Via: Business Insider]

It's okay, we feel lazy too.

Brett wrote the majority of his first novel, "The Warded Man," on his phone during trips between his Brooklyn, NY home and his job in Times Square, across the East River in Manhattan. In total, he estimates writing over 100,000 words on the train over two years. The book finally hit shelves last month and is on best-seller lists in Poland and England (it has sold 2,500 copies in the US).

He began using the phone to take notes, and his thumbs eventually got quick enough to write large chunks of text -- soon he was averaging about 400 words each morning and evening. Brett listened to music on his iPod to block out distractions.

"I trained myself that at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day when I got on the train, that was my writing time," Brett told the Daily News. "I had about 45 minutes each way, and everyone who takes the F [subway train] knows that 45 minutes can turn into an hour and a half."

No mention of what phone he uses in the article, but a glance at Brett's Web site reveals that it was an HP iPaq smartphone. We figured, with all that typing, that it wasn't an iPhone. [From: Daily News]

The Silicon Alley Insider is doling out a bit of advice that we heartily endorse: "Don't buy a smartphone until June."

It's not like there aren't any quality offerings on the market right now. In fact, if you really want a Windows Mobile phone (though we're not sure why you would), there's no need to wait. Go get one now. But be warned that, come June, there will be a whole host of new handsets on the market.

You can expect that the Apple iPhone will see a hardware refresh, along with a 3.0 software update, at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Rumored additions to the device have included everything from a physical keyboard to an iMovie iPhone app for editing videos on the handset.

Sales of Apple computers may have dropped in 2009, but the iPhone's worldwide share of smartphone traffic will surely give the higher-ups in Cupertino a reason to smile.

According to AdMob, the iPhone surpassed every other smartphone this past February by garnering 33-percent of worldwide tracked data requests. In the U.S., Apple's handset laid claim to approximately 50-percent of all traffic. To put this beating in perspective, traffic on the Nokia N70, which finished in second place, accounted for about seven-percent. The BlackBerry Storm, RIM's supposed iPhone killer, didn't even chart.

Although AdMob's data isn't perfect (the company only monitors mobile advertising requests), the information still shows the iPhone sitting pretty atop its smartphone brethren. [From: Textually, Via: Electronista]

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According to a recent New York Times article, the smartphones so many of us use to stay organized and connected could soon be (and undoubtedly will be) used by advertisers for uber-specific target marketing. This "Big Brother"-like trend should come as little surprise, considering how our consumer tendencies and Internet habits have already been mined by ad companies that are attempting to reach more specific demographics, and considering how ad people have been dreaming about this day, in creepily Biblical language, for a long time.

Though companies are still a bit shy in exploiting the GPS-enabled applications found on smartphones (iPhone, BlackBerry, etc.) to their creepiest extent, they're salivating over said phones' potential for facilitating advertisements. Mobile applications like Urbanspoon, Loopt and Yelp already allow the user to be tracked to a specific physical location. With the knowledge of a person's location and other pertinent information, companies essentially have everything they need to reach the perfect person with the perfect ad. Some ad firms are already trying out AisleCaster, a program that offers bargains based on a person's "exact location in a supermarket aisle or mall." Nice.

Though, at present, there isn't a sufficient number of U.S. smartphone users to make this type of pinpoint marketing worth advertisers' while, we would imagine that day is coming soon. Like, tomorrow. [From: The New York Times]

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We are so tired of touchscreens, especially since most of 'em don't really work that well, but we were certainly curious to see the touchscreen on the Nokia N97, which was shown off last night at a small gathering in New York. The N97's 3.5-inch, 16:9 touchscreen (think iPhone) slides up at an angle to reveal a handy QWERTY keyboard that essentially gives you the best of both worlds (sort of like the T-Mobile G1 already does). As with other N series phones, the N97 has many high-end features, including a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass (both of which allow you to share your exact location with friends on your favorite social networks), and an extremely generous 32-gigabytes (GB) of onboard memory (with the ability to expand up to 48-gigabytes).

Besides the location-based-social-networking features, the N97 has a built in camcorder, built-in widgets for easy updating of, say, your Facebook status, and -- unlike the iPhone and its ilk -- the ability to stream Flash videos.

Unfortunately, it's not coming out until the first half of 2009, and only in Europe, and for a whopping 550 Euros (about $700). But if you've got the funds, you can probably just buy an unlocked version of the phone from an import phone site and use it with your T-Mobile or AT&T service, since it works on those carriers' high speed HSDPA networks.

We were able to get an early look last night and took some shots of the N97, which you can check out in the gallery below, or check out this video on Engadget. [From: Nokia]

HYPE CHECK: BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220

What it is: It's the first clamshell-style 'flip' handset that runs the much-beloved BlackBerry operating system (OS) for mobile phones.

Why it's different: Thanks to the aforementioned flip design, this BlackBerry looks more like a phone than a smart phone, which will please those who like to do their work (or e-mailing/texting) discreetly. The Pearl Flip is also the first U.S. BlackBerry to feature the latest version of the BlackBerry OS, which has a slick, more cartoonish interface and an improved Web browser that offers a more realistic rendition of Web pages than on previous BlackBerrys, as well as live video streaming from sites like YouTube. Unlike the original Pearl, the 8220 has a built-in camcorder and an improved 2.0 megapixel camera, which can be used to send video- and picture-messages right from the phone.

What we like: For starters, the Flip's clamshell design eliminates the all-to-easy-to-accidentally-dial-your-boss tendency of every other BlackBerry's open keyboard, without making you deal with cumbersome tasks such as locking the keys. Imported from previous Pearls, the SureType feature – a predictive text system that allows the phone to have a traditional QWERTY lineup on a traditional phone keypad – continues to please us more than the T9 system found on most other phones and is still a cut above the iPhone touch-sensitive keyboard. Built-in Wi-Fi not only makes surfing for Web pages, downloading content, and sending video messages faster, but it also saves us money on our monthly cell phone bill because it enables us to use T-Mobile's UMA-based Internet phone service instead of our cell phone minutes whenever we're in a Wi-Fi hotspot. All that said, the main reason we like a BlackBerry in any form is the excellent e-mail service, which is easy-to-use, reliable, and lets you read and respond to your messages even when you're out of range of a signal (something that isn't doable on, say, an iPhone and plenty of other phones). One nice addition to this iteration of the e-mail service is the secondary screen on the front of the phone that flashes new e-mails (along with their contents) as soon as they arrive (then goes back to a sleek analog clock animation). Oh, and it will work easily with your office e-mail, too.

Listen up all you Palm Treo Pro hopefuls, your pre-order unit is now shipping with Palm's on-line store showing in stock availability. At least one tipster received a confirmation email saying his unlocked, $549 obsidian-black Treo is in the mail. Hell, Palm even did him a solid and expedited the order overnight instead of the 6-10 day standard shipment originally selected. Good on ya Palm.

[Thanks, Matt B.]

We've been awaiting the announcement of the 3G iPhone since, well, the announcement of the first-gen iPhone ages ago. Many were disappointed at that first announcement that Apple's first phone wouldn't take advantage of the fastest wireless network features of the day and felt sure that the company would rectify it later with an updated phone. Now, analysts believe, we're not far from the release of the newer, faster iPhones, and they also believe we'll see some other, cheaper iPhone models as well.

A few weeks ago AT&T's Mobility CEO indicated that the 3G iPhone was coming within three months, and this latest report backs that up. Then there's the rumored "2.5G" iPhone, which will feature the same basic features as the original iPhone in a slightly redesigned package, also at a lower price: between $299 and $349. It's expected that these phones will be announced on June 9, during a Worldwide Developers Conference keynote that Steve Jobs will give, and, in typical Apple style, will find its way to retailers not long after.

So, again, while we'd hate to hinder Apple's plans to sell 10-million iPhones this year, we also say that right now seems like a really bad time to upgrade if you were thinking of investing in one of Apple's wunder-phones. Wait a couple of months -- you'll thank us later. [Source: PC World]

Once upon a time, you were a nobody if you didn't have a Palm-powered PDA holstered beneath your power suit. With BlackBerrys and iPhones getting all the glory, can Palm's new Centro compete? Josh Fruhlinger reports.

The Linux revolution is making a run for the smart phone market. This isn't exactly new news. In fact, Linux started taking off in the cell phone market in about 2003. Major companies from NEC to Samsung are shipping phones loaded with the open source OS, though primarily in China, and Motorola seems to be slowly-but-surely letting Linux take over its hand-held line up. Certain versions of the RAZR 2, the ROKR, the SCPL, and the China-only Ming all run a custom version of Linux designed by Motorola.

The problem is that all of these companies run their own customized, closed, and incompatible versions of Linux. Luckily, two companies are working on open, standardized, and in the case of OpenMoko (pictured above), completely free and open sourced versions of Linux for hand-helds. This doesn't mean much to those of us who can't program, but all those intrepid programmers and hackers out there are usually very willing to share the fruits of their labor with the rest of us.

A standardized mobile Linux would have many advantages. For one, an almost endless supply of applications are bound to pop up, and no convoluted hacking is required (as is the case with the iPhone). Additionally, the low overhead required for Linux means a much faster and more responsive device than anything out there running Windows Mobile. As for Palm OS (which has an oft-delayed Linux based successor in the works), well, it's showing its age and simply unable to compete with the capabilities of a Linux phone.

Wired writer Paul Adams ordered himself a pre-alpha (which means it's just past the conceptual stage) version of the OpenMoko Neo1973. The Neo1973 is currently intended for developers, but anyone can order it for $450. The device is small and rounded on both ends, and features a large bright touch screen. It doesn't skip on other features either, Bluetooth, GPS, MicroSD slot, and globe-hopping quad-band GSM so it can work on all five continents. In essence, these are all the goodies you've come to expect from high end smart phones. Future versions of the phone will feature Wi-Fi as well.

Sadly for Adams, and OpenMoko, the first "tussle" with the Linux-based supposed iPhone-killer was less than smooth, to put it lightly. At first, the phone wouldn't boot at all. Then Adams discovered he had to download the software separately to install on the phone. Once booted, he found the GPS only functioned through obscure text commands from the terminal, and that the phone couldn't connect to his T-Mobile network for some reason.

In the end, Adams opted to install OpenMoko's primary competitor, Trolltech's Qtopia, the more mature, but partially proprietary hand-held Linux variant. After installing Qtopia, the phone worked almost perfectly allowing Adams to send text messages and make calls.

So, OpenMoko's software platform isn't quite usable yet, so we certainly don't suggest buying one any time soon. However, the ability to simply replace the OS on the OpenMoko is certainly an attractive feature. Imagine picking up the latest LG handset, deciding you don't like preloaded interface, and simply downloading a replacement that seems more your style. That's a cell-phone future we can get behind.

From Wired

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The juggernaut of new iPhone-killers continues on a pace with today's official unveiling of the Samsung BlackJack II, which will be out for AT&T by the end of the year. None other than Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer walked his audience through the super-slim smart phone's first public appearance.

The first BlackJack was super-slim and sexy, but ran on that pesky and sometimes glitchy Windows Mobile 5 operating system. The BlackJack II is just as slim and sexy (and comes in two different, two-toned color schemes), but runs on the more powerful and stable Windows Mobile 6.

Compared to the iPhone (and the original BlackJack), the BlackJack II boasts a seriously impressive list of features, including:

• AT&T Video Share, which lets you do live, one-way videoconferencing with other AT&T-Video-Share-enabled phones.
  
  
• Built-in GPS and TeleNav GPS Navigator software that can reroute you if you get lost.
  
  
• A 2.0 megapixel camera that doubles as a camcorder.
  
  
• An RSS Reader
  
  
• World-phone high-speed 3G capability (UMTS/HSDPA) for data, downloading, and Web surfing.
  
  
• An improved speakerphone.
  
  
• Microsoft Direct Push with Outlook Mobile, for faster reception of most types of e-mail (plus over-the-air syncing of contacts, tasks, and calendar appointments).
  
  
• XM Radio Mobile (requires $8.99 per month subscription)
  
  
• AT&T Mobile Music (direct-to-phone Napster, eMusic, and the like)
  
  
• AT&T's TV streaming service.
  

The BlackJack II -- out by the end of the year for $149.99 (with a two-year AT&T contract) -- is just one of many new smart phones to hit the market, but it's the second major one to include Windows Mobile 6, which we have to say we've been enjoying with the HTC Touch we're testing out. More smart phones will be announced in the days to come, no doubt, from the CTIA conference in San Francisco. We'll keep you posted.

How about you? Would you buy this phone over the iPhone?

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• New T-Mobile Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide
  
  
  

The barrage of new iPhone killers continues on a pace with updated versions of the popular and user-friendly T-Mobile Sidekicks. Though specs and rumors have been floating around the blogosphere for the past couple of months, the new Sidekick LX and Sidekick Slide are at last official and should be available from T-Mobile's Web site and retail stores in a couple of weeks.

True to their iPhone-killing essence, both new Sidekicks are significantly slimmed down, almost to the point of being as slim as the iPhone itself. But unlike the iPhone, these two quasi-smart-phones -- popular with teens, hipsters, and Hollywood types -- have actual keyboards that are among the more comfortable out there.

The Sidekick LX (pictured, above) retains the phone's signature swivel screen, but adds a WQVGA screen high-def LCD, mood lights that flash in different patterns depending on whether you're getting an SMS, IM, e-mail, or phone call, an improved Web browser with better JavaScript support (so more animated Web sites will work), and a custom MySpace app. Out on October 17th for $299.99 with a two-year service agreement, the LX comes in brown or blue.


The black and deep purple Sidekick Slide (pictured, right) eschews the swivel screen for a more traditional slide, but it's got the most sophisticated and sleek looks of any Sidekick so far (no surprise, given that it's made by Motorola, home of the RAZR). It's smaller than the Sidekick LX and has a little bit less battery time (5.9 hours of battery time versus the LX's 6.9 hours). The Slide is out on November 7th for $199.99 (with a two-year service agreement).

Both phones will feature the same cartoonish, user-friendly interface the Sidekick is famous for, as well as built-in, real-time, AOL IM, Windows Live and Yahoo! Messenger support. Also: Bluetooth, support for up to 4-gigabytes (GB) of external memory, and quad-band world phone capability.

The bulky size of previous Sidekicks was a big drawback, so we're loving these new slimmed-down handsets, but we're also a bit disappointed that the built-in cameras are still only 1.3 megapixels. And though the improved Web browser is welcome, it won't make much of a difference since neither device has Wi-Fi, so you'll have to depend on T-Mobile's less-than-broadband-idyllic EDGE network for data.

Then again, the Sidekicks have always been about those easy-to-use keyboards. If you're a heavy text-message- or e-mail-sender, you may want to pick one of these up next month.

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