HTC and Motorola to launch iPad competitors

The tablet wars have finally arrived in India with the impeding launches of the HTC Flyer and Motorola Xoom later this month. There are no price specifications or exact launch dates yet.

All this comes after BlackBerry maker RIM announced that it will be bringing the BlackBerry PlayBook to India later this month.

For those who don't know the HTC Flyer, it is a 7-inch tablet powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system and will come equipped with a Qualcomm 1.5Ghz processor with 1 Gb of RAM. The main USP of the flyer will be its stylus, which aims to provide a unique experience.

HTC to launch Flyer to India

The competition is heating up for 'tablets' in India, with Taiwanese handset maker now bringing its 'Flyer' to India in the next few weeks. "HTC Flyer will be launched shortly, in the next couple of weeks," HTC Corporation President (South Asia) Lennard Hoornik said.

HTC Flyer's competitors in India include Samsung's Galaxy Tab, Blackberry Playbook, Motorola Xoom and the Apple iPad. The seven-inch touch screen tablet has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has 1GB of RAM and an in-built memory of 16GB and a 5 megapixel camera. Though the company declined to comment on the pricing, it maintained that it would be "competitive with other devices".
    

Young Pakistanis blog, tweet to push for change

Meet Pakistan's "Teeth Maestro," a dentist who uses his blog to get to the root of the country's many pains. One day it might be trigger-happy soldiers. Another day it's corrupt bureaucrats. Sometimes, it's U.S. meddling.

The Teeth Maestro is among a growing group of bloggers, tweeters and others using the Web to influence Pakistani society and government.

These activists are providing a more nuanced perspective than Pakistan's mainstream media, where right-wing TV talk shows tend to dominate the national discussion.

Citigroup says 218,000 affected by hackers

Hackers stole information for 360,000 Citigroup Inc. U.S. credit card accounts in a recent data breach, although the actual number of customers affected was not much higher than originally reported, the bank said Wednesday.

Citi said last week that about 1 percent of its credit card customers had account information hacked online but did not say exactly how many. The actual number of customers affected was thought to be about 210,000, based on Citi's 2010 annual report, which said the company had roughly 21 million North American credit card customers.

APNewsBreak: Assange says WikiLeaks work hamperedentr

After six months under virtual house arrest, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange acknowledged Thursday that his detention is hampering the work of the secret-spilling site. His supporters accused Britain of subjecting him to "excessive and dehumanizing" treatment.

The 39-year-old Australian is living at a supporter's rural estate as he fights extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over claims of rape and sexual molestation made by two women.

Assange's bail conditions require him to observe an overnight curfew, wear an electronic tag and report to police daily.

Yahoo! helps find smartphone apps

Yahoo! has begun helping people navigate the sea of applications available for Apple iPhones or mobile gadgets powered by Google-backed Android software.

App Search for personal computers and a free AppSpot program for smartphones were crafted to help people find what they seek at Apple's online App Store or the Android Market.

"Together, they take the guesswork out of finding apps that fit your life," Yahoo! said in a blog post.

"App Search and AppSpot allow you to zero in on any app by showing matching app titles with a full comprehensive description, price, overall star rating from users and screenshots in one spot."

The App Store boasts more than 425,000 of the mini-programs for Apple gadgets, while the Android Market was reported to have about 200,000 and growing.

Sony's Music Unlimited comes to Android

ony has released an app making its Music Unlimited online streaming available on smartphones running Google's Android system, amid growing competition from Amazon and Apple in cloud-based services.

Sony's digital cloud-based music service, which launched in December and is available in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, allows users to stream millions of songs to Sony devices but previously lacked mobile access.

Sony last week said it would restore all Qriocity online music and video distribution services everywhere except Japan after shutting it and the PlayStation Network down in April after hackers compromised personal data from 100 million accounts.

German hackers convicted of stealing Lady Gaga songs

Two young hackers were convicted in Germany Thursday of stealing new songs from stars such as Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey and offering them for sale on the Internet, a court said.

The local court in the western city of Duisburg found the defendants, aged 18 and 23, guilty of dozens of counts of violating copyrights and hacking confidential data, a spokesman said. Their names were not released.

The teenager was handed an 18-month sentence at a young offenders' institute while the older defendant received an 18-month suspended sentence.

With $70 billion in the till after the end of this quarter, Apple could buy many of its competitors

With companies like RIM and Nokia having problems, both firms have been listed as potential takeover candidates for Samsung or Microsoft, two of the more well-heeled firms in the handset business. RIM's shares, in fact, fell to a 52 week low of $27.08 on Friday, down 21% on the day after reporting lower than expected Q1 earnings and cutting estimates for the second quarter and the year. In fact, the rumor mill has been full of possible deals like Microsoft buying Nokia or Samsung buying RIM. Right now, there are no strong signals that any these deals are seriously being considered.

One interesting, but highly unlikely scenario, involves Apple. The iPhone manufacturer is expected to have a treasure chest of $70 billion in cash at the end of the current quarter according to Horace Deidu, an analyst with Asymco. Even without using its high priced stock for currency, Apple can take its $70 billion war chest and buy up the manufacturers of 75% of the handsets in the cell phone industry.Even more amazing, take out Samsung and Apple could buy the remainder of the entire industry for cash!

While the Federal Trade Commission would never agree to approve such a transaction, if Apple were to pay the enterprise value for RIM ($13.8 billion), Nokia ($22.6 billion), HTC ($25.4 billion) and Motorola Mobility ($4.2 billion), it would cost them $66 billion-less than the amount of cash Apple will shortly have on hand. In real life, of course, one would have to offer a premium price to the shareholders in order to buy them out. That is where Apple's high priced stock would come in handy. A combination of stock and cash would be more than enough to get a deal done. But alas, it is just a pipe dream because of anti-trust laws.

Still, Apple would probably be able to get approval to purchase one of its rivals excluding Microsoft. Would you like to see them go for an Android manufacturer like HTC or Motorola, or aim for RIM? Apple has been able to amass this cash hoard because of the incredible profitability of the iPhone. With just 4% of the worldwide handset market, Apple brings in more than half of the industry's profits. Could you imagine the pile of cash Apple would have available to tap if it increased its market share just a little? 

At the end of this quarter, Apple will have enough cash to pay the enterprise value of the manufacturers of 75% of cell phones in the industry

source: Asymco via AppleInsider

Sharp Aquos SHI12 visits the FCC with 3D features in tow

It looks like one of Sharp's Aquos 3D handsets is going to be traveling to the U.S. A model called the CDMA SHI12 has just visited the FCC. The handset features an 8MP 3D camera in the back, GPS and tri-band CDMA connectivity. This could be the IS12SH that Sharp announced last week for Japan. If so, this device will have a 4.2 inch qHD display and feature Android 2.3 under the hood.

An FCC approval doesn't automatically mean that this model will be launched in the U.S., but if it is, it would make the 3D Android market well covered with the LG Optimus 3D expected to touchdown in the U.S. later this year, and with next week's expected launch at Sprint of the HTC EVO 3D. The beauty of having three different 3D models coming from 3 different manufacturers is that there is bound to be a model that has what you are looking for in a 3D handset. Just remember that the technology is still in its infancy and a few years from now, 3D technology on smartphones is sure to be a lot different and yeah, probably much better.

source: FCC via Engadget

The Sharp Aquos SHI12, with 3D functionality, has two thumbs up from the FCC

Motorola says Gingerbread in oven for Motorola DROID 2 Global, just not completely cooked

Certainly you remember the other day when we reported that the Motorola DROID 2 Global was ready to receive the Gingerbread update? Now, we can imagine the typical owner of the handset sitting in front of a table with the DROID 2 Global sitting on top and the owner pleading with his phone, " Update, please, I know you can do it". But all of the pleading in the world didn't help and every Motorola DROID 2 Global remains stuck at Android 2.2 all because Motorola stepped in and put the kibosh on the Gingerbread update for the model.

According to the Motorola Owner's Forum, Verizon had put forth some misinformation and there is no correct information on when the Motorola DROID 2 Global will be munching away at Gingerbread. So if you do own this device, you can stop staring at the screen and wishing for the new software to appear-it is not going to happen until Motorola says it will. And when they say it is time, we will let you know. Now go and play outside-it's a sunny day.

source: MotorolaOwnersForum via AndroidCentral

Even though Verizon gave a green light to the Gingerbread update for the Motorola DROID 2 Global, Motorola said the update is not ready

Cellular South grabs the HTC 7 Pro as well; priced at $200 with a contract

Apparently, the HTC 7 Pro is increasingly becoming hot stuff mainly because we’re seeing yet another regional carrier nabbing the handset as well.

US Cellular recent brought aboard the HTC 7 Pro, bringing Windows Phone 7 to its customers for the first time, but now Cellular South is doing the same exact thing. Available starting today for the usual on-contract price of $199.99, Cellular South customers now have the prime opportunity of experiencing Microsoft’s ever budding new mobile platform. Conversely, you can also pick it up for the no-contract price of $489.99.

In terms of hardware, it features a 3.6” WVGA touchscreen, 5-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, 720p video capture, and offers the most up-to-date Windows Phone 7 experience out of the box.

source: Business Wire & Cellular South via Phonescoop

Leaked ROMs bring Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread to the Samsung Captivate

Samsung Captivate owners are still probably getting their fill of Froyo with their handsets, but if they remotely have a tinkling of experiencing the most up-to-date Android experience, they can actually install a couple of new ROMs that bring Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread.

If you’re a handset owner curious about them, builds UCKE3 and UCKF1 are now available for download, but before you go ahead installing either of them, just be sure to back things up just in case. So far, some are having success installing them, while others aren’t quite as so lucky since it failed to install properly.

Considering that we’re not hearing about any news regarding an official Gingerbread update for the Samsung Captivate, this might seem like your best option to experience the latest tasty dessert. Still, you’ll want to weigh your options seeing that there is a possibility of bricking your handset during the process.

source: Samfirmware via Samsung Hub

eak displays that the Vizio 8" Tablet is gearing up to launch with Walmart in 6 weeks

Knowing that Walmart has the upcoming Vizio Android powered 8” tablet priced at $349, it’s surely going to attract some attention with its super competitive price point, but the only thing that some people are left wondering at this point, is when we’ll actually see it become available for purchase.

Well, yet another leak from the world’s largest retailer shows us that we can expect to see it sometime around week 26, which essentially places it roughly 6 weeks from now. Smack right close to the middle portion of the summer, it’s surely going to stir some things up, but we’re seriously hoping to see it flaunting that $349 price point come launch day.

Naturally, its pricing is undoubtedly helpful in getting attention amongst the ever-growing crowd of Android tablets out there, but we’d like to hear concretely more about its specs to judge how it’ll stack up against the competition.

via SlashGear

T-Mobile hints that the Samsung Galaxy S 4G will be on sale for free come June 22

Besides the 4G moniker in its name, there isn’t much to visually differentiate the Samsung Galaxy S 4G with the Samsung Vibrant – and even worse, it’s rather difficult to side with it considering its $149.99 on-contract price right now. Naturally, for $50 more, you can seemingly pick up newer devices like the HTC Sensation 4G.

However, T-Mobile hints that the Samsung Galaxy S 4G will be getting one serious price drop next week to really give it a fitting price point. Looking at one recent Twitter post, they mention that the handset will be going on sale for free with a contract on June 22nd. Indeed nice, it’s unknown whether it’s going to be a permanent thing or simply nothing more than a limited time promotion.

Regardless, at free with a contract, there is no denying that it’s worth the price at that point – even if there are other shiner handsets out there. So if you’ve been eying this one and have been holding back on picking it up, then you might want to check out their web site come next Wednesday.

source: T-Mobile via TmoNews

Essentially the Motorola DROID 3, the Milestone XT883 is official in China

Considering the unprecedented amount of leaks we’ve been seeing and hearing about the Motorola DROID 3/Milestone 3 over the last couple of weeks, it seemingly makes you think that an official announcement regarding the handset is imminent. Well, it seems that the case is so today.

In fact, Motorola has officially announced the Motorola Milestone XT883 over in China where it’s aiming to go one sale some time in the third quarter. For those who might be confused, the Milestone name is used in place of the DROID branding used by Verizon Wireless in markets outside of the US. So essentially, the Motorola Milestone XT883 is the Motorola DROID 3 that’s expected to become available with Verizon some time in the near future.

In terms of specs, the Milestone XT883 features a larger 4” qHD display, dual-core processor, 8-megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash, 1080p video capture, front-facing camera, 16GB of internal storage, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.  Gladly, the landscape keyboard has been expanded to a 5-row layout that includes a dedicated row for numbers, which should happily agree with longtime users of previous devices. Moreover, the Milestone XT883 is a world phone that will run on just about any GSM/CDMA network out there.

The Motorola DROID 2 had some hardware improvements under the hood compared to its predecessor, but for the most part, its design scheme remained intact. Again, we’re seeing something similar here, but knowing that it’s jumping up in size with a larger display and beefier hardware specs, we’re certain that this one will once again get some people drooling.

source: Motorola via Phonescoop & Engadget

Custom Android ROMs under malware threat

For quite some time now, the Android platform has been a tempting target for hackers, and the companies, which specialize in fighting them, believe that the attacks are not going to cease soon. Speaking of hackers, Lookout Mobile Security has just identified another piece of malware that users should watch out for, and judging by what it can do, it is definitely something that you don't want hiding inside your device.

The malware, which is only known as jSMSHider, can infiltrate rooted devices and handsets running certain custom ROMs. Reportedly, CyanogenMod users should be fine as long as they are running the custom ROM's latest version. It is nice to know that until now, there have been no reports of the malicious code coming along with any apps distributed through the Android Market, so if you have not downloaded anything from any third-party software marketplaces, you should be fine. Once in control of your device, jSMSHider has full access to your text messages and it can also install other apps without you even noticing. Besides that, the malware can communicate with a remote server meaning that data from your smartphone might end up in someone else's possession.

Fortunately, jSMSHider has not been known to have caused any major damage so far, but considering the narrow field of users that it targets, we doubt that it ever will. Nevertheless, its existence goes to show that you should always be careful when downloading software from any unreliable sources.

source: Lookout Mobile Security via Electronista

HTC EVO View 4G for Sprint hops through the FCC, ready for its June 24th launch

The HTC EVO View 4G tablet, in its PG41200 codename, has passed through the gates of the FCC, ready to be delivered to Sprint's stores come June 24th.

The 7-inch HTC EVO View 4G will carry a $399.99 price with a two-year agreement, and Sprint will throw in the HTC Scribe capacitive stylus, which is sold by other retailers for $79.99, but for a limited time. This $399.99 price of the HTC EVO View 4G carries with it a data plan requirement, starting from $34.99 a month for 3GB of 3G data and unlimited WiMAX traffic. 

The tablet is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, which might get updated to Honeycomb, once Google finishes work on its version for 7-inchers, but you will have Sense UI for tablets, and this cool HTC Scribe technology on the HTC EVO View 4G to ease any interface woes.

source: FCC

Oracle claims billions in damages from Google's use of Java in Android, determined to get them

The lawsuit action between Oracle and Google started last August with Oracle's claims of Google infringing a bunch of Java patents in its Android code, but did you know how big this whole process is? In the latest development of the saga, Oracle states that Google tried to hide “references to the fact that Oracle damages claims in this case are in the billions of dollars.” But does Oracle really stand a chance in getting those billions?

Skipping back to the past some of you might remember that Oracle already won a huge $1.3 billion lawsuit against SAP, so the company definitely has the experience. As Google is trying to keep all details private, Oracle shows confidence:

"Oracle's damage claims are based on accepted methodology and a wealth of concrete evidence," Oracle reportedly said in a filing to a US district court. "They should not be hidden from public view."

So it also has the attitude. And when it comes to the motives, they seem all the more justified after earlier in the year, patent professional Florian Muller confirmed that he has found "the same pattern of direct copying" in Google's Java code. Reportedly, it's the Dalvik virtual machine where Google has repetitively infringed Oracle's patterns.

Google calls the damages inaccurate and inflated, while the whole report has been dubbed "unreliable and results-oriented." "Oracle's 'methodology' for calculating damages is based on fundamental legal errors and improperly inflates their estimates," Google added in a statement for Bloomberg. But it faces a tough battle as Oracle holds thousands of Java-related patterns. Actually, its pattern portfolio increased by 7,000 after the company acquired Sun. In addition, Oracle has a strong legal team including law firms which have won the company $1.3 billions in the SAP lawsuit. How will this end up? Only future will tell, but in the meantime feel free to chime in with your suggestions below.

source: ZDNet and V3

Review of SuperTooth Disco

Introduction and Design:

Let’s be honest here, even the best of smartphones out there are unable to thunderously produce tones to echo throughout a room without sounding shrill or distorted in some way. In fact, some people might have the temptation to simply connect their handsets directly with their centerpiece stereo system, but for those who still want to retain similar tones on the go, then the SuperTooth Disco might be an ideal solution for you. Priced modestly at $100 on the average, not only will this portable Bluetooth speaker wirelessly play music from your handset, but you can pack it along and have it blast tunes elsewhere. Inside the packaging, we find a nifty traveling case, wall charger, and 1/8 mini to 1/8 mini (3.5mm) cable.

RIM's co-CEO team fiddles while company burns

Nero, who reportedly fiddled while Rome burned, had nothing on RIM's co-CEO team of Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. During a conference call yesterday that followed some rather negative announcements from the company, the pair seemed out of touch with reality. The company's stock is set to open this morning at a new 52 week low south of $30, more than a 50% drop from the 52 week high above $70. This is happening because RIM cut expectations of its second quarter and full year profits as we reported. How bad is it? Just a few weeks ago, the company was guiding Wall Street analysts to expect $7.00 a share in earnings for the year. Now, that has been sliced to $5.25-$6.00. Clearly, some key people at RIM are out of touch.

But being out of touch has been the Canadian manufacturer's MO recently. While the Apple iPhone and Android handsets have been sizzling hot, RIM tried to stem the tide with the BlackBerry Torch. While the idea was good, the execution was poor as 2 year old specs kept buyers away and while rivals had Super AMOLED and Super LCD displays with sharp, crisp resolution, the Torch had a screen that might have been outstanding-a few years before. While the Wi-Fi version of the BlackBerry PlayBook did top expectations with 500,000 units sold, many of those tablets went into the sales distribution channel and RIM would not say how many units were eventually sold to end users. While RIM was counting on the 4G version of the tablet to bring in some revenue, the company announced yesterday that the 4G PlayBook would be delayed until the fall.

Speaking of delays, the highly anticipated BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930, which adds a 2.8 inch touchscreen to the stunning good looks and awesome QWERTY keyboard of the Bold 9000, is delayed until September which means it might be too late for RIM to capture important Back to School sales. The latter will run the new BlackBerry 7 OS-a transition piece of software until the QNX OS, used on the PlayBook, has been developed for smartphones. RIM has said that the new browser is one of the elite browsers in the industry.

Yesterday's conference call saw the co-CEOs pat each other on the back. Mike Laziridis said, "Our co-CEO arrangement is what led to RIM’s success over the past two decades." The comment was made in response to a recent call by some RIM investors to end the two-man CEO team. Jim Balsillie had comments of his own. He noted that, "Mike and I have been partners in this business for almost 20 years, and during that time RIM has grown to $20 billion in annual revenue. We are currently approaching the tail end of a significant transition in our business, that, frankly, few companies would have survived. But we have. And I believe, and I think Mike would agree, that neither of us could have taken RIM this far alone." Remember, this is the duo that allegedly said that RIM would never produce a touchscreen phone after watching the success of the original Apple iPhone in the marketplace. And who could forget when Jim Balsillie said to expect all new smartphones to be launched with bugs after the BlackBerry Storm was rushed out the doors with half-finished software.

With job cuts looming, co-CEO Laziridis seems to be stuck in the past, a glorious pre-iPhone time when BlackBerry was a generic word for a cellphone. He said yesterday, "Jim and I have the perfect balance to make the hard decisions,” Lazaridis said. "This is fun. … We’re changing the world. We’re transforming the way people work. … We birthed a tablet in a year! … We transitioned to a new operating system!” So according to the two guys running the company, it is fun to watch your product line become irrelevant, your stock price drop precipitously and the few promising products you do have get pushed out into the future.

What might be fun for Balsillie and Laziridis doesn't appear to be fun for stockholders losing money and the still large group of BlackBerry fans. Yes, believe it or not, RIM has a hardy group of fans that still love the platform, especially the push email and BBM. Those are the people that RIM should be concerned with when it comes to having fun. But if the share price continues to drop as fast as the Florida Marlins' NL East hopes, BlackBerry fans will get their day of revenge when another company-Microsoft or Samsung or perhaps even HTC-decides to put RIM out of its misery and buys the company. For RIM fans, that day can't happen soon enough as getting real leadership into the company with an idea of what the public wants could turn around the manufacturer and start producing BlackBerry devices that could honestly compete with the Apple iPhone and Android handsets. Now, BlackBerry fans, wouldn't THAT be fun?

source: AllThingsDigital

UK carriers join in on mobile payments, iPhone users more willing to try it out

Similar to the US carriers' ISIS initiative, the big four UK networks Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Orange formed a joint venture under the Everything Everywhere umbrella to explore "the rapid development and delivery of new mobile marketing and payment services".

An NFC payment system, as was most recently demonstrated by Google Wallet, includes not only NFC-enabled phones and other gear, but also the marketing, coupons and loyalty programs to go with it. NFC also can be used as an access card to buildings and such, and it seems that the UK carriers are aiming at all its possibilities:

"This groundbreaking new business will unlock the true potential of commerce in the wire-free world. he benefits will be felt across the whole industry, allowing people to manage their money and make payments using their handsets, helping advertisers reach their customers on the move, and helping banks provide their clients with an easy and convenient way of making payments.", said Tom Alexander, CEO of Everything Everywhere.

According to the Vodafone UK CEO: "Currently people take their mobile, wallet and keys when they leave home. In the near future, people will now start leaving their wallet at home, and in the mid term their keys may also be integrated into their mobile as NFC allows the mobile to act as a digital access card. The joint venture is the next phase in realising that ambition."

The UK mobile payment initiative should start bearing fruit as soon as this year. A recent study who feels more adventurous to try out the NFC-enabled wonders, revealed that 61% iPhone owners are more likely to venture into various mobile wallet initiatives, if they were supplied by Apple (shocking, we know), versus 46% of Android users willing to check out projects like Google Wallet. 

Still, only 21% of people don't mind paying for stuff with their phones, according to the study. This, however, might change pretty soon - next year is considered by most analysts the one where NFC will pick up steam, and there is barely a cell phone maker that hasn't announced plans for NFC gear, with the most recent example being Sony Ericsson. If Apple jumps in, with its hundreds of millions of iTunes credit card accounts, the future of the mobile wallet might indeed be bright.

source: Pocket-lint & Retrevo

iOS 5 features highlighted in a brief YouTube video

If the thorough presentation of iOS 5 at WWDC has not been enough for you, watching this YouTube video is another way of discovering some of the goodies that the upcoming version of Apple's mobile platform has in stock. Thanks to the magic of video editing, the 2-minute-long video clip has been made to carry a slight resemblance to an Apple commercial and highlights many iOS 5 features such as multitouch gestures, Twitter integration, iMessage, and the drop-down notification bar.

Bear in mind that the video has been sped up so be prepared to hit the pause button if you need to take a closer look at anything, and if you would like to see more iOS 5 goodness, feel free to watch the entire WWDC keynote presentation as well.

source: YouTube via Mac Rumors

Sony Ericsson Xperia duo leaks, might be the company's first dual-core handset

Somewhere from within the land of the Great Wall, a picture leaked that is reportedly of an upcoming Sony Ericsson duo, which, as the name suggests, might be the company's first dual-core handset. The "Duo" moniker has also been bandied around for an upcoming successor to the Xperia mini pro, but last it leaked as the Mini Pro 2 in April.

If this image is real, the phone actually looks pretty good, with an almost edge-to-edge display on the sides, which will possibly make it larger than the 4.2" screen on the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc. 

We also have the navigational Android buttons in the form of a thin chromed line, which is a trademark for the Xperia family. The way the name is written with the model starting with a small letter, is also typical for the newest crop of Android handsets in the Xperia line - think the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc, or the Sony Ericsson Xperia neo.

It also seems that the Xperia duo is running Sony Ericsson's Android overlay, perhaps with the new Facebook inside Xperia integration. We can only speculate if it will come with the 8MP Exmor R camera sensor from the Xperia arc, or maybe the 16MP one can now take advantage of a dual-core chipset better. Any other details are still murky at the moment, but Sony Ericsson did repent its Android mistakes in January, and said it will be hard at work cranking great handsets this year.

via IT168

Apple patents proximity-based social networking app

Apple files hosts of patents for different technologies and only a few of them land on final products, but this particular take on a new social networking app leveraging the location and content on your iDevice could really take off in no time. It doesn't require the effort of setting up profile pages – it just uses data stored on your phone like the songs you've purchased, pictures you've taken and the places you've been to so it can find other users with similar interests and experiences. But it's not limited to only this type of data and that's what's the most exciting thing about the idea as our phones have come to store a large part of our daily lives.

Security is well taken care of as both users are prompted to agree being discovered in the new social-networking application, while at the same time they'd be able to choose exactly what content will be visible for others. Thus, two strangers can talk to each other without having to explicitly list their interests, but rather rely on data already present on their devices. A trip to Paris for example might add the trajectory along with keywords like Europe and France. A shared contact or a common friend in a photo also sound like good reasons for starting a match. Adding the current location to the mix makes the process all the more spontaneous as you can discover new people at say a concert. 

Finally, the whole idea sounds strikingly similar but even richer than well-sponsored recent start-up Color, which uses pictures of nearby users of the app for social interaction. Check out the conceptual user interface on the right and let us know what you think about the prospect of such an app in the comments below!

source: Patently Apple via SlashGear

Panasonic introduces enterprise-grade Android tablet built to withstand just about everything

Enterprise users of a tablet are different than the normal everyday tablet owner. Those working in mission critical fields (a fancy way for saying a business that can't afford to have problems with its equipment) have a demand for reliability, security and functionality and that is exactly what Panasonic says it is bringing to the table with its Android flavored Toughbook tablet. The tablet is designed for government workers, doctors and others like salesmen in the field, lab workers and financial experts. None of them can afford to own a tablet that breaks easily, especially at a critical moment.

Panasonic says that it is filling a gap in the tablet market. Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic Solutions Company, said in a press release that enterprise customers are looking for a tablet that fills their needs. Up to now, none of the tablets on the market will do. Every part of the Toughbook's design has enterprise users in mind. For example, the 10.1 inch XGA screen is not the same glossy display that other tablets are equipped with, which becomes unreadable in the sunlight. The screen on the Toughbook can be read under all lighting conditions, which is important in a business like healthcare where having the information on the display washout is just not acceptable. A stylus will allow users in healthcare or in sales to obtain a signature when needed.

To make sure that information is protected, security is in place at the hardware level. And the new tablet is durable, able to withstand extreme operating conditions. Also on board is a satellite based GPS, a battery that will last a worker's full shift and optional 3G/4G mobile broadband connectivity.

Panasonic expects to have the tablet in the market by the fourth quarter of the year. There is no word on whether or not Honeycomb will be powering the device and information about mundane items like pricing and carrier availability will have to wait for another day. The important thing to note is that the manufacturer feels that it has found a gap in the tablet market for a rugged device that is designed for those whose business comes to a standstill when they can't process certain information in a timely manner.

If the Panasonic Toughbook name sounds familiar, back in 2008 the company introduced a tablet PC running Windows Vista Business under the same moniker. That product cost $2,499 and offered optional 3G broadband, GPS, a fingerprint scanner and even a camera. Four years before that, the manufacturer released the Panasonic Toughbook CF-P1, a mobile phone that could withstand a drop of 1.2 meters and was encased in shock resistant magnesium which also protected the device from rain, dust and pings. A touchscreen device, the model had a $1,000 price tag and offered Bluetooth connectivity and Wi-Fi. Powering the device was Microsoft Windows 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition with 64MB of RAM. We sure have come a long way since then.

via Panasonic

Verizon pulls down video promoting a mystery Honeycomb tablet

UPDATE: Verizon let the dogs out and published the video, we are embedding below.

Verizon managed to upload on YouTube and then turn private a "Tablets Powered by Verizon" video showcasing the wonders of a mystery Honeycomb tablet.

It could be an upcoming Motorola XOOM 2 with quad-core NVIDIA Kal-El chipset, but there was no Motorola logo at the front. Or it could be a Verizon-bound 10" HTC Puccini, although that's pretty far-fetched, since we've only heard it is destined for AT&T's LTE frequencies for now. Ok, we are running out of plausible versions here.

Alternatively, this could just be a placeholder tablet meant to play a role in a Verizon promotional video, since the YouTube video initial screen says "Screen images simulated". Anyway, if Verizon is prepping new Honeycomb LTE tablets, it shouldn't be long before more is leaked on the Internets.

via Droid-Life

Six European countries to get Nokia Windows Phone at launch

During the 2011 meeting of Mobile Telecompaper conference Victor Saeijs, VP of Nokia Europe, has indicated that Netherlands is among the top six countries from Europe that will see Nokia Windows Phone at launch.

The Dutchman confirmed that the first batch is coming this year, and even indicated that he had a prototype in his pocket, which, of course, he could not show at the time. France, Germany, England, Spain and Italy will be the other five major European markets that will get the initial Nokia Windows Phones. The Dutch market is somewhat unique in the sense that 80% of subscribers are already sporting a smartphone, with only 20% a feature phone, which, despite the relatively small population, makes it a very important market for Nokia. 

Victor Saeijs has also noted that the long-awaited Nokia Symbian Anna will be rolled out in the Netherlands for the Nokia E7, Nokia N8 and Nokia C7 in July, which could mean general availability around that time in other places as well. He hinted that work on the bigger update, dubbed Symbian Belle, is on all cylinders, and it should be arriving later this year.

source: AllAboutPhones (translated) via WMPU

Google Movies working on Wi-Fi-only Motorola XOOM as well

One of the new features that the Android 3.1 Honeycomb update brought along the way was the ability to watch flicks via Google's very own movie rental service. However, it is beyond our knowledge why the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi-only model was left out of the fun and was not given access to the Movies hub straight away.

Fortunately, after more than a month of anticipation, Google has finally decided to smooth things out and has lifted the restriction. Many Wi-Fi-only Motorola XOOM owners are reporting that they can now access Google Movies through the Android Market, and even though some users are still experiencing technical road bumps, others have been using the service just fine.

Hopefully, all glitches will be gone soon and Google Movies will make its way to more devices. If you have managed to get the service working on your Wi-Fi-only Motorola XOOM, do not hesitate to brag about it by leaving a comment below.

source: Android Market via Engadget

Nokia E6 price set at $450, arrives unlocked on Amazon

The Nokia E6 is one of the first handsets featuring Symbian Anna, but getting it subsidized on a carrier in the States is simply impossible for the time being. So die-hard fans of the portrait QWERTY Nokia E series have no other choice but to resort to retailers like Amazon, which started offering the unlocked version of the quad-band Nokia E6 for $450. Along with the higher price tag, comes freedom from any contract ties, so you can make your own choice of a service provider. It will start shipping withing one to two months and you'll be able to use its 3G capabilities on both AT&T's and T-Mobile's data network as the Nokia E6 comes with pentaband 850/900/1700/1900/2100 UMTS/HSDPA plus GPRS/EDGE support. But it is a GSM phone only, so you can't use it with Sprint or Verizon. 

In terms of the pure technical details, you'd be impressed with the pixel density of 326ppi on the smallish 2.46-inch screen. On the back, there is a pretty capable 8-megapixel fixed-focus camera capable of recording 720p HD videos. Just as most other high-end Nokia handsets, the E6 comes with free maps and voice guided navigation. Feel free to check out the stunning camera samples provided by Nokia and stay tuned as an in-depth review of the Nokia E6 is also coming up soon!

source: Amazon via Engadget

Sony teases its tablets in an enchanting gadget love story

We've heard about Sony's S1 9.4-inch tablet reminiscing a folded magazine. We've also heard about the Sony S2 with its mind-boggling dual-screen setup. But did we know they were capable of delivering emotions? Sony has managed to humanify its tablets in an enchanting love story of the S2, the feminine tablet, setting on a quest to reach the masculine S1. It all starts with a message traveling through the dark fields of gadget circuitry, only to be delivered to the S1 tablet. 

We won't spoil the rest of the story, but there is a happy ending to this first episode in a series of five videos, all aimed at revealing Sony's “Two will” concept. Oh and you didn't expect any additional technical details, did you? Because you don't get them unless you count the fact that both tablets feature what looks like vanilla Honeycomb, at least judging by the familiar capacitive buttons. But it's certainly worth a look, so check out the Sony Tablet video and feel free to share your thoughts about it in the comments below!

source: Sony via Engadget

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on sale nationwide today

Today marks the wider availability of the thinnest and lightest 10" tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. The slate ships with Android 3.1 Honeycomb, and you'll be able to download TouchWiz UX, the tablet edition of Samsung's Android UI, with its Live Panels and Mini App tray, later on, if you wish.

Samsung warned us that the promo video it sent us link to yesterday (embedded below) actually shows the 3G version, whereas it is the Wi-Fi-only variant that is hitting the shelves today.

Moreover, in the dedicated Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 miniwebsite, Samsung answers: "The tablet does not have an SD slot, but an optional SD card adapter is available as part of the USB adapter / connection kit and enables SD card connectivity to the tablet."

The USB adapter just went on sale from Samsung for $20, so if you want some extra storage for your Galaxy Tab 10.1, you either get the 32GB version, or carry the USB adapter with a memory stick or a card reader always with it. Not an option, we know, but that could be the price to pay for boasting "the thinnest and lightest" slate out there.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 USB 
adapter might be the only way to
add more memory to the tablet
 
source: Samsung

In-app purchasing coming to Windows Phone 7

When Windows Phone 7 developers want to include in-app purchasing, they currently need to go through services like PayPal. But that could change soon, as indicated by the Microsoft Gamefest event outline.

Microsoft Gamefest, held in London, Seattle, and Tokyo, focuses exclusively on game development for PC, Xbox, and Windows Phone. And the part we're interested in is the seminar titled 'Keep Them Coming Back: Downloadable Content on Windows Phone'.

That seminar will focus on "adding downloadable content and microtransactions to your Windows Phone games". So we can be fairly confident, given the source, that official in-app purchases will be along shortly.

Our main concern is that this official in-app solution might be limited to Xbox LIVE software. And that would be a real loss for the WP7 development community as a whole.

source: WPCentral via WMPoweruser

U.K. newspaper says that Apple is devising a way to disable your camera automatically at live events

A report in a British newspaper says that in order to protect concert promoters and those with exclusive broadcast rights to a concert, Apple is working on a way to automatically disable your iPhone's camera. The camera would remain locked until you leave the venue where a live event is being held. A patent for the technology was allegedly filed by the tech giant in 2009, according to the report. Even though the camera on the phone would not work, you would be able to make a phone call or send and receive text messages.

Those worried that Apple might actually do something like should take a deep breath. The story was reported by The Sun in the U.K. which is a tabloid style paper. If something like this ever were to come true, it could open a Pandora's box of legal and ethical questions. And what could something like this lead to next? Would Apple disable your phone automatically whenever you stepped into a movie theater?

According to The Sun, there is a financial reason for Apple to prevent concerts from being filmed. If the Cupertino-based firm can prevent iPhone users from illegally filming concerts, they can then negotiate with record labels to sell the content on iTunes. What do you think? Would there be an ethical and moral problem with Apple controlling the workings of your Apple iPhone automatically and without your permission? Leave us a comment below-we want to know what you are thinking!

source: TheSun

Facebook is working on an official app for the iPad

Aside from the intuitive interface and the stylish build, iOS devices are known for getting the best apps before other operating systems. But Facebook has strangely lacked an official presence on Apple's iPad.

Thankfully, the New York Times reports that we should see an official Facebook app for the iPad in the near future. Apparently, production has been underway for almost a year, optimizing the experience for tablets. And they are now in the final stages of testing.

The anonymous source told the Times that Mark Zuckerberg has been working closely on the project, overseeing the unique features. That source also says that the Chat and Groups interfaces have been completely reworked for the app.

Similar to the upcoming app for the iPhone, the iPad app will be capable of uploading pictures directly from the iPad's cameras: "The photo and video experience is amazing, offering full resolution and full-screen images."

Given Facebook's popularity, this app could extend the advantage that the iPad has over its Android competitors. What do you think? Will a superfly iPad Facebook app affect your purchasing behavior?

source: The New York Times via TUAW