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Filed under: Multimedia var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Official_Amazon_MP3_comes_on_G1_Android_phone'; It's true , Amazon just announced that its MP3 music store will be pre-loaded as an application on the T-Mobile G1 . Users will be able to search, download, buy and play music from Amazon MP3 -- that's a selection of 6 million DRM-free MP3 songs from all four major labels and many independents. The pre-loaded Amazon MP3 application provides G1 owners with a phone-optimised view of the Amazon MP3 store -- WiFi is required to download music, but searching, browsing, and listening to samples can be done over 3G the T-Mobile network. Tracks cost around $0.89 with most albums priced between $5.99 and $9.99. How you like them Apples, Apple. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia , Sony Ericsson What was just a footnote to 2007 has finally come to fruition. Sony Ericsson just went live with details on the August 25th launch of its PlayNow Arena media download site. Initially the site will offer 1 million, DRM-free songs (ramping up to 5 million) from Sony BMG, Warner Music, and EMI. It will also offer games, ringtones, applications, and themes for your mobile downloading pleasures. Other European countries will come on board later this year before it goes global in 2009. Tracks are expected to be "on par" with Apple's iTunes ($0.99 / €0.99) pricing but will cost SEK9 (about $1.43, credit card required) for the Nordic launch. Full press release after the break. Continue reading Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Arena: 1 million, DRM-free songs on Monday Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia , Apple var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Jobs_App_Store_launching_with_500_iPhone_apps_25_free'; Steve Jobs told USA Today that the Apple App Store will launch with "more than 500" applications Thursday night for the iPhone and iPod touch. Of these, 25% will be free and 90% (of those for sale) will cost $9.99 or less. "This is the biggest launch of my career," said Jobs. Analyst Tim Bajarin at Creative Strategies said, "When IBM introduced the PC, it was good, but it didn't take off until people started discovering the software." It's these apps then, he adds, that will "dramatically differentiates the iPhone" from Treos and BlackBerrys. Indeed, while consumers are focused on the launch of the iPhone 3G device, it's the App Store which has analysts in such a tizzy. Update : The New York Times reports that 1/3 of all first-wave applications will be games. We also corrected the Bajarin misquote above. [Thanks, Matt and Chris Z.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia Digital Camera 101: As manufacturers continue pushing the Megapixel Myth by stuffing more and more pixels onto rapidly shrinking sensors, the outcome is poor performance on top of poorly lit images of increasingly low quality. Now OmniVision, the largest CMOS image sensor manufacturer today, says they've solved the pixel size problem though backside illumination (BSI) technology. In essence, BSI helps maximize photon collection by circumventing obstructive metal and dielectric layers on the top-side of the sensor die. The result is improved light absorption, thinner overall camera modules, and increased sensitivity and F stops with reduced crosstalk. However, as EETimes' crack staff of Electrical Engineering super-nerds point out, BSI is not a new technology. In fact, several manufacturers lay claim to BSI patents. However, OmniVision seems to be the first to take the tech to mass production for consumers . To prove it, they'll release an 8 megapixel OmniBSI CameraChip sensor brimming with the new tech for sample in June. Couple it with a decent cameraphone lens and image processing circuitry and we might be in for a treat. [Via EETimes ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Multimedia , LG , Samsung , ATT They haven't revealed anything we didn't already know , but AT&T's finally come out with a semi-firm date for the launch of its MediaFLO-powered mobile TV service which will be branded simply as "AT&T Mobile TV." It'll be available to subscribers in May -- no specific date just yet -- on two exclusive handsets, the Prada-esque LG Vu and the more pedestrian Samsung Access ; the Vu features an expansive touchscreen and 2 megapixel camera, while the Access makes do with a smaller landscape display and a 1.3 megapixel sensor. Both feature Bluetooth and 3G data, but the real story here is Mobile TV itself, which will come with two new channels that are exclusive to AT&T (in other words, unavailable on the other live MediaFLO service, VCAST TV from Verizon). The latest, hottest way to burn productivity on the go gets real in just a few short weeks, folks, so finish up whatever remaining work you have now . Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Multimedia , ATT We still don't have a launch date other than the rather large window of Q1 '08, but AT&T's starting to prep its peeps on the launch of its MediaFLO-based mobile TV service , so we figure that's a good sign. We've learned here that in addition to the eight standard channels of programming MediaFLO has deployed -- all of which are available on Verizon's competing VCAST TV service -- AT&T will pick up two exclusive channels that are yet to be named. Pricing has also yet to be announced, but we see here that it'll be available either standalone or in a bundle with MEdia Net and Cellular Video (we still can't believe they didn't change that acronym after the Cingular name went away, by the way). Two "new devices" will be offered for the service, one of which we know to be the Vu . A grand total of 53 cities will be covered at launch, covering about 129 million people (or so AT&T says, anyway) -- you can see a larger version of the map after the break. Enjoy! [Thanks, anonymous tipster] Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments