Apple's rumored early March iPad 3 launch event may have been narrowed down through a claim Monday. The company was said by previously accurate iMore tipsters to be currently set for March 7. It could still change, the people said, but the date was consistent both with the earlier rumor and with Apple's preferences for mid-week events.
The Motorola Droid 4 is the latest subject of iFixit's teardowns. The team managed to remove the non user-removable battery fairly easily, though the hardware QWERTY keyboard is oddly integrated into the motherboard and difficult to repair. This was the main reason iFixit gave the Droid 4 its lowest repairability score to date, at 4 out of 10.
Apple's lawsuit retaliation continued on Friday after it sued Motorola in the US over 3G patent issues. The iPhone designer sought to block Motorola from making patent violation accusations based on its use of Qualcomm's MDM6610 cellular chipset as well as any others it might use. It came after Qualcomm confirmed to Apple that it was already paying for a license to Motorola's 3G patents, which Apple took to mean that it was exempt from paying itself.
LG's Miracle was given its first fully outlined look Friday after it was spotted in live photos. Briefly popping up on a Romanian auction site, the Windows Phone seen by GSMArena lined up with descriptions of a device with a four-inch screen. The device, clearly an escaped prototype, also verified the five-megapixel rear camera and what looked to be a front camera.
A telling scoop Friday has shown that Verizon plans at least one more HTC Droid Incredible phone. The hardware seen by Phone Arena, known at least temporarily as the Droid Incredible 3, would be a major leap in speed over the Droid Incredible 2 with both LTE-based 4G and a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon. The hardware is conspicuously using the same Android 4.0 plus Sense 4.0 interface as the Ville and could be the first US phone to get the updated layer.
LG's plans to relaunch into Windows Phones became more definitive Tuesday after a sighting caught more definitive plans. The Miracle, seen by PocketNow in a press render, was previously known as the Fantasy and shows LG hoping to catch the relative low end. Its highlight should be a four-inch, extra-bright Nova LCD, although it's rumored to come with NFC that could demand the Tango update coming to the OS later this year.
Mobile chip and network gear maker Qualcomm has now proposed an in-flight wireless network that would bring speeds as fast as 300Gbps. It would use spectrum in the 14GHz to 14.5GHz bands for this, and the so-called Next-Gen AG system would use about 150 towers located throughout the US. The network would use familiar airwave techniques to get ther, including a time division duplex communications mode and orthogonal multiplexing, which stitches together multiple signals into a coherent whole.
Newly uncovered documents from Apple's opposition to a Motorola attempt to silence its requests have uncovered Motorola's demands for a 3G patent license. In explaining why it needed to get details of Qualcomm's patent deal with Motorola, Apple mentioned that Motorola had wanted a 2.25 percent royalty on Apple product sales as its attempt at a FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) patent licensing offer. Florian Mueller, who unearthed the details, saw it as likely an excessive rate given that Apple wouldn't only be licensing from Motorola and that it could significantly raise the price of selling an iPhone or 3G iPad.
Mobile device chipmaker Qualcomm and network and communications gear Ericsson on Thursday announced they've reached a significant milestone by handing over a call from an LTE network to a WCDMA network using a single radio. They used the Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) 3GPP specified feature to hand off the Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) call when a user left the coverage area to the more widespread 3G network. The hand-off was made on December 23, 2011 on the Ericsson network on a handset using Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor at the heart of new phones and tablets.
Qualcomm posted record results for the fall that could be credited to the rapid rise not just of mobile devices as a whole but specific partners. Its revenue was up 40 percent to nearly $4.7 billion, while its profit also climbed to 20 percent, or $1.4 billion.
RIM's BlackBerry London has been refined in looks ahead of what could be an attempt to return to the US in force. New leaks to CrackBerry have the render of the first BlackBerry 10 phone's expected finished look making it considerably more refined than the very angular, Porsche Design-like look of a dummy unit. A presumably mock screenshot also points to a more refined media player than either on BlackBerry 7 or on the PlayBook.
KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have announced a new series of designer phones for the Japanese market. The Infobar C02, manufactured by Sharp, comes in three distinct color schemes and incorporates a numeric pad with over-sized keys. The display is an unusually tall, 3.2-inch, 480x854 LCD.
HTC's repeatedly rumored Ville has been caught live in a hands-on video (below) and leak. An unnamed source for HTC Hub in the Montenegro city of Podgorica has shown the slim, tapered phone and confirmed that it's running Android 4.0. HTC's custom Sense 4.0 interface is on top and appears to be closely related to Sense 3.5 and 3.6, although it has new visual transitions for jumping into menus.
Samsung may have overstepped its bounds in trying to counter Apple as the European Commission has launched an investigation of its practices. The EU body is hoping to determine whether Samsung breached promises to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to charge fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) rates by suing Apple over 3G in multiple European countries. It wanted to check whether Samsung was trying to "distort competition" and abuse a controlling stake in wireless.
Koobe became just the third company to use Qualcomm's next-generation Mirasol display with a new version of its Jin Yong Reader. The Taiwanese Android 2.3 device is a very close cousin of the Kyobo eReader and Shanda BamBook and blurs the lines between tablets and e-readers. The Mirasol display has the outdoor friendliness and weeks-long battery life of e-paper but adds color and fast enough touchscreen responsiveness to be used as a tablet in some areas.
Benchmark NenaMark 2 test results of the upcoming 28nm Snapdragon S4 processors reveal fairly strong performance. The device the chip was on isn't identified, however, but it is likely a seven-inch tablet as the resolution is typical of such devices, at 1024x600. It ran on the 1.5GHz MSM8960 processor with Adreno 225 graphics and scored 54.90 on the test.
The European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Agency has struck a deal with the Czech government to have Prague serve as the headquarters for Galileo, the European rival to the US' Global Positioning System (GPS). The European network of 30 satellites orbiting the globe is expected to start operation in 2014. The Europeans claim that Galileo is more accurate and reliable than GPS, which began full operation in 1993.
Qualcomm has acquired Pixtronix for its PerfectLight MEMS-based display technology. Qualcomm confirmed the purchase, but did not disclose the reasons behind the acquisition or the price, which is rumored be between $175 million and $200 million. It is thought that the Pixtronix technology may either complement Qualcomm’s existing MEMS-based Mirasol display tech, or push Mirasol beyond its current capabilities.
Sony’s forthcoming Xperia S and Xperia Ion phones will support both GLONASS and GPS, the result of using the latest generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. According to Sony’s Magnus Persson, existing Xperia phones that use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S2 or S3 chipsets also offer support for the Russian equivalent to GPS. By using both systems in tandem, Sony’s Xperia smartphones can get a position lock in half the time it would normally take using GPS only.
A new smartphone due for China, the OPPO Find 3, is due to arrive soon with some impressive specs. Made to compete with the Meizu MX, it is made of metal, glass and silicon and sports relatively high-end specs. These include a dual-core, 1.5GHz processor from Qualcomm, 1GB of RAM and a four-inch touchscreen.
LG took its second shot at tablets in an unusual post-CES launch with the Optimus Pad LTE. A direct sequel to the original we reviewed, it keeps the 8.9-inch, 1280x768 IPS screen and jumps to its namesake 4G for Internet access. Added speed comes through a platform switch, with LG moving from the dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 to a similarly dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon.
Samsung product innovation VP Kevin Packingham in an interview from CES claimed his company had a goal of true all-day battery life on smartphones this year. Along with getting higher battery capacities, Samsung would optimize the wireless activity on cellular and Wi-Fi, as well as tune other components, he told CNET. He admitted that phones like the Droid Charge weren't ideal, in part because of the use of new technologies like LTE that still had young chipssets.
Samsung has formally requested details of the contract between Apple and wireless supplier Qualcomm, the Korea Times reports. The action was taken through a US District Court in California, and is intended to discover whether a cross-licensing deal between Samsung and Qualcomm means that "Apple's buying Qualcomm chips is as good as paying for the patents." Depending on the exact arrangement, Apple may be immune to related patent infringement lawsuits from Samsung.
Qualcomm at CES had two core focuses: its Snapdragon S4 processors, and the second-generation of its Mirasol display technology. We had the opportunity to try Qualcomm's S4 development tablet and Mirasol readers from Kyobo and Shanda on the floor. Read ahead for a look at both.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty after a trip to Asia has claimed to have heard that Apple would get a truly world-capable LTE chipset for the iPhone. With quad-frequency support, it would support "all 3G and LTE network flavors," according to the copy obtained by AppleInsider. It might revolve around whether or not Apple gets a deal with China Mobile that might be contingent on TD-LTE.
Many companies came to Las Vegas this week to show off their high-end tablets, however a few companies, including Hanvon, brought along their latest e-book readers. Qualcomm helped show off Hanvon's C18, which Electronista had a chance to try out on the CES show floor.
ZTE brought its latest mobile devices to CES, where Electronista tried out the company's first Windows Phone offering, the Tania. The handset offers a basic set of features, centering around a 4.3-inch display with 800x480 resolution and a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm processor.
We've had the chance to try the Nokia Lumia 900 at CES. The smartphone is in some ways what it looks to be on the surface: an upsized, upgraded version of the Lumia 800. A side-by-side comparison of the Windows Phones shows that they're about as thin, but that the 900 is very clearly wider and taller. If you're not a fan of large phones, you won't be a fan.
Qualcomm at its CES keynote unveiled several new advances it plans for the new year. Device builders can now use its first Wi-Fi Display-capable chips. The component, which is using Wi-Fi Direct, lets users quickly share visual content on the local network without having to have an Internet connection. Qualcomm envisions it being used to share a web page or a photo from a phone to a TV or tablet.
Chipmaker Qualcomm has unveiled a new eBook reader together with China's Shanda, a multimemedia content and social network provider. Dubbed Bambook Sunflower, the device uses a 5.7-inch Mirasol touchscreen and runs on a very customized Android 2.3 OS. The major specs include and are shared with the Kyobo Mirasol eReader and include a 1GHz Snapdragon processor.
Lenovo had a surprise in store after it confirmed the IdeaTab S2 by giving a preview of its K2 cousin: the second model will run on a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and carry the same 1080p screen concept as the Iconia Tab A700. Both, however, are part of a Lenovo strategy to make up for the rough start from the K1. We tried both ahead of CES and got to see if it will be much of a threat to the iPad.
Lenovo as part of its wide-scale introductions brought out its first TV with an unusual approach to Android that we saw for ourselves. The K91 Smart TV is based on Android 4.0, not Google TV, and uses a completely new Sandwich UI that focuses on traditional TV, VOD with a viewing history, and Internet-aware apps.
Lenovo has led off CES Unveiled by revealing the IdeaTab S2, the sequel to its very first Android tablet. The new 10-inch tablet is one of the first mainstream slates to ship with Android 4.0 and is also a major leap in performance. It ships with a new, 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon MSM8960 that takes advantage of both a higher clock speed and a new cooler, more efficient chip design.
Toshiba may bring a seven-inch budget tablet to CES, if a leak from Notebook Italia proves right. The device doesn't yet have a name, and specs are thin. It will reportedly get a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a touchscreen resolution of 1024x600.
Sony Ericsson Germany is teasing an upcoming Xperia smartphone it will bring to CES through its Facebook page in Germany. Unlike the already expected Nozomi, this phone has an off-center rear camera, so there could be two new Xperias getting official reveals in Las Vegas next week. The new handset could be the LT28at leaked earlier through a Bluetooth SIG listing.
The Sony Ericsson Nozomi smartphone that's expected to be made official at CES has been benchmarked and the results shared by ITProPortal. The test confirmed some specs of the device, including its 720x1280 touchscreen and dual-core, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. A 12-megapixel camera is also confirmed, as is 1GB of RAM and 8GB of integrated storage space.
Two US regional carriers saw contrasting results for their LTE rolluts on Thursday. C Spire had set a goal of having LTE-based 4G on its network by the end of 2011, but in a response to FierceWireless declined to say what adjusted schedule it might have. The former Cellular South may have been counting on rules requiring LTE interoperability from AT&T devices that weren't granted with the Qualcomm spectrum handover in December.
A Milan-based court has denied Samsung's attempt to get a preliminary Italian ban on the iPhone 4S. Most details are currently unknown. The denial doesn't exonerate Apple but will likely let it keep the iPhone 4S on sale until its replacement arrives.
Cellphone carrier MetroPCS on Wednesday announced it will bring out phones with built-in mobile TV tuners later in 2012. These signals are sent out from certain TV stations and are Mobile DTV signals. The first device to use the ATSC Mobile technology at MetroPCS will be from Samsung, in the form of an as-yet unnamed premium Android device.
ASUS may have a sequel to the Eee Pad Memo ready if a leaked shot and details prove true. The seven-inch slate, possibly the Memo Pad appears a straightforward tablet in Notebook Italia's details, but it would be relatively high-grade relative to competitors. In tandem with a 1280x800 display, it would pick up a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, carry between 16GB to 64GB of storage, and even have optional 3G wireless and 3D display versions.
Chinese handset maker ZTE has teamed up with Fashion TV on its first fashion-oriented smartphone, the FTV. It has the same technical specs as the original San Francisco available at Orange, GSMArena found. Unique to the phone are the FTV paint and logos along with exclusive FTV apps, wallpapers, widgets and other content.
AT&T on Tuesday formally completed its purchase of Qualcomm airwaves. The $1.9 billion deal gives it access to 700MHz frequencies it will use to boost the coverage for its LTE-based 4G network. The extra spectrum's reach is wide enough to cover nearly all of the US, at 300 million potential users.
Sony Ericsson's codenamed LT28at phone, possibly a cousin of the Nozomi, has had some of its details escape through a Bluetooth SIG listing and photos. The phone will center on a 4.55-inch, 720p screen but also carry one of the first 13-megapixel cameras on a phone in the US. It should run on both HSPA and LTE, a strong sign that it's likely destined for AT&T or at the least a carrier like Rogers in Canada.
Best known for its computers and monitors, Dell has just announced it will soon offer its Streak Pro smartphone in China, a key market for the company. Already promised for the Japanese market, the device is the first with the Baidu Yi mobile platform from China's Internet search giant Baidu. It integrates the popular Ting music service and other cloud services also offered by the search engine.
Intel in a rare step gave a hands-on test of its Medfield-based Atom phone and tablet reference designs to MIT. The institute's Technology Review in testing the Android 2.3-based phone called it "powerful and pleasing," noting that it could play "Blu-ray-quality" video with wireless TV streaming and could shoot burst photos at up to 15FPS for 10 shots. It was "on a par" with newer Android and iPhone hardware, according to the close look.
Qualcomm has planned to boost location detection of its mid-tier Snapdragon S2 and S3 mobile processors. Currently, the chips use the 24 satellite GPS network to get a fix on a device's location. It will soon be adding support for the 27-satellite GLONASS network Russia uses.
Samsung has switched up its attempts to countersue Apple, according to reports from the key battleground court in Mannheim, Germany. The Korean firm was said by Florian Mueller to have given up its failed attempts to sue Apple over 3G standards. It now accepts Apple's point of view that the 3G license was already covered by paying for the Qualcomm chip in devices like the iPhone 4S, although it didn't waive the right to leverage 3G patents again.
Imagination Technologies has confirmed that it is licensing its display solutions to Qualcomm. The deal will give Qualcomm, best known for its Snapdragon processors used in smartphones, access to Imagination's PowerVR technology used for frame rate conversion and image boosts on display screens. The relationship currently does not extend to Imagination's graphics cores, which are used in iPads, iPhones, and Android or PlayBook devices using TI chips.
The Samsung Galaxy Note handset is coming to AT&T early in 2012, PocketNow learned, cementing earlier rumors. It will carry the SGH-I717 model number, and differ from the international GT-N7000 model by getting a 4G LTE radio and a dual-core, 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chip like the T-Mobile Galaxy S II. The same large, 5.3-inch, 1280x800 touchscreen will still be the device's headline feature, however.
The FCC on Friday posted that it had restarted the informal shot clock for approval of AT&T's buying Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum. Retroactively applying the start to November 29, the federal agency expects to decide within 180 days whether or not it approves the handover. Most expect the AT&T to clear the deal given that Qualcomm wouldn't be using the spectrum following the end to its MediaFLO TV service.
