Microsoft has announced that its new mobile OS entered the release to manufacturing (RTM) stage on 1 September. This means Redmond has finished work on the OS and is now working with its phone manufacturers to integrate it on their handsets.  

 

“While the final integration of Windows Phone 7 with our partners’ hardware, software, and networks is underway, the work of our internal engineering team is largely complete,” posted Terry Myerson, corporate vice president of Windows Phone Engineering.

 

 

Vodacom’s social network, The Grid, which offers users mobile chat and content sharing functionality, became available worldwide as of yesterday. According to MyBroadband, the international expansion enables anyone in the world to sign up and join the social network at no subscription cost using their mobile phone. This social network was launched locally in 2008 and last year in Nigeria and Tanzania.

 

 

Logitech on Wednesday announced its new Wireless Speaker Z515 and Laptop Speaker Z305. The Wireless Speaker Z515 will give iPad, iPhone and computer users a sound boost without the associated speaker cable clutter since it uses 2.4 GHz wireless technology. Logitech’s Laptop Speaker Z305 will provide added audio kick for netbook and notebook users.

 

 

The Logitech Wireless Speaker Z515 is expected to be locally available in November for a suggested retail price of R1 134 and the Logitech Laptop Speaker Z305 (also expected in November) carries a suggested retail price of R680.

 

 

 

AMD this week announced its collaboration with Troublemaker Studios to produce the visual effects for the action movie ‘Machete’, for which the film studio utilised AMD graphics and computing technology (including AMD FirePro V8800 professional graphics accelerators and six-core AMD Opteron processor-based workstations). 

 

The movie, directed and conceived by Robert Rodriguez (director of ‘Predators’, ‘Sin City’ and ‘Desperado’), stars Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Alba.

 

 

The first free two-way SMS service has been launched locally, allowing South Africans to send and receive SMS’ for free. This service is accessible via the web and mobile web (WAP) from your mobile phone. No special software or downloads are needed. You simply log onto www.fsms.co.za to register and confirm your registration via SMS.

 

Using the service you’ll be able to send free SMS messenges from your PC or via the webpage on your cellphone. If you receive a reply it will show up in your inbox on the Free SMS website and a notification will be sent to your email inbox.

 

This service has been developed by two local Capetonians, Daniel Schwartzkopff and Jörg Wunderlich.

 

 

 

Sony has unveiled three new S-Frame digital photo frames (the DPF-XR100, DPF-VR100 and DPF-D830) which enables users to not only view all their favourite photos, but also offers video playback and battery operated capabilities.

 

The DPF-XR100 and DPF-VR100 models offer AVCHD video playback on the units’ high-resolution WSVGA LED-backlight LCD display, while the DPF-D830 model is the company’s first battery operated digital photo frame, allowing for easy portability.

 

No local release info is available yet.

 

 

On Tuesday Palm announced the beta release of its SDK for webOS 2.0, meaning the official release of version 2.0 of webOS isn't too far off. New features and enhancements that webOS 2.0 will bring include improved multi-tasking and support for HTML5.   

 

 

According to BlackBerryBlast!, BlackBerry holding company Research in Motion (RIM) has named its rumoured 9670 clamshell phone. This new flip-open smartphone will be known as the BlackBerry Style 9670. No specifications are available for the device as yet.