Critical Mass

Hands-On: Netflix for the iPhone Brings Big Movies to the Small Screen

As we noted yesterday, Netflix has just released its long-awaited iPhone app. The app , which is free for Netflix subscribers (subscriptions start at $8.99 per month), works with iPhones or iPod touch devices running iOS 3.1.3 or later. Like its iPad app , Netflix for the iPhone allows users to search for movies and TV shows as well as playing titles already in their Instant Q.

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Steve Jobs to iPhone 4 Owners: Stop Holding the Phone Wrong

Apple has responded to those concerns some new iPhone 4 owners are having with poor reception issues , and the gist is essentially either “stop holding the phone that way” or “buy a case.” Engadget reports that not only have company spokespeople issued a statement advising users to “avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases,” but head honcho Steve Jobs himself responded similarly in one of his increasingly infamous spontaneous email answers: “Just avoid holding it in that way.” The remainder of Apple’s statement stresses that antenna placement can potentially pose a reception issue in any cell phone, not just the iPhone 4: “Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas.” The specific positioning of the new iPhone’s antennas in the lower left-hand corner of the device is of particular annoyance for left-handed users, who naturally cup the phone in that area. Apple sells a $29 rubber bumper that creates a barrier between the hand and the phone’s antennas, which many users report solves the reception problem.

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Opera Mini 5 Beta Comes to Android

Opera Mini 5 Beta was first introduced about 5 months ago, but owners of Android-based smartphones had to wait until now to get their hands on Opera’s nifty mobile browser. This version is nearly identical to the Opera Mini 5 Beta for other handsets; biggest improvements are speed dial, tabbed browsing, password management and better optimization for touchscreen phones. Compared to the old Opera Mini 4.2, it’s a world of difference, so if you’re an Opera Mini user, you should definitely try out, even though it’s a beta.

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An Onslaught of Tablets Coming This Year

You think the iPad will be the only tablet we’ll talk about in 2010? Not even close. According to Arm’s worldwide mobile computing ODM manager Roy Chen, we can expect as many as 50 tablets before the year’s end.

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Puma Phone: Great For Running in the Sun

Among the many stands here at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona one non-IT company stands out: Puma. They weren’t here without a good reason, though, as they’ve partnered with Sagem to create their own phone, the Puma Phone. The phone distinguishes itself from the pack with several features: it has a large solar charger on the back (with a charge indicator) which should give you some extra time when the batteries start to run out, provided you can catch some sunlight.

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