Daniel Ionescu

Is Motorola back in the game? Looking at the upcoming Droid smartphone (above), one might say it is. I’m just not convinced whether it is really the Droid creating all the hype or the 2.0 version of the Google Android mobile operating system powering it. Best wishes go to Research In Motion, whose BlackBerry Storm 2 launch got overshadowed this week by the Droid — here are my PC World posts for this week.

Palm Lost the iTunes Sync Battle (Again)
The release of the iTunes 9.0.2 update on Thursday yet again disables Palm’s workaround to sync with Apple’s popular jukebox software. Perhaps it’s high time Palm moved on and created its own software.

Twitter Warns of New Phishing Scam
Twitter is warning users of a new phishing scam spreading through direct messages on the network, which redirect users to a fake log-in page to steal their passwords.

Apple Set to Pass 100K Available iPhone Apps Milestone
Apple has approved more than 100,000 applications in its App Store, according to latest figures from App Shopper, an industry tracking firm. That number of approved apps dwarfs the number of apps offered by mobile app store competitors Android Marketplace, Windows Mobile Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, and Nokia’s Ovi Store. Apple’s next closest competitor, Google’s Android Marketplace, offers a relative pittance of 10,000 mobile apps. BlackBerry App World hosts 3040 apps.

Verizon Unveils Motorola’s Droid, Sets High Hopes For Android
Verizon will start selling the Motorola Droid, its first Google Android handset, on November 6, the carrier announced on Wednesday. The Motorola Droid will cost $200 with a two-year contract with Verizon, after a $100 mail-in rebate. The Motorola Droid sets high hopes for the future of the Google Android OS, and features powerful hardware: 3.7-inch high-resolution capacitive touchscreen display, 5-megapixel camera, and WiFi and Bluetooth, among other features.

BlackBerry Storm 2 Arrives
Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Storm 2, the long-anticipated follow-up to the original BlackBerry Storm, will arrive on Verizon’s network tomorrow. The Storm 2 will go on sale on Wednesday, October 28 for $280 when you sign a two-year service contract with Verizon Wireless. Verizon is offering a $100 mail-in rebate, which knocks the price down to $180, but that rebate comes in the form of a Visa debit card, not an actual check.

Netflix Movie Streaming Comes To PlayStation 3
Starting November, you will be able to stream Netflix movies and TV shows on to your PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console. The deal, announced on Monday, will put Sony’s console in line with Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which had this functionality for over a year now.

The Evolution of the MP3 Player
My special slideshow this week, featuring the new PCW slides layout, which is pretty cool. Portable digital music players have evolved through the years, from hulking $800 devices to tiny $60 iPod Shuffles. Here’s a look at how MP3 players have changed over the past decade.