This week Smartphone Experts’ Dieter Bohn, Kevin Michaluk, and Phil Nickinson are at Mobile World Congress, covering what’s basically the biggest cell phone show on the planet. Different sites will have different coverage. Palm and Apple aren’t expected to do much here this year, so the bulk of SPE’s coverage will be at sites not called PreCentral.net or TiPb (but don’t forget that  TiPb blew up Macworld last week – tons of news there).

So for what’s shaking, keep an eye on Android Central, CrackBerry.com, Nokia Experts, and this year especially keep an eye on WMExperts.

As long as you’re following things, be sure to hit up the twitter feeds for those sites too, as when we have news we want to get out there quickly, we’ll be doing it there.

Meanwhile, Phil, Kevin, and Dieter will record a podcast from time to time, like we did just now on the eve of the craziness at MWC. You know you want to partake of these 17 minutes of smartphone joy. Keep an eye on the above mentioned sites for more!

Download it directly with this link

Smartphone Experts at Mobile World Congress is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Japan’s Solid Alliance decided that the bar for “crazy earphones” just hadn’t been raised high enough and so they’ve released these adorable/idiotic plastic embellishments which make you look like you have various implements coming out of your ears. For those who may not have already seen the first set of earphones they consisted of: sushi, paws, banana and a large bolt. These 4 new earbuds consist of: an apple with an arrow through it, a knife which looks like it is stabbed through your head, a mushroom, and a little ear.

They’ll cost you ¥2000, or about $20 and have a 3.5mm adaptor so they will fit in your iPhone or iPod touch.

So, am I the only one who likes these earphones ? Would you ever buy Crazy Earphones for yourself… or a friend ?

Crazy Earphones from Japan. Would Your iPhone be Caught Wearing Them? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Windows Weekly co-host Paul Thurrott, who was initially nonplussed about Apple’s iPad but is slightly warming to the device, has linked to a blog post from Bill Hill, former head of ClearType at Microsoft, who offers:

I predict it will be a huge success. It will cause the same kind of mayhem among TabletPC and eBook manufacturers that the iPod and iPhone did in their respective market categories.

Hill cites the great look, but says more importantly Apple understands the transition from “computing devices” to “consumer devices”, while the Kindle was merely a “transitional device” while TabletPC were basically laptop PC’s with tablet functionality grafted on.

The only doubts he has is in Apple’s “clone” of his Microsoft ClearType, which he claims blurs at small sizes and on lower-pitch screens like the iPad’s 132ppi. It might make sustained reading less enjoyable. All around he seems bullish, however, running Windows on a MacBook Pro, and now using an iPhone as well:

last week I dropped my Windows Mobile phone in the water. It was DOA when brought back to the surface. So now I need a new phone. No way am I buying a Windows Mobile replacement. I really grew to hate that phone. I’ve checked out the new Google phones, and I don’t like them much either. No, I want a great customer experience – so I’ll go with Apple.

I’m not an Apple Fanboy. But you have to give credit where it’s due. From being browbeaten into a mere 2-3% PC market share several years ago, Apple has parlayed its expertise in “consumer computing” into astounding success. I expect the iPad to continue that success.

The pixel density is an interesting concern, especially from someone of Hill’s background. The iPhone is 163ppi, the iPod nano 204ppi. Anyone think 132ppi will give them problems?

Former Microsoft ClearType Lead: iPad will Kill Kindle, TabletPC is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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