Confusingly, the name of Else's first phone is actually "First Else". As we mentioned in October, the phone has a 3.5-inch (480 x 854-pixel) touchscreen display, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 5-megapixel camera (capable of 480p video at 30fps). It's also very likely to have a TI OMAP 3430 processor, a 1450mAh battery, up to 32GB internal memory, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Apparently, it may only support HSDPA 3G and EDGE (no Verizon).

As for the Linux-based OS, it uses a one-thumb wheel that avoids digging through menus, has GPS aware reminders, can record voice calls/messages and store them along with when the call was made, and straight-up looks sci-fi.

It seems that Linux-based mobile operating systems like Android and webOS will soon have a new competitor. [First Else via Pocket-Lint and SlashGear | Video via Engadget]

ELSE INTUITION™ is a complete mobile platform developed by ACCESS and Emblaze Mobile. Thanks to the combination of ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 and an advanced user interface engine, jointly developed by Emblaze Mobile and ACCESS, ELSE INTUITION™ delivers a highly compelling and differentiated user experience, coupled with state-of-the-art hardware, accelerated 2D/3D graphics and elegant transition effects. ELSE INTUITION™ takes advantage of ACCESS Linux Platform v3.0 to provide advanced flexibility and configurability, enabling users to run multiple applications simultaneously, switching between them with ease. All data and content, including contacts, appointments, videos and photos can be rendered anywhere, not just within a single dedicated application, giving users faster, easier and more consistent access to their information

The Else Intuition, aside from being one of the first phones to use Access' Linux Platform v3.0 OS, is a 3.47-inch 480x854 slab of handset, with an OMAP 3430 processor, 16GB of internal memory, a five-megapixel camera, A-GPS, and 3.5mm headphone jack. It's capable hardware to start with, and the Palmy (an honestly, kind of sleepy) v3.0 OS has been slapped with a completely new OpenGL-accelerated interface, codeveloped by Access and Emblaze, who had promised an "ultimate holistic device," whatever that means, late last year.

It's a lot to process, and there's not a ton of info to run with here: There's no hands-on to indicate if this left-field software is any good, and the companies won't get any more specific than "[worldwide] operator evaluations are currently underway" as far as potential release dates go. That said, this looks like decent hardware, albeit seriously bricklike, and newness counts for a lot in mobile software. (Pre, anyone?) Maybe this whole Access fiasco wasn't so crazy after all? [Access via Impress]

City planners can deploy these in parks, or really rich people can deploy these all over their multi-acre ranches so they can torrent anywhere. If Michael Jackson still had Neverland, he'd be all up in this solar action. [Meraki via Cleantechnica via Treehugger]

If someone does not want the Vcast service, this is a step above the current premium plans. So if your premium plan is $79.99, you can add Vcast for $15, for a total of about $95. With Connect it will be only $10 more, for a total of about $89.00. Connect allows for unlimited mobile web so if you want to save five bucks, and have the premium plan with unlimited mobile web, but no Vcast, that's the new plan.

And if you want to add it on a secondary line, it's also $10 bucks. It will be available on November 16 mobile web phones only, not smartphones.

[Thanks tipster]

Since the launch of Gogo, American has not experienced any reported incidents of customers viewing inappropriate content via the Gogo service. However, we believe this is an appropriate measure to take.

If they have had no incidents—as expected, just as you don't hear of many people watching porn in their portable DVD players in a plane—, why give up? What happened to their technical arguments? Is the filtering going to limit web access to legitimate services or not? Most probably, American Airlines will avoid answering those questions.

But besides that, are they going to regulate people looking at porn on their own devices too? What about reading Playboy? Are they going to ban Playboy from flights? And are they going to filter Gizmodo because we post NSFW topless girls covered in oil playing Wii Sports once in a while?

Of course, logical questions like these will probably find no answers from American Airlines either. Religious groups like Focus on the Family, on the other side, would probably love to answer them with axes, pitchforks, and torches.

Another sad day in the history of a country that has defended personal freedom and responsibility as a core value since its very beginning. [Sky talk]

The minor iPhone security issue, which surfaced this week, is fixed in a software update which will be released in September.

That jewel comes from an Apple spokeswoman, deciding to ignore what ourselves, Wired or the San Francisco Chronicle have classified as a massive security problem. Ms. PR rep: could you please send us your me.com and apple.com passwords so we can demonstrate how easily accessing your mail by clicking a button is not, and will never be, a "minor security issue"?

In the meantime, she points out to the user-driven fix, as if that would help the millions who have iPhones and don't read Gizmodo, Wired, SFC, Reuters, or any of the outlets around the web that echoed the news. Not good enough, I'm afraid. [Reuters]

The Price: $199 w/ 2-year contract.

The Verdict: Underneath the shiny mobile TV veneer with its crystal clear, mondo-size-for-a-candybar screen, it's actually a fairly basic phone. (Which wouldn't be a problem, except for the price—you're essentially paying for the privilege of watching mobile TV.) The UI is better than average (other than the generous slathering of orange), but you'll get nothing truly deep here. It has the same gimpy built-in email client as LG's Vu (no Gmail or custom IMAP or POP support) but the non-QWERTY keyboard means you wouldn't be doing any heavy lifting anyway. Also the browser's not very robust—expected for this kind of phone, but at the same time, I feel like the phone's slick aesthetics promised me more (a la N95).

Let's talk about what this phone is supposed to do well, though: Mobile TV. It does succeed there. The screen is pretty exceptional, if a bit smaller than what I'd want to watch mobile TV on. But I can definitely get through Colbert or 30 Rock on it, and pretty much everything good (and bad) about the service comes through here: Resolution, clarity, content (yay CNN), etc. Yet, if you're really buying this phone because you're dying mobile TV, you should stick with the Vu (if you're paying $15-$30 a month for TV, I'm guessing the price difference is non-consequential for you).

The Vu has a bigger screen, enough said there—even though the Access is taller and wider, making it a tighter pocket fit (this won't fit in a hipster's jean pocket). (They both have lame proprietary headphone jacks though, grrr.) Also, the mobile TV signal is better with the Vu (tested by descending into the bowels of my apartment building), courtesy of the mondo antenna you can whip out to look like you're visiting from the 80s. And the Vu's only $100 more, plus is simply an overall richer phone. [AT&T]

SAMSUNG AND AT&T ANNOUNCE THE SAMSUNG ACCESS™ First Samsung handset to support AT&T Mobile TV

DALLAS, March 27, 2007 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung) today announced the exclusive availability of the Samsung Access™, Samsung's first device to support AT&T Mobile TV, a mobile television service featuring high-quality programming.

The sophisticated and sleek Access is a bar-style phone with a slick black finish and large, crisp and clear 2.3" landscape display comparable to DVD quality, ideal for viewing multimedia content, and exceptional television reception without the need for external antenna. AT&T Mobile TV is easily accessible to users with a one-touch button which brings them directly to full-length television content and sporting events from top networks, including programming from leading entertainment brands CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, FOX Mobile, MTV, NBC 2GO, NBC News2Go and Nickelodeon. AT&T Mobile TV will also feature two exclusive channels, which will be announced soon.

The Access is a robust multimedia device and includes features such as Video Share™ AT&T Mobile Music, stereo Bluetooth ® technology, external stereo speakers, external memory microSD™ card slot and 1.3 megapixel camera with video record. With advanced messaging options such as multimedia messaging, instant messaging and mobile e-mail, the Access is a powerful communication device.

The Access also features dual-band 3G connectivity and quad-band GSM technology, which allows AT&T customers to make calls in more than 200 countries and download data in more than 145.

The Access will be available through select AT&T retail locations or athttp://www.att.com/wireless beginning in May 2008. To learn more about AT&T's other mobile entertainment offerings, visit www.wireless.att.com/entertainment .

Sure, it's not what we were asking for, but it is a nice way to get into your machine from across the house (or even across town if you have the right ports forwarded).

Project Page [Google Code]

Using the phone, you can also operate external devices, fast forward and rewind—same as on any other LocationFree streaming device. Not a bad looking player UI-wise, and the video quality actually looks somewhat watchable consdering that you're stuck on a 320x240 screen. – Jason Chen

This agreement gives them the right to modify the code to adapt it for smartphones, Cylons, or whatever else they decide to run the OS on. This means that when Palm makes a next-gen OS, it can shove in parts of Garnet to keep compatibility with current Palm apps so you won't have to throw away everything you already love. – Jason Chen

FAQ [Access via Palm Info Center]

In addition, your online queue will show your movie as returned, and BB will send out your next movie as soon as possible or whenever they get around to it (most likely the latter). If you're like us and enjoy Blockbuster Online because your old account gave you two free coupons that let you rent games in stores, you'll probably enjoy this new feature as well. – Jason Chen

Blockbuster tries new online rental incentive [News via ]

D-Link is hardly the only company to come out with network storage devices, but $300 isn't so bad. Thumbs up. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [D-Link via Crowdedbrain]