Sony resumes limited PlayStation Network operation

 

TOKYO – Sony says it has begun restoring its PlayStation Network service in the United States and Europe. The service was shut down almost a month ago after a massive security breach.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka says the company also began Sunday phased restoration of its Qriocity movie and music services.
Sony's PlayStation network is a system that links gamers worldwide in live play. Sony shut it down on April 20 after discovering the security breach affecting over 100 million online accounts.
The network serves both the PlayStation video game machines and Sony's Qriocity movie and music services. It is a system that also allows users to upgrade and download games and other content.

Twitter feed lawsuit underscores power of a tweet

 

SAN FRANCISCO – When Adorian Deck was home sick from high school, he entertained himself like countless other teenagers have in recent years: He started a Twitter account.
Unlike other teenagers, Deck's account became a sensation. Deck, under the handle (at)OMGFacts, tweeted random bits of celebrity gossip and quirky trivia. In less than a year, he had attracted more than 300,000 followers.

BREAKING: Sony PlayStation Network Coming Back Online

Taliban on Twitter for Afghan Internet age

 

KABUL (AFP) – The Taliban once banned all television, music and cinema in Afghanistan, but now they are fighting their war via Twitter, the online messaging network that revolutionised global communication.
The Islamist extremists sent out their first tweet in English on May 12 claiming "enemy attacked in Khak-e-Safid", with a link to their website for more details about rebel fighters killing "at least 6 puppet police".

Sony to resume network services after hacker attacks

 

TOKYO  – Sony said it would start Sunday a "phased restoration" of network services that came under hacker attacks in one of the biggest data breaches since the advent of the Internet.
The cyber attacks in recent weeks involved the theft of personal data that include names, passwords and addresses from more than 100 million accounts on its PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment services.

Sony begins restoring PlayStation after security breach

 

TOKYO  – Sony said it had begun restoration of its PlayStation Network games service on Sunday, almost a month after a massive security breach of the network forced the company to shut it down.
Gamers and security experts had criticized Sony for its handling of the incident, which sparked lawsuits and cast a shadow over its plans to combine the strengths of its content and hardware products via online services.

T-Mobile to re-introduce unlimited pre-paid on May 22nd

T-Mobile Monthly 4G is the carrier's new unlimited pre-paid service that will start on May 22nd. The nation's fourth largest carrier will offer a $70 and a $50 plan. The more expensive pre-paid service gives you unlimited talk, text and data. The $50 plan allows you unlimited talk and text and 100MB of data at up to 4G speed. Under the old $50 pre-paid plan, when you reached the 100MB of data limit, your data was cut off. Now, once the 100MB threshold is reached, your data speed is throttled.

Internal T-Mobile documents show that the $50 plan ($60 for BlackBerry phones) compares with Verizon's pre-paid unlimited rate of $124.99 and AT&T's $75 pre-paid unlimited rate which offers unlimited talk, text and 200MB of data. Another document shows that the carrier decided to name the service T-Mobile Monthly because the "term pre-paid carries a stigma".

source: TmoNews

T-Mobile Monthly 4G is expected to start May 22nd with a $70 unlimited plan and another one priced at $50

Photo of Apple iPhone 5 mock-up is leaked, screen is now edge-to-edge

A rear camera part allegedly belonging to the Apple iPhone 5 was discovered, according to Apple.pro. Unlike the part of the camera that contains the lens on the iPhone 4, the discovered part did not contain a flash to the right of the lens. That would mean that the rear camera on the new model will be further away from the lens, and seems to confirm pictures released earlier Saturday of what is being claimed to be a case for the new Apple iPhone 5 that depicts a mock-up of the new updated design of the handset.

According to the pictures, the screen of the upcoming iPhone 5 has an edge-to edge screen while the flash has been moved to the upper right corner, away from the lens. International trading site Alibaba.com, the source of some accurate leaks regarding Apple products in the past, has a listing for a "Newest design crystal case for Apple iPhone 5g(sic)" from Guangdong, China-based Kulcase.

Before Apple introduced the iPad 2, cases were leaked as far back as December that accurately matched the specifications of the tablet. Case manufacturers also had listings for the Verizon branded Apple iPhone 4 days before the device was introduced. Case manufacturers obviously need to know the size and specs of a device before mass producing their wares and are a good source of leaks.

source: Alibaba, Apple.pro via AppleInsider

This picture allegedly shows a mock-up of the Apple iPhone 5

Alibaba.com is listing the new case for the Apple iPhone 5"g"

Update to NOOK app for Android makes your tablet more like a book reader

It seems that the line between eBook reader and tablets is shrinking. A few weeks ago, Barnes and Nobles released the NOOK Color which adds apps, email and web browsing. Sounds like a tablet, right? Now you can make your Android tablet seem more like an eBook reader by installing the updated NOOK app for Android.

This app brings a version of the NOOK optimized for larger screens. For example, the update (version 2.6.1) offers options to increase the size of the text and adds the ability to read magazines and periodicals on displays measuring 7 inches or higher. Now, with your Android tablet, you can read 140 titles from the NOOK Newsstand like Rolling Stone, Newsweek, Popular Science and ESPN: The Magazine as well as newspapers like USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune.

The NOOK app for Android is available for free from the Android Market and can be installed on any device running Eclair (Android 2.1) or higher. The magazines and newspapers can be accessed on tablets only.

source: AndroidGuys

The new updated NOOK app for Android is optimized for the larger sized screens seen on tablets

Samsung Droid Charge is getting its first system update already; affects Media Hub

Do you intend on picking up the Samsung Droid Charge seeing that it’s finally available for purchase? Well, you’ll probably be surprised to find a notification waiting for you on the handset informing you about an available software update. Yes, you heard that right, the handset is already getting its first update after being on the market for less than 24 hours.

Software update ED2 is being pushed out to the handset, but even though some might question about why we’re seeing it so soon, it’s better to probably release it afterwards as opposed to further delaying the handset. Nonetheless, it’s only a paltry 5.2MB file, which shouldn’t pose much of a problem downloading for this 4G LTE equipped handset. However, it basically brings forth a couple of bug fixes to Samsung’s Media Hub app. Specifically, it prevents downloading content from the Media Hub via 3G connection, but instead, will only work over 4G or Wi-Fi to provide speed and quality.

Granted it’s not something major to make you question about your new purchase, we’d still take it as opposed to seeing the handset being delayed even more.

source: Verizon via Android Central

Samsung Galaxy S II stars in the manufacturer's own video

Even though there still is no word about a U.S. launch of the Samsung Galaxy S II, the device has already managed to grab the attention of Stateside cell phone fans. And overseas, where the phone has already been launched, demand is already outnumbering supply. As we reported, carriers overseas have already pre-ordered more than 3 million units of the phone.

Various YouTube videos have been uploaded by those displaying how fast the browser is on the phone. Now, we have a video produced by Samsung that is all about the Galaxy S II. Many of you have already earmarked this device as your next phone if a U.S. launch is ever announced. Based on the worldwide popularity of the phone, it would seem crazy for Samsung not to set this beast loose in the U.S.

source: YouTube via AndroidandMe

T-Mobile G2x is priced even more attractively at $79.99 on-contract courtesy of Amazon

Previously, we’ve seen the T-Mobile G2x priced as low as $100 on-contract, which isn’t a shabby deal in itself considering the top notch phone you’re getting, but new customers are in for yet another special treat courtesy of Amazon.

The online retailer is at it yet again because they’re offering the G2x for the impressive, also uber attractive price of $79.99 with your signature on a 2-year contract. However, if you’re an existing customer with a qualified upgrade, you’re still going to be paying slightly more out of your pocket. Still, $119.99 is still a pretty good deal for an upgrade – even more when T-Mobile is selling the same phone for $200 for both new and upgrade customers. Naturally, free two-day shipping is included in the price so you don’t have to pay for anything extra out of your pockets.

As much as it might seem great, we’d suspect to see it even drop more over the coming months; obviously. For right now though, you really can’t beat this special offer!

source: Amazon via Unwired View

Walmart web site shows the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY; launch coming May 26th?

From the first time that the slide out game controllers were leaked (albeit in a crude rendering), game players have been captivated by the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY. The device, said to provide console quality gaming, will be launched by Verizon and has already been pictured in Big Red's recent monthly phone guide.

It would seem that the device is getting closer to launch-perhaps as soon as May 26th according to reports-and seeing the handset on Walmart's website just adds to the speculation that the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY will soon see the light of day. The phone, already launched in the U.K., is the first Playstation certified device.

source: AndroidGuys

Walmart will be offering the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY with launch rumored to be May 26th

Yahoo! shares sink on Alibaba tensions

 
NEW YORK  – Yahoo! shares extended their slide on Friday amid tensions with Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce giant in which the California Internet company holds a large stake.
Shares in Yahoo! lost 3.61 percent to close at $16.55 on Wall Street on Friday.
Yahoo! stock began sinking on Wednesday on news that Alibaba had spun its online payment business, Alipay, out of the reach of the US-based Internet giant.

Sony yet to fully secure its networks: expert

BOSTON  – Sony Corp's computer networks remain vulnerable to attack three weeks after the company learned that it had been victim of one of the biggest data breaches in history, according to an Internet security expert.
The expert found a handful of security flaws in Sony's networks while remotely studying its systems via the Internet to see how difficult it would be to penetrate the electronics giant's systems in the wake of the attacks.

Twitter saving lives in wake of Japan disaster

According to a report by the BBC, Japanese doctors are applauding the social networking and microblogging site Twitter, calling it “an excellent system” that allows them to communicate with patients to let them know where they can obtain vital medication. The doctors’ appreciation of the service came to light on Friday after letters were published in The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals.

X Finger Regains The Use of Your Fingers Without Robotics

Be honest, when looking at your hands, you probably take your fingers for granted. Without fingers, imagine trying to do everyday chores involving gripping or your touch senses -- this post, typed up on a laptop, wouldn't have been written. Fortunately, a simple artificial limb has been created, which bends just as well as the real thing, only without fancy machinery to control it.

Ice Cream Sandwich: Just how tasty will it be?

 

Now that Google I/O is over, it’s time to reflect on all the Android goodness we can expect in the future, one of which is the new 2.4 update to the Android OS, this time deliciously code-named Ice Cream Sandwich.

Is the Cellphone Killing the Honeybee?

Pity the poor honeybee. Since 2003, bee colonies around the globe have declining at an alarming rate. And since bees play a vital role in agricultural production, that's bad news for us humans. Scientists suspect many factors may be responsible, including pesticides, viruses, the varroa mite, genetically modified crops, and even exceptionally cold winters. Now we can add cellphones to the list of possible culprits.

iPhone 4 and Angry Birds, among others, set Guinness World Records

It was only a matter of time before Guinness World Records acknowledged some of the quickest, biggest, longest and fastest things happening in the world of tech and gaming. In a statement released this week, the famous record recorder proclaimed Apple’s app store as “one of the most revolutionary gaming platforms in history [that] has become a serious challenger in gaming records.”
On the subject of Apple’s popular smartphone, Gaz Deaves, Guinness World Records Gaming Editor, said, “The release of the iPhone has not just changed the mobile industry, but the video game world too.” He continued: “With the never-ending App Store selection and an intuitive device, Apple has created a gigantic new space for itself in the casual games genre that literally brings entertainment to users wherever they may be.”

New SAP StreamWork Aims To Boost Collaboration

SAP is amping up the competition against rival Salesforce.com with its latest release of StreamWork. The cloud-based collaborative application integrates with SAP business software.
Simply stated, SAP lets employees, teams and entire organizations collectively problem solve, brainstorm and make decisions within business applications using information they know and use every day -- without switching to another disconnected collaboration solution or having to rely on mountains of e-mail to drive projects forward.

Google says Third Nexus device is in the making

Andy Rubin, SVP of Mobile at Google,  has confirmed that a new Nexus branded device is in the pipeline, according to a report by tech-blog Android and Me,.

Rubin revealed at the Google I/O conference, "The Nexus has been the thing that we used to set the bar, and there's always going to be new ones coming out in the market. We'll make an announcement at some point in the future."

Previously Google launched the Nexus One in collaboration with HTC, which became the first Android 2.1 Éclair device. Later they launched the Samsung branded Nexus S, which became the first Android 2.3 Gingerbread device.

The Nexus series of devices have been unique in providing a pure Google experience. They have also provided manufactures with a hardware template for future Android devices. They have been the first ones to receive updates whenever Google has upgraded Android.

In all probability the new Nexus device will come loaded with the new Android Ice-cream Sandwich. Though Rubin made no date announcement, we believe it will arrive in Q4 of 2011 or Q1 of 2012.

YouTube starts online hits music video chart

 

YouTube on Thursday began publishing a chart that tracks top music videos at the popular Google-owned website.

A YouTube 100 chart online at youtube.com/music will be updated weekly based on the popularity of videos whether works are amateur or professional, according to YouTube product manager Chris LaRosa.

"On the Floor" by singer Jennifer Lopez was atop the inaugural list followed by "Judas" by pop queen Lady Gaga and "E.T." by musician Katy Perry.

"Not only does the YouTube 100 give props when fans make original videos for popular songs, it also captures YouTube's one-of-a-kind musical diversity," LaRosa said.

"YouTube users get into music as fans and original musicians, and our new chart gives the community a better way to find the most engaging music on YouTube."

Facebook-Google rivalry intensifies with PR fiasco

The intense rivalry between Facebook and Google just got juicier.

In a twist seemingly out of a Hollywood thriller, Facebook hired a prominent public relations firm to try to plant stories harshly criticizing Google's privacy practices in leading news outlets. The efforts backfired when the firm approached a blogger who not only declined the assignment, but also went public with the offer.

The latest Silicon Valley drama has also evoked chatter of smear campaigns, secrecy and even Richard Nixon. It took the once-secret blogger known as Fake Steve Jobs to help sort it all out.

One lesson: If you're going to write an incriminating email, don't. Pick up the phone instead.

Sony battles to regain trust after data breach

Japanese entertainment and technology giant Sony faces a battle to regain the trust of millions of consumers after online networks integral to its strategy were hacked, say analysts.

One of the biggest data breaches since the advent of the Internet could cost it around $1 billion, but deeper damage to Sony's brand image could undermine efforts to link its gadgets to an online network of games, movies and music.

WhoSay tames social networking for celebrities

Startup WhoSay has been working quietly in the background helping Hollywood stars keep control of pictures and videos at social networking sensations Twitter and Facebook.

The invitation-only service caters to celebrities whose mere choice of shoes can spark fashion trends or casual meals out could turn unknown restaurants into hip dining spots.

WhoSay's goal is to let famous folks use Twitter or Facebook to share private moments with fans without having posts such as digital photos used to endorse products or promote Web pages without permission.

White House proposes new cybersecurity bill

The White House proposed draft legislation on Thursday aimed at toughening the defenses of government and private industry against the growing danger from cyberattack.

"Our nation is at risk," the White House said in a statement. "Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in our government and critical infrastructure are a risk to national security, public safety, and economic prosperity."

"It has become clear that our nation cannot fully defend against these threats unless certain parts of cybersecurity law are updated," it said.

Facebook 'planking' craze under fire in Australia

An Internet craze known as "planking" has come under fire from authorities in Australia after the arrest of a man for sprawling on a police car.

Planking involves someone lying flat on their stomach in unusual and sometimes dangerous situations, with photographs of their exploits shared through social media sites.

Facebook page Planking Australia currently has almost 10,000 fans and hundreds of photos of people lying on train tracks, escalators, fire hydrants, motorbikes, and other objects.

AT&T's T-Mobile buy faces congressional scrutiny

US lawmakers grilled AT&T on Wednesday over its proposed $39 billion acquisition of rival T-Mobile USA, questioning whether the mega-merger would harm competition in the fast-growing wireless industry.

"At present four companies control nearly 90 per cent of the national wireless market," said Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont.

"This acquisition would further consolidate an already concentrated market for wireless communication," Leahy told a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Anti-trust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights.

French publishers sue Google for book scanning

Three top French publishers said Wednesday they were suing US Internet giant Google for scanning thousands of their books for its online library without permission.

Publishers Gallimard, Flammarion and Albin Michel lodged a case with a Paris court demanding 9.8 billion euros in damages ($14 billion) and Google has been issued a summons, a source in Gallimard's legal department told AFP.

Apple iPhone 4 and the App Store are both listed in the 2011 Book of World Records

The Apple iPhone 4 and the App Store each received notice, becoming record-holders in the 2011 Book of World Records for breaking records having to do with mobile gaming. For example, with analysts estimating that 1.5 million units of the iPhone 4 having been sold on launch day, the smartphone now holds the record for the "Fastest-Selling Portable Gaming System".  The 1.5 million units sold blows away the competition. For example, the Sony PlayStation Portable sold 200,000 models on its 2005 launch date and the Nintendo DS rang up sales of 900,000 units during its first week of existence in November 2004.

The App Store also received notice as the "Most Popular Application Marketplace" and the "Largest Downloadable Video Game Store." The people behind the 2011 Book of World Records released a statement that said that from the day the App Store opened its doors through September 2010, the online applications store had received over 6.5 billion downloads while hosting 259,740 apps. (In case you are interested, of that total, 61 of the apps are fart simulators). There were 37,362 games in the App Store as of last September, compared to the 1,400 available in Microsoft's Xbox Live Indie Arcade. The App Store also has the title of  "Largest Launch Line-up of Any Gaming System" with over 500 available on the App Store's initial day of business.

Some developers also received recognition. Rovio's Angry Birds is now listed as the "Top Paid-For App Store Game in Most Countries." As of last October, Angry Birds was the top paid-for game in the App Store in a record 67 territories around the globe. Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka told the Global Mobile Internet Conference that total downloads of the game across all platforms had reached a whopping140 million.

Other games besides Angry Birds were up for awards. the "Fastest-Selling iPhone/iPod Strategy Game" with more than 300,000 paid downloads in its first nine days is PopCap's "Plants vs. Zombies" while "Tap Tap Revenge", with more than 15 million downloads, took the title of "Most Popular iPhone Game Series".

source: GuinnessWorldRecords via AppleInsider

HTC ThunderBolt's back cover for wireless charging now visiting the FCC

The FCC received a visit from the back cover of the HTC ThunderBolt. You might think that the whole phone had already received FCC approval and you would be right-except for the fact that HTC is planning on revising the handset's cover to allow for wireless charging.

As we reported, LG has introduced a wireless charging pad that is expected to be available for its current smartphone lineup, and of course the Pre has been able to charge without wires since its launch in 2009.  Texas Instruments recently introduced a power receiver chip 80% smaller than the previous chip. The smaller size should make it easier for manufacturers to design wireless charging into their cell phone designs.

So far there is no word on pricing or a launch date for the HTC ThunderBolt's wireless charging package.

source: FCC, WirelessGoodness via AndroidCentral

The revised back cover for the HTC ThunderBolt has just visited the FCC

Verizon extends the Samsung DROID Charge hotspot trial to June 16th

As we reported, Verizon today is officially launching the Samsung DROID Charge.  Because the DROID Charge is being offered about 1 1/2 weeks late, it would only be fair for the carrier to extend the free unlimited 4G LTE hotspot service that is available on the handset. And yes, Big Red is doing the right thing by extending the free trial to June 16th.

A leaked internal Verizon memo gave away the details of the extension. The hotspot allows the Samsung DROID Charge to turn a Wi-Fi enabled device into a 4G LTE beast. While on Wi-Fi, you can tether up to 10 devices; that number shrinks to 5 if your connection is of the 3G variety. So if you go out and pick up Verizon's second LTE enabled handset tomorrow, you will have a bit more than a month to try out the phone's 4G hotspot.

When the HTC ThunderBolt was launched with its support to connect up to 8 devices using its mobile hotspot, that number seemed impressive. Now that the Samsung DROID Charge brings that number up to 10, who knows how many phones will be able to connect to a mobile hotspot in 6 months.

source: AndroidCentral

This internal memo says that Verizon has extended the free trial of the Samsung DROID Charge's mobile hotspot to June 16th

Google now brings location based news to your phone

Google has launched a location based news service for mobile phones called "News near you". Using location based data  (Gulp!), Google analyzes each word in a story to determine what a story is about and the location of the source. The service bring you stories relevant to the city you're in and its surrounding areas.

And just in case you don't want to be tracked, the first time you use the service there will be a pop-up page that allows you to prevent your phone from passing along your location. If you agree to be tracked, a new section called "News near you" will be added to the bottom of your home page when you head over to news.google.com from your phone. If being tracked by your phone freaks you out, you can turn off the service anytime.

source: Google

Google's "News near you" uses your location to send you news relevant to whare you are. The news at left is for Topeka, Kansas

AT&T to launch LTE in NYC by late June, and LA by late July

According to previous reports, AT&T was planning to launch their LTE service in the second half of 2011. Now, a trusted source tells IntoMobile that New York City will get their LTE switch flipped on June 30. And Los Angeles will receive LTE on July 24.

Of course we should take these unofficial dates with a grain of salt. There's always the possibility that, if these are the official dates, they could easily be delayed.

While this is great news for early adopters in those markets, we don't know what the rest of their launch timetable will look like. And 4G devices will slowly trickle to market. Much like with Verizon's LTE, our first tastes will come in the form of USB modems and mobile hotspots.

If the T-Mobile/AT&T merger is approved, then the resulting AT&T giant will be the carrier to watch in 2012. Even without exclusivity on the iPhone or iPad, their LTE servicepaisted and likely swath of new devices will make them very exciting indeed...And that's exactly why regulators (and Sprint) are concerned.

source: IntoMobile

Android 3.1 Honeycomb Hands-on

Continuing to show how Google is committed to improving its platform, the Android 3.1 Honeycomb update for the Motorola XOOM managed to land our way – as opposed to the “coming weeks” that was attached to its roll out. Naturally, we’re a little bit anxious to check out all the new features of this latest version of the tablet-optimized platform, but fortunately for us, the installation process didn’t take that long to complete.

First and foremost, the update brings forth USB hosting support, which means that you can connect and use a variety of USB peripherals with the tablet; like a mouse or keyboard. However, seeing that the Motorola XOOM only has a microUSB port, the process isn’t as easy when compared to some of the other Honeycomb tablets out there with dedicated USB ports. In fact, you’ll need to purchase a separate microUSB to USB adapter in order to use peripherals with the XOOM, but nonetheless, the feature is there for you.

Visually, nothing dramatic has changed with the layout of Honeycomb on the Motorola XOOM, but now you have the ability to resize certain core widgets to your liking. Certain ones like the bookmarks and Gmail widgets are capable of being resized by simply executing a long press, and manually moving its border to specific lengths. Definitely not something new, especially when Motorola’s very own MOTOBLUR utilizes this unique feature, it still provides a little bit of personalization. Over time though, we’d expect to see other widgets gaining the ability to be resized as well.

Before, clicking the Recent Apps button in the System Bar would normally display up to 7 of the most recent apps, but this time with Android 3.1 Honeycomb, you’ll be able to actually scroll through the entire set. Therefore, if you open 10 different apps or more, you can scroll through the listing and easily switch between any of them – as opposed to previously being limited to the 7 most recently used apps.

Lastly, the introduction of movie rentals in the Android Market is the last new feature found with the updated platform. Supplementing their apps and books offerings, we now find a section devoted to movies where you can browse through a variety of videos that you can rent. In terms of pricing, rentals start at $1.99, with new rentals costing a little bit more at the starting price of $3.99 each.

As we mentioned already, it’s not a dramatic overhaul to the Honeycomb experience that we’ve been accustomed to seeing, however, the update has yet to activate the XOOM’s microSD card slot – meaning, we’re unable to use it for additional storage capacity. Moreover, we’re still seeing the unusual instances of choppy performance when navigating across the XOOM’s homescreen and app panel while in portrait. Nonetheless, it still boasts some reasonable qualities that improve the experience, and looking towards the future, we’re equally excited about the platform’s continued growth.

HTC Wildfire S Review

This is a global GSM phone. It can be used with T-Mobile USA and AT&T, but without 3G.

Introduction:

Тhe original Wildfire played a significant part in bringing HTC and Android to the masses. More affordable than its higher specced siblings, like the HTC Desire, it was nevertheless endowed with HTC's trademark build quality and Sense UI. In our review, the handset got an overall thumbs up, with room for improvements, most notably with respect to the screen. Hopefully, with the HTC Wildfire S, HTC have managed to put the hot back into this Wildfire.

Twitter users can "Tap to Follow" with NFC devices...in Japan

NTT DoCoMo, the largest wireless carrier in Japan, has reached an agreement with Twitter to integrate Twitter with their products. The most exciting feature of that partnership is the ability to "Tap to Follow". By bumping NTT DoCoMo devices with NFC capability, users can quickly follow one another.

In addition to NFC integration, Twitter will also be added to the default portals on both feature phones and smartphones. By some time in summer, DoCoMo's "i-mode" portal on feature phones will include real-time Tweets. And the "docomo market" portal for smartphones will receive such integration later this year, or in early 2012.

Twitter has roughly 17.57 million users in Japan, and 25% of all global tweets come from Japan. So it's no surprise that such carrier-Twitter integration would begin in Japan. We in the U.S. are looking forward to the increased presence of NFC, and the eventual implementation of such services with all of our favorite social networking applications.

source: FierceMobileContent via ReadWriteWeb

Samsung DROID Charge launches tomorrow at Verizon

While Friday the 13th is considered to be an unlucky day for the superstitious, Saturday the 14th looks to be a great day for Verizon customers. Verizon has officially announced that it's second 4G enabled device will be launched tomorrow after a brief delay of about a week and a half.

To refresh your memory, the Samsung DROID Charge offers a 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus display with resolution of 480 X 800 pixels. Under the hood is a 1GHz single-core Hummingbird processor powering the device, which will be loaded with Android 2.2. The camera on back is 8MP with a 1.3MP front facing camera. The model is priced at $299.99 with a signed 2-year contract.

Verizon customers finally have another 4G enabled handset to go along with the HTC ThunderBolt. Just remember though, ig you are looking for some dual-core processing action, you will still have to wait until May 26th when Big Red releases the Motorola DROID X2, as we reported earlier.

source: Verizon

Apple iPhone continues to be the smartphone of choice for enterprise users

A new survey released this week by Intermedia found that of all the ActiveSync-based smartphones in the enterprise, the leader with 61% of the market is the Apple iPhone. With 17% of the enterprise market, the Android OS is next followed by a conglomeration of Windows Phone 7, Symbian and webOS. All of those are lumped together into a category labels as "other" which controls 22% of the market.

As recently as last month, the Apple iPhone had 64% of new ActiveSync activations while Android devices started picking up momentum with a 33% share.

The tablet market is even more concentrated with the Apple iPad holding a 99.8% share of enterprise users among tablets with ActiveSync functionality. Intermedia said it has seen a huge jump in iPad usage for enterprise in March and April.

Apple's mobile products continue to gain acceptance in the boardroom. During its last earnings call, the Cupertino based firm said that 88% of the Fortune 500 (that is 440 companies) are testing or using the iPhone while 75% are using the iPad. Apple COO Tim Cook has said that as more companies start making iOS devices available to its employees to use, they start buying Macs for the corporation.

source: Intermedia, AppleInsider

The Apple iPhone is the ActiveSync enabled smartphone of choice in the enterprise world with 61% of the market

The Apple iPad dominates in the enterpise space

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 may be coming to Verizon with LTE on board

How many tablets with 4G connectivity does Verizon currently offer? Not many, right? Well, it is quite possible for Big Red to announce a tablet packing a speedy LTE radio very soon, and chances are that this device is going to be no other than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Thanks to some leaked information coming straight from Verizon's product database, we have a reason to believe that a Samsung-made tablet with a SCH-I905 model number is on its way to landing on Big Red's shelves with support for LTE connectivity. Judging by the screenshots below, the device will run Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which makes the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and even the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, very suitable matches to this description. It is also nice to point out that the said tablet will come in two colors – black or white, coinciding with the rumors that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 may get a white outfit as well.

That is about all the conclusions we can make by having these pictures only, but it is quite possible for further news to break out on May 24 when a Samsung media event will be hosted in New York. Until then, feel free to take a look at our hands-on of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and see if you can decide whether that might be your tablet of choice.

source: Droid Life via Electronista