A lot of the time preordering can be a pain in the neck. Despite the fact that you’ve laid your cash down in advance, you often don’t get your hands on the goods until after the launch date. This is especially true if the device sees unprecedented demand or makes any kind of splash with the media.

Earlier this week we reported that T-Mobile had plowed through 500,000 units in presales and had ordered more to keep customers who couldn’t wait to get their hands on the device happy. Despite placing a subsequent order with HTC for a significant shipment of G1s, preorder sales were this week rumored to be in and around the 1.5 million mark.

With the official launch (October 22 in the U.S. and October 30 in the UK) looming, many expect the demand to increase with each passing day. What’s going increase the demand exponentially is the fact that many customers will reportedly have their G1s in time for the weekend. A full five days before those queuing at stores will get their hands on the device.

Last month when the media was all a flap about the G1, VentureBeat cited a reliable source as saying the G1 would begin shipping on October 13 and arrive on October 17. While T-Mobile and HTC set the October 22 as the launch date, would be G1ers are advised to check the UPS website to track their order as many eager customers say their device was shipped on October 13 with three-day shipping.

This could be T-Mobile being very on the ball with its preorders and if that’s the case, kudos. However it could just as easily be a way to drum up a bit more excitement for the offline sales. If people see the G1 already out and about before next Wednesday they may be more likely to queue up for their own.

With a UK release date of October 30, the Android-based HTC G1 will be offered for free when users commit to certain plans costing around $70/£40 per month.

It seems Motorola is really serious about this whole Android thing. Recent reports showed that the company was looking to put together an Android team of upwards of 300 people. This week, reports suggest the company is developing a social networking phone based on Google’s mobile OS.

A couple of weeks back, an Android developer claiming to have been approached by a headhunter from Motorola said the headcount for the company’s Android team had reached 50 people and was expected to continue growing until it hit 350. The announcement wasn’t too much of a surprise as Motorola is a key member of the Open Handset Alliance, the main supporter of Android. Later that week, the cell phone manufacturer confirmed the reports saying the company was excited about the innovation possibilities on Android. Innovation is right, it looks like the company is developing a phone targeted at social networking fiends.

According to AndroidGuys, a post on Coroflot.com, a site advertising design jobs and portfolios, details a position on Motorola’s Interaction Design team and the input such a person would have into concept and design of the company’s mobile products, including Motorola’s new Android Social Networking SmartPhone.

“As a Senior Staff Interaction Designer, you will be responsible for leading and actively participating in the concept, design, documentation and development of user interfaces for our mobile products including our new Android Social Networking SmartPhone. You’ll lead brainstorming and work sessions, usability and innovation reviews and other forums of design development. In addition to your primary responsibility in the delivery of great design, you will also be expected to mentor other designers, bringing your personal strengths to the rest of the team.”

While we’re not about to spout off about the concept of a social networking smartphone before Motorola offers more information, we’re wary of this idea. A smartphone is designed to incorporate all kinds of tools into one device, email, SMS, mobile internet to name a few. The kind of connectivity available to users with a social networking phone would be very attractive, however by marketing it as a social networking phone and narrowing down its target market, Motorola won’t do itself any favours. Especially in an industry that’s seeing more and more smartphones aimed at business and pleasure by the day.

SanDisk this week announced the launch of the the Sansa slotMusic Player, an MP3 player that goes hand in hand with the company’s recently announced slotMusic cards. The smoke clears. Sort of.

SanDisk’s slotMusic cards—microSD cards with pre-loaded, DRM-free MP3s, were launched as a new physical format for music. In other words, a last ditch effort to rescue floundering physical music sales. slotMusic cards come with a small USB sleeve, enabling users to put any music they buy onto their computer as well as playing it on their phone or MP3 player and SanDisk seemed to think everyone would be into the idea of dropping into Wal-Mart, picking up one of these Micro SD cards and being able to listen to the latest Weezer album on their mobile phone while they walked back to their car.

With backing from the four major labels, such a ‘meh’ announcement came as a surprise. Offering albums on MicroSD cards is new but it’s not ground breaking. SanDisk this morning followed the slotMusic announcement with the launch of a new MP3 player for just twenty bucks.

The Sansa slotMusic Player retails for $19.99 (or $34.99 for an artist branded player, which bears your favorite artist’s image and comes bundled with a slotMusic card). Again, the company is pushing the “effortless” aspect of not needing to load music onto your PC and cutting out any time spent on music management, although this is replaced with the chopping and changing of SD cards depending on the album you want to listen to. That said you can also stick a MicroSD with thousands of different songs (MP3 or WMA) into the player and get rid of the need to cart around 50 different slotMusic cards. However, this would bring in some of that music management SanDisk is so eager to cut out.

The addition of the MP3 player to SanDisk’s music-on-the-go format will no doubt improve the chances of the slotMusic card’s success. Before users would need to own a phone or device that would accept MicroSD cards, and while we said before they’d probably be a big hit with tourists and those who wouldn’t be comfortable taking their iPod with them on a trip, not everyone’s cell phone has a MicroSD slot. The fact that SanDisk also offers a player for the cards at such an affordable price means they’re even more likely to be successful, a sort of disposable MP3 player.

SanDisk expects to roll out the slotMusic player in Europe sometime in 2009.

YouTube and PBS have gotten together and announced an initiative that will see YouTubers share their voting experiences and upload them to the site.

Designed to “shed light on voting in America and show democracy in action,” Video Your Vote sets out to educate voters on the entire process and a wide array of issues associated with voting in America.

While this will no doubt be interesting for the rest of the world watching the election unfold, YouTube claims Video Your Vote will capture “pivotal moments in this historic election” as they happen. That may very well be true, however, we’re willing to bet it’ll be difficult to spot the pivotal moments among the scours of videos being uploaded every minute of November 4. In an attempt to combat this problem and select the cream of the crop (to be shown along with PBS’s coverage of the election), YouTube has asked users to who witness or encounter anything problematic at the polls that is hindering the voting process, to tag their clips with "pollproblem."

More interesting than viewing user-uploaded footage from the polling stations is the fact that The Video Your Vote channel will also serve as one-stop-shop to view exclusive videos from voter registration experts, election reform activists, and state officials, as well as video footage from the PBS archives for a historical look at voting through the years. You can also see exclusive footage produced by the online team at the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

Click here to visit Video Your Vote.

A federal communications official says that switching all U.S. televisions to digital will be messy.

With the nation gearing up for the mandatory switch from analog to digital TV signals on February 17, 2009, 15% of U.S. households currently using analog television sets will have to either purchase a converter box or subscribe to their local cable service. Although the government, cable companies, and local TV stations have ramped up educational ads and offers, Robert McDowell of the Federal Trade Commission sees a bumpy road ahead.

"The transition will be messy ... but we will get through it," he told Reuters.

However, his comment appears to contradict the positive results stemming from a trial run conducted in Wilmington, North Carolina. As of September 9, the city shut off its analog signals and now broadcasts totally in digital, serving as a "beta test" of what is to come in February. Wilmington volunteered to be the test candidate for the mandatory switch, ranked as the 135th largest television market in the United States, representing around 180,000 households. It is estimated that nearly 14,000 receive free over-the-air television programming with rooftop antennas or “rabbit-ears.”

According to a report released by the FCC after the analog signals went offline, 0.5 percent of the area residents called the helpline asking for help in switching over to digital. On the second day after switching over to digital, the number of calls coming in dropped by 50 percent. Of the calls received during the transition, only 23 were from those who were unaware of the transition, or did not know the exact date. Moreover, 160 calls were from viewers who had difficulty setting up the converter boxes during the first day. Viewers who couldn’t get a local signal totaled around 232 callers while 87 viewers complained that they never received the converter box coupon.

In total, the bulk of the complaints stemmed from viewers not upgrading in time, not receiving the coupon, difficulty in installing the converter box (or having technical issues with the device) or the inability to pick up a signal altogether. Would these problems be considered as "messy?" Perhaps.

“While we believe that the transition in Wilmington is going smoothly, the measure of success in Wilmington is what is going to happen next February, and what we are able to learn from this experience and how we apply those lessons as we move this effort across the country,” said FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin during the initial transition.

So how does DTV work? If the antenna doesn’t pick up a digital signal, the screen appears blank; there is no "white noise." Signal strength determines the quality of the picture, however a good reception yields extremely sharp images; low reception pauses, becomes blocky (like low-quality streaming video) or stops altogether. While consumers can pick up any set of "rabbit ears" antenna (special digital versions are not necessary despite advertisements), rooftop versions are the best application rather than the smaller, "TV top" set. Digital signals don’t fade in and out due to poor reception; either the TV picks up the image or it doesn’t.

According to the FCC, switching over to digital was more about efficiency than quality. The digital signals use smaller portions of the publically owned airways, thereby allowing more space for commercial and public safety uses such as police and fire departments.

But while the FCC has seen a transitional success in Wilmington, there’s still plenty of time to inform viewers across the nation before the official switch on February 17. McDowell believes that broadcasters should ramp up the current barrage of information and target advertising based on "technical needs of local markets." McDowell is one of the many FCC commissioners who are now visiting local officials and broadcasters nationwide in hope to better educate about the switch.

If the FCC does "live and learn" with the results generated from Wilmington’s pre-launch experiment, then perhaps the nation-wide transition won’t be quite as "messy" as McDowell proposes. If anything, consumers need to be educated, the coupons need to be readily available, and the converter boxes stocked at all retail outlets come February.

Wondering where your Xbox order went? Microsoft is suing the courier company DHL for $2 million after more than 21,000 Xboxes were damaged and looted during a trail derailment last year.

Microsoft lodges its action against DHL based on ‘breach of contract’ over the accident, which took place near Duke, TX. The accident took place in October of 2007. Microsoft claims that under the contract, DHL was to compensate for loss and/or damages – Which DHL did not make good on, according to Microsoft.

During the accident, 12 containers under DHL’s charge went off the rails containing 21,600 Xbox units of two different models, originally destined for Hong Kong. Microsoft is claiming impact damage, wetting, pilferage and shortage as a result of the train derailment, with damages totaling in excess of $2 million.

According to Microsoft’s filing in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, DHL: “Negligently breached its duties as common carrier, handler, bailee” Also: “At no time has plaintiff been compensated for its damages, as alleged above, by defendant, despite demands made therefor. Defendant has refused and continues to refuse to pay plaintiff’s damages.”

Mitsubishi has been showing off its new laser-based HDTV to members of the press, and the results so far have been stunning.

While the entire home entertainment retail market is still all about the latest 1080p LCD and plasma high-definition televisions, a new technology involving lasers could be the next big thing.

The very thought of lasers still conjures up images of something technically advanced, and the idea of laser televisions continues that line of belief. Laser televisions, however, aren’t completely new from the ground up.

Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue relies on concepts borrowed from projection televisions – namely, having a cabinet – and uses lasers to produce images that surpass anything on the market today. In fact, early prototypes of laser televisions used rear projection cabinets simply retrofitted with new laser parts, completely doing away the old color wheel technology.

Early impressions of the LaserVue confirm what the engineers have been saying all along – that laser gives exceptionally accurate color – up to twice the color gamut of today’s HDTVs.

Although laser TV doesn’t make any promises about improve picture clarity (though it doesn’t lag behind in that department), the technology is also more energy efficient. The LaserVue is said to consume one-third the power of a similar sized LCD, and one-quarter of a similar sized plasma.

As good as this may all sound, LCD and plasmas will still likely occupy the mass market thanks to the relatively affordable pricing of entry-level units on the market today. Mitsubishi’s 65-inch LaserVue will hit the market at $6,999, which makes it no more affordable than other high-end HDTVs of that size.

Due to its rear projection roots, laser TVs will likely only come in large sizes, making the LaserVue line exclusively for those serious about putting the cash towards home viewing. Mitsubishi already has plans to bring a 73-inch laser monolith sometime after the 65-inch hits.

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Motorola has revealed a touch screen phone to sell exclusively for Verizon Wireless.

Called the Krave ZN4, the phone is scheduled to go on sale today through Verizon Wireless only. However, to get the $149.99 price tag, consumers will need to sign a two-year contract with the mobile phone provider and mail in a $50 rebate. The strategic move on part of both companies is a direct attempt to steal some of the market away from Apple and its pesky but oh-so-lovable iPhone device.

"The Motorola Krave ZN4 offers an all-in-one-of-a-kind mobile experience," claims Motorola’s website. "It is the first touch device to feature an interactive clear flip - letting you access the touch screen even with the phone closed. Open or closed, you’ll be watching, listening, creating, and communicating."

Resembling the MING series, the Krave measures around 4-inches in height and 2-inches in width. The sleek phone features a see-through flip cover protecting a vivid touchscreen, and comes packed with a full HTML web browser, Bluetooth support, a 2 megapixel camera and visual voice mail. The phone will also come with a Verizon-specific operating system with V Cast Mobile TV and Music along with VZ Navigator. The Krave also supports up to 8 GB of optional removable memory and an EV-DO connection.

But will Motorola’s offering be enough to thwart Apple’s quest for world domination through its iPhone device? Boy Genius Report’s hands-on review didn’t seem convinced when the website got its hands on the phone back in June. "It’s by no means a smartphone here. The mobile web browser is ok, and that’s being super nice. Texting or writing emails with the touch screen keyboard a la LG Voyager is bland, hard to use, and frustrating. Additionally, the phone has Haptic feedback but you have to press the darn touch screen so hard you feel like you’re going to break it."

Back in July, Apple reported that the company sold 717,000 units during the third quarter of its 2008 fiscal year, a huge increase when compared to the 270,000 units sold in the same time period during the previous year. Although the iPhone had a rough debut, its popularity has quickly matched that of Apple’s other blockbuster device, the iPod. Currently consumers can get the iPhone through Apple’s online store, but must also choose an AT&T wireless plan. Taking note of Apple’s success, Motorola teamed up with Verizon to offer the same exclusive offering with its Krave.

Unfortunately, many consumers may shy away from the Krave simply because of Verizon’s business tactics. Currently users of the just-released Blackberry Curve 8330 are lashing out at the mobile service provider because the company locks consumers out of the Curve’s GPS technology, thereby forcing them to use Verizon’s proprietary VZ Navigator rather than allowing the use of third-party software.

Still, only time will tell if Motorola’s Krave will even put a mild scratch in iPhone’s share of the mobile market.

Looks as though the FTC put the smack down on a huge spamming ring, but will it reduce the amount of garbage flooding your inbox?

According to a report from the Associated Press, the now-convicted network spanned across multiple countries including China, New Zealand, and the United States. Their methods included enticing the recipient to click through to one of their websites, offering false discounts to prescription drugs, weight-loss pills and even male enhancement pills. The problem was that many of their sites looked legitimate, thus throwing off the Federal Trade Commission in its hunt to track down the spammers.

"These sites are really professionally constructed," said Steve Baker, the FTC’s Midwest Region director. "Some years ago you used to be able to tell the bogus things because they looked cheesy and had misspellings. Anymore, I don’t think that’s true."

The FTC answered the call of more than 3 million victims and spam recipients. To determine if the website in question was legitimate or fake, FTC staff members purchased drugs undercover and did not provide prescriptions. In turn, the alleged websites not only did not ask for valid prescriptions, but did not send instructions along with the drug shipment. Now a federal judge in Chicago has issued a temporary injunction to halt the organization, and the FBI is currently investigating everyone involved. Included in the investigation are citizens established here in the States and New Zealand.

The federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 allows the FTC to investigate organizations that do not provide a postal address, uses false headings in emails, and does not offer an "opt-out" link for those who actually take the bait. While the FTC is frantically working hard to eliminate spam altogether, the problem doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. According to a report released a few years ago, 60% of all spam comes directly from internet users who have no idea their PCs are even sending out spam.

While some spam experts applaud the FTC’s attempt, others criticize its intents. "I’m not expecting the FTC to talk about successes, because I don’t think it really can trumpet any," says Jordan Ritter of Cloudmark, an antispam and secure-messaging firm.

But when looking at the bigger picture, one must question if there are genuine attempts to actually crack down on spammers. After all, if spam were eliminated altogether, companies such as McAfee, Symantec and Computer Associates would have less to offer consumers. Many ISPs have implemented server-side spam filters to weed out most of the incoming garbage, yet consumers still need to shell out money for third-party software. Is that a coincidence?

Still, it’s certainly a positive thing to see the FTC shutting down one of the largest spamming operations to date. However, it seems that messages like "drink away your fat" or "she likes it meaty" are just a normal part of everyday reading. Sometimes they’re just as comical as the morning paper funnies.