05/17, 6:32pm
HTC technically infringing, but patent likely seen as not valid
The Mannheim Regional Court has stayed one chapter of the ongoing Nokia versus HTC trial in Germnay. Judge Andreas Voss ordered the stay over a feature proving supervisory remote permission management to employees' Android-based phones and tablets. While HTC is infringing on the patent, the court believes the patent itself to be invalid.
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05/17, 5:05pm
Mobile users spending tree times as much as portable console users
A report by market analysts App Annie and IDC continue to show that mobile devices such as the iPhone or the Nexus 7 control a clear majority of mobile gaming interest and dollars spent on purchases, with portable handhelds fading rapidly. The first quarter of 2013 saw another milestone achieved for the Android platform, with it seeing more downloads and consumer spending on games than iOS for the first time.
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05/17, 3:59pm
Race to 10M sales faster than Galaxy S3 by almost three weeks
Samsung is expecting to hit the 10 million sales milestone for its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, in the next week. If reached, Samsung co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun believes it would become the fastest selling smartphone in the company's history, beating its predecessor to the very same sales barrier by almost three weeks.
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05/17, 2:00pm
FIPS 14-2 certification, STIG approval opening DoD doors
Apple's iPhones, iPads and other devices running iOS 6 or higher are officially cleared for use on the US government's secure networks, the Department of Defence announced on Friday. The final approval, which we first reported on in March, also grants Samsung Android devices that are running the Korean company's Knox security lockdown, as well as BlackBerry devices running BB10 the ability to be used on secure networks. The move is expected to further hurt BlackBerry, as it faces competition in the military space for the first time.
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05/17, 1:53pm
Higher sales could help HTC turn around loss of profit in Q2 results
HTC is working on doubling the amount of HTC One devices it can produce, in order to meet what it calls "strong demand" from its customers. The company aims to manufacture twice as many of the flagship smartphone as it did last month, with a view to increasing it further as time goes on, after overcoming supply chain issues and a legal misunderstanding with Nokia over its microphones.
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05/17, 11:31am
Lower-cost glass could be used for iOS, Android, other mobile devices
The maker of the Gorilla Glass used in iPhones and other mobile devices has unveiled its latest fusion-made, resilient glass for high-resolution displays. Corning, which is also continuing its Gorilla Glass line with a third version this year, officially introduced a "second-generation glass substrate" called Lotus XT Glass. The new variant features many of the properties of some of Corning's other products while being easier and cheaper to manufacture -- a fact that may persuade tech companies to use it in figure products.
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05/17, 9:29am
White version of Google smartphone identical in specification to original
A white version of the Google Nexus 4 smartphone could be released in the next month. A rumor suggests the white mobile device will become available through Google Play on the 10th of June, and will be accompanied by the release of the next iteration of the Android mobile operating system, version 4.3.
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05/17, 7:14am
The HTC One could be the most enticing Android smartphone yet
The HTC One may be the ultimate iPhone switch-inducing Android device yet, even if the Samsung Galaxy S4 juggernaut remains unstoppable for the time being. There are a few of key aspects of the HTC’s Android flagship device for 2013 that makes it the most likely to interest Apple iPhone 4, 4S and 5 users itching for a change of scenery, but who can’t wait as long as September when Jony Ive’s design-influenced version of iOS could be released. Many iPhone users also love the beautiful industrial designs that Jony Ive has cooked up for the iPhone over the past few years. For many, however, even if they have contemplated switching to an Android device, most were simply not made to Apple’s high standards of design and finish -- until now.
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05/16, 12:55pm
Google+ Hangouts to gain SMS integration, outbound calls, Google Voice
The new Google+ Hangouts app will soon have SMS integration, though this is likely to be only within Android. The Next Web notes that the permissions list for the app includes listings for reading and sending SMS messages from within the app, something which would bring Hangouts in line with Apple's iMessage app. A message by Google employee Dori Storibeck confirmed that SMS integration is on the way, along with outbound calls and Google Voice features.
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05/16, 10:31am
Shipments for iOS rises for the quarter, market share drops
Shipments of Windows Phone devices have overtaken those of BlackBerry phones for the first time, according to a report. Numbers from IDC places the Microsoft mobile operating system in third place, still a considerable away behind iOS and Android shipments, which are said to make up 92.3-percent of all shipments when combined.
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05/16, 9:30am
All makers and platforms enjoyed growth in ad impressions in Q1
A new study by mobile advertising analysts Millennial Media finds that Apple's iOS is again the dominant platform for ad impressions, a measure of the effectiveness and engagement with in-app advertising. The report found growth in ad impressions across platforms and manufacturers, apart from BlackBerry which continued to shed users. Apple again swept the hardware results, taking the top manufacturer, top smartphone, and top tablet. Google's Android platform, however, continues to make great strides in growth.
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05/16, 8:29am
Phone-tablet gains boost to processor, internal storage
Asus is making a number of changes to its Fonepad, increasing a number of core specifications for customers in Taiwan. The 7-inch phone-tablet, seen by Electronista earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, will receive a processor upgrade from the current 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 to the faster 1.6GHz Z2460, also from Intel.
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05/16, 8:16am
HTC not planning stock Android version of HTC One
HTC has said that it isn’t planning to issue a version of the HTC One running stock Android. The company issued a statement on the matter following the surprise, but long awaited, announcement at Google I/O that it will be selling a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 running stock Android. “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One,” said an HTC company spokesperson.
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05/16, 7:08am
Televised investigation forces Samsung to work on space issue
Samsung is working on reducing the amount of internal storage in the Galaxy S4 that is taken up by the operating system. After a number of customer complaints and an investigation from the BBC consumer affairs show Watchdog, the company will try to shrink the room its TouchWiz implementation and other items it has added to the base Android installation.
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05/16, 6:57am
JAYS updates a-JAYS Five with all-new design in three versions
Swedish audio maker JAYS has released the latest version of its popular a-JAYS Five series earphones. Unlike the previous model that came in one edition, the new lineup comes in three discrete models, each individually tailored to iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices. Each of the three models features its own three-button remote that supports all the remote functionality of each type of smartphone running each OS.
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05/15, 8:50pm
Read Now section allows quicker access to items
Google has updated the iOS and Android versions of Play Books with the ability to upload already-owned books and documents. The option supports PDF and EPUB files, but uploads must be done via the Google Books website. Any uploaded titles sync across devices.
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05/15, 6:50pm
Google believes FTC consent decree restrictions overstated
A Google-made appeal filing in the Motorola Mobile versus Apple smartphone patent trial in Judge Richard A. Posner's court has been made public. Controversially, the Google-owned Motorola claims that the still-pending FTC consent decree it agreed to does not prevent it from seeking an injunction against Apple products -- claiming that in refusing a 2.25 percent fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) license, Apple is unwilling to negotiate in good faith for use of the patent.
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05/15, 5:02pm
Microsoft allegedly completely disregarded terms of service, API rules
A week-old update of Microsoft's YouTube for Windows Phone is the target of a cease-and-desist order from Google, demanding that the app be immediately withdrawn from the Windows Phone Store and each downloaded copy be remotely disabled by May 22. The complaint centers on the total lack of advertisements and disregard of the YouTube terms of service by Microsoft in developing the app.
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05/15, 4:35pm
Cellphone allegedly sends aircraft off course
An iPhone has been blamed for a navigation error during a commercial airline flight in 2011, fueling the ongoing debate surrounding in-flight device usage. According to a Bloomberg report, an unnamed regional airliner experienced compass malfunctions when climbing past 9,000 feet, sending the aircraft off course until a flight attendant asked a passenger to turn off an iPhone.
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05/15, 3:44pm
Drives developers to freemium model, hurts platform
New research from F-Secure Labs on the prevalence of malware on smartphones, along with developer data on game app piracy rates paints a pretty clear -- and damning -- portrait of Android compared to other mobile platforms. The growth in mobile malware on Google's platform is increasing at such a pace that the malware threat is approaching the relative level of compromised Windows systems, while the rampant piracy is driving developers away and making paid apps scarce in favour of the "freemium" model.
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05/15, 3:11pm
Reminder cards, suggestions for media part of Google Now additions
Google Now, the predictive information service, has received a number of updates, in how it works and what it shows. The Google I/O attendees saw Google Now showing options for new cards, including ones for dedicated reminders, as well as activating voice recognition without pressing a button, and adding it to the Chrome browser.
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05/15, 10:07am
Heat transferred from phone processor to graphite radiator via liquid tube
NEC has unveiled a smartphone aimed at women, which it claims to be the first in the world with a water or liquid-cooled processor. The Medias X 06E, forming part of NTT DoCoMo's summer release list, uses a tube of liquid that transfers heat from the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor to a graphite radiator located elsewhere on the phone, spreading generated heat across the phone instead of in a single place.
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05/15, 7:21am
Samsung said prepping stock Android version of Galaxy S4
A surprise rumor is circulating ahead of Google I/O suggesting that Samsung and Google will reveal a new version of the Galaxy S4 that runs stock Android instead of Samsung’s own version of Android, TouchWiz. According to reports, the device will be known as the Samsung Galaxy S4 ‘Google Edition.’ However, it is not expected to form part of Google’s Nexus line as it the hardware was not-co-developed with Google as is typically the case for Nexus-branded devices.
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05/15, 6:00am
The HTC One Double Dip Shell complements the One nicely
As our review of the HTC One highlighted, there is little doubt that HTC has crafted an impressive device. Although it is made from sturdy and robust materials including aluminum on its front and rear, many users will still want to keep it looking as good as the day they bought it. HTC has stepped into the frame with its own custom Double Dip Shell for the One that offers a tailor-made solution for protecting the device.
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05/15, 5:21am
List includes nine smartphones, one tablet, one Raku-Raku device
Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo has revealed the lineup of mobile devices that it will start offering over the summer. Eleven models make the cut, including nine smartphones, one tablet, and one "Raku-Raku" simplified smartphone. Notable additions include a new Sony Xperia smartphone, the Aquos Phone Zeta, and the Aquos Pad tablet from Sharp.
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05/14, 8:26pm
May carry over some Battlefield 4 technology
Games publisher EA is planning to bring the Frostbite engine to iOS and Android, according to the company's website. "One of our most exciting current projects is called Frostbite Go, a mobile division empowering EA game developers with Frostbite’s proven excellent workflows and features to bring true Frostbite experiences to all major mobile platforms," the site's History page reads. Switching over to the This is Frostbite page, EA mentions "diverse targets from XBOX360 and PlayStation 4 to iOS and Android."
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05/14, 2:07pm
T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon to stock BlackBerry Q10 in June
The BlackBerry Q10 is making its way to the US on three different carriers in the summer, after launches in Canada and the UK. T-Mobile states it will sell the smartphone for $100 and 24 monthly installments of $20 or $580 outright, and expects to have it in June. Verizon also claims it will stock the phone in June, though does not reveal how much for, and Sprint confirms it will carry the handset, but it will launch on the network "in late summer" and for an undisclosed price.
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05/14, 10:59am
Q5 mimics general design of Q10, heads to emerging markets
BlackBerry has revealed a BB10 smartphone aimed at emerging markets, at the same time as announcing the BB10.1 update's availability for the flagship Z10 device. The Q5, a remarkably similar device to the Q10 and leaked last week, provides the same QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch touchscreen as its more-expensive stablemate, but in a cheaper package.
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05/14, 8:31am
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini could feature two A15 cores, two A7 cores
The forthcoming, but yet to be announced, Samsung 4.3-inch Galaxy S4 Mini could incorporate a dual-core implementation of ARM’s big-LITTLE architecture, or 2+2 configuration. The larger 5-inch Galaxy S4 is available with an Exynos 5 Octa chip in some markets, which incorporates four high-powered ARM Cortex-A15 cores coupled to four power efficient Cortex-A7 cores. Benchmarks of the Galaxy S4 Mini have appeared confirming an Exynos 5-series dual-core chip, which at the very least, will incorporate two Cortex-A15 cores.
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05/14, 5:52am
Aluminum case uses metal band design, adds snap-on plastic covers
Nokia has formally revealed the Lumia 925 at its London press event this morning. Previously rumored under the project name of Catwalk and leaked yesterday, the aluminum-clad smartphone with a "unique metal band design" is being promoted with its 8.7-megapixel PureView smart camera with IOS and Carl Zeiss optics and flash as its main focal point.
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05/14, 4:40am
Developer kit to allow Card.io-based credit card scanning
Payment service PayPal has launched a new software development kit for Android. Following on from the iOS version launched in March, the Android SDK will allow developers to integrate PayPal payments into their apps, providing them with an alternative payment processing system to Google Play, and the option to pay for in-app items or services by credit or debit card.
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05/13, 6:31pm
Points to violent assaults over iPhones
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has sent letters to several smartphone makers asking them to explain what they're doing to deter thefts, Bloomberg reports. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung are said to have been contacted on May 10th. "I seek to understand why companies that can develop sophisticated handheld electronics, such as the products manufactured by Apple, cannot also create technology to render stolen devices inoperable and thereby eliminate the expanding black market on which they are sold," reads Schneiderman's letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
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05/13, 6:00pm
Ratings on Facebook Home app remain poor
According to reports, AT&T is considering discontinuing the two-month-old HTC First Facebook phone. Sources have claimed that in the short time the HTC handset has been available, less than 15,000 units nationwide were sold up to and including AT&T's $1 promotion for the device.
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05/13, 5:54pm
Xperia ZL a strong offering from Sony
Described by Sony as a culmination of its greatest technologies, the Xperia ZL is an attempt to bring the company’s best offerings together in a single device. In many ways the ZL makes good on this goal, offering a superb display, solid camera, and sleek design. What’s even more impressive is the compact frame that Sony was able to pack all of this into. Despite the inclusion of a five-inch full 1080p display, the Xperia ZL is comfortable to hold, and -- thanks to the relocation of the power button -- can easily be operated with a single hand. In our full review we look further into the Xperia ZL's feature set and see if it has what it takes to compete with other top Android handhelds.
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05/13, 3:55pm
Promotional $99 down payment rises to $149 for 16GB model
The newest national carrier of the iPhone, T-Mobile, has ended a promotional "introductory price" period for the iPhone 5, raising the down payment from $99 to $149 for the 16GB model -- with similar $50 increases for the 32GB and 64GB models. Though it is still one of the cheapest ways to buy an iPhone 5 rather than buying a no-contract phone or going through a contract with one of the other carriers, the price difference with a T-Mobile plan is now down to about $20 less than buying the iPhone outright.
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05/13, 12:34pm
Catwalk smartphone with aluminum case tipped for unveiling
An image reported to be of the Lumia 925 has appeared online, just one day before Nokia's London-based press event. The leaked photograph comes at the same time as Nokia starts to tease a new smartphone via advertisements on British TV, seemingly showing a device that could possibly be the long-rumored Lumia 'Catwalk.'
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05/13, 9:58am
Live Button rolls out to viewers in New York, Philadelphia first
Broadcaster ABC is said to be updating its iOS app to offer live streams of shows from local ABC stations later this week. New options for a "Live" button in the Watch ABC app for iPhone and iPad will mark it as the first major US broadcaster that provides live streams of its channels to app users, with the first markets to gain the service being New York and Philadelphia.
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05/13, 8:36am
Ruggedized Galaxy S4 variant heads to Bluetooth SIG for certification
The anticipated ruggedized version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 has appeared for certification at the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The device had previously been alluded to by a Samsung executive who said that it would be releasing a device with water and dust resistance along the lines of the Sony Xperia Z and ZR. Its appearance on the Bluetooth SIG site is indicative that it is set to join the ever expanding range of Samsung Galaxy products in the next couple of months.
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05/13, 8:02am
Sony adds new SBH20 stereo Bluetooth earphones to range
In tandem with the launch of the Sony Xperia ZR, Sony has rolled out a iPod shuffle inspired pair of stereo Bluetooth earphones. The new SBH20 uses a small shuffle-like case to enclose a Bluetooth 3.0 receiver and rechargeable battery, while also function as a remote control for a connected smartphone or other Bluetooth-enabled device. The SBH20 incorporates a clip that users can use to pin to their clothing, minimizing the amount of cabling while allowing the connected device to remain stored in a backpack or handbag.
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05/13, 7:04am
Sony Xperia ZR delivers Xperia Z performance in a 4.6-inch package
Sony has revealed the latest addition to its smartphone lineup for 2013, the Xperia ZR. Like its 5-inch Xperia Z stable mate, the Xperia ZR is notable for its built-in water and dust resistance, rated at IP55 and IP58 respectively. Yet at the same time, it packs the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 found in the larger Xperia Z into a more compact, 4.6-inch device.
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05/13, 4:53am
Images show slight size difference between full-size Galaxy S4 and Mini
The Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available in an extra shade of blue, according to a Japanese carrier's promotional material. The images from DoCoMo arrive at the same time as other photographs that claim to show the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, something which has been suggested as launching at some point this month.
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05/12, 5:42am
Does the HTC One have what it takes to beat the Galaxy S4?
The HTC One is a crucial product for the Taiwanese smartphone maker. The company once was the market leading Android smartphone vendor and saw tremendous success and growth as a company. It worked with Google on the first Nexus smartphone and was often one of the first to market with new features, including the move to displays 4-inches or larger. However, the rise of Samsung as a smartphone maker has largely come at the expense of HTC, which has seen its fortunes rapidly decline as a consequence. See if HTC has done enough with the One to turn its fortunes around in our full review of the HTC One.
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05/11, 1:20am
BlackBerry likely to suffer due to loss of monopoly on secure devices
A spokesperson for the Pentagon has told Bloomberg that mobile devices using Apple's iOS 6 as well as Samsung devices supplemented with the company's Knox security lockdown as well as BlackBerry devices running BB10 are expected to be allowed onto the Defense Department's high-security data networks early next week, barring final approvals. The news comes on the heels of iOS's FIPS 140-2 certification for the CoreCrypto kernel module, which was added in the iOS 6 release.
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05/10, 1:22pm
Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 to allow DRM circumvention
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has come under attack by a newly-proposed legislation. The Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 seeks to legalize the unlocking of cellphones, as well as clarifying that the DMCA should only apply in cases where circumventing digital rights management or other copyright systems will aid in copyright infringement itself.
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05/10, 11:31am
Second Lumia 928 camera test uses model helicopter, image stabilization
Nokia has formally unveiled the Lumia 928, headed to Verizon as a network-exclusive. The smartphone, previously leaked through a billboard and an advertisement in Vanity Fair, has been revealed before its expected launch event in London on May 14th, with the phone manufacturer keen to continue promoting its 8.7-megapixel PureView camera with Carl Zeiss lens and Xenon flash with another test video.
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05/10, 8:48am
Front-facing camera has high-resolution, BSI sensor with autofocus
A smartphone manufacturer in Thailand is making two mobile devices that use two high-resolution camera sensors, rather than one high and one low. Images published on Facebook by i-mobile show the IQ X and IQ XA, which boast an 18-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing version, both of which have BSI sensors and autofocus.
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05/10, 7:35am
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera phone inbound
Samsung has submitted a Galaxy S4 Zoom to the Bluetooth SIG group for Bluetooth 4.0 certification. The device is set to join the fresh battle for the rejuvenated camera phone segment with a 10x optical zoom built-in for users looking for better camera shots as their first priority in a smartphone. Listed on the Bluetooth SIG site as a “Samsung Mobile Phone” the device also carries the model designation SM-C101.
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05/10, 6:40am
i-mate back from the dead with Intelegent Windows 8 smartphone concept
Former Windows Mobile maker i-mate has apparently sparked back into life after looking as though it was all over just a few years ago. The troubled company is planning on returning to the market with a new 4.7-inch smartphone running the full Windows 8 desktop and tablet operating system – not to be confused with Windows Phone 8, which runs on Nokia, HTC and Samsung handsets. The company, now based in Redmond Washington, is developing the Intelegent smartphone to work in combination with a dock and a wireless tablet display to create comprehensive workstation with full mobile capabilities.
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05/09, 11:30pm
Survey includes notebooks, tablets, phones, excludes actual sales
In its latest report, industry research firm Canalys is reporting on what it calls "worldwide smart mobile device shipments" for the first quarter of the year -- a term that includes smartphones, notebooks and tablets. Of the 308.7 million devices that fall under one of those categories that shipping in Q1, around 60 percent were said to be Android devices, reflecting the platform's strength in smartphones -- the fastest-growing area of mobile electronics. Apple's iOS placed second again, despite a dominant presence in tablets.
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05/09, 5:26pm
Google called itself a neutral third party, judge questions impartiality
Magistrage Judge Paul S. Grewal, the judge in charge of pre-trial discovery issues in the second Apple vs. Samsung patent trial, has ruled that Google must provide Apple search terms used in the unearthing of documents related to the case. Google is now compelled to "produce search terms and a list of custodians that Google used in response to requests for production Apple served on it." The seven-page ruling makes a point clear -- Apple wasn't seeking further discovery, it just expressed concern on the information Google pulled for discovery.
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