Review of Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman

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

Introduction:

The Walkman revolutionized the way people listened to music when it came out in the late 70's. For the first time, people could easily enjoy their favorite tunes on the go thanks to a portable battery powered gizmo. Now that Walkman Personal Stereos are way past their time, the brand name lives only in the form of digital media players and an aging line of cell phones built by Sony Ericsson.

The Sony Ericsson W8 is an attempt to revive the Walkman brand and bring it to the world of modern smartphones with the help of Android – its rather outdated 2.1 Eclair version, to be exact. Built by using the Xperia X8 as a template, the W8 promises to deliver outstanding audio performance while being an affordable entry-level Android device at the same time. At a glance, the handset grabs the attention with its brightly colored back panel and its easy to use interface, but will it leave a good impression in our minds once we are done playing with it? Lets take a closer look and find out for ourselves.

LG Revolution vs HTC ThunderBolt

Introduction:

During our last Verizon 4G LTE smartphone comparison we looked at the Samsung Droid Charge vs the HTC ThunderBolt, but this time around we’re going to compare some of the similarities and differences between the HTC ThunderBolt and the recently released LG Revolution. Both have a lot to offer customers, include a fast 1GHz processor, large display, and of course 4G data speeds.

Review of HTC Salsa

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

Introduction:

Salsa is your friend. You put it on nachos; you do it on the dance floor. The word conjures up images of socializing, music and fun times. We're guessing that's why Salsa is the name of HTC's latest social media, and more specifically, Facebook phone. With more explicit Facebook integration than most, the HTC Salsa, along with its sibling, the HTC ChaCha, carries a physical Facebook button to tie whatever's going on in your hand to the world of Facebook. Sitting between the HTC Wildfire S and the HTC Desire S, is the Facebook button enough to make us want some Salsa on our social networking or would we be better off ignoring this friend request and going for a more established model?

American Airlines offering Galaxy Tab 10.1 to first class passengers

It seems that as far as American Airlines is concerned, the huge seats, canyons of leg room, drinks, hot towels and curtain divider just isn't enough to let common passengers know that first class passengers are flat out better humans. Now, American Airlines wants to up the ante by offering first class passengers use of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 while they're flying in luxury. This isn't the first time tablets have infiltrated air travel. Not surprisingly the iPad has made a couple cameos before, namely with Qantas, but this is a first for an American airline. This move just pushes forward a growing trend, and lets Android fans get jealous. 

On Monday, American Airlines announced that it plans to have 6,000 Galaxy Tabs offered on some transcontinental and international flights. Availability will depend on the route and model of aircraft you are flying. The tablets will be offered on transcontinental trips on Boeing 767-200 and 767-300 aircrafts flying between New York's JFK airport and Los Angeles, JFK and San Francisco and Miami and Los Angeles, as well as Boeing 757s flying between Boston and Los Angeles. International travelers will find the device on 767-300 aircrafts flying to and from Europe and South America.

As a small consolation, first class passengers won't get everything for free. WiFi internet access will cost extra. 

source: Engadget

Steve Jobs becomes a comic book hero in August

He might not be faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, but Apple CEO Steve Jobs gives a heck of a keynote speech and is a whiz at introducing new devices to the public. The executive is about to star in his own comic book called "Steve Jobs: Co-founder of Apple". And while he doesn't have a sidekick like Batman's Robin, he does have a partner in the somewhat erratic Steve Wosniak. And while there is no villain as elusive as the Joker, or a death stone like Kryptonite, there is John Sculley.

According to Darren Davis, president of publisher Bluewater Productions, Jobs' story is mythical enough for a comic book hero. "His innovations command front page news, speculation of his health affects the stock market. Not bad for a college dropout," Davis said. CW Cooke, writer of the comic, chimed in by saying that it would be hard to find someone who has influenced the way we do business, interact and communicate as much as Steve Jobs has.

The 32 page comic book was drawn by Chris Schmidt, with cover art by DC artist Joe Phillips. It will be available in August at a price of $3.99 from comic book stores and bookstores. It can also be purchased online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Borders. The publisher has had prior success in this line of work with a 48 page comic on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerbook that is being made into a graphic novel that will sell for $10.99.

source: PCMag

Apple says Samsung is harassing it with the demands to see the next iPhone and iPad 3

Referring to Samsung as "the copyist" in documents filed regarding the Apple-Samsung legal scuffle, Cupertino is asking the courts to deny the Koreans' request to examine the next iPhone and the iPad 3.

Apple has been granted the privileges to review the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 so as to see if they don't infringe on any design and other patents it is holding. Samsung's request to see the next versions of the iPhone and iPad was quite a stretch, considering that its flasghip smartphone and tablet are already on the market, where they can be accessed by anybody, whereas Apple's new hotness is still in stealth mode. 

The court is expected to announce a decision regarding Samsung's request this week or the next at the latest, since it will look at the motion on Friday, when Samsung also has to give the requested gear to Apple. It would be surprising if Samsung gets the permission, but Apple doesn't want to take any chances, and is asking the following in its filing:

"Samsung’s Motion to Compel is an improper attempt to harass Apple by demanding production of extremely sensitive trade secrets that have no relevance to Apple’s likelihood of success on its infringement claims or to a preliminary injunction motion. Apple made a compelling showing in its motion to expedite discovery that Apple needs samples of products that Samsung has already announced, distributed, and described, so that Apple can evaluate whether to file a preliminary injunction motion against those products, which look strikingly similar to the distinctive trade dress of Apple’s current products. Samsung has made no such showing about Apple’s future products. Therefore, Samsung’s Motion to Compel should be denied."

We love the harassment part of the above statement, and can't wait for the legal tussle between these two to start producing some more gems for us pure spectators. The Nokia-Apple feud is already in the history books, for lawyers' regret.

source: FOSSPatents via AppleInsider

HTC Sense UI for tablets Walkthrough

Introduction:

Taking pride in producing a myriad of memorable looking smartphones and continuing to set the bar high for itself, there’s no kidding that HTC’s brand recognition is esteemed highly throughout the industry. Some would tend to agree that they’re regarded as being a top-notch manufacturer in producing beautiful looking handsets, while others argue that they’re actually making more waves with their customized mobile experiences. From their humble beginnings with their TouchFLO interface running on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 to their latest Sense UI iteration, we’ve witnessed the evolution of their recognizable interface, but now it seems to come around full circle with their tablet experience on the HTC Flyer. With that in mind, let’s place our attention on how HTC attacks the new product medium with its Sense UI for tablets.

HP might launch webOS cloud-based music service, compete with iCloud

HP's webOS packs a lot of unique features starting with a card-based multitasking system and instant communication between devices, but HP might also be developing its own cloud-based music service to compete with rival offerings like Apple's iCloud and Google's Music. HP is said to have already engaged in talks with various studios, but it's the four major labels that it has to lure in order to get the scale needed for such a service. 

Even Google and Amazon have failed at this, so how could HP succeed? The rumor actually claims that HP has already been actively negotiating for a while and sources within labels confirm this. But while the main focus of the service is to be music, it might also encompass movie and TV shows. The upcoming HP TouchPad has been touted to come with a solution to synchronize your music with the cloud.

Is that a full ecosystem that HP is trying to build? The company aims high with its ambitions, but it might have actually been premature about a music service on the TouchPad.  Music industry sources warn about the talks being in the early stages and even HP not having established the exact parameters of the future cloud-based music storage.

Earlier, an HP spokesperson mentioned in a statement to music-centric website Billboard: "In March, HP announced that it plans to offer an expanded portfolio of cloud services for enterprises and consumers. … HP sees cloud computing lying at the heart of a connected world." To underline its music affiliations, HP has shot a commercial promoting music with gorgeous Alicia Keys. Finally, the HP TouchPad is coming with Beats Audio, but while you wait for all that to get release, why don't you check out the commercial below and get in tune with the future.

source: Reuters

RIM books the HTC Sense creators YOU i Labs for work on BlackBerry OS

RIM is firmly on the prowl for fellow Canadian companies to help it transition into the world of expensive smartphones from the world of, well, expensive smartphones.

After nabbing the stable QNX for its basic OS needs and booking Teknision to work on the PlayBook UI, now it is looking to score some creativity from Ontario-based YOU i Labs, the guys behind the early days of HTC's Sense UI. The only exclusion from that trend is TAT (The Astonishing Tribe), which RIM acquired for UI development duties as well, who happen to be from Sweden.

YOU i Labs (even the name is inventive) is a user interface design company, which will now help develop the next BlackBerry OS looks, in a "significant partnership" with RIM, which has stopped just short of buying YOU i Labs. Have a look at a conference video from the interface designers that reveals their dreams and aspirations, and might hint at what's in store for the future editions of RIM's mobile OS.

source: GigaOM

Samsung Ch@t 222 is a dual-SIM capable messaging phone

With the Samsung Ch@t 222 GT-E2222, it might not necessarily look any different from previous Ch@t branded devices we’ve scoped out in the past, but this latest model is indeed packing something useful under the hood that separates it from previous incarnations.

Specifically, the Samsung Ch@t 222 is a dual-SIM equipped messaging oriented phone – meaning, you can pop in two different SIMs inside of it simultaneously. Obviously, it’s especially useful for those individuals who don’t want to carry around two separate phones. Not a powerhouse by any means, the Ch@t 222 features a 2.2” display with a paltry resolution of 222 x 176, VGA camera, video recording, portrait style QWERTY keyboard, DNSe sound, FM radio, microSD card slot, 12 hours of talk time, and a 1,000 mAh battery.

If you don’t want to be bothered with the complexities of a BlackBerry smartphone, then the Samsung Ch@t 222 is a reasonable solution that emulates the classic BlackBerry form. It’s expected for Samsung to officially introduce it very soon, but as of right now, there is no word regarding availability and pricing – though, we’d imagine this one to be affordably priced.

via Samsung Hub

T-Mobile G2 Gingerbread update is teased again by HTC

We recently reported that not only was the T-Mobile G2 about ready to be declared EOL (the handset equivalent of being DOA), but some owners of the carrier's first 4G handset had received replacement models loaded up with Android 2.3.3. Obviously, that would seem to indicate that the handset's long awaited Gingerbread update is imminent.

Adding fuel to the fire, a newsletter sent out yesterday includes a notice from HTC that the T-Mobile G2 is about to receive an OTA update with Android 2.3 and a few enhancements as well. The download should refine the UI to make it quicker and easier to use. Text input will be faster and more intuitive following the update which will also bring one-touch word selection and copy/paste to the G2. Battery life should be improved thanks to the changes in power management that come with the update,along with an easier way to manage apps on the phone. And the software update will bring a 3G/4G vs. H signal indicator.

Hopefully this update comes as quickly as it would appear its coming. T-Mobile's first 4G enabled device should have a special place in the carrier's heart and having this handset upgraded to Gingerbread before completely covering it with dirt would only be fitting.

source: TmoNews

About to be EOL, the T-Mobile G2 should soon receive its Gingerbread update

Latest rumor: iPhone 5 to come in September

Folks, we've witnessed a lot of rumors regarding the eventual release date for the next iPhone, many of which being somewhat groundless... and here's another one! According to an anonymous 9to5Mac source, who is said to have been “previously accurate” when it comes to Apple rumors, the iPhone 5 (or  4S, or whatever Apple decides to call it) has entered its final testing stage, and is to be launched in September (along with the new BMW 1-series, but that probably doesn't bother you much).

Additionally, it is reported that Apple and Verizon are yet to sign the deal that will allow FaceTime to work over the carrier's 3G network. We are unsure if this means that the deal with AT&T has been signed; the source doesn't specify. Finally, it seems some problems with iOS 5's OTA update capabilities through Verizon haven't been sorted out yet, so the presence of that feature on Big Red's next iPhone model is still under question.

Now is probably a good time to remember that famous quote: “Don't shoot the messenger!”

source: 9to5Mac

Tweet claims that Motorola will change its policy on unlocked bootloaders as soon as Q3

About 5 months ago, a Twitter user by the name of Irwin Proud started a petition aimed at getting Motorola to unlock the bootloader on its devices. The 10,000 signatures collected by Mr. Proud was enough for Motorola to say that they "would look into it." Since then, we have heard nothing from Motorola-until now after Irwin spoke with the company on the phone.

Irwin Proud says that Motorola will be issuing an update to unlock bootloaders as early as Q3

After speaking  with Christy Wyatt, Vice President of Mobile Software for Motorola Mobility, it appears that the manufacturer is singing a new tune. Ms. Wyatt told Mr. Proud that Motorola is serious about listening to what everyone appears to want and has been working on a software update that will produce an unlockable/relockable bootloader on Motorola devices. The update is expected to be pushed out in the third or fourth quarter of this year. The company will be able to do this by building all of its Android devices from the same unlocked source code. Ms. Wyatt added that the company wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't so good at security.

The reason for the delay since Mr. Proud started his campaign all those months ago had to do with how each carrier had to make sure that the update would not only work, but also be safe and secure for customers. So which of Motorola's handsets will have its bootloader unlocked? Motorola says they have received positive feedback on the unlockable/relockable bootloader on the Motorola XOOM tablet and as a result, feels confident that each one of the company's future devices that gets an update in the future will also be getting its bootloader unlocked at the same time. In other words, any Motorola device expected to get an update in the second half of this year should end up with an unlocked bootloader. See, you can fight City Hall.

source: AusDroid via Phandroid

Blake Griffin scores a video preview of the Vizio Tablet

When it rains it pours - first we don't hear anything for six months on Vizio's Android tablet and smartphone that it announced way back in January at CES 2011, then recently the Vizio Tablet passed through FCC and appeared for $349 in Walmart's inventory.

Now we have Blake Griffin, of all people, casually transforming himself from the NBA Rookie of the Year to a tech blogger, previewing the VIA Plus ecosystem that makes Vizio's Android gear talk with your HDTVs of the brand.

To dispel this mystery Blake tweeted that Vizio has hooked him up with a TV for his new stomping grounds, and threw in a Vizio Tablet to check out. The LA Clippers' power forward got shown the VIA Plus ecosystem by a Vizio guy named Carlos whose talk about a "unified experience" was somewhat of a buzzkill, but he did show that you can flick pictures between your Vizio TV, tablet and smartphone, or control the entertainment system with the tablet's IR blaster.

We bet the "Wow, that's pretty sweet!" phrase alone has earned Blake the 3D 65" HDTV that Vizio hooked up in his place for free.

source: Twitter via Engadget

Amazon Hollywood tablet to come with Prime video streaming?

The Amazon Hollywood 10-inch tablet is nothing but a rumor so far, but analysts from Detwiler Fenton claim that it will not only launch soon, but that it will also feature the instant video streaming service coming with Amazon Prime. This would certainly go well with the Hollywood codename of the tablet, which will be sold with a “promotional video service offering,” an LCD display and “more robust applications process” in comparison to the one on the rumored 7-inch color Kindle, going under the “Coyote” moniker.

Even at this stage, the analysts are ready with a price prediction claiming that the Amazon Hollywood will set you back $399, while the smaller Coyote will cost you $349. The Coyote is rumored to run on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 chip, while the Hollywood might be one of the first to feature NVIDIA's upcoming quad-core Kal-El chipset. But even with those predictions, the analysts find it hard to specify the exact type of devices that Amazon will roll out. They don't rule out the possibility of a full-fledged tablet, but both could also turn out to be color e-readers or some kind of crossover products.

Amazon already has a cloud-based music service, Cloud Locker, in the works, and it's Amazon Appstore manages to stay relevant by being able to nail some exclusive titles. With those services, we might have a very appealing duo in the tablet world later in the year, but it's your expectations that really count, so feel free to voice them in the comments below.

source: Detwiler Fenton via BGR

HP may launch NFC devices on webOS later this year

The buzz around NFC is getting stronger and stronger. After Google announced its upcoming Wallet service, which has arguably been the greatest catalyst for NFC-related talk recently, we now hear that another big-time player is considering adding NFC capabilities to its gadgets.

According to Boomberg's unnamed sources, HP is actively working on getting some near-field communications love into its upcoming phones and tablets, running (Palm's) webOS platform. However, it looks like HP might not stop at just incorporating an NFC chip, but creating a whole ecosystem of its own. It is said that customers will be able to use the technology in order to pay for goods, as well as receive coupons and royalty points by placing their handsets near the designated objects (terminals, special posters, etc.), similarly to Google Wallet.

The rumor states that we may see HP's first NFC-enabled devices by the end of the year. As most are probably aware though, the company's first webOS tablet – the HP TouchPad, which is expected to launch on July 1 in the U.S. - will not sport an NFC chip inside. Oh well, having to wave your 10-inch tablet in front of a payment terminal probably wouldn't have been the most comfortable thing to do anyway.

source: Bloomberg via BGR

Huawei MediaPad can make you drip condiments on cute girls, that's what the ad says

The Huawei MediaPad Android tablet will be announced June 20th, according to the countdown clock on the company's Facebook page. Also according to the picture on the page, it seems to be a 7"+ slate running Honeycomb - for the simple fact that there are no 7-inchers running Honeycomb yet, plus we have the Huawei IDEOS S7 already.

The back of the tab is in two tones - light and dark - while the front sports a black bezel. There is a rear camera of unknown resolution and obviously a headphone jack plus a few ports... that's all we can get about the tablet. Huawei is claiming it is "guaranteed to transform your entertainment experience" and, on Twitter, that the Mediapad is "HuaweiDevice's smartest, smallest and lightest tablet ever".

The fun part, however, starts with the first commercial for the Huawei MediaPad. We won't be spoiling the joy of watching this one, but just say that it involves a cute girl and a staple in the American diet going rogue. The marketing department evidently has been at the Computex 2011 expo while this video has been designed by the interns left in the office. 

We'll have to wait on June 20th for more details about the Huawei MediaPad itself, but its first commercial has every chance to become a viral hit.

source: Huawei via TheInquirer

Ricky Gervais spills his soul on technology: “I love anything with ‘i’ at the start of it”

Ricky Gervais is not your usual tech insider, but if his experience at the British edition of The Office counts, he should know something about technology. Not much, but something, as he himself notes: “In one respect I have to call an assistant to turn the telly on, but in another I’m a gadget guru. I just love them, and I fit into the 80/20 thing, namely that I’m one of the 80% who uses only 20% of what an iPod, iMac, iPad, iPhone is for.”

The excerpt comes from an interview Gervais gave for British tech blog Electric Pig. Actually, the comedian managed to completely ignore Android and pretty much fit in the role of an Apple fanboy: “I love anything with ‘i’ at the start of it – the iPod, the iMac, the iPad. And when you get to the iPhone – that’s just an incredible work of art.”

No wonder about his opinion - Ricky Gervais has enjoyed 216 millions downloads of his iTunes podcast which he says he records in a room with three old mics and some foam. “I don’t think it will be long before someone makes the first movie shot on an iPhone,” he added.

But finally it's technology in general that never ceases to amaze the comedian who confesses to “have a pile of iMacs that resembles a computer graveyard.” He sums it all up in just a couple of words: “I don’t know how we lived before the mobile phone. … How did we ever plan anything?” But do we even remember those times? Feel free to share the way you feel phones have changed your life in the comments below.

source: ElectricPig

Video shows how to take apart your HTC ThunderBolt in time of need

Suppose the screen on your uninsured HTC ThunderBolt was damaged and your warranty had expired. Completely out of options, you might try to disassemble the device and replace the screen yourself. To do that requires that you follow the steps in the video below, which was produced by the pros at DirectFix.com. The video shows how you can take your phone apart to replace the display or to repair just about any defective part.

The reason why you need to be out of options before starting a do-it-yourself repair job is that opening up your HTC ThunderBolt will void the warranty on the LTE enabled smartphone. As long as you have the warranty in effect, or even if Verizon will exchange your broken handset for a CLNR model, there is no reason to attempt this.

Since the warranty on the HTC ThunderBolt still has some months to go, why not file this video somewhere where you can access it if the situation ever arises. And again, opening up your device should only be done as a last ditch effort.

source: YouTube (DirectFix) via AndroidandMe

U.S. Cellular nabs its first Windows Phone 7 handset today, the HTC 7 Pro, for $199

The Chicago-based U.S. Cellular's six million subscribers will have access to their first Windows Phone 7 handset, starting today. The sixth largest US carrier has chosen the HTC 7 Pro for that honor, and is selling it for $199 with a data plan.

This price is after a $100 mail-in rebate that comes as a Visa debit card. To get the phone you will have to sign up for "a Belief Plan w/ Data Plus and/or new 2-year agreement. Applicable data plan required.", according to the carrier's website.

The HTC 7 Pro is the GSM version of the HTC Arrive that Sprint is already selling. It features a 3.6" LCD display with 480x800 pixels, a physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 5MP camera on the back with LED flash, and the sleek interface of Windows Phone 7.

source: U.S.Cellular

It's official: Apple is now selling an unlocked GSM iPhone 4, prices start from $649

An unlocked iPhone 4 officially going on sale at Apple in the US? Might have sounded like just a rumor yesterday, but today that's already a reality. Apple has launched sales of an unlocked GSM version of the iPhone 4 at its online store. The phone comes in both black and white with the price for a 16 gig model set at $649, while the 32GB version will set you back $749. The handset is a quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) device with support for WCDMA 850, 900, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands. This means that it would work on some 3G networks in Europe and Asia, but since it doesn't support T-Mobile's 1700 MHz WCDMA bands, it won't support T-Mo's 3G network.

If you opt for the white iPhone 4, though, be prepared to wait a bit more as it shows as shipping within 3-5 business days, slower than the 1-3 business days it takes a black iPhone 4 to ship. You shouldn't forget that the iPhone 4 requires a micro-SIM card, so – as Apple warns you – you should get one from any supported GSM carrier across the world. From there on the setup is pretty straightforward - you just have to register on iTunes and you're good to go.

Finally, in case you still want to use it with AT&T, but without the ties of a 2-year agreement, some simple calculations shows that you'd be better off getting the locked iPhone 4 which runs at $199 for the 16GB version. Even if you pay the full $325 early termination fee, you end up paying a total of $524, much less than the $649 Apple charges for the unlocked version of their handset.

source: Apple

Windows Phone Team demos new Skydrive in Mango, soothes your iCloud envy

The announcement of iCloud by Apple just mere days ago at WWDC brought the focus back to the cloud, prompting companies like Microsoft to show off their progress and even claim that Apple has copied some of the features from its platform. As young as the Windows Phone platform is, along with it you can already make use of 25GB of free cloud storage at SkyDrive, which you can access from any device, not just your mobile phone, but also a Windows PC or even a Mac. With the Mango update coming this fall, Redmond has made that cloud integration in their platform even deeper.

First off, you'll be able to attach your SkyDrive photos to messages to emails, IMs or even texts, much like iMessage. Secondly, with Mango you'll also get the opportunity to share videos to SkyDrive. 

But while Microsoft has a traditionally strong offering in the office segment, up until now cloud-based storage of documents was a no-go. The cloud storage only supported OneNote notes, but this will change in Mango with the added ability to browse documents from the free SkyDrive. If you happen to have a lot of documents, you can search them or see what other have shared. Check out the videos below for a first peek at the new features and don't hesitate to share your initial impressions.

source: Windows Team Blog via WPCentral

Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 with Windows 8 coming down the pipe

In its marketing materials at the recent Computex 2011 expo, Asus has slipped some words about its 2012 plans, and it looks that the Eee Pad Transformer 2 will receive a Windows 8 version as well, together with an updated Android one.

Microsoft demoed Windows 8 recently, which is supposed to run on everything from the smallest tablet to the large server, and adapt its interface accordingly. For tablets we have Live Tile-based interface, similar to what current Windows Phone 7 handsets sport, just with larger tiles, displaying app information in real-time. 

Windows 8 should also sport its own application store, instant boot times, and will be able to run on the dual-core Tegra 2 chipset that is in the Eee Pad Transformer.

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer 2 will supposedly be thinner and lighter than the current one, but will again sport the iconic keyboard dock, and is rumored to keep its decent price, while the current model becomes cheaper. Too bad we will have to wait until 2012 when Windows 8 hits in its full touchy-feely glory, but we have the sneaking suspicion that there will be a lot of Windows 8 gear as early as CES 2012 to feast our eyes and hands on.

source: NotebookItalia (translated) via Liliputing

Nokia N8 to get a customized Symbian Anna, bringing continuous autofocus and 30fps HD video capture

Nokia's camera guru Damian Dinning said that they've been integrating the ability to shoot videos with 30fps and in continuous autofocus mode in the coding of Symbian Anna specifically for the 12MP shooter in the Nokia N8.

These features have been unofficially available as hacks for the N8, and the continuous autofocus, which allows you to point the camera near and far in the same video without losing focus, has been available in the CameraPro app in Ovi Store. Damian Dinning, however, said that they wanted to do these right, squeezing every bit of possibility out of the already excellent camera sensor on the Nokia N8. 

The funny fact is that the Finns obviously needed the code in the next version of Symbian - Anna - for these official upgrades of the 12MP camera capabilities. Thus, when the Symbian Anna update hits, it will bring not only eye candy, which you can see in the embedded long video demo below, but also additional functionalities to the Nokia N8. Nokia is on a roll today, and this news is certainly going to make some Nokia N8 owners happy.

source: MyNokiaBlog via GottabeMobile

Fooducate for Android Review

Introduction:

Excessive sugar? Tricky trans fats? Tons of additives and preservatives? All important information seems to remain outside the product labels. But now there's an Android app for that – Fooducate. Picking up the right food in a supermarket is an art by itself, but what's important is how healthy your food choice is. Fooducate covers 200,000 unique products with their UPC barcodes and gives you the most important highlights in a nutshell including the ones that manufacturers don't want you to see. It's the sugar and fats information that we mentioned, but also warnings about high fructose corn syrup included, food colorings that might affect your health and more.

Apple and Nokia settle for an undisclosed amount

Apple is now in the clear regarding Nokia's patent lawsuits, since it just settled for a one time lump sum, as well as ongoing royalties for some of the mobile phone patents that Nokia is holding, for the term of the agreement. 

Nokia’s demands ranged from touch user interfaces, through multitasking, data syncing, signal noise suppression, positioning and on-device application stores, for all of which it held patents before Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007.

Nokia has maintained a huge R&D department for two decades now, spending on it about $3 billion a year on average for that period. The Finns have filed for and been granted more than 10 000 patent families, so this is a win for Apple as well, since it's hard not to infringe on such a broad array, if you are in the mobile business. Now it's time for Google to hurry up with the bidding for Nortel's patents. 

The juiciest part of the deal - the cash amount, as well as the royalties settlement - remain "confidential", but Nokia just issued a press release that both parties have withdrawn their counterclaims with the International Trade Commission (ITC):

"We are very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees. This settlement demonstrates Nokia's industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market.", clarified Nokia's CEO Stephen Elop.

This sentence in the press release is a head-scratcher: "This agreement is expected to have a positive financial impact on Nokia's recently revised outlook for the second quarter 2011 of around break-even non-IFRS operating margin for Devices & Services."

Why issue a dire profit warning, sending your share price in the doldrums when you know that your stock will receive a nice little boost in just two weeks from settling a huge patent litigation case with a cash-rich company like Apple? After all, the Finns knew this was coming when the ITC sided with Nokia against Apple in April. We should know more next month when Nokia releases its quarterly, but Nokia's share price will probably do well today. Now who bought call options betting on a turnaround in the last two weeks?

source: Nokia