Lenovo's Honeycomb-based ThinkPad Tablet spotted

Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet wasn't among the biggest secrets in the industry, but seeing it in the hands of Jaison Patrocinio, head of the ThinkPad product line, makes it even less mysterious. The Honeycomb-powered ThinkPad Tablet looks much like the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer with its detachable keyboard featuring an optical trackpad and that's the main focus of the device. The connection between the two is expected to be through some form of a USB interface.

Except for that, the guts are pretty much like in every other tablet out there – a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip is responsible for the smooth Honeycomb performance on a 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. We have no further details on pricing and release dates, but if Lenovo nails this, the ThinkPad might be a worthy competitor to the Transformer.

source: ZTOP via Engadget

More and more Americans are living without a landline, the FCC says

The Federal Communications Commission fifteenth wireless communication report released the other day, is revealing something we thought is true on a much larger scale. 51% of Americans aged 25-29 do not have a landline. Of those 18-24, and 30-34, about 40% lived in households without one. A lot of those 18-24 who have landlines probably live with their parents, we'd add.

This marks the first time when more than a half of the population in any age bracket is living in households without landline phones, and is a huge jump from last year's results. Of course, the good ol' landline doesn't drop calls and rarely experiences intermittent outages, but it seems that the US is moving in the same direction where many other countries have arrived already, mostly abandoning it for their cell phones.

via Gizmodo

TAG Heuer LINK is the luxury Android smartphone for the ones who can afford it

We suppose you would agree that when it comes to luxury mobile phones, functionality isn't the thing that justifies their outrageous price tags. Of course, you do get premium materials fused together with superior craftsmanship, but at the end of the day, such a device is only good for answering calls and for making its owner look snobbier.

That is why the TAG Heuer LINK deserves some attention. The premium smartphone has all the necessary ingredients to be called a luxury device and a modern smartphone at the same time. First off, it runs Android 2.2 Froyo, which means that its lucky owner will have the platform's broad catalog of apps to explore while chilling out in the back yard of their mansion. Besides that, the device comes with a 5-megapixel auto-focus camera and HSUPA, so those who have it will be able to easily upload photos of their collection of thoroughbreds online for the world to see.

Even though luxury smartphones are not necessarily the toughest ones out there, the TAG Heuer LINK has been built to last. Its 3.5-inch WVGA display is protected by Gorilla Glass while its air-sealed body is said to be water-tight and shock-resistant. As far as its looks go, the TAG Heuer LINK can be crafted to order out of premium materials such as stainless steel, gold, or titanium, with calfskin leather, carbon leather, alligator or lizzard skin accents. Diamonds are also on the list, if you insist.

The TAG Heuer LINK is expected to become available in July at a base price of around $6,700. No, we wouldn't drop that amount of cash on a smartphone either, but at least watching its promotional video doesn't cost anything. Feel free to check it out below.

source: TAG Heuer, aBlogtoRead via Android Central

Amazon Wireless discounts the HTC EVO 3D to $149.99

Gotta love the online retail giants, and especially Amazon. Just five days after introduction, the HTC EVO 3D monster of a phone gets its first $50 haircut, courtesy of Amazon Wireless.

The price nets you an HTC EVO 3D and a two-year contract with Sprint, which afterwards becomes month-to-month. A $200 Early Termination Fee applies if you cancel after the 30-day test period, and before the fifth month of service. After that the ETF is lowered with $10 each month, until it hits the minimum of $50 twenty or so months into your contract.

In case you don't know what the HTC EVO 3D is all about, check out this rap video explaining the ins and outs of America's first 3D-enabled smartphone.

source: Amazon

Motorola Mobility downgraded by analysts

Motorola Mobility has been among the front runners of Android, but despite the fact that it has released a couple of competitive Android devices, BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Long downgraded the company from a “market perform” rating to an “underperform” rating. The analyst stressed that growing competition in the smartphone market will impact the company’s future results.

Initially, it was HTC and Moto competing in the Android market, but they've been joined by the other big names in the industry like Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson. Long expects each of these to ship more phones than Motorola in this quarter. He also based his downgrade on the fact that Moto's lack of global reach is becoming an issue and he didn't forget to mention that the company has lost half of its Android market share in the past year.

Recently, Credit Suisse has also downgraded Motorola Mobility to “underperform” amidst growing competition. Motorola has been struggling to get its 4G dual-core Motorola DROID BIONIC and that could be an additional factor for the company's tepid results, but it promises to release the BIONIC in the summer. Will it be enough for Motorola to bounce back? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

source: Wall Street Journal

iPad and PlayBook in fight over military market

It seems consumers are not the only ones who want to taste the sweetness of latest technology. The U.S. Army, for example, is eyeing tablets as gadgets that can potentially substitute the ruggedized laptops it currently relies on. But which model do the services want?

According to a Bloomberg report, the military is currently leaning towards the BlackBerry PlayBook, because of RIM's servers, which seem to comply to the Army's ultra-high security standards. Unsurprisingly, the other model that's also considered is the Apple iPad, which, however, still has to be improved in that respect, as stated by Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dosmann, who supervises mobile device pilot-testing for the military's cybersecurity division.

Just as you'd think that RIM has positioned itself nicely here though, as it did with the business sector, things doesn't seem so rosy for the Canadian manufacturer. The advantage it currently has may soon be lost, as the iPad is said to be well on its way to gaining Defense Department security certification.

With that said, which tablet will end up serving for military purposes remains to be seen, although the Army does seem pretty sure it wants the tech, as it will cut costs for communication devices, which may also replace paper manuals, biometric devices, as well as maps. Naturally, one factor that drives the tablet's adoption with the services is the increased mobility, while others are purely financial – a tablet for the military is expected to cost about $500 to $600, which is less than half the price of the ruggedized laptop units that are currently in use.

source: Bloomberg

The future of Windows Phone to be Mango, Tango and then Apollo

Microsoft was leading some tests of white spectrum data transmission in the UK the other day, and a picture was taken of Dr Victor Bahl, who is the Director of Mobile Computing Research in Microsoft Research, while the white board behind him still wasn't wiped after a presentation.

The handwriting, while pretty illegible, confirmed the codename of an upcoming Windows Phone update, Apollo, which is speculated to be Windows Phone 8, coming next year. We hear about another one now, when it was reported that Compal, which will produce the first batch of Nokia Windows Phones, got a deal with Microsoft for licensing an update after Mango, called... er, Tango, apparently scheduled before Apollo.

These white board scribbles confirm some Apollo features. Mango will apparently include TIPC/S support, which is a network protocol, checkmarking one more feature in the 500+ new ones Steve Ballmer promised for Mango. Cool stuff comes with Apollo too - localization, something called Inspiration Engine, and also one handed input with next gen soft keyboard. Voice Typing was another feature written on the board, and Context Engine is obviously considered for "beyond Apollo", whatever that gets named.

Microsoft is obviously trying to inundate its Windows Phone mobile operating system with features to differentiate it from the competition, so it is not just resting on its laurels of hammering out a cool and sleek innovative interface with WP7. Those Nokia Windows Phones can't come soon enough to leverage the new mobile OS platform beyond the critical mass of 10 million devices sold, which seems to be the threshold for developing houses to pay serious attention towards a platform.

source: MobileCrunch & DigiTimes

Nokia rolling out updates to older Symbian handsets

Symbian Anna, the latest update to Symbian^3, brought a lot of new and improved features including an overhaul to the browser, and some of those are ready to hit older handsets, running versions of the platform prior to Symbian^3. Those include Symbian 3.2 devices like the Nokia E72 and Symbian 5.0 handsets like the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.

The first major feature coming with the update is Browser v7.3 coming with a clear UI and improved performance. Secondly, 3.2 devices will get Ovi Maps 3 SR4 with indoor positioning through Wi-Fi and travel recommendations, while 5.0 phones will end up with Ovi Maps 3 SR6 bringing public transport lines and check-ins to social networks. Finally, all the phones will get a set of emoticons to spice up messaging. 

The Nokia C6-00 and the Nokia 5230 will be the first to get the update, while for the rest, the update will be pushed gradually during the next few weeks. The list of all supported phones follows below:

Browser v7.3 is on the right

Symbian 3.2

• Nokia E72
• Nokia E52
• Nokia E5
• Nokia C5-00
• Nokia 6700 slide

Symbian 5.0

• Nokia C6-00
• Nokia C5-03
• Nokia 5230
• Nokia 5235
• Nokia 5250
• Nokia X6
• Nokia N97 mini
• Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
• Nokia 5530 XpressMusic

source: Nokia Conversations

Angry Birds makes its long awaited Windows Phone 7 debut; available now

Call it a long time coming, but those simmering Angry Birds are finally making their presence known with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform – and the time couldn’t have been sweeter!

Arriving just in time for that June 29th deadline, Rovio’s ever popular Angry Birds game is now available for download in the Windows Marketplace for $2.99. Of course, if you’re not yet set on purchasing it, you can always “try” it for free. Even though we’ve seen a few different games that emulate the Angry Birds look and feel, the actual game is now here in the flesh for all Windows Phone 7 users to experience.

So if you decide to buy the game, jut expect to be totally immersed for some time seeing that there are 165 levels that you’ll need to get through before claiming total victory against those darn green piggies.

via WP Central

Qualcomm holds the lead in smartphone CPU share

The smartphone market is booming, that's not really news any more. Smartphones are mobile computers, that's not too surprising either. Smartphone processors are packing some serious heat these days. It's close to the point where a mobile CPU will be more powerful than the CPU in a laptop from just a couple years ago (likely when the quad-core CPUs start to hit.) Texas Instruments had been the king of the smartphone CPU hill, but Qualcomm dethroned TI last year and is looking to hold that spot.

According to a report from Strategy Analytics, Qualcomm took first place in Q4 of 2010, and has retained its lead over Texas Instruments through Q1 of 2011. The growth of Qualcomm in this market has been mainly tied to the success of the Android OS. As of 2007, Qualcomm had only 3% of the smartphone CPU market; but, in Q1 of 2011, Qualcomm held 30% of the market. The Snapdragon CPU from Qualcomm is in many Android handsets, and is the required CPU for all Windows Phone 7 devices. 

Also according to Strategy Analytics, global smartphone processor revenue was up 108% year-on-year in Q1 2011. It should be interesting going forward to see how/if the smartphone CPU marketshare shifts. Since the start of the dual-core age of mobile handsets, it seems like NVIDIA and Texas Instruments have been popping up in more and more devices.

source: Strategy Analytics via Mobile Burn

RIM said to be working on QNX powered Superphone as its 'Hail Mary' pass

You have to wonder if desperation turns phone developers into geniuses. With time running out on Palm, the Palm Pre is introduced at CES in January 2009 along with webOS. Motorola also is about to be a name of the past but the company pulls the Motorola DROID out of its hat and the Android Invasion begins. Nokia, dropping to third from its perch at number one in the global smartphone rankings, where it sat for 14 years, introduces the MeeGo powered Nokia N9 to applause. Now comes RIM with a stock making new lows, executives leaving the company, and earnings below expectations, needing a miracle. And yes, BlackBerry fans, there could be a miracle in the making.

According to sources for N4BB, RIM has stopped production of a 10 inch PlayBook and instead, is developing a QNX powered 'Superphone'. This model is expected to have a 4.3 inch screen with resolution of "900+", although we're not really sure what that should mean. Under the hood will be the same single-core 1.2GHz processor that will be in the upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9900. RIM had considered a dual-core processor to be a battery killer, although it is not too late for them to change up to a dual-core chip. Sound good? With a 10 inch BlackBerry PlayBook said to no longer be worked on, RIM will push out the 4G LTE version of its 7 inch PlayBook in October, according to the source.

BlackBerry fans have been hoping that a QNX powered phone would be coming soon. And now, as the clock ticks down to a precious few seconds, here is another manufacturer throwing a Hail Mary pass with the game on the line.

source: N4BB via Engadget

Google's mobile search page gets easier to use

Just a couple weeks ago, Google added some features to their mobile search page to make it easier to find places nearby. Now, more buttons are being added to make it easier to use the different search functions for images, places, news, etc.

Google's design philosophy has always been one of minimalism. To this day, the Google search page is not much more than a few links at the top and the search box, no ads, just a plain white background. For a while, it was the same on the mobile version of the Google search page, but it seems that Google is learning that the way people search is different on mobile, and clutter may be the way to make it better. Google already added buttons to make it easier to find places near you, and now there are big buttons to make mobile search easier. Now, at the top of the search page, rather than just text links to images, news, etc. there are buttons to make it easier to tap and get what you need. And, under the "More' tab are options to search video, maps, shopping, finance, apps, iGoogle, Books and YouTube.

The new buttons should appear when you go to Google in your mobile browser. And, since they don't need to pull location data like the Places buttons, these changes should be on all devices.

source: Droid Life

Motorola's Android 2.3 update said to be rejected by Verizon as too buggy

Verizon is said to be rejecting all Android 2.3 updates for Motorola's DROID series after the DROID X received a version of Android 2.3 that is rough and buggy. Anonymous sources for Droid-Life say that the manufacturer is recalling update teams to try and solve the problem, but will not release a time period for the development of a new version.

Because of Verizon's freeze, the Motorola DROID Pro update is on hold and updates for the DROID 2, the DROID 2 Global and the DROID X2 will not be released soon. Some of those handsets were expected to receive the Android 2.3 update within days, and now it might be as long as a few months until these models get the Gingerbread update.

Neither Motorola or Verizon will comment on this report. The Motorola DROID X has suffered from random reboots, lagging performance and short battery life since the installation of Android 2.3. If you own a DROID X and have noticed that your handset has been acting and performing poorly since you downloaded Android 2.3, leave us a comment in the box below.

source: DroidLife

HP is offering a $50 savings off the 32GB TouchPad to early adopters of webOS

When webOS initially came onto the scene, its future in the industry was unclear, but nonetheless, there were plenty of early adopters that decided to take the plunge with the new platform. However, those same exact early adopters might have been shocked when HP announced that certain legacy devices wouldn’t be able to upgrade to webOS 2.x and up.

Fortunately though, HP has something in store for those early adopters of webOS seeing that they are offering a $50 savings off the purchase of a new 32GB model of the HP TouchPad. Actually, that $50 savings is in the form of a mail-in-rebate, which requires you to send in a few different documents to receive it.

One of our readers sent us an email they received regarding the promotion, and after looking into it, you’ll need to send in the serial number of your eligible legacy webOS device, receipt from your 32GB TouchPad purchase, and the UPC code from the TouchPad packaging. And if you’re curious about the eligible legacy devices, they include the Palm Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi, and Pixi Plus. Once you manage to secure all of that, you’re probably going to send them in for processing – albeit, those instructions have yet to come through.

Still, that’s definitely a nice gesture from HP considering that those early adopters took a gamble with the platform. Well, if you didn’t pick up a legacy device, you might want to befriend someone who did to receive that awesome $50 savings off the upcoming TouchPad.


source: Palm (1 & 2)

New client for LightSquared as NetTalk joins the fold

4G network wholesaler LightSquared added another customer after inking a pact with VoIP provider NetTalk. The latter is a company that offers low price phone service as a landline alternative. Although the exact terms of the pact are unknown, the deal gives NetTalk a 4G LTE network to resell to customers. Other companies that have signed with LighbtSquared to resell LTE service include Best Buy and Leap Wireless. As we reported, LightSquared and Sprint recently reached agreement on a 15 year deal that will give the nation's third largest carrier access to an LTE network to go along with the carrier's WiMaX 4G service.

LightSquared continues to run into opposition from those who claim that the wholesaler's technology interferes with GPS signals. On Tuesday, the group, the Coalition to Save Our GPS signed up more than a dozen new members including FedEx, ALPA, the NYFD and not surprisingly, Magellan GPS. The group is concerned about LightSquared's service causing interference with their GPS service. LightSquared has until July 1st to deliver a solution to the problem with the FCC. As we told you, the company said that it does have a way to get around the interference, although critics say that LightSquared's solution will not help solve the problem. Last week, before the U.S. House of Representatives' Subcommittees on Aviation and on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, calls for more testing of LightSquared's system were heard from witnesses and lawmakers.

LightSquared was originally given the LTE spectrum to help fill the gaps in service in metropolitan areas and provide 4G service in rural areas. The company uses a combination of ground based towers and satellites to broadcast its LTE service.

source: PCWorld

Abracadabra! Barnes and Noble's Nook Color first to get location-specific Angry Birds Magic

About two weeks ago, we reported how Angry Birds Magic was bringing location gaming to the world of mobile video games. Now, we can tell you that the first mobile device to get the game is the (drum roll, please) Barnes and Noble Nook Color. Why that seems like a surprising choice for Rovio, Barnes and Noble worked out a deal that enables those playing the game over the bookstores Wi-Fi network to receive the "Mighty Eagle" bird for free. This super bird can destroy everything on the screen. In return, Barnes and Noble will open up some room in its stores for Angry Birds merchandise including free stickers and paste-on tattoos.

The latest Angry Birds game looks to match up NFC-enabled mobile devices or uses a GPS signal to unlock certain levels and content based on your location. The unlocked content is supposed to relate to your location, such as showing a beach-related backdrop while you are at the beach.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Color is powered by Android, and as we told you, even has a rough web browser on board. Priced at $249, the device offers a color display and will even download apps and send and receive email besides letting you read eBooks. That is, when you're not playing Angry Birds Magic.

source: SlashGear

The Barnes and Noble Nook Color is the first device to get Angry Birds Magic

Study by Symantec says both iOS and Android more secure than your PC

Security software purveyor Symantec has just released a study that compares the security measures on both iOS and Android. First, the good news is that both mobile operating systems are more well-guarded against security breaches than your home computer is. When it comes to determining which of the two mobile OS has better security, things are less than clear.

First of, the study does note that iOS is more secure than Android in protecting against your everyday, run of the mill malware. Considering the attention that Apple places on every app that submits an application for inclusion in the App Store, that is not surprising. After all, iOS is NOT an open system like Android is. The problem for iOS users here is that if  they jailbreak their device, the high wall that protects an iOS device  is gone and the malware will infest iOS the same as it would an Android device. Because Android is an open source system, the protection against malware must come from the developers who must be sure that they are not downloading an infection.

In the report, Symantec concludes that iOS is best at "resisting malware attacks, resource abuse/service attacks, data loss and data integrity attacks." Android is better than iOS in specific security features. Symantec says that Google's open source OS is better than iOS when it comes to isolating processes, but is behind on "access control, application provenance and encryption."

Where Android really has an advantage is in the number of vulnerable points which Symantec says numbers 200 on iOS versus just 18 on Android. And of that 18, only 4 remain unpatched by Google. The latter also beats Apple when it comes to the speed of patching an 'opening', taking just 8 days to come up with a solution versus 12 days for the Cupertino based firm.

Symantec's conclusion is that even with the weaknesses seen in both Android and iOS, both of the mobile OS are less vulnerable to attack than your PC.

source: Symantec via AndroidandMe

Google+ Android app in the Market

Google has unveiled their new social layer today, and it is called Google+. The trouble is that it is only open to a select few invitees, and those of us who have been invited are not yet allowed to write about the product in detail. That said, if you are a lucky invitee, be sure to grab the new Google+ app from the Android Market. 

The app includes the basic features of the service including Circles (how you choose who you share things with), Stream (shared items), Instant Upload and Huddle. Those last two are the really interesting features. Instant Upload does exactly what it says and automatically uploads photos and video from your Android device, so you can easily share them with others. And, Huddle is the fabled group messaging system that we have all been waiting for. Huddle looks to only be available on Android and not on the web right now. 

Google+ is looking sweet, and we'll tell you more as soon as we can. If you have an invite, be sure to grab the app from the Market. But, if you haven't been invited, don't grab the app because it is useless without a login. 

Android Market

eBay's Daily Deal places the 32GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at $529

Are you thinking about picking up that new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1? Well, if you’re eying the 16GB version of the Honeycomb flavored tablet, you might want to consider siding with the 32GB one instead thanks to eBay’s awesome daily deal.

Right now, the 32GB Wi-Fi only Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is priced at a mere $529.99 with free standard shipping included. Just as a refresher, the 16GB models sells for $499.99, while the 32GB is up $100 more at $599.99. Therefore, if you have an inkling of picking up the 16GB one, you might as well shell out the additional money to snatch this awesome deal with the 32GB model. And if you happen to purchase this beauty right now, its estimated delivery date is placed somewhere between June 30th and July 7th.

Considering that we don’t see awesome tech deals like this relatively early on, we’re sure that some consumers out there won’t hesitate in placing an order right now.

source: eBay via IntoMobile

Nexus S is now enabled to use Google Talk's video chat service over T-Mobile's network

When we were all first introduced to Google Talk’s new video chat service for smartphones back in May, it was only made available to Android 2.3.4 devices – meaning, it was targeted for the Google Nexus S. Although Sprint customers made use of this sought out feature right away on the Google Nexus S 4G, both on 3G and 4G connections, T-Mobile customers on the other hand experienced an outage.

Sadly, Google Nexus S owners were barred from using the service over T-Mobile’s network, and instead, they had to rely on a Wi-Fi connection in order to use Google Talk’s video chat feature. Luckily, the time has finally arrived as the much anticipated feature is now enabled to work over T-Mobile’s 3G and 4G networks.

Apparently, the issue appears to stem from a special P2P mode with Google Talk’s video chat service, which was blocked by T-Mobile. Granted that it has taken Big Magenta more than a month to finally come up with a solution, they finally managed to work around it – while still blocking some other P2P connections that require the same mode.

Now that’s all cleared up, Google Nexus S owners using T-Mobile’s network can finally break free from their Wi-Fi captors and start video chatting with friends over 3G and 4G connections.

via Android and Me

Zenonia 3 coming to Android June 30th

Good news Zenonia fans! Developer GAMEVIL has confirmed that they are planning to release Zenonia 3: The Midgard Story on Android on June 30th. This marks part 3 in the RPG series, and will more than likely make at least a few dozen hours disappear from your life. The Zenonia games are traditional top-down RPGs that draw heavily on early Zelda, Final Fantasy, and other RPGs from the 8 to 16-bit eras.

Zenonia 3 is packing a big number of improvements and changes compared to the earlier installments, and a ton of customization options as well. GAMEVIL is boasting 227 unique maps for the world of Midgard and 136 quests. So, even if you were to stick close to the storyline, the game has a a lot of content available. But, for those of you who want to explore the game a bit more, there will be over 200 monsters to battle, and 624 items to use in customizing your character. And, aside from the story mode, there will also be a PvP online battle arena with 3 different difficulty modes.

GAMEVIL didn't just add features, they also removed some older features that they thought weren't working so well. This means that Zenonia 3 will not feature the weight or hunger system of the past games, which should allow you to focus more on the adventure at hand. The story is a continuation of the series.

Assuming it stays the same as the first two games, Zenonia 3 should be 99 cents at launch.

source: Droid Gamers

Amazon shaves more off the Samsung Droid Charge - now at $179.99

Smashing pass the golden price generally seen with some of today’s top-notch smartphones, Amazon continues to shave the price of the 4G LTE packing Samsung Droid Charge, which is now set at the acceptable price point of $179.99 with a 2-year agreement for new customers.

Yup, that’s an additional $20 reduction from the pricing we saw back in late May, but nonetheless, we’d gather that it’s still appreciable by many people out there seeking out the smartphone. However, it’s worth noting that existing customers with qualified upgrades will need to shell out $199.99 for this one. Still, that’s far better than the smashing $299.99 cost that Big Red is asking for with them, but it’s great knowing that Amazon is of course throwing in free shipping with the purchase as well.

Considering all the lovely tech that it’s packing under the hood, the new $179.99 price point is easier to swallow for most people. Regardless, we’re confident that we will soon be seeing this one getting yet another price drop in the near future. But the question is, how soon and how much?

source: Amazon

Approved NJ bill aims to address 'sexting' by teenagers with intense education

Now that cell phones are being perceived more as a necessity in our society, not only is it keeping people freely engaged with one another, but at the same time, some younger people out there are using it for other purposes like “sexting.”

Well, New Jersey is one of the states across the US facing this threat head on as a new bill was approved yesterday by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Specifically, measure A-1561 was approved by a unanimous 78-0 vote by the Assembly back in March, but now it’s pushing forward and moving to the Senate for final legislative approval.

Assemblywoman Pamel Lampitt said, “Teens need to understand the ramifications of their actions, but they shouldn’t necessarily be treated as criminals. We need to create a path that places education and forgiveness before arrest and prosecution. Young people – especially teen girls – need to understand that sending inappropriate pictures is not only potentially illegal, but can leave an indelible mark on them socially and educationally.”

Essentially, juveniles caught sending any explicit photographs with the cell phones are not going to be facing any criminal prosecution, but instead, they’ll actually be required to go through an intense education process that would show them the ramifications of their actions. Compared to other states, New Jersey’s approved bill is much more forgiving seeing that teenagers are generally charged with some serious criminal offenses instead – like the distribution of child pornography.

source: New Jersey Newsroom via Textually

T-Mobile expands its HSPA+ footprint to an additional 7 markets

With the recent announcement of the upcoming T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide, there are actually seven new markets that will be especially thrilled to know that T-Mobile is giving the green lights to its ever expanding HSPA+ network.

Although the photo taking centric Android smartphone is indeed getting a lot more face time than anything else, the carrier actually announced in the same press release that they’re expanding their HSPA+ network to seven new markets. The latest members include markets like Chico, California; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Ogden, Utah; Redding, California; Vineland, NJ; and Winchester, VA.

Therefore, if you happen to live in any of those cities, you can freely continue thinking about purchasing the upcoming T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide knowing that you’ll be able to make use of that awesome and speedy HSPA+ network.

source: T-Mobile via Android Central

TomTom for iOS update brings aboard HD traffic updates & multi-stop routes

If you’re still holding dearly to that aging standalone GPS unit, then you might really want to consider giving it up after checking out the new features that are coming along for the ride with the latest version of TomTom for iOS.

As we continue to see traditional GPS makers placing their attention in the smartphone market, it’s only inevitable before we see a radical shift amongst drivers and their choice of navigation. With version 1.8 of TomTom for iOS, it packs along the awesome goodness of HD Traffic, which essentially provides greater information regarding congestion to “major” and “secondary” US roads. Obviously, current TomTom Traffic subscribers will get to use this new feature for free, but if you’re not, just expect to shell out $20 for this in-app purchase.

Furthermore, it also features multi-stop routes that allow you to modify and personalize your lengthy trips – thus, making it less grueling completing a 2,000 mile trek across a few states. Fortunately, the new multi-stop routes feature is available to everyone who already owns the app.

Live and ready for the taking right now in the App Store, you can download the latest version of TomTom to your specific iOS device – from there, you can let TomTom guide you to your destination.

source: iTunes via Engadget

Facebook v2.0 Beta update carries along cross-channel messaging support & more

At this point in the game, if you’re not a BlackBerry Beta Zone member, then you’re missing out of some huge software updates for Facebook for BlackBerry that brings forth some exciting new features and functionality.

Today, RIM announced that they’ve released the fourth software update for the beta version of Facebook for BlackBerry v2.0. Naturally, you can expect to see some new goodies and features that further refine the total Facebook experience. Specifically, it features enhanced notifications, enhanced integration with BlackBerry native apps, in-app error reporting, and a new Touch Toolbar that offers quick access to common functions for touchscreen BlackBerry smartphones.

Additionally, the new cross-channel messaging system will more than likely be the biggest benefit for long time users because its allows users to share Facebook content across BlackBerry Messaging Applications – such as sending news feeds to things like Twitter, BBM, SMS, and email.

So if you happen to be a member of BlackBerry Beta Zone, you can download the update right now, but if you’re not, you can always signup for free. So what are you waiting for?

source: RIM

HTC EVO 3D gets rapped about

Say what you will about 3D on your smartphone, but even without the stereoscopic cameras and parallax barrier display, the HTC EVO 3D is one mightily impressive handset.

So much so, that Brandon Peterson made a video in which he raps about it, over Kid Cudi's "Cleveland is the Reason" instrumental. The guy seems mesmerized by Dan Hesse giving him the best data plans, so Sprint's CEO gets the "Hey, Dan, you da man" lyrics.

Speaking of text, at times the whole thing is hilariously serious, with a thorough overview of the HTC EVO 3D's specifications, listing chipset speeds, resolutions, user interfaces - the whole nine yards of tech reviews.

There are some personal favorites in the lyrics, but watch the HTC EVO 3D rap video below, and pick your own. At the end the lyricist takes a not-so-thinly veiled jab at Apple's iPhone, which can be expected from any self-respecting Android rap video.

HP TouchPad makes an early appearance at Wal-Mart, video demo shows webOS 3.0 in action

The 9.7-inch HP TouchPad might have been on your wish list for quite a while as it was announced way back in February, but if you can't even wait for a couple of days until the official release date on July 1st, you might want to go to your local Wal-Mart. The tablet has already hit the shelves of a few stores, but this video demo below comes from Kansas.

The demonstrated unit was put on display with Wi-Fi connectivity turned on, so the shopper could take a detailed six-minute look at the functions of webOS 3.0 on the TouchPad. Judging from the video, the tablet looks very responsive, with smooth swipe and pinch gestures. The pricing of the tablet stands at $500 for the basic 16GB Wi-Fi only model, while the 32 gig version will set you back $600.

source: Electronista

HTC EVO 3D listed as “coming soon” on Vodafone UK's web page

This story is supported by HTC. HTC Flyer is a 7" Android tablet exclusively available at Best Buy. With HTC Scribe Technology and Scribe Pen, you can write naturally like pen on paper on the tablet's screen. Learn more and buy now

Well, this didn't take long. The GSM version of the HTC EVO 3D may have been announced only yesterday, but Vodafone UK is already teasing us with a listing of the smartphone on its web page. Teasing seems to be the most suitable term for it as the EVO 3D is only listed in the “coming soon” section with no word regarding its price or availability, at least for now. However, if the rumor that we heard not long ago turns out to be true, it wouldn't be long before the smartphone hits Vodafone's shelves.

Currently, Vodafone UK appears to be the only European carrier to have the EVO 3D in its portfolio, but other carriers are very likely to follow suit. First of all, during its announcement yesterday it was confirmed that the 3D-enabled smartphone will be made broadly available across Europe over the next month. Besides that, it looks like the EVO 3D is getting quite a lot of attention by consumers in the US so it would not be surprising to see it becoming pretty popular among European smartphone users as well.

Those of you who live in the UK and are interested in the HTC EVO 3D can check out Vodafone's web page and sign up to receive an email notification when the smartphone becomes available. In the meantime, feel free to check out this promotional video that the carrier has made, you know, just to tease you even more.

source: Vodafone via Unwired View

Teens texting while driving gives way to using apps behind the wheel

We just can't catch a break battling the Attention Deficit Disorder that seems to plague everyone with a phone these days. First it was the incessant chatting while driving, then we moved to texting, now it turns out that 35% of college students surveyed use apps while driving.

While this shouldn't come as a shocker, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) student Lauren McCarthy, who did the survey, says something very troubling:

“The participants seemed to understand that using mobile apps while driving is dangerous, and some have even experienced motor vehicle crashes while using mobile apps, but they continue to do it.” As a Department of Psychology student, she adds: "something needs to be done because in psychological terms, Internet use involves substantial cognitive and visual distraction that exceeds talking or texting, making it much more dangerous.”

The Director of the UAB Youth Safety Labs also chimes in with a similar remark: “Driving a car is an incredibly complex task for humans to complete safely. There are enormous cognitive, perceptual and motor tasks an automobile driver must complete, frequently very quickly and with split-second precision. A driver using his or her smartphone is clearly distracted, both visually and cognitively, and really should not be driving. The fact that 10 percent of college students with smartphones ‘often’ are using them while driving is astounding — the fact that 35 percent ‘sometimes’ do is equally concerning.”

It's a fact that 33 states ban texting while driving, but nobody has institutionalized a ban on using apps and mobile Internet behind the wheel with the respective penalties or fines. Not yet, at least. Lauren McCarthy is presenting her findings before the 119th APA convention in Washington, D.C., and it might pick the attention of the authorities enough to consider using apps while driving a safety hazard.

source: UABNews via Textually