The new upgrade fees is $50 and applied on several popular smartphone: The Android phone, Windows Phone, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4. It appears that AT&T does not want their customer upgrade ealier. But again there’s speculation that this is AT&T plans to face the upcoming Apple iPhone 5.

[via SlashGear]

The commercial is very simple and classy. Started by couple phrases and then the device shows up. Along the side of it, another phrase stating “$49, iPhone 3GS 8GB”. If you are interested with the device, then you will have to be tied down by AT&T with a two-years commitment.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Requires new 2-year wireless voice agmt of $39.99 or higher with min $15/mo plan. Subject to wireless customer agrmt. Internal roaming rates or charges apply. Credit approval req’d. Activ. fee up to $36/line. Coverage & svcs, including mobile broadband, not avail everywhere. Geographic, usage & other conditions & restrictions (that may result in svc termination) apply. Taxes & other chrgs apply. See store or visit att.com for details and coverage map. Early Termination Fee (ETF): None if cancelled during first 30 days, but a $35 restocking fee may apply; after 30 days, ETF up to $325 applies (details att.com/equipmentETF). Regulatory Cost Recovery Charge up to $1.25/mo. is chrg’d to help defray costs of complying with gov’t obligations & chrgs on AT&T & is not a tax or gov’t req’d chrg. Wi-Fi: Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic.

Press Release

Skype Brings Video Calling to iPhones
Share the Moments that Matter Most over 3G and WiFi

30 DECEMBER 2010, LUXEMBOURG – Skype today announced the new version of its iPhone application that brings video calling to millions of mobile users around the globe over both 3G and WiFi networks. Available to download from the Apple App Store today, the new Skype for iPhone App allows iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners to make and/or receive free Skype video calls for the first time. Users can now see their family, friends and colleagues around the world while talking to them. With approximately 25 million concurrent users logged into Skype at any given time, the new Skype for iPhone makes it easier than ever to share moments wherever you are.

Video calling significantly enhances the user experience of Skype for iPhone, which is one of the top five free iPhone apps in 2010 according to Apple. Now, users can make and receive free Skype-to-Skype calls, call mobiles and landlines around the world at very low rates, and now share more moments together with video on Skype for iPhone.

“With video calling representing approximately 40% of all Skype-to-Skype minutes for the first six months of 2010, our users have been eager to get Skype video calling on their mobile phones,” said Neil Stevens, general manager of Skype’s consumer business. “By bringing video to mainstream users at their home or work via their desktops, on the go with their mobiles, or into their living room via their TV, Skype has made it possible for millions of people to share video moments wherever they are.”

A video call evolves communication beyond transactional experiences to a shared experience where people can share any occasion with others wherever they are. Whether this is a military father watching the birth of his child while deployed abroad, loved ones communicating via sign language or work colleagues collaborating around the globe – the opportunities are endless.

Users can place Skype video calls with their iPhone over both a 3G data connection or WiFi. The new Skype for iPhone app is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPod touch 4th generation with i0S 4.0 or above. Video receiving capabilities are available on the iPod touch 3rd generation and iPad. Calls can be made between devices using the new Skype for iPhone app and desktops including Skype for Windows 4.2 and above, Skype for Mac 2.8 and above, Skype for Linux and ASUS Videophone.

The Skype for iPhone application is available for free download from the App Store or at www.skype.com/go/iphone.

Engadget received the internal screenshot. As it appears above, the device will be sell with $147 as the pricing point up until Christmas day. Of course, it is required to sign a two-years contract with AT&T. While we are at it, Sam’s Club also offer the iPhone 3GS for $47 until Christmas day.

[via Engadget / via SlashGear]

The offered begin on December 4th and last until December 11th. The following are the pricing for iPhone:

* iPhone 3GS: $49.99
* iPhone 4 (16GB): $149.99
* iPhone 4 (32GB): $249.99

Another additional offered by the Shack is a “Trade & Save” promotion. This will allows iPhone 3G and 3GS users to trade in their devices for a credit of $75 and $125. It means 32GB iPhone can be purchase for $124.99 when you trade your 3GS and 16GB iPhone 4 can be purchase for $24.99. The condition on the “Trade and Save” promotion is the device must not be unlocked and still working fine.

[via BoyGeniusReport]

According to the website, if you try to pre-order the next phone from Apple, you’ll be kindly informed that not only are pre-orders halted right now for the iPhone 4, but they’ve also been grounded for the iPhone 3GS 8GB. And that goes for new customers, people wanting to upgrade, and even exchanges. So, basically, the net covers everyone. Apparently, there’s a bunch of people out there working to get through most of the customers out there who have a “pending” status on their order, but there’s no guarantee that they will all get figured out.

So, here’s our question to you, dear reader. If you weren’t able to get your pre-order in, what’s the next step? Are you going to wait it out, or are you already looking at something else to replace what you couldn’t get? We know that the iPhone holds a soft spot in many people’s hearts, so does something like this make you want to jump ship, or stick it out?

[Update]: Looks like Apple went ahead of the curve and managed to sell out of their 600,000 iPhone 4s over the course of one day. Which, you can probably guess, is the most pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day, ever. Check out the full, really short, press release just below to get the apology from Apple, too.

Press Release:

CUPERTINO, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Yesterday Apple and its carrier partners took pre-orders for more than 600,000 of Apple’s new iPhone 4. It was the largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions. Many customers were turned away or abandoned the process in frustration. We apologize to everyone who encountered difficulties, and hope that they will try again or visit an Apple or carrier store once the iPhone 4 is in stock.

[via AT&T]

AT&T says that the model is completely sold out. An AT&T representative says that, “we do not know when more iPhone 3G 8GB will arrive,” which basically tells us that it’s not coming back. And, for all intents and purposes, why should it? After all, the new model’s coming, in perhaps less than a month, so there’s no reason to keep stocking the current middle-child of the line-up.

The iPhone 3GS will probably drop to $99 some time in the near future, which will give the iPhone HD plenty of room to get inserted into the family. We’ll have to wait and see how much it costs once it’s announced, but there’s plenty of bets on the lowest model being somewhere near $199 right out of the gate.

[via SlashGear]

Actually, it’s only bad news if you’re someone who hasn’t upgraded, or bought a new iPhone outright, since the original released. According to Steve Jobs, after he was asked if the iPhone 2G would be supported any longer, his answer was no. But, thankfully, he said he was sorry, before he shot down any hope of the original iPhone getting any support from this point on.

This is obviously expected. The iPhone 2G isn’t the best of the best, anymore, and it’s time that the device be let go, so that it can finally fade away into history. Technology progresses at such an insane pace, it’s incredible that Apple has found a way to make it make sense in today’s industry. But, Apple realizes the user experience is the most important element, and applying an update that would ruin that experience isn’t worth it. So, it looks like it’s time to upgrade, folks. And, from the sounds of it, you might want to skip the iPhone 3G, too.

[via Mac Stories]

During Samsung’s keynote, Omar Khan takes a brief moment to elaborate (rather quickly) on their 1GHz processor. Many would have believed he skipped over it so quickly because there isn’t much to talk about. That’s not the case. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. As it turns out, Samsung’s “Hummingbird” 1GHz processor actually has 3x the GPU of the industry standard Snapdragon platform. So, how’d they do it? They shoved their new S5PC110 application processor in there, which was announced last year. That processor contains an ARM Cortex-A8 core with a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Due to its speed (at least we hope, anyway) the processor has been codenamed Hummingbird.

So far, the PowerVR SGX540 has only been introduced in two handsets: The Galaxy S and the Wave, both from Samsung. But, how does that compare to the other smartphones on the market, really? After all, “three times faster than any smartphone” is a pretty bold statement. The HTC Nexus One (Qualcomm QSD8x50 with Adreno 200) is running at 22 million triangles per second; the iPhone 3Gs (600 MHz Cortex-A8 with PowerVR SGX535) hits the mark at 28 million triangles per second; and finally, the Samsung Galaxy S (S5PC110 with PowerVR SGX540) runs at 90 million triangles per second. So, it looks like they’re pretty accurate. Hopefully we’ll be able to get our hands on the Samsung Galaxy S soon, and we’ll be able to give you an in-depth look at the device.

[via Android and Me]