Jailbreaking your iPhone is now legal despite all the efforts of Apple to criminilize customization of your smartphone. Although they have not actually attacked a consimer for jailbreaking their iPhone they have put up quite a bit of money to stage the legal battle they just lost. Apple has insisted they could use the DMCA to issue a warning to any jailbreak user but the US government stepped in and said if youi buy the iPhone you own the iPhone and you can hack it.

Have you hacked your iphOne or Zune player?

U.S. Government Says Jailbreaking iPhone Is Legal – ABC News

Federal regulators lifted a cloud of uncertainty when they announced it was lawful to hack or “jailbreak” an iPhone, declaring Monday there was “no basis for copyright law to assist Apple in protecting its restrictive business model.”
PHOTO Federal regulators lifted a cloud of uncertainty when they announced it was lawful to hack an iPhone.
The iPhone 4 is shown in this file photo. Federal regulators lifted a cloud of uncertainty when they announced it was lawful to hack an iPhone.

Jailbreaking is hacking the phone’s OS to allow consumers to run any app on the phone they choose, including applications not authorized by Apple.

Cnet has put together a great iPod Touch versus Zune HD specifications table which lists in great details the reasons you should buy a Zune mp3 player over the Apple touchscreen device. The Zune is hands down winner with better hardware features which make the Zune a superious game player. Sadly Microsoft is really lacking in the apps store where basically they have nothing and iPod has an entire of iPhone programmers ready to launch apps for iPod Touch. The Zune HD app store is sure to offer some basic games and applications but it may take awhile for Zune and the Microsoft platoform to catch on.

Spec to spec: Zune HD versus iPod Touch | MP3 Insider – CNET Reviews

If the MP3 player market was a fault line, we’d have a boatload of busy seismographs on our hands. Certainly, two of the most exciting releases of the past couple weeks are the new iPod Touch and the Zune HD.

Discuss this in the Zune Message Boards.

Dell is making noise in the ech industry with comments made about them entering the smartphone market. This may be one of those non Zune devices we can expect to find Zune software on in the near future.

I would like to see more Zune ready devices on the market and I think Dell would be a great partner for Zune. Wht Dell lacks in sofware and community they can pickup from Microsoft just by adding the Zune software to whateer device they eventually launch.

A Dell phone with Zune software may be the best of both worlds for each company as Dell is more a hardware firm and Microsof has  awhole heap of software products to stuff on the device. Dell would open up its business modelto more units sold and they chance to tie these to new laptops and PC’s would probably help them as well

Michael Dell hints at smartphones, mobile Internet devices

Michael Dell gave the strongest hint to date that his company is developing a mobile Internet device or smartphone at a speech in Tokyo today.

“It is true that we are exploring smaller-screen devices,” he said. “We don’t have any announcements to share today, but stay tuned as when we have new news we will share that with you.”

Dell, who is CEO of the company that bears his name, said he is watching the development of ecosystems that have built up around small mobile devices. Apple Inc. has been selling applications to users of its iPhone for some time, and in recent months, Google Inc. joined with its own online store sales of programs that run its Android smartphone operating system. Last month, market leader Nokia Corp. jumped on the bandwagon and said it would also launch an application store.

“For the last three years, we have integrated 3G radios into our notebooks,” said Dell. “We already have agreements with many mobile carriers around netbook devices, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect that we would have smaller mobile Internet devices or smartphones in the future.”

Man, poor Microsoft can’t seem to catch a break. Someone decided to release an app for the iPhone so they could do some testing and the app was release with porno pics in it.

How anyone can let something like this happen on is beyond me. I think they have a mole in the company that keeps doing crap like this to them in order to make them look bad. Remember the horrible pics that showed up in the Zune software? The crying chick and the two girls locked in an erotic grip? how does this stuff even get into a department in their company?

Microsoft slammed in iPhone porno shocker – Wired – NZ Herald News

Microsoft’s Seadragon application for the iPhone is copping heat for distributing porn to unsuspecting users of Apple’s device.

Users of MacRumors forums were horrified to discover that the graphics viewer – which includes an impressive collection of images from the Library of Congress and NASA – was packed with adult content. It was being stored in folders relating to Microsoft’s Photosynth.

Discuss this in the Zune Message Boards.

In all the talk about a Zune Phone there has been lots said about whether or not Microsoft would actually manufacture their own phone under the Zune brand and risk long standing partnerships with mobile partners like Motorola or if they would instead create a software application with Zune features on their existing Windows Mobile smartphones.

The idea has been that by creating a Zune phone they can still offer the Windows Mobile OS for other phone makers without directly. That never sounded like the plan to me especially after seeing how fast Microsoft bailed out on their PlaysForSure commitments. It’s obvious Microsoft does not have a problem backing out of something and with the gaining strength of Apple and the iPhone someone in Redmond needs to step up.

The article below was written by the original Zune fan, Matt Hickey with Cnet. He took the first picture of a Zune and has been following the Zune story as long as we have. His latest piece of Zune news is related to the mysterious Pink Project at Zune. The rumors have been all over the place on this but it definitely has something to do with Zune on mobile phones.

Will Zune do Windows Mobile? Looks likely | Crave – CNET

I live in Seattle. I run with the Microsoft/Amazon/Real/Whatever circle of geeks in the area. Sadly, because I’m a technology journalist, this means that when I run into them at parties they often have to clam up. I was, though, fortunate enough to have a sneak peek at a prototype Zune more than two years ago before anyone knew what it would look like or do. I was also lucky enough to snap a shot of it with my Treo. This became the first public photo of the device. It was black and white and wrapped in its own headphones, you might remember it. You could say I broke the Zune. I thus love the Zune. I pay close attention to what the Zune teams are doing. I listen to the Zune rumors. I have my ear to the Zune ground.

And I can tell you this: There will be a cellular communications device with Zune-like features in the near future.

I’m not sure if Microsoft will call it the “Zune phone” (unlikely), or if it’ll just be a device that interacts with the excellent Zune Marketplace (likely), or a combo of the two. I’d even expect something like “Windows Mobile, now with Zune!” or something to that effect.

Matt and some others have been debating this for sometime now. Zune phone rumors are as old as the Zune. Someone at MobilitySite.com sees what I envisioned long ago with a Zune Live Mesh. Two years ago and before any announcements were made. My original thought was that they would integrate Zune into the existing Xbox Live system and offer music with your games. I guess we’ll have that but it won’t necessarily be a mesh of Xbox and Zune but a triple threat with and improved version of Windows Mobile.This keeps in line with my ideas of Zune being the portable division of the “Live Anywhere Initiative”. Zune won’t just be about music but will include portable game and mobile phone devices with interoperability and information sharing a key component.

Not Zune Phone…Zune Mobile? | Mobility Site

I can’t help feeling there is some kind of Zune + Live Mesh convergence coming which will be a serious attack by MS on Apple’s iTunes citadel. Cloud based, DRM free music storage, accessed by any Windows based phone or Netbook or Zune device via Live Mesh. One media folder, one log on, one set of preferences. Add in The Social to create community and track preferences and playlists…always available, always synced, MP3 and video stored on the Cloud and streamed therefore freeing up precious device storage space. It certainly sounds compelling.

Zune Mobile as a set of mobile services and software applications seems expected from the worlds largest software company but is that all we can expect? Is Microsoft satisfied that 56 phone manufacturers using Windows Mobile software were unable to stop Apple and the iPhone from taking over as the leading smartphone? I have my doubts. I’m starting to think like Paul from WinSupersite does.

How to fix Windows Mobile – SuperSite Blog

Well. They are going to do that, sorry. I’d argue that Microsoft’s relationships with handset makers is, in fact, its biggest weakness in the mobile market. In fact, in looking over this article, I see lots of interesting information about Windows Mobile, but precious little in the way of good advice. Yes, Microsoft needs an online store. Duh. But no, they already get cloud computing, so that’s a silly non-starter. Microsoft needs to take control of its future in the smart phone market and it can’t do that unless it makes its own devices or its partner make serious, Apple-like concessions. Guess which one is more likely?

I think the best thing Microsoft could do in the phone market is to jump in feet first. They should leave Windows mobile as a business oriented operating systems for those manufacturers who want to run it but they should create a new user experience with their own devices under the Zune brand just like they did with PlaysForSure. If you look back it was the same situation except arguably now a much larger deal with the mobile phone market much more important to Microsoft than music. In the music game Microsoft was gaining no ground with bad partnerships and Apple was taking the lead with almost no competition. Now we have the exact same situation in the mobile phone market with Apple again taking the lead almost unchecked by a slew of Microsoft powered partners.

Is it Microsoft their software that’s lacking or the use of it? Well in this case it’s Windows Mobile and the lack of a touch interface that may be causing the most trouble but before the iPhone ever existed Microsoft was the better software and still only had a 13 or 14% market share. Why would they stick it out with 50 or more partners who are unable to grab more than 20% market share when they could just as easily make as much from selling their own branded phones and forget about the headaches of these partnerships. If you look at many of the phone manufacturers they are already moving towards other operating systems and Microsoft may end up the last user of their own software.

Maybe the best way for Microsoft to compete with Apple as a consumer electronics brand is to take them head on in the hardware market utilizing Apple’s own business model of proprietary hardware and software for everything but the PC which must be left open for the Windows cash cow to continue it’s flow.

Maybe Zune Mobile is a part of that attack and we can expect to see the mobile services described by Mary Jo at ZD Net. These premium mobile services would a first step in the right direction for Microsoft. they could leverage the strength of their existing services by combining them all under one umbrella service now while they continue development on the right devices to take it beyond. Zune Mobile may be a knee jerk reaction to the alarming success of the iPhone or a calculated move in a more serious and long term approach to the Apple problem Microsoft faces.

CNET released their latest prizefight gadget clash which pits our favorite the Microsoft Zune 120 against the iPod Classic. Last year the same match-up ended in a tie with the Zune almost catching some respect. This year things seem to have changed. Maybe it has more to do with the fact that Apple has made few changes in the Classic lineup and the new and continuously improving Zune are simply more modernized. Maybe Apple has big plans or even other and better devices but whatever the reason the Zune is finally getting a little respect.

CNET calls the Zune 120 the winner in a match versus the iPod Classic and we could not be more proud. It’s just great to see the Zune win such a thorough review by such a respected group as the Cnet team. Maybe things are starting to change in America and it’s out with the old and in with the Zune.

It’s a great review so I suggest you head over there and check it out now.

CNET Prizefight: Apple iPod Classic vs. Microsoft Zune 120 – CNET Reviews

Last year, our Zune vs. Classic Prizefight ended in a tie. This year, Microsoft’s underdog MP3 player finally inches ahead of the iPod Classic, taking some strong blows in our Compatibility round, but scoring a big victory with its Sound and science score. As Microsoft continues to aggressively update its high-capacity Zune MP3 player with new features, Apple seems all too content leaving its Classic alone and focusing on its Flash memory models: the iPod Touch and iPod Nano.

As many of us expected the Zune has gained in popularity at the expense of other media players and not the iPod. Studies show that the iPod gained in popularity with teens from 80 to 84% this year with 79% of those claiming they will buy a media device in the next year saying it wil be an iPod.

No shock here as these numbers are right in line with the last 2 or 3 but the real surprise here is that of those considering a new media device in the next year a full 15% of them expect to purchase a Zune. That leaves about 6% of the market for the other guys and shows that Microsoft and Apple now dominate the mp3 player market.

Zune’s popularity increases in teen survey

Piper Jaffray’s bi-annual teen survey includes some positive news for Microsoft’s Zune music player.

Picture

Yes, the survey says that Apple’s share of the portable media player (PMP) market among high school students increased to 84 percent, up from 80 percent a year ago.

And, yes, a whopping 79 percent of teens who said they planned to buy a music player in the next 12 months said they expected to buy an iPod, up from 78 percent a year ago.

But the Zune’s share of the teen market is up as well — to 3 percent, from 2 percent a year ago.

Moreover, 15 percent of teens surveyed who said they planned on buying a music player over the next year said they expected to buy a Zune, up from 13 percent a year ago.

I love this picture of a Zune player accessing the Zune MarketPlace online from the WiFi setup at an Apple Store.

Ina Fried of Cnet has a review of the available wireless hotspots in San Francisco and she seems to have had fun with it anyway.

Apple Store outside image – Photos: Searching for Zune-friendly Wi-Fi – CNET News

Ironically, one of the best bets for Zune-friendly Wi-Fi is the perpetually wired Apple Store. It’s no problem getting access at the downtown store on Stockton Street.

Review: Microsoft Zune vs Apple iPod – Indiatimes Infotech

The Zune has a long way to go to become a threat to the iPod. But it is getting closer. With updated Zunes and new iPods hitting the market recently, I spent some time with each: a black-on-black version of Microsoft Corp’s music and video player and a bright red model of Apple Inc’s iPod Nano.

And it became clear that there are a few things Apple can learn from the Zune — though not surprisingly, Microsoft might want to take some notes as well.