Maybe it was the odd shape of the device.  Perhaps it was the inflated price point and monthly fee.  Maybe it was just a lack of focus.  Whatever the reason, it is now looking more and more like Microsoft’s latest brainchild is turning out to be a stillbirth. A mere six weeks after their much hyped launch, the Kin is now an ex-Kin.  Microsoft did not just kill this phone, they completely destroyed it, merging the group which had been responsible for the Kin into the Windows Phone 7 group, putting all of their new, untested Windows Phone 7 basket.

Personally, I was not surprised that the Kin failed.  I do not think Microsoft ever truly knew what they wanted to do with this one.  It felt a lot Microsoft was just tossing whatever parts they could find against the wall to see what stuck.  As you might expect, they ended up with an undecipherable mess.  Somewhere in there, I think they had a good idea, but it was simply lost amongst the garbage.  This lack of focus extended to their core target audience…or lack thereof.  Microsoft just could not decide whether this phone was geared toward social networking teenagers, smartphone fans, Motoblur alternatives, or something else.  Again, they ended up with an all of the above marketing strategy, which ended up appearing to be none of the above.

Hopefully, Microsoft will learn from the lessons of the Kin later this year when they launch Windows Phone 7.  A clearly defined purpose and target audience will be critical to the success of Microsoft’s soon-to-be flagship phones.  Until then, rest in peace, Microsoft Kin, we hardly knew you, and maybe it is better that way.

[news and image via Gizmodo]

I’d like to start a small discussion with JAMM’s Editors and with everyone here at the site.  Ever since July 2008 when the iPhone 3G was released and the entire world was set on its Smartphone ear, everyone and their brother has been releasing what they call an iPhone Killer.  Google’s done it. Dell’s done it. HTC’s done it (more than once recently with both the Incredible and the EVO); but have they truly released a device that will cause Stevie J. and all of Cupertino to hang their heads in Ho-Ho shame (you know… they kind of shame/depression that makes you want to skulk off to some dark room and eat a couple cases of Ho-Ho’s…)?

I say no. Not even close…

However, I do believe an iPhone killer exists…and Apple is the only one that’s made it.  The iPhone 3G killed the original iPhone. The iPhone 3G S didn’t kill the iPhone 3G (but it put a serious hurtin’ on it…).  The iPhone 4 and iOS have certainly killed the iPhone 3g/3G S.

The Droid Incredible

The latest version iPhone is always what drives current iPhone users [that upgrade] to drop their current iPhone and take the plunge.  The latest version iPhone always creates a great deal of churn within the mobile devices community on how “this,” “that,” or “the other” feature either makes the device; or is what is going to be the last nail in everyone device’s coffin. The latest version iPhone is always what drives current manufacturers to come up with their latest version “iPhone Killer.”

The HTC EVO

You have to admit, some of those competing devices are really pretty awesome.  If you take a look at what the HTC HD2 (WinMo), the Droid Incredible and the HTC EVO (both Android devices) can do, you’ll see some pretty decent efforts on an (the only) operating system that has a decent chance of taking Apple on, head to head… provided Google opens their eyes, takes their head out of the sand and addresses the MAJOR REASON WHY Apple is dominating the MP3 Player /Smartphone /Tablet space.

The HTC HD2

So, ok kids… what do YOU think?  Is the iPhone 4 the new iPhone killer?  Does an iPhone killer even exist? If so, who makes it, how much does it cost, and where can I get one?  Join us in the discussion below and give us your thoughts!

It seems you can find a new complaint about the iPhone 4 on every major tech sites everyday.

It turns down the new Apple smartphone has every kind of hardware problems:

• Antenna reception;
• Retina display yellow discoloration (which seems to affect the iPhone 4 only in the first days);
• Camera not working;
• Proximity sensors.

If you want, you can also add the problems regarding the new iOS, which affect mainly the previous generations of iPhone:

• Photos synced with iPhoto turn are extremely blurry;
• Update deletes all contacts, and backups will not restore them;
• MMS no longer works;
• Push notifications not functioning;
• Auto-lock is set at one minute and the option to change this is greyed out;
• Update fails and device reboots endlessly.

and some hiccups reported with Exchange Servers and addressed by Apple.

What an huge failure… I can’t believe it.

I am not an Apple fanboy but I really can’t believe Apple has accumulated all these major hardware sickness. Sure, some of the problems reported are way too serious and too real (reception, anyone?) to doubt them, and Apple can’t simply suggest to “Hold it differently”.

You would expect an outstanding device from a brand who is producing “only one kind” of smartphone at its 4th iteration, and I can’t believe Apple succeeded in putting on the market such a buggy device. It might seem there is now a pleased attitude to report a new iPhone 4 bug, as if destroying the myth was the most natural thing to do after creating it.

Regrettably, I don’t own an iPhone 4 to test myself, so I can’t check all bugs personally, but I am sure those who can count on greater numbers of followers are filtering and checking all the complaints, and they are not limiting themselves to pass the bad news.

Meanwhile, I still can’t believe it.

The guys over at SBSH Software have come up with some of the most useful applications for mobile devices of any over the past several years.  First gracing us with PocketBreeze, PocketWeather and GoNews Touch for Windows Mobile, and then starting to diversify their portfolio, we now see the release of PhoneWeaver for the Android platform.

I’ve used PhoneWeaver on my Touch Pro for a while now, and it is nothing short of amazing, providing seamless profile management to toggle communications and ringer status depending upon my life.  While an Android device isn’t here for me to try it on, I’d like to relay the news.  See below!

Today, we are very excited to announce the release of PhoneWeaver for Android!

For those not familiar with PhoneWeaver for Windows Mobile, PhoneWeaver is the ultimate profiles manager! Using PhoneWeaver you can define smart profiles that are activated automatically based on time, agenda, power connection and even location! Each profile can fully control your phone sound settings, notifications, communication and much more! This way, your phone status adopts to your lifestyle like a real smart phone should!

To get PhoneWeaver for your phone, search for “PhoneWeaver” at the Android Market app.

Without any further ado, let’s kick back and get started with the fun part – getting some more information about PhoneWeaver!

PhoneWeaver for Android Introduction Video

PhoneWeaver for Android – The Details

1. Automatic Profiles – Triggers

The first and most important that PhoneWeaver allows you to do is introducing smarter profiles for your phone. By default, Android phones come with the ability to easily silent your phone and also change the ringer volume, but without any ability to create any profiles that are even a bit more advanced.

With PhoneWeaver, you can create as many profiles as you like, setting your own name and icon for your profiles, and set your own triggers for each of these profiles. Unlike basic profiles you might know from other devices, PhoneWeaver profiles are referred to as Smart Profiles because they can be activated automatically and not only manually like basic profiles. The activation method of your automatic profile is referred to as Triggers.

PhoneWeaver supports the following trigger types:

1.1. Time – The profile will automatically get activated based on time and day of week. You can configure up to four different time/days for time triggers. This is good if you wish the profile to be activated on a different hour during weekends for example.

1.2. Agenda – Profiles are activated according to your agenda. This way a profile can activate automatically when you have a meeting in your agenda and you will never forget to switch your phone to silent.

1.3. Power/Connections – This advanced option allows you to activate profiles based on different connections that link with your phone. For example, activate a profile each time you hook your phone to a car dock (for GPS use), or each time you connect an earpiece and so on…

1.4. Location – The last trigger, and probably the most exciting one, allows you to activate profiles based on your location! So you can map your working area to a specific profile, a different profile each time you reach the movies. The options are endless!

In addition to these 4 automatic profiles, a Manual trigger option also exists, allowing you to define profiles that are activated manually.

2. Smart Profiles

Each profile consist of two aspects, the first is how it is triggered (which was covered in the point above) and the second aspect of each profile is what actions it can actually do when activated.

The simple profiles that are used with other phones usually allow users to control the phone sound and sometimes also the notification sound and ringtone, but not much more than this.

With PhoneWeaver, your profiles can fully control every aspect of your phone along with some additional very cool tricks that the Smart Profiles can do. The profile actions are divided like this:

2.1. Sounds – Allows you to control pretty much every sound-related aspect of your phone. This includes ringer volume, notifications, multimedia sound, ringtones and volume for each of these and more!

2.2. Communications – Control every communication related of your phone. Set GPS state, WiFi, Bluetooth, Phone radio and more! For each communication channel like this you can either activate, disable or set to no-change, so it will be left unchanged from the previous profile.

2.3. Advanced/Other – This last section includes additional advanced options such as the ability to launch specific application once a profile is activated (for example, your GPS Maps application each time you dock your phone in the car), setting up the screen brightness in case you wish to force a certain brightness level in certain circumstances and much more!

3. Widget

In addition to powerful smart profiling, PhoneWeaver brings a few additional tools making it easier to work with your profiles. The first is the PhoneWeaver Home screen widget that you can optionally include anywhere you would like on your Android Home screen.

The PhoneWeaver widget lists the currently selected profile along with additional indicators, such as the lock icon that tells you if the current profile was selected in Lock State, or the timer countdown value, in case that the current profile was selected with a timeout value.

In addition, the PhoneWeaver widget itself also serves as a shortcut to PhoneWeaver profile selected screen, this way you can simply press the widget once to enter the profile selection dialog and switch to different profiles manually very quickly!

4. Top Bar Notification

The second optional addition PhoneWeaver brings is the top bar notification icon. When enabled, you will see a small icon at the top Android bar that denotes the currently selected profile. Since the top notification bar is always visible, this way you can always see what is the currently selected profile – when running PhoneWeaver, any other application, working on the home/applications screen and even when your phone is locked!

In addition to showing the currently selected profile, you will notice a small padlock icon showing on top of the icon when the currently selected profile was selected with the Lock option and the timeout hour, in case that the current profile was selected with a timeout value!

This way, you can always swiftly see what is the current selected profile, regardless to the current screen active on your Android phone!

Downloading PhoneWeaver

PhoneWeaver costs $6.99

To get PhoneWeaver, search for “PhoneWeaver” at the Android Market app.

Click here to visit the PhoneWeaver for Android page at our web-site for screenshots and more details

JayBird SB2 Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones

Jaybird has released brand new bluetooth headphones with a a retro band style, SB2 Sportsband.  Now, these headphones can be used to listen to music, as well as make phone calls.  Jaybird is offering enhanced call and sound quality via apt-X.  apt-X offers audio quality equal to that of wired headphones.  Plus, the audio bandwidth will match CD quality.  However, unless your device is already set-up with apt-X, you will need to buy an adapter, which is available from Jaybird.  Adapter price is $69.   Jaybird is offering the SB2 in 9 different color choices and with their Lifetime Warranty Against Sweat.  The SB2 can be yours for $99.

I have to say that I’m very interested in these new headphones.  First, I hate wires.  I manage to trip and tangle myself in them all the time.  When I use wired earbuds at work, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve turned in my chair only to pull my Zune off my desk.  Thank goodness for good quality cases.  Second, I review JayBirds Endorphin Rush earbuds in August 2009, and was very impressed with the quality.  You can check out the post here.  The question becomes, what color???