Google Nexus tablet could effect partner tablet sales

As seems to happen often with reports from DigiTimes, this news sounds completely reasonable, but also completely overblown all at the same time. The new report says that the rumored Google Nexus tablet could have an adverse effect on other Android tablet sales when it is released. This in itself seems perfectly reasonable, because there is a niche audience that would love to see a Nexus tablet and would likely choose it over other options. But, that's just it: a niche audience.

Pre-alpha ICS running on Kindle Fire needs your help

The xda-developer community is a place where geek dreams come true, and the newest dream is to have Android Ice Cream Sandwich running on the $199 Kindle Fire. That dream is much closer to reality because of JackpotClavin, who has released a pre-alpha version of Ice Cream Sandwich for the Kindle Fire. Unfortunately, the reason the ROM was released pre-alpha is because there is a wonky bug that the crew of xda just can't figure out.

Apple granted patents for mobile hydrogen battery systems

Unfortunately, lax requirements of the US patent system, there's no guarantee that we'll see this technology in the real world any time soon, or that it can actually be built into a working product, but Apple has been granted patents for theoretical designs for a hydrogen fuel cell system which could power mobile devices. We'd certainly love to see this tech, because mobile batteries are the biggest bottleneck to innovation, but theoretical designs are a far cry from physical devices.

Huawei working on Ice Cream Sandwich update for T-Mobile SpringBoard according to photo

A Chinese web site is showing leaked photographs of the Huawei MediaPad running Android 4.0.1. While no definitive word has come out of Huawei yet, it certainly does indicate that the manufacturer plans on updating the tablet to Ice Cream Sandwich from the Android 3.2 build of the OS that was installed for the launch of the device. After the update, the tablet will have the ability to make voice calls and one of the leaked spyshots shows the dialer on the tablet.

Sound ID SIX hands-on

Last year, we had the opportunity of checking out the Sound ID 510, a Bluetooth device for the iPhone that featured a tantalizing mix of common Bluetooth functionality splashed with some unconventional ones. Well folks, it has been more than a year later, and we’re finally once again checking out the company’s latest offering in the form of the Sound ID SIX. Priced at $129.99, which is positioned as a premium offering, it packs all of the previous version’s lovable qualities, but it’s now compatible to work with the iPhone, BlackBerry smartphones, and Android devices – while still maintaining its rich and unconventional set of features.

Right off the bat, we dig the updated design of the Sound ID SIX, as it radiates blindingly with a chic look that makes it seem more like a piece of jewelry – as opposed to a high-tech gadget. In fact, its holographic surface catches our eyes, but it’s actually referred to as the Clear Carbon Smart Touch Surface. Similar to the previous model, this area allows us to execute swiping gestures to quickly increase/decrease its volume. Despite its all plastic construction, it’s still one sturdy feeling headset that takes pride in its desirable looks. As for the earpiece, it’s yet again very menacing with its sharp looking spout – though, it does well to funnel audio into one specific area. Still, it tends to feel a bit irritating after some time on.

Besides working just like any other Bluetooth headset out there in the market, there is the accompanying Sound ID EarPrint app that unlocks most of the headset’s cool features. For starters, we like how it offers a PassThru Mode, which seemingly makes it appear as though we gain super human hearing. Actually, it amplifies the surrounding environment to give us clear and distinctive audio tones to make even someone typing away on a keyboard sound prominent. Additionally, we like how we’re presented with a personalized way to adjust its audio quality, SMS to Speech, battery life indicator, and a Find My Headset feature.

Yes, some might still complain about its pricing, but it’s not every day that we find a headset that amplifies our own hearing – or the fact that we have an adjustable quality setting. Combining its wealthy set of features with its fashionable appearance, it’s sure to turn plenty of heads – plus, it’s now compatible with a host of devices right from the start!

source: Sound ID

Foxconn expanding iPhone production capabilities for 2012

Foxconn, the company that assembles many of the mobile devices for Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung, is dramatically expanding its factory in Zhengzhou, which currently produces up to 200,000 iPhones a day. When the expansion is complete, the plant would be the largest of its kind in the world, with 95 production lines capable of outputting a total of 400,000 iPhones per day.

It’s not known whether the entire expansion will be dedicated to iPhone production – Foxconn prefers to maintain the flexibility to change product lines quickly in response consumer demand – the Zhengzhou plant is the main iPhone production plant at the moment, and if iPhone demand continues to raise it is likely that manufacturing would be centered in the same plant.

Foxconn has become a true manufacturing behemoth, employing 1.2 million people. The expansion of the Zhengzhou plant is expected to allow Foxconn to generate $20 billion in revenue from that plant alone. And it should help ensure that consumers get their tech toys in sufficient quantities for at least another couple of years.

source: ChinaDaily via AllThingsD

Asus Transformer Prime gets a firm UK release date

We had heard that the Asus Transformer Prime was delayed and would be released in the UK in January, but now we have a firm release date, and it will be January 12th. Although none of the other info that we've heard has been confirmed.

We had heard that the Transformer Prime delay was because of a WiFi issue. We had also heard that part of the delay was that the Prime would be launching with Ice Cream Sandwich, but apparently it seems the tablet will be launching with Honeycomb, and get the OTA update soon afterwards. That said, both Ebuyer and Expansys are showing a release date for January 12th in the UK, so it's not too much longer before Android lovers on that side of the pond will be getting the Prime.

Of course, there's no guarantee that it will be called the Prime when it does launch, given the new trouble from Hasbro.

source: Eurodroid

iOS "12 Days of Christmas" app has lots of freebies

Tis the season of giving and Apple is in the spirit with a new app for iOS devices that will help you to get free iTunes content throughout the 12 Days of Christmas. The app is, of course, called "12 Days of Christmas". It was released today, but as of this writing it was only available for UK users and US users should see it pop into the iTunes store later on. Unfortunately, if you aren't in one of those two countries, it seems you'll be out of luck. 

The app is compatible with the iPhone 3Gs and newer as well as the iPad and iPad 2. From December 26th until January 6th the app will allow iOS users access to free content in the iTunes store including apps, books, songs and music videos. Today's freebies are Coldplay tracks and videos, and there will be new content available tomorrow.

If you have a compatible iOS device and you want some free stuff, just jump into the iTunes App Store and grab the app.

Sony and Samsung finalize split on joint LCD venture

We reported in November that Sony was looking to sell off its stake in a joint S-LCD venture they undertook with Samsung, and now it appears the two companies have finalized the terms of the deal. Sony announced that they will be paid $939 million in cash by Samsung, making S-LCD Corp will a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung.

While much of S-LCD’s manufacturing output went into flat panel TVs, some of it was also dedicated to making LCD screens for smartphones. The deal includes a strategic agreement governing Sony’s continued ability to purchase LCD panels from Samsung’s S-LCD subsidiary, with the intended goal of “enhancing the competitiveness of both companies”.

Sony most likely gets first crack at a certain amount of the output of S-LCD, while Samsung gets greater flexibility in managing output and other manufacturing choices. Sony and Samsung reserved the right to continue to collaborate on the engineering behind LCD production, so Samsung will still have access to some of Sony’s research prowess.

What does this mean to consumers? With luck it means smartphone screen prices will come down in price, although AMOLED screens continue to assault LCD screen market share on high end devices. It may positively impact Sony’s TV division (which has lost money for years), but additionally may be part of the overhaul of Sony’s smartphone realignment. Many medium and long-term changes can be expected now that Ericsson sold its portion of the Sony-Ericsson phone manufacturer to Sony.

source: Sony via Engadget

VooMote Zapper hands-on

Calling all you couch potatoes that refer to your television remote as a lustful piece of technology goodness, you might bow down in awe with what appears to be a simple, yet practical adapter for the iPhone that seemingly turns the smartphone into an awesome universal remote – one you can say that rules them all. We’ve checked out universal remote gadgets for the iPhone before, like the Griffin Beacon, but the VooMote Zapper aims to be a wickedly compact and straightforward solution.

Honestly, you’d better watch out where you place the VooMote Zapper, well, that’s because this super tiny dongle can easily be lost in the cracks of your living room couch. Yes, it’s nice that it simply attaches to the iPhone’s connection port, and is powered by it too, but there is a high possibility that you might lose it faster than your TV remote. Nevertheless, it packs an IR blaster that enables it to interact with all the popular home theater devices out there. From you television to your DVR, it replaces all those complex and sometimes confusing remotes into a simple thing on the iPhone.

After downloading the corresponding VooMote Zapper app onto the iPhone, we’re able to quickly start using it thanks to its easy step-by-step setup. Actually, it merely asks for our make and model of our device, and from there, it automatically figures out the rest. However, in the event that the specific remote is not a part of its extensive catalog, we can manually program the VooMote Zapper by pointing the remote in the direction of the VooMote Zapper’s IR blaster. With its interface, we like how we’re able to organize things according to rooms – like the living room, bedroom, and den. At the same time, there are various windows we can swipe to gain access to the various remote control functions. In all honesty, it worked flawlessly in our quick look!

Above all, its $69.99 starting price is sure to attract a lot of attention, especially when other similar devices are priced higher. Additionally, it doesn’t require the use of batteries, which is nice seeing it sucks the juice from the iPhone itself. Sure, the app might not offer the extensive social networking aspects found with comparable services, like Dijit, but hey, it’s right to the point in getting us tuned to our favorite shows. And there’s no more hassling with a bunch of different remotes to confuse us. You can’t ask for more, right?

source: VooMote

Sony Ericsson reserves Xperia Ion name; could be for the LT28at flagship model

We recently reported on a possible flagship model for Sony Ericsson that appeared on the Bluetooth SIG site. With a 4.55 inch Reality display weighing in at 720p, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 13MP camera, this device promises to raise the bar in the Android world. The one thing about the phone that definitely needs to be changed is the code name LT28at that the unit has been branded with at the moment. We would imagine that a name change is coming since LT28at doesn't exactly roll off your tongue.

Actually, when Sony Ericsson starts its special presentation at the upcoming CES on January 9th, we might see this model rolled out as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ion. The joint venture filed for a trademark on the Xperia Ion name on December 13th with a serial number of 85493863. The trademark application is requested for mobile phones, the same answer Sony Ericsson put down for its trademark applications on the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY and Sony Ericsson Xperia arc.

This will probably be the last flagship model to have the Sony Ericsson branding. Sony announced earlier this year that it is buying out its partner in the joint venture and will be dropping the Ericsson name from its phones sometime in the middle of next year.

source: Fusible via Phandroid

PowerSkin Gaming Case for iPhone hands-on

There’s no kidding that smartphones are increasingly becoming the destination for many hardcore gamers, especially when the quality to titles are seemingly inching ever closer to the level that we see on popular handheld gaming consoles. Well, if you happen to own and iPhone or iPod touch, you’ll especially take a liking in looking at the PowerSkin Gaming Case for iPhone. Essentially, it’s a gaming centric case that accommodates the iPhone 4 and 4S, but the beauty of it all, is that is emulates the experience that we’re accustomed of receiving with a traditional home console.

First and foremost, the case transforms the sleek and slender iPhone (4 or 4s) into a massive, heavy, and bulky device. It might not try to hide its girth, but in making up for its lack of sleekness, the case is perfectly attuned to the needs of gamers with its wide body – allowing a good amount of room and grip for our hands. Internally, the case tucks away a beefy 2,050 mAh battery that’s surely enough to juice the handset during those long days of playing games. Additionally, it features two internal speakers of its own, and a force feedback system very reminiscent of what you find on any home console controller.

Checking it out quickly with a racing game, we definitely like how the entire thing rumbles whenever we smack something with our car – plus, the case also rumbles to the beat of the background music. There’s a button on the bottom edge that quickly allows us to modify the vibration level from low, medium, and high, but if we want to turn off the vibration feature completely, there’s another button that does just that. Complementing the case, there are LED lights that line the case’s volume controls to indicate that the case is actually on and active – well, it’s more like a flashy visual thing to capture the attention of wandering eyes.

All in all, the PowerSkin Gaming Case for the iPhone is definitely something that veteran games will probably want to check out, but be warned, it’ll cost you a pretty hefty capacity – then again, it packs the usefulness of being able to charge your handset on the go. Yes, it’s rather up there at $89.99, but when you think about its features, it’s undoubtedly on par to some other similar things out there; like Mophie’s range of battery charging cases for the iPhone.

source: PowerSkin (1 & 2)

Sprint NBA app debuts as delayed season opens at last

Being the new mobile carrier partner of the NBA, replacing T-Mobile which had the gig for years, is great news for Sprint executives who probably can get a couple of tickets to any game. It is also fantastic news for Sprint's Android totin' customers who have the exclusive privilege of installing the new Sprint NBA Mobile 2011-2012 app on their Sprint phone.

Follow the NBA from your Sprint Android phone

The app offers NBA scores, news, standings, stats and in-game video highlights. Radio broadcasts are also available and you can select either the visiting radio crew or the home team's play-by-play announcer. Games can be viewed over your phone from Sprint TV's ESPN channel. One major advantage that Sprint customers will have is a 20% discount on the NBA League Pass. The mobile version of League Pass brings you 40 out of market games per week that you can view from your handset, and an archive from which you can select certain games to replay.

Even though the 2011-2012 season started late, it still promises to be an exciting one and we wouldn't be terribly surprised if Sprint was able to grab some business away from other carriers with this app. Of course, Verizon still has the exclusive on the NFL's mobile app and Major League Baseball's At Bat is available for most platforms.

source: Sprint

Motorola Wireless Keyboard with Trackpad hands-on

Did you happen to pick up either the Motorola DROID XYBOARD 8.2 or 10.1? Well, if you did, you’ll take interest in a complementary accessory that’s specifically geared to work with the Honeycomb flavored tablets. Just like the original Motorola XOOM, the arrival of these DROID XYBOARD tablets brings forth yet another accessory in the form of the Motorola Wireless Keyboard with Trackpad.

Obviously, like what its name implies, it’s a compact Bluetooth keyboard that packs a useful trackpad within its body. Needless to say, the nice thing about this one is that it’s compact and fairly lightweight – thus, making it very easy to bring around anywhere. On top of that, we find it extremely easy to use thanks to its spacious layout, raised chicklet style buttons, and tactility. Furthermore, with the aid of its slide-out trackpad, we’re treated to a desktop-like experience in navigating through some Android powered devices.

Using a Verizon Galaxy Nexus and a DROID XYBOARD 8.2, it’s very nice that a mouse pointer is displayed on both devices to give us an easy time navigating around the platform. Even though it’s mentioned to be a universal keyboard, you can tell that Motorola specifically prepared this one to work with Android due to the corresponding Android buttons (home, back, menu, and search) that are placed on the top row. Interestingly enough, it’s mentioned to offer multi-touch gestures like scroll, swipe, and pinch-to-zoom, but when using it with the two devices, they didn’t work. Simply, we can execute a zoom function within the web browser by double tapping the trackpad, but those gestures simply don’t work – just yet.

Powered by two AA batteries, which are included in the box thankfully, it’s unknown how long it’ll provide juice to the keyboard, but we’re seriously hoping that it gives at least a couple weeks. Nevertheless, the Motorola Wireless Keyboard with Trackpad is a pricey investment at $99.99 through Verizon or Motorola. It’s not a mandatory item for everyone, but if you have the disposable income to blow, then it might prove to be a worthy thing for your needs.

source: Motorola

LG expects to roll out Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade to select devices starting in Q2 2012

Now that Christmas is behind us, we’re certain that a some of you might’ve received a nifty gift from the man in the big red suit, but if you happened to get an Android powered smartphone from LG, you ought to pay more attention to the news about LG’s plans.

Last time around, we heard that LG was planning to bring the LG Optimus 2x and several other high-end devices from its portfolio up to snuff with Ice Cream Sandwich. Well folks, this morning brings us yet additional news regarding the highly anticipated update.

Taking a look at LG’s Facebook page, the Korean based company outlines its plans on brining Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich – though, not everyone is going to be pleased by the news. Specifically, the LG Optimus LTE, Prada 3.0, Optimus 2x, Eclipse, Optimus Sol, and my Touch Q will all be getting ICS sometime in Q2 2012. Meanwhile, the LG Optimus 3D, Optimus Black, Optimus Big, Optimus Q2, and Optimus EX will getting the tasty treat around Q3 2012. Naturally, it’s nice to know that these select devices are going to be treated to the latest and most up-to-date version of Android, but the wait is still rather lengthy.

Interestingly enough, there are several top-notch devices of late from LG that aren’t included on the list – such as the T-Mobile G2x, LG Thrill 4G, and Nitro HD. When you think about it more, LG doesn’t mention any US specific devices, so it’ll be intriguing to see whether or not these highly esteemed smartphones will be getting their taste of ICS. At this point, we’ll have to simply wait and see if the carriers are going to move forward and give the green light.

We've reached out to LG regarding the matter surrounding the missing devices and will update things when we hear a repose.

**Updated**
And right on cue, we received news from LG directly regarding the matter at hand. Not surprisingly, LG tells us that the carriers have the power in making the call – meaning, LG’s technical account teams work with the carriers to determine compatibility. Therefore, “the carriers make the decisions as to which devices receive what upgrades and when.” At this point, it’s a matter of playing the waiting game and hearing word directly from the respective carriers as to when they’ll treat their LG devices with the tasty dessert.

source: LG via TmoNews & The Verge